China has no business telling the Philippines what it can or cannot do within its waters, Manila's defence ministry said on Wednesday, rejecting Beijing's opposition to its ongoing coastguard exercises. &nbsp;

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, where about $3 trillion worth of ship-borne trade passes each year. In 2016, an arbitration tribunal in The Hague ruled that claim, which Beijing bases on its old maps, was inconsistent with international law. &nbsp;

Philippines Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told reporters that Beijing had "no authority or legal basis to prevent us from conducting these exercises" in the South China Sea because "their claims... have no basis".&nbsp;

The Philippine coastguard and fisheries bureau started maritime exercises on Saturday inside the country's 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), following an announcement of a boosting of its presence to counter the 'threatening' presence of Chinese boats. &nbsp;

Responding to the exercises, China's foreign ministry on Monday said the Philippines should "stop actions complicating the situation and escalating disputes".&nbsp;

The Philippine defence ministry in a statement responded saying: "China has no business telling the Philippines what it can and cannot do."&nbsp;

The Philippines has taken a tough tone in recent weeks over the lingering presence of hundreds of Chinese boats in its EEZ, reviving tensions that had eased due to President Rodrigo Duterte's embrace of Beijing.&nbsp;

While the Philippines owed China a 'huge debt' of gratitude for many things, including free COVID-19 vaccines, Duterte said on Wednesday, he would not compromise on his country's sovereignty in the South China Sea. &nbsp;

"So China, let it be known, is a good friend and we don't want trouble with them, especially a war," Duterte said in a late-night address. "But there are things that are not really subject to a compromise ... I hope they will understand but I have the interest of my country also to protect." &nbsp;

On Wednesday, Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin ordered the filing of another diplomatic protest, one of more than a dozen recently, this time over China's rebuke.&nbsp;

"They can say what they want from the Chinese mainland; we continue to assert from our waters by right of international law what we won in The Hague. But we must not fail to protest," Locsin said in a Tweet. &nbsp;

The exercises took place near a Philippine-held island in the disputed Spratly archipelago and at the heavily contested Scarborough Shoal, which the tribunal in 2016 said was a traditional fishing spot for several countries.&nbsp;

Lorenzana said it was China that was complicating matters by illegally occupying reefs it turned into artificial islands.&nbsp;

"It is they who are encroaching and should desist and leave," he said.&nbsp;

China has no business telling the Philippines what it can or cannot do within its waters, Manila's defence ministry said on Wednesday, rejecting Beijing's opposition to its ongoing coastguard exercises.

China has no business telling the Philippines what it can or cannot do within its waters, Manila's defence ministry said on Wednesday, rejecting Beijing's opposition to its ongoing coastguard exercises. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, where about $3 trillion worth of ship-borne trade passes each year. In 2016, an arbitration tribunal in The Hague ruled that claim, which Beijing bases on its old maps, was inconsistent with international law. Philippines Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told reporters that Beijing had "no authority or legal basis to prevent us from conducting these exercises" in the South China Sea because "their claims... have no basis". The Philippine coastguard and fisheries bureau started maritime exercises on Saturday inside the country's 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), following an announcement of a boosting of its presence to counter the 'threatening' presence of Chinese boats. Responding to the exercises, China's foreign ministry on Monday said the Philippines should "stop actions complicating the situation and escalating disputes". The Philippine defence ministry in a statement responded saying: "China has no business telling the Philippines what it can and cannot do." The Philippines has taken a tough tone in recent weeks over the lingering presence of hundreds of Chinese boats in its EEZ, reviving tensions that had eased due to President Rodrigo Duterte's embrace of Beijing. While the Philippines owed China a 'huge debt' of gratitude for many things, including free COVID-19 vaccines, Duterte said on Wednesday, he would not compromise on his country's sovereignty in the South China Sea. "So China, let it be known, is a good friend and we don't want trouble with them, especially a war," Duterte said in a late-night address. "But there are things that are not really subject to a compromise ... I hope they will understand but I have the interest of my country also to protect." On Wednesday, Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin ordered the filing of another diplomatic protest, one of more than a dozen recently, this time over China's rebuke. "They can say what they want from the Chinese mainland; we continue to assert from our waters by right of international law what we won in The Hague. But we must not fail to protest," Locsin said in a Tweet. The exercises took place near a Philippine-held island in the disputed Spratly archipelago and at the heavily contested Scarborough Shoal, which the tribunal in 2016 said was a traditional fishing spot for several countries. Lorenzana said it was China that was complicating matters by illegally occupying reefs it turned into artificial islands. "It is they who are encroaching and should desist and leave," he said.

Philippines tells China to mind its own business over maritime drills 

A Chinese businessman pleaded guilty on Wednesday to US charges that he smuggled marine technology out of the United States for the benefit of a Chinese military university involved in developing underwater drones.&nbsp;

Shuren Qin, a marine biologist and founder of a company that sells oceanographic instruments, pleaded guilty in Boston federal court to illegally exporting to China devices called hydrophones that can be used to monitor sound underwater.&nbsp;

He was charged in 2018 amid rising US concerns about the national security threat posed by China.&nbsp;

Assistant Attorney General John Demers said during a seminar on Wednesday at George Washington University that Chinese espionage and technology theft cases remain a top priority under the Biden administration's Justice Department.&nbsp;

Qin, who resides in Wellesley, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to 10 counts including conspiring to commit export violations, visa fraud, money laundering and smuggling.&nbsp;

Prosecutors previously also accused Qin, 45, of exporting unmanned surface vehicles and robotic boats, and alleged he had from 2015 to 2018 supplied $8 million in goods to Chinese government-controlled entities.&nbsp;

He admitted to charges only concerning 60 hydrophones worth $100,000. Under a plea deal, prosecutors agreed to recommend a prison sentence at the low end of the 87 to 108 months he faces under federal sentencing guidelines.&nbsp;

The plea was conditional, and Qin may still appeal a judge's decision to not suppress evidence against him.&nbsp;

Defence lawyers said Qin founded LinkOcean Technologies Ltd in China in 2005 to provide oceanographic instruments to scientists and immigrated to the United States with his family in 2014 as a permanent resident.&nbsp;

Prosecutors said Northwestern Polytechnical University, a Chinese military research institute, tasked Qin with obtaining items used for anti-submarine warfare and that he obtained hydrophones for it from a US manufacturer.&nbsp;

William Kettlewell, Qin's attorney, said he was unaware of the university's intended uses for the products. The university was also indicted but has never appeared in court. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A Chinese businessman pleaded guilty on Wednesday to US charges that he smuggled marine technology out of the United States for the benefit of a Chinese military university involved in developing underwater drones.

A Chinese businessman pleaded guilty on Wednesday to US charges that he smuggled marine technology out of the United States for the benefit of a Chinese military university involved in developing underwater drones. Shuren Qin, a marine biologist and founder of a company that sells oceanographic instruments, pleaded guilty in Boston federal court to illegally exporting to China devices called hydrophones that can be used to monitor sound underwater. He was charged in 2018 amid rising US concerns about the national security threat posed by China. Assistant Attorney General John Demers said during a seminar on Wednesday at George Washington University that Chinese espionage and technology theft cases remain a top priority under the Biden administration's Justice Department. Qin, who resides in Wellesley, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to 10 counts including conspiring to commit export violations, visa fraud, money laundering and smuggling. Prosecutors previously also accused Qin, 45, of exporting unmanned surface vehicles and robotic boats, and alleged he had from 2015 to 2018 supplied $8 million in goods to Chinese government-controlled entities. He admitted to charges only concerning 60 hydrophones worth $100,000. Under a plea deal, prosecutors agreed to recommend a prison sentence at the low end of the 87 to 108 months he faces under federal sentencing guidelines. The plea was conditional, and Qin may still appeal a judge's decision to not suppress evidence against him. Defence lawyers said Qin founded LinkOcean Technologies Ltd in China in 2005 to provide oceanographic instruments to scientists and immigrated to the United States with his family in 2014 as a permanent resident. Prosecutors said Northwestern Polytechnical University, a Chinese military research institute, tasked Qin with obtaining items used for anti-submarine warfare and that he obtained hydrophones for it from a US manufacturer. William Kettlewell, Qin's attorney, said he was unaware of the university's intended uses for the products. The university was also indicted but has never appeared in court. (With inputs from agencies)

Chinese businessman admits smuggling US marine tech to China 

Russian and Chinese media are systematically seeking to sow mistrust in Western COVID-19 vaccines in their latest disinformation campaigns aimed at dividing the West, a European Union report said on Wednesday. &nbsp;

From December to April, the two countries' state media outlets pushed fake news online in multiple languages sensationalising vaccine safety concerns, making unfounded links between jabs and deaths in Europe and promoting Russian and Chinese vaccines as superior, the EU study said.&nbsp;

The Kremlin and Beijing deny all disinformation allegations by the EU, which produces regular reports and seeks to work with Google, Facebook, Twitter and Microsoft to limit the spread of fake news.&nbsp;

Russian and Chinese vaccine diplomacy "follows a zero-sum game logic and is combined with disinformation and manipulation efforts to undermine trust in Western-made vaccines," said the EU study released by the bloc's disinformation unit, part of its EEAS foreign policy arm. &nbsp;

"Both Russia and China are using state-controlled media, networks of proxy media outlets and social media, including official diplomatic social media accounts, to achieve these goals," the report said, citing 100 Russian examples this year.&nbsp;

The EU and NATO regularly accuse Russia of covert action, including disinformation, to try to destabilise the West by exploiting divisions in society. &nbsp;

Vaccine supply issues with AstraZeneca, as well as very rare side effects with Astra and the Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccines have been seized upon, the report said.&nbsp;

"Both Chinese official channels and pro-Kremlin media have amplified content on alleged side-effects of the Western vaccines, misrepresenting and sensationalising international media reports and associating deaths to the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in Norway, Spain and elsewhere," the report said.&nbsp;

Russia denies any such tactics and President Vladimir Putin has accused foreign foes of targeting Russia by spreading fake news about coronavirus.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Russian and Chinese media are systematically seeking to sow mistrust in Western COVID-19 vaccines in their latest disinformation campaigns aimed at dividing the West, a European Union report said on Wednesday.

Russian and Chinese media are systematically seeking to sow mistrust in Western COVID-19 vaccines in their latest disinformation campaigns aimed at dividing the West, a European Union report said on Wednesday. From December to April, the two countries' state media outlets pushed fake news online in multiple languages sensationalising vaccine safety concerns, making unfounded links between jabs and deaths in Europe and promoting Russian and Chinese vaccines as superior, the EU study said. The Kremlin and Beijing deny all disinformation allegations by the EU, which produces regular reports and seeks to work with Google, Facebook, Twitter and Microsoft to limit the spread of fake news. Russian and Chinese vaccine diplomacy "follows a zero-sum game logic and is combined with disinformation and manipulation efforts to undermine trust in Western-made vaccines," said the EU study released by the bloc's disinformation unit, part of its EEAS foreign policy arm. "Both Russia and China are using state-controlled media, networks of proxy media outlets and social media, including official diplomatic social media accounts, to achieve these goals," the report said, citing 100 Russian examples this year. The EU and NATO regularly accuse Russia of covert action, including disinformation, to try to destabilise the West by exploiting divisions in society. Vaccine supply issues with AstraZeneca, as well as very rare side effects with Astra and the Johnson & Johnson vaccines have been seized upon, the report said. "Both Chinese official channels and pro-Kremlin media have amplified content on alleged side-effects of the Western vaccines, misrepresenting and sensationalising international media reports and associating deaths to the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in Norway, Spain and elsewhere," the report said. Russia denies any such tactics and President Vladimir Putin has accused foreign foes of targeting Russia by spreading fake news about coronavirus. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia, China sow disinformation to undermine trust in Western vaccines: EU report  

Britain's HMS&nbsp;Queen&nbsp;Elizabeth&nbsp;aircraft&nbsp;carrier&nbsp;will lead a flotilla of Royal Navy ships through Asian waters on port&nbsp;visits to&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;and South Korea on its&nbsp;maiden&nbsp;deployment, the British embassy in Tokyo said on Monday.

The high-profile&nbsp;visits, aimed at bolstering security ties in East Asia, come amid tensions in the region as concern grows in&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;over any threat posed to neighbouring Taiwan by China.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and US&nbsp;President Joe Biden issued a joint statement this month addressing China's growing assertiveness and the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait following their first face-to-face meeting in Washington since both became leaders of their countries.

Including the&nbsp;Queen&nbsp;Elizabeth&nbsp;with 18 F-35B stealth fighters, two destroyers, two frigates and two support ships, the British&nbsp;carrier&nbsp;strike group will have to sail through the contested South China Sea, parts of which are claimed by China and South East Asian countries, on its way to East Asia. The ships will also stop in India and Singapore.

It will be joined by vessels from the United States and a frigate from the Netherlands and will carry out exercises with forces from&nbsp;Japan, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, France, the UAE, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Israel, India, Oman and South Korea, the British government said in a news release.

Other foreign ships currently in Asian waters include a French amphibious&nbsp;carrier&nbsp;and two US&nbsp;navy&nbsp;aircraft&nbsp;carriers, one of which, the USS Ronald Reagan, is based in&nbsp;Japan. A close Washington ally,&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;hosts the biggest concentration of US&nbsp;military forces outside the United States, including warships, planes and thousands of marines.

The latest, and so far most conspicuous,&nbsp;visit&nbsp;to&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;by British forces follows earlier&nbsp;deployment&nbsp;of warships, jet fighters and troops for joint training exercises as London and Tokyo look to strengthen defence ties.

Britain's HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier will lead a flotilla of Royal Navy ships through Asian waters on port visits to Japan and South Korea on its maiden deployment, the British embassy in Tokyo said on Monday.

Britain's HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier will lead a flotilla of Royal Navy ships through Asian waters on port visits to Japan and South Korea on its maiden deployment, the British embassy in Tokyo said on Monday. The high-profile visits, aimed at bolstering security ties in East Asia, come amid tensions in the region as concern grows in Japan over any threat posed to neighbouring Taiwan by China. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and US President Joe Biden issued a joint statement this month addressing China's growing assertiveness and the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait following their first face-to-face meeting in Washington since both became leaders of their countries. Including the Queen Elizabeth with 18 F-35B stealth fighters, two destroyers, two frigates and two support ships, the British carrier strike group will have to sail through the contested South China Sea, parts of which are claimed by China and South East Asian countries, on its way to East Asia. The ships will also stop in India and Singapore. It will be joined by vessels from the United States and a frigate from the Netherlands and will carry out exercises with forces from Japan, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, France, the UAE, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Israel, India, Oman and South Korea, the British government said in a news release. Other foreign ships currently in Asian waters include a French amphibious carrier and two US navy aircraft carriers, one of which, the USS Ronald Reagan, is based in Japan. A close Washington ally, Japan hosts the biggest concentration of US military forces outside the United States, including warships, planes and thousands of marines. The latest, and so far most conspicuous, visit to Japan by British forces follows earlier deployment of warships, jet fighters and troops for joint training exercises as London and Tokyo look to strengthen defence ties.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier to visit Japan, South Korea on maiden deployment

Gucci&nbsp;and&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;have&nbsp;filed a&nbsp;joint&nbsp;lawsuit&nbsp;in California&nbsp;against&nbsp;an individual, who&nbsp;allegedly used the US&nbsp;group's social media platforms to sell fake&nbsp;Gucci&nbsp;products, the two companies said on Tuesday.

The initiative, a first of its kind for both&nbsp;Gucci&nbsp;and&nbsp;Facebook, is the latest example of an Internet giant joining forces with a luxury label to fight the proliferation of counterfeit goods being sold via social media.

Amazon has&nbsp;filed similar&nbsp;lawsuits over the past year with Valentino and Ferragamo.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="Apple to roll out new privacy update; Facebook, Google protest">Apple to roll out new privacy update; Facebook, Google protest</a>

In a statement,&nbsp;Gucci&nbsp;- the profit engine of French group Kering - and&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;alleged&nbsp;the unidentified defendant used multiple&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;and Instagram accounts to promote her international online counterfeit business.

Online sales of luxury handbags, shoes and garments have boomed over the past year as the coronavirus pandemic forced retailers to temporarily close their stores.

Groups like&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;are keen to make a bigger push into the luxury market and "social commerce", but to do so they need to show that their platforms are not a conduit for counterfeiting and are safe for brands, some of which are reluctant to sell their products through third-party players.

"More than one million pieces of content were removed from&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;and Instagram in the first half of 2020, based on thousands of reports of counterfeit content from brand owners, including&nbsp;Gucci," the statement said.

It added that in 2020 alone the actions of&nbsp;Gucci's in-house intellectual property team had resulted in four million on-line counterfeit product listings being taken down, the seizure of 4,100,000 counterfeit products, and 45,000 websites, including social media accounts, being disabled.

Gucci and Facebook have filed a joint lawsuit in California against an individual, who allegedly used the US group's social media platforms to sell fake Gucci products, the two companies said on Tuesday.

Gucci and Facebook have filed a joint lawsuit in California against an individual, who allegedly used the US group's social media platforms to sell fake Gucci products, the two companies said on Tuesday. The initiative, a first of its kind for both Gucci and Facebook, is the latest example of an Internet giant joining forces with a luxury label to fight the proliferation of counterfeit goods being sold via social media. Amazon has filed similar lawsuits over the past year with Valentino and Ferragamo. Also read: Apple to roll out new privacy update; Facebook, Google protest In a statement, Gucci - the profit engine of French group Kering - and Facebook alleged the unidentified defendant used multiple Facebook and Instagram accounts to promote her international online counterfeit business. Online sales of luxury handbags, shoes and garments have boomed over the past year as the coronavirus pandemic forced retailers to temporarily close their stores. Groups like Facebook are keen to make a bigger push into the luxury market and "social commerce", but to do so they need to show that their platforms are not a conduit for counterfeiting and are safe for brands, some of which are reluctant to sell their products through third-party players. "More than one million pieces of content were removed from Facebook and Instagram in the first half of 2020, based on thousands of reports of counterfeit content from brand owners, including Gucci," the statement said. It added that in 2020 alone the actions of Gucci's in-house intellectual property team had resulted in four million on-line counterfeit product listings being taken down, the seizure of 4,100,000 counterfeit products, and 45,000 websites, including social media accounts, being disabled.

Gucci, Facebook file joint lawsuit against alleged counterfeiter

&nbsp;A US&nbsp;legislative proposal to allocate $112&nbsp;billion for basic and advanced technology research and science in the face of rising competitive pressure from China will be delayed by at least two weeks, US&nbsp;Senate&nbsp;Republicans and staffers said on Monday.

The bipartisan "Endless Frontier" measure was scheduled to be debated by the&nbsp;Senate&nbsp;Commerce Committee on Wednesday, having been formally introduced on April 21. But with more than 230 amendments filed for consideration,&nbsp;Senate&nbsp;Republicans said the markup would not go forward until after a one-week&nbsp;Senate&nbsp;recess than ends May 10.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="US increases pressure on China through new strategic competition policy">US increases pressure on China through new strategic competition policy</a>

Senator Roger Wicker, the top Republican on the Commerce Committee, told reporters that lawmakers needed more time "for some consensus&nbsp;to develop."

A spokesman for Senator Todd Young, the primary Republican sponsor told Reuters the&nbsp;bill&nbsp;will not be heard in committee "this week but we expect it to happen after the recess."

The measure, sponsored by&nbsp;Senate&nbsp;Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, Young and others, would also authorize another $10&nbsp;billion to designate at least 10 regional technology hubs and create a supply chain crisis response program to address issues like the shortfall in semiconductor chips harming auto production.

A spokesman for Senator Maria Cantwell, who chairs the Commerce Committee, did not immediately comment on Monday night.

Many lawmakers want to&nbsp;use the legislation to advance other priorities and attach additional proposals. Senators Gary Peters and John Thune want to&nbsp;use the&nbsp;bill&nbsp;to speed the deployment of thousands of self-driving cars.

Republican Representative Mike Gallagher, another sponsor, said US&nbsp;superiority in science and technology "is at risk. The Chinese Communist Party has&nbsp;used decades of intellectual property theft and industrial espionage to close this technological gap in a way that threatens not only our economic security, but also our way of life."

Schumer said separately last week he will push for "emergency spending" to implement semiconductor manufacturing provisions in last year’s defense&nbsp;bill.

A US legislative proposal to allocate $112 billion for basic and advanced technology research and science in the face of rising competitive pressure from China will be delayed by at least two weeks, US Senate Republicans and staffers said on Monday.

A US legislative proposal to allocate $112 billion for basic and advanced technology research and science in the face of rising competitive pressure from China will be delayed by at least two weeks, US Senate Republicans and staffers said on Monday. The bipartisan "Endless Frontier" measure was scheduled to be debated by the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday, having been formally introduced on April 21. But with more than 230 amendments filed for consideration, Senate Republicans said the markup would not go forward until after a one-week Senate recess than ends May 10. Also read: US increases pressure on China through new strategic competition policy Senator Roger Wicker, the top Republican on the Commerce Committee, told reporters that lawmakers needed more time "for some consensus to develop." A spokesman for Senator Todd Young, the primary Republican sponsor told Reuters the bill will not be heard in committee "this week but we expect it to happen after the recess." The measure, sponsored by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, Young and others, would also authorize another $10 billion to designate at least 10 regional technology hubs and create a supply chain crisis response program to address issues like the shortfall in semiconductor chips harming auto production. A spokesman for Senator Maria Cantwell, who chairs the Commerce Committee, did not immediately comment on Monday night. Many lawmakers want to use the legislation to advance other priorities and attach additional proposals. Senators Gary Peters and John Thune want to use the bill to speed the deployment of thousands of self-driving cars. Republican Representative Mike Gallagher, another sponsor, said US superiority in science and technology "is at risk. The Chinese Communist Party has used decades of intellectual property theft and industrial espionage to close this technological gap in a way that threatens not only our economic security, but also our way of life." Schumer said separately last week he will push for "emergency spending" to implement semiconductor manufacturing provisions in last year’s defense bill.

US legislation on China to be delayed, lawmakers say

Saudi&nbsp;Arabia's&nbsp;King&nbsp;Salman invited&nbsp;Qatar's ruler Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to visit the kingdom, the emir's office said on Monday, the latest sign of improving relations between the former rivals.

Riyadh and allies broke off ties with&nbsp;Qatar&nbsp;in June 2017 over claims it was too close to Iran and backed radical Islamist groups, allegations&nbsp;Qatar&nbsp;has always denied.

But in January, the boycotting countries agreed to reestablish ties with&nbsp;Qatar&nbsp;following a flurry of diplomatic activity by former US president Donald Trump's administration.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="Ramayana, Mahabharata to become part of Saudi Arabia's school curriculum">Ramayana, Mahabharata to become part of Saudi Arabia's school curriculum</a>

The emir received a letter from&nbsp;King&nbsp;Salman "including an invitation to visit"&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;Arabia, the emir's office said in a statement.

It did not say if Sheikh Tamim had accepted or when the visit would take place.

Sheikh Tamim last travelled to the kingdom in January for the summit, hosted by the&nbsp;king's son Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, that led to Doha being readmitted to the regional fold.

He did not meet the&nbsp;king&nbsp;at that time.

The latest invitation was delivered by&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, who is in Doha for meetings with his Qatari counterpart.

The two discussed "Gulf unity", according to&nbsp;Qatar's foreign ministry.&nbsp;

Since the reconciliation there have been cautious steps towards normality, including the resumption of air travel between the former adversaries and the reopening of&nbsp;Qatar's sole land border with&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;Arabia.

Saudi Arabia's King Salman invited Qatar's ruler Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to visit the kingdom, the emir's office said on Monday, the latest sign of improving relations between the former rivals.

Saudi Arabia's King Salman invited Qatar's ruler Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to visit the kingdom, the emir's office said on Monday, the latest sign of improving relations between the former rivals. Riyadh and allies broke off ties with Qatar in June 2017 over claims it was too close to Iran and backed radical Islamist groups, allegations Qatar has always denied. But in January, the boycotting countries agreed to reestablish ties with Qatar following a flurry of diplomatic activity by former US president Donald Trump's administration. Also read: Ramayana, Mahabharata to become part of Saudi Arabia's school curriculum The emir received a letter from King Salman "including an invitation to visit" Saudi Arabia, the emir's office said in a statement. It did not say if Sheikh Tamim had accepted or when the visit would take place. Sheikh Tamim last travelled to the kingdom in January for the summit, hosted by the king's son Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, that led to Doha being readmitted to the regional fold. He did not meet the king at that time. The latest invitation was delivered by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, who is in Doha for meetings with his Qatari counterpart. The two discussed "Gulf unity", according to Qatar's foreign ministry. Since the reconciliation there have been cautious steps towards normality, including the resumption of air travel between the former adversaries and the reopening of Qatar's sole land border with Saudi Arabia.

Saudi King invites Qatari Emir to visit: Emir's office

The arrested former Sri Lankan minister Rishad Bathiyudeen and his brother would be detained for 90 days under the stiff anti-terrorism law to conduct further probe into their role in allegedly aiding and abetting the suicide bombers responsible for the deadly 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, police said on Tuesday.

Rishad, a former minister of Industry and Commerce and the leader of a minority Muslim party that is part of the main Opposition party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), and his brother Riyaj Bathiudeen were arrested on April 24 from their respective residences.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="Burqa ban just a 'proposal', Sri Lanka says after criticism from allies ">Burqa ban just a 'proposal', Sri Lanka says after criticism from allies&nbsp;</a>

They were arrested after the scrutiny of bank accounts, cheque transactions and communication lines," the senior deputy inspector general and the police spokesman Ajith Rohana said.

Rohana said the police investigations had focused on the close contacts of the suicide bombers who carried out the attacks at luxury hotels in Colombo and three churches. "Some of them had maintained close contacts with the bombers," Rohana said.

He said, 274 people were killed with 542 more being injured in the blasts. A total of 11 Indians were among the dead.

The attackers died but the police attention was on those who motivated them," Rohana said. 
&nbsp; 
He said a total of 702 persons were in custody with 202 of them being remanded. 83 more are being detained for questioning at the police's CID and the Terrorism Investigation Division.

Rishad's lawyers claimed that the arrest was politically motivated as the special presidential panel to probe the Easter Sunday attack had not named them for aiding and abetting Islamic extremists.

Nine suicide bombers, belonging to local Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jamaat (NTJ) linked to ISIS, carried out a series of blasts that tore through three churches and as many luxury hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday on April 21, 2019.

In May last year, Riyaj was arrested for making contacts with suicide bombers and given bail in October. Rishad was arrested in October and given bail in November over the misappropriation of state resources.

The arrested former Sri Lankan minister Rishad Bathiyudeen and his brother would be detained for 90 days under the stiff anti-terrorism law to conduct further probe into their role in allegedly aiding and abetting the suicide bombers responsible for the deadly 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, police said on Tuesday.

The arrested former Sri Lankan minister Rishad Bathiyudeen and his brother would be detained for 90 days under the stiff anti-terrorism law to conduct further probe into their role in allegedly aiding and abetting the suicide bombers responsible for the deadly 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, police said on Tuesday. Rishad, a former minister of Industry and Commerce and the leader of a minority Muslim party that is part of the main Opposition party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), and his brother Riyaj Bathiudeen were arrested on April 24 from their respective residences. Also read: Burqa ban just a 'proposal', Sri Lanka says after criticism from allies They were arrested after the scrutiny of bank accounts, cheque transactions and communication lines," the senior deputy inspector general and the police spokesman Ajith Rohana said. Rohana said the police investigations had focused on the close contacts of the suicide bombers who carried out the attacks at luxury hotels in Colombo and three churches. "Some of them had maintained close contacts with the bombers," Rohana said. He said, 274 people were killed with 542 more being injured in the blasts. A total of 11 Indians were among the dead. The attackers died but the police attention was on those who motivated them," Rohana said. He said a total of 702 persons were in custody with 202 of them being remanded. 83 more are being detained for questioning at the police's CID and the Terrorism Investigation Division. Rishad's lawyers claimed that the arrest was politically motivated as the special presidential panel to probe the Easter Sunday attack had not named them for aiding and abetting Islamic extremists. Nine suicide bombers, belonging to local Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jamaat (NTJ) linked to ISIS, carried out a series of blasts that tore through three churches and as many luxury hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday on April 21, 2019. In May last year, Riyaj was arrested for making contacts with suicide bombers and given bail in October. Rishad was arrested in October and given bail in November over the misappropriation of state resources.

Easter Sunday attack probe: Ex-Lankan minister, kin to be detained for 90 days

The Biden administration is easing decades-old requirements that made it difficult for doctors to treat opioid addiction using medication.&nbsp;

New guidelines announced on Tuesday mean doctors and other health workers will no longer need extra hours of training to prescribe buprenorphine, a gold standard medicine that helps with cravings. And they no longer have to refer patients to counseling services.&nbsp;

Under the loosened guidelines, prescribers will be able to treat up to 30 patients at a time with the drug. It comes in a pill or film that dissolves under the tongue. It costs about USD 100 a month. A common version of buprenorphine is Suboxone.&nbsp;

Because of how opioids act on the brain, people dependent on them get sick if they stop using. &nbsp;

Withdrawal can feel like a bad flu with cramping, sweating, anxiety and sleeplessness. Cravings for the drug can be so intense that relapse is common.&nbsp;

Buprenorphine helps by moving a patient from powerful painkillers or an illicit opioid like heroin to a regular dose of a legal opioid-based medication.&nbsp;

Besides doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, certified nurse midwives and some other types of nurses will be able to prescribe buprenorphine without first getting special training.&nbsp;

The Trump administration tried to make a similar change in its final days but it would have applied only to doctors. &nbsp;

The Biden administration put the matter on hold for a legal and policy review, ultimately deciding to expand the easier guidelines to more prescribers. &nbsp;

"What it does is provide more on-ramps to treatment," said Brendan Saloner, an addiction researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. &nbsp;

"This will help in health centers, hospitals, jails and prisons places where these folks sometimes show up for treatment."&nbsp;

Stricter requirements will remain for prescribers, who want to treat more than 30 patients at a time.&nbsp;

The prescribing requirements date back to legislation in 2000 meant to prevent too-easy access to a medicine with its own potential for misuse. But only a small number of doctors went through the steps and, in many parts of the country, patients couldn't find a prescriber. Ironically, doctors could prescribe buprenorphine for pain without the extra training.&nbsp;

US drug overdose deaths have climbed during the coronavirus pandemic. &nbsp;

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 90,000 drug overdose deaths in the 12 months ending in September, the highest number ever recorded in a one-year period. There is not yet data for all of 2020, and the figures are preliminary.&nbsp;

“The change will increase the number of prescribers and the number of patients who receive prescriptions," said Assistant Health Secretary Dr Rachel Levine.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

The Biden administration is easing decades-old requirements that made it difficult for doctors to treat opioid addiction using medication. New guidelines announced on Tuesday mean doctors and other health workers will no longer need extra hours of training to prescribe buprenorphine, a gold standard medicine that helps with cravings.

The Biden administration is easing decades-old requirements that made it difficult for doctors to treat opioid addiction using medication. New guidelines announced on Tuesday mean doctors and other health workers will no longer need extra hours of training to prescribe buprenorphine, a gold standard medicine that helps with cravings. And they no longer have to refer patients to counseling services. Under the loosened guidelines, prescribers will be able to treat up to 30 patients at a time with the drug. It comes in a pill or film that dissolves under the tongue. It costs about USD 100 a month. A common version of buprenorphine is Suboxone. Because of how opioids act on the brain, people dependent on them get sick if they stop using. Withdrawal can feel like a bad flu with cramping, sweating, anxiety and sleeplessness. Cravings for the drug can be so intense that relapse is common. Buprenorphine helps by moving a patient from powerful painkillers or an illicit opioid like heroin to a regular dose of a legal opioid-based medication. Besides doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, certified nurse midwives and some other types of nurses will be able to prescribe buprenorphine without first getting special training. The Trump administration tried to make a similar change in its final days but it would have applied only to doctors. The Biden administration put the matter on hold for a legal and policy review, ultimately deciding to expand the easier guidelines to more prescribers. "What it does is provide more on-ramps to treatment," said Brendan Saloner, an addiction researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. "This will help in health centers, hospitals, jails and prisons places where these folks sometimes show up for treatment." Stricter requirements will remain for prescribers, who want to treat more than 30 patients at a time. The prescribing requirements date back to legislation in 2000 meant to prevent too-easy access to a medicine with its own potential for misuse. But only a small number of doctors went through the steps and, in many parts of the country, patients couldn't find a prescriber. Ironically, doctors could prescribe buprenorphine for pain without the extra training. US drug overdose deaths have climbed during the coronavirus pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 90,000 drug overdose deaths in the 12 months ending in September, the highest number ever recorded in a one-year period. There is not yet data for all of 2020, and the figures are preliminary. “The change will increase the number of prescribers and the number of patients who receive prescriptions," said Assistant Health Secretary Dr Rachel Levine. (With inputs from agencies)

US lifts barriers to prescribing addiction treatment drug 

Britain will buy 60 million more doses of Pfizer/BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine, health minister Matt Hancock said, in a deal that more than doubles the country's supply of the shot ahead of a booster programme later this year.&nbsp;

Britain has now ordered a total of 100 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine, one of three COVID-19 shots being rolled out in the country.&nbsp;

Hancock said the shots had been secured to support a COVID-19 booster vaccination programme starting in the autumn, adding that the biggest risk to Britain's rollout so far was a new variant of the coronavirus.&nbsp;

"We`re working on our plans for booster shots," Hancock said.&nbsp;

"These further 60 million doses will be used, alongside others, as part of our booster programme from later this year, so we can protect the progress that we've all made."&nbsp;

Earlier on Wednesday, Public Health England said the details of any booster programme were still being worked out, and it would be designed primarily with new variants in mind.&nbsp;

Britain's health ministry said data from trials using different combinations of COVID-19 vaccines would help determine the design of the programme.&nbsp;

England's Deputy Chief Medic Jonathan Van-Tam said that by mid to late-summer, millions of people would have had two shots of either the AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccines, and the question then would be whether to give a different vaccine as a booster.&nbsp;

A study starting in June should provide answers, he said.&nbsp;

"We'll get an idea then of which gives you the highest boost, which perhaps gives you the broadest boost against a range of coronavirus variants, and indeed what the timings look like," he told a press conference.&nbsp;

"That is another reason why the vaccines taskforce has invested in contracts with not just one or two manufacturers, but six or seven so that we have that optionality." &nbsp;

Britain has administered 47.5 million vaccine doses so far, nearly 34 million of which are first shots. &nbsp;

While the country is second only to Israel in terms of the proportion of the population who have received a first dose, which stands at around 50%, it has suffered 127,000 deaths from COVID-19, the fifth-highest total globally.&nbsp;

Britain, which has a population of 67 million, has deals for 517 million doses of eight different COVID-19 vaccines, some of which remain under development. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Britain will buy 60 million more doses of Pfizer/BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine, health minister Matt Hancock said, in a deal that more than doubles the country's supply of the shot ahead of a booster programme later this year.

Britain will buy 60 million more doses of Pfizer/BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine, health minister Matt Hancock said, in a deal that more than doubles the country's supply of the shot ahead of a booster programme later this year. Britain has now ordered a total of 100 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine, one of three COVID-19 shots being rolled out in the country. Hancock said the shots had been secured to support a COVID-19 booster vaccination programme starting in the autumn, adding that the biggest risk to Britain's rollout so far was a new variant of the coronavirus. "We`re working on our plans for booster shots," Hancock said. "These further 60 million doses will be used, alongside others, as part of our booster programme from later this year, so we can protect the progress that we've all made." Earlier on Wednesday, Public Health England said the details of any booster programme were still being worked out, and it would be designed primarily with new variants in mind. Britain's health ministry said data from trials using different combinations of COVID-19 vaccines would help determine the design of the programme. England's Deputy Chief Medic Jonathan Van-Tam said that by mid to late-summer, millions of people would have had two shots of either the AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccines, and the question then would be whether to give a different vaccine as a booster. A study starting in June should provide answers, he said. "We'll get an idea then of which gives you the highest boost, which perhaps gives you the broadest boost against a range of coronavirus variants, and indeed what the timings look like," he told a press conference. "That is another reason why the vaccines taskforce has invested in contracts with not just one or two manufacturers, but six or seven so that we have that optionality." Britain has administered 47.5 million vaccine doses so far, nearly 34 million of which are first shots. While the country is second only to Israel in terms of the proportion of the population who have received a first dose, which stands at around 50%, it has suffered 127,000 deaths from COVID-19, the fifth-highest total globally. Britain, which has a population of 67 million, has deals for 517 million doses of eight different COVID-19 vaccines, some of which remain under development. (With inputs from agencies)

Britain orders 60,000,000 Pfizer COVID-19 shots for booster programme 

Myanmar's coup has brought war back to a remote Southeast Asian frontier after 25 years, sending a new generation of villagers in both Myanmar and Thailand running for their lives from bullets and bombs.

Ethnic Karen insurgents and the Myanmar army have engaged in heavy clashes near the Thai border in the weeks since the February&nbsp;1 coup, when Myanmar's generals ousted an elected government led by democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Karen and other autonomy-seeking ethnic minority forces based in frontier regions have supported the largely urban-based pro-democracy opponents of the junta, offering refuge to some, and tension with the military has boiled up into new fighting.

Before dawn on Tuesday, Karen fighters attacked the Myanmar army's Thaw Leh Ta outpost on the west bank of the Salween River, which forms the border with Thailand as it cuts through steep, forested slopes on is way to the Bay of Bengal.

"I've never heard gunfire like this, I've never seen people needing to flee like this," said Supart Nunongpan, 44, chief of the Thai village of Mae Sam Laep, a small river port of wooden houses and shops strung out along the Thai side of the Salween.

The Myanmar army had held Thaw Leh Ta since 1995, the last time there was major fighting in the area when, after years of dry-season offensives, the Myanmar army captured the headquarters of the Karen National Union (KNU) guerrilla group, not far to the south.

Divided and driven from most of its enclaves in eastern Myanmar, the KNU agreed to a ceasefire in 2012, ending an insurgency that began soon after Myanmar gained independence in 1948.

Now war has resumed and the Myanmar military, equipped with more effective aircraft than it had 25 years ago, has launched repeated air strikes against KNU positions, sending some 15,000 villagers fleeing into the forest, with several thousand briefly seeking refuge on the Thai side of the border.

Myanmar launched air strikes on Tuesday and again on Wednesday, with fighter jets and helicopters, Thai authorities on the border said. There was no word on casualties.

About 100 villagers from Myanmar, most of them elderly, pregnant women or children, crossed to the Thai side on Wednesday to escape the air strikes, the Free Burma Rangers aid group said.

Hundreds of Thai villagers living too close to the border for comfort have also abandoned their homes and fled inland. One woman on the Thai side was wounded by a stray bullet on Tuesday, Thai authorities said.

Thai villagers are sheltering in a school and a church in the settlement of Huay Kong Kad, a safe distance from the border. They think the fighting is far from over and it is only a matter of time before Myanmar's powerful military tries to take back the lost outposts.

"I don't feel safe, it's still dangerous. I'm afraid of the air strikes," Amin, 40, another villager from Mae Sam Laep who goes by only one name, told Reuters.

The Myanmar junta has not commented on the latest clashes but the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper blamed a rogue KNU brigade for the attacks, saying most of the KNU still backed the 2012 ceasefire.

The head of foreign affairs for the KNU, Saw Taw Nee, rejected that as "nonsense", saying state media was trying to "divide and conquer".

Thailand, which played host to more than 100,000 Karen refugees for decades, has said it wants to stay out of the latest surge of fighting but will provide humanitarian help if needed.

For now, displaced Thai villagers wait. Several said they only dared slip back into Mae Sam Laep during the day to check on their homes, fearing more fighting at any time.

"I'm afraid because we live on the border. The villagers are also afraid," village head Supart said.

Myanmar's coup has brought war back to a remote Southeast Asian frontier after 25 years, sending a new generation of villagers in both Myanmar and Thailand running for their lives from bullets and bombs.

Myanmar's coup has brought war back to a remote Southeast Asian frontier after 25 years, sending a new generation of villagers in both Myanmar and Thailand running for their lives from bullets and bombs. Ethnic Karen insurgents and the Myanmar army have engaged in heavy clashes near the Thai border in the weeks since the February 1 coup, when Myanmar's generals ousted an elected government led by democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi. The Karen and other autonomy-seeking ethnic minority forces based in frontier regions have supported the largely urban-based pro-democracy opponents of the junta, offering refuge to some, and tension with the military has boiled up into new fighting. Before dawn on Tuesday, Karen fighters attacked the Myanmar army's Thaw Leh Ta outpost on the west bank of the Salween River, which forms the border with Thailand as it cuts through steep, forested slopes on is way to the Bay of Bengal. "I've never heard gunfire like this, I've never seen people needing to flee like this," said Supart Nunongpan, 44, chief of the Thai village of Mae Sam Laep, a small river port of wooden houses and shops strung out along the Thai side of the Salween. The Myanmar army had held Thaw Leh Ta since 1995, the last time there was major fighting in the area when, after years of dry-season offensives, the Myanmar army captured the headquarters of the Karen National Union (KNU) guerrilla group, not far to the south. Divided and driven from most of its enclaves in eastern Myanmar, the KNU agreed to a ceasefire in 2012, ending an insurgency that began soon after Myanmar gained independence in 1948. Now war has resumed and the Myanmar military, equipped with more effective aircraft than it had 25 years ago, has launched repeated air strikes against KNU positions, sending some 15,000 villagers fleeing into the forest, with several thousand briefly seeking refuge on the Thai side of the border. Myanmar launched air strikes on Tuesday and again on Wednesday, with fighter jets and helicopters, Thai authorities on the border said. There was no word on casualties. About 100 villagers from Myanmar, most of them elderly, pregnant women or children, crossed to the Thai side on Wednesday to escape the air strikes, the Free Burma Rangers aid group said. Hundreds of Thai villagers living too close to the border for comfort have also abandoned their homes and fled inland. One woman on the Thai side was wounded by a stray bullet on Tuesday, Thai authorities said. Thai villagers are sheltering in a school and a church in the settlement of Huay Kong Kad, a safe distance from the border. They think the fighting is far from over and it is only a matter of time before Myanmar's powerful military tries to take back the lost outposts. "I don't feel safe, it's still dangerous. I'm afraid of the air strikes," Amin, 40, another villager from Mae Sam Laep who goes by only one name, told Reuters. The Myanmar junta has not commented on the latest clashes but the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper blamed a rogue KNU brigade for the attacks, saying most of the KNU still backed the 2012 ceasefire. The head of foreign affairs for the KNU, Saw Taw Nee, rejected that as "nonsense", saying state media was trying to "divide and conquer". Thailand, which played host to more than 100,000 Karen refugees for decades, has said it wants to stay out of the latest surge of fighting but will provide humanitarian help if needed. For now, displaced Thai villagers wait. Several said they only dared slip back into Mae Sam Laep during the day to check on their homes, fearing more fighting at any time. "I'm afraid because we live on the border. The villagers are also afraid," village head Supart said.

Myanmar's war displaces new generation on remote river frontier

A bipartisan group of US&nbsp;senators&nbsp;on Tuesday&nbsp;urged the&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;administration to slap&nbsp;more&nbsp;sanctions&nbsp;on the military&nbsp;junta&nbsp;in&nbsp;Myanmar, including choking revenues to a state energy company, in response to its coup and violent crackdown on protesters.

Senators&nbsp;Jeff Merkley, a Democrat, and Marco Rubio, a Republican, and four others&nbsp;urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in a letter to "explore new avenues to support the people of Burma in their ongoing struggle for democracy in the face of escalating crimes against humanity."

They want the&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;administration to stop royalties flowing from businesses including US&nbsp;energy major Chevron Corp to&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;Oil and Gas Enterprise, or MOGE, an agency within the Energy Ministry. MOGE provides financial support to military leaders, including General Min Aung Hlaing, already under US&nbsp;sanctions.

MOGE is a partner in Yadana, a natural gas field in which Chevron has a 28.3 per cent&nbsp;stake.

Human rights groups have&nbsp;urged energy companies including Chevron and Total to cut ties to&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;after the military ousted the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on February&nbsp;1, detaining her and cracking down on protesters.&nbsp;More&nbsp;than 750 people have since been killed.

Gas revenues from joint ventures involving companies like Total and Chevron are the most significant single source of foreign exchange revenue for the&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;government, generating cash payments of about $1.1 billion annually, the&nbsp;senators&nbsp;said.

They proposed the ventures pay revenue into a trust to be held until&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;has a democratically elected government or to be used for humanitarian purposes, according to the letter, a copy of which was seen by Reuters.

A Chevron representative said any diversion of revenues or taxes owed to MOGE into an escrow account "could be considered a breach of contract and potentially put employees of the joint venture partners at undue risk of criminal prosecution."

Total did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The State and Treasury departments did not immediately respond.

Chevron paid around $50 million to&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;between 2014 and 2018, according to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, which works to increase transparency in international business.

A bipartisan group of US senators on Tuesday urged the Biden administration to slap more sanctions on the military junta in Myanmar, including choking revenues to a state energy company, in response to its coup and violent crackdown on protesters.

A bipartisan group of US senators on Tuesday urged the Biden administration to slap more sanctions on the military junta in Myanmar, including choking revenues to a state energy company, in response to its coup and violent crackdown on protesters. Senators Jeff Merkley, a Democrat, and Marco Rubio, a Republican, and four others urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in a letter to "explore new avenues to support the people of Burma in their ongoing struggle for democracy in the face of escalating crimes against humanity." They want the Biden administration to stop royalties flowing from businesses including US energy major Chevron Corp to Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise, or MOGE, an agency within the Energy Ministry. MOGE provides financial support to military leaders, including General Min Aung Hlaing, already under US sanctions. MOGE is a partner in Yadana, a natural gas field in which Chevron has a 28.3 per cent stake. Human rights groups have urged energy companies including Chevron and Total to cut ties to Myanmar after the military ousted the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, detaining her and cracking down on protesters. More than 750 people have since been killed. Gas revenues from joint ventures involving companies like Total and Chevron are the most significant single source of foreign exchange revenue for the Myanmar government, generating cash payments of about $1.1 billion annually, the senators said. They proposed the ventures pay revenue into a trust to be held until Myanmar has a democratically elected government or to be used for humanitarian purposes, according to the letter, a copy of which was seen by Reuters. A Chevron representative said any diversion of revenues or taxes owed to MOGE into an escrow account "could be considered a breach of contract and potentially put employees of the joint venture partners at undue risk of criminal prosecution." Total did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The State and Treasury departments did not immediately respond. Chevron paid around $50 million to Myanmar between 2014 and 2018, according to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, which works to increase transparency in international business.

Senators urge Biden to impose more sanctions on Myanmar junta

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