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Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended a warm invitation to Donald Trump and his family to visit India when he met the US President at the White House on Monday.PM Modi and President Trump held extensive talks, including one-on- one interactions, during their first bilateral meeting."I would like to invite you to India, along with your family. And I hope that you will give me the opportunity to welcome you and host you in India," Modi said in his remarks, standing alongside Trump at the White House's Rose Garden.Trump repeatedly thanked Modi for visiting the US and the White House, saying he enjoyed their "very productive conversation"."The future of our partnership has never looked brighter. India and the US will always be tied together in friendship and respect," he said.Modi also specially invited Trumps daughter Ivanka to lead the US delegation to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in India later this year."”And I believe she has accepted," Trump said.Modi also thanked Trump for his "feelings of friendship" towards India and himself. (With PTI inputs)

PM Modi invites President Trump and his family to India, Ivanka to lead US delegation later this year

"I would like to invite you to India, along with your family. And I hope that you will give me the opportunity to welcome you and host you in India," PM Modi told President Trump.

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Coronavirus outbreak: Death toll reaches 54 in IranThe outbreak of COVID-19 in Iran has affected 987 people, of which 54 had died so far, the Ministry of Health and Medical Education announced on Sunday. Kianush Jahanpur, head of Public Relations and Information Centre of the Ministry was quoted by Xinhua on the death toll. A deputy minister of Health and Medical Education said on Sunday that it might take until June to tackle the issue in Iran.Iran announced the first two cases of COVID-19 infection in the central Qom city on February 19. ALSO READ | Coronavirus death toll in China reaches 2,592

Coronavirus outbreak: Death toll reaches 54 in Iran

The outbreak of COVID-19 in Iran has affected 987 people, of which 54 had died so far, the Ministry of Health and Medical Education announced on Sunday.

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Russian marines take their position during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus. Hundreds of artillery shells exploded along the contact line between Ukrainian soldiers and Russia-backed separatists, and thousands of people evacuated eastern Ukraine, further increasing fears Sunday that the volatile region could spark a Russian invasion.Western leaders warned that Russia was poised to attack its neighbor, which is surrounded on three sides by about 150,000 Russian soldiers, warplanes and equipment. Russia held nuclear drills Saturday in neighboring Belarus and has ongoing naval drills off the coast in the Black Sea.The United States and many European countries have alleged for months that Russia is trying to create pretexts to invade. They have threatened massive, immediate sanctions if it does.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to choose a place to meet where the two leaders could meet to try to resolve the crisis. Russia has denied plans to invade.“Ukraine will continue to follow only the diplomatic path for the sake of a peaceful settlement,” Zelenskyy said Saturday at an international security conference in Munich, Germany. There was no immediate response from the Kremlin.A top European Union official, Charles Michel, said Sunday that “the big question remains: does the Kremlin want dialogue?”“We cannot forever offer an olive branch while Russia conducts missile tests and continues to amass troops,” Michel, the president of the European Council, said at the Munich Security Conference. He said, “One thing is certain: if there is further military aggression, we will react with massive sanctions.”Also Read | Russia-Ukraine conflict: What Moscow wants, the West's interests | EXPLAINEDSeparatist leaders in eastern Ukraine on Saturday ordered a full military mobilization and sent more civilians to Russia, which has issued about 700,000 passports to residents of the rebel-held territories. Claims that Russian citizens are being endangered might be used as justification for military action.In new signs of fears that a war could start within days, Germany and Austria told their citizens to leave Ukraine. German air carrier Lufthansa canceled flights to the capital, Kyiv, and to Odesa, a Black Sea port that could be a key target in an invasion.NATO’s liaison office in Kyiv said it was relocating staff to Brussels and to the western Ukraine city of Lviv.“They are uncoiling and are now poised to strike, ” U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Saturday of Russia's readiness to launch an attack.U.S. President Joe Biden said late Friday that based on the latest American intelligence, he was now “convinced” that Putin has decided to invade Ukraine in coming days and assault the capital.A U.S. military official said an estimated 40% to 50% of those ground forces have moved into attack positions closer to the border. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal U.S. assessments, said the change has been underway for about a week and does not necessarily mean Putin has settled on an invasion.Lines of communication between Moscow and the West remain open: the American and Russian defense chiefs spoke Friday. French President Emmanuel Macron scheduled a phone call with Putin on Sunday. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov agreed to meet next week.Immediate worries focused on eastern Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces have been fighting the pro-Russia rebels since 2014 in a conflict that has killed some 14,000 people.Ukraine and the separatist leaders traded accusations of escalation. Russia on Saturday said at least two shells fired from a government-held part of eastern Ukraine landed across the border, but Ukraine's foreign minister dismissed that claim as “a fake statement.”Top Ukrainian military officials came under a shelling attack during a tour of the front of the nearly eight-year separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine. The officials fled to a bomb shelter before hustling from the area, according to an Associated Press journalist who was on the tour.Elsewhere on the front lines, Ukrainian soldiers said they were under orders not to return fire. Zahar Leshushun, peering into the distance with a periscope, had followed the news all day from a trench where he is posted near the town of Zolote.“Right now, we don’t respond to their fire because ..." the soldier started to explain before being interrupted by the sound of an incoming shell. "Oh! They are shooting at us now. They are aiming at the command post.”Sporadic violence has broken out for years along the line separating Ukrainian forces from the Russia-backed separatists, but the spike seen in recent days is orders of magnitude higher than anything recently recorded by international monitors: nearly 1,500 explosions recorded in 24 hours.Denis Pushilin, the head of the pro-Russia separatist government in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, cited an “immediate threat of aggression” from Ukrainian forces in his announcement of a call to arms. Ukrainian officials vehemently denied having plans to take rebel-controlled areas by force.“I appeal to all the men in the republic who can hold weapons to defend their families, their children, wives, mothers,” Pushilin said. ”Together we will achieve the coveted victory that we all need.”A similar statement followed from his counterpart in the Luhansk region. On Friday, the rebels began evacuating civilians to Russia with an announcement that appeared to be part of their and Moscow’s efforts to paint Ukraine as the aggressor.Metadata from two videos posted by the separatists announcing the evacuation of civilians to Russia show that the files were created two days ago, the AP confirmed. U.S. authorities have alleged that the Kremlin’s effort to come up with an invasion pretext could include staged, prerecorded videos.Ukraine’s military said two of its soldiers died in firing from the separatist side on Saturday.Authorities in Russia's Rostov region, which borders eastern Ukraine, declared a state of emergency because of the influx of evacuees. Media reports on Saturday described chaos at some of the camps assigned to accommodate them. The reports said there were long lines of buses and hundreds of people waiting in the cold for hours on end to be housed without access to food or bathrooms.Also Read | Amid Ukraine tensions, EU says Russia could be cut off from markets, tech goodsPutin ordered the Russian government to offer 10,000 rubles (about $130) to each evacuee, an amount equivalent to about half of an average monthly salary in eastern Ukraine.The separatist regions of Ukraine, like much of the country’s east, are majority Russian speaking, and Putin on Tuesday repeated allegations of a “genocide” there in explaining the need to protect them.One of the evacuees, a Donetsk resident who identified himself only as Vyacheslav, blamed Ukraine's government for his plight.“Let them calm down," he said. "It’s our fault we don’t want to speak Ukrainian, is that it?”

Tensions soar after Russia's nuclear drill, shelling attacks on Ukrainian troops amid invasion fears

Western leaders warned that Russia was poised to attack its neighbor, which is surrounded on three sides by about 150,000 Russian soldiers, warplanes and equipment. Russia held nuclear drills Saturday in neighboring Belarus and has ongoing naval drills off the coast in the Black Sea.

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Italy reports first drop in coronavirus positive casesCoronavirus-scourged Italy has, for the first time, reported a drop, though small, in the number of people officially identified as infected with coronavirus since the outbreak began. "For the first time, we have seen a new positive development: the number of currently positive has declined," civil protection agency chief Angelo Borrelli said at a media briefing, the BBC reported.As of Monday, there were 108,237 people either being treated in hospital or recovering at home after testing positive, 20 fewer than the previous day - a small but symbolic drop.On Sunday, the increase of active positive cases was 486.Italy has the third-highest number (181,228)) of Covid-19 cases in the world after Spain (200,210) and the US (766,212), as per the the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Centre as of Monday night. Fatalities-wise, it is at number two (24,114 deaths after the US (35,012). However, as people who die at home or in care facilities are not included in its figures, many doctors believe its actual death and infection rates may be higher than the official tallies.

Italy reports first drop in coronavirus positive cases

Coronavirus-scourged Italy has, for the first time, reported a drop, though small, in the number of people officially identified as infected with coronavirus since the outbreak began.

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Representative ImageThe US military has conducted an air strike against ISIS terrorist in northern Somalia, killing one militant, US Africa Command (Africom) said.The US Africa Command (Africom) which oversees American troops on the African continent said on Sunday that the latest strike was conducted on Saturday in cooperation with the Somali government targeting terrorists in the Golis Mountains, Xinhua reported.The US army said the terrorist killed in the latest strike played a key role in facilitation for the group."Air strikes like these remain an effective tool in the counter-terrorist campaign against ISIS and al-Shabab," William West, Africom Deputy Director of Operations, said in a statement."The Federal Government of Somalia and the U.S. will continue to disrupt terror organization operations and degrade their capabilities whenever possible," said West.According to Africom, the Golis Mountains are a known area for terrorist activity, noting that strikes such as these support Somali security forces efforts to protect the Somali people from terrorism and support long-term security in the region."Currently, we assess no civilians were injured or killed as a result of this air strike. Our process and procedures allow for additional information to inform post-strike analysis," it said.The US strikes have largely targeted al-Shabab figureheads and based in southern Somalia where the militant group still maintains a strong grip on some regions.Pro-ISIS militants split from al-Shabab in October 2015 and later occupied Qandala, a key location in Bari region under Puntland State Administration north Somalia since 2016.Also Read: US-led airstrike kills 3 IS militants in IraqAlso Read: Libyan official says airstrike kills 40 migrants in TripoliAlso Read: 'Operation Bandar': Balakot airstrike's code name with a Ramayana connection

US air strike kills ISIS terrorist in Somalia

The US military has conducted an air strike against ISIS terrorist in northern Somalia, killing one militant, US Africa Command (Africom) said.

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Biden blocks trade, investment in parts of Ukraine recognised as independent by RussiaUS President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed an executive order blocking trade and investment in parts of Ukraine that have been recognised as independent by his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. The White House, which described the Russian actions as blatant violation of Moscow’s international commitments, said that economic sanctions are in the pipeline.The move came as Putin escalated the Ukrainian crisis by recognising two Russian separatist-held regions in Ukraine as independent.“We have anticipated a move like this from Russia and are ready to respond immediately,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.The Executive Order signed by Biden prohibits new investment, trade and financing by US persons to, from, or in the “so-called DNR and LNR regions” of Ukraine, she said.The executive order also provides authority to impose sanctions on any person determined to operate in those areas of Ukraine.“To be clear: these measures are separate from and would be in addition to the swift and severe economic measures we have been preparing in coordination with allies and partners should Russia further invade Ukraine,” she said, adding that the US is continuing to closely consult with allies and partners, including Ukraine, on next steps and on Russia’s ongoing escalation along the border with Ukraine.Biden on Monday spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz about Russia’s ongoing escalation along the borders of Ukraine.“The leaders strongly condemned President Putin’s decision to recognise the so-called DNR and LNR regions of Ukraine as “independent.” They discussed how they will continue to coordinate their response on next steps,” the White House said.Soon thereafter, Biden also spoke with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine to reaffirm the commitment of the United States to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.“Biden strongly condemned Russian President Putin’s decision to purportedly recognise the “independence” of the so-called DNR and LNR regions of Ukraine. He updated President Zelenskyy on the United States’ response, including our plan to issue sanctions,” the White House said.“Biden reiterated that the United States would respond swiftly and decisively, in lock-step with its allies and partners, to further Russian aggression against Ukraine,” it added.In a joint statement, House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul and House Armed Services Committee Lead Republican Mike Rogers demanded that the US must immediately impose real costs for this blatant act of aggression and flagrant violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.“Unfortunately, the sanctions previewed by the White House thus far are the definition of impotence. With reports that Putin is now sending troops into the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk under the guise of ‘peacekeepers,’ now is not the time for symbolic pinpricks that will serve only to embolden Putin and endanger our friends in Ukraine,” they said.“Now is the time for President Biden to impose sanctions that strike at the heart of the Russian economy, and permanently end Nord Stream 2 once and for all, as he promised the world he would do,” the two Republicans said. (With inputs from PTI)Also Read | Putin recognizes independence of pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine, West reacts | 10 points

Russia Ukraine news: Biden blocks trade, investment in parts of Ukraine recognised as independent by Russia

The Executive Order signed by Biden prohibits new investment, trade and financing by US persons to, from, or in the “so-called DNR and LNR regions” of Ukraine.

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Vaccines decisive for Tokyo Olympics, says Bill GatesThe progress of vaccine distribution will play a decisive role on whether the Tokyo Olympic Games can be held or not, Microsoft Co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates has said."I think in the next few months, we have to look at the progress we make (in distributing vaccines)," Gates told Japan's Kyodo news agency on Tuesday, reported Xinhua."But you know, I think it's still possible if things go well."If things don't go well, that would be unfortunate, but you know, we're doing our best to help those vaccines get approved and get going for the entire world," he was quoted as saying.The spread of the Covid-19 pandemic has slowed down in Tokyo three weeks after the Japanese capital entered a state of emergency.The Tokyo Metropolitan Government confirmed 973 new cases on Wednesday.The latest figure, as of Sunday and Monday, dipped below the 1,000-mark, before rising above the threshold on Tuesday where new daily infections in the city of 14 million rose to 1,026.But a growing number of people in the Japanese government believe it will be necessary to extend the state of emergency for parts of the country continuing to see a high number of coronavirus cases.Due to be lifted on February 7, the state of emergency could remain in place until the end of February, Kyodo said.It also reported that the final artistic swimming qualifier for the Tokyo Olympics will not be held as scheduled here from March 4 to 7, which means the restart of the Olympic test events will have to be postponed.Many believe that whether the Tokyo Olympics can be held or not will be decided in late March.Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has urged the teams competing in the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games, scheduled to be held later in the year in Tokyo, to be vaccinated against novel coronavirus

Vaccines decisive for Tokyo Olympics, says Bill Gates

The progress of vaccine distribution will play a decisive role on whether the Tokyo Olympic Games can be held or not, Microsoft Co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates has said.

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Pope Francis delivers his message from his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square during the Regina Coeli prayer at the Vatican. Pope Francis has told an Italian newspaper that he has offered to travel to Moscow to meet with President Vladimir Putin to try to end Russia's war in Ukraine, but that he hasn't yet heard back. Francis said he made the offer about three weeks into Russia's invasion, via the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.Popes for decades have sought to visit Moscow as part of the longstanding effort to heal relations with the Russian Orthodox Church, which split with Rome more than 1,000 years ago. But an invitation has never been forthcoming. “Of course, it would be necessary for the leader of the Kremlin to make available some window of opportunity. But we still have not had a response and we are still pushing, even if I fear that Putin cannot and does not want to have this meeting at this moment,” Francis was quoted as saying by the Corriere della Sera newspaper.Francis recalled that he spoke in March with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, for 40 minutes by videoconference and for the first half “with paper in hand, he read all of the justifications for the war. "I listened and told him: I don't understand any of this. Brother, we are not clerics of the state, we cannot use language of politics, but that of Jesus. ... For this we need to find the paths of peace, to stop the firing of arms.'”Francis has given a handful of interviews of late to friendly media emphasizing his call for an end to the war and initiatives to provide humanitarian relief to Ukrainians. He has defended his decision to not call out Putin or Russia publicly, saying popes don't do so. But he freely named Putin in his remarks to Corriere, and seemed to equate the carnage in Ukraine with the genocide in Rwanda a quarter-century ago. “Such brutality, how can you not try to to stop it? Twenty-five years ago in Rwanda we saw the same thing,” he was quoted as saying.ALSO READ | Is Putin suffering from cancer? Russian prez may even temporarily hand over power, reports suggest ALSO READ | Putin might give up control on Ukraine war soon. Here's why

Pope Francis offers to meet Putin, still waiting to hear back

Popes for decades have sought to visit Moscow as part of the longstanding effort to heal relations with the Russian Orthodox Church, which split with Rome more than 1,000 years ago. But an invitation has never been forthcoming.

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REPRESENTATIVE IMAGEPfizer Inc. Chief Executive Officer Albert Bourla said the Americans are "likely" to get a shot of the COVID-19 vaccine by year-end. He expected the vaccine to be deployed before the public in the U.S. before the end of 2020.Bourla said that he is "quite comfortable" that the vaccine the company is developing in partnership with BioNTech SE is safe and that it could be available to Americans before 2021, Bloomberh cited CBS's "Face the Nation" show. Bourla said he doesn't know what the FDA will do but it is a "likely" scenario, and they are preparing for it.Bourla's New York-based company Pfizer and Germany's BioNTech are being closely watched as frontrunners in the race to develop a coronavirus vaccine alongside Moderna Inc and AstraZeneca Plc. He said Pfizer and its partner have a 60 percent chance of knowing the efficacy of its still experimental vaccine by the end of October. He said the timing of clinical trial results depends on enough people in the study getting COVID-19 to make the calculation. "But positive results could clear the way for approval."

Americans could get COVID vaccine shot before year-end, Pfizer CEO says

​Pfizer Inc. Chief Executive Officer Albert Bourla said the Americans are "likely" to get a shot of the COVID-19 vaccine by year-end. He expected the vaccine to be deployed before the public in the U.S. before the end of 2020.

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Officials yet to find cockpit voice recorder of crashed PIA planeThe team investigating the crash of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Airbus in the residential area of Model Colony near the Karachi airport on May 22, minutes before landing, is yet to find the cockpit voice recorder of the ill-fated plane.However, according to a PIA spokesperson, the flight data recorder, one of the other components of the aircraft's black box, had been recovered earlier, the Express Tribune reported."Somehow, the voice recorder may have fallen into a house which investigators are working hard to obtain," the spokesperson added.PIA has also urged citizens not to keep any part of the wreckage and hand it over to the authorities.A day earlier, an Airbus investigation team completed its initial investigation into the crash.The probe team inspected the runway of the Jinnah International Airport. They also visited the air traffic control tower and radar control station.The specialists also visited the plane crash site area in Model Colony and provided technical assistance to their Pakistani counterparts to probe the reasons for the crash.The Airbus experts will take the aircraft's black box, which contains the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder, and any other evidence that would help with the investigation.The PIA Airbus A320 flying from Lahore to Karachi had 99 persons on board including passengers and crew.Only two people survived the tragic incident. So far, 43 bodies have been identified and handed over to the next of kin. 

Officials yet to find cockpit voice recorder of crashed PIA plane

The team investigating the crash of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Airbus in the residential area of Model Colony near the Karachi airport on May 22, minutes before landing, is yet to find the cockpit voice recorder of the ill-fated plane.

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US President Donald TrumpSubmitting to mounting pressure amid growing disruption, President Donald Trump agreed to a deal Friday to reopen the government for three weeks, backing down from his demand that Congress give him money for his border wall before federal agencies get back to work.Standing alone in the Rose Garden, Trump said he would sign legislation funding shuttered agencies until Feb. 15 and try again to persuade lawmakers to finance his long-sought wall. The deal he reached with congressional leaders contains no new money for the wall but ends the longest shutdown in U.S. history.Related Stories US President Donald Trump made over 8,000 false or misleading claims since taking office: ReportNorth Korea names new interlocutor for talks with USDonald Trump hails cut on motorcycle tariffs by India, rues high duties on American whisky First the Senate, then the House swiftly and unanimously approved the deal, sending the legislation to Trump for his signature.Trump's retreat came in the 35th day of the partial shutdown as intensifying delays at the nation's airports and another missed payday for hundreds of thousands of federal workers brought new urgency to efforts to resolve the standoff.The shutdown was ending as Democratic leaders had insisted it must — reopen the government first, then talk border security."The president thought he could crack Democrats, and he didn't, and I hope it's a lesson for him," said the Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said of her members: "Our unity is our power. And that is what maybe the president underestimated."Trump still made the case for a border wall and maintained he might again shut down the government over it. Yet, as negotiations restart, Trump enters them from a weakened position. A strong majority of Americans blamed him for the standoff and rejected his arguments for a border wall, according to a recent poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research."If we don't get a fair deal from Congress, the government will either shut down on Feb. 15, again, or I will use the powers afforded to me under the laws and Constitution of the United States to address this emergency," Trump said.The president has said he could declare a national emergency to fund the border wall unilaterally if Congress doesn't provide the money. Such a move would almost certainly face legal hurdles.As part of the deal with congressional leaders, a bipartisan committee of House and Senate lawmakers was being formed to consider border spending as part of the legislative process in the weeks ahead."They are willing to put partisanship aside, I think, and put the security of the American people first," Trump said. He asserted that a "barrier or walls will be an important part of the solution."The deal includes back pay for some 800,000 federal workers who have gone without paychecks. The Trump administration promises to pay them as soon as possible.Also expected is a new date for the president to deliver his State of the Union address, postponed during the shutdown. But it will not be Jan. 29 as once planned, according to a person familiar with the planning but unauthorized to discuss it.As border talks resume, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he hopes there will be "good-faith negotiations over the next three weeks to try to resolve our differences."Schumer said that while Democrats oppose the wall money, they agree on other ways to secure the border "and that bodes well for coming to an eventual agreement."In striking the accord, Trump risks backlash from conservatives who pushed him to keep fighting for the wall. Some lashed out Friday for his having yielded, for now, on his signature campaign promise.Conservative commentator Ann Coulter suggested on Twitter that she views Trump as "the biggest wimp" to serve as president.Money for the wall is not at all guaranteed, as Democrats have held united against building a structure as Trump once envisioned, preferring other types of border technology. Asked about Trump's wall, Pelosi, who has said repeatedly she won't approve money for it, said: "Have I not been clear? No, I have been very clear."Within the White House, there was broad recognition among Trump's aides that the shutdown pressure was growing, and they couldn't keep the standoff going indefinitely. The president's approval numbers had suffered during the impasse. Overnight and Friday, several Republicans were calling on him openly, and in private, to reopen the government.The breakthrough came as LaGuardia Airport in New York and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey both experienced at least 90-minute delays in takeoffs Friday because of the shutdown. And the world's busiest airport — Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport — was experiencing long security wait times, a warning sign the week before it expects 150,000 out-of-town visitors for the Super Bowl.The standoff became so severe that, as the Senate opened with prayer, Chaplain Barry Black called on high powers in the "hour of national turmoil" to help senators do "what is right."Senators were talking with increased urgency after Thursday's defeat of competing proposals from Trump and the Democrats. Bipartisan talks provided a glimmer of hope Friday that some agreement could be reached. But several senators said they didn't know what to expect as they arrived to watch the president's televised address from their lunchroom off the Senate floor.The Senate first rejected a Republican plan Thursday reopening the government through September and giving Trump the $5.7 billion he's demanded for building segments of that wall, a project that he'd long promised Mexico would finance. The 50-47 vote for the measure fell 10 shy of the 60 votes needed to succeed.Minutes later, senators voted 52-44 for a Democratic alternative that sought to open padlocked agencies through Feb. 8 with no wall money. That was eight votes short. But it earned more support than Trump's plan, even though Republicans control the chamber 53-47. It was aimed at giving bargainers time to seek an accord while getting paychecks to government workers who are either working without pay or being forced to stay home.Contributing to the pressure on lawmakers to find a solution was the harsh reality confronting many of the federal workers, who on Friday faced a second two-week payday with no paychecks.Throughout, the two sides issued mutually exclusive demands that have blocked negotiations from even starting: Trump had refused to reopen government until Congress gave him the wall money, and congressional Democrats had rejected bargaining until he reopened government.

Donald Trump's retreat: US Shutdown ends without wall money, for now

Standing alone in the Rose Garden, Trump said he would sign legislation funding shuttered agencies until Feb. 15 and try again to persuade lawmakers to finance his long-sought wall.

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Abuse of Power and Obstruction of Congress: Democrats unveil 2 articles of impeachment against TrumpHouse Democrats announced two articles of impeachment Tuesday against President Donald Trump — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress -- pushing toward historic votes over charges he corrupted the U.S. election process and endangered national security.Speaker Nancy Pelosi, flanked by the chairmen of the impeachment inquiry committees, stood at the Capitol in what she called a “solemn act.'' Voting is expected in a matter of days in the Judiciary Committee and by Christmas in the full House."He endangers our democracy, he endangers our national security," said Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., the Judiciary chairman announcing the charges before a portrait of George Washington. “Our next election is at risk... That is why we must act now.”The charges unveiled Tuesday stem from Trump's pressure on Ukraine to announce investigations of his political rivals as he withheld aid to the country.Trump tweeted ahead of the announcement that impeaching a president with a record like his would be “sheer Political Madness!”The outcome, though, appears increasingly set as the House prepares for voting, as it has only three times in history against a U.S. president.In drafting the articles of impeachment, Pelosi is facing a legal and political challenge of balancing the views of her majority while hitting the Constitution's bar of "treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors."Some liberal lawmakers wanted more expansive charges encompassing the findings from former special counsel Robert Mueller's probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Centrist Democrats preferred to keep the impeachment articles more focused on Trump's actions toward Ukraine. House Democrats have announced two articles of impeachment charging President Donald Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

Abuse of Power and Obstruction of Congress: Democrats unveil 2 articles of impeachment against Trump

House Democrats announced two articles of impeachment Tuesday against President Donald Trump — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress -- pushing toward historic votes over charges he corrupted the U.S. election process and endangered national security.

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Daniel Pearl Murder Case: Pakistan court overturns death sentence of 4 accused In the case of kidnapping and murder of Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reporter Daniel Pearl, a Pakistan court on Thursday overturned the charges of murder on British born Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and 3 others. Four accused in the murder were in Pakistani jail since last 18 years and will shortly be released from prison after they were found guilty only of kidnapping and not of murder. Pearl was reportedly investigating terror organisation Al-Qaeda in Karachi in 2002 when he was kidnapped and subsequently murdered. “The court has commuted Omar’s death sentence to a seven-year sentence,” Khawaja Naveed, the defence lawyer told news agency Reuters. “The murder charges were not proven, so he was given seven years for the kidnapping.“Omar has already served 18 years, so his release orders will be issued sometime today. He will be out in a few days," he added. Omar Sheikh was released by India during the trade-off after the Air India aircraft hijacking of 1999 in exchange of passengers on board IC-814.The Sindh High Court also acquitted three others accused in the case: Fahad Naseem, Sheikh Adil, and Salman Saqib, who were earlier sentenced to life in prison.“Justice has been done to my clients,” said Naveed.Saeed, a former student at the London School of Economics, and the others were convicted in 2002.The defendants were also collectively fined $32,000. At the time, chief prosecutor Raja Quereshi said the money would go to Pearl’s widow, Mariane, and their infant son, who was born after his father was killed.Seven other suspects, including those who apparently killed Pearl, were never arrested.Pearl disappeared Jan. 23, 2002 in Karachi while researching links between Pakistani militants and Richard C. Reid, who was arrested in December on a flight from Paris to Miami with explosives in his shoes.Prosecutors said Saeed lured Pearl into a trap by promising to arrange an interview with an Islamic cleric who police believe was not involved in the conspiracy.A videotape received by U.S. diplomats in February, 2002 confirmed that Pearl, 38, was dead. He had been beheaded.In court testimony and emails released during the trial, Saeed said he developed a personal relationship with Pearl, with both sharing their concerns about their wives, who were both pregnant at the time. Marianne Pearl gave birth to their son Adam in May 2002.The Pearl kidnapping was the first of five attacks against Westerners in Pakistan in 2002. A grenade attack against a Protestant church in Islamabad on March 17 killed five people, including two Americans and the attacker, were killed.(With AP Inputs) 

Daniel Pearl Murder Case: 4 accused to walk free after Pak court overturns death sentence

In the case of kidnapping and murder of Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reporter Daniel Pearl, a Pakistan court on Thursday overturned the charges of murder on British born Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and 3 others.

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As President Donald Trump points to CNN's Jim Acosta, a White House aide takes the microphone from him during a news conference in the East Room of the White House, on Wednesday, in Washington.US President Donald Trump's relationship with media, especially White House press, touched a new low on Wednesday when he got into a verbal spat with several scribes at the post-election press conference. The spat ended in suspension of press pass of CNN's White House correspondent Jim Acosta. During his around one-and-a-half-hour press conference, Trump had several angry exchanges with reporters a number of times as he termed one "rude and terrible" person and accused another of asking "racist" questions.Related Stories US restores Iran sanctions lifted under Obama nuclear deal, open to new deal with Tehran, says Trump‘Exemptions to keep global oil prices down’: Trump defends waiver to India, others from ban on Iranian oil importsPresident Donald Trump fires US Attorney General Jeff SessionsHe walked away from the microphone a few times refusing to take questions from reporters, who, he said, were speaking out of turn. "Very hostile. It is such a hostile media. It's so sad," Trump said.To the CNN reporter's question on a migrant caravan from Central America moving towards the United States, many members of whom were termed "criminals" by Trump, the visibly upset president said, "I think you should let me run the country, you run CNN."When the CNN reporter refused to hand over the microphone to a White House staffer, as Trump had called another journalist to ask question, the president said, "That's enough. Put down the mic."When the reporter asked whether Trump was worried about indictments coming down in this investigation, he said, "I tell you what, CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them. You are a rude, terrible person, You shouldn't be working for CNN.""I think, that's unfair," the CNN journalist said.But Trump continued, "You're a very rude person. The way you treat (White House Press Secretary) Sarah Huckabee Sanders is horrible and the way you treat other people are horrible. You shouldn't treat people that way."When an NBC News reporter came to his fellow journalist's defense, the president said, "When you report fake news, which CNN does a lot, you are the enemy of the people."Trump also accused a black reporter of asking a "racist question" after she sought to know him what he thought of some people's opinions that the Republican party supports white nationalists."I don't believe it...That's such a racist question. Honestly, I know you have it written down, that's a racist question...I don't use racist remarks," he said.Trump got upset when another reporter started asking questions without being called for. He accused another female journalist of rudely interrupting another reporter who was given a chance to ask questions.White House press secretary Sarah Sanders released a statement accusing Acosta of “placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern,” calling it “absolutely unacceptable.”According to Associated Press, the interaction between Acosta and the intern was brief, and Acosta appeared to brush her arm as she reached for the microphone and he tried to hold onto it. “Pardon me, ma’am,” he told her.Acosta tweeted that Sanders’ statement that he put his hands on the aide was “a lie.”Later, the CNN, in a statement, said Trump's attack on the press has gone too far."The President's ongoing attacks on the press has gone too far. They are not only dangerous, they are disturbingly un-American. While President Trump has made it clear he does not respect a free press, he has a sworn obligation to protect it," the CNN said."A free press is vital to democracy, and we stand behind Jim Acosta and his fellow journalists everywhere," he channel said. (With inputs form AP, PTI)

US President Trump blasts reporters at post-election news conference at White House

During his around one-and-a-half-hour press conference, Trump had several angry exchanges with reporters a number of times as he termed one "rude and terrible" person and accused another of asking "racist" questions.

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Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and US President Donald TrumpIran has often commanded centre stage at the annual U.N. gathering of world leaders, turning the organization’s headquarters into an arena for arguments over the Persian Gulf’s daily complexities and hostilities.As Tehran’s leadership prepares to address the U.N. General Assembly this week, there are fears that a wider conflict, dragging in Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United States, could erupt after a summer of heightened volatility in the region.After the United States withdrew from the nuclear deal — and Washington hit Tehran with escalating sanctions —Iran has begun to break some of the limits that were set in return for sanctions relief.Since the Islamic Revolution 40 years ago overthrew Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the diplomatic setting has been a primary stage for the airing of Iranian grievances against the West. In turn, the U.S. and Israel have condemned Tehran.Here’s a look back through the decades at Iran’s presence at the high-profile event.Image Source : APShah Mohammad Reza PahlaviShah Mohammad Reza PahlaviTHE SHAHIt wasn’t always the case of venturing into “enemy” territory for Iranian leaders when they visited the U.N. in New York. Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was a key U.S. ally for decades.In 1949, an elegantly attired shah addressed the General Assembly, receiving a standing ovation. “Speaking on behalf of one of the smaller countries, I make this appeal: Do not fail us. Give us the future, give us the inner assurance of peace.”Four years later, a CIA-backed coup toppled Iran’s elected prime minister and secured the shah’s absolute monarchical and authoritarian power until his fall in 1979. The coup, which fueled decades of mistrust of the U.S., was a turning point in relations between the two countries.AYATOLLAH KHAMENEIIn 1987, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, then Iran’s president, spoke at the General Assembly on behalf of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the role Khamenei now holds. His speech was markedly different from the shah’s three decades earlier in terms of his appearance and the religious thrust. Said, Khamenei:“I come from Iran, the birthplace of the most famous — and yet the least known — revolution of contemporary history, a revolution based on God’s religion and in line with the path of prophets and great divine reformers, a path that is as long as the entire human history.”Iran was in the midst of a 1980-1988 war with then U.S.-backed Saddam Hussein’s Iraq that killed more than 1 million people on both sides and saw Saddam use chemical weapons on his neighbour. Khamenei told the leaders: “The superpowers hypocritically call this war meaningless — a war that has been imposed on us. This is while they have always provided military, political and economic support for the invader that started the war.”Image Source : APMohammad KhatamiMohammad KhatamiMOHAMMAD KHATAMIThe relatively moderate Mohammad Khatami, president of Iran from 1997 to 2005, addressed the General Assembly several times, proposing a “Dialogue Among Civilizations” that the U.N. adopted in 2001.It was a response to the “Clash of Civilizations” that had become a common trope to characterize dark years of enmity between Washington and Tehran, in particular, years that had seen the U.S. embassy hostage siege, the downing of an Iranian civilian airliner by the U.S. military with the loss of 290 lives and the Iran-Contra affair.In his State of the Union address in 2002, months after the Sept. 11 attacks, then-President George W. Bush cast Iran as part of the “axis of evil,” effectively undercutting any hope of engagement.Image Source : APMahmoud AhmadinejadMahmoud AhmadinejadMAHMOUD AHMADINEJADThat era ushered in the hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose incendiary statements at the U.N. would overshadow all else.In 2011, on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, he prompted disgusted walkouts from more than 30 countries in the assembly as he questioned whether the attacks were staged. He suggested an inside job, arguing — just a few miles from ground zero —that only an explosion, and not planes, could have brought down the twin towers. He added that the death of Osama Bin Laden was a cover-up.A group of Associated Press editors invited to interview Ahmadinejad that week asked him why he persisted in pushing this line. Stopping short of saying Washington carried out the explosion, he argued that, as an engineer, he was sure this was the only plausible answer.Image Source : APIranian President Hassan RouhaniIranian President Hassan RouhaniHASSAN ROUHANIThe current Iranian leader, Hassan Rouhani, has spoken at the assembly for the last five years. By the time he spoke in 2015, he was bathed in the glow of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the Iran nuclear deal that had been agreed with world powers, including the U.S., earlier that year.“I can now proudly announce that today, a new chapter has started in Iran’s relations with the world.”By 2017, as he addressed the General Assembly again, Iran was contending with a U.S. president who had campaigned on his insistence that the agreement was “the worst deal in history.” Rouhani hit back at Trump, who had used his first U.N. speech to accuse Iran of exporting violence and destabilizing the region.Rouhani blasted Trump’s comments as “ignorant, absurd and hateful rhetoric filled with ridiculously baseless allegations.”Both men will be at the podium again this week before a watching world that wonders if what happens at the United Nations will translate into direct military confrontation half a world away.ALSO READ | Stay out of Gulf, Iran warns US against sending troops to Saudi ArabiaALSO READ | US sanctions Iran's central bank after Saudi attacksALSO READ | US military to present Donald Trump several options on Iran

At UN General Assembly, Iran and US historically at odds

As Tehran’s leadership prepares to address the U.N. General Assembly this week, there are fears that a wider conflict, dragging in Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United States, could erupt after a summer of heightened volatility in the region.

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Dalai Lama greets European Commission PresidentTibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Friday congratulated Ursula Von der Leyen on her election as the next President of the European Commission.In a congratulatory letter, the spiritual leader conveyed his great admiration for the spirit of European Union that promotes the collective interest of people and nations in the spirit of genuine cooperation."I take this opportunity to convey to you my great admiration for the spirit of the European Union that has preserved peace among its members and in the region for more than 60 years," the Dalai Lama wrote."As envisioned by its founders, in the spirit of reconciliation and cooperation that followed World War II, the European Union has put the common good ahead of the local interests of individual countries. This demonstrates wisdom and maturity in a world that has increasingly become interdependent. I have a dream that similar unions in Africa, Latin America and Asia would fortify global peace."He also congratulated Ursula Von der Leyen on being the first woman to serve as European Commission President."It is my firm conviction that if more of our leaders were women, the world would be a more understanding and peaceful place," the Dalai Lama added.On Tuesday, senior German politician Leyen became the first female politician to lead the European Union's executive arm.Also Read | Will myself decide on my successor: Dalai Lama

Dalai Lama greets European Commission President

"I take this opportunity to convey to you my great admiration for the spirit of the European Union that has preserved peace among its members and in the region for more than 60 years," the Dalai Lama wrote.

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Western leaders so far have not specified what precise Russian action would trigger sanctions.Moscow would have its access to financial markets and high-tech goods limited under Western sanctions being prepared in case Russia attacks Ukraine, one of the European Union's top officials said Saturday.The comments from Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the EU's executive commission, came as tensions over Russia's intentions toward Ukraine intensified. US President Joe Biden said Friday he was convinced” Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to invade the neighbouring country.“The Kremlin's dangerous thinking, which comes straight out of a dark past, may cost Russia a prosperous future,” von der Leyen said Saturday during the annual Munich Security Conference, where US Vice President Kamala Harris also spoke.Von der Leyen said the EU's executive arm has developed a “robust and comprehensive package” of financial sanctions with the US, UK and Canada.Also Read | Russia-Ukraine conflict: What Moscow wants, the West's interests | EXPLAINED“In case that Russia strikes, we will limit the access to financial markets for the Russian economy and (impose) export controls that will stop the possibility for Russia to modernize and diversify its economy,” she added. “And we have a lot of high-tech goods where we have a global dominance, and that are absolutely necessary for Russia and cannot be replaced easily.”German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that during a Tuesday meeting with Putin he "made clear that any further violation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine will have high costs for Russia, politically, economically and geo-strategically”.“And at the same time, I stressed that diplomacy won't fail because of us," Scholz added. "As much diplomacy as possible without being naive, that is our aspiration, and we are using all channels of communication for that.”Western leaders so far have not specified what precise Russian action would trigger sanctions. A French official who wasn't authorised to be publicly named and spoke on condition of anonymity after Biden conferred with several counterparts on Friday said they were talking about an invasion of territory currently under the control of the government in Kyiv."It is in the event of an invasion of this territory that...the massive sanctions that we are talking about would be triggered,” the official said.Parts of eastern Ukraine are under the control of pro-Russia separatists who have been fighting Ukrainian forces since 2014, the year Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.Also Read | Russia Ukraine News: Joe Biden now ‘convinced’ Vladimir Putin will launch invasion of UkraineAlso Read | Will be 'catastrophic' if Russia-Ukraine crisis escalates into war: UN Secretary General

Amid Ukraine tensions, EU says Russia could be cut off from markets, tech goods

Officials said EU's executive arm has developed a “robust and comprehensive package” of financial sanctions with the US, UK and Canada.

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1 dead, six injured in stabbing attack at Canadian libraryA man went on a stabbing spree inside and around a library, killing one woman and injuring six other people in North Vancouver, British Columbia, authorities said. Sgt Frank Jang of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team said a suspect was in custody. He said the man is in his 20s and has had interactions with police in the past.Jang said officials didn't have any information yet about a motive. One witness, Steve Mossop, said he and his partner stopped in traffic when they saw a bloodied woman who told them she had just been stabbed. They then saw several victims within about 100 meters of each other, he said.“There was a man, there was an older woman, there was a younger woman, a mom — a random group of individuals in the wrong place at the wrong time," Mossop said."It seemed like he was just running in a direction, whoever was in his path happened to be victimized,? Mossop said of the attacker.On Twitter, Canadian Public Safety Minister Bill Blair expressed shock and sadness over the incident, calling it a “senseless act of violence. ALSO READ | Police: 2 dead, 3 arrested in Virginia Beach shootings

1 dead, six injured in stabbing attack at Canadian library

A man went on a stabbing spree inside and around a library, killing one woman and injuring six other people in North Vancouver, British Columbia.

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Atlanta airport chaos: Person grabs gun in bag, it goes off.A passenger undergoing a search at the Atlanta airport’s main security checkpoint reached into a bag and grabbed a firearm, and it went off, causing chaos among travelers and prompting a temporary ground stop on flights on Saturday afternoon, authorities said.The passenger immediately ran from the checkpoint and fled out an airport exit, the Transportation Security Administration said in a statement, adding it was not an active shooter incident.The discharge, described as accidental, caused a frenzy on social media as alarmed travelers posted videos to Twitter and other online sites of the moments of chaos at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, one of the nation’s busiest.Three people were hurt in the chaos, but the injuries were not life-threatening and no one was shot, the TSA said without elaborating.Social media users said the disruption meant long lines and missed flights for some afterward. The incident comes ahead of the peak Thanksgiving holiday travel season as travelers are still coping with the frustrations and concerns of safely traveling during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.It wasn’t immediately known if the fleeing passenger was subsequently stopped or the firearm recovered. But airport operations were disrupted for at least two hours while an investigation continued. Neither passengers nor employees were in any danger, airport officials said.TSA referred all further questions to Atlanta police, who had no immediate update Saturday evening on the passenger’s whereabouts. An Associated Press email message to Atlanta police was not immediately returned.The TSA statement said the passenger was about to undergo a bag search by an official at 1:30 pm at the airport’s main checkpoint after an X-ray scan detected what was described as a “prohibited item.”“He advised the passenger not to touch the property, and as he opened the compartment containing the prohibited item, the passenger lunged into the bag and grabbed a firearm, at which point it discharged. The passenger then fled the area,” according to the statement.Authorites have not confirmed whether it was one or just how many shots that discharged. But airport officials and the TSA said they decided to impose a temporary ground stop at the airport while Atlanta police investigated.Atlanta police gave the all-clear and normal operations resumed at the airport by 3:30 p.m. Subsequently TSA said all passengers in the airport were re-screened.The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported social media users rushed from the airport in the chaos after hearing the noise of the gun going off. One video posted on Twitter showed people running out of the terminal, some anxiously glancing back.“This incident underscores the importance of checking personal belongings for dangerous items before leaving for the airport,” the TSA statement said, calling that “a very costly mistake” for passengers who attempt to board a flight with them.Passengers caught with firearms at airport checkpoints face a civil penalty. The TSA says firearms may be allowed in checked baggage when they are unloaded and packed in a locked, hard-sided case.Last month, federal officials reported a spike in firearm seizures at Atlanta’s airport- part of a record year for the number of guns detected at airport security checkpoints.The Transportation Security Administration said it seized 391 firearms at Hartsfield-Jackson airport in the first nine months of 2021. That’s up from 220 last year when passenger counts were down significantly because of the pandemic. But it’s also a big jump from 2019, when 323 firearms were seized in Atlanta.Across the nation, the TSA said, it had stopped 4,495 airline passengers from carrying firearms onto their flights by Oct. 3 of this year, surpassing the previous record of 4,432 firearms caught at checkpoints in all of 2019.The agency announced the 2021 figures in a news release and noted the record comes despite a continued dip in passengers because of the pandemic. The release did not offer an explanation or theory about the spike in gun seizures.Hartsfield-Jackson is one of the nation’s busiest airports, though other U.S. airports rival its passenger screening numbers. Dallas Forth Worth International Airport was second on the TSA’s list, with 232 firearms seized by Oct. 3. 

Atlanta airport chaos: Person grabs gun in bag, it goes off

The passenger immediately ran from the checkpoint and fled out an airport exit, the Transportation Security Administration said in a statement, adding it was not an active shooter incident.

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Israeli fighter jets carried out airstrikes on the Gaza Strip in response to incendiary balloons launched at southern Israel, according to security sources.Israeli fighter jets carried out airstrikes on the Gaza Strip in response to incendiary balloons launched at southern Israel, according to security sources.The sources said that late Saturday night, the Israeli war jets fired two missiles at a military training post south of Gaza city that belongs to al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Hamas movement, Xinhua news agency reported.Several missiles also targeted various Hamas military posts in northern and western Gaza, said the sources, adding that no injury was reported while there were severe damages at the Hamas military posts and facilities.Earlier on Saturday, Palestinian activists fired several incendiary balloons from the Gaza Strip at southern Israel, causing fires and damages.No injury was reported.Since the 11-day Israeli-Palestinian conflict ended on May 21, Israeli fighter jets carried out several airstrikes on Hamas military facilities and posts in response to incendiary balloons.The Egypt brokered-ceasefire between Israel and Hamas-led militant groups continues in the Gaza Strip.However, Gaza activists continued launching arson balloons at Israel, demanding that the Jewish state must end the 14 years' blockade imposed on the impoverished enclave. /* .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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Israel strikes Gaza after incendiary balloons launched

Israeli fighter jets carried out airstrikes on the Gaza Strip in response to incendiary balloons launched at southern Israel, according to security sources.

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Indian-origin child's death during car hijack triggers protests in South AfricaThe death of a nine-year-old Indian-origin girl in a botched car hijacking has erupted angry protests by the community members in the Indian township of Chatsworth in Durban.The girl, Sadia Sukhraj, was on her way to school with her father when three armed men allegedly accosted and hijacked the car she was in and sped away with her.Related Stories Delhi: Police arrest five criminals post shootout in RohiniExclusive video: Shootout in Delhi's Dwarka, five criminals arrestedMinor shoots at undertrial at Delhi's Tis Hazari court, apprehendedIn an ensuing chase in which the hijackers and community members shot at each other, the hijackers crashed the car they were in. The girl was found shot and critically injured while one of the hijackers tumbled out of the car dead. She was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to her serious injuries.A second hijacker was arrested by an off-duty policeman, while the third one escaped.Following the incident, more than 3,000 members of the community converged outside Chatsworth police station calling for urgent police action.As the small contingent of officers at the police station allegedly came under severe verbal abuse and threats of physical action from protestors, they resorted to firing rubber bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades to disperse the crowd, which included scores of children.Mahendra Lillkan, chairperson of the local Crime Forum, said there had been a spike in crime in the area, despite community patrols at night."It seems that the criminals have now resorted to striking at soft targets, such as parents taking their children to school, as we have seen with this tragic incident."Police and community leaders have appealed for calm amid fears that the protests would escalate on Tuesday as the distraught family prepared for the funeral.(With inputs from PTI)

Indian-origin child's death during car hijack triggers protests in South Africa

The girl, Sadia Sukhraj, was on her way to school with her father when three armed men allegedly accosted and hijacked the car she was in and sped away with her.

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Coronavirus: Indian-American doctors seek total lockdown and self-quarantine of USConcerned over the rapid spread of the deadly coronavirus across the US, an influential group of Indian-American doctors has urged the federal and State governments to enforce a total lockdown and self-quarantine of the entire nation to flatten the curve of COVID-19 infections.A total of 218 people have died in the US due to the fast-spreading coronavirus pandemic, while there are 14,299 confirmed infected cases in the country. Coronavirus cases have been reported in all the 50 States in the US and District of Columbia as well as Puerto Rico. Globally, the death toll from the virus has risen to over 9,800 with more than 232,650 cases in 158 countries and territories."American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin or AAPI urges the federal, state and local governments and policy makers to advocate for more immediate and severe action to prevent the crisis from becoming unmanageable," said Suresh Reddy, AAPI president. Representing nearly 100,000 physicians of Indian-origin in the United States, AAPI is the largest ethnic medical association in the country.AAPI members are concerned over the growing COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on its society, healthcare system and economy, Reddy said. "While applauding our fellow healthcare workers, including physicians, nurses, EMS, paramedics, medical assistants, and healthcare professionals, we are saddened that many of these heroes are being infected with COVID-19 while treating patients and often without personal protection equipment, endangering their safety and that of their families," Reddy said."We urge the authorities to provide the much needed equipment, testing and facilities enabling them to be isolated and treated, which will reduce our healthcare workforce at precisely the time we need them to be healthy and treating patients," he said. Since the coronavirus outbreak in China's Wuhan city in December, AAPI has had several meetings."In our efforts to contain and prevent this pandemic, we are recommending that the authorities across the nation implement and enforce a total lockdown of the nation, social distancing, and enforce self-quarantine of the total population, as has been practised in other countries in order to flatten the infection curve," said Deeptha Nedunchezian, chair of AAPI's COVID-19 Response Task Force.Arunachellum Einstein, member of the AAPI's COVID-19 Response Task Force, said, with as many as 222,642 confirmed corona-virus cases across the world, nearing 10,000 confirmed cases in the US alone and with nearly 10 per cent of those tested for the coronavirus confirmed to be positive for the virus, AAPI is alarmed with the current response from the authorities."We are seeing that the rate of infection for COVID-19 in the United States is doubling every 48-72 hours. For each diagnosed case, recent data shows that there are likely 10 undiagnosed carriers who can further infect the population, Einstein said.Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, president-Elect of AAPI, expressed great concern over the current rate of infections, saying it will have a materially adverse effect on both the senior populations and fellow physicians and healthcare workers who are on the front lines fighting the infection."It's essential to create a wholesale expansion of free COVID-19 testing available in order for identifying asymptomatic carries and then isolating them," he said. Anupama Gotimukula, AAPI vice president warned that if the current trend continued without effective action: "we would likely only see an effect on infection rates in 5-6 days, which means we could expect a tripling of infections and deaths in the interim."During the COVID-19 national emergency, which also constitutes a nationwide public health emergency, covered health care providers subject to the HIPAA rules may seek to communicate with patients, and provide telehealth services, through remote communications technologies."We appreciate regulations that remove HIPAA requirements for telemedicine to allow easier adaption and implementation," said Ravi Kolli, AAPI secretary. AAPI is urging the government to make telemedicine to be allowed for services and enforce that all insurance companies and government systems reimburse for services provided by medical professionals in these critical times. 

Coronavirus: Indian-American doctors seek total lockdown and self-quarantine of US

Concerned over the rapid spread of the deadly coronavirus across the US, an influential group of Indian-American doctors has urged the federal and State governments to enforce a total lockdown and self-quarantine of the entire nation to flatten the curve of COVID-19 infections.

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Twelve of the 17 people who died after the Muscat-Dubai bus carrying 31 passengers crashed on to a height barrier were identified as Indians.Repatriation of the bodies of the Indian victims in Thursday's horrific bus accident in Dubai was finally completed on Sunday.The repatriation of 11 Indians was complete with the last three bodies flown to Mumbai on an Air India flight that left from Dubai at 3.39 a.m. on Sunday, an official told Gulf News. Related Stories Car hits men emerging from mosque, no injuries: Police6 killed, 35 injured in accident in HardoiDubai: 8 Indians killed in bus accidentThe Canadian singer, songwriter's car met with an accident in the Hollywood area of California Eid holidays turn tragic: 12 Indians among 17 dead in Dubai bus accidentGujarat: 9 people dead, 5 injured in accident near Ambaji's Trisulia GhatMeanwhile, the family of 22-year-old Roshni Moolchandani, the youngest Indian victim, completed her last rites at the Jebel Ali crematorium on Saturday evening.Twelve of the 17 people who died after the Muscat-Dubai bus carrying 31 passengers crashed on to a height barrier were identified as Indians.Consul General of India in Dubai Vipul told Gulf News on Saturday morning that the mortal remains of the Indian victims would be repatriated free of cost by Air India in cases where employers were not bearing expenses.The consulate had issued travel documents for free and also offered to bear the cost of embalming in cases where the families needed support.(Except for the headline, IndiaTVnews.com has not edited anything in the story)

Dubai bus accident: Repatriation of Indian victims completed, last three bodies flown to Mumbai

Meanwhile, the family of 22-year-old Roshni Moolchandani, the youngest Indian victim, completed her last rites at the Jebel Ali crematorium on Saturday evening.

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Amid stand-off in the Sikkim sector, China today claimed that there is no dispute with Bhutan in the Doklam area as both the countries have a "basic consensus" on the boundary. There is currently a military stand-off between Indian and Chinese armies in the region and diplomatic tension has also heightened.  The standoff between troops of India and China at Doklam area started after Bhutan, which has close diplomatic and military ties with India, protested to Beijing about the People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops building a road in the strategic location close to chicken neck tri-junction."I can say that we have been stressing that Doklam belongs to China since ancient times. It was under the effective jurisdiction of China without any dispute. China and Bhutan had about 24 rounds of boundary talks," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a media briefing answering a question about Bhutan's protest. "Although the boundary between the two countries is yet to be settled but we have basic consensus on the boundary and there is no dispute between both of us that Doklam belongs to China," he said. Geng said China had been acting according to the agreements between the two countries and Doklam had been under the effective jurisdiction of China. "Chinese activities (road building) in the relevant area does not violate relevant agreements and does not alter the status quo. The Bhutan side also knows it clearly. We will work together with Bhutan through friendly negotiations and jointly maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas," he said.China yesterday ruled out of any scope for a "compromise" with India and put the onus on New Delhi to resolve the "grave" situation. In unusually blunt remarks, China's Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui said "the ball is in India's court" and it was for the Indian government to decide what options could be on the table to resolve the standoff.(With PTI inputs) 

Sikkim stand-off: No dispute with Bhutan in Doklam, says China

China today claimed that there is no dispute with Bhutan in the Doklam area as both the countries have a "basic consensus" on the boundary.

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The US State Department on Friday said that Washington is “deeply concerned” at the release of 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind and JuD chief Hafiz Saeed. Hafiz Saeed, who had been under house arrest since January this year for his role in terror activities, was on Friday set free after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any case."The United States is deeply concerned that Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leader Hafiz Saeed has been released from house arrest in Pakistan. LeT is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organisation responsible for the death of hundreds of innocent civilians in terrorist attacks, including a number of American citizens," state department spokesperson Heather Nauert said."The Pakistani government should make sure that he is arrested and charged for his crimes," Nauert said in a statement after the release of the Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief. Reacting to Washington's move, the JuD said that Hafiz Saeed has no connections with the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, adding that he is a "peace loving" person against whom India has put "false allegations". The Pakistan-based terror organisation added that the United States tried to put pressure on Pakistan to hold the release of Hafiz Saeed, but failed to do so. Soon after his release, the JuD chief said that he will gather people across Pakistan for the "cause of Kashmir" and help the Kashmiris secure "freedom". "I fight the case of Kashmiris. I will gather the people from across the country for the cause of Kashmir. And we will try to help Kashmiris get their destination of freedom.""I am very happy that none of the allegations against me proved as three judges of the Lahore High Court ordered my release ...India had levelled baseless allegations against me. The Lahore High Court's review board decision has proved that I am innocent," Saeed said. The JuD chief said that the US, on India's request, pressured Pakistan to detain him."... I was detained on the pressure of the US on the Pakistani government. The US did so on the request of India," he claimed.The JuD leader, who has a USD 10 million American bounty on his head for terror activities, walked free after his 10-month detention as the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any other case, in a setback to India's efforts to bring to justice the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attack. In May 2008, the US Department of the Treasury had designated Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224. Saeed was also individually designated by the UN under the UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December, 2008 following the November 2008 Mumbai attack in which 166 people, including six American citizens, were killed, Nauert said.LeT and several of its front organisations, leaders, and operatives remain under both state department and Treasury department sanctions. Since 2012, the US has offered a USD 10 million reward for information that brings Saeed to justice, she said. 

US 'deeply concerned' over Hafiz Saeed's release, calls on Pakistan to arrest and charge 26/11 mastermind

The US State Department on Friday said that Washington is “deeply concerned” at the release of 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind and JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, according to Reuters.

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People leave a Spanish airforce plane carrying Spanish nationals and Afghans after it landed at the Torrejon military base as part of the evacuation process in Madrid, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021. Amid the chaos and confusion at the airport, the United States said it had taken at least one step to ease requirements for those seeking to leave: COVID-19 tests.Although Afghanistan had been a hotspot for the coronavirus pandemic, the State Department said Thursday that evacuees are not required to get a negative COVID-19 result to travel.“A blanket humanitarian waiver has been implemented for COVID testing for all persons the U.S. government is relocating from Afghanistan,” the department said.It referred questions about how the matter would be handled once evacuees arrive in the United States to the Department of Health and Human Services. Medical exams, including coronavirus tests, had been required for evacuees prior to Taliban’s weekend takeover of Kabul, which added extra urgency to efforts to get at-risk Afghans out of the country.German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle says the Taliban shot and killed a family member of one of their reporters in Afghanistan and severely injured a second family member.The broadcaster said in a statement on Thursday that Taliban fighters were looking for the Deutsche Welle reporter and searching homes in western Afghanistan. It said other family members managed to escape.Deutsche Well says the reporter himself, whose identity was not revealed, is already based in Germany where he is also working. Deutsche Welle didn’t give further details on the killed and injured family members or say where and when exactly in Afghanistan the killing took place.The director of Deutsche Welle, Peter Limbourg, sharply condemned the killing saying that, “the killing of a close family member of one of our journalists by the Taliban is incredible tragic and a proof for the imminent danger that all of our workers and their families are exposed to in Afghanistan.”He added: “The Taliban are obviously conducting organized searches for journalists in Kabul and the provinces. Time is running out.”Limbourg added that the homes of at least three other Deutsche Welle reporters were searched by the Taliban in Afghanistan in recent days and weeks.The head of the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies is calling on the U.N. Security Council to seriously and urgently consider declaring Kabul “a safe zone” and sending a U.N. peacekeeping force to protect it.Davood Moradian said in a briefing to the council on Thursday that this would allow Afghanistan’s rival factions to come to an inclusive political settlement “while working to mitigate the unfolding catastrophe.”He told members by video from an undisclosed location outside Afghanistan that he was at Kabul airport 48 hours ago watching the chaos and “the unfolding catastrophe” as he and others tried to get flights out of Afghanistan and people were racing down the runway trying to get on a U.S. military plane.“It was shared human desperation, helplessness and fear,” Moradian said. He said one passenger who fell to the ground from the plane “was reportedly a member of Afghanistan’s national football team.”Moradian said the Taliban takeover is not the end of the military and political crisis in Afghanistan. The past four decades have shown, he said, that “a military solution is just a brief pause to the next phase of the war.”Canada’s prime minister says Canadian Armed Forces assets and personnel have arrived on the ground in Afghanistan to co-ordinate at the tactical level with the United States and other allied partners.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday that this will help get Canadians, Afghans and their families to safety. Trudeau says two CAF C-17s will make regular flights into Kabul to support evacuation efforts.

US says Kabul evacuees don’t need COVID tests

United States said it had taken at least one step to ease requirements for those seeking to leave: COVID-19 tests.

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200 unpaid Indian workers in UAE to get wagesSome 200 unpaid Indian workers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), who have been surviving for months without basic facilities, were set to receive their wages soon, it was reported on Tuesday."The issue of Al Wasita Emirates Catering Services should be resolved shortly. They will receive their unpaid salaries, air tickets and visa cancellation done hopefully in the next week or so," said Pooja Vernekar, First Secretary (Community Affairs), Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi.Besides the Indian workers, 75 were from Bangladesh and others from Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Egypt, The Khaleej Times said in the report."We have been hearing this for a while - that things will be sorted out. The mental stress we are facing without food to eat and money to send home is unexplainable," a worker said.Another worker from Kerala told the Khaleej Times: "We were all depressed as it's Onam and we haven't sent any money home. This news has made this festival very special now. We have been stuck here for more than a year. And now we will soon be able to go home."ALSO READ | Indian farmer borrows 20, 000 rupees from wife for Dubai lottery, wins 28 croreALSO READ | Air India passengers travelling to UAE can now carry 40 kgs of check-in luggage

200 unpaid Indian workers in UAE to get wages

"The issue of Al Wasita Emirates Catering Services should be resolved shortly. They will receive their unpaid salaries, air tickets and visa cancellation done hopefully in the next week or so," said Pooja Vernekar, First Secretary (Community Affairs), Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

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Weak intel sharing, limited NSG resources affect India's anti-terror effortsThe US has said that weak intelligence sharing by agencies and the limited resources of the National Security Guard (NSG) were affecting India's counter-terrorism efforts."Despite its rigorous training, NSG's rapid response capability is somewhat limited, due in part to its small staff relative to India's large size and to the NSG's limited independent logistics capacity," according to the State Department's annual survey of global terrorism."Continued weaknesses in intelligence and information sharing negatively impacted state and central law enforcement agencies," the report said about the other perceived shortcoming.But the report, "Country Reports on Terrorism for 2018", also noted that the "larger Indian states have established their own state-level MACs (Multi-Agency Centres) and are providing near-real-time information on terrorism to India's various law enforcement agencies".The report warned that the "Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, which was responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) maintained the capability and intent to attack Indian and Afghan targets".The top international counter-terrorism official of the US, Nathan Sales, who released the report in Washington last week, said that in 2018, most terrorist incidents around the world (about 85 per cent) were concentrated in three regions -- South Asia, Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa.Washington and New Delhi have increased cooperation to fight terrorism and in March last year, the US-India Counterterrorism Joint Working Group reviewed threats posed by terrorist groups worldwide, the report said.During the first 2+2 dialogue of the cabinet-level diplomatic and defence officials last year, the two countries announced their intent to increase information sharing on known or suspected terrorists and to enhance their ongoing cooperation on terrorism issues at the UN and at the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which fights terrorism funding, the report said.Nirmala Sitharaman, who held the defence portfolio at that time, and the late External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj represented India at the 2+2, while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and then-Defence Secretary James Mattis attended on behalf of the US.The two countries also committed themselves to implement the UN Security Council resolution to counteract the threat of foreign terrorism fighters, it added.Also Read: ISIS claims responsibility for Mali attackAlso Read: Pak protesters stage sit-in, demand PM Imran Khan's resignation

Weak intel sharing, limited NSG resources affect India's anti-terror efforts

"Continued weaknesses in intelligence and information sharing negatively impacted state and central law enforcement agencies," the report said about the other perceived shortcoming.

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Chilling video shows BMW getting crushed into pieces by a trainA chilling video shows the moment when a BMW was crushed by an oncoming train as it took a turn towards the railway tracks. The video, shared by Los Angeles Police Department on Twitter, shows the driver of the car turning left onto the railway tracks, following which the BMW was crushed into pieces within a few seconds. The incident occurred on Tuesday morning in South Los Angeles. The occupants of the car had a miraculous escape despite his car getting completely mangled in the collision. "This could've had a tragic outcome," wrote the Los Angeles Police Department on Twitter. "Fortunately the driver survived with minor injuries, but this should serve as a good reminder to all of us — pay attention near train tracks, and always obey all traffic signals and devices."

Chilling video shows BMW getting crushed into pieces by a train

A chilling video shows the moment when a BMW was crushed by an oncoming train as it took a turn towards the railway tracks. The video, shared by Los Angeles Police Department on Twitter, shows the driver of the car turning left onto the railway tracks, following which the BMW was crushed into pieces within a few seconds.

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Trump switches permanent residence from NY to FloridaUS President Donald Trump has announced that he would make Florida his permanent residence instead of the Trump Tower in New York, a media report said on Friday. In a series of tweets on Thursday night, Trump said: "1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the White House, is the place I have come to love and will stay for, hopefully, another five years as we Make America Great Again, but my family and I will be making Palm Beach, Florida, our permanent residence."I cherish New York, and the people of New York, and always will, but unfortunately, despite the fact that I pay millions of dollars in city, state and local taxes each year, I have been treated very badly by the political leaders of both the city and state."Few have been treated worse. I hated having to make this decision, but in the end it will be best for all concerned. As President, I will always be there to help New York and the great people of New York. It will always have a special place in my heart."Trump has been at odds with New York state Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, reports the BBC.They both welcomed the news that the President's announcement.Cuomo took to Twitter, saying: "Good riddance. It's not like @realDonaldTrump paid taxes here anyway... He's all yours, Florida."The Mayor also said in a series of tweets: "Don't let the door hit you on the way out or whatever..."Our deepest condolences to the good people of Florida as Trump attempts to outrun his past (and near future)."Trump has owned the Mar-a-Lago resort estate in Palm Beach, Florida, since 1985 and travels frequently between there and the White House.The White House was yet to comment on the President's announcement.ALSO READ: Trump criticises Johnson's Brexit dealALSO READ: 1st phase of China trade pact may be signed sooner: Trump

Trump switches permanent residence from NY to Florida

"Our deepest condolences to the good people of Florida as Trump attempts to outrun his past (and near future)", Mayor said.

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Global PIO body to honour 3 Indian-Americans for contribution in health sectorAn international body of people of Indian origin will honour three Indian-Americans for their contribution in the health field as well as for promoting health awareness among the diaspora.The Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) will present the Health Council Award to the recipients during the Health Council Summit, organised by it, on Saturday, according to a press release.While Rahul Shukla, CEO of S S White Technologies and Shukla Medical, will receive the award in manufacturing of latest medical equipment category; Hitesh Bhatt, CEO of Bhatt Foundation Inc, will get the honour in healthcare technology category.H R Shah, Chairman and CEO of TV Asia, will be honoured for promoting health awareness among the Indian diaspora.The GOPIO will also honour US-based firm Sabinsa Corporation, founded in 1988 by Indian-origin Muhammed Majeed, for its achievement and contributions in the health supplements sector.The GOPIO health summit aims at improving the health of people of Indian diaspora across the world by raising awareness of the current and emerging health issues affecting them and by promoting preventive practices and sharing information to better manage chronic diseases, the release said.The speakers at the summit will discuss on the diseases, which are prone to the Indian diaspora, and how to treat or prevent them using modern and alternative medicine, it said.ALSO READ | Centre asks states to hike health spending to 8% of budgetsALSO READ | AIIMS, health ministry launch 'eDantSeva' website and app

Global PIO body to honour 3 Indian-Americans for contribution in health sector

The Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) will present the Health Council Award to the recipients during the Health Council Summit, organised by it, on Saturday.

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Al-Qaeda bomb maker turned MI6 undercover shares his experience working with Osama Bin LadenAl-Qaeda bomb-maker turned MI6 undercover agent, Aimen Dean, who has worked with the likes of Osama Bin Laden for four years before becoming a turncoat and serving the ace British intelligence agency has shared his experience. Speaking to Daily Star, Dean said that he taught the MI6 how to make kitchen bombs and other Al Qaeda tricks. “I still remember the ominous words of warning I received on my first training day in Afghanistan in 1997 – ‘Remember, when you’re making and assembling bombs, your first mistake is your last! You’re dealing with angry chemicals here, not potato and onions,’” Dean said, cited by the Daily Star.“I witnessed myself, four different accidents with deadly consequences while preparing devices. The Barcelona terror attacks [in August 2017] were supposed to include explosive devices but the two men working on preparing the devices using TATP explosives must have made a mistake and blew up the house they were working in, killing them both,” Dean said.Speaking of the danger possessed by terror organisations like ISIS and Taliban, Dean said, "The forces of darkness want to create an empire based on dubious Islamic eschatological texts and build it on mountains of skulls and oceans of blood, therefore they must be stopped."Also Read | ISIS claims responsibility for London terror attackAlso Read | Asim Omar, Al Qaeda's Indian subcontinent commander killed​

Al-Qaeda bomb maker turned MI6 undercover shares his experience working with Osama Bin Laden

Al-Qaeda bomb-maker turned MI6 undercover agent, Aimen Dean, who has worked with the likes of Osama Bin Laden for four years before becoming a turncoat and serving the ace British intelligence agency has shared his experience. Speaking to Daily Star, Dean said that he taught the MI6 how to make kitchen bombs and other Al Qaeda tricks.

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This is how Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to celebrate his 67th birthdayRussian President Vladimir Putin, who turned 67 on Monday departed for Siberia ahead of his birthday. Kremlin spokesperson, Dimitry Peskov told the media that the President is going to celebrate the day with his family and close ones in the countryside."The President spent his day in the taiga, the dense forests of Siberia. He has enjoyed the nature and autumn forest," he said. As per reports, the photos from his Siberian trip to the forests will be published at might night on Putin's birthday. Putin has been known to spend his previous birthdays with his former or acting counterparts. Last year, former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was invited for Putin's birthday. Before that, in 2017, the Russian President spent his birthday with Chinese premier Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the conference on interaction and confidence-building measures in Asia. 

This is how Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to celebrate his 67th birthday

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who turned 67 on Monday departed for Siberia ahead of his birthday. Kremlin spokesperson, Dimitry Peskov told the media that the President is going to celebrate the day with his family and close ones in the countryside.

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Representative ImageA boat carrying migrants toward Europe sank off the coast of Tunisia and at least 46 people drowned, though dozens more could be missing, the North African nation’s defence ministry said Sunday.The ministry said 68 people were rescued overnight after the boat sank in the Mediterranean Sea near Kerkennah island, off Tunisia’s eastern coast. Authorities said the vessel was believed to have been carrying about 180 passengers.Related Stories Boat carrying 100 migrants capsizes off Libya12 killed as boat capsizes in Indonesia200 drown as boat capsizes in South SudanRachid Bouhoula, the defence ministry press officer, said a rescue and recovery operation continued in the waters around the island.The ministry said earlier that those rescued included 61 Tunisians and seven people from other countries. In recent months, Tunisia increasingly has become a point of departure for Europe-bound migrants fleeing poverty and conflicts in Africa and the Middle East.Earlier Sunday, Turkish officials reported that nine migrants, including six children, drowned when a boat capsized in the eastern Mediterranean near the town of Demre in the southern province of Antalya. Turkey’s coast guard rescued four others and a fifth migrant was saved by a passing fishing vessel. The migrants’ nationalities have not been identified.At the height of the migrant crisis in 2015, more than 857,000 people reached Greece from Turkey. A 2016 deal between Turkey and the European Union has dramatically reduced the numbers of migrants coming into Greece.Spain’s maritime rescue service announced Sunday that it had rescued a total of 240 people trying to cross the Mediterranean from North Africa over the weekend, and one person had apparently drowned. It said the migrants were in 11 small boats attempting the perilous crossing from Africa to Spain.The UN says at least 660 migrants have died crossing the Mediterranean so far this year. Through the first four months of 2018, a total of 22,439 migrants reached European shores, with 4,409 of them arriving in Spain.

Boat carrying migrants capsizes off Tunisia, at least 46 killed

The UN says at least 660 migrants have died crossing the Mediterranean so far this year. Through the first four months of 2018, a total of 22,439 migrants reached European shores, with 4,409 of them arriving in Spain.

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Burned clothes and the interior of a house are destroyed from a fatal fire A mother and her six children died when a fire destroyed their home early Saturday in central Mississippi, authorities said. The father was the lone survivor of the 12:30 a.m. blaze in Clinton, a city of about 26,500 people just outside the capital city of Jackson. He tried unsuccessfully to save family members and suffered smoke inhalation, burns, cuts and bruises, city spokesman Mark Jones told The Associated Press.He was taken to a local hospital but “wanted to stay at the scene,” Jones said.Jones later released a list of those killed: Brittany Presley, 33, and her children Landon Brookshire, 15; Lane Presley, 13; Lawson Presley, 12; Grayson Presley, 6; Malcom Presley, 4; and Felicity Presley, 1.Image Source : APA vehicle and house is damaged from a fatal fire A vehicle and house is damaged from a fatal fire Brittany Presley was an elementary school teacher, the Canton Public School District said in a statement on Facebook.“Mrs. Presley was a team leader who was a good, nurturing, and loving teacher who gave her all for her students. Her compassionate heart and giving spirit will forever live on in the hearts of the countless lives she touched,” the district wrote.The scene at the house later in the day was one of devastation. The charred remains of the single-story wood frame house partially covered with melted siding could be seen along with the remains of an SUV in the burned-out garage. Clothes, toys and furniture were strewn on the yard in the aftermath of firefighters’ fighting the blaze. Burglar bars could be seen in the windows or, in some cases, on the lawn. It was not immediately known if they had hindered escapes from the fire.Nearby, under a tree, someone had left a bouquet of carnations.The state Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire, Jones said. He said the house was built around 1951. He had no information on whether it was equipped with smoke detectors.Jones said the family’s church had established a GoFundMe page to raise money for medical and funeral expenses.Also Read: 21 dead, 31 hurt in Thailand mass shooting; gunman hides in mallAlso Read: Syrian troops gain territory in push to control key highway

Mom, 6 kids die in Mississippi house fire; dad injured

A mother and her six children died when a fire destroyed their home early Saturday in central Mississippi, authorities said.

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Wreckage of helicopter crash that killed 5 found on glacierThe National Transportation Safety Board has announced that it has recovered the wreckage from a helicopter crash north of Anchorage that killed five people and is sending a team of investigators to examine the evidence, KTUU TV station reported.On March 27, the helicopter carrying guides and guests on a heli-skiing excursion north of Anchorage slammed into a mountain and then rolled downhill hundreds of feet, killing the pilot and four of the five passengers, officials said.Among the dead in the crash was billionaire Petr Kellner, the richest man in the Czech Republic.The wreckage, which was found on the Knik Glacier Friday, is “back in Palmer at a safe, secure location,” NTSB Alaska's Clint Johnson told the TV station on Friday. “A team of six to eight people will be arriving, initially working on the wreckage and doing other activities throughout this next week.”The NTSB investigator in charge will be coming from Seattle on Saturday and will be followed by the rest of the investigative team, Johnson said.There are also two helicopter specialists on their ways to Alaska, Johnson said. That includes one each from the manufacturer of the air frame — in this case, Airbus — and the manufacturer of the engine, Safran Helicopter Engines.“There''s going to be a number of things that are continuing to progress as far as the accident investigation goes,” Johnson said. “One key part of this is obviously being able to lay hands on the wreckage with the engineers.” The wreckage was at about 6,000 feet of elevation, Johnson said.ALSO READ: 7 Hong Kong democracy leaders convicted as China clamps down

Wreckage of helicopter crash that killed 5 found on glacier

On March 27, the helicopter carrying guides and guests on a heli-skiing excursion north of Anchorage slammed into a mountain and then rolled downhill hundreds of feet, killing the pilot and four of the five passengers, officials said.

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The Israeli Ministry of Health has issued a severe travel warning for Russia, Argentina, and Seychelles, citing a high level of coronavirus morbidity in the three countries.The Israeli Ministry of Health has issued a severe travel warning for Russia, Argentina, and Seychelles, citing a high level of coronavirus morbidity in the three countries.The Ministry said in a statement on Sunday that without a significant reversal of infection rate, these destinations will be categorised as hazardous, meaning that travel of Israeli citizens and permanent residents to them will be prohibited, reports Xinhua news agency.For the same reason, Israel has already banned travel to seven other countries, which are Ukraine, Ethiopia, Brazil, India, South Africa, Mexico, and Turkey.Israelis and permanent residents who still want to travel to one of the seven countries must apply to an exceptions committee.Also, all passengers arriving in Israel from the seven must go into quarantine, including recovered and vaccinated ones. The Ministry also recommended avoiding any non-essential travel abroad in the current period.Also Read: 87,055 Indians returned from Singapore as part of Vande Bharat flights since last year

Israel bans travel to Russia, Argentina, Seychelles

The Israeli Ministry of Health has issued a severe travel warning for Russia, Argentina, and Seychelles, citing a high level of coronavirus morbidity in the three countries.

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Donald Trump's mediation offer on Kashmir no more on the table

Donald Trump's U-turn: Mediation offer on Kashmir no more on the table

US President Donald Trump has made it clear that his offer of mediation on Kashmir is not on the table anymore, a top Indian diplomat said on Monday. India's Ambassador to the US, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, said that America's decades-old policy on Kashmir has been no mediation but to encourage India and Pakistan to resolve their differences bilaterally.

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Former prisoner of the Unites States, Qasim al-Araji is now the head of the Interior Ministry, one of the most powerful ministries of Iraq. A decade ago, he was jailed in the US on charges of smuggling arms and for his involvement in an assassination cell at the height of religious violence that engulfed Iraq following the 2003 toppling of Saddam Hussein.Within days of taking office, he has expressed his support for the US’ role in the fight against IS. Following his request, they have received more support from the US-led coalition as they are training and arming all forces across Iraq, that fall under al-Araji's command.With credentials that include training from Iranian special Quds Force and spending time as a guerrilla and militia commander, Iraq's Interior Minister al-Araji is now trumpeting his respect for human rights.In 2007, al-Araji was jailed in the US at Bucca prison for 23 months, including extended period in solitary confinement. However today he laughs off questions about lingering hostility toward U.S. forces."That's life," he said in a recent interview, "I was their prisoner and now I meet with their ambassador". Following a controversial March 17 strike in Mosul that killed more than 100 civilians, al-Araji took a rare public position, as he defended the U.S.-led coalition and the use of airstrikes in Mosul on the floor of Iraq's parliament."My most important goal is to bring security to Iraq," al-Araji said, "and (to achieve that) Iraq is in need of the friendship of the Americans." British Ambassador described him as an "an Iraqi patriot" who "faces many challenges but is doing a very good job for Iraq and the Iraqi people."He was released two times from prison because of insufficient evidence. On April 19’2004 he was arrested by U.S. forces on suspicion of commanding militia forces.Second time he was arrested in 2007 as it was stated that he was "involved in smuggling and distribution" of explosives that were being used to target U.S. forces and that he was "also suspected in involvement in an assassination cell.", but released within 2 years."I believe every difficult stage leaves something inside a human being," al-Araji said. "Being a prisoner taught me patience, it made me stronger." Al-Araji returned to local politics, rose through the ranks of the Badr organization and became a parliamentary bloc leader.   He takes over the ministry at a critical time for the country's security forces who are under increasing pressure to eliminate the last pockets of IS control and repair their reputation in Iraq's Sunni heartland.Looking back at his career, al-Arajii says he has become more responsible and now he makes choices very carefully."But as a person, I have not changed, I'm the same."(AP News Inputs)

Jailed for smuggling arms in US, Iraq’s Interior Minister Qazim al-Araji now bats for friendship with Americans

Former prisoner of the Unites States, Qasim al-Araji is now the head of the Interior Ministry, one of the most powerful ministries of Iraq. A decade ago, he was jailed in the US on charges of smuggling arms and for his involvement in an assassination

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New Delhi: Crowd of passengers at the New Delhi Railway station amid COVID-19 pandemicThere is increasing evidence to show the Omicron variant is able to evade immunity but has less disease severity as compared to other variants, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said. Giving out warnings, a senior official with the WHO has said the Omicron variant is quickly overtaking the Delta variant of COVID-19 and becoming dominant around the world. It could take some time for Omicron to overtake Delta in some countries because it depends on the level of circulation of the Delta variant in those countries, Infectious Disease Epidemiologist and COVID-19 Technical Lead at the World Health Organisation (WHO) Maria Van Kerkhove said on Tuesday.“Omicron has been detected in all countries where we have good sequencing and it's likely to be in all countries around the world. It is quickly, in terms of its circulation, overtaking Delta. And so Omicron is becoming the dominant variant that is being detected,” Kerkhove said during a virtual questions and answers session.She further cautioned that even though there is some information that Omicron causes less severe disease than Delta, “it's not a mild disease” because “people are still being hospitalized for Omicron.”The COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update, released by the WHO, said that over 15 million new COVID-19 cases were reported globally in the week of January 3-9, a 55 per cent increase as compared to the previous week when about 9.5 million cases were reported.Over 43,000 new deaths were reported in the past week. As of 9 January, over 304 million confirmed COVD-19 cases and over 5.4 million deaths have been reported.The highest numbers of new cases were reported from the US (4,610,359 new cases; a 73 per cent increase), France (1,597,203 new cases; a 46 per cent increase), the UK (1,217,258 new cases; a 10 per cent increase), Italy (1,014,358 new cases; a 57 per cent increase) and India (638,872 new cases; a 524 per cent increase), the update said.Kerkhove said the 15 million cases reported in the last seven days are a “record high in this pandemic” and are an “underestimate” given the challenges in surveillance around the world and COVID-19 self-tests at home that are not registered.The WHO update said that the Omicron variant has a substantial growth advantage and is rapidly replacing other variants.“This variant has been shown to have a shorter doubling time as compared to previous variants, with transmission occurring even amongst those vaccinated or with a history of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection; there is increasing evidence that this variant is able to evade immunity,” the update said.It said that in terms of disease severity, there is growing evidence that the Omicron variant is less severe as compared to other variants.Citing a non-peer-reviewed retrospective cohort study from the US, the update said the findings suggest that while the absolute number of cases and hospitalisations among children are currently increasing in the US, the risk of hospitalisation still remains lower compared to other age groups during the period when Omicron is circulating as compared to the period when the Delta variant was dominant.The update also noted that since December, six studies have provided evidence of reduced vaccine effectiveness (VE) of COVID-19 vaccines against the Omicron variant."While early VE estimates against the Omicron variant should be interpreted with caution due to potential biases, these preliminary results provide evidence of reduced overall effectiveness of vaccines against the Omicron variant, with greater declines in effectiveness with increasing time since vaccination, relative to Delta... While a booster vaccination appears to improve VE against infection and hospitalisation due to the Omicron variant, more data are needed to assess both the magnitude and duration of the protection,” the update said.The WHO Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition (TAG-CO-VAC) said that as coronavirus evolves, the composition of current COVID-19 vaccines may need to be updated, to ensure that “COVID-19 vaccines continue to provide WHO-recommended levels of protection against infection and disease by VOCs, including Omicron and future variants.”Kerkhove added that as Omicron enters and circulates among vulnerable populations, “we will see an increase in hospitalisations and deaths. So please treat this virus as seriously as it needs to be treated. The narrative that it's the common cold is not true. The narrative that it is just mild is not true. So we have to really fight against it. It’s not the time to give up.”(With inputs from PTI)Also Read | Omicron mutating but disease severity remains mild, shows Delhi's LNJP Hospital study

Omicron 'not mild disease', still causing hospitalisation: WHO

The WHO Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition (TAG-CO-VAC) said that as coronavirus evolves, the composition of current COVID-19 vaccines may need to be updated.

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Plane makes emergency landing in New York's LaGuardia Airport after passenger behaves 'suspiciously'An emergency landing took place at New York's LaGuardia Airport after a passenger drew suspicion on an American Eagle flight operated by Republic Airways.  US media reported different passengers as saying that there were suspicions about a possible bomb threat or some other dangerous behaviour from one of the passengers. There were a total of 76 passengers on the plane."The earlier incident involving a disruptive American Airlines/Republic Airways passenger and an evacuation of passengers has been resolved, and the airport is operating normally," the LaGuardia Airport said in a Saturday statement on Twitter.Republic Airways said in a statement that one of the passengers on board American Eagle Flight 4817, travelling from Indianapolis to New York City, behaved suspiciously."A Republic Airways aircraft, operating as American 4817, declared an emergency and landed at New York's LaGuardia Airport without incident in response to passenger behaviour near the end of the flight. Upon exiting the active runway, the aircraft stopped on a taxiway and conducted a precautionary emergency evacuation," the airline said, as quoted by CBS News on Saturday.No injuries were reported following the incident and nothing was found on the plane, according to CBS. The investigation is ongoing. (With ANI Inputs)

Plane makes emergency landing in New York's LaGuardia Airport after passenger behaves 'suspiciously'

No injuries were reported following the incident and nothing was found on the plane, according to CBS. The investigation is ongoing.

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No evidence that Afghan ambassador's daughter was kidnapped: Pak policePakistan police on Monday said they have found no evidence that the daughter of the Afghan ambassador was abducted from the capital city, an incident that has triggered a major diplomatic row between the two neighbouring nations.Silsila Alikhil, the 26-year-old daughter of Afghanistan’s ambassador to Pakistan Najibullah Alikhil was abducted, tortured and assaulted on Friday by unknown persons in Islamabad. She was abducted while riding a rented vehicle and was held for several hours before being released. She was found near the F-9 Park area of the capital with torture marks on her body.Addressing a press conference along with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and National Security Adviser (NSA) Moeed Yusuf, Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IGP) Qazi Jameelur Rehman said police had collected the video footage of all places visited by the envoy’s daughter that included the collected data of around 300 CCTV cameras in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.“We used all our resources for the investigation…and supported all law enforcement agencies,” he said, adding that the abduction was not proven yet.Rehman said police had analysed all footage of the movement of the ambassador’s daughter on the day of the kidnapping, however, the “impression given (about her abduction) is not corroborated by the evidence we have collected”, the Dawn newspaper reported.He said more than 220 people were interviewed and all footage analysed which showed her whereabouts. In a statement to police, Alikhil had said she went to buy a gift and hired a taxi. While coming back, the driver pulled over on the roadside after a five-minute drive and another man barged in who first shouted at her then started beating her. “Because I was scared, so I felt unconscious,” she said.Alikhil said after she regained consciousness, she found herself “at a place full of dirt”. She then took a taxi to go to a nearby park from where she called her father’s colleague, who brought her home.The kidnapping and assault incident has soured the ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan. On Sunday, the diplomatic crisis between the two nations deepened after Kabul announced that it will withdraw its ambassador and other senior staff from Islamabad.Pakistan also called back its ambassador to Afghanistan for "consultations" on the alleged abduction and release of the Afghan envoy’s daughter.During the press conference, Foreign Minister Qureshi said Pakistan was committed to taking the investigation to its logical conclusion at the earliest. He said the security of the Afghan consulates and diplomatic staff in Pakistan have been beefed up.He said the Afghan authorities want to send their teams to check the “security environment” and Islamabad has responded in affirmative to their request.He asked the Afghan government to review their decision of recalling their ambassador. “We don’t have any intention to hide anything...we need their cooperation to take the investigation to its logical conclusion,” Qureshi said.NSA Yusuf said Pakistan is in the middle of a targeted "hybrid warfare" and information war was being used against it. He said the incident of abduction was also being used to tarnish Pakistan by creating a narrative against it.He said the focus of all efforts was to create an impression that Pakistan was trying to destabilise Afghanistan and that the security situation in Pakistan was precarious."This is part of an orchestrated campaign of which various fronts have been opened against Pakistan," he said.Pakistan and Afghanistan often trade accusations, with Kabul claiming Islamabad is sending thousands of militants to fight in the war-torn country and providing safe haven for the Taliban.Pakistan, in turn, claims that Afghanistan harbours the anti-Pakistani group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan - the Pakistani Taliban - and also the secessionist Balochistan Liberation Army.Afghanistan has seen an uptick in violence after US President Joe Biden’s announcement of the withdrawal of US and NATO troops from the war-torn country. 

No evidence that Afghan ambassador's daughter was kidnapped: Pak police

Pakistan police on Monday said they have found no evidence that the daughter of the Afghan ambassador was abducted from the capital city, an incident that has triggered a major diplomatic row between the two neighboring nations.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on leftIndonesia's President Joko Widodo said that both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to attend the G20 summit to be held in Bali in November. Widodo, the current chair of the G20 group, made the remarks in a televised statement on Friday in which he said that he had telephone conversations this week with Zelenskyy and Putin.He said he urged both leaders of Ukraine and Russia to end the war through negotiations. “I reiterated the importance of ending the war immediately,” he said. “I also emphasized that peaceful efforts should continue and Indonesia is ready to contribute to these peaceful efforts.”He said that he invited Putin and Zelenskyy to the G20 summit as the war in Ukraine has had a major impact on the global economy. “We understand that the G20 plays the catalyst role in the recovery of the global economy,” Widodo said.Widodo said that he has rejected the Ukrainian leader's request for arms but instead will send humanitarian aid. “The mandate of Indonesia's constitution and the principles of our foreign policy prohibit us from providing arms assistance to other countries,” Widodo said. “However, we are ready to provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine.”Also Read | EXPLAINER: What's behind Russia's natural gas cutoff?

Both Putin, Zelensky will attend G20 meet in Indonesia, confirms Jakarta

Indonesia's President Joko Widodo, the current chair of the G20 group, made the remarks in a televised statement on Friday in which he said that he had telephone conversations this week with Zelenskyy and Putin.

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US, India and China among 12 nations decide not to recognise any Afghanistan govt imposed by force.Twelve nations, including the US, India and China, along with representatives of the UN and EU have decided that they would not recognise any government in Afghanistan that seeks to take control through the barrel of a gun, the State Department has said, amid the continued Taliban offensive across the war-torn country.Representatives from the United States and Qatar, the UN, China, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, the UK, the EU, Germany, India, Norway, Tajikistan, Turkey and Turkmenistan joined a regional conclave on Thursday to discuss ways to contain the escalating security situation in Afghanistan.The conclave was hosted by Qatar.The participants "agreed, first and foremost, that the peace process needs to be accelerated. And they also agreed, importantly, that they will not recognise any government that is imposed through military force," State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters on Thursday.His remarks came as the Taliban advanced across Afghanistan and took control over key provincial capitals.Reports say that the militant group has captured Herat and Kandahar, the country’s second and third largest cities after Kabul, and a strategic provincial capital on Thursday.It comes just weeks before the end of the American military mission in Afghanistan.The US Embassy in Afghanistan issued a security alert Thursday, urging Americans to “leave Afghanistan immediately using available commercial flight options.”"So this is not just the United States making this point. This is not just the United States speaking with our voice. This is the international community, as you see represented in the consensus that has emerged today," Prince said.He said the consensus is on "this very simple point: any force that seeks to take control of Afghanistan with the barrel of a gun, through the barrel of a gun, will not be recognised, will not have legitimacy, will not accrue the international assistance that any such government would likely need to achieve any semblance of durability."Price said the international community came together to speak with one voice on this point over the course of weeks and months."I’ve spoken just recently about the UN Security Council statement that emanated last week, where the members of the Security Council recalled Resolution 2513, reaffirmed that there is no military solution to the conflict, and declared they do not support the restoration of an Islamic emirate," Price said.JP Singh, the Joint Secretary in the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), represented India at the meeting in Doha, officials said in New Delhi.India on Thursday said the situation in Afghanistan is of concern and that it continues to hope for a comprehensive ceasefire to end violence in that country.Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi also said India is in touch with all the stakeholders in Afghanistan and closely monitoring the ground situation in the strife-torn country.Zalmay Khalilzad, the US envoy, travelled to Doha, Qatar, where the Taliban maintain a political office to persuade the insurgents to return to peace talks with the Afghan government as American and NATO forces finish their pullout from the country.The latest US military intelligence assessment suggests Kabul could come under insurgent pressure within 30 days and that, if current trends hold, the Taliban could gain full control of the country within a few months. /* .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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US, India and China among 12 nations decide not to recognise any Afghanistan govt imposed by force

Representatives from US and Qatar, the UN, China, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, the UK, the EU, Germany, India, Norway, Tajikistan, Turkey and Turkmenistan joined a regional conclave on Thursday to discuss ways to contain the escalating security situation in Afghanistan.

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US President Donald Trump with Russian President Vladimir PutinIntelligence officials have warned lawmakers that Russia is interfering in the 2020 election campaign to help President Donald Trump get reelected, three officials familiar with the closed-door briefing said Thursday. The warning raises questions about the integrity of the presidential campaign and whether Trump's administration is taking the proper steps to combat the kind of interference that the U.S. saw in 2016.The officials asked for anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence. They said the briefing last week focused on Russia’s efforts to influence the 2020 election and sow discord in the American electorate.The warning was first reported by The New York Times and The Washington Post.A senior administration officialsaid the news infuriated Trump, who complained that Democrats would use the information against him. Over the course of his presidency, Trump has dismissed the intelligence community’s assessment of Russia’s 2016 election interference as a conspiracy to undermine his victory.The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the private meeting.One day after the Feb. 13 briefing to the House Intelligence Committee, Trump berated the then-director of national intelligence, Joseph Maguire, and he announced this week that Maguire would be replaced by Richard Grenell, a Trump loyalist.U.S. intelligence agencies say Russia interfered in the 2016 election through social media campaigns and stealing and distributing emails from Democratic accounts. They say Russia was trying to boost Trump’s campaign and add chaos to the American political process. Special counsel Robert Mueller concluded that Russian interference was “sweeping and systematic,” but he did not find a criminal conspiracy between Russia and the Trump campaign.Republican lawmakers who were in last week's briefing by the DNI’s chief election official, Shelby Pierson, pushed back by noting that Trump has been tough on Russia, one of the officials said.While Trump has imposed severe economic sanctions on Russia, he also has spoken warmly of Russian leader Vladimir Putin and withdrawn troops from areas, like Syria, where Moscow could fill the vacuum. He delayed military aid last year to Ukraine, a Russian adversary — a decision that was at the core of his impeachment proceedings.The Times said Trump was angry that the House briefing was made before the panel's chairman, Rep. Adam Schiff, who led the impeachment proceedings.Trump on Thursday formally appointed Grenell, the U.S. ambassador to Germany, to replace Maguire as the new acting director of national intelligence. Maguire was required to step down soon under federal law governing acting appointments. The Times cited two administration officials as saying the timing, after the intelligence briefing, was coincidental.Grenell's background is primarily in politics and media affairs. He lacks the extensive national security and military experience of Maguire, as well as previous holders of the position overseeing the nation's 17 intelligence agencies.His appointment does little to heal the president’s fraught relations with the intelligence community, which Trump has derided as part of a “deep state” of entrenched bureaucrats that seek to undermine his agenda. The administration has most notably feuded with the intelligence community over the Russian interference and the events surrounding Trump's impeachment.Pierson told NPR in an interview that aired last month that the Russians “are already engaging in influence operations relative to candidates going into 2020. But we do not have evidence at this time that our adversaries are directly looking at interfering with vote counts or the vote tallies.”Pierson, appointed in July 2019 by then-Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, works with intelligence agencies like the CIA, the FBI, the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security to identify anyone seeking to interfere with U.S. elections.Pierson told NPR that the U.S. doesn’t know exactly what the Russians are planning, but she said it’s not just a Russia problem.“We’re still also concerned about China, Iran, non-state actors, hacktivists and frankly — certainly for DHS and FBI - even Americans that might be looking to undermine confidence in the elections.”At an open hearing this month, FBI Director Christopher Wray told the House Judiciary Committee that Russia was engaged in “information warfare” heading into the November election, but that law enforcement had not seen efforts to target America's infrastructure. He said Russia is relying on a covert social media campaign to divide the American public.Also Read | FACT CHECK: Is US President Donald Trump confused about Ahmedabad’s total population?Also Read | US-Taliban Peace deal to be signed on Feb 29, says US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

Russia interfering with US Elections 2020, say US intelligence officials

Intelligence officials have warned lawmakers that Russia is interfering in the 2020 election campaign to help President Donald Trump get reelected, three officials familiar with the closed-door briefing said Thursday.

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Trump thanks 'friend' PM Modi for Independence Day greetings, says 'America loves India'  US President Donald Trump on Saturday responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tweet greeting him and the people of the United States on the country's 244th Independence Day. Thanking PM Modi, Trump said, "America loves India."PM Modi had earlier tweeted, “ I congratulate @POTUS, @realDonaldTrump and the people of the USA on the 244th Independence Day of the USA. As the world’s largest democracies, we cherish freedom and human enterprise that this day celebrates.”To which President Trump said, “Thank you my friend. America loves India!."The two leaders are known to share an easy and increasingly close relationship, and often refer to each other as “friends”.

Trump thanks 'friend' PM Modi for Independence Day greetings, says 'America loves India'

US President Donald Trump on Saturday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his tweet on the 244th US Independence Day and said that "America loves India!"

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An Indian-origin man has been killed in the UK by an unidentified person who attacked him with a baseball bat, Scotland Yard said today as it offered a reward of 10,000 pounds for inputs leading to the accused's arrest.Satnam Singh, 45, was walking with a friend in Hayes area of southwest London when a silver car stopped. A man got out of the car and attacked them with a baseball bat on March 6.Singh, a builder, was rushed to a hospital but his condition deteriorated and he died of the injuries on May 23.Scotland Yard offered the reward of 10,000 pounds (USD 12,870) to anyone who can help solve the murder of Singh who died of a head injury inflicted in the unprovoked attack."Sadly what was being treated as an attempted murder investigation is now a murder investigation. Satnam was viciously attacked nearly three months ago and had remained in hospital with his family hardly leaving his side. His loved ones have been left completely devastated by his death," said Detective Inspector Jon Meager, from the Metropolitan Police Homicide and Major Crime Command, who is leading the probe."While there is no evidence at this time to suggest a racial motivation, officers retain an open mind as to the reason for the attack. I am convinced that the answer lies within the local community," he said.The reward will be available to anyone providing information to independent UK charity Crimestoppers that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the murder, police said, adding that it is applicable only for information passed directly to Crimestoppers."Satnam was my nephew, he was also my friend. Satnam's wife simply cannot understand what's happened and I'm struggling to comfort her," said the victim's uncle Jasbinder Singh Siekham."The whole family is devastated by this terrible attack. We all need to understand why this has happened and who has done it. We need to find peace," he said.A post-mortem examination was conducted on May 25, which had given Singh's cause of death as bronchial pneumonia and a head injury.Singh's 28-year-old friend, who was with him on the fateful night, was not seriously injured.

Indian-origin man killed in baseball bat attack in UK

A post-mortem examination was conducted on May 25, which had given Singh's cause of death as bronchial pneumonia and a head injury.

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China's anti-India move blocked by USA, Germany at UNSCIn what is being seen as a sign of global displeasure against China and Pakistan, USA and Germany blocked China's anti-India move at United Nations Security Council. The UNSC was to issue a condemnation of a terrorist attack at Karachi Stock Exchange. However, USA and Germany stepped in to delay the press statement as Pakistan was blaming India for the terrorist attack.The press statement was drafted and introduced by China.“The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Government of Pakistan and all other relevant authorities in this regard,” read the statement.On Monday (June 29) four terrorists tried to storm the building of Karachi Stock Exchange. At least 10 people were killed in the attack. The terrorists were gunned down by Pakistani security forces. Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), an insurgent group in Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the attack.However, Pakistan PM Imran Khan and Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi made statements and tried to pin the blame on India.China had introduced the draft of condemnation of Karachi attack in UNSC and as per procedure, it was to be cleared by 4 pm (New York time).However, just as the deadline was up, Germany stepped in and moved to delay the press statement. Germans said that efforts to pin the blame on India were unacceptable. The deadline was extended till 10 am on July 1. At this time, the USA intervened and asked for further delay in releasing the press statement.ALSO READ |  Defence Ministry approves proposal to acquire 33 new fighter aircraft from Russia 

China's anti-India move blocked by USA, Germany at UNSC

In what is being seen as a sign of global displeasure against China and Pakistan, USA and Germany blocked China's anti-India move at United Nations Security Council.

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Look forward to taking India-US relations to greater heights: PM Modi congratulates Biden-HarrisPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated Joe Biden, who triumphed over incumbent US President Donald Trump in a closely-fought election. Remembering Biden's "invaluable" contribution as the vice president, Modi said he was looking forward to work together once again to take India-US relations to greater heights. The 77-year-old Democrat, the oldest man ever to be elected to the White House, will be America's 46th president."Congratulations @JoeBiden on your spectacular victory! As the VP, your contribution to strengthening Indo-US relations was critical and invaluable. I look forward to working closely together once again to take India-US relations to greater heights," the prime minister wrote on Twitter.Modi also congratulated Kamala Harris, who has become the first ever woman vice president-elect of the United States. She would be the country's first Indian-origin, first Black and first African American vice president of the country. Biden and Harris would be sworn in as the President and Vice President of the country on January 20."Heartiest congratulations @KamalaHarris! Your success is pathbreaking, and a matter of immense pride not just for your chittis, but also for all Indian-Americans. I am confident that the vibrant India-US ties will get even stronger with your support and leadership," he said in a tweet. Biden ran twice unsuccessfully for president - in 1988 and 2008. Trump is now the first incumbent president to lose reelection bid after George H W Bush in 1992. Trump, 74, was in no mood to concede the race and declared himself as the winner of the November 3 presidential election.ALSO READ | ‘This isn’t over!’: Trump supporters refuse to accept defeat ALSO READ | Biden plans to increase H-1B visa limit and remove country quota for green cards  /* .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_9316524367 = { "file": "https://indiatv-vh.akamaihd.net/i/vod/0_iiggbl2h_,20,21,22,.mp4.csmil/master.m3u8", "image": "https://thumbs.indiatvnews.com/vod/0_iiggbl2h_big_thumb.jpg", "title": "US election: PM Modi congratulates Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on victory", "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": "197", "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_9316524367 = ''; jwsetup_9316524367(); function jwsetup_9316524367() { jwvidplayer_9316524367 = jwplayer("jwvidplayer_9316524367").setup(jwconfig_9316524367); jwvidplayer_9316524367.on('ready', function () { ns_.StreamingAnalytics.JWPlayer(jwvidplayer_9316524367, { publisherId: "20465327", labelmapping: "c2=\"20465327\", c3=\"IndiaTV News\", c4=\"null\", c6=\"null\", ns_st_mp=\"jwplayer\", ns_st_cl=\"0\", ns_st_ci=\"0_iiggbl2h\", ns_st_pr=\"US election: PM Modi congratulates Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on victory\", ns_st_sn=\"0\", ns_st_en=\"0\", ns_st_ep=\"US election: PM Modi congratulates Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on victory\", ns_st_ct=\"null\", ns_st_ge=\"News\", ns_st_st=\"US election: PM Modi congratulates Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on victory\", ns_st_ce=\"0\", ns_st_ia=\"0\", ns_st_ddt=\"2020-11-08\", ns_st_tdt=\"2020-11-08\", ns_st_pu=\"IndiaTV News\", ns_st_cu=\"https://indiatv-vh.akamaihd.net/i/vod/0_iiggbl2h_,20,21,22,.mp4.csmil/master.m3u8\", ns_st_ty=\"video\"" }); }); jwvidplayer_9316524367.on('all', function (r) { if (jwvidplayer_9316524367.getState() == 'error' || jwvidplayer_9316524367.getState() == 'setupError') { jwvidplayer_9316524367.stop(); jwvidplayer_9316524367.remove(); jwvidplayer_9316524367 = ''; jwsetup_9316524367(); return; } }); jwvidplayer_9316524367.on('error', function (t) { jwvidplayer_9316524367.stop(); jwvidplayer_9316524367.remove(); jwvidplayer_9316524367 = ''; jwsetup_9316524367(); return; }); jwvidplayer_9316524367.on('mute', function () { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_9316524367.on('adPlay', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_9316524367.on('adPause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_9316524367.on('pause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_9316524367.on('error', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_9316524367.on('adBlock', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); }

Look forward to taking India-US relations to greater heights: PM Modi congratulates Biden-Harris

​Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated Joe Biden, who triumphed over incumbent US President Donald Trump in a closely-fought election.

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Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the second and final presidential debate Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020, at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., with President Donald Trump.Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has warned that any country that interferes in American elections “will pay a price” if he is elected in the November 3 polls, specifically referring to alleged interference by China, Russia and Iran. Biden made the remarks while responding to a question on how he would deter foreign interference in American elections during the final presidential debate with President Donald Trump at Belmont University in Nashville on Thursday night."They will pay a price if I’m elected," Biden said."They’re interfering with American sovereignty. That’s what’s going on," he said when asked about US intelligence reports that Russia and Iran are trying to significantly interfere with the election.Trump said he was informed of the recent election interference efforts. "I knew all about that,” he said.Top US intelligence officials this week claimed that both Iran and Russia have obtained the US voter registration information in an effort to interfere in the election.They have accused Iran of being behind an email campaign in multiple battleground states that appeared to be aimed at intimidating them into voting for President Trump, a Republican.(With PTI inputs)

Biden warns any country that interferes in US elections 'will pay a price', if he is elected

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has warned that any country that interferes in American elections “will pay a price” if he is elected in the November 3 polls, specifically referring to alleged interference by China, Russia and Iran.

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Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a RAF Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, England, as they return from helping in operations to evacuate people from Kabul airport in Afghanistan Britain ended evacuation flights from Kabul airport on Saturday and began bringing troops home, even as the U.K.’s top military officer acknowledged “we haven’t been able to bring everybody out."Britain’s defense ministry said the final flight for Afghan citizens had left Kabul and further flights over the weekend will bring home British troops and diplomats, though they may also carry a few remaining U.K. or Afghan civilians.Britain’s ambassador to Afghanistan, Laurie Bristow, said from Kabul airport that it was “time to close this phase of the operation now.”“But we haven’t forgotten the people who still need to leave,” Bristow said in a video posted on Twitter. “We’ll continue to do everything we can to help them. Nor have we forgotten the brave, decent people of Afghanistan. They deserve to live in peace and security.”A Royal Air Force plane carrying U.K. diplomatic staff and soldiers landed at the RAF Brize Norton airbase northwest of London early Saturday morning. The troops from the 16 Air Assault Brigade were part of a contingent of 1,000 British soldiers who have been based in Kabul to help run the airlift.Britain says it has evacuated more than 14,500 people from Kabul in the past two weeks but that as many as 1,100 Afghans who were entitled to come to the U.K. have been left behind. Some British lawmakers who have been trying to help stranded constituents and their families believe the true total is higher.“We haven’t been able to bring everybody out, and that has been heartbreaking, and there have been some very challenging judgments that have had to be made on the ground,” the head of British armed forces, Gen. Nick Carter, told the BBC.Foreign citizens from around the world and the Afghans who worked with them have sought to leave the country since the Taliban’s swift takeover this month after most U.S. forces departed. More than 100,000 people have been evacuated through Kabul airport, according to American officials.The desperate, chaotic exodus turned deadly on Thursday, when a suicide bomber struck crowds gathered near the Kabul airport. The attack killed 169 Afghans, according to a preliminary count, and 13 American troops. Two British citizens and the child of another Briton also were among the people killed.In London, Afghans came to the Afghanistan and Central Asian Association advice center, desperate for news of friends and relatives.Saraj Deen Safi said he had been unable to make contact with relatives who were near Kabul airport since Thursday’s bomb attack. He said he hoped they would be able to reach a safe European country, but he felt “despaired” at the lack of news.While the U.K. has evacuated thousands of former interpreters and others who worked with British forces, the advice program coordinator for the London association, Shabnam Nasimi, said she was “devastated” for many others.“There are many others who indirectly supported our work there to bring about democracy and free speech and a much better society for Afghanistan,” Nasimi said. “And the fact we haven’t recognized that and now abandoned those people. And these include journalists and judges, for instance, who are directly going to be targeted by the Taliban."“The future of these individuals is very bleak,” she said.British Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised Friday to “shift heaven and earth” to get more people from Afghanistan to Britain by other means, though no concrete details have been offered.U.K. officials hope some people may be able to leave Afghanistan overland for neighboring countries, where their claims to come to the U.K. could be processed. That will depend on diplomatic coordination and cooperation — not least from the Taliban.

Afghanistan crisis: Final UK evacuation flight leaves Kabul; troops head home

Britain’s defense ministry said the final flight for Afghan citizens had left Kabul and further flights over the weekend will bring home British troops and diplomats, though they may also carry a few remaining U.K. or Afghan civilians.

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Russia-Ukraine War: Fire breaks out at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power PlantRussian forces pressed their attack on a crucial energy-producing city by shelling Europe’s largest nuclear plant early Friday, sparking a fire and raising fears that radiation could leak from the damaged power station. Plant spokesman Andriy Tuz told Ukrainian television that shells were falling directly on the Zaporizhzhia plant in the city of Enerhodar and had set fire to one of the facility’s six reactors. That reactor is under renovation and not operating, but there is nuclear fuel inside, he said.A government official told The Associated Press that elevated levels of radiation were detected near the plant, which provides about 25% of Ukraine’s power generation. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the information has not yet been publicly released.Tuz said firefighters cannot get near the flames because they are being shot at. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted a plea to the Russians to stop the assault and allow fire teams inside.“We demand that they stop the heavy weapons fire,” Tuz said in a video statement. “There is a real threat of nuclear danger in the biggest atomic energy station in Europe.”The attack renewed fears that the invasion could result in damage to one of Ukraine’s 15 nuclear reactors and trigger another emergency like the 1986 Chernobyl accident, the world’s worst nuclear disaster, which happened about 110 kilometers (65 miles) north of the capital.The mayor of Enerhodar said earlier that Ukrainian forces were battling Russian troops on the city’s outskirts. Video showed flames and black smoke rising above the city of more than 50,000, with people streaming past wrecked cars, just a day after the U.N. atomic watchdog agency expressed grave concern that the fighting could cause accidental damage to Ukraine’s 15 nuclear reactors.The Ukrainian state atomic energy company reported that a Russian military column was heading toward the nuclear plant. Loud shots and rocket fire were heard late Thursday.“Many young men in athletic clothes and armed with Kalashnikovs have come into the city. They are breaking down doors and trying to get into the apartments of local residents,” the statement from Energoatom said.Later, a live streamed security camera linked from the homepage of the Zaporizhzhia plant showed what appeared to be armored vehicles rolling into the facility’s parking lot and shining spotlights on the building where the camera was mounted.There were then what appeared to be bright muzzle flashes from vehicles, followed by nearly simultaneous explosions in the surrounding buildings. Smoke then rose into the frame and drifted away.The fighting at Enerhodar came as another round of talks between the two sides yielded a tentative agreement to set up safe corridors inside Ukraine to evacuate citizens and deliver humanitarian aid.Elsewhere, Russian forces gained ground in their bid to cut off the country from the sea, as Ukrainian leaders called on citizens to rise up and wage guerrilla war against the invaders.While the huge Russian armored column threatening Kyiv appeared bogged down outside the capital, Vladimir Putin’s forces have brought their superior firepower to bear over the past few days, launching hundreds of missiles and artillery attacks on cities and other sites around the country and making significant gains in the south.Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal called on the West to close the skies over the country’s nuclear plants as fighting intensified. “It is a question of the security of the whole world!” he said in a statement.The U.S. and NATO allies have ruled out creating a no-fly zone since the move would pit Russian and Western military forces against each other.The Russians announced the capture of the southern city of Kherson, a vital Black Sea port of 280,000, and local Ukrainian officials confirmed the takeover of the government headquarters there, making it the first major city to fall since the invasion began a week ago.ALSO READ | ​Russia-Ukraine war: Macron thinks 'worst is yet to come' in Ukraine after call with Putin

Russia-Ukraine War: Fire at nuclear plant Zaporizhzhia, Europe's largest, after Russian attacks

On Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the Russian troops had established control over Enerhodar. "There is a fire at the nuclear power plant," the NPP's press service said in a statement.

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IMAGE FOR REPRESENTATIONAn oil tanker exploded near Sierra Leone's capital, killing at least 92 people and severely injuring dozens of others after large crowds gathered to collect leaking fuel, officials and witnesses said Saturday.The explosion took place late Friday after a bus struck the tanker in Wellington, a suburb just to the east of Freetown.The mortuary at Connaught Hospital reported 92 bodies had been brought in by Saturday morning. About 30 severely burned victims were not expected to survive, according to staffer Foday Musa.Video obtained by The Associated Press showed a giant fireball burning in the night sky following the explosion, as some survivors with severe burns cried out in pain. Charred remains of the victims lay strewn at the scene awaiting transport to mortuaries.President Julius Maada Bio, who was in Scotland attending the United Nations climate talks Saturday, deplored the “horrendous loss of life.”“My profound sympathies with families who have lost loved ones and those who have been maimed as a result,” he tweeted.Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh visited two hospitals overnight and said tSierra Leone’s National Disaster Management Agency and others would “work tirelessly” in the wake of the emergency.“We are all deeply saddened by this national tragedy, and it is indeed a difficult time for our country,” he said on his Facebook page.ALSO READ |  Germany: Several injured in knife attack on train

Oil tanker explodes in Sierra Leone, killing at least 92

The explosion took place late Friday after a bus struck the tanker in Wellington, a suburb just to the east of Freetown.

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Pakistan reports two new coronavirus casesPakistan on Saturday reported two new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of positive cases to 30. Officials said that the first case was reported from the capital, Islamabad. Health and Population Welfare Department, Sindh, reported that the 20-year-old patient from Karachi had no travel history but his father returned from the UK recently.The second case was reported in the capital, Islamabad, according to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) spokesperson Waseem Khawaja.“The woman, who arrived in Islamabad from the United States, was brought to PIMS two days ago. She is in critical condition and has been put on a ventilator,” Khawaja said.So far 30 cases have been reported in Pakistan since February 26. Two of them have recovered. Also Read: Coronavirus in Europe: Spain to follow Italy into lockdown as COVID-19 cases soarAlso Read: Coronavirus: UK plans mass gathering ban, emergency laws

Pakistan reports two new coronavirus cases

Pakistan on Saturday reported two new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of positive cases to 30. Officials said that the first case was reported from the capital, Islamabad.

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The National Intelligence Service (NIS) of South Korea on Thursday warned that Pyongyang might carry out new missile tests soon, after Seoul detected movements in North's military installations.NIS representatives told a parliamentary committee that they had seen an active movement of vehicles around a missile research facility in Pyongyang which could suggest a possible missile launch for the first time since September 15, Efe news reported.Related Stories North Korea fires three missiles into sea, claims SeoulChina warns North Korea against violating UNSC resolutions North Korea lacks ability, intent to attack US planes: ExpertsThe warnings came just before US President Donald Trump begins a tour of Asia including visits to Japan, South Korea and China, centred on the North Korean crisis among other issues.Repeated weapon tests by North Korea, including a nuclear test on September 3, as well as strong war rhetoric from the Trump administration had escalated tensions to unprecedented levels since the Korean War in the 1950s.The NIS representatives said the North may carry out more nuclear tests and could push for developing miniature nuclear warheads, Yonhap reported.The NIS also said that tunnel 3 at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site was ready for a nuclear test at any moment although the facility could have suffered considerable damage after the powerful test on September 3.Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who is currently in South Korea on a two-day visit, on Thursday urged for a peaceful solution to the North Korean crisis.However, he insisted that NATO was ready for any scenario and had the capability to deter attacks.

Seoul warns of new North Korea missile tests

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who is currently in South Korea on a two-day visit, on Thursday urged for a peaceful solution to the North Korean crisis.

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donald trump, tariff, china, christmas, economy, 2020, election, re-election, trade war, xi jinping"US President Donald Trump has said that China is doing very poorly as a result of the trade war and the "longer it goes on, the stronger we get". Asserting that the United States is "having a very good discussion" on a trade deal with China, Trump told reporters at the Morristown airport in New Jersey that he will speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping "very soon".On the protests in Hong Kong which have been going on since early June, the US president said that Xi can "humanely" solve the problem so that "everybody is happy"."I think the longer the trade war goes on, the weaker China gets and the stronger we get. We're taking in massive amounts of money. Billions and billions of dollars. And I think the longer it goes, the stronger we get. I have a feeling it's going to go fairly short," he said on Thursday.As a result of the trade war, China is doing very poorly, Trump said. "The tariffs have really bitten into China. They haven't bitten into us at all except for the reporters that want to make it look that way, but they don't understand what's happening," he said."We've taken close to USD 60 billion in tariff money. The consumer has not paid for them. Now, at some point, they may have to pay something. But they understand that," Trump asserted.He claimed that millions of jobs have been lost and thousands of companies are shutting down in China."They'd love to have somebody like (former vice president Joe) Biden, who doesn't know what he's doing. I mean, I just put a clip where he said, 'Oh, we want to build up China'. Well, they gave us a very strong China which has taken out over USD 500 billion a year for many years from our country. And that's not going to happen anymore," he said.Trump, however, said that the US is having a very good discussion on a trade deal with China."We're having very good discussions with China. They very much want to make a deal. We'll see what happens. We had a deal and they decided not to make it. Now, I think they would like to have that opportunity again," the US president said. "We have a call scheduled soon. We'll be speaking with him (Xi Jinping) very soon," he said. To a question on the protests in Hong Kong, Trump said, "I really believe he (Chinese President Xi Jinping) can work it out. I know him well. If he wants to he can work that out in a very humane fashion. He can work out something so that everybody is happy."ALSO READ: UN Security Council to hold closed door discussion on Kashmir todayALSO READ: China asks for UNSC meeting to discuss Kashmir after Pakistan writes letter to UN

China doing very poorly as a result of trade war: Trump

US President Donald Trump has said that China is doing very poorly as a result of the trade war and the "longer it goes on, the stronger we get".

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Donald Trump with Kim Jong Un at Singapore SummitSouth Koreans cheered, Iran warned that President Donald Trump should not be trusted and China said it may be time to discuss lifting sanctions on North Korea as Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held an unprecedented summit Tuesday in Singapore.Around Asia and the world, many have welcomed the flurry of diplomacy in recent months between the two adversaries, after a year of mounting tension, threats and name-calling. Hopes for peace on the long-divided Korean Peninsula, however, remain tempered by the many failed attempts in the past.Related Stories Trump-Kim Singapore Summit: Is DPRK leader really ready to pack nukes away in deal with US Prez?Trump-Kim Singapore Summit : US Prez says North Korea will destroy a 'major' missile testing site"The United States and North Korea have been in a state of antagonism for more than half a century," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said. "Today, that the two countries' highest leaders can sit together and have equal talks, has important and positive meaning, and is creating a new history."Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang later said that U.N. sanctions against North Korea could be suspended or lifted in accordance with the North's actions. "We believe the Security Council should make efforts to support the diplomatic efforts at the present time," he said.Trump said at a post-summit news conference that he has held off from imposing additional sanctions, but that the U.S. would remove sanctions when the North's nuclear weapons "are no longer a factor."Iran, meanwhile, reminded Kim that Trump should not be trusted because he could nullify any nuclear deal with North Korea, just as he had pulled out of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran."We are facing a man who revokes his signature while abroad," government spokesman Mohammad Bagher Nobakht, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.South Korean President Moon Jae-in said he "could hardly sleep last night" in anticipation of the meeting and expressed hope for "complete denuclearization and peace."Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe welcomed Kim's written commitment to complete denuclearization in an agreement signed with Trump at the end of their meeting in Singapore.New Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, on a visit to Tokyo, said that "both sides must be prepared to give in certain issues if they expect to reach a good conclusion."At a train station in Seoul, the South Korean capital, people cheered and applauded as televisions screens broadcast the Trump-Kim handshake live."I really, really hope for a good outcome," said Yoon Ji, a professor at Sungshin University in Seoul. "I am hoping for denuclearization and a peace agreement and also for North Korea's economy to open up."Not everyone was optimistic. "Trump's words that the process of denuclearization on the Korean peninsula will start 'very, very soon' is more of a wish than a fact," Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the upper house of Russia's parliament, wrote on his Facebook page."The role of the international community is important here. We must take the two leaders at their word and push them further," he wrote.Japan's largest newspaper, the Yomiuri, printed a one-page "extra" edition in both Japanese and English that was distributed free in major cities 90 minutes after the meeting began.Passers-by outside a Tokyo train station snapped up 500 copies. They generally welcomed the meeting as a good first step but wondered if progress would be made on the fate of Japanese abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s."I have no idea how much the abduction issue is being taken up at the summit, but I hope it will be a good start for that issue too," said 70-year-old retiree Tomoaki Kenmotsu.Sakie Yokota, the mother of Japan's iconic abduction victim Megumi Yokota told Japanese public broadcaster NHK that it seemed like a "miracle" that Trump had raised the abduction issue with Kim. "I feel, we've finally come this far."Megumi was 13 when she was kidnapped on Japan's northern coast in 1977, on her way home from school. She is one of the 17 abductees officially recognized by the Japanese government.Abe, meanwhile, thanked Trump for raising the abduction issue with Kim and said that "Japan will deal firmly with North Korea face-to-face" to resolve it.The hard work remains to come, said Momoko Shimada, a 20-year-old student: "After the handshake and political show will be the real action. I believe that won't be easy." Watch: How Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un created history in Singapore!

Trump-Kim Singapore Summit: Iran says US President should not be trusted, South Korea cheers; China advocates lifting sanctions against North Korea

Around Asia and the world, many have welcomed the flurry of diplomacy in recent months between the two adversaries, after a year of mounting tension, threats and name-calling. Hopes for peace on the long-divided Korean Peninsula, however, remain tempered by the many failed attempts in the past.

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Outgoing US President Donald TrumpOutgoing United States President Donald Trump on Thursday unequivocally condemned last week's Capitol Hill riot, and asserted there is never a justification or an excuse for such violence. "Violence and vandalism have absolutely no place in our country and no place in our movement," he said in a video recorded in the Oval Office of the White House.'Making America Great Again' has always been about defending the rule of law, supporting the men and women of law enforcement and upholding the nation's most sacred traditions and values, Trump said."The incursion of the US Capitol struck at the very heart of our Republic. It angered and appalled millions of Americans across the political spectrum. I want to be very clear. I unequivocally condemn the violence that we saw last week," the US President said."Mob violence goes against everything I believe in and everything our movement stands for. No true supporter of mine could ever endorse political violence. No true supporter of mine could ever disrespect law enforcement or our great American flag. No supporter of mine could ever threaten or harass their fellow Americans," he said.Over the course of the past year, which was made so difficult because of COVID-19, the country has seen political violence spiral out of control, Trump said."We have seen too many riots, too many mobs, too many acts of intimidation and destruction. It must stop," he said."Whether you are on the right or on the left, a Democrat or a Republican, there is never a justification for violence. No excuses, no exceptions. America is a nation of laws. Those who engaged in the attacks last week will be brought to justice," Trump said."Now, I am asking everyone who has ever believed in our agenda to be thinking of ways to ease tensions, calm tempers, and help to promote peace in our country," he added.Noting that there have been reports of additional demonstrations being planned in the coming days both here in Washington and across the country, Trump said he has been briefed by the US Secret Service on the potential threats.Every American deserves to have their voice heard in a respectful and peaceful way. "That is your First Amendment right. But I cannot emphasize that there must be no violence, no law-breaking and no vandalism of any kind. Everyone follow our laws and obey the instructions of law enforcement," he said.Trump said that he has directed federal agencies to use all necessary resources to maintain order in Washington DC. "We are bringing in thousands of National Guard members to secure the city and ensure that a transition can occur safely and without incident," he said."Like all of you, I was shocked and deeply saddened by the calamity at the Capitol last week," the President said.In the five-minute video, Trump said there has been an unprecedented assault on free speech in recent days. "These are tense and difficult times. The efforts to censor, cancel and blacklist our fellow citizens are wrong and they are dangerous," he said."What is needed now is for us to listen to one another, not to silence one another. All of us can choose by our actions to rise above the rank and find common ground and shared purpose. We must focus on advancing the interest of the whole nation delivering the miracle vaccines, defeating the pandemic, rebuilding the economy, protecting our national security and upholding the rule of law," he said."Today, I am calling on all Americans to overcome the passions of the moment and join together as one American people. Let us choose to move forward united for the good of our families, our communities, and our country," Trump said.ALSO READ | Donald Trump on verge of 2nd impeachment after Capitol siege

In Oval Office video, Trump unequivocally condemns Capitol Hill violence

Outgoing United States President Donald Trump on Thursday unequivocally condemned last week's Capitol Hill riot, and asserted there is never a justification or an excuse for such violence.

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US President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a bill imposing new sanctions on Russia, conceding under pressure from his own party that a warmer relationship with Moscow was not in the country’s best interest.The legislation is aimed at punishing Moscow for interfering in the 2016 presidential election and for its military aggression in Ukraine and Syria, where the Kremlin has backed President Bashar Assad. It also imposes financial sanctions against Iran and North Korea.Moscow responded to a White House announcement last week that Trump intended to sign the bill, ordering a reduction in the number of U.S. diplomats in Russia.The House overwhelmingly backed the bill, 419-3, and the Senate rapidly following their lead on a 98-2 vote. Those overwhelming margins guaranteed that Congress would be able to beat back any attempt by Trump to reject the measure.Provisions backed by Republican and Democrats would handcuff Trump on the Russia sanctions resulted from lawmakers’ worries that he may ease the financial hits without first securing concessions from Russian President Vladimir Putin.Republicans refused to budge even after the White House complained that the “congressional review” infringed on Trump’s executive authority.Faced with the embarrassing possibility of being overruled by Trump’s own party, the White House announced late Friday that he “approves the bill and intends to sign it.”The proposed measures target Russia’s energy sector as part of legislation that prevents Trump from easing sanctions on Moscow without congressional approval. Two White House officials said that the president signed the bill Wednesday morning. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly before the official statement.

Trump signs bill imposing sanctions on Russia for meddling in US elections

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a bill imposing new sanctions on Russia, conceding under pressure from his own party.

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Pakistan FM Shah Mehmood Qureshi recovers from COVID-19Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday said he has recovered from COVID-19 and resumed official activities, two weeks after testing positive for the deadly disease."Thank you all for your good wishes and support. I am fortunate to be back in the office today (Friday) post #COVID,” he tweeted. Qureshi praised Pakistan's healthcare system for fighting against the pandemic.“I pay tribute to Pakistan’s healthcare and frontline workers for being our backbone in the fight against this pandemic with unyielding commitment and dedication. I salute you," the minister said.Qureshi on July 3 announced that he had tested positive for the coronavirus, joining a long list of Pakistani lawmakers who have contracted the deadly virus.Later, he was shifted to Military Hospital in Rawalpindi. He was discharged a few days ago after passive immunisation treatment.Pakistan's coronavirus cases on Friday reached 259,999 after 2,085 more people tested positive for the COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, the health ministry reported.According to the Ministry of National Health Services, another 49 patients died in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 5,475.

Pakistan FM Shah Mehmood Qureshi recovers from COVID-19

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday said he has recovered from COVID-19 and resumed official activities, two weeks after testing positive for the deadly disease.

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China announces tariff hike on $75 billion of US productsChina on Friday announced tariff hikes on $75 billion of U.S. products in retaliation for President Donald Trump’s latest planned increase, deepening a conflict over trade and technology that threatens to tip a weakening global economy into recession.China also will increase import duties on U.S.-made autos and auto parts, the Finance Ministry announced.The announcement comes as leaders of the Group of 7 major economies prepare to meet in France this weekend.Tariffs of 10 per cent and 5 per cent will take effect on two batches of goods on September 1 and December 15, the ministry said in a statement. It gave no details of what goods would be affected but the timing matches Trump’s planned duty hikes.Washington is pressing Beijing to narrow its trade surplus and roll back plans for government-led creation of global competitors in robotics, electric cars and other technology industries.The spiraling conflict has battered exporters on both sides and fueled concern it might drag down weakening global economic growth.China’s government appealed to Trump this week to compromise in order to reach a settlement.That came after Trump warned that the American public might need to endure economic pain in order to achieve long-term results.The United States, Europe, Japan and other trading partners say Beijing’s development plans violate its market-opening commitments and are based on stealing or pressuring foreign companies to hand over technology.Some American officials worry they might erode U.S. industrial leadership.Chinese leaders have offered to alter details but are resisting giving up a development strategy they see as a path to prosperity and global influence.The talks are deadlocked over how to enforce any deal. China insists Trump’s punitive tariffs have to be lifted as soon as an agreement takes effect. Washington says at least some have to stay to ensure Beijing carries out any promises it makes.Trump announced plans to raise tariffs September 1 on $300 billion of Chinese products after talks broke down in May. Increases on some goods were postponed to December 15.Trump escalated “trade frictions” that are “seriously threatening the multilateral trading system,” the Finance Ministry said. “China was forced to take countermeasures.”A separate statement said tariffs of 25 per cent and 5 per cent would be imposed on US made autos and auto parts on December 15. Beijing announced that increase last year but suspended it after Trump and his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping, agreed at a meeting in December in Argentina to put off further trade action while they negotiated.Trump and Xi agreed in June to resume negotiations. But talks in Shanghai in July ended with no indication of progress. Negotiators talked by phone this month and are due to meet again in Washington next month.Trump already has imposed 25 per cent tariffs on $250 billion of Chinese products. Beijing retaliated by imposing its own penalties on $110 billion of American goods. But their lopsided trade balance meant China was running out of imports for retaliation.Friday’s announcement, if it applied to goods not already affected by Chinese penalties, would extend tariff hikes to everything China imports from the United States. That would match Trump’s hikes, which cover almost all of what Americans buy from China.ALSO READ | IndiGo opens bookings on daily non-stop flights to ChinaALSO READ | Pakistan, China exposed at United Nations: UK, US, Canada slam 'all-weather friends' for abuse of minoritiesALSO READ | China ties shape cautious reaction to Hong Kong protestsWATCH | UN meeting: US, UK, Canada slam China, Pakistan for persecuting minorities /* .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_5015556472 = { "file": "https://indiatv-vh.akamaihd.net/i/vod/0_bhndvul4_,20,21,22,.mp4.csmil/master.m3u8", "image": "https://thumbs.indiatvnews.com/vod/0_bhndvul4_big_thumb.jpg", "title": "UN meeting: US, UK, Canada slam China, Pakistan for persecuting minorities", "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_5015556472 = ''; jwsetup_5015556472(); function jwsetup_5015556472() { jwvidplayer_5015556472 = jwplayer("jwvidplayer_5015556472").setup(jwconfig_5015556472); jwvidplayer_5015556472.on('ready', function () { ns_.StreamingAnalytics.JWPlayer(jwvidplayer_5015556472, { publisherId: "20465327", labelmapping: "c2=\"20465327\", c3=\"IndiaTV News\", c4=\"null\", c6=\"null\", ns_st_mp=\"jwplayer\", ns_st_cl=\"0\", ns_st_ci=\"0_bhndvul4\", ns_st_pr=\"UN meeting: US, UK, Canada slam China, Pakistan for persecuting minorities\", ns_st_sn=\"0\", ns_st_en=\"0\", ns_st_ep=\"UN meeting: US, UK, Canada slam China, Pakistan for persecuting minorities\", ns_st_ct=\"null\", ns_st_ge=\"News\", ns_st_st=\"UN meeting: US, UK, Canada slam China, Pakistan for persecuting minorities\", ns_st_ce=\"0\", ns_st_ia=\"0\", ns_st_ddt=\"2019-08-23\", ns_st_tdt=\"2019-08-23\", ns_st_pu=\"IndiaTV News\", ns_st_cu=\"https://indiatv-vh.akamaihd.net/i/vod/0_bhndvul4_,20,21,22,.mp4.csmil/master.m3u8\", ns_st_ty=\"video\"" }); }); jwvidplayer_5015556472.on('all', function (r) { if (jwvidplayer_5015556472.getState() == 'error' || jwvidplayer_5015556472.getState() == 'setupError') { jwvidplayer_5015556472.stop(); jwvidplayer_5015556472.remove(); jwvidplayer_5015556472 = ''; jwsetup_5015556472(); return; } }); jwvidplayer_5015556472.on('error', function (t) { jwvidplayer_5015556472.stop(); jwvidplayer_5015556472.remove(); jwvidplayer_5015556472 = ''; jwsetup_5015556472(); return; }); jwvidplayer_5015556472.on('mute', function () { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_5015556472.on('adPlay', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_5015556472.on('adPause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_5015556472.on('pause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_5015556472.on('error', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_5015556472.on('adBlock', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); }

China announces tariff hike on $75 billion of US products

Tariffs of 10 per cent and 5 per cent will take effect on two batches of goods on September 1 and December 15, the ministry said in a statement. It gave no details of what goods would be affected but the timing matches Trump’s planned duty hikes.

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Iran says ‘idiotic’ new US sanctions shut doors of diplomacyIran warned Tuesday that new U.S. sanctions targeting its supreme leader and other top officials meant “closing the doors of diplomacy” between Tehran and Washington amid heightened tensions, even as the country’s president derided the White House as being “afflicted by mental retardation.”President Hassan Rouhani went on to call the sanctions against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “outrageous and idiotic,” especially since the 80-year-old Shiite cleric has no plans to travel to the United States.Yet the sharp response from Tehran shows the pressure that the nation’s Shiite theocracy and its 80 million people feel over the maximalist campaign of sanctions by the Trump administration. From Israel, President Donald Trump’s National Security Adviser John Bolton said Iran could walk through an “open door” to talks with America, though he also warned that “all options remain on the table” if Tehran makes good on its promise to begin breaking one limit from its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.While resembling the exchange of insults just before North Korea’s leader and Trump sat down for talks, Iran so far appears to have no interest in negotiations“The useless sanctioning of Islamic Revolution Supreme Leader (Khamenei) and the commander of Iranian diplomacy means closing the doors of diplomacy by the U.S.′ desperate administration,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi tweeted. “Trump’s government is annihilating all the established international mechanisms for keeping peace and security in the world.”The crisis gripping the Middle East stems from Trump’s withdrawal of the U.S. a year ago from the nuclear deal with Iran and other world powers and then imposing crippling new sanctions on Tehran. Recently, Iran quadrupled its production of low-enriched uranium to be on pace to break one of the deal’s terms by Thursday, while also threatening to raise enrichment closer to weapons-grade levels on July 7 if European countries still abiding by the accord don’t offer a new deal.Citing unspecified Iranian threats, the U.S. has sent an aircraft carrier to the Middle East and deployed additional troops alongside the tens of thousands already there. All this has raised fears that a miscalculation or further rise in tensions could push the U.S. and Iran into an open conflict, 40 years after the Islamic Revolution.Trump enacted the new sanctions against Khamenei and his associates on Monday.That action followed Iran’s downing on June 20 of a U.S. surveillance drone, worth over $100 million, above the Strait of Hormuz, sharply escalating the crisis. Trump then said he pulled back from the brink of retaliatory military strikes but continued his pressure campaign against Iran.U.S. officials also said they plan sanctions against Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, something that drew Rouhani’s anger during his televised address Tuesday.“You sanction the foreign minister simultaneously with a request for talks,” an exasperated Rouhani said, calling the sanctions “outrageous and idiotic.”“The White House is afflicted by mental retardation and does not know what to do,” he added.There was no immediate reaction from Washington to the remarks. The sharp comments recalled North Korea’s verbal attacks on Trump before the dramatic change in course and the start of negotiations with Washington. In 2017, state media quoted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un calling Trump “the mentally deranged U.S. dotard.”However, there are no signs the Iranian leadership would welcome talks.Mousavi’s statement echoed that of Iran’s U.N. ambassador, Majid Takht Ravanchi, who warned Monday that the situation in the Persian Gulf is “very dangerous” and said any talks with the U.S. are impossible in the face of escalating sanctions and intimidation. Meanwhile, the U.S. envoy at the United Nations, Jonathan Cohen, said the Trump administration’s aim is to get Tehran back to negotiations.The sanctions were announced as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held talks with officials in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia about building a broad, global coalition that includes Asian and European countries to counter Iran. Pompeo is likely to face a tough sell in Europe and Asia, particularly from those nations still committed to the nuclear deal with Iran.Meanwhile, Bolton said Trump was open to real negotiations to eliminate Iran’s nuclear weapons program and “all that Iran needs to do is walk through that open door.” He was meeting with his Russian and Israel counterparts in a first-of-its-kind trilateral security summit in Jerusalem that was focused on Iranian involvement in regional conflicts, particularly in neighboring Syria.“As we speak, American diplomatic representatives are surging across the Middle East, seeking a path to peace. In response, Iran’s silence has been deafening,” Bolton said. “There is simply no evidence that Iran has made the strategic decision to renounce nuclear weapons and open realistic discussions to demonstrate that decision.”But only hours later, Bolton told a news conference that “all options remain on the table” if Iran goes over the limit for its low-enriched uranium stockpile as planned by Thursday.“It would not be in their interest to do it but they have done a lot of things recently that are not in their interest,” Bolton said.

Iran says ‘idiotic’ new US sanctions shut doors of diplomacy

Iran warned Tuesday that new U.S. sanctions targeting its supreme leader and other top officials meant “closing the doors of diplomacy” between Tehran and Washington amid heightened tensions, even as the country’s president derided the White House as being “afflicted by mental retardation.”

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Chinese COVID-19 vaccine BBIBP-CorV shows promise in human trial: Lancet studyOne of China's leading COVID-19 vaccine candidates, called BBIBP-CorV, was shown to be safe and elicited immune response in a small early-phase human trial, researchers said on Friday. A previous clinical trial reported similar results for a different vaccine that is also based on inactivated whole SARS-CoV-2 virus, but in that study the vaccine was only tested in people aged under 60 years.The latest study, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, included participants aged between 18 and 80 years, and found that antibody responses were induced in all recipients. Participants aged 60 and over were slower to respond, taking 42 days before antibodies were detected in all recipients compared with 28 days for participants aged 18-59, the researchers said.Antibody levels were also lower in those aged 60-80 years compared with those aged 18-59, they said. The BBIBP-CorV vaccine used in the study is based on a sample of the virus that was isolated from a patient in China.Stocks of the virus were grown in the lab using cell lines and then inactivated using a chemical called beta-proprionolactone.BBIBP-CorV includes the killed virus mixed with another component, aluminium hydroxide, which is called an adjuvant because it is known to boost immune responses.The trial was not designed to assess efficacy of the vaccine, so it is not possible to say whether the antibody responses induced by the vaccine, called BBIBP-CorV, are sufficient to protect from SARS-CoV-2 infection, according to the researchers."Protecting older people is a key aim of a successful COVID-19 vaccine as this age group is at greater risk of severe illness from the disease," said Professor Xiaoming Yang, one of the authors of the study, from the Beijing Institute of Biological Products Company Limited."However, vaccines are sometimes less effective in this group because the immune system weakens with age. It is therefore encouraging to see that BBIBP-CorV induces antibody responses in people aged 60 and older, and we believe this justifies further investigation," said Yang.There are currently 42 vaccines for COVID-19 in clinical trials, the researchers noted. These vary in type and include DNA plasmid vaccines, inactivated virus vaccines, adenovirus-vectored vaccines, RNA vaccines, protein subunit vaccines and virus-like particle vaccines, they said.Some of these have already been shown to be safe and to elicit immune responses in early phase clinical trials. The first phase of the study involved 96 healthy volunteers aged between 18 and 59 years and a second group of 96 participants aged between 60 years and 80 years. Within each group, the vaccine was tested at three different dose levels, with two vaccinations administered on day 0 and 28.A fourth group within each age group were given two doses of a placebo vaccine. In the second phase of the study, 448 participants aged between 18 and 59 years were randomly assigned to receive either one 8 microgramme shot of vaccine or placebo, or two shots of 4 microgramme vaccine or placebo.No serious adverse events were reported within 28 days of the final vaccination, and the most common side effect was pain at the injection site, the researchers said. There were no instances of clinically significant changes in organ functions detected in laboratory tests in any of the groups, they said.The greatest antibody responses were elicited by two 4 microgramme doses of the vaccine at either days 0 and 21 or 0 and 28, according to the resaerchers."Our findings indicate that a booster shot is necessary to achieve the greatest antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2 and could be important for protection. This provides useful information for a phase 3 trial,” Yang said.The researchers noted some limitations with the study, including the short duration of follow up at just 42 days. They also highlighted that the study did not include children and adolescents aged under 18."More studies are needed to establish whether the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are capable of inducing and maintaining virus-specific T-cell responses," said Professor Larisa Rudenko from the Institute of Experimental Medicine, Russia, who was not involved in the study.This is because CD4-positive T-cell help is important for optimal antibody responses, as well as for cytotoxic CD8-positive T-cell activation, which, in turn, are crucial for viral clearance if neutralising antibody-mediated protection is incomplete, Rudenko said. 

Chinese COVID-19 vaccine BBIBP-CorV shows promise in human trial: Lancet study

A previous clinical trial reported similar results for a different vaccine that is also based on inactivated whole SARS-CoV-2 virus, but in that study the vaccine was only tested in people aged under 60 years.

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Miss Universe Anastasiia Lenna (L), Ukranian MP Kira Rudik (R)Russia troops have reached inside Ukraine, including its capital Kyiv and important city Kharkiv. Amid tensions rife in the country, several Ukranian women have decided to take up arms to fight the Russian military. These women include Member of Parliament (MP) Kira Rudik, and Ukranian Miss Universe Anastasiia Lenna."I learn to use Kalashnikov and prepare to bear arms. It sounds surreal as just a few days ago it would never come to my mind. Our women will protect our soil the same way as our men. Go Ukraine!", tweeted Rudik, along with a picture of her holding arms.Former Miss Universe Anastasiia Lenna also shared her picture on Instagram with arms wrapped around her. She showed support for Ukraine with hashtags like #standwithukraine and #handsoffukraine.On Friday, another Ukrainian woman had confronted the Russian Military, showed a viral video. Hailed as “fearless”, many on Twitter and other social media platforms have posted a video of the woman standing up to heavily-armed Russian soldiers demanding to know what they are doing in her country.At least 150,000 people have fled Ukraine into Poland and other neighboring countries in the wake of the Russian invasion, the U.N. refugee agency said Saturday. Some walked many miles through the night while others fled by train, car or bus, forming lines miles long at border crossings. They were greeted by waiting relatives and friends or headed on their own to reception centers organized by neighboring governments.The agency expects up to 4 million Ukrainians could flee if the situation deteriorates further, reported news agency AP.

Ukrainian women including MPs, Miss Universe pick up arms amid Russian invasion

Former Miss Universe Anastasiia Lenna also shared her picture on Instagram with arms wrapped around her. She showed support for Ukraine with hashtags like #standwithukraine and #handsoffukraine.

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China, which is constructing many hydropower projects in Tibet, plans to focus on dam building on rivers close to its provinces and not on the Brahmaputra which sparked concerns in India, state media reported today.  China had last month rejected as “false and untrue” a media report that it was planning to build a 1,000-km long tunnel to divert water from the Brahmaputra river in Tibet close to Arunachal Pradesh to the parched Xinjiang region.  India, as a riparian state, had flagged its concerns to China about various dams being built by it on the Brahmaputra river, which is known in China as Yarlung Tsangpo.  An article in Global Times said that “the Jinsha, Lancang and Nujiang rivers are famous waterways in Tibet with enormous hydropower potential, but they do not run through India.  “This does not necessarily mean hydropower stations in transboundary rivers flowing from China to India, such as the Yarlung Zangbo River (Brahmaputra), will be isolated from the plan to transfer Tibet’s electricity out, but they may be not the first choice,” the article said.   The Zangmu dam over the Brahmaputra, which became partially operational in 2014, raised serious concerns in India as the first major hydropower project among few more planned by China on the trans-border river in Tibet.  The dam’s reservoir capacity of just 86.6 million cubic meters of water accounts for a tiny portion of the average annual runoff of the Brahmaputra, the article said.  “In any case, India does not need to be oversensitive to Tibet’s hydropower development plan,” it said.Tibet wants to accelerate water-resource exploitation and make it a new source of economic growth by selling excess hydropower to economically prosperous regions, it said.  “But there are still a number of challenges. Once hidden costs of transmission are considered, sending electricity over long distances is inherently inefficient.  “To transfer Tibet’s electricity out, the exploitation of hydropower resources in the region is likely to be mainly concentrated on the Jinsha River, Lancang River and Nujiang River, which are located close to the border area between Tibet and other Chinese provinces,” it said.  India’s concerns figured in the official media coverage of the USD three-billion Suwalong project over the Jinsha river which state-run Xinhua news agency is proceeding smoothly. The Jinsha is a tributary of the Yangtze river. The Suwalong project is located at the junction of Mangkam county of Tibet and Batang county of Sichuan province in southwest China. It will be the largest power station in Tibet upon completion, bigger than Zangmu dam over the Brahmaputra.  The power station has a designed capacity of 1.2 million kilowatts and will be able to generate about 5.4 billion kwh of electricity per year. A 112-meter-high dam will be built to form a reservoir that can store about 674 million cubic meters of water.  Generators are expected to start operations in 2021.

‘China for more dams on Tibetan rivers instead of Brahmaputra’

India, as a riparian state, had flagged its concerns to China about various dams being built by it on the Brahmaputra river, which is known in China as Yarlung Tsangpo.