China's biggest ride-hailing firm Didi Global Inc said on Sunday removal of its 'DiDi Chuxing' app from smartphone app stores in China is expected to have an adverse impact on its revenue in China. 
 
Earlier on Sunday, China's cyberspace regulator ordered app stores to stop offering Didi's app after finding that the company had illegally collected users' personal data. 
 
"The company expects that the app takedown may have an adverse impact on its revenue in China," the company said in a statement. 
 
In its filing&nbsp;from June, Didi reported revenue of about 42.2 billion yuan ($6.52 billion) for the three months ended March 31. Of that, 39.2 billion yuan came from China mobility division while about 800 million yuan came from international business. 
 
Didi has a dominant position in the online ride-hailing business in China and operates in 4,000 locations across 16 countries. 
 
Didi said it will strive to rectify any problems, and will protect users' privacy and data security. 
 
The company also said once the app is taken down from app stores, new users will no longer be able to download the app in China, although existing users, who had installed the app prior to the takedown may continue using it. 
 
The takedown comes days after Didi made its trading debut on New York Stock Exchange having raised $4.4 billion in an initial public offering. 
 
A senior Didi executive said on Saturday company stores all China user and roads data at servers in the country and it is 'absolutely not possible' that it passed data to the United States. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

China's biggest ride-hailing firm Didi Global Inc said on Sunday removal of its 'DiDi Chuxing' app from smartphone app stores in China is expected to have an adverse impact on its revenue in China.

China's biggest ride-hailing firm Didi Global Inc said on Sunday removal of its 'DiDi Chuxing' app from smartphone app stores in China is expected to have an adverse impact on its revenue in China. Earlier on Sunday, China's cyberspace regulator ordered app stores to stop offering Didi's app after finding that the company had illegally collected users' personal data. "The company expects that the app takedown may have an adverse impact on its revenue in China," the company said in a statement. In its filing from June, Didi reported revenue of about 42.2 billion yuan ($6.52 billion) for the three months ended March 31. Of that, 39.2 billion yuan came from China mobility division while about 800 million yuan came from international business. Didi has a dominant position in the online ride-hailing business in China and operates in 4,000 locations across 16 countries. Didi said it will strive to rectify any problems, and will protect users' privacy and data security. The company also said once the app is taken down from app stores, new users will no longer be able to download the app in China, although existing users, who had installed the app prior to the takedown may continue using it. The takedown comes days after Didi made its trading debut on New York Stock Exchange having raised $4.4 billion in an initial public offering. A senior Didi executive said on Saturday company stores all China user and roads data at servers in the country and it is 'absolutely not possible' that it passed data to the United States. (With inputs from agencies)

Ride hailing firm Didi says app takedown may adversely impact revenue in China

As China's global stature has grown, many expected that its weapons exports would reflect its place on the world stage. Yet after decades of trying, that simply hasn't happened.

Last month's confrontation with the Philippines, where Chinese naval vessels entered Philippine waters without authorisation, may indicate the crux of the problem and this failure may well illustrate a key weakness for China. Essentially, few want to partner up with Beijing, reported Foreign Policy.

Richard Aboulafia, writing in Foreign Policy said that snazzy weapons mean a lot less if you don't have friends and this is why the world doesn't want Beijing's fighter jets.

China has made great strides in improving its state-owned aerospace technology base, particularly in the military realm. It has made aircraft like J-10, J-10C, FC-31, etc. For decades, China's growth as a combat aircraft export power has seemed inevitable.

In April 1997, Interavia, a once-influential trade journal, predicted, 'China Poised to Overtake Russia' and Beijing would 'well outstrip Russia in a decade or so as the combat aircraft provider to the developing world'. Nine years later, Aviation Week &amp; Space Technology opined that 'China may emerge as the bargain-basement provider of combat aircraft packages for the export market,' reported Foreign Policy. The numbers clearly show that nothing of the sort happened, wrote Aboulafia.

Between 2000 and 2020, China exported just USD 7.2 billion worth of military aircraft, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute arms transfers database.

Meanwhile, the United States stayed safely on top, exporting USD 99.6 billion, and Russia stayed in the second slot at USD 61.5 billion. Even France's aircraft exports doubled China's, at USD 14.7 billion. And there were few signs of upward momentum for China, reported Foreign Policy.

Chinese fighters also didn't break out of their relatively small core market. In the 1990s, their biggest customers were Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, North Korea, and a few African countries. That remains on the list today.

A Center for Strategic and International Studies report points out that, since 2010, 63.4 per cent of China's conventional weapons sales have gone to Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, reported Foreign Policy.

The best explanation for this failure is China's foreign policy. The Philippines is a perfect illustration of why China's fighter export ambitions have stalled, says Aboulafia.

For five years, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has tried to steer the country away from the United States and towards China. Also, until a few years ago, the country had never purchased a new fighter jet, the limited defence budget could only afford hand-me-down jets from the United States.

The Philippines is cash-strapped, non-aligned, and eager to assert a pro-China path: the perfect recipe for a Chinese combat aircraft export market breakthrough in a key regional nation explained Aboulafia. But, then also China couldn't sell any of its aircraft.

Last month, tensions between the two countries in the South China Sea heated up to a simmer, with Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin Jr&nbsp;tweeting, "You're like an ugly oaf forcing your attentions on a handsome guy who wants to be a friend; not to father a Chinese province."

The Philippines has instead found another path for its combat aircraft needs. In 2015, it took its first Korea Aerospace Industries FA-50s. It isn't just the Philippines. China's other neighbours don't like China, with predictable ramifications for the fighter sales business.

As China's global stature has grown, many expected that its weapons exports would reflect its place on the world stage. Yet after decades of trying, that simply hasn't happened.

As China's global stature has grown, many expected that its weapons exports would reflect its place on the world stage. Yet after decades of trying, that simply hasn't happened. Last month's confrontation with the Philippines, where Chinese naval vessels entered Philippine waters without authorisation, may indicate the crux of the problem and this failure may well illustrate a key weakness for China. Essentially, few want to partner up with Beijing, reported Foreign Policy. Richard Aboulafia, writing in Foreign Policy said that snazzy weapons mean a lot less if you don't have friends and this is why the world doesn't want Beijing's fighter jets. China has made great strides in improving its state-owned aerospace technology base, particularly in the military realm. It has made aircraft like J-10, J-10C, FC-31, etc. For decades, China's growth as a combat aircraft export power has seemed inevitable. In April 1997, Interavia, a once-influential trade journal, predicted, 'China Poised to Overtake Russia' and Beijing would 'well outstrip Russia in a decade or so as the combat aircraft provider to the developing world'. Nine years later, Aviation Week & Space Technology opined that 'China may emerge as the bargain-basement provider of combat aircraft packages for the export market,' reported Foreign Policy. The numbers clearly show that nothing of the sort happened, wrote Aboulafia. Between 2000 and 2020, China exported just USD 7.2 billion worth of military aircraft, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute arms transfers database. Meanwhile, the United States stayed safely on top, exporting USD 99.6 billion, and Russia stayed in the second slot at USD 61.5 billion. Even France's aircraft exports doubled China's, at USD 14.7 billion. And there were few signs of upward momentum for China, reported Foreign Policy. Chinese fighters also didn't break out of their relatively small core market. In the 1990s, their biggest customers were Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, North Korea, and a few African countries. That remains on the list today. A Center for Strategic and International Studies report points out that, since 2010, 63.4 per cent of China's conventional weapons sales have gone to Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, reported Foreign Policy. The best explanation for this failure is China's foreign policy. The Philippines is a perfect illustration of why China's fighter export ambitions have stalled, says Aboulafia. For five years, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has tried to steer the country away from the United States and towards China. Also, until a few years ago, the country had never purchased a new fighter jet, the limited defence budget could only afford hand-me-down jets from the United States. The Philippines is cash-strapped, non-aligned, and eager to assert a pro-China path: the perfect recipe for a Chinese combat aircraft export market breakthrough in a key regional nation explained Aboulafia. But, then also China couldn't sell any of its aircraft. Last month, tensions between the two countries in the South China Sea heated up to a simmer, with Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin Jr tweeting, "You're like an ugly oaf forcing your attentions on a handsome guy who wants to be a friend; not to father a Chinese province." The Philippines has instead found another path for its combat aircraft needs. In 2015, it took its first Korea Aerospace Industries FA-50s. It isn't just the Philippines. China's other neighbours don't like China, with predictable ramifications for the fighter sales business.

China fails to sell its fighter jets due to strained ties with other countries

Police arrested Javier Tarazona, director of Venezuelan human rights non-governmental group FundaRedes, two days after he held a news conference in Caracas alleging links between members of the government and illegal armed groups from Colombia. 
 
He and three others were detained on Friday in the northwestern state of Falcon. 
 
Tarazona and three others were detained after reporting on Friday morning to the state's prosecutor that their team had been harassed by intelligence service officials and unidentified armed men had been waiting for him at the door of his hotel, the organisation said on its Twitter account. 
 
"We demand that the integrity and life of these four people be respected, as well as the integrity and life of FundaRedes activists and volunteers," said Clara Ramirez, FundaRedes' documentation and human rights coordinator. 
 
"It is alarming that the Venezuelan state maintains a policy of intimidation, threat and harassment against human rights defenders," she said. 
 
FundaRedes has been the most active entity documenting and denouncing abuses by Colombian armed groups in border areas and their illegal trafficking and mining activities. 
 
The group was the first organisation in March to denounce fighting between the Venezuelan military and dissident groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia guerrillas, which departed from peace accords signed in 2016, in remote parts of the Apure state on the border with Colombia. 
 
The group also denounced extrajudicial executions of civilians at the hands of Venezuelan police forces and the displacement of hundreds of inhabitants of Apure in search of refuge in Colombian territory. 
 
This week, Tarazona was at the headquarters of the prosecutor's office in Caracas, to request that the alleged links between government officials and irregular armed be investigated. 
 
Venezuela's information ministry and prosecutor's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Police arrested Javier Tarazona, director of Venezuelan human rights non-governmental group FundaRedes, two days after he held a news conference in Caracas alleging links between members of the government and illegal armed groups from Colombia.

Police arrested Javier Tarazona, director of Venezuelan human rights non-governmental group FundaRedes, two days after he held a news conference in Caracas alleging links between members of the government and illegal armed groups from Colombia. He and three others were detained on Friday in the northwestern state of Falcon. Tarazona and three others were detained after reporting on Friday morning to the state's prosecutor that their team had been harassed by intelligence service officials and unidentified armed men had been waiting for him at the door of his hotel, the organisation said on its Twitter account. "We demand that the integrity and life of these four people be respected, as well as the integrity and life of FundaRedes activists and volunteers," said Clara Ramirez, FundaRedes' documentation and human rights coordinator. "It is alarming that the Venezuelan state maintains a policy of intimidation, threat and harassment against human rights defenders," she said. FundaRedes has been the most active entity documenting and denouncing abuses by Colombian armed groups in border areas and their illegal trafficking and mining activities. The group was the first organisation in March to denounce fighting between the Venezuelan military and dissident groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia guerrillas, which departed from peace accords signed in 2016, in remote parts of the Apure state on the border with Colombia. The group also denounced extrajudicial executions of civilians at the hands of Venezuelan police forces and the displacement of hundreds of inhabitants of Apure in search of refuge in Colombian territory. This week, Tarazona was at the headquarters of the prosecutor's office in Caracas, to request that the alleged links between government officials and irregular armed be investigated. Venezuela's information ministry and prosecutor's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (With inputs from agencies)

Venezuelan police detain head of human rights group

Amazon.com Inc plans to award incoming Chief Executive Andy Jassy more than $200 million in extra stock, which will pay out over 10 years, the company said in a regulatory filing on Friday. 
 
Amazon will record the grant of 61,000 shares on July 5, the filing said. That's the date Jassy succeeds Jeff Bezos in the online retailer's first CEO transition since its founding in 1994. As of Friday's close, those shares are worth about $214 million. 
 
The award's exact value will depend on how the shares are trading when they pay out in future years, encouraging Jassy to grow a company that's worth $1.77 trillion today. Though Amazon did not disclose the vesting schedule, its previous stock grants have not vested right away. 
 
Jassy's base salary has been $175,000, filings show. On top of that, he has $45.3 million in previously awarded stock that is vesting this year and had $41.5 million vest in 2020. 
 
The annual median pay at Amazon was $29,007 last year across full, part-time and temporary employees worldwide, excluding Bezos, whose base salary was $81,840. The founder's outsized stake in Amazon has made him the richest person in the world. 
 
Jassy's vested equity was still smaller than payouts to rival CEOs in the technology industry. Microsoft Corp's Satya Nadella had $215 million in stock vest for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, on top of a base salary of $2.5 million, for instance. Apple Inc's Tim Cook had $281.9 million in stock vest, according to its 2021 proxy. 
 
Some governance experts have criticised such pay schemes because they reward executives irrespective of whether they achieve corporate milestones. Stock grants can be more appropriate for startups than for established companies like Amazon, said, John C&nbsp;Coffee Jr, director of the Center on Corporate Governance at Columbia Law School. 
 
“It is rewarding compensation a little prematurely,” Coffee said. “It’s like winning the prize for the race before the race is won.” 
 
Amazon plans to stop its prior biannual stock grants to Jassy, aiming for the latest award to account for most of his compensation in the coming years, a person familiar with the matter said. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Amazon.com Inc plans to award incoming Chief Executive Andy Jassy more than $200 million in extra stock, which will pay out over 10 years, the company said in a regulatory filing on Friday.

Amazon.com Inc plans to award incoming Chief Executive Andy Jassy more than $200 million in extra stock, which will pay out over 10 years, the company said in a regulatory filing on Friday. Amazon will record the grant of 61,000 shares on July 5, the filing said. That's the date Jassy succeeds Jeff Bezos in the online retailer's first CEO transition since its founding in 1994. As of Friday's close, those shares are worth about $214 million. The award's exact value will depend on how the shares are trading when they pay out in future years, encouraging Jassy to grow a company that's worth $1.77 trillion today. Though Amazon did not disclose the vesting schedule, its previous stock grants have not vested right away. Jassy's base salary has been $175,000, filings show. On top of that, he has $45.3 million in previously awarded stock that is vesting this year and had $41.5 million vest in 2020. The annual median pay at Amazon was $29,007 last year across full, part-time and temporary employees worldwide, excluding Bezos, whose base salary was $81,840. The founder's outsized stake in Amazon has made him the richest person in the world. Jassy's vested equity was still smaller than payouts to rival CEOs in the technology industry. Microsoft Corp's Satya Nadella had $215 million in stock vest for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, on top of a base salary of $2.5 million, for instance. Apple Inc's Tim Cook had $281.9 million in stock vest, according to its 2021 proxy. Some governance experts have criticised such pay schemes because they reward executives irrespective of whether they achieve corporate milestones. Stock grants can be more appropriate for startups than for established companies like Amazon, said, John C Coffee Jr, director of the Center on Corporate Governance at Columbia Law School. “It is rewarding compensation a little prematurely,” Coffee said. “It’s like winning the prize for the race before the race is won.” Amazon plans to stop its prior biannual stock grants to Jassy, aiming for the latest award to account for most of his compensation in the coming years, a person familiar with the matter said. (With inputs from agencies)

Amazon to grant new CEO Jassy over $200 million in stock

The US&nbsp;House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee will resume work later this month on Democratic-led legislation intended to boost competitiveness with China and push Beijing on human rights, after two days of debate on the measure. 
 
A spokesman said on Friday, the panel would consider its consideration of the Ensuring American Global Leadership and Engagement Act, or Eagle Act, on July 12 after marathon discussion of the measure on Wednesday and Thursday, but no vote. 
 
The desire for a hard line in dealings with China is one of the few truly bipartisan sentiments in the deeply divided US&nbsp;Congress, which is narrowly controlled by President Joe Biden's fellow Democrats. 
 
However, the two parties disagree on how best to deal with Beijing. While the Senate passed sweeping legislation with bipartisan support in early June, the full House has yet to finalise or vote on a comprehensive bill. 
 
During the marathon discussion of the Eagle Act, which ended well after midnight on Wednesday and then stretched into Thursday evening, members of the Foreign Affairs panel offered about 100 amendments to the legislation, which was written by the committee's Democratic chairman, Representative Gregory Meeks. 
 
Among other things, committee Republicans, who said before the meeting they would not support the bill, objected to provisions authorising funding for climate initiatives. They also said it was too much of a 'messaging bill',&nbsp;focused more on ordering reports than changing policy, a criticism Democrats dispute. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee will resume work later this month on Democratic-led legislation intended to boost competitiveness with China and push Beijing on human rights, after two days of debate on the measure.

The US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee will resume work later this month on Democratic-led legislation intended to boost competitiveness with China and push Beijing on human rights, after two days of debate on the measure. A spokesman said on Friday, the panel would consider its consideration of the Ensuring American Global Leadership and Engagement Act, or Eagle Act, on July 12 after marathon discussion of the measure on Wednesday and Thursday, but no vote. The desire for a hard line in dealings with China is one of the few truly bipartisan sentiments in the deeply divided US Congress, which is narrowly controlled by President Joe Biden's fellow Democrats. However, the two parties disagree on how best to deal with Beijing. While the Senate passed sweeping legislation with bipartisan support in early June, the full House has yet to finalise or vote on a comprehensive bill. During the marathon discussion of the Eagle Act, which ended well after midnight on Wednesday and then stretched into Thursday evening, members of the Foreign Affairs panel offered about 100 amendments to the legislation, which was written by the committee's Democratic chairman, Representative Gregory Meeks. Among other things, committee Republicans, who said before the meeting they would not support the bill, objected to provisions authorising funding for climate initiatives. They also said it was too much of a 'messaging bill', focused more on ordering reports than changing policy, a criticism Democrats dispute. (With inputs from agencies)

China bill delayed in US House amid partisan wrangling

The Biden administration is exploring having three Central Asian countries temporarily take in thousands of Afghans who worked with US&nbsp;forces and face threats from the Taliban now that American troops are withdrawing after 20 years, three sources familiar with the matter said on Friday. 
 
They said Washington is in talks with Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan about letting in the at-risk Afghan citizens. Two of the sources were US&nbsp;officials and all requested anonymity. 
 
The three sources said an agreement did not appear imminent with any of the countries. 
 
The decision to move at-risk Afghans risks inflaming a sense of crisis in Afghanistan, as fighting between US-backed Afghan forces and the Taliban has surged in recent weeks, with the militants gaining control of large amounts of territory. 
 
Thousands of Afghan translators and interpreters face threats from the Taliban after working for two decades alongside the US&nbsp;military. 
 
The United States announced plans last week to seek refuge for thousands of vulnerable Afghans in countries outside Afghanistan so their US&nbsp;visa applications could be processed from safety, but Washington did not specify where they would go. 
 
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki provided no further details on Friday. 
 
"One of the reasons that I'm not going to get into security details about what third country they might go to, and how many, is exactly for that reason, but certainly our timeline is to relocate these individuals to a location outside of Afghanistan before we complete our military drawdown," Psaki said.

President Joe Biden has said those who helped the United States will not be left behind, and on Thursday, a senior Republican lawmaker said plans to evacuate at-risk Afghans will include their family members for a total of as many as 50,000 people.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Biden administration is exploring having three Central Asian countries temporarily take in thousands of Afghans who worked with US forces and face threats from the Taliban now that American troops are withdrawing after 20 years, three sources familiar with the matter said on Friday.

The Biden administration is exploring having three Central Asian countries temporarily take in thousands of Afghans who worked with US forces and face threats from the Taliban now that American troops are withdrawing after 20 years, three sources familiar with the matter said on Friday. They said Washington is in talks with Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan about letting in the at-risk Afghan citizens. Two of the sources were US officials and all requested anonymity. The three sources said an agreement did not appear imminent with any of the countries. The decision to move at-risk Afghans risks inflaming a sense of crisis in Afghanistan, as fighting between US-backed Afghan forces and the Taliban has surged in recent weeks, with the militants gaining control of large amounts of territory. Thousands of Afghan translators and interpreters face threats from the Taliban after working for two decades alongside the US military. The United States announced plans last week to seek refuge for thousands of vulnerable Afghans in countries outside Afghanistan so their US visa applications could be processed from safety, but Washington did not specify where they would go. White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki provided no further details on Friday. "One of the reasons that I'm not going to get into security details about what third country they might go to, and how many, is exactly for that reason, but certainly our timeline is to relocate these individuals to a location outside of Afghanistan before we complete our military drawdown," Psaki said. President Joe Biden has said those who helped the United States will not be left behind, and on Thursday, a senior Republican lawmaker said plans to evacuate at-risk Afghans will include their family members for a total of as many as 50,000 people. (With inputs from agencies)

US looks into having 3 Central Asian states take in at-risk Afghans: Sources

OPEC+ will resume talks on Monday after failing to reach a deal on oil output policy for a second day running on Friday because the United Arab Emirates blocked some aspects of the pact. 
 
The standoff could delay plans to pump more oil through to the end of the year to cool oil prices that have soared to 2-1/2 year highs. 
 
Without a deal, the OPEC+ alliance could keep tighter restraints on output with oil prices now trading around $75 a barrel, more than 40% up this year. Consumers want more crude to aid a global recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. 
 
The rise in oil prices is contributing to global inflation, slowing the economic recovery from the coronavirus crisis. 
 
OPEC+, which groups the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia and their allies, voted on Friday to increase output by around 2 million barrels per day (bpd) from August to December 2021 and to extend remaining cuts to the end of 2022, instead of ending in April 2022, OPEC+ sources said. 
 
The UAE agreed to releasing more oil into the market but refused to support the extension of the cuts. 
 
Talks resume on Monday, OPEC+ said in a statement. 
 
Responding to oil demand destruction caused by the COVID crisis, OPEC+ agreed last year to cut output by almost 10 million bpd from May 2020, with plans to phase out the curbs by the end of April 2022. Cuts now stand at about 5.8 million bpd. 
 
If the UAE blocks a deal, the remaining cuts would likely stay in place, although there is a slim chance the pact could fall apart and all countries could pump as much as they wanted. 
 
Alternatively, the group could agree to increase output to the end of 2021 but postpone discussion about extending the deal beyond April 2022. OPEC+ sources said UAE had proposed this. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

OPEC+ will resume talks on Monday after failing to reach a deal on oil output policy for a second day running on Friday because the United Arab Emirates blocked some aspects of the pact.

OPEC+ will resume talks on Monday after failing to reach a deal on oil output policy for a second day running on Friday because the United Arab Emirates blocked some aspects of the pact. The standoff could delay plans to pump more oil through to the end of the year to cool oil prices that have soared to 2-1/2 year highs. Without a deal, the OPEC+ alliance could keep tighter restraints on output with oil prices now trading around $75 a barrel, more than 40% up this year. Consumers want more crude to aid a global recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The rise in oil prices is contributing to global inflation, slowing the economic recovery from the coronavirus crisis. OPEC+, which groups the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia and their allies, voted on Friday to increase output by around 2 million barrels per day (bpd) from August to December 2021 and to extend remaining cuts to the end of 2022, instead of ending in April 2022, OPEC+ sources said. The UAE agreed to releasing more oil into the market but refused to support the extension of the cuts. Talks resume on Monday, OPEC+ said in a statement. Responding to oil demand destruction caused by the COVID crisis, OPEC+ agreed last year to cut output by almost 10 million bpd from May 2020, with plans to phase out the curbs by the end of April 2022. Cuts now stand at about 5.8 million bpd. If the UAE blocks a deal, the remaining cuts would likely stay in place, although there is a slim chance the pact could fall apart and all countries could pump as much as they wanted. Alternatively, the group could agree to increase output to the end of 2021 but postpone discussion about extending the deal beyond April 2022. OPEC+ sources said UAE had proposed this. (With inputs from agencies)

OPEC+ to resume oil policy talks on Monday after UAE roadblock

Argentina will tweak legislation to help the country receive US&nbsp;donations of COVID-19 vaccinations, senior officials said on Friday, a move that could also help unlock deals that have proved tricky with drugmakers like Pfizer Inc. 
 
A government decree will soften legal clauses around negligence, remove a reference to 'fraudulent maneuvers' and create a fund to compensate people harmed by a vaccine. 
 
The prior language had hampered negotiations with vaccine firms, and the changes could help Argentina step up its vaccine programme as it faces cases and deaths among the highest in the world. 
 
"This regulation will facilitate and favour the possibility of accessing more vaccines," Health Minister Carla Vizzotti said late on Friday, adding it would allow better access via the WHO/Gavi-led COVAX programme and from donations, especially from the United States. 
 
The United States recently announced donations of Pfizer and Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccines to Peru and Colombia respectively. 
 
Argentina, currently facing a second wave of COVID-19, has recorded some 4.5 million cases of the virus and 95,382 deaths. 
 
Its vaccine programme has been largely built around Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, China's Sinopharm and the AstraZeneca vaccine developed with Oxford University. 
 
Vilma Ibarra, legal and technical secretary with the presidency office, said the decree was a 'result of conversations and concessions with the laboratories that supply the vaccines' over legal obstacles. 
 
"We arrived at a text that we understand facilitates and contains the possibility of acquiring vaccines for children and expanding the spectrum of vaccines for the general population," Ibarra said. 
 
Argentine authorities have carried out 21.6 million inoculations with some 4.3 million people having received two doses. The South American county has a population of around 45 million people. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Argentina will tweak legislation to help the country receive US donations of COVID-19 vaccinations, senior officials said on Friday, a move that could also help unlock deals that have proved tricky with drugmakers like Pfizer Inc.

Argentina will tweak legislation to help the country receive US donations of COVID-19 vaccinations, senior officials said on Friday, a move that could also help unlock deals that have proved tricky with drugmakers like Pfizer Inc. A government decree will soften legal clauses around negligence, remove a reference to 'fraudulent maneuvers' and create a fund to compensate people harmed by a vaccine. The prior language had hampered negotiations with vaccine firms, and the changes could help Argentina step up its vaccine programme as it faces cases and deaths among the highest in the world. "This regulation will facilitate and favour the possibility of accessing more vaccines," Health Minister Carla Vizzotti said late on Friday, adding it would allow better access via the WHO/Gavi-led COVAX programme and from donations, especially from the United States. The United States recently announced donations of Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines to Peru and Colombia respectively. Argentina, currently facing a second wave of COVID-19, has recorded some 4.5 million cases of the virus and 95,382 deaths. Its vaccine programme has been largely built around Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, China's Sinopharm and the AstraZeneca vaccine developed with Oxford University. Vilma Ibarra, legal and technical secretary with the presidency office, said the decree was a 'result of conversations and concessions with the laboratories that supply the vaccines' over legal obstacles. "We arrived at a text that we understand facilitates and contains the possibility of acquiring vaccines for children and expanding the spectrum of vaccines for the general population," Ibarra said. Argentine authorities have carried out 21.6 million inoculations with some 4.3 million people having received two doses. The South American county has a population of around 45 million people. (With inputs from agencies)

Argentina opens door to US vaccine donations with legal tweak

American troops pulled out of their main military base in Afghanistan on Friday, leaving behind a piece of the World Trade Center they buried 20 years ago in a country that could descend into civil war without them. 
 
The quiet departure from Bagram Air Base brought an effective end to the longest war in US&nbsp;history. It came as the Taliban insurgency ramps up its offensive throughout the country after peace talks sputtered. 
 
The Pentagon said the turnover of Bagram to Afghan security forces was a 'key milestone' in the withdrawal, but insisted the US&nbsp;military still has the authority to protect Afghan forces. 
 
"Those authorities still exist," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters. He did not give a timeline for when they might end. 
 
President Joe Biden said the troops' departure is on track, but some American forces will still be in Afghanistan in September as part of a 'rational drawdown with allies'. 
 
He called repeated queries from reporters about the withdrawal timeline 'negative' on Friday, ahead of the July 4 US&nbsp;Independence Day holiday weekend. "I want to talk about happy things, man," Biden said. "It's the holiday weekend. I'm going to celebrate it. There's great things happening." 
 
Bagram, an hour's drive north of Kabul, was where the US&nbsp;military coordinated its air war and logistical support for its entire Afghan mission. The Taliban thanked them for leaving. 
 
"We consider this withdrawal a positive step. Afghans can get closer to stability and peace with the full withdrawal of foreign forces," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said. 
 
Other Afghans were more circumspect. "The Americans must leave Afghanistan and there should be peace in this country," said Kabul resident Javed Arman. 
 
But he added: "We are in a difficult situation. Most people have fled their districts and some districts have fallen. Seven districts in Paktia province have fallen and are now under Taliban control." 
 
More than 3,500 international troops were killed in Afghanistan. A Western diplomat in Kabul said Washington and its NATO allies had 'won many battles, but have lost the Afghan war'.

(With inputs from agencies)

American troops pulled out of their main military base in Afghanistan on Friday, leaving behind a piece of the World Trade Center they buried 20 years ago in a country that could descend into civil war without them.

American troops pulled out of their main military base in Afghanistan on Friday, leaving behind a piece of the World Trade Center they buried 20 years ago in a country that could descend into civil war without them. The quiet departure from Bagram Air Base brought an effective end to the longest war in US history. It came as the Taliban insurgency ramps up its offensive throughout the country after peace talks sputtered. The Pentagon said the turnover of Bagram to Afghan security forces was a 'key milestone' in the withdrawal, but insisted the US military still has the authority to protect Afghan forces. "Those authorities still exist," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters. He did not give a timeline for when they might end. President Joe Biden said the troops' departure is on track, but some American forces will still be in Afghanistan in September as part of a 'rational drawdown with allies'. He called repeated queries from reporters about the withdrawal timeline 'negative' on Friday, ahead of the July 4 US Independence Day holiday weekend. "I want to talk about happy things, man," Biden said. "It's the holiday weekend. I'm going to celebrate it. There's great things happening." Bagram, an hour's drive north of Kabul, was where the US military coordinated its air war and logistical support for its entire Afghan mission. The Taliban thanked them for leaving. "We consider this withdrawal a positive step. Afghans can get closer to stability and peace with the full withdrawal of foreign forces," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said. Other Afghans were more circumspect. "The Americans must leave Afghanistan and there should be peace in this country," said Kabul resident Javed Arman. But he added: "We are in a difficult situation. Most people have fled their districts and some districts have fallen. Seven districts in Paktia province have fallen and are now under Taliban control." More than 3,500 international troops were killed in Afghanistan. A Western diplomat in Kabul said Washington and its NATO allies had 'won many battles, but have lost the Afghan war'. (With inputs from agencies)

Era ends, uncertainty looms as US forces quit main Afghanistan base

The US&nbsp;Treasury said on Friday it removed sanctions on three Iranians but said this did not reflect a change in its sanctions policy toward Iran and had nothing to do with talks on restoring US&nbsp;and Iranian compliance with the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. 
 
The Treasury said it had determined Behzad Ferdows, Mehrzad Ferdows and Mohammad Reza Dezfulian are no longer blocked under Executive Order 13382, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their supporters. 
 
The order froze their US&nbsp;assets and barred US&nbsp;persons from dealing with them. All three were also subject to secondary sanctions, meaning non-US&nbsp;persons, who dealt with them risked themselves being sanctioned and cut off from the US&nbsp;market. 
 
Erich Ferrari, an attorney who represented the three in a lawsuit against the Treasury arguing there was 'insufficient basis' for their designation, said 'there was a dismissal of the claims'.&nbsp;He declined to comment further. 
 
A Treasury spokesperson stressed that the US&nbsp;decision to drop the three from its list of Specially Designated Nationals, who are subject to certain US&nbsp;sanctions had nothing to do with indirect talks on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). 
 
"These delistings do not reflect any change in US&nbsp;government sanctions policy towards Iran. They have nothing to do with ongoing JCPOA negotiations in Vienna," the spokesperson said on condition of anonymity. 
 
Iran and the United States have been holding indirect talks in Vienna on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers that imposed restrictions on Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for lifting international sanctions. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The US Treasury said on Friday it removed sanctions on three Iranians but said this did not reflect a change in its sanctions policy toward Iran and had nothing to do with talks on restoring US and Iranian compliance with the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

The US Treasury said on Friday it removed sanctions on three Iranians but said this did not reflect a change in its sanctions policy toward Iran and had nothing to do with talks on restoring US and Iranian compliance with the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The Treasury said it had determined Behzad Ferdows, Mehrzad Ferdows and Mohammad Reza Dezfulian are no longer blocked under Executive Order 13382, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their supporters. The order froze their US assets and barred US persons from dealing with them. All three were also subject to secondary sanctions, meaning non-US persons, who dealt with them risked themselves being sanctioned and cut off from the US market. Erich Ferrari, an attorney who represented the three in a lawsuit against the Treasury arguing there was 'insufficient basis' for their designation, said 'there was a dismissal of the claims'. He declined to comment further. A Treasury spokesperson stressed that the US decision to drop the three from its list of Specially Designated Nationals, who are subject to certain US sanctions had nothing to do with indirect talks on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). "These delistings do not reflect any change in US government sanctions policy towards Iran. They have nothing to do with ongoing JCPOA negotiations in Vienna," the spokesperson said on condition of anonymity. Iran and the United States have been holding indirect talks in Vienna on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers that imposed restrictions on Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for lifting international sanctions. (With inputs from agencies)

US drops sanctions on three Iranians, says move unrelated to nuclear talks

Thousands of South Korean workers staged a rally in downtown Seoul to demand better conditions, video images showed on Saturday, defying a government ban and shrugging off warnings that their protest could ignite a new wave of the coronavirus. 
 
As South Korea battles a spike in infections fuelled by the highly infectious Delta variant, officials had denied permission for the protest, with Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum urging leaders of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions to cancel it. 
 
Marchers wearing masks blocked some of the main streets in the central district of Jongno, holding up signs with slogans such as 'Stop restructuring!' and 'Let's go! General strike!' video from the Yonhap news agency showed. 
 
The protest, which the union said drew as many as 8,000 participants, backed demands for wage hikes and measures to prevent accidents. 
 
But plans for the gathering had provoked concern about a repeat of the events of last summer, after a massive rally traced to a church sparked a second wave of infections nationwide. 
 
However, the union pushed ahead with Saturday's rally after a last-minute change of venue from the financial centre of Yeouido, where police had set up a barricade of buses and checkpoints to deter protesters. 
 
The union has said it is capable of ensuring a safe protest&nbsp;based on strict COVID-19 guidelines, and urged respect for its right to freedom of assembly. 
 
About 80% of South Korea's locally transmitted cases continue to come from the Seoul metropolitan area, home to more than half of the country's population of 52 million. Daily infections hit the highest in nearly six months on Thursday. 
 
Friday's 794 cases reported by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) were slightly lower than the previous day's figure. 
 
"Holding a large protest in the greater Seoul area is an extremely dangerous move that would only add fuel to the flames of COVID-19," Kim had said on Friday, warning that authorities would take all measures necessary to block the demonstration.

Thousands of South Korean workers staged a rally in downtown Seoul to demand better conditions, video images showed on Saturday, defying a government ban and shrugging off warnings that their protest could ignite a new wave of the coronavirus.

Thousands of South Korean workers staged a rally in downtown Seoul to demand better conditions, video images showed on Saturday, defying a government ban and shrugging off warnings that their protest could ignite a new wave of the coronavirus. As South Korea battles a spike in infections fuelled by the highly infectious Delta variant, officials had denied permission for the protest, with Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum urging leaders of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions to cancel it. Marchers wearing masks blocked some of the main streets in the central district of Jongno, holding up signs with slogans such as 'Stop restructuring!' and 'Let's go! General strike!' video from the Yonhap news agency showed. The protest, which the union said drew as many as 8,000 participants, backed demands for wage hikes and measures to prevent accidents. But plans for the gathering had provoked concern about a repeat of the events of last summer, after a massive rally traced to a church sparked a second wave of infections nationwide. However, the union pushed ahead with Saturday's rally after a last-minute change of venue from the financial centre of Yeouido, where police had set up a barricade of buses and checkpoints to deter protesters. The union has said it is capable of ensuring a safe protest based on strict COVID-19 guidelines, and urged respect for its right to freedom of assembly. About 80% of South Korea's locally transmitted cases continue to come from the Seoul metropolitan area, home to more than half of the country's population of 52 million. Daily infections hit the highest in nearly six months on Thursday. Friday's 794 cases reported by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) were slightly lower than the previous day's figure. "Holding a large protest in the greater Seoul area is an extremely dangerous move that would only add fuel to the flames of COVID-19," Kim had said on Friday, warning that authorities would take all measures necessary to block the demonstration.

Thousands of South Korean workers rally in coronavirus-hit Seoul

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged the international community on Saturday to build a 'Great Wall of Immunity' to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. 
 
"We should face the imminent challenges together," Wang, who is also a member of the State Council, or cabinet, told the 9th World Peace Forum held at Tsinghua University in the Chinese capital. 
 
"The most urgent priority is to expedite the construction of the 'Great Wall of Immunity' to fend off the virus, surpass political discrimination and carry out international anti-pandemic cooperation." 
 
China, where the coronavirus first surfaced in the central city of Wuhan in late 2019, has supplied more than 480 million vaccine doses to other nations. 
 
Wang said it would keep working to improve the accessibility and affordability of vaccines in developing countries. 
 
By Friday, China had administered a total of 1.28 billion doses of vaccine.

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged the international community on Saturday to build a 'Great Wall of Immunity' to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. "We should face the imminent challenges together," Wang, who is also a member of the State Council, or cabinet, told the 9th World Peace Forum held at Tsinghua University in the Chinese capital.

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged the international community on Saturday to build a 'Great Wall of Immunity' to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. "We should face the imminent challenges together," Wang, who is also a member of the State Council, or cabinet, told the 9th World Peace Forum held at Tsinghua University in the Chinese capital. "The most urgent priority is to expedite the construction of the 'Great Wall of Immunity' to fend off the virus, surpass political discrimination and carry out international anti-pandemic cooperation." China, where the coronavirus first surfaced in the central city of Wuhan in late 2019, has supplied more than 480 million vaccine doses to other nations. Wang said it would keep working to improve the accessibility and affordability of vaccines in developing countries. By Friday, China had administered a total of 1.28 billion doses of vaccine.

China urges nations to build 'Great Wall of Immunity' against coronavirus

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Gandharv Walia

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