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56 people have been killed due to unprecedented floods in China. (Image for Representation)The death toll from the rain-triggered unprecedented floods in central China has risen to 56 with five people reported missing and the official estimated losses totaled about USD 10 billion, the state media reported on Friday.The torrential rains, the heaviest in 1,000 years, have affected about three million people in Henan province and a total of 376,000 local residents have been relocated to safe places, the provincial emergency management department said.The death toll from the torrential rains in central China's Henan province has risen to 56, with five people reported missing, the state-run Xinhua news agency quoted local authorities as saying.Rescue efforts including drainage operations are still underway at Jingguang Road tunnel in the provincial capital Zhengzhou, a waterlogged underpass where many vehicles had been trapped since Tuesday, according to the provincial emergency management department.The department said there was still a large amount of water in the tunnel, where casualties have been reported. The exact number of casualties has yet to be confirmed.The direct economic losses have gone up to 65.5 billion yuan (USD 10 billion), the state-run China Daily quoted local authorities as saying. As Zhengzhou city of 12 million people limped back to normalcy, rescuers are assisting thousands of people caught in the floodwaters.  On Thursday, officials raced to evacuate patients as hospitals were flooded by rainstorms. The patients were shifted to hospitals that escaped the flood fury.Zhengzhou, meanwhile, downgraded its emergency response level as it continued to clean up after this week’s devastating floods, but other parts of Henan province were bracing for more heavy rainfall, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.Zhengzhou was hit by several days of heavy rainfall, causing floods of an intensity not seen in decades.Over 8,000 military personnel worked in 10 different danger zones around the city, Xinhua news agency reported.Donation counters were set up around the city to distribute essential supplies after the panic-stricken residents bought supplies during the first days of the flood.Meanwhile, fire crews have been touring the surrounding villages to help residents who have been injured or are trapped and were working throughout the day to drain the flooded roads.Streets were turned into rushing rivers, washing away people and vehicles and apartments. Hundreds of cars washed away in floods have piled up in different parts of the city.  

Death toll in central China floods rises to 56, losses mount to USD 10 billion

The death toll from the torrential rains in central China's Henan province has risen to 56, with five people reported missing, the state-run Xinhua news agency quoted local authorities as saying.

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US President Donald Trump on Friday said that he was being investigated for firing FBI Director James Comey last month.Trump, however, added that the man conducting the probe is the same individual who advised him to fire Comey. "I am being investigated for firing the FBI Director by the man who told me to fire the FBI Director! Witch Hunt," Trump said in a Twitter message.He did not mention any names but his message comes a day after he took to Twitter to slam a media report indicating that special counsel Robert Mueller was investigating Trump himself for obstruction of justice related to the Russia probe.Mueller, a former FBI director who was named special counsel for the Russia investigation after Comey was fired, is investigating whether the Trump campaign colluded with Kremlin officials in a bid to tilt the 2016 election in his favour.It is not clear, however, if Trump was referring in Friday's tweet to Mueller or Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who wrote a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions recommending that the president fire Comey.Comey, whom Trump fired in early May, said in Senate testimony earlier this month that the President spoke to him privately on February 14 and asked him to drop the bureau's investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn's alleged ties to Russia. Trump denies having told Comey to back off the probe into Flynn, who had resigned on February 13 after it emerged that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about the content of telephone conversations with the Russian ambassador to the US.(With IANS inputs)

Am being investigated for firing FBI Director by a man who advised me to dismiss him: Donald Trump

"I am being investigated for firing the FBI Director by the man who told me to fire the FBI Director! Witch Hunt," Trump said.

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Pakistan to remain on FATF's grey list till feb 2020Pakistan will remain in the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) grey list till February 2020. The task force has directed Pakistan to take "extra measures" to completely eradicate terror financing and money laundering, as per reports on Wednesday.An FATF meeting in Paris on Tuesday reviewed the measures that Islamabad has already taken to control money laundering and terror financing. However, the meeting observed that Islamabad will have to take further steps in these four months, Dawn news reported.The FATF has linked the blacklisting of Pakistan with unsatisfactory steps to curb money laundering and terror financing. The FATF will take a final decision on the matter in February 2020.A formal announcement about these developments will be made on October 18.Pakistan Finance Ministry spokesperson Omar Hameed Khan was approached to verify the news but he said: "It is not true and nothing before October 18."A Pakistani delegation led by Minister for Economic Affairs Hammad Azhar told the meeting that Islamabad has made positive progress in 20 out of 27 points. The FATF expressed satisfaction on the mea­­sures taken by Pakistan and its progress in various areas.While China, Turkey and Malaysia appreciated the steps taken by Pakistan, India has recommended its blacklisting on the plea that Islamabad has allowed Hafiz Saeed to withdraw funds from his frozen accounts.Concerns were also raised on the tax amnesty scheme offered in Pakistan.On the outright support extended by Turkey, China and Malaysia, the FATF decided not to include Pakistan on the blacklist and give it more time to implement the remaining measures.According to the FATF charter comprising 36 countries, the support of at least three countries is required to not blacklist any country.In August 2019, the Asia-Pacific Group, a regional affiliate of the FATF, also expressed concern over Pakistan's performance due to technical flaws. Islamabad is obligated to report its performance to the group every three months.(With IANS inputs)ALSO READ | Pakistan likely to remain in FATF grey list: Think-tank /* .jw-reset-text, .jw-reset{line-height: 2em;}*/ .jw-time-tip .jw-time-chapter{display:none;} if ('' == comscore_jw_loaded || 'undefined' == comscore_jw_loaded || undefined == comscore_jw_loaded) { var comscore_jw_loaded = 1; firstjw = document.getElementsByClassName('jwvidplayer')[0]; cs_jw_script = document.createElement('script'); cs_jw_script.src = 'https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/internal-c2/plugins/streamingtag_plugin_jwplayer.js'; firstjw.parentNode.insertBefore(cs_jw_script, firstjw.nextSibling); } var jwconfig_4683645408 = { "file": "https://indiatv-vh.akamaihd.net/i/vod/0_3g1rrf3o_,20,21,22,.mp4.csmil/master.m3u8", "image": "https://thumbs.indiatvnews.com/vod/0_3g1rrf3o_big_thumb.jpg", "title": "FATF may put Pakistan in dark greylist, Pak leaders blame India for ranking", "height": "440px", "width": "100%", "aspectratio": "16:9", "autostart": false, "controls": true, "mute": false, "volume": 25, "floating": false, "sharing": { "code": "", "sites": [ "facebook", "twitter", "email" ] }, "stretching": "exactfit", "primary": "html5", "hlshtml": true, "sharing_link": "", "advertising": { "client": "vast", "autoplayadsmuted": true, "skipoffset": 5, "cuetext": "", "skipmessage": "Skip ad in xx", "skiptext": "SKIP", "preloadAds": true, "schedule": [ { "offset": "pre", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PreRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" }, { "offset": "50%", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_MidRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=" }, { "offset": "post", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PostRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" } ] } }; var jwvidplayer_4683645408 = ''; jwsetup_4683645408(); function jwsetup_4683645408() { jwvidplayer_4683645408 = jwplayer("jwvidplayer_4683645408").setup(jwconfig_4683645408); jwvidplayer_4683645408.on('ready', function () { ns_.StreamingAnalytics.JWPlayer(jwvidplayer_4683645408, { publisherId: "20465327", labelmapping: "c2=\"20465327\", c3=\"IndiaTV News\", c4=\"null\", c6=\"null\", ns_st_mp=\"jwplayer\", ns_st_cl=\"0\", ns_st_ci=\"0_3g1rrf3o\", ns_st_pr=\"FATF may put Pakistan in dark greylist, Pak leaders blame India for ranking\", ns_st_sn=\"0\", ns_st_en=\"0\", ns_st_ep=\"FATF may put Pakistan in dark greylist, Pak leaders blame India for ranking\", ns_st_ct=\"null\", ns_st_ge=\"News\", ns_st_st=\"FATF may put Pakistan in dark greylist, Pak leaders blame India for ranking\", ns_st_ce=\"0\", ns_st_ia=\"0\", ns_st_ddt=\"2019-10-15\", ns_st_tdt=\"2019-10-15\", ns_st_pu=\"IndiaTV News\", ns_st_cu=\"https://indiatv-vh.akamaihd.net/i/vod/0_3g1rrf3o_,20,21,22,.mp4.csmil/master.m3u8\", ns_st_ty=\"video\"" }); }); jwvidplayer_4683645408.on('all', function (r) { if (jwvidplayer_4683645408.getState() == 'error' || jwvidplayer_4683645408.getState() == 'setupError') { jwvidplayer_4683645408.stop(); jwvidplayer_4683645408.remove(); jwvidplayer_4683645408 = ''; jwsetup_4683645408(); return; } }); jwvidplayer_4683645408.on('error', function (t) { jwvidplayer_4683645408.stop(); jwvidplayer_4683645408.remove(); jwvidplayer_4683645408 = ''; jwsetup_4683645408(); return; }); jwvidplayer_4683645408.on('mute', function () { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_4683645408.on('adPlay', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_4683645408.on('adPause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_4683645408.on('pause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_4683645408.on('error', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_4683645408.on('adBlock', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); }

Pakistan to remain on FATF's grey list till feb 2020

An FATF meeting in Paris on Tuesday reviewed the measures that Islamabad has already taken to control money laundering and terror financing. However, the meeting observed that Islamabad will have to take further steps in these four months

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IS has stepped up its attacks across Afghanistan to become the primary enemy of the Taliban since their takeover of the country last August.Afghanistan blast updates: At least 10 people were killed in a powerful explosion in a mosque in Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Friday, said Taliban officials. Hundreds of worshippers had gathered for prayers on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramdan and the Khalifa Aga Gul Jan Mosque was packed, said local residents, fearing the casualty toll could rise further.The Taliban-appointed interior ministry spokesman, Mohammad Nafi Takor, could not provide more details and Taliban security men cordoned off the area. The source of the explosion was not immediately known and no one has claimed responsibility for the blast.The explosion was so loud that the neighborhood of the mosque shook from the blast, the residents said, speaking on condition of anonymity, fearing for their own safety.Ambulances raced to the site, driving up to the end of a narrow street in an eastern neighborhood of Kabul to reach the mosque, which belongs to Afghanistan's majority Sunni Muslims.The explosion was the latest in a series of such blasts amid relentless attacks across the country. Similar attacks on mosques have recently targeted the country's minority Shiite Muslims and were claimed by the Islamic State group's regional affiliate, known as Islamic State in Khorasan Province or IS-K.IS has stepped up its attacks across Afghanistan to become the primary enemy of the Taliban since their takeover of the country last August.Also Read: Karachi blast: What forced mother of two, gold medallist student turn a suicide bomber

Afghanistan: At least 10 killed after powerful explosion at Kabul mosque

The explosion was so loud that the neighborhood of the mosque shook from the blast, the residents said, speaking on condition of anonymity, fearing for their own safety.

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US President Joe Biden walks towards Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House Striking harder at Russia’s economy, President Joe Biden has ordered a ban on Russian oil imports in retaliation for Vladimir Putin’s onslaught in Ukraine. The major trade action, responding to the pleas of Ukraine’s embattled leader, thrust the US out front as Western nations seek to halt Putin’s invasion.Americans will feel pain, too — at the gas pump — Biden acknowledged, declaring, “Defending freedom is going to cost.”The imports have been a glaring omission in the massive sanctions put in place on Russia over the invasion. Energy exports have kept a steady stream of cash flowing to Russia despite otherwise severe restrictions on its financial sector.“We will not be part of subsidizing Putin’s war,” Biden said, calling the new action a “powerful blow” against Russia’s ability to fund the ongoing offensive.Biden said the US was acting in close consultation with European allies, who are more dependent on Russian energy supplies and who he acknowledged may not be able to join in immediately. The announcement marked the latest Biden attempt at cutting off Russia from much of the global economy and ensuring that the Ukraine invasion is a strategic loss for Putin, even if he manages to seize territory.“Ukraine will never be a victory for Putin,” Biden said.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a tweet praised Biden’s action: “Thankful for US and @POTUS personal leadership in striking in the heart of Putin’s war machine and banning oil, gas and coal from US market. Encourage other countries and leaders to follow.”The European Union this week will commit to phasing out its reliance on Russia for energy needs as soon as possible, but filling the void without crippling EU economies will likely take some time. The UK, which is no longer part of the EU, announced Tuesday that oil and oil products from Russia will be phased out by the end of the year.Unlike the US, which is a major oil and gas producer, Europe relies on imports for 90 per cent of its gas and 97 per cent of its oil products. Russia supplies 40 per cent of Europe’s gas and a quarter of its oil. The US does not import Russian natural gas.The issue of oil sanctions has created a conflict for the president between political interests at home and efforts to impose costs on Russia. Though Russian oil makes up only a small part of US imports, Biden has said he was reluctant to ban it, cutting into supplies here and pushing gasoline prices higher.“Putin’s war is already hurting American families at the gas pump,” Biden said, adding, “I’m going to do everything I can to minimize Putin’s price hike here at home.”(With inputs from AP)Also Read | McDonald's, Starbucks, Coke, Pepsi suspend business in Russia

Biden announces ban on all Russian oil imports; says 'Ukraine will never be a victory for Putin'

The announcement marked the latest Biden attempt at cutting off Russia from much of the global economy and ensuring that the Ukraine invasion is a strategic loss for Putin, even if he manages to seize territory.

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Embattled Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today contested the graft charges against him and his family in the Supreme Court, saying the Panama probe panel did not produce any document to prove that he was the owner of the posh London flats which are at the centre of the high- profile case.The apex court had started hearing the scandal on Monday after the JIT submitted its final report on July 10, recommending that a corruption case be file against Sharif and his family for alleged money laundering in the 1990s, when he twice served as prime minister, to purchase assets in London.Sharif's lawyer Khawaja Harris stressed that the JIT "did not level any specific charge of corruption against Sharif."He also said that the JIT has not produced any document to prove that Sharif, 67, was the owner of the London flats.Harris's arguments were directed at the six-member JIT, two of whom were from the Inter-Services Intelligence and the Military Intelligence.He said the JIT had overstepped its mandate given to it by the court and had based its findings on the documents, which were of no evidentiary value as per the Pakistani laws.If Sharif loses the case in the Supreme Court, it could cost him his premiership, throwing Pakistan into a turmoil.Sharif has refused to quit, calling the JIT report a compilation of "allegations and assumptions". His decision to stay in power was endorsed by the federal cabinet last week.However, the three-member apex bench observed that Sharif has not provided the details of all assets and source of income in the form of his tax returns.Justice Ijazul Ahsan said the Sharif family has not produced any document to prove that the prime minister's son Hussain Nawaz was the original owner of the London flats. He said JIT has found that Sharif's daughter Maryam was the real owner of those apartments.Justice Ejaz Afzal told Sharif's counsel that the Sharif family has not provided the money trail to establish that the London flats were legally purchased."We have been waiting for them since day one to come forward and provide the money trail," he said, but added that the court would decide the case on the basis of evidence and it was not bound by the findings of the JIT.Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh raised questions about the sources of funds used to set up the Hill Metal steel company in Saudi Arabia, which is allegedly owned by the Sharifs.The judges appeared quite aggressive and grilled Sharif's counsel about the source of money used to establish businesses in Gulf and the UK by the Sharif family."The real question is where did the money for [family] properties in Saudi Arabia, Dubai and London came from? We have not yet received an answer to this fundamental question," Justice Ijazul Ahsan said.The bench also asked Sharif's counsel whether the court should decide the case by its opinion over the concealment of facts or refer the case to an accountability court for trial.The counsel urged the court to decide it on merit andstressed that the JIT was biased and his client had done nothing illegal.Later, finance minister Ishaq Dar's counsel began his arguments but the court adjourned the case until tomorrow.The scandal surfaced when the Panama Papers leaks last year revealed that Sharif's sons - Hassan and Hussain - and his daughter Maryam- owned offshore companies which managed their family's properties. The assets in question include four expensive flats in Park Lane, London.Opposition parties say the London flats were purchased through illegal money which Sharif and his family have rejected. But so far they are unable to satisfy the court about the source of money used to purchase these properties.  

Nawaz Sharif contest Panama charges; SC says produce money trail

Embattled Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today contested the graft charges against him and his family in the Supreme Court

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Japan hit by two powerful earthquakesTwo major earthquakes - measuring 5.3 and 6.3 on the Richter Scale jolted coast of southern Japan in the early hours on Friday. The first quake jolted at 10:43 pm (UTC), while the second one hit the region nearly after an hour. According to the US Geological Survey, the epicentre of the quake lied 37 km east of Miyazaki-Shi. There were, however, no reports of any injuries or damage to property. No tsunami warning was issued following the quakes. The Japan Times reports that Kyushu Electric Power Co. says no abnormalities were reported at the nearby Sendai nuclear power plant in Kagoshima Prefecture.The Times also reports that nation’s weather agency did not issue a tsunami warning.Japan is prone to frequent earthquakes and lies in the "Ring of Fire", an area in the basin of the Pacific Ocean, which is vulnerable to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.In 2011, Japan was hit by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake triggering powerful tsunami waves that caused rampant damage to properties, affecting operations massively in industries and leading to heavy casualties. It was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in the history of the country.Over 15,000 people had lost their lives, while thousands of others were either injured or reported missing.

Japan hit by two powerful earthquakes; no tsunami warning issued

In 2011, Japan was hit by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake triggering powerful tsunami waves that caused rampant damage to properties, affecting operations massively in industries and leading to heavy casualties.

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Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he can confirm that his predecessor, PTI Chairman Imran Khan, took gifts from the Toshakhana and sold them in Dubai, media reports said on Friday. "Imran Khan sold these gifts for Rs140 million in Dubai," the PM was reported as telling journalists during an iftar he hosted on Thursday in the federal capital, Geo News reported.According to Sharif, the expensive gifts that former Prime Minister Imran Khan traded for money included diamond jewellery sets, bracelets, and wristwatches.PM Shehbaz Sharid said that he also received a watch once, but deposited it to the Toshakhana, adding that he "does not need to hide anything".The premier's revelation came in response to a question regarding a petition seeking the details of the Toshakhana that had been filed in the Islamabad High Court on which then PM Imran Khan had commented that the details cannot be revealed as per the Official Secrets Act, 1923.Former federal minister and PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, however, refuted PM Shehbaz Sharif's statement, saying that the new Premier is "throwing dirt on Imran Khan".He claimed that Khan bought a watch that he received from a foreign country from the government of Pakistan and sold it."What is the offence if the (then) Prime Minister sold the watch he bought from the government?" he asked."It doesn't matter if the watch is worth Rs50 million or 100 milllion (...) if it is mine and I sold it, there shouldn't be any objection."He went on to say that he is unable to understand what exactly PM Shehbaz Sharif's allegation is.Also Read: Pakistan's newly elected PM Shehbaz Sharif likely to visit Saudi Arabia, China in first foreign trip Also Read | Newly elected Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif scraps 2 weekly offs policy, stretches govt offices timings

Imran Khan sold Toshakhana gifts for Rs 140 million in Dubai: Shehbaz Sharif

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he can confirm that his predecessor, PTI Chairman Imran Khan, took gifts from the Toshakhana and sold them in Dubai, media reports said on Friday.

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CO2 emissions at record high despite Covid-19 pandemicThe Carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere has again peaked last month, reaching historic levels, according to a new report. Atmospheric carbon dioxide peaked for 2021 in May at a monthly average of 419 parts per million (ppm), the highest level since accurate measurements began 63 years ago, scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego announced on Monday.CO2 is by far the most abundant human-caused greenhouse gas, and persists in the atmosphere and oceans for thousands of years after it is emitted, Pieter Tans, a senior scientist with NOAA's Global Monitoring Laboratory, in a statement."We are adding roughly 40 billion metric tons of CO2 pollution to the atmosphere per year," said Tans."That is a mountain of carbon that we dig up out of the Earth, burn, and release into the atmosphere as CO2 -- year after year. If we want to avoid catastrophic climate change, the highest priority must be to reduce CO2 pollution to zero at the earliest possible date," he noted.While the year-to-year increase of 1.8 ppm in the May CO2 peak was slightly less than previous years, CO2 measurements for the first five months of 2021 showed a 2.3 ppm increase over the same five months of 2020, close to the average annual increase from 2010 to 2019.Covid-induced lockdowns in 2020 led to a 5.8 per cent decline in global energy-related CO2 emissions, the largest annual percentage decline since World War, revealed a March report by the International Energy Agency -- IEA.However, with the opening up of lockdowns and pandemic-induced restrictions loosened, global CO2 emissions started climbing again.CO2 emissions will see a rise of 1.5 billion tonnes -- the second-largest annual increase ever -- in 2021, the IEA said in its latest report. While this would be the biggest annual increase in emissions since 2010, it would reverse most of last year's decline caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the IEA said.The NOAA report, however, stated that the effect of the pandemic had no discernible effect on the historic CO2 record.The current atmospheric burden of CO2 is comparable to where it was during the Pliocene Climatic Optimum, between 4.1 and 4.5 million years ago, when CO2 was close to, or above 400 ppm. During that time, sea level was about 78 feet higher than today, the average temperature was 7 degrees Fahrenheit higher than in pre-industrial times, and studies indicate large forests occupied areas of the Arctic that are now tundra, the report said.

CO2 emissions at record high despite Covid-19 pandemic

The Carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere has again peaked last month, reaching historic levels, according to a new report.

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This Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022, satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows the closer view of battle group in formation in Soloti, Russia, east of the border with Ukraine.Russia-Ukraine crisis LIVE Updates: Russia has said that military drills in Moscow-annexed Crimea had ended and that soldiers were returning to their garrisons. This comes a day after Russia announced a first troop pullback from Ukraine's borders. "Units of the Southern Military District, having completed their participation in tactical exercises, are moving to their permanent deployment points," Moscow's defence ministry said in a statement, according to AFP.  The tension between Russia and Ukraine has been building up ever since the latter's proposed move to join NATO, which Russia didn't want at any cost among dead-lock over Moscow's other demands with the West. The US, allies warned Putin that if Russia goes ahead and invades Ukraine then it will be calling for very serious consequences. Catch all updates on the Russia-Ukraine crisis here.

Russia-Ukraine news Updates: NATO looking to 'further strengthen' eastern flank, says chief

The tension between Russia and Ukraine has been building up ever since the latter's proposed move to join NATO, which Russia didn't want at any cost among dead-lock over Moscow's other demands with the West. The US, allies have warned Putin that if Russia goes ahead and invades Ukraine then it will be calling for very serious consequences. Catch all updates on the Russia-Ukraine crisis here.

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According to the reports, Modi-Xi have agreed to cherish, implement Wuhan consensusPresenting a clearer picture of the crucial bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping at Qingdao, China said that the two world leaders agreed to "cherish" the "positive momentum" generated by their Wuhan meeting and implement the "important consensus" reached at the summit.Modi and Xi on June 9 held talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in the port city of Qingdao. The meeting covered key aspects of the bilateral engagement, reflecting the resolve by the two countries to reset relations and bring back trust in their ties, hit by the Dokalam standoff and several other thorny issues.Related Stories Modi-Jinping summit as significant as 1988 Rajiv Gandhi-Deng Xiaoping meet, says Chinese official mediaSCO Summit in China: President Xi accepts PM Modi's invitation for Wuhan-like informal summit in India in 2019India opposes China's Belt and Road Initiative at SCO, Modi says connectivity projects must respect sovereigntyChinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang during a media briefing here today said, "The two leaders exchanged views on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interests. They also reached important consensus.""Both leaders believe that their informal summit in Wuhan played a positive role in moving forward the bilateral cooperation," he said, responding a question on Modi-Xi meeting on the sidelines of the just-concluded Qingdao summit of the SCO."They agreed that that the positive momentum should be cherished, and they should implement the consensus reached in Wuhan," Geng said.They agreed to implement the consensus in areas of strategic communication and expanding people to people cooperation and move forward bilateral ties, he said.The meeting was held in cordial atmosphere just like the Wuhan informal summit and it will surely contribute to the sound development of bilateral ties, he said. The two sides also agreed to have high-level exchanges, formulate new trade goals and establish high-level people to people exchanges led by the two foreign ministries, he said.Geng highlighted India's decision to expedite approval procedures for the Bank of China's request to set up a branch in Mumbai and agreements on exporting India's rice to China and sharing of hydrological data by Beijing with New Delhi.During the meeting, Xi and Modi agreed to hold the next informal summit in India next year besides resolving to continue efforts to ensure peace and tranquillity along the border.On the outcome of the SCO summit, Geng said it "breathed new life to the Shanghai sprit, which is mutual respect which is mutual benefit, equality consultation, respect for diverse civilisations and pursuit of common development.""In the past 17 years the SCO has been growing. This is attributed in the final analysis to the fact that the Shanghai spirit transcended the outdated concepts of clash of civilisations, cold war the mind-set. SCO pursues no isolated and exclusive clubs," he said.The summit has established new action plan. The Leaders signed and approved 17 documents, six cooperation documents, more than any previous summits of the SCO, Geng said.The summit also achieved concrete outcomes and made plans for promoting good neighbourliness and friendship, combating three evil forces of separatism, extremism and terrorism, he said."To implement this consensus is our priority task for the next phase. As founding member China regards SCO as a priority of its diplomacy. We will work with all member states to implement this consensus and make the SCO more efficient and more stronger and with brighter prospects," he said.The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan became its members last year.(With PTI inputs)

PM Modi, Xi Jinping agreed to cherish, implement Wuhan consensus: China

Modi and Xi on June 9 held talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in the port city of Qingdao. The meeting covered key aspects of the bilateral engagement, reflecting the resolve by the two countries to reset relations and bring back trust in their ties, hit by the Dokalam standoff and several other thorny issues.

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Pak PM Imran Khan's aide trolled for insensitive comment on earthquakeSpecial Assistant to the Pakistan Prime Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Firdaus Ashiq Awan, went for a toss on social media after a comment she made at an event in Islamabad related to the earthquake that killed many people and damaged property.In a very insensitive remark, Awan joked about the earthquake that jolted large parts of Pakistan on Tuesday.Speaking at the event, Awan said, "even the earth has turned because it is shocked at the amount of positive changes PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) is bringing in such a short span of time."A lot of people called out Awan after her comment went viral on social media."Is this supposed to be funny? Highly irresponsible statement from her. This will help us to analyse the seriousness of this govt", said Maria Memon, a Twitter user."Firdous Ashiq Awan casually jokes about the #earthquake, without realizing that it could bring a devastating tragedy. This is beyond deplorable. The special adviser continues to act as a loose cannon. Shameful and insensitive," wrote another Twitter user.Some netizens even wanted her fired."This is what happens when you give illiterate and insensitive people a mic and a forum. Get rid of these parasites!", said another Twitterati.Some others questioned her competence and seriousness about her job."Here people have died, & what nonsense she is talking," wrote another Twitter user.Awan's colleague and Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari tried to control the damage by saying that the remarks did not reflect the official policy of the government."The remarks on the earthquake were insensitive, absolutely inappropriate and most certainly had nothing to do with govt viewpoint. Human suffering can never be a subject of joke," Mazari tweeted.Awan also realised the mistake and tried to make amends later. She said that her statement was distorted and taken out of context."I tried to give courage to the audience in the context of social media, but it was given a "wrong colour and circulated on the media, which I condemn," she said.

Pakistan PM Imran Khan's top aide trolled for insensitive comment on earthquake

Special Assistant to the Pakistan Prime Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Firdaus Ashiq Awan, went for a toss on social media after a comment she made at an event in Islamabad related to the earthquake that killed many people and damaged property.

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Putin also asserted that there were no "contradictions" in Russia's partnership with India and the ties between Moscow and Beijing.Asserting that both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are "responsible" leaders, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday said they both are capable of solving issues between the two countries, and that it was important that no "extra-regional power" should interfere in the process.With Russia publicly critical of the Quad, the four-nation grouping of India, the US, Japan and Australia, Putin also told PTI that though it was not up to Moscow to assess how any nation should participate in an initiative and to what extent they should build their relations with other countries but no partnership should be aimed at making friends against anyone.ALSO READ: Vladimir Putin signs law banning 'extremists' from running in electionsThe Russian president's remarks, in response to a question on Moscow's view on Quad as well as India's participation in the grouping, were a veiled reference to the Chinese claim that the grouping is to contain Beijing's influence in the strategic Indo-Pacific region.He also asserted that there were no "contradictions" in Russia's partnership with India and the ties between Moscow and Beijing."Yes, I do know that there are some issues related to India China relations but there are always a lot of issues between neighbouring countries but I know the attitude of both the Prime Minister of India and also the President of China. These are very responsible people and they earnestly treat one another with utmost respect and I believe that they will always arrive at a solution to any issue that they might face. But it is important that no other extra-regional power is interfering with that," the Russian President told PTI through a translator during a virtual interaction.It has been more than a year since the military standoff between China and India erupted in eastern Ladakh on May 5, 2020 during which there were fatalities on both sides for the first time in 45 years. They have made limited progress in achieving disengagement at the Pangong Lake area while negotiations for similar steps at other friction points remained deadlocked.Asked about the growing proximity between Russia and China and if that will impact the Indo-Russia security and defence cooperation, Putin said the relations between India and Russia were developing quite rapidly, quite successfully based on "trust"."We highly appreciate such a high level of cooperation with our Indian friends. These relations are of a strategic nature. They cover a whole range of avenues of our cooperation in economy, energy and hi-tech. In defence, and I am not just talking about purchase of Russian arms. We have very deep profound relations with India based on trust," he said.Putin also asserted that India is Russia's only partner that they are working together with on "elaborating and manufacturing, especially in India, advanced weapon systems and technologies but that is not where our cooperation ends because our cooperation is multifaceted.During the interaction with select top editors of major international news agencies, including from the US, India, the UK, Germany and France, Putin replied to wide ranging issues, including Russia-US ties, the pandemic situation, the US sanctions against Russia and the Gaza issue.Asked about Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov's criticism of Quad as 'Asian NATO' and his view on India's participation in the grouping, Putin said, "we are not participating in the quad, it is not my place to give my assessment to any other country participating in any initiative because every sovereign nation has the right to decide with whom and to what extent they are building their relations. I only believe that any partnership between countries should be aimed at making friends against anyone, No."Ahead of his maiden summit with US President Joe Biden in Geneva on June 16, the Russian president also said that he was not expecting any "breakthrough"."We are not taking steps first — I'm talking about the steps that deteriorated our relations. It was not us who introduced sanctions against us, it was the United States who did that on every occasion and even without grounds, just because our country exists," he said. /* .jw-reset-text, .jw-reset{line-height: 2em;}*/ .jw-time-tip .jw-time-chapter{display:none;} if ('' == comscore_jw_loaded || 'undefined' == comscore_jw_loaded || undefined == comscore_jw_loaded) { var comscore_jw_loaded = 1; firstjw = document.getElementsByClassName('jwvidplayer')[0]; cs_jw_script = document.createElement('script'); cs_jw_script.src = 'https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/internal-c2/plugins/streamingtag_plugin_jwplayer.js'; firstjw.parentNode.insertBefore(cs_jw_script, firstjw.nextSibling); } var jwconfig_4181465021 = { "file": "https://vod-indiatv.akamaized.net/hls/2021/03/0_3lrpvcmz/master.m3u8", "image": "https://thumbs.indiatvnews.com/vod/0_3lrpvcmz_big_thumb.jpg", "title": "Quad has come of age.. will remain an important pillar of stability in the Indo-Pacific region: PM Modi", "height": "440px", "width": "100%", "aspectratio": "16:9", "autostart": false, "controls": true, "mute": false, "volume": 25, "floating": false, "sharing": { "code": "", "sites": [ "facebook", "twitter", "email" ] }, "stretching": "exactfit", "primary": "html5", "hlshtml": true, "sharing_link": "", "duration": "444", "advertising": { "client": "vast", "autoplayadsmuted": true, "skipoffset": 5, "cuetext": "", "skipmessage": "Skip ad in xx", "skiptext": "SKIP", "preloadAds": true, "schedule": [ { "offset": "pre", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PreRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" }, { "offset": "50%", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_MidRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=" }, { "offset": "post", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PostRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" } ] } }; var jwvidplayer_4181465021 = ''; jwsetup_4181465021(); function jwsetup_4181465021() { jwvidplayer_4181465021 = jwplayer("jwvidplayer_4181465021").setup(jwconfig_4181465021); jwvidplayer_4181465021.on('ready', function () { ns_.StreamingAnalytics.JWPlayer(jwvidplayer_4181465021, { publisherId: "20465327", labelmapping: "c2=\"20465327\", c3=\"IndiaTV News\", c4=\"null\", c6=\"null\", ns_st_mp=\"jwplayer\", ns_st_cl=\"0\", ns_st_ci=\"0_3lrpvcmz\", ns_st_pr=\"Quad has come of age.. will remain an important pillar of stability in the Indo-Pacific region: PM Modi\", ns_st_sn=\"0\", ns_st_en=\"0\", ns_st_ep=\"Quad has come of age.. will remain an important pillar of stability in the Indo-Pacific region: PM Modi\", ns_st_ct=\"null\", ns_st_ge=\"News\", ns_st_st=\"Quad has come of age.. will remain an important pillar of stability in the Indo-Pacific region: PM Modi\", ns_st_ce=\"0\", ns_st_ia=\"0\", ns_st_ddt=\"2021-03-12\", ns_st_tdt=\"2021-03-12\", ns_st_pu=\"IndiaTV News\", ns_st_cu=\"https://vod-indiatv.akamaized.net/hls/2021/03/0_3lrpvcmz/master.m3u8\", ns_st_ty=\"video\"" }); }); jwvidplayer_4181465021.on('all', function (r) { if (jwvidplayer_4181465021.getState() == 'error' || jwvidplayer_4181465021.getState() == 'setupError') { jwvidplayer_4181465021.stop(); jwvidplayer_4181465021.remove(); jwvidplayer_4181465021 = ''; jwsetup_4181465021(); return; } }); jwvidplayer_4181465021.on('error', function (t) { jwvidplayer_4181465021.stop(); jwvidplayer_4181465021.remove(); jwvidplayer_4181465021 = ''; jwsetup_4181465021(); return; }); jwvidplayer_4181465021.on('mute', function () { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_4181465021.on('adPlay', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_4181465021.on('adPause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_4181465021.on('pause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_4181465021.on('error', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_4181465021.on('adBlock', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); }

Modi and Xi are 'responsible' leaders, can solve Sino-India issues: Vladimir Putin

The Russian president's remarks, in response to a question on Moscow's view on Quad as well as India's participation in the grouping, were a veiled reference to the Chinese claim that the grouping is to contain Beijing's influence in the strategic Indo-Pacific region.

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President Donald Trump today said that the testimony of fired FBI Director James Comey to Congress represents “total and complete vindication” in the Russian election-meddling political furor.Trump, who had not posted on his Twitter account Thursday as Comey accused the administration of spreading “lies,” struck back with an early morning tweet in which he said, “Wow, Comey is a leaker.”Comey had laid bare on Capitol Hill months of distrust of the president, bluntly asserting that Trump had fired him to interfere with the probe of Russia’s ties to the Trump campaign.At his first congressional appearance since his abrupt firing last month, Comey also revealed that he’d orchestrated the public release of information about his private conversations with the president in an effort to further the investigation.Trump’s tweet said: “Despite so many false statements and lies, total and complete vindication ... and WOW, Comey is a leaker.”Comey’s testimony, at a hugely anticipated hearing that captured the country’s attention, provided a gripping account of his interactions with Trump and underscored the discord that had soured their relationship.He portrayed Trump as a chief executive dismissive of the FBI’s independence and made clear that he interpreted Trump’s request to end an investigation into his former national security adviser as an order coming from the president.Though Republicans worked to discredit Comey and to blunt the impact of his testimony, the ex-director’s statement deepened questions about the basis for his May 9 dismissal and about whether Trump’s actions constituted obstruction of justice. The veteran lawman expressed confidence that could be a matter ripe for investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller, though he declined to offer an opinion on whether it met such a threshold.Trump’s private attorney, Marc Kasowitz, seized on Comey’s admission that he had told Trump on multiple occasions that he was not personally under investigation and maintained the testimony made clear that Trump “never, in form or substance, directed or suggested that Mr. Comey stop investigating anyone.”Kasowitz also jumped on Comey’s revelation that he had released details of his private conversations with the president, casting the former FBI director as one of the “leakers” set on undermining the Trump administration.Still, there was no doubt the veteran lawman made for a challenging adversary.“It’s my judgment that I was fired because of the Russia investigation,” Comey said toward the end of more than two hours of testimony before the Senate intelligence committee. “I was fired in some way to change, or the endeavor was to change, the way the Russia investigation was being conducted.“That is a very big deal, and not just because it involves me.”At one point he practically dared Trump to release any recordings of their conversations, a prospect the president once alluded to in a tweet.“Lordy, I hope there are tapes,” Comey said, suggesting such evidence would back up his account over the president’s.Thursday’s hearing brought Washington and other parts of the country to a standstill as Americans sat glued to their screens, harkening to the Watergate congressional hearings that held the nation rapt some four decades earlier.Republicans mindful of the gravity of the moment worked feverishly to lessen any damage from the hearing. They tried to undermine Comey’s credibility by issuing press releases and even ads pointing to a past instance where the FBI had to clean up the director’s testimony to Congress.In his opening statement, Comey somberly accused the Trump administration of spreading “lies, plain and simple” in the aftermath of his abrupt ouster, declaring that the administration “chose to defame me and, more importantly, the FBI” by claiming the bureau was in disorder.He then dove into the heart of the fraught political controversy around his firing and whether Trump interfered in the bureau’s Russia investigation, as he elaborated on written testimony released a day earlier.In that testimony, Comey said that Trump demanded his “loyalty” and directly pushed him to “lift the cloud” of investigation by declaring publicly the president was not a target of the FBI probe into his campaign’s Russia ties.He said that when Trump told him he hoped he would terminate an investigation into Michael Flynn, the ousted national security adviser, he interpreted that as a directive.“I mean, this is the president of the United States, with me alone, saying, ‘I hope’ this,” he said. “I took it as, this is what he wants me to do.”He said that while he found the February exchange in the Oval Office disturbing, “that’s a conclusion I’m sure the special counsel will work towards, to try and understand what the intention was there, and whether that’s an offense.”Comey said that after his firing he actually tried to spur the special counsel’s appointment by giving a damning memo he had written about a meeting with Trump to a friend to release to the media.“My judgment was I need to get that out into the public square,” he said.The February meeting was one of several one-on-one encounters that Comey said made him feel such intense discomfort that he felt compelled to document them in memos.“I was honestly concerned that he might lie about the nature of our meeting, so I thought it really important to document,” he said. “I knew there might come a day when I might need a record of what happened not only to defend myself but to protect the FBI.”Trump himself was expected to dispute Comey’s claims that he demanded loyalty and asked the FBI director to drop the investigation into Flynn, according to a person close to the president’s legal team who was not authorized to discuss legal strategy by name and demanded anonymity. Instead, Kasowitz pushed back and the president remained conspicuously silent on Twitter during the hearing despite expectations he might respond.The disclosures that followed Comey’s firing have raised questions about why Comey, known in government for an independent streak and a willingness to buck protocol, did not speak out publicly while on the job, or at least make his objections directly known to the president.Discussing the meeting in which Comey says Trump asked him to back off Flynn, Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California asked, “Why didn’t you stop and say, ‘Mr. President, this is wrong,’?”“It’s a great question,” Comey replied. “Maybe if I were stronger I would have. I was so stunned by the conversation I just took it in.”Comey also made clear that political entanglement in law enforcement has cut across party lines.During a discussion of the Hillary Clinton email investigation, Comey disclosed that then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch, an Obama administration appointee, instructed him to refer to the issue as a “matter,” not an “investigation.”“That concerned me because that language tracked how the campaign was talking about the FBI’s work and that’s concerning,” he said. “We had an investigation open at the time so that gave me a queasy feeling.”Many Democrats still blame Comey for Clinton’s loss, leading Trump to apparently believe they would applaud him for firing Comey. The opposite occurred, as the firing created a political firestorm that has stalled Trump’s legislative agenda and taken over Washington.Under questioning Thursday, Comey reaffirmed the intelligence community’s conclusion that Russia meddled in the election.“There should be no fuzz on this. The Russians interfered,” Comey stated firmly. “That happened. It’s about as unfake as you can possibly get.”Trump has begrudgingly accepted that assessment. But he has also suggested he doesn’t believe it, saying Russia is a “ruse” and calling the investigation into the matter a “witch hunt.” 

Donald Trump says James Comey’s testimony gives him ‘total vindication’

Trump, who had not posted on his Twitter account Thursday as Comey accused the administration of spreading “lies,” struck back with an early morning tweet in which he said, “Wow, Comey is a leaker.”

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America's first turbaned Sikh police officer shot dead in texasA Sikh law-enforcement officer has been fatally shot multiple times during a traffic stop in the US state of Texas, a media report said Saturday. Harris County Sherrif's Office Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal, 42, pulled over a vehicle when someone approached him from behind and opened fire near Cypress city, the Houston Chronicle quoted Sheriff Ed Gonzalez as saying.Dhaliwal was a 10-year veteran on the force, and the agency's first Sikh deputy. "He was a hero," Gonzalez said. "Deputy Dhaliwal was a trailblazer." He was taken by helicopter ambulance to the Memorial Hermann Hospital, where he died. Authorities detained a possible suspect, the sheriff tweeted.   According to the media report, the dashcam video shows Dhaliwal and the suspect, still in his car, having a conversation with no sign of confrontation. A few seconds after Dhaliwal returned to his squad car, the suspect ran up and shot him.Gonzalez recounted Dhaliwal’s efforts after Hurricane Harvey in Texas in August 2017, and how he went to Puerto Rico after the island was devastated by Hurricane Maria in September that year.Dhaliwal worked with United Sikhs, a global humanitarian relief and advocacy nonprofit, to help organize the donation of truckloads of supplies for first responders after Harvey.Four years ago, the then Sheriff implemented a policy to allow Dhaliwal to wear turban and beard for the first time while patrolling Harris County streets. “There are no words to speak to how heartbroken we are, how devastated,” Gonzalez said. ALSO READ | Any Pak military drone crossing border will be shot down: ArmyALSO READ | 45-year-old property dealer shot dead in Dwarka

America's first turbaned Sikh police officer shot dead in texas

Harris County Sherrif's Office Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal, 42, pulled over a vehicle when someone approached him from behind and opened fire near Cypress city, the Houston Chronicle quoted Sheriff Ed Gonzalez as saying.

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No new local coronavirus cases for third day in row in ChinaChina reported no domestically transmitted coronavirus cases for the third consecutive day even as seven more fatalities have been confirmed, taking the death toll in the country to 3255. No new domestically transmitted cases of COVID-19 were reported on the Chinese mainland for the third day in a row on Friday, China's National Health Commission (NHC) said on Saturday.On Friday, seven deaths and 36 new suspected cases were reported on the mainland, with all the deaths reported from virus epicentre Hubei Province and its capital Wuhan, it said.The overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 81,008 by the end of Friday, which included 3,255 who died, 6,013 patients still undergoing treatment, 71,740 patients who had been discharged after recovery, the NHC said.The commission said that 106 people were still suspected of being infected with the virus.The NHC said 41 new confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported on the Chinese mainland on Friday from the people arriving from abroad, taking the total number of imported cases to 269.While reporting about a steady increase in imported cases, the NHC did not specify whether the infected persons were foreigners or Chinese nationals returning from abroad.China has imposed strict quarantine measures for all those returning from other countries. Of the imported cases on Friday, 14 were reported in Beijing, nine in Shanghai, seven in the Guangdong Province and four in the Fujian Province.Provinces of Zhejiang, Shandong and Shaanxi each reported two cases and Sichuan reported one.By the end of Friday, 256 confirmed cases including four deaths had been reported in Hong Kong, 17 confirmed cases in Macao and 135 in Taiwan including two deaths, the NHC said.ALSO READ | Coronavirus cases in India surge to 236 after country witnessed highest single day rise on FridayALSO READ | New York goes into lockdown as coronavirus cases surge

No new local coronavirus cases for third day in row in China

China reported no domestically transmitted coronavirus cases for the third consecutive day even as seven more fatalities have been confirmed, taking the death toll in the country to 3255.

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A clerk wears personal protective equipment as they stock shelves at a grocery store, Saturday, April 18, 2020, in the Harlem neighborhood of the Manhattan borough of New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) The United States has reported 1,891 deaths due to coronavirus in the last 24 hours according to John Hopkins University. This brings the total number of deaths in the country to 39,014. According to Baltimore-based University, the US has seen a total of 732,197 positive cases of coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic. Its the highest number of virus cases and deaths of any country in the world. On Saturday, coronavirus death toll surged past 100,000 in Europe, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the 157,539 fatalities worldwide. The US President Donald Trump said that Texas and Vermont will allow certain businesses to reopen on Monday while still observing coronavirus-related precautions and Montana will begin lifting restrictions on Friday.Some state governors have warned that they will not act prematurely to reopen their economies until there is more testing for the virus, however. Business leaders have also told Trump the country needs to have widespread testing in place before their companies can return to normal operations.According to Worldometer, the total number of cases of coronavirus globally is 2,330,856 and till now, 160,754 people have lost their lives. ALSO READ | Coronavirus Live Updates: Top Headlines This Hour

United States records 1,891 coronavirus deaths in past 24 hours; total death toll at 39,014

The United States has reported 1,891 deaths due to coronavirus in the last 24 hours according to John Hopkins University. This brings the total number of deaths in the country to 39,014. According to Baltimore-based University, the US has seen a total of 732,197 positive cases of coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic.

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Trump says he had to 'take China on', regardless of short-term impact on US economyUS President Donald Trump on Tuesday said short-term recession might simply be the cost of waging his much-needed trade war with China as Beijing had been "grifting off" America for decades."Whether it's good or bad, the short term is irrelevant. We have to solve the problem with China because they're taking out USD 500 billion a year plus. And that doesn't include intellectual property theft and other things, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office."And also, national security, so I am doing this whether it's good or bad for your statement about, Oh, will we fall into a recession for two months?The fact is, somebody had to take China on, he said responding to a question on reports that the US is heading for a recession because of its trade war with China."My life would be a lot easier if I didn't take China on. But I like doing it because I have to do it. And we're getting great help. China's had the worst year they've had in 27 years, and a lot of people saying the worst year they've had in 54 years, he asserted."We're doing very well with China, but somebody had to take China on. I read and I see so much and I read so much, and I'll see the economists say, Oh, Give up! Give up on China! Give up! China's been grifting off this country for 25 years, but longer than that, he said.Chinese economy is suffering due to the trade war which puts the US in a good negotiating position, he said."China wants to make a deal, and that's good. But they have to make a deal that fair to us. You should be happy that I'm fighting this battle, because somebody has to do it. We couldn't let this go. I don't even think it's sustainable to let go on what was happening, he said.Trump alleged that China was stealing US intellectual property, ideas."That was incredible. They call it intellectual property theft. And they value it at USD 300 billion a year. Who knows how they value it? I know how to value dollars. I don't know how to value intellectual property theft, but they have experts that say it's at least USD 300 billion a year where they steal it, he said.Somebody had to do something with China, he said, adding that this should have been done by his predecessors."They all should have done it. Nobody did it. I'm doing it. So what do you say, Oh, my trade deals are causing it. My trade deals aren't causing a problem. This is something that had to be done. The only difference is I'm doing it, he said."I could be sitting here right now with a stock market that would be up 10,000 points higher, but I didn't want to do it, but I think we have no choice to do it, and a lot of people that really know, people that love our country, they're saying thank you very much for taking it off. And we're winning because they're having the worst year they've had in decades, and it's only going to get worse, Trump said.China has lost USD two billion in the last month-and-a-half because companies are moving to non-tariff countries. They've lost almost two million jobs over a very short period of time, they're going to lose a lot more jobs, he claimed."And if I didn't help certain companies, American companies like Apple for a very short period of time I might help them. All they have to do is probably move from China because this would be a very short term. If I didn't help them, he said."Here's the thing: Somebody had to take on what China was doing to the United States economically. We're winning big. I took it on. And it should have been done by previous presidents, but I took it on. And I'm happy to do it because it had to be done, and the smart people say, Thank you very much. And the dumb people have no idea. And then, you have the political people, and they go in it, Trump said.ALSO READ: 'Will try my best to help my friends': Donald Trump offers again to mediate on KashmirALSO READ: 'Moderate rhetoric': Donald Trump tells Imran Khan after conversation with PM Modi

Trump says he had to 'take China on', regardless of short-term impact on US economy

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said short-term recession might simply be the cost of waging his much-needed trade war with China as Beijing had been "grifting off" America for decades

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Immunity induced by COVID-19 vaccine expected to be protective against new variants: ModernaModerna Inc on Wednesday said that it expects that the immunity induced by its COVID-19 vaccine would be protective against the new coronavirus variants found in the United Kingdom. Besides, the company also said that it is planning to run tests to confirm the vaccine’s activity against any strain.A press release issued by the vaccine company reads, "While we plan to run tests to confirm the activity of the vaccine against any strain, the broad range of potential neutralizing antibodies made possible by the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine provides confidence that our vaccine will also be effective at inducing neutralizing antibodies against them."The US based company also assured that it will be performing additional tests of the vaccine in the coming weeks to confirm this expectation."We continue to test the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine against new SARS-CoV-2 variants, and our expectation is that the vaccine’s effectiveness will hold against them as well," it said in the release.Last week, Moderna got emergency use authorization for its anti-coronavirus vaccine from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It became the second company to get such authorization from USFDA after Pfizer.ALSO READ | UK reports another new 'more contagious' Covid variant, govt goes for tighter restrictions /* .jw-reset-text, .jw-reset{line-height: 2em;}*/ .jw-time-tip .jw-time-chapter{display:none;} if ('' == comscore_jw_loaded || 'undefined' == comscore_jw_loaded || undefined == comscore_jw_loaded) { var comscore_jw_loaded = 1; 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Immunity induced by COVID-19 vaccine expected to protect against new variants: Moderna

Moderna Inc on Wednesday said that it expects that the immunity induced by its COVID-19 vaccine would be protective against the new coronavirus variants found in the United Kingdom.

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Markhor

US national pays over $1 lakh to hunt Pak's national animal

Markhor, a distinctive species of wild goat identified by its long hair and spiralled horns, is a protected species in Pakistan unless permitted by the government to kill it under trophy hunting programmes.

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Hindu woman abducted from marriage ceremony in PakistanA 24-year-old Hindu woman was allegedly kidnapped and was forcefully converted to Islam in Pakistan's Hala city. The incident was reported on Sunday after assailants forcibly took away the woman from her wedding venue and married her off to a Muslim man. The victim was identified as Bharti Bai, who was to get married to a Hindu man in the city. According to Bharti Bai's father Kishore Das, the wedding ceremony of his daughter was underway when one kidnapper named Shah Rukh Gul came stormed into the venue with several men and took his daughter away in broad daylight. The miscreants were accompanied by some policemen, he said. Later, a picture of Bharti along with documents of her conversion to Islam and marriage to Shah Rukh Gul went viral on social media.According to the documents of her conversion, it seems that Bharti had converted to Islam on December 1, 2019, which may be the reason why she was taken away from her wedding venue.Bharti's new name after conversion is 'Bushra', the document stated. Jamiat-ul-Uloom Islamia, located at Allama Muhammad Yousuf Banuri town in Karachi, issued the certificate of Bharti's conversion while her conversion was witnessed and certified by Mufti AbuBakar Saeed ur Rehman.As per her National Identity Card, details of which were shared in the documents, her permanent address is in Hala. However, her temporary address is of Gulshan Iqbal area in Karachi, which may be taken as her current area of residence.It is still uncertain as to when she got married to Shah Rukh Gul. However, her marriage certificate aka nikkah document shows that the Muslim man is also a resident of Hala. Shah Rukh, the son of Nisar Ahmed, is also 24 years old.Meanwhile, Bharti's family has demanded for her return. As per their claims, she was abducted by Shah Rukh under the supervision and presence of local police authorities.According to what the locals in the area said, Shah Rukh Gul approached the police and claimed Bushra as his wife after he learnt of her wedding with another man. The family was marrying off their daughter illegally, Gul had claimed. Also Read | Pak Hindus turn to social media to raise girls' conversionAlso Read | India expresses concerns over abduction of minor Hindu girls in Pakistan​ /* .jw-reset-text, .jw-reset{line-height: 2em;}*/ .jw-time-tip .jw-time-chapter{display:none;} if ('' == comscore_jw_loaded || 'undefined' == comscore_jw_loaded || undefined == comscore_jw_loaded) { var comscore_jw_loaded = 1; firstjw = document.getElementsByClassName('jwvidplayer')[0]; cs_jw_script = document.createElement('script'); cs_jw_script.src = 'https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/internal-c2/plugins/streamingtag_plugin_jwplayer.js'; firstjw.parentNode.insertBefore(cs_jw_script, firstjw.nextSibling); } var jwconfig_2935406686 = { "file": "https://indiatv-vh.akamaihd.net/i/vod/0_l0yeug72_,20,21,22,.mp4.csmil/master.m3u8", "image": "https://thumbs.indiatvnews.com/vod/0_l0yeug72_big_thumb.jpg", "title": "Hindu girl abducted from wedding, forcibly converted, married off in Pakistan", "height": "440px", "width": "100%", "aspectratio": "16:9", "autostart": false, "controls": true, "mute": false, "volume": 25, "floating": false, "sharing": { "code": "", "sites": [ "facebook", "twitter", "email" ] }, "stretching": "exactfit", "primary": "html5", "hlshtml": true, "sharing_link": "", "advertising": { "client": "vast", "autoplayadsmuted": true, "skipoffset": 5, "cuetext": "", "skipmessage": "Skip ad in xx", "skiptext": "SKIP", "preloadAds": true, "schedule": [ { "offset": "pre", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PreRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" }, { "offset": "50%", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_MidRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=" }, { "offset": "post", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PostRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" } ] } }; var jwvidplayer_2935406686 = ''; jwsetup_2935406686(); function jwsetup_2935406686() { jwvidplayer_2935406686 = jwplayer("jwvidplayer_2935406686").setup(jwconfig_2935406686); jwvidplayer_2935406686.on('ready', function () { ns_.StreamingAnalytics.JWPlayer(jwvidplayer_2935406686, { publisherId: "20465327", labelmapping: "c2=\"20465327\", c3=\"IndiaTV News\", c4=\"null\", c6=\"null\", ns_st_mp=\"jwplayer\", ns_st_cl=\"0\", ns_st_ci=\"0_l0yeug72\", ns_st_pr=\"Hindu girl abducted from wedding, forcibly converted, married off in Pakistan\", ns_st_sn=\"0\", ns_st_en=\"0\", ns_st_ep=\"Hindu girl abducted from wedding, forcibly converted, married off in Pakistan\", ns_st_ct=\"null\", ns_st_ge=\"News\", ns_st_st=\"Hindu girl abducted from wedding, forcibly converted, married off in Pakistan\", ns_st_ce=\"0\", ns_st_ia=\"0\", ns_st_ddt=\"2020-01-27\", ns_st_tdt=\"2020-01-27\", ns_st_pu=\"IndiaTV News\", ns_st_cu=\"https://indiatv-vh.akamaihd.net/i/vod/0_l0yeug72_,20,21,22,.mp4.csmil/master.m3u8\", ns_st_ty=\"video\"" }); }); jwvidplayer_2935406686.on('all', function (r) { if (jwvidplayer_2935406686.getState() == 'error' || jwvidplayer_2935406686.getState() == 'setupError') { jwvidplayer_2935406686.stop(); jwvidplayer_2935406686.remove(); jwvidplayer_2935406686 = ''; jwsetup_2935406686(); return; } }); jwvidplayer_2935406686.on('error', function (t) { jwvidplayer_2935406686.stop(); jwvidplayer_2935406686.remove(); jwvidplayer_2935406686 = ''; jwsetup_2935406686(); return; }); jwvidplayer_2935406686.on('mute', function () { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_2935406686.on('adPlay', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_2935406686.on('adPause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_2935406686.on('pause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_2935406686.on('error', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_2935406686.on('adBlock', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); } ​

Pakistan: Hindu woman abducted from wedding venue, forcibly converted to Islam

As per her National Identity Card, details of which were shared in the documents, the woman's permanent address is in Hala. However, her temporary address is of Gulshan Iqbal area in Karachi, which may be taken as her current area of residence.

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President Donald Trump listens during a briefing about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, Wednesday, April 1, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)The US has agreed to buy from Russia ventilators, medical supplies and other personal protection equipment needed to treat patients infected with COVID-19, a top official has said, as the country wrestles with the coronavirus pandemic that the White House has warned could kill up to two lakh people during the next fortnight.The move to buy from Russia comes after a telephonic conversation between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on March 30. "As a follow-up to the March 30 phone call between President Trump and President Putin, the United States has agreed to purchase needed medical supplies, including ventilators and personal protection equipment, from Russia, which were handed over to FEMA on April 1 in New York City." State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said on Wednesday.Both the countries have provided humanitarian assistance to each other in times of crisis in the past and will no doubt do so again in the future, she said. "This is a time to work together to overcome a common enemy that threatens the lives of all of us," she added."The countries of the G20 agreed last week to work together to defeat the coronavirus, and we are working closely with these countries and others to ensure that critically needed supplies get to those in need," Ortagus said.The United States is committed to the global fight against COVID-19, she said, adding that the US is a generous and reliable contributor to crisis response and humanitarian action across the world. "But we cannot do it alone," Ortagus noted.President Trump told reporters on Tuesday that the US was headed for a "very tough two weeks", advising people to be prepared for the "hard days" ahead, as the country is at war with the deadly coronavirus pandemic that the White House projects could claim one to two lakh lives during the next fortnight.Deborah Bix, a member of White House Task Force on coronavirus, based on a model from actual data from the ground, said the death toll in the US could be between 100,000 to 200,000, with the strict implementation of the existing mitigation measures including social distancing till April 30. Across the United States, hospitals are facing shortages of ventilators.Some medical device makers have agreed to ramp up supplies. But because patients diagnosed with or suspected to have COVID-19 often require breathing support, there is widespread concern that these devices won't be developed and shipped quickly enough.A total of 932,605 COVID-19 cases have been reported across more than 175 countries and territories with 16,809 deaths reported so far, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The US has reported 213,372 COVID-19 cases, the highest in the world, and over 5,000 people have died due to the disease. 

US agrees to buy ventilators, medical supplies from Russia amid COVID-19 crisis

The US has agreed to buy from Russia ventilators, medical supplies and other personal protection equipment needed to treat patients infected with COVID-19, a top official has said, as the country wrestles with the coronavirus pandemic that the White House has warned could kill up to two lakh people during the next fortnight.

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) looks towards furthering the constraints on short-term borrowings.The cash-strapped economy of Pakistan is going to take another restricting hit, this time by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as it looks towards furthering the constraints on short-term borrowings for filling the budgetary gap which has arisen from the forecast that Pakistan's gross financing needs would be up to 1.5 per cent higher than its gross domestic product in comparison to the previous estimates.As per estimates of the IMF, Pakistan's financial needs to finance budgets and honour international obligations is expected to be about Rs 14 trillion, which makes at least 30.7 per cent of its economic size during the financial year ending June 30, 2021.The report adds that the estimates are at least 1.5 per cent of the GDP higher than the previous estimates in the IMF report in April.IMF's expected restrictions or constraints on Pakistan have also been confirmed by the Pakistan government as Ministry of Finance said that both sides have finalised the arrangements to review country's financing plan to meet its short-term and medium-term obligations in efforts to revive the $6 billion bailout programme.Financial experts say the increase in gross financing needs is primarily due to the "unanticipated decrease in tax collections and an increase in public expenditures, further expanding the budget gap."Sources in the ministry maintained that tax revenue declined due to certain uncontrollable circumstances such as COVID-19 pandemic, which shrunk tax collection to bare minimum, prompting more borrowings.As per the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the country's gross financing needs were 31.2 per cent of the GDP.The government's failure to plan the budgetary needs and increase in energy prices halted the second review of the IMF programme, which was scheduled in March 2020.Experts say that Pakistan will have to increase tax burdens and reduce public expenditure, if it wants to have any future agreements as it will have to cut its gross financial needs severely for the next fiscal year starting July 1, 2021.IMF, in its April 2020 report, had highlighted that Pakistan could improvise its debt sustainability position if it manages to see itself out of the financial assistances provided by countries including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and China.

Pakistan to face another restriction, as IMF to restrict short-term borrowings

The cash-strapped economy of Pakistan is going to take another restricting hit, this time by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as it looks towards furthering the constraints on short-term borrowings for filling the budgetary gap which has arisen from the forecast that Pakistan's gross financing needs would be up to 1.5 per cent higher than its gross domestic product in comparison to the previous estimates.

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US President Donald TrumpHe is not your conventional US President and he is certainly not known for careful, measured response an American President is expected to offer on the world stage, but he gets by. But if someone says that US President Donald Trump does not know that India and China do not share a border, we would certainly take him for a fool. But a book has now claimed just that. It says that Donald Trump did not know that India and China, the world's two most populous nations share a border.A book by the name of  'A Very Stable Genius: Donald J.Trump’s Testing of America' claims that Donald Trump made his knowledge of Geography public when he was discussing matters with none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi."It's not as though you have China right on your border..." the book quotes Donald Trump as saying during a meeting with  PM Modi. The US delegation seemed to have been a bit embarrassed. Then US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had to quickly inform Trump than India and China indeed, share a border. Tillerson did this right in the middle of the meeting and had to do it in a hushed tone so that only Trump could hear that.India and China share a huge border measuring to about 3380 kilometres. There are a number of border disputes between India and China but the border remains ninth-largest in the world. India and China have even gone to war over the border dispute in 1962.Donald Trump apparently likes speaking about borders and 'border walls'. Right from his presidential campaign in the run-up to US elections 2020, Trump has maintained that he would build a wall on US-Mexico border to prevent illegal immigrants crossing into the US. This has remained only a dream as building a wall that stretches to thousands of Kilometres is widely seen in the US to be a waste of billions of dollars.US-Mexico border is shorter than the India-China border.Also Read | US House sends Trump impeachment articles to Senate

Donald Trump doesn't know India and China share border, claims a book

A book written by Washington Post journalists claims that US President Donald Trump did not have any idea about India-China border.

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Breaking news The total number of global coronavirus cases has surpassed 4.9 million, including more than 324,000 fatalities. More than 1,958,000 patients are reported to have recovered. Follow this breaking news blog for live updates on coronavirus pandemic as it continues to pose a challenge for health workers and scientists who are in a race against time to produce a vaccine/medicine. IndiaTvNews.com brings you the economic fallout of the COVID-19 crisis that has resulted in job losses in millions and changing the way we work. Stay Home, Stay Safe and Stay Informed as our team of dedicated editors/reporters bring you the latest news on coronavirus: 

Coronavirus Updates: May 20, 2020 | As it happened

The total number of global coronavirus cases has surpassed 4.9 million, including more than 324,000 fatalities. More than 1,958,000 patients are reported to have recovered. Follow this LIVE blog for latest on coronavirus and its global economic fallout

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The Japanese government on Friday imposed new unilateral sanctions on North Korea, which include freezing the assets of Pyongyang-based companies, in response to the launch of the country's latest ballistic missile.The new sanctions come as an addition to a long list of punitive measures imposed by Japan which affect North Korean companies of different sectors and senior officials of the Kim Jong-un regime, as well as the movement of citizens between the two countries.Related Stories Potential for war with North Korea increasing every day: Top US officialNorth Korea says war is inevitable as allies continue war gamesRex Tillerson's offer of talks with North Korea left hanging as White House contradicts remarkDonald Trump, Vladimir Putin talk on phone, discuss North Korea: White HouseThe government decided to add 19 more companies to the list of businesses whose assets have been frozen, including companies involved in financial services, coal and oil traders, shipping and the supply of workers overseas, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said.With the latest announcement, the total number of North Korean companies or entities subject to Japanese sanctions increased to 56, while 62 individuals have also been blacklisted.Many of these entities and people also figure in sanctions by the UN Security Council.In a press conference, Suga said the expanded sanctions, effective Friday, are in response to North Korea's continued provocative statements and actions as well as a lack of progress on the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea decades ago.He added that the move was timed to coincide with a UNSC ministerial meeting on the situation on the Korean peninsula, to be held in New York later on Friday.The meeting will discuss the latest North Korean missile launch as well as the conciliatory message issued by United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson this week, amid numerous calls for dialogue between the international community and the Kim Jong-un regime.The intercontinental ballistic missile, launched by North Korea on November 29, is seen as another step towards the regime's goal of developing a nuclear weapon capable of reaching US territory.

Japan imposes new unilateral sanctions on North Korea

The new sanctions come as an addition to a long list of punitive measures imposed by Japan which affect North Korean companies of different sectors and senior officials of the Kim Jong-un regime.

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US President Donald Trump is set to scrap a programme that grants work permits to immigrants who arrived in the country illegally as children, a move likely to impact more than 7,000 Indian-Americans, a media report said today.The programme -- Deferred Action for Children Arrival (DACA) -- was a key immigration reform of the former US President Barack Obama.White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters on Friday that Trump would take a decision on the issue tomorrow. However, Politico in an exclusive story reported Sunday that Trump has already decided to rescind this programme and senior administration officials are now discussing the rollout of his decision which could come later this week.However, senior administration officials have cautioned that there might be changes in Trump's decision until it is formally announced, Politico reported.Such a decision by the US President, which is one of his poll promises, is expected to draw widespread criticism including those from his own Republican party. The move is likely to impact some 750,00 undocumented workers including more than 7,000 Indian-Americans.In a radio interview Paul Ryan, Speaker of the US House of Representatives said that Trump should not terminate DACA as "these children know no other country than the US"."I actually don't think he should do that. I believe that this is something that Congress has to fix," Ryan said on radio station WCLO in Janesville, Wisconsin.India ranks 11th among countries of origin for DACA students, according to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services statistics available till March 31, 2017."Deporting patriotic, courageous young men and women who are American in every way would be disastrous for our communities, our economy and our nation," said Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Democratic leader in the US House of Representatives.In a study released last week, CATO Institute said that termination of DACA, which would result in possible deportation of these students could cost over USD 200 billion to the American economy and the cost to the government would be USD 60 billion.The average DACA recipient is 22 years old, employed, and a student. 17 per cent of them are on track to complete an advanced degree.

Donald Trump decides to end DACA, could impact 7,000 Indian-Americans

The programme -- Deferred Action for Children Arrival (DACA) -- was a key immigration reform of the former US President Barack Obama

9f0d8780382838e78a6ccaba1a2861ca

Couple caught having sex in Brazilian city council's Zoom meetA meeting of a Brazilian city council held on Zoom became the talk of the town for an issue which was not at all included in the agenda, thanks to a participant who apparently forgot to turn off the camera before deciding to have sex.The meeting of Rio de Janeiro city council held last week was about discussing the problems related to distribution of food for the students of the municipal school system during the Covid-19 pandemic.The incident occurred during a public hearing of the Committee on the Rights of the Child and Adolescent Chamber of Rio, chaired by Leonel Brizola Neto, the council chair and member of the Socialism and Liberal Party (PSOL), according to a report by Brazilian publication UOL.The identity of the participant who was caught having sex in the Zoom meeting is not known, but the chamber's staff confirmed that the person in the video was not a parliamentarian, said the report.Many of the councilors did not even notice the couple having sex and the meeting went on as scheduled.In a note to UOL, Brizola Neto later said that as soon as the episode caught his attention, he asked the TV camera to withdraw the video immediately.

Couple caught having sex in Brazilian city council's Zoom meet

A meeting of a Brazilian city council held on Zoom became the talk of the town for an issue which was not at all included in the agenda, thanks to a participant who apparently forgot to turn off the camera before deciding to have sex.

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A Chinese military vehicle carrying what appears to be a drone passes along the Jianguomenwai Avenue during a rehearsal for the 70th anniversary of Communist China, in Beijing. China for the first time unveiled its high-altitude, high-speed drone - the WZ-8 - at Tuesday's 70th National Day parade here, which Chinese experts say can provide more reliable reconnaissance data than satellites.Uniquely shaped like a dagger with small wings, the reconnaissance drone is likely able to fly at a high-supersonic speed and have stealth capabilities, military analysts said.Trucks carried the aircraft as a part of the unmanned weaponry phalanx in the parade.The drone is likely launched in the air via a bomber or transport aircraft, state-run Global Times quoted military analysts as saying.The biggest advantage of the drone is that it can effectively gather intelligence in real time in a controllable way compared to other platforms like satellites, Wu Jian, editor of Defence Weekly under Shanghai-based Xinmin Evening News, told the Global Times.A satellite must travel along its orbit and conduct reconnaissance only when it is above the target, Wu said, pointing out that this can be calculated by the enemy, and can create fake intelligence.A high-altitude, high-speed reconnaissance drone will not have this problem, Wu said, noting that the drone will also act as a soft deterrence, giving the message that the Chinese military can engage in reconnaissance on it.China has demonstrated a host of new weapons at the parade, which is the largest in its history.

China unveils high-altitude, high speed drone at National Day parade

China for the first time unveiled its high-altitude, high-speed drone - the WZ-8 - at Tuesday's 70th National Day parade here, which Chinese experts say can provide more reliable reconnaissance data than satellites.

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30-year-old uber driver of Indian origin gets prison sentence in US A 30-year-old Uber driver of Indian origin has received an year long prison sentence by a US court for knowingly transporting individuals who illegally entered the US. Jaswinder Singh most recently resided in Philadelphia. He was sentenced on Thursday to 12 months in prison for knowingly transporting illegal aliens within the United States for the purpose of financial gain, United States Attorney Grant Jaquith said.Singh, who worked as an Uber driver, admitted that between January 1, 2019 and May 20, 2019, he picked up several aliens whom he knew had crossed illegally into the United States and transported them into the interior of the country, in exchange for payment.On May 20, 2019, the day he was arrested for this offense, Singh drove to a location in New York State to pick up two aliens – including a child – who had illegally crossed into the United States from Canada. The aliens paid Singh USD 2,200 after he picked them up.Singh, who previously sought and received asylum in the United States, faces possible deportation as a result of this offence.United States District Judge David N Hurd imposed a 2-year term of supervised release to begin after Singh is released from prison, in the event that Singh is not deported. 

30-year-old Uber driver of Indian origin gets prison sentence in US

A 30-year-old Uber driver of Indian origin has received an year long prison sentence by a US court for knowingly transporting individuals who illegally entered the US. Jaswinder Singh most recently resided in Philadelphia. He was sentenced on Thursday to 12 months in prison for knowingly transporting illegal aliens within the United States for the purpose of financial gain, United States Attorney Grant Jaquith said.

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Mexican COVID mutation increases at alarming rate: Researchers. Italian researchers have identified a new coronavirus mutation, whose scientific name is T478K, that has been spreading mostly in Mexico over the past few weeks and has also been found in Europe.The team, from the Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology of the University of Bologna, found the variant after analysing more than one million SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences from the open-access database GISAID (Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data) until April 27, 2021. T478K was detected in 11,435 samples."We show that T478K has appeared and risen in frequency since January 2021, predominantly in Mexico and the United States, but we could also detect it in several European countries," the researchers wrote in the Journal of Medical Virology.An analysis of more than 820,000 SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequences deposited up till March 26, 2021, by the same researchers and uploaded to the preprint server bioRxiv, detected T478K mutation in 4,214 samples.This is double the number of samples that presented the same variant just a month earlier. Such an increase since the beginning of 2021 is alarming, the researchers said.In the new paper, the team found that T478K spreads evenly across males and females and age ranges. This variant represents 52.8 per cent of all sequenced coronaviruses in Mexico, whereas in the US it shows up only in 2.7 per cent of the sequenced samples.In Europe, the "Mexican variant" spread feebly in Germany, Sweden, and Switzerland.In Italy it is virtually non-existent with only 4 reported cases."This variant has been increasingly spreading among people in North America, particularly in Mexico. To date, this variant covers more than 50 per cent of the existing viruses in this area. The rate and speed of the spread recall those of the 'British variant'", said Federico Giorgi, Professor at the varsity's Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology.T478K mutation was earlier identified in the Delta variant and in the B.1.1.519 lineage.T478K was also present in around 65 per cent of occurrences in variant B.1.1.222, first detected in Mexico last year and associated with higher infectivity.Viruses constantly change through mutation. A variant has one or more mutations that differentiate it from other variants in circulation.Similar to other strains, the T478K is present in the spike protein that is responsible for the interaction with the human receptor ACE2. Coronaviruses attach to this receptor to infect cells, thus spreading the infection with more efficacy.Researchers tested the action of T478K Spike protein within silico simulations and found out that this mutated protein can alter the superficial electrostatic charge.Consequently, it can change not only the interaction with the ACE2 human protein but also with the antibodies of the immune system and thus hinder drug efficacy.

Mexican COVID mutation increases at alarming rate: Researchers

The team, from the Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology of the University of Bologna, found the variant after analysing more than one million SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences from the open-access database GISAID (Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data) until April 27, 2021.

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Photo for representation. At least 16 people were killed Tuesday when Afghan security forces tried to dispose of a container full of explosives found in the southern city of Kandahar, officials said.Daud Ahmadi, spokesman for the provincial governor, said four security forces were among those killed. He said another 38 people, including at least five small children, were wounded in the explosion.Related Stories Islamic State suicide bomber kills 33 as Afghans celebrate Persian new year Afghanistan: 14 killed, over 40 wounded in car bomb explosion in Lashkargah cityKabul: 25, including journalists, killed in twin blasts; ISIS claims responsibilityAfghanistan: At least six dead as blasts, gunfire rock JalalabadDozens of shops and nearby homes were destroyed or damaged, and the death toll could rise, he said.Abdul Saleh, 29, who was wounded in the attack, said the sound was "so loud, like strong thunder." He said he was knocked unconscious and later woke up in a hospital bed.The explosives were found in a cluster of car mechanic shops. It was unclear who placed them there.Elsewhere in Afghanistan, the Taliban launched a wave of attacks late Monday in the eastern Ghazni province, killing at least 14 police, including a district police chief and a reserve unit's commander, according to provincial council member Hassan Reza Yusoufi.The attacks continued on Tuesday in four districts, according to Arif Noori, spokesman for the provincial governor, who said 12 other security forces were wounded.Latifa Akbari, the head of the provincial council in Ghazni, said Taliban fighters stormed several checkpoints in the Dih Yak and Jaghatu districts, where all the fatalities occurred.The Taliban claimed to have captured the Jaghatu district headquarters and several police checkpoints in Dih Yak.The Taliban also attacked a checkpoint in the eastern Paktia province, killing at least two police, according to Gen. Gul Agha Rohani, the provincial police chief. Three other police were wounded in the attack Monday night, he said.The Taliban have stepped up attacks across the country since announcing their annual spring offensive last month. An Islamic State affiliate has also carried out a number of large bombings in recent months, mainly targeting the country's Shiite minority.

Afghanistan: 16 killed, several injured as security forces accidentally detonate explosives in Kandahar

The blast took place when Afghan security forces tried to dispose of a container full of explosives found in the southern city of Kandahar.

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 Kim's visit  to China came at a crucial time when US and China are engaged in a grueling trade war with the two countries already announcing tariffs up to USD 50 billion each while Trump is threatening more sanctions. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wrapped up his third visit to China this year on Wednesday, declaring Pyongyang's unstinting "friendship" with Beijing in a show of loyalty to Beijing  following a landmark summit with US President Donald Trump.The two-day visit was designed to reassure Beijing that Pyongyang will not neglect its interests as Trump and Kim move into uncharted diplomatic terrain.Related Stories North Korea 'has miniature nuclear warhead': Kim Jong-unUS Presidential elections: North Korea prefers ‘wise’ Donald Trump over ‘dull’ Hillary ClintonNorth Korea terms US sanctions on Kim Jong-un as ‘declaration of war’, threatens to retaliateThere was no official word on Kim's activities on Wednesday, although South Korea's Yonhap news agency said his motorcade was seen at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Beijing. China has pressed North Korea to adopt economic reforms and has touted the prospects of increased trade and investment if Pyongyang makes progress in talks on abandoning its nuclear weapons and long-range missile programs. That could allow the lifting of U.N. Security Council economic sanctions that have brought about a plunge in the North's foreign trade, although the U.S. insists easing of sanctions can only come after Pyongyang shows it has ended its nuclear programs. The U.S. says China is in agreement on that point, although Chinese officials have repeatedly stated that sanctions should not be considered an end to their own. Earlier during his meeting with Xi Tuesday, Kim thanked China for "positive and sincere support and good help for the successful" summit with Trump.The North Korean leader, who was greeted by a military honour guard and cheering children at the Great Hall of the People on Tuesday, said he valued the "recently strengthened strategic cooperation" between the two countries."He expressed the determination and will to further develop the closer relations of friendship, unity and cooperation between the two parties and the two peoples of the DPRK and China".Kim also invoked the "prospect for the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula" following his meeting with Trump.For his part, Xi told Kim that China "speaks highly" of his summit with Trump and he urged Washington and Pyongyang to implement their agreement struck in Singapore.The Chinese leader vowed that Beijing would continue to play a "constructive role" in the nuclear diplomacy.Kim's visit  to China came at a crucial time when US and China are engaged in a grueling trade war with the two countries already announcing tariffs up to USD 50 billion each while Trump is threatening more sanctions. For its part, China has been warning of strong retaliation.     

North Korean supremo Kim Jong Un wraps up China visit, hails unity between nations in new visit

The two-day visit was designed to reassure Beijing that Pyongyang will not neglect its interests as Trump and Kim move into uncharted diplomatic terrain.

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Italy COVID-19 deaths exceed 32,800, total 230,158 confirmed cases The total death toll due to novel coronavirus has claimed more than 32,800 lives in Italy. As of today, Italy's death toll stood at 32,877, bringing the total number of cases, including fatalities and recoveries, so far to 230,158, according to the latest figures. A total of 92 COVID-19 patients had died in the past 24 hours in the country.Nationwide, the number of active infections dropped by 1,294 to 55,300 cases, according to the Civil Protection Department, Xinhua reported.Of those who tested positive for the new coronavirus, 541 are in intensive care, 12 fewer compared to Sunday, and 8,185 are hospitalized with symptoms, down by 428 patients from Sunday.The rest 46,574 people, or about 84 percent of those who tested positive, are quarantined at home with no symptoms or only mild symptoms.Recoveries rose by 1,502 compared to Sunday, bringing the nationwide total to 141,981.The pandemic has visibly slowed down in recent weeks after first striking the country in late February.On May 18, the ten-week lockdown imposed on March 10 was further eased and shops, restaurants, bars, barber shops, beauty salons, museums, and beachfront operators were all allowed to reopen, provided that they respect rules for social distancing and disinfect facilities.(With IANS Inputs)ALSO READ | Japanese PM Shinzō Abe lifts state of emergencyALSO READ | Nepal reports highest single-day coronavirus surge; total cases cross 650-mark

Italy COVID-19 deaths exceed 32,800, total 230,158 confirmed cases

The total death toll due to novel coronavirus has claimed more than 32,800 lives in Italy. As of today, Italy's death toll stood at 32,877, bringing the total number of cases, including fatalities and recoveries, so far to 230,158, according to the latest figures.

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30-year-old Taimoor Raza, a Shia Muslim, became the first Pakistani to be awarded death sentence for sharing blasphemous content about Islam on social media.   According to government prosecutor Shafiq Qureshi, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Judge Shabbir Ahmed announced the death sentence for Raza who was arrested last year for allegedly posting derogatory content about Sunni Muslim religious leaders and the wives of the Prophet Mohammed on Facebook.Qureshi said Bahawalpur's counter-terrorism force arrested Raza in April last year following a complaint that he was showing onlookers objectionable material on his cell phone at a bus terminal. He added that Raza had previously posted other blasphemous material on Facebook.Pakistan is a predominantly Sunni Muslim country and the rivalry between Shia and Sunni Muslims dates back to the seventh century when they had a disagreement who should be the heir to Islam's Prophet Mohammed.Under Pakistan's harsh blasphemy laws, anyone accused of insulting God, Islam or other religious personalities can be sentenced to death.Pakistan last year arrested 15 people, 10 Muslims and five non-Muslims, on blasphemy charges, according to a report issued by the independent rights group Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.The country has never executed anyone convicted of blasphemy, but the mere accusation is enough to ignite mob violence or lynching in the deeply conservative country. Right groups say the harsh blasphemy laws are often used to settle personal scores.Earlier this year, a student in the country's conservative northwestern province was attacked and killed by a stick-wielding mob who accused him of blasphemy. There was no evidence of blasphemy, and his death generated widespread protests.In January 2011, a provincial governor was shot and killed by his police guard who accused him of blasphemy after he criticized the law and defended a Christian woman sentenced to death under the law.In recent months, the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif launched a campaign to rid social media of any content considered insulting to Islam, at least any posted by Pakistanis.The government petitioned Facebook and Twitter to identify Pakistanis worldwide posting material considered offensive to Islam so that Pakistani authorities can prosecute them or pursue their extradition on charges of blasphemy, tantamount to a death sentence.(With AP inputs)

Pakistan: Shia Muslim awarded first death sentence for ‘blasphemy on social media’

Raza who was arrested last year for allegedly posting derogatory content about Sunni Muslim religious leaders and the wives of the Prophet Mohammed on Facebook.

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Imran Khan A courageous Pakistani national who died in the ghastly Christchurch terror attack on two mosques will be conferred with a national award posthumously for trying to tackle the White supremacist gunman before being shot dead by him.Naeem Rashid, a resident of Jinnahabad in Abbottabad and a professor in New Zealand, was present at the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch when the terrorist opened fire on Friday and killed 50 worshippers.Prime Minister Imran Khan extended support to the families and also announced to award a Pakistani who tried to tackle the attacker but was killed."We stand ready to extend all our support to the families of Pakistani victims of the terrorist attack in Christchurch. Pakistan is proud of Mian Naeem Rashid who was killed trying to tackle the White Supremacist terrorist & his courage will be recognised with a national award," Khan tweeted on Sunday.Rashid's 22-year-old son, Talha Naeem, a civil engineering graduate, was among those who lost their lives in the shooting.Rashid, who was injured in his bid to overpower the attacker, passed away on Saturday after succumbing to his injuries.Pakistan Foreign Office on Sunday confirmed, nine Pakistani national were killed in the attack that took place on Friday.The 28-year-old gunman, identified Brenton Tarrant, live-streamed footage of himself going room-to-room, victim to victim, shooting the wounded from close range as they struggled to crawl away.The attack has shocked New Zealanders, who are used to seeing around 50 murders a year in the entire country of 4.8 million and pride themselves on living in a secure and welcoming place.Police warned Muslims all over the country not to visit mosques "anywhere in New Zealand" in the wake of the Christchurch attacks.

Pak to give national award to citizen killed trying to overpower NZ mosque attacker

Naeem Rashid, a resident of Jinnahabad in Abbottabad and a professor in New Zealand, was present at the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch when the terrorist opened fire on Friday and killed 50 worshippers.

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Coronavirus global cases increasing 70,000 per day according to WHO.Coronavirus confirmed cases globally are now rising by 70,000 per day, up from 50,000 just a couple of days ago, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) figures adding that COVID-19 continues its relentless spread, as the daily number of infections worldwide continues to jump sharply. At present, over 7,20,000 people have been infected by coronavirus worldwide while more than 32,000 people have died. The US had over 139,000 infections and 2,400 deaths, a running tally by a prominent university showed Sunday evening.Going by the current trend of COVID-19 rising cases, President Donald Trump has also extended the country's voluntary national shutdown for a month, significantly changing his tone on the coronavirus pandemic only days after musing about the country reopening in a few weeks. He heeded public-health experts who told him the virus could claim over 100,000 lives in the US, perhaps more, if not enough is done to fight it.Italy reported more than 750 new deaths Sunday, bringing the country’s total to nearly 10,800 - vastly more than any other country. But the number of new infections showed signs of narrowing again. Officials said more than 5,200 new cases were recorded in the last 24 hours, the lowest number in four days, for a total of almost 98,000 infections.ALSO READ | Govt says reports of COVID-19 lockdown extension not trueFor most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death. The vast majority of people recover.One of the best ways to prevent spread of the virus is washing your hands with soap and water. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends first washing with warm or cold water and then lathering soap for 20 seconds to get it on the backs of hands, between fingers and under fingernails before rinsing off.ALSO READ | Coronavirus positive cases cross 7,00,000-mark globally; death toll surpasses 33,900ALSO READ | Coronavirus +ve cases cross 1000-mark in India, death toll at 27; Check state-wise COVID-19 list /* .jw-reset-text, .jw-reset{line-height: 2em;}*/ .jw-time-tip .jw-time-chapter{display:none;} if ('' == comscore_jw_loaded || 'undefined' == comscore_jw_loaded || undefined == comscore_jw_loaded) { var comscore_jw_loaded = 1; firstjw = document.getElementsByClassName('jwvidplayer')[0]; cs_jw_script = document.createElement('script'); cs_jw_script.src = 'https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/internal-c2/plugins/streamingtag_plugin_jwplayer.js'; firstjw.parentNode.insertBefore(cs_jw_script, firstjw.nextSibling); } var jwconfig_7428697159 = { "file": "https://indiatv-vh.akamaihd.net/i/vod/0_t15djlui_,20,21,22,.mp4.csmil/master.m3u8", "image": "https://thumbs.indiatvnews.com/vod/0_t15djlui_big_thumb.jpg", "title": "President Trump doubts Chinese figures on COVID-19", "height": "440px", "width": "100%", "aspectratio": "16:9", "autostart": false, "controls": true, "mute": false, "volume": 25, "floating": false, "sharing": { "code": "", "sites": [ "facebook", "twitter", "email" ] }, "stretching": "exactfit", "primary": "html5", "hlshtml": true, "sharing_link": "", "advertising": { "client": "vast", "autoplayadsmuted": true, "skipoffset": 5, "cuetext": "", "skipmessage": "Skip ad in xx", "skiptext": "SKIP", "preloadAds": true, "schedule": [ { "offset": "pre", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PreRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" }, { "offset": "50%", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_MidRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=" }, { "offset": "post", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PostRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" } ] } }; var jwvidplayer_7428697159 = ''; jwsetup_7428697159(); function jwsetup_7428697159() { jwvidplayer_7428697159 = jwplayer("jwvidplayer_7428697159").setup(jwconfig_7428697159); jwvidplayer_7428697159.on('ready', function () { ns_.StreamingAnalytics.JWPlayer(jwvidplayer_7428697159, { publisherId: "20465327", labelmapping: "c2=\"20465327\", c3=\"IndiaTV News\", c4=\"null\", c6=\"null\", ns_st_mp=\"jwplayer\", ns_st_cl=\"0\", ns_st_ci=\"0_t15djlui\", ns_st_pr=\"President Trump doubts Chinese figures on COVID-19\", ns_st_sn=\"0\", ns_st_en=\"0\", ns_st_ep=\"President Trump doubts Chinese figures on COVID-19\", ns_st_ct=\"null\", ns_st_ge=\"News\", ns_st_st=\"President Trump doubts Chinese figures on COVID-19\", ns_st_ce=\"0\", ns_st_ia=\"0\", ns_st_ddt=\"2020-03-27\", ns_st_tdt=\"2020-03-27\", ns_st_pu=\"IndiaTV News\", ns_st_cu=\"https://indiatv-vh.akamaihd.net/i/vod/0_t15djlui_,20,21,22,.mp4.csmil/master.m3u8\", ns_st_ty=\"video\"" }); }); jwvidplayer_7428697159.on('all', function (r) { if (jwvidplayer_7428697159.getState() == 'error' || jwvidplayer_7428697159.getState() == 'setupError') { jwvidplayer_7428697159.stop(); jwvidplayer_7428697159.remove(); jwvidplayer_7428697159 = ''; jwsetup_7428697159(); return; } }); jwvidplayer_7428697159.on('error', function (t) { jwvidplayer_7428697159.stop(); jwvidplayer_7428697159.remove(); jwvidplayer_7428697159 = ''; jwsetup_7428697159(); return; }); jwvidplayer_7428697159.on('mute', function () { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_7428697159.on('adPlay', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_7428697159.on('adPause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_7428697159.on('pause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_7428697159.on('error', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_7428697159.on('adBlock', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); } ​

70,000 new COVID-19 cases per day emerging globally, says WHO

Coronavirus confirmed cases globally are now rising by 70,000 per day, up from 50,000 just a couple of days ago, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) figures adding that COVID-19 continues its relentless spread, as the daily number of infections worldwide continues to jump sharply.

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Unidentified woman strips naked at Miami Airport; arrested after mounting police carAn unidentified woman was arrested at the Miami Airport for stripping naked at the international airport's baggage belt area. Video of the incident was shared on Twitter which showed the woman singing as she strips naked at the airport. As per reports, the woman eventually sat on top of a police car before getting arrested by the local PD. According to the Miami Police, the woman seemed incoherent and delusional when they were speaking to her and is being evaluated on psychological grounds. Pru Ingelfield, a traveller at the airport, told CBS Miami, "It's a shock. In fact, you wouldn't believe what you're looking at. It looks as if it isn't real."Also Read | ​12-year-old girl found alive after remaining buried for 18 hours after avalanche in PoK

Unidentified woman strips naked at Miami Airport; arrested after mounting police car

An unidentified woman was arrested at the Miami Airport for stripping naked at the international airport's baggage belt area. Video of the incident was shared on Twitter which showed the woman singing as she strips naked at the airport.

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Rubbing salt on wounds: Imran Khan ‘promises’ food for all Pakistanis from 'donations’ Pakistan's economic condition is in the doldrums and food prices have been skyrocketing every day. The Imran Khan government has failed to control the food prices and provide basic healthcare facilities to its people. As a result, people are agitated against his government and regret voting him to power in 2018. Vegetable prices have skyrocketed in the country with ginger costing as high as Rs 1,000 per kg. While capsicum is being sold at Rs 200 per kg, one has to shell out Rs 250 to buy a kg of ladyfinger. At a time when Imran Khan’s government should take concrete steps to check the prices, he is busy making tall promises that he can never deliver. The opposition parties and countrymen are questioning Khan’s policies. Besides inflation, Pakistanis are also facing the brunt of unemployment and massive corruption under Khan’s rule. Under Khan's rule, corruption in the country has become institutionalised. Khan has always given excuses and has failed to address the grievances of the countrymen. On the occasion of New Year, Khan has once again made tall promises to his fellow citizens, thus becoming a topic of mockery. The so-called “elected” Premier of Pakistan has only taken his country backward in the last two years.Rubbing salt on the wounds of Pakistanis, Khan while speaking at a ceremony in Islamabad on Friday said that he wants to feed every Pakistani. He even said that the government has set a target to provide health coverage to all Pakistanis and eliminate poverty as the country rings in 2021.Notably, Pakistan is a country known for harboring terrorists and making policies on similar lines to divert the funds. Khan’s promises come at a time when the total public debt in Pakistan has ballooned. It has increased by 11 trillion rupees at a total of 36.3 trillion which is 87 per cent of Pakistan's total GDP in the two years under Imran Khan's rule. Besides, international loans are also piling up with each passing day.Khan while listing his views for 2021 said that the government will invest in businesses, help industries, and create wealth to alleviate poverty. He even said that universal health coverage will be launched soon."I will personally make sure that no one goes to sleep hungry in this country," he said.Under Khan’s rule, Pakistan's economy has fallen with unemployment zooming. According to the World Economic Forum, the youth unemployment rate in Pakistan stands at 8.5 per cent in a country where 64 per cent of the population is below the age of 30.Also, Khan's promise of healthcare to all Pakistanis come at a time when the country’s healthcare has been going from bad to worse. The country is facing a severe shortage of oxygen in hospitals amid the pandemic and is dependent on its all-weather ally China to survive. READ MORE: Imran Khan govt in soup as vegetable prices skyrocket in Pakistan; ginger selling at Rs 1000/kg

Rubbing salt on wounds: Imran Khan ‘promises’ food for all Pakistanis from 'donations’

Pakistan's economic condition is in the doldrums and food prices have been skyrocketing every day. The Imran Khan government has failed to control the food prices and provide basic healthcare facilities to its people.

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US President Donald Trump President Donald Trump has threatened to end what he called the "ridiculous" US policy of birthright citizenship, which gives citizenship automatically to those born in America, as he sought ways to check illegal immigration."We're looking at that very seriously, birthright citizenship. It's frankly ridiculous," Trump said Wednesday outside the White House while responding to a question on the birthright citizenship, which grants automatic citizenship to those born in the US.His comments echo his administration's previous vow to unilaterally end the process by which babies born in the country automatically become US citizens."Birthright citizenship where you have a baby on our land, you walk over the border, have a baby, congratulations, the baby is now a US citizen. We're looking at it very, very seriously," Trump said.During his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump had said that he will end the birthright citizenship. The 14th Amendment of the US Constitution guarantees birthright citizenship and states: "All persons born or naturalised in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside." Indian-origin Presidential candidate Kamala Harris, a Democratic senator from California, mocked Trump's comments on Twitter Wednesday, stating the President "should 'seriously' consider reading the Constitution."Trump's statement came as the administration announced a proposal to detain undocumented families together indefinitely, replacing the agreement that set a 20-day limit for holding children, The Hill reported.His administration enacted and later reversed a "zero tolerance" policy that led to the separation of thousands of migrant families. He has also sought changes to asylum laws to keep refugees in Mexico while they wait to be processed. The White House last week unveiled a rule that would make it more difficult for some immigrants to obtain green cards, the report said.

Now, Trump wants to end birthright citizenship in America

During his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump had said that he will end the birthright citizenship. Trump's statement came as the administration announced a proposal to detain undocumented families together indefinitely, replacing the agreement that set a 20-day limit for holding children.

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Boxes containing the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine are prepared to be shipped at the Pfizer Global Supply Kalamazoo manufacturing plant in Portage, Mich., Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020. The first of many freezer-packed COVID-19 vaccine vials made their way to distribution sites across the United States on Sunday, as the nation’s pandemic deaths approached the horrifying new milestone of 300,000.The rollout of the Pfizer vaccine, the first to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration, ushers in the biggest vaccination effort in U.S. history — one that health officials hope the American public will embrace, even as some have voiced initial skepticism or worry. Shots are expected to be given to health care workers and nursing home residents beginning Monday.Quick transport is key for the vaccine, especially since this one must be stored at extremely low temperatures — about 94 degrees below zero. Early Sunday, workers at Pfizer — dressed in fluorescent yellow clothing, hard hats and gloves — wasted no time as they packed vials into boxes. They scanned the packages and then placed them into freezer cases with dry ice. The vaccines were then taken from Pfizer’s Portage, Michigan, facility to Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, where the first cargo plane took off amid what airport officials called a “jubilant” mood.“This is a historic day,” said Richard W. Smith, who oversees operations in the Americas for FedEx Express, which is delivering 630-some packages of vaccine to distribution sites across the country. United Parcel Service also is transporting a share of the vaccine.Helping with the transport of the vaccine has special meaning to Bruce Smith, a FedEx package handler at the Grand Rapids airport, whose older sister, Queen, died after she contracted the coronavirus in May. She was hospitalized in Georgia one day after he saw her on a video chat, and they never spoke again.“I think she would be ecstatic to know that something that has ravaged our family — that a family member is going to be part of such a big project,” said Smith, 58, whose nephew, Queen’s son, also got sick and is still undergoing therapy for stroke-like symptoms. “It is very, very important.”Tracked with GPS-enabled sensors, the initial shipments were expected to contain about 3 million doses, with many more to come. Federal officials say the first shipments of Pfizer’s vaccine will be staggered, arriving in 145 distribution centers Monday, with another 425 sites getting shipments Tuesday, and the remaining 66 on Wednesday. Doses of the vaccine, co-developed by German partner BioNTech, are given out based on each state’s adult population. Then the states decide where they go first.In California, where health care workers will be among the first to be vaccinated, state health officials are prioritizing hospitals that have adequate storage capacity, serve high-risk populations and have the ability to vaccinate people quickly.Initial surveys have found that even some health care workers don’t want to be first in line. Dr. Graham Snyder, who’s led the vaccine task force at Pennsylvania health care giant UPMC, estimates that about half of its employees are willing to get the vaccine as soon as it’s offered.But many health officials expect enthusiasm to grow.“There’s that thought that maybe they don’t have to be so afraid to come to work if they can be vaccinated and be immune,” said Dr. Sandra Kemmerly, medical director of hospital quality at the 40-hospital Oschner Health System in Louisiana and Mississippi. Employees approved for the first round are getting texts and emails directing them to schedule their initial injection, she said. Enough vaccine is being saved so that each person who gets the first dose of vaccine can get a second required shot a few weeks later.Senior U.S. government officials, including some White House officials who work in close proximity to President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, are among those who will be offered coronavirus vaccines as soon as this week, two people familiar with the matter confirmed.A survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about half of Americans want to get the vaccine as soon as possible. Another quarter aren’t sure, while the remaining quarter say they aren’t interested. Some simply oppose vaccines in general. Others are concerned that the vaccines have been rushed and want to see how the rollout goes.Dr. Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the FDA, which approved the Pfizer vaccine Friday, has repeatedly insisted that the agency’s decision was based on science, not politics, despite a White House threat to fire him if the vaccine wasn’t approved before Saturday.Speaking to Fox News Sunday, Dr. Moncef Slaoui, chief science adviser to Operation Warp Speed, a U.S. effort to get vaccines developed quickly, also said he is “very concerned” about the skepticism about the vaccine in some circles.“Unfortunately ... there’s been a confusion between how thorough and scientific and factual the work that has been done is, and the perception that people are thinking that we cut corners ...,” Slaoui said. “I can guarantee you that no such things have happened, that we follow the science.”He called the development of vaccines from several pharmaceutical companies, including Moderna and AstraZeneca, “a remarkable achievement of science, academia, the industry ecosystem and the U.S. government, working together.”While the vaccine was determined to be safe, regulators in the U.K. are investigating several severe allergic reactions. The FDA’s instructions tell providers not to give it to those with a known history of severe allergic reactions to any of its ingredients.The Moderna vaccine will be reviewed by an expert panel Thursday and soon afterward could be allowed for public use.

Pfizer prepares for COVID-19 vaccine rollout, biggest vaccination effort in US history

The rollout of the Pfizer vaccine, the first to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration, ushers in the biggest vaccination effort in U.S. history — one that health officials hope the American public will embrace, even as some have voiced initial skepticism or worry. Shots are expected to be given to health care workers and nursing home residents beginning Monday.

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Chinese citizens running out of food, essentials amid harsh COVID-19 curbsMillions of Chinese residents are struggling to meet basic daily needs amid the country's heavy-handed and draconian approach to handling COVID-19 lockdowns. Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chinese government is failing to provide its people with essential supplies even as it imposes on them stringent curbs bordering on human rights abuse, a media report stated. China's city of Xi'an, which has been under a harrowing lockdown since December 23 last year, is experiencing terrible food shortages. In critical conditions, patients are facing severe distress in face of supply.Many have complained online that they were surviving on a bowl of porridge a day and were on the brink of starvation. Even while admitting that there were problems in providing essential supplies to the locals, officials initially refused to budge from the position that "the total supply of daily necessities in Xi'an is sufficient", said the report.According to the report, locals have now taken to social media, claiming that they were not being allowed to leave their housing compounds while they ran out of food. "How do we live? What do we eat? Days ago, we could go out once to buy groceries but that's been cancelled. All online grocery apps are either sold out or not delivering," a user wrote on a social media platform."In 2020 as well, Wuhan, another Chinese city considered the epicentre of the pandemic, was also put under a similar lockdown."Nearly 11 million people were restricted and confined to their houses for many traumatic months. The 13 million-person lockdown in Xi'an is now China's largest since Wuhan, the report stated.Just like Wuhan, the city of Xi'an is now also facing the brunt of China's top-down political system and the "whatever it costs" approach to achieve its zero-Covid policy goal."No one cares what you die of -- other than Covid-19," a user wrote on Chinese social media.In the Gushi province of Henan, only one symptomatic and one asymptomatic case was reported. And yet, nearly 1 million residents cannot leave the town. Similar curbs have been put in place in Xuchang, where 1 million residents of Yuzhou city are under lockdown.The authorities have also put the Anyang city under curfew after 58 COVID-19 cases emerged while the movement of as many as 14 million people in Tianjin has been clamped down after 21 COVID-19 cases were reported from the city, the report noted.Meanwhile, on January 8 this year, Xi'an residents were in for another unpleasant surprise. It turned out that Hema fresh food delivery apps stopped offering online purchases "in accordance with the government's pandemic control demands".Owned by the Alibaba group, Hema Xiansheng was one of the few grocery stores that were delivering food in many districts of Xi'an. Authorities claimed that violation of sanitation rules was reported from several branches of the supermarket chain.But the netizens erupted in anger. "It's shameless. During the outbreak in Xi'an, the only company that provided us with food is again being investigated," a Weibo user wrote. Taking advantage of the situation, the remaining outlets increased their prices manifold, the report stated. (With inputs from ANI)Also Read | Wuhan scientists were studying Laos bat viral samples before pandemic: Report /* .jw-reset-text, .jw-reset{line-height: 2em;}*/ .jw-time-tip .jw-time-chapter{display:none;} if ('' == comscore_jw_loaded || 'undefined' == comscore_jw_loaded || undefined == comscore_jw_loaded) { var comscore_jw_loaded = 1; firstjw = document.getElementsByClassName('jwvidplayer')[0]; cs_jw_script = document.createElement('script'); cs_jw_script.src = 'https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/internal-c2/plugins/streamingtag_plugin_jwplayer.js'; firstjw.parentNode.insertBefore(cs_jw_script, firstjw.nextSibling); } var jwconfig_6748247969 = { "file": "https://vod-indiatv.akamaized.net/hls/2021/01/0_3nhzwyrd/master.m3u8", "image": "https://thumbs.indiatvnews.com/vod/0_3nhzwyrd_big_thumb.jpg", "title": "Was the coronavirus made in a Wuhan lab? 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Millions of Chinese locals run out of food, essentials amid harsh lockdown, COVID curbs

Many have complained online that they were surviving on a bowl of porridge a day and were on the brink of starvation.

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North Korea threatens to resume nuke development over sanctions

North Korea threatens to resume nuke development over sanctions

The ministry said North Korea could bring back its "pyongjin" policy of simultaneously advancing its nuclear force and economic development if the United States doesn't change its stance.

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UAE brokered 'secret' peace plan between India-Pakistan: Report  The India-Pakistan ceasefire marked a milestone in secret talks brokered by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that began months earlier, according to a Bloomberg news report.The UAE, which has historic trade and diplomatic links with India and Pakistan, has taken a more assertive international role under de facto ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Bloomberg report said.About 24 hours after military chiefs from India and Pakistan surprised the world last month with a rare joint commitment to respect a 2003 ceasefire agreement, a top UAE diplomat flew to New Delhi for a quick one-day visit, the report said.The official UAE readout of the February 26 meeting gave few clues of what Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed spoke about with Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar, noting they "discussed all regional and international issues of common interest and exchanged views on them", the report said.The ceasefire, the newspaper quoted officials as saying, is only the beginning of a larger roadmap to forge a lasting peace between the neighbours, both of which have nuclear weapons and spar regularly over a decades-old territory dispute.The next step in the process, the officials said, involves both sides reinstating envoys in New Delhi and Islamabad, who were pulled out in 2019.Then comes the hard part, talks on resuming trade and a lasting resolution on Kashmir, the subject of three wars since India, the Bloomberg report said.Last week, Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa asked India "to bury the past and move forward" while saying the military was ready to enter talks to resolve "all our outstanding issues".The comments came a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan called for a resolution on Kashmir, which he described as "the one issue that holds us back".On March 20, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to wish his Pakistani counterpart well after the latter was diagnosed with Covid-19, another sign that relations between the countries are getting warmer. 

UAE brokered 'secret' peace plan between India-Pakistan: Report

About 24 hours after military chiefs from India and Pakistan surprised the world last month with a rare joint commitment to respect a 2003 ceasefire agreement, a top UAE diplomat flew to New Delhi for a quick one-day visit, the report said.

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Breaking News LIVE: Top Headlines This HourThe total number of global coronavirus cases has surpassed 28 million, including more than 907,000 fatalities. More than 20,095,952 patients are reported to have recovered. Follow this breaking news blog for live updates on the coronavirus pandemic as it continues to pose a challenge for health workers and scientists who are in a race against time to produce a vaccine/medicine. Russia became the first country to register the world's first coronavirus vaccine. President Vladimir Putin himself endorsed the vaccine and said that the vaccine was safe to use and that one of his daughters had already been vaccinated.IndiaTvNews.com brings you the economic fallout of the COVID-19 crisis that has resulted in job losses in millions and changing the way we work. Stay Home, Stay Safe, and Stay Informed as our team of dedicated editors/reporters bring you the latest news on coronavirus, coronavirus vaccine trial updates, photos, video, news, views and top stories from monsoon rains, business, politics, education, science, yoga, and much more in India and worldwide.

Breaking News: September 11, 2020 | As it happened

Get all the latest news on coronavirus cases, news on the vaccine, monsoon rains, business, politics, science, education and much more in India and worldwide.

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Representational imageOver 100 people, including women and children, have been taken hostage by Taliban in an ambush in Afghanistan's north region, officials said on Monday.This comes despite President Ashraf Ghani’s call for a cease-fire with the Taliban during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.According to Mohammad Yusouf Ayubi, the head of the provincial council in Kunduz province, the insurgents first stopped three buses on the road near Khan Abad district and then abducted the passengers.Ayubi believes the Taliban were looking for government employees or members of the security forces.Abdul Rahman Aqtash, police chief in neighboring Takhar province, says the passengers were fram Badakhshan and Takhar provinces and were traveling to the capital, Kabul.There was no comment from the Taliban but the area of the incident is under Taliban control.(With AP inputs)

Afghanistan: Taliban take more than 100 people, including women and children, hostage in ambush in north

This comes despite President Ashraf Ghani’s call for a cease-fire with the Taliban during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

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Several Indians employed in Saudi Arabia are likely to return to the country soon with the kingdom all set to impose the much talked about ‘dependant fee’ for expats from July 1.Once in force, the tax will require all expats to pay a monthly fee of 100 riyals (approx. Rs 1,700) per month for each dependant. Currently, the residents pay 50 riyals for each family member.The ‘dependant fee’ will come as a big financial burden for the 41 lakh Indian expats living in Saudi Arabia. For instance, a person living with his wife and two children will have to shell out 300 Riyals (approx. Rs 5,100) each month.Saudi Arabia issues family visas to people with a salary of 5,000 Riyals (approx. Rs 86,000) per month.What adds to the woes is that the entire amount needs to be paid for the entire year in advance while renewing the residency permit.“Some families I know have made plans to return to Hyderabad as they feel they cannot afford to stay there any longer,” Mohd Taher, a computer professional who lives in Dammam, was quoted by Times of India as saying.Talking about how many expats have already sent their families back to India, migrant rights activist Bheem Reddy said that in the past four months “the men have become forced bachelors”.Moreover, this tax is set to go up by 100 Riyals per dependant every year till 2020. This means that, in 2020, a family would have to pay 400 Riyals (approx. Rs 6,900) for each dependant every month, and that too in advance.For a man living with wife and two children, he will have to pay an advance tax of 3,600 Riyals (approx. Rs 62,000) per year.

Saudi’s new ‘family tax’ to affect 41 lakh Indian expats, many may return home

Several Indians employed in Saudi Arabia are likely to return to the country soon with the kingdom all set to impose the much talked about ‘dependant fee’ for expats from July 1

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The cause of his death is under investigation, officials said.A 20-year-old Indian student studying in a university in the Chinese city of Tianjin has been found dead in his room and the cause of his death is not yet known, officials said on Monday. Aman Nagsen, who hailed from Gaya in Bihar, was a student of Business Administration in the Tianjin Foreign Studies University.He was found dead on July 29. The cause of his death is under investigation, officials said.He was one of the few Indian students who remained in China through the coronavirus pandemic while most of the 23,000 Indian odd students who left for home were stuck in India unable to return due to Beijing’s reluctance to lift visa restrictions.The Indian Embassy in Beijing and his family have been informed and preparations are being made to send his body home. Currently, no flights are operational between India and China. ALSO READ | Why China is putting pigs in luxurious 13-storey 'hog hotels'ALSO READ | China reports 328 new locally transmitted Covid cases in July: Official

Indian student found dead in China

Aman Nagsen, who hailed from Gaya in Bihar, was a student of Business Administration in the Tianjin Foreign Studies University.

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RepresentativeParents of six-year old Indian migrant, who died of heat stroke in an Arizona desert of the United States said they wanted a better life for their daughter and were seeking asylum in the country."We wanted a safer and better life for our daughter and we made the extremely difficult decision to seek asylum here in the United States," said the girl's parents in a joint statement released through the US Sikh Coalition that did not give their first names.The body of the six-year old Indian girl was found in a remote desert area in the US state of Arizona earlier this month."We trust that every parent, regardless of origin, colour or creed, will understand that no mother or father ever puts their child in harm unless they are desperate," reported Reuters.The girl died in a remote desert area west of Lukeville, Arizona, a US border town 80 km southwest of Tucson. Her mother left her with other Indian migrants, with whom she was travelling with to go in search of water, a medical examiner and US Border Patrol said. The girl's body is being flown to New York City for her funeral.Singh, girl's father, has been in the United States since 2013 with a pending asylum application before the New York immigration court, according to a Reuters report.

'Wanted better life for my daughter,' says mother of Indian girl who died in Arizona Desert

Parents of six-year old Indian migrant, who died of heat stroke in an Arizona desert of the United States said they wanted a better life for their daughter and were seeking asylum in the country.

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FileTwelve Russian intelligence officers were indicted on Friday for hacking into servers of senior Democrats, including its presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in 2016.This comes days ahead of the crucial meeting of President Donald Trump with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland on July 16.The indicted officers are members of the GRU, a Russian Federation intelligence agency within the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Russian military.These GRU officers engaged in a sustained effort to hack into the computer networks of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the Democratic National Committee, and the presidential campaign of Hillary, and released that information on the Internet under the names "DCLeaks" and "Guccifer 2.0" and through another entity, the indictment said.According to the indictment, Russian intelligence officials in 2016, began spear phishing volunteers and employees of the presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton, including the campaign's chairman.Through that process, officials in this unit were able to steal the usernames and passwords for numerous individuals and use those credentials to steal email content and hack into other computers.They also were able to hack into the computer networks of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) through these spearphishing techniques to steal emails and documents, covertly monitor the computer activity of dozens of employees, and implant hundreds of files of malicious computer code to steal passwords and maintain access to these networks.To avoid detection, these Russian intelligence officials used false identities while using a network of computers located around the world, including the United States, paid for with cryptocurrency through mining bitcoin and other means intended to obscure the origin of the funds.This funding structure supported their efforts to buy key accounts, servers, and domains. For example, the same bitcoin mining operation that funded the registration payment for DCLeaks.com also funded the servers and domains used in the spearphishing campaign, the indictment said."The Internet allows foreign adversaries to attack America in new and unexpected ways," Deputy Attorney General Rod J Rosenstein said."Together with our law enforcement partners, the Department of Justice is resolute in its commitment to locate, identify and seek to bring to justice anyone who interferes with American elections," he said."Free and fair elections are hard-fought and contentious, and there will always be adversaries who work to exacerbate domestic differences and try to confuse, divide, and conquer us. So long as we are united in our commitment to the shared values enshrined in the Constitution, they will not succeed," Rosenstein added.The White House said there were allegations in this indictment that Americans knew that they were corresponding with Russians. "There is no allegation in this indictment that any American citizen committed a crime. There is no allegation that the conspiracy changed the vote count or affected any election result," the White House Deputy Spokesperson Lindsay Walters said."Today's charges include no allegations of knowing involvement by anyone on the campaign and no allegations that the alleged hacking affected the election result. This is consistent with what we have been saying all along," Walters said in a statement.The opposition Democratic party demanded that Trump cancel his July 16 meeting with Putin. "These indictments are further proof of what everyone but the president seems to understand: President Putin is an adversary who interfered in our elections to help President Trump win," Senate Minority Leader, Chuck Schumer said."President Trump should cancel his meeting with Vladimir Putin until Russia takes demonstrable and transparent steps to prove that they won't interfere in future elections. Glad-handing with Vladimir Putin on the heels of these indictments would be an insult to our democracy, Schumer demanded.Senator Patrick Leahy said the indictment charging 12 Russian intelligence officers with conspiring to interfere with our presidential election is no witch hunt."The President needs to put America first and stop undermining this crucial national security investigation," Leahy said.Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic Party leader, said that the Russians waged a massive, concerted operation to interfere in US elections, and they will do so again in the fall."Strong, immediate action is needed to secure our state election systems, yet Republicans are wasting the country's time with sham hearings while refusing to provide a single additional penny to protect our elections," she said."The stakes for the upcoming Trump-Putin meeting could not be higher. President Trump must demand and secure a real, concrete and comprehensive agreement that the Russians will cease their ongoing attacks on our democracy. Failure to stand up to Putin would constitute a profound betrayal of the Constitution and our democracy," Pelosi said.(With PTI inputs)

US indicts 12 Russian agents for hacking Hillary Clinton's campaign during 2016 presidential election

According to the indictment, the 12 are members of the GRU, a Russian Federation intelligence agency within the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Russian military.

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12-year-old's tongue turns bright yellow in Canada In a rare disorder, a 12-year-old was diagnosed with a serious health problem, which led to his immune system attacking and destroying its own red blood cells. According to a report with The New England Journal of Medicine, the doctors said the boy had anemia and was infected with EpsteinBarr virus -- a common virus that usually infects people in childhood and has also been linked with a number of autoimmune conditions.The boy had a bright yellow tongue and went to the doctor after he began experiencing some health issues, including a sore throat, dark urine, abdominal pain and pale skin for several days.Initially, doctors at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto determined the boy had jaundice, a condition that usually leads to yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes. However, they were perplexed by the bright yellow tint on his tongue.After running a few tests, the doctors determined the boy had anemia and was infected with EpsteinBarr virus.According to the doctors, such a condition is triggered by cold temperatures. Meanwhile, the doctors also suspected the boy contracted the disease due to an infection from EpsteinBarr virus.The boy's treatment involved blood transfusion and the use of oral steroids for seven weeks to reduce immune system activity. The boy has now recovered well, the report said, adding his tongue colour has also returned to normal.

In rare disorder, 12-year-old's tongue turns bright yellow; EpsteinBarr virus diagnosed

The boy's treatment involved blood transfusion and the use of oral steroids for seven weeks to reduce immune system activity.

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Representational Image.A day after the biggest ever breach of personal data in Singapore, wherein hackers stole information of 1.5 million patients, security officials said that state-actors were likely behind the cyber-heist.Earlier on Friday, the Singapore government announced that hackers had broken into a government database and stole the health records of 1.5 million Singaporeans, including Prime Minister Lee Hsien Long.Singapore's health minister said the strike was "a deliberate, targeted, and well-planned cyberattack and not the work of casual hackers or criminal gangs". While officials refused to comment on the identity of the hackers citing 'operational security', experts told media that the complexity of attack and its focus on high-profile targets like the prime minister pointed to the hand of a state-actor."A cyber espionage threat actor could leverage disclosure of sensitive health information... to coerce an individual in (a) position of interest to conduct espionage" on its behalf, said Eric Hoh, Asia-Pacific president of cybersecurity firm FireEye. Hoh told national broadcaster Channel NewsAsia that the attack was an "advanced persistent threat". "The nature of such attacks are that they are conducted by nation states using very advanced tools," he said. "They tend to be well resourced, well-funded and highly sophisticated." Healthcare data is of particular interest to cyberattackers because it can be used to blackmail people in positions of power, said Jeff Middleton, chief executive of cybersecurity consultancy Lantium. Medical information, like personal data, can also be easily monetised on criminal forums, said Sanjay Aurora, Asia Pacific managing director of Darktrace. "Beyond making a quick buck, a more sinister reason to attack would be to cause widespread disruption and systemic damage to the healthcare service - as a fundamental part of critical infrastructure - or to undermine trust in a nation's competency to keep personal data safe," he added.Singapore is hyper-connected and on a drive to digitise government records and essential services, including medical records which public hospitals and clinics can share via a centralised database. But authorities have put the brakes on these plans while they investigate the cyberattack. A former judge will head an inquiry looking into the incident. Singapore officials have cautioned against jumping to conclusions about the attackers. "With regard to the prime minister's data and why he was targeted, I would say that it's perhaps best not to speculate what the attacker had in mind," said David Koh, head of Singapore's Cyber Security Agency. The hackers used a computer infected with malware to gain access to the database between June 27 and July 4 before administrators spotted "unusual activity", authorities said. While Singapore has some of the most advanced military weaponry in the region, the government says it fends off thousands of cyberattacks every day and has long warned of breaches by actors as varied as high-school students in their bedrooms to nation states.   Earlier this month US intelligence chief Dan Coats described Russia, China, Iran and North Korea as the "worst offenders" when it came to attacks on American "digital infrastructure".   

Singapore cyberattack: State actors likely behind cyber heist, says security officials

Singapore's health minister said the strike was "a deliberate, targeted, and well-planned cyberattack and not the work of casual hackers or criminal gangs".hea

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Joe Biden, with 1st lady Jill Biden, speaks during a visit at Brookland Middle School in northeast Washington. President Joe Biden’s aggressive push to require millions of US workers to get vaccinated against the coronavirus is running into a wall of resistance from Republican leaders threatening everything from lawsuits to civil disobedience, plunging the country deeper into culture wars that have festered since the onset of the pandemic.In South Carolina, Gov. Henry McMaster says he will fight “to the gates of hell to protect the liberty and livelihood of every South Carolinian.” South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a potential 2024 presidential candidate, says she is preparing a lawsuit. And JD Vance, a conservative running for a U.S. Senate seat in Ohio, is calling on businesses to ignore mandates he describes as Washington’s “attempt to bully and coerce citizens.”“Only mass civil disobedience will save us from Joe Biden’s naked authoritarianism,” Vance says.Biden is hardly backing down. In a visit to a school Friday, he accused the governors of being “cavalier” with the health of young Americans, and when asked about foes who would file legal challenges, he retorted, “Have at it.”The opposition follows Biden’s announcement Thursday of a major plan to tame the coronavirus as the highly contagious Delta variant drives 1,500 deaths and 150,000 cases a day. Biden is mandating that all employers with more than 100 workers require their employees to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly, affecting about 80 million Americans. Another 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid also will have to be vaccinated, as will all employees of the executive branch and contractors who do business with the federal government.The move brought Republican outrage from state capitals, Congress and the campaign trail, including from many who have supported vaccinations and have urged their constituents to take the shots.“The vaccine itself is life-saving, but this unconstitutional move is terrifying,” tweeted Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves.Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw, who has promoted the vaccines’ safety to his constituents, said, “The right path is built upon explaining, educating and building trust, including explaining the risks/benefits/pros/cons in an honest way so a person can make their own decision.”More than 208 million Americans have received at least one vaccine dose, but some 80 million remain unvaccinated, driving infections. There are now about 300% more new daily COVID-19 infections, about two-and-a-half times the hospitalizations and nearly twice the number of deaths as at the same time last year.While breakthrough infections do happen among the vaccinated, those cases tend to be far less severe, with the vast majority of deaths and serious illnesses occurring among those who have not received shots.The pandemic is worsening in many of the states where governors are most loudly protesting the president’s actions. South Carolina, for example, is averaging more than 5,000 new cases per day and has the nation’s second-highest infection rate. A hospital system there started canceling elective surgeries this week to free staff to help with a crush of COVID-19 patients.In a section of Idaho, overwhelmed hospitals have implemented new crisis standards to ration care for patients. And in Georgia, hospitals have been turning away ambulances bringing emergency or ICU patients.“I am so disappointed that particularly some Republican governors have been so cavalier with the health of these kids, so cavalier with the health of their communities,” Biden said during his school visit. “This isn’t a game.”But Republicans and some union officials say the president is overreaching his constitutional authority. They take issue, in particular, with the idea that millions could lose their jobs if they refuse to take the shots.“That’s a ridiculous choice,” said Mississippi Gov. Reeves.Biden, however, says he’s doing what needs to be done to fight resistance that has continued despite months of encouragement and incentives. In his White House speech announcing the new measures, he was visibly frustrated, criticizing the remaining holdouts and accusing some elected officials of “actively working to undermine the fight against COVID-19.”“Instead of encouraging people to get vaccinated and mask up, they’re ordering mobile morgues for the unvaccinated dying from COVID in their communities,” he said.Court fights are sure to follow in a number of states.Vaccine mandates are supported by a small majority of Americans. An August poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found majorities support requiring vaccinations for health care workers, teachers at K-12 schools and public-facing workers like those who work in restaurants and stores. Overall, 55% back vaccine mandates for government workers. And about half of working adults favor vaccine mandates at their own workplaces.But the numbers are deeply polarized, with Democrats far more likely to support mandates than Republicans, who have also been less supportive when it comes to getting shots themselves.While demand for vaccinations has risen over the summer, a persistent number of Americans have said they have no intention of ever receiving them.GOP pollster Frank Luntz, who has held focus groups and worked with the Biden administration to try to combat vaccine hesitance, says that, without further measures, Biden is likely to see vaccinations top out at about 75% of the population.“The only way to exceed that, which he needs to for herd immunity, is to mandate it,” Luntz said. “It will make a lot of people angry and even more resistant, but those who are simply hesitant will act now. He’s done the best he can under the circumstances.”Still, many Republicans are unmoving and unforgiving, especially those who are running for office and see the issue as one that could motivate Republican voters to turn out in next year’s midterm elections.Mike Gibbons, who is running for the U.S. Senate in Ohio, accused “Joe Biden and his Big Brother administration” of having “crossed into authoritarian territory.”“The American people have a right to assess the risks and benefits of the vaccine and make the decision on what is best for themselves and their families,” he said. “That decision should be made by doctors and the individual, not the government.”With the midterms coming, Drew McKissick, South Carolina’s GOP chairman, says he imagines Democrats in his state being tied to their party’s “radical liberal” policies.“South Carolinians don’t take kindly to mandates. They never have,” McKissick said, arguing the national political tenor is “going to put (Democrats) more in a corner.”But Steve Schale, a Democratic strategist who leads the pro-Biden super PAC Unite the Country, which has also done polling showing support for mandates, said he’s not especially concerned about potential political backlash. He argued those who are most likely to be angered by the move are probably already Biden critics.“Of all the things I worry about in the midterms,” he said, “that doesn’t scare me.”White House spokesperson Jen Psaki also dismissed the blowback.“Yes, we do see some loud vocal opponents of what the president announced yesterday. That’s not a surprise. It’s unfortunate, it’s disappointing, it’s sad because, ultimately, these steps will save lives,” she said, “but we remain confident in our ability to move the agenda forward.”

Joe Biden’s COVID vaccine rules ignite instant, hot GOP opposition

Biden is hardly backing down. In a visit to a school Friday, he accused the governors of being “cavalier” with the health of young Americans, and when asked about foes who would file legal challenges, he retorted, “Have at it.”

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The UN Security Council today strongly condemned “highly provocative” launch of a ballistic missile by North Korea and demanded that the reclusive nation immediately halt such “outrageous” actions.  The Security Council’s reaction came a day after North Korea fired an intermediate-range missile from Pyongyang over northern Japan on Friday.In a statement, the Security Council said the launch was carried out just three weeks after a first missile overflew Japan and less than two weeks after Pyongyang’s sixth and biggest nuclear test. “The members of the Security Council strongly condemned these launches, condemned further North Korea for its outrageous actions, and demanded that North Korea immediately cease all such actions,” the Security Council said in a statement after an emergency meeting.  The emergency meeting of Security Council was convened at the request of Japan and the US. The 15-member body stressed that these actions were not just a threat to the region, but to all UN Member States.  “The United Kingdom stands with the people of Japan in face of this terrible, egregious, illegal, provocative, reckless act by the North Korean regime, which once again demonstrates their complete disregard for the sovereignty and the citizens of one of their neighbours,” the British Ambassador to the UN, Matthew Rycroft told reporters after the meeting of the Security Council. Earlier this week, the UN Security Council agreed to tighten sanctions on North Korea, banning its textile exports and capping fuel supplies. North Korea has launched dozens of missiles under Kim Jong Un’s leadership to accelerate a weapons programme designed to give it the ability to target the United States with a powerful, nuclear-tipped missile.  

UNSC condemns North Korea’s ‘highly provocative’ missile launch, asks Pyongyang to halt such ‘outrageous’ acts

The Security Council’s reaction came a day after North Korea fired an intermediate-range missile from Pyongyang over northern Japan on Friday.

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2 US policemen shot during protest, suspect heldTwo police officers were shot and injured as thousands staged a protest in the US state of Kentucky, authorities said, adding that a suspect has been detained. The shooting took place in the city of Louisville at around 8.30 p.m. after the police were notified of a large crowd gathering near South Brook and East College streets, the city-based WLKY TV station said in a news report.In the latest update late Wednesday night, Interim police chief Rob Schroeder said that officers were then deployed to the area to investigate reports of shots fired.Schroeder said when the officers arrived to the area of South First and East Broadway, shots rang out and two of the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) officers were injured.Schroeder said one of the officers is in stable condition while the other was undergoing surgery, but was also stable.The police chief did not release additional details about the suspect who was arrested. Names of the officers or the suspect have not been released.A state of emergency has been declared in Louisville and the National Guard have also been deployed. Mayor Greg Fischer has set a curfew in the city for three day.The incident comes in the wake of after a grand jury verdict decided that no-one would be charged with the death of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old African-American hospital worker, who was shot multiple times as officers stormed her home on March 13, reports the BBC.One officer, Brett Hankison has been charged, not with Taylor's death, but with "wanton endangerment" for firing into a neighbour's apartment in Louisville. Two others face no charges.

2 US policemen shot during protest, suspect held

The shooting took place in the city of Louisville at around 8.30 p.m. after the police were notified of a large crowd gathering near South Brook and East College streets, the city-based WLKY TV station said in a news report.

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Afghanistan Vice President fled to Dubai with $51 million in cashA string of official reports, many deleted last week from US government sites due to "ongoing security concerns", showed how a corrupt elite in Afghanistan ran the government for personal gain while committing crimes with impunity, alienating ordinary people and driving many into the arms of the insurgency, the Daily Mail reported.The International Monetary Fund may have blocked the latest 330 million pounds ($449 million) tranche of aid from failing into their hands, but how much have they already pocketed?The waste of taxpayers' money was astonishing, with ‘ghost' schools and military forces, counter-narcotic efforts that backfired, dodgy construction and fuel deals siphoning off billions, and cash and gold smuggled out through Kabul airport.US diplomatic cables revealed one Afghan Vice President flew to Dubai with 38 million pounds ($51 million) in cash, and that drug traffickers and corrupt officials were shifting 170 million pounds ($231 million) a week out of a country where average incomes were scarcely 430 pounds ($585) a year, the report said.The West's plans were so naive, controls so weak, spending so vast, and changes in personnel and strategy so frequent, that this now serves as a textbook study in how not to build a better and democratic state, the report said.Little wonder the 6.6 billion pounds British-led efforts to stop the opium trade flopped as poppy cultivation boomed. One governor was found with nine tons in his office – when, unusually, he was sacked, he joined the Taliban with his 3,000 men.By 2010, a US diplomatic cable quoted the Afghan national security adviser saying "corruption is not just a problem for the system of governance in Afghanistan – it is the system of governance".But the West's money kept flowing as shameless politicians spoke about stability: almost a trillion dollars spent by the US over two decades and 30 billion pounds by Britain, including 3.3 billion pounds on aid, in a country of 38 million people, the report added.If all the international aid spent had simply been divided up among Afghans, each citizen could have become an instant millionaire.It shows the lethal impact of pouring aid into a fragile, conflict-riven country, while the two-decade debacle, backed by floods of donor cash at times bigger than the entire Afghan economy, helped transform the aid sector into a greedy, pernicious and self-serving industry filled with fat-cats.Sadly, all the warning signs were ignored. More than a decade ago, Richard Holbrooke, US special envoy to the region, said corruption was destroying efforts to create a fledgling democracy. He called it the Taliban's "No 1 recruiting tool".Now the legacy is clear, with heartbreaking scenes of fundamentalist bigots seizing control.No surprise that President Ashraf Ghani fled last week, reportedly in a helicopter stuffed with stolen cash.Yet the West turned a blind eye not just to corruption, electoral fraud, and the creation of a mafia state but even to the trafficking of boys into sex slavery, the report said.The UN warned more than a decade ago that Afghan security forces were "recruiting boys, sometimes with sexual exploitation as a motivating factor".Yet last year the US State Department admitted there was still a "pattern of sexual slavery in government compounds", with high-ranking officials involved in 'bacha bazi' (a tradition of rich older men recruiting boys for entertainment, including to dance for them dressed as girls, and rape) yet routinely avoiding prosecution.In the first years after the 2001 invasion, budgets were comparatively tight, as the focus was on stifling terrorism.Many schemes were absurd. Take the spending of 32 million pounds on a single natural gas fuel station – 140 times more than a similar one in Pakistan – only to discover it cost more than the average annual income for Afghans to convert their cars to drive on natural gas, so there was little use.Christopher Kolenda, a colonel who advised three US commanders in Afghanistan, said that by 2006 the government had "self-organized into a kleptocracy".Politicians paid to be given official posts, then recouped costs "from assistance programs, selling uniforms or ammunition on the black market, drug-trafficking or kidnapping".The big beneficiaries were the crooks in charge and the Dubai property market, where many stashed their stolen wealth.One powerbroker at a Kabul bank used a web of fake firms to make fraudulent loans to ministers, officials, and warlords, leading to losses equivalent to one-twelfth of the size of the country's economy.The bank also spent 117 million pounds on 35 luxury villas on Dubai's Palm Jumeirah island complex, which is used for entertaining.The slow-burn catastrophe was charted by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, an unusually pugnacious official body, with quarterly reports and probing investigations.The watchdog concluded the West spent so much that it achieved the opposite of what was intended – for the cash "often exacerbated conflicts, enabled corruption, and bolstered support for insurgents".In too many cases, it added, the amount of money spent "became the main metric for success".At one point, the US Congress estimated 3.3 billion pounds – equal to 22 percent of Afghanistan's GDP – was being smuggled out of the country, with two-thirds of this illegally earned.But government ministers and airport bosses frustrated efforts to thwart this destructive capital flight. Four years ago there was a US-led seminar on how to spot fraud.One person attending said he knew of a person due to travel that day to Dubai with a hoard of loot, who was apprehended at Kabul airport with 92 lb of gold bars worth 1.5 million pounds.Meanwhile, scores of schools were built to Western standards, five times more costly than those put up by charities.But cranes could not be used to install the heavy roof designs in much of the mountainous terrain and lighter replacements sometimes collapsed in heavy winter snowfalls.The US spent 800 million pounds on these schools, yet half had insufficient tables or chairs. Others that did not exist received funding, while some teachers were forging attendance lists.A power plant cost 246 million pounds, 10 times more than planned, then delivered less than one percent of intended capacity since Afghan officials could not afford the fuel. Even a 62 million pound loan for a hotel opposite the US embassy disappeared, leaving an empty shell.Police advisers watched TV cop shows to learn about policing while, over the past decade, the Pentagon spent almost 3 billion pounds on fuel for Afghan defense forces but half was stolen. Security bases were built but never used.Weapons went missing and a 403 million pound fleet of transport planes left to rot on a runway before being sold as scrap for 29,550 pounds.Gert Berthold, an accountant who helped analyze 3,000 contracts worth 78 billion pounds, concluded that four in every ten dollars ended up in the pockets of corrupt officials, gangsters, or insurgents.In Helmand, the center of British operations, a new police chief five years ago found about half of 26,000 security personnel assigned to the province "did not exist when we asked for help".One Afghan contractor, paid to cover flood culverts under roads to prevent bomb attacks on military vehicles, faked photos of the work submitted with his invoices – and two soldiers died as a result of his duplicity.Washington tripled the number of civilians to accompany the troop surge that started in 2009, spending almost 1.5 billion pounds. It turned out later the average cost of each civilian deployment was between 300,000 pounds and 420,000 pounds.Meanwhile, 110 million pounds was spent in four years on food, security, and villas for a management team of fewer than 10 people.One frustrated US official argued it was better to let Afghan warlords skim off 20 percent than to hire outside experts who would spend almost all the funds on overheads, salaries, and profits.Nine Italian goats from Tuscany were airlifted into the country as part of a 4.4 million pound scheme planned by the Pentagon to help the Afghan cashmere industry and create thousands of jobs.The blond billy goats were sent to breed with darker females to boost the yield and quality of the luxury wool from nine million local goats.But several fell sick, their newly designed home was too small, huge food costs made the plans unsustainable, the intended Afghan partner pulled out, and the project chief quit in dismay.Those in charge could not even tell if the unfortunate goats ended up in a cooking pot. "We don't know," said John Sopko, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. "This was so poorly managed."

Afghanistan Vice President fled to Dubai with $51 million in cash

US diplomatic cables revealed one Afghan Vice President flew to Dubai with 38 million pounds ($51 million) in cash, and that drug traffickers and corrupt officials were shifting 170 million pounds ($231 million) a week out of a country where average incomes were scarcely 430 pounds ($585) a year, the report said.

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China's first indigenous amphibious aircraft, believed to be the world's largest, completed its maiden flight on Sunday, taking off from Zhuhai, the coastal city off the disputed South China Sea.China is engaged in the military build-up and the successful flight by the aircraft will add to Beijing's might as it grows assertive in its territorial claims in the South China Sea.The aircraft AG600, code-named "Kunlong", successfully soared into the sky from the Jinwan Civil Aviation Airport. The flight lasted about one hour.Zhuhai is a port in Guangdong province."Its successful maiden flight makes China among the world's few countries capable of developing a large amphibious aircraft," Xinhua news agency quoted Huang Lingcai, chief designer of AG600, as saying.The aircraft, powered by four domestically-built turboprop engines, has a 39.6-metre-long fuselage and a 38.8-metre wingspan, said its developer, the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).According to the AVIC source, the amphibious aircraft, with a maximum take-off weight of 53.5 tonnes and a top cruising speed of 500 km per hour, can fly for 12 hours at a time.

China's first homegrown amphibious aircraft, the world's largest, makes maiden flight

The aircraft will add to Beijing's might as it grows assertive in its territorial claims in the South China Sea.

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Pak anti-terror court adjourns hearing in Hafiz Saeed's case due to lawyers' strikeAn anti-terrorism court here on Saturday adjourned till December 16 the much-awaited trial of Mumbai attack mastermind and chief of the banned JuD Hafiz Saeed in the terror financing case due to a country-wide strike by the lawyers. The anti-terrorism court (ATC) Lahore indicted Saeed and three of his top aides Hafiz Abdul Salam bin Muhammad, Muhammad Ashraf and Zafar Iqbal on terror financing charges on Wednesday, amidst intense international pressure on Pakistan to bring him to justice.The prosecution which was to present witnesses against Saeed, who is detained at the Kot Lakhpat jail here, and others failed to bring them to the court as the lawyers have been on a strike for the last three days protesting against the arrest of their colleagues in a case of hooliganism at a hospital in Lahore."Except the arrested lawyers, no other suspect or witness in any other case were presented before the ATC due to the lawyers strike during the last three days," a court official told PTI on Saturday.The ATC Lahore adjourned the hearing of the terror financing case against Saeed and others till December 16, the official said. ATC Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta on Wednesday directed the prosecution to produce the witnesses and adjourned the hearing till Thursday.The court framed the terror financing charges on the four suspects in their presence. Deputy Prosecutor General Punjab Abdur Rauf had told the court that the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab police had 'solid evidence' that Saeed and others were involved in terror financing.The CTD had registered 23 FIRs against Saeed and his accomplices on the charges of "terror financing" in different cities of Punjab province and arrested Saeed on July 17.The cases have been registered in Lahore, Gujranwala and Multan for collection of funds for terrorism financing through assets/properties made and held in the names of Trusts/Non Profit Organisations (NPO) including Al-Anfaal Trust, Dawatul Irshad Trust and Muaz Bin Jabal Trust.According to the CTD, investigation was launched into financing matters of proscribed organisations - Jammat-ud-Dawah (JuD) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) - in connection with implementation of UN sanctions against these designated entities and persons as directed by NSC (National Security Committee) in its meeting of January 1, 2019 chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan for implementing the National Action Plan."These suspects made assets from funds of terrorism financing. They held and used these assets to raise more funds for further terrorism financing. Hence, they committed multiple offences of terrorism financing and money laundering under Anti Terrorism Act 1997. They will be prosecuted in ATCs (Anti Terrorism Courts) for commission of these offences," the CTD said.On December 7, the ATC could not indict Saeed and others as one of the co-accused Zafar Iqbal was not produced before the court by the authorities. Saeed's indictment comes amidst growing international pressure on Pakistan to rein-in terror groups operating from its soil and bring to justice terror group leaders like Saeed.In October, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) warned Pakistan that it will be blacklisted if it did not control terror funding by February next, voicing serious concern over the country's failure to deliver on most of its 27 targets.The US Department of the Treasury has designated Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, and the US, since 2012, has offered a USD 10 million reward for information that brings Saeed to justice.Saeed-led JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the LeT which is responsible for carrying out the 2008 Mumbai attack that killed 166 people.ALSO READ | 14% rise in sex crime reporting after MeToo movement: StudyALSO READ | North Korea conducts another test at satellite launch site

Pak anti-terror court adjourns hearing in Hafiz Saeed's case due to lawyers' strike

The prosecution which was to present witnesses against Saeed, who is detained at the Kot Lakhpat jail here, and others failed to bring them to the court as the lawyers have been on a strike for the last three days protesting against the arrest of their colleagues in a case of hooliganism at a hospital in Lahore.

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Nepal issues new guidelines for mountaineering, trekking Nepal's Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has issued new guidelines for foreign tourists aimed at minimising the spread of COVID-19 during mountaineering and trekking activities, the media reported on Tuesday. According to one of the most important guideline, tourists must secure an entry-visa or an entry-permit in absence of visa-provision in their countries in co-ordination with respective agencies.Travellers must also carry a PCR test report conducted not more than 72 hours ago, proving that the person was COVID-19 negative.Along with the report, the person must have booking-documents for the hotel wherein they will stay for at least seven days in quarantine and also provide papers showing that he/she has insurance of $5,000.In addition to the above-mentioned conditions, the traveller must also undergo a PCR test at their own expense on the fifth day of being quarantined and if the result is positive, the person must stay in quarantine for as long as they do not test negative.The Ministry further said that the trekking or mountaineering agency must ensure travellers from Nepal against coronavirus for a sum of 100,000 NPR prior to applying for permits.Travel enthusiasts must also abide by all the protocols laid out by the Health Ministry.Meanwhile, eight-time Everest climber Pemba Sherpa criticised the new guidelines, saying there will be no trekkers and mountaineers in the upcoming season."They won't come here to stay at a hotel for a week even after having a negative PCR report," Sherpa said while asking the government to review its decision.Nepal opened Mount Everest and other Himalayan peaks on July 30 after a nearly five-month closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.All spring season expeditions that usually last from March to May were suspended in the wake of the pandemic.The government had halted the issuance of climbing permits for expeditions and cancelled issued permits for the spring season 2020 on March 13.An expedition to Everest usually takes 45 to 90 days, a short climbing window, depending on favourable weather, and generally falls after mid-May.(With agency inputs)

PCR test report, entry-permit: Nepal issues new guidelines for mountaineering, trekking

Nepal's Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has issued new guidelines for foreign tourists aimed at minimising the spread of Covid-19 during mountaineering and trekking activities, the media reported on Tuesday.

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Pakistan accuses India of threatening regional securityPakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has written a letter to the United Nations Security Council accusing India of threatening regional security, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Friday, a day after the powerful UN body named Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in a statement condemning the "heinous" Pulwama attack perpetrated by the terror outfit in Jammu and Kashmir.He also said India is accusing Pakistan for the Pulwama attack without any proof.Related Stories IPL 2019 opening ceremony cancelled, money to be donated to families of Pulwama martyrs, says CoA Chief Vinod RaiPak Army sings old tune, says no hand in Pulwama attack; warns India not to messPulwama Terror Attack: China's opposition to mentioning of terrorism delayed UNSC statementFATF condemns Pulwama terror attack, says Pakistan failed to curb terror financeJaish mention only in 'general terms', not judgement: China downplays UNSC Pulwama statementIndian sports caught in Pakistan conundrum after Pulwama terror attackPakistan bows to global pressure over Pulwama attack, takes over Jaish headquarters | Key PointsJ&K: JKLF chief Yasin Malik detained amid crackdown on separatistsTrump describes situation between India, Pakistan as 'very, very bad' "It is with a sense of urgency that I draw your attention to the deteriorating security situation in our region resulting from Indian belligerence and threats of use of force against Pakistan. The situation poses a threat to international peace and security," Qureshi said in the letter addressed to UNSC president Anatolio Ndong Mba.He alleged that India is blaming Pakistan for the Pulwama attack "to cover up its own operational and policy failures".On Thursday, in a strong show of international support for India, the UNSC comprising 15 nations, including Pakistan's key ally China, named JeM while condemning in the "strongest terms" the "heinous and cowardly" terror attack in Pulwama and stressed on the need to hold organisers and financiers of such "reprehensible acts" accountable and bring them to justice."The members of the Security Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice, and urged all States...to cooperate actively with the Government of India and all other relevant authorities in this regard," it said.In his letter, Qureshi also accused the Indian government of using "water as a weapon"."The long-standing legal arrangements agreed under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) are thus being imperilled," he said.India has decided to "stop" the flow of its share of water to Pakistan from rivers under the Indus Water Treaty.The reiteration to stop the flow of Indus water to Pakistan comes amid mounting Indo-Pak tension over the Pulwama terror strike that has triggered demands for action against the neighbouring country.India has already decided to revoke the Most Favoured Nation status to Pakistan and mounted a diplomatic offensive to isolate it in the international community.Qureshi said Pakistan has offered to cooperate with India if it shares any proof of involvement of Pakistani elements in the Pulwama attack."Pakistan has offered its cooperation, if tangible evidence emerging from credible investigation is shared," he wrote.India on Tuesday had said, "Disclaiming any link between the terrorist attack and Pakistan is an oft-repeated excuse by Pakistan.""It is a well-known fact that Jaish-e-Mohammad and its leader Masood Azhar are based in Pakistan. These should be sufficient proof for Pakistan to take action," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.Qureshi said India "must refrain from escalating the situation and enter into dialogue with Pakistan" to ensure continued peace and stability in South Asia. 

Pulwama terror attack: Pakistan writes to UNSC, accuses India of threatening regional security

India is blaming Pakistan for the Pulwama attack "to cover up its own operational and policy failures," said Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

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ImageA helicopter crashed on the roof of a rain-shrouded midtown Manhattan skyscraper Monday, killing the pilot and briefly triggering memories of 9/11, after an erratic trip across some of the nation's most restricted airspace. Authorities said they did not suspect terrorism.The crash near Times Square and Trump Tower shook the 750-foot (229-meter) AXA Equitable building, sparked a fire, and forced office workers to flee on elevators and down stairs, witnesses and officials said.Related Stories Australian helicopter 'targeted by lasers' during South China Sea military exerciseIAF intensifies search to trace missing AN-32 aircraft; helicopters, police agencies roped in NASA's Mars helicopter testing enters final phaseThe pilot was the only person aboard, and there were no other reports of injuries, authorities said.It was not immediately clear what caused the crash, or why the Agusta A109E was flying in a driving downpour with low cloud cover and in the tightly controlled airspace of midtown Manhattan. A flight restriction in effect since President Donald Trump took office bans aircraft from flying below 3,000 feet (914 meters) within a 1-mile (1.6 km) radius of Trump Tower, which is less than a half-mile (0.8 kilometers) from the crash site."There's something mysterious here," Mayor Bill de Blasio told CNN, saying officials were scrutinizing video of a "very erratic" flight and authorities needed to find out more about the pilot at the time he decided to take off.The pilot, identified by his employer as Tim McCormack, was a former fire chief in upstate Clinton, New York. With 15 years of experience flying helicopters and single-engine airplanes, he was certified as a flight instructor last year, according to Federal Aviation Administration records.The East Clinton Volunteer Fire Department posted on Facebook that McCormack's "technical knowledge and ability to command an emergency were exceptional."The 19-year-old helicopter was linked to a real estate company founded by Italian-born investor Daniele Bodini, according to FAA records.The helicopter went down about 11 minutes after taking off from a heliport along the East River, a little more than a mile (1.6 km) away. Police Commissioner James O'Neill said it may have been returning to its home airport in Linden, New Jersey.The director at Linden Municipal Airport, Paul Dudley, described McCormack as "a highly seasoned" and "very well regarded" pilot who was a regular at the airfield.He suspects that a mechanical problem or the weather "overwhelmed him and the helicopter," Dudley said. "I believe he tried to get on the roof and spare the people on the ground."McCormack, 58, chronicled some of his helicopter flights on his Facebook page, including a 2014 emergency landing caused by a bird strike. He had been conducting a sightseeing tour over Manhattan when the bird penetrated the windshield of his Bell BHT 407, causing McCormack to land unexpectedly at the West 30th Street Heliport."It was pretty much like an explosion going off in your cockpit," McCormack told television station WABC at the time.The crash happened shortly before 2 p.m. Monday, when clouds obscured the roof of the building. Rescue vehicles swarmed to the scene a few blocks from Rockefeller Center.Pedro Rodriguez, a pastry line cook at Le Bernardin, a well-known restaurant in the AXA Equitable building, said workers got an announcement telling everyone to exit, and he later heard from people around him that there was a fire on the roof.The evacuation was not chaotic, Rodriguez said, but he was rattled because he immediately thought of the Sept. 11 attacks."It's scary when something like this happens," he said.Videos posted by onlookers showed emergency vehicles in the street, but no obvious damage to the skyscraper. The fire department later tweeted a photo of the helicopter's wreckage that showed piles of burned debris on the roof."If you're a New Yorker, you have a level of PTSD, right, from 9/11. And I remember that morning all too well. So as soon as you hear an aircraft hit a building, I think my mind goes where every New Yorker's mind goes," Gov. Andrew Cuomo told reporters.Working for a bank on the building's seventh floor, Kendall Sawyer felt a shake — "jarring enough to notice," but workers weren't sure what it was, she said.Then came an announcement that the situation was being looked into, and a few minutes later, an instruction to evacuate, without explanation, she said."It was a little bit crazy, a little bit scary" as workers walked down the stairs, she said.A block south, lawyer Lance Koonce heard a loud sound he thought could be a low-flying helicopter. From his 21st-story window, he looked up and saw smoke."I couldn't tell if the smoke preceded the helicopter coming over, or if it was from the helicopter crashing into the building," he said.Trump tweeted from Washington that he had been briefed on the crash. Cuomo's office said the president and governor had spoken.The National Transportation Safety Board was sending an investigator.The city currently allows helicopters to take off and land from three heliports, one each on the East and West sides and in downtown Manhattan. All of the facilities border rivers.It was once more common for helicopters to take off from private Manhattan rooftops, the most famous of which was on the tower then known as the Pan Am building. In 1977, four people waiting on the roof were killed when a helicopter toppled over and a rotor blade broke off and hit them. A fifth person, a pedestrian, was killed by falling debris.That spurred a push to close down private helipads.Still, the city has seen a string of helicopter accidents since. The most recent was just last month, when a chopper crash landed in the Hudson River near a busy Manhattan heliport. The pilot escaped mostly unscathed.Five people died when a sightseeing helicopter crashed into the East River last year. Three people died in another crash into the same river in 2011. Back in 2009, a sightseeing helicopter collided with a small plane and killed nine people not far from the scene of Monday's mishap.In 2006, New York Yankees pitcher Corey Lidle's single-engine plane slammed into the 20th floor of a building on Manhattan's Upper East Side, killing Lidle and his flight instructor. It was not clear which one was piloting the plane.The National Transportation Safety Board concluded the pilot misjudged a narrow U-turn before veering into the building. /* .jw-reset-text, .jw-reset{line-height: 2em;}*/ .jw-time-tip .jw-time-chapter{display:none;} if ('' == comscore_jw_loaded || 'undefined' == comscore_jw_loaded || undefined == comscore_jw_loaded) { var comscore_jw_loaded = 1; firstjw = document.getElementsByClassName('jwvidplayer')[0]; cs_jw_script = document.createElement('script'); cs_jw_script.src = 'https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/internal-c2/plugins/streamingtag_plugin_jwplayer.js'; firstjw.parentNode.insertBefore(cs_jw_script, firstjw.nextSibling); } var jwconfig_4808732410 = { "file": "https://indiatv-vh.akamaihd.net/i/vod/0_g7jetjuf_,20,21,22,.mp4.csmil/master.m3u8", "image": "https://thumbs.indiatvnews.com/vod/0_g7jetjuf_big_thumb.jpg", "title": "1 dead as helicopter crash lands on building in Midtown in America", "height": "440px", "width": "100%", "aspectratio": "16:9", "autostart": false, "controls": true, "mute": false, "volume": 25, "floating": false, "sharing": { "code": "", "sites": [ "facebook", "twitter", "email" ] }, "stretching": "exactfit", "primary": "html5", "hlshtml": true, "sharing_link": "", "advertising": { "client": "vast", "autoplayadsmuted": true, "skipoffset": 5, "cuetext": "", "skipmessage": "Skip ad in xx", "skiptext": "SKIP", "preloadAds": true, "schedule": [ { "offset": "pre", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PreRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" }, { "offset": "50%", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_MidRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=" }, { "offset": "post", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PostRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" } ] } }; var jwvidplayer_4808732410 = ''; jwsetup_4808732410(); function jwsetup_4808732410() { jwvidplayer_4808732410 = jwplayer("jwvidplayer_4808732410").setup(jwconfig_4808732410); jwvidplayer_4808732410.on('ready', function () { ns_.StreamingAnalytics.JWPlayer(jwvidplayer_4808732410, { publisherId: "20465327", labelmapping: "c2=\"20465327\", c3=\"IndiaTV News\", c4=\"null\", c6=\"null\", ns_st_mp=\"jwplayer\", ns_st_cl=\"0\", ns_st_ci=\"0_g7jetjuf\", ns_st_pr=\"1 dead as helicopter crash lands on building in Midtown in America\", ns_st_sn=\"0\", ns_st_en=\"0\", ns_st_ep=\"1 dead as helicopter crash lands on building in Midtown in America\", ns_st_ct=\"null\", ns_st_ge=\"News\", ns_st_st=\"1 dead as helicopter crash lands on building in Midtown in America\", ns_st_ce=\"0\", ns_st_ia=\"0\", ns_st_ddt=\"2019-06-11\", ns_st_tdt=\"2019-06-11\", ns_st_pu=\"IndiaTV News\", ns_st_cu=\"https://indiatv-vh.akamaihd.net/i/vod/0_g7jetjuf_,20,21,22,.mp4.csmil/master.m3u8\", ns_st_ty=\"video\"" }); }); jwvidplayer_4808732410.on('all', function (r) { if (jwvidplayer_4808732410.getState() == 'error' || jwvidplayer_4808732410.getState() == 'setupError') { jwvidplayer_4808732410.stop(); jwvidplayer_4808732410.remove(); jwvidplayer_4808732410 = ''; jwsetup_4808732410(); return; } }); jwvidplayer_4808732410.on('error', function (t) { jwvidplayer_4808732410.stop(); jwvidplayer_4808732410.remove(); jwvidplayer_4808732410 = ''; jwsetup_4808732410(); return; }); jwvidplayer_4808732410.on('mute', function () { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_4808732410.on('adPlay', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_4808732410.on('adPause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_4808732410.on('pause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_4808732410.on('error', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_4808732410.on('adBlock', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); }

Helicopter crashes on roof of New York skyscraper, killing pilot

It was not immediately clear what caused the crash, or why the Agusta A109E was flying in a driving downpour with low cloud cover and in the tightly controlled airspace of midtown Manhattan.

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Biden plan to reduce waiting time faced by Indians for work-based green cardsFormer US Vice President Joe Biden, who is to be the Democratic Party candidate for president, has announced an immigration agenda that will end the country-wise green card caps for employment visas so that wait times stretching to decades for Indians can be reduced if he is elected.His "Plan for Securing Our Values as a Nation of Immigrants" will also link H1-B visas to wages while increasing the number of such visas.The Plan, which could be the basis of his manifesto for the November election when he is expected to take on President Donald Trump as the Democratic candidate, seeks overall to liberalise immigration to the US and increase the number of immigrants.It sends a mixed message for Indians with most aspects of the Plan favouring some categories of Indians but with one that may tighten regulations for some H1-B visas."Biden will support expanding the number of high-skilled visas and eliminating the limits on employment-based visas by country, which create unacceptably long backlogs," according to the Plan.The total annual cap on green cards available for Indians is 20,000 leading to wait times stretching to decades.Attempt by legislators from both parties to introduce laws to lift the cap have stalled in Congress.The plan said, "Currently, the number of employment-based visas is capped at 140,000 each year, without the ability to be responsive to the state of the labor market or demands from domestic employers. As president, Biden will work with Congress to increase the number of visas awarded for permanent, employment-based immigrationa"and promote mechanisms to temporarily reduce the number of visas during times of high US unemployment."The argument for reducing the visas at times is similar to Trump's rationale for freezing green cards and H1-B visas that cites the current high unemployment.Biden's proposals on H1-B for highly skilled professional workers which is overwhelmingly held by Indians and on green cards, also has elements reflecting reforms and regulations proposed by Trump.The Plan says that to ensure that those getting H1-Bs do not compete for entry level jobs or work against recruiting workers already in the US, theAvisas would be linked to wages.The Plan said, "High skilled temporary visas should not be used to disincentivise recruiting workers already in the U.S. for in-demand occupations. An immigration system that crowds out high-skilled workers in favor of only entry level wages and skills threatens American innovation and competitiveness.""Biden will work with Congress to first reform temporary visas to establish a wage-based allocation process and establish enforcement mechanisms to ensure they are aligned with the labor market and not used to undermine wages," it added.This could make it difficult for many Indians to qualify for H1-B visas.A senior Trump official recently said that the president wants to link H1-B visas to wages so that instead of the current lottery system, the visas would be given out in order of the wages offered starting with the highest.Biden wants to exempt foreign students getting PhD degrees in science, engineering, technology and maths in the US from visa caps and automatically give green cards to those getting doctorates."Biden believes that foreign graduates of a US doctoral program should be given a green card with their degree and that losing these highly trained workers to foreign economies is a disservice to our own economic competitiveness," his plan said.He also wants to introduce a new category of immigrant visas that would be awarded through cities and local administrations facing shrinking populations and lacking entrepreneurs onAthe condition that those getting them settle in those areas."Biden will support a program to allow any county or municipal executive of a large or midsize county or city to petition for additional immigrant visas to support the region's economic development strategy, provided employers in those regions certify there are available jobs, and that there are no workers to fill them," the Plan said.Where Biden diverges starkly from Trump is on other elements of immigration, especially those involving non-elites and refugees.The Plan said that it opposed a "false choice" between green cards for workers and those for family reunification, which Trump wants to severely limit while switching to a merit-based system.Applicants approved for family green cards will be given temporary visas under the programme and spouses and children of green card-holders will be exempt from limits on permanent resident visas, under the Biden Plan.The Plan will also simplify the process for green card-holders to get citizenship and eliminate roadblocks imposed by Trump such as making it harder for those who have availed of public benefits.Biden will also work with Congress to forge a system for the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants to get citizenship, the Plan said.Other elements of the Biden plan include lifting the visa ban on some countries imposed by Trump and increasing the number of refugees allowed into the country.

Biden plan to reduce waiting time faced by Indians for work-based green cards

Former US Vice President Joe Biden, who is to be the Democratic Party candidate for president, has announced an immigration agenda that will end the country-wise green card caps for employment visas so that wait times stretching to decades for Indians can be reduced if he is elected.

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Indian-American becomes US Army's first CIOIndian-American Dr Raj Iyer has taken over as the first Chief Information Officer of the US Army, after the Pentagon created the position in July 2020. One of the highest-ranking Indian-American civilians in the US Department of Defense, Iyer, who holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, serves as the principal advisor to the Secretary of the Army and directs representation of the secretary in matters relating to information management/information technology (IT), the Pentagon said in a statement.Equivalent in rank to a three-star General, Iyer will supervise an annual budget of USD 16 billion for the US Army's IT operations. Over 15,000 civilians and military personnel posted across 100 countries work under him.Iyer will direct the execution of policies and programmes to modernise the US Army to achieve digital overmatch against near peer adversaries such as China and Russia.The Army has committed to leveraging advanced technologies such as cloud computing, robotics and artificial intelligence as critical enablers for future war fighting through a concept called multi-domain operations.Previously, Iyer was partner and managing director at Deloitte Consulting LLP, where he led multiple technology programs supporting government clients.Over the course of his 26-year career, Iyer has supported a range of defence and commercial clients on a number of complex enterprise transformation challenges, including strategy, innovation and modernisation.He has established new organisations, including the first office of the Chief Technology Officer in the Army, co-founded a successful technology start-up, and led recovery programmes such as Obamacare. He also holds a patent and has published dozens of peer reviewed papers.Iyer holds a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Arlington along with multiple masters degrees, including a Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from The University of Texas at Arlington.Iyer, originally a native of Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu, grew up in Bengaluru and completed his undergraduate studies at National Institute of Technology Tirchi before moving to the US to pursue higher studies.In the US, he had barely enough money to pay for tuition and rent for one semester through his father's life savings, but was soon able to secure a full fellowship to complete all of his graduate education.His father Manakkal K Ganesan, an engineer working as General Manager at Metallurgical and Engineering Consultants (MECON), was instrumental in showing him a passion for public service and the value of education and hard work, according to a testimonial online.Iyer is married to Brindha, a healthcare IT programme manager in the US government. They have two sons, Ashwin Iyer, a freshman majoring in Data Science at the University of California at Berkeley, and Abishek Iyer, a 9th grader at Centennial High School in Maryland. ALSO READ | Joe Biden names Indian American Bharat Ramamurti as National Economic Council member

Indian-American becomes US Army's first CIO

Indian-American Dr Raj Iyer has taken over as the first Chief Information Officer of the US Army, after the Pentagon created the position in July 2020.

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COVID: Canada PM Justin Trudeau tests positive, rips anti vaccine demo.  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday he has tested positive for COVID-19 but is “feeling fine” and will continue to work remotely from home. Trudeau said two of his children have COVID-19 and a test on Monday revealed that he has been infected as well. And he used a televised virtual press conference to denounce anti-vaccine protesters who filled Canada’s capital to complain about COVID restrictions. “Canadians were shocked and quite frankly disgusted by the behavior displayed by some people in our nation’s capital,” Trudeau said. “I want to be clear. We are not intimated by those who hurl insults and abuse at small businesses and steal from the homeless. We won’t give in those who fly racist flags. We won’t cave to those who engage in vandalism or dishonor the memory of our veterans.” Some demonstrators travelled in truck convoys and parked on the streets around Parliament Hill, blocking traffic — and a smaller but significant number remained on Monday. Many Canadians were outraged by images over the weekend of some protesters urinating on the National War Memorial and dancing on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, while a number carried signs and flags with swastikas. Many refused to wear masks in hotels, malls and grocery stores and one homeless shelter reported protesters had demanded it feed them. Canada has one of the world’s highest rates of vaccination against the coronavirus- shots that are primarily designed to keep those who become infected from falling seriously ill. Protest organizers have called for the elimination of all COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine mandates and for the removal of Trudeau, though he is responsible for very few of the restrictions, most of which were put in place by provincial governments. The Ottawa police department has said it is investigating possible criminal charges over some actions during the protests. “To those responsible for this behavior, it needs to stop. To anyone who joined the convoy but is rightly uncomfortable with the symbol of hatred and division on display, join with your fellow Canadians, be courageous and speak out. Do not stand for or with intolerance and hate,” Trudeau said. Some were protesting a rule that took effect Jan. 15 requiring truckers entering Canada to be fully immunized against the coronavirus. The United States has imposed the same requirement on truckers entering that country so Canada removing it would make little difference. Some opposition Conservative lawmakers served coffee to the protesters and Conservative party leader Erin O’Toole met with some protesting truckers. The demonstration also attracted support from former US President Donald Trump.   ALSO READ: Canadian PM Justin Trudeau moved to secret location after thousands protest COVID mandates in Ottawa ALSO READ: Justin Trudeau: Canadians have chosen 'progressive plan'    Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday he has tested positive for COVID-19 but is “feeling fine” and will continue to work remotely from home.Trudeau said two of his children have COVID-19 and a test on Monday revealed that he has been infected as well. And he used a televised virtual press conference to denounce anti-vaccine protesters who filled Canada’s capital to complain about COVID restrictions.“Canadians were shocked and quite frankly disgusted by the behavior displayed by some people in our nation’s capital,” Trudeau said. “I want to be clear. We are not intimated by those who hurl insults and abuse at small businesses and steal from the homeless. We won’t give in those who fly racist flags. We won’t cave to those who engage in vandalism or dishonor the memory of our veterans.”Some demonstrators travelled in truck convoys and parked on the streets around Parliament Hill, blocking traffic — and a smaller but significant number remained on Monday.Many Canadians were outraged by images over the weekend of some protesters urinating on the National War Memorial and dancing on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, while a number carried signs and flags with swastikas.Many refused to wear masks in hotels, malls and grocery stores and one homeless shelter reported protesters had demanded it feed them.Canada has one of the world’s highest rates of vaccination against the coronavirus- shots that are primarily designed to keep those who become infected from falling seriously ill.Protest organizers have called for the elimination of all COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine mandates and for the removal of Trudeau, though he is responsible for very few of the restrictions, most of which were put in place by provincial governments.The Ottawa police department has said it is investigating possible criminal charges over some actions during the protests.“To those responsible for this behavior, it needs to stop. To anyone who joined the convoy but is rightly uncomfortable with the symbol of hatred and division on display, join with your fellow Canadians, be courageous and speak out. Do not stand for or with intolerance and hate,” Trudeau said.Some were protesting a rule that took effect Jan. 15 requiring truckers entering Canada to be fully immunized against the coronavirus. The United States has imposed the same requirement on truckers entering that country so Canada removing it would make little difference.Some opposition Conservative lawmakers served coffee to the protesters and Conservative party leader Erin O’Toole met with some protesting truckers. The demonstration also attracted support from former US President Donald Trump. ALSO READ: Canadian PM Justin Trudeau moved to secret location after thousands protest COVID mandates in OttawaALSO READ: Justin Trudeau: Canadians have chosen 'progressive plan' 

COVID: Canada PM Justin Trudeau tests positive, rips anti vaccine demo

PM Trudeau said two of his children have COVID and a test on Jan 31 revealed that he has been infected as well.

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Pakistan today rejected allegations that it was involved in the terror attack on Sunjuwan Army camp, saying Indian media and officials make “irresponsible” statements even before any investigation is initiated. The Foreign Office spokesperson also accused India of carrying out a “smear campaign against Pakistan and the deliberate creation of war hysteria.” Related Stories J&K parties condemn terror attack on Sunjuwan Army campJ-K: Woman injured in Sunjuwan Army camp attack gives birth to baby girlSunjuwan Army camp attack: Death toll mounts to six, two more terrorists shot dead“It is a well established pattern that Indian officials begin making irresponsible statements and levelling unfounded allegations, even before any proper investigation in any incident has been initiated,” the Foreign Office spokesperson said, when asked about the attack on Sunjwan Army camp in Jammu. “A particular segment in the Indian media runs with their innuendos to malign Pakistan and whips up public frenzy. We are confident that the world community would take due cognisance of India’s smear campaign against Pakistan, and the deliberate creation of war hysteria,” the spokesperson said. A group of heavily armed Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists struck the sprawling camp of the 36 brigade of Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry in the early hours yesterday, triggering a gunbattle. Security forces have neutralised three terrorists holed up in the Army camp while six people, including five Army personnel, were killed in the attack. The latest attack on the camp took place nearly 15 months after the Jammu region was hit by a similar attack.  On November 29, 2016, terrorists had stormed the Army’s Nagrota camp on the outskirts of the city, killing seven Army personnel, including two officers. Three terrorists were gunned down in the operation. Intelligence inputs had warned of an attack on an Army or security establishment by Jaish-e-Mohammed in view of the death anniversary of Afzal Guru, who was hanged on February 9, 2013, for the 2001 attack on Parliament House.

Pakistan rejects allegations over terror attack on Sunjuwan Army camp

The Foreign Office spokesperson also accused India of carrying out a “smear campaign against Pakistan and the deliberate creation of war hysteria.”

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6 killed, 17 wounded in three bombings in IraqAt least six civilians were killed and 17 others wounded on Tuesday in three bombing attacks in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, an Interior Ministry official said."The latest reports said that a total of six people were killed and 17 others wounded in the three bomb explosions in the evening in Baghdad," the official said on the condition of anonymity.In one attack, a motorcycle bomb was detonated at a popular market in the al-Shaab neighbourhood in northeastern Baghdad, killing six people and wounding nine others, the Xinhua news agency reported.Another blast occurred when a bomb went off in the al-Baiyaa neighbourhood in southwestern Baghdad, wounding four people.A third bomb ripped through the al-Baladiyat neighbourhood in eastern the capital, leaving four more people wounded.No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attacks, but the Islamic State (IS) militant group, in many cases, claimed the terror attacks targeting security forces and ther areas where crowds of people gather, including markets, cafes and mosques in Iraq.Though the security situation in Iraq has dramatically improved after Iraqi security forces defeated IS in late 2017, terror attacks have been occurring from time to time in the country, which has been hit recently by widespread protests against the government.Also Read: White House briefly locked down after reports of airspace violationAlso Read: Indian-American student sexually assaulted, strangulated to death in Chicago campus parking garage 

6 killed, 17 wounded in three bombings in Iraq

"The latest reports said that a total of six people were killed and 17 others wounded in the three bomb explosions in the evening in Baghdad," the official said on the condition of anonymity.

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Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops perform a flag-raising ceremony for a military parade to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the PLA, in 2017 (file photo for representational purposes)The manufacturing of China’s indigenously developed Chengdu J-20, the world’s third fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) in service, has hit a roadblock as Beijing grapples with disruptions in supply chains due to the outbreak of COVID-19, a Taiwanese defence expert has reckoned.“It is reported that J-20 fighter may also be delayed because of supply chain disruption,” said Dr Si-fu Ou, the acting deputy CEO and the chief of Division of Advanced Technologies and Warfighting Concepts at Taipei-based think tank Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR). The Taiwanese defence institute has been keeping a track of the latest developments in Beijing’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA).“However, the pro-government papers said they will back on track very soon. From my point of view, the J-20 still has some troubles that need to be fixed. Their productions are in small scale. It doesn't matter if Wuhan coronavirus causes a delay or not,” he cautiously added. “But it is also rather early to seriously suggest what kind of production run the J-20 may ultimately enjoy going into the future, not least due to the difficulty of predicting what the future geopolitical and economic trajectories China and the region may undergo in the intervening period,” the expert said.Dr Ou has drawn upon government and media reports in Chinese, state-backed materials in the public domain and the timeline and figures as he came out with a new research paper, ‘The PLA’s Civil Support in Counter-Coronavirus Campaigns’, published in the last week of April.The Chengdu J-20 fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA), which made its maiden flight in January 2011, entered into combat service in February 2018, according to leading military publication Jane’s Defence Weekly.Around 200 of them are said to have been manufactured till date.In fact, the COVID-19 outbreak, which originated at a ‘wet market’ in Wuhan in December last year, has also thrown a spanner in the works of Beijing’s nuclear submarine programme, besides resulting in the postponement of military drills in the country’s Inner Mongolia at the Zhurihe base, the largest training facility in Inner Mongolia.PLA troops infectedWhile Beijing has officially denied that no member of the two million-strong People’s Liberation Army has been infected with coronavirus, circumstantial evidence has pointed otherwise.Chinese language reports and government documents ‘provide a snapshot of a military power that has been able to offer limited support and likely is infected at a certain scale’, noted Dr Ou.“While 4,000 troops had been sent to Wuhan to help local authorities contain the outbreak, the Chinese Army was able to mobilise 10,000 troops across the country, providing medical services, transports, disinfections and street patrols among other things,” said the scholar.Dr Ou said that many of the PLA troopers could be undergoing the necessary quarantine so to keep the disease from infecting other soldiers. “To some extent, it is a blow to PLA's morale, but it is hard to say if it is a big blow or not,” he said.In the face of mounting evidence on several infections within the military ranks, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has been following its time-tested strategy of suppressing any information contradicting its version of events.“The CCP has tightly controlled and clamped down on information about the contagion within the ranks of its armed forces,” the INDSR’s research paper stated. Also read: Republican lawmakers seek wet-market ban in China

China’s indigenous FGFA J-20 program hit by COVID-19 outbreak, PLA soldiers infected: Taiwanese expert

Many of Chinese troops have likely been infected by the coronavirus. “To some extent, it is a blow to PLA's morale, but it is hard to say if it is a big blow or not," said Dr Si-fu Ou, a defence expert at Taiwan think tank Institute for National Defense and Security Research

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US soldiers to be invited to 2020 Victory Day Parade in Moscow, Indian Army to also take partTroops of the US Army could be invited to the 2020 Victory Day Parade in Moscow, Russia. As per reports by Sputnik news agency, Moscow is planning to invite parading contingents from the allied countries of World War 2 -- USA, UK and France -- for the Victory Day Parade in the Russian capital next year.Victory Day Parade is an annual event that takes place at the Red Square, Moscow on May 9 to commemorate the capitulation of Nazi Germany in 1945. India will also be participating in the 2020 edition of the parade. Russian Deputy Defence Minister Andrey Kartapolov reportedly told Sputnik on Friday that up to 20 parading groups from Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS Countries), US, UK, France, Egypt, Israel, India, China, Mongolia, Poland and Serbia are invited for the parade. 356 war veterans including 156 from abroad will also attend the parade as spectators. Besides Moscow, the parades will be held in other cities like Volgograd, Novorossiysk, Saint Petersburg, Sevastopol, Smolensk, and Tula.Watch this video of Victory Day Parade 2019 on Russian Television

US soldiers to be invited to 2020 Victory Day Parade in Moscow

American troops could be seen marching right next to the Russian soldiers in the 2020 edition of the Victory Day Parade. Indian Army has also been invited to attend the annual event to commemorate the capitulation of Nazi Germany.

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Unicef appeals for $1.6 billion to help pandemic-affected kidsThe Unicef has appealed for $1.6 billion to support its humanitarian aid for children affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, up from $651.6 million requested in March."This increase reflects the devastating socioeconomic consequences of the disease and families' rising needs. As the outbreak enters its fifth month, the costs for supplies, shipment and duty of care are increasing dramatically," the UN body said on Monday."The pandemic is a health crisis which is quickly becoming a child rights crisis," said Unicef Executive Director Henrietta Fore."Schools are closed, parents are out of work and families are under growing strain. As we begin to reimagine what a post-COVID world would look like, these funds will help us respond to the crisis, recover from its aftermath, and protect children from its knock-on effects."Access to essential services like health care and routine immunization has already been compromised for hundreds of millions of children, which could lead to a significant increase in child mortality.Meanwhile, the mental health and psychosocial impact of restricted movement, school closures and subsequent isolation are likely to intensify already high levels of stress, especially for vulnerable children.According to a Unicef analysis, some 77 per cent of children under the age of 18, or 1.8 billion, were living in the 132 countries with some form of movement restrictions in place due to the pandemic.Risk factors for violence, abuse and neglect were also on the rise for children living under restricted movement and socio-economic decline.Girls and women were at an increased risk of sexual and gender-based violence.In many cases, refugee, migrant and internally displaced children, as well as returnees, are experiencing reduced access to services and protection and increasing exposure to xenophobia and discrimination."We have seen what the pandemic is doing to countries with developed health systems and we are concerned about what it would do to countries with weaker systems and fewer available resources," said Fore.Unicef has so far received $215 million in support of its response to the pandemic.ALSO READ | At 20.1 million, India expected to have highest births since COVID-19 declared as pandemic: UNICEF

Unicef appeals for $1.6 billion to help pandemic-affected kids

The Unicef has appealed for $1.6 billion to support its humanitarian aid for children affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, up from $651.6 million requested in March.

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Social media giant Facebook on Saturday blocked a post by Dawn.com for users in Pakistan.Social media giant Facebook on Saturday blocked a post by Dawn.com for users in Pakistan. The post initially published in 2017 provides a link to a story on the veteran politician and former Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) leader Javed Hashmi criticising the judiciary in the country.In an automated message, Facebook said,"Due to legal restrictions in your country, we've limited access to your post on Facebook". However, the post is still accessible via a virtual private network (VPN) in the country.The social media giant said that the content was made unavailable based on a local law in an action that is usually taken after requests from state institutions under non-transparent agreements.However, Facebook did not clarify when asked about what law Dawn.com had violated.Earlier in an interview given to Dawn in January 2017, Javed Hashmi openly criticised the Supreme Court of the country. He said, "the Supreme Court has caused more destruction in the country than any other institution. He had also described Pakistan as a country that works without a constitution.This is not the first time Facebook is facing restriction from Pakistan. Earlier in 2017, more than 177 posts were restricted from viewership in the country on requests forwarded by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and the Federal Agency for violating local laws prohibiting blasphemy and condemnation of the country's independence. Facebook also faced strong criticism last year when an Islamabad High Court Judge Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui and the then interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had threatened to ban the social network if it did not act to remove all blasphemous content from the platform.Facebook which is already under scanner after the Cambridge Analytica data privacy scandal is taking extra caution to avoid any more such incident. Regarding the upcoming elections in Pakistan, Facebook had said that it would take necessary steps to curb any kind of outside election interference. However, with the current censorship policy in the country, removal of any kind of content through non-transparent mechanisms, as in the case of the removal of Dawn.com's post will make users inaccessible to information that comes in handy while making important electoral decisions.

Facebook blocks post by leading Pak media house on judiciary, cites over 'local law restrictions'

In an automated message, Facebook said,"Due to legal restrictions in your country, we've limited access to your post on Facebook". However, the post is still accessible via a virtual private network (VPN) in the country.

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 Americans Paul R. Milgrom, left on screen, and Robert B. Wilson have won the Nobel Prize in economics for "improvements to auction theory and inventions of new auction formats." American economists Paul R Milgrom and Robert B Wilson on Monday won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Economics "for improvements to auction theory and inventions of new auction formats". The Nobel Committee said that auctions are everywhere and affect "our everyday lives", adding that their discoveries have benefitted sellers, buyers and taxpayers around the world.The auction formats developed by the duo have been used to sell radio frequencies, fishing quotas and airport landing slots.The committee said Wilson's work showed “why rational bidders tend to place bids below their own best estimate of the common value,” that is, “the value which is uncertain beforehand but, in the end, is the same for everyone.” “(Bidders) are worried about the winner’s curse — that is, about paying too much and losing out,” the committee said.Milgrom developed a more general theory of auctions that takes into account was is known as the “private value” of what's being sold that can vary greatly from bidder to bidder.Speaking to reporters in Stockholm by phone after learning of his win, Wilson struggled to think of an auction he himself had participated in. But then added: “My wife points out to me that we bought ski boots on eBay. I guess that was an auction.”Last year’s award went to two researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a third from Harvard University, for their groundbreaking research into efforts to reduce global poverty.Few economists could have predicted last fall that the globe would come to a virtual standstill within months, as governments closed their borders, imposed lockdowns and ordered other measures to stop the spread of COVID-19, triggering a sharp dip in business activity worldwide.The winners were announced in Stockholm by Goran Hansson, secretary-general of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. The prestigious award comes with a 10-million krona ($1.1 million) cash prize and a gold medal. The award caps a week of Nobel Prizes at a time when much of the world is experiencing the worst recession since World War II because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Technically known as the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, the award was established in 1969 and is now widely considered one of the Nobel prizes.Last week, the Nobel Committee awarded the prize for physiology and medicine for discovering the liver-ravaging hepatitis C virus. The prize for physics honoured breakthroughs in understanding the mysteries of cosmic black holes, and the chemistry prize went to scientists behind a powerful gene-editing tool. The literature prize was awarded to American poet Louise Glück for her “candid and uncompromising” work. The World Food Program won the Nobel Peace Prize for its effort to combat hunger worldwide.With Inputs from AP

American economists win 2020 Nobel Prize in Economics for work on auction theory

American economists Paul R Milgrom and Robert B Wilson on Monday won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Economics "for improvements to auction theory and inventions of new auction formats".

dfe82e9d1f656c3af83b21cdd68d092e

PM Modi-US VP meet: Harris refers to Pak's terror role, agrees on need to monitor its support to terrorismOn his first day of the US visit, PM Modi met US Vice President Kamala Harris. Her "suo moto" referred to Pakistan's role with regard to terrorism and she agreed on the need to rein-in and closely monitor Islamabad support for terror groups, informed Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla. Harris acknowledged the presence of terror groups in Pakistan, said Shringla when asked whether the issue of Pakistan emboldening Taliban came up during the discussion between PM Modi and the US Vice President.She also agreed with PM Modi on cross-border terrorism, and that India had been a victim of terrorism for several decades now."In that context when the issue of terrorism came up. The Vice President suo moto referred to Pakistan's role in that regard. She said that there were terror groups working there. She asked Pakistan to take action so that these groups do not impact on US security and that of India," the Foreign Secretary said during a special briefing.Shringla apprised that Harris agreed with the Prime Minister's briefing on the fact of cross-border terrorism and the fact that India has been a victim of terrorism for several decades now."She agreed with Prime Minister's briefing on the fact of cross-border terrorism and the fact that India has been a victim of terrorism several decades now and the need to rein in and closely monitor Pakistan's support for such terror groups," he added.Pakistan has been accused of providing overt and covert support to the Taliban. Early this month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted that Pakistan has "harboured" members of the Taliban including the terrorists.PM Modi, who is in the US for a three-day visit, met Harris earlier in the day. Shringla said that discussions between the two leaders were "substantive and they lasted over an hour"."The meeting reflected warmth and cordiality. Discussions covered a number of areas which included COVID-19, climate change, the issue of terrorism, cooperation in the technology sector including cooperation in cyber security, space etc," Shringla said. (With ANI Inputs) /* .jw-reset-text, .jw-reset{line-height: 2em;}*/ .jw-time-tip .jw-time-chapter{display:none;} if ('' == comscore_jw_loaded || 'undefined' == comscore_jw_loaded || undefined == comscore_jw_loaded) { var comscore_jw_loaded = 1; firstjw = document.getElementsByClassName('jwvidplayer')[0]; cs_jw_script = document.createElement('script'); cs_jw_script.src = 'https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/internal-c2/plugins/streamingtag_plugin_jwplayer.js'; firstjw.parentNode.insertBefore(cs_jw_script, firstjw.nextSibling); } var jwconfig_9640689026 = { "file": "https://vod-indiatv.akamaized.net/hls/2021/09/0_bbfcinlw/master.m3u8", "image": "https://thumbs.indiatvnews.com/vod/0_bbfcinlw_big_thumb.jpg", "title": "Kamala Harris makes a big remark during her meeting with PM Modi, says - Pakistan should take action on terrorists ", "height": "440px", "width": "100%", "aspectratio": "16:9", "autostart": false, "controls": true, "mute": false, "volume": 25, "floating": false, "sharing": { "code": "", "sites": [ "facebook", "twitter", "email" ] }, "stretching": "exactfit", "primary": "html5", "hlshtml": true, "sharing_link": "", "duration": "559", "advertising": { "client": "vast", "autoplayadsmuted": true, "skipoffset": 5, "cuetext": "", "skipmessage": "Skip ad in xx", "skiptext": "SKIP", "preloadAds": true, "schedule": [ { "offset": "pre", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PreRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" }, { "offset": "50%", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_MidRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=" }, { "offset": "post", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PostRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" } ] } }; var jwvidplayer_9640689026 = ''; jwsetup_9640689026(); function jwsetup_9640689026() { jwvidplayer_9640689026 = jwplayer("jwvidplayer_9640689026").setup(jwconfig_9640689026); jwvidplayer_9640689026.on('ready', function () { ns_.StreamingAnalytics.JWPlayer(jwvidplayer_9640689026, { publisherId: "20465327", labelmapping: "c2=\"20465327\", c3=\"IndiaTV News\", c4=\"null\", c6=\"null\", ns_st_mp=\"jwplayer\", ns_st_cl=\"0\", ns_st_ci=\"0_bbfcinlw\", ns_st_pr=\"Kamala Harris makes a big remark during her meeting with PM Modi, says - Pakistan should take action on terrorists\", ns_st_sn=\"0\", ns_st_en=\"0\", ns_st_ep=\"Kamala Harris makes a big remark during her meeting with PM Modi, says - Pakistan should take action on terrorists\", ns_st_ct=\"null\", ns_st_ge=\"News\", ns_st_st=\"Kamala Harris makes a big remark during her meeting with PM Modi, says - Pakistan should take action on terrorists\", ns_st_ce=\"0\", ns_st_ia=\"0\", ns_st_ddt=\"2021-09-24\", ns_st_tdt=\"2021-09-24\", ns_st_pu=\"IndiaTV News\", ns_st_cu=\"https://vod-indiatv.akamaized.net/hls/2021/09/0_bbfcinlw/master.m3u8\", ns_st_ty=\"video\"" }); }); jwvidplayer_9640689026.on('all', function (r) { if (jwvidplayer_9640689026.getState() == 'error' || jwvidplayer_9640689026.getState() == 'setupError') { jwvidplayer_9640689026.stop(); jwvidplayer_9640689026.remove(); jwvidplayer_9640689026 = ''; jwsetup_9640689026(); return; } }); jwvidplayer_9640689026.on('error', function (t) { jwvidplayer_9640689026.stop(); jwvidplayer_9640689026.remove(); jwvidplayer_9640689026 = ''; jwsetup_9640689026(); return; }); jwvidplayer_9640689026.on('mute', function () { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_9640689026.on('adPlay', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_9640689026.on('adPause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_9640689026.on('pause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_9640689026.on('error', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_9640689026.on('adBlock', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); }

Modi-Harris meet: Vice President suo moto refers to Pak's role in terrorism; says terror groups working there

Kamala Harris agreed with PM Modi on cross-border terrorism, and that India had been a victim of terrorism for several decades now.

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UK Home Secretary Sajid JavidThe UK government has unveiled its post-Brexit visas and immigration strategy that removes any cap on highly-skilled migrants, a proposal which is expected to benefit Indian students and professionals.The strategy, set out in an immigration White Paper, was tabled in the House of Commons on Wednesday by UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid.It removes any cap on highly-skilled migrants from anywhere in the world and improves the post-study work offering for international students.The proposals, set to be phased in from December 2021 after the proposed transition period for Britain's exit from the European Union (EU), claim to level the country's immigration playing field with the end of free movement for people from within the 28-member economic bloc."As we leave the European Union, free movement will end…This will be a system where it is workers' skills that matter, not which country they come from," British Prime Minister Theresa May said in her foreword to the strategy."We are taking a skills-based approach to ensure we can attract the brightest and best migrants to the UK," added Javid, who made a reference to his own Pakistani origins as the "son of immigrant parents".Under the new proposals, an annual cap of 20,700 on the number of skilled work visas issued will be removed, likely to benefit doctors and IT professionals from India, among others. There will also be a new 12-month visa route for workers at any skill level for a temporary period to allow businesses to hire the staff they need on a time-bound basis."People arriving on this route will not be able to bring family members with them, won't accrue rights to settle in the UK and will have a 12-month cooling off period once their visa expires," the UK Home Office said.The onerous requirement for labour market tests by employers wanting to sponsor an overseas skilled worker are also to be done away with.The plans were broadly welcomed by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), which said the White Paper recognises the value offered by skilled workers from countries like India."Indian Industry has long called for a fair, transparent and skills-based immigration system, and today's proposals go some way to achieving these goals,” said Jim Bligh, of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Chair of CII's UK India Business Forum."Tackling the UK's skills gaps, particularly in digital and technology, must remain a key focus for government and it is welcome that this paper recognises the value that skilled workers from overseas can bring to helping improve the UK's skills base,” he said.Under changes proposed to attract international students to the UK, the government said it would "improve the current offer" to those who have completed a degree who want to stay on in the UK to work after they have completed their studies by offering six months' post-study leave to all Master's students and Bachelor's students studying at an institution with degree-awarding powers. This is aimed at giving them more time to find permanent skilled work and to work temporarily during that period."We will also allow for students studying at Bachelor's level or above to be able to apply to switch into the skilled workers route up to three months before the end of their course in the UK, and from outside of the UK for two years after their graduation," the White Paper notes.Universities UK International, the representative group for the country's higher education institutions which has been campaigning for a better post-study offer, said the proposals recognise the important contributions made by international students to the UK."Allowing graduates to stay on for longer to find work in the UK sends the message that international students are welcome here, and we value the skills they bring. These changes will have a real, positive impact on the students who come here to study and their opportunities after graduating," said Vivienne Stern, Director of Universities UK International.However, the group added that it will continue to campaign for a longer two-year post-study work visa.As part of some of the more contentious aspects of the new immigration White Paper, the government will hold a consultation on a minimum salary requirement of 30,000 pounds for skilled migrants seeking five-year visas and low-skilled workers may be able to apply for short-term visas of up to a year.The document forms the basis for the Immigration and Social Security Coordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill, to be published on Thursday, which ends free movement for EU nationals and creates the legal framework for a future UK borders and immigration system after Brexit. It also creates parity in the way migrants can access the country's benefits system, which will apply equally to both EU and non-EU nationals.The new system will be implemented in a phased approach from 2021, following an extensive 12-month programme of engagement with businesses, stakeholders and the public, the Home Office said.While it does not make a specific reference to the ruling Conservative Party's manifesto pledge to bring immigration down to the tens of thousands annually, the government stressed that the target remains in place.

UK's post-Brexit visa strategy to benefit Indian students, professionals

The UK government has unveiled its post-Brexit visas and immigration strategy that removes any cap on highly-skilled migrants, a proposal which is expected to benefit Indian students and professionals.

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Major 7.1-earthquake jolts CaliforniaA massive earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter Scale hit Southern California early on Saturday, the United States Geological Survey confirmed. The information on the epicenter of the earthquake was yet not available. Any injuries or casualties were not immediately known. Also Read | Strong 6.6 magnitude quake strikes Los Angeles and US west coastVideo: A strong 7.2-magnitude earthquake hits Papua New Guinea /* .jw-reset-text, .jw-reset{line-height: 2em;}*/ .jw-time-tip .jw-time-chapter{display:none;} if ('' == comscore_jw_loaded || 'undefined' == comscore_jw_loaded || undefined == comscore_jw_loaded) { var comscore_jw_loaded = 1; firstjw = document.getElementsByClassName('jwvidplayer')[0]; cs_jw_script = document.createElement('script'); cs_jw_script.src = 'https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/internal-c2/plugins/streamingtag_plugin_jwplayer.js'; firstjw.parentNode.insertBefore(cs_jw_script, firstjw.nextSibling); } var jwconfig_1345311091 = { "file": "https://indiatv-vh.akamaihd.net/i/vod/0_fe9gs3rp_,20,21,22,.mp4.csmil/master.m3u8", "image": "https://thumbs.indiatvnews.com/vod/0_fe9gs3rp_big_thumb.jpg", "title": "7.2-magnitude earthquake hits Papua New Guinea", "height": "440px", "width": "100%", "aspectratio": "16:9", "autostart": false, "controls": true, "mute": false, "volume": 25, "floating": false, "sharing": { "code": "", "sites": [ "facebook", "twitter", "email" ] }, "stretching": "exactfit", "primary": "html5", "hlshtml": true, "sharing_link": "", "advertising": { "client": "vast", "autoplayadsmuted": true, "skipoffset": 5, "cuetext": "", "skipmessage": "Skip ad in xx", "skiptext": "SKIP", "preloadAds": true, "schedule": [ { "offset": "pre", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PreRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" }, { "offset": "50%", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_MidRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=" }, { "offset": "post", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PostRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" } ] } }; var jwvidplayer_1345311091 = ''; jwsetup_1345311091(); function jwsetup_1345311091() { jwvidplayer_1345311091 = jwplayer("jwvidplayer_1345311091").setup(jwconfig_1345311091); jwvidplayer_1345311091.on('ready', function () { ns_.StreamingAnalytics.JWPlayer(jwvidplayer_1345311091, { publisherId: "20465327", labelmapping: "c2=\"20465327\", c3=\"IndiaTV News\", c4=\"null\", c6=\"null\", ns_st_mp=\"jwplayer\", ns_st_cl=\"0\", ns_st_ci=\"0_fe9gs3rp\", ns_st_pr=\"7.2-magnitude earthquake hits Papua New Guinea\", ns_st_sn=\"0\", ns_st_en=\"0\", ns_st_ep=\"7.2-magnitude earthquake hits Papua New Guinea\", ns_st_ct=\"null\", ns_st_ge=\"News\", ns_st_st=\"7.2-magnitude earthquake hits Papua New Guinea\", ns_st_ce=\"0\", ns_st_ia=\"0\", ns_st_ddt=\"2019-05-07\", ns_st_tdt=\"2019-05-07\", ns_st_pu=\"IndiaTV News\", ns_st_cu=\"https://indiatv-vh.akamaihd.net/i/vod/0_fe9gs3rp_,20,21,22,.mp4.csmil/master.m3u8\", ns_st_ty=\"video\"" }); }); jwvidplayer_1345311091.on('all', function (r) { if (jwvidplayer_1345311091.getState() == 'error' || jwvidplayer_1345311091.getState() == 'setupError') { jwvidplayer_1345311091.stop(); jwvidplayer_1345311091.remove(); jwvidplayer_1345311091 = ''; jwsetup_1345311091(); return; } }); jwvidplayer_1345311091.on('error', function (t) { jwvidplayer_1345311091.stop(); jwvidplayer_1345311091.remove(); jwvidplayer_1345311091 = ''; jwsetup_1345311091(); return; }); jwvidplayer_1345311091.on('mute', function () { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_1345311091.on('adPlay', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_1345311091.on('adPause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_1345311091.on('pause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_1345311091.on('error', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_1345311091.on('adBlock', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); }

Massive 7.1-magnitude earthquake rocks Southern California

Southern California in the United States was jolted by a major 7.1-magnitude earthquake on Saturday. Any injuries or loss of life into the earthquake were yet not known.

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General Assembly President Miroslav Lajcak has said that he will "certainly think" about how to deal with erroneous use of pictures.The use of a fake picture by Pakistan's Permanent Representative Maleeha Lodhi on Saturday while responding to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's speech came up during his news conference on Tuesday.Related Stories Rajnath Singh hails Sushma Swaraj's UN speech, says she 'exposed' Pakistan duplicityWe made IITs and IIMs, Pakistan produced Lashkar and Jaish: Swaraj at UN General AssemblyIndia 'mother of terrorism' in South Asia: Pakistan fumes over Swaraj's UNGA addressPakistan's top diplomat in UN tries to pass off Gaza girl as pellet gun victim from KashmirHe was asked if he would like to see "some sort of factual baseline" set so that "when people make a mistake they correct it, not in terms of an opinion statement, but the use of a photograph." Lajcak said, "I will certainly think about it."ALSO READ | Indian diplomat Paulomi Tripathi counters Pakistan's fake image at United Nations: Here's the full textHowever, he prefaced it by indicating that it was matter of diplomacy and the rights and sensitivities of nations."It is not for me to answer. It's for the delegations that are involved. I want to use but not misuse my position as President of the General Assembly," he said.On Saturday, Lodhi had held up picture of an injured Palestinian girl from Gaza that had been published two years ago by The New York Times claiming she was a victim from Kashmir.On Monday, Paulomi Tripathi, a First Secretary in the Indian Mission, told the General Assembly that Pakistan was callously exploiting the image of a Palestinian girl to "to divert attention from Pakistan's role as the hub of global terrorism."In response, Tipu Usman, a counsellor in the Pakistani Mission, made claimed that Lodhi's use of the fake picture "backfired" on India.

United Nations General Assembly president says he will 'think' about fake pictures issue

The use of a fake picture by Pakistan's Permanent Representative while responding to Sushma Swaraj's speech came up during his news conference.

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Former French priest Bernard Preynat arrives at the Lyon court house, central France, Monday Jan.13, 2020. Bernard Preynat, is accused of sexually abusing some 75 Boy Scouts went on trial Monday. A French former priest accused of sexually abusing some 75 boys when he worked as their scout chaplain is on trial in Lyon, France's worst clergy abuse drama to reach court so far.Church hierarchy is suspected of covering up Bernard Preynat's actions for decades, and a French cardinal was convicted last year of failing to report him to police or prosecutors. The case's repercussions reached all the way to the Vatican.Preynat has admitted to abusing boys in the 1970s and 1980s, and told the court Monday, “I have heard the suffering of these people, which I'm guilty of causing. I hope that this trial can unfold as quickly as possible."The trial briefly opened Monday but was quickly delayed because of a lawyers' strike.The proceedings resumed Tuesday, though some lawyers pleaded for a new delay.Preynat, now 74, is charged with sexual assault of 10 minors between 1986 and 1991. He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. He’s also accused of abusing dozens of others in the 1970s and 1980s, but those alleged incidents happened too long ago to prosecute.Parents first alerted the diocese to alleged molestation by Preynat in 1991. The priest swore to the then-cardinal that he would no longer touch a child, and no other victims have come forward saying he abused them after 1991.He wrote a letter that year to the parents of a victim who wanted him to leave the Scout association he led, reading: “I swear to you that since the start of the school year in September, absolutely nothing has happened between me and the children. (...) Everything that happened has shaken me up a lot and made me think. I am not trying to justify myself since I am wrong. Let me finish the year normally. ”At the time of the abuse, Preynat was in charge of the Saint-Luc scout camp in a private Catholic school in Sainte-Foy-les-Lyons in the suburbs of Lyon for 20 years, then continued his career as a priest until 2015 in the mountains near Lyon.In 2014, the priest was overtaken by his past. Alexandre Hezez, who said he had been abused as a child by Preynat, went public as an adult and asked church hierarchy why he was still in office. Other victims came forward too, one by one.It wasn't until last year that the French Catholic Church found Preynat guilty of abuse and removed him from the priesthood.In defrocking him, the church said in a statement: "In view of the facts and their recurrence, the large number of victims, the fact that Father Bernard Preynat abused the authority conferred on him by his position within the Scout group that he had founded (…), the court decided to apply the maximum penalty (…), namely the dismissal from the clerical state.”That decision came after French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin was convicted in March of covering up for Preynat’s actions. Barbarin tried to resign, but Pope Francis refused to accept it until the appeals process is complete. An appeals court ruling is expected Jan. 30.Several other church officials were also accused of failing to alert police or prosecutors, including a senior Vatican official, Cardinal Luis Ladaria. The Vatican invoked his immunity as an official of a sovereign state.

French priest on trial, accused of sexually abusing 75 boys

A French former priest accused of sexually abusing some 75 boys when he worked as their scout chaplain is on trial in Lyon, France's worst clergy abuse drama to reach court so far.

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Imran KhanForeign dignitaries and celebrities would not be invited for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan's oath taking as Prime Minister. Initially, the party had planned to extend invite to several foreign personalities including Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan and Indian cricket legends Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar and Navjot Singh Sidhu. "The PTI Chairman has directed to stage the oath-taking event with austerity," party spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry said on Thursday."He will take his oath in a simple ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr (President's House)."It has been decided that no foreign personalities will be invited to the ceremony... It will be a completely national event. Only a few close friends of Imran Khan will be invited."There will be no show of extravagance at the event," added Chaudhry.Earlier, the party had asked the Foreign Office to apprise its leadership regarding inviting heads of states and foreign leaders of different countries. This may have included Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan's PTI has emerged as the single largest party in the National Assembly and he is set to take oath as Prime Minister on August 11, three days ahead of Pakistan's Independence Day.(With PTI inputs)

Imran Khan decides not to invite foreign dignitaries, celebs at oath-taking as Pakistan Prime Minister

"The PTI Chairman has directed to stage the oath-taking event with austerity," party spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry said on Thursday. "He will take his oath in a simple ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr (President's House).

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The state-run Chinese media on Wednesday said that Muslims in India largely remained unaffected from radicalization of Muslim groups in other parts of the world because of the strong influence of Hinduism in the country which has gone far beyond a religion to become a lifestyle and social institution.Praising Hinduism for helping India establish lasting cohesion among various communities in the country, an article in Global Times said that it made India a barrier for the spread of radical Islam on the global geopolitical landscape.“Why does it seem that Muslims in India have remained largely apart from the radicalization that has happened to Muslim groups in other parts of the world? Indian Muslims seldom have extreme organizations compared with groups in many other Asian countries. In the southern part of the Philippines, extremists backed by Islamic State have turned their occupied cities into horrible places. In southern Thailand, terror attacks staged by Muslim extremists take place almost every week,” the article said.The article then pointed out that the answer lies in the strong influence of the moderate face of Hinduism, the major religion of India.“Like many other religions, Hinduism has its extreme side, but for the most part its more moderate side has the strongest influence. Perhaps it is this more moderate influence that has helped establish India's lasting cohesion and is one of the reasons that the country has not separated,” it said.The article further added that Indians often take pride in the Mughal Dynasty but this period of history was established by Muslims, not Hindus, though there was Hindu influence in that era.“In the long history of India, Hinduism has gone far beyond a religion to become a lifestyle and social institution. Both its extreme and tolerant sides have constituted the foundation for its relationship with Muslims and this dual character is going to exist for a long time,” it said.“The result of this relationship has made India a barrier for the spread of radical Islam on the global geopolitical landscape,” it added.The article pointed out that the lack of Islamic extremists in India has helped determine its role in Asia and it has been taken into consideration by the US, Japan, Russia and European countries. The article also asked China not to ignore the significance of India successfully  checking the spread of radical Islam.

Hinduism helped India check spread of radical Islam: Chinese media

Praising Hinduism for helping India establish lasting cohesion among various communities in the country, an article in Global Times said that it made India a barrier for the spread of radical Islam.

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President Abdel-Fattah al-SisiEgyptian presidential spokesman has said that Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail has submitted his government's resignation to President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi."The President assigned the government to act as caretaker and continue performing its duties until a new government is formed," presidential spokesman Bassam Rady said in a statement on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.The cabinet resignation came a few days after Sisi was sworn in at the parliament for a second four-year presidential term.It is a political tradition in Egypt, the government should resign at the start of a new presidential term. However, El-Sissi and Ismail are known to enjoy a close working relationship, with the general-turned-president often publicly praising his prime minister. Lawmaker Sayyid Abdel-Aal, head of leftist Tagammu Party, said that the president will name a prime minister and present it to the parliament or name a prime minister after consultation with most of the parliament."After naming the prime minister, the latter will name the cabinet ministers expect for sovereign ministries, whose ministers are determined in consultation with the president," the lawmaker told Xinhua following the cabinet resignation.The Egyptian government continues a strict, austerity-based three-year economic reform program which started in late 2016, including local currency liberalization followed by fuel and energy subsidy cuts and tax hikes to contain a budget deficit, promote local production and boost foreign investment.Abdel-Aal didn't expect major changes in economic ministries."The new government will have to be committed to the economic policies already approved by the parliament and reflected in the new general budget," said the parliamentarian.Egypt's most recent cabinet reshuffle took place in January. It was partial, and it included the four ministers of culture, tourism, local development and public enterprise.(with IANS inputs)

Egypt PM Ismail submits his resignation to President Sisi

The cabinet resignation came a few days after Sisi was sworn in at the parliament for a second four-year presidential term.

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While Pompeo offered a relatively positive assessment of his meetings, North Korea’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the U.S. betrayed the spirit of last month’s summit between President Donald Trump and Kim by making “unilateral and gangster-like” demands on “CVID,” or the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of North Korea.The high-level talks between the United States and North Korea appeared to hit a snag on Saturday as Pyongyang said a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had been “regrettable” and accused Washington of making “gangster-like” demands to pressure the country into abandoning its nuclear weapons.The statement from the North came just hours after Pompeo wrapped up two days of talks with senior North Korean officials without meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un but with commitments for new discussions on denuclearisation and the repatriation of the remains of American soldiers killed during the Korean War.Related Stories US team in North Korea planning summit with Kim Jong-Un, says Donald TrumpUS expects June 12 Singapore summit to happen but prepared either way: White House North Korean leader Kim thanks China for support with Trump summitUS Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to leave for third North Korea trip on July 5, confirms White HouseWhile Pompeo offered a relatively positive assessment of his meetings, North Korea’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the U.S. betrayed the spirit of last month’s summit between President Donald Trump and Kim by making “unilateral and gangster-like” demands on “CVID,” or the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of North Korea.It said the outcome of the follow-up talks was “very concerning” because it has led to a “dangerous phase that might rattle our willingness for denuclearization that had been firm.”“We had expected that the U.S. side would offer constructive measures that would help build trust based on the spirit of the leaders’ summit ... we were also thinking about providing reciprocal measures,” said the statement, released by an unnamed spokesman and carried by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency.“However, the attitude and stance the United States showed in the first high-level meeting (between the countries) was no doubt regrettable,” the spokesman said. “Our expectations and hopes were so naive it could be called foolish.”According to the spokesman, during the talks with Pompeo the North raised the issue of a possible declaration to formally end the 1950-53 Korean War, which concluded with an armistice and not a peace treaty. It also offered to discuss the closure of a missile engine test site that would “physically affirm” a move to halt the production of intercontinental range ballistic missiles and setting up working-level discussions for the return of U.S. war remains.However, the spokesman said the United States came up with a variety of “conditions and excuses” to delay a declaration on ending the war. The spokesman also downplayed the significance of the United States suspending its military exercises with South Korea, saying the North made a larger concession by blowing up the tunnels at its nuclear test site.In criticizing the talks with Pompeo, however, the North carefully avoided attacking Trump, saying “we wholly maintain our trust toward President Trump,” but also that Washington must not allow “headwinds” against the “wills of the leaders.”In comments to reporters before leaving Pyongyang, Pompeo said his conversations with senior North Korean official Kim Yong Chol had been “productive,” conducted “in good faith” and that “a great deal of progress” had been made in some areas. He stressed that “there’s still more work to be done” in other areas, much of which would be done by working groups that the two sides have set up to deal with specific issues.Pompeo said a Pentagon team would be meeting with North Korean officials on or about July 12 at the border between North and South Korea to discuss the repatriation of remains and that working level talks would be held soon on the destruction of North Korea’s missile engine testing facility.In the days following his historic June 12 summit with Kim Jong Un in Singapore, Trump had announced that the return of the remains and the destruction of the missile facility had been completed or were in progress.Pompeo, however, said that more talks were needed on both.“We now have a meeting set up for July 12 — it could move by one day or two — where there will be discussions between the folks responsible for the repatriation of remains. (It) will take place at the border and that process will begin to develop over the days that follow,” he said as he boarded his plane for Tokyo.On the destruction of the missile engine plant, Pompeo said, “We talked about what the modalities would look like for the destruction of that facility as well, and some progress there as well, and then we have laid out a path for further negotiation at the working level so the two teams can get together and continue these discussions.”Earlier, Pompeo and Kim Yong Chol both said they needed clarity on the parameters of an agreement to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula that Trump and Kim Jong Un agreed to in Singapore. The trip was Pompeo’s third to Pyongyang since April and his first since the summit.Unlike his previous visits, which have been one-day affairs during which he has met with Kim Jong Un, Pompeo spent the night at a government guesthouse in Pyongyang and did not see the North Korean leader, although U.S. officials had suggested such a meeting was expected. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said no meeting had been planned.As they began their talks on Saturday, Kim Yong Chol alluded to the fact that Pompeo and his delegation had stayed overnight in Pyongyang.“We did have very serious discussions on very important matters yesterday,” Kim said. “So, thinking about those discussions you might have not slept well last night.”Pompeo, who spoke with Trump, national security adviser John Bolton and White House chief of staff John Kelly by secure phone before starting Saturday’s session, replied that he “slept just fine.” He added that the Trump administration was committed to reaching a deal under which North Korea would denuclearize and realize economic benefits in return.Kim later said that “there are things that I have to clarify” to which Pompeo responded that “there are things that I have to clarify as well.”There was no immediate explanation of what needed to be clarified, but the two sides have been struggling to specify what exactly “denuclearisation” would entail and how it could be verified to the satisfaction of the United States.Pompeo and Kim met for nearly three hours Friday and then had dinner amid growing skepticism over how serious Kim Jong Un is about giving up his nuclear arsenal and translating the upbeat rhetoric following his summit with Trump into concrete action.(With AP inputs)

North Korea lashes out at US for its 'gangster-like' attitude after 'regrettable' talks with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

The statement from the North came just hours after Pompeo wrapped up two days of talks with senior North Korean officials without meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un but with commitments for new discussions on denuclearisation and the repatriation of the remains of American soldiers killed during the Korean War.

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FILEWhile studies have shown that men are more prone to dying from COVID-19 than women globally, an analysis of case fatalities in India suggests that females may have a higher relative-risk of COVID-19 mortality in the country.Scientists, including Abhishek Kumar from the Institute of Economic Growth in New Delhi, used crowdsourced data to provide early estimates for age-sex specific COVID-19 case fatality rate (CFR) for India.The study, published in the Journal of Global Health Science, presented an age and sex specific view of mortality from the disease using the measure of CFR, which is the ratio of confirmed deaths in total confirmed cases.In the research, the scientists evaluated adjusted-CFR to capture the potential mortality among the currently active infections.According to the study, the CFR among males is 2.9 per cent, while that for females it is 3.3 per cent in India.The researchers said as of May 20, 2020, males shared a higher burden (66 per cent) of COVID-19 infections than females (34 per cent) but the infection is more or less evenly distributed in under-five as well as elderly age groups.Males are at a greater disadvantage than females, they said, adding that it is unclear whether males experience a higher risk of mortality throughout the age-spectrum, or if there are sex-related differences in survival risk."While males have a higher overall burden (66 per cent) of COVID-19 infections than females, the infection is evenly distributed in the under-five age group and, to some extent, even among the elderly age groups (particularly 70+ years)," the scientists wrote in the study.The World Health Organization (WHO) world standard population structure standardized CFR for India is 3.34 per cent while the adjusted-CFR is estimated to be 4.8 per cent, the study noted.While early evidence indicated that males have higher overall burden across the world, females have a higher relative-risk of COVID-19 mortality in India, the researchers said.According to the scientists, elderly males and females both display high mortality risk and require special care when infected.Citing the limitations of the study, the researchers said the analysis is based on crowdsourced data with "considerable gaps in reporting of age-sex specific information of all the COVID-19 infections and deaths."The scientists said the number of confirmed cases in India depends upon the testing facility and capture of the data on age-sex specificities of COVID-19 cases, which they added "has been inadequate."Based on the results, the researchers emphasised the need for data collection and sharing of age-sex specific COVID-19 cases and mortality data to develop robust estimates of COVID-19 case fatality to support policy decisions.

Females in India may have higher COVID-19 death risk than males: Study

While studies have shown that men are more prone to dying from COVID-19 than women globally, an analysis of case fatalities in India suggests that females may have a higher relative-risk of COVID-19 mortality in the country.

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Coronavirus: Using terms like Wuhan Virus absolutely wrong, we did not created COVID-19, says China envoyChina on Wednesday said that it has neither created the coronavirus nor intentionally transmitted it and that usage of terms like "Chinese virus" or "Wuhan virus" is wrong. Ji Rong, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in India, said the international community should focus on China's "swift response" to the pandemic rather than "stereotyping the Chinese people".Elaborating on the cooperation between India and China in efforts to fight the disease, Mr Rong said both countries have maintained communication and have lent support to each other in coping with the pandemic through difficult times.He said the Indian side has provided medical supplies to China and supported its fight against the contagion in various ways."We express appreciation and thanks for that," he added.Pointing out that the WHO has stressed that linking China and Wuhan with the virus must be corrected, the spokesperson said: "Those people who are trying to stigmatise China's efforts have ignored the huge sacrifices the Chinese people made in safeguarding the health and safety of all mankind".He added that although Wuhan city in China first reported the outbreak, there is no evidence that China is the source of the virus that caused COVID-19.Mr Rong said the origin of the novel coronavirus is a matter of science that requires professional and scientific assessment."China has neither created the virus nor intentionally transmitted it. The so-called 'Chinese virus' is absolutely wrong," he said.Earlier this month, China had condemned US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for branding the COVID-19 as "Wuhan virus", terming his remarks as "despicable behaviour" and an attempt to stigmatise the country.There is a clear consensus by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that a virus should not be linked to any specific country, region or ethnic group and such stigmatisation should be rejected.Instances have been reported in some countries including India and the US where numbers of people, especially of Chinese origin, have been harassed and have even faced racially-motivated attacks amid the coronavirus pandemic."The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that the seasonal flu starting from September 2019 has so far sickened more than 30 million people and killed more than 20,000, and CDC Director Dr Robert Redfield admitted some were actually COVID-19 (cases)," Mr Rong said.He said after the outbreak, the Chinese government has timely adopted in an "open, transparent and responsible manner" the "most comprehensive, rigorous and thorough measures" to control the epidemic, provided updates to the WHO and the international community and shared experiences in diagnosis and treatment."At the early stage of the outbreak, China took decisive decision to lock down Wuhan and cancel outbound tourist groups to prevent the spread of the epidemic," the spokesperson said.Since January 3, China has been regularly notifying WHO and relevant countries and regions about the outbreak, and on January 12, it had already shared with WHO the genetic sequence of the novel coronavirus, he added.On Tuesday, China's National Health Commission reported 78 new confirmed cases of coronavirus, including 74 imported infections, while the death count from the novel coronavirus increased to 3,277 after seven more fatalities.Recently, China held an online video conference to brief 19 Eurasian and South Asian countries including India on China's experience, the spokesperson added."The Chinese enterprises have started to make donations to India. We stand ready to provide further support and assistance to the best of our capability in light of the needs of the Indian side. We believe that the Indian people will win the battle at an early date," he said."China will continue to fight the epidemic together with India and other countries, enhance cooperation in multilateral platforms such as the G20 and BRICS, contribute our wisdom and strength to better addressing global challenges and promoting the health and well-being of all mankind," Mr Rong added. /* .jw-reset-text, .jw-reset{line-height: 2em;}*/ .jw-time-tip .jw-time-chapter{display:none;} if ('' == comscore_jw_loaded || 'undefined' == comscore_jw_loaded || undefined == comscore_jw_loaded) { var comscore_jw_loaded = 1; firstjw = document.getElementsByClassName('jwvidplayer')[0]; cs_jw_script = document.createElement('script'); cs_jw_script.src = 'https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/internal-c2/plugins/streamingtag_plugin_jwplayer.js'; firstjw.parentNode.insertBefore(cs_jw_script, firstjw.nextSibling); } var jwconfig_8056286748 = { "file": "https://indiatv-vh.akamaihd.net/i/vod/0_3f2fpmet_,20,21,22,.mp4.csmil/master.m3u8", "image": "https://thumbs.indiatvnews.com/vod/0_3f2fpmet_big_thumb.jpg", "title": "Coronavirus pandemic: Security tightened at border areas amid India lockdown", "height": "440px", "width": "100%", "aspectratio": "16:9", "autostart": false, "controls": true, "mute": false, "volume": 25, "floating": false, "sharing": { "code": "", "sites": [ "facebook", "twitter", "email" ] }, "stretching": "exactfit", "primary": "html5", "hlshtml": true, "sharing_link": "", "advertising": { "client": "vast", "autoplayadsmuted": true, "skipoffset": 5, "cuetext": "", "skipmessage": "Skip ad in xx", "skiptext": "SKIP", "preloadAds": true, "schedule": [ { "offset": "pre", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PreRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" }, { "offset": "50%", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_MidRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=" }, { "offset": "post", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PostRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" } ] } }; var jwvidplayer_8056286748 = ''; jwsetup_8056286748(); function jwsetup_8056286748() { jwvidplayer_8056286748 = jwplayer("jwvidplayer_8056286748").setup(jwconfig_8056286748); jwvidplayer_8056286748.on('ready', function () { ns_.StreamingAnalytics.JWPlayer(jwvidplayer_8056286748, { publisherId: "20465327", labelmapping: "c2=\"20465327\", c3=\"IndiaTV News\", c4=\"null\", c6=\"null\", ns_st_mp=\"jwplayer\", ns_st_cl=\"0\", ns_st_ci=\"0_3f2fpmet\", ns_st_pr=\"Coronavirus pandemic: Security tightened at border areas amid India lockdown\", ns_st_sn=\"0\", ns_st_en=\"0\", ns_st_ep=\"Coronavirus pandemic: Security tightened at border areas amid India lockdown\", ns_st_ct=\"null\", ns_st_ge=\"News\", ns_st_st=\"Coronavirus pandemic: Security tightened at border areas amid India lockdown\", ns_st_ce=\"0\", ns_st_ia=\"0\", ns_st_ddt=\"2020-03-26\", ns_st_tdt=\"2020-03-26\", ns_st_pu=\"IndiaTV News\", ns_st_cu=\"https://indiatv-vh.akamaihd.net/i/vod/0_3f2fpmet_,20,21,22,.mp4.csmil/master.m3u8\", ns_st_ty=\"video\"" }); }); jwvidplayer_8056286748.on('all', function (r) { if (jwvidplayer_8056286748.getState() == 'error' || jwvidplayer_8056286748.getState() == 'setupError') { jwvidplayer_8056286748.stop(); jwvidplayer_8056286748.remove(); jwvidplayer_8056286748 = ''; jwsetup_8056286748(); return; } }); jwvidplayer_8056286748.on('error', function (t) { jwvidplayer_8056286748.stop(); jwvidplayer_8056286748.remove(); jwvidplayer_8056286748 = ''; jwsetup_8056286748(); return; }); jwvidplayer_8056286748.on('mute', function () { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_8056286748.on('adPlay', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_8056286748.on('adPause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_8056286748.on('pause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_8056286748.on('error', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_8056286748.on('adBlock', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); } Also Read | Coronavirus Live UpdatesAlso Read | Coronavirus suspect with no travel history dies in Indore

Coronavirus: Using terms like 'Wuhan Virus' absolutely wrong, we did not create COVID-19, says China envoy

Ji Rong, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in India, said the international community should focus on China's "swift response" to the pandemic rather than "stereotyping the Chinese people".

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Stanford biophysicist and Nobel laureate predicts COVID-19 will disappear soonStanford University biophysicist and Nobel prize winner Michael Levitt has predicted that coronavirus will soon disappear if the world keeps on practicing social distancing. Levitt, who won the 2013 Nobel Prize in chemistry, earlier predicted about the epidemic in China that it would get through the worst of its devastating outbreak before several other health experts predicted.In an interview with The Los Angeles Times, he said: "What we need is to control the panic... we're going to be fine," he said, adding that the data doesn't support the doom epidemiologist have been warning about."Numbers are still noisy but there are clear signs of slowed growth," he was quoted as saying.According to Johns Hopkins University's data, there are now 35,224 cases and 471 deaths in the US.Globally, there are close to 4 lakh cases and over 17,000 deaths as of now.Levitt said that social-distancing mandates and getting vaccinated against the flu are both critical to the fight against the spread.The Nobel laureate also blamed the media for fanning out panic.Earlier, when China started reporting more deaths from COVID-19, Levitt sent out an optimistic report."This suggests that the rate of increase in number of the deaths will slow down even more over the next week," he said in a note that went viral on Chinese social media.He predicted mid-February peak with a total tally of about 80,000 cases and 3,250 deaths."As of March 16, China had counted a total of 80,298 cases and 3,245 deaths".Levitt said that overreaction could trigger another crisis, with lost jobs and hopelessness around.(With Inputs from IANS) 

Stanford biophysicist and Nobel laureate predicts COVID-19 will disappear soon

Stanford University biophysicist and Nobel prize winner Michael Levitt has predicted that coronavirus will soon disappear if the world keeps on practicing social distancing.

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Hundreds of Hindus protesting against attacks on temples and the killing of two Hindu devotees in another district shout slogans in Dhaka, BangladeshAmid escalating communal violence in Bangladesh, a clash between police and attackers erupted at the Lakshmi Narayan Akhra temple in Chandpur's Hajiganj Upazila on Tuesday. The death toll in the clash was reported five after one injured person succumbed during treatment. Commenting on the incident, Md Harunur Rashid, officer-in-charge of Hajiganj Police Station said the victim was transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) from Comilla Medical Hospital for better treatment, where he succumbed. Earlier, several reports stated some people were killed, while 60 others, including journalists, police and common people were injured in the communal violence during Durga Puja celebrations in Chandpur's Hajiganj upazila.This comes after purported reports of desecration of the Holy Quran at a Durga Puja venue on the bank of Nanuar Dighi surfaced on social media. Several puja venues were vandalized in the area of Chandpur, Chittagong, Gazipur, Bandarban, Chapainawabganj, and Moulvibazar, reported Dhaka Tribune.Meanwhile, attacks that started in Cumilla during Durga Puja have spread to other parts of the country and there are reports of violence, arson and killing from several areas and cities.At least 71 cases have been filed in different parts of the country in connection with the attacks on Hindus and around 450 were arrested for spreading rumours on social media. (With inputs from ANI)Also Read | United States condemns attacks on Hindu temples, businesses in Bangladesh

Bangladesh communal violence: 5 killed in clash between police, attackers at Lakshmi Narayan Akhra temple

Attacks that began in Cumilla during Durga Puja have spread to other parts of Bangladesh and there are reports of violence, arson and killing from several areas and cities.

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Breaking News December 14The total number of global coronavirus cases has surpassed 72 million, including 1,618,754 fatalities. As many as 50,859,567 patients are reported to have recovered. Follow this breaking news blog for live updates on the coronavirus pandemic as it continues to pose a challenge for health workers and scientists who are in a race against time to produce a vaccine/medicine.IndiaTvNews.com brings you the economic fallout of the COVID-19 crisis that has resulted in job losses in millions and changing the way we work. Stay Home, Stay Safe, and Stay Informed as our team of dedicated editors/reporters bring you the latest news on coronavirus, coronavirus vaccine trial updates, photos, video, news, views and top stories from monsoon rains, business, politics, education, science, yoga, and much more in India and worldwide.

Breaking News December 14 | Highlights

Get all the latest news on coronavirus cases, news on the vaccine, business, politics, science, education and much more in India and worldwide.

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Five US Governors to visit India over next two monthsThe governors of five US states – New Jersey, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware and Indiana -- are scheduled to visit India over the next few months to enhance economic ties with the country. They will be leading high-powered trade delegations comprising top businesses from their respective states.The unprecedented move of five American governors visiting India in quick succession is a part of the efforts by the Trump administration and the Modi government to enhance state-to-state relationship. The effort has been propelled by the current India's Ambassador to the US, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, who has travelled to 11 US states so far. Noting that states play an important role in both the countries, Shringla said this is a very important initiative. "Increasingly, states have an important say in economic activities, investment, trade and people-to-people contact," Shringla told PTI in an interview. "I'm happy to say that in the next two months, we will have five governors of US States visiting India," he said, days before New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy leaves on his maiden trip to India with a high-powered trade delegation.In fact, he is the first governor of New Jersey -- a state which has a sizeable population of Indian Americans -- to visit India. Early this Summer, Murphy had hosted Shringla over a dinner. Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson is scheduled to visit India from September 29 to October 6. This will also be the first ever India visit by a Arkansas Governor. Hutchinson had a working lunch with Shringla early this summer.Later this month, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb would make his second trip to India, as part of his four-nation Asia sojourn including China, Japan and South Korea. In India in early October, Holcomb will watch Indians Pacers in Mumbai for the NBA's first games in India. Similarly, Colorado Governor Jared Polis announced his decision to travel to India with a trade delegation in the presence of Shringla at a business round table in Denver this summer. He is slated to visit Mumbai, Bengaluru and New Delhi. He will also participate in Global RE-Invest Expo, organized by India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, to be held between October 31 and November 2 in Greater Noida.Delaware Governor John Carney is also scheduled to visit India this fall. In addition, Lt Governor Eleni Kounalakis of California is also scheduled to travel to India soon.ALSO READ | New US-led patrols in Persian Gulf raise stakes with Iran

Five US Governors to visit India over next two months

The governors of five US states – New Jersey, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware and Indiana -- are scheduled to visit India over the next few months to enhance economic ties with the country. They will be leading high-powered trade delegations comprising top businesses from their respective states.

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Taliban commando fighters stand guard in Lashkar Gah, Helmand province, southwestern, Afghanistan, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021.Taliban has killed at least 14 people belonging to the Hazara community in Khadir district of Afghanistan's Daykundi province, local media reports said. Among those killed are 12 soldiers, who reportedly surrendered, and two civilians. One of them is said to be a kid.Last week, the Shiite minority called on the Taliban to set up an inclusive government in which all ethnic groups would have a voice. Shiite leader Sayed Hussain Alimi Balkhi said the country's Shiite clerics have issued a declaration stating that a future parliament in Afghanistan should include members of different sects of Islam.He asked for freedom of religion under an Islamic government and asked that there be separate courts for Shiites that follow Jafari jurisprudence, “in accordance with the provisions of law.The Shiite concerns come as the Taliban negotiating team in Qatar has been was insisting on implementation of Islamic law, and specifically Hanafi laws which are a major school of Sunni jurisprudence, in the laws and the constitution of Afghanistan.READ MORE: All parties should establish contact with Taliban and guide it actively: China tells US  /* .jw-reset-text, .jw-reset{line-height: 2em;}*/ .jw-time-tip .jw-time-chapter{display:none;} if ('' == comscore_jw_loaded || 'undefined' == comscore_jw_loaded || undefined == comscore_jw_loaded) { var comscore_jw_loaded = 1; firstjw = document.getElementsByClassName('jwvidplayer')[0]; 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Taliban kills 14 people of Hazara minority in Afghanistan's Daykundi province: Reports

Taliban has killed at least 14 people belonging to the Hazara community in Khadir district of Afghanistan's Daykundi province, local media reports said. Among those killed are 12 soldiers, who reportedly surrendered, and two civilians. One of them is said to be a kid.

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Wear a mask while having sex, Canada’s top doctor suggestsWearing a face mask while having sex is very likely to protect you for catching the novel coronavirus, Canada’s chief medical officer has suggested. If the top doctor is to be believed, people should skip kissing altogether and should wear a mask while having sex. Going solo remains the lowest risk sexual option in a pandemic, the doctor has said. According to a report with Reuters, there is little chance of catching COVID-19 from semen or vaginal fluid, Dr. Theresa Tam has said in a statement. However, sexual activity with new partners increases the risk of contracting the virus, particularly if there is close contact like kissing.“Like other activities during COVID-19 that involve physical closeness, there are some things you can do to minimize the risk of getting infected and spreading the virus,” the doctor was quoted as saying.Skip kissing, avoid face-to-face closeness, wear a mask that covers your mouth and nose, and monitor yourself and your partner for symptoms ahead of any sexual activity, Tam said.“The lowest risk sexual activity during COVID-19 involves yourself alone,” she added.Sexual health is an important part of overall health, Tam said, and by taking precautions, “Canadians can find ways to enjoy physical intimacy while safeguarding the progress we have all made containing COVID-19.”

Skip kissing, wear face masks while having sex to avoid COVID-19: Canada’s top doctor suggests

Wearing a face mask while having sex is very likely to protect you for catching the novel coronavirus, Canada’s chief medical officer has suggested. If the top doctor is to be believed, people should skip kissing altogether and should wear a mask while having sex.

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Medical workers in protective gear talk with a woman who may have contracted the coronavirus at a community health station in Wuhan, China, on Jan 27 (AP photo)South Korea reported its first death from the new virus on Thursday while the mayor of a southeastern city urged its 2.5 million people to stay inside as infections linked to a church congregation spiked.The death was the ninth confirmed from the virus outside mainland China. Other deaths have occurred in France, Hong Kong, Japan, the Philippines and Taiwan.The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the South Korean man, believed to be about 63 years old, died at a hospital on Wednesday and posthumously tested positive for the virus. Officials said he had been hospitalized due to schizophrenia for an extended period and recently suffered pneumonia symptoms.The center also confirmed 22 additional cases of the virus, raising the total in South Korea to 104.Twenty-one of those new cases were in and around the city of Daegu, where the mayor urged citizens earlier Thursday to stay home and wear masks even indoors if possible.In a televised news conference, Mayor Kwon Young-jin expressed fears that rising infections in the region will soon overwhelm the city’s health system and called for urgent help from the central government.“National quarantine efforts that are currently focused on blocking the inflow of the virus (from China) and stemming its spread are inadequate for preventing the illness from circulating in local communities,” Kwon said.The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 49 of 73 new patients confirmed in the city’s region in the past two days went to services at a Daegu church attended by a previously confirmed virus patient or contacted her elsewhere. That patient is a South Korean woman in her early 60s who has no recent record of overseas travel, according to center officials. She tested positive for the virus on Tuesday.The center’s director, Jung Eun-kyeong, told reporters that it’s still unclear whether she was a “super spreader” of the disease or merely the first patient detected in the area. Jung said officials were screening some 1,000 people who attended services at the Shincheonji Church of Jesus with the woman on Feb. 9 and Feb. 16 and were placing them under home isolation.The church, which claims about 200,000 followers in South Korea, said it has closed all of its 74 sanctuaries around the nation and told followers to instead watch its worship services on YouTube. It said in a statement that health officials were disinfecting its church in Daegu and were tracing the woman’s contacts. The Daegu church has about 8,000 followers.It said church officials have advised followers since late January to stay at home if they had recently traveled overseas or were experiencing even mild cold-like symptoms. But the woman assumed she had a common cold and kept coming to the church because she hadn’t traveled overseas, church officials said.“We think it’s deeply regrettable ... for causing concerns to the local community,” the statement said.Shincheonji, which translates as “New heaven and new Earth,” is a controversial new religious movement established in 1984 by Lee Man-hee. The church describes him as an angel of Jesus sent to testify about the fulfilled prophecies of the Book of Revelation.The explosion of infections in Daegu and the neighboring region, as well as some new cases in the Seoul metropolitan area where the sources of infection are unclear, have raised concern that health authorities are losing track of the virus as it spreads more broadly in the country.Kwon spoke shortly before South Korea’s government acknowledged for the first time that the country was beginning to see “community transmission” of the illness, albeit at a “limited range.”“We are seeing infections in some areas like Seoul and Daegu where it’s difficult to confirm the cause or routes of the infections,” Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip said, adding that the government would need to change its quarantine strategy that has focused on tracing contacts.In a telephone conversation with Kwon later Thursday, President Moon Jae-in said the central government will provide all available assistance to help Daegu fight the virus, according to the presidential Blue House.Separately, Moon also talked on the phone with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss cooperation in combating the virus. During the 30-minute call, they agreed to facilitate the sharing of information gained from infection treatments and strengthen cooperation between quarantine authorities, his office said.

South Korea reports first death from coronavirus; 2.5 million residents of southern city in lockdown

South Korea reported its first death from the new virus on Thursday while the mayor of a southeastern city urged its 2.5 million people to stay inside as infections linked to a church congregation spiked

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Police work the scene of an early morning collision between a vehicle and a train on Remount Road in SC.An Amtrak train carrying nearly 500 passengers collided with an SUV at a South Carolina rail crossing before dawn Saturday, leaving three of the SUV’s four occupants dead, authorities said. None of the train’s passengers or crew were hurt, Amtrak said.The North Charleston Fire Department said the SUV was heavily damaged when police arrived at the marked crossing early Saturday after the collision was first reported to emergency dispatchers shortly before 2:30 a.m.Three of the dead in the vehicle were pronounced dead at the scene, and a fourth person was taken to a hospital. None of the four were identified and there was no immediate update on the condition of the survivor.Amtrak spokesperson Olivia Irvin said in an email that Auto Train 53 was traveling from Lorton, Virginia, just outside the nation’s capital, to Sanford, Florida. Twelve of its cars had passengers.There were 474 passengers but no reported injuries on board, Irvin wrote. The Amtrak train was able to make a controlled emergency stop after the collision.The train was delayed for several hours and resumed its journey just before 8:30 a.m.Damage to the train is being assessed by Amtrak representatives. The North Charleston Police Department and CSX Transportation are investigating the cause of the crash.Asked for further details of the collision, a North Charleston police spokesman, Harvey Jacobs, emailed Saturday evening that his agency would have no additional comment until the investigation is complete.

3 die in SUV crossing crash with Amtrak train in US' South Carolina

The North Charleston Fire Dept said the SUV was heavily damaged when police arrived at the marked crossing early Saturday after collision was first reported to emergency dispatchers shortly before 2:30 am.

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New Zealand provisionally approves AstraZeneca vaccine for people aged above 18,New Zealand's regulatory authority Medsafe on Thursday granted provisional approval of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine for individuals aged 18 and above.New Zealand secured 7.6 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, enough for 3.8 million people, through an advance purchase agreement with the company last year, Acting Minister for Covid-19 Response Ayesha Verrall said in a statement."The AstraZeneca vaccine is one of four purchase agreements we have with pharmaceutical companies for Covid-19 vaccines. We took a portfolio approach to manage the risk that some vaccines might not complete trials or be approved for use in New Zealand," Xinhua news agency quoted Verrall as saying."We are in a fortunate position to now have three vaccines receive provisional approval. Cabinet is yet to consider whether to use the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine in New Zealand," she said.However, this is an important step towards enabling the donation of AstraZeneca from New Zealand to Pacific countries, where we have made commitments, Verrall said.The AstraZeneca vaccine requires two doses and is stored at normal fridge temperatures (2 to 8 degrees Celsius).The first delivery could be as early as late August, and officials are working closely with AstraZeneca to confirm delivery schedules.The immunisation plan in New Zealand remains focused on rolling out the Pfizer vaccine. The workforce is ramping up in line with increased deliveries, Verrall said."We are on track to provide two doses of the Pfizer vaccines to everyone in New Zealand who wishes to have one, by the end of this year. No one will miss out," she added. 

New Zealand provisionally approves AstraZeneca vaccine for people aged above 18

New Zealand secured 7.6 mn doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, enough for 3.8 mn people, through an advance purchase agreement with the company last year, Acting Minister for Covid Response Ayesha Verrall said in a statement.

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12 killed in Karachi after heavy rains lash PakistanAt least 12 people were killed after heavy rains lashed out various areas of Karachi in Pakistan for a second consecutive day on Sunday.Two people lost their lives after being electrocuted in Karachi's Khayaban-i-Shehbaz area on Sunday. Earlier two people had died of electrocution, and two were killed in roof collapses in Qasbah Colony and Bhatta Village, the Dawn reported. The uninterrupted torrential downpour caused power outages in several areas.According to the MET office, the most rainfall was recorded in Surjani Town with 150.6mm, followed by in Gulshan-e-Hadeed with 149mm. At the airport, 126mm rainfall was recorded, while 117.5mm rainfall was recorded in Landhi, reported Geo TV. In PAF Masroor 110mm rainfall was recorded, while 121mm was recorded at Shahrah-e-Faisal in the last 24 hours. In Nazimabad 109.2mm rainfall was recorded while 110.2mmm was recorded in Gulistan-e-Jauhar.The MET office further said they have recorded 110.7mm rain in the last 24 hours. The intermittent spell would continue for the next 36 to 42 hours, the MET office had said in its weather advisory on Saturday.The metropolis's low-lying areas such as Landhi, Ilyas Goth, Ibrahim Haideri, Majid Colony UC 4, Shah Faisal, Malir, Scheme 33, Rehri Goth and Korangi, which were prone to urban flooding, were again inundated with reports of water accumulating around power installations and entering homes.Ilyas Goth, Ibrahim Haideri, Majid Colony UC 4 were also among the areas that experienced torrential rain and urban flooding.Pakistan's power supply company K-electric in a series of tweets said they had temporarily suspended power to those areas which are in a state of urban flooding in the interest of public safety."Restoration efforts are also severely hampered because of the challenging conditions caused by the relentless rain and water-logging which is now posing a serious threat to electrical installations," KE said."We urge civic bodies to ensure drainage of water as a prerequisite for the safe and swift restoration of power," they added.In Hyderabad, Matiari, Hala, Tando Muhammad Khan, Mirpurkhas, low lying areas experienced urban flooding along with power outages.Contingents of Pakistan Army and Rangers arrived at the KDA grid station to remove water along with helping in removing submerged cars on the roads.ALSO READ | Statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh vandalised in PakistanALSO READ | Pak receives little traction globally on Kashmir issue: SourcesALSO READ | Continuing contact with India, Pakistan missions on Kashmir: United Nations

12 killed in Karachi after heavy rains lash Pakistan

In PAF Masroor 110mm rainfall was recorded, while 121mm was recorded at Shahrah-e-Faisal in the last 24 hours. In Nazimabad 109.2mm rainfall was recorded while 110.2mmm was recorded in Gulistan-e-Jauhar.

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Indian among 13 new coronavirus cases in Singapore, total number rises to 200An Indian was among 13 new persons identified with coronavirus in Singapore on Friday taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in the island-nation to 200. The 36-year old Indian, listed as case number 189, is a likely imported case as he was in India from February 21 to March 1, reported the Channel News Asia. He holds a Singapore Work Pass.He reported COVID-19 symptoms on March 11 and sought treatment at a general practitioner (GP) clinic on March 12. The Indian man was referred to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) on the same day and tested positive for the infection later that afternoon.Prior to hospitalisation, the Indian national had gone to work at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation. He lives at St George's Road, a housing estate couple of miles off Little India precinct here. The latest 13 cases bring the total number of coronavirus cases to 200 in Singapore.Of the 103 confirmed cases who are still in hospital most are in stable condition. Eleven patients are critical in the intensive care unit, said the health ministry. One more patient has been discharged from hospital, taking the total number of recovered cases to 97 to date.Among other imported cases, is a 32-year-old male American who arrived in Singapore on March 10 from the US. He tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday morning and is currently warded at NCID.Another imported case is a 26-year-old male Malaysian who holds a Singapore Work Pass but was in Germany from March 1 to 3, Czech Republic from March 4 to 6, Austria from March 7 to 8 and Hungary from March 9 to 10. He was confirmed to be infected on Friday morning and is in isolation at NCID ward.Also, a 24-year-old Chinese national who is a Singapore Work Pass holder but was in Germany from March 1 to 3, Czech Republic from March 4 to 6, Austria from March 7 to 8 and Hungary from March 9 to 10. She was confirmed to be infected on Friday morning, and is in isolation at NCID ward.Among the other confirmed cases is a 47-year-old male Singaporean who was in the US from February 4 to 17 and Canada from February 17 to March 9. He was confirmed to have COVID-19 on Friday morning and is in isolation at NCID ward.   Meanwhile, Singapore will implement additional precautionary measures to slow the transmission of the COVID-19 virus. These include travel advisories against all non-essential travel and border restrictions for Italy, France, Spain and Germany, as well as additional social distancing measures within Singapore, said an official advisory.

Indian among 13 new coronavirus cases in Singapore, total number rises to 200

An Indian was among 13 new persons identified with coronavirus in Singapore on Friday taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in the island-nation to 200. The 36-year old Indian, listed as case number 189, is a likely imported case as he was in India from February 21 to March 1, reported the Channel News Asia. He holds a Singapore Work Pass.

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39 miners stuck underground after mine shaft gets damaged in CanadaAfter an incident causing shaft damage, a total of 39 miners were stuck underground at a mine named Vale's Totten in Sudbury, Canada, according to CTV on Monday. They were trapped underground after the damage was caused to the shaft at around 11:30 a.m. on Sunday.A rescue team is working on-site to get the miners to the surface. Medication and food have been brought to the miners after the conveyance for transporting miners was taken offline following the incident.The miners will exit via a secondary egress ladder system with the support of the rescue team, which has been in frequent communication with the miners.The mine produces ores of copper, nickel and other precious metals. The main shaft of the mine is 4,130 feet (about 1,259 meters) below the surface. (With ANI Inputs)

39 miners stuck underground after mine shaft gets damaged in Canada

The mine produces ores of copper, nickel and other precious metals. The main shaft of the mine is 4,130 feet (about 1,259 meters) below the surface.

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Inside China's troubled recent relations with Canada, USA and the Huawei connectionChina said recently released court documents in Canada showed the detention of a senior Huawei executive in 2018 was a "political plot" by the United States. Zhao Lijian, a foreign ministry spokesperson, said Monday that the documents "fully exposed the political plot of the United States to deliberately suppress Chinese high-tech enterprises and Huawei.""Canada played the role of an accomplice of the United States," added Lijan.A Canadian judge ruled in May that the U.S. extradition case against Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of Huawei's founder and chief financial officer of the company, can proceed to the next stage, a decision that is expected to further harm relations between China and Canada.The Chinese Embassy in Ottawa later warned Canada to drop the case and accused the United States of trying to bring down the Chinese tech giant.Canada arrested Meng at Vancouver's airport in late 2018.The U.S. wants her extradited to face fraud charges. Her arrest infuriated Beijing.Canadian officials have emphasized the country's judicial system is independent.The U.S. accuses Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions.It says Meng, 48, committed fraud by misleading the HSBC bank about the company's business dealings in Iran.Meng's lawyers argued during a hearing in January that the case is really about U.S. sanctions against Iran, not a fraud case.They maintain that since Canada does not have similar sanctions against Iran, no fraud occurred under its laws. The judge disagreed.(With Inputs from AP) 

Inside China's troubled recent relations with Canada, USA and the Huawei connection

China said recently released court documents in Canada showed the detention of a senior Huawei executive in 2018 was a "political plot" by the United States. Zhao Lijian, a foreign ministry spokesperson, said Monday that the documents "fully exposed the political plot of the United States to deliberately suppress Chinese high-tech enterprises and Huawei."

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 The resignation came just days after May announced she had finally united her quarrelsome government behind a plan for a divorce deal with the EU.British Prime Minister Theresa May dug in her heels Monday after the resignation of two top government ministers over Brexit negotiations whipped up a storm that threatened to topple her fragile minority government.Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson quit with a resignation letter accusing May of flying “white flags” of surrender in negotiations with the European Union. He said “the Brexit dream is dying, suffocated by needless self doubt".Related Stories PM Theresa May loses key Brexit vote in British parliamentWould have taken tougher attitude toward Brexit than Theresa May: Donald TrumpBrexit Secretary resigns over policy differences with UK PM Theresa May Johnson followed Brexit Secretary David Davis out the door as a hard-won government consensus on future trade ties with the bloc disintegrated less than three days after it was forged, and nine months before Britain is due to leave the EU.Davis resigned late Sunday, saying May’s plan to maintain close trade and regulatory ties with the EU gave “too much away, too easily.”If Davis’s resignation rattled May, Johnson’s shook the foundations of her government. The tousle-headed blond Johnson is one of Britain’s best-known politicians, and one of the most prominent advocates for Brexit. Some euroskeptic lawmakers dream of replacing May with a staunch Brexiteer such as Johnson, a populist, polarizing figure who has never made a secret of his ambition to be prime minister.With Britain due to leave the currently 28-nation bloc on March 29, 2019, EU officials have warned Britain repeatedly that time is running out to seal a deal spelling out the terms of the divorce and a post-split relationship.Minutes after Johnson quit, May defended her Brexit plan to lawmakers in the House of Commons, with Johnson absent from his usual place on the Conservative front bench.She said she and the two departed ministers “do not agree about the best way of delivering our shared commitment to honoring the result of the referendum” in which U.K. voters opted to leave the EU.May’s plan seeks to keep the U.K. and the EU in a free-trade zone for goods, and commits Britain to maintaining the same rules as the bloc for goods and agricultural products.May said the plan would deliver frictionless trade with Europe and was the “only way to avoid a hard border” between the U.K.’s Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland. Britain and the EU agree there must be no tariffs and immigration checks along the currently invisible frontier, but working out how to achieve that has been a major stumbling block in negotiations.Rebuffing claims that her proposals make too many concessions to the EU, May said her “smooth and orderly Brexit” would leave Britain free to make its own laws and trade deals.The resignations came just days after May announced she had finally united her quarrelsome government behind a plan for a divorce deal with the EU.Government unity began to fray within hours of Friday’s announcement. Brexit-supporting lawmakers were angered by the proposals, saying they would keep Britain tethered to the bloc and unable to change its rules to strike new trade deals around the world. They also argued that the proposals breach several of the “red lines” the government had set out, including a commitment to leave the EU’s tariff-free customs union.In his resignation letter, Davis said the “’common rule book policy hands control of large swathes of our economy to the EU and is certainly not returning control of our laws in any real sense.”Johnson said in his letter that May’s plan to keep close economic ties with the bloc means Britain is heading for a “semi Brexit” that would leave Britain with the “status of a colony” of the EU.Britain and the EU hope to reach broad agreement by October so the national parliaments of the remaining countries can ratify a deal before Britain leaves. The timetable increasingly looks overly optimistic, and EU frustration with British division and chaos is growing.European Council President Donald Tusk said Monday that “the mess caused by Brexit is the biggest problem in the history of EU-UK relations and it is still very far from being resolved.”Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said the government was incapable of delivering Brexit.“How can anyone have faith in the prime minister getting a good deal with 27 European Union governments when she can’t even broker a deal within her own Cabinet?” he asked.May has hung on to power longer than many expected after she lost her majority in a June 2017 snap election that she had called in hopes of strengthening her hand in Brexit talks.The fear among May’s allies is that more resignations may follow. Steve Baker, a junior Brexit minister, resigned along with Davis. May appointed staunchly pro-Brexit lawmaker Dominic Raab as the country’s new Brexit secretary. She did not immediately name a replacement for Johnson.The loss of two senior ministers and the anger among Brexit-supporting backbench lawmakers makes May’s position as leader increasingly tenuous.(With AP inputs)

UK: After David Davis, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson quits as PM Theresa May faces mounting Brexit crisis

With Britain due to leave the currently 28-nation bloc on March 29, 2019, EU officials have warned Britain repeatedly that time is running out to seal a deal spelling out the terms of the divorce and a post-split relationship.

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One dead, over 40 injured in wildfires near AthensA 38-year-old man assisting in dousing a raging wildfire in the north of Athens has died, while over 40 others have been injured as devastating fires have continued to spread across Greece.The man was transferred to a hospital with serious head injuries on Friday after being hit by a falling electricity pole, Xinhua news agency reported.At least 44 people were transferred to hospitals due to injuries sustained in the fires in Attica, Peloponnese and Evia, Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias said on Friday.Deputy Minister for Civil Protection and Crisis Management Nikos Hardalias said earlier in an emergency briefing that there were 56 active fire fronts in different parts of the country, stressing that the conditions were "extremely dangerous".Fires continued to rage across the country for the fourth day on Friday in northern Athens, on Evia island, in Ilia prefecture and Mani in Peloponnese, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate, destroying houses, businesses and burning thousands of hectares of forest land.Foreign officials from France, Spain, Kuwait, Jordan, Turkey, the US and China, among other countries around the world, have sent messages of solidarity to Greece. 

One dead, over 40 injured in wildfires near Athens

At least 44 people were transferred to hospitals due to injuries sustained in the fires in Attica, Peloponnese and Evia, Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias said on Friday.

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North Korea's state-run daily Rodong Sinmun on Saturday published an article branding the South Korean president's offer of cross-border rapprochement as misleading.President Moon Jae-in's proposal, made during a speech in Berlin last week, adds obstacles to achieving peace rather than helping to improve inter-Korean relations, Efe news quoted the article as saying."(The initiative) is riddled with sophistries like sleep talking, which only pose hurdles rather than helping improve North-South relations" the piece said.The newspaper dismissed Moon's proposal, and called for a "fundamental shift in policy and stance" from Seoul in order to initiate bilateral dialogue and cooperation.In his speech in Berlin, Moon said he was ready to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "under the right conditions", and proposed resuming meetings of family members who were separated by the Korean War.Amid rising tensions on the peninsula following Pyongyang's repeated nuclear weapons tests, Moon also proposed that the two sides suspend hostile acts along their border.Since he assumed office in May, South Korea's Liberal president has attempted to resume dialogue with Pyongayng. 

Pyongyang dismisses South Korean President's peace proposal

Amid rising tensions on the peninsula following Pyongyang's repeated nuclear weapons tests, Moon also proposed that the two sides suspend hostile acts along their border.

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Millions of people were voting in southern Nepal on Thursday in the final phase of mostly peaceful elections for members of the national and provincial assemblies.It is the first election for members in the seven provincial assemblies established under the constitution that was adopted in 2015 after initially being rejected by ethnic groups in southern Nepal. The assembly members will name the seven states formed under the constitution and will draft provincial laws.Thursday's voting involves about 12 million people in the southern half of the Himalayan nation, nearly 80 percent of the population. The northern, mountainous region voted on Nov. 26. Counting of all the votes is expected to start Friday and take several days as some of the ballot boxes must be transported from remote villages to counting centers.People holding their voting cards in their hands lined up before polling stations opened at 7 a.m. in the capital, Kathmandu."I am here to vote today because it is the first election for provinces with the hope these provincial governments would be able to deliver development to a focused and concentrated areas," said Kedar Sharan Raya, 74-year-old retired advocate."I am voting after many years because there is new hope in the country with the establishment of provinces," said Iswor Prasad Shrestha, 70, businessman.Police said voting was peaceful. Police, army soldiers and temporary police officers are guarding polling stations. Vehicles were banned from the streets and voters walked to the polling stations in their neighborhoods.Nepal's slow path to democracy began in 2006, when protesters forced the king to give up his rule. Two years later, Nepal officially abolished the centuries-old monarchy and decided a federal system would best serve all corners of the one of the poorest nation's in the world.But bickering among political parties delayed until 2015 the implementation of the new constitution, which declared Nepal a republic.Security was stepped up for the elections, with thousands of police and army soldiers deployed. According to the Home Ministry, more than 400 people were detained in days leading up to the vote.Soon after the constitution was implemented in 2015, protests by ethnic groups in southern Nepal turned violent and left some 50 people dead.The ethnic Madhesi group protested for months, saying they did not get enough territory in the province assigned to them. They said they deserved more land because they represented a bigger population. Their protest blocked the border with India for months, cutting off fuel and other supplies in Nepal.

Nepal elections: Millions vote in second and final round

Thursday's voting involves about 12 million people in the southern half of the Himalayan nation, nearly 80 percent of the population.

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Pakistani Prime Minister Imran KhanHis country's viewpoint has not been represented properly in the US and it has not reached the politicians, Congressmen and senators, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Tuesday.Khan, who went to the Capitol on Tuesday to meet top American lawmakers, said it was time to reset the relationship between the two countries, based on trust and mutual respect."So far, I feel Pakistan has not been represented properly in the US. I feel that our point of view has not reached the politicians, Congressmen and senators," Khan said in his joint media appearance with the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi."I feel that it is time to have a different sort of relationship with the US and reset a relationship based on mutual respect, trust, and above all, it is in the interest of the US and the rest of the world that the longest war ever, which is Afghanistan, almost 19 years and still going on, ends in a peaceful way within a political settlement," the Pakistani prime minister said."We in Pakistan will be trying our best to make sure that there is a political settlement there," he said and thanked Pelosi for giving him a chance to make her understand the "Pakistani point of view".Pelosi welcomed Khan and discussed the issues of counterterrorism, regional security and the peace process in Afghanistan with him.Observing that the US valued its critical relationship and partnership with Pakistan, she sought augmentation of their counterterrorism measures, security cooperation and increasing security and regional stability.Pelosi also appreciated Pakistan's reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan.Later, Khan attended a reception hosted by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, chairperson of the Congressional Pakistan Caucus. The reception was attended by a large number of US lawmakers, including Pelosi. ALSO READ | Trump presents cricket bat to Pakistan PM Imran KhanALSO READ | Video: Here's what Donald Trump said about Kashmir mediationALSO READ | Surprised by India's reaction: Pak PM Imran Khan on Trump's offer of mediation in Kashmir issue

Pakistan has not been represented properly in US: Imran Khan

Observing that the US valued its critical relationship and partnership with Pakistan, she sought augmentation of their counterterrorism measures, security cooperation and increasing security and regional stability.