Slips of the tongue seems to have become a common affair in US President Joe Biden’s administration. After Biden himself made the gaffe some time ago, now its House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s turn. &nbsp;&nbsp;

On Tuesday, Pelosi misspoke, while calling for the passage of Barack Obama’s agenda instead of Biden’s.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;

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The leader called on the Congress to “keep government open” and work to “address the full Obama agenda of building back better.” &nbsp;

Pelosi has argued that the Congress has a “moral imperative” to pass “the Biden Build Back Better Act,” in a Tuesday "Dear Colleague" letter by writing, “We must and will move forward to keep government open and to lift the debt ceiling.” &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-senators-seek-probe-into-pakistans-role-in-talibans-afghan-victory-416821" hreflang="en">US senators seek probe into Pakistan's role in Taliban’s Afghan victory</a>

Pelosi wrote, “As I write this to you, negotiations are being led by President Biden to advance his vision. The President takes a pride in his agenda, which is shared overwhelmingly by House and Senate Democrats, which creates jobs, gives tax cuts for the middle class, lowers costs for health care and is paid by making the wealthiest few and big corporations pay their fair share.” &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/liberals-dig-in-against-infrastructure-bill-as-party-divisions-persist-416842" hreflang="en">Liberals dig in against infrastructure bill as party divisions persist</a>

Meanwhile, Biden seems to have been gaffe-prone. The 78-year-old appeared to mistake Syria for Libya at a news conference after G7 summit in the UK some months ago. He appeared to make the mistake twice. &nbsp;

During a meeting with governors, US President Joe Biden unintentionally revealed a note from his staff informing him that he had something on his face after a yellow mark was noticed on his chin. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Slips of the tongue seems to have become a common affair in US President Joe Biden’s administration. After Biden himself made the gaffe some time ago, now its House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s turn.

Slips of the tongue seems to have become a common affair in US President Joe Biden’s administration. After Biden himself made the gaffe some time ago, now its House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s turn. On Tuesday, Pelosi misspoke, while calling for the passage of Barack Obama’s agenda instead of Biden’s. Watch: × The leader called on the Congress to “keep government open” and work to “address the full Obama agenda of building back better.” Pelosi has argued that the Congress has a “moral imperative” to pass “the Biden Build Back Better Act,” in a Tuesday "Dear Colleague" letter by writing, “We must and will move forward to keep government open and to lift the debt ceiling.” Also Read: US senators seek probe into Pakistan's role in Taliban’s Afghan victory Pelosi wrote, “As I write this to you, negotiations are being led by President Biden to advance his vision. The President takes a pride in his agenda, which is shared overwhelmingly by House and Senate Democrats, which creates jobs, gives tax cuts for the middle class, lowers costs for health care and is paid by making the wealthiest few and big corporations pay their fair share.” Also Read: Liberals dig in against infrastructure bill as party divisions persist Meanwhile, Biden seems to have been gaffe-prone. The 78-year-old appeared to mistake Syria for Libya at a news conference after G7 summit in the UK some months ago. He appeared to make the mistake twice. During a meeting with governors, US President Joe Biden unintentionally revealed a note from his staff informing him that he had something on his face after a yellow mark was noticed on his chin. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump's national security adviser takes aim warns China

Poland's President&nbsp;Andrzej Duda held a press conference with his US counterpart in Washington. The visit comes few weeks before Polish elections.

While the tour is being critiqued as a failure and an unwanted push to Duda's political campaign, what blindsided the US and its allies was a comment by US President Donald Trump.

When asked about a statement made by his office last week about reducing the number of troops from Germany, Trump quickly told the reporters at the White House “We'll probably be moving them (troops) from Germany to Poland.”

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“They (Poland) asked us if we would send some additional troops. They're going to pay for that. They'll be paying for the sending of additional troops. We will probably be moving them from Germany to Poland,” Trump said.

“We're going to be reducing in Germany very substantially down to about 25,000 troops. We actually had 52,000 but we'll be moving it down to about 25,000,” he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Germany's paying a very small fraction of what they're supposed to be paying. They should be paying two per cent and they're paying a little bit more than one per cent depending on how you calculate. They are paying less than one per cent,” he added.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/all-three-men-involved-in-killing-of-black-jogger-ahmaud-arbery-charged-with-murder-308382">Also read:&nbsp;All three men involved in killing of black jogger Ahmaud Arbery charged with murder</a>

Although he has not confirmed if all the troops, who are being redeployed, will be sent to Poland. Trump has sated that some of the troops might come back to their home country, some might go to Europe, but Poland will definitely be a priority.

The resident has also noted that the shift in troops will send a strong signal to Trump.

“A stronger signal sent to Russia is the fact that Germany is paying billions of dollars to purchase energy from Russia through the pipeline... You're giving billions of dollars to Russia, then we're supposed to defend you from Russia? So, I think it's very bad… I think the people of Germany are very unhappy about it,” he said.

However, after sending a "strong signal" to Russia, Trump expects to get along with Russia -- or as Trump said, "We expect to get along with everybody."

The move is being highly appreciated by the Polish President, who quickly flashed a smile and said, "It shows that if anyone wanted to attack Poland, it won't be a soft landing," Duda said. "Because the strongest army in the world is present and they would help us defend our borders."

Poland's President Andrzej Duda held a press conference with his US counterpart in Washington. The visit comes few weeks before Polish elections. While the tour is being critiqued as a failure and an unwanted push to Duda's political campaign, what blindsided the US and its allies was a comment by US President Donald Trump.

Poland's President Andrzej Duda held a press conference with his US counterpart in Washington. The visit comes few weeks before Polish elections. While the tour is being critiqued as a failure and an unwanted push to Duda's political campaign, what blindsided the US and its allies was a comment by US President Donald Trump. When asked about a statement made by his office last week about reducing the number of troops from Germany, Trump quickly told the reporters at the White House “We'll probably be moving them (troops) from Germany to Poland.” Also read: NASA renames Washington headquarters after its first black female engineer “They (Poland) asked us if we would send some additional troops. They're going to pay for that. They'll be paying for the sending of additional troops. We will probably be moving them from Germany to Poland,” Trump said. “We're going to be reducing in Germany very substantially down to about 25,000 troops. We actually had 52,000 but we'll be moving it down to about 25,000,” he said. “Germany's paying a very small fraction of what they're supposed to be paying. They should be paying two per cent and they're paying a little bit more than one per cent depending on how you calculate. They are paying less than one per cent,” he added. Also read: All three men involved in killing of black jogger Ahmaud Arbery charged with murder Although he has not confirmed if all the troops, who are being redeployed, will be sent to Poland. Trump has sated that some of the troops might come back to their home country, some might go to Europe, but Poland will definitely be a priority. The resident has also noted that the shift in troops will send a strong signal to Trump. “A stronger signal sent to Russia is the fact that Germany is paying billions of dollars to purchase energy from Russia through the pipeline... You're giving billions of dollars to Russia, then we're supposed to defend you from Russia? So, I think it's very bad… I think the people of Germany are very unhappy about it,” he said. However, after sending a "strong signal" to Russia, Trump expects to get along with Russia -- or as Trump said, "We expect to get along with everybody." The move is being highly appreciated by the Polish President, who quickly flashed a smile and said, "It shows that if anyone wanted to attack Poland, it won't be a soft landing," Duda said. "Because the strongest army in the world is present and they would help us defend our borders."

Trump to send troops from Germany to Poland to send signal to Russia

As Australia was hit by a second wave of coronavirus, local media reports stated that the country experienced a rise in number of cases due to an Eid party that took place in Melbourne.

Following such reports, Muslim leaders are fearing an increase in the underling issue of Islamophobia due to the local media reports.

“I’m really concerned, I’m thinking ‘here we go again’, scapegoating, marginalising, unfairly stigmatising the Muslim community,” said Adel Salman, the vice-president of the Islamic Council of Victoria told local news media.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/fear-of-2nd-covid-19-wave-infections-in-australia-308415">Also watch:&nbsp;Fear of 2nd COVID-19 wave infections in Australia</a>

“It just plays into the same narrative that Muslims are untrustworthy, that they aren’t like us, that they flout our rules, that they don’t have Australia’s interests at heart … Either they are a threat because they want to kill us and attack us or they are a threat because they are propagating the virus. It’s the same narrative.

“The Muslim community, we have been through this so often for many many years.”

The Eid party, that took in a family residing in Coburg, was blamed for the increase in the number of cases. The family was announced as a new&nbsp;cluster June 14.&nbsp;

The infection is believed to have spread from that family to their extended family spread between Melbourne’s north and south-east.&nbsp;

The misinformation spread like wildfire on social media, especially in languages other than English. Victoria’s chief health officer, Brett Sutton, claimed that while his office was trying their best to contain such sensitive misinformation, posts spreading on social media, in languages other than English, were hard for them to track.

The government has urged citizens and local media to not spread any such rumours that can potentially harm any community.

As Australia was hit by a second wave of coronavirus, local media reports stated that the country experienced a rise in number of cases due to an Eid party that took place in Melbourne.

As Australia was hit by a second wave of coronavirus, local media reports stated that the country experienced a rise in number of cases due to an Eid party that took place in Melbourne. Following such reports, Muslim leaders are fearing an increase in the underling issue of Islamophobia due to the local media reports. “I’m really concerned, I’m thinking ‘here we go again’, scapegoating, marginalising, unfairly stigmatising the Muslim community,” said Adel Salman, the vice-president of the Islamic Council of Victoria told local news media. Also watch: Fear of 2nd COVID-19 wave infections in Australia “It just plays into the same narrative that Muslims are untrustworthy, that they aren’t like us, that they flout our rules, that they don’t have Australia’s interests at heart … Either they are a threat because they want to kill us and attack us or they are a threat because they are propagating the virus. It’s the same narrative. “The Muslim community, we have been through this so often for many many years.” The Eid party, that took in a family residing in Coburg, was blamed for the increase in the number of cases. The family was announced as a new cluster June 14. The infection is believed to have spread from that family to their extended family spread between Melbourne’s north and south-east. The misinformation spread like wildfire on social media, especially in languages other than English. Victoria’s chief health officer, Brett Sutton, claimed that while his office was trying their best to contain such sensitive misinformation, posts spreading on social media, in languages other than English, were hard for them to track. The government has urged citizens and local media to not spread any such rumours that can potentially harm any community.

Australia: Muslim leaders fear rise of Islamophobia after Eid party is blamed for spread of virus

As Canada started easing out its months-long strict lockdown, Canadian Prime Minister&nbsp;Justin Trudeau&nbsp; was seen taking his son out for ice cream on Wednesday.

Wearing masks and maintaining a safe distance from others, the father-son duo stepped out to get some ice cream and celebrate&nbsp;Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day in Quebec province.

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Even though we’re not able to celebrate Fête nationale du Quebec and Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day like we usually do, I hope you’re finding new ways to celebrate - Hadrien and I stopped by <a href="https://twitter.com/ChocoFavoris?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChocoFavoris</a> in Gatineau today to pick up some treats for the family! <a href="https://t.co/sJ2TzMLsa4">pic.twitter.com/sJ2TzMLsa4</a>
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Trudeau and his&nbsp;six-year-old son Hadrien were greeted with an applause and a welcoming cheer at Chocolats Favoris in Gatineau, Quebec.

According to a pool report, Trudeau said the shop tapped into a federal emergency wage subsidy and business loan in order to weather the pandemic, and "avoid being frozen out of the frozen treat market."

Canada has recorded total around 102,000 cases till date, including almost 65,001 recovered patients and around 8,484 deaths.

As Canada started easing out its months-long strict lockdown, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was seen taking his son out for ice cream on Wednesday. Wearing masks and maintaining a safe distance from others, the father-son duo stepped out to get some ice cream and celebrate Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day in Quebec province.

As Canada started easing out its months-long strict lockdown, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was seen taking his son out for ice cream on Wednesday. Wearing masks and maintaining a safe distance from others, the father-son duo stepped out to get some ice cream and celebrate Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day in Quebec province. Even though we’re not able to celebrate Fête nationale du Quebec and Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day like we usually do, I hope you’re finding new ways to celebrate - Hadrien and I stopped by @ChocoFavoris in Gatineau today to pick up some treats for the family! pic.twitter.com/sJ2TzMLsa4 — Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) June 24, 2020 × Trudeau and his six-year-old son Hadrien were greeted with an applause and a welcoming cheer at Chocolats Favoris in Gatineau, Quebec. According to a pool report, Trudeau said the shop tapped into a federal emergency wage subsidy and business loan in order to weather the pandemic, and "avoid being frozen out of the frozen treat market." Canada has recorded total around 102,000 cases till date, including almost 65,001 recovered patients and around 8,484 deaths.

Canada: Justin Trudeau steps out with son to grab ice creams in new normal

To show solidarity towards the ongoing protests around the world against the racial discrimination that the African community faces worldwide, Unilever has decided to remove few misleading and discriminatory words from their products' packets.

On Thursday, Unilever announced that the company has decided to take skin care portfolio to the next level as they aim to make it a racism-free line of products.

The company will be removing words such as&nbsp;‘fair/fairness’, ‘white/whitening’, and ‘light/lightening’&nbsp; from its products;' packs and communication.

One of the most common products in India, the "Fair and Lovely" brand, will also be renamed and relabeled in the next few months.

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Sunny Jain, President Beauty and&nbsp;Personal Care, said, “We are fully committed to having a global portfolio of skin care brands that is inclusive and cares for all skin tones, celebrating greater diversity of beauty. We recognise that the use of the words ‘fair’, ‘white’ and ‘light’ suggest a singular ideal of beauty that we don’t think is right, and we want to address this. As we’re evolving the way that we communicate the skin benefits of our products that deliver radiant and even tone skin, it’s also important to change the language we use.”

The brand has been aiming towards a more inclusive approach for few years now, the company claims. The officials said that while the company has, till now, been focusing on women impowerment, they will also stand up for the minority communities now.

“We have been working on the evolution of our Fair &amp; Lovely brand, which is sold across Asia, progressively moving to a more inclusive vision of beauty that celebrates skin glow. We have changed the advertising, communication and – more recently – the packaging in South Asia, and we think it’s important that we now share the next step that we have been working on: changing the brand name. We will also continue to evolve our advertising, to feature women of different skin tones, representative of the variety of beauty across India and other countries. We want Fair &amp; Lovely to become a brand that celebrates glowing and radiant skin, regardless of skin tone,” added Jain.

Following criticism from an online petition and social media, an Indian matrimony website, Shaadi.com too has decided to remove a search filter labelled 'fairness'. The search filter allowed people to demand for specific skin tones, which has faced backlash in the past too.&nbsp;

The decisions come after protests erupted all over the world, starting from the US, after an unarmed African American man was brutally murdered by an American police cop.

To show solidarity towards the ongoing protests around the world against the racial discrimination that the African community faces worldwide, Unilever has decided to remove few misleading and discriminatory words from their products' packets.

To show solidarity towards the ongoing protests around the world against the racial discrimination that the African community faces worldwide, Unilever has decided to remove few misleading and discriminatory words from their products' packets. On Thursday, Unilever announced that the company has decided to take skin care portfolio to the next level as they aim to make it a racism-free line of products. The company will be removing words such as ‘fair/fairness’, ‘white/whitening’, and ‘light/lightening’ from its products;' packs and communication. One of the most common products in India, the "Fair and Lovely" brand, will also be renamed and relabeled in the next few months. Also read: US mobilizes National Guard troops to protect monuments in Washington Sunny Jain, President Beauty and Personal Care, said, “We are fully committed to having a global portfolio of skin care brands that is inclusive and cares for all skin tones, celebrating greater diversity of beauty. We recognise that the use of the words ‘fair’, ‘white’ and ‘light’ suggest a singular ideal of beauty that we don’t think is right, and we want to address this. As we’re evolving the way that we communicate the skin benefits of our products that deliver radiant and even tone skin, it’s also important to change the language we use.” The brand has been aiming towards a more inclusive approach for few years now, the company claims. The officials said that while the company has, till now, been focusing on women impowerment, they will also stand up for the minority communities now. “We have been working on the evolution of our Fair & Lovely brand, which is sold across Asia, progressively moving to a more inclusive vision of beauty that celebrates skin glow. We have changed the advertising, communication and – more recently – the packaging in South Asia, and we think it’s important that we now share the next step that we have been working on: changing the brand name. We will also continue to evolve our advertising, to feature women of different skin tones, representative of the variety of beauty across India and other countries. We want Fair & Lovely to become a brand that celebrates glowing and radiant skin, regardless of skin tone,” added Jain. Following criticism from an online petition and social media, an Indian matrimony website, Shaadi.com too has decided to remove a search filter labelled 'fairness'. The search filter allowed people to demand for specific skin tones, which has faced backlash in the past too. The decisions come after protests erupted all over the world, starting from the US, after an unarmed African American man was brutally murdered by an American police cop.

Unilever to remove 'whitening' and 'fairness'; Shaadi.com removes fairness filter

Coronavirus second wave hits countries as lockdown ends

Empty fridges tell stories of empty stomachs amid Lebanon economic crisis

With a rapid increase in the number of positive coronavirus cases, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning of possible shortage of oxygen in the world.

The number of positive cases is nearing 10 million and more than 480,000 deaths, only few months after the pandemic started. Following that, WHO has issued a warning.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-brazil-witnesses-surge-in-cases-death-toll-goes-past-53000-308429">Also read|&nbsp;Coronavirus: Brazil witnesses surge in cases; death-toll goes past 53,000</a>

“Many countries are now experiencing difficulties obtaining oxygen concentrators,” WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. “Demand is currently outstripping supply.”

WHO has bought nearly 14,000 oxygen concentrators from manufacturers and aims to supply them to&nbsp;120 countries in coming weeks. The organisation also plans to get additional 170,000 concentrators – worth about US$100m – in the next six months.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-us-records-highest-single-day-spike-california-texas-among-states-worst-hit-308413">Also read|&nbsp;COVID-19: US records highest single day spike; California, Texas among states worst-hit</a>

The warning was issued as many countries such as India, the US, Brazil, among others, ave been reporting record high daily spike in number of positive cases. The WHO also expressed concern over the sudden increase of 25-50 per cent cases in a week in the Latin American countries. The experts have predicted that the death toll in Latin America is expected to skyrocket to 390,000 by October.

“I would characterise the situation in the Americas in general as still evolving, not having reached its peak yet, and likely to result in sustained numbers of cases and continued deaths,” said the&nbsp;head of the WHO emergencies programme, Dr Mike Ryan.

India, today, reported 16,922 cases. Brazil reported 42,725 cases and the US reported&nbsp;35,900 cases.&nbsp;

The world tally stands at around 9.39 million cases, including more than 481,000 deaths and almost 4.72 million recovered patients.

(With inputs from agencies)

With a rapid increase in the number of positive coronavirus cases, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning of possible shortage of oxygen in the world.

With a rapid increase in the number of positive coronavirus cases, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning of possible shortage of oxygen in the world. The number of positive cases is nearing 10 million and more than 480,000 deaths, only few months after the pandemic started. Following that, WHO has issued a warning. Also read| Coronavirus: Brazil witnesses surge in cases; death-toll goes past 53,000 “Many countries are now experiencing difficulties obtaining oxygen concentrators,” WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. “Demand is currently outstripping supply.” WHO has bought nearly 14,000 oxygen concentrators from manufacturers and aims to supply them to 120 countries in coming weeks. The organisation also plans to get additional 170,000 concentrators – worth about US$100m – in the next six months. Also read| COVID-19: US records highest single day spike; California, Texas among states worst-hit The warning was issued as many countries such as India, the US, Brazil, among others, ave been reporting record high daily spike in number of positive cases. The WHO also expressed concern over the sudden increase of 25-50 per cent cases in a week in the Latin American countries. The experts have predicted that the death toll in Latin America is expected to skyrocket to 390,000 by October. “I would characterise the situation in the Americas in general as still evolving, not having reached its peak yet, and likely to result in sustained numbers of cases and continued deaths,” said the head of the WHO emergencies programme, Dr Mike Ryan. India, today, reported 16,922 cases. Brazil reported 42,725 cases and the US reported 35,900 cases. The world tally stands at around 9.39 million cases, including more than 481,000 deaths and almost 4.72 million recovered patients. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID 19: WHO warns possible lack of oxygen as cases near 10 million

The ties between Nepal and India --&nbsp;roti beti ka rishta, as it is known has hit rock-bottom. But,&nbsp;has it happened out of the blue or was this long time coming?

An 1800 kilometer-long border, a&nbsp;common history, culture and religion. These are just some of the many things that India and Nepal have in common. What also binds the two neighbours is a troubled political history.

Indo-Nepal relations

A journey down this road includes several bumps, twist and turns. Going back to the Nehruvian era, the years right after India's independence,&nbsp;Prime Minister Nehru saw Kathmandu as New Delhi's security shield. His policy towards Nepal was based on absolute control.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-nepal-relations-worsen-after-border-row-nepals-citizenship-law-irks-india-307597">Also watch|&nbsp;India-Nepal relations worsen: After border row, Nepal's citizenship law irks India</a>

This was the beginning of anti-India sentiments in some sections in Nepal. What followed was years of personality clashes between leaders on both sides.

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Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Nepal's king Birendra were not the best of friends. Gandhi accused Nepal of being uncooperative. Kathmandu, on the other hand, wanted a more equitable relationship. Nepal began referring to India as a regional power with a colonial mentality.

According to reports, Rajiv Gandhi had even launched a covert operation to bring down the Hindu monarch.

India extended its support to the people's movement in Nepal. But king Birendra could not be dethroned.

In 1989, when Nepal purchased defence systems from China, the Rajiv Gandhi government&nbsp;retaliated with a trade blockade, and Nepal remembers it bitterly.

History repeated itself in 2015. By now, Nepal was dependent on India for 60 per cent of its trade, including all of its fuel, most of its food and medicinal supplies.

In September 2015, two-third of this was snipped. It couldn't have come at a worse time for Nepal as it was just beginning to rebuild itself after a disastrous earthquake.

The Madhesi community blocked the Birgunj checkpoint over their unhappiness with the new Nepalese constitution.

New Delhi pushed for a resolution between the protesters and the Nepali government. India's logic was that its truck drivers were too afraid to enter a burning Nepal. Kathmandu termed the situation as an unofficial blockade by India.

Hit with an immense shortage of oil, gas and medicines, Nepal once again turned towards China, and China seized the opportunity. It ended India's monopoly in the Himalayan country, and lay a debt-trap.

China termed it a strategic relationship. Beijing also stirred the anti-India sentiment.

Over the years, Nepali leaders have repeatedly stressed on the need to revisit river agreements. They have also wanted to rewrite the friendship treaty.

Kathmandu's split from New Delhi has been a long time coming. There were several alarms in the recent years.

In 2018, the Nepalese army did not take part in the first-ever joint military exercise of the BIMSTEC. The Oli government was more interested in participating in Sagaramtha friendship- 2, a joint military exercise with China.

What also drew Nepal away from India was China's Belt and Road Initiative. India and Nepal have had their differences but China's money and Nepal's myopia are turning these differences into disputes.&nbsp;

The ties between Nepal and India -- roti beti ka rishta, as it is known has hit rock-bottom. But, has it happened out of the blue or was this long time coming? An 1800 kilometer-long border, a common history, culture and religion.

The ties between Nepal and India -- roti beti ka rishta, as it is known has hit rock-bottom. But, has it happened out of the blue or was this long time coming? An 1800 kilometer-long border, a common history, culture and religion. These are just some of the many things that India and Nepal have in common. What also binds the two neighbours is a troubled political history. Indo-Nepal relations A journey down this road includes several bumps, twist and turns. Going back to the Nehruvian era, the years right after India's independence, Prime Minister Nehru saw Kathmandu as New Delhi's security shield. His policy towards Nepal was based on absolute control. Also watch| India-Nepal relations worsen: After border row, Nepal's citizenship law irks India This was the beginning of anti-India sentiments in some sections in Nepal. What followed was years of personality clashes between leaders on both sides. × Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Nepal's king Birendra were not the best of friends. Gandhi accused Nepal of being uncooperative. Kathmandu, on the other hand, wanted a more equitable relationship. Nepal began referring to India as a regional power with a colonial mentality. According to reports, Rajiv Gandhi had even launched a covert operation to bring down the Hindu monarch. India extended its support to the people's movement in Nepal. But king Birendra could not be dethroned. In 1989, when Nepal purchased defence systems from China, the Rajiv Gandhi government retaliated with a trade blockade, and Nepal remembers it bitterly. History repeated itself in 2015. By now, Nepal was dependent on India for 60 per cent of its trade, including all of its fuel, most of its food and medicinal supplies. In September 2015, two-third of this was snipped. It couldn't have come at a worse time for Nepal as it was just beginning to rebuild itself after a disastrous earthquake. The Madhesi community blocked the Birgunj checkpoint over their unhappiness with the new Nepalese constitution. New Delhi pushed for a resolution between the protesters and the Nepali government. India's logic was that its truck drivers were too afraid to enter a burning Nepal. Kathmandu termed the situation as an unofficial blockade by India. Hit with an immense shortage of oil, gas and medicines, Nepal once again turned towards China, and China seized the opportunity. It ended India's monopoly in the Himalayan country, and lay a debt-trap. China termed it a strategic relationship. Beijing also stirred the anti-India sentiment. Over the years, Nepali leaders have repeatedly stressed on the need to revisit river agreements. They have also wanted to rewrite the friendship treaty. Kathmandu's split from New Delhi has been a long time coming. There were several alarms in the recent years. In 2018, the Nepalese army did not take part in the first-ever joint military exercise of the BIMSTEC. The Oli government was more interested in participating in Sagaramtha friendship- 2, a joint military exercise with China. What also drew Nepal away from India was China's Belt and Road Initiative. India and Nepal have had their differences but China's money and Nepal's myopia are turning these differences into disputes.

India-Nepal's bittersweet relationship: a historical friendship turning grim

India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is currently in Russia on a three-day visit to Moscow. Ostensibly, to attend the victory parade on June 24, but more importantly, to ask Moscow to rush the delivery of the S-400 anti-missile system.

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Also, the foreign ministers of Russia, India and China will be holding a virtual meeting on Tuesday.

What makes it interesting is the timing of this trilateral.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/defence-minister-rajnath-singh-leaves-for-russia-set-to-boost-defence-ties-307577">Also read|&nbsp;Defence Minister Rajnath Singh leaves for Russia; set to boost defence ties</a>

Both India and China have made their stand on Galwan very clear. What remains to be seen is Russia's leaning. Will Moscow back its old friend India, or will it support China?

What's at stake

First is&nbsp;trade as China is Russia's&nbsp;top trading partner. In 2018, the bilateral trade between the two countries stood at 108.3 billion dollars. Germany, which is Russia's second biggest trade partner accounted for trade worth 59.6 billion dollars -- almost half.

When it comes to India, bilateral trade with Russia has been between 7 to 8 billion dollars for almost a decade now. In 2017, the India-Russia bilateral trade was less than a tenth of China-Russia trade.

So, when its comes to economy, Russia is highly dependent on Beijing. Russia is a part of China's Belt and Road Project.

Then,&nbsp;there is the Siberia gas pipeline project. The two countries also share geographical proximity, but the tide turns when it comes to defense.

Russia is India's largest defense supplier. In the last couple of years, the two countries have signed several defense deals. There is the 5.2 billion dollar deal for S-400 missile defense systems.

In 2019, India also signed a deal worth 2 billion dollars for the T-90 tanks. The Akula class nuclear-powered submarine deal was worth 3 billion dollars. These are just a few examples.

India was once among of the closest allies of Russia. This was until 2014; this has less to do with the change in government in Delhi, and more to do with Russia's annexation of Crimea. There were international sanctions and Russia leaned towards China. India, on the other hand, has been building ties with the United States, Japan and&nbsp;West Asia.

Over the years, Russia has cemented its ties with China and this is not specific to any government in Delhi.

In 2017, Russian diplomats in Beijing were briefed by the Chinese government about the Doklam stand-off. They were among the few to have been brought into the loop, but Russia did not take a stand against India.

How has it reacted so far on Galwan?

Russia has assured its support to New Delhi when it comes to resolving issues with China. Russia's Deputy Chief of Mission to India, Roman Babushkin, said,&nbsp;"we hope that the tensions will soon de-escalate."

Russian media recent quoted presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov as saying "China and India are Russia's close partners and allies, and have close and mutually beneficial relations built on mutual respect."

Moscow believes in a multi-vector foreign policy. It has tried to stay out of the US-China trade war, and when it comes to India-China stand-off too, Moscow is likley to play safe. It will not take sides, at least not openly.

India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is currently in Russia on a three-day visit to Moscow. Ostensibly, to attend the victory parade on June 24, but more importantly, to ask Moscow to rush the delivery of the S-400 anti-missile system.

India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is currently in Russia on a three-day visit to Moscow. Ostensibly, to attend the victory parade on June 24, but more importantly, to ask Moscow to rush the delivery of the S-400 anti-missile system. × Also, the foreign ministers of Russia, India and China will be holding a virtual meeting on Tuesday. What makes it interesting is the timing of this trilateral. Also read| Defence Minister Rajnath Singh leaves for Russia; set to boost defence ties Both India and China have made their stand on Galwan very clear. What remains to be seen is Russia's leaning. Will Moscow back its old friend India, or will it support China? What's at stake First is trade as China is Russia's top trading partner. In 2018, the bilateral trade between the two countries stood at 108.3 billion dollars. Germany, which is Russia's second biggest trade partner accounted for trade worth 59.6 billion dollars -- almost half. When it comes to India, bilateral trade with Russia has been between 7 to 8 billion dollars for almost a decade now. In 2017, the India-Russia bilateral trade was less than a tenth of China-Russia trade. So, when its comes to economy, Russia is highly dependent on Beijing. Russia is a part of China's Belt and Road Project. Then, there is the Siberia gas pipeline project. The two countries also share geographical proximity, but the tide turns when it comes to defense. Russia is India's largest defense supplier. In the last couple of years, the two countries have signed several defense deals. There is the 5.2 billion dollar deal for S-400 missile defense systems. In 2019, India also signed a deal worth 2 billion dollars for the T-90 tanks. The Akula class nuclear-powered submarine deal was worth 3 billion dollars. These are just a few examples. India was once among of the closest allies of Russia. This was until 2014; this has less to do with the change in government in Delhi, and more to do with Russia's annexation of Crimea. There were international sanctions and Russia leaned towards China. India, on the other hand, has been building ties with the United States, Japan and West Asia. Over the years, Russia has cemented its ties with China and this is not specific to any government in Delhi. In 2017, Russian diplomats in Beijing were briefed by the Chinese government about the Doklam stand-off. They were among the few to have been brought into the loop, but Russia did not take a stand against India. How has it reacted so far on Galwan? Russia has assured its support to New Delhi when it comes to resolving issues with China. Russia's Deputy Chief of Mission to India, Roman Babushkin, said, "we hope that the tensions will soon de-escalate." Russian media recent quoted presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov as saying "China and India are Russia's close partners and allies, and have close and mutually beneficial relations built on mutual respect." Moscow believes in a multi-vector foreign policy. It has tried to stay out of the US-China trade war, and when it comes to India-China stand-off too, Moscow is likley to play safe. It will not take sides, at least not openly.

Rajnath Singh's visit to Russia: Defence Minister to urge Moscow to rush delivery of S-400 system

Australia's populated city, Victoria, is warning citizens of a possible second wave, as the number of cases have started rising again in the southern city.

The city, along with the whole country, started unlocking its economy, weeks back. However, the officials are now thinking of reimposing a lockdown to contain the rapid spread of the virus.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dont-pretend-this-is-over-australian-state-reimposes-strict-restrictions-amid-rising-covid-cases-307283">Also read|&nbsp;Don't pretend this is over: Australian state reimposes strict restrictions amid rising COVID cases</a>

On Saturday, the state’s leader Daniel Andrews said that the rise in number of new cases might be because of the&nbsp;large family gatherings that the locals have been hosting since the unlock.

“We’ve had cases of people gathering in large numbers at their home or another family member’s home … even though they had been told to isolate in their own home. We have even had people who have tested positive and have been told to go home and isolate and instead, they have gone to work. Instead, they have gone and visited loved ones in large numbers,” he said.

Further, he announced that for the next three weeks the number of guests allowed in a house would be again reduced from 20 to five, and public gatherings would once again be limited to 10.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australian-state-extends-state-of-emergency-as-coronavirus-cases-spike-307426">Also read|&nbsp;Australian state extends state of emergency as coronavirus cases spike</a>

Due to this, the state government is now considering making the stay-home advice legally enforceable.

“It may be the case in the days ahead ... we may need to, for instance, reinstitute the stay-at-home except for [essential] reasons,” Daniel Andrews said at a press conference.

“We all remember that time, it was deeply frustrating but it was very effective … we may need to go back to that setting in given geographical areas," he added.

Rubbishing the reports that the virus spread due to a 'Black Lives Matter' rally, that took place two weeks ago, Andrews assured people that only four people from that rally had tested positive, out of almost 30,000 attendees,&nbsp;with no evidence that the virus was transmitted at the protest.

This statement came after it was observed that the two largest outbreaks are from family groups in Keilor Downs and Coburg, which further led to spreading the virus across Melbourne.

The officials are now urging the locals to suspend all family get-togethers till further notice and to not pretend that the pandemic is over "just because they want this to be over, pretend that it is,” he said.

Australia's populated city, Victoria, is warning citizens of a possible second wave, as the number of cases have started rising again in the southern city. The city, along with the whole country, started unlocking its economy, weeks back.

Australia's populated city, Victoria, is warning citizens of a possible second wave, as the number of cases have started rising again in the southern city. The city, along with the whole country, started unlocking its economy, weeks back. However, the officials are now thinking of reimposing a lockdown to contain the rapid spread of the virus. Also read| Don't pretend this is over: Australian state reimposes strict restrictions amid rising COVID cases On Saturday, the state’s leader Daniel Andrews said that the rise in number of new cases might be because of the large family gatherings that the locals have been hosting since the unlock. “We’ve had cases of people gathering in large numbers at their home or another family member’s home … even though they had been told to isolate in their own home. We have even had people who have tested positive and have been told to go home and isolate and instead, they have gone to work. Instead, they have gone and visited loved ones in large numbers,” he said. Further, he announced that for the next three weeks the number of guests allowed in a house would be again reduced from 20 to five, and public gatherings would once again be limited to 10. Also read| Australian state extends state of emergency as coronavirus cases spike Due to this, the state government is now considering making the stay-home advice legally enforceable. “It may be the case in the days ahead ... we may need to, for instance, reinstitute the stay-at-home except for [essential] reasons,” Daniel Andrews said at a press conference. “We all remember that time, it was deeply frustrating but it was very effective … we may need to go back to that setting in given geographical areas," he added. Rubbishing the reports that the virus spread due to a 'Black Lives Matter' rally, that took place two weeks ago, Andrews assured people that only four people from that rally had tested positive, out of almost 30,000 attendees, with no evidence that the virus was transmitted at the protest. This statement came after it was observed that the two largest outbreaks are from family groups in Keilor Downs and Coburg, which further led to spreading the virus across Melbourne. The officials are now urging the locals to suspend all family get-togethers till further notice and to not pretend that the pandemic is over "just because they want this to be over, pretend that it is,” he said.

Family gatherings might cause COVID second wave: Australian officials

It is a popular belief that everything in this world can be used for good, or bad. Well, TikTok, video-sharing social networking service, proved this belief right.

The mobile app, which is usually trolled for its content, has a huge audience all over the world.

Making the best out of that audience, some TikTok users and K-Pop fans decided to start a practical 'prank' on Donald Trump for his recently conducted election rally in Tulsa.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/slow-the-testing-down-please-trumps-solution-to-end-covid-19-307474">Also read| 'Slow the testing down please': Trump's solution to end COVID-19</a>

The planning started after Trump's officials&nbsp;tweeted on urging Americans to use their mobile phone to register for free tickets for his Tulsa campaign rally. So, the&nbsp;K-Pop fans and TikTok users listened to him and booked the ticket.

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WE'REEEE BACKKKKK! 
 
President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> will be in Tulsa, OK on June 19 for a Make America Great Again Rally! 
 
Register for your FREE TICKETS on the "Trump 2020" App or visit the link below. 
 
Text APP to 88022 to download 🇺🇸<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TrumpRallyTulsa?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TrumpRallyTulsa</a> <a href="https://t.co/ysjEZqHUTM">https://t.co/ysjEZqHUTM</a>
— Team Trump (#TulsaTrumpRally) (@TeamTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/TeamTrump/status/1271205174611259393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The K-Pop fans shared information about this on TikTok and encouraged their fans to get tickets and then not show up for the rally.

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<blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@maryjolaupp/video/6837311838640803078" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="6837311838640803078" style="max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;">
<section><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@maryjolaupp" target="_blank" title="@maryjolaupp">@maryjolaupp</a>

Did you know you can make sure there are empty seats at Trump’s rally? <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/blm" target="_blank" title="blm">##BLM</a>.
<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-6837311813093165829" target="_blank" title="♬ original sound - maryjolaupp">♬ original sound - maryjolaupp</a></section>
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The information spread like wildfire, and more and more people joined in on this 'prank'.

The massive group managed to book hundreds of tickets. When they collectively did not show up for the rally, more than hundreds seats were left empty in the 19,200 capacity auditorium,&nbsp;BOK Center.

The turnout for the rally was under&nbsp;6,200, which was very less than what was expected.

What the TikTok users asked their followers to do was to register for two free tickets for the rally using their mobile numbers, which was the maximum free tickets allowed from one phone, and then message 'STOP' to avoid getting any alerts or spam from the campaign. This, according to the TikTok users, would "leave him there standing alone on the stage".

The campaign officials, however, have dismissed all such reports, claiming it to be rumours and "fake news".

Trump's campaign manager told the local media houses that the office had already identified and removed these phone numbers, treating them as spam. He believes the underwhelming response was due to the "fake news" spread by left-wing supporters and media houses which made people scared of catching coronavirus.

It is a popular belief that everything in this world can be used for good, or bad. Well, TikTok, video-sharing social networking service, proved this belief right.

It is a popular belief that everything in this world can be used for good, or bad. Well, TikTok, video-sharing social networking service, proved this belief right. The mobile app, which is usually trolled for its content, has a huge audience all over the world. Making the best out of that audience, some TikTok users and K-Pop fans decided to start a practical 'prank' on Donald Trump for his recently conducted election rally in Tulsa. Also read| 'Slow the testing down please': Trump's solution to end COVID-19 The planning started after Trump's officials tweeted on urging Americans to use their mobile phone to register for free tickets for his Tulsa campaign rally. So, the K-Pop fans and TikTok users listened to him and booked the ticket. WE'REEEE BACKKKKK! President @realDonaldTrump will be in Tulsa, OK on June 19 for a Make America Great Again Rally! Register for your FREE TICKETS on the "Trump 2020" App or visit the link below. Text APP to 88022 to download 🇺🇸#TrumpRallyTulsa https://t.co/ysjEZqHUTM — Team Trump (#TulsaTrumpRally) (@TeamTrump) June 11, 2020 × The K-Pop fans shared information about this on TikTok and encouraged their fans to get tickets and then not show up for the rally. @maryjolaupp Did you know you can make sure there are empty seats at Trump’s rally? ##BLM. ♬ original sound - maryjolaupp × The information spread like wildfire, and more and more people joined in on this 'prank'. The massive group managed to book hundreds of tickets. When they collectively did not show up for the rally, more than hundreds seats were left empty in the 19,200 capacity auditorium, BOK Center. The turnout for the rally was under 6,200, which was very less than what was expected. What the TikTok users asked their followers to do was to register for two free tickets for the rally using their mobile numbers, which was the maximum free tickets allowed from one phone, and then message 'STOP' to avoid getting any alerts or spam from the campaign. This, according to the TikTok users, would "leave him there standing alone on the stage". The campaign officials, however, have dismissed all such reports, claiming it to be rumours and "fake news". Trump's campaign manager told the local media houses that the office had already identified and removed these phone numbers, treating them as spam. He believes the underwhelming response was due to the "fake news" spread by left-wing supporters and media houses which made people scared of catching coronavirus.

K-Pop fans and TikTok users played Trump; hundreds of seats remain empty in Tulsa rally

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