The Washington Post named Sally Buzbee executive editor on Tuesday, effective June 1, making her the first woman to lead the newsroom in the paper's 143-year history.&nbsp;

Buzbee succeeds Martin 'Marty' Baron, who retired from the paper at the end of February. &nbsp;

"I think the Post has a real opportunity to lead and model what the future of journalism in the digital era is going to look like, but always just really marrying that to very deep, very strong factual reporting," Buzbee said in an interview on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Buzbee has been executive editor and senior vice president of the Associated Press since early 2017, overseeing the AP's global news operation, which produces content for over 15,000 news outlets.&nbsp;

Under Baron and Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, who bought the paper for $250 million in 2013, the Post has expanded its newsroom, broadened its coverage and invested in its digital operations. It now has about 3 million digital-only subscribers, up nearly a million in the last year, and a 1,000-person newsroom. &nbsp;

In a memo to staff on Tuesday, Washington Post Publisher and Chief Executive Officer Fred Ryan praised, among other qualities, Buzbee's work at the AP that "has helped shape her ambitious vision for the Post's digital future." &nbsp;

The announcement is the latest in a string of newsroom successions. On May 3, the Los Angeles Times named Kevin Merida as its executive editor. Reuters last month named Alessandra Galloni its new editor in chief.&nbsp;

In the 1960s, Katharine Graham broke a different glass ceiling at the Post. Graham, who became the paper’s publisher after her husband committed suicide, went on to lead the Post through its coverage of the Pentagon Papers and the Watergate break-in. She was one of the first female publishers of an American newspaper.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The Washington Post named Sally Buzbee executive editor on Tuesday, effective June 1, making her the first woman to lead the newsroom in the paper's 143-year history.

The Washington Post named Sally Buzbee executive editor on Tuesday, effective June 1, making her the first woman to lead the newsroom in the paper's 143-year history. Buzbee succeeds Martin 'Marty' Baron, who retired from the paper at the end of February. "I think the Post has a real opportunity to lead and model what the future of journalism in the digital era is going to look like, but always just really marrying that to very deep, very strong factual reporting," Buzbee said in an interview on Tuesday. Buzbee has been executive editor and senior vice president of the Associated Press since early 2017, overseeing the AP's global news operation, which produces content for over 15,000 news outlets. Under Baron and Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, who bought the paper for $250 million in 2013, the Post has expanded its newsroom, broadened its coverage and invested in its digital operations. It now has about 3 million digital-only subscribers, up nearly a million in the last year, and a 1,000-person newsroom. In a memo to staff on Tuesday, Washington Post Publisher and Chief Executive Officer Fred Ryan praised, among other qualities, Buzbee's work at the AP that "has helped shape her ambitious vision for the Post's digital future." The announcement is the latest in a string of newsroom successions. On May 3, the Los Angeles Times named Kevin Merida as its executive editor. Reuters last month named Alessandra Galloni its new editor in chief. In the 1960s, Katharine Graham broke a different glass ceiling at the Post. Graham, who became the paper’s publisher after her husband committed suicide, went on to lead the Post through its coverage of the Pentagon Papers and the Watergate break-in. She was one of the first female publishers of an American newspaper. (With inputs from agencies)

Washington Post names Sally Buzbee first woman to lead newsroom 

China has blamed the abrupt withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan for a surge in attacks in the country, days after a series of explosions in Kabul killed over 60 people, mostly girl students.&nbsp;

According to South China Morning Post (SCMP), foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said China was 'shocked' by the attacks and 'deeply saddened' by the death toll, calling on the US to pull out troops 'in a responsible manner'.&nbsp;

"It needs to be pointed out that the recent abrupt US announcement of complete withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan has led to a succession of attacks throughout the country, worsening the security situation and threatening peace and stability as well as people's lives and safety," Hua said in a statement.&nbsp;

"China calls on foreign troops in Afghanistan to take into full account the security of people in the country and the region, pull out in a responsible manner and avoid inflicting more turmoil and suffering on the Afghan people," she added.&nbsp;

Biden announced earlier this month, the decision to withdraw troops from the country starting on that May 1 deadline, with the aim of completely withdrawing from Afghanistan by September 11, which would mark the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks that sparked the war in Afghanistan, the longest conflict in American history.&nbsp;

Beijing has long feared that instability in Afghanistan would give ground to Islamic fundamentalism that would spill over into China's predominantly Muslim Xinjiang region, SCMP reported. The withdrawal of troops by the US has already led to a surge in fighting between Taliban and Afghan security forces.&nbsp;

Observers said Beijing was unlikely to station troops in Afghanistan, but might work with other countries in the region to reduce the security risk to China.&nbsp;

Pang Zhongying, an international relations professor at Ocean University of China, said though China was tempted to fill the vacuum, it was unlikely to play a significant military role there because the risk was too high, the SCMP reported.&nbsp;

She also said that the UN framework is 'too fragile' and it would also be difficult for China to project its strategic influence through this platform. &nbsp;

At least three explosions took place near Sayed-ul-Shuhada High School in the west of Kabul on Saturday afternoon. As many as 63 people, all students, were killed in a Kabul school bombing and 150 more were wounded, TOLO News reported citing sources and relatives of victims.&nbsp;

The incident was heavily condemned by the international community. However, the Taliban has denied any involvement in the attack. "We condemn in strongest terms the killing of civilians in Dashti Barchi, Kabul, as a result of incessant explosions and call for a neutral and transparent investigation," Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen had said in a tweet. The Taliban later announced that they would observe a three-day ceasefire for the festival of Eid. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

China has blamed the abrupt withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan for a surge in attacks in the country, days after a series of explosions in Kabul killed over 60 people, mostly girl students.

China has blamed the abrupt withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan for a surge in attacks in the country, days after a series of explosions in Kabul killed over 60 people, mostly girl students. According to South China Morning Post (SCMP), foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said China was 'shocked' by the attacks and 'deeply saddened' by the death toll, calling on the US to pull out troops 'in a responsible manner'. "It needs to be pointed out that the recent abrupt US announcement of complete withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan has led to a succession of attacks throughout the country, worsening the security situation and threatening peace and stability as well as people's lives and safety," Hua said in a statement. "China calls on foreign troops in Afghanistan to take into full account the security of people in the country and the region, pull out in a responsible manner and avoid inflicting more turmoil and suffering on the Afghan people," she added. Biden announced earlier this month, the decision to withdraw troops from the country starting on that May 1 deadline, with the aim of completely withdrawing from Afghanistan by September 11, which would mark the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks that sparked the war in Afghanistan, the longest conflict in American history. Beijing has long feared that instability in Afghanistan would give ground to Islamic fundamentalism that would spill over into China's predominantly Muslim Xinjiang region, SCMP reported. The withdrawal of troops by the US has already led to a surge in fighting between Taliban and Afghan security forces. Observers said Beijing was unlikely to station troops in Afghanistan, but might work with other countries in the region to reduce the security risk to China. Pang Zhongying, an international relations professor at Ocean University of China, said though China was tempted to fill the vacuum, it was unlikely to play a significant military role there because the risk was too high, the SCMP reported. She also said that the UN framework is 'too fragile' and it would also be difficult for China to project its strategic influence through this platform. At least three explosions took place near Sayed-ul-Shuhada High School in the west of Kabul on Saturday afternoon. As many as 63 people, all students, were killed in a Kabul school bombing and 150 more were wounded, TOLO News reported citing sources and relatives of victims. The incident was heavily condemned by the international community. However, the Taliban has denied any involvement in the attack. "We condemn in strongest terms the killing of civilians in Dashti Barchi, Kabul, as a result of incessant explosions and call for a neutral and transparent investigation," Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen had said in a tweet. The Taliban later announced that they would observe a three-day ceasefire for the festival of Eid. (With inputs from agencies)

China blames US troop withdrawal for surge in attacks in Afghanistan 

The number of unaccompanied children encountered on the US border with Mexico in April eased from an all-time high a month earlier, while more adults were found coming without families, authorities said on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Authorities encountered 17,171 children traveling alone, down nine per cent from 18,960 in March, according to US Customs and Border Protection, but still well above the previous high of 11,475 reported in May 2019 by the Border Patrol, which began publishing numbers in 2009. &nbsp;

Overall, the Border Patrol's 173,460 encounters with migrants on the Mexican border in April were up three per cent from 169,213 in March, the highest level since April 2000. So, the number of illegal immigrants apprehended at the southern border hit a 21-year high last month.

The numbers aren't directly comparable because a solid majority of those stopped in April were quickly expelled from the country under federal pandemic-related powers that deny rights to seek asylum. Being expelled carries no legal consequences, so many people try to cross multiple times.&nbsp;

Border Patrol encounters with people coming in families fell in similar proportion to unaccompanied children, down 10 per cent to 48,226 from 53,406 in March. Slightly more than one of three family encounters resulted in pandemic-related expulsions. &nbsp;

The numbers offer the latest read on one of the most serious challenges to Joe Biden's young presidency. Despite some encouraging news in April on unaccompanied children and families, Biden has a lot riding on a new ‘humane’ asylum system that has yet to be unveiled. There don't appear to be quick, easy answers.&nbsp;

Single adults from Mexico and Central America drove the overall increase in activity in April. The Border Patrol had 108,301 encounters with adults traveling without children, up 12 per cent from 97,074 in March. Nearly nine of 10 adult encounters ended in expulsions under pandemic-related authority granted by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.&nbsp;

Biden has exempted unaccompanied children from expulsion, allowing them to stay in the US while pursuing asylum claims. Families with young children are also often released in the US while their cases wind through the bottlenecked immigration court system.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The number of unaccompanied children encountered on the US border with Mexico in April eased from an all-time high a month earlier, while more adults were found coming without families, authorities said on Tuesday.

The number of unaccompanied children encountered on the US border with Mexico in April eased from an all-time high a month earlier, while more adults were found coming without families, authorities said on Tuesday. Authorities encountered 17,171 children traveling alone, down nine per cent from 18,960 in March, according to US Customs and Border Protection, but still well above the previous high of 11,475 reported in May 2019 by the Border Patrol, which began publishing numbers in 2009. Overall, the Border Patrol's 173,460 encounters with migrants on the Mexican border in April were up three per cent from 169,213 in March, the highest level since April 2000. So, the number of illegal immigrants apprehended at the southern border hit a 21-year high last month. The numbers aren't directly comparable because a solid majority of those stopped in April were quickly expelled from the country under federal pandemic-related powers that deny rights to seek asylum. Being expelled carries no legal consequences, so many people try to cross multiple times. Border Patrol encounters with people coming in families fell in similar proportion to unaccompanied children, down 10 per cent to 48,226 from 53,406 in March. Slightly more than one of three family encounters resulted in pandemic-related expulsions. The numbers offer the latest read on one of the most serious challenges to Joe Biden's young presidency. Despite some encouraging news in April on unaccompanied children and families, Biden has a lot riding on a new ‘humane’ asylum system that has yet to be unveiled. There don't appear to be quick, easy answers. Single adults from Mexico and Central America drove the overall increase in activity in April. The Border Patrol had 108,301 encounters with adults traveling without children, up 12 per cent from 97,074 in March. Nearly nine of 10 adult encounters ended in expulsions under pandemic-related authority granted by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Biden has exempted unaccompanied children from expulsion, allowing them to stay in the US while pursuing asylum claims. Families with young children are also often released in the US while their cases wind through the bottlenecked immigration court system. (With inputs from agencies)

Number of children travelling alone at US border eases in April 

US educators are doing everything they can to track down high school students who stopped showing up to classes and to help them get the credits needed to graduate, amid an anticipated surge in the country’s dropout rate during the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

There isn’t data available yet on how the pandemic has affected the nation’s overall dropout rate, 2019 is the last year for which it is available, and many school officials say it’s too early to know how many students who stopped logging on for distance learning don’t plan to return. &nbsp;

But soaring numbers of students, who are failing classes or are chronically absent have experts fearing the worst, and schools have been busy tracking down wayward seniors through social media, knocking on their doors, assigning staff to help them make up for lost time and, in some cases, even relaxing graduation requirements.&nbsp;

“When students drop out, they typically look for an out, an opportunity to leave. And this has provided that, unfortunately,” Sandy Addis, chairman of the National Dropout Prevention Center, said recently, referring to the pandemic. His group believes the dropout rate has spiked this year and will remain high for years.&nbsp;

At one high school in Kansas City, Kansas, staff members have made thousands of calls to the families of at-risk students, said Troy Pitsch, who supervises high school principals in the city.&nbsp;

“If we lose a student, it is going to be after kicking and screaming and fighting tooth and nail for them,” Pitsch said.&nbsp;

Many districts were forgiving last spring when schools shut down abruptly, freezing grades unless students wanted to improve them. That made this year the first for which schools would feel the full effects of the pandemic on student performance and engagement.&nbsp;

The early signs aren’t encouraging. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization warned that the pandemic had put 24 million children worldwide at risk of dropping out of school. And the pandemic’s effects could erase gains the US made in reducing its dropout rate, which fell from 9.3% in 2007 to 5.1% in 2019, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Not finishing high school significantly hurts a person’s earning potential, with dropouts bringing home an average of $150 less per week than graduates, according to US Bureau of Labor Statistics data.&nbsp;

To keep students on track, some local governments and school systems have waived certain testing requirements for graduation or changed grading policies so that missed assignments aren’t as damaging. But such leniency carries the risk of watering down academic standards, said Russell Rumberger, a professor emeritus of education at the University of California, Santa Barbara, who has written about dropouts.&nbsp;

“If they let you pass with a D and you don’t have to do very much to do it, maybe technically you are getting a diploma, but you are not getting the same type of diploma you may have gotten prior to the pandemic, when the standards were higher,” he said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

US educators are doing everything they can to track down high school students who stopped showing up to classes and to help them get the credits needed to graduate, amid an anticipated surge in the country’s dropout rate during the coronavirus pandemic.

US educators are doing everything they can to track down high school students who stopped showing up to classes and to help them get the credits needed to graduate, amid an anticipated surge in the country’s dropout rate during the coronavirus pandemic. There isn’t data available yet on how the pandemic has affected the nation’s overall dropout rate, 2019 is the last year for which it is available, and many school officials say it’s too early to know how many students who stopped logging on for distance learning don’t plan to return. But soaring numbers of students, who are failing classes or are chronically absent have experts fearing the worst, and schools have been busy tracking down wayward seniors through social media, knocking on their doors, assigning staff to help them make up for lost time and, in some cases, even relaxing graduation requirements. “When students drop out, they typically look for an out, an opportunity to leave. And this has provided that, unfortunately,” Sandy Addis, chairman of the National Dropout Prevention Center, said recently, referring to the pandemic. His group believes the dropout rate has spiked this year and will remain high for years. At one high school in Kansas City, Kansas, staff members have made thousands of calls to the families of at-risk students, said Troy Pitsch, who supervises high school principals in the city. “If we lose a student, it is going to be after kicking and screaming and fighting tooth and nail for them,” Pitsch said. Many districts were forgiving last spring when schools shut down abruptly, freezing grades unless students wanted to improve them. That made this year the first for which schools would feel the full effects of the pandemic on student performance and engagement. The early signs aren’t encouraging. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization warned that the pandemic had put 24 million children worldwide at risk of dropping out of school. And the pandemic’s effects could erase gains the US made in reducing its dropout rate, which fell from 9.3% in 2007 to 5.1% in 2019, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Not finishing high school significantly hurts a person’s earning potential, with dropouts bringing home an average of $150 less per week than graduates, according to US Bureau of Labor Statistics data. To keep students on track, some local governments and school systems have waived certain testing requirements for graduation or changed grading policies so that missed assignments aren’t as damaging. But such leniency carries the risk of watering down academic standards, said Russell Rumberger, a professor emeritus of education at the University of California, Santa Barbara, who has written about dropouts. “If they let you pass with a D and you don’t have to do very much to do it, maybe technically you are getting a diploma, but you are not getting the same type of diploma you may have gotten prior to the pandemic, when the standards were higher,” he said. (With inputs from agencies)

US schools fight to keep students amid fear of dropout surge due to Covid

Canada's largest province said on Tuesday it will stop giving out first doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine due to concerns over its link to rare blood clots.&nbsp;

Ontario's chief medical officer for health, Dr David Williams, said the decision was made out of an abundance of caution because of increased instances of the rare blood clotting disorder linked to the shot. &nbsp;

AstraZeneca is restricted in some European countries because of a potential link to extremely rare blood clots.&nbsp;

"Over the last few days, there have been increased reports," Williams said. "We are reviewing the data to consider options for the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine for second doses and more broadly."&nbsp;

In Canada, at least 12 cases have been confirmed out of more than two million doses given, and three women have died.&nbsp;

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Doug Ford both received AstraZeneca first dose in recent weeks. Williams said people who got the first dose of AstraZeneca 'absolutely did the right thing’.&nbsp;

Dr Andrew Morris, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of Toronto and the medical director of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Programme at Sinai-University Health Network, does not believe Canada should be using AstraZeneca any longer now that Canada has large supplies of other vaccines.&nbsp;

"It's the right thing to do," he said.&nbsp;

Morris said experts don't know yet what to do about people, who got only the first dose. Health officials are awaiting results of a clinical trial in the United Kingdom looking at giving a different vaccine for the second dose. That would allow people, who got AstraZeneca first to be given Pfizer or Moderna for their second dose.&nbsp;

Alberta is also no longer administrating first doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine but only because of a lack of supply. &nbsp;

Pfizer and Moderna are sending more than enough doses to vaccinate every Canadian with two doses eventually.&nbsp;

Trudeau said almost 50% of eligible adults in Canada have received at least one shot of a coronavirus vaccine. Most of that is Pfizer and Moderna. &nbsp;

Trudeau said by the summer, Canada will have enough vaccines so that every eligible resident will have gotten their first dose and by September, it will have enough doses for everyone to be fully vaccinated. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Canada's largest province said on Tuesday it will stop giving out first doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine due to concerns over its link to rare blood clots.

Canada's largest province said on Tuesday it will stop giving out first doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine due to concerns over its link to rare blood clots. Ontario's chief medical officer for health, Dr David Williams, said the decision was made out of an abundance of caution because of increased instances of the rare blood clotting disorder linked to the shot. AstraZeneca is restricted in some European countries because of a potential link to extremely rare blood clots. "Over the last few days, there have been increased reports," Williams said. "We are reviewing the data to consider options for the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine for second doses and more broadly." In Canada, at least 12 cases have been confirmed out of more than two million doses given, and three women have died. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Doug Ford both received AstraZeneca first dose in recent weeks. Williams said people who got the first dose of AstraZeneca 'absolutely did the right thing’. Dr Andrew Morris, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of Toronto and the medical director of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Programme at Sinai-University Health Network, does not believe Canada should be using AstraZeneca any longer now that Canada has large supplies of other vaccines. "It's the right thing to do," he said. Morris said experts don't know yet what to do about people, who got only the first dose. Health officials are awaiting results of a clinical trial in the United Kingdom looking at giving a different vaccine for the second dose. That would allow people, who got AstraZeneca first to be given Pfizer or Moderna for their second dose. Alberta is also no longer administrating first doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine but only because of a lack of supply. Pfizer and Moderna are sending more than enough doses to vaccinate every Canadian with two doses eventually. Trudeau said almost 50% of eligible adults in Canada have received at least one shot of a coronavirus vaccine. Most of that is Pfizer and Moderna. Trudeau said by the summer, Canada will have enough vaccines so that every eligible resident will have gotten their first dose and by September, it will have enough doses for everyone to be fully vaccinated. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID-19: Canada's largest province halts AstraZeneca first doses over blood clot

The Biden administration and House Democrats have reached a tentative deal to allow President Donald Trump’s former White House counsel, Donald McGahn, to testify before Congress about Trump’s efforts to obstruct the Russia inquiry, according to a court filing late Tuesday.

The deal appears likely to avert a definitive court precedent that would draw a clear line in an ambiguous areas: the scope and limits of Congress’ constitutional power to compel testimony for its oversight responsibilities, and a president’s constitutional power to keep secret conversations with a White House lawyer.

An appeals court had been set to hear arguments on the case next week, but lawyers for the Justice Department, which has been defending McGahn since 2019 against a House subpoena seeking to compel his testimony, and for the House of Representatives asked the court in a joint letter to drop that plan as mooted by the deal.

“The Committee on the Judiciary and the executive branch have reached an agreement in principle on an accommodation and anticipate filing, as soon as possible, a joint motion asking the court to remove this case from the May 19, 2021, oral argument calendar in order to allow the parties to implement the accommodation,” the letter said.

What to do about the subpoena case, which President Joe Biden inherited from the Trump administration, has been a rare locus of institutional disagreement among Democrats in the two branches.

Lawyers in the Biden White House have been hesitant about establishing a precedent that Republicans might someday use to force them to testify about their own internal matters. House Democrats under Speaker Nancy Pelosi have been determined to push forward after frustration that the Trump administration’s uncompromising approach and litigation strategy ran out the clock, preventing any testimony by McGahn before the 2020 presidential election.

The two sides had been negotiating for several months, leading to delays in the appeals court case. The filing was terse and offered no details about the deal, including what limits, if any, there would be — like whether McGahn would testify in public and the scope of what lawmakers could ask him to disclose.

But the filing also flagged a potential wild card: “Former President Trump, who is not a party to this case, is not a party to the agreement in principle regarding an accommodation,” it said.

That absence leaves open the question of whether Trump could try to intervene to block McGahn from testifying by asserting executive privilege. An attempt to invoke it by Trump would raise novel questions about the extent to which a former president may assert the privilege when the incumbent president declines to do so.

Should Trump try to intervene, a rare but limited precedent is a 1977 case, Nixon v. Administrator of General Services, in which the Supreme Court ruled that Richard Nixon could assert executive privilege claims over official records from his White House even though he was no longer the president — but it also weighed that assertion against the contrary view of Jimmy Carter, the president at the time.

That dispute, however, centered on control of Nixon-era White House documents, not a subpoena for a former White House lawyer’s testimony.

The present dispute centers on the House Judiciary Committee’s desire to question McGahn about matters related to his role as a key witness in the report by the special counsel, Robert Mueller, about efforts by Trump to obstruct the Russia investigation.

After the Justice Department made most of the report public, Democrats on the Judiciary Committee subpoenaed McGahn to testify. After he refused to appear, on Trump’s instructions, the committee sued.

The case has gone through several rounds of convoluted legal fights over constitutional issues that have lacked definitive precedents because previous disputes have generally been resolved with a negotiated compromise, averting a need for a court ruling.

But the lawsuit over the McGahn subpoena is one of an unprecedented number of cases pitting the two branches against each other in court that arose after Democrats took the House in the 2018 midterm elections and Trump vowed to stonewall “all” subpoenas.

First, the Justice Department under Trump had argued that McGahn was “absolutely immune” from any compelled appearance before Congress to testify about his work duties. Last year, the full District of Columbia Circuit rejected that theory.

The Justice Department then continued to fight the subpoena on other legal grounds, arguing that Congress had no “cause of action” that authorized it to sue the executive branch. (The executive branch has taken that position under administrations of both parties, and the Biden administration had signaled that it was prepared to keep arguing it.)

The apparent resolution of the McGahn subpoena case — unless Trump disrupts it — is similar to a dispute in 2009, when President Barack Obama took office and inherited a House lawsuit over a subpoena for testimony by President George W. Bush’s former White House counsel Harriet Miers related to the firings of U.S. attorneys.

The Obama administration, a lawyer for the House and a legal representative of Bush worked out a deal under which Democrats were able to confidentially interview Miers about the topic, with limits. That accommodation mooted the case, so the District of Columbia Circuit never issued a binding ruling, leaving the legal questions it rose unresolved.

The Biden administration and House Democrats have reached a tentative deal to allow President Donald Trump’s former White House counsel, Donald McGahn, to testify before Congress about Trump’s efforts to obstruct the Russia inquiry, according to a court filing late Tuesday.

The Biden administration and House Democrats have reached a tentative deal to allow President Donald Trump’s former White House counsel, Donald McGahn, to testify before Congress about Trump’s efforts to obstruct the Russia inquiry, according to a court filing late Tuesday. The deal appears likely to avert a definitive court precedent that would draw a clear line in an ambiguous areas: the scope and limits of Congress’ constitutional power to compel testimony for its oversight responsibilities, and a president’s constitutional power to keep secret conversations with a White House lawyer. An appeals court had been set to hear arguments on the case next week, but lawyers for the Justice Department, which has been defending McGahn since 2019 against a House subpoena seeking to compel his testimony, and for the House of Representatives asked the court in a joint letter to drop that plan as mooted by the deal. “The Committee on the Judiciary and the executive branch have reached an agreement in principle on an accommodation and anticipate filing, as soon as possible, a joint motion asking the court to remove this case from the May 19, 2021, oral argument calendar in order to allow the parties to implement the accommodation,” the letter said. What to do about the subpoena case, which President Joe Biden inherited from the Trump administration, has been a rare locus of institutional disagreement among Democrats in the two branches. Lawyers in the Biden White House have been hesitant about establishing a precedent that Republicans might someday use to force them to testify about their own internal matters. House Democrats under Speaker Nancy Pelosi have been determined to push forward after frustration that the Trump administration’s uncompromising approach and litigation strategy ran out the clock, preventing any testimony by McGahn before the 2020 presidential election. The two sides had been negotiating for several months, leading to delays in the appeals court case. The filing was terse and offered no details about the deal, including what limits, if any, there would be — like whether McGahn would testify in public and the scope of what lawmakers could ask him to disclose. But the filing also flagged a potential wild card: “Former President Trump, who is not a party to this case, is not a party to the agreement in principle regarding an accommodation,” it said. That absence leaves open the question of whether Trump could try to intervene to block McGahn from testifying by asserting executive privilege. An attempt to invoke it by Trump would raise novel questions about the extent to which a former president may assert the privilege when the incumbent president declines to do so. Should Trump try to intervene, a rare but limited precedent is a 1977 case, Nixon v. Administrator of General Services, in which the Supreme Court ruled that Richard Nixon could assert executive privilege claims over official records from his White House even though he was no longer the president — but it also weighed that assertion against the contrary view of Jimmy Carter, the president at the time. That dispute, however, centered on control of Nixon-era White House documents, not a subpoena for a former White House lawyer’s testimony. The present dispute centers on the House Judiciary Committee’s desire to question McGahn about matters related to his role as a key witness in the report by the special counsel, Robert Mueller, about efforts by Trump to obstruct the Russia investigation. After the Justice Department made most of the report public, Democrats on the Judiciary Committee subpoenaed McGahn to testify. After he refused to appear, on Trump’s instructions, the committee sued. The case has gone through several rounds of convoluted legal fights over constitutional issues that have lacked definitive precedents because previous disputes have generally been resolved with a negotiated compromise, averting a need for a court ruling. But the lawsuit over the McGahn subpoena is one of an unprecedented number of cases pitting the two branches against each other in court that arose after Democrats took the House in the 2018 midterm elections and Trump vowed to stonewall “all” subpoenas. First, the Justice Department under Trump had argued that McGahn was “absolutely immune” from any compelled appearance before Congress to testify about his work duties. Last year, the full District of Columbia Circuit rejected that theory. The Justice Department then continued to fight the subpoena on other legal grounds, arguing that Congress had no “cause of action” that authorized it to sue the executive branch. (The executive branch has taken that position under administrations of both parties, and the Biden administration had signaled that it was prepared to keep arguing it.) The apparent resolution of the McGahn subpoena case — unless Trump disrupts it — is similar to a dispute in 2009, when President Barack Obama took office and inherited a House lawsuit over a subpoena for testimony by President George W. Bush’s former White House counsel Harriet Miers related to the firings of U.S. attorneys. The Obama administration, a lawyer for the House and a legal representative of Bush worked out a deal under which Democrats were able to confidentially interview Miers about the topic, with limits. That accommodation mooted the case, so the District of Columbia Circuit never issued a binding ruling, leaving the legal questions it rose unresolved.

House Democrats and White House reach deal on Russia enquiry testimony by ex-Trump aide

India made the 'incorrect assumption' that it was finished with the COVID-19 pandemic and opened up prematurely that has left the country in such 'dire straits', America's top infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci has told senators.&nbsp;

India has been severely affected by the unprecedented second wave of the coronavirus and hospitals in several states are reeling under the shortage of health workers, vaccines, oxygen, drugs and beds.&nbsp;

"The reason that India is in such dire straits now is that they had an original surge and made the incorrect assumption that they were finished with it, and what happened, they opened up prematurely and wind up having a surge right now that we're all very well aware of is extremely devastating," Fauci told the Senate Health, Education, Labour and Pensions Committee during a hearing on Tuesday on the COVID-19 response.&nbsp;

Dr Fauci, who is the Director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), is also the chief medical advisor to President Joe Biden.&nbsp;

Chairing the hearing, Senator Patty Murray said that the surge of COVID-19 that is devastating India is a painful reminder really that the US can't end the pandemic here until it ends it everywhere.&nbsp;

"I'm glad the Biden administration is leading that global fight by rejoining the World Health Organization and funding global vaccine efforts and committing to donate 60 million AstraZeneca vaccines to other countries by July 4," she said.&nbsp;

"India's outbreak underscores the need for a robust public health infrastructure in the US to respond appropriately to this pandemic and future outbreaks, as well," Senator Murray said as she asked Fauci what can the US learn from India's outbreak.&nbsp;

"One of the important things is don't ever underestimate the situation," Fauci said as he referred to India's incorrect assumption and premature opening up.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

India made the 'incorrect assumption' that it was finished with the COVID-19 pandemic and opened up prematurely that has left the country in such 'dire straits', America's top infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci has told senators.

India made the 'incorrect assumption' that it was finished with the COVID-19 pandemic and opened up prematurely that has left the country in such 'dire straits', America's top infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci has told senators. India has been severely affected by the unprecedented second wave of the coronavirus and hospitals in several states are reeling under the shortage of health workers, vaccines, oxygen, drugs and beds. "The reason that India is in such dire straits now is that they had an original surge and made the incorrect assumption that they were finished with it, and what happened, they opened up prematurely and wind up having a surge right now that we're all very well aware of is extremely devastating," Fauci told the Senate Health, Education, Labour and Pensions Committee during a hearing on Tuesday on the COVID-19 response. Dr Fauci, who is the Director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), is also the chief medical advisor to President Joe Biden. Chairing the hearing, Senator Patty Murray said that the surge of COVID-19 that is devastating India is a painful reminder really that the US can't end the pandemic here until it ends it everywhere. "I'm glad the Biden administration is leading that global fight by rejoining the World Health Organization and funding global vaccine efforts and committing to donate 60 million AstraZeneca vaccines to other countries by July 4," she said. "India's outbreak underscores the need for a robust public health infrastructure in the US to respond appropriately to this pandemic and future outbreaks, as well," Senator Murray said as she asked Fauci what can the US learn from India's outbreak. "One of the important things is don't ever underestimate the situation," Fauci said as he referred to India's incorrect assumption and premature opening up. (With inputs from agencies)

India opened up prematurely, Dr Fauci on COVID-19 crisis 

Antibodies against coronavirus remained in the blood of patients with COVID-19 for at least eight months after they were infected, Italian researchers said on Tuesday.&nbsp;

They were present "regardless of the severity of the illness, the age of the patients or the presence of other pathologies," according to a statement from the San Raffaele hospital in Milan.&nbsp;

The researchers, working with Italy's ISS national health institute, studied 162 patients with symptomatic coronavirus who turned up at the emergency room during the country's first wave of infections last year.&nbsp;

Blood samples were taken in March and April and again at the end of November from those who survived. Some 29 patients died.&nbsp;

"The presence of neutralising antibodies, while reducing over time, was very persistent, eight months after diagnosis, there were only three patients, who no longer showed positivity to the test," said the statement, issued jointly with the ISS.&nbsp;

The study, published in the Nature Communications scientific journal, also emphasised the importance of the development of antibodies in recovering from coronavirus.&nbsp;

"Those, who failed to produce them within the first 15 days of infection are at greater risk of developing severe forms of COVID-19," it said.&nbsp;

Two thirds of the patients surveyed were men, and the average age was 63. Some 57 per cent of them had a pre-existing pathology, notably hypertension and diabetes.&nbsp;

Antibodies against coronavirus remained in the blood of patients with COVID-19 for at least eight months after they were infected, Italian researchers said on Tuesday.

Antibodies against coronavirus remained in the blood of patients with COVID-19 for at least eight months after they were infected, Italian researchers said on Tuesday. They were present "regardless of the severity of the illness, the age of the patients or the presence of other pathologies," according to a statement from the San Raffaele hospital in Milan. The researchers, working with Italy's ISS national health institute, studied 162 patients with symptomatic coronavirus who turned up at the emergency room during the country's first wave of infections last year. Blood samples were taken in March and April and again at the end of November from those who survived. Some 29 patients died. "The presence of neutralising antibodies, while reducing over time, was very persistent, eight months after diagnosis, there were only three patients, who no longer showed positivity to the test," said the statement, issued jointly with the ISS. The study, published in the Nature Communications scientific journal, also emphasised the importance of the development of antibodies in recovering from coronavirus. "Those, who failed to produce them within the first 15 days of infection are at greater risk of developing severe forms of COVID-19," it said. Two thirds of the patients surveyed were men, and the average age was 63. Some 57 per cent of them had a pre-existing pathology, notably hypertension and diabetes.

Covid antibodies last 8 months after infection: Study 

Hundreds of cities have no climate adaptation plans in place despite rising threats like floods, heatwaves and pollution, according to a report on Wednesday that said this could put 400 million people at risk across the world.&nbsp;

Fast-expanding urban areas are home to more than half the population of the planet and are increasingly exposed to climate-fuelled disasters, economic shocks and health crises as the world warms, with fears that vulnerable communities will be hardest hit. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

CDP, a global non-profit that collects data disclosed by companies, cities, states and regions on environmental impact, analysed over 800 global cities and found that 43 per cent do not yet have a plan to adapt to the challenges of climate change. &nbsp;

With more and more people drawn to live in urban areas, CDP estimated that by 2030 around 400 million people will be living in poorly prepared cities. &nbsp;

"The urgent need to act and have adaptation measures in place to keep the citizens safe, is increasing together with (the growing urban population)," said Mirjam Wolfrum, CDP's Policy Director for Europe. &nbsp;

She said that 93 per cent of the cities included in the report were facing 'significant threats', while 60 per cent highlighted 'substantive' water security issues. &nbsp;

The top five hazards are flash and surface flooding, including from rising sea levels, heat waves, rainstorms, extreme hot days and droughts, she said, adding that air pollution is also a major health concern. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Ongoing adaptation strategies in the municipalities that reported to CDP include tree planting (20 percent), flood mapping (18 per cent) and developing crisis management plans like evacuation systems (14 per cent). &nbsp;&nbsp;

With cities responsible for some 70 per cent of global emissions, the report said urban centres are also looking at schemes like increasing the use of renewable energy and improving green spaces, transport infrastructure and recycling.&nbsp;

Hundreds of cities have no climate adaptation plans in place despite rising threats like floods, heatwaves and pollution, according to a report on Wednesday that said this could put 400 million people at risk across the world.

Hundreds of cities have no climate adaptation plans in place despite rising threats like floods, heatwaves and pollution, according to a report on Wednesday that said this could put 400 million people at risk across the world. Fast-expanding urban areas are home to more than half the population of the planet and are increasingly exposed to climate-fuelled disasters, economic shocks and health crises as the world warms, with fears that vulnerable communities will be hardest hit. CDP, a global non-profit that collects data disclosed by companies, cities, states and regions on environmental impact, analysed over 800 global cities and found that 43 per cent do not yet have a plan to adapt to the challenges of climate change. With more and more people drawn to live in urban areas, CDP estimated that by 2030 around 400 million people will be living in poorly prepared cities. "The urgent need to act and have adaptation measures in place to keep the citizens safe, is increasing together with (the growing urban population)," said Mirjam Wolfrum, CDP's Policy Director for Europe. She said that 93 per cent of the cities included in the report were facing 'significant threats', while 60 per cent highlighted 'substantive' water security issues. The top five hazards are flash and surface flooding, including from rising sea levels, heat waves, rainstorms, extreme hot days and droughts, she said, adding that air pollution is also a major health concern. Ongoing adaptation strategies in the municipalities that reported to CDP include tree planting (20 percent), flood mapping (18 per cent) and developing crisis management plans like evacuation systems (14 per cent). With cities responsible for some 70 per cent of global emissions, the report said urban centres are also looking at schemes like increasing the use of renewable energy and improving green spaces, transport infrastructure and recycling.

Millions at risk as cities fail to adapt to climate change: Report 

Britain said on Wednesday a planned new law would see social media companies fined up to 10% of turnover or 18 million pounds ($25 million) if they failed to stamp out online abuses, such as racist hate crimes, while senior managers could also face criminal action.&nbsp;

The Online Safety Bill also seeks to strengthen the right to freedom of expression, and ensure democratic political debate and journalistic content is protected, the government said.&nbsp;

"It's time for tech companies to be held to account and to protect the British people from harm. If they fail to do so, they will face penalties," interior minister Priti Patel said.&nbsp;

Tech firms have been accused of doing far too little to address online abuse, with soccer clubs and other sporting authorities boycotting the world's biggest social media platforms last month to highlight the growing problem.&nbsp;

The bill will place a duty of care on social media firms and websites to ensure they take swift action to remove illegal content, such as hate crimes, harassment and threats directed at individuals, including abuse which falls below the criminal threshold.&nbsp;

There will also be a requirement to remove and limit the spread of terrorist material, suicide content and child sexual abuse, which they would need to report to the authorities.&nbsp;

Those companies, which fail to do so, face hefty fines from regulator Ofcom, which can also block access to their sites.&nbsp;

"The draft Bill contains reserved powers for Ofcom to pursue criminal action against named senior managers whose companies do not comply with Ofcom's requests for information," the government said. "These will be introduced if tech companies fail to live up to their new responsibilities."&nbsp;

The proposed law will also require companies to safeguard freedom of expression, and reinstate material unfairly removed.&nbsp;

It will also forbid tech firms from discriminating against particular political viewpoints, and Ofcom will hold them to account for the arbitrary removal of journalistic content, the government added. &nbsp;

Britain said on Wednesday a planned new law would see social media companies fined up to 10% of turnover or 18 million pounds ($25 million) if they failed to stamp out online abuses, such as racist hate crimes, while senior managers could also face criminal action.

Britain said on Wednesday a planned new law would see social media companies fined up to 10% of turnover or 18 million pounds ($25 million) if they failed to stamp out online abuses, such as racist hate crimes, while senior managers could also face criminal action. The Online Safety Bill also seeks to strengthen the right to freedom of expression, and ensure democratic political debate and journalistic content is protected, the government said. "It's time for tech companies to be held to account and to protect the British people from harm. If they fail to do so, they will face penalties," interior minister Priti Patel said. Tech firms have been accused of doing far too little to address online abuse, with soccer clubs and other sporting authorities boycotting the world's biggest social media platforms last month to highlight the growing problem. The bill will place a duty of care on social media firms and websites to ensure they take swift action to remove illegal content, such as hate crimes, harassment and threats directed at individuals, including abuse which falls below the criminal threshold. There will also be a requirement to remove and limit the spread of terrorist material, suicide content and child sexual abuse, which they would need to report to the authorities. Those companies, which fail to do so, face hefty fines from regulator Ofcom, which can also block access to their sites. "The draft Bill contains reserved powers for Ofcom to pursue criminal action against named senior managers whose companies do not comply with Ofcom's requests for information," the government said. "These will be introduced if tech companies fail to live up to their new responsibilities." The proposed law will also require companies to safeguard freedom of expression, and reinstate material unfairly removed. It will also forbid tech firms from discriminating against particular political viewpoints, and Ofcom will hold them to account for the arbitrary removal of journalistic content, the government added.

UK unveils law to fine social media firms which fail to remove online abuse 

A US Coast Guard ship fired about 30 warning shots after 13 vessels from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) came close to it and other American Navy vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the Pentagon said on Monday.&nbsp;

This is the second time within the last month that US military vessels have had to fire warning shots because of what they said was unsafe behaviour by Iranian vessels in the region, after a relative lull in such interactions over the past year. &nbsp;

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the warning shots were fired after the Iranian fast boats came as close as 150 yards (450 feet) of six US military vessels, including the USS Monterey, that were escorting the guided-missile submarine Georgia. &nbsp;

The US Coast Guard cutter Maui fired the warning shots from a .50-caliber machine gun before the Iranian vessels left, Kirby said. &nbsp;

"It's significant... and they were acting very aggressively," he said, adding that the number of Iranian vessels was more than in the recent past. &nbsp;

In April, a US military ship fired warning shots after three vessels from IRGCN came close to it and another American patrol boat in the Gulf.&nbsp;

The latest incident comes as world powers and Iran seek to speed up efforts to bring Washington and Tehran back into compliance with the 2015 nuclear accord.&nbsp;

US officials returned to Vienna last week for a fourth round of indirect talks with Iran on how to resume compliance with the deal, which former US President Donald Trump abandoned in 2018, prompting Iran to begin violating its terms about a year later.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A US Coast Guard ship fired about 30 warning shots after 13 vessels from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) came close to it and other American Navy vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the Pentagon said on Monday.

A US Coast Guard ship fired about 30 warning shots after 13 vessels from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) came close to it and other American Navy vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the Pentagon said on Monday. This is the second time within the last month that US military vessels have had to fire warning shots because of what they said was unsafe behaviour by Iranian vessels in the region, after a relative lull in such interactions over the past year. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the warning shots were fired after the Iranian fast boats came as close as 150 yards (450 feet) of six US military vessels, including the USS Monterey, that were escorting the guided-missile submarine Georgia. The US Coast Guard cutter Maui fired the warning shots from a .50-caliber machine gun before the Iranian vessels left, Kirby said. "It's significant... and they were acting very aggressively," he said, adding that the number of Iranian vessels was more than in the recent past. In April, a US military ship fired warning shots after three vessels from IRGCN came close to it and another American patrol boat in the Gulf. The latest incident comes as world powers and Iran seek to speed up efforts to bring Washington and Tehran back into compliance with the 2015 nuclear accord. US officials returned to Vienna last week for a fourth round of indirect talks with Iran on how to resume compliance with the deal, which former US President Donald Trump abandoned in 2018, prompting Iran to begin violating its terms about a year later. (With inputs from agencies)

US military ship fires 30 warning shots after encounter with Iranian vessels 

Palestinians fired uninterrupted barrages of rockets into Israel, as its military pounded Gaza with air strikes through the early hours of Tuesday, in a dramatic escalation of clashes in Jerusalem.&nbsp;Nine children were among the 20 dead in Gaza on Monday.

Explosions shook buildings throughout Gaza and rocket sirens sent Israelis in many southern towns scurrying for shelter overnight. Two Palestinians were killed and more than 100 wounded in air strikes, Palestinian officials said.&nbsp;

Six Israelis were wounded by a rocket, medics said.&nbsp;

On Monday, scores of rockets were launched into Israel. Many&nbsp;were intercepted by missile defences.&nbsp;

The events were unleashed by Gaza militants firing on the Jerusalem area for the first time since a 2014 war, crossing what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a 'red line'.&nbsp;

The upsurge in violence came as Israel celebrated 'Jerusalem Day', marking its capture of East Jerusalem in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.&nbsp;

The escalation began with confrontations at al-Aqsa Mosque in the heart of the walled Old City on the compound known to Jews as Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary - the most sensitive site in the Israel-Palestinian conflict.&nbsp;

The Palestine Red Crescent Society said more than 300 Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli police, who fired rubber bullets, stun grenades and tear gas in the compound. Police said 21 officers were hurt in the skirmishes.&nbsp;

Although the trouble died down after a few hours, there were other focal points of tension, such as the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of East Jerusalem just north of the Old City, where several Palestinian families face eviction from homes claimed by Jewish settlers in a long-running legal case.&nbsp;

Hamas, the Islamist militant group that controls Gaza, set an evening deadline for Israel to remove its police from Al-Aqsa and Sheikh Jarrah. When it expired, sirens wailed in Jerusalem and rockets pounded the city's outskirts.&nbsp;

Israel views all of Jerusalem as its capital, including the eastern part annexed after the 1967 war in a move that has not secured international recognition.&nbsp;

Palestinians want East Jerusalem for the capital of a state they seek in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.&nbsp;

Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad militant group claimed responsibility for the rocket fire on Jerusalem.&nbsp;

The Israeli military said it struck targets that included militant operatives, attack tunnels and the home of a Hamas battalion commander.&nbsp;

Of the 20 Palestinians killed on Monday, seven, including three children, were family members, who died in an explosion in the town of Beit Hanoun.&nbsp;It is unclear if it had been caused by an Israeli strike or a Palestinian rocket that had fallen short.&nbsp;

An Israeli military spokesman said about a third of the Palestinian rockets fired had fallen short and caused damage and casualties inside Gaza.&nbsp;

International efforts to stem the violence appeared to have already. A Palestinian official said that Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations, which have mediated truces between Israel and Hamas in the past, were in contact with the group's leader Ismail Haniyeh.&nbsp;

Tension had been building for weeks during the Muslim holy month of Ramzan, amid clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinian protesters prompting international concern that events could spiral out of control.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

Palestinians fired uninterrupted barrages of rockets into Israel, as its military pounded Gaza with air strikes through the early hours of Tuesday, in a dramatic escalation of clashes in Jerusalem.

Palestinians fired uninterrupted barrages of rockets into Israel, as its military pounded Gaza with air strikes through the early hours of Tuesday, in a dramatic escalation of clashes in Jerusalem. Nine children were among the 20 dead in Gaza on Monday. Explosions shook buildings throughout Gaza and rocket sirens sent Israelis in many southern towns scurrying for shelter overnight. Two Palestinians were killed and more than 100 wounded in air strikes, Palestinian officials said. Six Israelis were wounded by a rocket, medics said. On Monday, scores of rockets were launched into Israel. Many were intercepted by missile defences. The events were unleashed by Gaza militants firing on the Jerusalem area for the first time since a 2014 war, crossing what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a 'red line'. The upsurge in violence came as Israel celebrated 'Jerusalem Day', marking its capture of East Jerusalem in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. The escalation began with confrontations at al-Aqsa Mosque in the heart of the walled Old City on the compound known to Jews as Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary - the most sensitive site in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The Palestine Red Crescent Society said more than 300 Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli police, who fired rubber bullets, stun grenades and tear gas in the compound. Police said 21 officers were hurt in the skirmishes. Although the trouble died down after a few hours, there were other focal points of tension, such as the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of East Jerusalem just north of the Old City, where several Palestinian families face eviction from homes claimed by Jewish settlers in a long-running legal case. Hamas, the Islamist militant group that controls Gaza, set an evening deadline for Israel to remove its police from Al-Aqsa and Sheikh Jarrah. When it expired, sirens wailed in Jerusalem and rockets pounded the city's outskirts. Israel views all of Jerusalem as its capital, including the eastern part annexed after the 1967 war in a move that has not secured international recognition. Palestinians want East Jerusalem for the capital of a state they seek in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad militant group claimed responsibility for the rocket fire on Jerusalem. The Israeli military said it struck targets that included militant operatives, attack tunnels and the home of a Hamas battalion commander. Of the 20 Palestinians killed on Monday, seven, including three children, were family members, who died in an explosion in the town of Beit Hanoun. It is unclear if it had been caused by an Israeli strike or a Palestinian rocket that had fallen short. An Israeli military spokesman said about a third of the Palestinian rockets fired had fallen short and caused damage and casualties inside Gaza. International efforts to stem the violence appeared to have already. A Palestinian official said that Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations, which have mediated truces between Israel and Hamas in the past, were in contact with the group's leader Ismail Haniyeh. Tension had been building for weeks during the Muslim holy month of Ramzan, amid clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinian protesters prompting international concern that events could spiral out of control. (With inputs from agencies)

At least 20 dead as Israel strikes Gaza after Palestinian rocket firings 

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