The Jammu and Kashmir government is planning to revive river transport in the Kashmir Valley. Three bus boats have been brought from New Zealand to ply on river Jhelum in Srinagar. This is after decades that a river transport facility would be thrown open for tourists and the public as well.

People can take this boat ride from the Lasjan area of Srinagar to the interior of downtown. The Lieutenent Governor (LG) of Jammu and Kashmir has pushed for this initiative with the tourism department. They say that it will be the cheapest mode of transport.

"This is the revival of water transport in Srinagar, It will start from next month, we have procured all the equipment. I think it can be the optimal utilisation of water resources and it will be the means of transport in future. It will be way cheaper than road transport. In the world it's cheapest mode of transport. We have a fleet of three boats and in future they will procure more. All the decks are ready," said Imran Malik, Director, Private company.

Each boat has 35 seats with air conditioning. And the whole cover is made of glass. It will make the passengers enjoy the view of Srinagar city and make it a memorable ride. The tourism department will promote it so that more and more people take this mode of transport while travelling in the city.&nbsp;

"This is the first kind of this boat, which the people of Kashmir will be seeing, this is a bus boat which we have imported from New Zealand and it has a capacity of 35 passengers including 5 crew members. The plan is that it will ply from Batawara to Veer Chattabal. This will have 6 stops and we are doing trial runs and we will hand over it to JK Tourism. It's a type of tourist attraction, it will be available to tourists and locals. It's an add-on to the road transport, the roads are congested and if we get 5-6 of these in future this will help take the pressure off from road transport." said Abdul Hanan, Manager.

The engineers of the boat have come from Mumbai and will be training the locals in case there are any technical issues with the bus boat.&nbsp;

"I am training local engineers so that if there is an issue they can handle it. I am also telling them how to run this boat. If there is any issue ever then we can even take care of the problem remotely," said Bharat Gupta, Engineer.

As the roads are congested with traffic, the river transport will help in taking the pressure off from the roads in Srinagar city.&nbsp;

The Jammu and Kashmir government is planning to revive river transport in the Kashmir Valley. Three bus boats have been brought from New Zealand to ply on river Jhelum in Srinagar.

The Jammu and Kashmir government is planning to revive river transport in the Kashmir Valley. Three bus boats have been brought from New Zealand to ply on river Jhelum in Srinagar. This is after decades that a river transport facility would be thrown open for tourists and the public as well. People can take this boat ride from the Lasjan area of Srinagar to the interior of downtown. The Lieutenent Governor (LG) of Jammu and Kashmir has pushed for this initiative with the tourism department. They say that it will be the cheapest mode of transport. "This is the revival of water transport in Srinagar, It will start from next month, we have procured all the equipment. I think it can be the optimal utilisation of water resources and it will be the means of transport in future. It will be way cheaper than road transport. In the world it's cheapest mode of transport. We have a fleet of three boats and in future they will procure more. All the decks are ready," said Imran Malik, Director, Private company. Each boat has 35 seats with air conditioning. And the whole cover is made of glass. It will make the passengers enjoy the view of Srinagar city and make it a memorable ride. The tourism department will promote it so that more and more people take this mode of transport while travelling in the city. "This is the first kind of this boat, which the people of Kashmir will be seeing, this is a bus boat which we have imported from New Zealand and it has a capacity of 35 passengers including 5 crew members. The plan is that it will ply from Batawara to Veer Chattabal. This will have 6 stops and we are doing trial runs and we will hand over it to JK Tourism. It's a type of tourist attraction, it will be available to tourists and locals. It's an add-on to the road transport, the roads are congested and if we get 5-6 of these in future this will help take the pressure off from road transport." said Abdul Hanan, Manager. The engineers of the boat have come from Mumbai and will be training the locals in case there are any technical issues with the bus boat. "I am training local engineers so that if there is an issue they can handle it. I am also telling them how to run this boat. If there is any issue ever then we can even take care of the problem remotely," said Bharat Gupta, Engineer. As the roads are congested with traffic, the river transport will help in taking the pressure off from the roads in Srinagar city.

Revival of water transport in Kashmir, bus boats bought from New Zealand

United States government on Thursday lauched an online hub to help victims of ransomware attacks to find resources and assistance. The initiative is led by Justice and Homeland Security Department of the US government.

The webisite WWW.StopRansomware.gov apparently aims for being an under-one-roof resource for victims of ransomware.

Many of the resources and information that organizations need to deal with ransomware attacks have historically been scattered across multiple websites, which increased the "likelihood of missing important information," the Justice Department said in a statement.

The new website is "the first central hub consolidating ransomware resources from all federal government agencies," it said.

The launch comes shortly after ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline that caused shortages at gas stations US East Coast.

The Justice Department was later able to help Colonial Pipeline recover some $2.3 million in cryptocurrency ransom it paid to hackers.

About $350 million in ransom was paid to cyber criminals in 2020, a more than 300% increase from the previous year, the department said.

“The Department of Justice is committed to protecting Americans from the rise in ransomware attacks that we have seen in recent years," Attorney General Merrick Garland said.

(With inputs from agencies)

United States government on Thursday lauched an online hub to help victims of ransomware attacks to find resources and assistance. The initiative is led by Justice and Homeland Security Department of the US government.

United States government on Thursday lauched an online hub to help victims of ransomware attacks to find resources and assistance. The initiative is led by Justice and Homeland Security Department of the US government. The webisite WWW.StopRansomware.gov apparently aims for being an under-one-roof resource for victims of ransomware. Many of the resources and information that organizations need to deal with ransomware attacks have historically been scattered across multiple websites, which increased the "likelihood of missing important information," the Justice Department said in a statement. The new website is "the first central hub consolidating ransomware resources from all federal government agencies," it said. The launch comes shortly after ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline that caused shortages at gas stations US East Coast. The Justice Department was later able to help Colonial Pipeline recover some $2.3 million in cryptocurrency ransom it paid to hackers. About $350 million in ransom was paid to cyber criminals in 2020, a more than 300% increase from the previous year, the department said. “The Department of Justice is committed to protecting Americans from the rise in ransomware attacks that we have seen in recent years," Attorney General Merrick Garland said. (With inputs from agencies)

US govt launches website to help ransomware victims

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin said on Thursday that an 18-year-old paying customer will fly to space in the company's maiden crewed mission on July 20. This is will make the person youngest ever astronaut.

Oliver Daemen, who graduated from high school in 2020 and holds a private pilot's license, is not the winner of a $28 million auction, who has asked to remain anonymous and will fly on a future mission, the company said.

"This marks the beginning of commercial operations for New Shepard, and Oliver represents a new generation of people who will help us build a road to space," said Bob Smith, CEO of Blue Origin.

Flying on New Shepard will fulfill a lifelong dream for Daemen, who has been fascinated by space, the Moon, and rockets since he was four, a statement said.

Daemen plans to attend University of Utrecht in Netherlands. He plans to study Physics and innovation management this September.

Daemen joins Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, Jeff's brother Mark, and Wally Funk aboard the first human flight involving the New Shepard spaceship.

At 18-years-old and 82-years-young, Daemen and Funk will be the youngest and oldest astronauts to travel to space.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin said on Thursday that an 18-year-old paying customer will fly to space in the company's maiden crewed mission on July 20. This is will make the person youngest ever astronaut.

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin said on Thursday that an 18-year-old paying customer will fly to space in the company's maiden crewed mission on July 20. This is will make the person youngest ever astronaut. Oliver Daemen, who graduated from high school in 2020 and holds a private pilot's license, is not the winner of a $28 million auction, who has asked to remain anonymous and will fly on a future mission, the company said. "This marks the beginning of commercial operations for New Shepard, and Oliver represents a new generation of people who will help us build a road to space," said Bob Smith, CEO of Blue Origin. Flying on New Shepard will fulfill a lifelong dream for Daemen, who has been fascinated by space, the Moon, and rockets since he was four, a statement said. Daemen plans to attend University of Utrecht in Netherlands. He plans to study Physics and innovation management this September. Daemen joins Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, Jeff's brother Mark, and Wally Funk aboard the first human flight involving the New Shepard spaceship. At 18-years-old and 82-years-young, Daemen and Funk will be the youngest and oldest astronauts to travel to space. (With inputs from agencies)

Blue Origin to fly 18-year-old to space with Bezos

Israeli army said on Thursday that it made an arrest of dozens of Palestinian students in West Bank. It has accused the students of being "terror operatives" of Islamic group Hamas.

AFP cited Palestinian source to say that the students from Birzeit University were arrested when they were returning from the village of Turmus Ayya. Israeli troops demolished a family home of a Palestinian American in this village earlier this month. The person was awaiting trial on charges of shooting a Jewish student earlier this year.

An Israeli army statement said: "Some of the apprehended terror operatives were directly involved in terror activities, including money transfers, incitement and the organisation of Hamas activities in Judea and Samaria," using the Biblical terms for the West Bank.&nbsp;

Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip and fought an 11-day conflict with Israel in May, is blacklisted by the EU and the US as a terrorist organisation.&nbsp;

A late Wednesday statement announcing the arrests said "dozens of terror operatives" belonging to "a student cell" at Birzeit University had been detained in a joint operation involving the army, police and the Shin Bet domestic security agency. &nbsp;

An army spokesperson told AFP on Thursday that the Shin Bet had taken over the investigation.

According to the Palestinian Prisoners Club, the number of students arrested Wednesday was around 45, but 12 have since been released and the 33 still in detention were all male.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Israeli army said on Thursday that it made an arrest of dozens of Palestinian students in West Bank. It has accused the students of being "terror operatives" of Islamic group Hamas.

Israeli army said on Thursday that it made an arrest of dozens of Palestinian students in West Bank. It has accused the students of being "terror operatives" of Islamic group Hamas. AFP cited Palestinian source to say that the students from Birzeit University were arrested when they were returning from the village of Turmus Ayya. Israeli troops demolished a family home of a Palestinian American in this village earlier this month. The person was awaiting trial on charges of shooting a Jewish student earlier this year. An Israeli army statement said: "Some of the apprehended terror operatives were directly involved in terror activities, including money transfers, incitement and the organisation of Hamas activities in Judea and Samaria," using the Biblical terms for the West Bank. Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip and fought an 11-day conflict with Israel in May, is blacklisted by the EU and the US as a terrorist organisation. A late Wednesday statement announcing the arrests said "dozens of terror operatives" belonging to "a student cell" at Birzeit University had been detained in a joint operation involving the army, police and the Shin Bet domestic security agency. An army spokesperson told AFP on Thursday that the Shin Bet had taken over the investigation. According to the Palestinian Prisoners Club, the number of students arrested Wednesday was around 45, but 12 have since been released and the 33 still in detention were all male. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel army arrests Palestinian students over 'terror' allegations

Some may say that Napoleon Bonaparte divides opinions. For some, he was a master strategist and exceptional general who took France to great heights. For others, he was a ruler with ever-increasing need to bring more countries under French rule.

What brings both these camps together is the fact that Napoleon was a significant personality who has left indelible mark on history. And so, anything Napoleonic garners much interest.

And now his own hat is being auctioned.

Auction house Sotheby's is bringing the singularly important thing to the auction table. The head that wore this hat on military campaigns also wielded the crown of France. &nbsp;

Sotheby describes Napoleon as an Emperor “whose extraordinary destiny continues to fascinate on every continent, 200 years after his passing”.

The characteristically shaped felt bicorne hat that's up for auction was worn by Napoleon during his triumphant campaign against Russia during the first decade of 1800s. Only 19 such hats have been identified as having belonged to Napoleon.

The one that is being auctioned now was acquired in 1814 by Sir Michael Shaw-Stewart. The hat was then handed down generation to generation until now when it is being auctioned.

The hat will be auctioned in the month of September.

So if you want to own a significant historical artifact and have 400,000 t0 600,000 Euros lying around, you should take part in the auction because this is the price range in which Sotheby's thinks it will be picked up.

Some may say that Napoleon Bonaparte divides opinions. For some, he was a master strategist and exceptional general who took France to great heights. For others, he was a ruler with ever-increasing need to bring more countries under French rule.

Some may say that Napoleon Bonaparte divides opinions. For some, he was a master strategist and exceptional general who took France to great heights. For others, he was a ruler with ever-increasing need to bring more countries under French rule. What brings both these camps together is the fact that Napoleon was a significant personality who has left indelible mark on history. And so, anything Napoleonic garners much interest. And now his own hat is being auctioned. Auction house Sotheby's is bringing the singularly important thing to the auction table. The head that wore this hat on military campaigns also wielded the crown of France. Sotheby describes Napoleon as an Emperor “whose extraordinary destiny continues to fascinate on every continent, 200 years after his passing”. The characteristically shaped felt bicorne hat that's up for auction was worn by Napoleon during his triumphant campaign against Russia during the first decade of 1800s. Only 19 such hats have been identified as having belonged to Napoleon. The one that is being auctioned now was acquired in 1814 by Sir Michael Shaw-Stewart. The hat was then handed down generation to generation until now when it is being auctioned. The hat will be auctioned in the month of September. So if you want to own a significant historical artifact and have 400,000 t0 600,000 Euros lying around, you should take part in the auction because this is the price range in which Sotheby's thinks it will be picked up.

Napoleon's hat expected to fetch up to 600,000 Euros in auction

Chinese state media said on Thursday that the country had confirmed one case of human infection with H5N6 strain of bird flu. The case has been confirmed in China's Sichuan province. As per the Chinese media, a 55-year-old man was hospitalised in Bazhong after he came into the hospital with a fever and tested positive for the strain.

Chinese state-run CCTV said that local officials “activated an emergency response and sterilized the area”

The report said that risk of widespread infections was low. It cited an unnamed expert.

H5N6 virus is one of the few potentially dangerous virus strain that scientists have been finding over the years in flocks of poultry. The strain was first detected in Laos

Till last week, 32 confirmed cases of human infections and 19 deaths have been recorded with the World Health Organisation from 2014.

Chinese state media said on Thursday that the country had confirmed one case of human infection with H5N6 strain of bird flu. The case has been confirmed in China's Sichuan province.

Chinese state media said on Thursday that the country had confirmed one case of human infection with H5N6 strain of bird flu. The case has been confirmed in China's Sichuan province. As per the Chinese media, a 55-year-old man was hospitalised in Bazhong after he came into the hospital with a fever and tested positive for the strain. Chinese state-run CCTV said that local officials “activated an emergency response and sterilized the area” The report said that risk of widespread infections was low. It cited an unnamed expert. H5N6 virus is one of the few potentially dangerous virus strain that scientists have been finding over the years in flocks of poultry. The strain was first detected in Laos Till last week, 32 confirmed cases of human infections and 19 deaths have been recorded with the World Health Organisation from 2014.

China's Sichuan reports human case of H5N6 bird flu: State media

A senior Afghan government official said that the government forces had retaken control of a major border crossing with Pakistan from Taliban. However, Taliban dismissed the claim saying that they still control the border crossing.

Taliban fighters captured the Spin Boldak-Chaman border crossing on Wednesday, the second most important crossing on the border with Pakistan and a major source of revenue for the Western-backed government in Kabul.

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But Afghan forces retook the area's main market, the customs department and other government installations in the border town a few hours later on Wednesday, as per the government officials in Kandahar province.

Government forces, who had initially fallen back to minimise civilian and security personnel losses, were conducting clearing operations, the official said.

However, the official has warned that threat remained high since Taliban fighter outnumber government forces in the area.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said his forces still held the border post.

"It is merely propaganda and a baseless claim by the Kabul administration," he told Reuters.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-offer-three-month-ceasefire-in-exchange-of-prisoner-release-398231">Taliban offer three-month ceasefire in exchange of prisoner release</a>

Pakistan, worried about a spillover of fighting, had shut its side of the border at the second busiest border crossing on the main commercial artery between the second Afghan city of Kandahar and Pakistani ports.

Clashes between the Taliban and government forces have intensified as U.S.-led international forces have been withdrawing and the Taliban have captured several districts and other border crossings in the north and west.

(With inputs from agencies)

A senior Afghan government official said that the government forces had retaken control of a major border crossing with Pakistan from Taliban. However, Taliban dismissed the claim saying that they still control the border crossing.

A senior Afghan government official said that the government forces had retaken control of a major border crossing with Pakistan from Taliban. However, Taliban dismissed the claim saying that they still control the border crossing. Taliban fighters captured the Spin Boldak-Chaman border crossing on Wednesday, the second most important crossing on the border with Pakistan and a major source of revenue for the Western-backed government in Kabul. × But Afghan forces retook the area's main market, the customs department and other government installations in the border town a few hours later on Wednesday, as per the government officials in Kandahar province. Government forces, who had initially fallen back to minimise civilian and security personnel losses, were conducting clearing operations, the official said. However, the official has warned that threat remained high since Taliban fighter outnumber government forces in the area. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said his forces still held the border post. "It is merely propaganda and a baseless claim by the Kabul administration," he told Reuters. Also Read | Taliban offer three-month ceasefire in exchange of prisoner release Pakistan, worried about a spillover of fighting, had shut its side of the border at the second busiest border crossing on the main commercial artery between the second Afghan city of Kandahar and Pakistani ports. Clashes between the Taliban and government forces have intensified as U.S.-led international forces have been withdrawing and the Taliban have captured several districts and other border crossings in the north and west. (With inputs from agencies)

Afghan government says it has retaken Pakistan border crossing from Taliban

As the Taliban continues its offensive against Afghanistan government, the militant group has offered a three-month ceasefire in exchange of release of 7000 insurgent prisoners. A negotiator of Afghan governemnt said this on Thursday.

"It is a big demand," said Nader Nadery, a key member of the government team involved in peace talks with the Taliban, adding the insurgents also demanded the removal of their leaders' names from a United Nations blacklist.

It was not immediately clear how the government would react to the ceasefire offer.

The offer has come as United States increased the pace of troop withdrawal that is likely to be finished by August 31.

Nadery's revelation came as Pakistan security forces used tear gas Thursday to disperse hundreds of people who tried to force their way across the border from Chaman to Spin Boldak in Afghanistan.

The border was closed Wednesday by Pakistan officials after the Taliban seized Spin Boldak and raised insurgent flags above the town.

"An unruly mob of about 400 people tried to cross the gate forcefully. They threw stones, which forced us to use tear gas," said a security official on the Pakistan side.

He said around 1,500 people had gathered at the border Wednesday waiting to cross.

Jumadad Khan, a senior government official in Chaman, said the situation was now "under control".

An Afghan Taliban source told AFP that hundreds of people had also gathered on the Afghan side, hoping to travel in the other direction.

(With inputs from agencies)

As the Taliban continues its offensive against Afghanistan government, the militant group has offered a three-month ceasefire in exchange of release of 7000 insurgent prisoners.

As the Taliban continues its offensive against Afghanistan government, the militant group has offered a three-month ceasefire in exchange of release of 7000 insurgent prisoners. A negotiator of Afghan governemnt said this on Thursday. "It is a big demand," said Nader Nadery, a key member of the government team involved in peace talks with the Taliban, adding the insurgents also demanded the removal of their leaders' names from a United Nations blacklist. It was not immediately clear how the government would react to the ceasefire offer. The offer has come as United States increased the pace of troop withdrawal that is likely to be finished by August 31. Nadery's revelation came as Pakistan security forces used tear gas Thursday to disperse hundreds of people who tried to force their way across the border from Chaman to Spin Boldak in Afghanistan. The border was closed Wednesday by Pakistan officials after the Taliban seized Spin Boldak and raised insurgent flags above the town. "An unruly mob of about 400 people tried to cross the gate forcefully. They threw stones, which forced us to use tear gas," said a security official on the Pakistan side. He said around 1,500 people had gathered at the border Wednesday waiting to cross. Jumadad Khan, a senior government official in Chaman, said the situation was now "under control". An Afghan Taliban source told AFP that hundreds of people had also gathered on the Afghan side, hoping to travel in the other direction. (With inputs from agencies)

Taliban offer three-month ceasefire in exchange of prisoner release

Twitter has had to admit that Fleets have not been able to attract more users to the social media platform and has now announced that it will discontinue the feature August onwards. Twitter has had to take the step just when such products appear to do well on other platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

Ilya Brown, Twitter's Head of Product, Brand &amp; Video Ads, made the announcement on Twitter Blog on Wednesday (July 11)

"We built Fleets as a lower-pressure, ephemeral way for people to share their fleeting thoughts," Brown says at the very start of his blog post. However, he says that Fleets have not been able to increase the number of people joining the conversation.

"...in the time since we introduced Fleets to everyone, we haven’t seen an increase in the number of new people joining the conversation with Fleets like we hoped...," says Brown.

It is because of this, he says, Twitter will be discontinuing the Fleets feature from August 3.

Similar features are doing well on rival platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

Snapchat was a pioneer of this feature as it launched disappearing messages in 2013. Since then many platforms like Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn etc have launched their own versions.

Twitter has had to admit that Fleets have not been able to attract more users to the social media platform and has now announced that it will discontinue the feature August onwards.

Twitter has had to admit that Fleets have not been able to attract more users to the social media platform and has now announced that it will discontinue the feature August onwards. Twitter has had to take the step just when such products appear to do well on other platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Ilya Brown, Twitter's Head of Product, Brand & Video Ads, made the announcement on Twitter Blog on Wednesday (July 11) "We built Fleets as a lower-pressure, ephemeral way for people to share their fleeting thoughts," Brown says at the very start of his blog post. However, he says that Fleets have not been able to increase the number of people joining the conversation. "...in the time since we introduced Fleets to everyone, we haven’t seen an increase in the number of new people joining the conversation with Fleets like we hoped...," says Brown. It is because of this, he says, Twitter will be discontinuing the Fleets feature from August 3. Similar features are doing well on rival platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Snapchat was a pioneer of this feature as it launched disappearing messages in 2013. Since then many platforms like Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn etc have launched their own versions.

Twitter Fleets to be discontinued in August

Bowling's a good game. There may not be any better way to spend an evening with your friends smashing away at the pins in a good bowling alley. Bowling aficionados go one step ahead and create a mini bowling alley in their homes. So by that logic, it's not unusual to find a bowling ball or two in a household.&nbsp;

But 158? That too buried in the ground? Well read on.

All was well for Michigan homeowner David Olson (33) till he was renovating the porch of his house. As he demolished the concrete slabs, he saw a spherical shape protruding from the ground. As he told CNN, he was intrigued and brushed the soil off the sphere. And he found that it was bowling ball.

Olson dug further, he found about 15 bowling balls buried in the ground. The number kept on going up. And soon, Olson had to contend with the fact the someone had buried 158 bowling balls under his house.

As per the report by CNN. Some of the bowling balls had serial numbers on them.&nbsp;

Olson called up Brunswick Bowling Products, the manufacturer of the bowling balls as per the markings on the balls. The company confirmed that the material the balls were made up had not gone toxic.

It also turned out that the balls were buried in 1950, when Olson's house was built. But who buried them there and why? Nobody knows.

158 bowling balls is quite a big number for a household to use for recreational purpose. So the Olsons have decided that these balls would be used to up the decorative quotient of their home. 
&nbsp;

Bowling's a good game. There may not be any better way to spend an evening with your friends smashing away at the pins in a good bowling alley. Bowling aficionados go one step ahead and create a mini bowling alley in their homes.

Bowling's a good game. There may not be any better way to spend an evening with your friends smashing away at the pins in a good bowling alley. Bowling aficionados go one step ahead and create a mini bowling alley in their homes. So by that logic, it's not unusual to find a bowling ball or two in a household. But 158? That too buried in the ground? Well read on. All was well for Michigan homeowner David Olson (33) till he was renovating the porch of his house. As he demolished the concrete slabs, he saw a spherical shape protruding from the ground. As he told CNN, he was intrigued and brushed the soil off the sphere. And he found that it was bowling ball. Olson dug further, he found about 15 bowling balls buried in the ground. The number kept on going up. And soon, Olson had to contend with the fact the someone had buried 158 bowling balls under his house. As per the report by CNN. Some of the bowling balls had serial numbers on them. Olson called up Brunswick Bowling Products, the manufacturer of the bowling balls as per the markings on the balls. The company confirmed that the material the balls were made up had not gone toxic. It also turned out that the balls were buried in 1950, when Olson's house was built. But who buried them there and why? Nobody knows. 158 bowling balls is quite a big number for a household to use for recreational purpose. So the Olsons have decided that these balls would be used to up the decorative quotient of their home.

Man finds 158 bowling balls buried under house during renovation

For years, the United States has adopted a wary tolerance of Haiti, batting aside the horror of kidnappings, murders and gang warfare. The more convenient strategy generally seemed to be backing whichever government was in power and supplying endless amounts of foreign aid.

Donald Trump supported President Jovenel Moïse mainly because Mr. Moïse supported a campaign to oust President Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela. And in February, the Biden administration accepted Mr. Moïse’s tenuous argument that he still had another year to serve despite opposition calls for his departure and large street protests. Mr. Moïse, though initially elected to a five-year term due to end in 2021, did not take office until 2017, thus his claim to an extra year as president.

There had appeared to be a tacit understanding during Mr. Moïse’s rule: Haiti is turbulent and difficult, a bomb waiting to explode in the hands of anyone who attempts to defuse it. After all, why should Mr. Biden take on the unrewarding task of “fixing” Haiti when there was already an elected president in office who could bear the brunt of criticism about the deteriorating political situation there?

But the assassination of Mr. Moïse on Wednesday will now force a reluctant administration to focus more carefully on the next steps it wants to take concerning Haiti. There are no simple options.

The killing has destroyed the Biden administration’s hopes (however far-fetched) for a peaceful transfer of power with elections presided over by Mr. Moïse. But that’s not to say that Haiti’s future is entirely up to the United States nor should it be. When the United States has stepped in, Haitians have ended up worse off. When President Jean Vilbrun Guillaume Sam was killed by an angry crowd in 1915, U.S. Navy ships lay on the Haitian coast waiting to quell unrest to keep Haiti stable for American business interests there. In the wake of the killing, U.S. Marines occupied Haiti and remained there for 19 years.

U.S. interventions didn’t stop there. In 1986, the dictatorship of Jean-Claude Duvalier (and his father before him) fell to a combination of popular unrest in Haiti and political maneuvering by Washington. The country managed to hold its first free and fair elections in 1990, in which Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a former liberation-theology priest, was elected. Three years after Mr. Aristide was removed in a coup, the Clinton administration reinstated him.

Haiti was never able to shake off the foreign yoke, except, one might argue, during the darkest days of the Duvalier regime. Over the years it has been at the mercy of the United States, of course, and of the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank, the Organization of American States and the United Nations, which deployed a peacekeeping force there from 2004 until 2017. Yet Haiti has ended up just as poor and unstable as ever, if not more so. And the country never truly recovered from a devastating earthquake in 2010.

Drug cartels and their Haitian connections have also played a damaging role. Observers say that much of the violence in recent years has stemmed from turf wars between street gangs operating in a largely lawless environment.

The presidential mandate of Mr. Moïse itself was iffy, to say the least. Only 21 percent of the electorate voted in that election. Nevertheless, it was easier for the United States and other parties to tolerate Mr. Moïse and wait for the next elections, no matter how flawed they were likely to be, than to deal with a void created by his assassination.

President Biden has called Mr. Moïse’s killing “very worrisome.” But Haiti was very worrisome even before the killing. Now the United States is confronted by an even murkier situation there: no leader, no legislature, a justice system in disarray, a nonfunctioning and dispirited police and army, and gangs roaming the streets. It’s not clear what will emerge from the vacuum at the top — perhaps a new strongman or, less likely, an interim government.

Despite that precariousness, the United States has still called for elections before the end of the year. But it’s hard to imagine how elections can proceed in an atmosphere of security and freedom, leading to a truly democratically elected president and legislature. As it stands, two men are claiming the role of prime minister, accentuating the sense of instability.

Haiti’s problems cannot be solved by U.S. intervention. The United States no longer has the standing, the stomach or even the desire to impose its vision on Haiti. The best option right now for the United States is to wait and watch and listen not just to the usual suspects but to a broad new generation of Haitian democrats who can responsibly begin to move toward a more workable Haitian polity.

Haiti still needs the cooperation of international friends who pay attention to the character and the goals of those to whom they extend financial and political support, rather than choosing a convenient candidate in a quickie election, with the catastrophic results for the country that we’ve seen in the past.

A majority of Haitians want to build back their institutions and return to a normal life: schools, clinics and businesses opening again, a plan to deal with the Covid-19 crisis, produce markets functioning and safe streets free from the threat of armed gangs. This is the best of all possible outcomes for Haiti — but sadly, it’s improbable, at least in the near future.

For years, the United States has adopted a wary tolerance of Haiti, batting aside the horror of kidnappings, murders and gang warfare. The more convenient strategy generally seemed to be backing whichever government was in power and supplying endless amounts of foreign aid.

For years, the United States has adopted a wary tolerance of Haiti, batting aside the horror of kidnappings, murders and gang warfare. The more convenient strategy generally seemed to be backing whichever government was in power and supplying endless amounts of foreign aid. Donald Trump supported President Jovenel Moïse mainly because Mr. Moïse supported a campaign to oust President Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela. And in February, the Biden administration accepted Mr. Moïse’s tenuous argument that he still had another year to serve despite opposition calls for his departure and large street protests. Mr. Moïse, though initially elected to a five-year term due to end in 2021, did not take office until 2017, thus his claim to an extra year as president. There had appeared to be a tacit understanding during Mr. Moïse’s rule: Haiti is turbulent and difficult, a bomb waiting to explode in the hands of anyone who attempts to defuse it. After all, why should Mr. Biden take on the unrewarding task of “fixing” Haiti when there was already an elected president in office who could bear the brunt of criticism about the deteriorating political situation there? But the assassination of Mr. Moïse on Wednesday will now force a reluctant administration to focus more carefully on the next steps it wants to take concerning Haiti. There are no simple options. The killing has destroyed the Biden administration’s hopes (however far-fetched) for a peaceful transfer of power with elections presided over by Mr. Moïse. But that’s not to say that Haiti’s future is entirely up to the United States nor should it be. When the United States has stepped in, Haitians have ended up worse off. When President Jean Vilbrun Guillaume Sam was killed by an angry crowd in 1915, U.S. Navy ships lay on the Haitian coast waiting to quell unrest to keep Haiti stable for American business interests there. In the wake of the killing, U.S. Marines occupied Haiti and remained there for 19 years. U.S. interventions didn’t stop there. In 1986, the dictatorship of Jean-Claude Duvalier (and his father before him) fell to a combination of popular unrest in Haiti and political maneuvering by Washington. The country managed to hold its first free and fair elections in 1990, in which Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a former liberation-theology priest, was elected. Three years after Mr. Aristide was removed in a coup, the Clinton administration reinstated him. Haiti was never able to shake off the foreign yoke, except, one might argue, during the darkest days of the Duvalier regime. Over the years it has been at the mercy of the United States, of course, and of the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank, the Organization of American States and the United Nations, which deployed a peacekeeping force there from 2004 until 2017. Yet Haiti has ended up just as poor and unstable as ever, if not more so. And the country never truly recovered from a devastating earthquake in 2010. Drug cartels and their Haitian connections have also played a damaging role. Observers say that much of the violence in recent years has stemmed from turf wars between street gangs operating in a largely lawless environment. The presidential mandate of Mr. Moïse itself was iffy, to say the least. Only 21 percent of the electorate voted in that election. Nevertheless, it was easier for the United States and other parties to tolerate Mr. Moïse and wait for the next elections, no matter how flawed they were likely to be, than to deal with a void created by his assassination. President Biden has called Mr. Moïse’s killing “very worrisome.” But Haiti was very worrisome even before the killing. Now the United States is confronted by an even murkier situation there: no leader, no legislature, a justice system in disarray, a nonfunctioning and dispirited police and army, and gangs roaming the streets. It’s not clear what will emerge from the vacuum at the top — perhaps a new strongman or, less likely, an interim government. Despite that precariousness, the United States has still called for elections before the end of the year. But it’s hard to imagine how elections can proceed in an atmosphere of security and freedom, leading to a truly democratically elected president and legislature. As it stands, two men are claiming the role of prime minister, accentuating the sense of instability. Haiti’s problems cannot be solved by U.S. intervention. The United States no longer has the standing, the stomach or even the desire to impose its vision on Haiti. The best option right now for the United States is to wait and watch and listen not just to the usual suspects but to a broad new generation of Haitian democrats who can responsibly begin to move toward a more workable Haitian polity. Haiti still needs the cooperation of international friends who pay attention to the character and the goals of those to whom they extend financial and political support, rather than choosing a convenient candidate in a quickie election, with the catastrophic results for the country that we’ve seen in the past. A majority of Haitians want to build back their institutions and return to a normal life: schools, clinics and businesses opening again, a plan to deal with the Covid-19 crisis, produce markets functioning and safe streets free from the threat of armed gangs. This is the best of all possible outcomes for Haiti — but sadly, it’s improbable, at least in the near future.

Haiti is in peril, and there are no simple options

India's drug regulator Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) will be considering giving emergency use authorisation to Zydus Cadila's Covid vaccine ZyCV-D in a few more days. ANI reported the development quoting sources.

"Subject Expert Committee (SEC) is expected to meet this week and will review the data. However, final approval for EUA will be given only after a few meetings," sources were quoted as saying.

It was further informed that the SEC will examine data submitted by Zydus Cadila for children above 12 years. But if data found to be satisfied then final approval from DCGI may be granted in few days.&nbsp;

ZyCoV-D is a DNA Covid vaccine, which carries the genetic code for that part of a virus that triggers the immune system of the body.

According to sources, the continuous and rolling review of data is ongoing and even if SEC meeting takes place this week then final approval will take few more days.Earlier, on Friday, Dr VK Paul, Member (Health) of the NITI Aayog told ANI that a decision on the approval of Zydus Cadila`s COVID-19 vaccine is expected soon, adding that the data and evaluation would determine the outcome.ZyCoV-D is a three-dose COVID shot, the world`s first Plasmid DNA vaccine.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

India's drug regulator Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) will be considering giving emergency use authorisation to Zydus Cadila's Covid vaccine ZyCV-D in a few more days.

India's drug regulator Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) will be considering giving emergency use authorisation to Zydus Cadila's Covid vaccine ZyCV-D in a few more days. ANI reported the development quoting sources. "Subject Expert Committee (SEC) is expected to meet this week and will review the data. However, final approval for EUA will be given only after a few meetings," sources were quoted as saying. It was further informed that the SEC will examine data submitted by Zydus Cadila for children above 12 years. But if data found to be satisfied then final approval from DCGI may be granted in few days. ZyCoV-D is a DNA Covid vaccine, which carries the genetic code for that part of a virus that triggers the immune system of the body. According to sources, the continuous and rolling review of data is ongoing and even if SEC meeting takes place this week then final approval will take few more days.Earlier, on Friday, Dr VK Paul, Member (Health) of the NITI Aayog told ANI that a decision on the approval of Zydus Cadila`s COVID-19 vaccine is expected soon, adding that the data and evaluation would determine the outcome.ZyCoV-D is a three-dose COVID shot, the world`s first Plasmid DNA vaccine. (With inputs from agencies)

India: Zydus Cadila Covid vaccine may get approval, says report

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Zee News Rajasthan

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