Iran's parliament speaker said on Sunday that a three-month monitoring deal between Tehran and the UN nuclear watchdog had expired as of Saturday, Iran's state TV reported, adding that the agency would no longer access images of nuclear sites.&nbsp;

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, is to hold a news conference on Sunday afternoon. He is in talks with Iran on extending the monitoring arrangement with Tehran that could affect talks between Tehran and six powers to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, the IAEA said.&nbsp;

"From May 22 and with the end of the three-month agreement, the agency will have no access to data collected by cameras inside the nuclear facilities agreed under the agreement," state TV quoted Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf as saying.&nbsp;

Iran began gradually breaching terms of the pact with world powers after then-President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions.&nbsp;

The pact aims to keep Iran from being able to make nuclear arms, which Tehran says it has never wanted to build.&nbsp;

In February, the watchdog and Iran agreed to keep 'necessary' IAEA monitoring and verification activities in the Islamic Republic, although Tehran would reduce cooperation with the agency, including by ending snap inspections.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

Iran's parliament speaker said on Sunday that a three-month monitoring deal between Tehran and the UN nuclear watchdog had expired as of Saturday, Iran's state TV reported, adding that the agency would no longer access images of nuclear sites.

Iran's parliament speaker said on Sunday that a three-month monitoring deal between Tehran and the UN nuclear watchdog had expired as of Saturday, Iran's state TV reported, adding that the agency would no longer access images of nuclear sites. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, is to hold a news conference on Sunday afternoon. He is in talks with Iran on extending the monitoring arrangement with Tehran that could affect talks between Tehran and six powers to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, the IAEA said. "From May 22 and with the end of the three-month agreement, the agency will have no access to data collected by cameras inside the nuclear facilities agreed under the agreement," state TV quoted Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf as saying. Iran began gradually breaching terms of the pact with world powers after then-President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions. The pact aims to keep Iran from being able to make nuclear arms, which Tehran says it has never wanted to build. In February, the watchdog and Iran agreed to keep 'necessary' IAEA monitoring and verification activities in the Islamic Republic, although Tehran would reduce cooperation with the agency, including by ending snap inspections. (With inputs from agencies)

IAEA will have no access to Iran's nuclear sites images, says top lawmaker 

Coronavirus vaccine producers promised billions of doses for poorer countries at a G20 health summit Friday, where leaders vowed to expand access to jabs as the only way to end the pandemic.&nbsp;

The bosses of Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson &amp; Johnson announced they would supply around 3.5 billion vaccine doses at cost or discount to low- and middle-income countries this year and next.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the European Union pledged to donate 100 million doses and invest in regional manufacturing hubs in Africa to reduce the continent's reliance on imports.&nbsp;

World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hailed the 'generous announcements', but warned, 'in the coming months, we will need hundreds of millions more doses’.&nbsp;

In their summit declaration, the Group of 20 most powerful countries emphasised the importance of open supply chains and equitable access to tools to tackle Covid-19.&nbsp;

"It is a very clear 'no' to health nationalism," said European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, who co-hosted the summit with Prime Minister Mario Draghi of Italy, the current G20 chair.&nbsp;

But the five-page text, containing a list of 16 principles, stopped short of endorsing the contentious idea of a temporary global waiver on patent protections for coronavirus vaccines to boost global production.&nbsp;

Instead, it called for other tools such as 'data sharing, capacity building, licensing agreements, and voluntary technology and know-how transfers on mutually agreed terms’.&nbsp;

Coronavirus vaccine producers promised billions of doses for poorer countries at a G20 health summit Friday, where leaders vowed to expand access to jabs as the only way to end the pandemic.

Coronavirus vaccine producers promised billions of doses for poorer countries at a G20 health summit Friday, where leaders vowed to expand access to jabs as the only way to end the pandemic. The bosses of Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson announced they would supply around 3.5 billion vaccine doses at cost or discount to low- and middle-income countries this year and next. Meanwhile, the European Union pledged to donate 100 million doses and invest in regional manufacturing hubs in Africa to reduce the continent's reliance on imports. World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hailed the 'generous announcements', but warned, 'in the coming months, we will need hundreds of millions more doses’. In their summit declaration, the Group of 20 most powerful countries emphasised the importance of open supply chains and equitable access to tools to tackle Covid-19. "It is a very clear 'no' to health nationalism," said European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, who co-hosted the summit with Prime Minister Mario Draghi of Italy, the current G20 chair. But the five-page text, containing a list of 16 principles, stopped short of endorsing the contentious idea of a temporary global waiver on patent protections for coronavirus vaccines to boost global production. Instead, it called for other tools such as 'data sharing, capacity building, licensing agreements, and voluntary technology and know-how transfers on mutually agreed terms’.

Pharma firms, G20 leaders pledge vaccines for poorer nations 

EU member states reached a deal paving the way for a Covid-19 certificate to open up travel in Europe, just as the operators of the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris announced a July reopening. &nbsp;

The deal will allow anybody living in the EU's 27 countries to secure a digital health pass by the end of June that displays their vaccination status, results of Covid-19 tests or recovery from a coronavirus infection. &nbsp;

"This is an important step towards restarting EU free movement as safely as possible, while providing clarity and certainty for our citizens," said EU health commissioner Stella Kyriakides.&nbsp;

The certificate is seen as a key tool to save the European summer vacations and, as if to celebrate the news, the operators of the Eiffel Tower, one of the biggest tourist attractions on the continent, announced it will reopen on July 16 after several months of closure due to the pandemic.&nbsp;

Visitor numbers will be limited to 10,000 a day to meet social distancing requirements, fewer than half of their pre-Covid levels, operator Sete said.&nbsp;

However, a World Health Organization director warned that the progress against the coronavirus pandemic remains ‘fragile’ and that international travel should still be avoided.&nbsp;

"Right now, in the face of a continued threat and new uncertainty, we need to continue to exercise caution, and rethink or avoid international travel," WHO's European director Hans Kluge said, adding that 'pockets of increasing transmission' on the continent could quickly spread.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

EU member states reached a deal paving the way for a Covid-19 certificate to open up travel in Europe, just as the operators of the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris announced a July reopening.

EU member states reached a deal paving the way for a Covid-19 certificate to open up travel in Europe, just as the operators of the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris announced a July reopening. The deal will allow anybody living in the EU's 27 countries to secure a digital health pass by the end of June that displays their vaccination status, results of Covid-19 tests or recovery from a coronavirus infection. "This is an important step towards restarting EU free movement as safely as possible, while providing clarity and certainty for our citizens," said EU health commissioner Stella Kyriakides. The certificate is seen as a key tool to save the European summer vacations and, as if to celebrate the news, the operators of the Eiffel Tower, one of the biggest tourist attractions on the continent, announced it will reopen on July 16 after several months of closure due to the pandemic. Visitor numbers will be limited to 10,000 a day to meet social distancing requirements, fewer than half of their pre-Covid levels, operator Sete said. However, a World Health Organization director warned that the progress against the coronavirus pandemic remains ‘fragile’ and that international travel should still be avoided. "Right now, in the face of a continued threat and new uncertainty, we need to continue to exercise caution, and rethink or avoid international travel," WHO's European director Hans Kluge said, adding that 'pockets of increasing transmission' on the continent could quickly spread. (With inputs from agencies)

EU lines up Covid travel pass, Eiffel Tower to reopen 

Barge P305, which sank during Cyclone Tauktae fury six days ago, was located on the seabed on Saturday, the Navy said, while it continued the search for 20 missing personnel from two vessels.&nbsp;

There was no trace yet of nine personnel from barge P305 and 11 from tugboat Varaprada while the death toll on P305 rose to 66 with the recovery of six more bodies during the day, a Navy spokesperson said.&nbsp;

Barge P305 has been located on the seabed after systematic search by INS Makar employing advanced side scan sonar while search for the missing personnel will continue through the night, he said.&nbsp;

The Navy also deployed specialised diving teams to boost the search and rescue operations (SAR). "So far, 66 mortal remains have been recovered. The SAR ops are continuing through the night," the spokesperson said. "To augment the ongoing SAR ops for the missing crew of Barge P305 and Tug Varaprada, specialised diving teams onboard INS Makar with side-scan sonar and INS Tarasa sailed out early morning today from Mumbai," the Navy spokesperson had tweeted earlier in the day.&nbsp;

Of the 261 personnel, who were on barge P305, 186 have been rescued so far, 66 are dead and nine are missing. Of the 13 persons on Varaprada, two have been rescued. While all the 440 persons on barges Gal Constructor and Support Station 3 (SS-3) and drillship Sagar Bhushan were brought ashore to safety, Naval and Coast Guard vessels and aircraft scoured the waters off the Mumbai coast as the search and rescue operations entered the sixth day on Saturday. &nbsp;

Struggling to establish the identity of almost half the victims of the P305 barge tragedy, police initiated the process of conducting the DNA testing of the bodies, an official said on Saturday. &nbsp;

A Mumbai police spokesperson said the Navy has handed over the bodies recovered so far to the city police. As many as 41 bodies were handed over to the relatives after the completion of formalities, he said. &nbsp;

Barge P-305, which housed personnel engaged in maintenance work of an offshore oil drilling platform of state-run oil and gas major ONGC, sank on Monday evening off the Mumbai coast during the cyclone. The barge had gone adrift in the cyclone fury before sinking. Some bodies are decomposed, some others have deep injuries and therefore, they are beyond recognition, the official said. &nbsp;

Blood samples of the deceased and their immediate relatives are being collected and sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory at Kalina in Mumbai, he said. "After the samples are matched, the bodies will be handed over to the respective family members," he said, adding that the DNA sampling process is expected to be completed in the next three days. &nbsp;

RT-PCR tests to ascertain whether the victims had COVID-19 infection were also conducted, he said. Mumbai police have also announced they will conduct a probe as to why the ill-fated barge remained in the turbulent area despite warnings about cyclone Tauktae, an official said. The police have also registered accidental death reports in connection with the death of the personnel on the barge. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Barge P305, which sank during Cyclone Tauktae fury six days ago, was located on the seabed on Saturday, the Navy said, while it continued the search for 20 missing personnel from two vessels.

Barge P305, which sank during Cyclone Tauktae fury six days ago, was located on the seabed on Saturday, the Navy said, while it continued the search for 20 missing personnel from two vessels. There was no trace yet of nine personnel from barge P305 and 11 from tugboat Varaprada while the death toll on P305 rose to 66 with the recovery of six more bodies during the day, a Navy spokesperson said. Barge P305 has been located on the seabed after systematic search by INS Makar employing advanced side scan sonar while search for the missing personnel will continue through the night, he said. The Navy also deployed specialised diving teams to boost the search and rescue operations (SAR). "So far, 66 mortal remains have been recovered. The SAR ops are continuing through the night," the spokesperson said. "To augment the ongoing SAR ops for the missing crew of Barge P305 and Tug Varaprada, specialised diving teams onboard INS Makar with side-scan sonar and INS Tarasa sailed out early morning today from Mumbai," the Navy spokesperson had tweeted earlier in the day. Of the 261 personnel, who were on barge P305, 186 have been rescued so far, 66 are dead and nine are missing. Of the 13 persons on Varaprada, two have been rescued. While all the 440 persons on barges Gal Constructor and Support Station 3 (SS-3) and drillship Sagar Bhushan were brought ashore to safety, Naval and Coast Guard vessels and aircraft scoured the waters off the Mumbai coast as the search and rescue operations entered the sixth day on Saturday. Struggling to establish the identity of almost half the victims of the P305 barge tragedy, police initiated the process of conducting the DNA testing of the bodies, an official said on Saturday. A Mumbai police spokesperson said the Navy has handed over the bodies recovered so far to the city police. As many as 41 bodies were handed over to the relatives after the completion of formalities, he said. Barge P-305, which housed personnel engaged in maintenance work of an offshore oil drilling platform of state-run oil and gas major ONGC, sank on Monday evening off the Mumbai coast during the cyclone. The barge had gone adrift in the cyclone fury before sinking. Some bodies are decomposed, some others have deep injuries and therefore, they are beyond recognition, the official said. Blood samples of the deceased and their immediate relatives are being collected and sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory at Kalina in Mumbai, he said. "After the samples are matched, the bodies will be handed over to the respective family members," he said, adding that the DNA sampling process is expected to be completed in the next three days. RT-PCR tests to ascertain whether the victims had COVID-19 infection were also conducted, he said. Mumbai police have also announced they will conduct a probe as to why the ill-fated barge remained in the turbulent area despite warnings about cyclone Tauktae, an official said. The police have also registered accidental death reports in connection with the death of the personnel on the barge. (With inputs from agencies)

Barge P305 located on seabed, Indian Navy continues search for 20 missing personnel  

A Venezuelan state governor, who once served as defence minister for former President Hugo Chavez has died, officials said on Saturday.&nbsp;

Gen Jorge Luis García Carneiro was 69.&nbsp;

The death was confirmed in a string of tweets from senior officials, including President Nicolás Maduro, who called him 'a friend, a brother for life’.&nbsp;

No cause was listed and García Carneiro himself had been active on social media sites in recent days, giving no sign of problems. He appeared with Maduro at an event on Thursday.&nbsp;

The general served as defence minister from January 2004 to July 2005 and also held other cabinet posts, as well as serving as governor of La Guaira state since 2008 for the governing socialist party.&nbsp;

He was among four Venezuelan governors sanctioned by the US.&nbsp;

Treasury Department in February 2019 for alleged 'endemic corruption' and blocking aid shipments backed by the US and domestic opposition.&nbsp;

He is survived by his wife and five children. &nbsp;

A Venezuelan state governor, who once served as defence minister for former President Hugo Chavez has died, officials said on Saturday. Gen Jorge Luis García Carneiro was 69.

A Venezuelan state governor, who once served as defence minister for former President Hugo Chavez has died, officials said on Saturday. Gen Jorge Luis García Carneiro was 69. The death was confirmed in a string of tweets from senior officials, including President Nicolás Maduro, who called him 'a friend, a brother for life’. No cause was listed and García Carneiro himself had been active on social media sites in recent days, giving no sign of problems. He appeared with Maduro at an event on Thursday. The general served as defence minister from January 2004 to July 2005 and also held other cabinet posts, as well as serving as governor of La Guaira state since 2008 for the governing socialist party. He was among four Venezuelan governors sanctioned by the US. Treasury Department in February 2019 for alleged 'endemic corruption' and blocking aid shipments backed by the US and domestic opposition. He is survived by his wife and five children.

Venezuelan governor, former defence minister, dies 

The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country is 19,49,51,603 on Saturday, the Health Ministry said.&nbsp;

In a statement, it said 6,82,398 beneficiaries of the age group 18-44 years received their first dose on Saturday, and cumulatively 99,79,676 across 37 states/UTs since the start of Phase-3 of the vaccination drive.&nbsp;

Bihar, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh have administered more than 10 lakh beneficiaries of the age group 18-44 years for their first dose of Covid vaccine, it said.&nbsp;

The ministry said the total of 19,49,51,603 include 97,52,422 Healthcare Workers (HCWs), who have taken the first dose and 67,00,147 HCWs, who have taken the second dose.&nbsp;

It also includes 1,49,47,941 Frontline Workers (FLWs) (first dose), 83,22,058 FLWs (second dose), and 99,79,676 for 18-44 years of age group (first dose). 6,06,73,244 for over 45 years old to 60 years old (first dose), 97,84,465 for over 45 years old to 60 years old (second dose), 5,65,49,096 for above 60 years (first dose) and 1,82,42,554 for above 60 years (second dose).&nbsp;

As on Day-127 of the vaccination drive (May 22), a total of 15,52,126 vaccine doses were given. As many as 13,80,232 beneficiaries were vaccinated for first dose and 1,71,894 beneficiaries received their second doses, as per the provisional report till 8 pm.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country is 19,49,51,603 on Saturday, the Health Ministry said. In a statement, it said 6,82,398 beneficiaries of the age group 18-44 years received their first dose on Saturday, and cumulatively 99,79,676 across 37 states/UTs since the start of Phase-3 of the vaccination drive.

The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country is 19,49,51,603 on Saturday, the Health Ministry said. In a statement, it said 6,82,398 beneficiaries of the age group 18-44 years received their first dose on Saturday, and cumulatively 99,79,676 across 37 states/UTs since the start of Phase-3 of the vaccination drive. Bihar, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh have administered more than 10 lakh beneficiaries of the age group 18-44 years for their first dose of Covid vaccine, it said. The ministry said the total of 19,49,51,603 include 97,52,422 Healthcare Workers (HCWs), who have taken the first dose and 67,00,147 HCWs, who have taken the second dose. It also includes 1,49,47,941 Frontline Workers (FLWs) (first dose), 83,22,058 FLWs (second dose), and 99,79,676 for 18-44 years of age group (first dose). 6,06,73,244 for over 45 years old to 60 years old (first dose), 97,84,465 for over 45 years old to 60 years old (second dose), 5,65,49,096 for above 60 years (first dose) and 1,82,42,554 for above 60 years (second dose). As on Day-127 of the vaccination drive (May 22), a total of 15,52,126 vaccine doses were given. As many as 13,80,232 beneficiaries were vaccinated for first dose and 1,71,894 beneficiaries received their second doses, as per the provisional report till 8 pm. (With inputs from agencies)

19,49,51,603 vaccine doses administered till now: Centre 

May 19 in history: Jean-Pierre Christin invents the Celsius thermometer and more

US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday called for a US diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, criticising China for human rights abuses and saying global leaders, who attend would lose their moral authority.&nbsp;

US lawmakers have been increasingly vocal about an Olympic boycott or venue change, and have lashed out at American corporations, arguing their silence about what the State Department has deemed a genocide of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China was abetting the Chinese government.&nbsp;

Pelosi, a Democrat, told a bipartisan congressional hearing on the issue that heads of state around the world should shun the games, scheduled for February. &nbsp;

"What I propose, and join those who are proposing, is a diplomatic boycott," Pelosi said, in which "lead countries of the world withhold their attendance at the Olympics."&nbsp;

"Let's not honor the Chinese government by having heads of state go to China," she added.&nbsp;

"For heads of state to go to China in light of a genocide that is ongoing, while you're sitting there in your seat, really begs the question, what moral authority do you have to speak again about human rights any place in the world?" she said.&nbsp;

An independent United Nations panel said in 2018 it had received credible reports that at least one million Uyghurs and other Muslims had been held in camps in China's Xinjiang region. Beijing describes them as vocational training centers to stamp out extremism, and strongly rejects accusations of abuse and genocide.&nbsp;

Chinese Embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu said that US attempts to interfere in China's domestic affairs over the Olympics were doomed to fail.&nbsp;

"I wonder what makes some US politicians think they actually have the so-called 'moral authority'? On human rights issues, they are in no position, either historically or currently, to make wanton groundless criticism against China," Liu said. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday called for a US diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, criticising China for human rights abuses and saying global leaders, who attend would lose their moral authority.

US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday called for a US diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, criticising China for human rights abuses and saying global leaders, who attend would lose their moral authority. US lawmakers have been increasingly vocal about an Olympic boycott or venue change, and have lashed out at American corporations, arguing their silence about what the State Department has deemed a genocide of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China was abetting the Chinese government. Pelosi, a Democrat, told a bipartisan congressional hearing on the issue that heads of state around the world should shun the games, scheduled for February. "What I propose, and join those who are proposing, is a diplomatic boycott," Pelosi said, in which "lead countries of the world withhold their attendance at the Olympics." "Let's not honor the Chinese government by having heads of state go to China," she added. "For heads of state to go to China in light of a genocide that is ongoing, while you're sitting there in your seat, really begs the question, what moral authority do you have to speak again about human rights any place in the world?" she said. An independent United Nations panel said in 2018 it had received credible reports that at least one million Uyghurs and other Muslims had been held in camps in China's Xinjiang region. Beijing describes them as vocational training centers to stamp out extremism, and strongly rejects accusations of abuse and genocide. Chinese Embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu said that US attempts to interfere in China's domestic affairs over the Olympics were doomed to fail. "I wonder what makes some US politicians think they actually have the so-called 'moral authority'? On human rights issues, they are in no position, either historically or currently, to make wanton groundless criticism against China," Liu said. (With inputs from agencies)

Pelosi calls for US, world leaders to boycott China's 2022 Olympics 

We bring to you the biggest stories.&nbsp;From&nbsp;Israel-Hamas conflict pushing region in 'wrong direction' to&nbsp;US civil rights leader to ask Biden to give India 60 million COVID-19 vaccine. And&nbsp;US condemns Erdogan comments on Jewish people as anti-Semitic.&nbsp;

We have it all.&nbsp;Please click on the headline to read the full story.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-conflict-pushing-region-in-wrong-direction-saudi-arabia-calls-for-end-to-violence-385935">Gaza conflict pushing region in 'wrong direction': Saudi calls for end to war</a>

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The violence between Israel and Hamas has intensified in the past eight days and is showing no signs of abating despite regular diplomatic efforts to bring about a ceasefire.

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pelosi-calls-for-us-world-leaders-to-boycott-chinas-2022-olympics-385931">Pelosi calls for US, world leaders to boycott China's 2022 Olympics</a>&nbsp;

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US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday called for a US diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, criticising China for human rights abuses and saying global leaders, who attend would lose their moral authority.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-civil-rights-leader-to-ask-biden-to-give-india-60-million-covid-19-vaccine-doses-385928">US civil rights leader to ask Biden to give India 60 million COVID-19 vaccine</a>

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Eminent American civil rights leader Rev. Jesse L. Jackson is urging President Joe Biden to release 60 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to India, which is experiencing one of the worst outbreaks of the pandemic in the world.

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-condemns-erdogan-comments-on-jewish-people-as-anti-semitic-385929">US condemns Erdogan comments on Jewish people as anti-Semitic</a>&nbsp;

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The United States on Tuesday strongly condemned recent comments by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on the Jewish people as anti-Semitic, State Department spokesman Ned Price said.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-african-leaders-push-to-redirect-100-billion-in-imf-sdr-reserves-by-october-385938">France, African leaders push to redirect $100 bn in IMF SDR reserves by Oct</a>

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French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday a summit in Paris on Africa financing had agreed to work towards persuading rich nations by October to reallocate $100 billion in IMF special drawing rights monetary reserves to African states.&nbsp;

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Watch: US wants to ‘avoid a militarisation’ of the Arctic: Antony Blinken

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We bring to you the biggest stories. From Israel-Hamas conflict pushing region in 'wrong direction' to US civil rights leader to ask Biden to give India 60 million COVID-19 vaccine.

We bring to you the biggest stories. From Israel-Hamas conflict pushing region in 'wrong direction' to US civil rights leader to ask Biden to give India 60 million COVID-19 vaccine. And US condemns Erdogan comments on Jewish people as anti-Semitic. We have it all. Please click on the headline to read the full story. Gaza conflict pushing region in 'wrong direction': Saudi calls for end to war The violence between Israel and Hamas has intensified in the past eight days and is showing no signs of abating despite regular diplomatic efforts to bring about a ceasefire. Pelosi calls for US, world leaders to boycott China's 2022 Olympics US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday called for a US diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, criticising China for human rights abuses and saying global leaders, who attend would lose their moral authority. US civil rights leader to ask Biden to give India 60 million COVID-19 vaccine Eminent American civil rights leader Rev. Jesse L. Jackson is urging President Joe Biden to release 60 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to India, which is experiencing one of the worst outbreaks of the pandemic in the world. US condemns Erdogan comments on Jewish people as anti-Semitic The United States on Tuesday strongly condemned recent comments by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on the Jewish people as anti-Semitic, State Department spokesman Ned Price said. France, African leaders push to redirect $100 bn in IMF SDR reserves by Oct French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday a summit in Paris on Africa financing had agreed to work towards persuading rich nations by October to reallocate $100 billion in IMF special drawing rights monetary reserves to African states. Watch: US wants to ‘avoid a militarisation’ of the Arctic: Antony Blinken ×

Morning news brief: Saudi Arabia calls for end to Mideast violence and more

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday a summit in Paris on Africa financing had agreed to work towards persuading rich nations by October to reallocate $100 billion in IMF special drawing rights monetary reserves to African states.&nbsp;

Impoverished African economies must not be left behind in the post-pandemic economic recovery and a substantial financial package is needed to provide much-needed economic stimulus, African and European leaders concluded at a summit in Paris.&nbsp;

In the immediate term, that meant accelerating the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and creating the fiscal breathing room for African nations, which will face a spending shortfall of some $285 billion over the next two years, the summit communique showed.&nbsp;

The communique set out a two-pronged response based on addressing financing needs to support a sustainable, green recovery and the underpinning of private-sector-driven growth, but it was light on concrete commitments.&nbsp;

"This is a new start, a new deal for Africa," Senegalese President Macky Sall told reporters.&nbsp;

International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Kristalina Georgieva said it was time to stem the 'dangerous divergence between advanced economies and developing countries, especially (in) Africa’. &nbsp;

Georgieva said the African continent's economic output would increase by only 3.2% in 2021, compared with 6% in the rest of the world.&nbsp;

Central to the talks was the question of how to reallocate IMF reserves (SDRs) that were earmarked for developed countries towards developing economies. &nbsp;

World finance chiefs agreed in April to boost SDRs by $650 billion and extend a debt-servicing freeze to help developing countries deal with the pandemic, although only $34 billion was to be allocated to Africa.&nbsp;

Macron said France had decided to redirect its SDRs and that there had been an accord to try to get rich nations by October to reallocate $100 billion to Africa.&nbsp;

"Our work in the next few weeks will be to make the same rate of effort as France, starting with the United States of America, and I know all the work that we will have to do with Congress and the executive, but I am confident," he told reporters.&nbsp;

Georgieva pledged to come up with a new allocation proposal by August.&nbsp;

"On the $100 billion, is it enough? Let's be very clear, no it is not enough. We have a financial gap just to catch up with the impact of Covid for the continent of Africa of $285 billion, she said. "It is genuinely an all-hands-on-deck situation."&nbsp;

"We have to make the private sector attracted to go into a risky environment by de-risking investments."&nbsp;

The summit was part of Macron's efforts to recast France's engagement in Africa, where it was once a colonial power, at a time when the continent faces a near $300 billion deficit by the end of 2023 while trying to recover from the downturn.&nbsp;

The African Development Bank forecasts that up to 39 million people could fall into poverty this year, with many African countries at risk of debt distress because of the pandemic.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday a summit in Paris on Africa financing had agreed to work towards persuading rich nations by October to reallocate $100 billion in IMF special drawing rights monetary reserves to African states.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday a summit in Paris on Africa financing had agreed to work towards persuading rich nations by October to reallocate $100 billion in IMF special drawing rights monetary reserves to African states. Impoverished African economies must not be left behind in the post-pandemic economic recovery and a substantial financial package is needed to provide much-needed economic stimulus, African and European leaders concluded at a summit in Paris. In the immediate term, that meant accelerating the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and creating the fiscal breathing room for African nations, which will face a spending shortfall of some $285 billion over the next two years, the summit communique showed. The communique set out a two-pronged response based on addressing financing needs to support a sustainable, green recovery and the underpinning of private-sector-driven growth, but it was light on concrete commitments. "This is a new start, a new deal for Africa," Senegalese President Macky Sall told reporters. International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Kristalina Georgieva said it was time to stem the 'dangerous divergence between advanced economies and developing countries, especially (in) Africa’. Georgieva said the African continent's economic output would increase by only 3.2% in 2021, compared with 6% in the rest of the world. Central to the talks was the question of how to reallocate IMF reserves (SDRs) that were earmarked for developed countries towards developing economies. World finance chiefs agreed in April to boost SDRs by $650 billion and extend a debt-servicing freeze to help developing countries deal with the pandemic, although only $34 billion was to be allocated to Africa. Macron said France had decided to redirect its SDRs and that there had been an accord to try to get rich nations by October to reallocate $100 billion to Africa. "Our work in the next few weeks will be to make the same rate of effort as France, starting with the United States of America, and I know all the work that we will have to do with Congress and the executive, but I am confident," he told reporters. Georgieva pledged to come up with a new allocation proposal by August. "On the $100 billion, is it enough? Let's be very clear, no it is not enough. We have a financial gap just to catch up with the impact of Covid for the continent of Africa of $285 billion, she said. "It is genuinely an all-hands-on-deck situation." "We have to make the private sector attracted to go into a risky environment by de-risking investments." The summit was part of Macron's efforts to recast France's engagement in Africa, where it was once a colonial power, at a time when the continent faces a near $300 billion deficit by the end of 2023 while trying to recover from the downturn. The African Development Bank forecasts that up to 39 million people could fall into poverty this year, with many African countries at risk of debt distress because of the pandemic. (With inputs from agencies)

France, African leaders push to redirect $100 billion in IMF SDR reserves by October 

The United States on Tuesday strongly condemned recent comments by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on the Jewish people as anti-Semitic, State Department spokesman Ned Price said.&nbsp;

"We urge President Erdogan and other Turkish leaders to refrain from incendiary remarks, which could incite further violence," Price said in a statement.&nbsp;

"Anti-Semitic language has no place anywhere," he said. &nbsp;

Price did not specify which Erdogan remarks the United States considered anti-Semitic. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for clarification.&nbsp;

Erdogan, a vocal defender of the Palestinians, has criticised Israel for conducting air strikes on Gaza and called it a 'terror state' after Israeli police fired rubber bullets at rock-throwing Palestinians in Jerusalem.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

The United States on Tuesday strongly condemned recent comments by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on the Jewish people as anti-Semitic, State Department spokesman Ned Price said.

The United States on Tuesday strongly condemned recent comments by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on the Jewish people as anti-Semitic, State Department spokesman Ned Price said. "We urge President Erdogan and other Turkish leaders to refrain from incendiary remarks, which could incite further violence," Price said in a statement. "Anti-Semitic language has no place anywhere," he said. Price did not specify which Erdogan remarks the United States considered anti-Semitic. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for clarification. Erdogan, a vocal defender of the Palestinians, has criticised Israel for conducting air strikes on Gaza and called it a 'terror state' after Israeli police fired rubber bullets at rock-throwing Palestinians in Jerusalem. (With inputs from agencies)

US condemns Erdogan comments on Jewish people as anti-Semitic 

The Biden administration announced on Tuesday it would repeal the changes made by the Trump administration to an important law made to stop banks from discriminating against racial minorities and the poor. &nbsp;

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, one of the nation's bank regulators, said it plans to reconsider the regulations it wrote in 2020 governing a law known as the Community Reinvestment Act. The Civil Rights Era law requires banks to document how well they are lending to the communities that surround their branches, in an effort to make sure that banks are not just lending to the wealthy or to white customers. &nbsp;

The OCC said it plans to start from scratch, and told banks to effectively ignore the 2020 changes while the agency rewrites the regulations. &nbsp;

Trump's Comptroller of the Currency, Joseph Otting, had made revising the Community Reinvestment Act a cornerstone of his tenure. The law is widely respected by the industry and activists alike, but both sides have agreed for years that law was out of date. Many banks now operate entirely online, ATMs are ubiquitous, and it was increasingly more difficult to define what a ‘community' was in order to comply with the law. &nbsp;

But the changes the OCC made last year were considered too broad for many activists and for Congressional Democrats, who oversee banks on the Senate Banking Committee and House Financial Services Committee.&nbsp;

For example, banks would have been given credit under the law for issuing credit cards and personal loans something banks were already doing, particularly the largest institutions. &nbsp;

The regulations would have also given banks credit, under certain circumstances, for loans they make to build or improve facilities such as sports stadiums and hospitals.&nbsp;

The argument from activists was that the changes would have made it easier for many banks to pass their CRA exams, and would disincentivise them from opening branches or approving mortgages in low income neighbourhoods.&nbsp;

"CRA was, and still is, a civil rights bill," said Black Rep Gregory Meeks, D-New York, last year at a Congressional committee to review Otting's changes. "Your proposal would undermine that."&nbsp;

The changes proposed by Otting were so drastic that the other two bank regulators that have authority under the law, the Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, refused to sign on. This left banks wondering, which regulator to follow when it came to compliance. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The Biden administration announced on Tuesday it would repeal the changes made by the Trump administration to an important law made to stop banks from discriminating against racial minorities and the poor.

The Biden administration announced on Tuesday it would repeal the changes made by the Trump administration to an important law made to stop banks from discriminating against racial minorities and the poor. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, one of the nation's bank regulators, said it plans to reconsider the regulations it wrote in 2020 governing a law known as the Community Reinvestment Act. The Civil Rights Era law requires banks to document how well they are lending to the communities that surround their branches, in an effort to make sure that banks are not just lending to the wealthy or to white customers. The OCC said it plans to start from scratch, and told banks to effectively ignore the 2020 changes while the agency rewrites the regulations. Trump's Comptroller of the Currency, Joseph Otting, had made revising the Community Reinvestment Act a cornerstone of his tenure. The law is widely respected by the industry and activists alike, but both sides have agreed for years that law was out of date. Many banks now operate entirely online, ATMs are ubiquitous, and it was increasingly more difficult to define what a ‘community' was in order to comply with the law. But the changes the OCC made last year were considered too broad for many activists and for Congressional Democrats, who oversee banks on the Senate Banking Committee and House Financial Services Committee. For example, banks would have been given credit under the law for issuing credit cards and personal loans something banks were already doing, particularly the largest institutions. The regulations would have also given banks credit, under certain circumstances, for loans they make to build or improve facilities such as sports stadiums and hospitals. The argument from activists was that the changes would have made it easier for many banks to pass their CRA exams, and would disincentivise them from opening branches or approving mortgages in low income neighbourhoods. "CRA was, and still is, a civil rights bill," said Black Rep Gregory Meeks, D-New York, last year at a Congressional committee to review Otting's changes. "Your proposal would undermine that." The changes proposed by Otting were so drastic that the other two bank regulators that have authority under the law, the Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, refused to sign on. This left banks wondering, which regulator to follow when it came to compliance.

Biden reverses Trump changes to law that prevented racial discrimination by banks 

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Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Gandharv Walia

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