Iran denied on Saturday US&nbsp;accusations that Tehran supported attacks on US&nbsp;forces in Iraq and Syria, and condemned US&nbsp;airstrikes on Iranian-backed militants there, state media reported. 
 
On Tuesday, the United States told the UN&nbsp;Security Council that it targeted Iran-backed militia in Syria and Iraq with airstrikes to deter the militants and Tehran from conducting or supporting further attacks on US&nbsp;personnel or facilities. 
 
But Iran's UN&nbsp;envoy, Majid Takht Ravanchi, said: "Any claim to attribute to Iran... any attack carried out against American personnel or facilities in Iraq is factually wrong and void of the minimum requirements of authenticity and reliability," according to the official news agency IRNA. 
 
Under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, the 15-member Security Council must immediately be informed of any action that states take in self-defence against armed attack. 
 
Washington told the United Nations that the airstrikes hit facilities used by militia blamed for an escalating series of drone and rocket attacks against US&nbsp;forces in Iraq. 
 
But Ravanchi said: "The US&nbsp;argument that such attacks were conducted to deter ...Iran and the so-called Iran-backed militia groups from conducting or supporting further attacks..., has no factual or legal ground, as it is founded on mere fabrication as well as arbitrary interpretation of Article 51." 
 
"The attacks by the United States are conducted in flagrant violation of international law," Ravanchi said in a letter, quoted by IRNA. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Iran denied on Saturday US accusations that Tehran supported attacks on US forces in Iraq and Syria, and condemned US airstrikes on Iranian-backed militants there, state media reported.

Iran denied on Saturday US accusations that Tehran supported attacks on US forces in Iraq and Syria, and condemned US airstrikes on Iranian-backed militants there, state media reported. On Tuesday, the United States told the UN Security Council that it targeted Iran-backed militia in Syria and Iraq with airstrikes to deter the militants and Tehran from conducting or supporting further attacks on US personnel or facilities. But Iran's UN envoy, Majid Takht Ravanchi, said: "Any claim to attribute to Iran... any attack carried out against American personnel or facilities in Iraq is factually wrong and void of the minimum requirements of authenticity and reliability," according to the official news agency IRNA. Under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, the 15-member Security Council must immediately be informed of any action that states take in self-defence against armed attack. Washington told the United Nations that the airstrikes hit facilities used by militia blamed for an escalating series of drone and rocket attacks against US forces in Iraq. But Ravanchi said: "The US argument that such attacks were conducted to deter ...Iran and the so-called Iran-backed militia groups from conducting or supporting further attacks..., has no factual or legal ground, as it is founded on mere fabrication as well as arbitrary interpretation of Article 51." "The attacks by the United States are conducted in flagrant violation of international law," Ravanchi said in a letter, quoted by IRNA. (With inputs from agencies)

Iran denies links to attacks on US forces in Iraq, Syria

China's ride hailing giant Didi Global Inc stores all China user and roads data at servers in the country and it is 'absolutely not possible' that the company passed data to the United States, a senior company executive said on Saturday. 
 
Didi Vice President Li Min also said the company would sue any social media users, who said the company transferred data during its recent initial public offering (IPO) process after claims were made on China's Twitter-like Weibo platform. 
 
China's cyberspace agency announced on Friday it had launched an investigation into Didi to protect national security and the public interest, just two days after the company began trading on the New York Stock Exchange. 
 
News of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) probe, and the agency's decision to block Didi from registering new users during its investigation, knocked 5% off Beijing-based Didi's shares on Friday. 
 
"Like many overseas-listed Chinese companies, Didi stores all domestic user data at servers in China, it is absolutely not possible to pass data to the United States," Li said in a post on Weibo. 
 
Didi, which offers services in China and more than 15 international markets, gathers vast amounts of real-time mobility data every day. It uses some of the data for autonomous driving technologies and traffic analysis. 
 
Founded by Will Cheng in 2012, the company has already faced regulatory probes in China over safety and its operations licence.

The cyberspace agency did not give any indication of how the long the investigation would last or provide any other details. 
 
Didi said on Friday, it planned to conduct a comprehensive examination of cybersecurity risks and would cooperate fully with the relevant government authority. It also said apart from the suspension of new user registrations in China, it was operating normally. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

China's ride hailing giant Didi Global Inc stores all China user and roads data at servers in the country and it is 'absolutely not possible' that the company passed data to the United States, a senior company executive said on Saturday.

China's ride hailing giant Didi Global Inc stores all China user and roads data at servers in the country and it is 'absolutely not possible' that the company passed data to the United States, a senior company executive said on Saturday. Didi Vice President Li Min also said the company would sue any social media users, who said the company transferred data during its recent initial public offering (IPO) process after claims were made on China's Twitter-like Weibo platform. China's cyberspace agency announced on Friday it had launched an investigation into Didi to protect national security and the public interest, just two days after the company began trading on the New York Stock Exchange. News of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) probe, and the agency's decision to block Didi from registering new users during its investigation, knocked 5% off Beijing-based Didi's shares on Friday. "Like many overseas-listed Chinese companies, Didi stores all domestic user data at servers in China, it is absolutely not possible to pass data to the United States," Li said in a post on Weibo. Didi, which offers services in China and more than 15 international markets, gathers vast amounts of real-time mobility data every day. It uses some of the data for autonomous driving technologies and traffic analysis. Founded by Will Cheng in 2012, the company has already faced regulatory probes in China over safety and its operations licence. The cyberspace agency did not give any indication of how the long the investigation would last or provide any other details. Didi said on Friday, it planned to conduct a comprehensive examination of cybersecurity risks and would cooperate fully with the relevant government authority. It also said apart from the suspension of new user registrations in China, it was operating normally. (With inputs from agencies)

Didi says stores all user and roads data at servers in China

Japan's military sent emergency rescuers to the central city of Atami on Saturday after landslides triggered by heavy rains left at least 20 people missing, public broadcaster NHK said. 
 
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has called together an emergency task force to tackle the crisis, NHK added, as it broadcast Twitter footage of floods that destroyed homes swept away debris. 
 
Social media images showed partially submerged cars and rescue workers wading through waist-high water with a small life raft. 
 
The rainfall deluging the city since Friday has already exceeded average July levels for the prefectures of Shizuoka, where Atami is located, and neighbouring Kanagawa, NHK said.

Japan's military sent emergency rescuers to the central city of Atami on Saturday after landslides triggered by heavy rains left at least 20 people missing, public broadcaster NHK said.

Japan's military sent emergency rescuers to the central city of Atami on Saturday after landslides triggered by heavy rains left at least 20 people missing, public broadcaster NHK said. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has called together an emergency task force to tackle the crisis, NHK added, as it broadcast Twitter footage of floods that destroyed homes swept away debris. Social media images showed partially submerged cars and rescue workers wading through waist-high water with a small life raft. The rainfall deluging the city since Friday has already exceeded average July levels for the prefectures of Shizuoka, where Atami is located, and neighbouring Kanagawa, NHK said.

Torrential rains in Japan unleash landslides, 20 missing: Report

Protesters burned mock coffins and pictures of Myanmar's army ruler Min Aung Hlaing on Saturday in the latest demonstrations against the coup over five months ago that has plunged the Southeast Asian country into chaos. 
 
'May you not rest in peace' and 'may your birthday and deathday be the same',&nbsp;read the messages on funeral wreaths in Theinzayet township in eastern Mon state. Similar protests took place in many parts of Myanmar, reported Reuters. 
 
"We are burning this as a curse," said one protester in the second city of Mandalay, setting ablaze a small pile of picture of the general, 65. 
 
A spokesman for the military authorities did not respond to requests for comment. 
 
Min Aung Hlaing took power on February&nbsp;1, overthrowing elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and cutting short a decade of democratic reforms that had brought Myanmar out of isolation under previous juntas. 
 
Min Aung Hlaing had been due to retire after his 65th birthday, but the compulsory retirement age was scrapped after the coup.

The army says its assumption of powers was in line with the constitution. It alleged fraud in November elections swept by Suu Kyi's party, although the accusations were dismissed by the former electoral body. 
 
The junta has struggled to impose its authority. 
 
Protests take place in many parts of Myanmar almost daily, strikes have hurt official and private business and fighting has flared in the borderlands, sending some 200,000 people fleeing from their homes. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Protesters burned mock coffins and pictures of Myanmar's army ruler Min Aung Hlaing on Saturday in the latest demonstrations against the coup over five months ago that has plunged the Southeast Asian country into chaos.

Protesters burned mock coffins and pictures of Myanmar's army ruler Min Aung Hlaing on Saturday in the latest demonstrations against the coup over five months ago that has plunged the Southeast Asian country into chaos. 'May you not rest in peace' and 'may your birthday and deathday be the same', read the messages on funeral wreaths in Theinzayet township in eastern Mon state. Similar protests took place in many parts of Myanmar, reported Reuters. "We are burning this as a curse," said one protester in the second city of Mandalay, setting ablaze a small pile of picture of the general, 65. A spokesman for the military authorities did not respond to requests for comment. Min Aung Hlaing took power on February 1, overthrowing elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and cutting short a decade of democratic reforms that had brought Myanmar out of isolation under previous juntas. Min Aung Hlaing had been due to retire after his 65th birthday, but the compulsory retirement age was scrapped after the coup. The army says its assumption of powers was in line with the constitution. It alleged fraud in November elections swept by Suu Kyi's party, although the accusations were dismissed by the former electoral body. The junta has struggled to impose its authority. Protests take place in many parts of Myanmar almost daily, strikes have hurt official and private business and fighting has flared in the borderlands, sending some 200,000 people fleeing from their homes. (With inputs from agencies)

Myanmar protesters burn junta leader's images on his birthday

Alphabet Inc's Google on Wednesday announced measures to clamp down on financial fraud on its platform in Britain, saying it will require all financial services to be verified by the regulator before they are allowed to advertise. 
 
Google said in a blog post, it will begin enforcing the new policy, which follows calls from the Financial Conduct Authority for the US&nbsp;tech giant to vet paid promotions, from September&nbsp;6. 
 
The FCA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 
 
The watchdog issued 1,200 consumer warnings last year about scams advertised via social media platforms by fake companies, double the amount in 2019. 
 
FCA Chief Executive Nikhil Rathi said last year, Google should make checks with regulators to see whether potential advertisers had already been shut down in some other guise, before promotions are posted online. 
 
Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey has also been lobbying the government to introduce a legal requirement for internet giants to take down financial fraud websites, according to a March report in the Sunday Times. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Alphabet Inc's Google on Wednesday announced measures to clamp down on financial fraud on its platform in Britain, saying it will require all financial services to be verified by the regulator before they are allowed to advertise.

Alphabet Inc's Google on Wednesday announced measures to clamp down on financial fraud on its platform in Britain, saying it will require all financial services to be verified by the regulator before they are allowed to advertise. Google said in a blog post, it will begin enforcing the new policy, which follows calls from the Financial Conduct Authority for the US tech giant to vet paid promotions, from September 6. The FCA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The watchdog issued 1,200 consumer warnings last year about scams advertised via social media platforms by fake companies, double the amount in 2019. FCA Chief Executive Nikhil Rathi said last year, Google should make checks with regulators to see whether potential advertisers had already been shut down in some other guise, before promotions are posted online. Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey has also been lobbying the government to introduce a legal requirement for internet giants to take down financial fraud websites, according to a March report in the Sunday Times. (With inputs from agencies)

Google to introduce measures to curb online financial scams in UK

Hong Kong authorities have used a new national security law to target dissent and justify 'censorship, harassment, arrests and prosecutions that violate human rights', Amnesty International said on Wednesday, a year after the law was implemented. 
 
Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law in June last year that sets out punishment for anything it deems as subversion, secession, colluding with foreign forces and terrorism with up to life in prison, setting the city on a more authoritarian path. 
 
Authorities have said the law would affect an 'extremely small minority' of people and that it had restored stability after months of often-violent protests in 2019. They have said rights and freedoms in the former British colony remain protected but they are not absolute. 
 
Most high-profile democratic politicians and activists have been arrested under the new law or for protest-related charges, or are in self-exile.

"In one year, the National Security Law has put Hong Kong on a rapid path to becoming a police state and created a human rights emergency for the people living there," said Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific Regional Director Yamini Mishra. 
 
"Ultimately, this sweeping and repressive legislation threatens to make the city a human rights wasteland increasingly resembling mainland China." 
 
The Hong Kong government did not immediately respond to requests for comment. 
 
Authorities have said all arrests have been lawful and no one was above the law, regardless of their occupation. 
 
In its 47-page report, the international human rights group cited analysis of court judgements, court hearing notes and interviews with activists, concluding the legislation has been used 'to carry out a wide range of human rights violations'. 
 
Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997 with the promise of a high degree of autonomy from Beijing and that wide-ranging rights and freedoms would be protected for at least 50 years. 
 
Mishra said the law "has infected every part of Hong Kong society and fomented a climate of fear that forces residents to think twice about what they say, what they tweet and how they live their lives". 
 
More than 100 people were arrested and more than 60 charged in the first year under the security law, according to a tally by Reuters. 
 
"Hong Kong's NSL has been used as a false pretext to curb dissent," the rights group said, referring to the security law. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Hong Kong authorities have used a new national security law to target dissent and justify 'censorship, harassment, arrests and prosecutions that violate human rights', Amnesty International said on Wednesday, a year after the law was implemented.

Hong Kong authorities have used a new national security law to target dissent and justify 'censorship, harassment, arrests and prosecutions that violate human rights', Amnesty International said on Wednesday, a year after the law was implemented. Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law in June last year that sets out punishment for anything it deems as subversion, secession, colluding with foreign forces and terrorism with up to life in prison, setting the city on a more authoritarian path. Authorities have said the law would affect an 'extremely small minority' of people and that it had restored stability after months of often-violent protests in 2019. They have said rights and freedoms in the former British colony remain protected but they are not absolute. Most high-profile democratic politicians and activists have been arrested under the new law or for protest-related charges, or are in self-exile. "In one year, the National Security Law has put Hong Kong on a rapid path to becoming a police state and created a human rights emergency for the people living there," said Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific Regional Director Yamini Mishra. "Ultimately, this sweeping and repressive legislation threatens to make the city a human rights wasteland increasingly resembling mainland China." The Hong Kong government did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Authorities have said all arrests have been lawful and no one was above the law, regardless of their occupation. In its 47-page report, the international human rights group cited analysis of court judgements, court hearing notes and interviews with activists, concluding the legislation has been used 'to carry out a wide range of human rights violations'. Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997 with the promise of a high degree of autonomy from Beijing and that wide-ranging rights and freedoms would be protected for at least 50 years. Mishra said the law "has infected every part of Hong Kong society and fomented a climate of fear that forces residents to think twice about what they say, what they tweet and how they live their lives". More than 100 people were arrested and more than 60 charged in the first year under the security law, according to a tally by Reuters. "Hong Kong's NSL has been used as a false pretext to curb dissent," the rights group said, referring to the security law. (With inputs from agencies)

Hong Kong security law is 'a human rights emergency': Amnesty

A&nbsp;proposal, which is considering allowing women to have multiple husbands, has sparked&nbsp;intense debate in South Africa.&nbsp;This is&nbsp;just one of several proposals in a wide-ranging document.&nbsp;

According to a CNN report, the proposal, which looks&nbsp;to allow polyandry, has been included in a green paper from South Africa's Department of Home Affairs.&nbsp;

It&nbsp;hopes to make marriages more inclusive even as polygamy, where men marry multiple wives, is legal in the country.&nbsp;

The paper says,&nbsp;"South Africa inherited a marriage regime that was based on the Calvinist Christian and Western traditions.&nbsp;The current marriage laws are not informed by an overarching policy that is based on constitutional values and the understanding of modern society dynamics.”&nbsp;

It also states&nbsp;the current law allows the marriage of minors and does not account for couples, who seek to&nbsp;change their sex and want to remain married without going through a divorce, among other flaws.&nbsp;

With the aim to&nbsp;make marriage policy stronger, the department has also&nbsp;consulted with traditional leaders, human rights activists and other groups on important&nbsp;issues.&nbsp;

As per the&nbsp;human rights activists,&nbsp;equality demands polyandry to be legally&nbsp;recognised&nbsp;as a form of marriage.&nbsp;

In the whole exercise, the need&nbsp;to&nbsp;draw up a 'gender neutral' marriage scheme&nbsp;has come to the fore.&nbsp;

As per the&nbsp;suggestion,&nbsp;South Africa could do away with&nbsp;categorising&nbsp;marriages along lines of race, religion,&nbsp;sexual orientation and culture.&nbsp;

These suggestions&nbsp;seem&nbsp;to have not gone down well with&nbsp;some people in the country.&nbsp;"The thinking is foreign,"&nbsp;Musa&nbsp;Mseleku, a reality TV star, who has four wives,&nbsp;said.&nbsp;

Until June 30,&nbsp;the South African government is consulting on the paper and have invited comments on all the proposals involved.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

A proposal, which is considering allowing women to have multiple husbands, has sparked intense debate in South Africa. This is just one of several proposals in a wide-ranging document.

A proposal, which is considering allowing women to have multiple husbands, has sparked intense debate in South Africa. This is just one of several proposals in a wide-ranging document. According to a CNN report, the proposal, which looks to allow polyandry, has been included in a green paper from South Africa's Department of Home Affairs. It hopes to make marriages more inclusive even as polygamy, where men marry multiple wives, is legal in the country. The paper says, "South Africa inherited a marriage regime that was based on the Calvinist Christian and Western traditions. The current marriage laws are not informed by an overarching policy that is based on constitutional values and the understanding of modern society dynamics.” It also states the current law allows the marriage of minors and does not account for couples, who seek to change their sex and want to remain married without going through a divorce, among other flaws. With the aim to make marriage policy stronger, the department has also consulted with traditional leaders, human rights activists and other groups on important issues. As per the human rights activists, equality demands polyandry to be legally recognised as a form of marriage. In the whole exercise, the need to draw up a 'gender neutral' marriage scheme has come to the fore. As per the suggestion, South Africa could do away with categorising marriages along lines of race, religion, sexual orientation and culture. These suggestions seem to have not gone down well with some people in the country. "The thinking is foreign," Musa Mseleku, a reality TV star, who has four wives, said. Until June 30, the South African government is consulting on the paper and have invited comments on all the proposals involved. (With inputs from agencies)

South Africa may let women have multiple husbands. Debate ensues on polyandry

United Nations member states agreed on Tuesday to a budget of some $6 billion for the world body's 12 peacekeeping missions for the next year, diplomats said, narrowly averting a possible shutdown of the operations.

The 193-member UN&nbsp;General Assembly budget committee agreed to the peacekeeping budget for the year through June 30, 2022. It will be formally adopted by the General Assembly on Wednesday.

Top UN&nbsp;officials said on Monday that UN&nbsp;peacekeeping missions, most of which are in Africa and the Middle East, had been advised to start putting contingency plans in place in case a new budget was not adopted by June 30.

Some diplomats said changes to negotiating procedures, issues with logistics and tough talk pitting China against Western countries had threatened to delay an agreement.

"Our chronic inability to respect deadlines puts the entire peacekeeping architecture in unprecedented jeopardy," European Union diplomat Thibault Camelli told the budget committee on Tuesday. "Going forward, and for the future negotiations, we owe it ... to the women and men in the field who carry out the peacekeeping mandates to finish our work in a timely fashion."

Catherine Pollard, the UN&nbsp;head of management strategy, policy and compliance, told reporters on Monday that if the June 30 deadline was missed then Secretary-General Antonio Guterres could only spend money to safeguard UN&nbsp;assets and ensure the protection of the staff and the peacekeepers.

The United States is largest assessed contributor to the peacekeeping budget, responsible for about 28%, followed by China with 15.2% and Japan with 8.5%.

(With inputs from agencies)

United Nations member states agreed on Tuesday to a budget of some $6 billion for the world body's 12 peacekeeping missions for the next year, diplomats said, narrowly averting a possible shutdown of the operations.

United Nations member states agreed on Tuesday to a budget of some $6 billion for the world body's 12 peacekeeping missions for the next year, diplomats said, narrowly averting a possible shutdown of the operations. The 193-member UN General Assembly budget committee agreed to the peacekeeping budget for the year through June 30, 2022. It will be formally adopted by the General Assembly on Wednesday. Top UN officials said on Monday that UN peacekeeping missions, most of which are in Africa and the Middle East, had been advised to start putting contingency plans in place in case a new budget was not adopted by June 30. Some diplomats said changes to negotiating procedures, issues with logistics and tough talk pitting China against Western countries had threatened to delay an agreement. "Our chronic inability to respect deadlines puts the entire peacekeeping architecture in unprecedented jeopardy," European Union diplomat Thibault Camelli told the budget committee on Tuesday. "Going forward, and for the future negotiations, we owe it ... to the women and men in the field who carry out the peacekeeping mandates to finish our work in a timely fashion." Catherine Pollard, the UN head of management strategy, policy and compliance, told reporters on Monday that if the June 30 deadline was missed then Secretary-General Antonio Guterres could only spend money to safeguard UN assets and ensure the protection of the staff and the peacekeepers. The United States is largest assessed contributor to the peacekeeping budget, responsible for about 28%, followed by China with 15.2% and Japan with 8.5%. (With inputs from agencies)

UN member states agree to $6 billion peacekeeping budget, averting shutdown

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un chastised top ruling party officials for failures in anti-epidemic work that led to an unspecified 'great crisis' and put the safety of the country and people at risk, state media reported on Wednesday. 
 
The report by state news agency KCNA did not elaborate on what happened, or how it put people at risk. 
 
North Korea has not officially confirmed any COVID-19 cases, a claim questioned by South Korean and US&nbsp;officials. But the reclusive country has imposed strict anti-virus measures, including border closures and domestic travel curbs. 
 
Kim called a meeting of the Workers' Party of Korea politburo to address some party executives' neglect of duty, including failing to implement important long-term measures to fight the pandemic, KCNA said. 
 
"He mentioned that senior officials in charge of important state affairs neglected the implementation of the important decisions of the Party ... and thus caused a crucial case of creating a great crisis in ensuring the security of the state and safety of the people and entailed grave consequences," the report said. 
 
Several politburo members, secretaries of the central committee, and officials of several state agencies were replaced at the meeting, though KCNA did not specify if the shakeups were related to the neglect of pandemic-related duty.

(With inputs from agencies)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un chastised top ruling party officials for failures in anti-epidemic work that led to an unspecified 'great crisis' and put the safety of the country and people at risk, state media reported on Wednesday.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un chastised top ruling party officials for failures in anti-epidemic work that led to an unspecified 'great crisis' and put the safety of the country and people at risk, state media reported on Wednesday. The report by state news agency KCNA did not elaborate on what happened, or how it put people at risk. North Korea has not officially confirmed any COVID-19 cases, a claim questioned by South Korean and US officials. But the reclusive country has imposed strict anti-virus measures, including border closures and domestic travel curbs. Kim called a meeting of the Workers' Party of Korea politburo to address some party executives' neglect of duty, including failing to implement important long-term measures to fight the pandemic, KCNA said. "He mentioned that senior officials in charge of important state affairs neglected the implementation of the important decisions of the Party ... and thus caused a crucial case of creating a great crisis in ensuring the security of the state and safety of the people and entailed grave consequences," the report said. Several politburo members, secretaries of the central committee, and officials of several state agencies were replaced at the meeting, though KCNA did not specify if the shakeups were related to the neglect of pandemic-related duty. (With inputs from agencies)

North Korea's Kim chides officials for unspecified pandemic lapse

The United States told the UN&nbsp;Security Council on Tuesday that it targeted Iran-backed militia in Syria and Iraq with airstrikes to deter the militants and Tehran from conducting or supporting further attacks on US&nbsp;personnel or facilities. 
 
Under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, the 15-member Security Council must immediately be informed of any action that states take in self-defence against armed attack. 
 
US&nbsp;Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said the airstrikes hit facilities used by militia blamed for an escalating series of drone and rocket attacks against US&nbsp;personnel and facilities in Iraq.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-army-retaliates-after-iran-backed-militias-target-american-base-in-eastern-syria-394583">US army retaliates after Iran-backed militias target American base in eastern Syria</a> 
 
"This military response was taken after non-military options proved inadequate to address the threat, with the aim of deescalating the situation and preventing further attacks," she wrote in a letter. 
 
President Joe Biden wrote a similar letter to Congress on Tuesday. "The United States stands ready to take further action, as necessary and appropriate, to address further threats or attacks," he said. 
 
US&nbsp;troops came under rocket fire in Syria on Monday in apparent retaliation for weekend US&nbsp;air strikes. About 34 rockets were fired in the attack, but there were no injuries, a US&nbsp;military official said on Tuesday.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-tells-us-it-has-serious-reservations-about-iran-nuclear-deal-394383">Israel tells US it has serious reservations about Iran nuclear deal</a>

While the Iraqi and US&nbsp;militaries coordinate closely in a separate battle in Iraq against remnants of the Sunni extremist group Islamic State, Iraq's government and military condemned the US&nbsp;airstrikes against the Iran-back militia. 
 
The United States began airstrikes against Islamic State in Syria in 2014, telling the United Nations it acted because Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government had failed to wipe out safe havens used by the militants to launch attacks on Iraq. 
 
Iraq told the UN&nbsp;Security Council at the time that it requested US&nbsp;help because a safe haven for the militants in Syria had made its border 'impossible to defend'. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The United States told the UN Security Council on Tuesday that it targeted Iran-backed militia in Syria and Iraq with airstrikes to deter the militants and Tehran from conducting or supporting further attacks on US personnel or facilities.

The United States told the UN Security Council on Tuesday that it targeted Iran-backed militia in Syria and Iraq with airstrikes to deter the militants and Tehran from conducting or supporting further attacks on US personnel or facilities. Under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, the 15-member Security Council must immediately be informed of any action that states take in self-defence against armed attack. US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said the airstrikes hit facilities used by militia blamed for an escalating series of drone and rocket attacks against US personnel and facilities in Iraq. Also Read: US army retaliates after Iran-backed militias target American base in eastern Syria "This military response was taken after non-military options proved inadequate to address the threat, with the aim of deescalating the situation and preventing further attacks," she wrote in a letter. President Joe Biden wrote a similar letter to Congress on Tuesday. "The United States stands ready to take further action, as necessary and appropriate, to address further threats or attacks," he said. US troops came under rocket fire in Syria on Monday in apparent retaliation for weekend US air strikes. About 34 rockets were fired in the attack, but there were no injuries, a US military official said on Tuesday. Also Read: Israel tells US it has serious reservations about Iran nuclear deal While the Iraqi and US militaries coordinate closely in a separate battle in Iraq against remnants of the Sunni extremist group Islamic State, Iraq's government and military condemned the US airstrikes against the Iran-back militia. The United States began airstrikes against Islamic State in Syria in 2014, telling the United Nations it acted because Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government had failed to wipe out safe havens used by the militants to launch attacks on Iraq. Iraq told the UN Security Council at the time that it requested US help because a safe haven for the militants in Syria had made its border 'impossible to defend'. (With inputs from agencies)

US tells UN weekend airstrikes were aimed at deterring Iran

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced plans on Tuesday to launch a second national airline as part of a broader strategy to turn the kingdom into a global logistics hub as it seeks to diversify from oil. 
 
The creation of another flag carrier would catapult Saudi Arabia into the fifth rank globally in terms of air transit traffic, official state media reported, without giving details on when and how the airline would be created. 
 
Prince Mohammad has been spearheading a push for Saudi Arabia, the biggest Arab economy and the largest country in the Gulf geographically, to boost non-oil revenues to about 45 billion riyals ($12.00 bn) by 2030. 
 
Making the kingdom a global logistics hub, which includes the development of ports, rail and road networks, would increase the transport and logistics sector's contribution to gross domestic product to 10% from 6%, state news agency SPA said. 
 
"The comprehensive strategy aims to position Saudi Arabia as a global logistics hub connecting the three continents," Prince Mohammed was quoted as saying in the SPA report. 
 
"This will help other sectors like tourism, haj and umrah to achieve their national targets." 
 
The addition of another airline would increase the number of international destinations from Saudi Arabia to more than 250 and double air cargo capacity to more than 4.5 million tonnes, the SPA report said. 
 
With current flag bearer Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia), the kingdom has one of the smallest airline networks in the region relative to its size. Saudia has struggled with losses for years and like global peers, has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. 
 
Local media reported earlier this year that the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, (PIF), planned to build a new airport in Riyadh as part of the new airline launch, without giving further details. 
 
The fund is the main vehicle for boosting Saudi Arabian investments at home and abroad as the young prince, known in the West as MbS, seeks to diversify the kingdom’s oil-heavy economy through his Vision 2030 strategy. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced plans on Tuesday to launch a second national airline as part of a broader strategy to turn the kingdom into a global logistics hub as it seeks to diversify from oil.

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced plans on Tuesday to launch a second national airline as part of a broader strategy to turn the kingdom into a global logistics hub as it seeks to diversify from oil. The creation of another flag carrier would catapult Saudi Arabia into the fifth rank globally in terms of air transit traffic, official state media reported, without giving details on when and how the airline would be created. Prince Mohammad has been spearheading a push for Saudi Arabia, the biggest Arab economy and the largest country in the Gulf geographically, to boost non-oil revenues to about 45 billion riyals ($12.00 bn) by 2030. Making the kingdom a global logistics hub, which includes the development of ports, rail and road networks, would increase the transport and logistics sector's contribution to gross domestic product to 10% from 6%, state news agency SPA said. "The comprehensive strategy aims to position Saudi Arabia as a global logistics hub connecting the three continents," Prince Mohammed was quoted as saying in the SPA report. "This will help other sectors like tourism, haj and umrah to achieve their national targets." The addition of another airline would increase the number of international destinations from Saudi Arabia to more than 250 and double air cargo capacity to more than 4.5 million tonnes, the SPA report said. With current flag bearer Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia), the kingdom has one of the smallest airline networks in the region relative to its size. Saudia has struggled with losses for years and like global peers, has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. Local media reported earlier this year that the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, (PIF), planned to build a new airport in Riyadh as part of the new airline launch, without giving further details. The fund is the main vehicle for boosting Saudi Arabian investments at home and abroad as the young prince, known in the West as MbS, seeks to diversify the kingdom’s oil-heavy economy through his Vision 2030 strategy. (With inputs from agencies)

Saudi Arabia plans new national airline as it diversifies from oil

Guatemalan Health Minister Amelia Flores said on Tuesday that the government had asked Russia to return money already paid for doses of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine because of non-delivery. 
 
The government of President Alejandro Giammattei paid some $80 million in early April for a supply of 8 million doses of the vaccine. So far, it has received just 150,000 of those, the government said, while COVID-19 infections in the Central American country have risen to a peak. 
 
The minister said Guatemala had given the Russian direct investment fund (RDIF), which is responsible for marketing the vaccine abroad, 20 days to deliver the promised doses. 
 
A spokesman for the RDIF said additional supplies of the vaccine would reach Guatemala soon. 
 
"Another plane with Sputnik V is scheduled to arrive in Guatemala this week, with the next one coming already early next week to keep fulfilling obligations regarding the contract," Gleb Bryanski, director for special projects at RDIF, said in an emailed statement. 
 
Russia President Vladimir Putin has trumpeted the Sputnik V vaccine around the world. He said in March that the country had signed agreements for the production of hundreds of millions of doses abroad. 
 
But Russia had produced only a fraction of those and its output is much lower than those manufactured each month by Pfizer and AstraZeneca.

(With inputs from agencies)

Guatemalan Health Minister Amelia Flores said on Tuesday that the government had asked Russia to return money already paid for doses of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine because of non-delivery.

Guatemalan Health Minister Amelia Flores said on Tuesday that the government had asked Russia to return money already paid for doses of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine because of non-delivery. The government of President Alejandro Giammattei paid some $80 million in early April for a supply of 8 million doses of the vaccine. So far, it has received just 150,000 of those, the government said, while COVID-19 infections in the Central American country have risen to a peak. The minister said Guatemala had given the Russian direct investment fund (RDIF), which is responsible for marketing the vaccine abroad, 20 days to deliver the promised doses. A spokesman for the RDIF said additional supplies of the vaccine would reach Guatemala soon. "Another plane with Sputnik V is scheduled to arrive in Guatemala this week, with the next one coming already early next week to keep fulfilling obligations regarding the contract," Gleb Bryanski, director for special projects at RDIF, said in an emailed statement. Russia President Vladimir Putin has trumpeted the Sputnik V vaccine around the world. He said in March that the country had signed agreements for the production of hundreds of millions of doses abroad. But Russia had produced only a fraction of those and its output is much lower than those manufactured each month by Pfizer and AstraZeneca. (With inputs from agencies)

Guatemala asks Russia to return money over failure to deliver Sputnik COVID-19 vaccine

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