Former US President Donald Trump has requested a federal judge to force Twitter to restore his account. He has claimed that the social media giant was 'coerced' into suspending his account by members of the US Congress. Trump, a prolific tweeter, saw his account getting suspended after his supporters attacked US Capitol on January 6 this year. Meanwhile, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said that he wants to retire from politics. In other news UK' Queen Elizabeth officially marked the beginning of a new session of Scottish Parliament. Read this and more in our Top 10 World News.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-to-tweet-again-donald-trump-requests-us-judge-to-force-twitter-into-restoring-account-417625">Trump to tweet again? Donald Trump requests US judge to force Twitter into restoring account</a> 
 
Former US President Donald Trump's Twitter account was suspended after his supporters attacked US Capitol on January 6 this year. He was booted from other social media platforms as well. Now Trump has alleged that his Twitter account was suspended after the social media giant was 'coerced ' by members of US Congress

<img alt="Trump" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bf0925fb-cd24-4a02-aaf4-636a1e5ec46a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Donald%20Trump_0.JPG" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uks-queen-elizabeth-marks-start-of-scottish-parliament-session-41767">UK's Queen Elizabeth marks start of Scottish Parliament session</a> 
 
Queen Elizabeth was joined by Prince Charles and his wife Camila. Both of them are recognised as Duke and Duchess of Rothesay when they are in Scotland.

<img alt="Elizabeth" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="125a7550-11dc-4a6e-8532-6ab5c173904e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Queen%20elizabeth.JPG" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/philippines-duterte-says-will-retire-from-politics-417602">Philippines' Duterte says will retire from politics</a> 
 
Duterte's move potentially paves the way for his daughter to contest for presidency

<img alt="Duterte" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e1771e27-c7bc-429f-8108-223d70ce8180" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Philippines_1.JPG" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-a-first-all-female-guard-change-occurred-at-tomb-of-the-unknown-soldier-in-us-417683">In a first, all-female guard change occurred at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in US</a> 
 
In the 84-year vigil, an all-female guard change occurred with the 38th Sergeant of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the US for the first time. The moment came on the 30,770th day of continuous guarding of the tomb. It is located in Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia. The 3rd US Infantry Regiment soldiers guard the tomb.

<img alt="All female" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="35a697b1-9794-4f30-a1c8-1a1d294d1546" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Tomb.JPG" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/craftsman-uses-calligraphy-on-kashmiri-silk-carpets-demand-increases-417695">Craftsman uses calligraphy on Kashmiri silk carpets, demand increases</a> 
 
Shahnawaz Ahmad, a craftsman, said that he wanted to do something innovative rather than making same old designs. His strategy has worked and his carpets have seen better demand. Kashmir carpets already enjoy fame across the world.

<img alt="Kashmir" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b8e665ff-166b-4aef-a91f-4134a439fa68" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Kashmir.JPG" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/phuket-opens-to-all-vaccinated-travellers-417636">Phuket opens to all vaccinated travellers</a> 
 
Thailand's tourism industry has been on its knees, with the coronavirus pandemic and related restrictions slashing visitor numbers from 40 million in 2019 to a mere trickle over the last two years, Phuket is now officially open for fully vaccinated tourists without quarantine.

<img alt="Phuket" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6c455ea1-6b72-45f6-b09b-54cb3a43394c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Phuket.JPG" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/qataris-vote-in-subdued-first-legislative-election-417615">Qataris vote in subdued first legislative election</a> 
 
Qataris began voting in their country's first ever legislative polls Saturday, AFP correspondents saw, with 30 of 45 seats in a previously appointed, largely advisory council up for election.

<img alt="Qatar" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6b056b74-333b-4d2d-8582-f82e15b8d0c9" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Qatar_1.JPG" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/i-got-two-doses-of-covishield-from-india-says-76th-unga-president-abdulla-shahid-417662">'I got two doses of Covishield from India', says 76th UNGA President Abdulla Shahid</a> 
 
UN General Assembly's 76th session President Abdulla Shahid said, he received the two doses of Covishield vaccine. He added a “large portion” of other countries in the world have also been inoculated by India-made vaccine. He was responding a question that whether any Covid vaccine should be recognised and considered or only the ones validated by the World Health Organisation or any other group

<img alt="UNGA" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f892f178-3f6b-4cd6-97d6-ba02cff5dc47" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/unga.JPG" />

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/exclusive-dubai-expo-2020-will-showcase-indias-potential-to-the-world-says-piyush-goyal-417632">Exclusive: Dubai Expo 2020 will showcase India's potential to the world, says Piyush Goyal</a> 
 
'The Dubai Expo 2020 will showcase India's immense power and will display the country's potential through the Indian pavilion at the expo,' said Piyush Goyal.

<img alt="Piyush Goyal" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="89603f47-3da6-476a-a1a8-d4fe7009141c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Piyush%20Goyal.JPG" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-lashes-out-at-opposition-for-not-supporting-pro-farmers-reforms-417599">PM Modi lashes out at opposition for not supporting pro-farmers reforms</a> 
 
An ardent follower of Mahatma Gandhi’s principles, PM Modi said he makes sure all his decisions benefit the vulnerable population, and not harm them.

<img alt="Modi" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e864a3d2-1eb6-4dc1-9a56-dd67b166a197" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Narendra%20Modi_0.JPG" />

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Former US President Donald Trump has requested a federal judge to force Twitter to restore his account. He has claimed that the social media giant was 'coerced' into suspending his account by members of the US Congress.

Former US President Donald Trump has requested a federal judge to force Twitter to restore his account. He has claimed that the social media giant was 'coerced' into suspending his account by members of the US Congress. Trump, a prolific tweeter, saw his account getting suspended after his supporters attacked US Capitol on January 6 this year. Meanwhile, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said that he wants to retire from politics. In other news UK' Queen Elizabeth officially marked the beginning of a new session of Scottish Parliament. Read this and more in our Top 10 World News. Trump to tweet again? Donald Trump requests US judge to force Twitter into restoring account Former US President Donald Trump's Twitter account was suspended after his supporters attacked US Capitol on January 6 this year. He was booted from other social media platforms as well. Now Trump has alleged that his Twitter account was suspended after the social media giant was 'coerced ' by members of US Congress UK's Queen Elizabeth marks start of Scottish Parliament session Queen Elizabeth was joined by Prince Charles and his wife Camila. Both of them are recognised as Duke and Duchess of Rothesay when they are in Scotland. Philippines' Duterte says will retire from politics Duterte's move potentially paves the way for his daughter to contest for presidency In a first, all-female guard change occurred at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in US In the 84-year vigil, an all-female guard change occurred with the 38th Sergeant of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the US for the first time. The moment came on the 30,770th day of continuous guarding of the tomb. It is located in Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia. The 3rd US Infantry Regiment soldiers guard the tomb. Craftsman uses calligraphy on Kashmiri silk carpets, demand increases Shahnawaz Ahmad, a craftsman, said that he wanted to do something innovative rather than making same old designs. His strategy has worked and his carpets have seen better demand. Kashmir carpets already enjoy fame across the world. Phuket opens to all vaccinated travellers Thailand's tourism industry has been on its knees, with the coronavirus pandemic and related restrictions slashing visitor numbers from 40 million in 2019 to a mere trickle over the last two years, Phuket is now officially open for fully vaccinated tourists without quarantine. Qataris vote in subdued first legislative election Qataris began voting in their country's first ever legislative polls Saturday, AFP correspondents saw, with 30 of 45 seats in a previously appointed, largely advisory council up for election. 'I got two doses of Covishield from India', says 76th UNGA President Abdulla Shahid UN General Assembly's 76th session President Abdulla Shahid said, he received the two doses of Covishield vaccine. He added a “large portion” of other countries in the world have also been inoculated by India-made vaccine. He was responding a question that whether any Covid vaccine should be recognised and considered or only the ones validated by the World Health Organisation or any other group Exclusive: Dubai Expo 2020 will showcase India's potential to the world, says Piyush Goyal 'The Dubai Expo 2020 will showcase India's immense power and will display the country's potential through the Indian pavilion at the expo,' said Piyush Goyal. PM Modi lashes out at opposition for not supporting pro-farmers reforms An ardent follower of Mahatma Gandhi’s principles, PM Modi said he makes sure all his decisions benefit the vulnerable population, and not harm them.

Top 10 World News: Trump wants to tweet again, Duterte mulls retirement and more

Crash of Abu Dhabi Police air ambulance on Saturday killed four people including the two pilots, said the police. In a tweet, Abu Dhabi Police said that pilot trainer Khamis Saeed Al-Holy, Lieutenant Pilot Nasser Muhammad Al-Rashidi as well as civilians Dr Shahid Farouk Gholam and nurse Joel Qiui Sakara Minto died in the crash, Khaleej Times newspaper reported

General Headquarters of Abu Dhabi Police mourned death of four of its medical team members

"The General Command of Abu Dhabi Police extends its deepest condolences and sympathy to their families, acquaintances and co-workers," the force said in a tweet.

The Gulf News identified the two pilots killed in the line of duty as Emiratis while the nationalities of doctor Ghulam and nurse Minto were not immediately known.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Crash of Abu Dhabi Police air ambulance on Saturday killed four people including the two pilots, said the police. In a tweet, Abu Dhabi Police said that pilot trainer Khamis Saeed Al-Holy, Lieutenant Pilot Nasser Muhammad Al-Rashidi as well as civilians Dr Shahid Farouk Gholam and nurse Joel Qiui Sakara Minto died in the crash, Khaleej Times newspaper reported General Headquarters of Abu Dhabi Police mourned death of four of its medical team members "The General Command of Abu Dhabi Police extends its deepest condolences and sympathy to their families, acquaintances and co-workers," the force said in a tweet.

Crash of Abu Dhabi Police air ambulance on Saturday killed four people including the two pilots, said the police. In a tweet, Abu Dhabi Police said that pilot trainer Khamis Saeed Al-Holy, Lieutenant Pilot Nasser Muhammad Al-Rashidi as well as civilians Dr Shahid Farouk Gholam and nurse Joel Qiui Sakara Minto died in the crash, Khaleej Times newspaper reported General Headquarters of Abu Dhabi Police mourned death of four of its medical team members "The General Command of Abu Dhabi Police extends its deepest condolences and sympathy to their families, acquaintances and co-workers," the force said in a tweet. The Gulf News identified the two pilots killed in the line of duty as Emiratis while the nationalities of doctor Ghulam and nurse Minto were not immediately known. (With inputs from agencies)

Four killed in air ambulance crash in Abu Dhabi, UAE

British Queen Elizabeth officially marked the start of the sixth session of the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh on Saturday.

The queen was joined by Prince Charles and his wife Camila. Both of them are known as Duke and Duchess of Rothesay when they are in Scotland.

The queen extended her "warmest and good wishes" to the members of Scottish Parliament.

Several Members of the Scottish Parliament did not applaud to the queen's speech. &nbsp;Many in Scotland want to leave the United Kingdom to be an independent country and rejoin the European Union.

Following the opening ceremony, the Queen and The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay were expected to attend a reception in the Main Hall.

There, the royals were expected to meet individuals from across Scotland, who have been recognised by MSPs for their contribution to their communities during the pandemic.

The three royals were also expected to sign the visitor's book before departing the Scottish Parliament.

(With inputs from agencies)

British Queen Elizabeth officially marked the start of the sixth session of the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh on Saturday. The queen was joined by Prince Charles and his wife Camila.

British Queen Elizabeth officially marked the start of the sixth session of the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh on Saturday. The queen was joined by Prince Charles and his wife Camila. Both of them are known as Duke and Duchess of Rothesay when they are in Scotland. The queen extended her "warmest and good wishes" to the members of Scottish Parliament. Several Members of the Scottish Parliament did not applaud to the queen's speech. Many in Scotland want to leave the United Kingdom to be an independent country and rejoin the European Union. Following the opening ceremony, the Queen and The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay were expected to attend a reception in the Main Hall. There, the royals were expected to meet individuals from across Scotland, who have been recognised by MSPs for their contribution to their communities during the pandemic. The three royals were also expected to sign the visitor's book before departing the Scottish Parliament. (With inputs from agencies)

UK's Queen Elizabeth marks start of Scottish Parliament session

Georgians were voting Saturday in closely watched municipal elections, a day after ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili's arrest on his return from exile deepened a protracted political crisis in the Caucasus nation.

The detention of Georgia's foremost opposition figure raised the stakes in the elections seen as a key test for the increasingly unpopular ruling party.

Saakashvili founded Georgia's main opposition party, the United National Movement (UNM), and was president between 2003-2013.

The 53-year-old said Friday he had returned from Ukraine, where he heads a Ukrainian government agency steering reforms.

The flamboyant pro-Western reformer was detained shortly afterwards over a 2018 conviction in absentia on abuse of office charges. He denies wrongdoing and had denounced his sentence of six years in jail as politically motivated.

His jailing will almost certainly spark upheaval in the small ex-Soviet nation that has been plagued for years by political instability.

"I want to ask you all to go to the elections so that not a single vote is lost," he wrote on Twitter Saturday, posting a picture of a letter to supporters from prison.&nbsp;

"My freedom and, more importantly, the freedom of Georgia depends entirely on your actions and fighting ability."

Prior to his arrest, he posted a video message on Facebook calling on supporters to take to the streets against the government.

Protracted crisis

The municipal elections are being watched inside and outside Georgia for signs of the ruling party Georgian Dream backsliding on democracy.

Saakashvili - who commands a fiercely loyal following -- called in one video Friday for his supporters to gather on the main thoroughfare in the capital Tbilisi on Sunday.

Critics have accused Georgian Dream -- in power since 2012 -- of using criminal prosecutions to punish political opponents and journalists. Interpol turned down requests from Tbilisi to issue a red notice against Saakashvili.

Opposition parties decried widespread fraud and refused to take their seats after parliamentary elections in October last year, which Georgian Dream won narrowly.

The EU mediated an agreement in May, under which Georgian Dream pledged to hold a snap parliamentary vote if it wins less than 43 percent in Saturday's local elections.

Georgian Dream, which was founded by the country's richest man and a former prime minister, withdrew from the agreement in July, but Saakashvili insists it remains in place.

Georgia's Western partners urged the EU-aspirant country's government to implement the agreement that envisaged sweeping political and judiciary reforms.

With concerns mounting in the West over the ruling party's democratic credentials, the United States has hinted at possible sanctions against Georgian Dream officials.

Georgians were voting Saturday in closely watched municipal elections, a day after ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili's arrest on his return from exile deepened a protracted political crisis in the Caucasus nation.

Georgians were voting Saturday in closely watched municipal elections, a day after ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili's arrest on his return from exile deepened a protracted political crisis in the Caucasus nation. The detention of Georgia's foremost opposition figure raised the stakes in the elections seen as a key test for the increasingly unpopular ruling party. Saakashvili founded Georgia's main opposition party, the United National Movement (UNM), and was president between 2003-2013. The 53-year-old said Friday he had returned from Ukraine, where he heads a Ukrainian government agency steering reforms. The flamboyant pro-Western reformer was detained shortly afterwards over a 2018 conviction in absentia on abuse of office charges. He denies wrongdoing and had denounced his sentence of six years in jail as politically motivated. His jailing will almost certainly spark upheaval in the small ex-Soviet nation that has been plagued for years by political instability. "I want to ask you all to go to the elections so that not a single vote is lost," he wrote on Twitter Saturday, posting a picture of a letter to supporters from prison. "My freedom and, more importantly, the freedom of Georgia depends entirely on your actions and fighting ability." Prior to his arrest, he posted a video message on Facebook calling on supporters to take to the streets against the government. Protracted crisis The municipal elections are being watched inside and outside Georgia for signs of the ruling party Georgian Dream backsliding on democracy. Saakashvili - who commands a fiercely loyal following -- called in one video Friday for his supporters to gather on the main thoroughfare in the capital Tbilisi on Sunday. Critics have accused Georgian Dream -- in power since 2012 -- of using criminal prosecutions to punish political opponents and journalists. Interpol turned down requests from Tbilisi to issue a red notice against Saakashvili. Opposition parties decried widespread fraud and refused to take their seats after parliamentary elections in October last year, which Georgian Dream won narrowly. The EU mediated an agreement in May, under which Georgian Dream pledged to hold a snap parliamentary vote if it wins less than 43 percent in Saturday's local elections. Georgian Dream, which was founded by the country's richest man and a former prime minister, withdrew from the agreement in July, but Saakashvili insists it remains in place. Georgia's Western partners urged the EU-aspirant country's government to implement the agreement that envisaged sweeping political and judiciary reforms. With concerns mounting in the West over the ruling party's democratic credentials, the United States has hinted at possible sanctions against Georgian Dream officials.

Georgia holds vote after ex-president Saakashvili's arrest

Authorities told several thousand residents of La Palma to stay home because of worsening air quality as the erupting volcano on the Spanish island spewed red-hot lava and thick clouds of black smoke.

Emergency services issued a lockdown order on Friday night for people in Los Llanos de Aridane and El Paso, two of the worst affected towns.

"The new lockdown is as a consequence of the meteorological conditions&nbsp;that prevent the dispersion of gases and keep them at low levels of the atmosphere," emergency services said in a statement. They said the lockdown would affect around 3,500 people.

Those affected have been told to keep their doors and windows closed and to disconnect heating and air conditioning to prevent outside air from entering.

Lockdowns had already been ordered in the areas of San Borondon, Marina Alta, Marina Baja and La Condesa.

About 6,000 people have been evacuated from their homes since the Cumbre Vieja volcano began erupting on Sept. 19.

More than 800 buildings have been destroyed on the island, which has a population of about 83,000 and is one of an archipelago making up the Canary Islands in the Atlantic.

On Friday, lava flowed from a new went&nbsp;the volcano, which the Canaries Volcanology Institute described as a new "focus of eruption".

The volcano was experiencing "intense activity", Miguel Angel Morcuende, director of the Pevolca response committee, told a news conference on Friday. But he also put the eruption into the context of the wider island.

"Less than 8% of the island is affected by the volcano. The rest is leading a normal life," he said.

Authorities told several thousand residents of La Palma to stay home because of worsening air quality as the erupting volcano on the Spanish island spewed red-hot lava and thick clouds of black smoke.

Authorities told several thousand residents of La Palma to stay home because of worsening air quality as the erupting volcano on the Spanish island spewed red-hot lava and thick clouds of black smoke. Emergency services issued a lockdown order on Friday night for people in Los Llanos de Aridane and El Paso, two of the worst affected towns. "The new lockdown is as a consequence of the meteorological conditions that prevent the dispersion of gases and keep them at low levels of the atmosphere," emergency services said in a statement. They said the lockdown would affect around 3,500 people. Those affected have been told to keep their doors and windows closed and to disconnect heating and air conditioning to prevent outside air from entering. Lockdowns had already been ordered in the areas of San Borondon, Marina Alta, Marina Baja and La Condesa. About 6,000 people have been evacuated from their homes since the Cumbre Vieja volcano began erupting on Sept. 19. More than 800 buildings have been destroyed on the island, which has a population of about 83,000 and is one of an archipelago making up the Canary Islands in the Atlantic. On Friday, lava flowed from a new went the volcano, which the Canaries Volcanology Institute described as a new "focus of eruption". The volcano was experiencing "intense activity", Miguel Angel Morcuende, director of the Pevolca response committee, told a news conference on Friday. But he also put the eruption into the context of the wider island. "Less than 8% of the island is affected by the volcano. The rest is leading a normal life," he said.

La Palma volcano eruption forces stay-home order for some residents

Fully vaccinated travellers from any country can now book holidays to tourism haven Phuket, the Thai government has announced, under tweaks to a struggling quarantine-free travel scheme.

Thailand's tourism industry has been on its knees, with the coronavirus pandemic and related restrictions slashing visitor numbers from 40 million in 2019 to a mere trickle over the last two years.

Pre-virus, the sector made up a fifth of Thailand's national income, and the travel curbs have fed into the country's worst economic performance in more than two decades.

The kingdom launched a "sandbox" scheme in July, which allowed fully vaccinated travellers from countries considered low-to-medium risk to roam free on the popular beach island for a fortnight, and then afterwards travel to the mainland without quarantine.

Last week, authorities cut the required stay to a week, in line with national changes to quarantine rules.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand announced late Friday that the scheme had been broadened from the around 80 countries already eligible.

"This means Thailand is now welcoming travellers from any country in the world to the sandbox programme," it said in a statement.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanee Sangrat said unvaccinated children would be able to travel with their vaccinated parents.

The sandbox programme has already lured more than 38,000 visitors to the white sands of Phuket, and generated $66.67 million.

But tourism operators are lukewarm on the revival of the island's economy, where 90 percent of hotels have been shuttered.&nbsp;

They have been pleading for the government to simplify entry requirements to increase visitor numbers.

The changes will allow previously excluded Indonesians and Malaysians to travel to Phuket.&nbsp;

Before the pandemic, Malaysia was Thailand's second biggest source of tourists, with more than four million travellers visiting in 2019.

Thai authorities hope to reopen five other destinations, including capital Bangkok, using the sandbox model from the start of November, followed by 20 more locations in December once vaccination rates increase.

However, travel advice from other countries discouraging would-be tourists could hamper Thailand's plans to reboot the industry.

Britain and the US have issued travel warnings as the country grapples with a deadly third wave of the virus and low vaccination rates.

Daily new case numbers are hovering at around 11,000, following a peak of 23,000 in August -&nbsp;but testing levels have also declined.

Fully vaccinated travellers from any country can now book holidays to tourism haven Phuket, the Thai government has announced, under tweaks to a struggling quarantine-free travel scheme.

Fully vaccinated travellers from any country can now book holidays to tourism haven Phuket, the Thai government has announced, under tweaks to a struggling quarantine-free travel scheme. Thailand's tourism industry has been on its knees, with the coronavirus pandemic and related restrictions slashing visitor numbers from 40 million in 2019 to a mere trickle over the last two years. Pre-virus, the sector made up a fifth of Thailand's national income, and the travel curbs have fed into the country's worst economic performance in more than two decades. The kingdom launched a "sandbox" scheme in July, which allowed fully vaccinated travellers from countries considered low-to-medium risk to roam free on the popular beach island for a fortnight, and then afterwards travel to the mainland without quarantine. Last week, authorities cut the required stay to a week, in line with national changes to quarantine rules. The Tourism Authority of Thailand announced late Friday that the scheme had been broadened from the around 80 countries already eligible. "This means Thailand is now welcoming travellers from any country in the world to the sandbox programme," it said in a statement. Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanee Sangrat said unvaccinated children would be able to travel with their vaccinated parents. The sandbox programme has already lured more than 38,000 visitors to the white sands of Phuket, and generated $66.67 million. But tourism operators are lukewarm on the revival of the island's economy, where 90 percent of hotels have been shuttered. They have been pleading for the government to simplify entry requirements to increase visitor numbers. The changes will allow previously excluded Indonesians and Malaysians to travel to Phuket. Before the pandemic, Malaysia was Thailand's second biggest source of tourists, with more than four million travellers visiting in 2019. Thai authorities hope to reopen five other destinations, including capital Bangkok, using the sandbox model from the start of November, followed by 20 more locations in December once vaccination rates increase. However, travel advice from other countries discouraging would-be tourists could hamper Thailand's plans to reboot the industry. Britain and the US have issued travel warnings as the country grapples with a deadly third wave of the virus and low vaccination rates. Daily new case numbers are hovering at around 11,000, following a peak of 23,000 in August - but testing levels have also declined.

Phuket opens to all vaccinated travellers

US President Joe Biden signed government funding bill on Thursday averting US government shutdown just hours before the deadline. Meanwhile, North Korea carried out fresh missile test as per the state media. This was North Korea's second known weapons test this week. On Tuesday, it launched a previously unseen hypersonic missile. Kim Jong-Un was not present at the time of the test on Thursday. Pak Jong Chon a member of the ruling Workers' Party's powerful politburo and Central Committee. Check out our morning news brief.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-government-shutdown-averted-hours-before-deadline-as-biden-signs-infra-bill-417243">US government shutdown averted hours before deadline as Biden signs funding&nbsp;bill</a>

<img alt="Biden" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="76e6e068-7b58-4269-876c-5510f6ff0421" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Biden_10.JPG" />

Hours ahead of the midnight deadline, the House of Representatives voted to keep the lights on for another two months with a resolution that had already advanced comfortably from the Senate, with opposition Republicans supporting the ruling Democrats in both chambers

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-carries-out-new-test-fires-anti-aircraft-missile-417239">North Korea carries out new test, fires anti-aircraft missile</a>

<img alt="North Korea" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f0d1754f-c10f-44df-86a9-bfe6bddcab4a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/missile.JPG" />

This is North Korea's second known weapons test this week. North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un was not present to versee the latest missile test

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ecuador-seeks-to-identify-remains-of-116-inmates-killed-in-prison-riot-417246">Ecuador seeks to identify remains of 116 inmates killed in prison riot</a>

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Dozens of relatives of inmates at the Penitenciaria del Litoral in the country's largest city of Guayaquil gathered outside a morgue seeking information on loved ones, after the deadliest outbreak of prison violence in Ecuador's history on Tuesday in which 80 people were also injured

 
Gravitas: Lashkar terrorist spills the beans on Pakistan's Kashmir plan

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US President Joe Biden signed government funding bill on Thursday averting US government shutdown just hours before the deadline. Meanwhile, North Korea carried out fresh missile test as per the state media.

US President Joe Biden signed government funding bill on Thursday averting US government shutdown just hours before the deadline. Meanwhile, North Korea carried out fresh missile test as per the state media. This was North Korea's second known weapons test this week. On Tuesday, it launched a previously unseen hypersonic missile. Kim Jong-Un was not present at the time of the test on Thursday. Pak Jong Chon a member of the ruling Workers' Party's powerful politburo and Central Committee. Check out our morning news brief. US government shutdown averted hours before deadline as Biden signs funding bill Hours ahead of the midnight deadline, the House of Representatives voted to keep the lights on for another two months with a resolution that had already advanced comfortably from the Senate, with opposition Republicans supporting the ruling Democrats in both chambers North Korea carries out new test, fires anti-aircraft missile This is North Korea's second known weapons test this week. North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un was not present to versee the latest missile test Ecuador seeks to identify remains of 116 inmates killed in prison riot Dozens of relatives of inmates at the Penitenciaria del Litoral in the country's largest city of Guayaquil gathered outside a morgue seeking information on loved ones, after the deadliest outbreak of prison violence in Ecuador's history on Tuesday in which 80 people were also injured Gravitas: Lashkar terrorist spills the beans on Pakistan's Kashmir plan ×

Morning news brief: US Govt shutdown averted, North Korean missile test, more

Ecuador on Thursday sought to identify the remains of the 116 inmates killed during a riot at one of its largest prisons earlier this week, the latest bout of violence authorities have linked to gangs vying for control of drug trafficking routes.

Dozens of relatives of inmates at the Penitenciaria del Litoral in the country's largest city of Guayaquil gathered outside a morgue seeking information on loved ones, after the deadliest outbreak of prison violence in Ecuador's history on Tuesday in which 80 people were also injured.

Watch | At least 100 people killed and 52 injured in Ecuador prison

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Police investigators asked family members for photographs of inmates or details of features like scars or tattoos to help them identify bodies.

Police commander Tannya Varela told reporters that the casualty count could rise, as officers were still investigating. Earlier on Thursday, the national police sent 400 officers to regain control of the detention center. Soldiers also entered the prison to maintain order.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ecuador-prison-riots-death-toll-crosses-100-416995">Ecuador prison riots: Death toll crosses 100</a>

"We have not yet completed the intervention in the penitentiary, so it is possible that there are other bodies inside, and some of the injured could die from their wounds," Varela said.

The violence came after 79 and 22 people died in prison riots in February and July, respectively. Authorities linked the earlier clashes to rival local gangs with ties to transnational criminal groups battling for control over Ecuador's drug trade.

According to Mario Pazmino, a colonel and former intelligence director for Ecuador's army, the clashes have increased and grown bloodier recently as Mexican drug cartels, such as the Sinaloa and Jalisco Nueva Generacion cartels, have formed alliances with local gangs.

While not a large drug producer, Ecuador is a major transit hub for cocaine from neighboring Colombia and Peru bound for the United States and Europe, much of it concealed in legitimate container cargo departing from Guayaquil's port, according to a U.S. State Department report from March.

"This presence of drug trafficking is reflected in a permanent fight over pathways and territory from where drugs leave, and that is what is being replicated in the detention centers, as well as cities where score-settling and assassinations take place," Pazmino told Reuters.

Asked on Wednesday night whether this week's clash was linked to drug trafficking, Fausto Cobo, director of Ecuador's Center for Strategic Intelligence, said the violence was "connected with other serious problems."

"This is a problem that goes beyond an issue with the penal system," Cobo told reporters. "It is a threat against the Ecuadorian state."

'THIS CANNOT KEEP HAPPENING'

Outside the morgue in Guayaquil, Paola Moreira awaited news of her 24-year-old brother Bryan, who was set to be released from the Penitenciaria del Litoral in just one month.

"He called me on Wednesday at noon and asked me to please help, that everyone from section five had been killed and only two were alive, but our hands were tied and we could not do anything for him," said Moreira, 26. "So I have come here to wait."

In a statement posted on Twitter, Ecuador's chief prosecutor's office said it was still working on identifying the victims - at least six of whom it said on Tuesday had been decapitated.

Prison overcrowding and underfunding is a major problem across South America and has contributed to riots in recent years in Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela, as well as Ecuador. President Guillermo Lasso said on Wednesday he would free up funds and send additional security forces to prisons.

"They have killed so many young men, this cannot keep happening," Moreira said.

Ecuador on Thursday sought to identify the remains of the 116 inmates killed during a riot at one of its largest prisons earlier this week, the latest bout of violence authorities have linked to gangs vying for control of drug trafficking routes.

Ecuador on Thursday sought to identify the remains of the 116 inmates killed during a riot at one of its largest prisons earlier this week, the latest bout of violence authorities have linked to gangs vying for control of drug trafficking routes. Dozens of relatives of inmates at the Penitenciaria del Litoral in the country's largest city of Guayaquil gathered outside a morgue seeking information on loved ones, after the deadliest outbreak of prison violence in Ecuador's history on Tuesday in which 80 people were also injured. Watch | At least 100 people killed and 52 injured in Ecuador prison × Police investigators asked family members for photographs of inmates or details of features like scars or tattoos to help them identify bodies. Police commander Tannya Varela told reporters that the casualty count could rise, as officers were still investigating. Earlier on Thursday, the national police sent 400 officers to regain control of the detention center. Soldiers also entered the prison to maintain order. Also Read | Ecuador prison riots: Death toll crosses 100 "We have not yet completed the intervention in the penitentiary, so it is possible that there are other bodies inside, and some of the injured could die from their wounds," Varela said. The violence came after 79 and 22 people died in prison riots in February and July, respectively. Authorities linked the earlier clashes to rival local gangs with ties to transnational criminal groups battling for control over Ecuador's drug trade. According to Mario Pazmino, a colonel and former intelligence director for Ecuador's army, the clashes have increased and grown bloodier recently as Mexican drug cartels, such as the Sinaloa and Jalisco Nueva Generacion cartels, have formed alliances with local gangs. While not a large drug producer, Ecuador is a major transit hub for cocaine from neighboring Colombia and Peru bound for the United States and Europe, much of it concealed in legitimate container cargo departing from Guayaquil's port, according to a U.S. State Department report from March. "This presence of drug trafficking is reflected in a permanent fight over pathways and territory from where drugs leave, and that is what is being replicated in the detention centers, as well as cities where score-settling and assassinations take place," Pazmino told Reuters. Asked on Wednesday night whether this week's clash was linked to drug trafficking, Fausto Cobo, director of Ecuador's Center for Strategic Intelligence, said the violence was "connected with other serious problems." "This is a problem that goes beyond an issue with the penal system," Cobo told reporters. "It is a threat against the Ecuadorian state." 'THIS CANNOT KEEP HAPPENING' Outside the morgue in Guayaquil, Paola Moreira awaited news of her 24-year-old brother Bryan, who was set to be released from the Penitenciaria del Litoral in just one month. "He called me on Wednesday at noon and asked me to please help, that everyone from section five had been killed and only two were alive, but our hands were tied and we could not do anything for him," said Moreira, 26. "So I have come here to wait." In a statement posted on Twitter, Ecuador's chief prosecutor's office said it was still working on identifying the victims - at least six of whom it said on Tuesday had been decapitated. Prison overcrowding and underfunding is a major problem across South America and has contributed to riots in recent years in Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela, as well as Ecuador. President Guillermo Lasso said on Wednesday he would free up funds and send additional security forces to prisons. "They have killed so many young men, this cannot keep happening," Moreira said.

Ecuador seeks to identify remains of 116 inmates killed in prison riot

North Korea carried out a fresh test of a newly developed anti-aircraft missile on Thursday, according to state media KCNA which reported the news on Friday. The test is latest in North Korea's series of weapons tests. North Korea's denuclearisation talks with the United States are deadlocked.

This is North Korea's second known weapons test this week. On Tuesday, it launched a previously unseen hypersonic missile.

It has also fired ballistic missiles, and a cruise missile with potential nuclear capabilities, in recent weeks.

Watch | United States open to talks with North Korea, Kim Jong-Un slams dialogue offer

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The tests highlighted how North Korea has been steadily developing increasingly sophisticated weapons, raising the stakes for efforts to press it to give up its nuclear and missile programmes in return for US sanctions relief.

The Academy of Defence Science, a military weapons developer, said the test was aimed at confirming the practical functionality of the missile's launcher, radar, comprehensive battle command vehicle and combat performance, according to the official KCNA news agency.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kim-jong-un-promotes-sister-to-north-koreas-top-government-body-417060">Kim Jong-Un promotes sister to North Korea's top government body</a>

It added the missile has new key technologies such as twin rudder control and double impulse flight engine.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un apparently did not attend the latest missile test. Pak Jong Chon a member of the ruling Workers' Party's powerful politburo and Central Committee oversaw the test.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-missile-launch-north-koreas-kim-jong-un-signals-intent-to-restore-inter-korean-hotline-416993">After missile launch, North Korea's Kim Jong-Un signals intent to restore inter-Korean hotline</a>

"The remarkable combat performance of the new-type anti-aircraft missile with features of rapid responsiveness and guidance accuracy of missile control system as well as the substantial increase in the distance of downing air targets has been verified," KCNA said.

(With inputs from agencies)

North Korea carried out a fresh test of a newly developed anti-aircraft missile on Thursday, according to state media KCNA which reported the news on Friday. The test is latest in North Korea's series of weapons tests.

North Korea carried out a fresh test of a newly developed anti-aircraft missile on Thursday, according to state media KCNA which reported the news on Friday. The test is latest in North Korea's series of weapons tests. North Korea's denuclearisation talks with the United States are deadlocked. This is North Korea's second known weapons test this week. On Tuesday, it launched a previously unseen hypersonic missile. It has also fired ballistic missiles, and a cruise missile with potential nuclear capabilities, in recent weeks. Watch | United States open to talks with North Korea, Kim Jong-Un slams dialogue offer × The tests highlighted how North Korea has been steadily developing increasingly sophisticated weapons, raising the stakes for efforts to press it to give up its nuclear and missile programmes in return for US sanctions relief. The Academy of Defence Science, a military weapons developer, said the test was aimed at confirming the practical functionality of the missile's launcher, radar, comprehensive battle command vehicle and combat performance, according to the official KCNA news agency. Also Read | Kim Jong-Un promotes sister to North Korea's top government body It added the missile has new key technologies such as twin rudder control and double impulse flight engine. North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un apparently did not attend the latest missile test. Pak Jong Chon a member of the ruling Workers' Party's powerful politburo and Central Committee oversaw the test. Also Read | After missile launch, North Korea's Kim Jong-Un signals intent to restore inter-Korean hotline "The remarkable combat performance of the new-type anti-aircraft missile with features of rapid responsiveness and guidance accuracy of missile control system as well as the substantial increase in the distance of downing air targets has been verified," KCNA said. (With inputs from agencies)

North Korea carries out new test, fires anti-aircraft missile

Elections in Russia are always tricky for the Kremlin. Offer too much choice, and citizens may pick the wrong candidates. Offer too little, and the underlying authoritarianism of the regime becomes grimly apparent.

This year, for the parliamentary elections that began on Friday and end on Sunday, President Vladimir Putin is not taking any chances. From the moment Aleksei Navalny, the opposition leader and the Kremlin’s best-known critic, returned to the country in January, the president has overseen a wave of repression.

Scores of independent media outlets have been labeled foreign agents, hobbling their activities, and opposition figures have either been banned from political activity or intimidated into exile. Mr. Navalny is in jail, most of his closest associates have left the country and his organization has been disbanded. The opposition is in tatters.

There has been no sustained outcry within the country against these moves. Mr. Putin’s approval ratings remain solid, and the election is likely to return a majority for his party, United Russia. The system grinds on.

At the heart of the Kremlin’s continued social and political control sits the Russian media. A sprawling network of television stations and newspapers, often lurid in style and spurious in content, the Kremlin’s propaganda system is a central pillar of Mr. Putin’s power. Against all the dissent and discontent with his regime, inside and outside the country, it acts as an impermeable shield. Combined with repression, it is how he wins.

Nearly all of Russia’s television stations and newspapers are under state control. Some, like REN TV, are owned by private companies with links to the Kremlin. Others, like Rossiya and Channel One, are state-owned and often deliver outright propaganda as the news.

Behind the scenes, Mr. Putin’s accomplices — like Alexei Gromov, who as deputy chief of staff in the presidential administration oversees the media — carefully manage the message. Failures are downplayed, criticism avoided and, at every turn, praise heaped on the president, who is cast as a sensible and wise leader.

This machine doesn’t need coercion. An army of reporters, editors and producers, happy to toe any political line in return for promotion and payment, churns out an endless stream of fawning accounts of Mr. Putin, the prime minister and influential regional governors. Conformists and careerists, these journalists are not blind to the realities of contemporary Russia. But they choose to work on the side of the winners.

Funded to the tune of billions of dollars by those close to Mr. Putin, the media preys on the population’s worst fears. The threats of economic disaster and territorial disintegration, in a country that suffered both in the 1990s, are constantly invoked: Only loyalty to the Kremlin can keep the monsters at bay. The European Union, Britain and the United States are portrayed as sites of moral decay, rife with political instability and impoverishment.

In a country where 72 percent of the population doesn’t have a passport and where the financial means to travel abroad remain generally out of reach, such messages find a receptive audience.

This wall-to-wall coverage has profound effects on public opinion. In 2008, as conflict between Russia and neighboring Georgia escalated, the media went into overdrive, depicting Georgia as a haven of anti-Russian activity intent on violence. The results were stunning: A year later, after the war ended, 62 percent of Russians considered Georgia, a small republic in the south Caucasus, to be Russia’s main enemy.

Now ruled by a government more friendly to Russia, Georgia has largely disappeared from state television. The view of it as the main enemy has steadily dropped and is now held by just 15 percent of Russians.

Both broadcast and print are comprehensively under the Kremlin’s control. So too, nearly, is the internet. Ten years ago, social networks helped bring people to the streets in protest against rigged parliamentary elections. Since then, a set of technological and legislative measures — tapping users’ phones and computers, introducing criminal charges for content labeled “extremist” and curtailing the independence of Russia’s biggest tech company, Yandex — have turned the internet into heavily policed terrain. A social media post can cost a few years in prison.

But that’s not the whole story. The great success of Mr. Navalny’s film about Mr. Putin’s alleged mansion by the Black Sea, which has been watched by at least 118 million people since it was released in January, shows that the state’s domination over the media is not enough to prevent undesired content from reaching ordinary Russians. No matter how extensively the Kremlin intervenes in internet platforms — through bots, paid trolls and law enforcement — it remains possible to spread information injurious to the regime.

There are still a few independent local and nationwide media outlets in Russia. Though they can hardly compete with state-funded television channels and newspapers, they are able to reach a sizable slice of the population.

Meduza, for example, one of Russia’s most respected independent news outlets, draws millions of readers to its website a year, and MediaZona, an independent outlet that focuses on corruption and the misuse of law enforcement powers, added more than two million readers earlier this year through its coverage of Mr. Navalny’s trial. TV Rain, an independent television channel, manages to command the attention of 2.3 million viewers.

This success, however small and circumscribed, proved too much for Mr. Putin — and he turned to repression. Through the “foreign agent law,” introduced in 2012 and initially aimed at foreign-funded media such as Voice of America and Radio Free Europe, the Kremlin has been able to decimate the ranks of independent media. Six outlets were given the designation this year, along with 19 journalists. For the smaller publications, it was the end. Bigger outlets, including Meduza, are scrapping for survival.

The situation, though bleak, is not lost. Independent journalists and outlets continue to find a way to operate, inventively sidestepping the constraints cast on them by the Kremlin through canny crowdfunding and humor. In this, they offer an example to other independent journalists around the world fighting to keep authoritarian politicians accountable.

Even so, Mr. Putin’s media method — propaganda on one hand, repression on the other — continues to bear fruit. Faced with a stagnant economy, an aging population and simmering discontent, it surely can’t go on forever. But, for now, it’s working.

Elections in Russia are always tricky for the Kremlin. Offer too much choice, and citizens may pick the wrong candidates. Offer too little, and the underlying authoritarianism of the regime becomes grimly apparent.

Elections in Russia are always tricky for the Kremlin. Offer too much choice, and citizens may pick the wrong candidates. Offer too little, and the underlying authoritarianism of the regime becomes grimly apparent. This year, for the parliamentary elections that began on Friday and end on Sunday, President Vladimir Putin is not taking any chances. From the moment Aleksei Navalny, the opposition leader and the Kremlin’s best-known critic, returned to the country in January, the president has overseen a wave of repression. Scores of independent media outlets have been labeled foreign agents, hobbling their activities, and opposition figures have either been banned from political activity or intimidated into exile. Mr. Navalny is in jail, most of his closest associates have left the country and his organization has been disbanded. The opposition is in tatters. There has been no sustained outcry within the country against these moves. Mr. Putin’s approval ratings remain solid, and the election is likely to return a majority for his party, United Russia. The system grinds on. At the heart of the Kremlin’s continued social and political control sits the Russian media. A sprawling network of television stations and newspapers, often lurid in style and spurious in content, the Kremlin’s propaganda system is a central pillar of Mr. Putin’s power. Against all the dissent and discontent with his regime, inside and outside the country, it acts as an impermeable shield. Combined with repression, it is how he wins. Nearly all of Russia’s television stations and newspapers are under state control. Some, like REN TV, are owned by private companies with links to the Kremlin. Others, like Rossiya and Channel One, are state-owned and often deliver outright propaganda as the news. Behind the scenes, Mr. Putin’s accomplices — like Alexei Gromov, who as deputy chief of staff in the presidential administration oversees the media — carefully manage the message. Failures are downplayed, criticism avoided and, at every turn, praise heaped on the president, who is cast as a sensible and wise leader. This machine doesn’t need coercion. An army of reporters, editors and producers, happy to toe any political line in return for promotion and payment, churns out an endless stream of fawning accounts of Mr. Putin, the prime minister and influential regional governors. Conformists and careerists, these journalists are not blind to the realities of contemporary Russia. But they choose to work on the side of the winners. Funded to the tune of billions of dollars by those close to Mr. Putin, the media preys on the population’s worst fears. The threats of economic disaster and territorial disintegration, in a country that suffered both in the 1990s, are constantly invoked: Only loyalty to the Kremlin can keep the monsters at bay. The European Union, Britain and the United States are portrayed as sites of moral decay, rife with political instability and impoverishment. In a country where 72 percent of the population doesn’t have a passport and where the financial means to travel abroad remain generally out of reach, such messages find a receptive audience. This wall-to-wall coverage has profound effects on public opinion. In 2008, as conflict between Russia and neighboring Georgia escalated, the media went into overdrive, depicting Georgia as a haven of anti-Russian activity intent on violence. The results were stunning: A year later, after the war ended, 62 percent of Russians considered Georgia, a small republic in the south Caucasus, to be Russia’s main enemy. Now ruled by a government more friendly to Russia, Georgia has largely disappeared from state television. The view of it as the main enemy has steadily dropped and is now held by just 15 percent of Russians. Both broadcast and print are comprehensively under the Kremlin’s control. So too, nearly, is the internet. Ten years ago, social networks helped bring people to the streets in protest against rigged parliamentary elections. Since then, a set of technological and legislative measures — tapping users’ phones and computers, introducing criminal charges for content labeled “extremist” and curtailing the independence of Russia’s biggest tech company, Yandex — have turned the internet into heavily policed terrain. A social media post can cost a few years in prison. But that’s not the whole story. The great success of Mr. Navalny’s film about Mr. Putin’s alleged mansion by the Black Sea, which has been watched by at least 118 million people since it was released in January, shows that the state’s domination over the media is not enough to prevent undesired content from reaching ordinary Russians. No matter how extensively the Kremlin intervenes in internet platforms — through bots, paid trolls and law enforcement — it remains possible to spread information injurious to the regime. There are still a few independent local and nationwide media outlets in Russia. Though they can hardly compete with state-funded television channels and newspapers, they are able to reach a sizable slice of the population. Meduza, for example, one of Russia’s most respected independent news outlets, draws millions of readers to its website a year, and MediaZona, an independent outlet that focuses on corruption and the misuse of law enforcement powers, added more than two million readers earlier this year through its coverage of Mr. Navalny’s trial. TV Rain, an independent television channel, manages to command the attention of 2.3 million viewers. This success, however small and circumscribed, proved too much for Mr. Putin — and he turned to repression. Through the “foreign agent law,” introduced in 2012 and initially aimed at foreign-funded media such as Voice of America and Radio Free Europe, the Kremlin has been able to decimate the ranks of independent media. Six outlets were given the designation this year, along with 19 journalists. For the smaller publications, it was the end. Bigger outlets, including Meduza, are scrapping for survival. The situation, though bleak, is not lost. Independent journalists and outlets continue to find a way to operate, inventively sidestepping the constraints cast on them by the Kremlin through canny crowdfunding and humor. In this, they offer an example to other independent journalists around the world fighting to keep authoritarian politicians accountable. Even so, Mr. Putin’s media method — propaganda on one hand, repression on the other — continues to bear fruit. Faced with a stagnant economy, an aging population and simmering discontent, it surely can’t go on forever. But, for now, it’s working.

There’s a reason Putin keeps winning

New York City has an opportunity to solve a debt crisis that has devastated a central institution in the lives of many New Yorkers: yellow cabs and their owner-drivers. The solution would come at a relatively modest cost and would help redress an injustice from which the city benefited financially: a creditor-driven bubble in the price of medallions — the permits that allow people to operate cabs — that led many drivers into debt bondage and even prompted some to commit suicide.

The city should take action. It should adopt a plan put forward last year by the New York Taxi Workers Alliance in which the drivers’ debt would be restructured and the city would serve as the guarantor of the medallions’ value.

There are about 12,000 taxi medallions in use in New York, sold originally by the city but now traded mostly among taxi drivers and owners of taxi fleets. Medallion brokers often arrange for sales and their financing. As investigative reporting has shown, for about a decade a creditor-driven cycle of easy credit rapidly increased the price of a medallion, which reached almost $1 million in 2014, the peak year.

Cabdrivers, typically immigrants, took out loans to pay for the medallions, and to obtain the loans they often had to offer as collateral everything that they and their next of kin owned. When in 2019 the bubble burst and the value of a medallion dropped to about $100,000, cabdrivers were plunged into financial ruin.

Identifying a debt bubble in real time is not always easy. But with the market for taxi medallions, creditors, brokers and the city were in a position to see what was going on — and yet they allowed the frenzy to continue and often made large sums of money from it.

The plan put forward by the Taxi Workers Alliance was devised after consultation with cabdrivers, some of the creditors and some city officials. (Two of the alliance’s lawyers are former students of mine.) Under the plan, New York City would become the guarantor of the medallions’ value. If the cabdrivers default on the loan, the city, not the personal assets of drivers and their families, would guarantee the value.

For creditors this would be a boon as well, because a guarantee from New York is a more reliable security than are personal assets. In return, the creditors would agree to restructure the loans to reflect the actual market value of the medallions, not their inflated “bubble” value.

The cost to the city would be $93 million over 30 years, based on estimated default rates and the prevailing market value of the medallions published by the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission. This is a relatively small price, especially considering that from 2004 to 2017, the city made more than $850 million from auctioning new medallions.

The alliance’s plan is superior to a plan being considered by the Taxi and Limousine Commission, which would offer each driver a one-time grant of $20,000 to pay off creditors. That would be good news for the creditors, but it would leave the cabdrivers to renegotiate the rest of their debt on their own.

Some will object that the city should not get involved in a private contractual relationship between a debtor and a creditor. But the city is already involved: It created the asset at the center of the deals — the medallion. In addition, as the city made money from the inflated price of medallions, it allowed the bubble to run its course, ignoring lessons from the similar bubble in the housing market a few years earlier. By adopting the alliance plan, the city would help right a wrong that, at least indirectly, it helped create.

Another objection to the plan is that the drivers are to blame for their fate — after all, they chose to sign the loan contracts — and that government intervention will just make things worse because people will come to expect bailouts in the future and behave recklessly as a result. But lender-borrower relationships are never entered into equally: Whoever has the money can set the terms — whether to lend at all, for what purposes and on what conditions. Unfortunately, the law ignores this power imbalance. Contracting parties are treated as equal with each party fully responsible for upholding its side of the bargain.

Even if the creditors who provided the loans to buy the medallions played by the formal rules of the game — a big “if,” in many cases — they still took their debtors for a ride. Their lending practices shifted most of the risk of the deal to the debtors, who were least able to carry it.

Though it did not directly subsidize creditors, New York City allowed them to enrich themselves by exploiting the weaknesses of others — while itself profiting handsomely. By adopting the plan put forward by the cabdrivers’ alliance, the city would mitigate a harm it helped inflict on a group of people who have always helped fuel the fortunes of this city.

New York City has an opportunity to solve a debt crisis that has devastated a central institution in the lives of many New Yorkers: yellow cabs and their owner-drivers.

New York City has an opportunity to solve a debt crisis that has devastated a central institution in the lives of many New Yorkers: yellow cabs and their owner-drivers. The solution would come at a relatively modest cost and would help redress an injustice from which the city benefited financially: a creditor-driven bubble in the price of medallions — the permits that allow people to operate cabs — that led many drivers into debt bondage and even prompted some to commit suicide. The city should take action. It should adopt a plan put forward last year by the New York Taxi Workers Alliance in which the drivers’ debt would be restructured and the city would serve as the guarantor of the medallions’ value. There are about 12,000 taxi medallions in use in New York, sold originally by the city but now traded mostly among taxi drivers and owners of taxi fleets. Medallion brokers often arrange for sales and their financing. As investigative reporting has shown, for about a decade a creditor-driven cycle of easy credit rapidly increased the price of a medallion, which reached almost $1 million in 2014, the peak year. Cabdrivers, typically immigrants, took out loans to pay for the medallions, and to obtain the loans they often had to offer as collateral everything that they and their next of kin owned. When in 2019 the bubble burst and the value of a medallion dropped to about $100,000, cabdrivers were plunged into financial ruin. Identifying a debt bubble in real time is not always easy. But with the market for taxi medallions, creditors, brokers and the city were in a position to see what was going on — and yet they allowed the frenzy to continue and often made large sums of money from it. The plan put forward by the Taxi Workers Alliance was devised after consultation with cabdrivers, some of the creditors and some city officials. (Two of the alliance’s lawyers are former students of mine.) Under the plan, New York City would become the guarantor of the medallions’ value. If the cabdrivers default on the loan, the city, not the personal assets of drivers and their families, would guarantee the value. For creditors this would be a boon as well, because a guarantee from New York is a more reliable security than are personal assets. In return, the creditors would agree to restructure the loans to reflect the actual market value of the medallions, not their inflated “bubble” value. The cost to the city would be $93 million over 30 years, based on estimated default rates and the prevailing market value of the medallions published by the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission. This is a relatively small price, especially considering that from 2004 to 2017, the city made more than $850 million from auctioning new medallions. The alliance’s plan is superior to a plan being considered by the Taxi and Limousine Commission, which would offer each driver a one-time grant of $20,000 to pay off creditors. That would be good news for the creditors, but it would leave the cabdrivers to renegotiate the rest of their debt on their own. Some will object that the city should not get involved in a private contractual relationship between a debtor and a creditor. But the city is already involved: It created the asset at the center of the deals — the medallion. In addition, as the city made money from the inflated price of medallions, it allowed the bubble to run its course, ignoring lessons from the similar bubble in the housing market a few years earlier. By adopting the alliance plan, the city would help right a wrong that, at least indirectly, it helped create. Another objection to the plan is that the drivers are to blame for their fate — after all, they chose to sign the loan contracts — and that government intervention will just make things worse because people will come to expect bailouts in the future and behave recklessly as a result. But lender-borrower relationships are never entered into equally: Whoever has the money can set the terms — whether to lend at all, for what purposes and on what conditions. Unfortunately, the law ignores this power imbalance. Contracting parties are treated as equal with each party fully responsible for upholding its side of the bargain. Even if the creditors who provided the loans to buy the medallions played by the formal rules of the game — a big “if,” in many cases — they still took their debtors for a ride. Their lending practices shifted most of the risk of the deal to the debtors, who were least able to carry it. Though it did not directly subsidize creditors, New York City allowed them to enrich themselves by exploiting the weaknesses of others — while itself profiting handsomely. By adopting the plan put forward by the cabdrivers’ alliance, the city would mitigate a harm it helped inflict on a group of people who have always helped fuel the fortunes of this city.

How to save New York City’s cabdrivers

For more than a decade, Washington has struggled to prioritize what it calls great power competition with China — a contest for military and political dominance. President Biden has been working hard to make the pivot to Asia that his two predecessors never quite managed.

The landmark defense pact with Australia and Britain, AUKUS, that Mr. Biden announced this month is a major step to making that pivot a reality. Under the agreement, Australia will explore hosting U.S. bombers on its territory, gain access to advanced missiles and receive nuclear propulsion technology to power a new fleet of submarines.

On the surface, AUKUS provides a way to aid the deployment of advanced military hardware in Asia and draw a clearer line between countries standing with China and those standing against it.

But the agreement also reflects the problems of great power competition. It’s not clear whether it will help address the security challenges posed by China — or be worth the costs.

Although AUKUS made headlines about a united Anglophone front against China, it caused issues with other allies (namely France). It risks compromising long-term nonproliferation interests in favor of near-term militarism. It directs immense resources to ineffective strategies. It reacts to China’s military buildup but does not provide a credible deterrent or seriously alter the regional military balance against Beijing.

Take the case of Taiwan, considered by many to be the most pressing challenge to the United States from China. The prospect of a Chinese attack on the island is preoccupying generals and policymakers and driving Pentagon budgets and planning amid concerns of aggression.

War games inside and outside the Pentagon show that China’s massive military buildup has increased Beijing’s capability to rapidly gain control over Taiwan. It is far more difficult for the United States and its allies to project power thousands of miles to Taiwan than it is for China to project power 100 miles across the Taiwan Strait. U.S. aircraft simply cannot fly enough sorties to overwhelm both China’s aircraft and its missile defense systems. Allied ships are too few and too vulnerable to Chinese missiles to control the seas around the island.

The AUKUS agreement does not change these facts. And any marginal gains are likely to be too little, too late. It will be at least a decade before the first new Australian submarine is put to sea. Meanwhile, according to U.S. naval intelligence, China will add six nuclear-powered attack submarines by 2030 and is expanding production facilities, in addition to its rapid construction of diesel-electric submarines.

That doesn’t mean the United States and its allies should abandon Taiwan. But it does mean that we cannot expect to defend Taiwan by overwhelming China with superior firepower projected from distant bases and ports. Neither AUKUS submarines nor U.S. bombers flying from northern Australia are likely to tip the balance if they are dedicated to the same losing strategy. So the three nations in the AUKUS agreement are not more likely to intervene or more capable of doing so.

This is a hallmark of great power competition: Competitive initiatives like AUKUS provide visible ways to counter or balance or complicate China’s military activities but don’t necessarily help allies meet defined objectives. More often, competition becomes an end in itself — an open-ended imperative that assumes everything an opponent dislikes must be good policy.

Another common feature of competitive policies is that officials tend to overlook their costs.

For one thing, AUKUS carries significant diplomatic costs at a time when the United States is in desperate need of credibility with its allies. France views AUKUS as “a knife in the back” because Australia sealed it by backing out of a 2016 deal worth $66 billion to purchase French diesel-electric submarines. That perceived betrayal could cause unnecessary friction in NATO and make it more difficult to cooperate with France on China.

In Asia, the agreement exposes the Quad — an informal partnership of the United States, Japan, India and Australia — as thin multilateralism, willing to coordinate on issues from health to military exercises but apparently unwilling or unable to directly confront China. This much was evident when a White House statement after a meeting of the Quad last week did not offer much concrete help for Asian nations facing interference from China.

There is also the risk that the deal spooks Southeast Asian nations that, despite facing threats from China, worry about getting caught in the middle of this great power competition and could become less likely to cooperate with U.S. initiatives that might anger Beijing, their biggest and most powerful neighbor.

Moreover, the AUKUS agreement, with its sharing of nuclear propulsion technology, could do significant damage to nonproliferation interests. Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia rightly promised that the nation “is not seeking to acquire nuclear weapons or establish a civil nuclear capability.” But that assurance won’t necessarily prevent or deter other countries from exploiting the loophole in the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty that allows diversion of nuclear materials for naval reactors.

As the AUKUS nations hammer out details of the agreement over the next 18 months, the countries should consider two adjustments to make sure it sets a strong precedent. First, Australia should commit not to enrich uranium or reprocess reactor fuel domestically while it operates the reactors. Second, those nations should consider including France in the agreement in order to use its reactor designs, which run on low-enriched uranium — considered less of a proliferation risk than the highly enriched uranium in U.S. or British designs.

U.S. officials will also have to work hard to ensure the agreement does not cause problems with South Korea, another ally exploring nuclear-powered submarines and one where many politicians and nearly 70 percent of the public support developing nuclear weapons.

The Biden administration should take a breath and make certain it does not reflect a self-defeating, militarized concept of great power that pushes other potential partners away in bullheaded pursuit of agreement on one issue. It should institute strong nonproliferation safeguards, repair damage to other vital alliances and ensure that the plan isn’t throwing good money after bad strategy.

The administration should be investing in more cost-effective ways to thwart China’s ability to project military power, like long-range air defenses and anti-ship missiles, not expensive systems that stand little chance of overwhelming China’s forces near its borders. The administration also should recognize when military might is not the answer — and do more to raise the economic and diplomatic costs of Chinese aggression.

Mr. Biden should guarantee that agreements like AUKUS do not undermine the United States’ deterrence credibility, its alliances and partnerships and its long-term interests like nuclear nonproliferation. Too often, a narrow focus on great power competition just leaves America less competitive in the long run.

For more than a decade, Washington has struggled to prioritize what it calls great power competition with China — a contest for military and political dominance.

For more than a decade, Washington has struggled to prioritize what it calls great power competition with China — a contest for military and political dominance. President Biden has been working hard to make the pivot to Asia that his two predecessors never quite managed. The landmark defense pact with Australia and Britain, AUKUS, that Mr. Biden announced this month is a major step to making that pivot a reality. Under the agreement, Australia will explore hosting U.S. bombers on its territory, gain access to advanced missiles and receive nuclear propulsion technology to power a new fleet of submarines. On the surface, AUKUS provides a way to aid the deployment of advanced military hardware in Asia and draw a clearer line between countries standing with China and those standing against it. But the agreement also reflects the problems of great power competition. It’s not clear whether it will help address the security challenges posed by China — or be worth the costs. Although AUKUS made headlines about a united Anglophone front against China, it caused issues with other allies (namely France). It risks compromising long-term nonproliferation interests in favor of near-term militarism. It directs immense resources to ineffective strategies. It reacts to China’s military buildup but does not provide a credible deterrent or seriously alter the regional military balance against Beijing. Take the case of Taiwan, considered by many to be the most pressing challenge to the United States from China. The prospect of a Chinese attack on the island is preoccupying generals and policymakers and driving Pentagon budgets and planning amid concerns of aggression. War games inside and outside the Pentagon show that China’s massive military buildup has increased Beijing’s capability to rapidly gain control over Taiwan. It is far more difficult for the United States and its allies to project power thousands of miles to Taiwan than it is for China to project power 100 miles across the Taiwan Strait. U.S. aircraft simply cannot fly enough sorties to overwhelm both China’s aircraft and its missile defense systems. Allied ships are too few and too vulnerable to Chinese missiles to control the seas around the island. The AUKUS agreement does not change these facts. And any marginal gains are likely to be too little, too late. It will be at least a decade before the first new Australian submarine is put to sea. Meanwhile, according to U.S. naval intelligence, China will add six nuclear-powered attack submarines by 2030 and is expanding production facilities, in addition to its rapid construction of diesel-electric submarines. That doesn’t mean the United States and its allies should abandon Taiwan. But it does mean that we cannot expect to defend Taiwan by overwhelming China with superior firepower projected from distant bases and ports. Neither AUKUS submarines nor U.S. bombers flying from northern Australia are likely to tip the balance if they are dedicated to the same losing strategy. So the three nations in the AUKUS agreement are not more likely to intervene or more capable of doing so. This is a hallmark of great power competition: Competitive initiatives like AUKUS provide visible ways to counter or balance or complicate China’s military activities but don’t necessarily help allies meet defined objectives. More often, competition becomes an end in itself — an open-ended imperative that assumes everything an opponent dislikes must be good policy. Another common feature of competitive policies is that officials tend to overlook their costs. For one thing, AUKUS carries significant diplomatic costs at a time when the United States is in desperate need of credibility with its allies. France views AUKUS as “a knife in the back” because Australia sealed it by backing out of a 2016 deal worth $66 billion to purchase French diesel-electric submarines. That perceived betrayal could cause unnecessary friction in NATO and make it more difficult to cooperate with France on China. In Asia, the agreement exposes the Quad — an informal partnership of the United States, Japan, India and Australia — as thin multilateralism, willing to coordinate on issues from health to military exercises but apparently unwilling or unable to directly confront China. This much was evident when a White House statement after a meeting of the Quad last week did not offer much concrete help for Asian nations facing interference from China. There is also the risk that the deal spooks Southeast Asian nations that, despite facing threats from China, worry about getting caught in the middle of this great power competition and could become less likely to cooperate with U.S. initiatives that might anger Beijing, their biggest and most powerful neighbor. Moreover, the AUKUS agreement, with its sharing of nuclear propulsion technology, could do significant damage to nonproliferation interests. Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia rightly promised that the nation “is not seeking to acquire nuclear weapons or establish a civil nuclear capability.” But that assurance won’t necessarily prevent or deter other countries from exploiting the loophole in the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty that allows diversion of nuclear materials for naval reactors. As the AUKUS nations hammer out details of the agreement over the next 18 months, the countries should consider two adjustments to make sure it sets a strong precedent. First, Australia should commit not to enrich uranium or reprocess reactor fuel domestically while it operates the reactors. Second, those nations should consider including France in the agreement in order to use its reactor designs, which run on low-enriched uranium — considered less of a proliferation risk than the highly enriched uranium in U.S. or British designs. U.S. officials will also have to work hard to ensure the agreement does not cause problems with South Korea, another ally exploring nuclear-powered submarines and one where many politicians and nearly 70 percent of the public support developing nuclear weapons. The Biden administration should take a breath and make certain it does not reflect a self-defeating, militarized concept of great power that pushes other potential partners away in bullheaded pursuit of agreement on one issue. It should institute strong nonproliferation safeguards, repair damage to other vital alliances and ensure that the plan isn’t throwing good money after bad strategy. The administration should be investing in more cost-effective ways to thwart China’s ability to project military power, like long-range air defenses and anti-ship missiles, not expensive systems that stand little chance of overwhelming China’s forces near its borders. The administration also should recognize when military might is not the answer — and do more to raise the economic and diplomatic costs of Chinese aggression. Mr. Biden should guarantee that agreements like AUKUS do not undermine the United States’ deterrence credibility, its alliances and partnerships and its long-term interests like nuclear nonproliferation. Too often, a narrow focus on great power competition just leaves America less competitive in the long run.

Biden, you should be aware that your submarine deal has costs

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Manas Joshi

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