Israel's legal and political dramas converged Monday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced court in his corruption trial while his bid to form a government after another inconclusive election reached a critical phase. Taiwan’s Defence Ministry on Monday reported a new incursion by China’s air force into the island’s air defence identification zone, made up of eight fighter jets and two other aircraft, one of which flew through the strategic Bashi Channel. Taiwan’s Defence Ministry on Monday reported a new incursion by China’s air force into the island’s air defence identification zone, made up of eight fighter jets and two other aircraft, one of which flew through the strategic Bashi Channel. Read this and more in our Top 10 World News brief.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-prime-minister-benjamin-netanyahu-faces-court-in-corruption-trial-375515">Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces court in corruption trial</a>

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The 71-year-old veteran premier -- who last month contested his fourth election in less than two years -- arrived at the Jerusalem courthouse where he was met by supporters but also opponents who called him Israel's "crime minister".

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-reports-new-incursion-by-chinas-air-force-into-defence-zone-375512">Taiwan reports new incursion by China’s Air Force into defence zone</a>

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Chinese-claimed Taiwan has complained over the last few months of repeated missions by China’s air force near the island, concentrated in the southwestern part its air defence zone near the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/police-communities-across-us-fight-back-against-anti-asian-hate-crimes-375520">Police, communities across US fight back against anti-Asian hate crimes</a>

<img alt="US" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2ab9c909-8ced-4272-ae09-7b4a0f9789fe" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Top%2010%20-%20Final%20-%204.jpg" />

The officers walked through the arcade of hair and nail salons, restaurants serving Vietnamese cuisine, and herbal medicine shops on Saturday, talking to business owners and patrons

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-extends-deadline-for-twitter-to-remove-banned-content-375503">Russia extends deadline for Twitter to remove 'banned' content</a>

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State telecommunications watchdog Roskomnadzor imposed slowdowns on Twitter's services in mid-March, accusing it of failing to remove banned content

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-shuts-secret-guantanamo-prison-unit-moves-prisoners-to-another-nearby-camp-375521">US shuts secret Guantanamo prison unit, moves prisoners to another nearby camp</a>

<img alt="Guantamo" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58ddfb38-31f4-46fc-a1fc-3dd99f0425fa" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Top%2010%20-%20Final%20-%206.jpg" />

Biden's Democratic predecessor Obama had pitched for closing the camps but could not reach a deal with Congress when Biden was his vice-president.

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-to-announce-new-rules-to-restart-international-travel-375522">UK to announce new rules to restart international travel</a>

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Travel destinations will be categorised as red, amber or green based on the virus risk.

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-chief-of-chinese-defence-giant-norinco-being-probed-for-corruption-375495">Former chief of Chinese defence giant Norinco being probed for corruption</a>

<img alt="CHina" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cd0e4e40-1661-497e-9ba5-fe396cb9b869" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Top%2010%20-%20Final%20-%208.jpg" />

Yin was at the helm of the company’s leadership between 2013-2018, and is among many being probed from the defence industry

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jordans-prince-hamzah-refuses-to-obey-restrictions-on-movements-amid-coup-allegations-375489">Jordan's Prince Hamzah refuses to obey restrictions on movements amid 'coup' allegations</a>

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The government has accused Hamzah of involvement in a seditious conspiracy to "destabilise the kingdom's security", placed him under house arrest and detained at least 16 more people.

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-extends-easter-wishes-especially-to-radical-left-crazies-375487">Donald Trump extends Easter wishes, especially to 'Radical Left CRAZIES'</a>

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After being banned from Twitter and Facebook in the aftermath of the Capitol riot, Trump has been assessing other ways to get his word out

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/over-100-nabbed-10-officers-injured-in-londons-kill-the-bill-protests-375484">Over 100 nabbed, 10 officers injured in London's 'Kill the Bill' protests</a>

<img alt="London" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8a3b6158-8c03-4d0e-b460-f172648632e2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Top%2010%20-%20Final%20-%2011.jpg" />

Earlier on Sunday, London police said that 10 officers were left with minor injuries after police and protesters clashed in central London on Saturday

Israel's legal and political dramas converged Monday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced court in his corruption trial while his bid to form a government after another inconclusive election reached a critical phase.

Israel's legal and political dramas converged Monday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced court in his corruption trial while his bid to form a government after another inconclusive election reached a critical phase. Taiwan’s Defence Ministry on Monday reported a new incursion by China’s air force into the island’s air defence identification zone, made up of eight fighter jets and two other aircraft, one of which flew through the strategic Bashi Channel. Taiwan’s Defence Ministry on Monday reported a new incursion by China’s air force into the island’s air defence identification zone, made up of eight fighter jets and two other aircraft, one of which flew through the strategic Bashi Channel. Read this and more in our Top 10 World News brief. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces court in corruption trial The 71-year-old veteran premier -- who last month contested his fourth election in less than two years -- arrived at the Jerusalem courthouse where he was met by supporters but also opponents who called him Israel's "crime minister". Taiwan reports new incursion by China’s Air Force into defence zone Chinese-claimed Taiwan has complained over the last few months of repeated missions by China’s air force near the island, concentrated in the southwestern part its air defence zone near the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands Police, communities across US fight back against anti-Asian hate crimes The officers walked through the arcade of hair and nail salons, restaurants serving Vietnamese cuisine, and herbal medicine shops on Saturday, talking to business owners and patrons Russia extends deadline for Twitter to remove 'banned' content State telecommunications watchdog Roskomnadzor imposed slowdowns on Twitter's services in mid-March, accusing it of failing to remove banned content US shuts secret Guantanamo prison unit, moves prisoners to another nearby camp Biden's Democratic predecessor Obama had pitched for closing the camps but could not reach a deal with Congress when Biden was his vice-president. UK to announce new rules to restart international travel Travel destinations will be categorised as red, amber or green based on the virus risk. Former chief of Chinese defence giant Norinco being probed for corruption Yin was at the helm of the company’s leadership between 2013-2018, and is among many being probed from the defence industry Jordan's Prince Hamzah refuses to obey restrictions on movements amid 'coup' allegations The government has accused Hamzah of involvement in a seditious conspiracy to "destabilise the kingdom's security", placed him under house arrest and detained at least 16 more people. Donald Trump extends Easter wishes, especially to 'Radical Left CRAZIES' After being banned from Twitter and Facebook in the aftermath of the Capitol riot, Trump has been assessing other ways to get his word out Over 100 nabbed, 10 officers injured in London's 'Kill the Bill' protests Earlier on Sunday, London police said that 10 officers were left with minor injuries after police and protesters clashed in central London on Saturday

Top 10 World News: Netanyahu faces court, Taiwan reports incursion, and more

More than a dozen San Jose, California, police officers walked through the white arches of the Grand Century Mall in ‘Little Saigon’ to reassure a Vietnamese-American community fearful over the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes in the United States.&nbsp;

The officers walked through the arcade of hair and nail salons, restaurants serving Vietnamese cuisine, and herbal medicine shops on Saturday, talking to business owners and patrons. They then conducted a similar tour of San Jose’s Japantown, where a citizen patrol group was formed following the deadly attacks on Asian spas in the Atlanta area on March 16.

"We know that there is a lot of angst, fear with our Asian community," said San Jose’s police chief, Anthony Mata, during his visit to Little Saigon. "It’s important for us to have that dialogue, engage with them and see how we can help."

Across the United States, law enforcement agencies are scrambling to better protect Asian communities amid a wave of violence targeting them since lockdowns to cope with the coronavirus pandemic began about a year ago. A recent report by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, showed that while hate crimes overall in the United States had fallen slightly in 2020, crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) had jumped by 145%.

A vicious assault last week in which a man kicked a 65-year-old immigrant from the Philippines in New York City multiple times was captured on video and went viral, further stoking fears about anti-Asian hate crimes.

New York City has deployed a team of undercover Asian police officers. Other major cities, from San Jose to Chicago, have boosted patrols in Asian neighborhoods and sought to forge closer ties with communities, some of which have sought to fill gaps the police can’t fill.

Leanna Louie, who has organised residents to patrol San Francisco’s Chinatown, said the city’s police force of about 2,000 doesn’t have the resources. "It’s impossible," she said.&nbsp;

Paul Luu, chief executive officer of the Chinese American Service League, welcomed the ‘revved up’ police presence in Chicago’s Chinatown, which he said built on an already supportive relationship that includes Chinese-speaking officers on the beat. His group is focused on educating the community on hate crimes and encouraging victims, many reluctant due to language barriers or wariness of the police, to come forward.

(With inputs from agencies)

More than a dozen San Jose, California, police officers walked through the white arches of the Grand Century Mall in ‘Little Saigon’ to reassure a Vietnamese-American community fearful over the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes in the United States.

More than a dozen San Jose, California, police officers walked through the white arches of the Grand Century Mall in ‘Little Saigon’ to reassure a Vietnamese-American community fearful over the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes in the United States. The officers walked through the arcade of hair and nail salons, restaurants serving Vietnamese cuisine, and herbal medicine shops on Saturday, talking to business owners and patrons. They then conducted a similar tour of San Jose’s Japantown, where a citizen patrol group was formed following the deadly attacks on Asian spas in the Atlanta area on March 16. "We know that there is a lot of angst, fear with our Asian community," said San Jose’s police chief, Anthony Mata, during his visit to Little Saigon. "It’s important for us to have that dialogue, engage with them and see how we can help." Across the United States, law enforcement agencies are scrambling to better protect Asian communities amid a wave of violence targeting them since lockdowns to cope with the coronavirus pandemic began about a year ago. A recent report by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, showed that while hate crimes overall in the United States had fallen slightly in 2020, crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) had jumped by 145%. A vicious assault last week in which a man kicked a 65-year-old immigrant from the Philippines in New York City multiple times was captured on video and went viral, further stoking fears about anti-Asian hate crimes. New York City has deployed a team of undercover Asian police officers. Other major cities, from San Jose to Chicago, have boosted patrols in Asian neighborhoods and sought to forge closer ties with communities, some of which have sought to fill gaps the police can’t fill. Leanna Louie, who has organised residents to patrol San Francisco’s Chinatown, said the city’s police force of about 2,000 doesn’t have the resources. "It’s impossible," she said. Paul Luu, chief executive officer of the Chinese American Service League, welcomed the ‘revved up’ police presence in Chicago’s Chinatown, which he said built on an already supportive relationship that includes Chinese-speaking officers on the beat. His group is focused on educating the community on hate crimes and encouraging victims, many reluctant due to language barriers or wariness of the police, to come forward. (With inputs from agencies)

Police, communities across US fight back against anti-Asian hate crimes

Nearly 82 terrorists have been killed in airstrikes in the Arghandab district of southern Kandahar province on Sunday.

"Besides the killing of 82 armed insurgents including the Taliban’s key commander Sarhadi, two tanks and several vehicles of the insurgents have also been destroyed, reported Xinhua, quoting police spokesman, Jamal Barakzai.

Earlier in the day, Fawad Aman, Deputy Spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, said in a tweet that the air force launched airstrikes on the Taliban at around 1:52 am in the Arghandab district of Kandahar province, Khaama Press reported.

"Their hideouts and strongholds were targeted when they were preparing to conduct the operation," Aman also added in his tweet.

Taliban terrorists who are active in parts of Kandahar province have yet to make comment on the airstrikes.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will put forward a three-phase peace roadmap for Afghanistan during a proposed meeting in Turkey, seeking an agreement with the Taliban and a ceasefire before elections, a document shows.

Washington is pushing for a conference to be hosted by Turkey, with UN involvement, this month to finalise a peace deal between the government and the Taliban as a May 1 deadline looms for the withdrawal of all foreign troops.

Ghani’s plan will be presented as a counter to proposals put forward by Washington, rejected by the Afghan government, that envisage immediately drawing up a new legal system for an interim administration to include Taliban representatives.&nbsp;

The document shows Ghani’s ‘Reaching an Endstate’ proposal will include, in the first phase, a consensus on a political settlement and an internationally monitored ceasefire.

The second phase will be holding a presidential election and the establishment of a ‘government of peace’ and implementation arrangements for moving towards the new political system.

The third phase will involve building a ‘constitutional framework, reintegration of refugees and development’ for Afghanistan moving forward.

A senior government official said Ghani has already shared his roadmap with foreign capitals.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Nearly 82 terrorists have been killed in airstrikes in the Arghandab district of southern Kandahar province on Sunday. "Besides the killing of 82 armed insurgents including the Taliban’s key commander Sarhadi, two tanks and several vehicles of the insurgents have also been destroyed, reported Xinhua, quoting police spokesman, Jamal Barakzai.

Nearly 82 terrorists have been killed in airstrikes in the Arghandab district of southern Kandahar province on Sunday. "Besides the killing of 82 armed insurgents including the Taliban’s key commander Sarhadi, two tanks and several vehicles of the insurgents have also been destroyed, reported Xinhua, quoting police spokesman, Jamal Barakzai. Earlier in the day, Fawad Aman, Deputy Spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, said in a tweet that the air force launched airstrikes on the Taliban at around 1:52 am in the Arghandab district of Kandahar province, Khaama Press reported. "Their hideouts and strongholds were targeted when they were preparing to conduct the operation," Aman also added in his tweet. Taliban terrorists who are active in parts of Kandahar province have yet to make comment on the airstrikes. Meanwhile, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will put forward a three-phase peace roadmap for Afghanistan during a proposed meeting in Turkey, seeking an agreement with the Taliban and a ceasefire before elections, a document shows. Washington is pushing for a conference to be hosted by Turkey, with UN involvement, this month to finalise a peace deal between the government and the Taliban as a May 1 deadline looms for the withdrawal of all foreign troops. Ghani’s plan will be presented as a counter to proposals put forward by Washington, rejected by the Afghan government, that envisage immediately drawing up a new legal system for an interim administration to include Taliban representatives. The document shows Ghani’s ‘Reaching an Endstate’ proposal will include, in the first phase, a consensus on a political settlement and an internationally monitored ceasefire. The second phase will be holding a presidential election and the establishment of a ‘government of peace’ and implementation arrangements for moving towards the new political system. The third phase will involve building a ‘constitutional framework, reintegration of refugees and development’ for Afghanistan moving forward. A senior government official said Ghani has already shared his roadmap with foreign capitals. (With inputs from agencies)

Afghan airstrikes kill over 80 terrorists in Kandahar

Taiwan’s Defence Ministry on Monday reported a new incursion by China’s air force into the island’s air defence identification zone, made up of eight fighter jets and two other aircraft, one of which flew through the strategic Bashi Channel.

Chinese-claimed Taiwan has complained over the last few months of repeated missions by China’s air force near the island, concentrated in the southwestern part its air defence zone near the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands.

Late last month, Taiwan reported 20 Chinese aircraft were involved in one such incursion.

In the latest incident, Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said four Chinese J-16 and four J-10 fighters were involved, as well as an early warning plane and anti-submarine aircraft, the latter of which flew to the south of Taiwan through the Bashi Channel that connects the Pacific to the South China Sea.

Taiwan’s air force sent up a combat air patrol and warned the Chinese aircraft away, the ministry added.

There was no immediate response from China’s Defence Ministry, but the flights coincided with other Chinese military activity to Taiwan’s north.

Japan’s Defence Ministry said on Sunday that the Chinese aircraft carrier the Liaoning, accompanied by five escort ships, had transited the Miyako Strait on their way to the Pacific.

Though China’s air force has not flown over Taiwan itself, the flights have ramped up pressure, both financial and physical, on the island’s air force to ensure its aircraft are ready to go at any moment in what security officials describe as a ‘war of attrition’.

China views democratic Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.

While Taiwan’s air force is well trained, it is dwarfed by that of China’s.

(With inputs from agencies)

Taiwan’s Defence Ministry on Monday reported a new incursion by China’s air force into the island’s air defence identification zone, made up of eight fighter jets and two other aircraft, one of which flew through the strategic Bashi Channel.

Taiwan’s Defence Ministry on Monday reported a new incursion by China’s air force into the island’s air defence identification zone, made up of eight fighter jets and two other aircraft, one of which flew through the strategic Bashi Channel. Chinese-claimed Taiwan has complained over the last few months of repeated missions by China’s air force near the island, concentrated in the southwestern part its air defence zone near the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands. Late last month, Taiwan reported 20 Chinese aircraft were involved in one such incursion. In the latest incident, Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said four Chinese J-16 and four J-10 fighters were involved, as well as an early warning plane and anti-submarine aircraft, the latter of which flew to the south of Taiwan through the Bashi Channel that connects the Pacific to the South China Sea. Taiwan’s air force sent up a combat air patrol and warned the Chinese aircraft away, the ministry added. There was no immediate response from China’s Defence Ministry, but the flights coincided with other Chinese military activity to Taiwan’s north. Japan’s Defence Ministry said on Sunday that the Chinese aircraft carrier the Liaoning, accompanied by five escort ships, had transited the Miyako Strait on their way to the Pacific. Though China’s air force has not flown over Taiwan itself, the flights have ramped up pressure, both financial and physical, on the island’s air force to ensure its aircraft are ready to go at any moment in what security officials describe as a ‘war of attrition’. China views democratic Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. While Taiwan’s air force is well trained, it is dwarfed by that of China’s. (With inputs from agencies)

Taiwan reports new incursion by China’s Air Force into defence zone

Malaysia’s foreign minister stressed on Saturday that his country remained independent in foreign policy after some social media users and opposition politicians lambasted him for referring to his Chinese counterpart as his ‘elder brother’.

Hishammuddin Hussein, on his first visit to China as foreign minister, had expressed hope that he and Chinese State Councillor Wang Yi would pursue closer ties between the nations, including post-Covid-19 cooperation and fighting the pandemic.

However, he provoked controversy back home when he told his counterpart in a joint press briefing on Thursday, "You will always be my elder brother."

China is Malaysia’s largest trade partner, but relations between the two countries have been tested in recent years by Beijing’s increasingly assertive foreign policy in the region, particularly its maritime claims in the resource-rich South China Sea, some of which conflict with Malaysia’s own claims.

Some Malaysians took to social media to chide Hishammuddin, saying he appeared to be appeasing the global superpower, while opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim demanded the minister retract his comment and issue an apology to the country.&nbsp;

"This is not the language and style that should be used in the world of diplomacy and international relations because it seems to put Malaysia’s status as a foreign puppet," Anwar said on Saturday.&nbsp;

"As a country that is neutral and not in favour of any great power in the world, his statement is clearly a form of insult to our own country."

Following the criticism, Hishammuddin said on Twitter that he had said ‘elder brother’ to show respect to Wang Yi, and that the words did not refer to Malaysia’s relationship with China.&nbsp;

He said he had been "respecting that Wang Yi is older, and a more senior foreign minister; hence ‘elder brother’ to me personally".&nbsp;

"Being respectful does not signify weakness," he added.&nbsp;

"Rest assured that Malaysia remains independent, principled and pragmatic in terms of our foreign policy - founded on the values of peace, humanity, justice, and equality."

(With inputs from agencies)

Malaysia’s foreign minister stressed on Saturday that his country remained independent in foreign policy after some social media users and opposition politicians lambasted him for referring to his Chinese counterpart as his ‘elder brother’.

Malaysia’s foreign minister stressed on Saturday that his country remained independent in foreign policy after some social media users and opposition politicians lambasted him for referring to his Chinese counterpart as his ‘elder brother’. Hishammuddin Hussein, on his first visit to China as foreign minister, had expressed hope that he and Chinese State Councillor Wang Yi would pursue closer ties between the nations, including post-Covid-19 cooperation and fighting the pandemic. However, he provoked controversy back home when he told his counterpart in a joint press briefing on Thursday, "You will always be my elder brother." China is Malaysia’s largest trade partner, but relations between the two countries have been tested in recent years by Beijing’s increasingly assertive foreign policy in the region, particularly its maritime claims in the resource-rich South China Sea, some of which conflict with Malaysia’s own claims. Some Malaysians took to social media to chide Hishammuddin, saying he appeared to be appeasing the global superpower, while opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim demanded the minister retract his comment and issue an apology to the country. "This is not the language and style that should be used in the world of diplomacy and international relations because it seems to put Malaysia’s status as a foreign puppet," Anwar said on Saturday. "As a country that is neutral and not in favour of any great power in the world, his statement is clearly a form of insult to our own country." Following the criticism, Hishammuddin said on Twitter that he had said ‘elder brother’ to show respect to Wang Yi, and that the words did not refer to Malaysia’s relationship with China. He said he had been "respecting that Wang Yi is older, and a more senior foreign minister; hence ‘elder brother’ to me personally". "Being respectful does not signify weakness," he added. "Rest assured that Malaysia remains independent, principled and pragmatic in terms of our foreign policy - founded on the values of peace, humanity, justice, and equality." (With inputs from agencies)

Malaysia independent, says Min, who called Chinese counterpart 'elder brother'

Bulgaria’s long-serving Prime Minister Boyko Borissov won a national election on Sunday, exit polls showed, and he is now likely to face complex coalition talks to secure another four-year mandate in the European Union’s poorest member state.

Exit polls showed Borissov’s centre-right GERB will be the largest party in parliament, winning around 25% of the vote, compared with the 33.5% it won four years ago.&nbsp;

After a decade of dominating Bulgarian politics, Borissov has few natural coalition partners in a fragmented legislature, with most groupings rejecting direct cooperation with GERB.

Weeks of talks, or even another election, cannot be ruled out, meaning Bulgaria may have difficulty tapping the EU’s 750 billion euro ($884 billion) Recovery Fund aimed at helping rebuild economies across the bloc after the coronavirus pandemic.

A former fireman and bodyguard, Borissov, 61, sought to showcase his successes in modernising Bulgaria’s creaking infrastructure in a low-key campaign after massive anti-graft rallies last summer eroded his popularity.

Complicating his coalition-building options is the emergence of the anti-establishment There is Such a People party of popular TV host and singer Slavi Trifonov, which came in second according to a Gallup International poll on 17.1%.&nbsp;

A poll by Alpha Research put Trifonov third on 15.2% and the opposition Socialists second with 17.6%. Gallup found GERB had won 25%, while Alpha research put it slightly higher at 25.7%

Trifonov, 54, whose concerts peppered with patriotic songs have attracted thousands, has ruled out governing with either GERB or the Socialists.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Bulgaria’s long-serving Prime Minister Boyko Borissov won a national election on Sunday, exit polls showed, and he is now likely to face complex coalition talks to secure another four-year mandate in the European Union’s poorest member state.

Bulgaria’s long-serving Prime Minister Boyko Borissov won a national election on Sunday, exit polls showed, and he is now likely to face complex coalition talks to secure another four-year mandate in the European Union’s poorest member state. Exit polls showed Borissov’s centre-right GERB will be the largest party in parliament, winning around 25% of the vote, compared with the 33.5% it won four years ago. After a decade of dominating Bulgarian politics, Borissov has few natural coalition partners in a fragmented legislature, with most groupings rejecting direct cooperation with GERB. Weeks of talks, or even another election, cannot be ruled out, meaning Bulgaria may have difficulty tapping the EU’s 750 billion euro ($884 billion) Recovery Fund aimed at helping rebuild economies across the bloc after the coronavirus pandemic. A former fireman and bodyguard, Borissov, 61, sought to showcase his successes in modernising Bulgaria’s creaking infrastructure in a low-key campaign after massive anti-graft rallies last summer eroded his popularity. Complicating his coalition-building options is the emergence of the anti-establishment There is Such a People party of popular TV host and singer Slavi Trifonov, which came in second according to a Gallup International poll on 17.1%. A poll by Alpha Research put Trifonov third on 15.2% and the opposition Socialists second with 17.6%. Gallup found GERB had won 25%, while Alpha research put it slightly higher at 25.7% Trifonov, 54, whose concerts peppered with patriotic songs have attracted thousands, has ruled out governing with either GERB or the Socialists. (With inputs from agencies)

Bulgaria's GERB party of PM Borissov wins national vote, tough talks ahead

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is set to begin his two-day bilateral visit to India on Monday, which will present an opportunity to discuss aspects of bilateral ties and review preparations for the pending India-Russia annual summit later this year.

"The visit will be a unique opportunity to discuss important aspects of our bilateral ties, also to review preparations for the next India Russia annual summit and also perhaps discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said.&nbsp;

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova on Thursday had said the Russian Foreign Minister, during his visit, will hold talks with his counterpart External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar.

"The heads of the foreign affairs agencies will discuss the current state of bilateral relations, the preparation of the upcoming high-level meeting this year, including cooperation in the fight against the pandemic, will consider key topics on the regional, global agenda, assess approaches to the interaction between Russia and India on the international arena, including at the UN, BRICS," Zakharova added.

After India, Lavrov will visit Pakistan from April 6-7. The foreign minister’s visit to India comes as Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla visited the country in February this year where he met Lavrov and discussed wide-ranging Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two countries and ways to further strengthen it.

Shringla had said they discussed some regional and international issues of interest including cooperation in the UN and UNSC where India is a non-permanent member now.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is set to begin his two-day bilateral visit to India on Monday, which will present an opportunity to discuss aspects of bilateral ties and review preparations for the pending India-Russia annual summit later this year.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is set to begin his two-day bilateral visit to India on Monday, which will present an opportunity to discuss aspects of bilateral ties and review preparations for the pending India-Russia annual summit later this year. "The visit will be a unique opportunity to discuss important aspects of our bilateral ties, also to review preparations for the next India Russia annual summit and also perhaps discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova on Thursday had said the Russian Foreign Minister, during his visit, will hold talks with his counterpart External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar. "The heads of the foreign affairs agencies will discuss the current state of bilateral relations, the preparation of the upcoming high-level meeting this year, including cooperation in the fight against the pandemic, will consider key topics on the regional, global agenda, assess approaches to the interaction between Russia and India on the international arena, including at the UN, BRICS," Zakharova added. After India, Lavrov will visit Pakistan from April 6-7. The foreign minister’s visit to India comes as Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla visited the country in February this year where he met Lavrov and discussed wide-ranging Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two countries and ways to further strengthen it. Shringla had said they discussed some regional and international issues of interest including cooperation in the UN and UNSC where India is a non-permanent member now. (With inputs from agencies)

Russian Foreign Minister to begin two-day India visit tomorrow

On Easter, Pope urges nations to quicken Covid vaccines' distribution

Researchers have developed a method that uses the camera on a person’s smartphone or computer to take their pulse and respiration signal from a real-time video of their face.

The development comes at a time when telehealth has become a critical way for doctors to provide healthcare while minimising in-person contact during Covid-19.

The University of Washington-led team’s system uses machine learning to capture subtle changes in how light reflects off a person’s face, which is correlated with changing blood flow. Then it converts these changes into both pulse and respiration rate.

The researchers presented the system in December at the Neural Information Processing Systems conference. 
Now, the team is proposing a better system to measure these physiological signals.

This system is less likely to be tripped up by different cameras, lighting conditions or facial features, such as skin colour, according to the researchers, who will present these findings on April 8 at the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Conference on Health, Interference, and Learning.

"Every person is different," said lead study author Xin Liu, a UW doctoral student.

"So, this system needs to be able to quickly adapt to each person’s unique physiological signature, and separate this from other variations, such as what they look like and what environment they are in."

The first version of this system was trained with a dataset that contained both videos of people’s faces and ‘ground truth’ information: each person’s pulse and respiration rate measured by standard instruments in the field.

The system then used spatial and temporal information from the videos to calculate both vital signs.

While the system worked well on some datasets, it still struggled with others that contained different people, backgrounds and lighting. This is a common problem known as ‘overfitting’, the team said.

The researchers improved the system by having it produce a personalised machine learning model for each individual.

Specifically, it helps look for important areas in a video frame that likely contain physiological features correlated with changing blood flow in a face under different contexts, such as different skin tones, lighting conditions and environments.

From there, it can focus on that area and measure the pulse and respiration rate.

While this new system outperforms its predecessor when given more challenging datasets, especially for people with darker skin tones, there is still more work to do, the team said.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Researchers have developed a method that uses the camera on a person’s smartphone or computer to take their pulse and respiration signal from a real-time video of their face.

Researchers have developed a method that uses the camera on a person’s smartphone or computer to take their pulse and respiration signal from a real-time video of their face. The development comes at a time when telehealth has become a critical way for doctors to provide healthcare while minimising in-person contact during Covid-19. The University of Washington-led team’s system uses machine learning to capture subtle changes in how light reflects off a person’s face, which is correlated with changing blood flow. Then it converts these changes into both pulse and respiration rate. The researchers presented the system in December at the Neural Information Processing Systems conference. Now, the team is proposing a better system to measure these physiological signals. This system is less likely to be tripped up by different cameras, lighting conditions or facial features, such as skin colour, according to the researchers, who will present these findings on April 8 at the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Conference on Health, Interference, and Learning. "Every person is different," said lead study author Xin Liu, a UW doctoral student. "So, this system needs to be able to quickly adapt to each person’s unique physiological signature, and separate this from other variations, such as what they look like and what environment they are in." The first version of this system was trained with a dataset that contained both videos of people’s faces and ‘ground truth’ information: each person’s pulse and respiration rate measured by standard instruments in the field. The system then used spatial and temporal information from the videos to calculate both vital signs. While the system worked well on some datasets, it still struggled with others that contained different people, backgrounds and lighting. This is a common problem known as ‘overfitting’, the team said. The researchers improved the system by having it produce a personalised machine learning model for each individual. Specifically, it helps look for important areas in a video frame that likely contain physiological features correlated with changing blood flow in a face under different contexts, such as different skin tones, lighting conditions and environments. From there, it can focus on that area and measure the pulse and respiration rate. While this new system outperforms its predecessor when given more challenging datasets, especially for people with darker skin tones, there is still more work to do, the team said. (With inputs from agencies)

Smartphone camera can help doctors measure pulse, breathing rate

NASA’s Mars helicopter Ingenuity has been dropped on the surface of the Red Planet ahead of its historic first flight scheduled for April 11.

Ingenuity flew to Mars while being attached to the belly of NASA’s Perseverance rover, which made a February 18 touch down on the Red Planet.

"#MarsHelicopter touchdown confirmed! Its 293 million mile (471 million km) journey aboard @NASAPersevere ended with the final drop of 4 inches (10 cm) from the rover’s belly to the surface of Mars today," NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, tweeted late on Saturday.

"Next milestone? Survive the night."

The US space agency last week announced the decision to push back the date of the first attempt to fly the helicopter on Mars from April 8 to 11.

Flying in a controlled manner on Mars is far more difficult than flying on Earth.

The Red Planet has significant gravity (about one-third that of Earth’s), but its atmosphere is just 1 per cent as dense as Earth’s at the surface.

During Martian daytime, the planet’s surface receives only about half the amount of solar energy that reaches Earth during its daytime, and nighttime temperatures can drop as low as minus 90 degrees Celsius, which can freeze and crack unprotected electrical components.

To fit within the available accommodations provided by the Perseverance rover, the Ingenuity helicopter must be small.

To fly in the Mars environment, it must be lightweight. To survive the frigid Martian nights, it must have enough energy to power internal heaters.

The system, from the performance of its rotors in rarified air to its solar panels, electrical heaters, and other components, has been tested and retested in the vacuum chambers and test labs of NASA’s JPL in Southern California.

(With inputs from agencies)

NASA’s Mars helicopter Ingenuity has been dropped on the surface of the Red Planet ahead of its historic first flight scheduled for April 11. Ingenuity flew to Mars while being attached to the belly of NASA’s Perseverance rover, which made a February 18 touch down on the Red Planet.

NASA’s Mars helicopter Ingenuity has been dropped on the surface of the Red Planet ahead of its historic first flight scheduled for April 11. Ingenuity flew to Mars while being attached to the belly of NASA’s Perseverance rover, which made a February 18 touch down on the Red Planet. "#MarsHelicopter touchdown confirmed! Its 293 million mile (471 million km) journey aboard @NASAPersevere ended with the final drop of 4 inches (10 cm) from the rover’s belly to the surface of Mars today," NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, tweeted late on Saturday. "Next milestone? Survive the night." The US space agency last week announced the decision to push back the date of the first attempt to fly the helicopter on Mars from April 8 to 11. Flying in a controlled manner on Mars is far more difficult than flying on Earth. The Red Planet has significant gravity (about one-third that of Earth’s), but its atmosphere is just 1 per cent as dense as Earth’s at the surface. During Martian daytime, the planet’s surface receives only about half the amount of solar energy that reaches Earth during its daytime, and nighttime temperatures can drop as low as minus 90 degrees Celsius, which can freeze and crack unprotected electrical components. To fit within the available accommodations provided by the Perseverance rover, the Ingenuity helicopter must be small. To fly in the Mars environment, it must be lightweight. To survive the frigid Martian nights, it must have enough energy to power internal heaters. The system, from the performance of its rotors in rarified air to its solar panels, electrical heaters, and other components, has been tested and retested in the vacuum chambers and test labs of NASA’s JPL in Southern California. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA's Ingenuity helicopter touches down on Mars’ surface

Bulgarians voted in a parliamentary election on Sunday that will decide whether long-serving Prime Minister Boyko Borissov wins a new four-year mandate despite persistent concerns about corruption in the European Union’s poorest member state.

Opinion polls suggest Borissov’s centre-right GERB will again be the largest party, with 28-29% of the vote, but will fall short of a majority and may struggle to build a stable coalition in a more fractured parliament.

That could hamper Bulgaria’s ability to effectively tap the EU’s 750 billion euro ($884 billion) Recovery Fund to help rebuild the bloc’s economy after the coronavirus pandemic.

Borissov, 61, an ex-fireman in power almost without a break since 2009, sought to showcase his successes in modernising Bulgaria’s creaking infrastructure in low-key campaign after massive anti-graft rallies last summer dented his popularity.

"We showed what we have achieved," Borissov said after casting his ballot. 
Polls will close at 8 pm (1700 GMT), with exit polls due shortly afterwards. Partial results are due through the night into Monday, before final official results expected on Thursday.

More than 6.7 million Bulgarians are eligible to vote, but pollsters expect a low turnout because of voters’ concerns over Covid-19 and a slow vaccine rollout.&nbsp;

Borissov, who has came under fire over the rollout, thanked the European Commission for 1.3 million additional Covid-19 vaccine shots, which the country will receive in the second quarter.

Bulgaria has seen coronavirus cases surging in March and now has the second highest coronavirus-related death rate, per million people on a 7-day rolling average, in the EU after Hungary, according to scientific online publication Our World in Data.

Although hospitals are full, the government eased some lockdown restrictions before the vote.

(With inputs from agencies)

Bulgarians voted in a parliamentary election on Sunday that will decide whether long-serving Prime Minister Boyko Borissov wins a new four-year mandate despite persistent concerns about corruption in the European Union’s poorest member state.

Bulgarians voted in a parliamentary election on Sunday that will decide whether long-serving Prime Minister Boyko Borissov wins a new four-year mandate despite persistent concerns about corruption in the European Union’s poorest member state. Opinion polls suggest Borissov’s centre-right GERB will again be the largest party, with 28-29% of the vote, but will fall short of a majority and may struggle to build a stable coalition in a more fractured parliament. That could hamper Bulgaria’s ability to effectively tap the EU’s 750 billion euro ($884 billion) Recovery Fund to help rebuild the bloc’s economy after the coronavirus pandemic. Borissov, 61, an ex-fireman in power almost without a break since 2009, sought to showcase his successes in modernising Bulgaria’s creaking infrastructure in low-key campaign after massive anti-graft rallies last summer dented his popularity. "We showed what we have achieved," Borissov said after casting his ballot. Polls will close at 8 pm (1700 GMT), with exit polls due shortly afterwards. Partial results are due through the night into Monday, before final official results expected on Thursday. More than 6.7 million Bulgarians are eligible to vote, but pollsters expect a low turnout because of voters’ concerns over Covid-19 and a slow vaccine rollout. Borissov, who has came under fire over the rollout, thanked the European Commission for 1.3 million additional Covid-19 vaccine shots, which the country will receive in the second quarter. Bulgaria has seen coronavirus cases surging in March and now has the second highest coronavirus-related death rate, per million people on a 7-day rolling average, in the EU after Hungary, according to scientific online publication Our World in Data. Although hospitals are full, the government eased some lockdown restrictions before the vote. (With inputs from agencies)

Bulgarians vote for new parliament amid Covid-19 fears

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will put forward a three-phase peace roadmap for Afghanistan during a proposed meeting in Turkey, seeking an agreement with the Taliban and a ceasefire before elections, a document shows.

Washington is pushing for a conference to be hosted by Turkey, with UN involvement, this month to finalise a peace deal between the government and the Taliban as a May 1 deadline looms for the withdrawal of all foreign troops.

Ghani’s plan will be presented as a counter to proposals put forward by Washington, rejected by the Afghan government, that envisage immediately drawing up a new legal system for an interim administration to include Taliban representatives.&nbsp;

The document shows Ghani’s ‘Reaching an Endstate’ proposal will include, in the first phase, a consensus on a political settlement and an internationally monitored ceasefire.

The second phase will be holding a presidential election and the establishment of a ‘government of peace’ and implementation arrangements for moving towards the new political system.

The third phase will involve building a ‘constitutional framework, reintegration of refugees and development’ for Afghanistan moving forward.

A senior government official said Ghani has already shared his roadmap with foreign capitals.&nbsp;

A date for the Turkey meeting is yet to be decided, but multiple sources said it could take place in two weeks’ time.

The Afghan government and a number of politicians said they would have to agree on an agenda with the Taliban before the meeting.

In a statement last month, the Taliban threatened to resume hostilities against foreign troops in Afghanistan if they did not meet the May 1 deadline envisaged in an agreement between the insurgents and the Trump administration last year.

US President Joe Biden said this month it would be ‘hard’ to withdraw the last US troops from Afghanistan by May 1 ‘just in terms of tactical reasons’, but he said he did not think they still would be there next year.

A senior government official said the Taliban was willing to extend the May 1 dateline and would not resume attacks against foreign forces in exchange for the release of thousands of their prisoners held by the Kabul authorities.&nbsp;

Mohammad Naeem, a Taliban spokesman in Qatar, said no such offer had been made.

(With inputs from agencies)

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will put forward a three-phase peace roadmap for Afghanistan during a proposed meeting in Turkey, seeking an agreement with the Taliban and a ceasefire before elections, a document shows.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will put forward a three-phase peace roadmap for Afghanistan during a proposed meeting in Turkey, seeking an agreement with the Taliban and a ceasefire before elections, a document shows. Washington is pushing for a conference to be hosted by Turkey, with UN involvement, this month to finalise a peace deal between the government and the Taliban as a May 1 deadline looms for the withdrawal of all foreign troops. Ghani’s plan will be presented as a counter to proposals put forward by Washington, rejected by the Afghan government, that envisage immediately drawing up a new legal system for an interim administration to include Taliban representatives. The document shows Ghani’s ‘Reaching an Endstate’ proposal will include, in the first phase, a consensus on a political settlement and an internationally monitored ceasefire. The second phase will be holding a presidential election and the establishment of a ‘government of peace’ and implementation arrangements for moving towards the new political system. The third phase will involve building a ‘constitutional framework, reintegration of refugees and development’ for Afghanistan moving forward. A senior government official said Ghani has already shared his roadmap with foreign capitals. A date for the Turkey meeting is yet to be decided, but multiple sources said it could take place in two weeks’ time. The Afghan government and a number of politicians said they would have to agree on an agenda with the Taliban before the meeting. In a statement last month, the Taliban threatened to resume hostilities against foreign troops in Afghanistan if they did not meet the May 1 deadline envisaged in an agreement between the insurgents and the Trump administration last year. US President Joe Biden said this month it would be ‘hard’ to withdraw the last US troops from Afghanistan by May 1 ‘just in terms of tactical reasons’, but he said he did not think they still would be there next year. A senior government official said the Taliban was willing to extend the May 1 dateline and would not resume attacks against foreign forces in exchange for the release of thousands of their prisoners held by the Kabul authorities. Mohammad Naeem, a Taliban spokesman in Qatar, said no such offer had been made. (With inputs from agencies)

Afghan President proposes peace roadmap in three phases, says document

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