Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his fiancee Carrie Symonds have sent wedding invitations to family and friends for July 30, 2022, The Sun newspaper reported on Sunday.&nbsp;

Details of the couple’s wedding destination remains a closely guarded secret, according to the British tabloid.

In February 2020, Johnson and Symonds said&nbsp;they were engaged to be married.&nbsp;

Johnson, 56, and Symonds, 33, have been living together in Downing Street since Johnson became prime minister in 2019. They share a son named Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson, born last year.&nbsp;

Johnson, known for his rumpled appearance and flamboyant oratory, was previously married to Marina Wheeler, and they had four children together. They announced in September 2018 that they had separated and would divorce after 25 years of marriage.&nbsp;

Johnson was also married once before Wheeler to Allegra Mostyn-Owen, and Symonds will be his third wife.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his fiancee Carrie Symonds have sent wedding invitations to family and friends for July 30, 2022, The Sun newspaper reported on Sunday.

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his fiancee Carrie Symonds have sent wedding invitations to family and friends for July 30, 2022, The Sun newspaper reported on Sunday. Details of the couple’s wedding destination remains a closely guarded secret, according to the British tabloid. In February 2020, Johnson and Symonds said they were engaged to be married. Johnson, 56, and Symonds, 33, have been living together in Downing Street since Johnson became prime minister in 2019. They share a son named Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson, born last year. Johnson, known for his rumpled appearance and flamboyant oratory, was previously married to Marina Wheeler, and they had four children together. They announced in September 2018 that they had separated and would divorce after 25 years of marriage. Johnson was also married once before Wheeler to Allegra Mostyn-Owen, and Symonds will be his third wife. (With inputs from agencies)

Britain's Prime Minister Johnson to wed fiancee Symonds next summer: Report

Three researchers from China's Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) sought hospital care in November 2019, months before China disclosed the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing a previously undisclosed US intelligence report.&nbsp;

The newspaper said the report, which provides fresh details on the number of researchers affected, the timing of their illnesses, and their hospital visits, may add weight to calls for a broader probe of whether the COVID-19 virus could have escaped from the laboratory.&nbsp;

The report came on the eve of a meeting of the World Health Organization's decision-making body, which is expected to discuss the next phase of an investigation into the origins of COVID-19.&nbsp;

A National Security Council spokeswoman had no comment on the Journal's report but said the Biden administration continued to have "serious questions about the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, including its origins within the Peoples Republic of China."&nbsp;

She said the US government was working with the WHO and other member states to support an expert-driven evaluation of the pandemic's origins "that is free from interference or politicisation."&nbsp;

"We're not going to make pronouncements that prejudge an ongoing WHO study into the source of SARS-CoV-2, but we've been clear that sound and technically credible theories should be thoroughly evaluated by international experts," she said.&nbsp;

The Journal said current and former officials familiar with the intelligence about the lab researchers expressed a range of views about the strength of the report's supporting evidence, with one unnamed person saying it needed 'further investigation and additional corroboration’.&nbsp;

The United States, Norway, Canada, Britain and other countries in March expressed concerns about the WHO-led COVID-19 origins study, and called for further investigation and full access to all pertinent human, animal and other data about the early stages of the outbreak.&nbsp;

Washington is keen to ensure greater cooperation and transparency by China, according to a source familiar with the effort.&nbsp;

The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday.&nbsp;

On Sunday, China's foreign ministry noted that a WHO-led team had concluded a lab leak was extremely unlikely after a visit in February to the virology institute. "The US continues to hype the lab leak theory," the ministry said in response to a request for comment by the Journal. "Is it actually concerned about tracing the source or trying to divert attention?"&nbsp;

The Trump administration had said it suspected the virus may have escaped from a Chinese lab, which Beijing denies.&nbsp;

A State Department fact sheet released near the end of the Trump administration had said "the US government has reason to believe that several researchers inside the WIV became sick in autumn 2019, before the first identified case of the outbreak, with symptoms consistent with both COVID-19 and common seasonal illnesses." It did not say how many researchers.&nbsp;

China refused to give raw data on early COVID-19 cases to the WHO-led team probing the origins of the pandemic, according to one of the team’s investigators, potentially complicating efforts to understand how the outbreak began.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

Three researchers from China's Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) sought hospital care in November 2019, months before China disclosed the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing a previously undisclosed US intelligence report.

Three researchers from China's Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) sought hospital care in November 2019, months before China disclosed the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing a previously undisclosed US intelligence report. The newspaper said the report, which provides fresh details on the number of researchers affected, the timing of their illnesses, and their hospital visits, may add weight to calls for a broader probe of whether the COVID-19 virus could have escaped from the laboratory. The report came on the eve of a meeting of the World Health Organization's decision-making body, which is expected to discuss the next phase of an investigation into the origins of COVID-19. A National Security Council spokeswoman had no comment on the Journal's report but said the Biden administration continued to have "serious questions about the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, including its origins within the Peoples Republic of China." She said the US government was working with the WHO and other member states to support an expert-driven evaluation of the pandemic's origins "that is free from interference or politicisation." "We're not going to make pronouncements that prejudge an ongoing WHO study into the source of SARS-CoV-2, but we've been clear that sound and technically credible theories should be thoroughly evaluated by international experts," she said. The Journal said current and former officials familiar with the intelligence about the lab researchers expressed a range of views about the strength of the report's supporting evidence, with one unnamed person saying it needed 'further investigation and additional corroboration’. The United States, Norway, Canada, Britain and other countries in March expressed concerns about the WHO-led COVID-19 origins study, and called for further investigation and full access to all pertinent human, animal and other data about the early stages of the outbreak. Washington is keen to ensure greater cooperation and transparency by China, according to a source familiar with the effort. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday. On Sunday, China's foreign ministry noted that a WHO-led team had concluded a lab leak was extremely unlikely after a visit in February to the virology institute. "The US continues to hype the lab leak theory," the ministry said in response to a request for comment by the Journal. "Is it actually concerned about tracing the source or trying to divert attention?" The Trump administration had said it suspected the virus may have escaped from a Chinese lab, which Beijing denies. A State Department fact sheet released near the end of the Trump administration had said "the US government has reason to believe that several researchers inside the WIV became sick in autumn 2019, before the first identified case of the outbreak, with symptoms consistent with both COVID-19 and common seasonal illnesses." It did not say how many researchers. China refused to give raw data on early COVID-19 cases to the WHO-led team probing the origins of the pandemic, according to one of the team’s investigators, potentially complicating efforts to understand how the outbreak began. (With inputs from agencies)

Wuhan lab staff sought hospital care before COVID-19 outbreak disclosed: WSJ

Hundreds of masked Hamas fighters brandishing assault rifles paraded in Gaza City and the group's top leader made his first public appearance on Saturday, in a defiant show of strength after the militants' 11-day war with Israel.&nbsp;

Saturday marked the first full day of a cease-fire, and Egyptian mediators held talks to firm up the truce, which ended the fourth Israel-Hamas war in just over a decade.&nbsp;

In the fighting, Israel unleashed hundreds of airstrikes against militant targets in Gaza, while Hamas and other militants fired more than 4,000 rockets toward Israel. More than 250 people were killed, the vast majority of them Palestinians.&nbsp;

In Gaza City, residents began assessing damage.&nbsp;

One of Gaza City's busiest commercial areas, Omar al-Mukhtar Street, was covered in debris, smashed cars and twisted metal after a 13-floor building in its center was flattened in an Israeli airstrike. Merchandise was covered in soot and strewn inside smashed stores and on the pavement. Municipal workers swept broken glass and twisted metal from streets and sidewalks.&nbsp;

"We really didn't expect this amount of damage," said Ashour Subeih, who sells baby clothes. "We thought the strike was a bit further from us. But as you can see not an area of the shop is intact.? Having been in business for one year, Subeih estimated his losses were double what he has made so far.&nbsp;

Drone video and photos showed some city blocks reduced to rubble, in between homes and businesses left standing.&nbsp;

Both Israel and Hamas have claimed victory.&nbsp;

On Saturday, hundreds of Hamas fighters wearing military camouflage paraded past the mourning tent for Bassem Issa, a senior commander killed in the fighting. The top Hamas leader in Gaza, Yehiyeh Sinwar, paid his respects in his first public appearance since the war began.&nbsp;

Israel bombed the house of Sinwar, along with that of other senior Hamas figures, as part of its attack on what it said was the group's military infrastructure. Israel's defence minister, Benny Gantz, has said Israel delivered a punishing blow to Hamas, and that top Hamas figures remained targets.&nbsp;

Still, there was a widespread expectation that the cease-fire would stick for now, even if another round of fighting at some point seems inevitable. Underlying issues remain unresolved, including an Israeli-Egyptian border blockade, now in its 14th year, that is choking Gaza's more than 2 million residents and a refusal by the Islamic militant Hamas to disarm.&nbsp;

The fighting began on May 10, when Hamas militants in Gaza fired long-range rockets towards Jerusalem. The barrage came after days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Heavy-handed police tactics at the compound and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinian families by Jewish settlers had inflamed tensions.&nbsp;

The war has further sidelined Hamas' main political rival, the internationally backed Palestinian Authority, which oversees autonomous enclaves in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Hamas' popularity seemed to be growing as it positioned itself as a defender of Palestinian claims to Jerusalem.&nbsp;

On Friday, hours after the cease-fire took effect, thousands of Palestinians in the Al-Aqsa compound chanted against Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his self-rule government. “Dogs of the Palestinian Authority, out, out," they shouted, and "The people want the president to leave.”&nbsp;

It was an unprecedented display of anger against Abbas. The conflict also brought to the surface deep frustration among Palestinians, whether in the occupied West Bank, Gaza or within Israel, over the status quo, with the Israeli-Palestinian peace process all but abandoned for years.&nbsp;

Despite his weakened status, Abbas will be the point of contact for any renewed US Diplomacy, since Israel and the West, including the United States, consider Hamas a terrorist organisation.&nbsp;

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is to meet with Abbas and Israeli leaders when he visits in the coming week. Abbas is expected to raise demands that any Gaza reconstruction plans go through the Palestinian Authority to avoid strengthening Hamas.&nbsp;

Abbas met on Saturday with Egyptian mediators, discussing the rebuilding of Gaza and internal Palestinian relations, according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.&nbsp;

An Egyptian diplomat said that two teams of mediators were in Israel and the Palestinian territories to continue talks on firming up a cease-fire deal and securing long-term calm.&nbsp;

The diplomat said discussions include implementing agreed-on measures in Gaza and Jerusalem, including ways to prevent practices that led to the latest fighting. He did not elaborate. He was apparently referring to violence at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the planned eviction of Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in east Jerusalem.&nbsp;

The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss behind-the-scenes deliberations.&nbsp;

Separately, a 130-truck convoy with humanitarian aid and medical supplies reached the Gaza border from Egypt on Saturday, according to a senior Egyptian official at the border crossing. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters.&nbsp;

Across Gaza, an assessment of the damage to the territory's already decrepit infrastructure began.&nbsp;

The ministry of public works and housing said that 769 housing and commercial units were rendered uninhabitable, at least 1,042 units in 258 buildings were destroyed and just over 14,500 units suffered minor damage.&nbsp;

The United Nations said about 800,000 people in Gaza do not have regular access to clean piped water, as nearly 50% of the water network was damaged in the fighting.&nbsp;

Israel has said it was targeting Hamas' military infrastructure, including a vast tunnel system running under roads and homes, as well as command centers, rocket launchers and the homes of commanders. The Israeli military has said it was trying to minimize harm to civilians and accused Hamas of using civilians as human shields.&nbsp;

The Gaza Health Ministry says at least 248 Palestinians were killed, including 66 children and 39 women, with 1,910 people wounded. It does not differentiate between fighters and civilians. Twelve people were killed in Israel, all but one of them civilians, including a 5-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl.&nbsp;

Israel has accused Hamas and the smaller militant group of Islamic Jihad of hiding the actual number of fighters killed in the war. Prime Minister Netanyahu said Friday that more than 200 militants were killed, including 25 senior commanders.&nbsp;

Islamic Jihad on Saturday gave a first account of deaths within its ranks, saying that 19 of its commanders and fighters were killed, including the head of the rocket unit in northern Gaza. &nbsp;

Hundreds of masked Hamas fighters brandishing assault rifles paraded in Gaza City and the group's top leader made his first public appearance on Saturday, in a defiant show of strength after the militants' 11-day war with Israel.

Hundreds of masked Hamas fighters brandishing assault rifles paraded in Gaza City and the group's top leader made his first public appearance on Saturday, in a defiant show of strength after the militants' 11-day war with Israel. Saturday marked the first full day of a cease-fire, and Egyptian mediators held talks to firm up the truce, which ended the fourth Israel-Hamas war in just over a decade. In the fighting, Israel unleashed hundreds of airstrikes against militant targets in Gaza, while Hamas and other militants fired more than 4,000 rockets toward Israel. More than 250 people were killed, the vast majority of them Palestinians. In Gaza City, residents began assessing damage. One of Gaza City's busiest commercial areas, Omar al-Mukhtar Street, was covered in debris, smashed cars and twisted metal after a 13-floor building in its center was flattened in an Israeli airstrike. Merchandise was covered in soot and strewn inside smashed stores and on the pavement. Municipal workers swept broken glass and twisted metal from streets and sidewalks. "We really didn't expect this amount of damage," said Ashour Subeih, who sells baby clothes. "We thought the strike was a bit further from us. But as you can see not an area of the shop is intact.? Having been in business for one year, Subeih estimated his losses were double what he has made so far. Drone video and photos showed some city blocks reduced to rubble, in between homes and businesses left standing. Both Israel and Hamas have claimed victory. On Saturday, hundreds of Hamas fighters wearing military camouflage paraded past the mourning tent for Bassem Issa, a senior commander killed in the fighting. The top Hamas leader in Gaza, Yehiyeh Sinwar, paid his respects in his first public appearance since the war began. Israel bombed the house of Sinwar, along with that of other senior Hamas figures, as part of its attack on what it said was the group's military infrastructure. Israel's defence minister, Benny Gantz, has said Israel delivered a punishing blow to Hamas, and that top Hamas figures remained targets. Still, there was a widespread expectation that the cease-fire would stick for now, even if another round of fighting at some point seems inevitable. Underlying issues remain unresolved, including an Israeli-Egyptian border blockade, now in its 14th year, that is choking Gaza's more than 2 million residents and a refusal by the Islamic militant Hamas to disarm. The fighting began on May 10, when Hamas militants in Gaza fired long-range rockets towards Jerusalem. The barrage came after days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Heavy-handed police tactics at the compound and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinian families by Jewish settlers had inflamed tensions. The war has further sidelined Hamas' main political rival, the internationally backed Palestinian Authority, which oversees autonomous enclaves in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Hamas' popularity seemed to be growing as it positioned itself as a defender of Palestinian claims to Jerusalem. On Friday, hours after the cease-fire took effect, thousands of Palestinians in the Al-Aqsa compound chanted against Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his self-rule government. “Dogs of the Palestinian Authority, out, out," they shouted, and "The people want the president to leave.” It was an unprecedented display of anger against Abbas. The conflict also brought to the surface deep frustration among Palestinians, whether in the occupied West Bank, Gaza or within Israel, over the status quo, with the Israeli-Palestinian peace process all but abandoned for years. Despite his weakened status, Abbas will be the point of contact for any renewed US Diplomacy, since Israel and the West, including the United States, consider Hamas a terrorist organisation. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is to meet with Abbas and Israeli leaders when he visits in the coming week. Abbas is expected to raise demands that any Gaza reconstruction plans go through the Palestinian Authority to avoid strengthening Hamas. Abbas met on Saturday with Egyptian mediators, discussing the rebuilding of Gaza and internal Palestinian relations, according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa. An Egyptian diplomat said that two teams of mediators were in Israel and the Palestinian territories to continue talks on firming up a cease-fire deal and securing long-term calm. The diplomat said discussions include implementing agreed-on measures in Gaza and Jerusalem, including ways to prevent practices that led to the latest fighting. He did not elaborate. He was apparently referring to violence at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the planned eviction of Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in east Jerusalem. The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss behind-the-scenes deliberations. Separately, a 130-truck convoy with humanitarian aid and medical supplies reached the Gaza border from Egypt on Saturday, according to a senior Egyptian official at the border crossing. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters. Across Gaza, an assessment of the damage to the territory's already decrepit infrastructure began. The ministry of public works and housing said that 769 housing and commercial units were rendered uninhabitable, at least 1,042 units in 258 buildings were destroyed and just over 14,500 units suffered minor damage. The United Nations said about 800,000 people in Gaza do not have regular access to clean piped water, as nearly 50% of the water network was damaged in the fighting. Israel has said it was targeting Hamas' military infrastructure, including a vast tunnel system running under roads and homes, as well as command centers, rocket launchers and the homes of commanders. The Israeli military has said it was trying to minimize harm to civilians and accused Hamas of using civilians as human shields. The Gaza Health Ministry says at least 248 Palestinians were killed, including 66 children and 39 women, with 1,910 people wounded. It does not differentiate between fighters and civilians. Twelve people were killed in Israel, all but one of them civilians, including a 5-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl. Israel has accused Hamas and the smaller militant group of Islamic Jihad of hiding the actual number of fighters killed in the war. Prime Minister Netanyahu said Friday that more than 200 militants were killed, including 25 senior commanders. Islamic Jihad on Saturday gave a first account of deaths within its ranks, saying that 19 of its commanders and fighters were killed, including the head of the rocket unit in northern Gaza.

Hamas defiant with military parade, appearance of top leader 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a meeting, which will be attended by key ministers and officials, on Sunday to review preparations to deal with the approaching cyclone Yaas.&nbsp;

Representatives from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), secretaries from Telecom, Power, Civil aviation and Earth Sciences ministries will attend the meeting besides the home minister among others.&nbsp;

Cyclone Yaas is likely to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm and cross the Odisha and the West Bengal coasts on May 26, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said. &nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a meeting, which will be attended by key ministers and officials, on Sunday to review preparations to deal with the approaching cyclone Yaas.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a meeting, which will be attended by key ministers and officials, on Sunday to review preparations to deal with the approaching cyclone Yaas. Representatives from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), secretaries from Telecom, Power, Civil aviation and Earth Sciences ministries will attend the meeting besides the home minister among others. Cyclone Yaas is likely to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm and cross the Odisha and the West Bengal coasts on May 26, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said.

PM Modi to review preparations to deal with cyclone Yaas 

Thousands are rallying in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, calling for coexistence between Jews and Arabs.&nbsp;

The demonstration on Saturday night was one of several held across Israel to call for peace between Israelis and Palestinians in the wake of 11 days of fighting in Gaza that ended with a cease-fire early on Friday.&nbsp;

Demonstrators marched through the city and later gathered in the central&nbsp;Habima&nbsp;Square to hear from politicians and artists.&nbsp;

Ayman Odeh, the leader of the main Arab party in parliament, called for a Palestinian state to be established alongside Israel. Odeh said:&nbsp;"There are two peoples here. Both deserve the right to self-determination."&nbsp;

Israeli author David Grossman said that the battle today is not between Arabs and Jews, but between those on both sides,&nbsp;who strive to live in peace and in a fair partnership, and those on both sides,&nbsp;who are fed by hatred and violence.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Thousands are rallying in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, calling for coexistence between Jews and Arabs. The demonstration on Saturday night was one of several held across Israel to call for peace between Israelis and Palestinians in the wake of 11 days of fighting in Gaza that ended with a cease-fire early on Friday.

Thousands are rallying in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, calling for coexistence between Jews and Arabs. The demonstration on Saturday night was one of several held across Israel to call for peace between Israelis and Palestinians in the wake of 11 days of fighting in Gaza that ended with a cease-fire early on Friday. Demonstrators marched through the city and later gathered in the central Habima Square to hear from politicians and artists. Ayman Odeh, the leader of the main Arab party in parliament, called for a Palestinian state to be established alongside Israel. Odeh said: "There are two peoples here. Both deserve the right to self-determination." Israeli author David Grossman said that the battle today is not between Arabs and Jews, but between those on both sides, who strive to live in peace and in a fair partnership, and those on both sides, who are fed by hatred and violence. (With inputs from agencies)

Tel Aviv rally calls for Jewish-Arab coexistence 

Poland will buy 24 armed drones from Turkey, the Polish defence minister said on Saturday, becoming the first NATO member to buy Turkish-made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).&nbsp;

The Bayraktar TB2 drones, the first of which are due to be delivered next year, will be armed with anti-tank projectiles. Poland will also buy a logistics and training package, said Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak.&nbsp;

Blaszczak told state radio the Bayraktar TB2 drones 'have proven themselves in wars' and added that the UAVs would be serviced by a military company, without giving further details.&nbsp;

The contract, which will be concluded without a procurement process, will be signed next week during a visit by Polish President Andrzej Duda to Turkey.&nbsp;

Authorities in fellow NATO member Turkey say the country has become the world's fourth-largest drone producer since President Tayyip Erdogan increased domestic production to reduce reliance on Western arms.&nbsp;

Turkish defence technology company Baykar has sold its Bayraktar TB2 armed drone to Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Qatar and Libya. Erdogan said in March that Saudi Arabia was also interested in buying Turkish drones.&nbsp;

Canada scrapped export permits for drone technology to Turkey in April, after concluding that the equipment was used by Azeri forces fighting Armenia in the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. The parts under embargo included camera systems for Baykar armed drones.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

Poland will buy 24 armed drones from Turkey, the Polish defence minister said on Saturday, becoming the first NATO member to buy Turkish-made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Poland will buy 24 armed drones from Turkey, the Polish defence minister said on Saturday, becoming the first NATO member to buy Turkish-made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The Bayraktar TB2 drones, the first of which are due to be delivered next year, will be armed with anti-tank projectiles. Poland will also buy a logistics and training package, said Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak. Blaszczak told state radio the Bayraktar TB2 drones 'have proven themselves in wars' and added that the UAVs would be serviced by a military company, without giving further details. The contract, which will be concluded without a procurement process, will be signed next week during a visit by Polish President Andrzej Duda to Turkey. Authorities in fellow NATO member Turkey say the country has become the world's fourth-largest drone producer since President Tayyip Erdogan increased domestic production to reduce reliance on Western arms. Turkish defence technology company Baykar has sold its Bayraktar TB2 armed drone to Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Qatar and Libya. Erdogan said in March that Saudi Arabia was also interested in buying Turkish drones. Canada scrapped export permits for drone technology to Turkey in April, after concluding that the equipment was used by Azeri forces fighting Armenia in the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. The parts under embargo included camera systems for Baykar armed drones. (With inputs from agencies)

Poland to become first NATO country to buy Turkish drones 

The owner of a container ship that blocked the Suez Canal in March says the canal authority was at fault over its grounding as it disputes the vessel’s detention and a compensation claim, a lawyer representing the owner said on Saturday.&nbsp;

The Ever Given, one of the world's largest container ships, became jammed across the canal in high winds on March 23, and remained grounded for six days, blocking traffic in both directions and disrupting global trade.&nbsp;

The vessel has since been held in a lake between two stretches of the canal as the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) pursues a $916.5 million claim against Japanese owner Shoei Kisen.&nbsp;

An appeals chamber at Ismailia Economic Court held hearings on Saturday over the ship's detention, which the SCA is seeking to uphold following an appeal by the owner, as well as the SCA's financial claim.&nbsp;

Lawyers representing Shoei Kisen argued that the SCA had been at fault for allowing the ship to enter the waterway amid bad weather, Ahmed Abu Ali, a member of the legal team, said, adding that the authority failed to prove any fault by the ship.&nbsp;

Recordings from the ship that were presented to the court showed disagreements between SCA pilots and its control centre over whether it should enter the canal, Abu Ali said.&nbsp;

Lawyers for Shoei Kisen said the ship should have been accompanied by at least two tug boats suitable for the ship's size "but this didn't happen", he added.&nbsp;

The SCA did not immediately respond to requests for comment, but it has publicly denied being at fault.&nbsp;

Lawyers for Shoei Kisen also argued that the Ever Given's detention was legally flawed and that the work to release the ship was not "a salvage (operation) in the proper legal sense", meaning the SCA could not seek compensation for such an operation, Abu Ali said.&nbsp;

"This was one of the duties of the authority according to the traffic contract," he said.&nbsp;

Shoei Kisen is claiming $100,000 in initial compensation for losses related to its detention, he said.&nbsp;

The court was expected to issue a decision on the case on Sunday, lawyers and witnesses said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

The owner of a container ship that blocked the Suez Canal in March says the canal authority was at fault over its grounding as it disputes the vessel’s detention and a compensation claim, a lawyer representing the owner said on Saturday.

The owner of a container ship that blocked the Suez Canal in March says the canal authority was at fault over its grounding as it disputes the vessel’s detention and a compensation claim, a lawyer representing the owner said on Saturday. The Ever Given, one of the world's largest container ships, became jammed across the canal in high winds on March 23, and remained grounded for six days, blocking traffic in both directions and disrupting global trade. The vessel has since been held in a lake between two stretches of the canal as the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) pursues a $916.5 million claim against Japanese owner Shoei Kisen. An appeals chamber at Ismailia Economic Court held hearings on Saturday over the ship's detention, which the SCA is seeking to uphold following an appeal by the owner, as well as the SCA's financial claim. Lawyers representing Shoei Kisen argued that the SCA had been at fault for allowing the ship to enter the waterway amid bad weather, Ahmed Abu Ali, a member of the legal team, said, adding that the authority failed to prove any fault by the ship. Recordings from the ship that were presented to the court showed disagreements between SCA pilots and its control centre over whether it should enter the canal, Abu Ali said. Lawyers for Shoei Kisen said the ship should have been accompanied by at least two tug boats suitable for the ship's size "but this didn't happen", he added. The SCA did not immediately respond to requests for comment, but it has publicly denied being at fault. Lawyers for Shoei Kisen also argued that the Ever Given's detention was legally flawed and that the work to release the ship was not "a salvage (operation) in the proper legal sense", meaning the SCA could not seek compensation for such an operation, Abu Ali said. "This was one of the duties of the authority according to the traffic contract," he said. Shoei Kisen is claiming $100,000 in initial compensation for losses related to its detention, he said. The court was expected to issue a decision on the case on Sunday, lawyers and witnesses said. (With inputs from agencies)

Ship owner says Suez Canal was at fault over Ever Given grounding: Lawyer 

Taiwan's abrupt decision to add 400 new domestic Covid-19 cases has prompted catcalls from opposition politicians and jokes online about fishy statistics, putting the government on the back foot to explain where the number came from.&nbsp;

Taiwan is dealing with a spike in cases after months of keeping the pandemic well under control, with restrictions in place across the island to limit gatherings.&nbsp;

Health Minister Chen Shih-chung announced 721 new domestic infections on Saturday, including 400 infections over the past six days whose positive tests had not been included in previous reports due to a delay following a spike in cases.&nbsp;

Chen said the 'regression calibration' was needed to more accurately reflect the state of infections, while the trend was stable.&nbsp;

But the move went down poorly with Taiwan's opposition parties, who said Chen was inventing words and spreading fear.&nbsp;

"Today, the command centre created a new expression, ‘regression calibration’, adding 400 new infections," Johnny Chiang, chairman of the main opposition party the Kuomintang, wrote on his Facebook page late on Saturday.&nbsp;

"This information has terrified everyone, as the daily numbers being received were inaccurate."&nbsp;

The small Taiwan People’s Party, led by Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je, called on the government not to engage in ‘cognitive warfare’, riffing off accusations Taiwan has levelled at China about spreading propaganda and misinformation.&nbsp;

Ko said the rise in tests and infections was causing delays in reporting numbers to the central government for collation, but added the reporting system needed improving, rather than ‘creating new expressions’.&nbsp;

The government has strenuously denied a cover-up, saying it is working to improve the reporting and testing system.&nbsp;

"From the central to the local level, no one wants to conceal the pandemic, and no medical staff would conceal the number of confirmed diagnoses," Premier Su Tseng-chang wrote on his Facebook page.&nbsp;

Still, the term ‘regression calibration’ has caused some amusement online, and black humour.&nbsp;

In one joke, a woman asks her boyfriend how many girlfriends he has had before, to which he replies "just you".&nbsp;

"After getting married, with regression calibration I'd had about 50."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Taiwan's abrupt decision to add 400 new domestic Covid-19 cases has prompted catcalls from opposition politicians and jokes online about fishy statistics, putting the government on the back foot to explain where the number came from.

Taiwan's abrupt decision to add 400 new domestic Covid-19 cases has prompted catcalls from opposition politicians and jokes online about fishy statistics, putting the government on the back foot to explain where the number came from. Taiwan is dealing with a spike in cases after months of keeping the pandemic well under control, with restrictions in place across the island to limit gatherings. Health Minister Chen Shih-chung announced 721 new domestic infections on Saturday, including 400 infections over the past six days whose positive tests had not been included in previous reports due to a delay following a spike in cases. Chen said the 'regression calibration' was needed to more accurately reflect the state of infections, while the trend was stable. But the move went down poorly with Taiwan's opposition parties, who said Chen was inventing words and spreading fear. "Today, the command centre created a new expression, ‘regression calibration’, adding 400 new infections," Johnny Chiang, chairman of the main opposition party the Kuomintang, wrote on his Facebook page late on Saturday. "This information has terrified everyone, as the daily numbers being received were inaccurate." The small Taiwan People’s Party, led by Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je, called on the government not to engage in ‘cognitive warfare’, riffing off accusations Taiwan has levelled at China about spreading propaganda and misinformation. Ko said the rise in tests and infections was causing delays in reporting numbers to the central government for collation, but added the reporting system needed improving, rather than ‘creating new expressions’. The government has strenuously denied a cover-up, saying it is working to improve the reporting and testing system. "From the central to the local level, no one wants to conceal the pandemic, and no medical staff would conceal the number of confirmed diagnoses," Premier Su Tseng-chang wrote on his Facebook page. Still, the term ‘regression calibration’ has caused some amusement online, and black humour. In one joke, a woman asks her boyfriend how many girlfriends he has had before, to which he replies "just you". "After getting married, with regression calibration I'd had about 50." (With inputs from agencies)

Catcalls and jokes after Taiwan's Covid 'regression calibration' 

The Biden administration on Saturday extended special protections to Haitians living temporarily in the United States after being displaced by a devastating 2010 earthquake, reversing efforts by the previous administration to force them to leave the country.

The decision, announced by the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, makes good on President Joe Biden’s campaign promise to restore a program that shields thousands of Haitian migrants from the threat of deportation under the restrictive policies put in place under President Donald Trump.

Mayorkas said the new 18-month designation, known as temporary protected status, would apply to Haitians already living in the United States as of Friday.

“Haiti is currently experiencing serious security concerns, social unrest, an increase in human rights abuses, crippling poverty, and lack of basic resources, which are exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mayorkas said in a statement Saturday.

The protections, created in a 1990 law, allow foreigners who have had to flee their homes because of natural disasters and conflict to work and live in the United States. The Obama administration granted the temporary protected status to Haitians living in the United States illegally after the 7.0-magnitude earthquake in January 2010.

Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the new designation could protect as many as 150,000 Haitians from having to return to the political and security crisis in their home country.

“The last thing our country should be doing is forcing an entire community in the U.S. to decide between packing up their lives and tearing their families apart by self-deporting, or becoming undocumented and forced into the shadows of our society,” Menendez said in a statement Saturday.

As part of its hard-line efforts to curb legal and illegal immigration, the Trump administration sought to end protections for about 400,000 immigrants living in the United States, including Haitians.

Lawsuits blocked the cancellations, but in September a federal appeals court sided with the Trump administration, putting hundreds of thousands of immigrants on notice that they would have to leave the country or face deportation. The Trump administration agreed to keep the protections in place at least through early 2021, meaning a new administration could decide to continue the policy.

The Biden administration on Saturday extended special protections to Haitians living temporarily in the United States after being displaced by a devastating 2010 earthquake, reversing efforts by the previous administration to force them to leave the country.

The Biden administration on Saturday extended special protections to Haitians living temporarily in the United States after being displaced by a devastating 2010 earthquake, reversing efforts by the previous administration to force them to leave the country. The decision, announced by the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, makes good on President Joe Biden’s campaign promise to restore a program that shields thousands of Haitian migrants from the threat of deportation under the restrictive policies put in place under President Donald Trump. Mayorkas said the new 18-month designation, known as temporary protected status, would apply to Haitians already living in the United States as of Friday. “Haiti is currently experiencing serious security concerns, social unrest, an increase in human rights abuses, crippling poverty, and lack of basic resources, which are exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mayorkas said in a statement Saturday. The protections, created in a 1990 law, allow foreigners who have had to flee their homes because of natural disasters and conflict to work and live in the United States. The Obama administration granted the temporary protected status to Haitians living in the United States illegally after the 7.0-magnitude earthquake in January 2010. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the new designation could protect as many as 150,000 Haitians from having to return to the political and security crisis in their home country. “The last thing our country should be doing is forcing an entire community in the U.S. to decide between packing up their lives and tearing their families apart by self-deporting, or becoming undocumented and forced into the shadows of our society,” Menendez said in a statement Saturday. As part of its hard-line efforts to curb legal and illegal immigration, the Trump administration sought to end protections for about 400,000 immigrants living in the United States, including Haitians. Lawsuits blocked the cancellations, but in September a federal appeals court sided with the Trump administration, putting hundreds of thousands of immigrants on notice that they would have to leave the country or face deportation. The Trump administration agreed to keep the protections in place at least through early 2021, meaning a new administration could decide to continue the policy.

US grants temporary protections to thousands of Haitians

A smoking trail of lava from a volcanic eruption appeared to have halted a few hundred metres from the edge of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo's main city on Sunday morning.

Goma, a lakeside city of about two million people, was thrown into panic on Saturday evening as the nearby Mount Nyiragongo erupted, turning the night sky an eerie red. Thousands fled with their belongings on foot, some towards the nearby border with Rwanda.

As the sun rose on Sunday, much of the hillside to the north of the town was burned black and houses had been demolished. The sky was again a cloudy gray.

"Local authorities who have been monitoring the eruption overnight report that the lava flow has lost intensity," government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said on Twitter on Sunday.

Nyiragongo's previous eruption in 2002 killed 250 people and left 120,000 homeless. It is one of the world's most active volcanoes and is considered among the most dangerous. Saturday's eruption appears to have been caused when fractures opened in the volcano's side, causing lava flows in various directions.

Experts were worried that the volcanic activity observed in the past five years at Nyiragongo mirrors that in the years preceding eruptions in 1977 and 2002.

The lava flow had stopped short of Goma's airport and the city limits but that surrounding villages were hit.&nbsp;Lava crossed a main road out of Goma, cutting if off from cities to the north. Traffic was in gridlock in most places as people tried to leave or return to assess the damage to their homes.

It was not possible to estimate material damage or if anyone had died.&nbsp;A separate lava flow that headed east over unpopulated terrain towards Rwanda also appeared to have stopped.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A smoking trail of lava from a volcanic eruption appeared to have halted a few hundred metres from the edge of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo's main city on Sunday morning.

A smoking trail of lava from a volcanic eruption appeared to have halted a few hundred metres from the edge of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo's main city on Sunday morning. Goma, a lakeside city of about two million people, was thrown into panic on Saturday evening as the nearby Mount Nyiragongo erupted, turning the night sky an eerie red. Thousands fled with their belongings on foot, some towards the nearby border with Rwanda. As the sun rose on Sunday, much of the hillside to the north of the town was burned black and houses had been demolished. The sky was again a cloudy gray. "Local authorities who have been monitoring the eruption overnight report that the lava flow has lost intensity," government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said on Twitter on Sunday. Nyiragongo's previous eruption in 2002 killed 250 people and left 120,000 homeless. It is one of the world's most active volcanoes and is considered among the most dangerous. Saturday's eruption appears to have been caused when fractures opened in the volcano's side, causing lava flows in various directions. Experts were worried that the volcanic activity observed in the past five years at Nyiragongo mirrors that in the years preceding eruptions in 1977 and 2002. The lava flow had stopped short of Goma's airport and the city limits but that surrounding villages were hit. Lava crossed a main road out of Goma, cutting if off from cities to the north. Traffic was in gridlock in most places as people tried to leave or return to assess the damage to their homes. It was not possible to estimate material damage or if anyone had died. A separate lava flow that headed east over unpopulated terrain towards Rwanda also appeared to have stopped. (With inputs from agencies)

Lava stops short of Congo city after volcanic eruption

A coronavirus outbreak on Mount Everest has infected at least 100 climbers and support staff, an expert mountaineering guide said, giving the first comprehensive estimate amid official Nepalese denials that the disease has spread to the world's highest peak.&nbsp;

Lukas Furtenbach of Austria, who last week became the only prominent outfitter to halt his Everest expedition due to virus fears, said on Saturday one of his foreign guides and six Nepali Sherpa guides have tested positive.&nbsp;

"I think with all the confirmed cases, we know now confirmed from (rescue) pilots, from insurance, from doctors, from expedition leaders. I have the positive tests so we can prove this," Furtenbach said in Nepal's capital, Kathmandu.&nbsp;

"We have at least 100 people positive for Covid in base camp, and then the numbers might be something like 150 or 200," he said.&nbsp;

He said it was obvious there were many cases at the Everest base camp because he could visibly see people were sick, and could hear people coughing in their tents.&nbsp;

A total of 408 foreign climbers were issued permits to climb Everest this season, aided by several hundred Sherpas and support staff, who've been stationed at base camp since April.&nbsp;

Nepalese mountaineering officials have denied there are any active cases this season among climbers and support staff at all base camps for the country's Himalayan mountains. Mountaineering was closed last year due to the pandemic.&nbsp;

Nepalese officials could not immediately be reached for comment on Saturday. Other climbing teams have not announced any COVID-19 infections among their members or staff. Several climbers have reported testing positive after they were brought down from the Everest base camp.&nbsp;

Furtenbach said most teams on the mountain were not carrying virus testing kits, and that before his team pulled out, they had helped conduct tests and had confirmed two cases.&nbsp;

Most teams are still at base camp, hoping for clear weather next week so they can make a final push to the summit before the climbing season closes at the end of the month, Furtenbach said.&nbsp;

In late April, a Norwegian climber became the first to test positive at the Everest base camp. He was flown by helicopter to Kathmandu, where he was treated and later returned home.&nbsp;

Nepal is experiencing a virus surge, with record numbers of new infections and deaths. China last week canceled climbing from its side of Mount Everest due to fears the virus could be spread from the Nepalese side.&nbsp;

Nepal reported 8,607 new infections and 177 deaths on Friday, bringing the nation's totals since the pandemic began to more than 497,000 infections and 6,024 deaths. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A coronavirus outbreak on Mount Everest has infected at least 100 climbers and support staff, an expert mountaineering guide said, giving the first comprehensive estimate amid official Nepalese denials that the disease has spread to the world's highest peak.

A coronavirus outbreak on Mount Everest has infected at least 100 climbers and support staff, an expert mountaineering guide said, giving the first comprehensive estimate amid official Nepalese denials that the disease has spread to the world's highest peak. Lukas Furtenbach of Austria, who last week became the only prominent outfitter to halt his Everest expedition due to virus fears, said on Saturday one of his foreign guides and six Nepali Sherpa guides have tested positive. "I think with all the confirmed cases, we know now confirmed from (rescue) pilots, from insurance, from doctors, from expedition leaders. I have the positive tests so we can prove this," Furtenbach said in Nepal's capital, Kathmandu. "We have at least 100 people positive for Covid in base camp, and then the numbers might be something like 150 or 200," he said. He said it was obvious there were many cases at the Everest base camp because he could visibly see people were sick, and could hear people coughing in their tents. A total of 408 foreign climbers were issued permits to climb Everest this season, aided by several hundred Sherpas and support staff, who've been stationed at base camp since April. Nepalese mountaineering officials have denied there are any active cases this season among climbers and support staff at all base camps for the country's Himalayan mountains. Mountaineering was closed last year due to the pandemic. Nepalese officials could not immediately be reached for comment on Saturday. Other climbing teams have not announced any COVID-19 infections among their members or staff. Several climbers have reported testing positive after they were brought down from the Everest base camp. Furtenbach said most teams on the mountain were not carrying virus testing kits, and that before his team pulled out, they had helped conduct tests and had confirmed two cases. Most teams are still at base camp, hoping for clear weather next week so they can make a final push to the summit before the climbing season closes at the end of the month, Furtenbach said. In late April, a Norwegian climber became the first to test positive at the Everest base camp. He was flown by helicopter to Kathmandu, where he was treated and later returned home. Nepal is experiencing a virus surge, with record numbers of new infections and deaths. China last week canceled climbing from its side of Mount Everest due to fears the virus could be spread from the Nepalese side. Nepal reported 8,607 new infections and 177 deaths on Friday, bringing the nation's totals since the pandemic began to more than 497,000 infections and 6,024 deaths. (With inputs from agencies)

Guide: Over 100 virus cases on Everest despite Nepal denials 

A car drove into a crowd of pedestrians in the northeastern Chinese port city of Dalian, killing five, state media reported on Sunday.&nbsp;

A black sedan drove into a crowd of people crossing a street at 11:47 am (0347 GMT) on Saturday and fled the scene, the official Xinhua news agency reported, citing Dalian's public security bureau.&nbsp;

Four people died at the scene and another was confirmed dead after being sent to hospital, while five, who sustained injuries, were receiving medical treatment in hospital, according to Xinhua.&nbsp;

The driver, surnamed Liu, has been caught and was determined not to have been driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, Xinhua said.&nbsp;

Further investigation was underway, it said.&nbsp;

A car drove into a crowd of pedestrians in the northeastern Chinese port city of Dalian, killing five, state media reported on Sunday. A black sedan drove into a crowd of people crossing a street at 11:47 am (0347 GMT) on Saturday and fled the scene, the official Xinhua news agency reported, citing Dalian's public security bureau.

A car drove into a crowd of pedestrians in the northeastern Chinese port city of Dalian, killing five, state media reported on Sunday. A black sedan drove into a crowd of people crossing a street at 11:47 am (0347 GMT) on Saturday and fled the scene, the official Xinhua news agency reported, citing Dalian's public security bureau. Four people died at the scene and another was confirmed dead after being sent to hospital, while five, who sustained injuries, were receiving medical treatment in hospital, according to Xinhua. The driver, surnamed Liu, has been caught and was determined not to have been driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, Xinhua said. Further investigation was underway, it said.

Car drives into crowd in China, killing five: State media 

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