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Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has termed Wednesday's early morning missile attack at Iraqi bases housing US troops a tight slap on America's face. The missile attack on US troops was in retaliation to the killing of top Irani general Qasem Soleimani in a US airstrike. According to Iran's state media, around 80 'American terrorists' (US troops) have been killed in Iran's missile strikes.Iranian Parliament has blacklisted American forces as terrorists after the attack on Qasem Soleimani.Making a statement after Iran attacked US bases in Iraq, their supreme leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said, "A slap was delivered last night, but what is important is that the seditious presence of America in the region should be ended."Addressing the nation in a live telecast, Khamenei said that Iran is quite equipped in the face of global bullying powers. He also lauded Iraqi Parliament's decision asking US troops to leave the country.Iran launched over a dozen ballistic missiles targeting at least two bases where US military and coalition forces' are stationed in Iraq, the Pentagon said.According to Iranian state TV, the attacks were in revenge for the killing of the commander of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards, General Qasem Soleimani, in a US drone strike on Friday, which was ordered by President Donald Trump.Shortly after the missile attacks, Trump tweeted, "All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning."ALSO READ: Video | Multiple Iranian missiles hit Iraq airbase; locals scream, run for safetyALSO READ: Fierce revenge has begun: Iran threatens to hit Israel, Dubai if US retaliates to airbase bombing /* .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_8686690514 = { "file": "https://indiatv-vh.akamaihd.net/i/vod/0_anrx7k1t_,20,21,22,.mp4.csmil/master.m3u8", "image": "https://thumbs.indiatvnews.com/vod/0_anrx7k1t_big_thumb.jpg", "title": "Iran will welcome any peace initiative by India for de-escalating tensions with US: Iranian Envoy", "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_8686690514 = ''; jwsetup_8686690514(); function jwsetup_8686690514() { jwvidplayer_8686690514 = jwplayer("jwvidplayer_8686690514").setup(jwconfig_8686690514); jwvidplayer_8686690514.on('ready', function () { ns_.StreamingAnalytics.JWPlayer(jwvidplayer_8686690514, { publisherId: "20465327", labelmapping: "c2=\"20465327\", c3=\"IndiaTV News\", c4=\"null\", c6=\"null\", ns_st_mp=\"jwplayer\", ns_st_cl=\"0\", ns_st_ci=\"0_anrx7k1t\", ns_st_pr=\"Iran will welcome any peace initiative by India for de-escalating tensions with US: Iranian Envoy\", ns_st_sn=\"0\", ns_st_en=\"0\", ns_st_ep=\"Iran will welcome any peace initiative by India for de-escalating tensions with US: Iranian Envoy\", ns_st_ct=\"null\", ns_st_ge=\"News\", ns_st_st=\"Iran will welcome any peace initiative by India for de-escalating tensions with US: Iranian Envoy\", ns_st_ce=\"0\", ns_st_ia=\"0\", ns_st_ddt=\"2020-01-08\", ns_st_tdt=\"2020-01-08\", ns_st_pu=\"IndiaTV News\", ns_st_cu=\"https://indiatv-vh.akamaihd.net/i/vod/0_anrx7k1t_,20,21,22,.mp4.csmil/master.m3u8\", ns_st_ty=\"video\"" }); }); jwvidplayer_8686690514.on('all', function (r) { if (jwvidplayer_8686690514.getState() == 'error' || jwvidplayer_8686690514.getState() == 'setupError') { jwvidplayer_8686690514.stop(); jwvidplayer_8686690514.remove(); jwvidplayer_8686690514 = ''; jwsetup_8686690514(); return; } }); jwvidplayer_8686690514.on('error', function (t) { jwvidplayer_8686690514.stop(); jwvidplayer_8686690514.remove(); jwvidplayer_8686690514 = ''; jwsetup_8686690514(); return; }); jwvidplayer_8686690514.on('mute', function () { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_8686690514.on('adPlay', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_8686690514.on('adPause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_8686690514.on('pause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_8686690514.on('error', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_8686690514.on('adBlock', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); }

'A slap was delivered last night': Ayatollah Khamenei on rocket attack at US base in Iraq

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has said a slap was delivered last night after Iran targeted US bases in Iraq taking revenge over the killing of their top general Qasem Soleimani in a US airstrike.

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Iranian President Hassan Rouhani today asserted that his country will adhere to the terms of the nuclear deal it signed with world powers till “the last breath” and warned that the US will “regret” if the pact was broken. Rouhani’s comments come after US President Donald Trump had threatened to pull out of the deal. He had sought a review of the nuclear pact. “We as a country have always adhered (to commitments). We will not violate it (the pact) and will stay on board. It is the order of God. If we are signing the pact then we will adhere to it, till the last breath,” he said. Rouhani, while delivering an address here on ‘The priorities of the foreign policy of Islamic Republic of Iran’, said the time for “haggling” by president Trump is over and negotiating after signing the deal is “ridiculous”. The US is not dealing with Iran alone on the issue of nuclear pact but also with the United Nations Security Council, which has approved the pact, said Rouhani at the event organised by the Observer Research Foundation. The US, he observed, will “regret” if the deal collapses and the people within that country would voice concerns over it. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal, was a notable foreign policy achievement of the Obama administration. The deal, struck in 2015 between between Iran and six world powers—the US, the UK, Russia, France, China, and Germany, lifted economic sanctions on Tehran, and in return put limitations on its controversial nuclear energy programme.   President Trump has expressed its reservations about the deal. Last month, he waived sanctions against Iran as required under JCPOA, but warned that it will be the last such waiver if radical changes are not made in the pact. A joint statement by India and Iran after Rouhani’s delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India reaffirms its support for full and effective implementation of the JCPOA. The JCPOA has been endorsed by the UN Security Council and is a crucial contribution to the non-proliferation framework and international peace, stability and security, it said. Backing New Delhi’s quest for a permanent seat in the UNSC, Rouhani asked why India, a nation with population of 1.3 billion, was not a member of the powerful club. “Why doesn’t India, with a population of 1.3 billion, have veto rights? Those who had atomic bombs were given veto rights,” Rouhani said, emphasising on having ethics in foreign policy as against military might. Veto right in the UNSC lies with the US, the UK, China, France and Russia. Hitting out at the US, Rouhani said many issues in the world today have arisen out of miscalculation and Washington has constantly resorted to that mistake with regard to Tehran. He said the US sought to control the lives of Iranians and even tried to stop the 1979 Islamic revolution. Recalling the Iraq-Iran war, Rouhani said Saddam Hussain, the former president of Iraq, who ruled the country with an iron fist, reneged on the commitment made between the two countries and borders, which resulted in a devastating war. The Iranian President also criticised the United States for its interference in Syria, saying the ISIS is of great interest to America. 

Iran will adhere to nuclear deal till last breath, says President Hassan Rouhani

Rouhani’s comments come after US President Donald Trump had threatened to pull out of the deal. He had sought a review of the nuclear pact.

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Magnitude-6.0 earthquake hits Papua New GuineaA massive earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter Scale jolted the coast of Papua New Guinea on Thursday evening. The tremors were felt at 5:08 pm, the United States Geological Survey confirmed. The epicentre of the quake was located 174 kms north of Arawa. According to the agency, the depth of the temblor was situated 495.9 kms. Meanwhile, the earthquake did not trigger any tsunami warnings and there no reports of any aftershocks. Papua New Guinea is very much prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Also Read | 7.1-magnitude earthquake rocks Southern CaliforniaAlso Read | California Earthquake: Strong 6.6 magnitude quake strikes Los Angeles and US west coastRelated Video: 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_5002993621 = { "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_5002993621 = ''; jwsetup_5002993621(); function jwsetup_5002993621() { jwvidplayer_5002993621 = jwplayer("jwvidplayer_5002993621").setup(jwconfig_5002993621); jwvidplayer_5002993621.on('ready', function () { ns_.StreamingAnalytics.JWPlayer(jwvidplayer_5002993621, { 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_5002993621.on('all', function (r) { if (jwvidplayer_5002993621.getState() == 'error' || jwvidplayer_5002993621.getState() == 'setupError') { jwvidplayer_5002993621.stop(); jwvidplayer_5002993621.remove(); jwvidplayer_5002993621 = ''; jwsetup_5002993621(); return; } }); jwvidplayer_5002993621.on('error', function (t) { jwvidplayer_5002993621.stop(); jwvidplayer_5002993621.remove(); jwvidplayer_5002993621 = ''; jwsetup_5002993621(); return; }); jwvidplayer_5002993621.on('mute', function () { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_5002993621.on('adPlay', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_5002993621.on('adPause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_5002993621.on('pause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_5002993621.on('error', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_5002993621.on('adBlock', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); }

Massive 6.0-magnitude earthquake jolts Papua New Guinea

A major earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter Scale rocked Papua New Guinea on Thursday. The tremors did not trigger a tsunami warning, while no aftershocks were detected following the quake. The epicentre of the quake was located 174 kms north of Arawa, the US Geological Survey said.

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Actress Yulia Peresild, left, director Klim Shipenko' right, and cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, members of the prime crew of Soyuz MS-19 spaceship pose at the Russian launch facility in the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.A Russian actor and a film director rocketed to space Tuesday on a mission to make the world’s first movie in orbit. Actor Yulia Peresild and director Klim Shipenko blasted off for the International Space Station in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft together with cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, a veteran of three space missions. Their Soyuz MS-19 lifted off as scheduled at 1:55 p.m. (0855 GMT) from the Russian space launch facility in Baikonur, Kazakhstan and successfully reached the designated orbit.Space officials reported that the crew was feeling fine and all spacecraft systems were functioning normally.Peresild and Klimenko are to film segments of a new movie titled “Challenge,” in which a surgeon played by Peresild rushes to the space station to save a crew member who suffers a heart condition. After 12 days on the space outpost, they are set to return to Earth with another Russian cosmonaut.Speaking at a pre-flight news conference Monday, 37-year-old Peresild acknowledged that it was challenging for her to adapt to the strict discipline and rigorous demands during the training.“It was psychologically, physically and morally hard,” she said. “But I think that once we achieve the goal, all that will seem not so difficult and we will remember it with a smile.”Shipenko, 38, who has made several commercially successful movies, also described their fast-track, four-month preparation for the flight as tough.“Of course, we couldn’t make many things at the first try, and sometimes even at a third attempt, but it’s normal,” he said.Shipenko, who will complete the shooting on Earth after filming space episodes, said that Shkaplerov and two other Russian cosmonauts on board the station will all play parts in the new movie.Russia's state-controlled Channel One television, which is involved in making the movie, has extensively covered the crew training and the launch.“I'm in shock. I still can't imagine that my mom is out there,” Peresild's daughter, Anna, said in televised remarks minutes after the launch.Dmitry Rogozin, head of the Russian state space corporation Roscosmos, was a key force behind the project, describing it as a chance to burnish the nation’s space glory and rejecting criticism from some Russian media.Some commentators argued that the film project would distract the Russian crew and could be awkward to film on the Russian segment of the International Space Station, which is considerably less spacious compared to the U.S. segment. A new Russia lab module, the Nauka, was added in July, but it is yet to be fully integrated into the station.Once they arrive at the space station just over three hours after the launch, the three newcomers will join Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency, NASA astronauts Mark Vande Hei, Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy and Pyotr Dubrov and Aki Hoshide of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.Novitskiy, who is set to star as the ailing cosmonaut in the film, will take the captain’s seat in a Soyuz capsule to take the crew back to Earth on Oct. 17.ALSO READ: Why did 145 Chinese air force planes violate Taiwan airspace in 4 days? ExplainedALSO READ: European-Japanese space mission gets 1st glimpse of Mercury

Russian film crew blasts off to make first movie in space

A Russian actor and a film director rocketed to space on Tuesday on a mission to make the world’s first movie in orbit.

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Bag of small tomatoes causes scare at Macron event in FranceNewly re-elected French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday narrowly escaped being pelted by what looked like a small sackful of cherry tomatoes. The incident occurred while he was wading through a boisterous and packed crowd in a market northwest of Paris. As seen in videos shared on social media, nearly six small fruits, contained in what looked like a blue plastic bag, flew over the head of the French leader and bounced off the shoulder and arm of two men beside him. Someone in the crowd was overheard shouting “projectile”, while the bodyguards raised arms over the French leader’s head to cover him.Someone then unfurled a partly broken black umbrella to shield Macron, while his security detail steered him to cover under a nearby market-stall parasol.The president sheltered there for a few moments until things calmed down.It was unclear whether Macron, who was making his first public appearance since his re-election on Sunday, was the target of the little tomatoes. However, the French president was thereafter seen happily continuing his walkabout in Cergy-Pontoise, mingling and talking to people at the market while earnestly campaigning ahead of France’s June legislative election.He told reporters he visited the working-class neighborhood as part of his previously stated pledge to unite France after the bruising presidential campaign.Macron wins French election -- What's next? Macron comfortably beat far-right rival Marine Le Pen in Sunday’s election runoff and is now looking to maintain his party’s majority in the lower house of parliament.In his victory speech Sunday evening, he thanked the majority of French voters who chose him and vowed to lead a project for “a stronger Europe.”“Europe is a framework for peace and stability. It’s our safer asset for today and tomorrow,” he said at a campaign rally in Strasbourg, home to the European Parliament. “Europe is what’s protecting us from crisis and war.”Boosted by his victory, Macron figures to be in the spotlight when he pays an expected visit to Berlin in the coming days to meet with new Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who has had a low-profile debut on the international stage. French presidents traditionally make their first post-election trip abroad to Germany as a celebration of the countries’ friendship after multiple wars.(With inputs from AP)Also Read | Emmanuel Macron wins French Presidential election, beats far-right candidate Marine Le Pen

Macron escapes 'tomatoes' attack while wading through crowd in Paris market | VIDEO

Macron comfortably beat far-right rival Marine Le Pen in Sunday’s election runoff and is now looking to maintain his party’s majority in the lower house of parliament.

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China approves inactivated COVID-19 vaccines for clinical trialsChina has begun clinical trials of two possible vaccines against the novel coronavirus, it was reported on Tuesday. The two inactivated vaccine prototypes have been developed using pathogenic micro-organisms that have been killed through the physical or chemical process, Efe news reported. The first prototype, which received its license on Sunday to proceed with clinical trials, have been developed by the Wuhan Institute of Biological Products, along with China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm).The second was the result of a joint venture of several companies headed by Beijing-based firm Sinovac Research and Development Co., Ltd.The firm is a subsidiary of Sinovac Biotech which also worked on a vaccine against the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003.According to Xinhua, the vaccines used in the clinical trial can be used for a bigger-scale vaccination, the effectiveness of which will be accepted as per international standards.According to Chinese news site Caixin, Sinopharm - which has the financial backing of China's Ministry of Science and Technology - the project will test 1,396 volunteers recruited in the Henan province - in two initial phases expected to continue until November 10, 2021.In mid-March, Chinese authorities approved the start of the clinical trials of another vaccine against coronavirus, which was developed by the Academy of Military Medical Sciences.So far, COVID-19 has claimed at least 3,341 lives out of the 82,249 cases of infections. About 77,738 patients have been cured.Also Read | China's imported coronavirus cases climb to 1,464Also Read | China begins phase-II clinical trial of COVID-19 vaccine in Wuhan

China approves inactivated COVID-19 vaccines for clinical trials

In mid-March, Chinese authorities approved the start of the clinical trials of another vaccine against coronavirus, which was developed by the Academy of Military Medical Sciences.

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13-year-old boy with no health issues is UK’s youngest COVID-19 victim (Representative image)A 13-year-old boy with no underlying health conditions has become the UK’s youngest victim of the coronavirus pandemic as the death toll from COVID-19 continues to rise in the country. Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab was admitted to King's College Hospital in London after suffering breathing difficulties and died on Monday.An online fundraiser organised by Arabic educational institution Madinah College in the UK capital has raised over 56,000 pounds in funds for the boy’s grief-stricken family within days.“Ismail was only 13 years old without any pre-existing health conditions and sadly he died without any family members close by due to the highly infectious nature of COVID-19,” the fundraiser page notes.“We at Madinah College would like to appeal to our brothers and sisters to donate generously to help raise GBP 4000 for the funeral costs and to support the family, who sadly also lost their father to cancer,” it adds.Madinah College said it had been “overwhelmed” by the generosity of the donors as the appeal way overshot the initial target. It has confirmed that any extra money raised will also go directly to the family.The schoolboy from Brixton in south London started showing symptoms of coronavirus last week and was rushed to hospital after he had trouble breathing. There he tested positive for Covid-19 and was put on a ventilator then into an induced coma but never recovered. “We are beyond devastated.  To our knowledge he had no underlying health conditions," said a statement released by the family.King’s College Hospital expressed condolences to the family as it confirmed that the boy's death had been referred to the coroner. Dr Nathalie  MacDermott, clinical lecturer at King's College London, said the 13-year-old boy’s death highlights the importance of taking the precautions required to reduce the spread of the deadly virus.She said: "It is important that a coroner assesses whether a post-mortem is necessary to further understand the exact cause of death. "While chronic underlying medical conditions are known to result in worse outcomes in COVID-19 infection, we have heard of cases of younger individuals with no known medical problems succumbing to the disease.”It is extremely rare for teenagers to become seriously ill after being infected with coronavirus, with elderly patients and those with underlying health conditions considered most at risk. The news of the boy's death came in the week that the UK registered its biggest day-on-day leap in death toll from coronavirus of 381, to hit a total of 1,789 deaths on Tuesday.

13-year-old boy with no health issues is UK’s youngest COVID-19 victim

A 13-year-old boy with no underlying health conditions has become the UK’s youngest victim of the coronavirus pandemic as the death toll from COVID-19 continues to rise in the country.

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2 people injured in shootings near LA schools. Two people were injured in shooting incidents near schools in Los Angeles, according to authorities. The Los Angeles School Police Department initially tweeted at around 2:00 pm on Thursday that officers were "responding to reports of shots fired on the perimeter of Santee High School" and there were "reports of one victim down", reports Xinhua news agency.The high school, located at 1921 South Maple Avenue was placed under a lockdown following the shooting and the gunshot victim was being treated on the perimeter, according to the Department.About 30 minutes later, theDepartment said that it was responding to an additional gunshot victim down on the perimeter of nearby Maple Primary Center, which is another public school just down the street from Santee High School.About another 30 minutes later, the Los Angeles School Police Department confirmed that both Santee High School and Maple Primary Center have been taken off of lockdown and two victims have been transported to area hospitals for treatment.A police investigation is still ongoing. Police are still searching for a shooting suspect, who was described as a Hispanic male.KABC-TV reported that one of the gunshot victims is a male student who was shot in the leg.According to the news outlet, police do not believe the shootings are necessarily connected to the schools and it has not been determined if the same suspect carried out both shootings. /* .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_8821197586 = { "file": "https://vod-indiatv.akamaized.net/hls/2021/08/0_gwmm7y2g/master.m3u8", "image": "https://thumbs.indiatvnews.com/vod/0_gwmm7y2g_big_thumb.jpg", "title": "Afghan student wants to stay in India, says 'cannot live under Taliban regime'\t", "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": "116", "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_8821197586 = ''; jwsetup_8821197586(); function jwsetup_8821197586() { jwvidplayer_8821197586 = jwplayer("jwvidplayer_8821197586").setup(jwconfig_8821197586); jwvidplayer_8821197586.on('ready', function () { ns_.StreamingAnalytics.JWPlayer(jwvidplayer_8821197586, { publisherId: "20465327", labelmapping: "c2=\"20465327\", c3=\"IndiaTV News\", c4=\"null\", c6=\"null\", ns_st_mp=\"jwplayer\", ns_st_cl=\"0\", ns_st_ci=\"0_gwmm7y2g\", ns_st_pr=\"Afghan student wants to stay in India, says 'cannot live under Taliban regime'\", ns_st_sn=\"0\", ns_st_en=\"0\", ns_st_ep=\"Afghan student wants to stay in India, says 'cannot live under Taliban regime'\", ns_st_ct=\"null\", ns_st_ge=\"News\", ns_st_st=\"Afghan student wants to stay in India, says 'cannot live under Taliban regime'\", ns_st_ce=\"0\", ns_st_ia=\"0\", ns_st_ddt=\"2021-08-18\", ns_st_tdt=\"2021-08-18\", ns_st_pu=\"IndiaTV News\", ns_st_cu=\"https://vod-indiatv.akamaized.net/hls/2021/08/0_gwmm7y2g/master.m3u8\", ns_st_ty=\"video\"" }); }); jwvidplayer_8821197586.on('all', function (r) { if (jwvidplayer_8821197586.getState() == 'error' || jwvidplayer_8821197586.getState() == 'setupError') { jwvidplayer_8821197586.stop(); jwvidplayer_8821197586.remove(); jwvidplayer_8821197586 = ''; jwsetup_8821197586(); return; } }); jwvidplayer_8821197586.on('error', function (t) { jwvidplayer_8821197586.stop(); jwvidplayer_8821197586.remove(); jwvidplayer_8821197586 = ''; jwsetup_8821197586(); return; }); jwvidplayer_8821197586.on('mute', function () { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_8821197586.on('adPlay', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_8821197586.on('adPause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_8821197586.on('pause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_8821197586.on('error', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_8821197586.on('adBlock', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); }

2 people injured in shootings near Los Angeles schools

The high school, located at 1921 South Maple Avenue was placed under a lockdown following the shooting and the gunshot victim was being treated on the perimeter, according to the Dept.

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WHO chief warns against COVID-19 vaccine distributionRaising questions on the fairness in the distribution of the vaccines, World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that the world is on the "brink of a catastrophic moral failure". The WHO's statement comes as several countries have already rolled out vaccines against coronavirus. "I need to be blunt: the world is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure--and the price of this failure will be paid with lives and livelihoods in the world's poorest countries," Tedros said while speaking during the WHO's executive board virtual meeting.Highlighting that "the promise of equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines is at serious risk", he said, "More than 39 million doses of vaccine have now been administered in at least 49 higher-income countries. Just 25 doses have been given in one lowest-income country. Not 25 million; not 25 thousand; just 25."This warning comes despite COVAX, a global initiative, being formed nine months ago to ensure fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for every country, Voice of America reported.The WHO chief said that these actions will not help in stopping the spread of coronavirus but "will only prolong the pandemic"."Vaccine equity is not just a moral imperative, it is a strategic and economic imperative," he added.According to the latest update by the Johns Hopkins University, globally, a total of 95,392,103 COVID-19 cases and 2,035,895 deaths have been reported so far. /* .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'; 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Vaccine distribution will only prolong COVID-19 pandemic: WHO chief warns

"More than 39 million doses of vaccine have now been administered in at least 49 higher-income countries. Just 25 doses have been given in one lowest-income country. Not 25 million; not 25 thousand; just 25," the WHO chief has said.

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Representative ImageThe 16-year wait to cast her vote in India's general election is almost over and Tahira Maqbool, who came from Pakistan in 2003 when she got married to an Indian citizen, is counting each day. The 37-year-old will exercise her right to franchise in the 2019 Lok Sabha from the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency, which goes to the polls on May 12. It's a moment that has been 16 years in the making, said Tahira, who will be voting in a parliamentary election for the first time in her life. “I could never vote in Pakistan due to its rigid and inconsiderate government policies. This ended in India after a long wait of 13 years when I first cast my vote in the Punjab assembly elections in 2017. Now, I will exercise my franchise for the first time in the parliamentary elections,” an excited Tahira said. "This is my right, I will definitely cast my vote for the candidate who is capable of taking India to greater heights," she said.Tahira came to India from Faisalabad in Pakistan in December 2003 and settled in Qadian, a small town in Gurdaspur district, after getting married to Indian resident Maqbool Ahmad, a writer by profession.Now an Indian citizen, she remembers vividly the many difficulties she faced after she got married. "I got an Indian visa after almost eight months and it was later extended 13 times in 13 years. It was a big challenge as I had to follow many restrictions, including limited access to cities and taking permission to go up to Amritsar," the mother of three said. Tahira took an oath of loyalty to the Indian Constitution and completed all the legal formalities in 2011. It was not until April 2016, five years later, that she was enrolled as a voter after getting Indian citizenship.It's been a tumultuous time, said her husband.Relations between the two countries nosedived after the 2001 attack on Parliament. Maqbool couldn't go to Pakistan to marry her and Tahira couldn't come here either. It was only in 2003 that Tahira got an Indian visa and the couple got married. Voting is a big moment for Tahira and for her husband too.“Finally, the time has come. After 16 years of waiting, I will go to a polling station with my wife to vote in the world's biggest election," said Maqbool.He appealed to the Union government to relax norms so Pakistani women married to Indian citizens don't have to wait for so long to get citizenship.The couple has two daughters, Shumala and Soofiya, and one son Maghoor Ahmad.

Pakistani woman's wait to vote for 16 years in India's general election is almost over

The 16-year wait to cast her vote in India's general election is almost over and Tahira Maqbool, who came from Pakistan in 2003 when she got married to an Indian citizen, is counting each day.

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Representative ImageIran said it is closely following the Indian government's decision regarding Jammu and Kashmir, and added that it expects New Delhi and Islamabad to adopt peaceful means and dialogue to "protect the interests of regional people"."The Islamic Republic of Iran is closely following up on the Indian government's latest decisions regarding Jammu and Kashmir as well as the explanations provided by Indian and Pakistani officials on the developments unfolding in the region," Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said in a Wednesday statement."The Islamic Republic of Iran expects India and Pakistan - as its regional friends and partners - to adopt peaceful methods and dialogue to take effective steps in order to protect the interests of regional people," he added, reported Ary News.Iran's reaction comes after India revoked special status for Jammu and Kashmir, and hived off Ladakh into a separate unit. Pakistan has protested the move and expelled the Indian envoy in Islamabad, and suspended trade ties.

Iran for dialogue between India, Pak to resolve tensions

Iran said it is closely following the Indian government's decision regarding Jammu and Kashmir, and added that it expects New Delhi and Islamabad to adopt peaceful means and dialogue to "protect the interests of regional people".

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Maryam Nawaz, daughter of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.Maryam Nawaz on Imran Khan: Pakistan's ousted prime minister Imran Khan was so desperate to cling to power that he "begged" the military establishment till the last minute to save his government, ruling PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz has alleged.The powerful army has ruled coup-prone Pakistan for more than half of its 75 years of existence and has hitherto wielded considerable power in the matters of security and foreign policy. However, it had distanced itself from the recent high voltage political tussle between Shehbaz Sharif and Khan, saying it has nothing to do with politics."Imran Khan was so desperate that he, till his last minutes in power, had begged the establishment to save his government. He even had requested former president and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari to help him in the wake of a no-confidence motion against him," Maryam said at a workers' convention in Lahore late Tuesday night.The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader was referring to Khan's desperate efforts to delay the vote on no-confidence against him till the Supreme Court opened midnight on April 10 and ordered him to let the constitutional process complete.Khan was removed as the prime minister on April 10 through a no-confidence vote moved by the Opposition in the National Assembly, becoming the first Pakistani premier to be ousted by Parliament in the coup-prone country.Maryam is tasked by her father and three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif to hold rallies, especially in Punjab to counter Khan's public power shows.Sharif -- against whom several corruption cases were launched by the previous Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government led by Khan -- had left for London in November 2019 after the Lahore High Court granted him a four-week permission allowing him to go abroad for his treatment.The new PML(N)-led coalition government recently issued a new passport to Sharif, paving the way for his return to the country. The Sharif family, however, has declared that the decision on the return of the 72-year-old PML-N supremo will be taken at an appropriate time.Maryam said told the charged workers that the days of trouble for Khan had begun. "Imran Khan is crying that Nawaz Sharif has ended his government while sitting in London. Imagine what state of mind Imran will be in when Nawaz returns," she said, terming her father "a long race horse"."It was Nawaz's art of politics that after three-and-a-half years he managed to send Khan back to the container. It will be better for Khan to play cricket as politics is not his cup of tea," Maryam said.The firebrand PML-N leader said the ousted premier's corruption stories would come to fore soon. "Soon Khan along with his cabinet members will be behind bars on irrefutable corruption charges," she declared.Maryam said Khan tried to run the country through 'jadu tona (witchcraft)'. She said his wife Bushra Bibi's friend Farah Gogi was involved in massive corruption at their behest and Khan helped him flee the country.Terming the ousted prime minister as 'Tosha Khan', Maryam said Khan sold Pakistan's respect by selling gifts he received as premier from other heads of the state."This man talks about the country's sovereignty and on the other hand sells Toshakhana (national treasury) gifts in Dubai's open market. He should be ashamed of this act in which he got over Rs 180 million (by selling gifts)," Maryam said.

'Desperate' Imran Khan 'begged' military to save his govt, alleges PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz

The powerful army has ruled coup-prone Pakistan for more than half of its 75 years of existence and has hitherto wielded considerable power in the matters of security and foreign policy.

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US House passes bipartisan resolution on TibetA bipartisan resolution recognising the cultural and religious significance of an autonomous Tibet and seeking peaceful solutions to the conflict was passed by the US House of Representatives. The resolution recognised the significance of the genuine autonomy of Tibet and the Tibetan people, and the work done by 14th Dalai Lama to promote global peace, harmony and understanding.Passed by a voice vote, the resolution determined that it would be beneficial to convene a bipartisan, bicameral forum, either through a Joint Meeting of Congress, a teleconference broadcast at the Capitol Visitor Center, or roundtable, between Members of Congress and His Holiness the Dalai Lama to discuss peaceful solutions to international conflicts.It also noted that there is overwhelming bipartisan Congressional support for the Tibetan people’s aspirations for internationally recognised human rights and freedoms and the protection of their distinct religious, cultural, linguistic, and national identity.The resolution said there are over 6,000,000 Tibetans in the world, spanning over 40 countries.“Honoured to see the House unanimously passed my resolution recognising the genuine autonomy of Tibet and celebrating the work the Dalai Lama has accomplished. The US must continue to work with allies to secure freedom from oppression for the Tibetan people,” Congressman Ted Yoho said.Speaking on the floor of the House, Congressman Eliot Engel, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, accused China of violation of international religious freedom in Tibet.The State Department, he said, has found that the Chinese government has systematically impeded travel to Tibetan autonomous region areas for US diplomats, officials, journalists and tourists.Congressman Ted Yoho said the resolution recognises the genuine autonomy of Tibet and the vital work of the Dalai Lama to promote peace around the world. Over 60 years ago, his holiness, 14th Dalai Lama was forced into exile by the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) full scale military takeover of Tibet. To this very day, the Chinese Communist Party uses propaganda, violence, and oppression to assert totalitarian control over Tibet and the Tibetan people. The CCP sees Tibet culture and their religious heritage as a threat to its control, Yoho said.

US House passes bipartisan resolution on Tibet

The resolution recognised the significance of the genuine autonomy of Tibet and the Tibetan people, and the work done by 14th Dalai Lama to promote global peace, harmony and understanding.

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Breaking news LIVE: Top Headlines This HourThe total number of global coronavirus cases has surpassed 25.1 million, including more than 846,000 fatalities. More than 17,504,990 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. 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: August 30, 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 imageIn first bilateral engagement between India and Pakistan since Prime Minister Imran Khan took over, both the countries will resume their talks on various aspects of the Indus Waters Treaty in Lahore on Wednesday. The two-day discussions will begin when India's Indus Water Commissioner P K Saxena reaches here today to begin the two-day discussions with his Pakistani counterpart Syed Mehr Ali Shah on Wednesday, Dawn quoted a government official as saying.The last meeting of the Pakistan-India Permanent Indus Commission was held in New Delhi in March during which both the sides had shared details of the water flow and the quantum of water being used under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty.The talks will be the first official engagement between India and Pakistan since Khan became prime minister on August 18.In a letter to Khan on the day he was sworn in as Pakistan's 22nd prime minister, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed India's resolve to build good neighbourly relations between the two countries.On July 30, Modi telephoned Khan to congratulate him on his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party's victory in the general elections and expressed hope that both countries will work to open a new chapter in bilateral ties.The Pakistani side will reiterate its objections over two water storage and hydropower projects being built by India during the two-day talks scheduled for August 29-30.The official said Pakistan would raise its concerns over 1000MW Pakal Dul and 48MW Lower Kalnai hydroelectric projects on the Chenab river.The official said that the two sides would also finalise the schedule of future meetings of the Permanent Indus Commission and visits of the teams of the Indus commissioners.He said that the water commissioners of Pakistan and India were required to meet twice a year and arrange technical visits to projects' sites and critical river head works, but Pakistan had been facing a lot of problems in timely meetings and visits.The two-day session is also expected to discuss ways and means for timely and smooth sharing of hydrological data on shared rivers.The 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank and signed by then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan's president Ayub Khan, administers how the water of the Indus river and its tributaries that flow in both the countries will be utilised.Under the provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty 1960, waters of the eastern rivers — Sutlej, Beas and Ravi — had been allocated to India and the western rivers — the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab — to Pakistan, except for certain non-consumptive uses for India. (With PTI inputs)

India, Pakistan to resume talks on Indus Waters Treaty in Lahore this week

India's Indus Water Commissioner P K Saxena is expected to reach here today to begin the two-day discussions with his Pakistani counterpart Syed Mehr Ali Shah on Wednesday, Dawn quoted a government official as saying.

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Several US hospitals using hydroxychloroquine in treatment of COVID 19 patients: ReportSeveral hospitals in the United States continue to use malaria drug hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of COVID-19 positive patients, a media report said. Medical publication, MDedge on Friday reported that hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), the malaria drug, is currently the first-line therapy and Tocilizumab the second-line medication for people hospitalized with polymerase chain reaction-confirmed COVID-19 infection in the Yale New Haven Health System, which operates hospitals across Connecticut.“Hydroxychloroquine is first-line at Yale because in-vitro data shows potent inhibition of the virus and possible clinical benefit, which is about as good as evidence gets at the moment,” Indian American cardiologist Nihar Desai told the medical publication."It's cheap, it's been used for decades, and people are relatively comfortable with it," he added."We are trying to do the best we can. One hopes we never have to go through anything like this (coronavirus pandemic) again," Desai told MDedge.His home institution, Yale New Haven Hospital, is almost half full with COVID-19 patients, at more than 400, the report said.On Friday, US Food and Drug Administration gave emergency use authorization (EUA) for the use of investigational anti-viral Remdesivir for the treatment of COVID 19 patients.HCQ was the first drug to receive EAU from FDA for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.US President Donald Trump has been an advocate of use of HCQ, which has reportedly cured patients in New York and several other place.Reports indicate that the malaria drug has been effective during the initial phases of a person being infected by coronavirus but poses a danger to those having heart ailments.At the request of Trump, India had exported 50 million tablets of hydroxychloroquine to the United States.ALSO READ | Tariff on China for mishandling virus outbreak is 'certainly an option': TrumpALSO READ | US FDA approves Gilead's remdesivir to treat COVID-19 patients

Several US hospitals using hydroxychloroquine in treatment of COVID 19 patients: Report

Several hospitals in the United States continue to use malaria drug hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of COVID-19 positive patients, a media report said.

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Thousands protest after 16-year-old girl allegedly gang-raped by 30 men in Israel hotelThe alleged gang-rape of a 16-year-old teenage girl by some 30 men at a hotel in the Red Sea resort of Eilat has sparked outrage and protests across Israel, according to media reports. Protesters gathered in several cities after media reports described how men in their 20s queued outside a hotel bedroom where the minor was, awaiting their turn to take advantage of her intoxicated state, the Daily Mail said in a report Friday.But the owner of the hotel said there was no evidence the suspected assault took place at her establishment, The Times of Israel reported.The owner told a local TV channel that she handed over all of the Red Sea Hotel's security camera footage to police and that it does not show any groupings of 30 people. Meanwhile, two suspects, both 27-year-old, have been arrested according to the police after allegedly threatening to send the video of the incident to the victim.Authorities are now awaiting the results of a medical examination, while the police have formed a special team to investigate the incident. The victim had first reported the alleged crime to the police in Eilat last week but the case had previously gone largely unnoticed.As more information came to light, protests in the big cities of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Thursday evening prompted Israeli leaders, including the President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to speak out against crimes against women."It's shocking - there's no other word for it," the Daily Mail report quoted Netanyahu as saying, adding that all the suspects to be put on trial."It's not only a crime against a young girl, it's a crime against humanity itself that deserves condemnation from all of us."In an open letter addressed to the country's youths, President Rivlin said: "Sexual assault, rape, sexual exploitation, sexual violence - these are some of the stains that cannot be deleted"These are cases of unforgivable loss of boundaries, and they destroy us as a society. As humans."Netanyahu's coalition partner and Defence Minister Benny Gantz said in a statement: "What is a man who is standing on a crowded line with dozens of others, on the way to a room where a young, disoriented girl is lying down, trying to prove?"The police investigation is still underway, but it's important that I convey a message to those who participated or bore witness to this case or others: The only thing you've proven is what depravity of your soul and morality you are capable of."Besides the two big cities, protests also erupted in Givatayim, Haifa and some 30 other places across the country.The protesters united under the banner "we won't be silent anymore".Ilana Weizman of women's rights group HaStickeriot said one in five Israeli women was raped during her lifetime with 260 cases reported every day, the Daily Mail reported. 

Thousands protest after 16-year-old girl allegedly gang-raped by 30 men in Israel hotel

The alleged gangrape of a 16-year-old teenage girl by some 30 men at a hotel in the Red Sea resort of Eilat has sparked outrage and protests across Israel, according to media reports.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin looks on as he visits the construction site of the National Space Agency in MoscowA key feature of the international community’s response to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has been the adoption of sanctions. But what exactly are sanctions and how do they operate in practice? And most importantly, are they likely to have any meaningful impact?What are sanctions?Sanctions are coercive measures that can be applied to diplomatic, economic and cultural relations between states. Commonly non-military in nature, they are imposed by one state against another (unilateral sanctions) or by an international organisation, such as the United Nations (collective sanctions).Historically, measures have ranged from comprehensive sanctions to more targeted measures prohibiting trade in particular items, such as arms, timber, or diamonds.Some sanctions have circumscribed particular activities understood to benefit a target, such as diplomatic, sporting, and cultural relations, as well as travel.They have also targeted particular individuals and groups who pose a threat to peace and security, including political elites, rebel groups, or terrorist organisations.How do economic sanctions operate in practice?Economic sanctions are multidimensional. They tend to include travel bans and financial sanctions. Financial sanctions consist of targeted asset freezes and restrictions on a wide variety of financial markets and services.Where the financial sanction is an asset freeze, it is generally prohibited to deal with the frozen funds held by a designated person or entity. Funds are defined to include financial assets of every kind: cash, cheques, money orders, credit, debts, stocks and shares, interest, dividends, or other income from or generated by assets.The designation of targeted individuals and entities can occur on the basis of a national listing procedure.Or, this designation may happen as a result of a sanctions regime adopted by an international organisation, which is then implemented by its members.This twin-track approach is generally reflected in the sanctions practice of states which maintain “consolidated lists”.Separate “consolidated lists” are kept for those individuals and entities listed on the basis of unilateral sanctions and those listed as a consequence of collective sanctions.Some international best practice exists regarding sanctions implementation, such as guidance by the G7 Financial Action Task Force. But compliance will always depend on individual countries and the particular features of domestic companies.Financial institutions, such as banks, will have in place automated procedures to filter incoming transactions before entering, and outgoing transactions before leaving their internal systems.Are economic sanctions effective?They can be. The impact on listed individuals and entities can be severe, as illustrated by the internationally litigated cases of Kadi and Al Barakaat International Foundation v Council of the European Union or Nada v Switzerland (both cases in the context of financial counter-terrorism sanctions).However, the general effectiveness of economic sanctions is uncertain, not least because it is empirically difficult to measure it.According to Dursun Peksen, a sanctions expert at the University of Memphis, economic sanctions result in meaningful behavioural change in the targeted country about 40% of the time.Yet, as a recent study by the US government demonstrates, establishing clear causality is impossible.For example, a sanctioned country or individual may decide to change their behaviour for many reasons. Some of these changes may be unrelated to the sanctions.What sanctions are now applied against Russia?The international community has imposed a mix of economic and diplomatic sanctions, with countries acting both unilaterally and collectively.The US and the UK have introduced unilateral sanctions targeting Russia’s two largest banks, Sberbank and VTB Bank. They have also frozen the assets and restricted the travel of key Russian oligarchs. Canada and Australia have followed suit.Germany has indicated it is abandoning the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea gas pipeline project, designed to double the flow of Russian gas direct to the country. Poland, Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Estonia have closed their airspace for Russian airlines.As for collective sanctions, the UN Security Council will remain unable to impose any sanctions due to the veto power Russia holds as a permanent member. Indeed, Russia has already used this veto power to block a resolution condemning the invasion of Ukraine.The EU, on the other hand, has quickly introduced asset freezes and travel bans preventing listed individuals from entering or transiting through EU territory.EU sanctions now apply to 555 Russian individuals and 52 entities, including 351 members of the Russian State Duma who have backed the aggression against Ukraine.The EU has since moved to adopt further sanction packages, which include targeting President Putin and Foreign Minister Lavrov directly.Together with the US and the UK, the EU has also agreed to remove select Russian banks from the SWIFT banking system, the financial messaging infrastructure that links the world’s banks.The Council of Europe in Strasbourg has also applied unprecedented diplomatic sanctions. It has suspended Russia from its rights of representation in the Committee of Ministers and in the Parliamentary Assembly.Are the sanctions likely to have any meaningful impact?Too early to say, but probably not in the short term. The unilateral and collective sanctions that have been applied are comprehensive. They have also been adopted swiftly. Some of the measures, such as targeting Putin and Lavrov personally, are unprecedented.On the other hand, significant gaps remain and pose a considerable risk of fragmentation.The example of Switzerland is a case in point. The Swiss government has voiced support for complementing EU sanctions. Yet, it has so far shied away from applying targeted asset freezes of those individuals listed by the EU, the US and other countries.As a New York Times analysis details, there is also a growing concern Russian companies may evade sanctions by turning to cryptocurrency tools, including the so-called digital ruble and ransomware. Also Read | India abstains from voting in UNSC to call 'rare special emergency session'

Russia-Ukraine War: What are sanctions, do they ever work? Could they stop Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?

The US and the UK have introduced unilateral sanctions targeting Russia’s two largest banks, Sberbank and VTB Bank. They have also frozen the assets and restricted travel of key Russian oligarchs. Canada and Australia have followed suit.

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Photo for representation purpose only.  (Photo/ANI)All seven people, including the pilot, on board a helicopter are feared dead after the chopper crashed in a densely forested mountainous region in Nepal on Saturday.According to Nepal Civil Aviation Authority, rescue teams have located the helicopter at a place called Satyawati. The crash site lies at an altitude of 5500 feet. Related Stories Nepal: Blast at India-developed hydroelectricity project, security arrangements intensifiedPlane with 21 passengers skids off runway in Nepal, airport closed for 12-hoursNepal: Two Indians, swept away by Sunkoshi river, missingFog cover and rainfall was making it difficult for the rescuers to get to the crash site, area is about 80 kilometers (50 miles) northwest of the capital, Kathmandu.The Airbus-manufactured Ecureuil helicopter belongs to Altitude Air in Nepal and has been used in mountain rescues.

Nepal: 7 feared dead in helicopter crash; adverse weather, difficult terrain hampering rescue work

Fog cover and rainfall was making it difficult for the rescuers to get to the crash site, area is about 80 kilometers (50 miles) northwest of the capital, Kathmandu.

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The White House said Thursday that the North Korean failure to keep its word had led US President Donald Trump to call off his much anticipated summit with Kim Jong Un on June 12.The White House said Thursday that  North Korea's failure to keep its word had led US President Donald Trump to call off his much anticipated summit with Kim Jong Un on June 12."There has been a trail of broken promises that gave the United States pause," said a senior White House official.Related Stories Trump-Kim Jong-Un summit: US President to seek complete, irreversible denuclearisation of Korean peninsulaAhead of Trump-Kim summit, North Korea vows to destroy nuclear tunnels; US, South Korea welcome decisionNorth Korea threatens to cancel Kim Jong-Trump summit; US 'going ahead' with preparations North Korea says it is still open for talks with US despite Trump threatens to cancel June 12 summit"President Trump is willing to pursue diplomacy as far as it can be possibly pursued," added the official -- who said the US leader had "dictated every word" of his letter to Kim cancelling the June 12 summit.Pointing at what it called a "profound lack of good faith," the official said Pyongyang failed to turn up to a preparatory meeting in Singapore with the White House deputy chief of staff."They waited and they waited. The North Koreans never showed up. The North Koreans did not tell us anything -- they simply stood us up," the official said.It was on March 8 that a delegation visiting from South Korea came to the White House to deliver a message from Kim Jong Un to Trump. The message conveyed from Kim was that he was committed to denuclearisation. He also pledged to refrain from any further nuclear or missile tests and said he understood that routine joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States would continue, he said. The official said the North Korean leader also expressed his desire to meet with Trump as soon as possible. "In light of all this, President Trump accepted Kim Jong Un's offer to meet in person," he told reporters hours after Trump in an open letter to Kim said he was cancelling his June 12 summit meeting with him in Singapore. Since that day, when Trump accepted Kim's invitation, the United States has made significant efforts to prepare for their meeting, and it has done so in good faith, said the official."But there has been a trail of broken promises that gave the United States pause. Last week, North Korea objected to a routine annual joint military exercise between the United States and South Korea. They called our exercises "provocative military disturbances." They cancelled their meeting with the South Koreans. That constituted a broken promise," the official said.US officials "were promised by the North Koreans that international experts and officials would be invited to witness and verify today's demolition. "But that promise was broken. Instead journalists were invited and we will not have forensic evidence that much was accomplished," the official said."We certainly hope that's it's the case but really don't know."Earlier on Thursday, US President Donald Trump cancelled June 12 summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, citing "tremendous anger and open hostility” in recent statements from Pyongyang.Meanwhile, North Korea on Friday said that it was still open to talks with the United States despite US President Donald Trump's threat of military action after cancelling their summit in Singapore.  

US blames 'trail of broken promises' for North Korea summit collapse

"There has been a trail of broken promises that gave the United States pause," said a senior White House official.

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Next four to six months could be worst of pandemic: Bill GatesMicrosoft co-founder Bill Gates, whose foundation has been part of the effort to develop and deliver COVID-19 vaccines, warned on Sunday that the next four to six months could be the worst of the coronavirus pandemic. "Sadly, the next four to six months could be the worst of the pandemic. The IHME (Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation) forecast shows over 200,000 additional deaths. If we would follow the rules, in terms of wearing masks and not mixing, we could avoid a large percentage of those deaths,” Gates, the co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, told CNN.In recent weeks, the US is experiencing record high cases, deaths and hospitalisations. "I thought the US would do a better job handling it," said Gates, who in 2015 had warned the world of such a pandemic."Overall, when I did the forecasts in 2015, I talked about the deaths potentially being higher. So, this virus could be more fatal than it is. We didn't get the worst-case. But the thing that has surprised me is that the economic impact in the US and around the world has been much greater than the forecasts that I made five years ago," he said.The COVID-19 has so far killed more than 290,000 people in the US.Gates said that his Foundation has been funding a lot of the research for the vaccines. "We're very agile. We're a partner in a thing called CEPI, which is the second biggest funder after the US government," he said."So, in diagnostics, therapy and vaccines, we know where the science is, we know how the pieces need to come together in an urgent way. And so our expertise in infectious disease, which normally only relates to developing countries, applied to the entire world for this crisis," he added.The US need to help all of humanity, Gates said when asked of the executive order signed by President Donald Trump which prioritizes distribution of the vaccine to Americans before it goes to people in other countries."We want the world economy be going. We want to minimize the deaths. And, you know, the basic technology is a German company. And so blocking international sharing and cooperation has been disruptive and a mistake during this entire pandemic," he said."So, we need to ramp up the capacity of all the vaccines. There will be some additional ones approved in the months ahead that are easier to scale up the manufacturing. But the US has benefited from other countries' work care, and we shouldn't be entirely selfish in how we go forward," he added.Responding to a question, Gates said that he will take the vaccine publicly as the former US president, Bill Clinton, George Bush and Barack Obama, have said to increase the confidence of the people in the vaccine."I will do the same. When it's my turn -- I'm not going to budge, but when my turn comes up, I will visibly take the vaccine, because I think that it's a benefit to all people to not be transmitting," he said.Gates said that access to the vaccine should be based on medical need, not wealth at all."After all, this epidemic has been awful in the way that it's exacerbated inequities. It's been worse for Hispanics, worse for blacks, worse for low-income service workers, multigenerational households, a number of things that mean that, in terms of picking who gets the vaccine, we better be using equity to drive all those decisions," he said.Despite the availability of the vaccine, Gates said that the next four to six months really call on Americans to do their best. "Because we can see that this will end, and you don't want somebody you love to be the last to die of coronavirus," he said."Certainly, mask-wearing has essentially no downside. They're not expensive. Bars and restaurants in most of the country will be closed as we go into this wave. And I think, sadly, that's appropriate. Depending on how severe it is, the decision about schools is much more complicated, because, there, the benefits are pretty high, the amount of transmission is not the same as in restaurants and bars,” Gates said.In response to another question, Gates said that the "transition is complicating" the fight against coronavirus pandemic."But the new administration is willing to rely on actual experts, and not attack those experts. They're laying out clear plans. So, I think we will get through this in a positive way. I'm pleased with the people and the priority that the president-elect, Biden, and his team are bringing to bear on this problem,” he said."Biden's doing his best to retain Francis Collins and Tony Fauci and add them to that strong group of people. These are people who are willing to admit when things aren't going well and deliver tough messages, particularly about the next four to six months. And so I do think the US will not be one of the worst performers as the team comes into office," Gates said. 

Next four to six months could be worst of pandemic: Bill Gates

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, whose foundation has been part of the effort to develop and deliver COVID-19 vaccines, warned on Sunday that the next four to six months could be the worst of the coronavirus pandemic.

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The chief of dreaded terror group Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is dead, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) told Newsweek. The website claimed that the monitoring group has confirmed that Baghdadi is dead and the extremist group will announce his successor soon.“We have confirmed (his death) from information from one of our activists in Deir Ezzor, they confirmed that Baghdadi has died," Newsweek quoted Rami Abdelrahman, director of SOHR, as saying.Rami, however, could not confirm that how the ISIS leader was killed but said that it happened near the Iraqi border. From last three months, he was living in east Deir Ezzor. Deir Ezzor, in eastern Syria, remains largely under ISIS control even as the group is losing territory elsewhere in the country and in neighbouring Iraq. Abdel Rahman said Baghdadi "was present in eastern parts of Deir Ezzor province" in recent months, but it was unclear if he was killed in the area or elsewhere.Citing Iraqi news agency al-Sumaria News, Xinhua too reported that ISIS circulated a brief statement through its media in the (IS-held) town of Tal Afar in the west of Mosul, confirming the killing of its leader."Daesh called on the militants to continue their steadfastness in the redoubts of the caliphate and not being dragged behind the sedition," the report said. In May, the Russian Defense Ministry had said that it may have killed Baghdadi in an airstrike near the eastern Syrian city of Raqqa. At that time, the SOHR had rubbished Russia’s claim. The US-led coalition too could not confirm his death, citing a lack of evidence.Today’s report comes a day after Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi formally declared Mosul liberated from the ISIS after nearly nine months of fierce fighting to dislodge the extremist militants from their last major stronghold in Iraq.Mosul, 400 km north of Iraq's capital Baghdad, came under ISIS control in June 2014, when government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling ISIS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions.

ISIS confirms death of chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: Report

Today’s report comes a day after Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi formally declared Mosul liberated from the ISIS after nearly nine months of fierce fighting to dislodge the extremist militants from their last major stronghold in Iraq.

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75% Afghan girls back in school, claims acting FM Amir Khan MuttaqiTaliban regime in Afghanistan has claimed that 75 per cent of girls in the country had resumed their studies. Afghan acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Friday said 75 per cent of girls in Afghanistan had resumed their studies in schools while replying to a question about the situation of girls' education rights in the Taliban-controlled country, Dawn reported.The Taliban, after taking control of the country in mid-August, had closed the schools with thousands of girl students confined to their homes, attracting criticism by the international community.Afghanistan's takeover by the Taliban has been harsher for the women and girls of the war-torn country despite the group's assurances to protect their rights.Earlier, the Ministry of Education of Afghanistan, led by the Taliban had resumed all secondary schools. However, the directive only mentions the male students, making no reference to a return date for girls.The Taliban announced an interim government in September, with a slew of promises, assuring not to repeat the policies of the previous Taliban regime (1996-2001).However, reports coming from the ground say differently. According to media reports, women are being barred from going to work, and scores of them have demonstrated to demand their rights to employment and education.A spokesperson for Afghanistan's interior ministry "indicated that it was imminent that girls in secondary schools and their female teachers would be returning very soon," according to Al Jazeera.Earlier, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) called for opening schools, community-based education classes and universities to all girls and young women.The UNICEF representative in Afghanistan Salam Al-Janabi earlier stated that the agency is waiting to see whether the Taliban will allow girls to access education in the country as high schools for girls in most provinces in Afghanistan remain closed. (With ANI inputs)ALSO READ | Afghanistan: Bomb hits mosque in Nangarhar Province; 2 killed

75% Afghan girls back in school, claims acting FM Amir Khan Muttaqi

Afghanistan's takeover by the Taliban has been harsher for the women and girls of the war-torn country despite the group's assurances to protect their rights.

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US to press Imran Khan to take irreversible action against terrorists and facilitate Taliban talksThe United States would press Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is slated to meet President Donald Trump next week, to take irreversible action against terrorist and militant groups, and to facilitate peace talks with the Taliban for intra-Afghan dialogue, the White House said on Friday.Khan, the 66-year-old cricketer-turned-politician, is scheduled to meet Trump at his Oval Office on Monday, the first by a Pakistani leader in nearly four years, the last one being that of Nawaz Sharif in October 2015.He is travelling to the US at an invitation by Trump and the administration is preparing to give him a warm welcome which includes a traditional welcome at the White House, one-no-one meeting at the Oval Office and a working luncheon in the presence of several of his Cabinet colleagues and leaders from the Pentagon.However, ahead of the visit, a senior administration official ruled out lifting the suspension of security aid to Pakistan unless it is sees sustained, decisive and irreversible action against terrorist and militant groups. "As you know, we suspended security assistance to Pakistan in January 2018. And As of now, there's no change to that policy," the official said in response to a question."The purpose of the visit is to press for concrete cooperation from Pakistan to advance the Afghanistan peace process, and to encourage Pakistan to deepen and sustain its recent effort to crack down on terrorist and militants within its territory," the senior administration official told reporters during a conference call.The official noted that by extending the invitation to Khan to visit the White House, the US also want to send a message to Pakistan that the "door is open to repairing relations" and building an enduring partnership if Pakistan "changes its policies" with regard to terrorists and militants.From the US perspective, the President will be most interested in encouraging Pakistan to assist in the Afghanistan peace process. "We're hoping that the discussions are productive," the official said.Prime Minister Khan's visit is an opportunity to incentivise Pakistan to use the full leverage and influence on the Taliban to advance the peace process in Afghanistan. "We are calling on Pakistan for assistance in moving the peace process forward," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity."We do appreciate the initial steps that Pakistan has taken to facilitate this effort. We are reaching a critical juncture in the peace process. We are asking Pakistan to pressure the Taliban into a permanent ceasefire and participation in intra-Afghan negotiations that would include the Afghan government," the official said.Asserting that the security assistance to Pakistan continues to be suspended, the official said there has been only minor exceptions for assistance that is directly beneficial to US security."By and large that security assistance is still suspended. We will consider changing that suspension on certain items if Pakistan meets our security concerns both in Afghanistan and with regard to some of the externally focus groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. But as of now, there was no change to that suspension and security systems," the official said.Given the history of Pakistani cooperation with these unhelpful groups, the United States is "not under any illusion", that the initial steps that have been taken thus far, the administration is not taking them at face value."We are monitoring the situation. We will wait and see if the steps are made irreversible and sustainable," the official said, adding that the Trump Administration has "not made a final evaluation" on whether that's the case. "But we also see that this visit could incentivize Pakistan to continue down the path that they have started. They've facilitated contacts to Taliban and met some of our requests with regards to the Afghan peace process. We're at a critical juncture and we need to see more cooperation from Pakistan. They need to use their full leverage in this endeavour. And so we see this visit as an opportunity to encourage them to do more," the official said.Discussions with Pakistan will also include potential cooperation on trade, energy and women's issues. "We want to send that message that the doors are open," said the official.During the meeting, the White House will encourage Pakistan to "create" opportunity for enhancing Regional Economic Development and connectivity."For example, we would encourage Pakistan the ease of restrictions on trade transcending Pakistan between India and Afghanistan. And we think this would be a very positive step and will demonstrate Pakistan's commitment to a peaceful, prosperous South Asia," the official said.On his maiden visit to the US, Khan will be welcomed by Trump at the White House. The visit will focus on strengthening cooperation between the two countries to bring peace, stability and economic prosperity to the region, the official said.The two leaders will discuss a range of issues, including counterterrorism, defense, energy and trade, the official added.Prominent among those present from the US side would include Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin; Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Energy Secretary Rick Perry, Acting Secretary of Defense Richard Spencer and Chairman of Joint Chief of Staff General Joseph Dunford. Also Read | Imran Khan's visit and hopes for end to US-Pak acrimonyAlso Read | Trump scrapped Iran deal to spite Obama: New leak claimsAlso Read | Quotas on Uranium imports will not be imposed: US President Donald Trump

US to press Imran to take irreversible action against terrorists, facilitate peace talks with Taliban

The United States would press Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is slated to meet President Donald Trump next week, to take irreversible action against terrorist and militant groups, and to facilitate peace talks with the Taliban for intra-Afghan dialogue, the White House said on Friday.

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British police has "got hold of a large part" of the network linked to the suicide bomb attack at a pop concert in Manchester that killed 22 people, the country's counter-terrorism police chief said today. Mark Rowley, Assistant Commissioner for Specialist Operations in the Metropolitan Police Service, said detectives had made "immense progress" in the investigation, but warned there were still "important lines of inquiry" to pursue. "Further arrests are likely, although police believe they have got hold of a large part of the network," Rowley said. He said police have reviewed security at more than 1,300 events across the UK and urged public not to change any plan and "go out as you planned and enjoy yourselves". Earlier today, two men were arrested in connection with the suicide attack at the concert by American actress-singer Ariana Grande at Manchester Arena on Monday night.Greater Manchester Police said one of them was taken into custody after a property search at an address in the Moss Side area of Manchester. The second one, a 44-year-old man, was arrested in south Manchester. He was arrested on suspicion of terror offences. With the new arrests, the number of people arrested reached 11, of which two have been released without charge, police said. Nine men remain in custody for questioning, a police statement said. A 16-year-old boy and a 34-year-old woman were the two persons released without charge. The other nine men, aged between 18 and 44, were being questioned over their involvement in the attack and are expected to be charged soon. Investigators believe 22-year-old Manchester-born suicide bomber Salman Abedi, from a family of Libyan origin, acted as part of a terrorist network and their focus had been on intercepting his wider network. Rowley said: "Broadly speaking, as with any investigation of this nature, we are focusing on understanding Abedi's life; forensically examining a number of scenes, reviewing hours of CCTV from the night itself and the hours and before, financial work, communication, digital exhibits, the accounts from hundreds of witnesses and of course enquiries internationally." Some news reports indicated that security forces were on the hunt for a second device made by Abedi, which may now be with a member of this network. Abedi was known to UK security services, but his risk to the public remained "subject to review", according to reports. In the Libyan capital Tripoli, Abedi's younger brother 20-year-old Hashem and their father, Ramadan, are being held by special forces linked to the country's interior ministry. Meanwhile, the manager of a pizza shop raided by police in north England claimed that his friend Aimen Elwafi was one of the eight men in custody as he had inadvertently rented a property to Abedi.   Elwafi is believed to have handed himself to police after news reports revealed Abedi as the suicide bomber. "He made the connection straight away. He was shocked and panicked when he saw the news," said Mohammed El-Haduri, the manager of St Helens Pizza. The UK terror threat level remains "critical", meaning another attack could be imminent and additional Army and armed police officers are patrolling major sites, including the transport network, across the UK. Britain's Home Secretary Amber Rudd chaired another Cabinet Office Briefing Room A (Cobra) meeting today. "JTAC (Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre] have assessed that the level of threat should remain at critical while the operation continues. The military are continuing to support the police under Operation Temperer -- 1,000 members of the military are assisting in that," said Rudd. "Twenty-two people have died and 66 people are still in hospital. Meanwhile, the investigation continues, eight people are now in custody, it is a live operation and that will continue," she said. British police have now resumed intelligence-sharing with their US counterparts after a brief suspension over a series of leaks by American officials to journalists providing details of the Manchester bomb investigation. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met UK foreign secretary Boris Johnson in London today and said the US took "full responsibility" for the leaks. "This special relationship that exists between our two countries will certainly withstand this particular unfortunate event,"he said. US president Donald Trump had earlier said the leaks were "deeply troubling". Meanwhile, the national-level campaigning for the June 8 general election resumed today after local level campaigns restarted yesterday, following suspension in the wake of the attack. Opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn began the campaign with a major speech in London attacking the "war on terror". He said, "Many experts, including professionals in our intelligence and security services, have pointed to the connections between wars our government has supported or fought in other countries and terrorism here at home. "We must be brave enough to admit that the 'war on terror' is simply not working. We need a smarter way to reduce the threat from countries that nurture terrorists and generate terrorism." The ruling Conservatives, who criticised his speech as "crassly timed", have had a relatively low-key campaign today with British Prime Minister Theresa May in Sicily to attend a G7 Summit meeting. She used her speech there to urge world leaders to do more to combat online extremism. "The fight is moving from the battlefield to the internet," she said.

'Large part' of Manchester bombing network held: Scotland Yard

British police has got hold of a large part of the network linked to the suicide bomb attack at a pop concert in Manchester that killed 22 people.

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Pakistan does not meet minimum requirements of fiscal transparency, says US reportPakistan does not meet the minimum requirement of fiscal transparency, an official US report has said, alleging the country did not adequately disclose all government-guaranteed debt obligations, including financing to state-owned enterprises for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects. In its annual "2020 Fiscal Transparency Report" issued on Monday, the US State Department said Pakistan was one of the countries that made no significant progress in meeting the minimum requirements of fiscal transparency. Bangladesh is the other country from south Asia to figure in the list that also includes Saudi Arabia, Sudan and China.During the review period, the government of Pakistan made its executive budget proposal, enacted budget, and end-of-year report widely and easily accessible to the general public, including online. The government published limited information on debt obligations, the report said. "The government did not adequately disclose all government and government-guaranteed debt obligations, including financing to state-owned enterprises for China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Projects," it added.Publicly available budget documents provided a substantially complete picture of most of the government's planned expenditures and revenue streams, including natural resource revenues, the report stated. "The budget of the intelligence agencies was not subject to adequate parliamentary or other civilian oversight," it said, adding that the information in the budget was considered generally reliable and subject to audit by Pakistan's supreme audit institution.While audit reports are made publicly available within a reasonable period of time, the reports did not provide substantive findings, recommendations or narratives on the completeness or correctness of government accounts, the State Department said. It said Pakistan's fiscal transparency would be improved by making complete and timely information on government and government-guaranteed debt obligations publicly available, subjecting the intelligence agencies’ budgets to parliamentary or other civilian oversight and including substantive findings and recommendations in the supreme audit institution's audit report on the government's annual financial statements.In the report, the State Department concluded that of the 141 countries evaluated, 76, including India, met the minimum requirements of fiscal transparency. "Two governments, Samoa and Togo, met minimum requirements in 2020 after not meeting minimum requirements in 2019. Sixty-five governments did not meet the minimum requirements of fiscal transparency. Of these 65, however, 14 governments made significant progress toward meeting the minimum requirements of fiscal transparency," it said

Pakistan does not meet minimum requirements of fiscal transparency, says US report

It said Pakistan's fiscal transparency would be improved by making complete and timely information on government and government-guaranteed debt obligations publicly available, subjecting the intelligence agencies’ budgets to parliamentary or other civilian oversight and including substantive findings and recommendations in the supreme audit institution's audit report on the government's annual financial statements.

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Typhoon Mangkhut leaves 81 dead in PhilippinesPhilippines authorities on Wednesday raised the death toll to 81 and the number of missing to 70 following typhoon Mangkhut's path through the country's north where rescuers continue searching for dozens of people trapped in a mine buried by a landslide.The strongest typhoon of the season swept the north of the island of Luzon on Saturday. The number affected by the typhoon now exceeds one million.Related Stories 4 killed as Typhoon Mangkhut lashes China; 3.11 million evacuatedTyphoon Mangkhut leaves 74 dead in Philippines, search for missing continues Out of those missing, 66 were registered in the Cordillera region where the mining town of Itogon, Benguet province, is located. There, at least 39 deaths were confirmed at a mine amid the ongoing rescue efforts.In Itogon, floods and landslides caused by Mangkhut also buried an area with gold mining sites and several makeshift shelters where some miners and their families lived illegally.At least 200 people, including experts and volunteers, have been working since Sunday to rescue those trapped and as of Tuesday night had recovered 19 bodies by digging with picks and shovels in the mud as heavy machinery could not reach the area.According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, 148,400 people were being helped inside and outside evacuation centres.Authorities estimated that most of these people will have to stay at least three more weeks in the centres, where hygiene, sanitation and drinking water conditions were becoming increasingly precarious, according to the Red Cross."In this first intervention, our priority is to guarantee water and sanitation to the affected population, and later we will focus on the economic security of the families," said the head of Red Cross' Spain delegation in the Philippines, Luis Carrasco.Red Cross teams were planning to deploy water treatment plants in Benguet as they could not manage to reach further north. "As we go north and find water points, we will install more treatment plants," Carrasco said.

Typhoon Mangkhut leaves 81 dead in Philippines, rescue effort continues

In Itogon, floods and landslides caused by Mangkhut also buried an area with gold mining sites and several makeshift shelters where some miners and their families lived illegally.

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Juneteenth, recalling end of slavery, marked across US. Parades, picnics and lessons in history were offered Saturday to commemorate Juneteenth in the US, a day that carried even more significance after Congress and President Joe Biden created a federal holiday to observe the end of slavery. A new holiday was “really awesome. It's starting to recognise the African American experience,” said Detroit artist Hubert Massey, 63. “But we still have a long way to go.” In Detroit, which is about 80 per cent Black, students from University Prep Art & Design School dodged rain to repaint Massey's block-long message, “Power to the People,” which was created last year on downtown Woodward Avenue. The o' in “Power” was a red fist in memory of George Floyd and other victims of excessive force by police, Massey said. “We did the original," said Olivia Jones, 15, leaning on a long paint roller. “It's important that we return and share that same energy.” Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, two months after the Confederacy had surrendered. It was about 2 1/2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in Southern states. Biden on Thursday signed a bill creating Juneteenth National Independence Day. Since June 19 fell on a Saturday, the government observed the holiday Friday. At least nine states have designated it in law as an official paid state holiday, all but one acting after Floyd, a Black man, was killed last year in Minneapolis. In Galveston, the birthplace of the holiday, celebrations included the dedication of a 5,000-square-foot mural titled “Absolute Equality.”  Opal Lee, 94, who was at Biden's side when he signed the bill, returned to Fort Worth, Texas, to lead a 2.5-mile walk symbolizing the 2 1/2 years it took for slaves in Texas to find out they had been freed. Officials in Bristol, Rhode Island, unveiled a marker that describes the seaport's role in the slave trade. The marker was placed at the Linden Place Museum, a mansion built by Gen. George DeWolf, who was a slave trader. The Rhode Island Slave History Medallion organization raises public awareness about the state's role in slavery. A street in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was renamed Saturday for civil rights activists Harry and Harriette Moore. Harry was credited with registering more than 100,000 Black voters. They were killed on Christmas Day 1951 - their 25th wedding anniversary - when a bomb exploded under their bed. The final scene of a movie about the couple, “The Price For Freedom,” was also being shot. “They were ordinary people who brought about extraordinary change, and we are privileged to pay tribute to them here in Broward County,” county Commissioner Dale V C Holness said before the event. Hundreds of people gathered for a free concert in New York's Times Square organized by The Broadway League, the trade group for the Broadway entertainment industry. At dusk, the Empire State Building brightened the sky with red, black and green lights to mark the day as it turned to night. Lights were used in similar fashion at other New York state landmarks including the World Trade Center, Niagara Falls and the Albany International Airport Gateway.Parades, picnics and lessons in history were offered Saturday to commemorate Juneteenth in the US, a day that carried even more significance after Congress and President Joe Biden created a federal holiday to observe the end of slavery.A new holiday was “really awesome. It's starting to recognise the African American experience,” said Detroit artist Hubert Massey, 63.“But we still have a long way to go.”In Detroit, which is about 80 per cent Black, students from University Prep Art & Design School dodged rain to repaint Massey's block-long message, “Power to the People,” which was created last year on downtown Woodward Avenue.The o' in “Power” was a red fist in memory of George Floyd and other victims of excessive force by police, Massey said.“We did the original," said Olivia Jones, 15, leaning on a long paint roller.“It's important that we return and share that same energy.”Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, two months after the Confederacy had surrendered. It was about 2 1/2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in Southern states.Biden on Thursday signed a bill creating Juneteenth National Independence Day. Since June 19 fell on a Saturday, the government observed the holiday Friday. At least nine states have designated it in law as an official paid state holiday, all but one acting after Floyd, a Black man, was killed last year in Minneapolis.In Galveston, the birthplace of the holiday, celebrations included the dedication of a 5,000-square-foot mural titled “Absolute Equality.” Opal Lee, 94, who was at Biden's side when he signed the bill, returned to Fort Worth, Texas, to lead a 2.5-mile walk symbolizing the 2 1/2 years it took for slaves in Texas to find out they had been freed.Officials in Bristol, Rhode Island, unveiled a marker that describes the seaport's role in the slave trade. The marker was placed at the Linden Place Museum, a mansion built by Gen. George DeWolf, who was a slave trader. The Rhode Island Slave History Medallion organization raises public awareness about the state's role in slavery.A street in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was renamed Saturday for civil rights activists Harry and Harriette Moore. Harry was credited with registering more than 100,000 Black voters. They were killed on Christmas Day 1951 - their 25th wedding anniversary - when a bomb exploded under their bed.The final scene of a movie about the couple, “The Price For Freedom,” was also being shot.“They were ordinary people who brought about extraordinary change, and we are privileged to pay tribute to them here in Broward County,” county Commissioner Dale V C Holness said before the event.Hundreds of people gathered for a free concert in New York's Times Square organized by The Broadway League, the trade group for the Broadway entertainment industry.At dusk, the Empire State Building brightened the sky with red, black and green lights to mark the day as it turned to night.A Juneteenth parade was held in Evanston, Illinois, a Chicago suburb that is using tax revenue from marijuana sales to offer housing grants to Black residents for past discrimination and the lingering effects of slavery.Sacramento's Black community has organized Juneteenth festivals for 20 years, and this year's featured a parade, talent show, food fair, the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation and even a golf tournament.“This is the first Juneteenth where it's being recognized nationally and socially, by the masses and not just within the Black community,” organizer Gary Simon said.“We've seen an uptick in non-Black folks coming here for the last several years, and I'm seeing the difference in just the conversations taking place today.” New York civil rights activist the Rev Al Sharpton offered a tough message during a speech at his National Action Network, saying Senate Republicans who voted unanimously to make Juneteenth a federal holiday should also support Democratic bills that change voting laws and make it easier to crack down on rogue police officers.“The celebration of Juneteenth is not a party. The way to deal with Juneteenth now is to deal with where race is in 2021,” Sharpton said.In Portland, Maine, Joe Kings said his great-great-great-grandmother was enslaved. He has a picture of her on the wall of his auto detailing shop. As he has for years, Kings commemorated Juneteenth with barbecue for adults and activities for kids.“It's a little bit more celebratory knowing that it's official," Kings said, referring to his annual tradition and the new holiday.“I'm not saying we were in the closet about it, but now it's more widely recognized - and more importantly understood.” /* .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_3242671973 = { "file": "https://indiatv-vh.akamaihd.net/i/vod/0_pr8471ug_,20,21,22,.mp4.csmil/master.m3u8", "image": "https://thumbs.indiatvnews.com/vod/0_pr8471ug_big_thumb.jpg", "title": "Snapchat apologises for Juneteenth filter after backlash", "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": "70", "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_3242671973 = ''; jwsetup_3242671973(); function jwsetup_3242671973() { jwvidplayer_3242671973 = jwplayer("jwvidplayer_3242671973").setup(jwconfig_3242671973); jwvidplayer_3242671973.on('ready', function () { ns_.StreamingAnalytics.JWPlayer(jwvidplayer_3242671973, { publisherId: "20465327", labelmapping: "c2=\"20465327\", c3=\"IndiaTV News\", c4=\"null\", c6=\"null\", ns_st_mp=\"jwplayer\", ns_st_cl=\"0\", ns_st_ci=\"0_pr8471ug\", ns_st_pr=\"Snapchat apologises for Juneteenth filter after backlash\", ns_st_sn=\"0\", ns_st_en=\"0\", ns_st_ep=\"Snapchat apologises for Juneteenth filter after backlash\", ns_st_ct=\"null\", ns_st_ge=\"News\", ns_st_st=\"Snapchat apologises for Juneteenth filter after backlash\", ns_st_ce=\"0\", ns_st_ia=\"0\", ns_st_ddt=\"2020-06-21\", ns_st_tdt=\"2020-06-21\", ns_st_pu=\"IndiaTV News\", ns_st_cu=\"https://indiatv-vh.akamaihd.net/i/vod/0_pr8471ug_,20,21,22,.mp4.csmil/master.m3u8\", ns_st_ty=\"video\"" }); }); jwvidplayer_3242671973.on('all', function (r) { if (jwvidplayer_3242671973.getState() == 'error' || jwvidplayer_3242671973.getState() == 'setupError') { jwvidplayer_3242671973.stop(); jwvidplayer_3242671973.remove(); jwvidplayer_3242671973 = ''; jwsetup_3242671973(); return; } }); jwvidplayer_3242671973.on('error', function (t) { jwvidplayer_3242671973.stop(); jwvidplayer_3242671973.remove(); jwvidplayer_3242671973 = ''; jwsetup_3242671973(); return; }); jwvidplayer_3242671973.on('mute', function () { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_3242671973.on('adPlay', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_3242671973.on('adPause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_3242671973.on('pause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_3242671973.on('error', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_3242671973.on('adBlock', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); }  

Juneteenth, recalling end of slavery, marked across US

A new holiday was “really awesome. It's starting to recognise the African American experience,” said Detroit artist Hubert Massey, 63.

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Telangana to pay full salary, incentive to health, police employeesThe health and police employees in Telangana will not only be paid full salary for March but will also get cash incentive in recognition for their efforts to check the spread of coronavirus.The decision to pay full salary and incentive to employees of the medical and health department and police personnel was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao late Wednesday night.The Chief Minister will announce the incentive in a day or two.The government has already announced salary cut for all its employees in the wake of the crisis triggered by spread of COVID-19 and resultant lockdown. The cut has been imposed according to grade and service cadres.The highest cut of 75 per cent was imposed on salaries of the Chief Minister, State cabinet, MLCs, MLAs, State Corporation Chairpersons, and Representatives of Local Bodies representatives.All India Services cadre employees such as IAS, IPS, IFS and other such Central services Officers stand to face the second highest cut of 60 per cent, while all other category of employees will see their salaries cut by 50 per cent.Salaries of Class IV, outsourced and contract employees will be cut by 10 per cent as per the government.

Telangana to pay full salary, incentive to health, police employees

The health and police employees in Telangana will not only be paid full salary for March but will also get cash incentive in recognition for their efforts to check the spread of coronavirus.

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Taliban fighters sit on the back of a pickup truck as they stop on a hillside in KabulThe Taliban have banned hairdressers in Afghanistan's Helmand province from shaving or trimming beards, a media report said. "The Taliban have banned stylish hairstyles and shaving beards in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan," The Frontier Post reported citing the Taliban's letter.The publication further stated that officials from the Ministry of Islamic Orientation, at a meeting with representatives of men's hairdressing salons in the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah, advised against styling hair and shaving beards.The order, distributed on social networks, also contains a request not to play music or hymns on the premises of hairdressing salons, The Frontier Post reported.Meanwhile, the Taliban is re-imposing repressive laws and retrograde policies. They are imposing laws that defined its 1996-2001 rule when they enforced their version of Islamic Sharia law.Amid reports of large-scale human rights violations by the Taliban in Afghanistan, the outfit earlier had put on public display the bodies of four people who were killed after they allegedly carried out a kidnapping in the western city of Herat.It is been over a month since the Taliban captured Kabul after an aggressive and rapid advance against Afghanistan government forces amid the withdrawal of US and NATO troops from the country.The country plunged into crisis last month after Kabul fell to the Taliban and the democratically elected government of former president Ashraf Ghani collapsed. (With ANI inputs)Also Read | No selfies, sightseeing, fast cars for Taliban fighters as Defence Minister issues killjoy order /* .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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Taliban now ban stylish hairstyles, shaving or trimming beards in Afghanistan

The order, distributed on social networks, also contains a request not to play music or hymns on the premises of hairdressing salons.

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Earthquakes shake Indonesia, Philippines; no tsunami threatStrong, shallow underwater earthquakes shook western Indonesia and the Philippines capital region Monday but no serious damage was immediately reported and no tsunami warnings were issued.In Indonesia, a magnitude-6.7 quake that was 16 kilometers deep struck about 169 kilometers west of Pariaman, a town in West Sumatra province, the US Geological Survey said.The Indonesian Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said the quake was felt in many parts of the province but there was no danger of a tsunami. It occurred just before dawn and was centred about 161 kilometres southeast of South Nias, a district in North Sumatra province.A 6.4-magnitude earthquake also shook parts of the Philippine capital region and outlying provinces at dawn but there were no reported damages or injuries, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.The offshore quake was set off by movement along the Manila Trench and its epicenter was about 110 kilometres west of Lubang island in Occidental Mindoro province, which lies south of Manila, the Philippine institute said. Its depth was about 28 kilometres.Indonesia and the Philippines lie along the Pacific “Ring of Fire” — a line of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean — and are frequently struck by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.A 6.2 earthquake shook Indonesia's West Sumatra province last month, killing at least 16 people and injuring more than 400. Thousands of homes and other buildings were damaged by the tremors that were felt as far away as Malaysia and Singapore.

Earthquakes shake Indonesia, Philippines; no tsunami threat

In Indonesia, a magnitude-6.7 quake that was 16 kilometers deep struck about 169 kilometers west of Pariaman, a town in West Sumatra province, the US Geological Survey said.

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Donald Trump/File ImageUnited States President Donald Trump has said that his country will pull out of the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty with Russia, signed during the Cold War, and alleged that Moscow has "violated" the agreement.Trump made the remarks to reporters after attending a rally in the state of Nevada on Saturday. He accused Russia of violating the 1987 treaty without providing any evidence, reported Xinhua news agency.“We’re going to terminate the agreement and we’re going to pull out,” Trump told reporters on Saturday when asked about responding reports that his National Security Advisor John Bolton wants the US to pull out of the three-decade-old treaty.“We’ll have to develop those weapons,” he said.Trump's words came as his National Security Adviser John Bolton was heading to Russia on Saturday, who has been reported to tell Russian leaders about the US plan to exit the landmark deal. The INF treaty was signed between the then US president Ronald Reagan and his USSR counterpart Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987 on the elimination of intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles. It eliminates all nuclear and conventional missiles, as well as their launchers, with ranges of 500–1,000 kilometers or 310–620 miles (short-range) and 1,000–5,500 km or 620–3,420 miles (intermediate-range).“We are going to terminate the agreement and then we are going to develop the weapons”, unless Russia and China agree to a new deal, the US president said.He alleged that Russia had violated the agreement. "Russia has violated the agreement. They have been violating it for many years," Trump said. He asserted that "and we're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and we're not allowed to”.“We'll have to develop those weapons, unless Russia comes to us and China comes to us and they all come to us and say let's really get smart and let's none of us develop those weapons, but if Russia's doing it and if China's doing it, and we're adhering to the agreement, that's unacceptable," Trump asserted.He said the US will not adhere to the agreement, unless others were violating it. Trump alleged that his predecessor Barack Obama had kept quite on this. “I don't know why president Obama didn't negotiate or pull out. And we're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and we're not allowed to," he said."We're the ones that have stayed in the agreement and we've honoured the agreement.“If they get smart and if others get smart and they say let's not develop these horrible nuclear weapons, I would be extremely happy with that, but as long as somebody's violating the agreement, we're not going to be the only ones to adhere to it," the US president said. (With agency inputs)

US will pull out of Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces treaty with Russia, says Donald Trump

“We’re going to terminate the agreement and we’re going to pull out,” Trump told reporters Saturday in Nevada when asked about responding reports that his National Security Advisor John Bolton wants the US to pull out of the three-decade-old treaty.

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21-year-old Indian national, who had received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, is among the 36 new coronavirus cases reported in Singapore in the last 24 hoursA 21-year-old Indian national, who had received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, is among the 36 new coronavirus cases reported in Singapore in the last 24 hours, according to a media report on Saturday.The Indian did not have any symptoms and was detected when he was tested on April 19 as part of the Health Ministry's routine testing of foreign workers, the TODAY newspaper reported.The man's pooled test result came back positive for COVID-19 and he was immediately isolated. An individual test was done on April 20 and he was confirmed to have the coronavirus on April 21, the daily reported."His earlier tests (routine testing) — the last conducted on April 12 — were all negative for COVID-19. His serology test result (for past infection) has come back positive," said the Ministry of Health.The man had received his first dose of vaccine on March 11 and the second on April 1.The ministry said that complete vaccination against the virus may have resulted in lack of symptoms and positive serology test results."The COVID-19 vaccine is effective in preventing symptomatic disease for the vast majority of those vaccinated, but it is possible for vaccinated individuals to get infected. Further research is required to determine if the vaccination will also prevent onward transmission of the infection,” it said.In total, 36 imported cases of COVID-19 were registered on Friday and all have been placed on 'stay-home notices' upon their arrival here. The total number of infections in Singapore now stands at 60,943.Of these, 60,613 people have fully recovered and discharged from care facilities and hospitals, including 10 patients on Friday. Thirty people have died from complications due to the disease in Singapore.

Indian man among 36 test Covid-19 positive in Singapore

21-year-old Indian national, who had received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, is among the 36 new coronavirus cases reported in Singapore in the last 24 hours

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A US Air Force F-35B fighter jet crashed after it collided with refueling tanker over Imperial County in California. A US Air Force F-35B fighter jet crashed on Tuesday after it collided with refueling tanker over Imperial County in California.The pilot of the fighter jet was ejected and is being provided with medical assitance while crew of the refueling jet KC-130J is also safe, a US Marine unit informed.The crash took place at around 4 pm when F-35B was making contact with KC-130J during air-to-air refueling evolution.The incident happened over Imperial County, California. The cause of the crash is under investigation, the marines unit said.

US fighter jet F-35B crashes after colliding with refueling tanker over Imperial County in California

A US Air Force F-35B fighter jet crashed on Tuesday after it collided with refueling tanker over Imperial County in California.

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72 COVID-19 therapeutics trial underway, 211 in planning stages: FDAA top Trump administration health official has said that as many as 19 therapeutics trial are underway and 211 in planning stages in a bid to find the cure for coronavirus. “We are leaving no stone unturned to find the treatment for COVID-19... We don't have any approved therapeutics for COVID-19 but we are actively involved with the academic, commercial and private sector to find it,” FDA Commissioner Stephen M Hahn told reporters at a White House news conference.“Seventy-two trials of therapeutics are underway in the United States under FDA oversight and 211 are in the planning stages, so we expect to see more. This includes convalescent plasma as well as antiviral therapies,” Hahn added. According to Hahn, work is continuing on finding a vaccine. FDA has authorised two firms on vaccine trials. Hahn said that the FDA has told manufacturers that in order to market anti-body tests in the US, they have to validate their tests.“They have to tell us that they validated their tests, and in the package insert they have to let people know, end users, labs etc., that those tests were not authorised by FDA,” he said. So far, the US has authorised four and more are in the pipeline, he added. Antibody tests that are used to detect natural immunity and the FDA's approach to help make these tests available, he noted.These are just one part of FDA’s larger response effort. They can play a role in helping move the economy forward by helping healthcare professionals identify those who have immunity to the COVID-19, he asserted. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA has worked with more than 380 test developers who have said they will be submitting emergency use authorisations (EUA) requests to FDA for tests that detect the virus.To date, the FDA has issued 44 individual emergency use authorisations for test kit manufacturers and laboratories. In addition, 19 authorised tests have been added to the EUA letter of authorisation for high complexity molecular-based laboratory developed tests (LDTs). 

72 COVID-19 therapeutics trial underway, 211 in planning stages: FDA

A top Trump administration health official has said that as many as 19 therapeutics trial are underway and 211 in planning stages in a bid to find the cure for coronavirus.“We are leaving no stone unturned to find the treatment for COVID-19... We don't have any approved therapeutics for COVID-19 but we are actively involved with the academic, commercial and private sector to find it,” FDA Commissioner Stephen M Hahn told reporters at a White House news conference.

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Bushfire in AustraliaThree more people lost their lives in the raging Australian bushfires on Wednesday, bringing the total number of deaths since October to 16 in deadly blazes that have forced thousands to seek refuge due to the worst fire crisis that has hit the country in decades."Police have confirmed a further three deaths as a result of the fires on the South Coast," New South Wales Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys told reporters in Sydney.Worboys said a person also remained unaccounted for in the state, the Efe news reported.Dozens of homes destroyed in deadly fireThe fires have also destroyed dozens of homes and left three people wounded in the state that has been battling the deadly inferno since September 2019.Firefighters are trying to control the flames before Saturday when the temperature is expected to touch the 40 degrees Celsius mark.More than 2,500 firefighters put effort to douse flamesSome 50,000 homes were said to be without power on the south coast of New South Wales, the worst affected state where some 2,500 firefighters are currently battling over 100 blazes raging across the province.Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews, told reporters that military aid, food, water, and fuel have been sent to areas affected by fires in the state.Military helicopters and navy ships have been deployed to assist in the evacuation of thousands of people trapped on a beach in the town of Mallacoota, located in East Gippsland in the extreme southeast of Victoria that shares a border with New South Wales.On Wednesday, two Black Hawk and Taipan helicopters were sent to the disaster zone, while two Chinooks were also expected to arrive on Friday to aid in the operation.The choppers will help firefighters in evacuations, as well as in the transport of food, fuel, and medicines to remote communities isolated by fires.Worst in decades The raging bushfires in Australia, one of the worst in recent decades, have burned over 3 million hectares since last September.The current wave of fires began before the start of the southern summer, which commences in December and could continue for months, with high temperatures and a shortage of rain expected until March.ALSO READ: Pak govt approves amendment to Army ActALSO READ: Fire at Germany's Krefeld zoo kills dozens of chimps, orangutans and gorillas  

Australia bushfires: Death toll mounts to 16, hundreds of homes destroyed

As the deadly Australian bushfire continues to rage in the south coast, three more deaths have been confirmed by the police.

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Earthquake of magnitude 4.2 strikes India-Bangladesh borderAn earthquake of magnitude 4.2 struck Bangladesh at 7:10 am IST. The epicenter of the earthquake was Netrakona near Dhaka, Bangladesh.(More information awaited...)  

Earthquake of magnitude 4.2 strikes India-Bangladesh border

An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 struck Bangladesh at 7:10 am IST. The epicenter of the earthquake was Netrakona near Dhaka, Bangladesh.

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United States reports record Covid-19 cases.The United States made a world record reporting the highest-ever 1 million -- over 10 lakh -- daily Covid cases on Monday, as Omicron-led wave penetrates through the country.America's Monday figures are almost double than its previously reported high of 5,90,000 daily cases during the earlier waves.The diagnosis of new daily Covid cases has affected every aspect of life in the country pushing further peoples' new year plans, delaying in reopening of schools, cancellation of flights among other chaos.Some school systems around the U.S. extended their holiday break Monday or switched back to online instruction because of the explosion in COVID-19 cases, while others pressed ahead with in-person classes amid a seemingly growing sense that Americans will have to learn to co-exist with the virus.Caught between pleas from teachers fearful of infection and parents who want their children in class, school districts in cities such as New York, Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit and beyond found themselves in a difficult position midway through the academic year because of the super-contagious omicron variant.New York City, home of the nation’s largest school system, reopened classrooms to roughly 1 million students with a stockpile of take-home COVID-19 test kits and plans to double the number of random tests done in schools.More than 4,000 flights were cancelled globally in the past 24 hours, more than half of which were in the US, as new Covid-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant continue to cause staff shortages at airlines and airports amid a busy holiday travel season.Worldwide, 4,020 flights had been cancelled by Sunday afternoon, according to flight tracker FlightAware, with 2,393 of them being within, into, or out of the US, reports Xinhua news agency. Another 4,519 US flights were delayed on Sunday.US news portal Axios said that some 4,700 domestic flights have been cancelled this weekend, with poor weather conditions contributing to delays already exacerbated by the Omicron variant in the US, where the Covid-19 record was shattered again on December 30 with over 580,000 daily cases reported nationwide.(With inputs from AP)ALSO READ | With Omicron, are we seeing the beginning of the end of Covid pandemic?ALSO READ | Massive surge in COVID cases indicative of third wave in India, like in other countries: Expert

US sees highest-ever over 10 lakh fresh Covid cases in one single day

The diagnosis of new daily Covid cases has affected every aspect of life in the country pushing further peoples' new year plans, delaying in reopening of schools, cancellation of flights among other chaos.

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Imran Khan slammed for remark on press freedom The global media watchdog, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), has criticised Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan for rejecting the question of media curbs in the country.During his visit to the US, Khan had said that talking about curbs on press freedom in Pakistan was a "joke"."It is clear that either you are very poorly informed, in which case you should urgently replace the people around you, or you are knowingly concealing the facts, which is very serious, given your responsibilities," RSF Secretary-General Christophe Deloire wrote on Wednesday, reported Dawn newspaper.The RSF alleged that it was an "obscenity" for Khan to say that press freedom was thriving in Pakistan.Given a recent surge in press freedom violations, which the RSF enumerated in a statement, "you will appreciate that to talk of 'one of the freest presses in the world' is clearly tantamount to an obscenity," Deloire said.He urged Khan to "allow Pakistan's journalists to exercise their profession in complete safety and with complete independence". The credibility of the Pakistani state and democracy is at stake, he said.Earlier in July, the government launched a blistering attack on the press, linking critical coverage to potential "treason".Also in July, a number of private television channels had their broadcasts cut after screening a press conference with former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz.In recent years, the space for dissent has shrunk, with the government announcing a crackdown on social networks and traditional media houses decrying pressure from authorities that they say has resulted in widespread self-censorship.

Imran Khan slammed for remark on press freedom

"It is clear that either you are very poorly informed, in which case you should urgently replace the people around you, or you are knowingly concealing the facts, which is very serious, given your responsibilities," RSF Secretary-General Christophe Deloire wrote on Wednesday, reported Dawn newspaper.

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North Korea says a nuclear war on the Korean Peninsula has become a matter of when, not if, as it continued to lash out at a massive joint military exercise between the United States and South Korea involving hundreds of advanced warplanes.In comments attributed to an unnamed Foreign Ministry spokesman, North Korea also claimed high-ranked US officials, including CIA Director Mike Pompeo, have further confirmed American intent for war with a series of "bellicose remarks."Related Stories US terms North Korea a ‘global threat’, hopes India to do more on PyongyangNorth Korea’s new missile could reach Washington, says South KoreaPotential for war with North Korea increasing every day: Top US officialPompeo said on Saturday that US intelligence agencies believe North Korean leader Kim Jong Un doesn't have a good idea about how tenuous his situation is domestically and internationally.The North's spokesman said Pompeo provoked the country by "impudently criticizing our supreme leadership which is the heart of our people.""The large-scale nuclear war exercises conducted by the US in succession are creating touch-and-go situation on the Korean peninsula and series of violent war remarks coming from the US high-level politicians amid such circumstances have made an outbreak of war on the Korean peninsula an established fact. The remaining question now is: when will the war break out," the spokesman said."We do not wish for a war but shall not hide from it, and should the US miscalculate our patience and light the fuse for a nuclear war, we will surely make the US dearly pay the consequences with our mighty nuclear force which we have consistently strengthened."The comments were carried by the official Korean Central News Agency late on Wednesday, hours after the United States flew a B-1B supersonic bomber over South Korea as part of a massive combined aerial exercise involving hundreds of warplanes.South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the Guam-based bomber simulated land strikes at a military field near South Korea's eastern coast during a drill with US and South Korean fighter jets."Through the drill, the South Korean and US air forces displayed the allies' strong intent and ability to punish North Korea when threatened by nuclear weapons and missiles," the South Korean military said in a statement.B-1Bs flyovers have become an increasingly familiar show of force to North Korea, which after three intercontinental ballistic missile tests has clearly moved closer toward building a nuclear arsenal that could viably target the US mainland.The five-day drills that began on Monday involve more than 200 aircraft, including six US F-22 and 18 F-35 stealth fighters.North Korea hates such displays of American military might at close range and typically uses strong language to condemn them as invasion rehearsals. It has been particularly sensitive about B-1B bombers, describing them as "nuclear strategic" although the planes were switched to conventional weaponry in the mid-1990s.

North Korea says war is inevitable as allies continue war games

In comments attributed to an unnamed Foreign Ministry spokesman, North Korea also claimed high-ranked US officials, including CIA Director Mike Pompeo, have further confirmed American intent for war with a series of "bellicose remarks."

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eT, Jaish continue to be threat to India; Pak allowed terror activists to contests polls: USThe US has said the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) continued to be a threat to India and slammed Pakistan for allowing candidates affiliated with the LeT front organisations to contest the country's last general elections. The US State Department's 'Country Reports on Terrorism 2018', published on Friday, also said the Pakistani authorities have failed to uniformly implement the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Action Plan on money laundering and counter-terrorism and the UN sanctions related to designated entities and individuals such as terror group LeT and its affiliates, which continued to make use of economic resources and raise funds."Regionally focused terrorist groups also remained a threat in 2018. For example, Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba – which was responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks – and Jaish-e-Mohammad maintained the capability and intent to attack Indian and Afghan targets. In February (2018), operatives reportedly affiliated with JeM attacked an Indian army camp at Sunjuwan, in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, killing seven," the report said. The LeT and the JeM were responsible for a series of terror attacks in India that include attack on Parliament, leading to death of scores of innocent people and security personnel.The US State Department report said the Pakistan government has failed to significantly limit the LeT and the JeM from raising money, recruiting and training in Pakistan, and "allowed candidates overtly affiliated with the LeT front organisations to contest the July general elections". After the Pakistan general elections, Imran Khan assumed the charge of Prime Minister of that country in August 2018. Although the Pakistani government voiced support for political reconciliation between the Afghan government and the Afghan Taliban, it did not restrict the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network (HQN) from operating in Pakistan-based safe havens and threatening the US and Afghan forces in Afghanistan, the report said.In June, the FATF placed Pakistan on the "grey list" for deficiencies in its Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regimes, including the failure to implement the UN sanctions related to designated entities. The US State Department said as a member of the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG), Pakistan has agreed to implement international standards to combat money laundering, terrorism finance, and proliferation finance but its implementation remained "very poor"."Pakistan criminalises terrorist financing through the Anti-Terrorism Act, but implementation remains uneven. In June 2018, the FATF placed Pakistan on its 'grey list' for deficiencies across its AML/CFT regimes, specifically citing concerns over Pakistan's failure to fully implement the UN Security Council ISIL (Da'esh) and al-Qa'ida sanctions regime. "The FATF noted that UN-listed entities, including the LeT and its affiliates, were not effectively prohibited from raising funds in Pakistan, or being denied financial services," the report said."Pakistani authorities failed to uniformly implement UN sanctions related to designated entities and individuals such as LeT and its affiliates, which continued to make use of economic resources and raise funds," it said. The US report said Pakistan's 2015 National Action Plan to combat terrorism includes efforts to prevent and counter terrorist financing, including by enhancing inter-agency coordination on countering the finance of terrorism.The law designates the use of unlicensed 'hundi' and 'hawala' systems as predicate offences to terrorism and requires banks to report suspicious transactions to Pakistan's FIU, the (Pakistan) State Bank's Financial Monitoring Unit, it said. "These unlicensed money transfer systems persisted throughout the country and were open to abuse by terrorist financiers operating in the cross-border area," the US State Department report said.ALSO READ| Jaish threat on Diwali: Unprecedented security in Delhi, other metros alertedALSO READ| Three JeM terrorists killed in J&K's Awantipora

Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish continue to be threat to India; Pakistan allowed terror activists to contests polls: US

The US State Department's 'Country Reports on Terrorism 2018', published on Friday, also said the Pakistani authorities have failed to uniformly implement the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Action Plan on money laundering and counter-terrorism and the UN sanctions related to designated entities and individuals such as terror group LeT and its affiliates, which continued to make use of economic resources and raise funds

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Iraq protesters storm Baghdad bridge, medic killedAnti-government protesters in Iraq stormed a fourth bridge Wednesday in central Baghdad, where security forces pushed them back with batons and tear gas, wounding dozens, and a medic was killed near another bridge while aiding demonstrators.The military called on the protesters to stop blocking roads and ports, saying they had cost Iraq $6 billion, and it vowed to arrest those responsible. The U.S. Embassy urged the government to “engage seriously and urgently” with the demonstrators and condemned attacks on them.Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in recent weeks in the capital and across the Shiite south to demand sweeping political change. The protesters complain of widespread corruption, a lack of job opportunities and poor basic services, including regular power cuts despite Iraq’s vast oil reserves.The protesters have focused their anger on Shiite political parties and militias, many of which have close ties to Iran . Across the south, they have attacked party and militia headquarters, setting some of them ablaze.In the Shiite holy city of Karbala, protesters attacked the Iranian Consulate earlier this week, hurling firebombs over its walls. Security forces killed at least three people as they dispersed the protest. Days earlier, masked men suspected of links to the security forces opened fire on a demonstration there, killing at least 18 people.Overnight, at least two protesters were killed in clashes with security forces near the provincial headquarters in the city, according to a protester and a medic who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of repercussions.In Baghdad, protesters clashed with security forces on a fourth bridge over the Tigris River after previous clashes forced the closure of three other spans, paralyzing much of the city. The protests have been centered in Tahrir Square, on the eastern bank of the Tigris, and the demonstrators have been trying to reach the Green Zone, which houses government offices and foreign embassies on the other side of the river.As protesters moved toward the Martyrs’ Bridge, north of the other three, they passed near the central bank. Iraqi security forces were deployed in large numbers around the bank and evacuated employees, but the protesters did not target the building.Security and medical officials said at least 29 people were wounded after being hit with batons or exposed to tear gas on or near Martyrs’ Bridge. They said a medic was killed near the Al-Ahrar Bridge, which has seen heavy clashes in recent days, and another was wounded. They spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.In Tahrir Square, family and friends called for the release of Siba al-Mahdawi, a 37-year-old activist and volunteer medic who was abducted over the weekend. Her brother, Ahmed al-Mahdawi, said she was taken by masked men dressed in black as she returned home from a protest Saturday. He said the family has received no word of her whereabouts since she vanished four days ago.“She assumed responsibility for the family after our father died,” he said, adding that she had taken care of her mother and four younger siblings as they struggled to find steady work.The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad called on the government to “engage seriously and urgently with Iraqi citizens who are demanding reform.”“We deplore the killing and kidnapping of unarmed protesters, threats to freedom of expression, and the cycle of violence taking place,” it said. “Iraqis must be free to make their own choices about the future of their nation.”Maj. Gen. Abdul-Karim Khalaf, a spokesman for the armed forces, said the roadblocks and the protesters’ blockade of the key port of Umm Qasr on the Persian Gulf had cost the country $6 billion. He said security forces are not using live ammunition but would arrest anyone trying to block roads or bridges.Umm Qasr, which houses a vital oil terminal and also is an entry point for food and basic goods, has been blocked for five days. Clashes broke out when security forces tried to reopen it Tuesday, with one protester killed and eight wounded.Security forces have killed at least 273 protesters in two major waves of demonstrations since early October, including four who died Wednesday of injuries suffered earlier. Iraq’s leaders have promised reforms and early elections, but the process they laid out could take months, and the protests have only grown in recent days.Iraq has held regular elections since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein following the U.S.-led invasion of 2003, but they have been dominated by Shiite Islamist parties that have failed to deliver on promises to improve daily life. The protests pose the biggest challenge to the government since it declared victory over militants from the Islamic State group nearly two years ago.Internet access remained limited Wednesday after the government shut it down earlier this week. Netblocks, a civil society group that tracks internet restrictions, said usage dropped to 19% of normal levels overnight Tuesday before being partially restored.Netblocks said Wednesday that Iraq “remains largely offline.” It said an earlier series of internet outages during protests last month had cost the country more than $1 billion.

Iraq protesters storm Baghdad bridge, medic killed

Anti-government protesters in Iraq stormed the fourth bridge Wednesday in central Baghdad, where security forces pushed them back with batons and tear gas, wounding dozens, and a medic was killed near another bridge while aiding demonstrators.

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Bangladesh authorities on Thursday allowed into the country around 10,000 Rohingyas stranded in an area between Bangladesh and Myanmar for days, owing to a lack of space in camps.The Inter Sector Coordination Group of the US had warned on Tuesday that between 10,000-15,000 members of the Rohingya Muslim minority were stranded in no-man's land but Dhaka temporarily refused to allow them to enter, alleging lack of space in the makeshift camps in the area, Efe news reported."We found there were around 10,000 people on the border. We started relocating them inside since 9.45 a.m. today," said Major Iqbal Ahmed, commander of the Border Guard Bangladesh in Ukhia."When this group of people came we had requested the officials to find a place where they could be taken. They have now worked out it," he said.Relief and Refugee Repatriate Commissioner of Bangladesh Abul Kalam said the group would be initially taken to a temporary shelter and later moved to a makeshift camp.According to Kalam, many of the 10,000 Rohingyas had to walk for days to reach the border and hence would need to undergo medical check-ups.This week, the UN raised the number of people who arrived in Bangladesh fleeing violence in Myanmar to 582,000.The crisis began on August 25 when an insurgent group of the Rohingya Muslim minority staged a series of attacks on police and Army posts in Myanmar's Rakhine state, to which the Myanmar military responded with an ongoing large-scale offensive.

Bangladesh allows entry to 10,000 stranded Rohingyas

Bangladesh on Thursday allowed into the country around 10,000 Rohingyas stranded in an area between Bangladesh and Myanmar for days.

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K P Sharma Oli is set to be sworn in as Nepal’s Prime Minister for the third time on FridayK P Sharma Oli is set to be sworn in as Nepal’s Prime Minister for the third time on Friday, a day after he was reappointed to the post as the Opposition parties failed to secure majority seats in Parliament to form a new government.President Bidya Devi Bhandari reappointed CPN-UML Chairman Oli, 69, as Prime Minister on Thursday night, three days after he lost a crucial trust vote in the House of Representatives.He previously served as prime minister from October 11, 2015 to August 3, 2016 and again from February 15, 2018 to May 13, 2021. President Bhandari will administer the oath of office and secrecy to Oli at a ceremony at Shital Niwas on Friday at 2:30 pm local time.The president had asked the Opposition parties to come up with the support of majority lawmakers to form a new government by 9 pm on Thursday after Oli lost the vote of confidence in the House on Monday.Until Thursday, Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba, who got backing from CPN-Maoist Centre chairman Pushpakamal Dahal "Prachanda" was hopeful to get sufficient votes in the House to stake his claim as the next Prime Minister.But as Madhav Kumar Nepal took a U-turn after his last-minute meeting with Oli, Deuba's dream to become the next Prime Minister was shattered. Oli will now have to take a vote of confidence at the House within 30 days, failing which, an attempt to form a government under Article 76 (5) of the Constitution would be initiated.The CPN-UML, headed by Oli, is the largest party with 121 seats in the 271-member House of Representatives. At present 136 votes are needed to form a majority government. If the parties fail to form a new government in line with Article 76 (5) or the Prime Minister elected under this provision fail to secure the vote of confidence again, the sitting Prime Minister can recommend the President to dissolve the parliament and announce the date to hold general elections within the next six months.Nepal plunged into a political crisis on December 20 last year after President Bhandari dissolved the House and announced fresh elections on April 30 and May 10 at the recommendation of Prime Minister Oli, amidst a tussle for power within the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP).Oli's move to dissolve the House sparked protests from a large section of the NCP led by his rival 'Prachanda'. In February, the apex court reinstated the dissolved House, in a setback to Oli who was preparing for snap polls.Also Read: KP Sharma Oli reappointed as Nepal PM after opposition fails to muster majority

K P Sharma Oli set to be sworn in as Nepal Prime Minister

K P Sharma Oli is set to be sworn in as Nepal’s Prime Minister for the third time on Friday.

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Representational imageIndia has rejected Pakistan's objections on the construction of the 1,000MW Pakal Dul dam and 48MW Lower Kalnal hydropower projects on the Chenab river, a Pakistani official told PTI on the condition of anonymity.This comes just as the crucial high-level bilateral talks on the Indus Waters Treaty concluded here. It was the first official engagement between India and Pakistan since Imran Khan became Prime Minister on August 18.Pakistan's Commissioner for Indus Waters Syed Meher Ali Shah told reporters that there would be no briefing and statement on the issue."It is a sensitive matter and we were conveyed (by the Foreign Office) not to speak on it. The Foreign Office will issue a statement in this regard," Shah said."India has hinted at continuation of work on both the hydropower projects," he said."Pakistan may approach the international forums defined in the Indus Waters Treaty over New Delhi's refusal to accept the requests as narrated in the detailed objections," the official said.Pakistan has made it clear that it will have no option but to appointment neutral experts and take the case to the International Court of Arbitration in case India fails to address its concerns which are genuine, he said."India has invited Pakistan to send its experts to the sites of two projects -- the construction of the 1,000MW Pakal Dul dam and 48MW Lower Kalnal -- on the Chenab river next month to have their apprehensions redressed," a senior official of the Water Resource Ministry told PTI after the talks.The official further said the both sides also agreed to develop a 'technical memorandum' over this matter and exchange it in the next meeting scheduled for later this year in India."Pakistani authorities asked Indians to reduce the height of the Pakal Dul's reservoir up to five metres. India has also been urged to maintain 40-metre height above sea level while making spillways' gates of the Pakal Dul project besides clarifying the pattern and mechanism for the water storage and releases," Dawn quoted one of the participants of the meeting as saying."Similarly, Pakistan raised some technical concerns over design of the the Lower Kalnal hydropower project, requesting India to address them at the earliest," the report said.India was represented by a nine-member delegation of the Indian Water Commission led by Commissioner P K Saxena. Yesterday, Shah said Pakistan raised objections on the 1000MW Pakal Dul and the 48MW Lower Kalnai hydroelectric projects and a detailed discussion will be held during the talks."We had also raised concerns over construction of dams on Pakistani rivers and India did not bother about it and continued doing the same," Shah said, adding India will reply to Pakistan's queries on the controversial water projects.Former Pakistan Indus Water Commissioner Syed Jamaat Ali Shah told PTI that the successive Pakistani governments had given much importance to its water disputes with India."India does not bother about Pakistan's objections. It begins work on building hydro power projects on the Pakistani rivers and the Pakistani government raises objections afterwards. Unless the Pakistani government seriously takes up these matters with India it will not get relief," he said, adding that Pakistan also needs to plead its case in the World Bank.According to an official of the Pakistan Water Commission, Pakistan has been raising reservations over the designs of the two projects — 1000MW Pakal Dul and 48MW Lower Kalnai hydroelectric projects on River Chenab — and would like India to either modify the designs to make them compliant to the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty or put the projects on hold until New Delhi satisfies Islamabad."The two sides will in talks also finalise the schedule of future meetings of the Permanent Indus Commission and visits of the teams of the Indus commissioners," he said.Pakistan has also challenged the discharge series of River Lower Kalnai at Dunadi for winter months and estimated permissible pondage of 0.38 cubic megametres compared to Indian design pondage of 2.74 cubic megametres.The Lower Kalnai project is on a left bank tributary of Chenab and can have gross storage of about 1,508 acre feet of water.The Indian delegation will return home tomorrow.India and Pakistan signed the Indus Waters Treaty in 1960 after nine years of negotiations, with the World Bank being a signatory.The water commissioners of Pakistan and India are required to meet twice a year and arrange technical visits to projects' sites and critical river head works, but Pakistan had been facing a lot of problems in timely meetings and visits.The last meeting of the Pakistan-India Permanent Indus Commission was held in New Delhi in March during which both the sides had shared details of the water flow and the quantum of water being used under the 1960 treaty.The treaty sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two countries regarding their use of the rivers. However, there have been disagreements and differences between India and Pakistan over the treaty.(With PTI inputs)

'India rejects Pakistan's objections on 2 hydropower projects as talks conclude on Indus Waters Treaty'

"It is a sensitive matter and we were conveyed (by the Foreign Office) not to speak on it. The Foreign Office will issue a statement in this regard," Shah said.

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Smoke rises next to the US Embassy in Kabul. Taliban fighters have entered the Afghanistan capital, tightening their grip on the country.The Taliban swept into Afghanistan’s capital after the government collapsed and the embattled president joined an exodus of his fellow citizens and foreigners, signaling the end of a costly two-decade US campaign to remake the country. Heavily armed Taliban fighters fanned out across the capital, and several entered Kabul’s abandoned presidential palace. Suhail Shaheen, a Taliban spokesman and negotiator, told The Associated Press that the militants would hold talks in the coming days aimed at forming an “open, inclusive Islamic government.”Earlier, a Taliban official said the group would announce from the palace the restoration of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the formal name of the country under Taliban rule before the militants were ousted by US-led forces in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, which were orchestrated by al-Qaida while it was being sheltered by the Taliban. But that plan appeared to be on hold.Kabul was gripped by panic. Helicopters raced overhead throughout the day to evacuate personnel from the US Embassy. Smoke rose near the compound as staff destroyed important documents, and the American flag was lowered. Several other Western missions also prepared to pull their people out.Fearful that the Taliban could reimpose the kind of brutal rule that all but eliminated women’s rights, Afghans rushed to leave the country, lining up at cash machines to withdraw their life savings. The desperately poor — who had left homes in the countryside for the presumed safety of the capital — remained in parks and open spaces throughout the city.Though the Taliban had promised a peaceful transition, the US Embassy suspended operations and warned Americans late in the day to shelter in place and not try to get to the airport.Commercial flights were suspended after sporadic gunfire erupted at the Kabul airport, according to two senior U.S. military officials. Evacuations continued on military flights, but the halt to commercial traffic closed off one of the last routes available for fleeing Afghans.Many people watched in disbelief as helicopters landed in the U.S. Embassy compound to take diplomats to a new outpost at the airport. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken rejected comparisons to the U.S. pullout from Vietnam. “This is manifestly not Saigon,” he said on ABC’s “This Week.”The American ambassador was among those evacuated, officials said. He was asking to return to the embassy, but it was not clear if he would be allowed to. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing operations.As the insurgents closed in, President Ashraf Ghani flew out of the country. “The former president of Afghanistan left Afghanistan, leaving the country in this difficult situation,” said Abdullah Abdullah, the head of the Afghan National Reconciliation Council and a longtime rival of Ghani. “God should hold him accountable.”Ghani later posted on Facebook that he left to avert bloodshed in the capital, without saying where he had gone.As night fell, Taliban fighters deployed across Kabul, taking over abandoned police posts and pledging to maintain law and order during the transition. Residents reported looting in parts of the city, including in the upscale diplomatic district, and messages circulating on social media advised people to stay inside and lock their gates.In a stunning rout, the Taliban seized nearly all of Afghanistan in just over a week, despite the billions of dollars spent by the U.S. and NATO over nearly 20 years to build up Afghan security forces. Just days earlier, an American military assessment estimated that the capital would not come under insurgent pressure for a month.The fall of Kabul marks the final chapter of America’s longest war, which began after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. A U.S.-led invasion dislodged the Taliban and beat them back, but America lost focus on the conflict in the chaos of the Iraq war. For years, the U.S. sought an exit from Afghanistan. Then-President Donald Trump signed a deal with the Taliban in February 2020 that limited direct military action against the insurgents. That allowed the fighters to gather strength and move quickly to seize key areas when President Joe Biden announced his plans to withdraw all American forces by the end of this month.After the insurgents entered Kabul, Taliban negotiators discussed a transfer of power, said an Afghan official. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of the closed-door negotiations, described them as “tense.”It remained unclear when that transfer would take place and who among the Taliban was negotiating. The negotiators on the government side included former President Hamid Karzai, leader of Hizb-e-Islami political and paramilitary group Gulbudin Hekmatyar, and Abdullah, who has been a vocal critic of Ghani.Karzai himself appeared in a video posted online, his three young daughters around him, saying he remained in Kabul. “We are trying to solve the issue of Afghanistan with the Taliban leadership peacefully,” he said.Afghanistan’s acting defense minister, Bismillah Khan Mohammadi, did not hold back his criticism of the fleeing president. “They tied our hands from behind and sold the country,” he wrote on Twitter. “Curse Ghani and his gang.”The Taliban earlier insisted that their fighters would not enter people’s homes or interfere with businesses and said they would offer “amnesty” to those who worked with the Afghan government or foreign forces. But there have been reports of revenge killings and other brutal tactics in areas of the country the Taliban have seized in recent days. Reports of gunfire at the airport raised the specter of more violence. One female journalist, weeping, sent voice messages to colleagues after armed men entered her apartment building and banged on her door.“What should I do? Should I call the police or Taliban?” Getee Azami cried. It wasn’t clear what happened to her after that.An Afghan university student described feeling betrayed as she watched the evacuation of the U.S. Embassy.“You failed the younger generation of Afghanistan,” said Aisha Khurram, 22, who is now unsure of whether she will be able to graduate in two months. She said her generation was “hoping to build the country with their own hands. They put blood, efforts and sweat into whatever we had right now.”Sunday began with the Taliban seizing Jalalabad, the last major city besides the capital not in their hands. Afghan officials said the militants also took the capitals of Maidan Wardak, Khost, Kapisa and Parwan provinces, as well as the country’s last government-held border post.Later, Afghan forces at Bagram Air Base, home to a prison housing 5,000 inmates, surrendered to the Taliban, according to Bagram district chief Darwaish Raufi. The prison at the former U.S. base held both Taliban and Islamic State group fighters.READ MORE: Afghanistan: Gunfire breaks out at Kabul airport as Taliban takes control of capitalREAD MORE: Taliban to declare Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan: Official

Taliban sweep into Afghanistan after Kabul fall; President Ashraf Ghani flees country

Taliban fighters deployed across Kabul, taking over abandoned police posts and pledging to maintain law and order during the transition.

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Bahrain pardons 250 Indian prisoners on Modi visitIn a special gesture, as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was visiting the Gulf kingdom, Bahrain pardoned 250 Indian prisoners serving sentences in the country."In a kind and humanitarian gesture, the Government of Bahrain has pardoned 250 Indians serving sentences in Bahrain. PM@narendramodi thanks the Bahrain Government for the Royal Pardon," the PMO tweeted.Modi was in Bahrain on a two-day visit, the first by an Indian Prime Minister.ALSO READ | India, Bahrain call on global community to reject use of terrorism against other countriesALSO READ | Lost my good friend Arun: PM Modi gets emotional at Bahrain eventALSO READ | India, Bahrain sign agreements in space technology, culture exchange

Bahrain pardons 250 Indian prisoners on Modi visit

In a special gesture, as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was visiting the Gulf kingdom, Bahrain pardoned 250 Indian prisoners serving sentences in the country.

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The Trump administration is preparing to ask Cuba to withdraw 60 per cent of its diplomats from Washington, US officials said on Monday, in response to last week's US move to cut its own embassy staff in Havana by a similar amount.The US request marks yet another major setback for relations between the United States and Cuba, two countries that only recently renewed diplomatic relations after a half-century of hostility. It comes as the US seeks to protect its own diplomats from unexplained attacks that have harmed at least 21 Americans in Havana with ailments that affected their hearing, cognition, balance and vision.The State Department is expected to announce the decision Tuesday, officials said, though they cautioned no decision was formalized until publicly announced. The officials weren't authorized to discuss the plan publicly and requested anonymity.Secretary of State Rex Tillerson discussed the plan Monday with President Donald Trump, one of the officials said.Cuba has denied involvement in the attacks. Though Havana is likely to view the move as unwarranted retaliation, US officials said the goal wasn't to punish the communist-run island, but to ensure both countries have a similar number of diplomats in each other's capitals. The United States will formally ask Cuba to pull the diplomats, but won't expel them forcefully unless Havana refuses, the officials said.Tensions between the two neighbors have been escalating amid serious US concern about the unexplained attacks on Americans in Havana.On Monday, The Associated Press reported that US spies were among the first and most severely affected victims. Though bona fide diplomats have also been affected, it wasn't until US spies, working out of the embassy under diplomatic cover, reported hearing bizarre sounds and experiencing even stranger physical effects that the United States realized something was wrong, several individuals familiar with the situation said.The mysterious "health attacks" started within days of President Donald Trump's election in November, the AP has reported. But it wasn't until Friday that the United States ordered more than half its embassy staff to return home.Delivering a one-two punch to US-Cuba relations, the US last week also delivered an ominous warning to Americans to stay away from Cuba, a move that could have profound implications for the island's travel industry. The US said that since some workers had been attacked in Havana hotels, it couldn't assure Americans who visit Cuba that they wouldn't suffer attacks if they stay in hotels there.Cuba had blasted the American move as "hasty" and lamented that it was being taken without conclusive investigation results. But several US lawmakers had said that move by Washington didn't go far enough, because President Raul Castro's government was being permitted to keep all of its diplomats in the US Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., had called the one-sided action "an insult" in an AP interview.There was no immediate reaction from Cuba's Embassy in Washington late Monday after word emerged that the US planned to ask Cuban diplomats to leave. Yet the move will bring the two countries closer to the chilly state of relations they endured for decades until 2015, when they restored formal ties and re-opened embassies in Havana and Washington.The US previously had roughly 50 American workers at its embassy in Havana, so the 60 percent reduction will bring the figure down to roughly 20. It wasn't immediately clear late Monday how Cuban diplomats will have to leave Washington to bring the two countries' rosters to parity.In Friday's travel warning urging Americans not to visit Cuba, the State Department confirmed earlier reporting by the AP that US personnel first encountered unexplained physical effects in Cuban hotels. While American tourists aren't known to have been hurt, the US said they could be exposed if they travel to the island."Because our personnel's safety is at risk, and we are unable to identify the source of the attacks, we believe US citizens may also be at risk and warn them not to travel to Cuba," the warning said.At least 21 diplomats and family members have been affected. The department said symptoms include hearing loss, dizziness, headache, fatigue, cognitive issues and difficulty sleeping. Until Friday, the US had generally referred to "incidents." Tillerson's statement ended that practice, mentioning "attacks" seven times; the travel alert used the word five times.Still, the administration has pointedly not blamed Cuba for perpetrating the attacks, and officials have spent weeks weighing how to minimize the risk for Americans in Cuba without unnecessarily harming relations or falling into an adversary's trap.In 2015, President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro restored diplomatic ties, ordered embassies re-opened and eased travel and commerce restrictions. Trump has reversed some changes but has broadly left the rapprochement in place.To medical investigators' dismay, symptoms have varied widely. In addition to hearing loss and concussions, some people have experienced nausea, headaches and ear-ringing. The Associated Press has reported some now suffer from problems with concentration and common word recall.Though the incidents stopped for a time, they recurred as recently as late August.

US to ask Cuba to cut embassy staff by 60 per cent, say officials

The US request marks yet another major setback for relations between the United States and Cuba, two countries that only recently renewed diplomatic relations after a half-century of hostility.

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Pak anti-graft watchdog freezes properties owned by Shehbaz Sharif, two sonsPakistan's anti-graft watchdog on Tuesday froze the properties of Opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif and his two sons in different cities, including Lahore and Abbottabad, citing corruption charges. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) issued six orders to freeze assets owned by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Shehbaz Sharif and his sons Hamza Shehbaz and Salman Shehbaz, Dawn newspaper reported.Shehbaz, 68, is the younger brother of former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who is convicted of corruption. Shehbaz is the current Leader of the Opposition in Pakistan's National Assembly.Nawaz Sharif, 69 is currently in London after getting bail from a Pakistani court on medical grounds. Shehbaz had accompanied his elder brother to London last month.The anti-corruption watchdog's orders, each lists separate properties acquired by Shehbaz, Hamza and Salman in different cities, including Lahore, Chiniot, Haripur and Abbottabad.The orders will remain in place for 15 days, during which NAB will file an application in the relevant accountability court for their confirmation.According to the NAB, the evidence collected against the three so far had provided NAB with "reasonable grounds for believing" that Shehbaz, Salman and Hamza were involved in "offences of corruption and corrupt practices".The cases against the father and sons are those of money laundering and assets beyond known sources of income, the report said.According to NAB, it found that Shehbaz acquired several properties — that have now been frozen — in the name of his wives Nusrat Shehbaz and Tehmina Durrani in Lahore, Abbottabad and Haripur. Hamza and Salman also acquired several properties in Lahore and Chiniot, which have now been frozen by the NAB.Also Read: UK watchdog secures 190 million pounds settlement from Pakistani real estate tycoonAlso Read: London Bridge terrorist's accomplice arrested as UK holds vigil

Pak anti-graft watchdog freezes properties owned by Shehbaz Sharif, two sons

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) issued six orders to freeze assets owned by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Shehbaz Sharif and his sons Hamza Shehbaz and Salman Shehbaz, Dawn newspaper reported.

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NASA gets 2 Emmy Awards for interactive programmingNASA has won two Emmy Awards for interactive programming for its coverage of a Mars mission and the agencys first test of a spacecraft that will help bring crewed launches to the International Space Station back to US soil.NASA won the awards for the coverage of InSight (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) missioin to Mars, including news, web, education, television and social media efforts, and the SpaceX Demonstration Mission-1."Congrats to all involved and those who help tell the @NASA story every day!" NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine tweeted on Sunday.The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced the two award nominations for NASA on July 16.InSight is the first mission to study the deep interior of Mars, using an ultra-sensitive seismometer, a heat-flow probe and other instruments. InSight is managed for NASA by Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California.NASA's official 2019 Emmy video submission showed how the coordinated effort between NASA and SpaceX brought the historic Demonstration Mission 1 to an audience of millions by combining NASA Television programming with online simulcasts, social media and in-person events.JPL won the 2018 Emmy Award for outstanding original interactive programme for its coverage of the Cassini mission's grand finale at Saturn.ALSO READ | Finding Vikram: All eyes on NASA as Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter flies over landing site tomorrowALSO READ | Giant asteroids to pass by earth over weekend, slim chances of impact: NASAALSO READ | Officials from NASA, CalTech visit ISRO HQ post Chandrayaan-2, meet K Sivan

NASA gets 2 Emmy Awards for interactive programming

NASA won the awards for the coverage of InSight (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) missioin to Mars, including news, web, education, television and social media efforts, and the SpaceX Demonstration Mission-1.

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UN research shows G20 nations lagging in climate actionG20 nations are collectively not on track to meet their Paris Agreement commitments, but they have huge opportunities to undertake rapid and deep cuts to greenhouse gas emissions, a new UN research has said.An advance chapter of the 2019 Emissions Gap Report, released on Saturday ahead of the UN Secretary-General's Climate Action Summit slated to open on Monday, has said that the G20 members, which account for around 80 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, were not yet taking on transformative climate commitments at the necessary breadth and scale.The report showed that around half of the G20 nations' GHG emissions trajectories fall short of achieving their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) under the 2015 Paris Climate Change Agreement.Taken as a whole, the current NDCs are nowhere near enough to meet the 1.5 degrees Celsius or below two degrees temperature goals of the Paris Agreement.This means that the world is still on the path to a catastrophic temperature rise of well over three degrees this century.However, the advance chapter points to key areas where G20 nations can rapidly step up action when they submit their next round of NDCs in 2020."We can only avoid planet-altering climate change with the full commitment of G20 nations to a zero-carbon future. So far, they haven't done enough" said UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen."But the good news is that every G20 nation has an array of nationally appropriate actions available to them to slash their emissions. Combined with strong political and societal support for climate action, there has never been a better opportunity for policymakers to take these actions."The full Emissions Gap Report, due for release in late November, will contain a detailed G20 update.The 2018 report said the G20 would need to cut an extra 2.5 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year by 2030 to meet their unconditional NDCs.For conditional NDCs, the number is 3.5 gigatonnes.According to the report, nations must at least triple the level of ambition of their current NDCs to have a chance of keeping global temperature rise under 2 degrees Celsius.To keep global temperatures to 1.5 degrees, they must increase their ambitions five-fold.ALSO READ | EIB to support 1 trillion euros of climate action investmentALSO READ | At 17.5 million, Indian diaspora largest in the world : UN report

UN research shows G20 nations lagging in climate action

An advance chapter of the 2019 Emissions Gap Report, released on Saturday ahead of the UN Secretary-General's Climate Action Summit slated to open on Monday, has said that the G20 members, which account for around 80 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, were not yet taking on transformative climate commitments at the necessary breadth and scale.

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US Vice President Mike Pence makes unscheduled visit to IraqAmid anti-government protests that have taken to the streets in Iraq over the last few weeks, US Vice-President Mike Pence on Saturday made an unscheduled visit to the Arab country. During a visit surrounded by secrecy, Pence and his wife Karen visited US troops deployed in Iraq, the Efe news reported.He tweeted: "Happy Thanksgiving from Iraq. @SecondLady and I are so honored to be with our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines here in Iraq. "We are so proud of you and thankful for you all."The visit came amid protests that erupted on October 1 and spread through the capital and other regions of Iraq due to outrage over the lack of public services and employment opportunities.At least 320 people have died and more than 15,000 others have been injured in the ongoing unrest, including members of security forces, according to figures issued by the Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights.A month ago, US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper paid an unscheduled visit to Iraq, coinciding with the arrival of US troops in the country after their withdrawal from northern Syria. The US took the action after Turkey had launched an offensive to establish a safe zone with the aim of repatriating the Syrian refugees.America also announced a decision to reinforce its presence near Syrian oil fields to prevent fighters from the Islamic State terror organization from getting to them.ALSO READ | Resolution condemning human rights violations in Kashmir introduced in US CongressALSO READ | Scary footage of Philippine Airlines flight's engine failure after takeoff emerges | Watch

US Vice President Mike Pence makes unscheduled visit to Iraq

At least 320 people have died and more than 15,000 others have been injured in the ongoing unrest, including members of security forces, according to figures issued by the Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights.

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Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Saturday said that military dictatorship always halted progress in the country.The Prime Minister, who was in Karachi on a day-long visit, was speaking during the inauguration ceremony of the Pakistan International Bulk Terminal at Port Qasim.The Prime Minister said that the people of Pakistan should decide who they want in the government and who they don't."The masses have always elected political parties that have performed well for them," he said adding that leaders who do not perform well should be sent home."But the process should be democratic and the people should decide," stressed Abbasi.Taking an apparent dig at the army chief for his remarks of the country being in "sky high" debt, the Prime Minister said that the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz)-led government, in its four years, has made the economy stable.According to him, the current government was successfully completing power projects, initiated by the previous government, along with the ones the ruling PML-N started."The previous government faced an energy crisis, our government has brought stability in the country and added 10,000 MWs to the national power grid," Abbasi added.The Pakistan International Bulk Terminal at Port Qasim was completed at a cost of $285 million early this year, according to a press statement, and has so far provided berths to 12 coal ships. It has been dredged to a depth of 13 metres and is capable of handling ships of up to 65,000 tonnes.

Military dictatorship always halted progress in Pakistan: PM Shahid Abbasi

The Prime Minister said that the people of Pakistan should decide who they want in the government and who they don't.

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The boat, called Villa de Pitanxo, operates out of northwest Spain's Galicia region and sank around 0600 GMT (1 am EST) in rough seas, the regional representative of the Spanish government, Maica Larriba, told Spanish public radio. A Spanish fishing boat sank on Tuesday off Newfoundland, in eastern Canada, killing at least four people, Spain's maritime rescue service said. Three crew members were rescued and 15 others were missing.Search operations were ongoing to locate other members of the 22-strong crew of the sunken vessel, Spanish government spokeswoman Isabel Rodríguez said, adding that authorities were following the incident “with concern.”A Canadian helicopter had reached the area, which is about 450 kilometers (280 miles) off the island of Newfoundland, and a rescue vessel was on the way to the site, a spokeswoman of the Spanish rescue service said.The boat, called Villa de Pitanxo, operates out of northwest Spain's Galicia region and sank around 0600 GMT (1 am EST) in rough seas, the regional representative of the Spanish government, Maica Larriba, told Spanish public radio.She said that the crew included 12 Spaniards, eight Peruvians and two from Ghana. A Spanish fishing boat working not far from the site was the first to arrive in the area and found three survivors and four bodies in one of the four lifeboats of the fishing vessel, the Spanish rescue center's spokeswoman said.Two of the emergency boats were empty and the fourth was reportedly unaccounted for, Larriba said. The spokeswoman, who wasn't authorised to be named in media reports, said that the rescue center in Madrid received the first alert from the Villa de Pitanxo and was coordinating the response with a Canadian rescue center based in Halifax. The boat's owner didn't immediately reply to written questions about the incident.

Spanish fishing boat sinks off Canada; 4 dead, 15 missing

Search operations were ongoing to locate other members of the 22-strong crew of the sunken vessel, Spanish government spokeswoman Isabel Rodríguez said, adding that authorities were following the incident “with concern.”

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US reopens land, air borders to fully vaccinated passengersThe United States is reopening its land and air borders to fully vaccinated passengers from today. The ease in travel restrictions comes after 20 months of COVID-19 lockdown and curbs. The United States is largely wide open from today, however, some state and local restrictions will remain imposed. For example, there are mask mandates in Hawaii, Illinois, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. Washington, DC and Puerto Rico also require masks in indoor public spaces.In some cities, including New York and San Francisco, there are vaccine requirements for indoor public spaces including restaurants, reported CNN.Hawaii, which had some of the strictest entry requirements in the US, will now align with the new federal rules for international air travel. Although capacity restrictions in the state are easing, there are still some limits in place.Getting vaccinated is the key requirement for the vast majority of international travellers hoping to enter the United States, reported CNN.Here are the guidelines issued for travelling to the United StatesMeanwhile, the US health authorities have said all vaccines approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization would be accepted for entry by air.At the moment, this includes the AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Pfizer/BioNTech, Covaxin, Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines.(With inputs from ANI)Also Read | Europe struggles with sharp rise in COVID infections despite vaccines /* .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'); 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US reopens land, air borders to fully vaccinated passengers from today; fresh guidelines issued

Getting vaccinated is the key requirement for the vast majority of international travellers hoping to enter the United States. A particular set of guidelines have also been issued for travellers.

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Previous policy against China did not work, US has to take a different path: PompeoThe United States has to take a different path on China as the previous policy of helping them open up their economy with the belief that this would lead to more political freedom has not worked, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said."The theory of the case that was more economic opening will lead to more political freedoms, more fundamental rights being provided to the Chinese people, just turned out not to have been true. It just didn't work. I'm not criticizing those who came before; we can now plainly see that it didn't work, and that means the United States has to take a different path,” Pompeo told Tony Perkins of Washington Watch in an interview. President Donald Trump, he said, has laid that path out pretty clearly."He is the first president – and this is not partisan. This is – Republican and Democrat presidents before him allowed China to engage in a trade relationship with the United States that caused middle (class) America, working people all across the United States, to lose their jobs,” he said. “We can now see not only was there that economic damage done to the United States, but the people inside of China weren’t treated properly as twin evils,” he said.The National Security Law, he said, has taken away the freedom of the people of Hong Kong. “You want the Chinese people to be successful and you want them to live good lives and you want the United States to have a relationship, but we know what communist regimes do, we know the way authoritarian regimes treat their people all too often, and that’s what we’re seeing in China today,” he alleged.Chinese action against religious and ethnic minorities, he said, has only escalated. “We do all that we can diplomatically to call out this misbehavior,” he said.Referring to news reports of forced sterilization, forced birth control, including forced abortions, in Xinjiang province, Pompeo said that the government is making clear that businesses that are connected to this activity, whether that is the forced sterilization or the forced abortions, these are the kind of things that one remembers reading about from the worst times of the last century. “Businesses that are connected to that will be held to account. They will be held responsible for their actions,” he said.“Precisely how we’ll do that we have left open-ended because we want to put them on notice first. We want each company to make its own decision. We watch American businesses claim that they are good stewards working not only for profit but for good outcomes and for the protection of human rights and decency,” Pompeo said.“Any business leader who says that they stand for those things that we all care about and who is engaged in activities that are connected to this Chinese Communist Party activity in Xinjiang can’t hold those two thoughts in their head at the same time, and the United States isn’t going to permit it to continue,” said the top American diplomat. 

Previous policy against China did not work, US has to take a different path: Pompeo

The United States has to take a different path on China as the previous policy of helping them open up their economy with the belief that this would lead to more political freedom has not worked

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Iran reports 1,194 new COVID-19 cases; death toll at 5,391As many as 1,194 new COVID-19 cases were announced by Iran on Wednesday, as the total number of confirmed cases soared to 85,996. Meanwhile, the total number of infections in Turkey approached 98,674. Also, the death toll from the disease reached 5,391 in Iran, while 63,113 patients have recovered. Turkey confirmed 3,083 new COVID-19 cases and 117 more deaths in Turkey for the past 24 hours, Xinhua news agency reported on Wednesday.Turkey beefed up controls in markets and streets across the country before a four-day curfew starts at midnight on Wednesday to curb the spread of the outbreak of COVID-19.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan previously said that the curve of COVID-19 in Turkey has begun flattening thanks to the timely measures, and the restrictions could be eased at the end of May.Erdogan and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani discussed cooperation against the COVID-19 during a phone conversation, Turkey's presidential office said Wednesday.Israel reported an increase of 556 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, bringing the total number to 14,498.The total number of recoveries increased to 5,215 and the number of coronavirus deaths rose to 189 in Israel.The Israeli government is expected to decide soon the exact hours of the full closure to be imposed in the country on the annual Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and Independence Day, on April 28 and 29 respectively.The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday announced 483 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 8,238.UAE said the new cases include many nationalities and all are in a stable condition and receiving medical treatment.Qatar announced 608 new infections, increasing the total number of confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 7,141.Egypt confirmed on Wednesday 169 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total infections discovered in the country so far to 3,659.Meanwhile, 12 patients died in Egypt, raising the death toll to 276.The total number of recoveries grew to 689, and the fatalities totalled 10.In Morocco, 237 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed, bringing the total number of cases to 3,446 in the country.The ministry said 149 deaths from COVID-19 were reported while 417 patients have recovered in total. On April 18, Morocco extended the state of medical emergency until May 20 in an effort to strengthen preventive measures to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus.Algeria said that the total infections from COVID-19 increased to 2,910, while the total death toll surged to 402 nationwide.A total of 52 patients were cured in the last 24 hours, bringing the overall recoveries to 1,204, he said.A 24-hour lockdown measure has been maintained in the province of Blida, the epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak, while partial lockdown has been observed in the rest of the country, until April 29.Kuwait reported 168 new cases of COVID-19 and two more deaths, bringing the total infections to 2,248 and death toll to 13.Among the new cases are six Kuwaiti citizens who returned from the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.Iraq's total number of infections increased to 1,631, and 83 patients have so far died from the disease, while 1,146 others recovered.Chinese Ambassador to Iraq Zhang Tao on Wednesday handed medical aid to Iraqi Ministry of Defense to fight COVID-19."During the past two months, China has provided Iraq with three batches of medical aid," Zhang said in a handover ceremony in Baghdad, adding that the ministry played an important role in transporting supplies from China to Iraq.The Omani Ministry of Health announced 106 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number in the country to 1,614.Out of the 106 new cases, there are 35 Omanis, and all the new cases are related to community contact.Lebanon's number of COVID-19 infections increased on Wednesday by five to 682 while the death toll increased by one to 22.Lebanese Health Minister Hamad Hassan said that his ministry will continue to increase PCR tests until May 10 which will enable the ministry to have a clear picture about the extent of COVID-19 outbreak in the country.(With Inputs from IANS)

Iran reports 1,194 new COVID-19 cases; death toll at 5,391

As many as 1,194 new COVID-19 cases were announced by Iran on Wednesday, as the total number of confirmed cases soared to 85,996.

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Brahmaputra riverChina said today it will resume sharing with India the hydrological data of the Brahmaputra river as top water resource officials of the two countries wrapped up two-day talks, the first after Beijing last year stopped providing the data crucial to predict floods. “On the basis of humanitarian spirit and our shared will to develop bilateral ties we will continue with the cooperation on hydrological information cooperation,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a media briefing here. Related Stories Flood-ravaged Assam urges Centre to get hydrological data from ChinaCauses behind Brahmaputra turning black could be natural: Union minister Arjun Ram MeghwalChina denies building tunnel to divert Brahmaputra river watersChina says will maintain communication with India on artificial lakesHe was responding to a question whether China will resume sharing of the hydrological data on Brahmaputra river, which Beijing suspended last year stating that it could not share it with India due to upgradation of data collection station in Tibet. China’s announcement to not to share the data came soon after the 73-day long stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops at Dokalam over Chinese military’s plans to build a road close to India’s Chicken Neck corridor connecting North-Eastern states. A team of officials of India’s Ministry of Water Resources held talks with their Chinese counterparts on the cooperation of trans-border rivers in the last two days at the Chinese city of Hangzhou, the first after Beijing last year stopped providing the data. Lu said during the talks the two sides reviewed the achievements of the previous meetings as well as bilateral cooperation on emergency and response and hydrological information. “The two sides have agreed to continue with such cooperation. On the grounds of humanitarian principles and the basis of bilateral relations China will continue with this cooperation with the Indian side on the provision of hydrological information and emergency response cooperation,” Lu said. Asked whether China would resume the data, Lu said “since you made it quite clear”, China will continue with the cooperation on hydrological information cooperation.  The two-day talks of the 11th meeting of the India-China Expert Level Mechanism (ELM) on Trans-Border Rivers concluded yesterday at Hangzhou, a statement from the Indian Embassy here said today. The Indian side was led by Teerath Singh Mehra, Commissioner (B&B), Ministry of Water Resources and the Chinese side by Yu Xingjun, Consul, Department of International Cooperation Science and Technology, Ministry of Water Resources. The meeting which was held in a “cordial and friendly” atmosphere reviewed the progress made since the earlier meetings of the ELM and their continued cooperation on provision of hydrological information and emergency management in respect of trans-border rivers, the press release said. The officials also reviewed the data utilisation report upon provision of hydrological information provided by China to India in flood season on Brahmaputra and Sutlej Rivers. The institutional mechanism of the ELM was established in 2006 to discuss various issues related to trans-border rivers. Under existing bilateral Memorandums of Understanding, China provides to India hydrological information of Brahmaputra River (Yarlong Zangbo) and Sutlej River (Langqen Zangbo) during the flood seasons. Under the arrangement, China provides flood season data of the Brahmaputra river between May 15 and October 15 every year. China has been building major dams on Brahmaputra river to generate hydel power. It operationalised Zangmu hydroelectric project in October, 2015 and three more are under construction.   While dams raised concerns of water shortages in India and Bangladesh, which are lower riparian states of Brahmaputra river, China said its dams were aimed at generating power and not storing water. The data shared by upper riparian state, China, to lower riparian states, India and Bangladesh is essential every monsoon to allow anticipation of the flow of the water and take necessary measures to deal with flooding in India’s north-eastern States.

China to resume sharing hydrological data with India on Brahmaputra river

“On the basis of humanitarian spirit and our shared will to develop bilateral ties we will continue with the cooperation on hydrological information cooperation,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said.

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Representational image At least 15 Taliban militants were killed following airstrikes in Afghanistan's Helmand province, the government said on Sunday."The Taliban militants were killed following air raids in Sangin, Nad Ali and Musa Qala districts of Helmand province on Saturday," Presidential Information Coordination Centre was cited as saying by Xinhua news agency.Related Stories Taliban kill 8 Afghan soldiers in attack on checkpointTaliban say talks focus on US withdrawal from AfghanistanFugitive Taliban leader Mullah Omar lived close to US bases, claims new bookUS forces mistakenly kill 17 Afghan police officers during clashes with Taliban insurgentsThe Centre's statement did not detail whether the sorties were launched by Afghan Air Force or NATO-led coalition forces.Helmand province, notorious for poppy growing, is a known Taliban stronghold.The militant group didn't comment on the report yet.

15 Taliban militants killed in Afghan airstrikes

Fifteen Taliban militants were killed following air raids in Sangin, Nad Ali and Musa Qala districts of Helmand province on Saturday, Presidential Information Coordination Centre was cited as saying by Xinhua news agency.

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Twice as much food being wasted globally as thought: StudyConsumers around the world may be wasting more than twice as much food as commonly believed, according to a study. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimated that in 2005, one third of all food available for human consumption was wasted, researchers from Wageningen University and Research in the Netherlands noted. This figure has continued to serve as reference for the extent of global food waste, they said.However, the FAO methodology does not factor in consumer behaviour regarding food wastage, and considers food supply alone in determining the extent of food waste, the researchers said. The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, is the first to investigate if and how consumer affluence may affect food waste, they said."Novel research using energy requirement and consumer affluence data shows that consumers waste more than twice as much food as is commonly believed," said Monika van den Bos Verma from Wageningen University and Research."It provides a new globally comparable base against which one can measure progress on the international food waste target, and suggests a threshold level of consumer affluence around which to launch intervention policies to prevent food waste from becoming a big problem," Verma said.Using a human metabolism model and data from FAO, the World Bank, and the World Health Organization (WHO, the researchers quantified the relationship between food waste and consumer affluence.Using this model, they created an international dataset providing estimates of global as well as country specific food waste. The researchers found that once consumer affluence reaches a spending threshold of about USD 6.70 per day per capita, consumer food waste starts to rise. The wastage increases rapidly with rising affluence at first, and then at much slower rates at higher levels of affluence, they said.The study also showed that FAO's estimates of consumer food waste may be too low. While FAO estimated food waste to be 214 kilo calories per day (Kcal/day) per capita in 2015, the new model estimated food waste as 527 Kcal/day per capita for the same year. This work relies on the accuracy of FAO's data, which may not always be complete. The researchers also noted there are many consumer attributes that may affect food wastage beyond affluence.However, the new study suggests that to achieve low global food waste, a joint focus on reducing high food waste levels in high income countries, and preventing waste levels from rising rapidly in lower-middle income countries -- where affluence is increasing -- may be needed. The researchers believe that the method behind this study can be used as a basis to introduce the affluence elasticity of waste as a new concept in future models. It may also help better understand and assess current food waste magnitudes, and help measure global progress in reducing food waste, they said. ALSO READ | Haqqani network founder leader Jalaluddin Haqqani dead: Afghan Taliban ALSO READ | 1,716 Chinese medical staff infected with coronavirus

Twice as much food being wasted globally as thought: Study

Consumers around the world may be wasting more than twice as much food as commonly believed, according to a study. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimated that in 2005.

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The H-1B visa issue that was looming on the India-US relationship in the run up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's maiden meeting with President Donald Trump did not figure in the talks between the two leaders.With the Trump administration undertaking a review of the H-1B visa, the most sought-after by Indian IT professionals, the issue had taken centre stage ahead of Modi's US visit with the issue expected to figure prominently in bilateral discussions.However, the H-1B issue specifically did not figure in the talks with foreign secretary S Jaishankar telling reporters that there was a lot of discussion with business leaders and the two leaders about the digital partnership when asked about whether H-1B visa issue figured in the talks."There is recognition that the Indian-American community has played an extraordinary role in building this relationship. When you value something it is obvious that you will take care of what you value," Jaishankar said.There was also no mention of the H-1B visa issue in the India-US joint statement issued after the two leaders met.The White House, in a fact sheet, said Indian-Americans have embraced innovation and entrepreneurship, sitting at the forefront of Silicon Valley's technology revolution, and founding an estimated 15 per cent of Silicon Valley startups."They have helped to develop the Pentium chip, fiber optics, and noise cancelling headphones, among numerous other innovations," it said.Today, nearly four million Indian-Americans reside in the United States and over 7,00,000 US citizens live in India.Last year, the United States government issued nearly one million visas to Indian citizens, and facilitated 1.7 million visits by Indian citizens to the United States.Ahead of the meeting, a senior Trump administration official had said the Trump administration has signed some executive orders related to work and immigration, and President Trump's executive order on H-1B visas directs the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Homeland Security to propose potential reforms to the H-1B visa programme."However, there have been no immediate changes to visa application or issuance procedures, so we're not in a position to kind of prejudge what the outcome of the review might be. So there's really been no changes as such at this point, and no specific changes that target any specific country or sector as of yet," the official had said.There have been growing concerns in India over the crack down on H-1B visas.Trump signed an executive order in April for tightening the rules of the H-1B visa programme to stop "visa abuses".Trump said his administration is going to enforce 'Hire American' rules that are designed to protect jobs of workers in the US.

No mention of H-1B visa issue during Modi-Trump meeting

The H-1B visa issue that was looming on the India-US relationship in the run up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's maiden meeting with President Donald Trump did not figure in the talks between the two leaders

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Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun has called on Saudi Arabia to clarify why Prime Minister Saad Hariri hasn’t returned home since announcing his resignation in the kingdom last week.A political crisis has gripped Lebanon and shattered the relative peace maintained by its coalition government since Hariri’s announcement November 4 from the Saudi capital that he was resigning.Lebanese officials have insisted on the return home of Hariri from Saudi Arabia amid rumors he is being held against his will.In a statement released by his office, Aoun called on Saudi Arabia “that is linked to us through deep brotherly and friendly relations to clarify the reasons that are preventing” Hariri from returning to Lebanon.Aoun said that a Marathon planned in Beirut on Sunday in which tens of thousands will participate should be “a national sports demonstration for solidarity with prime minister Hariri and his return to his country.”

Saudi should clarify why PM Saad Hariri hasn’t returned home, demands Lebanese President

Lebanese officials have insisted on the return home of Hariri from Saudi Arabia amid rumors he is being held against his will.

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Shari BalochKarachi University Woman Suicide Attacker: Horrific CCTV images of a burqa-clad woman suicide bomber blowing herself inside Karachi University campus up close to a van carrying Chinese nationals flooded news channels on Tuesday (April 26, 2022) evening. Three Chinese nationals and their local driver were killed in the attack. The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) linked Majeed Brigade claimed responsibility for the attack on the teachers that took place near China-built Confucius Institute - a non-profit institute teaching Chinese language to local pupils - in the university.The BLA said that the woman who carried out the daring attack was Shari Baloch alias Bramsh - the "first female suicide bomber of the brigade".Shari Baloch - the woman fidayeen attackerA photo Shari Baloch with two kids soon went viral after the attack. According to media reports, the 30-year-old woman has masters degree in Zoology and was married to a doctor. She was pursuing M Phil. According to media reports, Shari's brother and father were killed by Pakistan army and the family's land was forcibly taken away for some Chinese project. Infuriated by the treatement of authorities in her own country, Shari wanted to seek revenge. {img-52271}BLA's warningIn a purported video issued by the group, a BLA spokesman said that the motive of the attack was very clear. "It was a simple and clear message to China and Pakistan to withdraw immediately from Balochistan," said the masked spokesman surrounded by armed men on a hilly terrain."Baloch Liberation Army guarantees you the CPEC will fail miserably on Baloch land," the spokesman, who was holding an assault rifle, said in fluent English.He warned that a special unit has been formed particulary to attack Chinese officials and installations in Balochistan. The group opposes Chinese investment in Pakistan, especially in the restive Balochistan, saying local people do not benefit.Balochistan, bordering Iran and Afghanistan, is home to a long-running violent insurgency. Baloch insurgent groups have previously carried out several attacks targeting the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects. (With inputs from PTI)ALSO READ | Horrific video! Woman suicide bomber blows herself outside Karachi University in Pakistan

Karachi University blast: What forced mother of two, gold medallist student turn a suicide bomber

The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) linked Majeed Brigade claimed responsibility for the attack on the teachers that took place near China-built Confucius Institute - a non-profit institute teaching Chinese language to local pupils - in the university.

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Representative ImageThe US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said it has reached Congressionally-mandated 65,000 H-1B visa cap for the fiscal year 2020, after it started receiving the applications for the most sought-after work visa among foreign, including Indian, professionals. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows the US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.The USCIS, the federal agency mandated with task of approving such applications, on Friday said "it has received a sufficient number of petitions projected as needed to reach the congressionally-mandated 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap for fiscal year 2020."The fiscal year begins October 1, 2019 and it the USCIS started receiving the visa petitions from April 1. However, the agency did not revealed the number of petitions received by it in the first five days.The USCIS, said, it will next determine if it has received a sufficient number of petitions to meet the 20,000 H-1B visa US advanced degree exemption, known as the master's cap. The agency said it will reject and return visa fees for all unselected cap-subject petitions that are not prohibited multiple filings. It will continue to accept and process petitions that are otherwise exempt from the cap.Petitions filed for current H-1B workers who have been counted previously against the cap, and who still retain their cap number, are exempt from the FY 2020 H-1B, the USCIS said.It did not say if it would resort to computerised draw of lots as was the case in the last several years. Last year, the USCIS received 190,000 cap-subjected H-1B petitions. In 2018, it received 199,000 applications while in 2017, 236,000 petitions in the first five days after it started receiving the applications. The USCIS received 232,972 H-1B cap-subject petitions in 2016 and in 2015, it received 172,581 cap-subjected petitions.This is the first season of H-1B petitions after the USCIS announced enforcing new rules for the most sought-after US work visa applications for foreign professionals.   The new rules give preferences to those who have completed their post-graduation degree course from any US educational institutions.This year the USCIS has suspend the electronic registration requirement for the fiscal year 2020 cap season to complete user testing and ensure the system and process are fully functional.Under the news system, the USCIS first selects H-1B petitions submitted on behalf of all beneficiaries, including those that may be eligible for the advanced degree exemption.Thereafter, the USCIS will select from the remaining eligible petitions, a number projected to reach the advanced degree exemption. Changing the order in which the USCIS counts these allocations will likely increase the number of petitions for beneficiaries with a master's or higher degree from a US institution of higher education to be selected under the H-1B numerical allocations.The USCIS says that the change will result in an estimated increase of up to 16 per cent (or 5,340 workers) in the number of selected petitions for H-1B beneficiaries with a master's degree or higher from a US institution of higher education."These simple and smart changes are a positive benefit for employers, the foreign workers they seek to employ, and the agency's adjudicators, helping the H-1B visa program work better," USCIS Director L Francis Cissna had said in a statement."The US employers seeking to employ foreign workers with a US master's or higher degree will have a greater chance of selection in the H-1B lottery in years of excess demand for new H-1B visas," Cissna said.In April 2017, US President Donald Trump, had issued the 'Buy American and Hire American Executive Order', instructing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to "propose new rules and issue new guidance, to supersede or revise previous rules and guidance if appropriate, to protect the interests of US workers in the administration of our immigration system."The executive order specifically mentioned the H-1B program and directed the DHS and other agencies to "suggest reforms to help ensure that H-1B visas are awarded to the most-skilled or highest-paid petition beneficiaries."

US reaches H-1B visa cap for 2020

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said it has reached Congressionally-mandated 65,000 H-1B visa cap for the fiscal year 2020, after it started receiving the applications for the most sought-after work visa among foreign, including Indian, professionals.

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A partial view of a near empty beach with deckchairs as the hot weather cools following scenes of people flocking to parks and beaches after lockdown measures to curb the spread of coronavirus were eased, in Brighton, England, Saturday, May 23, 2020. (Gareth Fuller/PA via AP)As 118 COVID-19 patients have died in Britain as of Saturday afternoon, the total coronavirus-related death toll in the country rose to 36,793 on Sunday. The figures include deaths in all settings, including hospitals, care homes and the wider community.Chairing Sunday's Downing Street daily press briefing, Johnson confirmed that primary schools in England will partially reopen from June 1, including the reception, year one, and year six in primary schools.He added that he intends for secondary schools to provide "some contact" for year 10 and year 12 students to help them to prepare for exams next year from June 15."By opening schools to more pupils in this limited way we are taking a deliberate cautious step," he told reporters, noting that the government "wants to start getting our children back into the classroom in a way that is as manageable and as safe as possible."Acknowledging that a June 1 opening may not be possible for all schools, Johnson said the government will continue to support and work with the sector.Responding to the reported "breach of lockdown measures" of his top adviser Dominic Cummings, Johnson said Cummings acted "responsibly, legally and with integrity".As to the vaccine development, Johnson said he wants to see a "much more international approach" to the coronavirus pandemic and a vaccine will be developed "all the faster if we collaborate across countries".(With inputs from IANS)

UK coronavirus death toll rises to 36,793 after 118 patients died

As 118 COVID-19 patients have died in Britain as of Saturday afternoon, the total coronavirus-related death toll in the country rose to 36,793 on Sunday. The figures include deaths in all settings, including hospitals, care homes and the wider community.

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Pakistan PM Imran Khan directs his party lawmakers to abstain from voting on no-confidence motionPakistan's embattled Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday strictly directed his party lawmakers to either abstain or not attend the National Assembly session on the day of voting on the no-confidence motion against him, which is likely to be held in the first week of April. The instructions came a day after Pakistan's opposition on Monday tabled the no-trust motion in the National Assembly against Khan, who is facing his toughest political test since assuming office in 2018 as defections in his party and cracks in the ruling coalition appeared to have made his position fragile.In a letter to the PTI lawmakers, Prime Minister Khan, who is the party's chairman, said: "All the members of the (PTI) in the National Assembly shall abstain from voting/not attend the meeting of the National Assembly on the date when the said resolution is set out on the agenda," Geo News reported.All members are "required to adhere to his directions in true letter and spirit" and should keep in mind the "intention behind the provision of Article 63(A) of the Constitution of Pakistan," he said. Khan also warned the party lawmakers that "every or any" violation of the directions would be treated as an "express defection" in terms of Article 63(A).No prime minister in Pakistan's history has ever been ousted through a no-confidence motion, and Khan is the third premier to face the challenge. The lower house will convene on Thursday to debate the motion. Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid has said that the voting on the no-confidence motion will be held on April 3."There will be a debate on the no-confidence motion on March 31, followed by voting on April 3," he said, adding that Khan would emerge victorious.Prime Minister Khan needs 172 votes in the house of 342 to foil the bid to topple his government. Since Khan’s allies are still not committed to support him and about two dozen lawmakers from within the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf have revolted, the situation was still fluid.Meanwhile, the government said on Tuesday that it was willing to share a "letter" with the chief justice of the country which the prime minister waved at a rally as proof of a foreign "conspiracy" to topple him.In a massive show of strength, Khan on Sunday addressed a mammoth rally in the national capital where he claimed that foreign powers were involved in a conspiracy to topple his coalition government. He pulled a document from his pocket to exhibit it for the charged crowd, saying it was the letter sent to threaten him.Addressing a press conference along with Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Minister for Planning Asad Umar claimed that he saw the letter himself and said that the prime minister was ready to share with the chief justice."Obviously, it is the highest office of justice in Pakistan, it is a huge position that has respect in this country. Personally too, the chief justice has a very good reputation. The prime minister said that if necessary, and for the people's satisfaction, he is ready to present the letter to the chief justice of the Supreme Court," Umar said.Umar said that the letter was written before the no-confidence motion submitted against the prime minister on March 8 but it clearly mentioned the no-trust move which makes it a matter of concern."So it is clear that the foreign hand and no-confidence motion are linked. These are not two separate things and we see a clear connection between them," said Umar.He, however, refused to make the contents public and even sharing it with the opposition as demanded by its leaders. But he said that the letter had been shared with the top civil and military leadership and a few members of the cabinet.Umar also said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who is living in London, was one of the "characters" mentioned in the letter that was a testimony of the conspiracy to topple the government. Information minister Chaudhry claimed that Sharif had held meetings with Israeli diplomats. "This is why I was saying that he should not be allowed to go abroad, because when such people go abroad they become a stooge, a weapon of the international establishment," he said.The presser by the two ministers came after the opposition accused the prime minister for faking up the letter and asked the government to share it. "If there is real threat from abroad to the security of the country, then we are with the government," Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ahsan Iqbal said.Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi asked the government to summon a session of parliament on Wednesday and share the letter with the lawmakers."A threat has been made to our country and we have to respond to it collectively. This is not just about Imran Khan and his two ministers,” he said. He asserted that the prime minister should either take the parliament into confidence over the letter or apologize.The development comes a day after the opposition alliance in a power show on Monday night vowed to bring down the government of Khan. The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), which among others include PML-N and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-I), organised a big rally on the Srinagar Highway in Islamabad.PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz, daughter and heir of former premier Nawaz Sharif, accused Khan of putting down his most trusted Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to save his power after the government decided to replace him with Chaudhry Pervez Elahi to win the support of his Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid party, which has five lawmakers in the lower house.Khan came to power in 2018 with promises to create a ‘Naya Pakistan’ but miserably failed to address the basic problem of keeping the prices of commodities in control, giving air to the sails of opposition ships to make war on his government. No Pakistani prime minister has ever completed a full five-year term in office. 

Pakistan PM Imran Khan directs his party lawmakers to abstain from voting on no-confidence motion

Imran Khan came to power in 2018 with promises to create a ‘Naya Pakistan’ but miserably failed to address the basic problem of keeping the prices of commodities in control, giving air to the sails of opposition ships to make war on his government. No Pakistani prime minister has ever completed a full five-year term in office.

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Taking the responsibility for the Conservatives’ disastrous performance in last week’s general election, British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday offered an apology to the angry MPs of her Party.“I got us into this mess, and I’m going to get us out,” Theresa May told Conservative MPs in Westminster.May is reportedly facing demands for her resignation after the Conservatives unexpectedly lost their majority in parliament in Thursday’s snap vote.The demand has gained ground because the election results have created political chaos ahead of Brexit talks with the European Union set to start next week. However, one MP present at the Westminster meeting said there was no discussion of a leadership contest.“she’s won, she’s got to be prime minister, ” he said.After deciding to stay on as British PM despite the disastrous election results, Theresa May on Monday unveiled a largely unchanged new cabinet, which met for the first time in the day.Even Boris Johnson, the British Foreign Minister, who was reportedly one of the main contenders for PM post, insisted May should stay.“The people of Britain have had a bellyful of promises and politicking. Now is the time for delivery—and Theresa May is the right person to continue that vital work,” he wrote in The Sun tabloid.Theresa May’s Conservative Party fell eight seats short of retaining its parliamentary majority. The Conservatives won 318 out of 650 seats. Their tally is 13 less than  the seats they had won during last election. The Conservatives, led by Theresa May, are now in talks with Northern Ireland’s ultra-conservative Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to forge an informal alliance. DUP has won 10 seats in these elections.(With agency inputs)

British PM Theresa May apologises to own MPs for ‘election mess’

“I got us into this mess, and I’m going to get us out,” Theresa May told Conservatives MPs in Westminster.

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Death toll in Philippines landslides at 95The death toll in two major landslides in the Philippines has climbed to 95, authorities said. The two landslides struck the Philippines after super typhoon Mangkhut barrelled the island nation last week. A total of 49 bodies were pulled out the mining town of Itogon's rubble in the north as on Sunday, local media reported quoting officials.A disaster official in Itogon said at least 19 others were still missing after boulders and mud had crashed on a bunkhouse where miners and their families sought refuge as Mangkhut hit Luzon Island on September 15.Efforts to locate 40 others still missing in the Naga City landslide that buried some 30 houses are still being made by the rescuers.Disaster officials counted nearly 200 deaths in typhoon Mangkhut and the twin landslides that struck the Philippines last week.Mangkhut, the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines and other regions this year affected nearly 1.6 million farmers and fisherfolks. 

Death toll in Philippine landslides rises to 95

Efforts to locate 40 others still missing in the Naga City landslide that buried some 30 houses are still being made by the rescuers.

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China reports one local coronavirus case after three days; imported cases near 600China has reported one domestically transmitted coronavirus case after three days with 54 new imported infections on Thursday, prompting Beijing to temporarily cancel visas for foreigners and restrict flights to prevent the second wave of the deadly COVID-19 in the country, health officials said on Friday. The Chinese health authority said on Friday that it received reports of 55 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland on Thursday, of which 54 were imported. A new domestic case was reported in Zhejiang Province, the National Health Commission (NHC) said while epicentres Hubei and Wuhan continue to report zero cases.Also on Thursday, five deaths were reported all from Hubei province taking the overall death toll of coronavirus in the country to 3,292. The overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 81,340 by the end of Thursday, including 3,292 people who died of the disease, 3,460 patients who were still undergoing treatment. The imported cases mostly of the Chinese nationals returning from abroad, especially the new virus epicentres like Italy and other EU countries, increased steadily in the last few days.On Thursday, 54 new imported cases were reported from different cities taking the total so far to 595. The NHC said 189 people were still suspected of being infected with the virus. By the end of Thursday, 453 confirmed cases, including four deaths, have been reported in Hong Kong, 33 confirmed cases in the Macao and 252 in Taiwan, including two deaths.As the imported cases increased, China on Thursday announced a temporary ban on the entry of foreigners holding valid visas or residence permits and drastically cut international flights in a bid to prevent the second wave of infections amid a surge in the number of imported cases in the country. In view of the rapid spread of the COVID-19 across the world, China has decided to temporarily suspend the entry into China by foreign nationals holding visas or residence permits still valid to the time of this announcement, effective from midnight of March 28, 2020, a statement jointly released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the National Immigration Administration said.Earlier, China's civil aviation regulator issued a circular on Thursday to further cut international flights as part of the efforts to stem the inflow of novel COVID-19 cases.All domestic airlines were allowed to operate only one flight to each country per week, while foreign aviation companies should keep only one air route to China and there should be no more than one flight every week for each of the air route to China, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said in a circular that will be effective from March 29.Stricter measures will also be taken to curb the spread of the virus on flights arriving or leaving the country and ensure that passenger load factor is lower than 75 per cent, the CAAC said, adding that it might further slash international flights if necessary.The virus that first emerged in China's Wuhan city in the Hubei province in December last year has spread to 175 countries, infected 531,860 people and has claimed 24,057 lives, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus tracker. 

China reports one local coronavirus case after three days; imported cases near 600

The Chinese health authority said on Friday that it received reports of 55 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland on Thursday, of which 54 were imported.

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French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday said the Rafale deal with India was a win-win approach and its details could not be revealed for commercial reasons."The negotiation was a win-win approach. Your government made very good negotiations in the interest of India," Macron said in an interview to a news channel ahead of his maiden visit to the country. Related Stories Rahul Gandhi adopting 'big lie' technique on Rafale deal: BJP There was no Rafale deal under UPA: Defence ministry sources No question of Rafale deal going the Bofors way: Nirmala Sitharaman"You have commercial agreement and you have competitors. And these competitors are not supposed to know some details of the deal because it will not be good for the company for commercial reasons."The interests of people of India were "well defended" by the Indian government "from economic point of view and strategic point of view" in the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets, Macron added."It is a very good agreement. It is for your security because it is best aircraft. And it is best way to be protected in the current environment," he said.About the demand by the opposition in India to disclose details of Rafale deal, Macron said: "In our alliance between Indian and France, we don't reveal some information when they are sensitive for business reasons. The absence of answers on some technical issues is due to commercial agreements for the interest of different companies.""You have some discussions to be organised by the Indian government and (it) reveals some details of the deal, they consider which could be revealed to the opposition and Parliament. I am not the one to interfere in such issues. But definitely you have commercial sensitivity."

Rafale deal win-win for both India, France but details can't be revealed: French President Emmanuel Macron

About the demand by the opposition in India to disclose details of Rafale deal, Macron said: "In our alliance between Indian and France, we don't reveal some information when they are sensitive for business reasons."

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Kamala Harris makes history, first Black woman elected as vice president of United StatesKamala Harris made history Saturday as the first Black woman elected as vice president of the United States, shattering barriers that have kept men — almost all of them white — entrenched at the highest levels of American politics for more than two centuries.The 56-year-old California senator, also the first person of South Asian descent elected to the vice presidency, represents the multiculturalism that defines America but is largely absent from Washington’s power centers. Her Black identity has allowed her to speak in personal terms in a year of reckoning over police brutality and systemic racism. As the highest-ranking woman ever elected in American government, her victory gives hope to women who were devastated by Hillary Clinton’s defeat four years ago.Harris has been a rising star in Democratic politics for much of the last two decades, serving as San Francisco’s district attorney and California’s attorney general before becoming a U.S. senator. After Harris ended her own 2020 Democratic presidential campaign, Joe Biden tapped her as his running mate. They will be sworn in as president and vice president on Jan. 20.Biden’s running mate selection carried added significance because he will be the oldest president ever inaugurated, at 78, and hasn’t committed to seeking a second term in 2024.ALSO READ | Joe Biden clinches US Election cliffhanger to defeat Donald TrumpHarris often framed her candidacy as part of the legacy — often undervalued — of pioneering Black women who came before her, including educator Mary McLeod Bethune, civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer and Rep. Shirley Chisholm, the first Black candidate to seek a major party’s presidential nomination, in 1972.“We’re not often taught their stories,” Harris said in August as she accepted her party’s vice presidential nomination. “But as Americans, we all stand on their shoulders.”That history was on Sara Twyman’s mind recently as she watched Harris campaign in Las Vegas and wore a sweatshirt featuring the senator’s name alongside Chisholm.“It’s high time that a woman gets to the highest levels of our government,” said Twyman, who is 35 and Black.Despite the excitement surrounding Harris, she and Biden face steep challenges, including deepening racial tensions in the U.S. in the wake of a pandemic that has taken a disproportionate toll on people of color and a series of police killings of Black Americans. Harris’ past work as a prosecutor has prompted skepticism among progressives and young voters who are looking to her to back sweeping institutional change over incremental reforms in policing, drug policy and more.Jessica Byrd, who leads the Movement for Black Lives’ Electoral Justice Project and The Frontline, a multiracial coalition effort to galvanize voters, said she plans to engage in the rigorous organizing work needed to push Harris and Biden toward more progressive policies.“I deeply believe in the power of Black women’s leadership, even when all of our politics don’t align,” Byrd said. “I want us to be committed to the idea that representation is exciting and it’s worthy of celebration and also that we have millions of Black women who deserve a fair shot.”Harris is the second Black woman elected to the Senate. Her colleague, Sen. Cory Booker, who is also Black, said her very presence makes the institution “more accessible to more people” and suggested she would accomplish the same with the vice presidency.ALSO READ | We're going to win this race for White House: Joe BidenHarris was born in 1964 to two parents active in the civil rights movement. Shyamala Gopalan, from India, and Donald Harris, from Jamaica, met at the University of California, Berkeley, then a hotbed of 1960s activism. They divorced when Harris and her sister were girls, and Harris was raised by her late mother, whom she considers the most important influence in her life.Kamala is Sanskrit for “lotus flower,” and Harris gave nods to her Indian heritage throughout the campaign, including with a callout to her “The mocking of her name by Republicans, including Trump, was just one of the attacks Harris faced. Trump and his allies sought to brand her as radical and a socialist despite her more centrist record, an effort aimed at making people uncomfortable about the prospect of a Black woman in leadership. She was the target of online disinformation laced with racism and sexism about her qualifications to serve as president.Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal of Washington said Harris’ power comes not just from her life experience but also from the people she already represents. California is the nation’s most populous and one of its most diverse states; nearly 40% of people are Latino and 15% are Asian. In Congress, Harris and Jayapal have teamed up on bills to ensure legal representation for Muslims targeted by Trump’s 2017 travel ban and to extend rights to domestic workers.“That’s the kind of policy that also happens when you have voices like ours at the table,” said Jayapal, who in 2016 was the first South Asian woman elected to the U.S. House. Harris won election to the Senate that same year.Harris’ mother raised her daughters with the understanding the world would see them as Black women, Harris has said, and that is how she describes herself today.ALSO READ | US Election 2020: Trump’s wild claims test limits of Republican loyaltyShe attended Howard University, one of the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities, and pledged Alpha Kappa Alpha, the nation’s first sorority created by and for Black women. She campaigned regularly at HBCUs and tried to address the concerns of young Black men and women eager for strong efforts to dismantle systemic racism.Her victory could usher more Black women and people of color into politics.San Francisco Mayor London Breed, who considers Harris a mentor, views Harris’ success through the lens of her own identity as the granddaughter of a sharecropper.“African Americans are not far removed from slavery and the horrors of racism in this country, and we’re still feeling the impacts of that with how we’re treated and what’s happening around this racial uprising,” she said. Harris’ candidacy “instills a lot of pride and a lot of hope and a lot of excitement in what is possible.”Harris is married to a Jewish man, Doug Emhoff, whose children from a previous marriage call her “Momala.” The excitement about her candidacy extends to women across races.Friends Sarah Lane and Kelli Hodge, each with three daughters, brought all six girls to a Harris rally in Phoenix in the race’s closing days. “This car is full of little girls who dream big. Go Kamala!” read a sign taped on the car’s trunk.Lane, a 41-year-old attorney who is of Hispanic and Asian heritage, volunteered for Biden and Harris, her first time ever working for a political campaign. Asked why she brought her daughters, ages 6, 9 and 11, to see Harris, she answered, “I want my girls to see what women can do.”ALSO READ | Won't give up fighting for America, says Trump

Kamala Harris makes history, first Black woman elected as vice president of United States

Kamala Harris made history Saturday as the first Black woman elected as vice president of the United States, shattering barriers that have kept men — almost all of them white — entrenched at the highest levels of American politics for more than two centuries.

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Vaping leaves e-cigarette user with rare lung scarring: StudyAn e-cigarette user has been diagnosed with a rare form of lung scarring typically found in metal workers, says a new study. Doctors diagnosed the patient with hard-metal pneumoconiosis, a rare form of lung disease that causes irreparable damage, persistent coughing and breathing issues. It is typically diagnosed in people who work with 'hard metals', such as cobalt or tungsten, in jobs like tool sharpening, diamond polishing or making dental prosthetics.According to the study, published in the European Respiratory Journal, this is the first known case where the disease has been linked to vaping."Hard-metal pneumoconiosis is diagnosed by looking at a sample of the patient's lung tissue under the microscope. It has a distinctive and unusual appearance that is not observed in other diseases. When we diagnose it, we are looking for occupational exposure to metal dust or vapour, usually cobalt, as a cause," said study researcher Kirk Jones from University of California in the US."This patient did not have any known exposure to hard metal, so we identified the use of an e-cigarette as a possible cause," Jones said.Hard-metal pneumoconiosis causes damaged lung cells to engulf other cells and form 'giant' cells that can be seen clearly under a microscope.It can result in permanent scarring in patients' lungs with symptoms such as breathing difficulties and chronic coughing.This scarring cannot be cured, although some patients may have mild improvement if the exposure to hard-metal dust stops and they are treated with steroids.When researchers tested the patient's e-cigarette, a personal vaping device used with cannabis, they found cobalt in the vapour it released, as well as other toxic metals - nickel, aluminium, manganese, lead and chromium.Previous research has also found these metals in vapour from other e-cigarettes and researchers say they believe the metals are coming from the heating coils found in vaping devices, rather than from any particular type of re-fill."Exposure to cobalt dust is extremely rare outside of a few specific industries. This is the first known case of metal-induced toxicity in the lung that has followed from vaping and it has resulted in long-term, probably permanent, scarring of the patient's lungs," said Indian-origin researcher and study co-author Rupal Shah from the University of California."We think that only a rare subset of people exposed to cobalt will have this reaction, but the problem is that the inflammation caused by hard metal would not be apparent to people using e-cigarettes until the scarring has become irreversible, as it did with this patient," Shah added."E-cigarettes are harmful, they cause nicotine addiction and can never substitute for evidence-based smoking cessation tools," said Jorgen Vestbo, Professor at University of Manchester in UK."The medical profession as well as the public should be concerned about a new wave of lung diseases caused by a product which is heavily promoted by the tobacco industry," Vestbo said.

Vaping leaves e-cigarette user with rare lung scarring: Study

Doctors diagnosed the patient with hard-metal pneumoconiosis, a rare form of lung disease that causes irreparable damage, persistent coughing and breathing issues.

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5.2-magnitude earthquake hits Philippines, tremors felt in ManilaA 5.2-magnitude earthquake hit Philippines on Friday. Tremors were also felt in Manila. The earthquake struck 17 km east of Carlagan in the Quezon province this afternoon. According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the earthquake struck at a depth of 10km. 5.2-magnitude earthquake hits Philippines, tremors felt in Manila5.2-magnitude earthquake hits Philippines, tremors felt in ManilaEarthquake tremors were felt in Philippines capital Manila. Buildings, including schools, were evacuated. Some schools announced suspension of classes.In a tweet, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines wrote: "Following the earthquake, classes and work in all PUP NCR branches and campuses are cancelled today September 13, 2019." 

5.2-magnitude earthquake hits Philippines, tremors felt in Manila

​A 5.2-magnitude earthquake hit Philippines on Friday. Tremors were also felt in Manila. The earthquake struck 17 km east of Carlagan in the Quezon province this afternoon.

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Sushma SwarajExternal Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, known for keeping in touch with people over Twitter, had everyone in splits when she said she will need to consult a volcano in Indonesia in response to an Indian's query asking if the government has any advisory for tourists visiting the Southeast Asian nation."I will have to consult the volcano there," Sushma Swaraj said late on Wednesday night in response to a tweet by Sushil Rai.Related Stories Govt framing new law to tackle problems in NRI marriages: SwarajSushma Swaraj bonds with Uzbek woman over Raj Kapoor, Nargis starrer movie song 'Ichak Dana Bichak Dana'Indian businessmen abducted in Malaysia rescued: Sushma SwarajIn his tweet, Rai said: "is it safe to travel bali. We have a bali trip on 11.08.18 to 17.08.18. Is it safe? Is their (a)ny advisory has been issued by our govt. Kindly guide us soon."Mount Agung in Indonesia's Bali island, a popular tourist destination for Indians, erupted on July 3.Since June 28, Indonesia's Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation said the eruption had lasted under two minutes, with the plume has recorded increased volcanic activity from the mountain, which has erupted several times with different intensities since late last year.The eruption of Agung led to the closure of three airports, including the one in Bali, affecting 446 flights and stranded more than 74,000 passengers.The Indonesian archipelago is located on the so-called Ring of Fire in the Pacific, an area of great seismic and volcanic activity, that records thousands of mostly small to moderate tremors every year.

'I will have to consult volcano', Sushma Swaraj's Twitter comment leaves followers in splits

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, replied to a tweet saying she will consult a volcano in Indonesia. The eruptions from Mount Agung led to the closure of three airports including the one in Bali affecting 446 flights.

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India's 2019-20 budget mixes continuity with winds of change, says DBS group  India's Budget for financial year 2019-20 marks a sense of continuity but also carries winds of change, said Singapore bank, DBS Group, in a reaction commentary.The broader fiscal consolidation path was adhered to, along with a continuation of the emphasis on the welfare construct and push to improve infrastructure, writes Radhika Rao, economist at DBS Group Research, after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the union budget in the Parliament on Friday.Related Stories Budget 2019: Gold industry balks at hike in import dutyBudget's stress on PPP, planned investment in railways hailedInterest rates to come down as FM proposes overseas borrowingsDomestic bond markets were watching the borrowing program with trepidation after a sharp increase in the Interim Budget's gross borrowing program had seen long-term yields jump earlier in the year, according to Rao's.Of interest, the government announced plans to raise part of its gross borrowings via foreign currency borrowings (details yet to be announced).On the positive side, this will allow more room for private sector borrowers to tap the domestic markets, whilst also setting a benchmark for external investors, yielding to better pricing for other Indian credits, believes Rao.A con is, however, that this break from tradition could also be seen as an indication that domestic household savings were probably insufficient to meet the government’s funding needs and a new investor base could be tapped in midst of low/negative yielding papers globally, according to Rao.While this is a positive as a move to involve another investor class, this will also be approached with caution to ensure that any interest in these papers does not cannibalise demand for Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPI) purchases of domestic bonds, she points out.Any volatility in global markets could also, meanwhile, ripple into the domestic markets, anticipates Rao.Gross borrowings for Financial Year-20 was, meanwhile, retained at INR 7.1 trillionn, with net at INR 4.7 trillion.Markets reacted favourably to the government's plans to raise part funds in the offshore markets, which led the 10-year yields to slip more than 10 bps to mid-6.6 per cent on Friday."For monetary policy, as the government maintains fiscal restraint, this reinforces our view that another 50bp cuts are likely in rest of FY-20."Monetary policy is likely to do the heavy-lifting to boost growth this year," wrote Rao.Public sector banks will provide with INR 700 billion capital to boost credit and banks have been asked to leverage technology and unify systems by enabling customers of one public sector bank to access services across all public sector banks.Banks have been incentivised to purchase high-rated pooled assets of financially sound NBFCs amounting to INR 1 trillion during FY20, backed by a one-time six-month partial credit guarantee by the government, notes Rao from the Budget reading.Measures to revive credit flow from NBFCs are timely, which should ideally be followed by the regulators conducting a thorough asset quality review and take resolution steps thereafter."Credit flow is likely to return to the NBFCs once the asset-liability mismatch has been tended too, with banks, meanwhile, likely to come back to the fore," said Rao. Also Read | Union Budget 2019-20: Who got what?Watch | Nirmala Sitharaman's Union Budget 2019-20: All you need to know /* .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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India's 2019-20 budget mixes continuity with winds of change, says DBS group

Budget 2019-20: The broader fiscal consolidation path was adhered to, along with a continuation of the emphasis on the welfare construct and push to improve infrastructure, writes Radhika Rao, an economist at DBS Group Research after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the union budget in the Parliament on Friday.

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Families evacuated from Kabul, Afghanistan, walk through the terminal before boarding a bus after they arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport.The US has evacuated and facilitated the shifting of approximately 109,200 people from the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul since August 14, the White House has said. It also said that the US evacuated approximately 4,200 people in 12 hours on Friday, following the deadly suicide attack near the Kabul airport on Thursday.“This is the result of 12 US military flights (9 C-17s and 3 C-130s) which carried approximately 2,100 evacuees, and 29 coalition flights which carried approximately 2,100 people,” the White House said in its latest update of the evacuation figures on Friday.“Since August 14, the US has evacuated and facilitated the evacuation of approximately 109,200 people. Since the end of July, we have re-located approximately 114,800 people,” it said.Meanwhile, Senator Roger Marshall led Representatives Jimmy Panetta and Mike Gallagher in sending a bipartisan, bicameral letter to President Joe Biden, urging him to safely evacuate American citizens, Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants and other at-risk populations, including women and children, from Afghanistan.“We urge you to provide transparency regarding how the administration will safeguard the approximately 1,500 American citizens still remaining in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, SIV applicants, and other at-risk populations," they said.The lawmakers said the US military should commit to responding with overwhelming force to continued attacks on or around the Kabul airport, any attack on American citizens attempting to evacuate or any attempt to hold them hostage.“The administration must keep its commitment to our Afghan allies who risked their lives supporting the US or NATO campaigns by evacuating remaining SIV applicants," they said.The lawmakers said the Biden administration must ensure that the US military is prepared and committed to holding Hamid Karzai International Airport until the evacuation mission is complete.In a separate letter, Senator Michael Bennet, a member of the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, joined 28 other lawmakers in urging the Biden administration to expedite efforts to evacuate Afghans at risk as the situation in Afghanistan deteriorates.In their letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, they specifically pushed for the administration to explore the use of parole to speed up entry for Afghans with already approved visa petitions.“As the situation on the ground in Afghanistan becomes more dangerous, thousands of Afghans are desperately seeking to leave the country to avoid possible persecution."We fully support efforts to provide humanitarian protection to those Afghan nationals in need. However, we write to draw your attention to the possibility that there are many nationals from Afghanistan in the family and employment-based immigration system for whom a visa is not yet available due to visa caps in immigration law,” wrote Bennet and his colleagues. /* .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_5750638169 = { "file": "https://vod-indiatv.akamaized.net/hls/2021/08/0_8jmriq77/master.m3u8", "image": "https://thumbs.indiatvnews.com/vod/0_8jmriq77_big_thumb.jpg", "title": "Evacuation operation resumes at Kabul airport", "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": "708", "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_5750638169 = ''; jwsetup_5750638169(); function jwsetup_5750638169() { jwvidplayer_5750638169 = jwplayer("jwvidplayer_5750638169").setup(jwconfig_5750638169); jwvidplayer_5750638169.on('ready', function () { ns_.StreamingAnalytics.JWPlayer(jwvidplayer_5750638169, { publisherId: "20465327", labelmapping: "c2=\"20465327\", c3=\"IndiaTV News\", c4=\"null\", c6=\"null\", ns_st_mp=\"jwplayer\", ns_st_cl=\"0\", ns_st_ci=\"0_8jmriq77\", ns_st_pr=\"Evacuation operation resumes at Kabul airport\", ns_st_sn=\"0\", ns_st_en=\"0\", ns_st_ep=\"Evacuation operation resumes at Kabul airport\", ns_st_ct=\"null\", ns_st_ge=\"News\", ns_st_st=\"Evacuation operation resumes at Kabul airport\", ns_st_ce=\"0\", ns_st_ia=\"0\", ns_st_ddt=\"2021-08-27\", ns_st_tdt=\"2021-08-27\", ns_st_pu=\"IndiaTV News\", ns_st_cu=\"https://vod-indiatv.akamaized.net/hls/2021/08/0_8jmriq77/master.m3u8\", ns_st_ty=\"video\"" }); }); jwvidplayer_5750638169.on('all', function (r) { if (jwvidplayer_5750638169.getState() == 'error' || jwvidplayer_5750638169.getState() == 'setupError') { jwvidplayer_5750638169.stop(); jwvidplayer_5750638169.remove(); jwvidplayer_5750638169 = ''; jwsetup_5750638169(); return; } }); jwvidplayer_5750638169.on('error', function (t) { jwvidplayer_5750638169.stop(); jwvidplayer_5750638169.remove(); jwvidplayer_5750638169 = ''; jwsetup_5750638169(); return; }); jwvidplayer_5750638169.on('mute', function () { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_5750638169.on('adPlay', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_5750638169.on('adPause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_5750638169.on('pause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_5750638169.on('error', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_5750638169.on('adBlock', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); }

US evacuates over 109K people from Afghanistan since August 14: White House

The lawmakers said the US military should commit to responding with overwhelming force to continued attacks on or around the Kabul airport.

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US President Donald Trump has said he would have taken a "tougher" approach toward negotiations on Britain's exit (Brexit) from the European Union (EU) than the one currently adopted by British Prime Minister Theresa May."Would it be the way I negotiate it? No, I wouldn't negotiate it the way it's (being) negotiated... I would have had a different attitude," Trump said on Sunday during a TV interview.Related Stories Britain to exit European Union on March 29, 2019 at 11 pm, says Theresa MayNo breakthrough in Brexit talks as new deadline approachesPM Theresa May loses key Brexit vote in British parliamentAcknowledging he had a lot of respect for May, the US President said he "would have taken a tougher stand in getting out".London has dragged itself into painstaking negotiations with Brussels chaffering over favourable terms about its exit from the 28-country bloc. Formal Brexit is expected in March 2019 but progress of the talks has been slow given the complexity of the issue."I would have said that the European Union is not cracked up to what it's supposed to be," Trump said.Trump promised a "great" bilateral trade agreement with Britain. "We are going to make a deal with (the) UK that'll be great," he said.Noting London will have a two-year restriction banning it from signing bilateral trade pacts with other economies before bidding farewell to the EU, Trump said, "When that restriction is up, we're going to be your great trading partner."The US President also expressed his willingness to visit Britain, saying he was invited twice by May during their meetings on the sidelines of this year's World Economic Forum (WEF) in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, which concluded on Friday.Trump has recently cancelled a trip to London, the reason for which he said was that he didn't like the relocation of the US embassy there.Media reports, however, have attributed the decision to the cool reception the President would likely receive. The British public, outraged by Trump's retweet of an anti-Muslim video originally posted by a far-right British nationalist, signed a petition urging the government not to give Trump a state visit.

Would have taken tougher attitude toward Brexit than Theresa May: Donald Trump

Acknowledging he had a lot of respect for Theresa May, US President Donald Trump said he "would have taken a tougher stand in getting out".

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Suspicious packages found in MelbourneA major emergency response was launched by the authorities in Australia after suspicious packages were found at several diplomatic missions, including the Indian Consulate in Melbourne on Wednesday. Packages were delivered to at least 10 international consulates across Melbourne. Firefighters and Ambulance Victoria paramedics were attending the Indian Consulate and US Consulate on St Kilda Road.A tweet posted by the Australian Federal Police read, "Police and emergency services have responded to suspicious packages to embassies and consulates... The packages are being examined by attending emergency services. The circumstances are being investigated.”Related Stories IGI on alert after suspicious balloon-like object spotted over DelhiFalse Alarm Over Suspicious Package Causes Evacuation At Glasgow AirportScary: The slit mouth woman of Japan, who mutilates others tooSuspicious Package Scare Outside Theater In Hollywood‘Suspicious’ bag with 2 mobile tower batteries found near Pathankot Army cantonmentPathankot on ‘High Alert’ After Suspicious Bag Found Near Mamun Army BaseSuspicious material found in Delhi Airport’s cargo terminal, identified as car spare partsThe Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) said it was assisting the Australian Federal Police at a number of incidents at embassies across Melbourne.Other places that are also believed to have been affected are the United Kingdom Consulate, located on Collins Street, along with the Korean Consulate (St Kilda Road), German Consulate (Queen Street), Italian Consulate (St Kilda Road), Swiss Consulate (Ashwood), Pakistan Consulate (Cardigan Place), Greek Consulate (Albert Road) and the Indonesian Consulate (Queens Road).Reports of any injuries were not available so far as emergency workers wearing chemical suits were seen entering some of the buildings.More than a dozen hazardous material alerts have been issued on the VicEmergency website.

Australia: Suspicious packages found at Indian consulate, other diplomatic missions in Melbourne; major emergency response launched

The Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) said it was assisting the Australian Federal Police at a number of incidents at embassies across Melbourne.

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A woman wearing a mask walks past the Duomo gothic cathedral in Milan, Italy, on Sunday.Italy has taken a leaf out of China's book and quarantined as many as 16 million people in its northern provinces because of the coronavirus scare. The number of people quarantined now accounts for a quarter of Italy's total population. This desperate measure has been taken by the Italian government because of the ever-increasing number of coronavirus cases in Italy. With 5,800 confirmed cases of coronavirus and over 200 deaths, Italy is now being termed as the coronavirus capital of Europe.Weddings and museums, movie theaters and shopping malls are all affected by the new restrictions, which focus on a swath of northern Italy but are disrupting daily life around the country. Confusion reigned after the quarantine was announced, with residents and tourists from Venice to Milan trying to figure out how and when the new measures would take effect. Travelers crammed aboard standing-room-only trains, tucking their faces into scarves and sharing sanitizing gel.After mass testing uncovered more than 7,300 infections, Italy's outbreak surged to nearly equal South Korea's, which had been tapering off, and trailing China, where COVID-19 is in retreat. Italy's death toll rose to 366.Around the globe, more and more events were canceled or hidden behind closed doors, from the pope’s Sunday service to a Formula One car race in Bahrain to a sumo competition in Japan, where wrestlers arrived at the arena in face masks and were required to use hand sanitizer before entering. In Saudi Arabia, all schools and universities were to close starting Monday, following similar moves in central China, Japan and other Gulf countries. Questions grew about whether to maintain U.S. presidential campaign rallies and other potential “super-spreading” gatherings of people, as the virus entered new U.S. states.Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte signed a quarantine decree early Sunday for the country's prosperous north. Areas under lockdown include Milan, Italy's financial hub and the main city in Lombardy, and Venice, the main city in the neighboring Veneto region. The extraordinary measures will be in place until April 3.Tourists in the region, including those from abroad, were free to head home, the Italian transport ministry said, noting that airports and train stations remained open.The pope, who has been ill, held his Sunday blessing by video instead of in person, even though he was not directly affected by the lockdown. He described feeling like he was “in a cage.”It’s a feeling familiar in China, where the government locked down about 60 million people in central Hubei province in late January. Six weeks later, they are still effectively stuck.The World Health Organization has said China’s move helped the rest of the world prepare for the virus to arrive, and WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted his support Sunday for Italians and their “bold, courageous steps aimed at slowing the speed of the coronavirus.”Image Source : APWorkers disinfect the shrine of the Shiite Saint Imam Abdulazim to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus in Shahr-e-Ray, south of Tehran, Iran, Saturday, March, 7, 2020.Workers disinfect the shrine of the Shiite Saint Imam Abdulazim to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus in Shahr-e-Ray, south of Tehran, Iran, Saturday, March, 7, 2020.China has suffered about three-fourths of the world's 110,000 coronavirus infections and most of its 3,800 deaths. New infections in China have leveled off, however, and most of those infected, in China and globally, have already recovered.Infections increased in other epicenters -- South Korea, Iran and especially Italy. And with a nose-dive in tourist traffic and major disruptions to supply chains worldwide, stocks struggled Sunday. Mideast indexes fell 4% to 10%.Italy is closing all museums and archaeological sites, even those far from the lockdown zone. It suspended all weddings until April 3. The northern regions concerned by Sunday’s decree are closing cinemas and ski slopes.Eateries all around Italy are expected, somehow, to keep patrons a meter (3 feet) away from each other.The Vatican Museums are now closed, including the Sistine Chapel, in yet another blow to Italy’s all-important tourism industry. Alitalia, the Italian airline that was already financially ailing before the virus, suspended all flights from Milan’s Malpensa airport starting Monday.Lombardy’s governor, who is in quarantine himself, sought to calm the public, discouraging hoarding and insisting “we’re not going to war.”Chaos erupted in the hours before Conte signed the decree, as word leaked about the planned quarantine.In a reversal of the stereotypical north-south tensions in Italy, the governor of Puglia urged northerners to stay away and not bring virus infections down south.“Get off at the first railway station. Don’t take planes,” Gov. Michele Emiliano said in his dramatic appeal. “Turn around in your cars, get off the pullman buses at the next stop.”By Sunday afternoon, residents of northern Italy remained confused.Factory worker Luca Codazzi was set to come out of a two-week quarantine but instead was facing new limits on his freedom. And he said the decree was confusing. “In theory, the cordon should go down at midnight,’’ Codazzi said. He still doesn't know whether his factory will be open Monday.Governments across Europe tightened their rules. Bulgaria banned all indoor public events. France’s president and Germany's governing parties held emergency security meetings as the number of cases in each country surpassed 1,000.In waters around the world, the virus has left the cruise ship industry in disarray.The Grand Princess cruise ship, where 21 people have tested positive for the virus, has idled for San Francisco for days but was to dock in Oakland on Monday. Americans will be sent to facilities around the country for testing and isolation, but it's not yet clear what will happen to international passengers. Canada planed to pick up more than 200 of its citizens.Image Source : APTourists visit the Colosseum in Rome on Saturday. With the coronavirus emergency deepening in Europe, Italy, a focal point in the contagion, risks falling back into recession as foreign tourists are spooked from visiting its cultural treasures and the global market shrinks for prized artisanal products, from fashion to design.Tourists visit the Colosseum in Rome on Saturday. With the coronavirus emergency deepening in Europe, Italy, a focal point in the contagion, risks falling back into recession as foreign tourists are spooked from visiting its cultural treasures and the global market shrinks for prized artisanal products, from fashion to design.The Grand Princess had a cluster of almost 20 infections during an earlier voyage that has led to one death.Another cruise ship is in quarantine on the Nile River in Egypt with 45 confirmed virus cases. Two other ships with no confirmed cases were turned away this weekend from Malaysia and Malta amid virus fears.Advice to the public continues to vary. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged older adults and people with severe medical conditions to "stay home as much as possible" and avoid crowds. A federal official told The Associated Press that the White House had overruled health officials who wanted to recommend that elderly and sick Americans not fly on commercial airlines too. A spokesman for U.S. Vice President Mike Pence denied that.The U.S. death toll from the virus climbed to 21, with all but three victims in Washington state. Infections exceed 500, including the first case in the nation’s capital. Two members of Congress, Sen. Ted Cruz and congressman Paul Gosar, were self-quarantining after meeting a man who was infected. Cruz said he had brief contact with the man. Gosar said he had sustained contact and his office would be closed for week.China on Monday reported 40 new cases over the past 24 hours, the lowest level since it began publishing nationwide figures on Jan 20, and 22 new fatalities. China now has now recorded 80,735 total cases, among which 19,016 remain in treatment and 58,600 have been released.China has had 3,119 deaths from COVID-19, with Italy's 366 deaths the second-worst in the world.South Korea reported 69 more cases, raising its total to 7,382, slightly surpassing Italy's 7,375 as the second-worst outbreak.North Korea, which hasn't reported a single case but has put thousands in quarantine and nearly closed its borders, flew dozens of diplomats and other foreigners out of the country Monday morning.(With inputs from Associated Press)Also Read | Coronavirus suspect, kept under observation, goes missing from Mangaluru hospitalAlso Read | Coronavirus: Columbia University, New York schools suspend classes as cases cross 100 in state /* .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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Italy takes drastic step to contain coronavirus, quarantines 16 million people; Milan worst affected

Italy has taken a leaf out of China's book and quarantined as many as 16 million people in its northern provinces because of the coronavirus scare. The number of people quarantined now accounts for a quarter of Italy's total population. This desperate measure has been taken by the Italian government because of the ever-increasing number of coronavirus cases in Italy. With 5,800 confirmed cases of coronavirus and over 200 deaths, Italy is now being termed as the coronavirus capital of Europe.

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Pakistanis head terror groups ISIL-K, AQIS, TTP not yet blacklisted, reveals UN report (Representational image)Pakistani terror groups such as al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant - Khorasan and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan among others are yet to be blacklisted as revealed by a UN report. The 26th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team concerning ISIL, al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities said that in April and May, the Afghan special forces conducted a series of countrywide operations and arrested the head of the ISIL-K Aslam Farooqi (also known as Abdullah Orokzai) and his predecessor Zia ul-Haq (also known as Abu Omar Khorasani) and others.Farooqi, who hails from Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is the mastermind behind the deadly terror attack on a prominent gurudwara in Kabul in March that killed 25 Sikhs. He is not blacklisted by the UN Security Council’s 1267 al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee. Similarly, Haq is also a Pakistani national and has not been blacklisted yet. Al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) operates under the Taliban umbrella from Afghanistan’s Nimruz, Helmand and Kandahar provinces and its current leader is Pakistan-born Osama Mahmood, who is also “not listed” under the UNSC sanctions. Mahmood succeeded Asim Umar. The report said that the group reportedly has between 150 and 200 members from Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and Pakistan and “is reportedly planning retaliation operations in the region to avenge the death of its former leader.”The Sanctions Monitoring Team report said that the "large terrorist group present in Afghanistan” Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is led by Amir Noor Wali Mehsud. Pakistan-born Mehsud was designated a global terrorist by the UNSC sanctions committee only this month, more than two years after he was named the TTP leader, following the death of former TTP head Maulana Fazlullah. Mehsud is supported by his deputy Qari Amjad and TTP spokesperson Mohammad Khorasani, both not listed under the UNSC sanctions. This demonstrates that the Pakistani nationals operate at leadership levels in the terror organisations and point to the terror groups’ Pakistani links.The report said that al-Qaida is covertly active in 12 Afghan provinces and its leader Aiman al-Zawahiri remains based in the country. The monitoring team estimates the total number of al-Qaida fighters in Afghanistan between 400 and 600. The leadership maintains close contact with the Haqqani Network. In February 2020, al-Zawahiri met with Yahya Haqqani, “the primary Haqqani Network contact with al-Qaida since mid-2009, to discuss the ongoing cooperation.” (With inputs from PTI)

Pakistanis head terror groups ISIL-K, AQIS, TTP not yet blacklisted, reveals UN report

Pakistani terror groups such as al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant - Khorasan and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan among others are yet to be blacklisted as revealed by a UN report.

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Volcano erupts near Congolese city of Goma; residents fleeCongo’s Mount Nyiragongo erupted for the first time in nearly two decades Saturday, turning the night sky a fiery red and sending lava onto a major highway as panicked residents tried to flee Goma, a city of nearly 2 million.There was no immediate word on any casualties, but witnesses said that lava already had engulfed one highway that connects Goma with the city of Beni in North Kivu province.Mount Nyiragongo’s last eruption, in 2002, left hundreds dead and coated airport runways in lava. More than 100,000 people were left homeless in the aftermath, adding to the fear in Goma on Saturday night.“We are already in a total psychosis,” resident Zacharie Paluku told The Associated Press. “Everyone is afraid; people are running away. We really don’t know what to do.”Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi said he would be returning home on Sunday from Europe earlier than planned in order to help coordinate relief efforts.The government said an evacuation plan was being activated, but the official announcement came several hours after the sky turned a fiery red, and many already had fled on foot in hopes of crossing the Rwandan border post just outside town. Car horns honked and motorcycle taxis weaved as people attempted to escape in panic.Rwandan immigration authorities reported that some 3,000 people already had officially crossed over from Congo to escape the volcano’s eruption, according to the national broadcaster.The U.N. peacekeeping mission known as MONUSCO tweeted dramatic footage of the city alit, saying it was conducting reconnaissance flights over Goma where it maintains a large base.“The lava doesn’t seem to be headed toward the city of Goma. We remain on alert,” it said.Some sought refuge aboard boats on Lake Kivu, while others fled to Mount Goma, the highest point in the metropolitan area. Dorcas Mbulayi left her home about an hour after the volcano first showed signs of erupting.“We were eating when a friend of dad’s called him on the phone and told him to go and look outside,” said Mbulayi, who was still a child the last time the volcano erupted. “Dad told us that the volcano was erupting and that we were going to go to Mount Goma to escape the lava of the volcano.”She also blamed authorities “for not informing us in time about the possible volcanic eruption.”The lack of immediate announcements from authorities and conflicting accounts circulating on social media only added to the sense of chaos in Goma.Authorities at the Goma Volcano Observatory initially said it was the nearby Nyamulagira volcano that had erupted. The two volcanos are located about 13 kilometers (8.1 miles) apart.Volcanologist Charles Balagizi said the observatory’s report was based on the direction in which the lava appeared to be flowing, which was toward Rwanda rather than Goma.Goma sits along the border between Congo and neighboring Rwanda, and is a regional hub for many humanitarian agencies in the region, as well as the U.N. peacekeeping mission known as MONUSCO.The volcano erupting is also close the Virunga National Park, home to some of the last mountain gorillas in the world. While Goma is home to many U.N. peacekeepers and aid workers, much of the surrounding eastern Congo is also under threat from a myriad of armed groups vying for control of the region’s mineral resources.ALSO READ: ​At least 2,000 housing units destroyed in fighting between Israel and Palestinian militant groups

Volcano erupts near Congolese city of Goma; residents flee

Mount Nyiragongo’s last eruption, in 2002, left hundreds dead and coated airport runways in lava. More than 100,000 people were left homeless in the aftermath, adding to the fear in Goma on Saturday night.

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China increases deployment near Lipulekh Pass, is Nepal becoming new Pakistan?It is no secret that Chinese troops have a presence in Pakistani territory. From Balochistan to PoK, China has stationed its troops to serve its various purposes. Now, China appears to be hell-bent on increasing its presence around Nepal as well. Recent reports say that China has increased deployment of troops at India-Nepal-China tri-junction near Lipulekh.Lipulekh is tri-junction between India, Nepal and China situated atop the Kalapani Valley in Uttarakhand.Sources said that China has deployed 150 Light Combined Arms Brigade. The brigade was moved in two weeks ago from Tibet towards the Lipulekh tri-junction in China.The Indian authorities have came to know two weeks ago that Chinese troops were reinforced in Pala, around 10 km from the border.In July itself, around 1,000 troops were deployed near Pala and a permanent post was built there by China. "A fortnight back, 2,000 more additional troops were deployed at the post," sources said.India's road construction to Lipulekh lake at 17,000 feet had sparked a diplomatic row between the India and Nepal as Kathmandu claimed the area to be its territory. The road will shorten the travel time for pilgrims visiting the Kailash Mansarovar. Nepal also brought out a new political map showing the contested area as its own.India and China are locked in a more than three-month-long standoff at multiple points, hitherto unprecedented along the border.China had changed the status quo on the Line of Actual Control at various places, moving inside Indian territories. India has objected to it and is taking up the matter with China at all levels.China has built up troops, artillery and armour in three sectors of Line of Actual Control -- western (Ladakh), middle (Uttarakhand, Himachal) and eastern (Sikkim, Arunachal).The border tension between India and China has not been resolved despite several rounds of military and diplomatic talks. China's commitment for disengagement at the border in Eastern Ladakh remains unsatisfactory and India has directed its armed forces to prepare for a long haul.(With IANS input)

Beijing increases troop deployment near Lipulekh Pass, is Nepal becoming 'new Pakistan' for China?

It is no secret that Chinese troops have a presence in Pakistani territory. Now, China appears to be hell-bent on increasing its presence around Nepal as well.

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Benjamin NetanyahuThe elections may have gone Netanyahu’s way, but all is not looking hunky dory for the right-wing politician. Here is everything you need to know about Benjamin Netanyahu, his fifth term in office and the charges that could make this one his shortest term.Basic facts on Benjamin Netanyahu as the prime minister of IsraelBenjamin Netanyahu is the leader of the right-wing Likud party in Israel.He has held the prime ministerial post for four terms.He became the prime minister for the first time in 1996 and stayed in the office till 1999.He has been the sitting prime minister since 2009.During his recent stay, he has been victorious in three elections in 2009, 2013 and 2015.The present victory will make Netanyahu the longest serving Israeli prime minister of all time surpassing the founder of the nation, David Ben-Gurion. Benjamin Netanyahu’s election 2019 campaignDuring his election campaign, Netanyahu made it clear that he was rooting for the right-wing bloc to form the government at the Centre.Netanyahu’s main opposition came from Benny Gantz who is a former Israeli military general-turned-politician. He is considered a Centrist and has had moderate views on most Israel border issues including the West Bank settlements.Netanyahu said on Wednesday after the unofficial results were out that he does want a right wing government, however, he is the prime minister of all Israelis alike and would want to take everyone together moving forward.Major Palestinian leaders expressed their concerns over the trends coming out of Israeli elections since Netanyahu has always believed in a hardline policy towards the Palestine issue and has univocally been against a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.With the votes being neck-and-neck, a coalition form of government is expected to take over -- with the next few weeks expected to be that of major political manoeuvring.  Charges against Benjamin NetanyahuThe sitting prime minister of Israel has in recent times faced a barrage of serious charges that could majorly hamper his political ambitions.The possible charges against Netanyahu include bribery, fraud, breach of trust in connection with three separate cases.From allegedly accepting gifts from wealthy businessmen to calling favours to get positive press coverage Netanyahu’s political campaign had to deal with a lot of unwanted scrutiny.The prime minister, though, has said multiple times that all these are fake allegations been brought up to give a hit to his chances in these elections. The attorney general of Israel has already shown interest in investigating these charges. And it remains to be seen when, and most importantly how, Netanyahu's fate is decided. 

Netanyahu, Israel’s longest serving prime minister, could be in for his shortest term

After a hard-fought campaign and a day of fluctuating political fates, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears to be all set for his record breaking fifth term in office.

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Indo-Pak dialogue crucial to alleviate poverty in sub-continent: Imran KhanPakistan's newly-appointed prime minister Imran Khan today pushed for a dialogue with India to alleviate poverty in the region. Khan, who was sworn-in on Friday, stressed that resolving the Kashmir conflict was pivotal for 'uplift the people of the subcontinent'. "To move forward Pakistan and India must dialogue and resolve their conflicts incl Kashmir: The best way to alleviate poverty and uplift the people of the subcontinent is to resolve our differences through dialogue and start trading," the Pakistani PM tweeted.Related Stories Will live in military secretary's residence, not in PM House: Imran Khan'Can't bring peace in Pakistan without peace with neighbours, will improve relations with all': PM Imran KhanSedition case filed against Sidhu for hugging Pakistan Army chief Bring Taliban to negotiating table, rather than providing safe havens: US sends blunt message to new Pak govtIn a series of messages on social media platform Twitter, Imran Khan also extended gratitude towards Congress leader and his friend Navjot Singh Sidhu for attending his oath taking ceremony in Islamabad. "I want to thank Sidhu for coming to Pak for my oath taking. He was an ambassador of peace and was given amazing love and affection by people of Pakistan," he said, adding that those in India who targeted him are doing a great disservice to peace in the subcontinent - without peace our people can't progress, the Pak PM stressed.Also read | PM Modi in letter to Imran Khan calls for meaningful engagementIn an official statement earlier today, the PTI chairman urged the Pakistani community to unite against terrorism and fight for the victims of related crimes. Paying a tribute to  those who have lost their lives at the hands of terrorism on the ‘International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism', Khan said that Pakistan has been one of the worst victims of terrorism, suffering thousands of casualties in this war, of both civilians and security personnel.Recalling the horrors of Peshawar Army Public School attack in 2014, he said that despite these loses, the country's resolve to fight terrorism remains unwavering. "In the face of every tragedy, the resilient Pakistani nation has shown that the values of enlightenment, compassion and empathy that bind us together, are much stronger than the forces of intolerance, hatred, and violence that aim to divide us," the Pak PM said in the statement."We stand with the International Community to eliminate this menace and reiterate to take joint actions to extend all support to those who have been the victims of terrorism," he added.Read More | Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan pays tribute to victims of terrorism

Indo-Pak dialogue crucial to alleviate poverty in subcontinent: Imran Khan

"To move forward Pakistan and India must dialogue and resolve their conflicts incl Kashmir: The best way to alleviate poverty and uplift the people of the subcontinent is to resolve our differences through dialogue and start trading," Pak PM said.

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Imran Khan loses no-trust vote. Pakistan News Updates: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was removed from the post after he lost no-trust motion moved by the Opposition in the National Assembly. Voting on no-trust motion took place well past midnight following a dramatic day that witnessed Speaker and deputy Speaker resigning from their posts before voting. The no-trust motion against Imran Khan got 174 votes. Members of Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) staged a walkout from the house making the no-trust vote a mere formality. Imran Khan has now become the first Pakistan PM to be removed by no-trust vote. PML(N) chief Shehbaz Sharif, who is slated to be next Pakistan PM, addressed the assembly right after the official announcement was made. "Our government will let the law prevail. We will not put the innocent behind the bars, only justice will prevail. Neither me or Mr Bhutto, only law will take its course in Pakistan." Sharif said. Chairperson of Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also addressed the assembly later. "Welcome back to purana Pakistan," Bhutto said. 

Pakistan crisis: Imran Khan clean bowled by opposition's midnight no-trust vote yorker | As it happened

Imran has become the first Pakistan PM to lose no-trust vote. Not a single Pakistan PM has completed a full five-year term since 1947.

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Breaking news The total number of global coronavirus cases has surpassed 6.8 million, including more than 398,000 fatalities. More than 3,335,000 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 Update: June 6, 2020 | As it happened

The total number of global coronavirus cases has surpassed 6.8 million, including more than 398,000 fatalities. More than 3,335,000 patients are reported to have recovered. Follow this LIVE blog for latest on coronavirus and its global economic fallout.

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Breaking News October 28The total number of global coronavirus cases has surpassed 44 million, including more than 1,171,272 fatalities. More than 32,442,947 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: October 28, 2020 | Highlights

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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The drones used in the attacks on two Russian military facilities in Syria came from the area controlled by the opposition, the Russian Defence Ministry said.In a statement published in the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper on Wednesday, the Ministry confirmed that the drones were from the Muazar settlement in ldlib, the de-escalation zone controlled by the moderate opposition.The Ministry has written to the Turkish military, urging Ankara to "fulfil its obligation to ensure the end of hostile acts by the armed formations under its control".It has also asked for intensifying the work on setting up observation posts in the de-escalation zone to prevent drone attacks on any targets, Xinhua news agency reported.In September 2017, Iran, Russia and Turkey held talks in Astana, Kazakhstan, agreeing to deploy observers in Idlib. The Turkish military is deployed in Idlib to set up observation posts and monitor the implementation of the de-escalation zones.Earlier in January, the Russia reported that 13 drones had been used to attack two Russian military facilities in Syria, but were captured or destroyed by Russian servicemen. 

Drones used in Russian base attacks in Syria were opposition-controlled, says Moscow

The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed that the drones were from Muazar settlement in ldlib, the de-escalation zone controlled by the moderate opposition.

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Indian PM Narendra Modi (L), US President Joe Biden (R) India's ties with the United States are on a steady upward trajectory, Indian ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu has said, observing that the Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership between the two nations remains of key significance, in bringing development and prosperity, to their people, as well as, to the world at large. Our Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership with the United States remains of key significance in bringing development and prosperity to our peoples as well as to the world at large,ö Sandhu told a gathering of Indian-Americans at India House on the occasion of the country's 75TH Independence Day.Sandhu unfurled the national flag at India House, the official residence of the Indian envoy, in the presence of a select gathering of officials and community leaders due to the COVID-19 protocols. The event was telecast live over various social media platforms and was watched live by a large number of Indian-Americans across the country.    Our ties with the US are on a steady upward trajectory û Prime Minister Modi's telephone calls with President Biden and Vice President Harris; PM's participation in the Quad, Climate and G-7 Summits; the recent visits at Cabinet and high officials level to both sides all reflect the strength and closeness in our ties. An India-US relationship has indeed come a long way,ö Sandhu said.However, given the true potential that the relationship holds we still have a lot to achieve together. We need to work towards more and more collaborations in key sectors such as Healthcare & pharma, Digital & IT, Education & Research, clean energy and climate change, and strategic and defense, he said.Observing that the COVID continues to pose challenges to all, he underscored the need to remain vigilant. Today humanity's very survival is linked to how well we support each other. India extended its helping hand to the US last year. This year during the surge in India the US Government, Congress, Private sector, and diaspora provided overwhelming support to India.I take this opportunity, to thank each one of you for your generous efforts. I am confident that with our collective action we will come out of this stronger and more resilient, Sandhu said.In his remarks, the Ambassador highlighted Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav being celebrated to mark 75 years of India's Independence.  The message from the Indian President was played during the event followed by a cultural program.Flag hoisting ceremonies were also held in all the five Consulates of India in New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, and San Francisco.Events were held in iconic and historic locations including Times Square in New York, Gadar Memorial and City Halls in San Francisco, and State Capitol Building in Providence and Rhode Island. Several events including India Day parades, India festivals, lectures, Battery Dance, etc were organized across the US by diverse community organizations as well as local administration to mark the occasion. Special receptions are being held in Houston, Atlanta, and Chicago, with the participation of dignitaries from the US.In honor of India's 75th Independence Day, prominent buildings in the US including the Empire State Building, New York, One World Trade Centre in Manhattan, the State Capitol Building in Providence, Rhode Island, Twin Towers in Dallas, Governor's mansion in Austin, City Hall of San Francisco and Gandhi Statue at King Center Atlanta are being illuminated in tricolor lights.Commemorative resolutions and proclamations were issued by the various US States. The New York State Assembly passed a Resolution commemorating India's 75th Independence Day on 15 August and recognizing August 2021 as Indian American Heritage Month. The Governor of Texas issued a Proclamation on the occasion.Leaders from the US including senior members of the Senate and House, State Administrations and legislators, and dignitaries from diverse fields such as business, arts, sports, science, etc. conveyed their greetings. Prominent members of the Indo-American community including representatives of various socio-cultural organizations, members of the business community, and others also expressed their felicitations.

Ties with the US on a steady upward trajectory: Indian envoy

Indian ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu has said, observed that the Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership between India and US remains of key significance.

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PM Modi attends the Quad summit during his US VisitOn his second day of the US visit, PM Modi attended the much anticipated Quad summit, where he held talks with Prime Ministers of Japan and Australia, as well as US President Joe Biden. During the summit, Modi announced that India will make available 8 million doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine by the end of October under the Quad vaccine partnership, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Friday informed of the development.Shringla said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the announcement in the regard at the Summit. The Foreign Secretary added that the Quad nations, including India, will pay for the vaccines.The Quad Summit took place at the White House in Washington. During the meeting, leaders of all four countries reaffirmed their commitment to work together to contain the COVID-19 pandemic."They took stock of the factors that would address the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, the vaccine partnership this is considered the most important of the deliverables the Quad is looking at the most immediate and most imminent in view of the concerns with COVID-19," he said."In that context, Prime Minister [Modi] announced not only the resumption of vaccines export but at the request of Quad, Prime Minister said that India would make available 8 million doses of Johnson and Johnson vaccine which is Jensen vaccine which is manufactured in India by the Biological E. This would be ready by the end of October compatible with our decision to resume vaccine export. Quad will pay for the vaccine and India will bear a certain share of those. This is an immediate delivery from the Quad into the Indo Pacific region," he added.In his opening remarks at the Quad summit, Prime Minister Modi said that that the Quad vaccine initiative will help Indo-Pacific nations as the world is battling with COVID-19.Prime Minister said that the world is battling with COVID-19 and the Quad members again came together in the interest of humanity. In March, the India-US-Japan-Australia Quadrilateral initiative, or Quad decided to build a first-of-its-kind joint vaccine supply chain to address the current and any future pandemic situations in the Indo-Pacific region.Vaccines will be developed in the US, manufactured in India, financed by Japan and the US, and supported by Australia through logistics for the Indo-Pacific including island states."Our Quad vaccine initiative will help Indo-Pacific nations. Quad decided to go ahead with a positive approach on basis of our shared democratic values. I would be happy to discuss with my friends-be it supply chain, global security, climate action, COVID response or tech cooperation," PM Modi said at Quad Leaders' Summit."I express my gratitude to President Joe Biden for the first in-person Quad meeting. Four countries, for the first time, came together to help the Indo-Pacific region after the 2004 Tsunami. Today when the world is battling with COVID-19, we being the Quad members are again came together in the interest of humanity," he added.Recently, the Indian government announced that the country will resume exports of COVID-19 vaccines in the October quarter, prioritising the global vaccine-sharing platform COVAX and keeping the neighbouring countries first as supplies rise.(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_4434329616 = { "file": "https://vod-indiatv.akamaized.net/hls/2021/09/0_02fexv1z/master.m3u8", "image": "https://thumbs.indiatvnews.com/vod/0_02fexv1z_big_thumb.jpg", "title": " QUAD will work as a force for global good, says PM", "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": "556", "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_4434329616 = ''; jwsetup_4434329616(); function jwsetup_4434329616() { jwvidplayer_4434329616 = jwplayer("jwvidplayer_4434329616").setup(jwconfig_4434329616); jwvidplayer_4434329616.on('ready', function () { ns_.StreamingAnalytics.JWPlayer(jwvidplayer_4434329616, { publisherId: "20465327", labelmapping: "c2=\"20465327\", c3=\"IndiaTV News\", c4=\"null\", c6=\"null\", ns_st_mp=\"jwplayer\", ns_st_cl=\"0\", ns_st_ci=\"0_02fexv1z\", ns_st_pr=\"QUAD will work as a force for global good, says PM\", ns_st_sn=\"0\", ns_st_en=\"0\", ns_st_ep=\"QUAD will work as a force for global good, says PM\", ns_st_ct=\"null\", ns_st_ge=\"News\", ns_st_st=\"QUAD will work as a force for global good, says PM\", ns_st_ce=\"0\", ns_st_ia=\"0\", ns_st_ddt=\"2021-09-25\", ns_st_tdt=\"2021-09-25\", ns_st_pu=\"IndiaTV News\", ns_st_cu=\"https://vod-indiatv.akamaized.net/hls/2021/09/0_02fexv1z/master.m3u8\", ns_st_ty=\"video\"" }); }); jwvidplayer_4434329616.on('all', function (r) { if (jwvidplayer_4434329616.getState() == 'error' || jwvidplayer_4434329616.getState() == 'setupError') { jwvidplayer_4434329616.stop(); jwvidplayer_4434329616.remove(); jwvidplayer_4434329616 = ''; jwsetup_4434329616(); return; } }); jwvidplayer_4434329616.on('error', function (t) { jwvidplayer_4434329616.stop(); jwvidplayer_4434329616.remove(); jwvidplayer_4434329616 = ''; jwsetup_4434329616(); return; }); jwvidplayer_4434329616.on('mute', function () { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_4434329616.on('adPlay', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_4434329616.on('adPause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_4434329616.on('pause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_4434329616.on('error', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_4434329616.on('adBlock', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); }

India to make available 8 million doses of J&J COVID-19 vaccine: PM Modi at Quad Summit

In his opening remarks at the Quad summit, Prime Minister Modi said that that the Quad vaccine initiative will help Indo-Pacific nations as the world is battling with COVID-19.

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Prevent UNGA from being super-spreader event: US urges world leaders to send video statementsAmid the surging Delta variant of COVID-19, the US has urged world leaders to deliver their statements to the UN General Assembly’s annual session next month by video, instead of travelling to New York, to ensure that the high-level week doesn't become a “super-spreader event”.The UN General Debate begins on September 21 and will run through September 27. According to the first provisional list of speakers for the General Debate at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly released by the UN, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address the annual UN General Assembly session in-person on September 25.US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield wrote a letter to the 193 member states of the UN that as the host country of the UN headquarters, her country bears a “significant responsibility” to ensure the safety of participants and New York residents."So too does the Secretariat and President of the General Assembly. We need your help to prevent UNGA 76 High-Level Week from being a super-spreader event,” she wrote in the letter last week, seen by PTI.Thomas-Greenfield noted with concern that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose a significant health risk around the world, with the Delta variant “necessitating enhanced mitigation” measures given its virulence among fully vaccinated and unvaccinated persons alike.With cases and hospitalisations increasing significantly in the US and all counties in New York City currently rated as having the highest level of community transmission, she said, “In light of current health concerns, we will convey to all member states and observers that heads of delegation should consider delivering their statements to the UN General Assembly’s General Debate by video.”In case delegations choose to travel to New York for the General Debate, the US requested that delegations bring the minimum number of travellers necessary.US President Joe Biden is scheduled to address the session in-person, his first address to the world organisation as the American leader.As per the first provisional list of speakers, so far 167 Heads of State and Heads of Government and 29 Ministers and diplomats are scheduled to address the UN General Debate. About 40 leaders are listed to address the high-level session through pre-recorded statements, including Iran, Egypt, Indonesia, South Africa and Nepal.The 76th session of the UN General Assembly will begin September 14. Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid will be President of the year-long session.The US is also categorically telling member states that apart from the General Debate, when global leaders address the world organisation, all other high-level events, including those held on the sidelines, should be held virtually.Thomas-Greenfield said while the UN Secretariat has already communicated some modalities for the high-level week, “I want to make clear our call, as the host country, for all UN-hosted meetings and side events, beyond the General Debate, to be fully virtual".Parallel meetings and high-level events drawing travellers to New York needlessly increases risk to the community, New Yorkers and other travellers, she said.“I am particularly concerned regarding the possibility of the UN, through the auspices of the Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly, hosting several in-person high level events during high-level week -- possibly to include events on climate change, vaccines, the 20th Anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, the Food Systems Summit, and the high-level dialogue on Energy.“We feel strongly that the General Debate should be the only event held with in-person participation during High-Level Week; the United States is willing to make every effort to make these important events on shared priorities successful in a virtual format,” Thomas-Greenfield said.She said with a view to ensure safety of UNGA participants and New York residents, the US will significantly limit its in-person delegation travelling to New York and Washington encourages other member states to do the same."We must each do our part in reducing the number of activities that would draw travellers to New York City at this time,” Thomas-Greenfield said.Last year, world leaders had submitted pre-recorded video statements for the United Nations General Assembly session in September, as heads of state and government could not physically attend the annual gathering due to the coronavirus pandemic. It was the first time in the UN's 75-year history that the high-level session had gone virtual. 

Prevent UNGA from being super-spreader event: US urges world leaders to send video statements

US has urged world leaders to deliver their statements to the UN General Assembly’s annual session next month by video.

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China-India relations at new starting point, facing new opportunities: Xi JinpingChina-India relations are standing at a new starting point and facing new opportunities, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday, exchanging congratulatory messages with his Indian counterpart Ram Nath Kovind on the 70th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties.On April 1, 1950, India became the first non-socialist country in Asia to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China.In his message to Kovind, Xi said China-India relations have experienced “extraordinary development” during the past 70 years.With joint efforts of both sides, the two countries have established a strategic and cooperative partnership for peace and prosperity, and are endeavouring to build an even closer partnership of development, he said.The two sides enjoy increasingly deepening bilateral exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and constantly improving coordination on important regional and international affairs, Xi, who held two informal summits with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Wuhan and later in Mamallapuram in 2018 and 2019 which stabilised the bilateral ties, said.Xi said he attaches great importance to the development of bilateral relations with India and is willing to work with President Kovind to elevate China- India ties to a higher level, so as to bring more benefits to the two countries and contribute more positive energy to Asia as well as the world, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.President Kovind, in his letter to his Chinese counterpart Xi, conveyed warm greetings, felicitations and good wishes to the government and the people of China.He noted that the two sides have made considerable progress, especially in the last few years, in enhancing their bilateral engagement in a number of areas, including political, economic and people-to-people ties.Messages of felicitations were exchanged between the presidents, prime ministers and external affairs ministers of India and China on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.In his message to Prime Minister Modi, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said friendly cooperation and mutual benefit serve the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples and will benefit Asia and the world.China is ready to work with India to take the opportunity of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties to push for new achievements in  China-India strategic cooperative partnership, a press release issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.Modi, in his message to Li, said coronavirus pandemic is a reminder of the interconnected nature of the world and the need for adopting a global response to it.Modi also said good bilateral relations are conducive not only for the two countries but also important from the perspective of peace, stability and prosperity of the region and the world.ALSO READ | How is Germany pipping other countries in controlling coronavirus?ALSO READ | More than 50 infected with coronavirus at California nursing homeWATCH | PPE kits, N95 masks available in adequate quantities, Govt is prepared if need exceeds: Health Minister /* .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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China-India relations at new starting point, facing new opportunities: Xi Jinping

China-India relations are standing at a new starting point and facing new opportunities, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday, exchanging congratulatory messages with his Indian counterpart Ram Nath Kovind on the 70th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties.

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Pakistani and US officials today discussed bilateral ties here following the recent strain in relations after President Donald Trump accused Islamabad of providing safe havens to terrorist groups.A visiting inter-agency US delegation led by Lisa Curtis, Deputy Assistant to the President and National Security Council Senior Director for South Asia, held talks with the Pakistani side led by Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The parleys took place following Trump's new Afghan and South Asia policy announced in August in which he called for an expanded role for India in stabilising Afghanistan while rebuking Pakistan for aiding terrorists against the US. "The two sides reviewed the state of play in the relationship in wake of the US strategy on Afghanistan and South Asia and agreed to continue discussions on all matters of mutual interest," according to a statement by the Pakistan Foreign Office (FO). Janjua reiterated Pakistan's stance for a politically negotiated settlement owned and led by the Afghans and reaffirmed Pakistan's constructive participation in all regional and bilateral mechanisms aimed at pursuing a peaceful solution to the Afghan conflict. Last month, Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi met US Vice-President Mike Pence on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, and expressed concern over the greater role that Trump advocated for India as part of his new Afghan policy. The US delegation was also informed about the recent visit by Pakistani officials to Kabul with a view to intensify engagement and address mutual concerns particularly border management and repatriation of refugees. Highlighting Pakistan's ongoing law enforcement and counter-terrorism campaign, the foreign secretary apprised the US delegation of Pakistani efforts in eliminating terrorism from the country. "Pakistan's concerns on continued attacks from across the border were also shared," the FO said. It said the US delegation was also informed about alleged atrocities and human rights violations committed by Indian security forces in Kashmir. "It was noted that persistent Indian refusal to engage with Pakistan despite Pakistan's repeated overtures for a comprehensive dialogue was adversely impacting regional stability," according to the FO. Noting that the US had a long track record of cooperation with Pakistan, the US delegation emphasised the importance of reinvigorating the bilateral relationship in order to achieve the common objectives of peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region. The two sides agreed to continue bilateral engagements at all levels. The US delegation also met the foreign minister. The delegation included Acting US Assistant Secretary of State, Ambassador Alice Wells, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defence, David Helvey, and other senior officials from the departments of state, defence and the US Embassy in Islamabad. The delegation's visit comes ahead of tours to Pakistan by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defence Secretary James Mattis.

Amid strain in relations, Pakistani and US officials discuss bilateral ties

The parleys took place following Trump's new Afghan and South Asia policy announced in August in which he called for an expanded role for India in stabilising Afghanistan while rebuking Pakistan for aiding terrorists against the US.

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US President Donald Trump's speech to the United Nations General Assembly drew varying reactions from around the world.On Twitter on late Tuesday, the US President claimed he met with "leaders of many nations who agree with much (or all) of what I stated in my speech!"Related Stories In his first UN address, Trump to call for fighting against common threat North Korea together Trump refers to N Korea's Kim Jong Un: 'Rocket man on suicide mission for himself, his regime'US President Donald Trump threatens to ‘totally destroy North Korea’Trump at UNGA: 'Time to expose nations providing funding and safe harbour to terror groups'Donald Trump's United Nations General Assembly speech: Full textHere are reactions from leaders on the two sides of Trump's black-and-white ledger:Javad Zarif, the foreign minister of Iran Trump's ignorant hate speech belongs in medieval times-not the 21st Century UN -unworthy of a reply. Fake empathy for Iranians fools no one.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu In over 30 years in my experience with the UN, I never heard a bolder or more courageous speech.Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California Trump used the United Nations "as a stage to threaten war."Mitt Romney, onetime Republican presidential nominee Trump "gave a strong and needed challenge" to the United Nations.Margot Wallstrom, foreign minister of Sweden This was a bombastic, nationalist speech. It must have been decades since one last heard a speech like that in the U.N. General Assembly. ... This was a speech at the wrong time to the wrong audience.Park Soo-hyun, spokesman for South Korea's presidential office We believe (he) expressed a firm and specific stance regarding the important issue of maintaining peace and security now facing the international community and the United Nations.Konstantin Kosachev, head of the foreign affairs committee in the upper house of the Russian parliament Syria, Cuba and Venezuela are (painted as) almost the worst dictatorships in the history of the humankind.Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza No leader can come and question our democracy, can come and question our sovereignty. We do not accept threats from President Trump or whoever in this world.ALSO READ | Donald Trump's United Nations General Assembly speech: Full text 

Donald Trump's combative first speech to the UN General Assembly: Who said what

On Twitter on late Tuesday, the US President claimed he met with "leaders of many nations who agree with much (or all) of what I stated in my speech!"

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In this photo released by WHO, World Health Organisation on Monday, Oct. 5, 2020, WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, wearing a mask to protect against coronavirus, gestures during a special session on the COVID-19 respnse. The head of emergencies at the World Health Organization says its “best estimates” indicate that roughly 1 in 10 people worldwide may have been infected by the coronavirus.The World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has called for solidarity in the rollout of future coronavirus vaccines. In a video address at the opening of the three-day World Health Summit in Berlin, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that it was natural for the countries to want to protect their own citizens first but, he urged, "we must also use it effectively". "Vaccine nationalism will only prolong the pandemic, not shorten it," Ghebreyesus said. "It is natural that countries want to protect their own citizens first but if and when we have an effective vaccine, we must also use it effectively. And the best way to do that is to vaccinate some people in all countries rather than all people in some countries," the WHO chief said."Let me be clear: vaccine nationalism will prolong the pandemic, not shorten it," he said.According to a report with the Agence France-Presse (AFP), The WHO chief also said the only way to recover from the coronavirus pandemic was together and by making sure poorer countries had fair access to a coronavirus vaccine.Earlier on Sunday, the WHO had reported a third straight day of record new infections across the world and urged the countries to take action to curb the spread of coronavirus. The agency's figures showed that 465,319 cases were declared for Saturday alone, half of them in Europe.

Vaccine nationalism will not shorten COVID pandemic, warns WHO chief

The World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has called for solidarity in the rollout of future coronavirus vaccines.

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 People exercise along Paseo de la Castellana after the lockdown measures imposed by the government due to coronavirus in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, May 9, 2020. Spain's Prime Minister has cautioned the nation that the loosening of its nearly two-month lockdown to stem the spread of the coronavirus will be for naught if people do not obey social distancing rules and hygiene recommendations. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)South Korea’s capital closed down more than 2,100 bars and other nightspots Saturday because of a new cluster of coronavirus infections, Germany scrambled to contain fresh outbreaks at slaughterhouses, and Italian authorities worried that people were getting too friendly at cocktail hour during the country’s first weekend of eased restrictions.The new flareups — and fears of a second wave of contagion — underscored the dilemma authorities face as they try to reopen their economies.Around the world, the U.S. and other hard-hit countries are wrestling with how to ease curbs on business and public activity without causing the virus to come surging back.In New York, the deadliest hot spot in the U.S., Gov. Andrew Cuomo said three children died from a possible complication of the coronavirus involving swollen blood vessels and heart problems. At least 73 children in the state have been diagnosed with symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease — a rare inflammatory condition — and toxic shock syndrome. But there is no proof the mysterious syndrome is caused by the virus.A Cuomo spokesman said the governor was extending stay-at-home restrictions to June 7, but another top aide later clarified that that was not so; the May 15 expiration date for the restrictions remains in place “until further notice,” Melissa DeRosa said in an evening statement.Elsewhere, Belarus, which has not locked down despite increasing case numbers, saw tens of thousands turn out to mark Victory Day, the anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat in 1945. That was in contrast to Russia, which skipped the usual grand military parade in Red Square.Worldwide, 4 million people have been confirmed infected by the virus, and more than 275,000 have died, including over 78,000 in the U.S., according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. Spain, France, Italy and Britain have reported around 26,000 to 32,000 deaths each.Germany and South Korea have both carried out extensive testing and contact tracing and have been hailed for avoiding the mass deaths that overwhelmed other countries. But even there, authorities have struggled to find the balance between saving lives and salvaging jobs.Seoul shut down nightclubs, hostess bars and discos after dozens of infections were linked to people who went out last weekend as the country relaxed its social-distancing guidelines. Many of the infections were connected to a 29-year-old man who visited three nightclubs before testing positive.Mayor Park Won-soon said health workers were trying to contact some 1,940 people who had been at the three clubs and other places nearby. The mayor said gains made against the virus are now threatened “because of a few careless people.”Health officials in Germany faced outbreaks at three slaughterhouses in what was seen as a test of the government’s strategy for dealing with any resurgence of the virus during the easing of the restrictions. At one slaughterhouse, in Coesfeld, 180 workers tested positive.Businesses in the U.S. continue to struggle as more employers are realizing their laid off employees might not return to work anytime soon. U.S. health officials are watching for a second wave of infections, roughly two weeks after states began gradually reopening with Georgia largely leading the way.Some malls have opened up in Georgia and Texas, while Nevada restaurants, hair salons and other businesses were able to have limited reopenings Saturday or once again allow customers inside their establishments after nearly two months of restrictions.Meanwhile some national parks have started testing out public access. The reopening of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park along the Tennessee-North Carolina border was a bit too tempting a draw Saturday as scores of nature lovers crowded parking lots and trails and even trekked into closed areas, park spokeswoman Dana Soehn said. Many did not wear masks.Italy saw people return to the streets for their traditional aperitivos and revel in fine weather as restrictions there were eased, alarming some public officials.Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala warned that “a handful of crazy people” were putting the city’s recovery at risk and threatened to shut down the trendy Navigli district after crowds of young people were seen out at aperitivo hour ignoring social-distancing rules.In Rome, the Campo dei Fiori flower and vegetable market was bustling Saturday morning, the first weekend Italians were allowed outside for more than just work and necessities.But confusion about what is now allowed and what is not created frustration for business owners.Carlo Alberto, owner of the TabaCafe, an Argentine empanada bar that was selling cocktails to a few customers, said that since reopening this week he had been threatened with a fine by the police because of the crowds in front of his bar.“Am I supposed to send them home? They need a guard here to do that,” he said. “The laws aren’t clear, the decree isn’t clear. You don’t know what you can do.”In the U.S., the head of the Food and Drug Administration, Stephen Hahn, put himself in quarantine after coming into contact with an infected person. And the government said it is delivering supplies of remdesivr, the first drug shown to speed the recovery of COVID-19 patients, to six more states. Seven states were sent cases of the medicine earlier in the week.Elsewhere, Pakistan allowed shops, factories, construction sites and other businesses to reopen Saturday, while more than 1,600 new cases and 24 deaths were reported. Prime Minister Imran Khan said the government is rolling back curbs because it can’t support millions of families that depend on daily wages.The government warned that controls will be reimposed if the public fails to follow social-distancing guidelines.In Spain, health authorities will allow certain regions to scale back their lockdowns starting Monday, with limited seating at bars, restaurants and other public places. But Madrid and Barcelona, the country’s largest cities, both badly hit by the scourge, will remain shut down.“The pandemic is evolving favorably, but there is a risk of another outbreak that could generate a serious catastrophe,” Spanish health official Fernando Simón said. “Personal responsibility is vital.”This year’s observance of Victory Day in Russia had been expected to be especially large because it is the 75th anniversary. Instead, Vladimir Putin laid flowers at the tomb of the unknown soldier, and a show of military might was limited to a flyover of 75 warplanes and helicopters.Belarus, though, held a military parade in front of big crowds in the capital, Minsk, despite sharply rising coronavirus infections. Belarus has not imposed restrictions to halt the virus’ spread, and authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko has dismissed concerns about it as a “psychosis.”

Reopenings bring new cases in South Korea, virus fears in Italy

South Korea’s capital closed down more than 2,100 bars and other nightspots Saturday because of a new cluster of coronavirus infections, Germany scrambled to contain fresh outbreaks at slaughterhouses, and Italian authorities worried that people were getting too friendly at cocktail hour during the country’s first weekend of eased restrictions.

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'Unforgettable': First Lady recounts her experience at Delhi schoolUS First Lady Melania Trump on Thursday took to Twitter and thanked the 'extraordinary' students and faculty for a warm welcome. She termed her visit to a Sarvodaya School in New Delhi as an ''unforgettable" experience. "Unforgettable afternoon at the Sarvodaya School in New Delhi! It was an honor to surrounded by extraordinary students and faculty. Thank you for the warm welcome! #Be Best," Melania tweeted on Thursday while sharing a video of the highlights of her visit to the school. The First Lady, who was accompanying husband US President Donald Trump, during his first official visit to India, attended 'Happiness Classes' at the Sarvodaya Vidyalaya Senior Secondary School in South Moti Bagh on Tuesday as a part of the Happiness Curriculum, in which students are taught various activities including meditation, street plays and basic obedience aimed at reduced anxiety and stress levels among children. Upon arrival at the school, Melania was given a traditional welcome by students who lined the entrance holding flags of the two countries. A young girl student handed a bouquet to the US First Lady and applied tilak on her forehead welcoming her with an 'aarti thali'."This is my first visit to India and I cannot express how delightful it is. People here are so welcoming and so kind. I learned that 'Sarvodaya' means 'prosperity for all.' As I walked around, I was able to see how the concept exists amid the curriculum in the leadership of the teachers as well as the spirit of enthusiasm of the students," she said while addressing students and teachers. The wife of US President said that back home she works with children to promote similar ideas of well-being through the 'BE BEST' initiative. (With inputs from ANI)ALSO READ | Prez Trump, First Lady Melania relish the delicious 'Sikandari Raan' at Bukhara

'Unforgettable': First Lady recounts her experience at Delhi school

US First Lady Melania Trump on Thursday took to Twitter and thanked the 'extraordinary' students and faculty for a warm welcome. She termed her visit to a Sarvodaya School in New Delhi as an ''unforgettable" experience.

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Remdesivir linked to reduced death risk in severe COVID-19 patientsNew data revealed by Gilead Sciences has shown that its antiviral drug remdesivir reduces death risk of severe Covid-19 patients by as much as 62 per cent when compared with standard care alone. This is an important finding that requires confirmation in prospective clinical trials, Gilead said on Friday about the results presented at the virtual COVID-19 conference as part of the 23rd International AIDS Conference.The analysis included 312 patients treated in the Phase-3 SIMPLE-Severe study and a separate real-world retrospective cohort of 818 patients with similar baseline characteristics and disease severity who received standard of care treatment in the same time period as the SIMPLE-Severe study.Patients were primarily located in North America (92 per cent, remdesivir cohort vs. 91 per cent, standard-of-care cohort), Europe (5 per cent vs. 7 per cent) and Asia (3 per cent vs. 2 per cent).The analysis demonstrated that remdesivir treatment was associated with significantly improved clinical recovery and a 62 percent reduction in the risk of mortality compared to standard of care.Findings from the comparative analysis showed that 74.4 per cent of remdesivir-treated patients recovered by Day 14 versus 59 per cent of patients receiving standard of care.The mortality rate for patients treated with remdesivir in the analysis was 7.6 per cent at Day 14 compared with 12.5 per cent among patients not taking remdesivir."This comparative analysis provides valuable additional information regarding the benefit of remdesivir compared with standard of care alone," Susan Olender of Columbia University Irving Medical Center said in a statement."While not as vigorous as a randomized controlled trial, this analysis importantly draws from a real-world setting and serves as an important adjunct to clinical trial data, adding to our collective understanding of this virus and reflecting the extraordinary pace of the ongoing pandemic."The results of this comparative analysis add to the previously presented National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in hospitalized patients with COVID-19, which showed that remdesivir shortened time to recovery by an average of four days as compared to placebo -- 11 vs. 15 days.In the NIAID study, patients taking remdesivir trended toward lower mortality compared with those in the placebo group, but this result did not reach statistical significance --7.1 percent vs. 11.9 per cent.Due to the current public health emergency, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an Emergency Use Authorization for remdesivir for the treatment of hospitalised patients with severe Covid-19."These data presented at the Virtual COVID-19 Conference shed additional light on the use of remdesivir in specific patient populations, including those that may be susceptible to higher rates of COVID-19 infection, as well as others that are particularly vulnerable, including children and pregnant and postpartum women," said Merdad Parsey, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer, Gilead Sciences.

Remdesivir linked to reduced death risk in severe COVID-19 patients

New data revealed by Gilead Sciences has shown that its antiviral drug remdesivir reduces death risk of severe Covid-19 patients by as much as 62 per cent when compared with standard care alone.

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India requested Pakistan to let PM Modi's aircraft fly over its airspace to Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan.Pakistan on Monday decided in principle to let Prime Minister Narendra Modi's aircraft fly over its airspace to Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan where he has to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit on June 13-14, where his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan would also be present.Pakistan had fully closed its airspace on February 26 after an Indian Air Force (IAF) strike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror camp in Balakot. Since then, it has only opened two routes, both of them pass through southern Pakistan, of the total 11.India requested Pakistan to let Prime Minister Modi's aircraft fly over its airspace to Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan.The official confirmed to PTI that the Imran Khan government has approved in principle the Indian government's request to let Prime Minister Modi's aircraft fly over the Pakistani airspace to Bishkek."The Indian government will be conveyed about the decision once the procedural formalities are completed. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will also be directed to notify the airmen subsequently," the official said, adding Pakistan was hopeful that India would respond to its offer for peace dialogue.He said Prime Minister Khan has recently written a letter to his Indian counterpart stressing Pakistan requires a solution for all geopolitical issues including Kashmir between the two neighbouring states.The official further said Pakistan is still optimistic that India will respond to peace offer despite the fact both premiers were not meeting at the sidelines of the SCO Summit.No bilateral meeting has been planned between Prime Minister Modi and his Pakistani counterpart on the sidelines of the SCO Summit.Pakistan had given special permission to India's then external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj to fly directly through Pakistani airspace to attend the SCO Foreign Ministers' meet in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on May 21.Apart from the two routes through southern Pakistan, the neighbouring country's airspace remains closed for commercial airliners.The IAF announced on May 31 that all temporary restrictions imposed on Indian airspace post the Balakot airstrike have been removed. However, it is unlikely to benefit any commercial airliners unless Pakistan reciprocates and opens its complete airspace.Among Indian airlines, the international operations of Air India and IndiGo have been affected by the closure of Pakistani airspace.IndiGo, India's largest airline by share in domestic passenger market, has been unable to start direct flights from Delhi to Istanbul due to the closure of Pakistani airspace.The low-cost carrier started the Delhi-Istanbul flight in March this year. It has to take the longer route every time over the Arabian Sea and make a stop either at Doha in Qatar or at Ahmedabad in Gujarat for refuelling.Similarly, full-service carrier Air India is unable to fly non-stop flights from Delhi to the US since the closure of Pakistani airspace.Pakistan, however, has extended its partial airspace ban on eastern border with India until June 14. Also Read | Imran Khan writes to PM Modi: 'Pakistan wants resolution of Kashmir, other disputes' 

Pakistan decides to let PM Modi's plane fly over its airspace to Bishkek

Pakistan on Monday decided in principle to let Prime Minister Narendra Modi's aircraft fly over its airspace to Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan where he has to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit on June 13-14, where his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan would also be present.

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How the world reacted to Iran's admission of guilt in Ukraine plane crash | UpdatesAfter days of blame game and accusation, the uncertainty surrounding the Ukrainian plane crash finally ended with Iran acknowledging that it's military 'unintentionally' shot down the civilian jetliner on the day which saw Iran strike US bases in retaliation to the killing of one of their top Generals Qasem Soleimani. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Javed Zarif both took to Twitter to express their grief and condolences on the matter. IndiaTVnews.com brings to you live reactions as they come in from across the world. After the admission of guilt, there has been a downpour of reactions coming from across the globe. Some of the western countries had accused Iran of shooting down the civilian jetliner. UK, US, and Canadian state leaders had expressed their suspicion on the narrative that was coming out of Tehran in the aftermath of the downing of the aircraftUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukraine expects Iran to fully admit its guilt, apologise, punish those responsible for the catastrophic actions. Zelensky has also asked Iran to pay compensation to victims' families. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was one of the first people to express suspicion, said that 'closure and accountability' are needed after Iran had admitted its misdoing in the matter. Over 60 Canadians got killed in the aircraft that was shot down by the Iranian military. Russia has condemned Iran's actions but has acknowledged that Tehran was provoked into downing the aircraft. Also Read | Iran acknowledges 'unintentionally' shooting down Ukrainian jetliner, apologises to affected nations

How the world reacted to Iran's admission of guilt in Ukraine plane crash | Updates

After days of blame game and accusation, the uncertainty surrounding the Ukrainian plane crash finally ended with Iran acknowledging that it's military 'unintentionally' shot down the civilian jetliner on the day which saw Iran strike US bases in retaliation to the killing of one of their top Generals Qasem Soleimani. IndiaTVnews.com brings to you live reactions as they come in from across the world.