A bull that consumes cashews and almonds in his diet might sound odd to some people. What is even more fascinating is that Bhima, a young bull, has participated in an annual cattle-sale festival with a selling price of USD 2 million (Rs 15 crore).&nbsp;

Arvind Jangid, owner of this six-year-old bull said that Bhima weighs 1300 kgs and each month expenditure of Rs 100,000-125,000 is incurred for his nurture and diet. The diet of this giant bull includes one-kilogram ghee, almonds, cashews, half a kilogram butter, honey, and milk. Interestingly, Bhima also gets a massage from a kg of mustard oil. The owner also said that four people look after this bull.&nbsp;

Bhima has participated in this year's Pushkar Mela. The Pushkar Mela is one the grandest international fair that is held every year in the month of November in the town of Pushkar in Rajasthan. Apart from celebrating the culture and colour of Rajashtan, the fair is also a lucrative platform for buying and selling of cattle, especially camel.&nbsp;

Pushkar fair is an amalgamation of three events: Pushkar cattle fair, Pushkar cattle fair and Pushkar festival. The fair kicked off on Monday and will conclude on November 12.

So, if your pocket allows you to buy Bhima, book your tickets for Pushkar and grab this massive creature.&nbsp;

A bull that consumes cashews and almonds in his diet might sound odd to some people. What is even more fascinating is that Bhima, a young bull, has participated in an annual cattle-sale festival with a selling price of USD 2 million (Rs 15 crore).

A bull that consumes cashews and almonds in his diet might sound odd to some people. What is even more fascinating is that Bhima, a young bull, has participated in an annual cattle-sale festival with a selling price of USD 2 million (Rs 15 crore). Arvind Jangid, owner of this six-year-old bull said that Bhima weighs 1300 kgs and each month expenditure of Rs 100,000-125,000 is incurred for his nurture and diet. The diet of this giant bull includes one-kilogram ghee, almonds, cashews, half a kilogram butter, honey, and milk. Interestingly, Bhima also gets a massage from a kg of mustard oil. The owner also said that four people look after this bull. Bhima has participated in this year's Pushkar Mela. The Pushkar Mela is one the grandest international fair that is held every year in the month of November in the town of Pushkar in Rajasthan. Apart from celebrating the culture and colour of Rajashtan, the fair is also a lucrative platform for buying and selling of cattle, especially camel. Pushkar fair is an amalgamation of three events: Pushkar cattle fair, Pushkar cattle fair and Pushkar festival. The fair kicked off on Monday and will conclude on November 12. So, if your pocket allows you to buy Bhima, book your tickets for Pushkar and grab this massive creature.

Bhima, bull weighing 1300 kgs to be auctioned at Pushkar Mela for $2 million

Traders and shopkeepers across the illegally-occupied regions in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit-Baltistan continue to hold a shutter-down strike against unfair taxation policies of the Pakistani government. 
 
They said that they reject the taxation policies introduced in the federal budget by the Pakistan government which negatively impacts businesses in PoK. 
 
Another major irritant for them is the cumbersome procedure requiring anyone buying items worth 50,000 Pakistani rupees or more to produce identity papers. 
 
Shaukat Nawaz Mir, Secretary of Traders Association in Muzaffarabad city, said: "This shutter down strike is being observed here against the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Pakistan income tax policy 2019. We do not accept these unjust policies. Currently, FBR and income tax officials are blackmailing traders, misguiding them and taking bribes from them". 
 
Pakistan had secured a provisional 6-billion-dollar IMF loan in April. It was followed by a sharp hike in tax revenues amid spiralling inflation. 
 
The ongoing economic crisis has badly affected people in the region, who lack access to water, electricity and even the most basic requirements. 
 
"The department (Pakistan administration) is suppressing us. They are depriving our children from their own waters (Neelum and Jhelum rivers), shouldn't we protest? Why should we sacrifice our resources? We are getting electricity at a much higher price (compared to Pakistan); we have to face load-shedding all the time. It is enough. We have to first look at our rights and our children's rights," Nawaz Mir further said. 
 
The new taxation policies imposed by Islamabad are causing resentment in Gilgit-Baltistan as well. 
 
The business community is on strike and demands the abolition of the CNIC (Computerized National Identity Card). The other demands include the restoration of the 1.2 million rupees income limit for income tax, the announcement of fixed tax scheme for traders, and problems created by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority for registration of mobile phones. 
 
"Today we are observing a shutter down strike all across Gilgit-Baltistan. We are protesting against the new tax policies implemented by the FBR. The unjust taxes have put the businessmen in a difficult situation. Taxes on business directly affect the public and the small traders," said a local trader in Gilgit. 
 
Another trader said,&nbsp;"There can be no implementation of taxes in Gilgit-Baltistan, they have already been abolished. We condemn this and will continue to protest against it. Gilgit is an illegally occupied territory (by Pakistan); in Jammu and Kashmir, many subsidies are given to the people. If they continue to impose taxes, we will hold even bigger protests". 
 
People in Gilgit-Baltistan and PoK are finding it hard to make ends meet as unfair taxation by Pakistan administration has badly affected their small businesses. 
Under these circumstances, the disgruntled local traders and the people could launch a massive protest against Islamabad in the coming days.

Traders and shopkeepers across the illegally-occupied regions in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit-Baltistan continue to hold a shutter-down strike against unfair taxation policies of the Pakistani government.

Traders and shopkeepers across the illegally-occupied regions in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit-Baltistan continue to hold a shutter-down strike against unfair taxation policies of the Pakistani government. They said that they reject the taxation policies introduced in the federal budget by the Pakistan government which negatively impacts businesses in PoK. Another major irritant for them is the cumbersome procedure requiring anyone buying items worth 50,000 Pakistani rupees or more to produce identity papers. Shaukat Nawaz Mir, Secretary of Traders Association in Muzaffarabad city, said: "This shutter down strike is being observed here against the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Pakistan income tax policy 2019. We do not accept these unjust policies. Currently, FBR and income tax officials are blackmailing traders, misguiding them and taking bribes from them". Pakistan had secured a provisional 6-billion-dollar IMF loan in April. It was followed by a sharp hike in tax revenues amid spiralling inflation. The ongoing economic crisis has badly affected people in the region, who lack access to water, electricity and even the most basic requirements. "The department (Pakistan administration) is suppressing us. They are depriving our children from their own waters (Neelum and Jhelum rivers), shouldn't we protest? Why should we sacrifice our resources? We are getting electricity at a much higher price (compared to Pakistan); we have to face load-shedding all the time. It is enough. We have to first look at our rights and our children's rights," Nawaz Mir further said. The new taxation policies imposed by Islamabad are causing resentment in Gilgit-Baltistan as well. The business community is on strike and demands the abolition of the CNIC (Computerized National Identity Card). The other demands include the restoration of the 1.2 million rupees income limit for income tax, the announcement of fixed tax scheme for traders, and problems created by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority for registration of mobile phones. "Today we are observing a shutter down strike all across Gilgit-Baltistan. We are protesting against the new tax policies implemented by the FBR. The unjust taxes have put the businessmen in a difficult situation. Taxes on business directly affect the public and the small traders," said a local trader in Gilgit. Another trader said, "There can be no implementation of taxes in Gilgit-Baltistan, they have already been abolished. We condemn this and will continue to protest against it. Gilgit is an illegally occupied territory (by Pakistan); in Jammu and Kashmir, many subsidies are given to the people. If they continue to impose taxes, we will hold even bigger protests". People in Gilgit-Baltistan and PoK are finding it hard to make ends meet as unfair taxation by Pakistan administration has badly affected their small businesses. Under these circumstances, the disgruntled local traders and the people could launch a massive protest against Islamabad in the coming days.

Traders in PoK, Gilgit-Baltistan conduct shutter-down protest against unfair taxation policies

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said that he was ready to accept all "valid" demands of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/azadi-march-fazlur-rehman-gives-imran-khan-2-day-ultimatum-to-resign-259415">Azadi March protesters</a>, led by firebrand cleric Maulana Fazlur Rehman, except their call for his resignation. 
 
According to the local media, the Pakistan premier made the statement in a meeting led by Defence Minister Pervez Khattak to negotiate with the opposition parties taking part in the 'Azadi March', reported the Express Tribune. 
 
"The government is ready to accept all valid demands except the demand for resignation," said Khan. 
 
Khan also stated that his negotiation team will respond positively if the opposition displays seriousness towards reaching a consensus to end the protest march. 
 
This comes a day after Cleric cum politician Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief said, "We have a Plan B, a Plan C. This is only Plan A. Your jails will fall short of space. We will shut down the entire country as well and continue our war." 
 
"We have decided not to go to any court or election commission," he said. "Only a parliamentary committee will decide about rigging," he added. 
 
The purported aim of the march is to oust Khan, who has been at the helm for just over a year. 
 
According to Fazlur Rehman aka Maulana Diesel, the march has been called to "protect the Constitution, democracy and Pakistan". 
 
Earlier, Khan made it clear that he will not succumb to pressure from the opposition and not resign from his post. 
 
The anti-government protest is likely to be one of the biggest in the country, surpassing the numbers of the 2014 'dharna' held against the then Pakistani government led by Nawaz Sharif.

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said that he was ready to accept all "valid" demands of the Azadi March protesters, led by firebrand cleric Maulana Fazlur Rehman, except their call for his resignation.

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said that he was ready to accept all "valid" demands of the Azadi March protesters, led by firebrand cleric Maulana Fazlur Rehman, except their call for his resignation. According to the local media, the Pakistan premier made the statement in a meeting led by Defence Minister Pervez Khattak to negotiate with the opposition parties taking part in the 'Azadi March', reported the Express Tribune. "The government is ready to accept all valid demands except the demand for resignation," said Khan. Khan also stated that his negotiation team will respond positively if the opposition displays seriousness towards reaching a consensus to end the protest march. This comes a day after Cleric cum politician Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief said, "We have a Plan B, a Plan C. This is only Plan A. Your jails will fall short of space. We will shut down the entire country as well and continue our war." "We have decided not to go to any court or election commission," he said. "Only a parliamentary committee will decide about rigging," he added. The purported aim of the march is to oust Khan, who has been at the helm for just over a year. According to Fazlur Rehman aka Maulana Diesel, the march has been called to "protect the Constitution, democracy and Pakistan". Earlier, Khan made it clear that he will not succumb to pressure from the opposition and not resign from his post. The anti-government protest is likely to be one of the biggest in the country, surpassing the numbers of the 2014 'dharna' held against the then Pakistani government led by Nawaz Sharif.

Imran Khan refuses to resign amid mass protests

Afghanistan has objected to the summoning of its charge d'affaires by Pakistan's Foreign Ministry over the harassment claims made by Pakistani diplomats working in the country's embassy in Kabul. 
 
A statement by Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday stated that the country would "seriously investigate" the harassment claims, and provided assurance that it is committed to ensuring the safety of Pakistani diplomats. 
 
"Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan expresses its severe objection and deepest concern over the summoning of the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to Islamabad by Pakistan's Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) and the misconduct of the entity's personnel, and deems this action in clear contradiction with diplomatic norms and principles," the statement read. 
 
"The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan states that the Government of Afghanistan shall seriously investigate this claim and provides assurance that the Government of Afghanistan is committed to providing safety to the diplomats of Pakistan as well as other diplomats in the country," it added. 
 
The ministry called on the Pakistani government to align its diplomatic relations with Afghanistan in compliance with international conventions and accepted diplomatic norms. 
The matter pertains to Pakistan Foreign officer summoning Afghan envoy on Sunday to convey its concerns over the safety and security of its diplomatic personnel. The country has also suspended its consular services indefinitely owing to security concerns after the harassment claims. 
 
"The Afghan Cd'A was informed that the Officers and Staff of the Embassy of Pakistan were being harassed over the past two days. They were obstructed on the road and the Embassy vehicles were also hit by motorcycles while going towards the Embassy," the statement by Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs read, adding that he has been asked to relay Pakistan's concerns to Afghan authorities and to urge them "to immediately investigate these security violations and harassment incidents".

Afghanistan has objected to the summoning of its charge d'affaires by Pakistan's Foreign Ministry over the harassment claims made by Pakistani diplomats working in the country's embassy in Kabul.

Afghanistan has objected to the summoning of its charge d'affaires by Pakistan's Foreign Ministry over the harassment claims made by Pakistani diplomats working in the country's embassy in Kabul. A statement by Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday stated that the country would "seriously investigate" the harassment claims, and provided assurance that it is committed to ensuring the safety of Pakistani diplomats. "Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan expresses its severe objection and deepest concern over the summoning of the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to Islamabad by Pakistan's Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) and the misconduct of the entity's personnel, and deems this action in clear contradiction with diplomatic norms and principles," the statement read. "The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan states that the Government of Afghanistan shall seriously investigate this claim and provides assurance that the Government of Afghanistan is committed to providing safety to the diplomats of Pakistan as well as other diplomats in the country," it added. The ministry called on the Pakistani government to align its diplomatic relations with Afghanistan in compliance with international conventions and accepted diplomatic norms. The matter pertains to Pakistan Foreign officer summoning Afghan envoy on Sunday to convey its concerns over the safety and security of its diplomatic personnel. The country has also suspended its consular services indefinitely owing to security concerns after the harassment claims. "The Afghan Cd'A was informed that the Officers and Staff of the Embassy of Pakistan were being harassed over the past two days. They were obstructed on the road and the Embassy vehicles were also hit by motorcycles while going towards the Embassy," the statement by Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs read, adding that he has been asked to relay Pakistan's concerns to Afghan authorities and to urge them "to immediately investigate these security violations and harassment incidents".

Afghanistan objects to summoning of envoy by Pakistan over harassment claims

While some run to boost their stamina, others do it to maintain overall well-being. But now people have got yet another reason as it is found that running is linked to significantly lower the risk of death from any cause.

The study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine stated if more people took up running, and they wouldn`t have to run far or fast, there would likely be substantial improvements in population health and longevity.

It`s not clear how good running is staving off the risk of death from any cause and particularly from cardiovascular disease and cancer, researchers said.

Nor is it clear how much running a person needs to do to reap these potential benefits, nor whether upping the frequency, duration, and pace, in other words, increasing the `dose`, might be even more advantageous.

To try and find out the same, researchers systematically reviewed relevant published research, conference presentations, and doctoral theses and dissertations in a broad range of academic databases.

They looked for studies on the association between running/jogging and the risk of death from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

They found 14 suitable studies, involving 232,149 people, whose health had been tracked for between 5.5 and 35 years. During this time, 25,951 of the study participants died.

When the study data were pooled, any amount of running was associated with a 27 per cent lower risk of death from all causes for both sexes, compared with no running.

And it was associated with a 30 per cent lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, and a 23 per cent lower risk of death from cancer.

Even small `doses`, for example, once weekly or less, lasting less than 50 minutes each time, and at a speed below 6 miles (8 km) an hour, still seemed to be associated with significant health/longevity benefits.

So running for 25 minutes less than the recommended weekly duration of vigorous physical activity could reduce the risk of death. This makes running a potentially good option for those whose main obstacle to doing enough exercise is lack of time, suggest the researchers.

But upping `the dose` wasn`t associated with a further lowering of the risk of death from any cause, the analysis showed.

"Increased rates of participation in running, regardless of its dose, would probably lead to substantial improvements in population health and longevity," researchers stated.

This is an observational study, and as such, can`t establish a cause.

While some run to boost their stamina, others do it to maintain overall well-being. But now people have got yet another reason as it is found that running is linked to significantly lower the risk of death from any cause.

While some run to boost their stamina, others do it to maintain overall well-being. But now people have got yet another reason as it is found that running is linked to significantly lower the risk of death from any cause. The study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine stated if more people took up running, and they wouldn`t have to run far or fast, there would likely be substantial improvements in population health and longevity. It`s not clear how good running is staving off the risk of death from any cause and particularly from cardiovascular disease and cancer, researchers said. Nor is it clear how much running a person needs to do to reap these potential benefits, nor whether upping the frequency, duration, and pace, in other words, increasing the `dose`, might be even more advantageous. To try and find out the same, researchers systematically reviewed relevant published research, conference presentations, and doctoral theses and dissertations in a broad range of academic databases. They looked for studies on the association between running/jogging and the risk of death from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. They found 14 suitable studies, involving 232,149 people, whose health had been tracked for between 5.5 and 35 years. During this time, 25,951 of the study participants died. When the study data were pooled, any amount of running was associated with a 27 per cent lower risk of death from all causes for both sexes, compared with no running. And it was associated with a 30 per cent lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, and a 23 per cent lower risk of death from cancer. Even small `doses`, for example, once weekly or less, lasting less than 50 minutes each time, and at a speed below 6 miles (8 km) an hour, still seemed to be associated with significant health/longevity benefits. So running for 25 minutes less than the recommended weekly duration of vigorous physical activity could reduce the risk of death. This makes running a potentially good option for those whose main obstacle to doing enough exercise is lack of time, suggest the researchers. But upping `the dose` wasn`t associated with a further lowering of the risk of death from any cause, the analysis showed. "Increased rates of participation in running, regardless of its dose, would probably lead to substantial improvements in population health and longevity," researchers stated. This is an observational study, and as such, can`t establish a cause.

Running may help you live longer: Study

Hundreds of people protested in Spain's capital on Monday against a court&nbsp;ruling&nbsp;last week that cleared five men of <a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/outrage-in-spain-over-verdict-in-gang-sex-attack-on-teen-259401">gang-raping</a> a 14-year-old girl and instead found them guilty of the lesser charge of sexual abuse.

Barcelona's High Court sentenced the five on Thursday to 10 to 12 years in prison, saying the 2016&nbsp;assault&nbsp;was not rape because the victim, who was drunk and unconscious, could neither "agree to (nor) oppose the sexual relations".

A similar&nbsp;ruling&nbsp;in the so-called Wolfpack case sparked mass protests across Spain last year over chauvinism and sexual abuse and it was eventually overturned by the Supreme Court in June.

"It's not abuse, it's rape" and "Enough with patriarchal justice" chanted the crowd made up mostly of women gathered in front of the Justice Ministry in Madrid.

Many were wearing purple scarves, a colour associated with feminist movements, while others carried purple umbrellas or wore purple gloves.

"No one deserves something like that," 44-year-old designer, Pilar Villanueva, said. "One way or the other, the government must do the criminal code reform they had promised."

The judge said that the attack on the 14-year-old girl in the city of Manresa, near Barcelona, "was extremely severe, especially denigrating, and what's more, was against a minor in a situation of distress".

But&nbsp;Spanish&nbsp;law doesn't legally recognise rape unless physical violence or intimidation is employed.

The Socialist government has appointed a panel to review the penal code, particularly the laws relating to sexual abuse and&nbsp;assault. The latter is the&nbsp;Spanish&nbsp;equivalent of rape and carries prison sentences of 15 to 20 years.

Many European countries have revised sexual violence laws to recognise the importance of explicit consent and take non-physical forms of coercion and abuse of power into account.

Hundreds of people protested in Spain's capital on Monday against a court ruling last week that cleared five men of gang-raping a 14-year-old girl and instead found them guilty of the lesser charge of sexual abuse.

Hundreds of people protested in Spain's capital on Monday against a court ruling last week that cleared five men of gang-raping a 14-year-old girl and instead found them guilty of the lesser charge of sexual abuse. Barcelona's High Court sentenced the five on Thursday to 10 to 12 years in prison, saying the 2016 assault was not rape because the victim, who was drunk and unconscious, could neither "agree to (nor) oppose the sexual relations". A similar ruling in the so-called Wolfpack case sparked mass protests across Spain last year over chauvinism and sexual abuse and it was eventually overturned by the Supreme Court in June. "It's not abuse, it's rape" and "Enough with patriarchal justice" chanted the crowd made up mostly of women gathered in front of the Justice Ministry in Madrid. Many were wearing purple scarves, a colour associated with feminist movements, while others carried purple umbrellas or wore purple gloves. "No one deserves something like that," 44-year-old designer, Pilar Villanueva, said. "One way or the other, the government must do the criminal code reform they had promised." The judge said that the attack on the 14-year-old girl in the city of Manresa, near Barcelona, "was extremely severe, especially denigrating, and what's more, was against a minor in a situation of distress". But Spanish law doesn't legally recognise rape unless physical violence or intimidation is employed. The Socialist government has appointed a panel to review the penal code, particularly the laws relating to sexual abuse and assault. The latter is the Spanish equivalent of rape and carries prison sentences of 15 to 20 years. Many European countries have revised sexual violence laws to recognise the importance of explicit consent and take non-physical forms of coercion and abuse of power into account.

'It's not abuse, it's rape': protesters denounce Spanish assault ruling

The second T20I match between India and Bangladesh, scheduled to be played in Gujarat's Rajkot, faces the threat of cyclonic storm MAHA.

According to India Meteorological Department's (IMD) weather inference update on Monday, the Cyclonic Storm 'MAHA' over east-central and adjoining west-central the Arabian Sea continued to move northwestwards with a speed of 10 kmph during the past six hours.

It lay centred at 2:30 pm yesterday over east-central and adjoining west-central the Arabian Sea about 690 km west-southwest of Veraval (Gujarat), 740 km west-southwest of Diu and 660 km west-southwest of Porbandar.

It is very likely to cross Gujarat coast between Diu and Porbandar as a cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 8090 kmph gusting to 100 kmph early hours of November 7, the date of the second T20I match.

The first T20I was also played under tough condition due to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/delhi-t20i-bangladesh-players-train-with-masks-as-air-quality-drops-in-national-capital-259209">severe pollution </a>in the national capital. Bangladesh registered a massive seven-wicket<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20i-bangladesh-trounce-india-mushfiqur-shines-259752"> victory </a>in the match and are on 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

The second T20I match between India and Bangladesh, scheduled to be played in Gujarat's Rajkot, faces the threat of cyclonic storm MAHA. According to India Meteorological Department's (IMD) weather inference update on Monday, the Cyclonic Storm 'MAHA' over east-central and adjoining west-central the Arabian Sea continued to move northwestwards with a speed of 10 kmph during the past six hours.

The second T20I match between India and Bangladesh, scheduled to be played in Gujarat's Rajkot, faces the threat of cyclonic storm MAHA. According to India Meteorological Department's (IMD) weather inference update on Monday, the Cyclonic Storm 'MAHA' over east-central and adjoining west-central the Arabian Sea continued to move northwestwards with a speed of 10 kmph during the past six hours. It lay centred at 2:30 pm yesterday over east-central and adjoining west-central the Arabian Sea about 690 km west-southwest of Veraval (Gujarat), 740 km west-southwest of Diu and 660 km west-southwest of Porbandar. It is very likely to cross Gujarat coast between Diu and Porbandar as a cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 8090 kmph gusting to 100 kmph early hours of November 7, the date of the second T20I match. The first T20I was also played under tough condition due to severe pollution in the national capital. Bangladesh registered a massive seven-wicket victory in the match and are on 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Second T20I between India, Bangladesh under cyclone threat

PV Sindhu on Tuesday crashed out of the Fuzhou China Open after losing the first round match here at the Haixia Olympic Center.

The 24-year-old faced a defeat at the hands of Taiwan's Pai Yu Po 13-21, 21-18, 19-21 in the encounter that lasted for 74 minutes.

After <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pv-sindhu-becomes-first-indian-to-win-bwf-world-championships-245566">bagging gold</a> at the BWF World Championships, world number six Sindhu showcased a dismal performance and faced early exits in the Korea Open, Denmark Open, and China Open.

However, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Ashwini Ponnappa ranked 30th, beat Canada's Joshua Hurlburt-Yu and Josephine Wu 21-19 21-19 to make a positive start in the mixed doubles competition.

In men's singles, HS Prannoy, who has recently recovered from dengue, faltered in the opening round, losing 17-21 18-21 to Denmark's Rasmus Gemke.

PV Sindhu on Tuesday crashed out of the Fuzhou China Open after losing the first round match here at the Haixia Olympic Center. The 24-year-old faced a defeat at the hands of Taiwan's Pai Yu Po 13-21, 21-18, 19-21 in the encounter that lasted for 74 minutes.

PV Sindhu on Tuesday crashed out of the Fuzhou China Open after losing the first round match here at the Haixia Olympic Center. The 24-year-old faced a defeat at the hands of Taiwan's Pai Yu Po 13-21, 21-18, 19-21 in the encounter that lasted for 74 minutes. After bagging gold at the BWF World Championships, world number six Sindhu showcased a dismal performance and faced early exits in the Korea Open, Denmark Open, and China Open. However, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Ashwini Ponnappa ranked 30th, beat Canada's Joshua Hurlburt-Yu and Josephine Wu 21-19 21-19 to make a positive start in the mixed doubles competition. In men's singles, HS Prannoy, who has recently recovered from dengue, faltered in the opening round, losing 17-21 18-21 to Denmark's Rasmus Gemke.

Fuzhou China Open: PV Sindhu faces first-round exit after losing to Pai Yu Po

China's offshore yuan surged past 7 per dollar to four-month highs on Tuesday, benefiting from signs Beijing and Washington are approaching a trade deal and also from the Chinese central bank's decision to trim lending rates by only 5 basis points.

Optimism over trade also boosted other trade-reliant currencies, such as the Australian and New Zealand dollars, which rose as much as half a per cent.

China is pushing US&nbsp;President Donald Trump to remove more tariffs imposed in September as part of a "<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-china-close-to-finalising-part-of-a-phase-one-trade-deal-report-258209">phase one</a>" US-China trade deal, which is expected to be signed later this month, people familiar with the negotiations said.

The yuan jumped 0.6 per cent to the highest since August&nbsp;5 at 6.9930. The onshore yuan also posted its strongest close since August&nbsp;2.&nbsp;

The currency held its gains even after China's central bank cut its one-year medium-term lending facility (MLF) rate for the first time since early 2016, though it opted for a 5 bps cut that Commerzbank called "tiny".

"It might be fair to say the PBoC only fine-tuned its monetary policy stance ... Typically, a rate cut will bring depreciation pressure to the currency," Commerzbank told clients, adding the trade optimism was the main factor driving the yuan above the 7 mark.

China and the US&nbsp;have imposed tariffs on each other's goods in a trade war that has dragged on for 16 months and raised the spectre of a global recession. Resolving the row would boost riskier assets, ease concern about the economic outlook and reduce the need for aggressive monetary easing.

The US&nbsp;dollar was flat against a basket of currencies&nbsp;in early London trading but advanced around a quarter per cent against the safe-haven yen and Swiss franc.

Kit Juckes, head of FX strategy at Société Générale, said the agreement would probably mark a truce rather than peace but added that "the chance of getting a first-stage deal seems to be quite good."

The optimism spilt over into other currencies, with the Australian dollar not far off three-month highs. It wasn't much moved after the central bank left monetary policy unchanged, as expected. The kiwi dollar rose 0.3 per cent.

The Norwegian and Swedish crowns also rose versus both the dollar and euro.

The euro was flat against the dollar. It rose 0.26 percent&nbsp;versus the yen.

Jukes said the euro would be one of the last currencies to benefit from improved risk sentiment, noting that Monday's data showing Polish manufacturing activity in its sharpest downturn in 10 years had taken the wind out of the euro's sails.

Central European states such as Poland are a key market and investment destination for eurozone companies.

China's offshore yuan surged past 7 per dollar to four-month highs on Tuesday, benefiting from signs Beijing and Washington are approaching a trade deal and also from the Chinese central bank's decision to trim lending rates by only 5 basis points.

China's offshore yuan surged past 7 per dollar to four-month highs on Tuesday, benefiting from signs Beijing and Washington are approaching a trade deal and also from the Chinese central bank's decision to trim lending rates by only 5 basis points. Optimism over trade also boosted other trade-reliant currencies, such as the Australian and New Zealand dollars, which rose as much as half a per cent. China is pushing US President Donald Trump to remove more tariffs imposed in September as part of a "phase one" US-China trade deal, which is expected to be signed later this month, people familiar with the negotiations said. The yuan jumped 0.6 per cent to the highest since August 5 at 6.9930. The onshore yuan also posted its strongest close since August 2. The currency held its gains even after China's central bank cut its one-year medium-term lending facility (MLF) rate for the first time since early 2016, though it opted for a 5 bps cut that Commerzbank called "tiny". "It might be fair to say the PBoC only fine-tuned its monetary policy stance ... Typically, a rate cut will bring depreciation pressure to the currency," Commerzbank told clients, adding the trade optimism was the main factor driving the yuan above the 7 mark. China and the US have imposed tariffs on each other's goods in a trade war that has dragged on for 16 months and raised the spectre of a global recession. Resolving the row would boost riskier assets, ease concern about the economic outlook and reduce the need for aggressive monetary easing. The US dollar was flat against a basket of currencies in early London trading but advanced around a quarter per cent against the safe-haven yen and Swiss franc. Kit Juckes, head of FX strategy at Société Générale, said the agreement would probably mark a truce rather than peace but added that "the chance of getting a first-stage deal seems to be quite good." The optimism spilt over into other currencies, with the Australian dollar not far off three-month highs. It wasn't much moved after the central bank left monetary policy unchanged, as expected. The kiwi dollar rose 0.3 per cent. The Norwegian and Swedish crowns also rose versus both the dollar and euro. The euro was flat against the dollar. It rose 0.26 percent versus the yen. Jukes said the euro would be one of the last currencies to benefit from improved risk sentiment, noting that Monday's data showing Polish manufacturing activity in its sharpest downturn in 10 years had taken the wind out of the euro's sails. Central European states such as Poland are a key market and investment destination for eurozone companies.

Chinese yuan surges to three-month high on trade optimism, 'tiny' rate cut

Hong Kong's acting leader said on Tuesday he deeply regretted the involvement of civil servants in protests that have plunged the Chinese-ruled city into crisis as activists planned masked "Guy Fawkes" demonstrations across the territory.

Acting Chief Executive Matthew Cheung's comments came after commentary by the ruling Communist Party's People's Daily said Hong Kong civil servants who supported the anti-government demonstrations would "perish with the rioters".

The demonstrations began over a since-scrapped extradition bill and escalated in mid-June against perceived Chinese meddling in the former British colony which was guaranteed its colonial freedoms when it returned to China in 1997. China denies the charge.

Protesters have kept up their calls for universal suffrage and an independent inquiry into alleged police brutality, among other demands.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/mass-protests-protect-hong-kongs-legal-autonomy-from-china-for-now-228567">protests</a>, which pose the gravest challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012, have received broad support, including from some civil servants, teachers and financial sector workers.

"In the past few months, a very small portion of the civil servants have broken the law, participating in illegal protests. We deeply regret that" Cheung said.

"... Their first job is to serve society, serve the community. And to support government policies, that is the responsibility of the civil servants."

In August, thousands of civil servants defied a government warning to remain politically neutral and joined a rally, while the territory's chief executive Carrie Lam said in September she regretted the arrest of some civil servants during protests.

After gatecrashing fancy-dress Halloween festivities on October&nbsp;31, protesters have circulated plans on social media to mark Guy Fawkes Day on Tuesday by wearing the white, smiling Guy Fawkes masks made popular by anti-establishment hackers, the film "V for Vendetta" and protesters globally.

Gunpowder&nbsp;Plot

Guy Fawkes Day, also called Bonfire Night, is celebrated with fireworks and bonfires every November&nbsp;5 in Britain, when effigies of "guys" are burnt, marking the night in 1605 when Fawkes was arrested for a "gunpowder plot" to blow up parliament.

Lam banned face masks last month, invoking colonial-era emergency powers for the first time in more than 50 years, but protesters have largely ignored the ruling.

The number of people who take part in the mostly weekend rallies has dwindled from the millions who participated in June, but the violence and vandalism have escalated. Authorities have refused permits for many recent protests, making them illegal from the outset and activists liable to be arrested.

There have been many injuries in the protests, but no deaths. A 22-year-old student at a Hong Kong university who fell during protests at the weekend was in critical condition on Tuesday, hospital authorities said.

A man knifed several people on Sunday and bit off a part of a politician's ear before being beaten by protesters. A 48-year-old suspect is in custody.

Cheung said his administration would safeguard freedom of the press amid criticism of what many see as the excessive police force, including against the media.

Cheung is standing in for Lam, who is visiting mainland China, where Xi said on Monday the central government had a high degree of confidence in her.

The demonstrations have battered the retail and tourism sectors, with preliminary government data showing the economy slid into recession for the first time in a decade in the third quarter.

An IHS Markit survey published on Tuesday showed business activity in Hong Kong's private sector fell to its weakest in 21 years in October, weighed down by anti-government protests and softening global demand.

Hong Kong returned to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/how-china-benefits-from-the-hong-kong-protests-246211">China</a> under a "one country, two systems" formula that is meant to protect its freedoms for 50 years.

Hong Kong's acting leader said on Tuesday he deeply regretted the involvement of civil servants in protests that have plunged the Chinese-ruled city into crisis as activists planned masked "Guy Fawkes" demonstrations across the territory.

Hong Kong's acting leader said on Tuesday he deeply regretted the involvement of civil servants in protests that have plunged the Chinese-ruled city into crisis as activists planned masked "Guy Fawkes" demonstrations across the territory. Acting Chief Executive Matthew Cheung's comments came after commentary by the ruling Communist Party's People's Daily said Hong Kong civil servants who supported the anti-government demonstrations would "perish with the rioters". The demonstrations began over a since-scrapped extradition bill and escalated in mid-June against perceived Chinese meddling in the former British colony which was guaranteed its colonial freedoms when it returned to China in 1997. China denies the charge. Protesters have kept up their calls for universal suffrage and an independent inquiry into alleged police brutality, among other demands. The protests, which pose the gravest challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012, have received broad support, including from some civil servants, teachers and financial sector workers. "In the past few months, a very small portion of the civil servants have broken the law, participating in illegal protests. We deeply regret that" Cheung said. "... Their first job is to serve society, serve the community. And to support government policies, that is the responsibility of the civil servants." In August, thousands of civil servants defied a government warning to remain politically neutral and joined a rally, while the territory's chief executive Carrie Lam said in September she regretted the arrest of some civil servants during protests. After gatecrashing fancy-dress Halloween festivities on October 31, protesters have circulated plans on social media to mark Guy Fawkes Day on Tuesday by wearing the white, smiling Guy Fawkes masks made popular by anti-establishment hackers, the film "V for Vendetta" and protesters globally. Gunpowder Plot Guy Fawkes Day, also called Bonfire Night, is celebrated with fireworks and bonfires every November 5 in Britain, when effigies of "guys" are burnt, marking the night in 1605 when Fawkes was arrested for a "gunpowder plot" to blow up parliament. Lam banned face masks last month, invoking colonial-era emergency powers for the first time in more than 50 years, but protesters have largely ignored the ruling. The number of people who take part in the mostly weekend rallies has dwindled from the millions who participated in June, but the violence and vandalism have escalated. Authorities have refused permits for many recent protests, making them illegal from the outset and activists liable to be arrested. There have been many injuries in the protests, but no deaths. A 22-year-old student at a Hong Kong university who fell during protests at the weekend was in critical condition on Tuesday, hospital authorities said. A man knifed several people on Sunday and bit off a part of a politician's ear before being beaten by protesters. A 48-year-old suspect is in custody. Cheung said his administration would safeguard freedom of the press amid criticism of what many see as the excessive police force, including against the media. Cheung is standing in for Lam, who is visiting mainland China, where Xi said on Monday the central government had a high degree of confidence in her. The demonstrations have battered the retail and tourism sectors, with preliminary government data showing the economy slid into recession for the first time in a decade in the third quarter. An IHS Markit survey published on Tuesday showed business activity in Hong Kong's private sector fell to its weakest in 21 years in October, weighed down by anti-government protests and softening global demand. Hong Kong returned to China under a "one country, two systems" formula that is meant to protect its freedoms for 50 years.

After gatecrashing Halloween, Hong Kong protesters plot Guy Fawkes protests

Israel's supreme court on Tuesday upheld a government decision to expel a senior Human Rights Watch official over his alleged support of a boycott of the country, the ruling said.

Israel has sought to expel Omar Shakir, director for Israel and the Palestinian territories for the New York-based rights group, for more than a year.

It will now be up to the government whether to follow through and deport Shakir, a US citizen, who brands the move a bid by Israel to silence and delegitimise critics of its treatment of the Palestinians.

"If it proceeds, I have 20 days to leave &amp; it’ll join ranks of Iran, North Korea &amp; Egypt in blocking access for @hrw official," Shakir tweeted after the decision was announced, referring to Israel.

It would be the first expulsion of its kind under a 2017 law allowing the deportation of foreigners who support boycotting Israel, though there have been cases of people being denied entry under the measure.

The case against him was initially based on alleged statements in support of a boycott he made prior to taking up his post, HRW says.

The government later added new statements it alleges are in support of a boycott.

Human Rights Watch says it has criticised Israel's human rights record but has never advocated a boycott and the same is true for Shakir since he joined the organisation.

Israel's ministry of strategic affairs, which probes potential violations of the 2017 law, alleges Shakir's activism, particularly related to the country's occupation of the West Bank, has amounted to calls for a boycott.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/german-parliament-slams-boycott-israel-movement-as-anti-semitic-219486">BDS movement</a>, that is, Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions,&nbsp;calls for a boycott of Israel over its treatment of the Palestinians.

Israel's supreme court on Tuesday upheld a government decision to expel a senior Human Rights Watch official over his alleged support of a boycott of the country, the ruling said.

Israel's supreme court on Tuesday upheld a government decision to expel a senior Human Rights Watch official over his alleged support of a boycott of the country, the ruling said. Israel has sought to expel Omar Shakir, director for Israel and the Palestinian territories for the New York-based rights group, for more than a year. It will now be up to the government whether to follow through and deport Shakir, a US citizen, who brands the move a bid by Israel to silence and delegitimise critics of its treatment of the Palestinians. "If it proceeds, I have 20 days to leave & it’ll join ranks of Iran, North Korea & Egypt in blocking access for @hrw official," Shakir tweeted after the decision was announced, referring to Israel. It would be the first expulsion of its kind under a 2017 law allowing the deportation of foreigners who support boycotting Israel, though there have been cases of people being denied entry under the measure. The case against him was initially based on alleged statements in support of a boycott he made prior to taking up his post, HRW says. The government later added new statements it alleges are in support of a boycott. Human Rights Watch says it has criticised Israel's human rights record but has never advocated a boycott and the same is true for Shakir since he joined the organisation. Israel's ministry of strategic affairs, which probes potential violations of the 2017 law, alleges Shakir's activism, particularly related to the country's occupation of the West Bank, has amounted to calls for a boycott. The BDS movement, that is, Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, calls for a boycott of Israel over its treatment of the Palestinians.

Israel supreme court upholds expulsion of Human Rights Watch official

Poland broke European Union law when it lowered the retirement age for judges in 2017 and introduced a different retirement age for women and men in the profession, the EU's top court ruled on Tuesday.

The ruling dealt a further blow to the nationalist Polish government in a long-standing battle with the European Commission, which says Warsaw is breaking the rule of law in the country by undermining the independence of courts.

The ruling eurosceptic Law and Justice party passed a law in 2017 that lowered the retirement age of judges in ordinary courts and public prosecutors and the age for early retirement of Supreme Court judges, to 60 years for women and 65 years for men, from 67 for both sexes.

It also gave the justice minister, a politician from the ruling party, the power to extend the period of active service of judges in the ordinary courts beyond the new retirement ages.

The Commission, the EU's executive arm whose role is to safeguard law across the 28-nation bloc, said Poland's measures were contrary to EU law, and it sued Poland in the European Court of Justice.

"(Poland)... failed to fulfil its obligations under EU law, first, by establishing a different retirement age for men and women who were judges or public prosecutors in Poland and, second, by lowering the retirement age of judges of the ordinary courts while conferring on the Minister for Justice the power to extend the period of active service of those judges," the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled.

In a statement, Poland's Foreign Ministry hit back saying the ruling was unjustified since Warsaw had made amendments to the reforms in 2018 in order to address EU concerns.

Under the amendments, the new compulsory retirement age for judges was made the same for men and women, slowing down the process of retiring current judges.

Critics say the aim of the reform was to allow the PiS to replace judges with political appointees to gain greater control over the judiciary. The PiS has said it wanted to improve the efficiency of the justice system and remove residue from Poland's Communist era.

Should Poland fail to align itself with the ECJ ruling, the European Commission could file another request to levy a fine against Warsaw in the months to come.

On Monday the PiS-controlled lower house of parliament nominated three new judges to the Constitutional Tribunal - two of them former party lawmakers aged 67, and the other one a former deputy finance minister, aged 71.

"In accordance with current European Commission policy, the complaint should have been withdrawn after the amendments to the act came into effect. The failure to withdraw the complaint is not justified," the Foreign Ministry statement said.

Poland broke European Union law when it lowered the retirement age for judges in 2017 and introduced a different retirement age for women and men in the profession, the EU's top court ruled on Tuesday.

Poland broke European Union law when it lowered the retirement age for judges in 2017 and introduced a different retirement age for women and men in the profession, the EU's top court ruled on Tuesday. The ruling dealt a further blow to the nationalist Polish government in a long-standing battle with the European Commission, which says Warsaw is breaking the rule of law in the country by undermining the independence of courts. The ruling eurosceptic Law and Justice party passed a law in 2017 that lowered the retirement age of judges in ordinary courts and public prosecutors and the age for early retirement of Supreme Court judges, to 60 years for women and 65 years for men, from 67 for both sexes. It also gave the justice minister, a politician from the ruling party, the power to extend the period of active service of judges in the ordinary courts beyond the new retirement ages. The Commission, the EU's executive arm whose role is to safeguard law across the 28-nation bloc, said Poland's measures were contrary to EU law, and it sued Poland in the European Court of Justice. "(Poland)... failed to fulfil its obligations under EU law, first, by establishing a different retirement age for men and women who were judges or public prosecutors in Poland and, second, by lowering the retirement age of judges of the ordinary courts while conferring on the Minister for Justice the power to extend the period of active service of those judges," the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled. In a statement, Poland's Foreign Ministry hit back saying the ruling was unjustified since Warsaw had made amendments to the reforms in 2018 in order to address EU concerns. Under the amendments, the new compulsory retirement age for judges was made the same for men and women, slowing down the process of retiring current judges. Critics say the aim of the reform was to allow the PiS to replace judges with political appointees to gain greater control over the judiciary. The PiS has said it wanted to improve the efficiency of the justice system and remove residue from Poland's Communist era. Should Poland fail to align itself with the ECJ ruling, the European Commission could file another request to levy a fine against Warsaw in the months to come. On Monday the PiS-controlled lower house of parliament nominated three new judges to the Constitutional Tribunal - two of them former party lawmakers aged 67, and the other one a former deputy finance minister, aged 71. "In accordance with current European Commission policy, the complaint should have been withdrawn after the amendments to the act came into effect. The failure to withdraw the complaint is not justified," the Foreign Ministry statement said.

European Union top court rules Poland broke rule of law with judicial reforms

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Zee News Rajasthan

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