China's Xiaomi Corp said on Wednesday a US court has removed the company's designation as a Communist Chinese Military Company (CCMC) and lifted all restrictions on US persons buying or holding its stock.&nbsp;

"The US District Court for the District of Columbia issued a final order vacating the US Department of Defense's designation of the company as a CCMC," the smartphone maker said in a filing to the Hong Kong bourse. It said the order was made on Tuesday.&nbsp;

"The company reiterates that it is an open, transparent, publicly traded, independently operated and managed corporation," Xiaomi chairman Lei Jun said in the statement.&nbsp;

A court filing showed earlier in May that the US&nbsp;Defence&nbsp;Department would remove Xiaomi from a government blacklist, marking a reversal by the Biden administration of one of Donald Trump's last jabs at Beijing before exiting office.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;&nbsp;

China's Xiaomi Corp said on Wednesday a US court has removed the company's designation as a Communist Chinese Military Company (CCMC) and lifted all restrictions on US persons buying or holding its stock.

China's Xiaomi Corp said on Wednesday a US court has removed the company's designation as a Communist Chinese Military Company (CCMC) and lifted all restrictions on US persons buying or holding its stock. "The US District Court for the District of Columbia issued a final order vacating the US Department of Defense's designation of the company as a CCMC," the smartphone maker said in a filing to the Hong Kong bourse. It said the order was made on Tuesday. "The company reiterates that it is an open, transparent, publicly traded, independently operated and managed corporation," Xiaomi chairman Lei Jun said in the statement. A court filing showed earlier in May that the US Defence Department would remove Xiaomi from a government blacklist, marking a reversal by the Biden administration of one of Donald Trump's last jabs at Beijing before exiting office. (With inputs from agencies)

China's Xiaomi says US has formally lifted securities ban 

A Canadian climber was in critical condition on Tuesday after he fell nearly 1,000 feet during an expedition on Alaska's Denali mountain, the National Park Service said.&nbsp;

Adam Rawski, 31, of Barnaby, British Columbia, was taken off the mountain by helicopter after he took a tumbling fall late on Monday from Denali Pass at the 18,200-foot level of Denali, the park service said in a statement.&nbsp;

Climbers at the mountain's 17,200-foot-high camp witnessed the fall and guides, who responded found Rawski was “unresponsive due to multiple traumatic injuries,” the park service said. He was flown to an Anchorage hospital.&nbsp;

Rawski had been descending Denali, which stands at 20,310 feet, when he fell, park spokeswoman Sharon Stiteler said.&nbsp;

After climbing was shut down last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, crowds are back on North America's highest peak. There were 382 climbers on the mountain on Tuesday, six of whom had made it to the summit, Stiteler said.&nbsp;

Rawski’s fall was this season’s third serious climbing accident in mountainous Denali National Park, though the first on Denali itself.&nbsp;

On May 3, a ski mountaineer died after falling into a glacial crevasse in the southeastern part of the park. Ten days later, a climber was killed and his partner injured when they were struck by a block of ice that fell on them while they were ascending a ridge.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

A Canadian climber was in critical condition on Tuesday after he fell nearly 1,000 feet during an expedition on Alaska's Denali mountain, the National Park Service said.

A Canadian climber was in critical condition on Tuesday after he fell nearly 1,000 feet during an expedition on Alaska's Denali mountain, the National Park Service said. Adam Rawski, 31, of Barnaby, British Columbia, was taken off the mountain by helicopter after he took a tumbling fall late on Monday from Denali Pass at the 18,200-foot level of Denali, the park service said in a statement. Climbers at the mountain's 17,200-foot-high camp witnessed the fall and guides, who responded found Rawski was “unresponsive due to multiple traumatic injuries,” the park service said. He was flown to an Anchorage hospital. Rawski had been descending Denali, which stands at 20,310 feet, when he fell, park spokeswoman Sharon Stiteler said. After climbing was shut down last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, crowds are back on North America's highest peak. There were 382 climbers on the mountain on Tuesday, six of whom had made it to the summit, Stiteler said. Rawski’s fall was this season’s third serious climbing accident in mountainous Denali National Park, though the first on Denali itself. On May 3, a ski mountaineer died after falling into a glacial crevasse in the southeastern part of the park. Ten days later, a climber was killed and his partner injured when they were struck by a block of ice that fell on them while they were ascending a ridge. (With inputs from agencies)

Canadian climber critically injured in 1,000-foot fall on Denali 

The UK government on Tuesday faced accusations of 'confusion and uncertainty' after it introduced additional guidance to curtail non-essential travel in and out of so-called hotspots of the B1.617.2 variant of concern (VOC), first identified in India, as part of measures to control the spread of the virus.&nbsp;

Local authorities in the affected areas said they were not consulted or informed as the government's coronavirus restrictions website changed its guidance over the last few days for people living in eight areas of Bedford council, Blackburn with Darwen council, Bolton Metropolitan council, Burnley council, Kirklees council, Leicester council, Hounslow council and North Tyneside council.&nbsp;

The guidance also calls upon residents of these regions of England to avoid indoor gatherings, which is now currently permitted in most other parts of the country as part of the lockdown lifting roadmap.&nbsp;

"In the areas listed... Wherever possible, you should try to meet outside rather than inside where possible; keep 2 metres apart from people that you don't live with (unless you have formed a support bubble with them), this includes friends and family you don't live with; avoid travelling in and out of affected areas unless it is essential, for example for work (if you cannot work from home) or education," the website notes.&nbsp;

However, a row has broken out after the new guidance appeared to have been issued without a widespread announcement.&nbsp;

"This is a major change to policy that will have a huge impact on people's lives. Simply updating the government website without an official announcement is a recipe for confusion and uncertainty," said Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, the chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus.&nbsp;

"It seems crucial lessons have still not been learnt about the importance of clear messaging during a pandemic," she said.&nbsp;

Cabinet minister Therese Coffey told 'Sky News', the government had been "working in close contact" with affected areas and she was "surprised to hear that people think this has come out of the blue, "it hasn't".&nbsp;

"This is just part of a coordinated effort and the guidance is simply a formality recognising people need to be extra careful in those communities in particular where the issue has been spreading," she said, adding that all the guidance does is simply formalise what was already effectively happening in practice in the locality.&nbsp;

A Downing Street source told the BBC that all the areas were informed about the latest advice and pointed out that it was advice rather than law and therefore dismissed allegations of localised lockdown by stealth.&nbsp;

According to the latest Public Health England (PHE) data released last week, B1.617.2 VOC cases had risen by 2,111 over the previous week to hit 3,424 cases across the UK and experts are certain of its higher transmissibility than the dominant local B1.1.7 VOC, first discovered in the England county of Kent. The health officials continue to monitor both mutations to try and keep the UK's planned end to lockdown on track for June 21.&nbsp;

The UK has reported more than 4,480,760 confirmed cases and over 127,986 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 tracker.&nbsp;

The UK government on Tuesday faced accusations of 'confusion and uncertainty' after it introduced additional guidance to curtail non-essential travel in and out of so-called hotspots of the B1.

The UK government on Tuesday faced accusations of 'confusion and uncertainty' after it introduced additional guidance to curtail non-essential travel in and out of so-called hotspots of the B1.617.2 variant of concern (VOC), first identified in India, as part of measures to control the spread of the virus. Local authorities in the affected areas said they were not consulted or informed as the government's coronavirus restrictions website changed its guidance over the last few days for people living in eight areas of Bedford council, Blackburn with Darwen council, Bolton Metropolitan council, Burnley council, Kirklees council, Leicester council, Hounslow council and North Tyneside council. The guidance also calls upon residents of these regions of England to avoid indoor gatherings, which is now currently permitted in most other parts of the country as part of the lockdown lifting roadmap. "In the areas listed... Wherever possible, you should try to meet outside rather than inside where possible; keep 2 metres apart from people that you don't live with (unless you have formed a support bubble with them), this includes friends and family you don't live with; avoid travelling in and out of affected areas unless it is essential, for example for work (if you cannot work from home) or education," the website notes. However, a row has broken out after the new guidance appeared to have been issued without a widespread announcement. "This is a major change to policy that will have a huge impact on people's lives. Simply updating the government website without an official announcement is a recipe for confusion and uncertainty," said Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, the chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus. "It seems crucial lessons have still not been learnt about the importance of clear messaging during a pandemic," she said. Cabinet minister Therese Coffey told 'Sky News', the government had been "working in close contact" with affected areas and she was "surprised to hear that people think this has come out of the blue, "it hasn't". "This is just part of a coordinated effort and the guidance is simply a formality recognising people need to be extra careful in those communities in particular where the issue has been spreading," she said, adding that all the guidance does is simply formalise what was already effectively happening in practice in the locality. A Downing Street source told the BBC that all the areas were informed about the latest advice and pointed out that it was advice rather than law and therefore dismissed allegations of localised lockdown by stealth. According to the latest Public Health England (PHE) data released last week, B1.617.2 VOC cases had risen by 2,111 over the previous week to hit 3,424 cases across the UK and experts are certain of its higher transmissibility than the dominant local B1.1.7 VOC, first discovered in the England county of Kent. The health officials continue to monitor both mutations to try and keep the UK's planned end to lockdown on track for June 21. The UK has reported more than 4,480,760 confirmed cases and over 127,986 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 tracker.

COVID-19: UK issues localised directions on travel, gatherings to tackle B1.617.2 variant  

Foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday said in the Senate that Pakistan would not provide its military bases to the United States for future counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan and also not allow drone attacks inside Pakistan.&nbsp;

The foreign minister rejected as unfounded the reports of Pakistan providing bases to the US, making it clear that Prime Minister Imran Khan would never allow it. He would also not&nbsp;allow drone attacks inside Pakistan, reported The News International.&nbsp;

"I want to assure the House that Pakistan is in safe hands," he remarked.

The remarks came after a Pentagon official said that Pakistan had allowed the US military to use its airspace and given ground access so that it could support its presence in Afghanistan. &nbsp;

Responding to the concerns of a senator, Qureshi, said, "Because what we were fearing and we still fear and are concerned that a vacuum created in Afghanistan can drag or suck the country back into the decade of 1990s".&nbsp;

Qureshi contended that as the US planned to withdraw its remaining troops from Afghanistan by September 11, Pakistan would continue playing its role for advancement of the peace process in that country, reported The News International.&nbsp;

Mian Raza Rabbani, ex-chairman of Senate, also said that Pakistan should not allow the United States the use of its air and ground facilities for action in Afghanistan and an international mechanism be thrashed out to prevent such circumstances from happening again.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, diplomatic sources in Washington told Dawn newspaper that Pakistan had always allowed overflights and ground access to the US to facilitate its military presence in Afghanistan and would continue to do so. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

Foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday said in the Senate that Pakistan would not provide its military bases to the United States for future counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan and also not allow drone attacks inside Pakistan.

Foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday said in the Senate that Pakistan would not provide its military bases to the United States for future counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan and also not allow drone attacks inside Pakistan. The foreign minister rejected as unfounded the reports of Pakistan providing bases to the US, making it clear that Prime Minister Imran Khan would never allow it. He would also not allow drone attacks inside Pakistan, reported The News International. "I want to assure the House that Pakistan is in safe hands," he remarked. The remarks came after a Pentagon official said that Pakistan had allowed the US military to use its airspace and given ground access so that it could support its presence in Afghanistan. Responding to the concerns of a senator, Qureshi, said, "Because what we were fearing and we still fear and are concerned that a vacuum created in Afghanistan can drag or suck the country back into the decade of 1990s". Qureshi contended that as the US planned to withdraw its remaining troops from Afghanistan by September 11, Pakistan would continue playing its role for advancement of the peace process in that country, reported The News International. Mian Raza Rabbani, ex-chairman of Senate, also said that Pakistan should not allow the United States the use of its air and ground facilities for action in Afghanistan and an international mechanism be thrashed out to prevent such circumstances from happening again. Meanwhile, diplomatic sources in Washington told Dawn newspaper that Pakistan had always allowed overflights and ground access to the US to facilitate its military presence in Afghanistan and would continue to do so. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan FM Qureshi rules out providing military bases to US for operations in Afghanistan

A county in South Carolina agreed Tuesday to pay $10 million to the family of a Black man who died in January after sheriff’s deputies used pepper spray and Tasers on him in a jail cell as he told them, “I can’t breathe,” officials said.

In a unanimous vote, the Charleston County Council approved the settlement in the death of Jamal Sutherland, 31, who had been taken from a mental health facility to the county jail at the time.

His death on Jan. 5 has drawn protests and comparisons to the killing of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis.

The settlement came as many Americans paused Tuesday to remember Floyd one year after his death, which became a catalyst for a nationwide reckoning on police brutality and systemic racism.

It followed the firing May 17 of the two deputies involved in Sutherland’s death, an encounter that was shown in graphic video footage that was released this month by the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office. One of the deputies placed a knee on Sutherland’s back.

Before the settlement was approved, the county and the Sutherland family had been engaged in mediation talks in an effort to avoid formal litigation, the television station WCSC reported. The council’s finance committee earlier recommended that the full council approve a $10 million settlement, according to local news media outlets.

Councilman Teddie E. Pryor Sr. said during the meeting that he had promised the Sutherland family that he would look into what reforms to public safety could be enacted.

“This should never happen to anyone ever again,” Pryor said. “Ever.”

A lawyer for Sutherland’s family did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday night.

The payout adds to a list of eight-figure settlements in several high-profile killings of Black people involving law enforcement officers. In March, Floyd’s family reached a $27 million settlement with the City of Minneapolis. This month, officials in Columbus, Ohio, agreed to pay $10 million to the family of Andre Hill, a Black man who was fatally shot by a police officer in a garage in December.

C. Brantley Moody, a member of the Charleston County Council, said during the group’s meeting Tuesday that he had grappled with whether to support the settlement. He acknowledged that “globally, this race to the courthouse” troubled him.

“What was done was a terrible injustice,” Moody said. “But how do you settle it? I don’t know what the answer is.”

The local prosecutor is expected to decide in June whether the deputies, Sgt. Lindsay Fickett and Detention Deputy Brian Houle, will face criminal charges in Sutherland’s death. The prosecutor, Scarlett A. Wilson, the 9th Circuit solicitor, said this month that she was reviewing the results of an investigation into the deputies’ actions conducted by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.

Fickett and Houle had been placed on administrative leave before their firing was announced May 17 on Twitter by Kristin Graziano, the Charleston County sheriff.

The deputies had been trying to remove Sutherland from a cell at the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center, the county jail, to take him to court for a bond hearing Jan. 5 when the deadly encounter took place.

In the video footage released by the sheriff, the deputies were seen using pepper spray in Sutherland’s cell two times before firing Tasers at him. Sutherland had been hit with the Taser six to eight times, Houle later said in the video.

The video showed Sutherland writhing on the ground before he eventually lost consciousness. Soon after, he was declared dead, with a pathologist ruling that the manner of his death was “undetermined.” The pathologist stated that Sutherland had died “as a result of excited state with pharmacotherapeutic effect during subdual process.”

Officials would not discuss the autopsy results further and said that the post-mortem examination report would not be released because it was not a public document.

Sutherland was taken to the jail from a mental health facility, Palmetto Lowcountry Behavioral Health, where he had been arrested Jan. 4 after a fight broke out. Workers at the mental health center told responding officers that Sutherland had assaulted a staff member. He and another patient were charged with third-degree assault and battery, according to The Post and Courier of Charleston.

On the day of his arrest, a video showed Sutherland in distress. He screamed “Let go of me” at officers and spoke of conspiracies, including references to the Illuminati, groups — real and fictitious — dating back centuries and said to have special knowledge.

A county in South Carolina agreed Tuesday to pay $10 million to the family of a Black man who died in January after sheriff’s deputies used pepper spray and Tasers on him in a jail cell as he told them, “I can’t breathe,” officials said.

A county in South Carolina agreed Tuesday to pay $10 million to the family of a Black man who died in January after sheriff’s deputies used pepper spray and Tasers on him in a jail cell as he told them, “I can’t breathe,” officials said. In a unanimous vote, the Charleston County Council approved the settlement in the death of Jamal Sutherland, 31, who had been taken from a mental health facility to the county jail at the time. His death on Jan. 5 has drawn protests and comparisons to the killing of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis. The settlement came as many Americans paused Tuesday to remember Floyd one year after his death, which became a catalyst for a nationwide reckoning on police brutality and systemic racism. It followed the firing May 17 of the two deputies involved in Sutherland’s death, an encounter that was shown in graphic video footage that was released this month by the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office. One of the deputies placed a knee on Sutherland’s back. Before the settlement was approved, the county and the Sutherland family had been engaged in mediation talks in an effort to avoid formal litigation, the television station WCSC reported. The council’s finance committee earlier recommended that the full council approve a $10 million settlement, according to local news media outlets. Councilman Teddie E. Pryor Sr. said during the meeting that he had promised the Sutherland family that he would look into what reforms to public safety could be enacted. “This should never happen to anyone ever again,” Pryor said. “Ever.” A lawyer for Sutherland’s family did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday night. The payout adds to a list of eight-figure settlements in several high-profile killings of Black people involving law enforcement officers. In March, Floyd’s family reached a $27 million settlement with the City of Minneapolis. This month, officials in Columbus, Ohio, agreed to pay $10 million to the family of Andre Hill, a Black man who was fatally shot by a police officer in a garage in December. C. Brantley Moody, a member of the Charleston County Council, said during the group’s meeting Tuesday that he had grappled with whether to support the settlement. He acknowledged that “globally, this race to the courthouse” troubled him. “What was done was a terrible injustice,” Moody said. “But how do you settle it? I don’t know what the answer is.” The local prosecutor is expected to decide in June whether the deputies, Sgt. Lindsay Fickett and Detention Deputy Brian Houle, will face criminal charges in Sutherland’s death. The prosecutor, Scarlett A. Wilson, the 9th Circuit solicitor, said this month that she was reviewing the results of an investigation into the deputies’ actions conducted by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Fickett and Houle had been placed on administrative leave before their firing was announced May 17 on Twitter by Kristin Graziano, the Charleston County sheriff. The deputies had been trying to remove Sutherland from a cell at the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center, the county jail, to take him to court for a bond hearing Jan. 5 when the deadly encounter took place. In the video footage released by the sheriff, the deputies were seen using pepper spray in Sutherland’s cell two times before firing Tasers at him. Sutherland had been hit with the Taser six to eight times, Houle later said in the video. The video showed Sutherland writhing on the ground before he eventually lost consciousness. Soon after, he was declared dead, with a pathologist ruling that the manner of his death was “undetermined.” The pathologist stated that Sutherland had died “as a result of excited state with pharmacotherapeutic effect during subdual process.” Officials would not discuss the autopsy results further and said that the post-mortem examination report would not be released because it was not a public document. Sutherland was taken to the jail from a mental health facility, Palmetto Lowcountry Behavioral Health, where he had been arrested Jan. 4 after a fight broke out. Workers at the mental health center told responding officers that Sutherland had assaulted a staff member. He and another patient were charged with third-degree assault and battery, according to The Post and Courier of Charleston. On the day of his arrest, a video showed Sutherland in distress. He screamed “Let go of me” at officers and spoke of conspiracies, including references to the Illuminati, groups — real and fictitious — dating back centuries and said to have special knowledge.

County reaches $10 million settlement in jailed Black man’s death

Polling stations opened on Wednesday across Syria in a presidential election that is set to usher Bashar al-Assad into a fourth term in office.&nbsp;

The government says the election shows Syria is functioning normally despite a decade-old war, but the opposition and Western nations view it as merely rubber-stamping Assad's grip on power. Assad is running against two obscure candidates.&nbsp;

In Damascus University's Faculty of Arts, hundreds of students lined up to vote, with several buses parked outside.&nbsp;

"We came to elect president Bashar al-Assad...without him Syria would not be Syria," Amal, a nursing student, said.&nbsp;

"With our blood and soul, we sacrifice our lives for you Bashar," other students chanted ahead of the opening of the polling station.&nbsp;

Assad first took power in 2000 on the death of his father Hafez, who had ruled for 30 years before that.&nbsp;

Assad's rule has been defined by a decade-long war that erupted after peaceful protests against his authoritarian rule in 2011. The conflict has killed hundreds of thousands of people and driven 11 million from their homes, about half the country's population.&nbsp;

The other two candidates in the election are former deputy cabinet minister Abdallah Saloum Abdallah, and Mahmoud Ahmed Marei, head of a small, officially sanctioned opposition party.&nbsp;

The foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy, Britain and the United States said in a statement on Tuesday, criticising leader Bashar al-Assad, that the elections would not be free or fair. &nbsp;

Polling stations opened on Wednesday across Syria in a presidential election that is set to usher Bashar al-Assad into a fourth term in office. The government says the election shows Syria is functioning normally despite a decade-old war, but the opposition and Western nations view it as merely rubber-stamping Assad's grip on power.

Polling stations opened on Wednesday across Syria in a presidential election that is set to usher Bashar al-Assad into a fourth term in office. The government says the election shows Syria is functioning normally despite a decade-old war, but the opposition and Western nations view it as merely rubber-stamping Assad's grip on power. Assad is running against two obscure candidates. In Damascus University's Faculty of Arts, hundreds of students lined up to vote, with several buses parked outside. "We came to elect president Bashar al-Assad...without him Syria would not be Syria," Amal, a nursing student, said. "With our blood and soul, we sacrifice our lives for you Bashar," other students chanted ahead of the opening of the polling station. Assad first took power in 2000 on the death of his father Hafez, who had ruled for 30 years before that. Assad's rule has been defined by a decade-long war that erupted after peaceful protests against his authoritarian rule in 2011. The conflict has killed hundreds of thousands of people and driven 11 million from their homes, about half the country's population. The other two candidates in the election are former deputy cabinet minister Abdallah Saloum Abdallah, and Mahmoud Ahmed Marei, head of a small, officially sanctioned opposition party. The foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy, Britain and the United States said in a statement on Tuesday, criticising leader Bashar al-Assad, that the elections would not be free or fair.

Syrians go to the polls in election that Assad is set to win 

Defying election results and court rulings, Samoa's veteran leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi is determined to cling to power, convinced only divine intervention can end his 22-year-rule of the Pacific island nation.&nbsp;

Malielegaoi is not accustomed to losing, until recently the 76-year-old's authority was virtually absolute in a devoutly Christian nation of 220,000 where respect for one's elders is deeply ingrained.&nbsp;

A trained economist, Malielegaoi has cast a long shadow over public life since he was elected to Samoa's parliament in 1980.&nbsp;

As well as being prime minister, he appointed himself foreign minister and chairman of the Samoa Rugby Union, a high-profile role in the rugby-mad nation.&nbsp;

But his grip on power is now being challenged by former ally Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, who won a shock majority in a general election on April 9, opening the door to her becoming Samoa's first woman prime minister.&nbsp;

Far from conceding and stepping down, Malielegaoi precipitated a constitutional crisis that has international observers warning Samoa's young democracy could falter.&nbsp;

He first tried to tilt parliamentary numbers in his favour, saying the election did not return enough women to parliament and had violated gender quota rules.&nbsp;

He then tried to force through an election rerun.&nbsp;

When the courts rejected both moves, Malielegaoi then accused them of bias towards his rival.&nbsp;

His allies on Monday physically locked the prime minister-elect out of parliament to stop her from being sworn in. An impromptu ceremony took place anyway, in a tent on the lawn outside. &nbsp;

Talking to reporters earlier this month, Malielegaoi made it clear he believes he answers to no mere mortal.&nbsp;

"I am appointed by God," he said, after protests against his rule.&nbsp;

"If they want me to stand down, they should go to a church and pray instead of protesting in front of the courthouse. &nbsp;

"The judiciary has no authority over my appointment as prime minister."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Defying election results and court rulings, Samoa's veteran leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi is determined to cling to power, convinced only divine intervention can end his 22-year-rule of the Pacific island nation.

Defying election results and court rulings, Samoa's veteran leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi is determined to cling to power, convinced only divine intervention can end his 22-year-rule of the Pacific island nation. Malielegaoi is not accustomed to losing, until recently the 76-year-old's authority was virtually absolute in a devoutly Christian nation of 220,000 where respect for one's elders is deeply ingrained. A trained economist, Malielegaoi has cast a long shadow over public life since he was elected to Samoa's parliament in 1980. As well as being prime minister, he appointed himself foreign minister and chairman of the Samoa Rugby Union, a high-profile role in the rugby-mad nation. But his grip on power is now being challenged by former ally Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, who won a shock majority in a general election on April 9, opening the door to her becoming Samoa's first woman prime minister. Far from conceding and stepping down, Malielegaoi precipitated a constitutional crisis that has international observers warning Samoa's young democracy could falter. He first tried to tilt parliamentary numbers in his favour, saying the election did not return enough women to parliament and had violated gender quota rules. He then tried to force through an election rerun. When the courts rejected both moves, Malielegaoi then accused them of bias towards his rival. His allies on Monday physically locked the prime minister-elect out of parliament to stop her from being sworn in. An impromptu ceremony took place anyway, in a tent on the lawn outside. Talking to reporters earlier this month, Malielegaoi made it clear he believes he answers to no mere mortal. "I am appointed by God," he said, after protests against his rule. "If they want me to stand down, they should go to a church and pray instead of protesting in front of the courthouse. "The judiciary has no authority over my appointment as prime minister." (With inputs from agencies)

'Appointed by God': Samoan leader defiant after vote 

A defiant President Lukashenko will address Belarus' parliament on Wednesday as international pressure over the country's diversion of an airliner in order to arrest a dissident grows, with the UN Security Council set to meet behind closed doors later. &nbsp;

The speech to parliament will be the first time the Belarusian leader has spoken in public since Sunday's rerouting of a Ryanair flight to Minsk and the subsequent arrest of opposition journalist Roman Protasevich.&nbsp;

After weathering a wave of protests and Western sanctions last year, Lukashenko is facing renewed pressure over the incident, with Western leaders demanding Protasevich's release, and the European Union cutting air links with the increasingly isolated nation.&nbsp;

But a diplomat said it was unlikely the Security Council would agree on a collective statement at Wednesday's meeting, because Belarus' unwavering supporter Russia was expected to be in opposition.&nbsp;

Moscow has dismissed the outrage over the arrest, saying Belarus was acting reasonably and within the law when the plane was diverted.&nbsp;

The Belarusian transport ministry on Tuesday released a transcript of communications between Minsk air traffic control and the Ryanair flight, in which the crew was told 'you have a bomb on board' and urged it to land in Minsk. &nbsp;

The claim of a genuine bomb scare has been dismissed by Western leaders. &nbsp;

On Tuesday, Protasevich's mother said she had not slept since her son and his Russian girlfriend Sofia Sapega were arrested after the Athens-to-Vilnius flight landed in Minsk. &nbsp;

"I'm asking, I'm begging, I'm calling on the whole international community to save him," Natalia Protasevich said, weeping. "They're going to kill him in there!"&nbsp;

Protasevich, 26, was a co-founder of the Nexta Telegram channel, which helped organise the protests last year that were the biggest challenge to Lukashenko's long rule.&nbsp;

He had been living between Poland and Lithuania.&nbsp;

His parents said they think their son might now be in a detention centre run by the secret service, still known as the KGB.&nbsp;

"The lawyer tried to see him today but she was turned down, she could not see him. We still don’t know if he is in there, what his condition is, how he is feeling," said his father Dmitry.&nbsp;

A 30-second video of Protasevich was broadcast by state television late on Monday, in which he confirmed that he was in prison in Minsk and "confessed" to charges of organising mass unrest.&nbsp;

With dark markings visible on his forehead, he said he was being treated "according to the law".&nbsp;

But Dmitry said it appeared that his son had been harmed.&nbsp;

"He would never speak like that. Those were not his words... he was reading something out that he was told to read out," he said.&nbsp;

Opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya urged the international community to do more in a call with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.&nbsp;

"This is the time to act," she said. "Suspension of flights over Belarus doesn't solve the real problem. The problem is the terrorist regime that rigged elections last year."&nbsp;

US President Joe Biden, who is scheduled to meet with Putin in June, said Washington was looking at "appropriate options to hold accountable those responsible". &nbsp;

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday the EU must "profoundly redefine" its relationship with Russia and Belarus because "we are at the limits of sanctions policy", whilst German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas warned that Lukashenko would pay "a bitter price" for the "heinous" flight diversion.&nbsp;

The UN rights office and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson joined calls for Protasevich to be released, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he would "strongly support action through all available international institutions", including NATO.&nbsp;

The European Union has agreed to ban Belarusian airlines from the bloc and called on EU-based carriers not to fly over its airspace.&nbsp;

Air France, Finnair and Singapore Airlines were the latest carriers to suspend flights over Belarus, following Scandinavian airline SAS, Germany's Lufthansa and Latvia-based regional airline airBaltic.&nbsp;

Lukashenko and his allies are already under a series of Western sanctions over the brutal crackdown on the protests that followed his disputed re-election to a sixth term last August.&nbsp;

EU leaders on Monday warned they would adopt further "targeted economic sanctions" against the Belarusian authorities to add to the 88 regime figures and seven companies on a blacklist.&nbsp;

The protests lasted for months with tens of thousands taking to the streets to denounce Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an iron fist for over two decades.&nbsp;

The demonstrations were brutally quashed and thousands were detained -- many of whom reported torture and abuse in custody.&nbsp;

Many protest leaders, including Tikhanovskaya who claimed victory in the August vote, fled the country, and the demonstrations have dwindled.&nbsp;

In Minsk, many welcomed the European flight bans, saying Belarusians were largely unable to travel anyway and more pressure was needed for change.&nbsp;

"An ordinary Belarusian will not suffer from this. Ordinary Belarusians cannot afford flights," said Valentina, a retired teacher who like others was afraid to give her last name.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

A defiant President Lukashenko will address Belarus' parliament on Wednesday as international pressure over the country's diversion of an airliner in order to arrest a dissident grows, with the UN Security Council set to meet behind closed doors later.

A defiant President Lukashenko will address Belarus' parliament on Wednesday as international pressure over the country's diversion of an airliner in order to arrest a dissident grows, with the UN Security Council set to meet behind closed doors later. The speech to parliament will be the first time the Belarusian leader has spoken in public since Sunday's rerouting of a Ryanair flight to Minsk and the subsequent arrest of opposition journalist Roman Protasevich. After weathering a wave of protests and Western sanctions last year, Lukashenko is facing renewed pressure over the incident, with Western leaders demanding Protasevich's release, and the European Union cutting air links with the increasingly isolated nation. But a diplomat said it was unlikely the Security Council would agree on a collective statement at Wednesday's meeting, because Belarus' unwavering supporter Russia was expected to be in opposition. Moscow has dismissed the outrage over the arrest, saying Belarus was acting reasonably and within the law when the plane was diverted. The Belarusian transport ministry on Tuesday released a transcript of communications between Minsk air traffic control and the Ryanair flight, in which the crew was told 'you have a bomb on board' and urged it to land in Minsk. The claim of a genuine bomb scare has been dismissed by Western leaders. On Tuesday, Protasevich's mother said she had not slept since her son and his Russian girlfriend Sofia Sapega were arrested after the Athens-to-Vilnius flight landed in Minsk. "I'm asking, I'm begging, I'm calling on the whole international community to save him," Natalia Protasevich said, weeping. "They're going to kill him in there!" Protasevich, 26, was a co-founder of the Nexta Telegram channel, which helped organise the protests last year that were the biggest challenge to Lukashenko's long rule. He had been living between Poland and Lithuania. His parents said they think their son might now be in a detention centre run by the secret service, still known as the KGB. "The lawyer tried to see him today but she was turned down, she could not see him. We still don’t know if he is in there, what his condition is, how he is feeling," said his father Dmitry. A 30-second video of Protasevich was broadcast by state television late on Monday, in which he confirmed that he was in prison in Minsk and "confessed" to charges of organising mass unrest. With dark markings visible on his forehead, he said he was being treated "according to the law". But Dmitry said it appeared that his son had been harmed. "He would never speak like that. Those were not his words... he was reading something out that he was told to read out," he said. Opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya urged the international community to do more in a call with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. "This is the time to act," she said. "Suspension of flights over Belarus doesn't solve the real problem. The problem is the terrorist regime that rigged elections last year." US President Joe Biden, who is scheduled to meet with Putin in June, said Washington was looking at "appropriate options to hold accountable those responsible". French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday the EU must "profoundly redefine" its relationship with Russia and Belarus because "we are at the limits of sanctions policy", whilst German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas warned that Lukashenko would pay "a bitter price" for the "heinous" flight diversion. The UN rights office and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson joined calls for Protasevich to be released, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he would "strongly support action through all available international institutions", including NATO. The European Union has agreed to ban Belarusian airlines from the bloc and called on EU-based carriers not to fly over its airspace. Air France, Finnair and Singapore Airlines were the latest carriers to suspend flights over Belarus, following Scandinavian airline SAS, Germany's Lufthansa and Latvia-based regional airline airBaltic. Lukashenko and his allies are already under a series of Western sanctions over the brutal crackdown on the protests that followed his disputed re-election to a sixth term last August. EU leaders on Monday warned they would adopt further "targeted economic sanctions" against the Belarusian authorities to add to the 88 regime figures and seven companies on a blacklist. The protests lasted for months with tens of thousands taking to the streets to denounce Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an iron fist for over two decades. The demonstrations were brutally quashed and thousands were detained -- many of whom reported torture and abuse in custody. Many protest leaders, including Tikhanovskaya who claimed victory in the August vote, fled the country, and the demonstrations have dwindled. In Minsk, many welcomed the European flight bans, saying Belarusians were largely unable to travel anyway and more pressure was needed for change. "An ordinary Belarusian will not suffer from this. Ordinary Belarusians cannot afford flights," said Valentina, a retired teacher who like others was afraid to give her last name. (With inputs from agencies)

Lukashenko defiant as UN Security Council to meet over Belarus 

A quick-thinking Indian origin metro train driver saved an Asian man, who was shoved onto the tracks in an apparent hate crime, according to media reports.&nbsp;

The driver, Tobin Madathil, said that he had put the train on an emergency mode after he saw the man on the tracks, managing to stop the train less than 10 metres from the victim, and went on to help him, the New York Post reported on Tuesday.&nbsp;

He told the newspaper, "I'm glad I was able to stop on time and didn't hit the guy, thank God!"&nbsp;

The Hill website called him "heroic."&nbsp;

Police told the newspaper that they were investigating the attack on the Asian man as a possible hate crime.&nbsp;

The 36-year-old man was pushed from the platform in front of the train that Madathil driving just as it was approaching the underground station on Monday.&nbsp;

Police described to the Post the alleged attacker they were searching for as a Black man and tweeted a picture of the suspect.&nbsp;

New York City has suffered an upsurge of communal violence against Asians and Jews most of them perpetrated by non-White persons. This year, till the beginning of May, there were 80 hate crime attacks on Asians in the city and 54 against Jews, according to police.&nbsp;

"Right when I was coming into the station people were waving at me, and that's when I immediately placed the train into emergency mode," Madathil, 29, who has been a driver with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for two years, told the Post.&nbsp;

"I exited the train and went to the victim. He was bleeding from the head."&nbsp;

The metro transit system is referred to as the "subway" in New York and the drivers as "operators".&nbsp;

"I just try to stay focused at all times when I operate, just watch the tracks and platform, just be alert," Madathil said.&nbsp;

The victim was taken to a hospital with injuries to the head.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A quick-thinking Indian origin metro train driver saved an Asian man, who was shoved onto the tracks in an apparent hate crime, according to media reports. The driver, Tobin Madathil, said that he had put the train on an emergency mode after he saw the man on the tracks, managing to stop the train less than 10 metres from the victim, and went on to help him, the New York Post reported on Tuesday.

A quick-thinking Indian origin metro train driver saved an Asian man, who was shoved onto the tracks in an apparent hate crime, according to media reports. The driver, Tobin Madathil, said that he had put the train on an emergency mode after he saw the man on the tracks, managing to stop the train less than 10 metres from the victim, and went on to help him, the New York Post reported on Tuesday. He told the newspaper, "I'm glad I was able to stop on time and didn't hit the guy, thank God!" The Hill website called him "heroic." Police told the newspaper that they were investigating the attack on the Asian man as a possible hate crime. The 36-year-old man was pushed from the platform in front of the train that Madathil driving just as it was approaching the underground station on Monday. Police described to the Post the alleged attacker they were searching for as a Black man and tweeted a picture of the suspect. New York City has suffered an upsurge of communal violence against Asians and Jews most of them perpetrated by non-White persons. This year, till the beginning of May, there were 80 hate crime attacks on Asians in the city and 54 against Jews, according to police. "Right when I was coming into the station people were waving at me, and that's when I immediately placed the train into emergency mode," Madathil, 29, who has been a driver with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for two years, told the Post. "I exited the train and went to the victim. He was bleeding from the head." The metro transit system is referred to as the "subway" in New York and the drivers as "operators". "I just try to stay focused at all times when I operate, just watch the tracks and platform, just be alert," Madathil said. The victim was taken to a hospital with injuries to the head. (With inputs from agencies)

'Heroic' Indian American metro train driver saves Asian man from hate crime 

Moderna is expecting to launch a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine in India next year and is in talks with Cipla among other Indian firms, while another US giant Pfizer is ready to offer 50 million shots in 2021 itself but it wants significant regulatory relaxations including indemnification, sources said on Tuesday.&nbsp;

While Moderna has conveyed to Indian authorities that it does not have surplus vaccines to share in 2021, there are limited prospects of Johnson &amp; Johnson exporting its jabs from the US to other countries in the near future, the sources privy to discussions added.&nbsp;

Two rounds of high-level meetings chaired by the Cabinet Secretary were held last week on the availability of vaccines in the global as well as domestic markets as it was felt that there is an urgent need to procure the jabs at a time the country is reeling under an unprecedented second wave of COVID-19 and a widening gap between supply and requirement.&nbsp;

Currently, the country is using two 'Made in India' jabs, Covishield and Covaxin, to inoculate its billion-plus population and has administered numerous doses since launching the world's largest vaccination drive in mid-January. A third vaccine, Russian-made Sputnik V, has been approved by the government and is being used on a smaller scale at present.&nbsp;

In the high-level meeting officials from the Ministry of External Affairs, NITI Aayog, Department of Biotechnology, Law Ministry and Health Ministry were present.&nbsp;

It was discussed that Moderna doesn't have surplus vaccines to share in 2021 and that it plans to launch its single-dose vaccine for the Indian market only in 2022, for which, they are in discussion with Cipla and other Indian companies, a source said.&nbsp;

It is learnt that Cipla has already evinced interest in procuring 50 million doses from Moderna for 2022 and has requested confirmation from the central government in respect of stability in regulatory requirements/policy regime. The Health Ministry has also been asked to take an early decision on Cipla's request regarding support required by them for procurement of Moderna vaccines.&nbsp;

In the case of Pfizer, the US pharma giant has indicated availability of 50 million vaccine doses, 10 million in July, 10 million in August, 20 million in September and 10 million in October, for supply to India in 2021 and that it will deal only with Government of India and payment for vaccines will have to be made by GOI to Pfizer India.&nbsp;

The central government will make its own arrangement for further channelization of procured vaccines in the domestic market.&nbsp;

According to another source, for the supply of vaccines to India, Pfizer has asked for indemnification from the Government of India and a document in this regard has been received from Pfizer Inc.&nbsp;

Further, Pfizer has also sought certain relaxations in the regulatory regime, including relaxation in the requirement of post-approval bridging trials and dispensing the requirement of testing their vaccines in CDL (Central Drugs Laboratory).&nbsp;

Taking into consideration the track record of the company, similar arrangements done with other countries in the world and the current pandemic situation, an overall view may be taken to indemnify the company by the government, officials said but flagged that in case a view is taken to indemnify the company, similar demands may be made by other companies.&nbsp;

As per the information furnished by Pfizer, around 116 countries in the world including the USA have signed the indemnification document.&nbsp;

Further, considering that over 14.7 crore doses of Pfizer had been administered worldwide without any significant reports of adverse effects, a view needs to be taken to indemnify the company in order to supplement the availability of vaccines in India, officials discussed at one recent meeting.&nbsp;

It was suggested that a decision on the issue of Pfizer Inc may be taken at the earliest and that NEGVAC (National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19) may hold a meeting immediately on these issues.&nbsp;

At a press conference on Monday, in response to a question on states being unable to procure vaccines directly from Moderna and Pfizer, Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal had said, "Whether it is Pfizer or Moderna, at the Centre-level, we have been coordinating with them."&nbsp;

"Also, the order book of both Pfizer and Moderna is full so it depends on their surplus that how much they can provide in India... They will come back to the Centre and we will help in facilitation to states," he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Moderna is expecting to launch a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine in India next year and is in talks with Cipla among other Indian firms, while another US giant Pfizer is ready to offer 50 million shots in 2021 itself but it wants significant regulatory relaxations including indemnification, sources said on Tuesday.

Moderna is expecting to launch a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine in India next year and is in talks with Cipla among other Indian firms, while another US giant Pfizer is ready to offer 50 million shots in 2021 itself but it wants significant regulatory relaxations including indemnification, sources said on Tuesday. While Moderna has conveyed to Indian authorities that it does not have surplus vaccines to share in 2021, there are limited prospects of Johnson & Johnson exporting its jabs from the US to other countries in the near future, the sources privy to discussions added. Two rounds of high-level meetings chaired by the Cabinet Secretary were held last week on the availability of vaccines in the global as well as domestic markets as it was felt that there is an urgent need to procure the jabs at a time the country is reeling under an unprecedented second wave of COVID-19 and a widening gap between supply and requirement. Currently, the country is using two 'Made in India' jabs, Covishield and Covaxin, to inoculate its billion-plus population and has administered numerous doses since launching the world's largest vaccination drive in mid-January. A third vaccine, Russian-made Sputnik V, has been approved by the government and is being used on a smaller scale at present. In the high-level meeting officials from the Ministry of External Affairs, NITI Aayog, Department of Biotechnology, Law Ministry and Health Ministry were present. It was discussed that Moderna doesn't have surplus vaccines to share in 2021 and that it plans to launch its single-dose vaccine for the Indian market only in 2022, for which, they are in discussion with Cipla and other Indian companies, a source said. It is learnt that Cipla has already evinced interest in procuring 50 million doses from Moderna for 2022 and has requested confirmation from the central government in respect of stability in regulatory requirements/policy regime. The Health Ministry has also been asked to take an early decision on Cipla's request regarding support required by them for procurement of Moderna vaccines. In the case of Pfizer, the US pharma giant has indicated availability of 50 million vaccine doses, 10 million in July, 10 million in August, 20 million in September and 10 million in October, for supply to India in 2021 and that it will deal only with Government of India and payment for vaccines will have to be made by GOI to Pfizer India. The central government will make its own arrangement for further channelization of procured vaccines in the domestic market. According to another source, for the supply of vaccines to India, Pfizer has asked for indemnification from the Government of India and a document in this regard has been received from Pfizer Inc. Further, Pfizer has also sought certain relaxations in the regulatory regime, including relaxation in the requirement of post-approval bridging trials and dispensing the requirement of testing their vaccines in CDL (Central Drugs Laboratory). Taking into consideration the track record of the company, similar arrangements done with other countries in the world and the current pandemic situation, an overall view may be taken to indemnify the company by the government, officials said but flagged that in case a view is taken to indemnify the company, similar demands may be made by other companies. As per the information furnished by Pfizer, around 116 countries in the world including the USA have signed the indemnification document. Further, considering that over 14.7 crore doses of Pfizer had been administered worldwide without any significant reports of adverse effects, a view needs to be taken to indemnify the company in order to supplement the availability of vaccines in India, officials discussed at one recent meeting. It was suggested that a decision on the issue of Pfizer Inc may be taken at the earliest and that NEGVAC (National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19) may hold a meeting immediately on these issues. At a press conference on Monday, in response to a question on states being unable to procure vaccines directly from Moderna and Pfizer, Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal had said, "Whether it is Pfizer or Moderna, at the Centre-level, we have been coordinating with them." "Also, the order book of both Pfizer and Moderna is full so it depends on their surplus that how much they can provide in India... They will come back to the Centre and we will help in facilitation to states," he said.

Moderna's single-dose vaccine in India likely next year; Pfizer ready with 50 mn doses for 2021

Western powers prepared to pile sanctions on Belarus and cut off its aviation links on Monday, furious after it scrambled a warplane to intercept a Ryanair aircraft and arrest a dissident journalist, an act one official denounced as 'state piracy'.&nbsp;

In a video posted online, the detained blogger&nbsp;Roman Protasevich, 26, said he was in good health, being held in a pretrial detention facility in Minsk, and acknowledged having played a role in organising mass disturbances in the capital last year.&nbsp;

In the video on the Telegram messaging app, he wore a dark sweatshirt and clasped his hands tightly in front of him. The comments were immediately dismissed by his allies, including his father, as having been made under duress.&nbsp;

A Polish deputy foreign minister, Pawel Jablonski, told private broadcaster TVN24 that his government had heard from Protasevich's mother about his being in poor health, but provided no details.&nbsp;

Belarus' interior ministry said Protasevich was being held in jail and had not complained of ill health.&nbsp;

US President Joe Biden on Monday condemned Belarus for its actions and said he had asked his advisers to give him options to hold those responsible to account.&nbsp;

US national security adviser Jake Sullivan, in a call on Monday with exiled Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, said the United States had "strong support for the demands of the Belarusian people for democracy, human rights, and fundamental freedoms," the White House said.&nbsp;

European Union leaders meeting in Brussels called for Belarusian airlines to be banned from the 27-nation bloc's airspace and urged EU-based carriers to avoid flying over the former Soviet republic, according to a joint statement.&nbsp;

They also agreed to widen the list of Belarusian individuals they already sanction and called on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to urgently investigate Belarus forcing a Ryanair plane to land in Minsk on a Greece-Lithuania flight on Sunday.&nbsp;

"The reaction should be swift and be severe," Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo told journalists ahead of the EU summit.&nbsp;

Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney, using language that was echoed by a number of other EU countries, said: "This was effectively aviation piracy, state sponsored."&nbsp;

The EU and other Western countries also called for the release of Protasevich, who was detained when the plane landed.&nbsp;

His social media feed from exile has been one of the last remaining independent outlets for news about Belarus since a mass crackdown on dissent last year. Sofia Sapega, a 23-year-old student travelling with him, was also detained.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Western powers prepared to pile sanctions on Belarus and cut off its aviation links on Monday, furious after it scrambled a warplane to intercept a Ryanair aircraft and arrest a dissident journalist, an act one official denounced as 'state piracy'.

Western powers prepared to pile sanctions on Belarus and cut off its aviation links on Monday, furious after it scrambled a warplane to intercept a Ryanair aircraft and arrest a dissident journalist, an act one official denounced as 'state piracy'. In a video posted online, the detained blogger Roman Protasevich, 26, said he was in good health, being held in a pretrial detention facility in Minsk, and acknowledged having played a role in organising mass disturbances in the capital last year. In the video on the Telegram messaging app, he wore a dark sweatshirt and clasped his hands tightly in front of him. The comments were immediately dismissed by his allies, including his father, as having been made under duress. A Polish deputy foreign minister, Pawel Jablonski, told private broadcaster TVN24 that his government had heard from Protasevich's mother about his being in poor health, but provided no details. Belarus' interior ministry said Protasevich was being held in jail and had not complained of ill health. US President Joe Biden on Monday condemned Belarus for its actions and said he had asked his advisers to give him options to hold those responsible to account. US national security adviser Jake Sullivan, in a call on Monday with exiled Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, said the United States had "strong support for the demands of the Belarusian people for democracy, human rights, and fundamental freedoms," the White House said. European Union leaders meeting in Brussels called for Belarusian airlines to be banned from the 27-nation bloc's airspace and urged EU-based carriers to avoid flying over the former Soviet republic, according to a joint statement. They also agreed to widen the list of Belarusian individuals they already sanction and called on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to urgently investigate Belarus forcing a Ryanair plane to land in Minsk on a Greece-Lithuania flight on Sunday. "The reaction should be swift and be severe," Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo told journalists ahead of the EU summit. Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney, using language that was echoed by a number of other EU countries, said: "This was effectively aviation piracy, state sponsored." The EU and other Western countries also called for the release of Protasevich, who was detained when the plane landed. His social media feed from exile has been one of the last remaining independent outlets for news about Belarus since a mass crackdown on dissent last year. Sofia Sapega, a 23-year-old student travelling with him, was also detained. (With inputs from agencies)

Belarus faces new sanctions from West over forced landing of plane, arrest of journalist 

Repeated tremors shook the city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday, unnerving families still reeling from a volcano eruption at the weekend that destroyed nearby villages, displaced thousands and killed at least 32 people.&nbsp;

Mount Nyiragongo, one of the world's most active and dangerous volcanoes, erupted on Saturday evening, sending a smouldering wall of lava half a mile wide downhill towards the city of two million people.&nbsp;

The lava flow stopped a few hundred metres short of the city limits, but wrecked 17 villages on the way, cut the principal electricity supply and blocked a major road, disrupting aid deliveries.&nbsp;

The death toll rose to 32 on Monday, including seven killed by lava, three by smoke, two asphyxiated by volcanic gas and four who&nbsp;died while trying to escape Munzenze prison in Goma, said Joseph Makundi, the head of civil defence in North Kivu province.&nbsp;

A string of small earthquakes has since struck the city, the surrounding region in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and across the border into Rwanda.&nbsp;

One reached a 5.1 magnitude at 10:37 am (0837 GMT) on Monday, according to the Rwanda Seismic Monitor, which is managed by the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board.&nbsp;

Shops briefly reopened in Goma on Monday but many closed again as the tremors grew more severe and residents worried that these could trigger another eruption.&nbsp;

Tremors struck every 30 minutes in the city from midday on Sunday. In Rwanda, a reporter saw several buildings damaged by the tremors.&nbsp;

Dario Tedesco, a volcanologist based in Goma, told the lava lake in the volcano has refilled, having emptied before the initial eruption on Saturday evening, although its significance was as yet unclear.&nbsp;

"The danger is small at the moment, but the earthquakes are an immediate danger as they could open another fracture, so this is why I'm a little bit worried. We have to be very careful," he said.&nbsp;

Authorities in Goma also urged caution.&nbsp;

"In view of the earthquake, which is becoming more severe, parents are asked not to send their children to school until further notice," army spokesman Guillaume Ndjike said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Repeated tremors shook the city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday, unnerving families still reeling from a volcano eruption at the weekend that destroyed nearby villages, displaced thousands and killed at least 32 people.

Repeated tremors shook the city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday, unnerving families still reeling from a volcano eruption at the weekend that destroyed nearby villages, displaced thousands and killed at least 32 people. Mount Nyiragongo, one of the world's most active and dangerous volcanoes, erupted on Saturday evening, sending a smouldering wall of lava half a mile wide downhill towards the city of two million people. The lava flow stopped a few hundred metres short of the city limits, but wrecked 17 villages on the way, cut the principal electricity supply and blocked a major road, disrupting aid deliveries. The death toll rose to 32 on Monday, including seven killed by lava, three by smoke, two asphyxiated by volcanic gas and four who died while trying to escape Munzenze prison in Goma, said Joseph Makundi, the head of civil defence in North Kivu province. A string of small earthquakes has since struck the city, the surrounding region in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and across the border into Rwanda. One reached a 5.1 magnitude at 10:37 am (0837 GMT) on Monday, according to the Rwanda Seismic Monitor, which is managed by the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board. Shops briefly reopened in Goma on Monday but many closed again as the tremors grew more severe and residents worried that these could trigger another eruption. Tremors struck every 30 minutes in the city from midday on Sunday. In Rwanda, a reporter saw several buildings damaged by the tremors. Dario Tedesco, a volcanologist based in Goma, told the lava lake in the volcano has refilled, having emptied before the initial eruption on Saturday evening, although its significance was as yet unclear. "The danger is small at the moment, but the earthquakes are an immediate danger as they could open another fracture, so this is why I'm a little bit worried. We have to be very careful," he said. Authorities in Goma also urged caution. "In view of the earthquake, which is becoming more severe, parents are asked not to send their children to school until further notice," army spokesman Guillaume Ndjike said. (With inputs from agencies)

DR Congo's Goma hit by tremors after volcanic eruption, scores still missing 

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