Dubai to have world’s first air taxi, agreements inked at World Government Summit 2024

MMNN: 13 Feb 2024
Delhi|In a pathbreaking move set to revolutionize urban transportation, Dubai has inked agreements at the World Government Summit 2024 to launch the world's first air taxi service. The agreements pave the way for Dubai to pioneer the deployment of a city-wide electric aerial taxi service and vertiport network.
At the heart of the initiative lies the Joby Aviation S4, an innovative aircraft designed to comfortably accommodate four passengers along with a pilot. Sporting six propellers and powered by four battery packs, the S4 boasts a maximum range of 161 km and a top speed of 321 km per hour. Its Vertical take-off and landing capabilities render it ideal for urban settings, minimizing the space requirements typical of conventional stations and reducing noise pollution compared to helicopters. With an eye toward efficiency, safety, and sustainability, the air taxi project promises a host of benefits, including reduced noise levels, zero operating emissions, and enhanced passenger convenience. Leveraging cutting-edge technology, these aerial vehicles aim to seamlessly integrate into Dubai's urban landscape, offering swift and eco-friendly transportation solutions. The electric-powered aircraft can be swiftly recharged between flights, the initiative represents a bold step toward a more sustainable and accessible transportation future.
The air-taxi network will commence its operations in 2026, marking a significant milestone in Dubai's quest to redefine urban mobility.

Election Commission of Pakistan issued orders to hold re-elections at various polling places nationwide following destruction of voting materials by crowd of outrageous people

MMNN: 11 Feb 2024
Delhi|The Election Commission of Pakistan issued orders to hold re-elections at various polling places nationwide following the verification of complaints regarding the snatching and damaging of voting materials. According to media reports having crossed through all challenging phases in conducting nationwide elections on February 8, the poll organising authority is now in the final stages of announcing vote results as the compilation process enters its 48th hour.
In a recent development, the top electoral body has scheduled repolling at multiple polling stations. Re-polling will take place at 26 polling stations following the destruction of voting materials by a crowd of outrageous people.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Meets President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan

MMNN: 09 Feb 2024
Delhi|Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, Dr Hasan Mahmud called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan today.
Welcoming Dr Mahmud, the President conveyed congratulations to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her unprecedented fourth consecutive term as Prime Minister of Bangladesh. The President expressed confidence that under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s leadership, Bangladesh will achieve new milestones of progress and prosperity.
President Droupadi Murmu said that a strong, stable and prosperous Bangladesh is in India's interest, and there is immense political will on both sides to see the relationship grow. She further expressed satisfaction at the progress made in almost all areas of bilateral cooperation, such as border and security, trade, connectivity, power, infrastructure, people to people contacts, among others. The President noted that both sides have been reviving rail, road and waterways that traditionally linked the people and economies on both sides, and are also simultaneously creating new connectivity links.
Dr Mahmud arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday on a four day official visit.

EAM S. Jaishankar met Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Dr. Hasan Mahmud in New Delhi

MMNN: 08 Feb 2024
Delhi|External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Dr. Hasan Mahmud in New Delhi yesterday evening. The External Affairs Minister held delegation-level talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart and hosted a dinner in his honour. During their interaction, the two Ministers reviewed the progress in wide-ranging areas of bilateral relations, including cross-border connectivity, economic and development partnership, cooperation in defence and security, power, energy, water resources and people-to-people exchanges. They also discussed areas of future engagement in line with the national development goals of the two countries, including the visions of Viksit Bharat 2047 and Smart Bangladesh 2041. The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and multilateral issues of common interest. They expressed commitment to further enhance their collaboration to promote sub-regional cooperation within the framework of BIMSTEC, IORA and BBIN.
The visiting dignitary paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat yesterday. He also met National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
During the visit, Mr Mahmud will call on President Droupadi Murmu and hold a meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.
Dr Mahmud arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday on a four day official visit.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe inaugrates fifth session of ninth Parliament of Sri Lanka

MMNN: 7 Feb 2024
Delhi|The fifth session of the ninth Parliament of Sri Lanka was inaugurated by President Ranil Wickremesinghe today. Presenting the policy statement, President Wickremesinghe announced key economic highlights of his government. The president unveiled plans for economic revival which included a Debt restructuring strategy in the first six months of the year. In addition, Mr. Wickremasinghe outlined the positives for the island nation and added that tourism and industry were taking a positive turn. Plans were outlined to reduce the tax burden as economic reforms continue to stabilize the economy, while also revising the VAT percentage to further support economic growth. The President expressed optimism about achieving economic growth of 2% to 3% this year with scope for further increase in years to come.

Sri Lanka is in the process of reviving its economy after it faced its worst-ever economic crisis over the last two years. India has been a crucial support through assistance of over 4 billion dollars and financing assurances to the IMF.

Russia and China Slam US Air Strikes in Iraq and Syria at UN Security Council Meeting

MMNN: 6 Feb 2024
Delhi|Russia and China have slammed the United States for its recent air strikes on targets in Iraq and Syria. The two countries accused Washington of raising the risk of regional escalation at a meeting of the United Nations Security Council in New York late yesterday. Russia also asserted that the US decision to launch the attacks was linked to the upcoming presidential election.

China also condemned the attacks. Beijing’s ambassador Zhang Jun echoed the concern about escalating tensions.

The attacks followed a drone strike on a US base in Jordan that killed three American soldiers.

President of Chile Gabriel Boric announces national mourning for two days in honor of fire victims

MMNN: 5 Feb 2024
Delhi|President of Chile Gabriel Boric has announced national mourning for two days in honor of the fire victims. Deadly wildfires in Chile have claimed at least 112 lives till now and hundreds of people also have been reported missing. The President warned that the country faces a tragedy of very great magnitude.

A state of emergency has been proclaimed as smoke engulfed the coastal cities of Chile, forcing residents in core regions to flee their homes. Wildfires that began several days ago are menacing the outer edges of Vina del Mar and Valparaiso, two coastal cities popular with tourists. Curfew has been enforced in the towns of Vina del Mar, Quilpue, Villa Alemana, and Limache so that officials could concentrate on putting out the fires. The mayor of Quilpue said that the fire was probably the largest ever in the area and that around 1,400 homes had been damaged.

EAM Dr S Jaishankar says Indian investments in Tanzania are growing in wide range of areas.

MMNN: 8 july 2023
Delhi|External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has said that Indian investments to Tanzania are growing in a wide range of areas. Speaking at the India-Tanzania business conclave in Dar es Salaam, he said India is Tanzania's best trading partner, and New Delhi is committed to taking the partnership forward. He noted that strong growth in both countries opens up more possibilities. Dr Jaishankar informed that India is investing in building African capabilities, and the IIT Madras Zanzibar campus is its most visible symbol.

During the visit, the Minister had a productive regional Ambassadorial conference in Dar es Salaam, where he took stock of India's relations with different countries. He underlined India’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with Africa and the Global South. Dr. Jaishankar inaugurated the bust of Swami Vivekananda at the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre in Dar es Salaam.

Member of US President's Advisory Commission recommends recapture of all unused green cards for family and employment categories since 1992

MMNN: 7 July 2023
Delhi|A member of the US President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders has recommended recapture of all unused green cards for family and employment categories since 1992. T

he move could benefit thousands of Indian-Americans waiting for their green cards. This includes the recapture of more than 2,30,000 unused employment-based green cards from 1992 to 2022 and processing a portion of these every fiscal year in addition to the annual limit of 1,40,000 for this category, Indian-American Ajay Bhutoria said in his set of recommendations submitted before the commission on Thursday.

Recapture Unused Green Cards and Prevent Future Green Card Waste aims to address bureaucratic delays in the green card application process and provide relief to individuals waiting in backlogs, he said.

The President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders is now voting to approve draft recommendations for submission and full commission approved Recapture of unused Green card visas!

Shanghai Cooperation Organization reaffirms its commitment to combat terrorism, separatism and extremism

MMNN: 6 July 2023
Delhi|Emmanuel Bonne, Diplomatic Advisor to the President of France, called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi today. They briefed about the progress in various areas of bilateral cooperation in the context of the upcoming visit of Mr. Modi to France. Shri Modi thanked President Emmanuel Macron for inviting him as the special guest at the Bastille Day celebrations on the 14th of this month. On his recent meeting with President Macro in Hiroshima, Shri Modi said that the talks in Paris will further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Shanghai Cooperation Organization reaffirms its commitment to fight terrorism, separatism and extremism

MMNN: 5 July 2023
Delhi|The Shanghai Cooperation Organization has expressed its commitment to fight terrorism, separatism and extremism. The organization has stressed on measures to stop terror financing, prevent radicalization of youth and eliminate sleeper cells and terrorist safe havens and their cross-border movement.

The New Delhi Declaration was adopted after a virtual meeting of the Organization's Heads of State. Accordingly, the member states shall endeavor to develop common principles and approaches to prepare a unified list of terrorist, separatist and extremist organizations. The activities of these extremist organizations are banned in the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Member countries opposed the militarization of information and communication technologies. In addition, concerns were expressed about the increased production, trafficking and abuse of narcotics and the dangers of using drug-trafficking proceeds as terrorist financing.

America: 10,000 people gather in Texas to recite Bhagavad Gita on the occasion of Guru Purnima

MMNN: 4 July 2023
Delhi| On the occasion of Guru Purnima, ten thousand people gathered together to recite Bhagavad Gita at Allen East Center in Texas, USA tomorrow. gathered for This grand event was organized for the first time. The recitation of Bhagavad Gita during the event emphasized the importance of the holy book as a light in the spiritual life of the people. The event was organized by Yoga Sangeeta Trust America and SGS Geeta Foundation.

President Vladimir Putin accuses West of wanting Russians to kill each other during mutiny by Wagner group

MMNN: 27 Jun 2023
Delhi|Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday accused Ukraine and its Western allies of wanting Russians to kill each other during a revolt by the Wagner group. Putin said this in his first address to the nation since the rebels pulled back. He said that he had issued orders to avoid bloodshed. Putin said that amnesty was granted to the Wagner fighters, whose mutiny served up the greatest challenge yet to his two-decade rule. He added that Wagner fighters could choose whether to join the Russian army or leave for Belarus, or even return to their homes. Putin also paid tributes to pilots who were killed during the failed weekend mutiny. He thanked his security officials for their work during the armed rebellion. Meanwhile, Despite the deal to end the Wagner mutiny, Yevgeny Prigozhin remains under investigation for trying to organise an armed rebellion. Prigozhin has said in an audio message that the move was a protest against Russia’s military leadership and not an attempted coup. Earlier, United States President Joe Biden said that Washington and NATO had no involvement in the Wagner uprising. According to the State Department, US Ambassador Lynne Tracy had directly contacted Russia and made it clear that the US was not involved.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets CEO of Google, CEO of Amazon and CEO of Boeing in Washington DC

MMNN: 24 Jun 2023
Delhi|Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met CEOs of three big US companies Google, Amazon and Boeing. Google's Sundar Pichai told Mr. Modi that Google is investing $10 billion in the Digitization Fund in India. He also announced that Google will open its Global Fintech Operations Center in GIFT City, Gujarat. Mr. Pichai said that the Prime Minister's vision of Digital India is a source of inspiration for other countries as well. Amazon CEO Andrew Jesse said that his company is among the biggest investors in India and Amazon has already invested $11 billion in India. Mr. Jesse said that this investment will be increased by another 15 billion dollars. Boeing CEO Mr. David Calhoun said that the most important thing is Mr. Modi's passion for India's development. He said that Shri Modi has a special interest in the aviation sector. He said that transparency of leadership with technology and technology is invaluable for any country.

Bilateral talks between Prime Minister and US President Joe Biden continue at White House

MMNN: 22 Jun 2023
Delhi|The US President said in his speech that the relationship between America and India is one of the historical relations of the 21st century. He said that he was proud to be the first President of the United States to host a state visit by Mr. Modi. Mr. Biden said that India and America need to work together in the challenges and opportunities that are there today. He said that both the countries are making efforts to jointly solve problems like poverty, climate change and food security. He was received by US President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden. The national anthems of India and America were played on this occasion. An American delegation led by US Vice President Kamala Harris also received the Prime Minister at the White House Complex. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra and Indian Ambassador to the US Taranjit Sandhu were present on the occasion. A large number of people from the overseas Indian community also reached the White House to see and welcome the Prime Minister. Bilateral talks have started between Prime Minister Modi and US President Joe Biden.

Grand welcome to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at White House

MMNN: 22 Jun 2023
Delhi|Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that friendship between India and America will help in increasing the power of the entire world in the post-Cold War era. In his address at the grand reception at the White House in Washington DC this evening, Prime Minister Modi said that India and the United States are committed to working together for world welfare and peace, stability and prosperity. He said that India and America are proud of their diversity and believe in the fundamental principle of everyone's interest, everyone's welfare. Shri Modi said that he will discuss regional and global issues during his talks with US President Joe Biden. He expressed confidence that the talks would be positive. Mr. Modi thanked Mr. Biden for his warm welcome, the visionary speech of the US President and friendship. He said that this grand ceremony is the honor of one billion and forty crore people of India and four million non-resident Indians.

International Day of Yoga being observed across the world today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lead the celebrations at the United Nations Headquarters in New York

MMNN: 21 Jun 2023
Delhi|Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India's culture, social structure, spirituality and ideals have always been nurturing traditions that unite people, adopt and embrace them. Greeting people on the International Day of Yoga through a video message, Shri Modi said that Yoga creates a healthy and powerful society where the collective energy is greater. He said that those who do yoga regularly get healthy AYUSH strength. The Prime Minister will attend the Yoga Day celebrations at the United Nations Headquarters at 5.30 pm today. He said that it is historic and unprecedented for 180 countries to celebrate Yoga Day together. He said that Yoga has become a global spirit and is spreading the message of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam all over the world. Shri Modi said that keeping in mind the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, the theme of the G-20 Summit this year has been kept – One Earth, One Family and One Future. The Prime Minister highlighted the idea of ​​the Ocean Ring of Yoga which makes Yoga Day even more special. Mr Modi said it is based on the correlation between the idea of ​​yoga and the vastness of the ocean. He also highlighted the 'Yoga Bharatmala and Yoga Sagarmala' made by the army personnel using water sources. Shri Modi said that two research bases of India from Arctic to Antarctica are also connected with Yoga. He emphasized that the participation of crores of people of the country and the world in such a spontaneous manner in this unique festival shows the vastness and fame of Yoga.

World Bank likely to approve substantial aid package worth 700 million to crisis-hit Sri Lanka

MMNN: 19 Jun 2023
Delhi|World Bank is likely to approve a substantial aid package worth $700 million to crisis-hit Sri Lanka. Agency sources report that the board meeting, scheduled for 28th of June, would allow the largest funding tranche the island nation has received since securing a deal with the International Monetary Fund in March. The proposed funding would comprise $500 million for budgetary support, likely to be disbursed in two installments of $250 million each. The initial tranche is anticipated to be granted immediately following board approval, with the second installment potentially arriving in October, contingent upon Sri Lanka's progress in debt restructuring and the upcoming first review of the IMF program in September. Additionally, an allocation of $200 million will be earmarked for programs aimed at assisting the country's impoverished population, which has swelled to 25% in the wake of last year's severe economic crisis. The country experienced a record 7.8% contraction last year, primarily due to depleted foreign exchange reserves. In March, the International Monetary Fund approved a rescue package of nearly $3 billion. Sri Lanka anticipates that this endorsement will attract additional funding of up to $4 billion from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and other multilateral institutions.

First Women's Kabaddi League Inaugurated in Dubai, Showcasing India's Talented Athletes

MMNN: 17 Jun 2023
Delhi|Following the success of the Men's Pro Kabaddi League, it is now the turn of female athletes to shine on the kabaddi mat. The inaugural edition of India's first-ever Women's Kabaddi League (WKL) commenced with great fanfare in Dubai on June 16. This historic event marks the first time that women kabaddi players from across India have been given the opportunity to exhibit their skills and prowess on a global stage. The league consists of eight teams, featuring a total of 96 players, each representing Indian states. These teams bear the names of various states, including the Delhi Dynamites, Gujarat Angels, Great Marathas, Haryana Hustlers, Punjab Panthers, Rajasthan Riders, Uma Kolkata, and Bengaluru Hawks. The victorious team will be awarded a prize of approximately half a million dirhams (equivalent to 1 crore INR). The opening ceremony of the IPL-style women's kabaddi league was graced by the presence of Bollywood actor Govinda, who unveiled the coveted trophy. APS Sports, the primary organizer of the WKL, highlighted that this substantial reward exemplifies the league's commitment to acknowledging and appreciating the relentless efforts, dedication, and exceptional talent exhibited by these outstanding athletes. The Women's Kabaddi League is set to span over a period of 12 days, from June 16 to June 27, at the Shabab Al Ahli Sports Club in Dubai. The league's overarching objective is to enhance the prominence of kabaddi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and empower female athletes from India. It provides a robust platform for these exceptional talents to exhibit their prowess, ultimately inspiring a new generation of kabaddi enthusiasts. Pradeep Kumar Nehra, director of the Women's Kabaddi League, emphasized the league's mission and its impact on women's empowerment, stating, "We have started the league to promote women power. Talented girls from villages and rural areas, who were playing very well in school and college, but could not find a good platform. We tried to give them a platform". Chandrashekhar Bhatia, a resident of Dubai, shared his thoughts on the initiative, saying, "This is an initiative to fulfill the Prime Minister's dream of promoting women in sports. In the coming times, we hope basketball, kho-kho, cricket, and other events will be organised." As the Women's Kabaddi League unfolds in Dubai, it promises to captivate audiences with exhilarating matches and extraordinary displays of athleticism. This landmark event stands as a testament to the growing recognition and support for women's sports, paving the way for a brighter future for female athletes in India and beyond.

UAE President Calls for Dialogue and Diplomacy to Resolve Ukraine Crisis

MMNN: 16 Jun 2023
Delhi|President of UAE Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has reiterated the UAE's commitment to de-escalation and a negotiated political solution to the crisis in Ukraine.Sheikh Mohamed made the call during a working visit to St. Petersburg, Russia, where he met with President Vladimir Putin. The two leaders discussed the longstanding relations between the UAE and Russia, and expressed their ongoing commitment to further build on the bilateral ties.Sheikh Mohamed stressed the importance of accelerating efforts to mitigate the humanitarian repercussions of the crisis in Ukraine, and supporting prisoner-exchange initiatives on both sides. He also called for communication and dialogue to support regional and international stability and peace.The UAE President was accompanied during the working visit by a delegation including Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Ali bin Hammad Al Shamsi, Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, and Dr. Mohammed Ahmed Al Jaber. The visit comes as part of the UAE's continuous communication with all nations in an effort to build bridges and foster positive partnerships to ensure regional and international security and stability. The visit of Sheikh Mohamed to Russia is a significant one, as it comes at a time of heightened tensions between Russia and the West over the crisis in Ukraine. Moreover, the UAE is currently participating in the four-day St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2023) as a 'Guest of Honour.' The UAE's high-level delegation, composed of representatives from various ministries, institutions, government agencies, and major national companies, is actively involved in discussing key economic issues concerning Russia, emerging markets, and the global landscape. The UAE's call for dialogue and diplomacy is a positive step forward, and it is hoped that the meeting between Sheikh Mohamed and President Putin will yield progress in resolving the Ukraine crisis. This visit also underscores the significance of the UAE-Russia strategic partnership, which has long-standing cooperation in trade, investment, and security matters. The UAE's continued engagement with Russia plays a vital role in ensuring regional stability and fostering mutual understanding.

Former PM Boris Johnson deliberately misled UK Parliament, says Committee Report

MMNN: 15 Jun 2023
Delhi|In the United Kingdom, the main disciplinary body for lawmakers known as the House of Commons Privileges Committee has said that former Prime Minister Boris Johnson deliberately misled the British Parliament in an unprecedented way over rule-breaking parties at his office during COVID-19 lockdowns. The verdict by the Committee has further tarnished Johnson's image. The committee also said that he should be stripped of automatic access to parliament. The Committee also accused Johnson of being involved in a campaign of abuse and attempted intimidation towards them.
Johnson had earlier dismissed the report terming it a lie while accusing the Committee members of waging a vendetta against him. Johnson resigned from Parliament on the 9th of June after seeing an advance copy of the report, calling the inquiry a witch hunt.

Donald Trump to appear in federal court to face criminal charges

MMNN: 13 Jun 2023
Delhi|Former President Donald Trump will appear in federal court in Miami on Tuesday to face criminal charges that he unlawfully kept national security documents when he left office. It will be the second courtroom visit for Trump since April, when he was charged by a Manhattan grand jury in a separate hush-money case. Meanwhile, Trump has denied any wrongdoing in both cases and accused Democratic President Joe Biden of orchestrating the federal cases to undermine his campaign for the 2024 presidential election. U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is leading the prosecution, accuses Trump of taking thousands of papers containing some of the nation's most sensitive national-security secrets when he left the White House in January 2021 and storing them in a haphazard manner at his Mar-a-Lago Florida estate. The indictment alleges Trump lied to officials who tried to get them back. The 37-count indictment includes violations of the Espionage Act, which criminalizes unauthorized possession of defence information, and conspiracy to obstruct justice, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Earthquake of magnitude 6.2 hits Japan

MMNN: 12 Jun 2023
Delhi|A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido yesterday, June 11. Japan's Meteorological Agency said, no tsunami warning was issued. The quake was 140 kilometres deep and struck the southwestern part of Hokkaido. It shook much of the island, including the cities of Chitose and Atsumacho, the agency added. There were no immediate reports of casualties due to the earthquake, police and other local authorities said. Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone nations.

Donald Trump indicted on 37 counts in Mar-a-Lago documents case

MMNN: 10 Jun 2023
Delhi|Former US president Donald Trump was indicted yesterday on 37 counts in the Mar-a-Lago documents case after he illegally kept top secret files on US nuclear and weapons programs and defense plans after leaving the White House. The charges against Trump include willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice, corruptly concealing documents, and false statements. The charges, brought by Justice Department Special Counsel Jack Smith, bring up to 20 years in prison each.

India, France, and UAE Conclude Successful Trilateral Maritime Exercise in Gulf of Oman, Enhancing Naval Cooperation

MMNN: 9 Jun 2023
Delhi|India, France, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) successfully concluded their first trilateral maritime exercise in the Gulf of Oman on June 8. The two-day exercise, which began on June 7, involved the participation of naval assets from all three countries. The exercise was aimed at enhancing maritime security and interoperability among the participating nations. The exercise witnessed a wide spectrum of naval operations such as Surface Warfare, involving tactical firing and Drills for Missile engagements on surface targets, Helicopter Cross Deck Landing Operations, gunnery exercises, seamanship drills, Advanced Air Defence Exercises and Boarding operations. The exercise included cross-embarkation of personnel for the exchange of best practices. India was represented in the exercise by the guided-missile frigate INS Tarkash. France was represented by the frigate FS Surcouf and fighter aircraft. The UAE was represented by Maritime Patrol Aircraft. Helicopters from all three countries participated in the exercise. The exercise was a success, and the participating navies were able to achieve their objectives. They were able to improve their coordination and interoperability, and they were able to exchange valuable information and best practices. The successful conclusion of the first trilateral maritime exercise is a significant milestone in the growing cooperation between India, France, and the UAE. The maiden exercise aimed at enhancing trilateral cooperation between the three navies and paved the way for adopting measures toward addressing traditional and non-traditional threats in the maritime environment. The exercise will also enhance collaboration in ensuring the safety of mercantile trade and freedom of navigation at high seas in the region.

BIMSTEC framework showcases India’s commitment to rapid development of region through joint endeavours: PM Modi

MMNN: 6 Jun 2023
Delhi|Leaders of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) grouping have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen regional cooperation. The leaders issued messages on the occasion of the 26th anniversary of the BIMSTEC on Tuesday, 6th June. Secretary General Tenzin Lekphell in his message on this occasion said that as it marks its 26th anniversary, BIMSTEC seeks to revisit and re-examine its working methods to better serve the people through the appointment of an Eminent Persons Group to put forth practical recommendations on its future directions. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh highlighted the importance of regional cooperation to meet the challenges of the economic crisis caused by the Ukraine war. She commended BIMSTEC for creating its administrative and regulatory structure and its charter. She reiterated Bangladesh’s commitment to help BIMSTEC in transforming itself into a results-driven organisation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his message said that BIMSTEC framework is India’s commitment to create an enabling environment for the rapid development of the region through joint endeavours in a spirit of equality and friendship. He said the current efforts to have a maritime cooperation agreement and an agreement to facilitate the movement of motor vehicles across the region reinforces the importance of the Bay of Bengal for our collective security, connectivity and prosperity. BIMSTEC is a regional organisation. Established in 1997, it comprises seven member states including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal. Its headquarter is based in Dhaka.

Indian American Ajay Banga takes over as World Bank President

MMNN: 3 Jun 2023
Delhi|Indian American Ajay Banga took over as the President of the World Bank on Friday, making him the first person of colour to head either of the two global financial institutions, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
On May 3, the Executive Directors of the World Bank selected Banga, 63, as the 14th President of the World Bank for a five-year term. In February, President Joe Biden announced that the US would nominate Banga to lead the World Bank.
Banga has become the first-ever Indian-American to head the World Bank. He replaces David Malpass, who announced his decision to step down in February.
On Thursday, a media release said that Treasury Yellen met with Banga at the Treasury Department. During their engagement, Yellen warmly welcomed Banga's upcoming presidency and conveyed her strong desire for the Treasury to continue close collaboration with him in building on the strong progress made so far on evolving multilateral development banks.

EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar and his South African counterpart review progress of strategic partnership; Agree to commemorate 30th anniversary of their diplomatic ties.

MMNN: 1 Jun 2023
Delhi|External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and his South African counterpart agreed to commemorate the 30th anniversary of their diplomatic ties in a fitting manner in Cape Town today. In a tweet, Dr Jaishankar said that they also reviewed the progress of strategic partnership between India and South Africa. The discussions also held on collaborations within prominent forums such as BRICS, IBSA, G20, and the United Nations, where both the countries have a strong tradition of close cooperation.
Dr. Jaishankar also met Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan today. In the meeting with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister, both leaders expressed their commitment to advancing bilateral cooperation through the Strategic Partnership Council, reinforcing the strong ties between India and Saudi Arabia. They also exchanged views on the global situation.
Dr Jaishankar is on a two nation tour of South Africa and Namibia from today. This is the first visit by an External Affairs Minister of India to Namibia.

Nepal PM Prachanda to reach New Delhi on Wednesday on 4-day visit to India

MMNN: 30 May 2023
Delhi|Prime Minister of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda will reach New Delhi on Wednesday afternoon on a four-day official visit to India. This will be his the first bilateral visit abroad after assuming office in December last year. He will be accompanied by a high-level delegation. During the visit, the Nepalese Prime Minister will call on President and Vice-President and will hold extensive talks with Prime Minister Modi to discuss the diverse areas of the bilateral partnership between India and Nepal. In addition to the official engagements, Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda will be visiting Ujjain and Indore as part of his visit. Ministry of External Affairs said, the visit continues the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between India and Nepal in furtherance of India's Neighbourhood First policy. It said, the bilateral relations between the two countries have significantly strengthened in the last few years in all areas of cooperation. This visit underscores the importance given by both sides in adding further momentum to the bilateral partnership.

BAPS Hindu Temple in Abu Dhabi Leaves a Lasting Impression on Global Diplomats, Reflecting Harmony and Cultural Exchange

MMNN: 26 May 2023
Delhi|Diplomats from more than 30 countries embarked on a visit to the remarkable BAPS Hindu Temple complex in Abu Dhabi yesterday. The foundation stone of the temple was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018. Hosted by Sunjay Sudhir, Ambassador of India to the UAE, the visit aimed to showcase the temple's exquisite carvings and motifs representing diverse cultures from around the world, emphasizing the values of unity and cultural appreciation. During the visit, Ambassador Sudhir provided updates on the temple's progress since its foundation stone was laid, symbolizing the deep historical and cultural bonds between India and the UAE. Sunjay Sudhir, the Indian ambassador to the UAE, highlighted the longstanding friendship between India and the UAE, rooted in history, culture, and trade. He commended the tolerance and generosity of the UAE leadership and expressed his belief that the temple represents the collective aspirations of the Indian community in the UAE, particularly the saints and volunteers of BAPS, who tirelessly and selflessly serve to build this temple of tolerance and harmony. Through a video presentation, Dr. S. Jaishankar, the Minister of External Affairs of India, spoke about the temple's significance for the UAE and the world. He expressed his deep respect for the vision and direction of the UAE leadership and described the announcement and construction of the BAPS Hindu Temple as one of the most touching and fulfilling moments of his life. He emphasized that real change occurs when different cultures connect with each other respectfully, embracing equality and fairness. The BAPS Hindu Temple is expected to be completed by February 2024.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announces bid for 2024 US Presidential Elections

MMNN: 25 May 2023
Delhi|In the United States, the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, has officially declared his candidacy for the Republican nomination for President of the country.

DeSantis rolled out the news with a campaign video and a glitch-riddled hour-long live interview on Twitter with the owner of the social media site, Elon Musk. Before his planned event, DeSantis filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission.

DeSantis has for months been seen as the most serious challenger to former President Donald Trump, who is also seeking to become the Republican nominee to take on President Joe Biden of Democratic party in the US Presidential elections next year. Other Republican candidates include Senator Tim Scott, former envoy to the United Nations Nikki Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Former Vice President Mike Pence, who served under Trump is also likely to launch a presidential campaign. The first Republican primaries will take place in Iowa early in 2024.

Japan to not Join NATO but acknowledges security alliance's plan to open a liaison office: PM Fumio Kishida

MMNN: 24 May 2023
Delhi|Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said today the country had no plans to become a NATO member but acknowledged the security alliance's plan to open a liaison office in Japan.
Kishida's comments came after Japan's ambassador to the US Koji Tomita, earlier this month said Tokyo and NATO were working towards opening an office - the first in Asia, to facilitate consultations in the region.
After Kishida's statement not ruling out the possibility of opening a NATO office, China reacted sternly. Beijing said Asia-Pacific does not welcome NATO's plan.
Japan hosted the Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima over the weekend, where the leaders of rich democracies agreed to “de-risk, not decouple” economic engagement with China and reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

At least 19 children killed in a fire accident in a school in South America's Guyana

MMNN: 23 May 2023
Delhi|In Guyana, at least 19 children were killed nearly 200 miles from Georgetown, the nation's capital, when fire broke out in the hilly interior town of Mahdia Secondary School. A Spokeswoman for the national fire department confirmed the number of students perished in fire were not correct. According to reports the dead included 18 girls and a caretaker's son.
Government has established full scale medical emergency action plan with planes stocked with personnel and equipment to help local responders. Victims with critical injuries were transported to Georgetown in a matter of hours and others were admitted to Mahdia District Hospital.
Guyana's President, Irfaan Ali called the blaze as tragic , painful and horrific.

G7 top financial leaders pledge to bring inflation under control, help countries struggling with onerous debts & strengthen financial systems

MMNN: 13 May 2023
Delhi|The Group of Seven's (G7) top financial leaders have pledged to bring inflation under control, help countries struggling with onerous debts and strengthen financial systems. The G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Chiefs ended three days of talks in Niigata, Japan today, with a joint statement, committing to build more stable, diversified supply chains for developing clean energy sources and to enhance economic resilience globally against various shocks. They also expressed their support for Ukraine and their determination to enforce sanctions against Russia for its aggression but stopped short of any overt mention of China.

The finance leaders’ talks laid the groundwork for a Summit of G-7 leaders in Hiroshima next week. United States President Joe Biden is expected to attend despite a crisis over the U.S. debt ceiling that could result in a national default if it is not resolved in the coming weeks.

EAM Dr. Jaishankar lauds Bangladesh for its Indo-Pacific outlook, cautions countries against unsustainable debt generated by unviable projects

MMNN: 12 May 2023
Delhi|External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar has lauded Bangladesh for releasing its Indo-Pacific outlook and its respect for the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) as one of the elements of its 4 guiding principles and 15 objectives. Delivering the keynote address at the inaugural function of the 6th Indian Ocean Conference in Dhaka on Friday, Dr. Jaishankar said that it is essential for the credibility of the global order that such foundational regimes are respected and scrupulously observed by all signatories.
Speaking about the Bay of Bengal countries, he said these countries have their particular aspirations and agenda. He said BIMSTEC is increasingly coming into its own and the countries of the region are cognisant of the challenges they face in governance, modernization, and security.
Highlighting the issue of unsustainable debt generated by unviable projects, Dr. Jaishankar said we can ignore these at our own peril. He said if opaque lending practices are encouraged which are at price points unrelated to the market, these are bound to bite back, sooner rather than later. He said that countries in the region are today confronting the consequences of our past choices. This is time to reflect and reform, not one to repeat and reiterate, said the External Affairs Minister.
Underlining the importance of connectivity, Dr. Jaishankar said the more we work on facilitating smooth and effective connectivity, the better off we all are. He however called for respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity while doing so. He said from India’s perspective, efficient and effective connectivity to ASEAN in particular will be a game-changer. India accords this the utmost priority, said Dr. Jaishankar.

India & Canada agrees to explore enhanced cooperation in near future through a Memorandum of Understanding

MMNN: 10 May 2023
Delhi|India and Canada have agreed to explore enhanced cooperation through measures such as coordinated investment promotion, information exchange and mutual support in near future through a Memorandum of Understanding. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal along with his Canadian counterpart Mary Ng co-chaired the sixth India-Canada Ministerial Dialogue on Trade and Investment on 8th May in Ottawa. The Ministers emphasised the solid foundation of the trade and economic relationship between Canada and India and recognized the significant opportunity to deepen bilateral ties and economic partnership. The Ministers reviewed the progress achieved in the India-Canada Free Trade Agreement negotiations in the seven rounds of negotiations so far.

Ms. Mary Ng expressed Canada's support for India as G20 Chair and the priorities pursued by India in the G20 Trade and Investment Working Group. She indicated that she is looking forward to participating in the upcoming G-20 Trade and Investment Ministerial meeting in India scheduled to take place in August.

Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan arrested from Islamabad High Court premises in Al-Qadir Trust case

MMNN: 9 May 2023
Delhi|Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been arrested in connection with the Al-Qadir Trust Case from the premises of the Islamabad High Court on Tuesday. Khan was taken into custody by the Pakistani Rangers.
The former Prime Minister, along with his wife Bushra Bibi and other PTI leaders, is facing an inquiry from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) related to a settlement between the PTI government and a property tycoon, which reportedly caused a loss of 50 billion rupees to the national exchequer. They are also accused of getting undue benefit in the form of over 458 kanals of land at Mouza Bakrala, Sohawa, to establish Al Qadir University.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that Imran had failed to appear before the court despite being issued several notices. He said the arrest has been conducted by the NAB for causing losses to the national treasury.
Meanwhile, the arrest of Imran Khan has resulted in protests and demonstrations across Pakistan. PTI workers are protesting in cities across the country, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar. In Karachi, demonstrators clashed with the police. Internet has been suspended in several parts of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. And section 144 has been imposed in Peshawar.
The PTI Secretary General Asad Umar has announced that a six-member party committee would soon determine the next course of action.

Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari lays foundation stone for India-Sri Lanka Friendship Auditorium at Sri Lanka Air Force Academy, Trincomalee

MMNN: 5 May 2023
Delhi|Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari laid foundation stone for India-Sri Lanka Friendship Auditorium at Sri Lanka Air Force Academy, Trincomalee yesterday. The auditorium will be built under a grant assistance of 25 crore Lankan rupees. The assistance is a gift from Government of India to the island nation which displays India’s unwavering commitment towards capacity building of Sri Lanka’s Armed Forces.

Air Chief Marshal Chaudhuri also visited the Sri Lanka Air Force Academy and gifted books to the trainees. The Indian Air Force Chief is on a four day visit to Sri Lanka which he will conclude tomorrow. Earlier during the visit, he had met Sri Lankan leadership and commanders of the armed forces of Sri Lanka. The visit facilitated discussions on common security challenges and enhancing capacity and capability building initiatives towards ensuring Security And Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR), as propounded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Ministry of Tourism showcases Incredible India in Arabian Travel Market 2023 in Dubai, UAE

MMNN: 2 May 2023
Delhi|Ministry of Tourism is showcasing Incredible India in the Arabian Travel Market 2023 in Dubai, UAE. The Arabian Travel Market is one of the leading global events for the travel and tourism industry, attracting visitors and exhibitors from around the world. The India pavilion was inaugurated by the Indian Ambassador to UAE, Sunjay Sudhir yesterday.

The Ministery said, more than 65 entities from State Tourism Departments and UTs, Tour Operators, Travel Agents, Hotel Chains, and Airlines are participating in the four-day event to boost inbound travel to India from the Middle East region. The India Pavilion is showcasing India's rich cultural and natural heritage, including its UNESCO World Heritage Sites, wildlife sanctuaries, and spiritual destinations. India's participation in the Arabian Travel Market is a significant step towards promoting India as a preferred travel destination among the Middle East and North Africa markets.

Labour Day protests and strikes take over France, Italy and Netherlands; Workers and labour unions demand better govt policies to safeguard their rights

MMNN: 1 May 2023
Delhi|Labour Day protests and strikes have taken over France, Italy and the Netherlands, with workers and labour unions demanding better government policies to safeguard their rights and meet their wage demands. French President Emmanuel Macron faced nationwide protests in the country, with demonstrators denouncing his pension reform, which saw the retirement age increasing from 62 to 64 in the country. The legislation also requires people to work 43 years to receive a full pension, among other changes to the system.

In Italy, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also faced demonstrations from labour unions who called on her government to increase wages and reform the country’s tax policy. Meloni’s government is set to unveil a labour package on Monday amid the protests.

Labour Day protests also took over the Netherlands, which saw unions demanding higher wages.

Due to inflation, employees of the largest labour union in the Netherlands, FNV, had offered its employees a wage increase of 3 to 7 per cent this year, followed by a 5 per cent increase next year and automatic price compensation with a maximum of 5 per cent from 2025 on.

Imperial College London announces scholarships worth GBP 4 lakh for Indian students studying in the college

MMNN: 29 April 2023
Delhi|Imperial College London has announced scholarships worth GBP four lakh for Indian students studying in the college. Out of which 50 per cent of the scholarship will be given to female students from India. Science and Technology Minister Dr Jitendra Singh today visited the Imperial College London in the United Kingdom and interacted with the Indian students of the college. Imperial College London is a public research university. In the last five years, Imperial academics co-authored over one thousand 200 research publications with partners at more than 300 Indian institutions.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Singh highlighted that India has emerged as the third-largest global start-up ecosystem, growing at an annual rate of 12 to 15 per cent. He said, there are lots of opportunities to expand the India-Imperial connection through various programmes to create a global impact.

US President Joe Biden & South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol secures a landmark deal

MMNN: 27 April 2023
Delhi|US President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol have secured a landmark deal which includes plans to periodically deploy US nuclear-armed submarines in South Korea. According to media reports, Washington has also agreed to involve Seoul in its planning for the use of nuclear weapons in any conflict with North Korea. In return, South Korea has agreed to not develop its own nuclear weapons.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Mr Yoon in Washington yesterday, US President said, the deal, called the Washington Declaration, will strengthen the allies' co-operation in deterring a North Korean attack.

Meanwhile, the South Korean President said, the Washington Declaration marked an unprecedented step to enhance extended deterrence, a commitment from the US to deter attacks and protect US allies using its military power, including nuclear weapons. The declaration comes amid rising concerns about nuclear threats from North Korea as the country carries out a record number of ballistic missile tests.

India Pavilion at Global Education & Training Exhibition Inaugurated at Dubai

MMNN: 26 April 2023
Delhi|The 'Study in India Pavilion' at the Global Education & Training Exhibition (GETEX) in Dubai has been inaugurated by the Consul General of India in Dubai, Dr. Aman Puri.
Organized by the Services Export Promotion Council with the support of the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, the India Pavilion at GETEX 2023 is being held from 26-28 April 2023 at Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, UAE. The pavilion, spanning over 200 sqm, features more than 30 universities and edtech stakeholders of Indian higher education.
Dr Aman Puri expressed his excitement at the increasing number of Indian institutions expanding their global reach. He also highlighted that India is an ideal destination for students looking to pursue technologies like Data Science and Cybersecurity.
Major exhibitors in the pavilion include Ajeenkya DY Patil University, B. S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science & Technology, Birla Institute of Technology, Board of Open Schooling and Skill Education, Brindavan Group of Institutions, Dome Technical Information Pt Ltd, Dr. D. Y Patil Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), Dr. Vishwanath Karad MIT World Peace University, EdCIL, Ganpat University, Janikk International, Kumaraguru Institutions, Marwadi Education Foundation, MW Global Academy Pt Ltd, NIRMA University, NITTE Meenakshi Institute of Technology, Pandit Deen Dayal University, Pimpri Chinchwad Education Trust, Sandip University, Sharda University, SRM University, Symbiosis International University, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, and a few others.
To further support the Indian Pavilion, SEPC has collaborated with EdCIL(India) limited, a public sector undertaking in India under the Ministry of Education. EdCIL offers management and consultancy services in all areas of education and human resource development, both within India and overseas. Through its flagship portal, https://studyinindia.gov.in , EdCIL seeks to endorse India as a prime education hub for international students by inviting them to pursue their higher education in the country. With an attractive set of salient features, the programme is the perfect platform for international students to experience the best of what Indian education has to offer, encouraging them to explore valuable educational opportunities enabled by the top Indian universities.
The Global Education & Training Exhibition (GETEX), a leading education fair in the region for over 30 years, provides an efficient platform for educational institutions to meet their enrollment quotas and admission targets. The exhibition attracts over 25,000 local and expatriate students every year who are actively looking for higher education, professional development, and training options. The India Pavilion at GETEX 2023 serves as an opportunity to engage with the target audience and enhance marketing awareness for the exhibitors. The Chairman of SEPC, Sunil H Talati, Director General SEPC, Dr. Abhay Sinha, and Chairman EdCIL, Manojkumar were present at the inauguration.

Oil prices remain steady in intra-day trade as concerns over rising interest rates for fuel demand were balanced

MMNN: 25 April 2023
Delhi|Oil prices remained steady in intra-day trade today as concerns over rising interest rates, the global economy, and the outlook for fuel demand were balanced by the prospect of tightening supplies.
Brent crude was trading at around 81 dollars 39 cents per barrel. West Texas Intermediate crude was trading at 77 dollars and 69 cents per barrel.

ISRO to launch PSLV-C55 with two Singaporean satellites from Sriharikota

MMNN: 22 April 2023
Delhi|The Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO, will launch PSLV-C55 with two Singaporean satellites today, April 22 at 2:19 pm from Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota. This is a dedicated commercial mission through NewSpace India Limited which is the commercial arm of ISRO.
The polar satellite launch vehicle will launch 741 kg TeLEOS-2 as the primary satellite and Lumelite-4, as a co-passenger satellite that weighs 16 kilograms. They are intended to be launched into an Eastward low inclination orbit. It is the 57th flight of PSLV and the 16th mission of the PSLV Core Alone (PSLV-CA) variant. This is the lightest version of PSLV.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto To Visit India In May For SCO Meet In Goa

MMNN: 20 April 2023
Delhi| Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will visit India in May for the SCO Summit in Goa. Bhutto will lead the Pakistan delegation that will attend the SCO foreign ministers meeting on May 4 and 5 in Goa, according to Pakistan's foreign ministry. This will be the first visit by any Pakistan leader to India after former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 2014. This will also be the first visit of any Pakistani foreign minister to India since 2011. The last time a Pakistan foreign minister visited India was in 2011 when Hina Rabbani Khar had come to the country. Earlier in January, Pakistan’s foreign ministry confirmed that they received India’s invitation for Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting but it is yet to be decided if they will attend the event.

India's invite to Bhutto

Indian National Arrested in London on Suspicion of Funding Terrorist Organisation Hizbollah

MMNN: 20 April 2023
Delhi|An Indian citizen has been arrested in London by Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant from the US, as part of a UK-US coordinated action against terrorism financing. Sundar Nagarajan, 66, was arrested by the Metropolitan Police’s National Extradition Unit from an address at Hayes in west London on Tuesday. After being refused bail, Madurai-born Nagarajan is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London next week wanted by the US authorities for fraud and money laundering offences. He faces charges of helping to launder money to evade US sanctions and fund Hizbollah, reports said. His arrest followed action by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command to arrest a 50-year-old man in Wales on suspicion of funding terrorism. Officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command also arrested wealthy art collector and diamond dealer Nazem Ahmad for suspected terrorist financing and money laundering. Ahmad is suspected of being a funding source for Hizballah, a proscribed terrorist organisation in the UK and US. Sanctions against Ahmad were also announced this week by the UK government alongside the US government sanctions against Ahmad and a number of his suspected associates, including Nagarajan. “Terrorist groups rely on financial support and funding for their activities and the NTFIU works closely with agencies in the UK and around the world to identify and take action against those people who provide and facilitate this funding,” said Detective Chief Superintendent Gareth Rees, of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command. “With our international partners, we will never give up on our mission to disrupt terrorist activity, both in the UK and abroad, in order to keep the public safe,” he said, adding that the arrests were the result of ongoing work and cooperation with American counterparts as a “key milestone in what is a complex investigation into terrorist financing”. The Met Police said that searches at two commercial addresses, both in east London, were carried out by officers this week in connection with the investigation. The NTFIU comprises of specialist financial investigators who investigate suspicious financial activity where they believe it may have links to terrorism.

Nirmala Sitharaman showed the mirror to the world, said - better than Pakistan, Muslims are happy and safe in India

MMNN: 11 April 2023
Delhi|PIIE in Nirmala SitharamanIndia's Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman showed the mirror to him, slamming the 'negative western perception' against India regarding the safety of minorities and mainly Muslims. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in a candid reply to questions about the condition of India's Muslims at an event organized by the American think tank Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) in Washington DC, said that the cries of minorities are from Pakistan. Even better Muslims in India are happy and safe. India has the second largest Muslim population in the world. And this population is rapidly increasing in number. Sitharaman said that it is said in the western media that life of Muslims is made difficult in India with the support of the state, but all this is baseless. The Finance Minister turned to Sitharaman and asked

Muslim population growing rapidly in India

After China's claim on the places of Arunachal Pradesh, the statement of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, said - 'Always was and will be an important part of India'

MMNN:4 April 2023
In the case of Arunachal Pradesh, China (China) has been He is not deterring from his antics. Recently, once again, China has issued new names of many places in the state while claiming its claim on Arunachal Pradesh. However, India has never been cowed down by such antics of China. In response to this recent act of China, the country's Ministry of External Affairs has expressed its reaction. The Indian Foreign Ministry issued a statement and gave a stern reply to China.

Arunachal Pradesh is an important and integral part of India.

Hindu population in America doubled in 15 years: temples increased from 435 to 1000 in 20 years, Indians most charitable

MMNN: 4 April 2023
  
Delhi|The influence of the Hindu community in America is continuously increasing. In the last 15 years, the population of Hindus in America has doubled to about 22.25 lakhs. According to the Hindu American Foundation, by 2025 the population of Hindus will be around 28 lakhs.
According to the Pluralism Project of Harvard University, 20 years ago there were 435 temples in America, whose number has increased to about 1000. The reason for the increase in the number of temples is the increase in the population of Hindus who settled here. Hinduism and Sanskrit have also expanded rapidly in America.
Pandit Ram Sneh Tripathi, the head priest of the Rajdhani Temple in Washington DC, told Dainik Bhaskar that in 5 years the number of children in his schools increased by almost 200%. A record 600 new children enroll in Hindu classes every weekend.

Hindu community is the most educated

China threatens retaliation if Taiwan President Tsai meets U.S. Speaker McCarthy

MMNN: 29 March 2023
Delhi| Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen framed the trip as a chance to show Taiwan’s commitment to democratic values on the world stage, as she departed the country to begin her 10-day tour of the Americas
China has threatened “resolute countermeasures” over a planned meeting between Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and Speaker of the United States House Speaker Kevin McCarthy during an upcoming visit in Los Angeles by the head of the self-governing island democracy.

Britain's Prince Harry accuses Royal Family of hiding phone hacking

MMNN: 29 March 2023
Britain's Prince Harry has accused Royal Family of hiding phone hacking. Many celebrities, including Harry, have filed a case against the publishers of Daily Mail and Associated Newspapers (ANL) for privacy violation. During the hearing of this case, Harry said that his family was aware of phone tapping. But to avoid the court case, he kept it hidden. According to Harry, this would have exposed the wrongdoings of the administration.
Harry alleged that his own family withheld information about the privacy breach and told him not to get involved with the British newspaper industry. The Royal Family had placed a condition in front of Harry to accept the family's decision. According to Harry, he came to know about this a few years ago when he consulted the second legal team in the case.

Several media groups including Daily Mail, The Mirror sued

Wrote derogatory things by hoisting the Khalistan flag, broke the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, had been gifted by India in 2012

MMNN: 24 March 2023
The anti-India activities of Khalistanis abroad are continuously increasing. Now supporters of Khalistan vandalized the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Canada and wrote slogans against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi with spray paint on it. According to reports, the Khalistanis have also written many derogatory things on the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of India.
The incident is being told of Thursday. The Khalistanis also put their flag on the statue of Mahatma Gandhi. This 6 feet tall statue was given to Canada as a gift by the Government of India in the year 2012. Which was installed in the city hall of Hamilton city of Ontario province there.
The matter of vandalizing the statue of Mahatma Gandhi on Thursday has come to the fore when the Canadian government has assured to take strict action against the Khalistanis. In fact, a demonstration was held by the Khalistanis in the Canadian city of Ottawa on Thursday. In this, the protesters had also committed indecency with an Indian journalist.
Due to the protest by the Khalistanis, the Indian ambassador had to cancel the plan to attend a program in British Columbia, Canada. After which the Foreign Ministry of Canada had issued a statement assuring that they would take strict action against the nuisance of Khalistanis.
Khalistan supporters also attacked the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, USA, after the tricolor was insulted at the Indian High Commission in London on Sunday. According to media reports- Khalistan supporters also gathered here on Sunday. These people wrote Amritpal Riha Karo… with spray paints. These people broke the gates of the consulate. Khalistan flags were hoisted there.
At the same time, Khalistani supporter Avtar Singh Khanda, who insulted the tricolor outside the Indian High Commission in London, was arrested in Britain. Khanda is a member of the banned group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). At the same time, in the ongoing investigation in Punjab, it is also coming to the fore that Khanda is the handler of Amritpal. Khanda is special to Paramjit Singh Pamma, a key BKI member hiding in Pakistan. On Pamma's orders, Khanda prepared Amritpal Singh for the Khalistan mission in Punjab. After this Amritpal was trained in Georgia. Amritpal learned the essentials of Sikhism here. When Amritpal returned to India, he was popularized among the youth through social media accounts.

India Bangladesh Friendship: India will be able to use two major ports of Bangladesh, new initiative started in friendship

MMNN:20 March 2023
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has offered India the use of the country's ports in Chittagong and Sylhet. He said that this would enhance connectivity and people-to-people contact in the region. Chittagong is an important port of Bangladesh which is strategically important due to its proximity to the northeastern states of India. The Dhaka Tribune newspaper quoted Prime Minister Hasina as saying, "If India wants, it can use our Chittagong and Sylhet ports."
met her. Prime Minister Hasina said that this step will enhance regional connectivity and people-to-people contact. Reportedly, in conversation with Madhav, Hasina also sent her greeting message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Madhav appreciated the socio-economic growth of Bangladesh under Hasina's leadership. "Being neighboring countries, Bangladesh and India enjoy great friendship and hope that this relationship will continue in the future as well," he was quoted as saying in the report. Hasina's deputy press secretary KM Shakhawat Moon also briefed the media about this.
Before offering two important ports, Indian PM Narendra Modi along with Sheikh Hasina inaugurated a pipeline in Siliguri, North Bengal on 18 March. The pipeline, located at Parbatipur in Dinajpur province of Bangladesh, is 131.5 km long. It has been named as the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline (IBFPL). Even at the time of inauguration of the pipeline, Hasina called India a 'true friend' of Bangladesh. had agreed. She said that she wants to take this friendship forward.

India may take military action if China-Pak provokes: US report- Despite talks, tension will remain in relations between China and India

MMNN:09 march 2023
America's Intelligence Community has claimed on Wednesday that the tension in India's relations with China and Pakistan may increase further in the coming times. To which India will respond with military action.
It is written in the report – In comparison to the previous governments, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there has been an increased apprehension that India may deploy its military in response to any provocative act by China and Pakistan.
Claims of the report about Indo-Pak
American intelligence has considered Kashmir as an important reason for increasing tension in Indo-Pak relations. It is written in the report that after the ceasefire agreement on the Line of Control in 2021, both the countries want to maintain peace in relations.
However, Pakistan has a long history of supporting anti-India militants. Under the leadership of PM Modi, India will also give a befitting reply to any provocative act by Pakistan.
Indo-China relations will deteriorate despite talks
Annual Threat Assessment i.e. annual assessment report of external threats was presented in the US Parliament. It has been said in this report that China and India are trying to reduce the ongoing dispute on the border through dialogue. Despite this, there will be tension in the relations between the two countries.
India-China dispute a threat to America
In the intelligence report of America, the conflict between the two countries in the Galvan Valley of Ladakh in 2020 has been described as the most dangerous conflict of the decade. The report claimed that the situation of tension between the two countries is a big threat to America and its people. The report suggested that the US should intervene in the growing dispute between the two countries.

Delhi: Metro will run at a speed of 120 km on the Airport Express Line, trial is going on.

MMNN: 15 Feb 2023
Delhi| The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) plans to speed up the country's fastest urban transportation system, the Airport Express
The distance between New Delhi Railway Station and Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport could be covered in less than 15 minutes by the end of the following year. Currently, it takes 20 minutes to travel 19.4 kilometres.
The Airport Express Line trains only travel at a top speed of 80 kmph, even though the current sanctioned rate is 90 kmph.
Instrumentation, monitoring, and certain modifications are being considered to increase the speed to 120kmph, According to Anuj Dayal, the main executive director for corporate communications at DMRC.
The DMRC intends to increase train speeds gradually over the next six months, which should result in faster operation of the Airport Express Line.
As part of DMRC's six-month strategy, the SKL 15HF clamps will be replaced by the SKL 15 tension clamps, which are better suited for high-frequency train movement.
After three weeks of replacement of the tension clamps, units to continuously monitor the track would be put at various locations for six months.
Followed by the repair of the tension clamps, the train's speed would be raised to 100 kmph after a month. After a month, the speed will be increased to 110kmph. The train's speed would be boosted to 120kmph in the last phase.
Anuj Dayal stated that verification measurements would be done in a few portions three months after the 120 kph runs. The metro body will collaborate with an organisation to constantly track the tremors, followed by verification measurements, reports the Times of India.
Although the trains and systems in the corridor are intended to operate at 135 kmph, this is not the actual speed at which they travel.
However, passenger trains won't be allowed to go faster until after the monitoring procedures and subsequent approval by the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety.

BBC I-T survey: What income tax survey means? How is it different from search or raid?

MMNN:15 Feb 2023
BBC Income Tax Survey Survey of Income Tax Department continued till the night of 14-15 February in BBC's Delhi and Mumbai offices. And according to an agency, the Income Tax survey is going on for the second day on Wednesday in BBC offices in Delhi and Mumbai. The United States also expressed its opinion in this matter. On the IT survey, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said, "We are aware of the searches of BBC offices in Delhi by Indian tax authorities. I would say more broadly, we support the importance of a free press around the world. The BBC is accused of irregularities in international tax. In Washington, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said in response to a question at the daily press briefing, "I will need to refer you to the Indian authorities for the details of this search." Beyond this action Will continue to highlight the importance of freedom of expression and freedom of religion or belief as human rights that contribute to strengthening democracies around the world. These universal rights are the cornerstone of democracies around the world. "We are aware of the facts of these discoveries, but I am not in a position to pass judgement," Price added.
The confiscated items will be returned after getting the information,
according to sources, during the investigation in the BBC office, the mobile phones of all the employees present in the office were seized. Along with this, the computer kept in the accounts department was also scanned. According to sources, it is being told that after collecting the necessary information, all the things will be handed over to the people.
The Congress has targeted the BJP for the Income Tax department's action on BBC's Delhi and Mumbai offices. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has shared an old video of PM Modi, in which he is praising BBC.

Anti-terrorism court rejects Imran Khan's bail plea, ex-Pak PM may face arrest

MMNN:21 March 2020
An anti-terrorism court in Islamabad on Wednesday rejected PTI chief Imran Khan's bail plea in a case pertaining to protests outside the Election Commission of Pakistan
Troubles mounted for former Pakistan Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Wednesday after an anti-terrorism court (ATC) rejected his bail plea in connection with a case lodged against him for protesting outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), as per a report by Geo News.
ATC judge Judge Raja Jawad Abbas Hassan pronounced the verdict against the former Pakistan premier after waiting for him over one and half hours. Reports suggest that after today's order, Imran Khan may face arrest.
Imran Khan was booked in the case last October after several protests erupted in Pakistan in response to the Toshakhana verdict announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Your choice can be the difference between life and death, says WHO on coronavirus COVID-19

MMNN:21 March 2020
With more than 210,000 cases reported worldwide and a death toll of 9,000, each day brings a “new and tragic milestone”, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
“Although older people are hardest hit, younger people are not spared. Data from many countries clearly show that people under 50 make up a significant proportion of patients requiring hospitalisation,” Tedros told a virtual press conference.
“Today I have a message for young people: You are not invincible, this virus could put you in hospital for weeks or even kill you. Even if you don’t get sick the choices you make about where you go could be the difference between life and death for someone else,” he said.
But for the first time the central Chinese city of Wuhan, the outbreak’s epicentre, reported no new cases on Thursday, “providing hope for the rest of the world that even the most severe situation can be turned around”, Tedros said.
Amid global shortages of protective gear for health workers and diagnostic tests, Chinese producers have agreed to supply the WHO, he said. Arrangements are being finalised and shipments coordinated to restock its Dubai warehouse to ship supplies where they are needed most, he added.
“Air bridges” will be needed to expedite supplies to countries for vital health workers, as many regular flights have been cancelled, according to Dr. Mike Ryan, the WHO’s top emergency expert.
The WHO has distributed 1.5 million lab tests worldwide and it may need potentially 80 times that for the pandemic, he said.
Ryan, asked about Iran - which is celebrating the Persian New Year as it battles the coronavirus which has killed more than 1,400 people and infected nearly 20,000 there - said that such celebrations need to be modified.
Mass gatherings “cannot only amplify the disease but they can disseminate the disease very far away from the centre”, he said. “So they can be very, very, very, very dangerous in terms of epidemic management.”
Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attends a news conference on the situation of the coronavirus (COVID-2019), in Geneva, Switzerland, February 28, 2020.
The WHO has shifted to recommending “physical distance” instead of social distancing to help prevent transmission of the virus, officials said.
“We are changing to say ‘physical distance’ and that’s on purpose because we want people to remain connected,” said Dr. Maria Kerkhove, a WHO epidemiologist.
“So find ways to do that, find ways through the Internet and through different social media to remain connected because your mental health going through this (pandemic) is just as important as your physical health,” she said.

South Korea reports 147 new coronavirus cases, concerns of cluster outbreaks continue

MMNN:21 March 2020
SEOUL: South Korea reported 147 new coronavirus infections on Saturday, holding to its downward trend in daily infections from a peak in February, but concerns about new outbreaks around small clusters and people coming from abroad persisted.
The daily tally marked the 10th day in a row that the country has posted new infections in the mid-100s or below, although up from 87 recorded the day before, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The new cases bring the country`s total to 8,799. The cumulative number of deaths from the virus also rose to 102. South Korea has seen a downward trend in new cases from the peak of 909 cases reported on Feb. 29.
Out of the 147 new cases, 109 were from South Korea`s fourth-largest city, Daegu, and the adjoining North Gyeongsang Province, where 86% of all South Korean cases have been so far.
But others saw increases as well, including 15 new cases in Seoul and six detected while returning from abroad.
"You may feel that the current situation has improved a lot compared to the past, but... we continue to see group infection, inflows from foreign countries, mass outbreaks at various workplaces," Yoon Tae-ho, director general for public health policy, said at a briefing.
Yoon said South Korea has not considered extreme forms of travel restrictions that other countries have taken, and asked the public for continued voluntary efforts at social distancing.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said on Saturday up to 3.8 trillion won ($3.03 billion) in disaster management funds may be used for small businesses and disadvantaged people specifically for coronavirus-related difficulties.

North Korea fires suspected short-range missiles, South Korea says, amid coronavirus covid-19

MMNN:21 March 2020
Seoul: North Korea fired two projectiles that appeared to be short-range ballistic missiles into the sea off the east coast of the Korean peninsula, South Korea`s military said on Saturday, after what analysts said was a show of confidence during the coronavirus epidemic by announcing an April legislature session.
The launch follows two earlier this month, when North Korea launched short-range missiles and multiple projectiles, according to South Korea`s military, drawing US and Chinese appeals for Pyongyang to return to talks on ending its nuclear and missile programmes.
The suspected missiles were fired from North Pyongan province, South Korea`s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The province is above Pyongyang on the northwest corner of the Korean peninsula, bordering China.
Japan`s coast guard said on Saturday that North Korea appeared to have fired a missile, which landed outside Japan`s exclusive economic zone waters.
Earlier on Saturday, North Korea announced it will hold in April a session of the Supreme People`s Assembly, its rubber-stamp legislature, in Pyongyang, which analysts had said would involve gathering almost 700 of the country`s leaders in one spot as the coronavirus spreads worldwide.
"If it goes ahead, it would be the ultimate show of (North Korea`s) confidence in managing the coronavirus situation," Rachel Minyoung Lee, of the North Korea monitoring website NK News, said on Twitter this week.
North Korea has not reported any confirmed cases of the new coronavirus that was first detected in China late last year, though a top US military official said last week he is "fairly certain" there were infections in North Korea.
State media KCNA also said on Saturday North Korean leader Kim Jong Un guided an artillery fire competition between combined units of the North Korean army on Friday, displaying photos of him watching with high-ranking military officers, all unmasked. It was unclear whether Saturday`s launch was part of the drill.

Sri Lanka to impose national curfew as South Asia accelerates coronavirus battle

MMNN:20 March 2020
Colombo/Lucknow: Mosques in Sri Lanka were shut indefinitely from Friday, and the island is set to impose a countrywide curfew over the weekend, as South Asian countries step up efforts to check the spread of COVID-19 cases.
The densely populated region of some 1.9 billion people has been less badly affected than other parts of the world, but new coronavirus cases in Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka are all accelerating, with the total across South Asia now exceeding 750. Seven people have died.
Authorities worry that these countries could be especially at risk, should the virus begin to spread locally, due to poor health facilities and infrastructure in much of the region. The virus has already infected more than 245,000 people worldwide, and led to over 10,000 deaths.
A police curfew is set to be imposed nationwide in Sri Lanka from 6 p.m. local time on Friday until 6 a.m. on Monday, as authorities on the island moved to slow the spread of the virus, which has infected 65 people there.
The religious body that oversees mosques in the nation directed all of them to shut indefinitely. About 10% of the country`s 22 million people are Muslims. Meanwhile, mosques elsewhere in the region screened people for high temperatures using thermometers and urged their faithful to practice greater social distancing during Friday prayers.
MODI`S APPEAL
In an address to his nation late on Thursday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to citizens to stay home and avoid panic-buying, as India outlined plans to halt all international flights in an effort to stem the number of cases in India, which passed 200 on Friday.
Following Modi`s appeal, a senior district official in the town of Ayodhya in India`s northern state of Uttar Pradesh said he expected the state government to call off the Ram Navami Mela, a major Hindu religious gathering in the temple town.
"We`re expecting an official order in a couple of days and it will be in line with what our prime minister said yesterday in his address," said the senior official.
The annual Ram Navami fair in Ayodhya brings millions of Hindus to the holy city. This year authorities were expecting a surge in numbers, as the foundation-laying ceremony of the grand Ram Temple, was also expected to take place.
Sharad Sharma, the spokesman for the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a Hindu nationalist organisation, said it had asked its cadre not to hold any procession on Ram Navami.
"We`re also requesting people pray and celebrate Ram Navami in their homes, in community temples and not to gather in large numbers at any place. We will follow the appeal of our prime minister," he said.

Death toll in US rises to 150; highest one day death recorded, says CDC reports

MMNN:20 March 2020
USAThe US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday reported 10,491 cases of coronavirus, an increase of 3,404 from its previous count, and said the death toll had risen by 53 to 150, the biggest one-day jump so far.
President Donald Trump earlier in the day urged health regulators to expedite potential therapies aimed at treating COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, saying it could lead to a breakthrough while a vaccine is still under development.
Trump pointed to efforts on Gilead Sciences Inc’s experimental antiviral drug Remdesivir and the generic malaria drug hydroxychloroquine.
The CDC reported its tally of COVID-19 cases as of 4 p.m. ET on March 18, compared with its count a day earlier.
Coronavirus cases have been reported in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The CDC figures do not necessarily reflect cases reported by individual states.

Japanese flu drug favipiravir 'clearly effective' in treating coronavirus, claims China

MMNN:19 March 2020
JapanAn official at China's Science and Technology Ministry said on Wednesaday that a Japanese flu drug to treat new strains of influenza has proved 'clearly effective' in treating coronavirus patients.
Japanese media said that Zhang Xinmin has claimed that favipiravir, developed by a subsidiary of Fujifilm, had produced good encouraging outcomes in clinical trials conducted on 340 patients in Wuhan and Shenzhen, reported Guardian.
“It has a high degree of safety and is clearly effective in treatment,” Zhang told reporters.
Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported that patients who were given the medicine in Shenzhen turned negative for the virus nearly four days after testing postive for the virus.
The X-rays of these patients also showed improvements in lung condition in about 91% of the patients, while it was 62% on those without the drug.
The drug which is also known as Avigan is developed by uFujifilm Toyama Chemical. The pharma company has preferred not to comment on this matter.
Guardian reported that Avigan is being used by Japanese doctors in clinical studies on coronavirus patients with mild to moderate symptoms.
A Japanese health ministry source, however, said that the drug was not as effective in people with more severe symptoms. “We’ve given Avigan to 70 to 80 people, but it doesn’t seem to work that well when the virus has already multiplied,” the source told the Mainichi Shimbun.
Notably, favipiravir was used by the Japanese government in 2016 as an emergency aid to counter the Ebola virus outbreak in Guinea.
It is learnt that Favipiravir would need approval from Japanese government for full-scale use on Covid-19 patients and the drug could be approved as early as May. “But if the results of clinical research are delayed, approval could also be delayed.”

Will not stop bilateral trade with China despite coronavirus, says Pak FM

MMNN:19 March 2020
Islamabad: Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that the country`s bilateral trade with China will not stop amid the coronavirus pandemic, it was reported on Thursday. He made the remarks in an interview to China`s state-run Global Times newspaper, reports The Express Tribune.
While speaking about the impact of the pandemic on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Qureshi expressed hope saying that despite a temporary hindrance, the future of the multi-billion dollar project was very bright not only for both the countries but for the entire region as well.
China has shared its experience in combating the deadly coronavirus with Pakistan and has sent teams to assess the situation. Beijing has also provided testing kits in thousands, the top diplomat remarked.
Qureshi along with President Arif Alvi, Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Minister Asad Umar and senior officials reached Beijing on Monday on a two-day visit to convey support and solidarity of Pakistan to the government and the people of China in the efforts to contain the spread.
During the visit, both the sides also signed a number of memorandums of understanding and handing-over certificates of donated vaccine refrigeration equipment, emergency humanitarian materials for epidemic response and emergency materials of epidemic control.
After their return to Pakistan, Alvi, Qureshi and Umar tested negative for the disease.
China, where the virus first emerged in the city of Wuhan last December, has so far reported 80,928 confirmed cases with 3,245 deaths.
Pakistan has confirmed two deaths and more than 300 cases.

Italy reports 475 new coronavirus deaths in 24 hours, total death toll rises to 2,978

MMNN:19 March 2020
ItaliThe Italian government threatened on Wednesday to ban all outdoor exercise as the coronavirus death toll soared to 2,978 and frustration grew over the number of people defying a nationwide lockdown order. The national death toll surged by 475 over the past 24 hours, the largest increase in numerical terms since the outbreak first came to light on February 21. The total number of confirmed cases grew by 4,207 to 35,713.
Italy was the first Western country to impose severe restrictions on movement to contain the illness. But a week after the curbs were imposed, the disease is still spreading and hospitals in the north are at breaking point.
The northern region of Lombardy, on the frontline of the battle against the respiratory pandemic, asked recently retired health workers on Wednesday to return to work and help colleagues overwhelmed by the crisis.
"I make a heartfelt appeal to all the doctors, nurses and medical personnel who have retired in the last two years...to help us in this emergency," regional Governor Attilio Fontana told a news conference.
"I believe that in the coming hours we will have to consider the possibility of a complete ban on outdoor activities," Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora told state broadcaster RAI.
The government lockdown banned all non-essential travel, but allowed people to take solitary daily exercise, if needed. Looking to enforce the restrictions, police have stopped more than one million people over the past week and booked almost 43,000 for violating the rules, the interior ministry said.
"If the call to stay at home is not heeded, we will be forced to impose an absolute ban," he said.
The real number of deaths could be much higher than the official figure, after it emerged that fatalities in nursing homes - where dozens of patients are dying each day - are not being registered as coronavirus-related because none of the sick are being tested.
"There are significant numbers of people who have died but whose death hasn`t been attributed to the coronavirus because...they weren`t swabbed," said Giorgio Gori, mayor of the town of Bergamo, one of the worst hit areas.
MEDICAL WORKERS
While many Italian cities have been largely empty over the past week, photographs have circulated on social media of public transport filling up in the financial capital Milan, suggesting that some people are going back to work.
"Every time you leave your home, you are putting yourself and others at risk," said Fontana.
Lombardy, like many regions, is rushing to build makeshift hospitals to add badly needed intensive-care units. However, the move is being complicated by the fact that doctors, nurses and hospital porters are themselves falling sick. Some have died.
The Gimbe Foundation research group, using data supplied by the national health authority, said that between March 11-17, some 2,529 health workers had been diagnosed with coronavirus - 8.3% of the national total of coronavirus cases.
Officials warned that if the incidence of new cases did not slow in the coming days, they might extend the lockdown already in place, both in terms of the types of restrictions and how long they will continue.
In successive decrees earlier this month, the government ordered restaurants, bars and most shops to close until March 25. In addition, it shut schools and universities and told everyone to stay home unless absolutely essential until April 3.
Since the restrictions were most recently ramped up on March 12, the number of deaths has more than tripled.
"I do not know if the measures will be extended beyond April 3. We will make a decision based on the numbers and events. I cannot rule it out. We will see in the coming days," said Infrastructure Minister Paola De Micheli.

China announces revocation of accreditation of journalists of 3 major US newspapers

MMNN:18 March 2020
Beijing [China]: China has announced that it was revoking press credentials of US journalists working with the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post in what Beijing said was "reciprocal countermeasures" in response to the "oppression" of Chinese media organizations in the US.
"In response to the US slashing the staff size of Chinese media outlets in the US, which is expulsion in all but name, China demands that journalists of US citizenship working with the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post whose press credentials are due to expire before the end of 2020 notify the Department of Information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within four calendar days starting from today and hand back their press cards within 10 calendar days," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
"They will not be allowed to continue working as journalists in the People`s Republic of China, including its Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions," it added.
The move comes after US government recently declared several Chinese media outlets - state news agency Xinhua, China Global Television Network (CGTN), China Radio International, China Daily and Hai Tian Development USA - as agencies "controlled" by Beijing.
Further, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said: "In response to the US designation of five Chinese media agencies as `foreign missions`, China demands, in the spirit of reciprocity, that the China-based branches of Voice of America, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post and Time declare in written form information about their staff, finance, operation and real estate in China.
"Beijing defended the measures as "entirely necessary" and "reciprocal countermeasures" that China is "compelled to take in response to the unreasonable oppression the Chinese media organizations experience in the US".
The Chinese Foreign Ministry alleged that in recent years, the US government has placed "unwarranted restrictions" on Chinese media agencies and personnel in the US and "purposely made things difficult for their normal reporting assignments, and subjected them to growing discrimination and politically-motivated oppression."

Melbourne scientists make major headway to fast-track coronavirus treatments

MMNN:18 March 2020
New Delhi: Amid reports of rising coronavirus cases across the world, Melbourne scientists have discovered how the human body overcomes this deadly virus in a global breakthrough hoped to fast-track treatments, vaccines and even identify those at risk of dying, according to a Herald Sun report.
The report said that the Doherty Institute researchers have shown that healthy people can expect to fight off mild to moderate COVID-19 cases in three days. The Doherty team has reportedly been able to map in detail the way a patient’s immune system responded to COVID-19, revealing the weapons it used to overcome the new killer.
Lead researcher Professor Katherine Kedzierska told Herald Sun that the antibodies released by the human immune system to overcome coronavirus are very similar to those it uses to combat influenza — despite it never having being exposed to the disease.
Prof Kedzierska is quoted as saying “It suggests to us that we can fight the virus and we can drive ­recovery from COVID-19,” adding “We found that although COVID-19 is caused by a new virus, in a previously healthy patient robust immune responses can be elicited and associated with clinical recovery."
“We found in this patient three days after hospital admission we could see the emergence of specific cell populations in the blood,” he added.
According to the reports, when a 47-year-old woman from Wuhan was admitted to a Melbourne hospital as one of Australia’s first coronavirus cases, the Melbourne researchers were already set up to run a detailed analysis of her blood.
Four other Australian COVID-19 patients and their recovery have also been studied to show the same response — that patients recover three days after the antibodies begin to build up, said the report.
“Knowing that patients can mount antibody responses is important for the vaccination development, as the majority of vaccines are based on antibody responses,” Prof Kedzierska told Sun Herald, adding “This information will allow us to evaluate any vaccine candidates. In an ideal world, the vaccine should mimic our bodies.”
The latest work is likely to boost efforts to develop an antibody therapy to beat coronavirus.
Some scientists are reportedly pushing to develop drugs that mimic the weapons used by the immune system to kill the virus, which would be enhanced by the discovery of the antibodies, rather than going for a vaccine.
Notably, the study is likely to provide some reassurance for the 80 per cent of people who can easily fight off COVID-19, it would provide greater benefits for those who are at most risk.

255 Indian students stranded at Kuala Lumpur airport, seek Indian govt help

MMNN:18 March 2020
New DelhiAround 255 Indian students are stuck at Kuala Lumpur Airport due to the coronavirus outbreak in the country. All the students went to the Philippines for their further studies.
According to students, the Indian Authorities told them they can’t go to India. Students said, "If our Indian government won't allow us to enter into our own country, then where should we go?"
Earlier on March 11, an Indian official statement said all existing visas, except diplomatic, official, UN/international organisations, employment, and project visas stand suspended till April 15. This will come into effect from 1200 GMT on March 13 at the port of departure.
Students added, "We are expecting the Indian government to take us back, we are not ready to go back to the Philippines, until the situation gets normal there. They should rescue us since the Malaysian airports are going to lock down from tomorrow."
Advocate Ram Dulal Manna, one of the student's father talked to Zee News and said, "From the last 18 hours about 255 students are stuck at the Kuala Lumpur Airport, all the students have tried their best and tweeted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in New Delhi."
He added, "They wanted to come back and sent mails but the Indian Authorities haven't yet replied to their emails."
Globally, around 1,86,665 people have been tested positive for the coronavirus.

South Korea reports 74 new cases, church cluster outbreak near Seoul

MMNN:16 March 2020
Seoul: South Korea reported 74 new coronavirus infections on Monday, slightly lower than the previous day, health officials said, taking the tally of cases to 8,236, with 75 deaths.
New infections have been on a declining trajectory, with the latest figures well below a Feb. 29 peak of 909, and slightly down from 76 on Sunday, but media said South Korea uncovered the second-largest cluster in the area near its capital. As many as 303 more patients have been released after a full recovery, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, for a total of 1,137 who have gone home.
"For three straight days we have seen more numbers of discharged than newly confirmed, but we should not forget the lessons we’ve learned," Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip told a briefing.
Officials warned that "sporadic outbreaks" continued in the hardest-hit areas, such as the southeastern city of Daegu. The new outbreaks were from unknown sources in other cities, Kim said, adding, "This implies the coronavirus is spreading across the country."
One new cluster surfaced in Seongnam city south of Seoul, the capital, where at least 40 members of a Protestant church tested positive, including the pastor, after services on March 1 and March 8, despite government calls to cancel mass gatherings.
Six more people who came in contact with infected church members also tested positive, said Yonhap news agency, making the cluster the second largest in the Seoul area. Kim urged people to avoid mass gatherings and adopt "social distancing" measures to stifle infections. "We should not let our guard down," he added.
New steps to prevent new infections target visitors arriving from countries with major outbreaks, he said.
This week, South Korea adopted tougher border checks for visitors from Europe, similar to its rules for travellers from China and Iran.
On Sunday, it classified the worst-hit provinces as "special disaster zones", allowing the government to subsidise up to half of restoration expenses and exempt residents from taxes and utility payments.

COVID-19: By the end of May 2020, most world airlines will be bankrupt, says CAPA

MMNN:16 March 2020
New Delhi: CAPA on Monday (March 16, 2020) said in a statement that by the end of May-2020, most airlines in the world will be bankrupt.
CAPA - The Centre for Aviation, part of the Aviation Week Network, is one of the world’s most trusted sources of market intelligence for the aviation and travel industry. It released a statement on its official website and said, "By the end of May-2020, most airlines in the world will be bankrupt. Coordinated government and industry action is needed - now - if catastrophe is to be avoided."
As the impact of the coronavirus and multiple government travel reactions sweep through our world, many airlines have probably already been driven into technical bankruptcy, or are at least substantially in breach of debt covenants.
CAPA said, "Cash reserves are running down quickly as fleets are grounded and what flights there are operate much less than half full."
"Forward bookings are far outweighed by cancellations and each time there is a new government recommendation it is to discourage flying. Demand is drying up in ways that are completely unprecedented. Normality is not yet on the horizon," stated CAPA.
At the same time, while governments are grappling with the health challenges of coronavirus, it is clear that there is little instinct to act cooperatively. Messages are mixed and frequently quite different.
Each nation is adopting the solution that appears best suited to it, right or wrong, without consideration of its neighbours or trading partners.
CAPA said, "When, for example, President Trump peremptorily announced the effective cancellation of airline access to most Europeans, he didn’t even advise his European government counterparts in advance, let alone consult with them. Other governments have performed a little better."
"Failure to coordinate the future will result in protectionism and much less competition," CAPA said in its note.
"In short, the post-coronavirus environment has all the makings of a geopolitical standoff. The last thing the world needs post-coronavirus is a nationalistic aeropolitical confrontation," wrote CAPA.
As of March 12, InterGlobe Aviation, the parent of the country's largest airline IndiGo tumbled 10 per cent to Rs 1,039.35 apiece, a day after it said that quarterly earnings would be hit due to falling in daily bookings amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The SpiceJet dropped over 18 per cent to Rs 49.40 while Jet Airways fell nearly 5 per cent to Rs 18.95.
Earlier on March 10, India temporarily suspended all the visas and e-visas granted on or before March 11 to nationals of three more coronavirus-affected countries -- France, Germany and Spain -- effective immediately, as part of the measure to contain the spread of the deadly virus.
The government had earlier also suspended visas and e-visas for nationals of Italy, Iran, South Korea, Japan and China. The decision was taken during a high-level review meeting chaired by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba with secretaries of the concerned ministries or departments to review the status, actions, preparedness and management of COVID-19 cases in the country.
According to the worldometers.info, the total number of coronavirus cases in the world have reached more than 1,70,000 and there have been around 6,524 deaths until afternoon of March 16, 2020.

Germany accuses US President Donald Trump of trying to buy a company working on coronavirus vaccine

MMNN:16 March 2020
GermanyGerman ministers have expressed anger over reports that a German medical company was offered “large sums of money” by US President Donald Trump for exclusive rights to a vaccine for coronavirus.
“Germany is not for sale,” Guardian quoted economy minister Peter Altmaier as saying. A German newspaper reported that USD 1 billion was offered by President Trump to Tubingen-based biopharmaceutical company CureVac to secure the vaccine “only for the United States”.
It is learnt that German government has also offered financial incentives to the company to ensure that the vaccine stays in the country. “International co-operation is important now, not national self-interest,” said Erwin Rueddel, a conservative lawmaker on the German parliament’s health committee.
Christian Lindner, leader of the liberal FDP party, slammed President Trump and accused him of electioneering. “Obviously Trump will use any means available in an election campaign,” Lindner was quoted as saying by Guardian.
German Health Minister Jens Spahn noted that Berlin will never allow the US to take control of CureVac and the company would only develop vaccine “for the whole world”, and "not for individual countries”.
The total number of coronavirus cases have jumped to more than more than 86,000 across the world and the number of cases in China, which is the epicentre of coronavirus outbreak, is currently at 80,860. Deaths outside China have jumped to over 3,241, while deaths in China is at 3,208.
Addressing a press conference, Germany Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said, "I can only say that I have heard several times today from government officials today that this is the case, and we will be discussing it in the crisis committee tomorrow."

After China, Nepal closes Mount Everest for climbers because of coronavirus fears

MMNN:13 March 2020
Kathmandu: Nepal has closed all of its Himalayan peaks including Mount Everest this climbing season because of fears of the coronavirus outbreak, a government minister said on Friday.
Nepal, home to eight of the world`s 14 highest mountains including Mount Everest, gets more than four million dollars in permit fees for the world`s highest peak and other mountains every year.
Tourism Minister Yogesh Bhattarai said expeditions to all peaks in the March-May spring season had been suspended.
"Climbing this season has been closed,” Bhattarai told Reuters.
"It is as a precaution for that," he added, when asked it its was because of the coronavirus.
Nepal has confirmed just one case of the coronavirus - a student studying in China on a trip home - out of 450 people tested.
The suspension of expeditions in Nepal will affect hundreds of foreign climbers now preparing for the spring season, a window or relatively good weather between the end of the bitterly cold winter and the rainy season, which begins in June.
Everest, the world`s highest mountain at 8,850 metres (29,035 feet), is on the border between Nepal and the Chinese region of Tibet. China announced the closure of its side of the mountain on Thursday.
It is the second time in recent years that the climbing season has been disrupted. Expeditions were suspended in 2015 after a major earthquake struck Nepal on April 25 that year, killing some 9,000 people.
Eighteen people were killed at the Everest base camp when an avalanche triggered by the quake roared down a slope.
"This is disappointing news for both our expedition leaders and our clients who have trained for months for this year’s climb," Lukas Furtenbach, of the California-based guiding company Furtenbach Adventure, said.
Adrian Ballinger of the Alpenglow Expeditions company said he understood the decision .
“While cancelling a climb is never an outcome we want, this time, it’s the responsible thing to do,” Ballinger said in a statement. “A COVID-19 outbreak at base camp would be dangerous and potentially devastating,” he said.
Nepal would also stop issuing visas on arrival until April 30, an official said.

Justin Trudeau in self-isolation after wife Sophie tests positive for coronavirus

MMNN:13 March 2020
Ottawa: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau`s wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau has been tested positive for the novel coronavirus, his office has announced.
Justin Trudeau, who has been self-isolating at home with his wife, will not be tested "at this stage" because he currently has no symptoms, CTV News quoted the Prime Minister`s Office as saying in a statement on Thursday night.
The couple will remain in isolation for a planned period of 14 days, the statement added.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau is the 158th Canadian to test positive for the virus that was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on Wednesday.
The First Lady said in a statement that she is experiencing "uncomfortable symptoms of the virus" but plans to be back on her feet soon.
"Being in quarantine at home is nothing compared to other Canadian families who might be going through this and for those facing more serious health concerns," Gregoire Trudeau said, adding, "We will get through this situation together. Please share the facts and take your health seriously."
Justin Trudeau will continue to assume his duties as Prime Minister and will address the country on Friday.
Health officials are now reaching out to those who have been in contact with Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, CTV News reported.
According to the PMO statement, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau began exhibiting flu-like symptoms after returning from a speaking engagement in the UK. She immediately sought medical advice after developing the symptoms and a low fever late Wednesday.
In a tweet sent Thursday afternoon before she tested positive, the Prime Minister had said his wife was feeling better but echoed the message of caution. Sources told CTV News earlier on Thursday that the couple`s children were not showing symptoms and not being quarantined.

Baloch activists urge United Nations to probe Pakistan govt’s atrocities in Balochistan

MMNN:13 March 2020
New Delhi: In a bid to create greater international awareness about near-extermination of the people of Balochistan, a campaign is being launched by activists under the banner of the Baloch Human Rights Council. A pavilion is also being set up outside the UN Office in Geneva, adjacent to iconic broken chair named “Save the Baloch”.
The council activists demand that the UN must launch an immediate and thorough investigation into the Pakistani government’s actions in Balochistan, and must hold Pakistan accountable for its egregious human rights abuses against the people of Balochistan.
“Save the Baloch” initiative marks an effort to amplify the voices of the people of Balochistan and usher in the restoration of their most basic human rights — social, cultural, political and economic autonomy.
Currently, the Baloch faces an unending saga of humiliation, destruction, and grief. Mass graves have been discovered across Balochistan; death squads kidnap social and political activists and human rights defenders, who are then murdered and thrown into these mass graves. Military oppression is the key tactic Pakistan has employed in order to sustain its unjust rule over the Baloch.
The people of Balochistan were never asked whether they wanted to be part of Pakistan. Also, they never gave their consent to have their territory annexed into the fundamentalist hotbed that is Pakistan. The Pakistani government has denied their right to self-determination.
Pakistan pushes the narrative that the people of Balochistan are happy— that they want to be part of Pakistan. This narrative is baseless and demeaning to the actual lived experiences of the Baloch.
Defending the rights of the people of Balochistan is not an option— it is an obligation. In the words of one of the protestors, “Freedom for Balochistan has been long-delayed, but it cannot and will not be denied.”
Because of these transgressions and the lack of UN counteraction, the UN has failed its own mandate to protect and fight for human rights across the globe. Silence from the UN on this matter is essentially an endorsement of this cultural extermination of genocidal proportions.

Coronavirus spread: Saudi Arabia suspends entry for pilgrims to Mecca

MMNN:27 February 2020
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia on Thursday suspended visas for pilgrims wishing to visit Mecca over coronavirus fears, the foreign ministry said. The government is "suspending entry to the Kingdom for the purpose of Umrah and visiting the Prophet's Mosque temporarily", the foreign ministry said in a statement, referring to the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca that can be undertaken at any time of year.
Umrah attracts tens of thousands of devout Muslims from all over the globe each month.
The foreign ministry said it was also suspending visas for tourists visiting from countries where the new virus is a "danger".
Even as the number of fresh cases declines at the epicentre of the disease in China, there has been a sudden increase in parts of Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Iran has emerged as a major hotspot in the region, where 15 people have succumbed to the disease -- officially known as COVID-19.
The Gulf states of Kuwait and Bahrain have also announced additional cases this week.

Coronavirus outbreak: US, South Korea postpone joint military exercises

MMNN:27 February 2020
Seoul: The US and South Korean militaries on Thursday postponed forthcoming joint exercises due to the coronavirus outbreak as the Asian country reported 334 new cases, taking its total to 1,595.
The decision to delay the training was made after Seoul declared its highest "severe" alert level over the virus, Combined Forces Command said, adding the postponement was "until further notice".
The United States has 28,500 troops in South Korea to protect it against the nuclear-armed North, many of them based south of Seoul at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek -- Washington's biggest overseas military facility.
The security allies have previously scaled back their annual joint military exercises significantly to facilitate nuclear talks with Pyongyang -- which condemns such drills as preparations for an invasion -- but a command coordination exercise had been planned for this spring.
South Korea has the highest number of virus cases in the world outside China, where the disease first emerged in December and has since spread to dozens of countries.
Thursday's increase was the biggest reported so far by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which gave a death toll of 12.
More than 80 percent of the South's cases are in Daegu -- South Korea's fourth largest city with a population of 2.5 million -- and the neighbouring province of North Gyeongsang. They centre on the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a secretive entity often accused of being a cult. A 61-year-old female member developed a fever on February 10, but attended at least four church services in Daegu before being diagnosed.
Checks have begun on more than 200,000 Shincheonji members after the organisation handed over a list to authorities, and the number of cases is expected to increase as a result.
South Korea has an advanced medical system, a free press and a strong culture of public accountability, and observers say that its health statistics can be treated with confidence.
Officials have urged the public to exercise extra caution, advising citizens to stay home if they have a fever or respiratory symptoms.
An American soldier stationed at Camp Carroll 30 kilometres (19 miles) north of Daegu was put in self-quarantine at his home Wednesday after testing positive for the virus, the first case among US Forces Korea personnel.
Scores of events have been cancelled or postponed as the outbreak has spread in the world's 12th-largest economy, from K-pop concerts to the start of the K-league football season, while museums and other public venues have closed.
The Bank of Korea on Thursday lowered the country's growth outlook for this year to 2.1 per cent, down 0.2 percentage points, citing a contraction in consumption and slowing exports due to the spread of the virus.
The Catholic Church in South Korea said it would suspend all public masses at more than 1,700 churches across the country in response to the contagion.
A group of Catholics who recently returned from a pilgrimage to Israel had been one of the cluster infections.

Six people dead, including gunman, in Molson Coors brewery shooting in US Milwaukee

MMNN:27 February 2020
Milwaukee: A gunman opened fire at the Molson Coors Beverage Co brewing complex in Milwaukee on Wednesday, killing five employees before he was found dead from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot, the city`s police chief said.
No other people were injured in the violence, which erupted about 2 p.m. (2000 GMT) at the sprawling campus of more than 20 buildings, where over 1,000 workers are employed by the beer company in Wisconsin`s largest city, the chief said.
"There is no threat at this time, and we will continue to investigate throughout the night," the police chief, Alfonso Morales, told reporters at a news conference hours after the shooting.
Morales said the bloodshed was confined to the Molson Coors complex west of downtown - a facility known to locals as the old Miller brewery - and that "no members of the general public were involved." Miller beer is one of the company`s leading brands.
Hours later, law enforcement officers were still combing through each building in the complex to secure the facility, Morales said, adding the deceased gunman was believed to have acted alone.
The suspect was described only as a 51-year-old Milwaukee man. Details about the circumstances of the shooting, including what may have precipitated the carnage, were not provided by authorities.
President Donald Trump, acknowledging the shooting as he opened a White House news conference about the coronavirus outbreak, referred to the gunman as a "wicked murderer" and called the gun violence "a terrible thing."
Appearing with the police chief in Milwaukee, Mayor Tom Barrett branded the shooting "an unspeakable tragedy."
"There were five individuals who went to work today just like everybody goes to work. They thought they were going to work and return to their families. They didn`t, and tragically they never will."
Governor Tony Evers asked for a brief moment of silence out of respect for the victims "needlessly murdered at Molson Coors this afternoon."
The entire Molson Coors campus was placed under a security lockdown, and the company advised employees in an email that the gunman had been located in or near a second-floor stairwell near a packaging facility, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
Video footage from the scene showed streets cordoned off with numerous police and fire department vehicles ringing the area as brewery workers were escorted from buildings.
Local television station WISN, an ABC affiliate, said police appeared to be searching a vehicle on or near the scene. The station later showed part of a residential Milwaukee neighbourhood roped off with police crime-scene tape.
According to the Journal Sentinel, Molson Coors Beverage Co, which operates MillerCoors, announced plans last fall to close a Denver office and relocate some corporate support jobs to Milwaukee. The newspaper said the restructuring was designed to cut costs and resulted in 400 to 500 jobs being eliminated throughout Molson Coors.
It said the company now had 610 jobs at its Milwaukee corporate office, in addition to 750 jobs at two breweries in the city.

Coronavirus scare: South Korea reports 169 new cases, including first US soldier

MMNN:26 February 2020
SEOUL: South Korea reported 169 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, including a US soldier, as health authorities readied an ambitious plan to test more than 200,000 members of a church hit hardest by the country`s outbreak.
The new cases pushed the total tally to 1,146, with the numbers expected to rise as the government widens its testing.
Of the new cases, 134 were from Daegu city, where a branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, which has been linked to outbreaks, is located, the Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (KCDC) said.
The US military reported its first case of the coronavirus on Wednesday, in a 23-year-old soldier based in Camp Carroll, about 20 km (12.4 miles) from Daegu. The camp is also near a disability centre that has had its own outbreak of the virus.
A twelfth death from the virus was reported on Wednesday, according to the Joongang Ilbo newspaper.
Around 80 percent of the country`s cases - including at the disability centre - are linked to the
Daegu church, and to a hospital in nearby Cheongdo County, which some members are believed to have visited.
The church said it had agreed to provide the government with contact details for all of its members and people in trainee programmes, on the understanding that the information would not be made public.
"We have obtained a list of 212,000 number of the Shincheonji believers from the church last night," vice health minister Kim Gang-lip said at a briefing on Wednesday.
"We will pass the list to local governments," he said. "Local governments will check whether the believers have respiratory or fever related symptoms and visit their homes to test them."
The coronavirus is believed to have originated in China before spreading to dozens of other countries and territories.

Egypt's ousted president Hosni Mubarak dead at 91

MMNN:25 February 2020
CAIRO: Egypt`s ousted former President Hosni Mubarak has died at the age of 91, state television said on Tuesday, weeks after undergoing surgery.
Mubarak ruled Egypt for 30 years until he was ousted following mass protests against his rule in 2011. He was jailed for years after the uprising, but was freed in 2017 after being acquitted of most charges.

UK MP Debbie Abrahams, denied entry into India, visited PoK on Pakistan's invitation

MMNN:25 February 2020
Pakistan :British Parliamentary Group headed by MP Debbie Abrahams visited Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK ) on Sunday (February 23, 2020) and met various leaders at an event allegedly organised by Pakistani intelligence body ISI on the Kashmir issue. Zee News had reported earlier that Debbie Abrahams' actual plan was to visit India and from there go to Pakistan and OoK to allegedly demonise Indian security forces deployed in the valley to maintain law and order along with tackling terror activities.
The Indian government had already clarified that her visa was revoked as she had indulged in activities which went against the country's interest.
After being denied entry into India and being sent back to Dubai, Debbie Abrahams reached Pakistan on February 19, 2020. She left from Dubai for Pakistan as she already had a plan to visit the South Asian nation which she had not disclosed earlier, added Indian sources. Her plan also included a visit to PoK but she had kept it a secret when trying to enter India.
As per the sources in intelligence agenciess, she has been active against India at the behest of Pakistan. Her visit to Pakistan and PoK has been sponsored by the Pakistani government.
She was stopped from entering India after her arrival at New Delhi airport on February 17, 2020 and deported to Dubai. The rejection of the e-business visa was already intimated to her on February 14.

Death toll increases to 2,592 in China as deadly coronavirus spreads globally

MMNN:24 February 2020
Beijing: The coronavirus death toll in China increased to 2593 and a total of 77345 cases were confirmed as per health authorities report on Monday (February 24).
Other than China, South Korea is the biggest hotspot of the deadly coronavirus which has lead to worsening health conditions in the country. The Middle East and Europe are also at the front lines in the spread of coronavirus.
South Korea has seen a rapid rise in infections since a cluster sprouted in a religious sect in the southern city of Daegu last week.
More than 200 infections and two more deaths were reported in South Korea on Monday, bringing the total cases to more than 830 - by far the most outside China.
Afghanistan, Bahrain and Kuwait also announced their first cases of the virus, and the death toll in Iran climbed to 12 on Monday.
Here's is the list of country-wise details of death and cases due to coronavirus:
CHINA- 77345 (2593 DEATHS)
S KOREA- 833 (8 DEATHS)
ITALY- 217 (4 DEATHS)
JAPAN- 146 (1 DEATH)
SINGAPORE- 89
HONG KONG- 179 (2 DEATHS)
IRAN- 47 (12 DEATHS)
THAILAND- 35
U.S- 35
TAIWAN- 30 (1 DEATH)
AUS- 22
MALAYSIA- 22
GERMANY- 16
VIETNAM- 16
U.K- 13
UAE- 13
FRANCE- 12 (1 DEATH)
CANADA- 1
MACAO- 1
PHILIPPINES- 3 (1 DEATH)
KUWAIT-3
ISRAEL- 2
AFGHANISTAN- 1
BAHRAIN- 1
LEBANON- 1
SWEDEN- 1
IRAQ- 1
Chinese authorities insist they are making progress in containing the virus, citing slowing infection rates. The World Health Organization (WHO) also lauded China's effort to handle the emergency situation and said, ''China's "incredibly difficult measures" in tackling the coronavirus that emerged late last year has probably prevented hundreds of thousands of cases in the country.''
Coronavirus has led to more than 30 deaths outside of China and about 30 countries have reported infections.
The virus is taking an increasingly heavy toll on the global economy, with many factories in China closed or subdued due to quarantines, and global travel choked.
Earlier this week, Chinese President Xi Jinping acknowledged that the virus had become the country's "largest public health emergency" since the founding of the People's Republic in 1949.

China denies delay in granting permission to special Indian flight to coronavirus hit-Wuhan

MMNN:21 February 2020
Beijing: China on Friday (February 21) denied any delay in allowing a special Indian flight to the coronavirus-hit Wuhan city to deliver medical supplies and evacuate remaining Indians from there, saying the concerned departments of both the countries were in touch to finalise the schedule.
India on February 17 announced that it will send Indian Air Force's largest plane C-17 Globemaster with medical supplies to Wuhan, the epicentre of the novel coronavirus, and bring back its nationals as well as citizens from all neighbouring countries who were still stuck there on the return flight.
The special flight to Wuhan is reportedly awaiting clearance from China.
India evacuated 647 Indians and seven Maldivians by operating two Special Air India flights to Wuhan earlier this month.
Asked why there is a delay in granting permission to the third Indian flight, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told an online press briefing on Friday that China has assisted India earlier to evacuate a large number of Indians from Wuhan and Hubei province.
The competent departments on the two sides are still in communication on the arrangement for the remaining 80 people that India plans to fly home. There is no such a thing as China delaying giving flight permissions, he said.
Geng said the Chinese government attaches high importance to the lives and health of all foreign nationals in China.
A Chinese official on Thursday said 29 foreign nationals in China were infected with the novel coronavirus and 18 of them have recovered.
We have offered them all the necessary help they need and will continue to do so. At present, China's prevention efforts have been proven to be effective, he said, referring to Chinese health officials' observation that the cases of the virus have started declining.
We hope that relevant countries will respect the reasonable recommendations given by the WHO (World Health Organisation) and avoid overreacting. China will continue to work with the international community to fight against the epidemic and promote the global cause of public health, he said.
Meanwhile, the death toll in the novel coronavirus in China has risen to 2,236 with 118 more casualties reported, mostly from the hard-hit Hubei province, while the overall confirmed infection cases have climbed to 75,465, Chinese health officials said on Friday.

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner to accompany Donald and Melania Trump on India trip

MMNN:21 February 2020
The US first family will be coming for their trip to India on February 24 and 25. It has been confirmed that US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania will be accompanied by daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner for the Namaste Trump event in Gujarat's Ahmedabad on Monday.
A high-level delegation including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross will also be travelling to India.
The US President was invited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the cricket stadium in Motera, also known as Sardar Patel Stadium. With a seating capacity of more than 1,10,000 people it is the world's largest cricket stadium.
An elaborate ceremony has been planned in Ahmedabad for their visit. There will be a roadshow by the two leaders from the Ahmedabad airport to 'Motera Stadium', which is as long as 22 kilometres.
Several tableaus will be lined up on the streets of the city with artists performing folk dances.
The two dignitaries will make a quick stopover at Sabarmati Ashram before making their way to the stadium.
According to sources, a program dubbed as 'Namaste Trump' will be held inside the stadium where both Trump and Modi will address a large gathering estimated around 1.25 lakhs.
Ahead of his visit, Donald Trump on Thursday said the two countries could make a "tremendous" trade deal. "We're going to India, and we may make a tremendous deal there," Trump said in his commencement address at the Hope for Prisoners Graduation Ceremony in Las Vegas.
"Maybe we'll slow down. We'll do it after the election. I think that could happen too. So, we'll see what happens," he said adding, "But we're only making deals if they're good deals because we're putting America first. Whether people like it or not, we're putting America first," Trump said.
President Trump is set to undertake many official engagements in New Delhi and Gujarat and "interact with a wide cross-section of Indian society" on this trip.
Talk's on counter-terror cooperation, deepening engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, augmenting defence and trade ties and India's concerns over H1B visas are expected to figure in talks between Trump and Modi.

South Korea worst hit nation by coronavirus after China, confirmed cases reach 156

MMNN:21 February 2020
Seoul: South Korea confirmed 52 more cases of novel coronavirus on Friday (February 21), taking its overall figure to 156 and making it the worst-infected country outside China.
Altogether 39 of the new cases were linked to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in the southern city of Daegu, the Korean Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said.
More than 80 members of Shincheonji have now been infected, starting with a 61-year-old woman who developed a fever on February 10 but attended at least four church services before being diagnosed.
The mayor of Daegu, South Korea's fourth-biggest city, with a population of over 2.5 million - has advised residents to stay indoors, and commanders at a major US base in the area restricted access.
Residents wore masks to go about their daily activities Friday.
Shincheonji is often accused of being a cult and claims its founder, Lee Man-hee, has donned the mantle of Jesus Christ and will take 144,000 people with him to heaven on the day of judgement.
The KCDC said one more case had been confirmed at a hospital in Cheongdo county near Daegu where a total of 16 infections have now been identified, including a long-stay patient who died Wednesday after showing symptoms of pneumonia.

Two passengers from coronavirus-hit cruise ship in Japan die

MMNN:20 February 2020
TOKYO: Two passengers from a coronavirus-hit cruise ship moored near Tokyo have died and 29 people were in a serious condition, Japanese media reported on Thursday, as a second group of passengers disembarked after two-weeks quarantined onboard.
More than 620 of the passengers on the Diamond Princess liner have been infected on the ship, which has been quarantined since February 3, initially with about 3,700 people on board.
Public broadcaster NHK said the deceased passengers were an 87-year-old Japanese man and an 84-year-old Japanese woman.
Kyodo news agency reported 29 people were in a serious condition, including one who had earlier tested negative for the virus. The health ministry could not immediately confirm the reports.
Japan has well over half the known cases outside China due to the ship infections and the rapid spread of the virus and the quarantine operation has sparked criticism of authorities just months before Tokyo is due to host the Summer Olympics.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga defended Japan`s efforts. He told a news conference that after measures were put in place to isolate passengers on February 5, the number of new infections was now almost at zero. "In that sense, we believe the isolation was effective," he said.
Japan`s National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) said in a report issued Wednesday that no new cases of the onset of the COVID-19 disease from the cruise ship were reported on February 16-17 and only one crew member case on February 15.
In a move to reassure the public, the health ministry also issued a statement in both English and Japanese that said all passengers had been required to stay in their cabins since February 5 to contain the virus. The day before, as passengers were being screened, ship events continued, including dances, quiz games and an exercise class. Criticism of the government has played out in social media as well as in parliament, where Health Minister Katsunobu Kato was grilled again on Thursday by an opposition lawmaker.
SAFE TO GO HOME?
About 500 passengers began disembarking on Thursday while another 100 people were to leave for chartered flights home, a health ministry official said. An initial batch of passengers who had tested negative and shown no symptoms left the vessel on Wednesday.
Those who have shared a room with people testing positive were required to remain in quarantine, as were crew. The ministry could not confirm how many people remained on board, or when disembarkation would be complete.
More than 150 Australian passengers arrived home after a pre-dawn departure from Tokyo`s Haneda airport. They face another 14-day quarantine. Some Hong Kong passengers also went home, while Canadians were due to leave on a charter flight in the early hours of Friday, a Canadian government spokeswoman said. An evacuation flight was also being arranged for British nationals to leave Tokyo on Friday.
Earlier in the week, the United States evacuated more than 300 nationals on two chartered flights. A US State Department official said there were still about 45 U.S. citizens on board the cruise ship as of Thursday.
Americans flown back will have to complete another 14 days quarantine, as will returning Hong Kong residents. Disembarked Japanese passengers, however, face no such restrictions, a decision that has sparked concern.
The NIID said there should be no problem if people had shown no symptoms for 14 days and had tested negative for the virus during the period their health was under surveillance. Besides those on the cruise liner and returnees brought home from the epicentre of the epidemic Wuhan in China, about 70 cases of domestic infections have been confirmed in Japan, including 25 in Tokyo, public broadcaster NHK reported.

US special envoy talk over Taliban deal with Ashraf Ghani

MMNN:20 February 2020
U.S special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday (February 19) discussed a U.S. deal with Taliban militants on a weeklong reduction in violence, meeting the day after Ghani was declared a winner of a disputed presidential poll.
Ghani`s main rival, Abdullah Abdullah, who came in second, rejected the result and vowed to form his own government, threatening new political turmoil as the United States strives to seal a U.S. troop withdrawal deal with Taliban militants.
The Afghan presidential palace in a statement quoted President Ghani as telling Khalilzad he had held "effective" meetings with local leaders on how the Afghan government would handle the peace process.
The U.S.-Taliban deal was struck in protracted negotiations in the Qatari capital Doha and was announced on Friday after a meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Ghani and U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper in Munich.
Khalilzad, who has led talks with the Taliban on a U.S. troop withdrawal agreement, briefed Ghani on the steps that will be taken after the reduction in violence agreement comes into force, the presidential palace statement said.
Afghanistan`s acting interior minister had said on Tuesday that the accord would come into force in the next five days, even as clashes between the Taliban and Afghan security forces continued.
The statement following the Khalilzad-Ghani meeting did not mention the Afghan president`s re-election, which is being disputed by a number of Ghani`s political opponents.
The United States has not yet formally congratulated Ghani on his re-election for five more years as president.
The United Nations on Wednesday said it would “encourage the electoral management bodies to address the candidates’ understandable desire to have clarity on decisions taken related to audits and recounts.”
The European Union said it considered the election process to have reached a conclusion.

Shooting in German city leaves at least 8 people dead: Reports

MMNN:20 February 2020
At least eight people were killed and five more critically injured in a mass shooting incident late on Wednesday in the German city of Hanau, mass-selling Bild newspaper reported, citing prosecutors.
Several people were shot dead after two unknown gunmen attacked shisha bars in the German city of Hanau, Hessenshau reported on Wednesday quoting police sources.
While the police are still working at the scene, the actual number of deaths is unclear so far, but there were reports of at least eight people shot as a result of the incident.
According to media reports, the suspects entered the first bar in the city centre initially and opened fire, and then headed for another one in the Kasselstadt district.
Police in Hanau, east of Frankfurt, could not be reached for comment. The motive for the shooting is not clear.

Shooting in German city leaves at least 8 people dead: Reports

MMNN:20 February 2020
At least eight people were killed and five more critically injured in a mass shooting incident late on Wednesday in the German city of Hanau, mass-selling Bild newspaper reported, citing prosecutors.
Several people were shot dead after two unknown gunmen attacked shisha bars in the German city of Hanau, Hessenshau reported on Wednesday quoting police sources.
While the police are still working at the scene, the actual number of deaths is unclear so far, but there were reports of at least eight people shot as a result of the incident.
According to media reports, the suspects entered the first bar in the city centre initially and opened fire, and then headed for another one in the Kasselstadt district.
Police in Hanau, east of Frankfurt, could not be reached for comment. The motive for the shooting is not clear.

Second Hong Kong coronavirus death as it awaits stranded cruise passengers

MMNN:19 February 2020
Hong Kong: Hong Kong reported its second death from the new coronavirus on Wednesday as authorities drew up plans to fly home hundreds of city residents stranded on a virus-stricken cruise ship in Japan.
The 70-year-old man who died had underlying illnesses and was one of 62 confirmed cases in the Chinese-ruled city, a Princess Margaret Hospital spokeswoman said.
In addition to those cases, 52 Hong Kong residents have tested positive for the coronavirus on the cruise ship Diamond Princess in Japan. There are 352 Hong Kong residents on the ship.
The ship has been quarantined in the port of Yokohama since Feb. 3 after a man, who disembarked in Hong Kong before it travelled to Japan, was diagnosed with the virus.
More than 540 people have tested positive for the virus on the liner - the biggest concentration of infected people outside China.
Speaking in Hong Kong`s Legislative Council, Security Secretary John Lee said 200 out of the 352 Hong Kong residents on the ship, which is operated by Carnival Corp, were willing to take free, government charter flights home.
The government was trying to convince the rest to board the flights, he said. Those coming back would be required to undergo 14 days of quarantine upon arrival.
"We`ve urged the Japanese government to prioritise our cases," Lee said.
"We wouldn’t rule out the possibility of sending more charter flights but we`ll try our best to handle all of them in one day."

Two small planes collide in Australia, killing four onboard

MMNN:19 February 2020
Perth: Two small planes collided Wednesday, killing four people and scattering debris across grassland in southeastern Australia.
Police and other emergency services were at the two separate crash scenes in Mangalore, north of the Victoria state capital, Melbourne.
Victoria police said in a statement two occupants in each plane were confirmed dead at the scene and had yet to be identified.
Aerial images taken from local media showed debris from two small planes in grassy areas.
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau have been notified.

Air strikes hit hospitals, camps in northwest Syria, Turkey demands pull-back

MMNN:18 February 2020
BEIRUT/GENEVA: Government air strikes have hit hospitals and refugee camps in northwest Syria and killed about 300 civilians as President Bashar al-Assad`s forces press an assault against the last rebel stronghold, the United Nations said on Tuesday. UN officials said relief agencies were overwhelmed by the humanitarian crisis as nearly one million civilians, most of them women and children, had fled towards the Turkish border in bitter winter conditions to escape the onslaught.
"Civilians fleeing the fighting are being squeezed into areas without safe shelter that are shrinking in size by the hour. And still they are bombed. They simply have nowhere to go," UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said. Syrian and Russian warplanes meanwhile kept up raids on the town of Darat Izza in Aleppo province on Tuesday, witnesses said, a day after two hospitals there were badly damaged.
At Al Kinana Hospital, blown-out walls and dust-covered medical cables and supplies were strewn about the hospital after two staff were wounded on Monday, witnesses said. Ankara said talks with Moscow on Idlib were "not satisfactory" and Turkey would deploy more troops to the region.
Turkish and Russian officials held a second day of talks in Moscow with no apparent agreement on Idlib, where the latest push by Russian-backed Syrian government forces has killed several Turkish troops. Russia said both sides restated their commitment to existing agreements aimed at reducing tension in Idlib. A statement did not mention Turkey`s demand for Syrian government forces to pull back.
Turkey says it cannot cope with a new refugee influx in addition to the 3.6 million Syrian refugees already stranded inside its borders. Appearing on national television on Monday, Assad said the rapid military gains presaged the eventual defeat of the nine-year-old insurgency against him although it could still take time. The rebel factions include Turkish-backed rebels and jihadist militants.

British royal family’s website hacked, sending visitors to Chinese porn site

MMNN:18 February 2020
In a major blunder, the visitors to UK Royal Family’s website were accidentally sent to a Chinese porn site instead of sending visitors to Chinese porn site instead of a charity. The site has been hacked and an incorrect link to a charity is taking users to a web page which features click-throughs to porn content, The Sun reported. According to royal.uk, which is the official site of British royal family the website is the “home of the Royal Family” and features a picture of the Queen with Prince Phillip. The site contains information about the royals and highlights charities they are associated with. The royal website should have a link to the Welsh charity Dolen Cymru’s official website waleslesotholink.org and at first glance nothing appears amiss but there is one more link in the official link which directed users to the pron website. The royal family and Dolen Cymru have been informed about the embarrassing gaffe. Notably, Prince Harry is a patron of the charity which helps communities in Wales and Lesotho. Harry is closely associated with several programmes in the West African nation as he spent his gap year on a placement there in 2004. The 35-year-old Harry has hailed the charity’s work as “quite invaluable”.

Coronavirus death toll in China reaches 1886; WHO doctors begin field inspection

MMNN:18 February 2020
Beijing: The death toll from China's coronavirus epidemic climbed to 1,886 on Tuesday (February 18, 2020) as 98 more people died while the total number of confirmed cases jumped to 72,436, according to Chinese officials. Of the latest deaths, 93 were reported from Hubei Province, the epicentre of the virus, three from Henan, and one each from Hebei and Hunan, the National Health Commission said.
Hubei reported 1,807 new confirmed cases, taking the total number of such cases to 59,989 in the province. Another 1,432 new suspected cases were reported from the rest of China. On Monday, 1,097 patients became seriously ill and 11,741 patients remained in severe condition, the commission said.
Of the 41,957 patients hospitalised in Hubei, 9,117 were still in severe condition and another 1,853 in critical condition, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The province also saw 1,223 patients discharged from hospital after recovery on Monday, bringing the total number of discharged patients in the province to 7,862. A total of 12,552 people had been discharged from hospital after recovery across China so far, it said.
In view of human-to-human transmission of the disease, over 1.41 lakh people who have come in contact with the people who contracted the virus are still under medical observation, it said. By Monday, 60 confirmed cases including one death had been reported in Hong Kong 10 confirmed cases in Macao and 22 in Taiwan including one death.
Top World Health Organisation experts, including from the US, have joined the fight against the the virus, called COVID-19, in China.
China confirmed that the 12-member WHO team includes Americans, as sought by the US.
"The foreign experts on board the China-WHO Joint Mission have arrived in Beijing. They have started relevant activities. We have experts from the US in the mission," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told media.
NHC said China has stepped up efforts to shore up weak spots as the epidemic prevention and control have entered the most crucial stage. "Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province, remains the main battlefield," Wang Hesheng, deputy head of NHC, said. "Improving admission and survival rates and reducing infection and fatality rates are still the most urgent tasks."
Nine temporary hospitals with more than 6,960 beds have opened in Hubei. As of February 14, a total of 217 medical teams with 25,633 medical workers had been sent to Hubei, the Xinhua report said.

Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar living in bomb-proof house in Pakistan's Bahawalpur: Intelligence agencies

MMNN:18 February 2020
Indian Intelligence agencies have confirmed that the chief of terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Maulana Masood Azhar, is living inside a bomb-proof house behind Jaish's Bahawalpur headquarters in Pakistan
It is to be noted that Azhar is on top of India’s “most wanted” list and was the architect of February 14, 2019 Pulwama attack, which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel. According to intelligence sources, Masood Azhar has three other known addresses: Kausar Colony, Bahawalpur; Madarassa Bilal Habshi, Bannu, Khyber-Paktunkhwa; and Madrassa Masjid-e-Luqman, Lakki Marwat in Bahawalpur.
The confirmation about Masood Azhar's whereabouts becomes crucial at a time when several reports have claimed that Pakistan may tell the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) plenary meet in Paris that the JeM boss is missing. Notably, Pakistan has sentenced Lashkar-e-Taiba chief and 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed to five-and-a-half years in prison for terror funding in order to avoid getting 'blacklisted' by FATF but Islamabad had failed to take any concrete action against Masood Azhar so far.
Meanwhile, ahead of the FATF discussion on Pakistan dossier, the country's intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has held a meeting with JeM commanders in Rawalpindi and assured the JeM and other terrorist groups that it will gradually remove the restrictions against terrorist organizations.
This meeting was attended by Jaish operations commander Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar and the ISI asked him to carry out terrorist attacks Jammu and Kashmir and other areas of India. The ISI has also asked Rauf to execute the attacks on India in such a manner that Jaish can be saved from international surveillance, according to the intelligence agencies report.
The JeM has also been told to once again intensify its old activities in Madrasas and other related institutes. These institutions have been asked to teach religious bigotry and jihad against India.

UN secretory general urged to take notice of humanitarian crisis in Balochistan

MMNN:17 February 2020
UNITED NATIONSKhalil Baloch, chairman of the Baloch National Movement (BNM) on Sunday urged the visiting United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to take immediate notice of the humanitarian crisis in Balochistan."Pakistan not only snatched our freedom but also exploited our marine and land resources. It also started a systematic genocide of the Baloch people that has further increased in the last two decades.However, the UN`s response over the situation has always been of a silent spectator," Kahlil Baloch said.
Guterres arrived in Islamabad on Monday on a four-day visit to the country. Khalil further added that Pakistan is not only responsible for the occupation of Balochistan but also perpetrating terrorism in the region.
"On the occasion of his visit, we would like to remind the Secretary-General that as an occupied nation, we have a strong hope that you will take notice of ongoing genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in Balochistan and would take initiatives to resolve the Baloch national issue," he said. He also noted that the Secretary-General is visiting Pakistan at a time when the forces and agencies of the establishment are committing genocide in Balochistan.
"The ground for Baloch political voices has been narrowed down. The UN Human Rights Council`s Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances has confirmed requests for thousands of forced disappearances of the Baloch people. These are the cases where families have filed their case with consent and identification through meeting the rules and requirements of this group," the activist added.
He said that such a situation is not only limited to the Baloch people, but Pashtuns and Sindhis too are facing genocide at the hands of the Pakistani establishment. The Pakistani atrocities have mounted manifold when China partnered with Pakistan to layout the multi-billion project of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he stressed.
Khalil said that the CPEC has become a plan for the economic exploitation of his people. "The national resources of Balochistan are being looted under this guise. These projects in the name of so-called development are destroying the environment along with the resources in the region. For example, environmental pollution, which is one of the burning issues has been dangerously ignored," Baloch said.
"No initiative has taken place to protect the indigenous peoples` environmental rights in these projects. Under the CPEC, millions of people from China and Pakistan are planned to have planned settled in Gwadar. This move will further escalate demographic changes in the land," he added.

Reports of Masood Azhar having gone missing raises many questions on Pakistan: Altaf Hussain

MMNN:17 February 2020
New DelhiThe reports of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief and UN-designated terrorist Masood Azhar having gone missing from so-called custody of the Pakistani Army has raised many questions on the state policy of Pakistan towards banned outfits, Muttahida Qaumi Movement`s (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain has said.
In a tweet, Hussain noted that the reports of Azhar and his family having gone missing has come ahead of the beginning of the key plenary session of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in Paris.
This week, the Paris-based global terror financing watchdog will evaluate whether Pakistan has taken sufficient steps and implemented its plan of action to fight terror financing or not.
More than 800 representatives from 205 countries and jurisdictions around the world, including the IMF, UN, World Bank, and other organisations, will take part in the meeting.
In a separate tweet, Hussain expressed his concern over the visit of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to Pakistan. The MQM leader went on to ask if the UN chief would visit the provinces of Sindh, Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during his four-day visit and listen to their stories of suppression.
The MQM leader is currently under detention in London. He is barred from addressing crowds for fear of instigating them and he is bound to stay at the designated address under curfew conditions from morning to evening.Hussain regularly makes televised addresses or telephonic speeches to his supporters, where he heavily criticises the Pakistan Army and ISI for alleged military oppression of Muhajirs.

Coronavirus death toll climbs to 1,770 in China; total cases climb to over 70,500

MMNN:17 February 2020
Beijing: China reported 105 new deaths due to the new coronavirus on Monday, pushing the overall death toll to 1,770, as officials announced stringent measures such as closing non-essential public venues and traffic restrictions to control the epidemic in the worst-hit Hubei province.
The National Health Commission said 2,048 new cases of the virus have been confirmed, taking the total number of COVID-19 infected cases to 70,548, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Of the new deaths, 100 were from Hubei Province, three in Henan, and two in Guangdong.
Though 10,844 people had been discharged from hospitals after recovery, the commission said in its daily report said that 7,264 people were still suspected to be infected by the deadly virus.
By Sunday, 57 confirmed cases including one death had been reported from Hong Kong, 10 in Macao, and 20 in Taiwan including one death.
Hubei, where 18 cities with over 50 million people are under lockdown since January 23, announced a slew of more stringent measures to control the epidemic, including enforcing province-wide traffic restrictions on all non-emergency vehicles and closing all non-essential public venues.
A circular by the provincial government said the health screening campaign should be strengthened and no one should be missed. Also, companies should not resume production unless allowed by local authorities. Those that have resumed work including public institutions should follow strict prevention measures.
The measures came as the situation remains "grave", the circular added.
However on Sunday, the commission announced a ?significant drop? in new cases, suggesting that epidemic control measures were taking effect.
"In Wuhan, the epicentre of the epidemic, the proportion of severe cases among the confirmed cases fell from a peak of 32.4 per cent on January 28 to 21.6 per cent on February 15," Mi Feng, a spokesperson with the NHC, said during a media briefing.
Meanwhile, a 12-member team of World Health Organisation experts began assisting their Chinese counterparts to control the virus.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said international experts were now on the ground in China to understand the outbreak and inform the next steps in the global response.
Ghebreyesus also met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Munich Security Conference.
He said "given the misinformation about the novel coronavirus epidemic, WHO has communicated with some companies including Google to ensure that the public will get the authoritative information from the WHO".
He said one of the goals of the joint mission is to rapidly inform the public of the next steps and preparedness activities in China and globally. "Particular attention will be paid to understanding the transmission of the virus, the severity of disease and the impact of ongoing response measures."
In Beijing, the NHC said the joint mission will pay field visits in China's three provincial-level regions to learn the implementation and effectiveness of the epidemic control measures.

Meet Ella: New Zealand police's first Artificial Intelligence officer

MMNN:13 February 2020
New ZealandNew Zealand police on Wednesday (February 12) unveiled its first Artificial Intelligence (AI) officer named Ella at the police national headquarters in Wellington.
Ella will be at the centre of the new digital services of New Zealand police, reported nzherald.co.in. Ella stands for Electronic Lifelike Assistant and this AI officer is part of two new digital kiosks designed by New Zealand police with an aim to reduce queues in police stations. New Zealand police is also hopeful that the introduction of Ella will provide a modern way to connect with the public.
Ella is the brainchild of project manager Erin Greally and this one-of-a-kind AI officer has been designed as a mix of 26 different people. Ella will be stationed at the headquarters building in Molesworth Station and the users will be able to get information or be connected to whom they want to visit.
New Zealand police has said that after the success of the three-month pilot, Ella's friendly, CGI face will be spread across kiosks throughout the country, reported nzherald.co.in.
The other kiosk in the three-month pilot phase is the police connect service, which can be used by the common people to ask for information on several questions or report a crime. The kiosk can also be used to get in touch with someone at the call centre.
During the pilot phase, these kiosks will be stationed at the Wellington, Johnsonville, and Featherston stations, but Commissioner Mike Bush has expressed hope that very soon these kiosks will be set up in stations across New Zealand, as well as non-police locations.
The kiosks will be fitted with CCTV cameras and other alarms. The new services were "a continuation of the modernisation of the New Zealand police force", Bush said.

Coronavirus death toll jumps to 1,310 in China's Hubei province

MMNN:13 February 2020
BEIJING: The Chinese province at the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak reported a record rise in the death toll on Thursday (February 13) under a new method for diagnosing cases, as health experts warned the epidemic could get worse before it gets better.
Health officials in Hubei province said 242 people had died from the flu-like virus on Wednesday, the fastest rise in the daily count since the pathogen was identified in December, and bringing the total number of deaths in the province to 1,310. The previous record rise in the toll was 103 on February 10.
The grim new tally came a day after China had reported its lowest number of new coronavirus cases in two weeks, bolstering a forecast by the country`s senior medical adviser that the epidemic could end by April.
But the 2,015 new confirmed cases reported in mainland China on Wednesday were dwarfed by the 14,840 new cases reported in Hubei alone on Thursday, after provincial officials started using computerised tomography (CT) scans to look for infections.
Hubei had previously only allowed infections to be confirmed by RNA tests, which can take days to process and delay treatment. RNA, or ribonucleic acid, carries genetic information allowing for identification of organisms like viruses.
Using CT scans that reveal lung infections would help patients receive treatment as soon as possible and improve their chances of recovery, the Hubei health commission said.
The new diagnostic procedure also could lead to a spike in the death toll, according to Raina McIntyre, head of biosecurity research at the Kirby Institute at the University of New South Wales in Sydney.
"Presumably, there are deaths which occurred in people who did not have a lab diagnosis but did have a CT. It is important that these also be counted," she told Reuters. Under previous, stricter rules for identifying coronavirus cases, patients were often denied access to treatment or went undiagnosed.
The new testing methodology is only being used in Hubei province so far, Chinese officials said.
MARKETS RATTLED
Asian stock markets wobbled and the safe-havens of the Japanese yen, gold and bonds rose after the new Hubei numbers dashed hopes that the epidemic was stablising and the Chinese economy could bounce back quickly.
Results from Chinese trials testing a combination of antiviral drugs used to treat HIV against the new coronavirus are due in weeks, but experts say a vaccine could still be months away.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned any apparent slowdown in the spread of the epidemic should be viewed with "extreme caution". "This outbreak could still go in any direction," he told a briefing in Geneva on Wednesday.
Hundreds of infections have been reported in more than two dozen other countries and territories, but only two people have died from the virus outside mainland China - one in Hong Kong and another in the Philippines.
The biggest cluster of cases outside China is on a cruise ship quarantined off the Japanese port of Yokohama, where a further 44 cases were reported on Thursday. So far, 219 of about 3,700 people on board have tested positive.
There was a happy ending for another cruise ship, the MS Westerdam, which docked in Cambodia after being denied docking rights in Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Guam and the Philippines over fears one of its 1,455 passengers and 802 crew might have the virus, even though none had tested positive.
"This morning, just seeing land was such a breathtaking moment," Angela Jones, an American tourist on the ship, told Reuters. "I thought: Is this real?" The outbreak is suspected to have originated in the Hubei provincial capital of Wuhan in December. The city of 11 million people remains under virtual lockdown, and other major Chinese cities are facing severe travel restrictions.
United Airlines said it would extend cancellations of all U.S. flights to China through late April, meaning all U.S. passenger carriers flying to China had now cancelled flights into late April.
The move is the latest disruption to international travel that has paralysed businesses and played havoc with major conferences and sporting events. The Mobile World Congress, an annual telecoms industry gathering that draws more than 100,000 visitors to Barcelona, was cancelled on Wednesday after a mass exodus by exhibitors due to coronavirus-related concerns.
Another big event to be cancelled moved or postponed was the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix, originally set for Shanghai on April 19. Singapore`s annual rugby sevens tournament due to take place in the city-state on April 11-12 would be postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak, a source familiar with the matter said.
Hong Kong extended the suspension of schools till at least March 16 in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus in the city, where 50 cases have been confirmed.

Two Indian crew members on board cruise ship off Japanese coast test positive for Coronavirus

MMNN:13 February 2020
At least two Indian crew members onboard a cruise ship off the Japanese coast tested positive for the Coronavirus, the Indian Embassy in Japan said on Wednesday as authorities confirmed that a total of 174 people have been infected with the deadly disease.
The cruise ship Diamond Princess with 3,711 people--2,666 guests crew members and 1,045 crew members--on board arrived at the Japanese coast early last week and was quarantined after a passenger who de-boarded in January in Hong Kong was found to be the carrier of the novel virus on the ship.
A total of 138 Indians, including 132 crew and 6 passengers, are on board the ship. "Due to the suspicion of novel Coronavirus (nCoV) infection, the ship has been quarantined by the Japanese authorities till February 19, 2020," the embassy said in a statement.
"As of February 12, 2020, altogether 174 people have been tested positive for nCoV, including two Indian crew members," it said. All the infected people have been taken to hospitals for adequate treatment, including further quarantine, in accordance with the Japanese health protocol, it added.
The Indian Embassy was in constant touch with the Japanese authorities to ensure the welfare of Indian nationals on board the ship as well as the possibility of their early disembarkation, in case they are not found to have tested positive for the virus, it said. Japanese authorities have confirmed that they are following the designated health protocols, it said.
"The Embassy of India in Tokyo has reached out to the Indian nationals through emails and telephone calls and explained to them about the health and safety regulations of Japanese authorities and have requested for cooperation," the statement said.
"None of the Indian nationals has complained of discriminatory treatment meted out to them," it said, adding that the mission has been in constant touch with the ship management company- Princess Cruises (for the crew members) and the employer of six passengers to tie up their travel back to India.
Giving details, it said that those who have not tested positive, irrespective of their nationality, have not been allowed to disembark except the critically ill passengers and crew members who have been allowed to be taken to hospitals for further treatment and quarantine.
According to news agency PTI, those on the ship have been asked to wear masks and allowed limited access to the open decks as they are advised to remain in the cabins most of the times to contain the spread of the virus, according to media reports. The operator of the ship had on February 10 (Monday) vowed to refund all 2,666 passengers due to the on board outbreak of the new coronavirus.
Carnival Japan Inc., the Japanese branch of Princess Cruise Lines Ltd., which operates the ship, said refunds will be offered via travel agencies through which the passengers made their bookings, added PTI.
The company will additionally cover all costs incurred by those quarantined aboard the ship since February 4, when passengers were originally scheduled to disembark at Yokohama.
The death toll in China's novel coronavirus outbreak rose up to 1,113 with 97 new fatalities reported mostly in the worst-affected Hubei province while the confirmed cases of infection jumped to 44,653, health officials said on Wednesday. The coronavirus outbreak originated in central China's Hubei province in December 2019.
The virus was officially named "COVID-19" by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on February 11. Several countries have banned arrivals from China while major airlines have suspended flights to the country.

General Motors Korea to suspend assembly line as virus hits parts supply

MMNN:11 February 2020
Seoul: The biggest US car company General Motors was caught up on Wednesday in the supply chain disruptions caused by the coronavirus in China when its South Korean unit announced a partial suspension of operations next week.
The coronavirus has killed more than 1,100 people and infected over 44,000 across mainland China, spreading to more than two dozen countries in what is now considered a global health emergency.
China is the world's largest exporter of goods and the extended holidays and movement restrictions imposed by Beijing as it seeks to contain the outbreak have disrupted supplies of items including parts for auto manufacturing.
One of the two assembly lines at GM Korea's Bupyeong complex, west of Seoul, which can make over 400,000 vehicles annually, will be closed next Monday and Tuesday due to shortages of parts from China, a company representative told AFP.
GM Korea heavily relies on China for the wiring harnesses that connect vehicles' complex electronics. But operations could quickly "return to normal" after the two-day break, he said, as Chinese were now "returning to work".
Japanese auto giant Nissan said earlier this week it was suspending operations at its Kyushu plant from February 14-17 because of supply shortages from China.
South Korea's Hyundai Motor which with its affiliate Kia ranks as the world's fifth-largest auto manufacturer suspended operations at its five-plant complex in the coastal city of Ulsan last week.
Production would resume "gradually" this week but the situation remained dependent on the supply of parts, Hyundai said in a statement, without giving precise resumption dates.

Thousands bid farewell to Kenya's veteran leader Moi

MMNN:11 February 2020
Nairobi: African leaders in Kenya for the state funeral of Daniel Arap Moi, the country`s longest-ruling president who died last week at 95, hailed his role as a peacekeeper who tried to mediate conflicts including in Uganda and Ethiopia.
Despite his longevity, Moi was a divisive personality who won admirers for keeping Kenya on an even keel for much of his rule but was hated by others for a legacy of corruption that still haunts the East African nation today.
Tens of thousands of people turned out in the capital Nairobi to watch Moi`s coffin, draped in the Kenyan flag, travel on a gun carriage from the State House, the official presidential seat, to an open-air stadium 3 miles (5 km) away.
Personnel from the army, air force and navy accompanied the coffin into the stadium, where choirs sang gospel songs as they awaited the cortege.
"As an avid peacemaker, statesman, Pan Africanist, and champion for a more united and just world, Moi spearheaded a number of initiatives that brought peace within our region and beyond," Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta told mourners.
Tuesday was declared a public holiday, allowing people to mourn Moi`s passing.
"Moi was a humble man. Anybody who knew him, they know he was a humble man. President Moi never bragged in any success, instead he attributed it to God," said long-time friend Silas Yego, a retired bishop of the Africa Inland Church where Moi had worshipped.
Moi came to power in 1978 when he was serving as vice-president after the nation`s first leader President Jomo Kenyatta died.
Makau Mutua, who as a young law student at the University of Nairobi was detained by the Moi regime in 1981 and then exiled for the next 10 years, cautioned against forgetting Moi`s excesses.
"We can`t forget, or forgive. If we do, we will continue to repeat our horrible history," he wrote in his weekly column in the local Sunday Nation newspaper.
During Moi`s rule, thousands of activists, students, and academics were held without charge in underground cells. Prisoners say they were sometimes denied food and water.
Poverty also deepened on his watch and corruption flourished. A 2004 report by corporate investigations firm group Kroll accused Moi and his inner circle of stealing $2 billion of state funds, an accusation the government at the time dismissed.
Moi won elections in 1992 and 1997, defeating a divided opposition. But he was booed and heckled into retirement when term limits forced him to step down in 2002 and he lived quietly on his sprawling estate in the Rift Valley.
He will be buried there on Wednesday.

Dozens of Rohingya refugees missing, 15 confirmed dead after boat capsizes

MMNN:11 February 2020
Dhaka: Dozens of Rohingya refugees were missing and 15 confirmed dead on Tuesday after a ship carrying about 130 people capsized in the Bay of Bengal while trying to reach Malaysia, a Bangladesh coast guard official said.
Rescuers had saved 73 people from the vessel, which had set sail early on Tuesday packed with refugees trying to make their way to Malaysia from camps near the resort town of Cox`s Bazar in Bangladesh, said the official, Hamidul Islam.
"It was inhumane," he said. "The boat was carrying roughly 130 people, while it had a capacity of 50."
Some of the survivors said a second vessel carrying a similar number of passengers had also set off at the same time, Islam said. Coast guards had so far been unable to locate the second vessel.
Two Bangladesh naval vessels and two coast guard ships were involved in joint rescue operations, near Saint Martin`s Island off the southeastern tip of Bangladesh. Those rescued include 46 women, 24 men and three children. The confirmed dead were women and children, Islam said.
In 2017, a crackdown by Myanmar`s military drove more than 730,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh.
Buddhist-majority Myanmar has denied U.N. accusations that its military waged a campaign against Rohingya with "genocidal intent".
In November, Bangladesh`s coast guard rescued 122 Rohingya Muslim refugees from the Bay of Bengal when a vessel they had boarded to travel to Malaysia started sinking because of a mechanical problem.
Malaysia is home to more than 100,000 Rohingya refugees, the second-highest number in the world after Bangladesh.
Lured by traffickers, many people attempt the perilous voyage to Malaysia on overcrowded, rickety vessels during the November-to-March window, when sea conditions in the region are usually calm. Others try to make their way to Malaysia by paying people smugglers for fake travel documents.
Authorities in Bangladesh last year prevented more than 600 Rohingya, including many young girls, from making perilous sea voyages, mostly to Malaysia. Last year at least seven suspected human traffickers, including two Rohingya refugees, were killed in clashes with police in Cox`s Bazar.
"We are continuing our drive to prevent human trafficking," said Iqbal Hossain, the additional police superintendent in Cox`s Bazar.

China virus deaths jump to 902; 2618 additional cases reported

MMNN:10 February 2020
Beijing: The number of deaths from China's new coronavirus epidemic jumped to 902 on Monday after the hardest-hit province of Hubei reported 91 new fatalities. In its daily update, Hubei's health commission also confirmed another 2,618 new cases in the central province, where the outbreak emerged in December.
There are now more than 39,800 confirmed cases across China, based on previously released figures from the government.
The new virus is believed to have emerged last year in a market that sells wild animals in Hubei's capital Wuhan, the city at the centre of the outbreak, before spreading across the country.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said Saturday that the number of cases being reported daily in China was "stabilising", although the health body warned it was too early to say if the virus had peaked. A WHO 'international expert mission' left late Sunday for China, the agency's director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Twitter.
The only confirmed fatalities outside the mainland are a Chinese man in the Philippines and a 39-year-old man in Hong Kong.
The toll has overtaken the global number of deaths caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus, which killed 774 people in 2002-03.

Thailand soldier kills 29 in rampage before being shot

MMNN:10 February 2020
Thailand: A soldier angry over a property deal gone sour killed at least 29 people and wounded 57 in a rampage that spanned four locations in and around the northeastern Thai city of Nakhon Ratchasima before he was shot dead early Sunday.
Most of the victims were at the city`s Terminal 21 shopping centre, where the shooter held out against an overnight siege with an assault rifle and ammunition stolen from his army base.
Police named him as 32-year-old soldier Jakrapanth Thomma. He initially posted written messages on Facebook during the attack before his account was shut down by the company. "It was a personal conflict...over a house deal," Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters on Sunday from Nakhon Ratchasima after travelling there to meet wounded survivors.
Prayuth added that the conflict was with a relative of the soldier`s commanding officer.
Hundreds of shoppers fled the mall in groups crouching low, and the police and army launched several rescues during the more than 12-hour standoff, with armed forces at one point emerging at a run carrying small children.
"It was frightening because I could hear the occasional gunshot...we waited a long time for the police to come and help us, many hours," said Suvanarat Jirattanasakul, 27, her voice trembling. Another survivor told local Amarin TV that the shooter was "aiming for the heads" and said his colleague died on the scene.
"He was shooting everywhere and his shots were very precise," said the man, identified as "Diaw". At a morgue in Nakhon Ratchasima, the family of 13-year-old Ratchanon Karnchanamethee sobbed as they identified his body.
"He`s my only son. He hasn`t even had dinner," said his father, Natthawut Karnchanamethee. "I allowed him to do anything he wanted to. I never set expectations for him. I only wanted him to be a good person." The province`s governor, Wichien Chantaranochai, on Sunday night said a total of 29 people had been killed and 57 were wounded.
Also known by the historical name Korat, Nakhon Ratchasima has a population of about 250,000. It is close to a national park popular for its wild elephants but the relatively poor northeastern region is one of the less-visited areas for Thailand`s tens of millions of tourists.
STOLEN ARSENAL
CCTV footage from inside the mall posted on social media showed the gunman dressed in black and wearing a mask, his gun slung over his shoulder with no sign of other people around. According to local media, Jakrapanth worked at an army base close to Nakhon Ratchasima, which is about 250 km (155 miles) from the capital Bangkok.
He was a sharpshooter and took many special courses on carrying out attacks, including planning ambushes, army sources said. Thai media reported he often posted photos of weapons on social media.
The killings began at around 3 p.m. (0800 GMT) on Saturday when the soldier opened fire in a house before moving to an army camp and then driving to the mall in a stolen Humvee.
The soldier`s commanding officer was one of the people reported killed before the soldier moved on to the shopping mall and began shooting.
At some point during the day, the soldier raided the army camp`s weapons storage to arm himself, said Lt. General Thanya Kiatsarn, Commander of the Second Area Command. "He attacked the guard to the weapon arsenal, who later died, and he stole an official jeep and an HK33 gun and an amount of ammunition to do what he did," Thanya said.
`SPEND THE MONEY IN HELL`
Hours before he began shooting on Saturday, Jakrapanth had posted on his Facebook account denouncing greedy people. "Rich from cheating. Taking advantage of other people. Do they think they can spend the money in hell?" read one post in Thai. He later posted written updates during the attack.
"Death is inevitable for everyone," he wrote. Later, he complained about his fingers cramping and asked "Should I give up?" before the account was no longer available.
Hours after the mall siege began, Facebook said it had removed the suspect`s account.
"There is no place on Facebook for people who commit this kind of atrocity, nor do we allow people to praise or support this attack," a Facebook representative said in a statement.
Major shootings are rare in the Southeast Asian country other than in the far south, where a decades-old insurgency persists.

Storm Ciara forces cancellation of hundreds of flights in UK

MMNN:10 February 2020
London: Hundreds of flights have been cancelled, while roads and bridges have been closed as the worst storm in seven years barrelled towards the UK, a media report said on Sunday. Storm Ciara is expected to make landfall on Sunday evening, bringing with it 80mph winds and heavy rain, the Metro newspaper said in the report.
London`s Heathrow airport announced that it had taken a joint decision with its airline partners to "consolidate" Sunday`s flight schedule, in a bid to minimise the number of journeys cancelled.
Flag carrier British Airways said it was offering flexible rebooking options for all customers on domestic and European flights flying to and from Heathrow, Gatwick and London City on Sunday, amid widespread cancellations.
As well as grounding short-haul flights, long-haul services to the US, Dubai and Canada will not operate.
Other airlines have also reduced services coming in and out of Glasgow, Liverpool John Lennon and Manchester airports, with thousands of passengers expected to be affected.
Virgin Atlantic have warned of similar disruptions, with people being urged to check their flight status online before heading to the airport.
Trains and ferries have also been cancelled and drivers have been urged to avoid the roads unless it was absolutely necessary.
Forecasters have warned the impacts of Ciara "will be felt across the whole of the UK" when it reaches England and Wales tomorrow, with a month`s worth of rain expected to fall in one day, the Metro newspaper reported.
The aggressive weather conditions have triggered the most widespread amber warning since records began.
The Met Office say there is a risk of danger to life from towering waves, flying debris and treacherous road conditions.
The severity of the storm has seen major events cancelled, including the London Winter Run which was due to be attended by 25,000 people.
London`s eight Royal Parks, which include Hyde Park and Regent`s Park, will also close on Sunday.

Pakistan Air Force jet crashes during routine training mission

MMNN:7 February 2020
PAKISTAN A Mirage aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) crashed on Friday during a routine operational training mission near Shorkot city in Punjab province, Pakistani media Dawn reported quoting the PAF.
The PAF spokesperson in a statement said that the pilot safely ejected. Dawn reported that there was no loss of life or property due to this incident.
According to Dawn, the Air Headquarters has ordered a board of inquiry to know the cause of the accident.
In January 2020, a PAF aircraft crashed while on a routine operational training mission crashed near Mianwali, Dawn reported. The pilots, Squadron Leader Haris bin Khalid and Flying Officer Ibaadur Rehman, aboard the PAF FT-7 aircraft died in the crash.

Australia celebrates as heavy rains dampen huge bush fires

MMNN:7 February 2020
AustraliaMuch of Australia`s wildfire-ravaged east coast was drenched on Friday by the biggest rainfall in almost 20 years, dousing some of the most dangerous blazes and providing welcome relief to farmers battling an extended drought.
The downpour came with its own risks - officials warned of flash floods and landslides across New South Wales (NSW), Australia`s most populous state - but was generally greeted jubilantly after months of devastating bushfires.
"There's lots of smiles around the place," NSW Rural Fire Services (RFS) Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons, who has been more accustomed in recent weeks to delivering fire evacuation orders, told reporters in Sydney.
"It is breaking the back of this fire season, no doubt," Fitzsimmons said. "The rain is good for business and farms as well as being really good for quenching some of these fires we`ve been dealing with for many, many months."
The deluge had the effect of calming the number of active fires in NSW by 20 in a single day, a success rate that NSW RFS said it was "over the moon" about.
By afternoon, there were 40 active fires in NSW, less than half the number of blazes at the peak of the crisis, with all burning at the lowest level danger warning of "advice" only. Neighbouring Victoria state had 21 active fires, also at the lowest level.
Around 11.7 million hectares of Australian wilderness have been razed by a series of huge wildfires since September that has also killed 33 people and more than a billion animals and destroyed thousands of homes. The horrific extended bushfire season has followed a three-year drought across the country.
The heavy rainfall across NSW and Victoria state on Friday was something of a welcome surprise after the Bureau of Meteorology`s three-month forecast issued in January forecast continued high temperatures and little rainfall.
Sydney alone was expected to receive as much as 130 millimeters of rain in the 24 hours to Saturday morning, the biggest one-day rainfall since Feb. 5, 2002, data on the bureau`s website showed on Friday.
"What we are broadly expecting over the next couple of days is this coastal trough to hang around, to keep delivering this widespread, prolonged, steady rainfall," BOM forecaster Jane Golding said.
Fitzsimmons said he was optimistic the continued rainfall over the coming days would help firefighters in NSW get the 17 blazes that are still categorized as "uncontained" under control.
"We expect rainfall to continue to fall across a lot of these fire grounds and that will result in a number of those being declared contained and hopefully we will be confident we won`t see new ignitions from anywhere in those fire grounds," he said.
CYCLONE DAMIEN
Some 3,500 kilometers (2174.8 miles) to the northwest, a tropical cyclone was barreling toward the coast of Western Australia where it is expected to make landfall near Port Hedland, the world`s largest iron ore port, on Saturday.
Destructive wind gusts of up to 150 kilometers per hour could develop overnight Friday night as the cyclone approaches the coast, and very destructive gusts of up to 230 kilometers per hour were expected when Cyclone Damien hits on Saturday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Authorities said Port Hedland would be cleared ahead of the cyclone and the Dampier Port also closed.
Miners Rio Tinto and BHP Group said they were monitoring the situation and making preparations.
The wet weather prompted some light-hearted remarks at a visit by British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab to the Sydney office of pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca PLC.
"We are all very, very happy that you are here today, but also importantly that you`re bringing this fine British rain with you," AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot told guests. "We really have brought the rain," replied Raab.

China announces probe into whistle blower doc Li Wenliang's death amid grief

MMNN:7 February 2020
ChinaChina's anti-graft watchdog on Friday launched a probe into the death of a whistleblower doctor who was reprimanded by police for spreading "rumors" about the coronavirus outbreak in China that has claimed over 630 lives, amid an outpouring of global grief and anger over his demise.
China's ruling Communist Party has sent a high-level investigation team to the epidemic-hit Wuhan city in central Hubei province to probe Li Wenliang's death on Thursday.
Li, 34, was among eight Wuhan residents who were reprimanded by local police in early January for spreading "rumors" about the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the province.
The doctor died due to the very virus he desperately tried to highlight in December last year through social media and has become a national icon with millions of netizens expressing their grief and anger over the way he was treated.
His death is widely reported by the state-run media which had earlier shunned him.
A special team will head to Wuhan to investigate issues regarding Li, state-run People's Daily quoted China's top anti-corruption agency as saying on Friday.
The action has been approved by the central government and the team will have a comprehensive investigation into matters related to the deceased doctor, China's National Supervisory Commission said in a statement.
Li's death has been mourned by the National Health Commission.
The police reaction in stifling his warning of coronavirus which now has become a national and international disaster has evoked public resentment.
As of Thursday, 636 people have died due to the virus outbreak with the total number of confirmed cases jumping to 3,143, Chinese officials announced on Friday.
"After emergency treatment, Li Wenliang passed away. We deeply regret and mourn Li's death," the Central Hospital of Wuhan announced on Thursday.
The doctor's death triggered an outpouring of millions of comments on China's social media sites as well as concerns from the international community.
"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Li Wenliang. We all need to celebrate work that he did on 2019nCoV," the World Health Organization (WHO) tweeted.
According to his post on Weibo on December 30, Li, an ophthalmologist at the Central Hospital of Wuhan, warned in the online chat group WeChat that he had seen a report that showed positive test results of SARS for seven patients.
On January 3, Li and the seven others were summoned by Wuhan police for "spreading fake information on the internet", state-run China Daily reported.
They were reprimanded but not fined or detained, it quoted police as saying. Li continued his normal work at the Wuhan hospital until January 10 when he came down with cough and fever, symptoms of the coronavirus.
"I was finally confirmed as being infected by the novel coronavirus," Li wrote on February 1 on Weibo, adding a dog emoji.
The post got more than 1.6 million thumbs-ups and over 400,000 netizens expressed their best wishes for him.
On Thursday evening, several Weibo posts said Li had died from the novel coronavirus and the updates went viral on social media, sparking immense sorrow and outrage among netizens.
Significantly, during midnight the Central Hospital of Wuhan denied Li had died, saying he was critical and under emergency treatment.
The post soon attracted millions of netizens to pray for the doctor.
"I won't sleep tonight!!! Wait for a miracle online!" said one comment that received 350,000 thumbs-up.
Comments that received tens of thousands of thumbs-up included: "Please! Save him!" and "I am waiting for a miracle for medicine, for emergency treatment and for a hero!"
A top epidemiologist at the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDC) told state-run Global Times that "we should highly praise the eight Wuhan residents".
"They were wise before the outbreak," Zeng Guang, chief epidemiologist at the CCDC, said, adding that any judgment, though, needs to be backed by scientific evidence.

China coronavirus death toll climbs to 9, number of cases rise to 440

MMNN:22 January 2020
ChinaChina's National Health Commission said on Wednesday 440 people in 13 Chinese provinces were confirmed to be infected with a new coronavirus as of Tuesday, with nine deaths, and that there was evidence of respiratory transmission from patient to patient.
The number of cases compares with the total of over 300 reported earlier as of Tuesday. Li Bin, vice minister of the commission, also told a media briefing that live animals were not allowed to enter Wuhan, the central Chinese city where the outbreak originated.
A Chinese physician who was investigating the outbreak of the new coronavirus in central China says he has himself been infected. Wang Guangfa, who heads the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at Beijing`s Peking University First Hospital, was part of a team of experts that earlier this month visited Wuhan, where the virus emerged.
"I was diagnosed and my condition is fine," Wang told Kong`s Cable TV on Tuesday, thanking people for their concern. Wang, who conducted research on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003, said he was receiving treatment and would receive an injection soon. He did not give details on how he may have been infected.
"I don`t want everyone to put too much attention on my condition," he told the channel. Wang told state media on January 10 that the outbreak appeared to be under control, with most patients showing mild symptoms and some having been discharged. He could not be reached by Reuters on Tuesday.

Australian bushfires hit coal output, hazardous conditions to return

MMNN:21 January 2020
SYDNEY: Mining giant BHP Group said on Tuesday that poor air quality caused by smoke from Australia`s bushfires is hurting coal production, as authorities cautioned a reprieve from hazardous fire conditions could end within days.
The warning from the world`s biggest miner showed how an unusually long bushfire season that has scorched an area one-third the size of Germany is damaging the world`s No. 14 economy. Australia`s tourism and insurance industries have already foreshadowed they face a A$1 billion ($687 million) hit each from the fires.
Scores of fires were still burning on the country`s east coast on Tuesday despite thunderstorms and rain in recent days.
Officials in New South Wales issued a high fire danger rating on the state`s south coast, while temperatures were forecast to rise in inland parts of Victoria state and neighbouring South Australia on Wednesday.
Combined with strong winds, the hotter temperatures will potentially fan existing bushfires and spark new ones into life, leading officials to declare "extreme fire danger" in some areas.
"Not all the fires received the heavy rain over the past few days, so local fire crews will definitely be keeping a close eye on those firefronts," Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Philip Landvogt said by telephone.
BHP said smoke and dust from bushfires had reduced air quality at its energy coal plants in New South Wales state, where hundreds of fires have raged, affecting production in December.
"If air quality continues to deteriorate then operations could be constrained further in the second half of the year," it added in a scheduled production update.
The fierce bushfires in Australia`s east have killed 29 people and millions of animals, destroyed more than 2,500 homes and razed 11 million hectares (27 million acres) of wilderness since September. The crisis follows three years of drought that experts have linked to climate change.
The disruption has extended to the capital, Canberra, and its two biggest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, all of which have been repeatedly blanketed in thick smoke that has earned them air quality ratings among the worst in the world.
A survey by Deloitte of 2,000 executives published on Tuesday showed 89% of Australian business executives viewed climate change and environmental sustainability as the "societal issue of greatest focus," compared to 54% world-wide.
Here are key events in the bushfire crisis:
- Early on Tuesday, 86 fires were burning across New South Wales, none above the lowest warning level. There were 27 emergency warnings in Victoria, including one flash flood warning.
- The Bureau of Meteorology warned the East Gippsland region to expect strong winds after thunderstorms rolled through a day earlier. Earlier this month, people in East Gippsland were evacuated by Navy ships as bushfires destroyed whole towns.
- The NSW state government, meanwhile, said it was increasing a grant for primary producers affected by the fires to A$75,000, from A$15,000 previously.
- The Australian Open tennis tournament continues in Melbourne. The city`s air quality was rated as "good", according to the Air Quality Index, having been "hazardous" less than a week earlier, when a player collapsed in the preliminary rounds.
- The tennis community has raised more than A$50 million for bushfire relief, according to Tennis Australia.

Three rockets hit near US embassy in Baghdad's high-security Green Zone: Sources

MMNN:21 January 2020
IRANAmid the ongoing standoff between the US and Iran, three rockets hit near the US embassy in high-security Green Zone of Iraqi capital city of Baghdad, security sources said adding that there were no reports of casualties so far.
Sources said that sirens started blaring across the Green Zone after the rockets made impact. It is to be noted that Iran-backed paramilitary groups has been blamed by the US for their alleged involvement in similar attacks in recent months on the Green Zone, but no group has claim responsibility so far.
The tension between the US and Iran touched a new high after the killing of top Iranian General Qasem Soleimani by a Pentagon-ordered drone attack in Baghdad on January 3.
Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite al-Quds force was killed when a US drone fired missiles on his convoy at Baghdad airport. Iran retaliated by launching over a dozen ballistic missiles targeting at least two bases where US military and coalition forces' are stationed in Iraq.
Iran had claimed that at least 80 "American terrorists" were killed in the missile attacks, adding that none of the missiles was intercepted. According to a Reuters report, Iranian State TV, citing a senior Revolutionary Guards source, also said that Iran had 100 other targets in the region in its sights if Washington took any retaliatory measures. The report said that US helicopters and military equipment were "severely damaged" in the missile attacks launched by Iran against the US-led forces in Iraq on January 8.

Police arrest organiser of Hong Kong protest after rally turns violent

MMNN:20 January 2020
HONG KONG: A prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activist was arrested by police, his organisation said on Monday, after a protest he helped organise in the financial district a day earlier turned violent with officers firing tear gas to disperse the crowds.
Ventus Lau was arrested on Sunday evening on charges of "obstruction of police administration" and violating terms set when permission was granted for the protest, the Hong Kong Civil Assembly Team said in a statement.
The organisers initially applied for a permit - known as a letter of no objection - for a march, but the police only agreed to a static rally in a park in the city`s Central district. But as the crowds swelled and spilled onto surrounding streets, some protesters briefly barricaded roads with umbrellas, traffic cones and other street furniture and dug up bricks from the pavement.
Police then ordered a halt to the protest and began dispersing the crowd. "It was primarily rioters` violent acts which led to the suspension of the gathering," Senior Superintendent Ng Lok-chun told reporters.
"The organiser has violated the agreements set in the no objection letter, failed to assist in maintaining the order in the public gathering event, that is why we have arrested Mr. Lau."
Police said two community liaison officers were attacked with wooden sticks and sustained head injuries. They also said some protesters threw water bottles at officers conducting a `stop and search` operation.
In a statement late on Sunday, the government said it "strongly condemns" the attack on the police officers. The "Universal Siege Against Communism" demonstration was the latest in a relentless series of anti-government protests since June, when Hong Kongers took to the streets to voice their anger over a now-withdrawn extradition bill.
Organisers said 150,000 attended the demonstration, while police estimated a crowd of 11,680 at its peak.

Despite shake-up, Putin rejects idea of Soviet-style leaders for life

MMNN:20 January 2020
MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday he did not want Russia to return to the late Soviet-era practice of having lifelong rulers who died in office without a proper succession strategy.
His comments, made to World War Two veterans in St Petersburg, came days after he unveiled a sweeping shake-up of the political system which led to the resignation of Dmitry Medvedev as prime minister along with his government.
Putin, in a surprise move, picked Mikhail Mishustin, the low-profile head of the country`s tax service, as the country`s next prime minister. Russians are now waiting to hear which ministers will keep their jobs in a new government.
Putin`s changes, which would amend the constitution to create new centres of power outside the presidency, were widely seen as giving the 67-year-old scope to extend his grip on power once he leaves the presidency in 2024. He has dominated Russian politics, as president or as prime minister, for two decades.
Critics accuse Putin, a former KGB officer, of plotting to stay on in some capacity after his term ends. They suspect he wants to continue to wield power over the world`s largest nation, which is also one of its two leading nuclear powers.
In his comments on Saturday, Putin, who has already said he wants to limit future presidents to two terms in power despite currently serving out his fourth term himself, rejected the idea of Russian presidents for life.
Asked by a war veteran on the occasion of the 77th anniversary of the lifting of the siege of Leningrad if it was time to abolish term limits for presidents altogether, Putin said: "As regards (presidential) terms for staying in power I understand ... that (concern over this) is linked for many people with worries about societal, state and domestic and external stability.
"But it would be very worrying to return to the situation we had in the mid-1980s when state leaders stayed in power, one by one, until the end of their days and left office without ensuring the necessary conditions for a transition of power. So thanks, but I think it would be better not to return to that situation."
The late Soviet period was characterised by a series of elderly leaders such as Leonid Brezhnev, Yuri Andropov and Konstantin Chernenko who all died in office, sparking a scramble by others to grab power.
Putin`s comments are likely to be seen as reinforcing the idea that he plans to exit the presidency in 2024 as per the current constitution, but are unlikely to appease critics who think he`ll find a way to continue wielding influence behind the scenes in a different enhanced role.

Australian government to aid tourism industry as bushfires recede

MMNN:20 January 2020
MELBOURNE: The Australian government said on Sunday it will channel AUD 76 million (USD 52 million) to the tourism industry as recent heavy rains have dampened many of the monthslong bushfires, allowing the country to look to recovery.
The number of fires burning across Australia`s east and south coast has gone under 100 over the weekend for the first time in weeks, bringing relief from a disaster that has scorched an area roughly a third the size of Germany since September.
"Our federal response to these devastating bushfires is comprehensive and unprecedented," Prime Minister Scott Morrison was cited in a statement announcing the aid. Some 29 people and millions of animals have been killed so far in the burning bush in Australia - a country famous for its pristine beaches, abundant wildlife and open-air sporting events.
Australian Tourism Industry Council (ATIC), told Reuters earlier that damages to the tourism industry have approached A$1 billion.
The Australian Tourism Export Council, another peak tourism body, told the Australian Financial Review that the losses may go above AUD 4.5 billion by the end of the year. Asked on ABC News television on Sunday whether A$76 million is sufficient, Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said it was an initial package.
"There may need to be additional support and funding as we work through this recovery," Birmingham said, according to a transcript of the interview. Tourism has been an increasingly vital part of Australia`s economy, accounting for more than 3 percent of annual economic output.
Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, three of the states that are popular tourist destinations but which have been hit hard by the fires, are now dealing with rain bucketing down in some areas, causing floods and landslides.
Meteorologists expect more rain in Australia`s east and south on Sunday and Monday, which should further help firefighters. As of Sunday, there were 69 bushfires in New South Wales, a third of them still yet to be contained.
Storms are expected to lash parts of Victoria, but there were still 14 fires burning on Sunday, with some big blazes in the state`s mountain region known for hiking. Fears of smoke from the fires disrupting the Australian Open tennis tournament receded in Melbourne, where the main tournament was due to start on Monday.

Pakistan Supreme Court refuses to hear Musharraf's plea against treason verdict

MMNN:18 January 2020
Islamabad: The Pakistan Supreme Court office has refused to hear an appeal, moved on behalf of former President Pervez Musharraf against his conviction in the high treason case.
An informed source told Dawn news on Friday that the court office returned the appeal on the grounds that unless the petitioner surrenders himself, his plea cannot be entertained.
The counsel representing Musharraf is expected to file an appeal soon against the registrar`s decision to return the petition.
On Thursday, Musharraf had moved the apex court, seeking to overturn the Islamabad-based special court`s December 17, 2019, verdict, which sentenced him to death in the high treason case.
Moved by Barrister Salman Safdar, the petition had pleaded that the verdict should be set aside since the trial was conducted and completed in sheer violation of the Constitution.
The appeal also sought the right of audience before the Supreme Court in his physical absence as well as the suspension of the judgment in the interest of justice and fair play.
The December verdict was the first time in Pakistan`s history that a military chief was declared guilty of high treason and handed a death sentence, Dawn news reported.
Musharraf was sentenced to death six years after the trial started. The case was filed by the then PML-N government for suspending the Constitution on November 3, 2007, when the former leader imposed emergency in the country.
The former military chief is currently in Dubai. He was hospitalised following the deterioration of his health last month.

Australia's bushfire-stricken east welcomes drenching rain

MMNN:17 January 2020
MELBOURNE: Intense thunderstorms with heavy rains dampened bushfires on Australia`s east coast on Friday to the relief of exhausted firefighters, and farmers battling years of drought. Australia, famous for its pristine beaches and wildlife, has been fighting bushfires since September, with fires killing 29 people and millions of animals, and destroying more than 2,500 homes while razing an area roughly a third the size of Germany.
Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, three of the most affected states by drought and bushfires welcomed the drenching rain this week, with fire services saying the falls will not extinguish all the blazes but will aid greatly containment. "Our fingers are crossed that this continues over the coming days," New South Wales fire services said on Twitter on Friday.
Severe storms are forecast to continue in many fire-stricken regions of New South Wales and Queensland, including areas that have not seen heavy falls for years, Bureau of Meteorology in NSW said, easing slightly the state`s three-year drought. "The recent rain has just been absolutely fantastic," said cattle farmer Sam White near the town of Guyra in northern NSW. "It`s producing significant amounts of runoff, which is what we need, and it`s getting into our dams.
While the wet weather brings relief to firefighters and drought-hit farmers, it also comes with dangers, such as flash flooding and falling trees, many structurally destroyed by the intense bushfires. One wildlife park had to rescue koalas from floodwaters and beat back crocodiles with brooms. The heavy downpours have helped to clean smoky air in Australia, but Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne remained on Friday in the world`s top 100 polluted cities, according to AirVisual`s pollution ranking for major global cities.
Melbourne, sheathed by a tick smoke earlier in the week that disrupted the Australian Open qualifying matches and other sporting competitions, is forecast to again be blanketed by unhealthy air over the weekend when the grand slam begins. The smoke haze that has plagued Australia`s major cities for weeks has been tracked by NASA circumnavigating the globe and the space agency satellites showed on Thursday there is also a large concentration of lower smoke over the Pacific Ocean.
Following are some highlights of what is happening in the bushfire crisis:
- There were 82 fires burning across New South Wales early Friday, 30 uncontained, and several fires in Victoria, according to fire authorities.
- An emergency evacuation order issued for parts of Victoria`s northeast with an out-of-control bushfire threatening the Buffalo River Valley.
- Firefighters, family and the local community of Holbrook in New South Wales farewelled on Friday Samuel McPaul, a 28-year-old volunteer who died in December while fighting a massive and fast-moving blaze.
- Australia will have to wait until March for rains heavy enough to bring sustained relief from dry weather that has fuelled deadly bushfires, the country`s weather bureau said on Thursday.
- Australia`s peak tourism body estimated the country`s bushfire crisis has so far cost the industry almost A$1 billion ($690 million). [L4N29L069]
- Qualifying rounds of Australian Open in Melbourne, the first tennis Grand Slam of the year, blighted by complaints from players about the pollution.

Eleven US troops injured in January 8 Iran missile attack in Iraq

MMNN:17 January 2020
WASHINGTON: The United States treated 11 of its troops for symptoms of concussion after an Iranian missile attack on an Iraqi base where US forces were stationed, the US military said on Thursday, after initially saying no service members were hurt. The attack was retaliation for a US drone strike in Baghdad on January 3 that killed Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the elite Quds Force of Iran`s Revolutionary Guard.
President Donald Trump and the US military had said there were no casualties after the strike on the Ain al-Asad airbase in western Iraq and a facility in its northern Kurdish region. "While no US service members were killed in the January 8 Iranian attacks on Al Asad airbase, several were treated for concussion symptoms from the blast and are still being assessed," Captain Bill Urban, spokesman for US Central Command, said in a statement.
As a measure of caution, some service members were taken to US facilities in Germany or Kuwait for "follow-on screening," he added. "When deemed fit for duty, the service members are expected to return to Iraq." As many as 1,500 Americans were deployed at the vast base deep in Iraq`s Anbar desert.

Donald Trump impeachment trial opens as watchdog faults White House on Ukraine

MMNN:17 January 2020
WASHINGTON: The Senate impeachment trial on whether to remove US President Donald Trump from office formally began on Thursday even as a congressional watchdog found that the White House broke the law by withholding security aid for Ukraine approved by Congress. The assessment from the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) was a setback for Trump, but it was unclear if it would figure in his trial in the Republican-led Senate given that key questions such as whether witnesses will testify or new evidence will be considered remain unanswered.
Democrat Adam Schiff, who heads a team of seven House of Representatives members who will serve as prosecutors, appeared on the Senate floor to read the two charges passed by the House on Dec. 18 that accused Trump of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress arising from his dealings with Ukraine. U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts, wearing his black judicial robe, took an oath to preside over the trial and then swore in the assembled senators who will serve as jurors, asking if they would "do impartial justice."
The 99 senators present signed their assent one by one. One senator - Republican Jim Inhofe - was in his home state of Oklahoma to be with a family member facing a medical issue, according to his office, but was due to sign next week. The Senate is expected to acquit Trump, as none of its 53 Republicans has voiced support for removing him, a step that requires a two-thirds majority. Trump has denied wrongdoing and has called the impeachment process a sham. Opening statements were due to start on Tuesday.
The abuse of power cited in the House articles of impeachment included Trump`s withholding of $391 million in security aid for Ukraine, a move Democrats have said was aimed at pressuring Kiev into investigating political rival Joe Biden, the president`s possible Democratic opponent in the Nov. 3 election. Congress had approved the funds to help Ukraine combat Russia-backed separatists. The money was ultimately provided in September after the controversy spilt into public view.
The GAO said the U.S. Constitution does not grant a president authority to unilaterally withhold funds, as Trump did. Instead, a president can only withhold spending in limited circumstances spelt out by law, its report said. "Faithful execution of the law does not permit the President to substitute his own policy priorities for those that Congress has enacted into law," the GAO said on Thursday. The GAO`s findings are not legally binding, but its reports are seen by lawmakers as objective, reliable and generally uncontested. It has no prosecutorial power.
Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen, who sought the GAO investigation, said the findings undercut Republican arguments that there was nothing wrong with Trump`s action. "We now have a clear, lucid finding that the Trump administration violated the law and we know that the president ordered the administration to commit an illegal act," he told Reuters.
Republican Senator John Cornyn said that while there may have been a civil violation of the law, it was not a criminal matter and certainly not an impeachable act. "The Constitution says you impeach presidents for treason, bribery, and high crimes and misdemeanours. And it`s none of those things," said Cornyn, a former judge.
MONITORING AN AMBASSADOR?
It is only the third impeachment trial in U.S. history and no president has been removed as a direct result of the process. Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 before the full House could vote to impeach him. The House impeached Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998, but the Senate did not convict them.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the GAO report bolstered Democrats` argument that the Senate trial should include new evidence and hear from witnesses. Schiff indicated that the House prosecutors may call Lev Parnas, an associate of Trump`s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani if the Senate permits testimony in the trial.
Documents released this week indicated Parnas, a Ukraine-born U.S. citizen, helped Giuliani investigate Biden and his son Hunter, and was also involved in monitoring the movements of former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch before Trump removed her in May. In an interview with Reuters, Giuliani said he pushed Trump to fire Yovanovitch but did not know if Parnas put her under surveillance. Giuliani said he was disappointed with Parnas` decision to cooperate with impeachment investigators.
"I considered him a friend and I considered him to be a man who had character and now I consider him to be a man who will say whatever his phoney lawyer wants him to say," Giuliani said. Parnas told MSNBC on Wednesday that Trump knew "exactly what was going on," and his lawyer has released several photos of Parnas with the president. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump repeated his assertion that he did not know Parnas. He called the whole thing a "big hoax."

Two rockets fell in Baghdad`s heavily fortified Green Zone, no casualties: Iraqi military

MMNN:9 January 2020
WASHINGTON/BAGHDAD/DUBAI: Two rockets fell in Baghdad`s heavily fortified Green Zone, causing no casualties, the Iraqi military said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility of the incident that took place on Wednesday. US President Donald Trump on Wednesday tempered days of angry rhetoric and suggested Iran was "standing down" after it fired missiles at US forces in Iraq, as both sides looked to defuse a crisis over the US killing of an Iranian general.
Trump said the United States did not necessarily have to hit back after Iran`s attack on military bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq, itself an act of retaliation for the Jan. 3 U.S. strike that killed Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani. Trump said no Americans were hurt in the overnight attacks. The Pentagon said Iran had launched 16 short-range ballistic missiles, at least 11 of which hit Iraq`s al-Asad airbase and one that hit a facility in Erbil but caused no major damage.
"The fact that we have this great military and equipment, however, does not mean we have to use it. We do not want to use it. American strength, both military and economic, is the best deterrent," Trump said. "Our great American forces are prepared for anything. Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world," he said.
Trump said the United States "will immediately impose additional punishing economic sanctions on the Iranian regime" in response to what he called "Iranian aggression." He offered no specifics.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, addressing a gathering of Iranians chanting "Death to America," said the missile attacks were a "slap on the face" of the United States and said U.S. troops should leave the region. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif had said the strikes "concluded" Tehran`s response to the killing of Soleimani, who built up Iran`s network of proxy armies across the Middle East. He was buried in his hometown, Kerman, after days of national mourning.
"We do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression," Zarif wrote on Twitter. Influential Iraqi Shi`ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who casts himself as a nationalist rejecting both U.S. and Iranian interference in Iraq, also said the crisis Iraq was experiencing was over and he urged militia groups not to carry out attacks. "I call on the Iraqi factions to be deliberate, patient, and not to start military actions,," said Sadr, whom Washington has long regarded as an Iranian ally.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence told CBS News in an interview the United States was receiving "encouraging intelligence that Iran is sending messages" to its allied militias not to attack U.S. targets. But Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he and others in the military "fully expect" Shi`ite militia groups in Iraq, backed by Iran, to carry out attacks against U.S.-led forces in Iraq and Syria.
In a letter to the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday, U.S. Ambassador Kelly Craft said the killing of Soleimani was self-defense and vowed to take additional action "as necessary" in the Middle East to protect U.S. personnel and interests. The United States also stood "ready to engage without preconditions in serious negotiations with Iran," to maintain peace and security, she said.
U.S. Democratic lawmakers and some Republicans said administration officials had not provided evidence in classified briefings to back up Trump`s assertion that Soleimani had posed an "imminent" threat to the United States. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the Democratic-led chamber would vote on a resolution intended to limit his military actions against Iran.
NUCLEAR DEAL
Trump`s address contrasted with his recent harsh rhetoric. The Republican, who was impeached in December and faces an election in November, had vowed to respond "disproportionately" if Iran retaliated strongly against Soleimani`s killing. On Wednesday, Trump again vowed he would not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon and urged world powers to quit a 2015 nuclear accord with Iran that Washington abandoned in 2018 and work for a new deal, an issue at the heart of rising tensions between Washington and Tehran. Iran has rejected new talks.
There was no immediate reaction from Iranian officials to Trump`s comments. The semi-official Fars news agency described the U.S. president`s remarks as a "big retreat from threats." Soon after Wednesday`s attacks, Trump had said on Twitter that "All is well!" and Washington was assessing damage.
That tweet and the comment by Iran`s foreign minister eased some concerns about a wider war and calmed jittery financial markets. U.S. stock prices hit record highs before paring their gains, while world oil prices, after an early spike, fell about 4%. U.S. and European government sources said they believed Iran had deliberately sought to avoid U.S. military casualties in its missile strikes to prevent an escalation.
But an Iranian army spokesman denied "foreign media reports" suggesting there was some kind of coordination between Iran and the United States before the attack to evacuate bases.
Iranian television reported an official in the supreme leader`s office as saying the attacks were the "weakest" of several retaliation scenarios. It quoted another source saying Iran had lined up 100 other potential targets. After the Iranian missile attack, state television showed footage of the Soleimani burial, with hundreds of people chanting: "God is greatest" when the strikes were announced over loudspeakers. "His revenge was taken and now he can rest in peace," Iranian television said.
Hours after the Iranian missile strike, a Ukrainian airliner crashed shortly after takeoff from Tehran on Wednesday, killing all 176 people on board. A Canadian security source said Western intelligence agencies` initial assessment was that the plane was not brought down by a missile.

Iran's missile attack 'slap on face' of US, its troops should leave region: Iranian leader Ali Khamenei

MMNN:8 January 2020
BAGHDAD: Iranian leader Ali Khamenei on Wednesday asserted the missile attack on US troops in Iraq was a "slap on the face" of the US and that the country's troops should leave the region. He was addressing a gathering of Iranians who chanted "Death to America". Iran launched missiles at US-led forces in Iraq early retaliating for the US drone strike on an Iranian commander whose killing last week stoked fears of a new Middle East war.
Iranian state television said Iran had fired 15 missiles at US targets. The US military said at least two Iraqi facilities hosting US-led coalition personnel were targeted at about 1:30 am Iraq time (2230 GMT on Tuesday). Iraq said 22 missiles were fired. Iranian officials said Tehran did not want a war and its strikes "concluded" its response to Friday`s killing of Qassem Soleimani, a powerful general whose burial after days of mourning was completed around the time of the missile launches. Iranian television showed mourners celebrating the attack.
The US President Donald Trump said an assessment of casualties and damage from the strikes was underway and that he would make a statement on Wednesday morning. "All is well!," Trump said Twitter. He visited one of the targeted sites in Iraq, Ain al-Asad airbase, in December 2018, said on Twitter. One source said early indications were of no US casualties, while other US officials declined to comment.
Iranian state television said 80 "American terrorists" had been killed and US helicopters and military equipment damaged. It did not provide evidence of how it obtained that information. Germany, Denmark, Norway and Poland said none of their troops in Iraq was hurt. Britain, which also has personnel in Iraq, condemned the Iranian action. Iraq said its forces did not suffer casualties.
Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said the bases targeted were al-Asad airbase and another facility in Erbil, Iraq. "As we evaluate the situation and our response, we will take all necessary measures to protect and defend US personnel, partners, and allies in the region," Hoffman said.
More than 5,000 US troops remain in Iraq along with other foreign forces in the coalition that has trained and backed Iraqi forces against the threat of Islamic State militants. Iran, which has long said US forces should leave the Middle East, told Washington after the attacks to withdraw its troops to prevent more deaths and warned US allies including Israel not to allow attacks from their territories. Soleimani, a pivotal figure in orchestrating Iran`s campaign to drive US forces out of Iraq, was responsible for building up Iran`s network of proxy armies across the Middle East.
Iranian television reported an official in the supreme leader`s office as saying the missile attacks were the "weakest" of several retaliation scenarios. It quoted another source saying Iran had lined up 100 other potential targets. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was expected to speak later on Wednesday, state television reported.
Hours before the Iranian strikes, US Defence Secretary Mark Esper said the United States should anticipate a response from Iran for the killing of Soleimani, commander of Iran`s elite Quds Force, a unit of the Revolutionary Guards. "I think we should expect that they will retaliate in some way, shape or form," he told a briefing at the Pentagon. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Iran "took & concluded proportionate measures in self-defence under Article 51 of the U.N. Charter". "We do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression," he wrote in a post on Twitter.

80 'American terrorists' killed in missile strikes, claims Iranian state TV

MMNN:8 January 2020
New Delhi: At least 80 "American terrorists" were killed in attacks involving 15 missiles Tehran launched on US targets in Iraq, claimed Iranian state television on Wednesday. The report also added that none of the missiles were intercepted.
According to a Reuters report, Iranian State TV, citing a senior Revolutionary Guards source, also said that Iran had 100 other targets in the region in its sights if Washington took any retaliatory measures.
The report said that US helicopters and military equipment were "severely damaged" in the missile attacks launched by Iran against the US-led forces in Iraq in the early hours of Wednesday.
The attack was in retaliation to the US drone strike on an Iranian commander whose killing has raised fears of a wider war in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, Iran`s army renewed a demand for US troops to be withdrawn from the Middle East. Iran's state TV reported on Wednesday.
"Now that they have understood our power, it is time for the United States to withdraw its troops from the Middle East," Iran`s armed forces chief of staff General Mohammad Baqeri said in a statement, according to state television.
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian airliner carrying at least 170 passengers crashed on Wednesday due to technical problems soon after taking off from Tehran`s Imam Khomeini airport, and all aboard were killed, Iran`s state television and a Ukrainian official said.
The Boeing 737 belonging to Ukraine International Airlines crashed near the airport and burst into flames. A Ukrainian foreign ministry official in Kiev said all crew and passengers aboard were killed, citing information from the airline.
There was no official word from Ukraine International Airlines.
"The fire is so heavy that we cannot (do) any rescue... we have 22 ambulances, four bus ambulances and a helicopter at the site," Pirhossein Koulivand, head of Iran`s emergency services, told Iranian state television.

Iraqi parliament passes resolution to end foreign troop presence

MMNN:6 January 2020
Baghdad: The Iraqi parliament called on the government on Sunday to work to end all foreign troop presence as a backlash grew after the killing of a top Iranian military commander and an Iraqi militia leader in a US strike in Baghdad.
A resolution passed by a special session of parliament said the government should cancel its request for assistance from a US-led coalition. Parliament resolutions, unlike laws, are non-binding to the government. But this one is likely to be heeded: Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi had earlier called on parliament to end foreign troop presence as soon as possible.
"Despite the internal and external difficulties that we might face, it remains best for Iraq on principle and practically," Abdul Mahdi said. The special session was called after a U.S. drone strike on Friday on a convoy at Baghdad airport that killed Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
Since the killings, rival Shi`ite political leaders have called for US troops to be expelled from Iraq in an unusual show of unity among factions that have squabbled for months.
"There is no need for the presence of American forces after defeating Daesh (Islamic State)," said Ammar al-Shibli, a Shi`ite lawmaker and member of the parliamentary legal committee, before the parliamentary meeting."We have our own armed forces which are capable of protecting the country," he told Reuters.
Despite decades of enmity between Iran and the United States, Iran-backed militia and US troops fought side by side during Iraq`s 2014-2017 war against Islamic State militants. Around 5,000 US troops remain in Iraq, most of them in an advisory capacity.
Abdul Mahdi, who holds the post in a caretaker role after resigning in November amid street protests, called on Friday for parliament to convene the extraordinary session to take legislative steps to protect Iraq`s sovereignty.
Hadi al-Amiri, the top candidate to succeed Muhandis, repeated his call for US troops to leave Iraq on Saturday during a funeral procession for those killed in the attack.
Many Iraqis, including opponents of Soleimani, have expressed anger at Washington for killing him and Muhandis on Iraqi soil and potentially dragging their country into another conflict.

Jakarta flood death toll rises to 60; over 92,000 homeless

MMNN:6 January 2020
Jakarta: The death toll due to the floods in the Jakarta metropolitan area has increased to 60, Indonesian authorities said on Sunday, adding that many areas in the capital remain inundated.
The majority of the deaths - 51 - occurred in Jakarta and its satellite cities, the Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management (BNBP) said in its latest statement.
It added that at least two other people were missing, reports Efe news.
The places with highest number of fatalities were Jakarta (16) and Bogor (17), while the rest were distributed between Bekasi (10), Tangerang (five) and Depok (three), in addition to nine others in Lebak, situated just outside the metropolitan area but in the same area in the west of Java island.
More than 92,000 people remain evacuated in temporary shelters in Jakarta`s metropolitan area, where some 30 million people live and which still has many areas waterlogged, according to BNPB.
More than half of the victims died as they were dragged away by floodwaters or buried in landslides due to heavy rain last week that led to the overflow of waterways that cross the capital.
Indonesia`s meteorological agency BMKG issued a warning that heavy rain was expected in the coming week across the country, including Jakarta where cloud seeding has been employed in efforts to keep the rain away from the affected areas.
Floods and landslides affect Indonesia yearly during the rainy season, which peaks between December and February.

Australia bushfire toll increases to 21; over 1,500 homes destroyed

MMNN:4 January 2020
Sydney: Hundreds of bushfires continued to rage in Australia on Saturday amid "catastrophic" conditions in the south of the country where two more deaths have been confirmed, taking the total toll to 21.
The two deaths occurred on Kangaroo Island, some 112 km from Adelaide, South Australia, where more than 100,000 hectares have been razed, mostly in Flinders Chase National Park, which is home to 60,000 kangaroos and 50,000 koala bears, reports Efe news.
"This is taking a very heavy toll," Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters, adding that more than 1,500 homes lost to fires across the country since September.
"Our condolences to those who continue to suffer and many of those who are left in absolutely disastrous situations as we speak," he said, and announced the deployment of 3,000 defence force reservists and the HMAS Adelaide navy ship to aid in the evacuation of those affected.
The Prime Minister added that in "the next 24 to 48 hours are going to be incredibly difficult for bushfire conditions", with temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius and strong winds in the south and southeastern regions of the country, particularly in Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) states.
Around 1,000 people were evacuated from Mallacoota, Victoria - where a state of disaster has been declared - aboard the HMAS Choules and MV Sycamore.
Meanwhile, thousands of others have tried in recent days to flee by road from the Victorian coast, and that of NSW to avoid becoming trapped by the flames.
Both Victoria and NSW have suffered fires that have this week killed 10 people, burned 500 homes and left thousands of people trapped.
On Thursday and Friday, the authorities created firebreaks, evaluated damages and carried out evacuation orders in Victoria where over 50 fires continue to rage and emergency alerts remain active in several areas.
In NSW, at least 60 fires are uncontrolled, one of which is near Sydney and a state of emergency for fires has been declared for the third time since September.
The Prime Minister said that AU$20 million had been allocated to lease four DC-10 water bomber planes, among other aerial measures, and will open military bases to temporarily accommodate those affected.
Morrison`s announcement came after weeks of criticism - some refused to shake hands with him as he visited a fire affected area - over his lack of response on the fires and climate change.

Nawaz Sharif to undergo cardiac procedure

MMNN:4 January 2020
Islamabad: Ailing former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will be hospitalised soon for a cardiac procedure, it was reported.
A source at the Royal Brompton Hospital, London told The News International that cardiologists have informed Sharif that he must be admitted for the procedure.
The source added that the former leader has been advised that it would be determined within a week whether he would need a heart operation, bypass or a heart stent.
Sharif has been in London for the duration of about two months as the issue of his blood platelets remains unresolved and they still remain unstable.
Two weeks ago, the former premier`s personal physician Adnan Khan had said that doctors were going through Sharif`s whole medical history.
The exact cause of the low platelet count was still not determined.

Qassam Soleimani responsible for terrorist plots in Delhi, London: Donald Trump

MMNN:4 January 2020
Los Angeles: United States President Donald Trump has accused the slain Iranian military leader Qassam Soleimani of contributing to terror plots in as far away as London and New Delhi. Trump addressed the media on Friday at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida's Palm Beach, after the killing of the Iranian military leader, where he announced that Soleimani's 'reign of terror' is over.
"Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion, contributing to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London," Trump said on Friday at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Flordia.
Speaking about the missile strike he ordered to kill Soleimani, he said, "Today we remember and honour the victims of Soleimani`s many atrocities and we take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over." While Trump did not specify the plots in India, he may have been referring to a 2012 bombing of the car of the wife of the Israeli defence attache to India.
Tal Yehoshua Koren was injured and underwent surgery to remove shrapnel and her driver and two bystanders were also hurt in the attack on February 13, 2012, using a bomb that was attached to the vehicle with a magnet. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Iran was behind that attack and another attempted attack using a similar technique in Georgia.
The New Delhi case not been resolved so far and a conclusive link to Iran has not been made by India.
News reports at that time said that the attack was carried out by Iran in retaliation for the killing of Iranian nuclear scientist Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan in Teheran using a bomb with a magnet attached to his car, allegedly by Israelis.
An Indian journalist, Syed Mohammad Ahmad Kazmi, was arrested on March 6 that year and accused of being a part of a conspiracy to carry out the attack and held under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. He was released on bail by the Supreme Court in October on the condition that he does not go abroad. According to news reports at that time, Delhi police alleged that he had carried out reconnaissance for the Iranians who carried out the attack.
The five persons who carried out the attacks were Iranian members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard who had visited Delhi, police were quoted as saying. They were not arrested although police identified them.
An Iranian major general, Soleimani was the leader of the Quds force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards. But his name did not figure in the reports at that time on the Indian attack.

Iran denies role in US embassy violence, warns against retaliation

MMNN:1 January 2020
DUBAI: Iran denied it was behind violent protests at the US embassy in Iraq on Tuesday and warned against any retaliation, after President Donald Trump blamed Tehran for an attack on the mission and said it would be held responsible.
"American officials have the astounding audacity of attributing to Iran the protests of the Iraqi people against (Washington`s) savage killing of at least 25 Iraqis ...," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said in a statement carried on a ministry website.
Protesters led by Iranian-backed militias voiced their anger over US air strikes on militia bases in Iraq and Syria, hurled stones and torched a security post at the US Embassy in Baghdad. "Mousavi denied the American officials` charges against our country, cautioned against any ill-advised reaction or miscalculation by U.S. officials, and called on the White House to reconsider its destructive policies in the region," the statement said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump said in a Twitter post: "Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many. We strongly responded, and always will. Now Iran is orchestrating an attack on the US Embassy in Iraq. They will be held fully responsible."
Later Trump tweeted: "Iran will be held fully responsible for lives lost, or damage incurred, at any of our facilities. They will pay a very BIG PRICE! This is not a Warning, it is a Threat."

I think North Korea's Kim is a 'man of his word': US President Donald Trump

MMNN:1 January 2020
USA :US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had signed a contract about denuclearisation and that he thought the North Korean leader was a "man of his word."
Hours after Kim said his country would continue developing nuclear programs and introduce a "new strategic weapon" in the near future, Trump said he got along with Kim and "we have to do what we have to do."
"But he did sign a contract, he did sign an agreement talking about denuclearisation. ... That was done in Singapore, and I think he`s a man of his word, so we`re going to find out," Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.
North Korea`s leader plans to further develop nuclear programmes and to introduce a "new strategic weapon" in the near future, state media said on Wednesday, but he left room for dialogue with the United States after it ignored a year-end deadline he had set for talks.
Kim Jong Un presided over a four-day meeting of top Workers` Party officials this week amid rising tensions with the United States, which has not responded to his repeated calls for concessions to reopen negotiations. Washington has dismissed the deadline as artificial.
Kim said there were no grounds for North Korea to be bound any longer by a self-declared moratorium on testing nuclear bombs and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM), according to a statement on the results of the policy meeting carried by the official KCNA news agency.

US President Donald Trump says trade deal with China will be signed on January 15

MMNN:31 December 2019
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Phase 1 of trade deal with China would be signed on Jan. 15 at the White House, though considerable confusion remains about the details of the agreement. The president wrote in a tweet that he would sign the deal with "high level representatives of China" and that he would later travel to Beijing to begin talks on the next phase. Last week, Trump said he and Chinese President Xi Jinping would host a signing ceremony to ink the Phase 1 deal. The Phase 1 deal, struck earlier this month, is expected to reduce tariffs and boost Chinese purchases of American farm, energy and manufactured goods while addressing some disputes over intellectual property. However, no version of the text has been made public, and Chinese officials have yet to publicly commit to key planks, such as increasing imports of U.S. goods to $200 billion, nearly doubling U.S. exports to China. The United States launched a trade war against Beijing a year and half ago over allegations of unfair trade practices, such as theft of U.S. intellectual property and subsidies that unfairly benefit Chinese state-owned companies. The United States Trade Representative said the Phase 1 deal includes stronger Chinese legal protections for patents, trademarks, copyrights, including improved criminal and civil procedures to combat online infringement, pirated and counterfeit goods. Issues such as industrial subsidies would be addressed in a later deal, U.S. authorities said. The escalating tit-for-tat tariffs, which began in July, 2018, have roiled markets and crimped economic growth worldwide.

Somalia: 25 killed, several injured in suicide blast in Mogadishu

MMNN:28 December 2019
Mogadishu: At least 25 people were killed and several others injured in a suicide blast that hit at a security checkpoint near a busy crossing on the outskirts of the Somalian capital of Mogadishu, an official said.
Government spokesman Ismael Mukhtar Omar told Xinhua news agency that a suicide bomber detonated a car bomb at the checkpoint on Afgoye road. "I can confirm more than 25 people were killed in the attack," Omar said, adding that among the dead were several students. A police officer at the scene said the blast was targeted at a tax office on the road. "As officials were checking cars passing the road, a car suddenly exploded, causing casualties and damage."
There is no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast.
Mogadishu has witnessed repeated attacks from Al Shabab, a militant organization that pledged allegiance to Al Qaeda in 2012 and controls parts of central and southern Somalia, said Efe news.
It fights for establishing an Islamic state following the `Wahabi` (an ultra-conservative) ideology of Islamic puritanism.

Russia deploys Avangard, world's first hypersonic nuclear missile

MMNN:28 December 2019
Moscow: Russias intercontinental hypersonic missile, the Avangard strategic system, became operational on Friday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin described the missile unit as 'the weapon of the future' and said it puts the country ahead of the US in developing weaponry, Efe news reported.
"It`s a weapon of the future, capable of penetrating both existing and prospective missile defence systems," he said earlier this week.
The Russian leader was informed by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Friday that the weapon had been deployed near the Urals, a mountain range that forms part of the boundary between Europe and Asia.
The Avangard, which can reach US territory in 15 minutes, is one of the "super-weapons" presented by Putin during his speech on the state of the nation in March 2018, which led many to talk about a new arms race.

Islamic State says it beheaded Christian captives in Nigeria

MMNN:28 December 2019
MAIDUGURI/CAIRO: Islamic State released a video purporting to show its militants beheading 10 Christian men in Nigeria, saying it was part of a campaign to avenge the deaths of its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and its spokesman. The militant group posted the footage on its online Telegram news channel on Thursday, the day after Christmas, with Arabic captions but no audio.
The video showed men in beige uniforms and black masks lining up behind blindfolded captives then beheading 10 of them and shooting the 11th man. An earlier video seen by Reuters said the captives had been taken from Maiduguri and Damaturu in Nigeria`s northeastern state of Borno, where militants have been fighting for years to set up a separate Islamist state. In that video, the captives pleaded for the Christian Association of Nigeria and President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene to save them.
Reuters could not verify the authenticity of either video. Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) split from the militant group Boko Haram in 2016 and has become the region`s dominant jihadist group. Islamist insurgents have killed about 30,000 people in northern Nigeria in the past decade. Islamic State leader Baghdadi died during a U.S. military raid in Syria and Muhajir in a separate military operation, both over the same weekend in late October.

Michael Bloomberg spent $120mn on ads in presidential race

MMNN:26 December 2019
New York: Michael Bloomberg, the former Mayor of New York, has already spent about $120 million in digital and television advertising since he joined the crowded Democratic presidential race last month. Bloomberg is spending in all the 50 US states but was especially targeting the big, delegate-rich Super Tuesday states that can make or break his campaign, such as California, Texas and Florida, Xinhua news agency reported citing Politico as saying in a report on Wednesday. The Politico report said that the former Mayor`s spending on ads in the roughly three weeks since late November was more than double the combined ad spending of every single non-billionaire candidate in the Democratic field this entire year. "We`ve never seen spending like this in a presidential race," Jim McLaughlin, a Republican political strategist who worked as a consultant for Bloomberg`s mayoral bids in New York, was quoted as saying. "He has a limitless budget." But some analysts were sceptical whether the big spending on ads would help improve Bloomberg`s standing in the poll. "After you see the same TV ad 10 times, it`s not going to have as big an impact," Christian Heiens, a political marketer with Saber Communications, was quoted as saying. "And that`s not just in politics, that`s in anything in marketing." In the Democratic primary race, former Vice President Joe Biden leads the field with 30 per cent of the vote among Democratic voters and independent voters who lean towards the party, according to a Quinnipiac University national poll released last week. Biden is followed by Senator Elizabeth Warren with 17 per cent of the vote, while Bloomberg is in the fifth place with only 7 per cent of the vote, the poll showed.

'We're all family now': Protesters gather for free Christmas dinner in Hong Kong

MMNN:26 December 2019
Hong Kong: Hundreds of anti-government protesters and their supporters gathered outside a tiny restaurant in Hong Kong for an unconventional Christmas dinner, sharing paper plates piled high with food under neon street signs.
"Hong Kongers are more united this Christmas (than) in previous years," said Glory, the 31-year-old owner of Kwong Wing Catering, as he dished out noodles, fried chicken, and pasta from silver trays.
"Actually there is no Christmas atmosphere (this year), but there is a strong sense of unity," he said. All of the food on offer on Wednesday was free and prepared by the restaurant or donated by several sponsors.
Outside the eatery, hundreds of customers, many of them off-duty protesters, waited in line as tourists and other shoppers crowded the popular Tsim Sha Tsui area.
Jeanette, a 22-year-old university student, slurped bubble tea and pudding with her friend Yoyo as they discussed their holiday plans.
They would normally spend Christmas with their families, but felt this year had to be different. Both women said they had been involved in peaceful protests since the summer.
"We`re all family now," said Jeanette, looking around at all of the other supporters eating around her.
"We`re here because we want to support this shop, which has supported so many teenagers and protesters on the front line," said Yoyo between mouthfuls of pudding.
Kwong Wing Catering is one of many businesses that are part of the so-called "yellow economy" across Hong Kong that are known for their support of the pro-democracy campaign. Colorful post-it notes with words of support from customers decorated the restaurant`s windows.
One of the chefs scheduled to cook at the eatery became a sort of folk hero after cooking for besieged student protesters at Polytechnic University in November.
He was supposed to cook for his supporters on Wednesday, but was arrested by police earlier in the week, according to the restaurant`s Facebook page. It was not immediately clear why the chef had been arrested.
Hong Kong has been embroiled in anti-government protests since June which show no signs of abating.
Black-clad protesters marched through Christmas-decorated shopping malls across Hong Kong on Wednesday as police fired tear gas and pepper spray to disperse crowds.
The protesters are angry about what they see as an encroachment by China on the wide ranging autonomy Hong Kong was guaranteed under a "one country, two systems" framework which governs the former British colony.
China rejects such complaints.
Ivan, a 20-year-old university student, said he waited for an hour and a half to receive his hot meal.
"I feel very comforted that someone is willing to cook a meal for us," he said, adding that Hong Kong still had a "festive" atmosphere despite the protests and clashes with police.
"I just got tear-gassed yesterday so I think it`s very special."

US ready to deal with any North Korean 'Christmas gift': President Donald Trump

MMNN:25 December 2019
Burkina FasoAn armed attack in northern Burkina Faso has killed 35 civilians, President Roch Marc Christian Kabore announced on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, violence erupted in the town of Arbinda in Sahel region near the country`s border with Mali, and lasted for several hours, killing seven members of the security forces who responded to the attack, the army said in a statement cited by Xinhua news agency.
During the clashes with local security forces, 80 terrorists were also killed, the statement released on Tuesday evening said. Burkina Faso, bordering Mali and Niger, has seen a regular target of attacks, which have left hundreds dead since the start of 2015 when the violence began to spread across the Sahel region.
"A large group of terrorists simultaneously attacked the military base and the civilian population in Arbinda," the army chief of staff said in a statement.

Don't let Church failings distance you from God, Pope Francis says on Christmas Eve

MMNN:25 December 2019
VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis led the world`s 1.3 billion Roman Catholics into Christmas on Tuesday, urging them not to let the Church`s failings lead them away from accepting God`s love. Francis celebrated a solemn Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter`s Basilica for thousands of people as hundreds of others watched on large screens outside. As is customary on Christmas Eve, the 83-year-old pope weaved his sermon around the spiritual and personal significance of the night that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. "Christmas reminds us that God continues to love us all, even the worst of us," Francis, presiding at the seventh Christmas season of his pontificate, said in his sermon. "You may have mistaken ideas, you may have made a complete mess of things, but the Lord continues to love you. How often do we think that God is good if we are good and punishes us if we are bad. Yet that is not how he is." Without mentioning them specifically, Francis also referred to recent Church troubles, including its attempts to come to grips with continuing sexual abuse scandals around the world and financial irregularities closer to home at the Vatican. "Let us contemplate the Child and let ourselves be caught up in his tender love. Then we have no further excuse for not letting ourselves be loved by him," Francis said. "Whatever goes wrong in our lives, whatever doesn`t work in the Church, whatever problems there are in the world, will no longer serve as an excuse. It will become secondary, for faced with Jesus` extravagant love, a love of utter meekness and closeness, we have no excuse," he said. In his latest attempt to confront a sexual abuse scandal, Francis last week announced sweeping changes to the way the Church deals with them, abolishing the rule of "pontifical secrecy" that previously covered them. Advocates for the victims of a scandal that has rocked the Church for nearly two decades applauded the move. On Wednesday, Francis will deliver his twice-yearly "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) message and blessing from the central balcony of St. Peter`s Basilica to thousands of people in the square below. Unlike that on Christmas Eve, the Christmas day message is typically more about the significance of the Christmas message amidst the wars and conflicts of contemporary society.

South Korea, Japan, China leaders to promote North Korea-US dialogue

MMNN:24 December 2019
CHENGDU: China, Japan and South Korea have agreed to work together to promote dialogue between the United States and North Korea, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Tuesday following a summit between the three countries in China.
North Korea has set a year-end deadline for the United States to change what it says is a policy of hostility amid a stalemate in efforts to make progress on their pledge to end the North`s nuclear programme and establish lasting peace.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump have met three times since June 2018, but there has been no substantive progress in dialogue while the North demanded crushing international sanctions be lifted first.
Speaking in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu following a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Moon said the three countries agreed on the need for close communication.
"South Korea, China, Japan, the three countries, agreed to continue close communication and cooperation towards denuclearisation and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula," Moon said at a joint news conference.
"We shared a view that peace on the Korean Peninsula is in the common interest of the three countries, and decided to work together to ensure that denuclearisation and peace continue through prompt North Korea-U.S. dialogue," he added.
Li said that the three leaders reaffirmed the need to seek a resolution to the North Korean issue via dialogue and for the three to cooperate in this regard. China is North Korea`s most important economic and diplomatic backer, though Beijing has been angered by Pyongyang`s repeated missile and nuclear tests.
US special envoy for North Korea Stephen Biegun met with two senior Chinese diplomats during his two-day visit to Beijing last week, following similar meetings in South Korea and Japan days earlier, as diplomats make last-ditch attempts to prevent new confrontation.
Beijing, together with Russia, proposed last week that the United Nations Security Council lift some sanctions in what it calls an attempt to break the current deadlock and seek to build support.
But it is unclear whether Beijing can convince Seoul and Tokyo to break ranks with Washington, which has made its opposition clear and can veto any resolution.

Saudi Arabia sentences five to death, three to jail over killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi

MMNN:23 December 2019
RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia`s public prosecutor said on Monday five people had been sentenced to death and three more to jail terms totalling 24 years over the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul in October 2018. Khashoggi was a US resident and critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom`s de facto ruler. He was last seen at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018, where he was to receive papers ahead of his wedding. His body was reportedly dismembered and removed from the building, and his remains have not been found. The killing caused a global uproar, tarnishing the crown prince`s image. The CIA and some Western governments have said they believe Prince Mohammed ordered the killing, but Saudi officials say he had no role. Eleven Saudi suspects were put on trial over his death in secretive proceedings in Riyadh. Saudi Public Prosecutor Shalaan al-Shalaan, reading out the preliminary verdict in the trial, also said Saud al-Qahtani, a former high-profile Saudi royal adviser, had been investigated but was not charged and was released.

Syrian air defenses intercept Israeli missile attack

MMNN:23 December 2019
Damascus: The Syrian air defenses on Sunday night intercepted missiles fired from inside Israel, the state TV reported.
People in the capital Damascus heard the sound of powerful explosions as a result of the firing of air defenses triggered by the missile attack.
State news agency SANA said the air defenses intercepted "hostile targets" fired from inside the "occupied territories".
One of the missiles fell in the town of Akraba in Damascus countryside, Xinhua reported citing SANA.
Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said three explosions were heard in the capital as a result of the air defenses triggered by an Israeli missile attack that targeted positions of the Syrian army and Iran-backed militia in the surrounding of the capital.
Throughout the Syrian crisis, Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria against Iranian targets and convoys transporting weapons to Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Lebanese militia.
In 2019 alone, more than 17 Israeli attacks targeted Syria, the latest of which occurred on November 20 when several Israeli missiles attacked sites on the southern and southwestern outskirts of Damascus.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey not to take more Syrian refugees alone

MMNN:23 December 2019
Istanbul: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Turkey will not take the burden of accepting a new flow of refugees from the Syrian town of Idlib alone.
"Our more than 80,000 Idlib brothers started to migrate toward the border of our country," Erdogan said on Sunday at an award ceremony in Istanbul, Xinhua news agency reported.
"In such a case, Turkey will not bear all alone the burden of this migration," he stated.
Turkey is making all-out efforts to stop attacks in Idlib and will send a delegation to Moscow on Monday to discuss the matter with the Russian authorities, said the Turkish leader.
"We will determine the steps we will take according to the results," he added.
Syrian and Russian forces have been carrying out air attacks against rebels in Idlib, triggering a new influx of refugees toward the Turkish border.
Turkey hosts some 3.6 million Syrian refugees and has spent as much as $40 billion on them, according to official figures.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan says 50,000 Syrians fleeing Idlib to Turkey

MMNN:19 December 2019
ANKARA: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that 50,000 people were fleeing Syria`s northwestern region of Idlib to Turkey, and slammed Muslim nations for not supporting his plans to resettle refugees in other parts of north Syria.
Turkey currently hosts some 3.7 million Syrian refugees, the largest refugee population in the world, and fears another influx from the Idlib region, where up to 3 million Syrians live in the last significant insurgent-held swathe of territory.
Syrian and Russian forces carry out regular air strikes against targets in Idlib, which President Bashar al-Assad has vowed to recapture, pushing more people towards the Turkish border.
"Look, 50,000 people are once again coming from Idlib to our lands," Erdogan told a meeting of Muslim leaders in Malaysia. "We already have 4 million people, and now another 50,000 are coming and this may increase."
He gave no details and did not say whether the Syrians had actually crossed into Turkey, which has built a wall along its 911 km (570 mile) southern border since the outbreak of Syria`s eight-year conflict.
Erdogan is seeking international support for plans to settle 1 million Syrians in part of northeast Syria which Turkish forces and their Syrian rebel allies seized from the Kurdish YPG militia in a cross-border incursion in October.
Ankara has received little public backing for its plans and Erdogan said that world powers, including Muslim nations, were more concerned about sending arms to Syria than supporting a Turkish "safe zone".
"Is the Muslim world that poor? Why don`t they support this?" he said. "Even if they just gave their alms, there would no poverty here, no have-nots," he said.
"They provide no support when we call on them to form a safe zone, but when it comes to weapons, the arms come," he said.
In its third offensive into northern Syria in three years, Turkey seized a 120 km (75 mile) stretch of border territory two months ago from the YPG, which had spearheaded the fight against Islamic State in Syria with U.S. support.
Washington`s backing for the YPG has infuriated Turkey, which considers it a terrorist group because of its links to Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fighters who have waged an insurgency in southeast Turkey in which thousands of people have been killed.

Iran calls for transport insurance for Muslim nations

MMNN:19 December 2019
KUALA LUMPUR: Hit by US sanctions that make it difficult to get Western insurers from covering Iranian exports, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Thursday proposed setting up a transport insurance mechanism exclusively for Muslim nations.
Iran`s oil-reliant economy has been hit badly since President Donald Trump last year pulled the United States out of a 2015 multinational nuclear deal with Tehran and reimposed sanctions. At an Islamic summit in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, Rouhani said it was time for the Muslim world to look inwards, including in insurance.
"We understand that today, many of our economic transactions and activities are dependent on foreign insurance, the insurance coming from big countries," he said in a speech that was translated into English.
"This is why we, as Muslim countries, (if) we are able to cooperate in order to set up an insurance, particularly and exclusively for Muslim states, particularly in transport and transit, it will save us from dependence on foreigners."
Ships need various forms of insurance, including annual war-risk cover as well as an additional `breach` premium when entering high-risk areas.
In the banking sector, Rouhani said Muslim countries should transact in their own currencies, a view that was supported by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.
"We have to free bilateral trade from foreign exchange pressure," Erdogan said at the summit. "Instead of doing trade with foreign currency we would like to do foreign trade with our national currencies."

Hong Kong protesters march to consulates to call for support on rights

MMNN:19 December 2019
HONG KONG: Hong Kong protesters rallied outside diplomatic missions on Thursday to urge foreign governments to follow the United States in passing human rights bills to raise pressure on Beijing and support their pro-democracy campaign. Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump signed congressional legislation requiring the State Department to certify, at least once a year, that Hong Kong retains enough autonomy from Beijing to justify favourable U.S. trading terms.
About 1,000 people, most of them dressed in black and wearing face masks, marched on a route that took them by the consulates of Australia, Britain, the European Union, the United States, Japan and Canada, to drop off a petition. "What happens in Hong Kong is not just a local issue, it is about human rights and democracy. Foreign governments should understand how this city is being suppressed," said Suki Chan, who participated in the protest. "We need to continue to seek international attention and let them know this movement is not losing momentum."
The marchers` petition called on governments to "stand with Hong Kong" by passing legislation to introduce visa sanctions and freeze assets of Chinese and Hong Kong government officials. Anti-government protests have roiled the financial hub for more than six months, with protesters angry over what they see as Chinese meddling in the freedoms promised to the former British colony when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
Beijing has blamed the unrest on "foreign forces" and said attempts to interfere in the Chinese-ruled city were doomed to fail. The U.S. legislation, which also threatens sanctions for human rights violations, came after similar "citizen diplomacy" petitions in Hong Kong this year to the U.S. consulate and has been cheered by protesters waving the stars and stripes flag. Beijing denounced the U.S. legislation and Hong Kong`s government said it sent the wrong signal to the demonstrators and increased economic uncertainty.
`BE WATER ACT`
At the U.S. consulate, protesters are calling for the passage of the "Be Water Act", championed by Missouri Senator Josh Hawley and named after a protest slogan borrowed from martial arts legend Bruce Lee. The bill would freeze assets of Chinese nationals and state-owned enterprises believed to have contributed to suppressing freedom of speech in Hong Kong. Thursday marks the 35th anniversary of a treaty between China and Britain on Hong Kong`s future, that set the stage for its 1997 handover.
British Foreign secretary Dominic Raab urged China in a statement to open dialogue with the protesters and respect the commitments in the treaty. In 2017, China`s foreign ministry said the 1984 joint declaration, signed by then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang, was a historical document that no longer had any practical significance. Beijing denies interfering in Hong Kong and says it is committed to the "one country, two systems" formula put in place as a result of the 1984 treaty that guarantees a high degree of autonomy.
Hong Kong`s special status, which helped it grow into a global financial centre and avoid U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, is also important to Beijing, which uses the city as its main gateway to global capital. But worries in Hong Kong about what many residents see as the erosion by Beijing of freedoms, and the months of protests partly fuelled by such worries, have raised questions about how the city should be run.
"The framework of `one country, two systems` obviously is flawed," said protester Ivan Fung, a 30-year-old social worker. "We have to let the international community know so that they can also help us."

Death sentence to Pervez Musharraf: Timeline of the treason case

MMNN:17 December 2019
PakistanPakistan's former president Pervez Musharraf was sentenced to death by a three-member bench of the Peshawar High Court in a case of high treason on Tuesday, reported a Pakistani media, the Dawn. The case was registered against him for clamping a state of emergency on November 3, 2007, which was eventually lifted on December 15, 2007.
The former military leader was booked in December 2013 for the case and was indicted in March 2014. The detailed verdict in the case will be released in the next two days. Several litigations at appellate forums led to delays in the trial of the case which allowed him to leave the country.
Here is a brief timeline of what transpired:
November 3, 2007: President Musharraf issues a state of emergency and suspends the Constitution citing that the members of the judiciary were working at "cross purposes with the executive and legislature in the fight against terrorism". His decision rendered more than 60 judges of the superior judiciary as dysfunctional.
November 28, 2007: Musharraf retires from the military handing over the Army charge to Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. On November 29, Musharraf takes oath as a civilian president.
December 15, 2007: The emergency is lifted and the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) is revoked and seeks constitutional amendments to validate the actions taken during the 42-day-long emergency period.
August 18, 2008: President Musharraf resigns from office after nine years in power.
July 2009: The SC calls the former military ruler to defend his actions taken on November 3, 2007. The top court rules that Musharraf's decision to impose an emergency as well as his PCO as illegal and unconstitutional.
August 6, 2009: Musharraf defies the court, refuses to answer the charges against him and leaves for the United Kingdom.
March 2013: Musharraf returns to contest general elections. A senior counsel refers to SC's ruling on Musharraf's actions during the imposition of emergency arguing that in overthrowing the constitution, Musharraf had committed the offence of high treason.
April 2013: SC agrees to hear a petition seeking to prosecute Musharraf under sections 2 and 3 of the High Treason (Punishment) Act 1973. On April 8, the top court issues summons to the former military ruler while also instructing the interior ministry to add Musharraf's name to the Exit Control List (ECL). Musharraf flees from the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) after the cancellation of his bail application. Peshawar High Court bars Musharraf from contesting in National Assembly or Senate elections.
June 2013: The government hurriedly files a petition to try Musharraf for treason under Article 6 of the constitution. It further sets up a special investigation team to probe the charges against the former president.
November 2013: Pakistan’s Supreme Court orders the formation of a three-judge special court to prosecute former military ruler Pervez Musharraf.
December 2013: Musharraf is booked in the high treason case.
March 2014: The special court indicts the former military chief.
September 2014: The probe team finds Musharraf guilty of suspending the constitution.
November 2015: The IHC orders the special court to re-investigate the case and record anew the statements of Musharraf, the former prime minister Shaukat Aziz, former law minister Zahid
March 2016: Musharraf is allowed to travel abroad for medical treatment, he never returned to his home country since.
May 2016: The court declares Musharraf a proclaimed offender and orders for his properties to be confiscated.
February 2016: The Supreme Court rules that Musharraf alone will be tried in the treason case, and not the others named, as the special court does not have the jurisdiction.
May 2017: Musharraf sends an application to the court agreeing to face the high treason charges against him but only under the military’s protection, and under the assurance that he would be given a safe passage to return to Dubai.
February 2018: The special court begins to hear the case against Musharraf.
November 2019: Special court reserves its verdict. The judgment was to be announced on November 28. Meanwhile, the PTI-led government files an application in the IHC seeking for the verdict to be postponed until a new prosecution team is appointed.
December 2019: In its hearing on December 5 the special court had said it will announce the verdict on December 17 even if arguments of both sides were not completed by then.
On December 17, the three-member special bench sentenced the former military ruler to death.

Hong Kong needs to do more to stop violence, resolve problems, says government

MMNN:17 December 2019
HONG KONG: Hong Kong`s chief secretary, Matthew Cheung, said on Tuesday he was disappointed with recent protest violence after a period of relative calm, as the Asian financial hub geared up for more anti-government demonstrations in coming days. Cheung, speaking at a weekly press briefing, was referring to a protest on Sunday during when police fired tear gas in late-night street clashes - the first time tear gas had been used in nearly two weeks.
"The work of stopping the violence has not yet been completed, we need to keep working on it. At the same time, we need to put effort on resolving deep-rooted problems," Cheung said. His comments came after the city`s leader, Chief Executive Carrie Lam, met Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday. Xi offered Lam his support and praised her courage in governing the city during the "most difficult times" of often violent anti-government protests.
Lam, who is due back in Hong Kong on Tuesday, also met Premier Li Keqiang during her regular duty visit to Beijing. "Hong Kong right now has not stepped out of its dilemma," Li said, according to remarks broadcast by Cable TV, as he urged Lam`s administration to end the violence. "The ... government should make continuous efforts to bring the violence and chaos to an end in accordance with the law and restore order". He also urged the government to address "deep-rooted issues in the economic and social development of Hong Kong" to ensure stability and prosperity in the region.
The financial hub has been embroiled in more than six months of anti-government protests which show no sign of abating. Protests are scheduled across the city on Tuesday as well as through the rest of the week and into Christmas. Protesters are angry about what they see as an encroachment by China on wide-ranging autonomy Hong Kong was guaranteed under a "one country, two systems" framework which governs the former British colony and the neighbouring casino hub of Macau. China has rejected the complaints and blamed other countries, including the United States, for inciting the protests. Xi is due to begin a three-day visit to Macau on Wednesday and security has been tightened. There have been no protests in the former Portuguese colony.
SECURITY MATTER
While the number of protests and the violence has eased in Hong Kong in recent weeks, the pro-democracy movement retains broad public backing, with families and older people coming out to recent demonstrations. They are calling on the government to listen to their demands which include an independent investigation into police behaviour and the implementation of full universal suffrage.
The trigger for the protests was a proposed extradition law, that would have allowed Hong Kong citizens to be prosecuted in mainland courts. The bill, which the city later dropped, raised a concern about what many Hong Kong people see as the undermining by Beijing of their freedoms.
The recent arrest by mainland security officials of a Hong Kong resident at a checkpoint on a newly-opened bridge linking Hong Kong with Macau and the mainland city of Zhuhai has stirred new concerns.
Media reported the 53-year-old suspect was detained on Friday while travelling to Macau on a bus. Cheung, asked about the arrest, said the matter was beyond the city`s control and related to security matters on the mainland. "It`s perfectly justified for them to exercise jurisdiction within their own territory, it`s entirely legal and justified," he said.
Mainland police said the person detained was part of a mobile phone smuggling syndicate. Hong Kong residents have been on heightened alert to citizens disappearing over the border into mainland China since five city booksellers went missing in 2015. All later appeared in detention in China, with some showing up in video footage making what appeared to be forced confessions. A former British consulate employee in Hong Kong said in November that Chinese secret police beat him in an attempt to force him to give information about activists leading pro-democracy protests.

Donald Trump on track to become third US president to face impeachment

MMNN:17 December 2019
WASHINGTON: Republican Donald Trump is this week likely to become the third US president to be impeached when the Democratic-led House of Representatives votes on charges stemming from his effort to pressure Ukraine to investigate political rival Joe Biden.
Trump faces one charge of abusing his power by asking Ukraine to investigate Biden, a leading Democratic contender to oppose him in the 2020 US presidential election, and one of obstructing Congress` investigation into the matter.
The president has denied wrongdoing and accused Democrats of a baseless and politically-motivated bid to oust him from power.
The House is likely to take up impeachment on Wednesday, setting the stage for a vote this week on whether to approve the charges and send the matter to the Republican-led Senate to hold a trial on whether to remove Trump from office. Democrats, who enjoy a 36-seat majority in the House, are expected to win an impeachment vote, which requires a simple majority.
Republicans hold 53 of the 100 seats in the Senate, where they appear likely to prevail in any trial against Trump, which would require a two-thirds majority of those present to remove him from office.
Seeking to shape any trial, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called on Sunday for testimony from White House acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, former national security adviser John Bolton, Mulvaney aide Robert Blair and budget official Michael Duffey.
Schumer made his appeal in a letter to Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who said last week he was coordinating with the White House and has raised the prospect of a short impeachment trial in which no witnesses would be called.
"I hope we can come to an agreement about a fair trial," Schumer told MSNBC in an interview on Monday.
House Democrats also sought testimony from the four men in their inquiry, but they did not appear. The House Judiciary Committee voted 23-17 on Friday along party lines to approve the two charges against Trump and to send the matter to the full chamber. Late on Sunday, the panel issued its full report detailing the case against him.
In a tweet on Monday, White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said Schumer`s comments seeking fairness were "laughable" after the release of the 658-page report "in the middle of the night. Thankfully the people of this country continue to see the partisan sham that this is."
A McConnell spokesman did not directly address Schumer`s requests, but said the Senate majority leader "plans to meet with Leader Schumer to discuss the contours of a trial soon."
DEFECTION
No U.S. president has been removed as a direct result of impeachment. Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 before he could be removed, while Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were impeached by the House, respectively in 1868 and 1998, but not convicted by the Senate.
Senior House Democrats expect to win any impeachment vote, albeit with the possibility of some defections from moderates facing tough re-elections next year in Trump-leaning districts.
Representative Jeff Van Drew, a conservative Democrat from New Jersey who opposed impeachment, is planning to become a Republican, media reported over the weekend. The news prompted a mass resignation of staffers in his office.
In congressional hearings, Democrats have accused Trump of endangering the U.S. Constitution, jeopardizing national security and undermining the integrity of next year`s US presidential election by asking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a July phone call to investigate Biden and his son Hunter Biden, who was on the board of a Ukrainian gas company.
Democrats argue impeachment is an urgent necessity because Trump has continued his alleged misconduct, endangering the integrity of the 2020 election.
Republicans have defended Trump and accused Democrats of a partisan effort aimed at overturning his upset 2016 victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton. Trump has branded the entire impeachment drive a sham.
"READ THE TRANSCRIPTS! The Impeachment Hoax is the greatest con job in the history of American politics!" he said in a tweet on Monday.
Trump has alleged the Bidens were involved in corruption in Ukraine and should be investigated there, but has offered no evidence. Biden, a former US vice president, has denied wrongdoing.

New Zealand divers search for volcano victims; death toll rises to 15

MMNN:14 December 2019
WELLINGTON: New Zealand divers searched contaminated waters near the volcanic White Island for two remaining bodies on Saturday, as the death toll from an eruption rose to 15 people, the police said. Waters around the island were contaminated by the massive eruption of rocks, lava and chemicals on Monday, reducing visibility. "Divers have reported seeing a number of dead fish and eels washed ashore and floating in the water," police said in a statement. "Each time they surface, the divers are decontaminated using freshwater." The remains of six people were successfully recovered on Friday after a military team in gas masks and hazmat suits landed on the uninhabited island and removed the bodies in a high-risk operation. Police said they could not retrieve the remains of two more people, but spotted at least one body in the waters not too far from the island shoreline. Nine police dive squad members resumed their search at 7.00 a.m. local time (1800 GMT Friday) and the operation would be boosted by a navy dive team later in the day. The police said in an earlier statement they will not return to the island for a land-based search on Saturday but will return in the future. "Today`s planning will allow us to return to the island to conduct further land-based searches for the remaining deceased, as the environment on and around the island allows," police said. "There will be no return to the island today." In a statement released on Saturday, geological agency GeoNet said there was a 35% to 50% risk of an eruption that would impact beyond the volcano’s vent area in the next 24 hours. A decrease from the 50% and 60% risk announced on Friday. The volcano, a popular tourist destination for day-trippers, erupted on Monday, spewing ash, steam and gases over the island. Among the 47 people on the island at the time were Australian, U.S., German, Chinese, British and Malaysian tourists. The death toll rose to 15 on Saturday as one more person died in the hospital. The toll may rise further as more than two dozen people are still hospitalised across New Zealand and Australia, most with severe burn injuries. There has been criticism that tourists were allowed on the island at all, given signs of increasing tremor activity in the days before the eruption. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on Saturday that a minute’s silence will be observed at 2.11 p.m. local time (0111GMT) on December 16, exactly one week from when the fatal eruption occurred. “Wherever you are in New Zealand, or around the world, this is a moment we can stand alongside those who have lost loved ones in this extraordinary tragedy,” Ardern said in the statement.

North Korea says it conducted another crucial test at satellite launch site

MMNN:14 December 2019
SEOUL: North Korea said it had conducted another test at a satellite launch site on Friday to bolster its strategic nuclear deterrence, North Korean state media outlet KCNA reported on Saturday.
The test was conducted at the Sohae satellite launch site, KCNA said, citing a spokesman for North Korea`s Academy of Defence Science, without specifying what sort of testing occurred. It was the second such test at the facility in a week.
KCNA on Sunday said that North Korea had carried out a "very important" test on Dec. 7 at the Sohae satellite launch site, a rocket-testing facility that U.S. officials once said North Korea had promised to close.
That KCNA report called the Dec. 7 event a "successful test of great significance." South Korea`s defence minister Jeong Keong-doo said it was an engine test. The reported tests come ahead of a year-end deadline North Korea has put forth for the United States to drop its insistence on unilateral denuclearisation.
Pyongyang has warned it could take a "new path" amid the stalled talks with the United States. The top U.S envoy for North Korea is set to arrive in Seoul on Sunday for meetings with South Korean officials.
Analysts said such tests could help North Korea build more reliable intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
"The point seems to be to remind the United States that North Korea still has space to qualitatively advance its program," said Ankit Panda, a senior fellow at the U.S.-based Federation of American Scientists.
"We had a good hint that whatever they were doing at Sohae was military in nature when the Academy of Defence Science took charge of the announcement, as opposed to NADA, their space agency," Panda added.
Tension has been rising in recent weeks as Pyongyang has conducted weapons tests and waged a war of words with U.S. President Donald Trump, stoking fears that tensions between the two countries could return.
Stephen Biegun, U.S. special envoy for North Korea, will arrive in South Korea on Sunday, Seoul and Washington said on Friday.

British PM Boris Johnson heads for big Brexit election win

MMNN:13 December 2019
LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is on course to win Thursday`s election comfortably, giving him the numbers in parliament needed to pass his Brexit divorce deal next month, according to an exit poll on Thursday.
Below is early reaction:
BORIS JOHNSON, PRIME MINISTER
"I hope you enjoy a celebration tonight," he said in an email to party members. "You powered this campaign. We couldn’t have done it without you."
JOHN MCDONNELL, LABOUR SHADOW CHANCELLOR
"We`ll see the results in the morning and then decision will be made."
Asked if it was now over for him and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, McDonnell said: "Let`s see the results themselves, as I say the appropriate decisions will be made."
LAURA PARKER, NATIONAL COORDINATOR OF PRO-CORBYN CAMPAIGN GROUP MOMENTUM
"It`s unquestionable that Labour`s policies are popular. Every poll shows it, and there is absolutely no appetite to go back to the centrist policies of old. But in this election we were squeezed by Brexit and it was the defining issue."
NIGEL FARAGE, BREXIT PARTY LEADER
"Does it get Brexit done? No. I think we`re going to head into three years of pretty agonising negotiations."
GARETH SNELL, LABOUR PARTY CANDIDATE
"It`s a lovely and toxic combination of the fact that the message in Stoke-on-Trent that`s been heard by the voters is that the Labour Party tried to stop Brexit."
"It would be remiss of me not to mention that Jeremy Corbyn has come up on the doorstep: some people really like him, some people really dislike him, and that has been a turn off."
Asked if it was time for Corbyn and his finance chief John McDonnell to go, Snell replied: "Yes".
JAMES SMITH, ING DEVELOPED MARKETS ECONOMIST
"It means the UK is likely to leave the EU smoothly at the end of January. More importantly, it will give the prime minister the breathing space to extend the transition period."
PETER KINSELLA, GLOBAL HEAD OF FX STRATEGY AT UBP
"People who under-owned UK assets for years are going to look at sterling and say now it’s time to get involved."
JOHN BERCOW, FORMER HOUSE OF COMMONS SPEAKER
"That would be a phenomenal victory for the Conservative Party and Boris Johnson will feel completely vindicated with the gamble that he took. That would be an absolutely dramatic victory."
BARRY GARDINER, LABOUR PARTY TRADE SPOKESMAN
"If that is the case then obviously it`s a devastating result for us."
PRITI PATEL, INTERIOR MINISTER
"Getting Brexit done is the priority. The deal is there. It is good to go. We need to move forward. We are not waiting. We want to end this paralysis.
NAOMI SMITH, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE PRO-EUROPEAN CAMPAIGN GROUP BEST FOR BRITAIN
"Let’s be clear: a majority for Boris Johnson tonight would engulf the UK in a fresh crisis. There is no Brexit deal, only an agreement to talk about a deal in the future."

Brazil president Bolsonaro says he has a possible skin cancer

MMNN:12 December 2019
BrazilBrazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Wednesday that he has possible skin cancer, after a medical visit where he had a mole removed from his ear.
The presidential office, however, said there is no sign that Bolsonaro has cancer, adding that the president had been to a hospital in Brasilia in the afternoon. "The president is in good health, without any indication of skin cancer and is keeping his appointments for this week," said the statement.
Earlier, Bolsonaro also said he had been advised to cancel a trip to Salvador, in the state of Bahia, due to suffering from exhaustion.

US welcomes Hafiz Saeed's indictment on terror funding, urges Pakistan for expeditious trial

MMNN:12 December 2019
Washington DC: The United States on Wednesday welcomed the indictment of Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, founder of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and mastermind of 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and urged Pakistan to ensure an expeditious trial in tandem with its obligations to counter the menace.
"We welcome the indictment of Hafiz Saeed and his associates. We call for #Pakistan to ensure a full prosecution and expeditious trial in line with its intl obligations to counter terrorist financing and bring the perpetrators of terrorist attacks like 26/11 to justice," Alice G Wells, US Acting Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia said in a tweet.
An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Pakistan on Wednesday indicted Saeed, chief of Jammat-ud-Dawa (JuD), a front group of the LeT and four other leaders of the proscribed outfit on offences of terror financing.
During the proceedings, Saeed`s counsel had presented arguments against the indictment in the court. After the charges were filed, the court summoned the prosecution`s witnesses, The Dawn reported. ATC Judge Malik Arshad Bhutta, who heard the case, adjourned the proceedings until Thursday.
Earlier on Saturday, the court had delayed the indictment due to the unavailability of one of the accused in a case filed by the Punjab Counterterrorism Department (CTD) on charges of terror financing.
In July this year, the top 13 members of the JuD, including Saeed, were booked in nearly two dozen cases for terror financing and money laundering under Pakistan`s Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997.
The CTD, which registered the cases in five cities of Punjab province, had said that JuD was financing terror from massive funds collected through non-profit organisations and trusts. These organisations were subsequently banned in April after the CTD had found that they had links with the JuD and its top leadership.
Subsequently, Saeed was arrested from Gujranwala on charges of terror financing by the Punjab CTD. He is currently lodged at Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore. The indictment comes ahead of a meeting by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) next year which will decide whether Pakistan will be blacklisted over its failure to curb terror funding.
The global taskforce kept the country on its grey list for an extended period up to February 2020 and warned that Islamabad would be blacklisted if it did not comply with the remaining 22 out of 27 points related to anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing.

Israel to hold election in March, its third in less than a year

MMNN:12 December 2019
JERUSALEM: Israel will hold an election on March 2, its third in less than a year, parliament decided on Thursday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main rival failed to parlay the previous two ballots into a new coalition government.
By a vote of 94 in favour to none opposed, lawmakers approved a motion dissolving parliament and setting the new election date. It came hours after a final deadline passed to form a government following the last election in September.
In that ballot, and in the one prior in April, Netanyahu's conservative Likud party deadlocked with ex-general Benny Gantz's centrist Blue and White. Neither managed to muster enough support in the 120-seat Knesset for a stable coalition.
The next election, however, will be held in the shadow of a corruption indictment handed down against Netanyahu last month.
Denying any wrongdoing, Netanyahu, 70, has accused legal authorities of attempting a "coup" aimed at ousting a popular four-term leader. Critics alleged that Netanyahu was trying to undermine the rule of law and set an election campaign theme portraying himself as the victim of "deep state" conspiracy.
As prime minister, Netanyahu is under no legal obligation to resign as a result of the indictment, and while in office he can ask the legislature to grant him immunity from prosecution.
As caretaker premier, Netanyahu would remain in the post until a new government is formed - a process that could stretch months past the March election if what is likely to be a tortuous new round of coalition-building is taken into account.

New Zealand launches investigation into deadly volcanic eruption that killed five

MMNN:10 December 2019
WHAKATANE: New Zealand police launched an investigation on Tuesday after a volcanic eruption on an island popular with tourists killed five people, injured more than 30 and left eight people missing, who are presumed dead.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said reconnaissance flights showed no signs of life on White Island, as eyewitnesses detailed the horrific burns suffered by those caught up in Monday`s eruption.
"The scale of this tragedy is devastating," Ardern said in parliament. "To those who have lost or are missing family and friends, we share in your grief and sorrow and we are devastated."
Police said 47 people were on the uninhabited island at the time of the eruption - 24 from Australia, nine from the United States, five from New Zealand, four from Germany, two each from China and the UK and one from Malaysia.
"I would strongly suggest that there is no one that has survived on the island," police Deputy Commissioner John Tims said of the eight people still missing. Of the 31 injured, at least 27 suffered greater than 71% body surface burns, and some could succumb to their wounds, said Peter Watson, the government`s chief medical officer.
Burns units across the South Pacific nation of 4.5 million are full to capacity, he added. Police said an investigation into the deaths on White Island had been launched but clarified it was not a criminal investigation.
New Zealand`s geological hazards agency GeoNet raised the alert level for the volcano in November because of an increase in volcanic activity. The volcano`s last fatal eruption was in 1914, when it killed 12 sulphur miners.
Yet, daily tours bring more than 10,000 visitors to the privately owned island every year, marketed as "the world`s most accessible active marine volcano". "I have to say that I`m very surprised to hear there were visitors there today, because scientists seem to have been well aware that White Island was entering a phase of heightened activity," said Drexel University volcanologist Loÿc Vanderkluysen.
"I`ve been to White Island before, but I don`t think I would have been comfortable being there today."
A crater rim camera owned and operated by GeoNet showed one group of people walking away from the rim inside the crater just a minute before the explosion.
"It`s now clear that there were two groups on the island - those who were able to be evacuated and those who were close to the eruption," Ardern said at a morning news conference in Whakatane, a town on the mainland`s east coast, about 50 km (30 miles) from White Island.
INCREDIBLY BRAVE
Later, in parliament, she paid tribute to the pilots of four helicopters that landed on White Island in the aftermath of the eruption. "In their immediate efforts to get people off the island, those pilots made an incredibly brave decision under extremely dangerous circumstances," Ardern said.
Since then, rescuers have been unable to access the island, which is covered in grey ash. GNS Science, New Zealand`s geoscience agency, warned there was a 50/50 chance of another eruption in the coming 24 hours, as the volcano vent continued to emit "steam and mud jetting".
The Buttle family have owned the island for over 80 years, and a spokesman said they were devastated by the tragic event. “We wish to thank everyone involved in the rescue effort, including the first responders, medical personnel and the locals who helped evacuate people from the island," Peter Buttle said. "Their efforts have been both courageous and extraordinary.
Royal Caribbean confirmed several passengers on its 16-deck cruise liner, Ovation of the Seas, were on a day trip to the island but did not provide further information.
Janet Urey, 61, a nurse from Richmond, Virginia, said her son Matthew, 36, and his wife, Janet, 32, were cruise passengers injured in the eruption while on their honeymoon.
"The phone rang at midnight. Then I heard a voicemail come on. It was my son. He said, `Mom ... this is not a joke. A volcano erupted while we were on the island. We`re at the hospital with severe burns.`"
Urey said she was frustrated by the lack of information from the cruise ship he was on and from authorities. "I have not heard a word from the cruise people," she said.
A New Zealand man, Geoff Hopkins, whose tour group was just leaving the island at the time of the eruption, said he helped pull critically injured survivors into a boat. Hopkins, 50, who was given the tour as a birthday gift, said many of the survivors had run into the sea to escape the eruption.
"People were in shorts and T-shirts so there was a lot of exposed skin that was massively burnt," he told the NZ Herald newspaper. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said three Australians were feared to be among the confirmed fatalities, with 13 among the injured.
Malaysia`s high commission in New Zealand said one Malaysian was among the dead, while Britain`s high commissioner to New Zealand confirmed two British women were among the injured.
Russell Clark, an intensive care paramedic with a helicopter team, said the early scenes were overwhelming. "Everything was just blanketed in ash," he told Reuters. "It was quite an overwhelming feeling."
`Whakaari`, as it is known in the Maori language, is New Zealand`s most-active cone volcano, built up by continuous volcanic activity over the past 150,000 years, according to GeoNet.

North Korea resumes insults of 'erratic old man' Donald Trump

MMNN:10 December 2019
SEOUL: Satellite imagery indicated on Monday that North Korea had tested a rocket engine, and a senior Pyongyang official called Donald Trump a "heedless and erratic old man", resuming insults of the U.S. president that had been set aside during a thaw.
The statement carried in state media KCNA by Kim Yong Chol, a ruling party vice chairman who was instrumental in arranging a failed second summit in February, was the strongest salvo yet in a war of words that has rekindled in recent days.
He described Trump as impatient, rebuked him over his own rhetoric and repeated a threat from last week that Pyongyang would dust off its previous insult "dotard" for the U.S. leader. Tensions have been rising in recent weeks as a year-end deadline approaches set by North Korea for Washington to soften its stance in negotiations. Pyongyang has conducted a series of weapons tests and issued strongly-worded statements.
Though Trump regularly exchanged insults with North Korea in the first years of his term, both sides had abandoned personal attacks after Trump met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore in 2018.
The North Korean official said the country`s leader may change his views towards Trump if the president continues uttering "inappropriate, highly risky words and expressions". He pointed to remarks by Trump on Sunday that Kim had "far too much to lose" and did not want to interfere with an upcoming U.S. presidential election.
Those comments indicate Trump is "an old man bereft of patience," the North Korean official said. "As he is such a heedless and erratic old man, the time when we cannot but call him a `dotard` again may come."
"We have nothing more to lose." North Korea had lauded a "special relationship" between the leaders even as it criticised other U.S. officials and their "gangster-like" demands during deadlocked talks.
However, Pyongyang bristled last week after Trump again referred to Kim as "Rocket Man", a nickname Trump used early in his term.
On Sunday, North Korea carried out what it called a "very important" test at its Sohae satellite launching station, a rocket-testing ground that U.S. and South Korean officials once said Pyongyang had promised to shut down.
Commercial satellite images taken on Saturday by Planet Labs showed vehicles and equipment likely to be used in a rocket engine experiment, said Jeffrey Lewis, the director of the East Asia
Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California.
"They are mostly gone on Dec. 8, but the ground appears to have been disturbed by the exhaust from the test," Lewis said, citing photos captured on Sunday. Asked on Monday if it had been an engine test, a spokeswoman for South Korea`s defence ministry said site monitoring and detailed analysis were under way with U.S. intelligence authorities.
SOLID FUEL
Kim Jong Un has warned he may take a "new path" if the United States fails to address his demands. Observers have said that path might include the launch of a space satellite, which would help North
Korea demonstrates progress in its rocket capabilities without returning to overt military provocations, such as firing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
Kim Yong Chol, the North Korean official, said Trump should try to "stop the second-hand" of a clock ticking towards conflict, instead of sticking to "bluffing and hypocrisy that sound rather abnormal and unrealistic".
"We have no intention to reconsider what we should do in the future, and will not feel worried about our future action," he said in the English-language dispatch on KCNA. Some South Korean experts said North Korea may have tested a solid fuel rocket engine, which could allow it to field ICBMs that are easier to hide and faster to deploy.
"They may well have tried to see the thrust and duration of a solid-propellant rocket engine for ICBMs," a diplomatic source in Seoul told Reuters. "That`s effectively what they can do on the ground at this point without firing anything into the air."
North Korea appears to have used Soviet-era liquid propellants in all its ICBM or satellite launches in recent years, while developing submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) based on solid fuel, officials and analysts say.
In March 2016, Kim oversaw a "successful" test of a high-power solid-fuel rocket engine. While inspecting a new missile modelled upon SLBMs in February 2017, he said the country`s rocket industry had "firmly transitioned" to solid fuel from liquid propellants.
"It could be solid fuel or they might have developed a new engine," said Jeong Han-beom, director of the Graduate School of National Security at Korea National Defense University.
"In any case, it`s meant to improve their capabilities for ICBMs, which need to be tested several times, while sending a message to Washington that we might go back to those old days of military confrontation if negotiations fail."

Finland's Sanna Marin becomes world's youngest serving Prime Minister at 34

MMNN:10 December 2019
HELSINKI: Finland`s transportation minister Sanna Marin was selected by her Social Democratic party on Sunday to become the country`s youngest prime minister ever, taking over after the resignation of Antti Rinne.
The 34-year-old Marin, whose party is the largest in a five-member governing coalition, will be the world`s youngest serving prime minister when she takes office in the coming days.
Rinne resigned on Tuesday after a party in the coalition, the Centre Party, said it had lost confidence in him following his handling of a postal strike. "We have a lot of work ahead to rebuild trust," Marin told reporters after winning a narrow vote among the party leadership. Antti Lindtman, head of the party`s parliamentary group, was runner up.
Marin has had a swift rise in Finnish politics since becoming head of the city council of her industrial hometown of Tampere at the age of 27. She will take over in the middle of a 3-day wave of strikes, which will halt production at some of Finland`s largest companies from Monday. The Confederation of Finnish Industries estimates the strikes will cost the companies a combined 500 million euros ($550 million) in lost revenue.
The centre-left coalition, which took office just six months ago, has agreed to continue with its political programme stressing a shift to carbon neutrality, after Rinne announced he was stepping down at the demand of the Centre Party.
"We have a joint government programme which glues the coalition together," Marin said.
The timing of the change in leadership is awkward for Finland, which holds the rotating presidency of the European Union until the end of the year, playing a central role in efforts to hammer out a new budget for the bloc.

One killed as Typhoon Kammuri hits the Philippines, hundreds of flights halted

MMNN:3 December 2019
MANILA: A typhoon struck the Philippines on Tuesday, killing one man and bringing heavy rains that prompted the suspension of air travel and government offices in the capital, and warnings of floods, storm surges and landslides. Local governments evacuated some 225,000 people ahead of the arrival overnight of Typhoon Kammuri, known locally as Tisoy, which weakened slightly and picked up speed as it moved across central parts of the archipelago. Kammuri, the 20th typhoon to hit the country in 2019, brought winds of 150 kph (93 mph) and gusts of up to 205 kph (127 mph), damaging some homes and structures and felling trees and signage in urban areas. A 33-year-old man died after being electrocuted while attempting to fix his roof, a civil defence official in the Bicol region told local radio. Some 499 flights were postponed and 100,000 people impacted by a rare precautionary closure of all four terminals at Manila`s main airport for 12 hours until 11:00 p.m. Tuesday (1500 GMT). Air travel continued in unaffected areas of the country. Pictures posted by social media users showed waves crashing against bulwarks, panels flying off roofs, trees on roads or being battered by strong winds. Disaster agency spokesman Mark Timbal said good preparation had minimised the human impact so far. "We`ve seen a great improvement in local government management of preparations for disasters," he told news channel ANC. "The pre-positioning of supplies was executed well before the arrival of the storm." Authorities warned of storm surges of up to three metres and floods and landslides from heavy winds and rain. Government offices and schools were closed in Metropolitan Manila and affected areas and utility firms appealed for patience ahead of anticipated power outages. The coastguard halted commercial sea travel in affected areas. Worst hit was the airport in Legazpi City, where television footage showed structural damage and cables, lighting and panels hanging from the ceiling over departure areas. Provincial governor Al Francis Bichara said it was important that a mandatory evacuation of tens of thousands of families had taken place. "The wind was so terrible," he said. "Some of their houses were badly damaged." The Philippines is hosting the Southeast Asian Games until Dec. 11 and organisers postponed several events until later in the competition, among them surfing, kayak, windsurfing, polo, sailing, skateboarding and canoeing.

Suspected grenade blast near Indonesia's presidential palace hurts two

MMNN:3 December 2019
JAKARTA: An explosion of a suspected smoke grenade on Tuesday at a park near Indonesia`s presidential palace in the heart of the capital injured at least two military personnel, Jakarta`s police chief said. However, President Joko Widodo was not at the palace at the time, a presidential spokesman said. It was not immediately clear if the blast was the result of a sectarian attack, but Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, has suffered a resurgence in homegrown militancy in recent years. The explosion, at 7:15 a.m.(0015 GMT) on the north side of the park, was thought to have been caused by a smoke grenade, Jakarta police chief Gatot Eddy Pramono told a televised news conference. It injured two military personnel who were there for exercise, Jakarta military chief Eko Margiyono said, adding that they were taken to hospital and were conscious. "A smoke grenade was found and we`re looking into why it was there," Margiyono said, in comments aimed at reassuring the public that described the incident "as not so extraordinary". Asked if the blast was the result of an attack, Pramono responded, "We haven`t concluded so, because we`re still investigating." Within three hours, authorities had reopened the park area where the blast took place, across the street from the headquarters of Indonesia`s home ministry. Last month, six people were wounded after a 24-year-old university student blew himself up outside police headquarters in the Indonesian city of Medan. The attack was linked to the Islamic State-inspired Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), responsible for a series of attacks across the country. In October, a suspected Islamist stabbed and wounded former security minister Wiranto at a function to open a university building. Wiranto, who uses just one name, like many Indonesians, had to have surgery, but has since left hospital.

Former Pakistan president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf admitted to hospital in Dubai

MMNN:3 December 2019
Islamabad: Former Pakistan president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf was on Monday admitted to a hospital in Dubai due to serious health issues. As per medical reports, Musharraf is suffering from the cardiac problem and having blood pressure issue, Pakistan Today reported.
Since 2016, Musharraf has been living in a self-imposed exile in Dubai for "seeking medical treatment" and has not returned to the country since. He is wanted by authorities in connection to the high treason case filed against him.
In November 2019, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) stopped the special court from announcing the verdict in the matter. The order came before a special court was scheduled to announce the verdict on the basis of the available record. The IHC was hearing a petition filed by the Pakistan government seeking an adjournment of the verdict`s announcement.
A similar petition was also filed by Musharraf in the Lahore High Court. The court has also directed the government to notify a new prosecutor or a team of prosecution in the treason case by December 5. It has also asked the special court to fix a date "for affording a reasonable opportunity of hearing" to the notified prosecutor or prosecution team as well as the counsel appointed for Musharraf.
The special court on November 19 concluded the trial proceedings in the high treason case against Musharraf for declaring a state emergency on November 3, 2007. The trial of the former leader has been pending since December 2013 when he was booked in the case. Musharraf was indicted on March 31, 2014, and the prosecution had tabled the entire evidence before the special court in September the same year. However, due to litigation at appellate forums, the trial of the former president lingered on and he left Pakistan in March 2016 "to seek medical treatment. "The retired general was that year declared an absconder as he failed to appear before the court despite repeated summons and court directives issued to the Federal Investigation Agency to arrest him.

8 killed, over 40 injured in Morocco bus crash

MMNN:2 November 2019
Rabat: At least eight people have been killed and 42 others injured after a bus overturned near Morocco`s town of Bab Marzouka, 300 km east of the capital Rabat. The incident happened on Sunday. The injured have been rushed to a hospital in the city of Taza, Xinhua reported.
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of this accident, local authorities said.
Deadly road accidents are common in Morocco, often caused by high speed, bad condition of roads and reckless driving.
A total of 1,357 people were killed in road accidents in Morocco in the first four months of 2019, up 10 per cent year on year, according to official statistics.

22 tourists killed, 21 injured in Tunisia bus accident

MMNN:2 November 2019
Tunis: At least 22 Tunisian tourists were killed on Sunday when a bus in which they were travelling on, plunged into a ravine in the northern part of the country.
According to the Tunisian interior ministry, as many as 21 people suffered injuries in the mishap, Anadolu News Agency reported.
The accident took place when the bus was travelling from the capital Tunis to the Ain Snoussi region, the ministry said.

19 people killed in gunfight in Mexico

MMNN:2 November 2019
Mexico City: A bloody gunfight between suspected drug cartel members and security forces near the Texas border in northeastern Mexico left 19 people dead, the state government of Coahuila said on Sunday.
Earlier, authorities had said that 14 people were killed. Giving out details of the gunfight, four police officers, two civilians, and 13 suspected druglords were among the deceased, Coahuila Governor Miguel Angel Riquelme Solis was quoted by CNN as saying while adding that another six people were wounded in the incident.
The Governor said that the shootout, lasted for an hour, and broke out between the security forces and suspected members of the cartel of the Northeast in Villa Union town, situated around 64 kilometres south of the US border town of Eagle Pass in Texas.
"Authorities apprehended 14 vehicles with powerful weaponry," Solis said, adding that criminal groups have been long attempting to enter Coahuila state."Organized crime, specifically the Cartel del Noreste, tries to get into Coahuila every day at some point, in one of its areas. Today they got in by force and with a contingent that is not like anything we have seen in a long time," the Governor said.
"But we won`t allow organised crime to come to the area," he added. The gunfight took place days after US President Donald Trump said that he would designate Mexican cartels as foreign terror outfits. However, the Mexican government had declined the offer.
Trump offered Mexico the US` help in launching a war against drug cartels, following the killing of nine American Mormons in northern Mexico last month.

London attacker named, was previously convicted of terrorism offences

MMNN:30 November 2019
LONDON: British police named the man who stabbed two people to death in London on Friday in what the authorities called a terrorist attack as 28-year-old Usman Khan, who had been convicted of terrorism offences and was released from prison last year.
"This individual was known to authorities, having been convicted in 2012 for terrorism offences," Britain`s top counter-terrorism police officer, Neil Basu, said in a statement.
"He was released from prison in December 2018 on licence and clearly, a key line of enquiry now is to establish how he came to carry out this attack," Basu said.
A person who is released on licence is subject to conditions for the duration of their sentence after leaving prison. The Times newspaper reported that Khan had agreed to wear an electronic tag.
The attacker went on the rampage just before 2 p.m., targeting people at Fishmongers` Hall near London Bridge in the heart of the city`s financial district - the scene of a deadly attack by Islamist militants two years ago.
In addition to the man and the woman who were killed, a man and two women were injured and remain in hospital, Basu said.
Just before the news broke of the suspect`s previous conviction, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is seeking re-election on Dec. 12, said criminals must be made to serve their sentences.
"It is a mistake to allow serious and violent criminals to come out of prison early, and it is very important that we get out of that habit and that we enforce the appropriate sentences for dangerous criminals, especially for terrorists," he said.
Johnson leads opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn, according to opinion polls.
During the 2017 election campaign, London Bridge was the scene of an attack when three militants drove a van into pedestrians and then attacked people in the surrounding area, killing eight and injuring at least 48. The attack focused attention on cuts to policing since the governing Conservatives took power in 2010.
"We owe a deep debt of gratitude to our police and emergency services, and the brave members of the public who put themselves in harm’s way to protect others," Corbyn said late on Friday.

UK PM Boris Johnson replaced by ice block in TV debate after he skips climate change debate

MMNN:30 November 2019
British broadcaster Channel 4 represented Prime Minister Boris Johnson with a block of melting ice in a prime-time election debate on the environment on Thursday, prompting his Conservative Party to complain this broke impartiality rules. The commercially funded public-service broadcaster invited leaders of all Britain's main political parties to take part in the debate before December 12's election, but both Johnson and the leader of the Brexit Party, Nigel Farage, declined to attend. The Conservative Party offered former environment minister Michael Gove as a substitute, but the broadcaster said the debate was only intended for party leaders, and that the other political parties would not agree to change the terms. "This effectively seeks to deprive the Conservative Party of any representation and attendance," the Conservatives wrote in a letter of complaint to broadcast regulator Ofcom. British television broadcasters are required to be politically impartial and face extra balance requirements during election periods. Ofcom can fine broadcasters that do not comply, and as a last resort can cancel a broadcaster's licence. The Conservatives said Thursday's disagreement was "part of a wider pattern of bias by Channel 4 in recent months". The broadcaster's head of news and current affairs, Dorothy Byrne, described Johnson as "a known liar" in a major industry speech in August. On Thursday, the editor of Channel 4's main news programme, Ben de Pear, likened the Conservatives' approach to the media to that of US President Donald Trump. Conservative Party chairman James Cleverly said Britain`s election was parliamentary, not presidential, making it unreasonable for Channel 4 to require Johnson`s appearance as a condition of the Conservatives taking part in the debate. "Put your leader Boris Johnson alongside the other leaders and stop playing games. Don`t refuse and then threaten our license - it`s a slippery slope," de Pear said in reply. News website Buzzfeed quoted an unnamed Conservative Party source as saying the party would call for a review into Channel 4`s operating license, which is due for renewal in 2024, if Johnson returns to power after December 12`s election. Channel 4 is not the only broadcaster to struggle to book Johnson, whose Conservative Party is leading the opposition Labour Party in opinion polls and keen to avoid any gaffes. Johnson has so far declined to take part in a half-hour sit-down with BBC interviewer Andrew Neil, who gave tough scrutiny to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on Tuesday.