Cyclonic Storm `Burevi` is most likely to emerge into the Gulf of Mannar in the morning of December 3, and cross south Tamil Nadu between Kanyakumari and Pamban on the early morning of December 4, said India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday morning.

In view of the approaching cyclonic storm, a cyclone warning cage has been mounted on the Pamban bridge in Tamil Nadu."Cyclone Storm "Burevi" lay cantered about 330 kilometres East-Southeast of Trincomalee.&nbsp;

To cross Sri Lanka coast close to Trincomalee on December 2 evening or night. To emerge into Gulf of Mannar on December 3, morning and cross south Tamil Nadu between Kanyakumari and Pamban on the early morning of December 4," tweeted IMD. Last week Cyclone Nivar had hit Tamil Nadu.&nbsp;

Cyclonic Storm `Burevi` is most likely to emerge into the Gulf of Mannar in the morning of December 3, and cross south Tamil Nadu between Kanyakumari and Pamban on the early morning of December 4, said India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday morning.

Cyclonic Storm `Burevi` is most likely to emerge into the Gulf of Mannar in the morning of December 3, and cross south Tamil Nadu between Kanyakumari and Pamban on the early morning of December 4, said India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday morning. In view of the approaching cyclonic storm, a cyclone warning cage has been mounted on the Pamban bridge in Tamil Nadu."Cyclone Storm "Burevi" lay cantered about 330 kilometres East-Southeast of Trincomalee. To cross Sri Lanka coast close to Trincomalee on December 2 evening or night. To emerge into Gulf of Mannar on December 3, morning and cross south Tamil Nadu between Kanyakumari and Pamban on the early morning of December 4," tweeted IMD. Last week Cyclone Nivar had hit Tamil Nadu.

Cyclone Burevi to hit Tamil Nadu on December 4

A lawyer part of current US President Donald Trump's campaign&nbsp;is facing widespread flak for his extreme comments directed at former head of a federal cyber-security agency. Chris Krebs (pictured above), the former head of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (Cisa) had dismissed claims of fraud in US Presidential Election 2020. Joe DiGenova, the lawyer associated with the Trump campaign, said that Krebs should be "taken out at dawn and shot".

Donald Trump is yet to concede in spite of Joe Biden having a clear lead in the electoral college. Trump has mounted a legal offensive to challenge the validity of US election results.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-probes-pardon-bribery-scheme-no-govt-official-under-investigation-346798">US probes pardon bribery scheme; no govt official under investigation</a> 
 
DiGenova, the Trump campaign lawyer made the extreme comments on The Howie Carr show, a podcast on Youtube. After Digenova made the remarks about Krebs, the host did not challenge his assertions.

Chris Krebs was fired as the head of Cisa not long after he said that US Elections were "most secure".

Although Trump has mounted number of lawsuits against election results, he or his team have not been able to produce substantial evidence and have suffered defeats in various courts.

A lawyer part of current US President Donald Trump's campaign is facing widespread flak for his extreme comments directed at former head of a federal cyber-security agency.

A lawyer part of current US President Donald Trump's campaign is facing widespread flak for his extreme comments directed at former head of a federal cyber-security agency. Chris Krebs (pictured above), the former head of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (Cisa) had dismissed claims of fraud in US Presidential Election 2020. Joe DiGenova, the lawyer associated with the Trump campaign, said that Krebs should be "taken out at dawn and shot". Donald Trump is yet to concede in spite of Joe Biden having a clear lead in the electoral college. Trump has mounted a legal offensive to challenge the validity of US election results. Also Read | US probes pardon bribery scheme; no govt official under investigation DiGenova, the Trump campaign lawyer made the extreme comments on The Howie Carr show, a podcast on Youtube. After Digenova made the remarks about Krebs, the host did not challenge his assertions. Chris Krebs was fired as the head of Cisa not long after he said that US Elections were "most secure". Although Trump has mounted number of lawsuits against election results, he or his team have not been able to produce substantial evidence and have suffered defeats in various courts.

Ex-US Election cybersecurity chief should be taken out and shot, says Trump lawyer

A senior British minister said on Tuesday that there was still a possibility of Britain leaving European Union without a formal trade deal. A no-deal Brexit can prove to be problematic as it may give rise to disputes between Britain and the EU in the immediate and distant future. The current talks over the trade deal have hit a snag on fishing, governance rules and dispute resolution.

Britain is set to leave the EU's orbit on December 31 this year. Both sides are engaged in talks to hammer out a trade deal in order to avoid negative effect on USD 1 trillion annual trade. Each side is urging the other to compromise.

A French official said Britain must clarify its positions and "really negotiate", and cautioned that the EU would not accept a "substandard deal".

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uks-johnson-urges-lawmakers-to-back-regional-covid-19-restrictions-346753">UK's Johnson urges lawmakers to back regional COVID-19 restrictions</a> 
 
Both Britain and the EU say they want a deal, and their two negotiating teams have been locked in intensive talks for more than five weeks though they are still at odds over the three most contentious issues.

Yet, EU sources have said they are hoping for a deal in the coming days and the bloc's negotiator, Michel Barnier, was due to update the 27 national envoys to the EU at 0730 GMT on Wednesday in Brussels.

Michael Gove, the cabinet minister responsible for the divorce deal, said an agreement was close but that to get it over the line the EU would have to live up to its responsibilities.

Asked if a "no-deal" scenario was closer than anyone would admit, he told ITV: "It's certainly the case that there is a chance that we may not get a negotiated outcome."

"That's why it's important business prepares for all eventualities, but I very much want a deal and I believe that we can secure one," Gove said.

Gove avoided repeating an earlier prediction of a 66% probability of a deal, declining to give a figure.

A report by Times Radio that the talks had entered the so-called "tunnel" or final stretch saw the pound rise to as high as $1.3442. [GBP/]

"In the endgame"

While most major investment banks say a deal is their central prediction, some investors have pointed out that Wall Street and the City of London were poorly prepared for the 2016 referendum as few believed the United Kingdom would vote out.

Failure to secure a deal would snarl borders, spook financial markets and disrupt delicate supply chains that stretch across Europe and beyond -- just as the world grapples with the vast economic cost of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, under pressure from opponents in his party who dislike strict coronavirus restrictions, says a deal is preferable but that the United Kingdom could prosper without one. Both sides have contingency plans for a no-deal exit.

Even if a trade accord is secured, it is likely to be just a narrow deal on goods, and some disruption is certain as border controls are erected between Britain and the world's biggest trading bloc.

Britain's Office for Budget Responsibility said last week that failure to agree a free trade deal would wipe an extra 2% off UK economic output - in addition to the 4% drop from leaving the bloc with a deal - while driving up inflation, unemployment and public borrowing.

Talks have snagged on fishing in Britain's rich waters, on what EU rules London will accept, and on how any future disputes might be resolved.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Europe's most powerful national leader, has said some of the EU's 27 member states are getting impatient.

Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin said a deal could be done this week, while his deputy, Leo Varadkar, told the Dublin Chamber of Commerce: "We still don't know what will happen there, but obviously we are all hopeful that we will see an FTA (free trade agreement) concluded in the next couple of weeks."

(With Reuters inputs)

A senior British minister said on Tuesday that there was still a possibility of Britain leaving European Union without a formal trade deal. A no-deal Brexit can prove to be problematic as it may give rise to disputes between Britain and the EU in the immediate and distant future.

A senior British minister said on Tuesday that there was still a possibility of Britain leaving European Union without a formal trade deal. A no-deal Brexit can prove to be problematic as it may give rise to disputes between Britain and the EU in the immediate and distant future. The current talks over the trade deal have hit a snag on fishing, governance rules and dispute resolution. Britain is set to leave the EU's orbit on December 31 this year. Both sides are engaged in talks to hammer out a trade deal in order to avoid negative effect on USD 1 trillion annual trade. Each side is urging the other to compromise. A French official said Britain must clarify its positions and "really negotiate", and cautioned that the EU would not accept a "substandard deal". Also Read | UK's Johnson urges lawmakers to back regional COVID-19 restrictions Both Britain and the EU say they want a deal, and their two negotiating teams have been locked in intensive talks for more than five weeks though they are still at odds over the three most contentious issues. Yet, EU sources have said they are hoping for a deal in the coming days and the bloc's negotiator, Michel Barnier, was due to update the 27 national envoys to the EU at 0730 GMT on Wednesday in Brussels. Michael Gove, the cabinet minister responsible for the divorce deal, said an agreement was close but that to get it over the line the EU would have to live up to its responsibilities. Asked if a "no-deal" scenario was closer than anyone would admit, he told ITV: "It's certainly the case that there is a chance that we may not get a negotiated outcome." "That's why it's important business prepares for all eventualities, but I very much want a deal and I believe that we can secure one," Gove said. Gove avoided repeating an earlier prediction of a 66% probability of a deal, declining to give a figure. A report by Times Radio that the talks had entered the so-called "tunnel" or final stretch saw the pound rise to as high as $1.3442. [GBP/] "In the endgame" While most major investment banks say a deal is their central prediction, some investors have pointed out that Wall Street and the City of London were poorly prepared for the 2016 referendum as few believed the United Kingdom would vote out. Failure to secure a deal would snarl borders, spook financial markets and disrupt delicate supply chains that stretch across Europe and beyond -- just as the world grapples with the vast economic cost of the COVID-19 outbreak. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, under pressure from opponents in his party who dislike strict coronavirus restrictions, says a deal is preferable but that the United Kingdom could prosper without one. Both sides have contingency plans for a no-deal exit. Even if a trade accord is secured, it is likely to be just a narrow deal on goods, and some disruption is certain as border controls are erected between Britain and the world's biggest trading bloc. Britain's Office for Budget Responsibility said last week that failure to agree a free trade deal would wipe an extra 2% off UK economic output - in addition to the 4% drop from leaving the bloc with a deal - while driving up inflation, unemployment and public borrowing. Talks have snagged on fishing in Britain's rich waters, on what EU rules London will accept, and on how any future disputes might be resolved. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Europe's most powerful national leader, has said some of the EU's 27 member states are getting impatient. Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin said a deal could be done this week, while his deputy, Leo Varadkar, told the Dublin Chamber of Commerce: "We still don't know what will happen there, but obviously we are all hopeful that we will see an FTA (free trade agreement) concluded in the next couple of weeks." (With Reuters inputs)

No-deal Brexit still a possibility: British minister

Hearing for sexual harassment allegation against a popular television personality in China has begun. The accuser has called this a major moment in country's still-young #MeToo movement

Zhou&nbsp;Xiaoxuan, now 27, levelled sexual allegation charges against prominent television host Zhu Jun in 2018. She accused him of groping and forcibly kissing her when she was an intern at state broadcaster CCTV.

China's first-ever civil code -- passed in May -- expanded the definition of sexual harassment, but many women are still reluctant to come forward and it is rare for cases like this to make it to court.

"I'm very nervous," she told AFP on Wednesday ahead of the hearing. "But whether we win or lose the case, it has meaning."&nbsp;

"If we lose, it allows the questions we raised at least to remain in history. Someone will have to give us an answer."&nbsp;

Zhou Xiaoxuan's&nbsp;case against Zhu was originally filed under the "personality rights" law -- covering rights relating to an individual's health and body -- but her lawyers have asked for it to be considered under the new legislation.

She said she found herself alone in a dressing room with Zhu in 2014, and that he groped her after asking if she wanted to continue to work for the channel after her internship.

Zhu is a former host of the country's annual Spring Festival Gala -- one of the world's most-watched television shows -- and other major broadcast events.

He has denied the allegations, and launched his own court case accusing her of damaging his reputation.The woman&nbsp;was among a wave of people who came forward in 2018 when an emerging #MeToo movement rocked China.

When Zhou&nbsp;initially reported the case to police, she said she was told that speaking out would affect the image of the state broadcaster where Zhu worked and hurt the feelings of those who admired him.

"These (experiences) make you feel like your existence is very insignificant," she told AFP.&nbsp;

"Actual harm inflicted on your body can't even compare with the other party's illusory fame and power."

Many women are reluctant to speak out in China's conservative society where victims can also face blame.

But the woman&nbsp;has no regrets about launching the case and says that even if it is unsuccessful, she hopes it will encourage more women to speak up.

"Even if I had to experience this all over again, I don't regret it. In this process I developed an emotional connection with many women and men who had similar experiences," she said.

"I think all of this is still meaningful."

Although China's #MeToo movement was restrained by online censorship and a tightening on civil community issues, several well-known individuals came under fire over allegations of sexual misconduct, including the former head of the government-run Buddhist association.

Lawyer Lu Xiaoquan told AFP that although disputes over sexual harassment can now be taken to court, "having these laws cannot fundamentally change the difficulties sexual harassment victims face."

(With AFP inputs)

Hearing for sexual harassment allegation against a popular television personality in China has begun. The accuser has called this a major moment in country's still-young #MeToo movement Zhou Xiaoxuan, now 27, levelled sexual allegation charges against prominent television host Zhu Jun in 2018.

Hearing for sexual harassment allegation against a popular television personality in China has begun. The accuser has called this a major moment in country's still-young #MeToo movement Zhou Xiaoxuan, now 27, levelled sexual allegation charges against prominent television host Zhu Jun in 2018. She accused him of groping and forcibly kissing her when she was an intern at state broadcaster CCTV. China's first-ever civil code -- passed in May -- expanded the definition of sexual harassment, but many women are still reluctant to come forward and it is rare for cases like this to make it to court. "I'm very nervous," she told AFP on Wednesday ahead of the hearing. "But whether we win or lose the case, it has meaning." "If we lose, it allows the questions we raised at least to remain in history. Someone will have to give us an answer." Zhou Xiaoxuan's case against Zhu was originally filed under the "personality rights" law -- covering rights relating to an individual's health and body -- but her lawyers have asked for it to be considered under the new legislation. She said she found herself alone in a dressing room with Zhu in 2014, and that he groped her after asking if she wanted to continue to work for the channel after her internship. Zhu is a former host of the country's annual Spring Festival Gala -- one of the world's most-watched television shows -- and other major broadcast events. He has denied the allegations, and launched his own court case accusing her of damaging his reputation.The woman was among a wave of people who came forward in 2018 when an emerging #MeToo movement rocked China. When Zhou initially reported the case to police, she said she was told that speaking out would affect the image of the state broadcaster where Zhu worked and hurt the feelings of those who admired him. "These (experiences) make you feel like your existence is very insignificant," she told AFP. "Actual harm inflicted on your body can't even compare with the other party's illusory fame and power." Many women are reluctant to speak out in China's conservative society where victims can also face blame. But the woman has no regrets about launching the case and says that even if it is unsuccessful, she hopes it will encourage more women to speak up. "Even if I had to experience this all over again, I don't regret it. In this process I developed an emotional connection with many women and men who had similar experiences," she said. "I think all of this is still meaningful." Although China's #MeToo movement was restrained by online censorship and a tightening on civil community issues, several well-known individuals came under fire over allegations of sexual misconduct, including the former head of the government-run Buddhist association. Lawyer Lu Xiaoquan told AFP that although disputes over sexual harassment can now be taken to court, "having these laws cannot fundamentally change the difficulties sexual harassment victims face." (With AFP inputs)

Court hearing begins in sexual harassment case marking China's MeToo movement

Just as the UK became the first country to approve a Covid-19 vaccine for general use, Interpol on Wednesday had a grim warning. The Interpol global police co-ordination agency warned that organised criminal networks could be targeting COVID-19 vaccines, and could look to sell fake shots.

Interpol said that it had issued a global alert to law enforcement across 194 member countries. It has warned them to prepare for organised crime networks to target coronavirus vaccines, both physically and online.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-becomes-first-country-to-approve-pfizer-biontech-covid-vaccine-for-general-use-346858">UK becomes first country to approve Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine for general use</a>

"As governments are preparing to roll out vaccines, criminal organisations are planning to infiltrate or disrupt supply chains. Criminal networks will also be targeting unsuspecting members of the public via fake websites and false cures, which could pose a significant risk to their health, even their lives," said Interpol secretary general Juergen Stock.

(With Reuters&nbsp;inputs)

Just as the UK became the first country to approve a Covid-19 vaccine for general use, Interpol on Wednesday had a grim warning. The Interpol global police co-ordination agency warned that organised criminal networks could be targeting COVID-19 vaccines, and could look to sell fake shots.

Just as the UK became the first country to approve a Covid-19 vaccine for general use, Interpol on Wednesday had a grim warning. The Interpol global police co-ordination agency warned that organised criminal networks could be targeting COVID-19 vaccines, and could look to sell fake shots. Interpol said that it had issued a global alert to law enforcement across 194 member countries. It has warned them to prepare for organised crime networks to target coronavirus vaccines, both physically and online. Also Read | UK becomes first country to approve Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine for general use "As governments are preparing to roll out vaccines, criminal organisations are planning to infiltrate or disrupt supply chains. Criminal networks will also be targeting unsuspecting members of the public via fake websites and false cures, which could pose a significant risk to their health, even their lives," said Interpol secretary general Juergen Stock. (With Reuters inputs)

Covid vaccines may be targetted by criminals, warns Interpol

Her mysterious smile has allured millions over centuries. Experts fight to this day to really decipher the iconic painting by Leonardo Da Vinci. For each eye, Mona Lisa seemingly opens new realms of appreciation. The famed painting is one of the major attractions in the Louvre Museum in Paris.

But for the majority of us, Mona Lisa smiles from beyond a protective glass. Flash photography is strictly prohibited.

But what if the painting is uncased and brought forward just for you to observe its timeless glory with your own eyes? This will be a great Parisian date indeed.

If you want to take a shot at this once-in-a-lifetime experience then the Louvre Museum has some plans for you.

The museum is carrying an auction for this priceless experience. If you are the winning bidder, you will be invited for the uncasing of Mona Lisa painting. The uncasing is done once a year to inspect the state of the painting.

Imagine being there, basking in the beauty of the painting in a way only Leonardo Da Vinci did.

This is not all, the winner of the auction will be taken for an exclusive private tour of the museum by none other than the president of the museum.

Good things don't stop here. Luxury brands Cartier and Dior have partnered with the museum for this curated experience.

Cartier has donated one of its Panthère de Cartier bracelet for this. The bracelet will be presented to the winner during his/her private tour. The winner will also be taken to secret Cartier jewellery workshops in Paris.

Interested?

Her mysterious smile has allured millions over centuries. Experts fight to this day to really decipher the iconic painting by Leonardo Da Vinci. For each eye, Mona Lisa seemingly opens new realms of appreciation.

Her mysterious smile has allured millions over centuries. Experts fight to this day to really decipher the iconic painting by Leonardo Da Vinci. For each eye, Mona Lisa seemingly opens new realms of appreciation. The famed painting is one of the major attractions in the Louvre Museum in Paris. But for the majority of us, Mona Lisa smiles from beyond a protective glass. Flash photography is strictly prohibited. But what if the painting is uncased and brought forward just for you to observe its timeless glory with your own eyes? This will be a great Parisian date indeed. If you want to take a shot at this once-in-a-lifetime experience then the Louvre Museum has some plans for you. The museum is carrying an auction for this priceless experience. If you are the winning bidder, you will be invited for the uncasing of Mona Lisa painting. The uncasing is done once a year to inspect the state of the painting. Imagine being there, basking in the beauty of the painting in a way only Leonardo Da Vinci did. This is not all, the winner of the auction will be taken for an exclusive private tour of the museum by none other than the president of the museum. Good things don't stop here. Luxury brands Cartier and Dior have partnered with the museum for this curated experience. Cartier has donated one of its Panthère de Cartier bracelet for this. The bracelet will be presented to the winner during his/her private tour. The winner will also be taken to secret Cartier jewellery workshops in Paris. Interested?

Want an exclusive date with THE Mona Lisa? This might help

Five years ago, Jeffrey D. Zients was the head of the Obama administration’s National Economic Council, working to push across the finish line a federal rule that would prevent financial advisers from taking advantage of retirees. He won praise from progressives for fending off fierce resistance from Wall Street and fighting for consumer protections.

These days, Zients is a co-chairman of President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team who is being watched warily by members of the Democratic Party’s left wing. Progressive advocacy groups such as the Revolving Door Project and Justice Democrats, concerned he would defend corporate America if given a top economic policy job in the Biden administration, pushed to keep him out of such a role. They view his recent work running an investment fund — Cranemere — and sitting on the board of Facebook as a detriment.

The preemptive resistance to Zients (pronounced ZYE-ents) from the left is the latest indication of how the Democratic Party has shifted in the dozen years since former President Barack Obama took office amid the financial crisis. Now, business and finance experience can turn otherwise qualified White House candidates into pariahs for progressives.

Zients, 54, has emerged as an important power center in the Biden transition team and was mentioned as a possible candidate to once again lead the National Economic Council or head the Office of Management and Budget, a role he held in an acting capacity during the Obama administration. With those jobs set to be filled by others, Zients is the front-runner, according to people familiar with the transition team’s plans, to be the Biden administration’s COVID czar, steering the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

In a sign of the pushback to come, the Revolving Door Project, which has been urging Biden to keep corporate influence out of his administration, has compiled a 13-page document about Zients. The file highlights his wealth, his appetite for deficit reduction during the Obama years and his recent work as chief executive of Cranemere.

In the Obama administration, “his role was essentially to be a management consultant for the executive branch: cutting costs, finding efficiencies and looking at things like a businessman,” the Revolving Door document says.

The group points to the majority stake that Cranemere took in NorthStar Anesthesia, a company that provides anesthesia services to hospitals and medical offices, in 2018. It cites negative reviews that NorthStar Anesthesia received through the Better Business Bureau, including allegations of surprise billing and a threat to send a dental patient’s bill to a collection agency during a dispute over insurance coverage. That matter was resolved, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer&lt;em&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;

A spokeswoman for NorthStar said that within two months of Cranemere’s acquisition of the company, it had ended its practice of “balance billing” — charging patients the difference between the cost of their services and what their insurers will pay. Jennifer Psaki, a spokeswoman for the Biden transition team, said Zients opposes surprise billing practices.

“Jeff, like President-elect Biden, supports legislation to stop surprise billing by forcing the entire health care system to limit patient payments to in-network rates for all procedures and providers not preapproved by the patient,” Psaki said.

Progressives have been pushing the Biden transition team to install their preferred candidates in top roles and have been fairly supportive of some of Biden’s early picks. These include Janet Yellen, the former Federal Reserve chair, to be Treasury secretary; Cecilia Rouse, a Princeton University labor economist, to run the Council of Economic Advisers; and Neera Tanden, chief executive of the Center for American Progress, to lead the Office of Management and Budget.

But others are triggering a backlash, including Brian Deese, whom Biden has tapped to head the National Economic Council, and Adewale Adeyemo, the president-elect’s choice for deputy Treasury secretary. Both men have worked at asset management firm BlackRock, and many in the progressive wing view deep industry ties as a red flag.

“Democrats should overall be alarmed by any Democratic administration considering filling the White House with Wall Street insiders and corporate lobbyists,” said Waleed Shahid, spokesman for Justice Democrats, a political action committee.

Early in his career, Zients worked as a consultant at Bain &amp;amp; Co. before joining Advisory Board Co., a health care research and consulting firm, where he rose to chief executive. He helped lead a spinoff of that business, which became the Corporate Executive Board, and both companies ultimately went public, in 1999 and 2001. According to Fortune, the Advisory Board’s profitable initial public offering helped fuel Zients’ net worth, which the magazine placed at nearly $150 million by 2002.

In 2009, Zients joined the Office of Management and Budget as “chief performance officer,” rising to prominence within the Obama administration as a “Mr. Fix-It” with strong operations skills and a knack for solving tough problems. Obama administration officials remember him for reviving the Affordable Care Act’s website, HealthCare.gov, after glitches plagued its rollout.

“I call him the ultimate firefighter on these jobs,” said Denis R. McDonough, Obama’s chief of staff, who asked Zients to take on the project of fixing the website in 2013. “He runs into the burning buildings. He doesn’t ask why. He doesn’t ask when. He doesn’t ask who’s going with him.”

Later in Obama’s second term, Zients led the National Economic Council, where he shepherded new regulations to crack down on payday lending and steered the development of the so-called fiduciary rule — a requirement that financial professionals put the interests of their customers with retirement accounts ahead of their own. The Labor Department rule, which the financial services and insurance industries strongly challenged, was struck down by a federal appeals court in 2018.

Those efforts earned him accolades from some progressive Democrats.

“The government needs talent and experience,” said Dennis Kelleher, president of Better Markets, which promotes Wall Street reform, and a member of Biden’s transition review team for the Fed, banking and securities regulators. “People who are going to try to regulate an industry as complicated as finance can’t say we’re only going to hire people who know nothing about finance.”

But his role as a bridge to business during the Obama administration has raised some eyebrows. Zients was one of the administration’s chief liaisons to executives and lobbyists when anger at Wall Street over the 2007-08 financial crisis was at its peak. Top lobbyists such as the Business Roundtable and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have praised Zients as someone who heard them out.

Describing his desire to listen to business leaders, Zients told executives at a 2014 event at the Economic Club of Washington, “You are the customers, all of you as business leaders, in terms of growing the economy.”

After Obama left office, Zients joined private equity investor Vincent Mai’s Cranemere fund as chief executive. The private holding company has investors from the United States, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East and takes a long-term investing approach in the mold of Warren Buffett.

Zients, who is on leave from Cranemere, also spent two years on the board of Facebook and was a member of the company’s audit committee. He has told people that he had concerns about the company’s direction and governance, and opted not to seek reelection to the board this year. Facebook has come under fire from Democrats for allowing the spread of disinformation and from Republicans who accuse it of censorship.

Jeff Hauser, director of the Revolving Door Project, said Zients’ experience working in private equity and at Facebook was particularly problematic and could portend trouble for progressive causes in a Biden White House. And while he sees Zients’ experience in the health care industry as useful for managing the pandemic response, Hauser said he was concerned that Zients could be too accommodating to business as vaccines are rolled out next year.

“Dissemination and delivery of the vaccine will be a significant undertaking,” Hauser said. He added that Zients understood how to do it, “but whether or not he would be too sympathetic to businesses in management of that power is to be determined.”

In a role directing the virus response, which will require coordination across government agencies and the private sector, corporate management experience could be an asset.

Fred P. Hochberg, who was president of the U.S. Export-Import Bank from 2009-17, said that ideological labels evolved over time and that business experience should not be a blemish.

“I think Jeff is certainly progressive, but there’s a pragmatism, a ‘what can we get done to move things forward?’ ” Hochberg said. “In government, it’s about accomplishing things. It’s not just about making a statement.”

Five years ago, Jeffrey D. Zients was the head of the Obama administration’s National Economic Council, working to push across the finish line a federal rule that would prevent financial advisers from taking advantage of retirees.

Five years ago, Jeffrey D. Zients was the head of the Obama administration’s National Economic Council, working to push across the finish line a federal rule that would prevent financial advisers from taking advantage of retirees. He won praise from progressives for fending off fierce resistance from Wall Street and fighting for consumer protections. These days, Zients is a co-chairman of President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team who is being watched warily by members of the Democratic Party’s left wing. Progressive advocacy groups such as the Revolving Door Project and Justice Democrats, concerned he would defend corporate America if given a top economic policy job in the Biden administration, pushed to keep him out of such a role. They view his recent work running an investment fund — Cranemere — and sitting on the board of Facebook as a detriment. The preemptive resistance to Zients (pronounced ZYE-ents) from the left is the latest indication of how the Democratic Party has shifted in the dozen years since former President Barack Obama took office amid the financial crisis. Now, business and finance experience can turn otherwise qualified White House candidates into pariahs for progressives. Zients, 54, has emerged as an important power center in the Biden transition team and was mentioned as a possible candidate to once again lead the National Economic Council or head the Office of Management and Budget, a role he held in an acting capacity during the Obama administration. With those jobs set to be filled by others, Zients is the front-runner, according to people familiar with the transition team’s plans, to be the Biden administration’s COVID czar, steering the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. In a sign of the pushback to come, the Revolving Door Project, which has been urging Biden to keep corporate influence out of his administration, has compiled a 13-page document about Zients. The file highlights his wealth, his appetite for deficit reduction during the Obama years and his recent work as chief executive of Cranemere. In the Obama administration, “his role was essentially to be a management consultant for the executive branch: cutting costs, finding efficiencies and looking at things like a businessman,” the Revolving Door document says. The group points to the majority stake that Cranemere took in NorthStar Anesthesia, a company that provides anesthesia services to hospitals and medical offices, in 2018. It cites negative reviews that NorthStar Anesthesia received through the Better Business Bureau, including allegations of surprise billing and a threat to send a dental patient’s bill to a collection agency during a dispute over insurance coverage. That matter was resolved, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. A spokeswoman for NorthStar said that within two months of Cranemere’s acquisition of the company, it had ended its practice of “balance billing” — charging patients the difference between the cost of their services and what their insurers will pay. Jennifer Psaki, a spokeswoman for the Biden transition team, said Zients opposes surprise billing practices. “Jeff, like President-elect Biden, supports legislation to stop surprise billing by forcing the entire health care system to limit patient payments to in-network rates for all procedures and providers not preapproved by the patient,” Psaki said. Progressives have been pushing the Biden transition team to install their preferred candidates in top roles and have been fairly supportive of some of Biden’s early picks. These include Janet Yellen, the former Federal Reserve chair, to be Treasury secretary; Cecilia Rouse, a Princeton University labor economist, to run the Council of Economic Advisers; and Neera Tanden, chief executive of the Center for American Progress, to lead the Office of Management and Budget. But others are triggering a backlash, including Brian Deese, whom Biden has tapped to head the National Economic Council, and Adewale Adeyemo, the president-elect’s choice for deputy Treasury secretary. Both men have worked at asset management firm BlackRock, and many in the progressive wing view deep industry ties as a red flag. “Democrats should overall be alarmed by any Democratic administration considering filling the White House with Wall Street insiders and corporate lobbyists,” said Waleed Shahid, spokesman for Justice Democrats, a political action committee. Early in his career, Zients worked as a consultant at Bain &amp; Co. before joining Advisory Board Co., a health care research and consulting firm, where he rose to chief executive. He helped lead a spinoff of that business, which became the Corporate Executive Board, and both companies ultimately went public, in 1999 and 2001. According to Fortune, the Advisory Board’s profitable initial public offering helped fuel Zients’ net worth, which the magazine placed at nearly $150 million by 2002. In 2009, Zients joined the Office of Management and Budget as “chief performance officer,” rising to prominence within the Obama administration as a “Mr. Fix-It” with strong operations skills and a knack for solving tough problems. Obama administration officials remember him for reviving the Affordable Care Act’s website, HealthCare.gov, after glitches plagued its rollout. “I call him the ultimate firefighter on these jobs,” said Denis R. McDonough, Obama’s chief of staff, who asked Zients to take on the project of fixing the website in 2013. “He runs into the burning buildings. He doesn’t ask why. He doesn’t ask when. He doesn’t ask who’s going with him.” Later in Obama’s second term, Zients led the National Economic Council, where he shepherded new regulations to crack down on payday lending and steered the development of the so-called fiduciary rule — a requirement that financial professionals put the interests of their customers with retirement accounts ahead of their own. The Labor Department rule, which the financial services and insurance industries strongly challenged, was struck down by a federal appeals court in 2018. Those efforts earned him accolades from some progressive Democrats. “The government needs talent and experience,” said Dennis Kelleher, president of Better Markets, which promotes Wall Street reform, and a member of Biden’s transition review team for the Fed, banking and securities regulators. “People who are going to try to regulate an industry as complicated as finance can’t say we’re only going to hire people who know nothing about finance.” But his role as a bridge to business during the Obama administration has raised some eyebrows. Zients was one of the administration’s chief liaisons to executives and lobbyists when anger at Wall Street over the 2007-08 financial crisis was at its peak. Top lobbyists such as the Business Roundtable and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have praised Zients as someone who heard them out. Describing his desire to listen to business leaders, Zients told executives at a 2014 event at the Economic Club of Washington, “You are the customers, all of you as business leaders, in terms of growing the economy.” After Obama left office, Zients joined private equity investor Vincent Mai’s Cranemere fund as chief executive. The private holding company has investors from the United States, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East and takes a long-term investing approach in the mold of Warren Buffett. Zients, who is on leave from Cranemere, also spent two years on the board of Facebook and was a member of the company’s audit committee. He has told people that he had concerns about the company’s direction and governance, and opted not to seek reelection to the board this year. Facebook has come under fire from Democrats for allowing the spread of disinformation and from Republicans who accuse it of censorship. Jeff Hauser, director of the Revolving Door Project, said Zients’ experience working in private equity and at Facebook was particularly problematic and could portend trouble for progressive causes in a Biden White House. And while he sees Zients’ experience in the health care industry as useful for managing the pandemic response, Hauser said he was concerned that Zients could be too accommodating to business as vaccines are rolled out next year. “Dissemination and delivery of the vaccine will be a significant undertaking,” Hauser said. He added that Zients understood how to do it, “but whether or not he would be too sympathetic to businesses in management of that power is to be determined.” In a role directing the virus response, which will require coordination across government agencies and the private sector, corporate management experience could be an asset. Fred P. Hochberg, who was president of the U.S. Export-Import Bank from 2009-17, said that ideological labels evolved over time and that business experience should not be a blemish. “I think Jeff is certainly progressive, but there’s a pragmatism, a ‘what can we get done to move things forward?’ ” Hochberg said. “In government, it’s about accomplishing things. It’s not just about making a statement.”

Biden faces a balancing act in choosing top aides with business ties

The fierce and preemptive Republican pushback against President-elect Joe Biden’s choice of Neera Tanden this week to head the White House budget office underscored the difficulties the incoming administration will face in maneuvering its nominees through a polarized Senate.

In the 11 years since Biden served in the chamber, partisanship has intensified, and nominations — once an area dominated by courtesy, comity and a presumption of accommodation — have become just another brutal battlefield.

Republicans will not be eager to accede to Biden’s choices if they can find reason for opposition. And disparaging comments about Republicans on Twitter from Tanden, a longtime Democratic policy adviser and head of a liberal think tank, were enough for many Republicans to threaten the nomination well before it was made official Tuesday.

“Trumpism has infected the entire Republican caucus,” said James P. Manley, a former longtime top Senate Democratic aide, who urged the incoming administration to brace for intense opposition from Republicans led by Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. “I am not sure everyone has figured out yet what is going on here, but I hope they will soon, and prepare for what is coming.”

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-threatens-military-spending-veto-in-social-media-bias-battle-346871">Trump threatens military spending veto in social media bias battle</a>

Should Democrats win two Senate seats in runoff elections to be held Jan. 5 in Georgia, the party would control the agenda and make approval of Biden’s nominees much easier. But if Democrats fail, Republicans will have the power to decide the fate of Biden’s executive and judicial branch picks.

The reality of a Democratic White House and a Republican Senate will take some adjusting to on Capitol Hill after four years of Republicans working hand-in-hand with President Donald Trump on nominations.

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Republicans said they were stunned by the selection of Tanden, whom many knew mainly as a hostile social media presence, to head the Office of Management and Budget. Even though many Republicans have refused to recognize Biden as the winner of the election, they said they were surprised that his team had not checked in with them on how they might react to her nomination to an agency that lawmakers in both parties see as critical when it comes to advancing congressional priorities.

“That was just an unforced error,” Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said Tuesday. He said that moving forward in future cases without weighing Republican sentiment was “a roll of the dice” that could cause unnecessary embarrassment to a nominee or to Biden’s White House.

Initially, Republicans — who had refused to hold hearings for President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee in 2016 — suggested that they might not even take up Tanden’s nomination were it sent to the Senate. But Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, who is poised to be the top Republican on one of the two committees that would oversee hearings for Tanden, said he believed she should receive one even if he was skeptical about her chances of confirmation.

“That’s our responsibility,” said Portman, who oversaw the budget office under President George W. Bush. “But it doesn’t mean she’ll get the votes.”

The handling of the announcement of Tanden’s nomination left some in both parties wondering whether Biden’s team was misreading the environment on Capitol Hill, where voting against an administration’s nominees has become essentially the default position for senators in the party out of power in recent years.

But people close to the transition team said opposition to Tanden’s nomination from some Republicans was no surprise to the president-elect or his team, nor was it evidence that Biden, who served almost four decades in the Senate, was naïve about what it would take to win confirmation of his choices. One person familiar with the deliberations said they expected as much from Republicans already angling to run for president in four years.

Advisers said Biden was cleareyed about the need to use some of his political capital to fight for Tanden’s nomination, citing her years of policymaking experience and a compelling personal story as reasons to fight to get her confirmed.

They noted that the reaction from Republicans to Biden’s other nominees has been more muted, with some Republicans suggesting they would be willing to give the president-elect deference in terms of who he wants in his Cabinet. One person close to the nomination process said that Biden and his team had, in fact, been reaching out to Republican lawmakers in recent weeks.

Transition officials said the crisis situation in the nation makes quick confirmation imperative.

“The country is facing multiple crises, from a pandemic that is killing over 10,000 Americans a week to a recession that is continuing to push thousands out of the workforce,” said Andrew Bates, a transition spokesman. “The American people cannot afford partisan obstruction of qualified and experienced women who are nominees.”

Democrats scoffed at the criticisms surrounding Tanden’s selection, particularly over her Twitter feed — given that most Senate Republicans have diligently spent four years evading queries about the array of policy announcements, racist commentary and inflammatory attacks on their own colleagues from Trump on Twitter.

“After spending four years pretending that they didn’t see the latest insane tweet from President Trump, Senate Republicans seem to have found a newfound interest in the Twitter feeds of President-elect Biden’s Cabinet selection,” Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, said on the Senate floor. “A few critical tweets about substantive policy positions have caused Senate Republicans to label Ms. Tanden’s nomination ‘radioactive.’ Spare us the hyperbole.”

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said he believed that Biden and his team should reach out to Capitol Hill about the looming nominations. He added that he had been in touch with some of the intended nominees about scheduling private, one-on-one meetings. (On Tuesday, Schumer’s office circulated photographs of him in a video conference with Biden’s choices for secretary of state, Antony J. Blinken, and director of national intelligence, Avril D. Haines.)

“That’s probably the most important first thing because there’s nothing like making your case for yourself,” Kaine said. “Four years ago, President Trump put some nominees up — if they said things in tweets or whatever that we didn’t like, we’d ask them tough questions about that, so she will expect the same.”

Democrats also said they were astounded by calls from Republicans for extensive disclosures of business dealings from Biden’s potential picks after the record compiled by Trump.

“This is just stunning, even by the double standards of Washington,” said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., who labeled the Trump administration “the Babe Ruth of darkness.”

“The Trump administration has stonewalled on so many things — starting with the president’s taxes — and then they come in and the first thing they’re doing is saying, ‘Oh, my goodness, there’s no transparency in the Biden administration,’” he added.

Manley, the former Senate aide, urged Democrats to stand behind the new administration’s nominees or face an onslaught of obstruction from emboldened Republicans.

“If Republicans have objections to her policy views, they should give her a hearing and grill her,” he said. “But the idea that they are prepared to block her nomination because she was mean to them on Twitter is ridiculous, and no Democrat should fall for it.”

The fierce and preemptive Republican pushback against President-elect Joe Biden’s choice of Neera Tanden this week to head the White House budget office underscored the difficulties the incoming administration will face in maneuvering its nominees through a polarized Senate.

The fierce and preemptive Republican pushback against President-elect Joe Biden’s choice of Neera Tanden this week to head the White House budget office underscored the difficulties the incoming administration will face in maneuvering its nominees through a polarized Senate. In the 11 years since Biden served in the chamber, partisanship has intensified, and nominations — once an area dominated by courtesy, comity and a presumption of accommodation — have become just another brutal battlefield. Republicans will not be eager to accede to Biden’s choices if they can find reason for opposition. And disparaging comments about Republicans on Twitter from Tanden, a longtime Democratic policy adviser and head of a liberal think tank, were enough for many Republicans to threaten the nomination well before it was made official Tuesday. “Trumpism has infected the entire Republican caucus,” said James P. Manley, a former longtime top Senate Democratic aide, who urged the incoming administration to brace for intense opposition from Republicans led by Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. “I am not sure everyone has figured out yet what is going on here, but I hope they will soon, and prepare for what is coming.” Also Read | Trump threatens military spending veto in social media bias battle Should Democrats win two Senate seats in runoff elections to be held Jan. 5 in Georgia, the party would control the agenda and make approval of Biden’s nominees much easier. But if Democrats fail, Republicans will have the power to decide the fate of Biden’s executive and judicial branch picks. The reality of a Democratic White House and a Republican Senate will take some adjusting to on Capitol Hill after four years of Republicans working hand-in-hand with President Donald Trump on nominations. × Republicans said they were stunned by the selection of Tanden, whom many knew mainly as a hostile social media presence, to head the Office of Management and Budget. Even though many Republicans have refused to recognize Biden as the winner of the election, they said they were surprised that his team had not checked in with them on how they might react to her nomination to an agency that lawmakers in both parties see as critical when it comes to advancing congressional priorities. “That was just an unforced error,” Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said Tuesday. He said that moving forward in future cases without weighing Republican sentiment was “a roll of the dice” that could cause unnecessary embarrassment to a nominee or to Biden’s White House. Initially, Republicans — who had refused to hold hearings for President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee in 2016 — suggested that they might not even take up Tanden’s nomination were it sent to the Senate. But Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, who is poised to be the top Republican on one of the two committees that would oversee hearings for Tanden, said he believed she should receive one even if he was skeptical about her chances of confirmation. “That’s our responsibility,” said Portman, who oversaw the budget office under President George W. Bush. “But it doesn’t mean she’ll get the votes.” The handling of the announcement of Tanden’s nomination left some in both parties wondering whether Biden’s team was misreading the environment on Capitol Hill, where voting against an administration’s nominees has become essentially the default position for senators in the party out of power in recent years. But people close to the transition team said opposition to Tanden’s nomination from some Republicans was no surprise to the president-elect or his team, nor was it evidence that Biden, who served almost four decades in the Senate, was naïve about what it would take to win confirmation of his choices. One person familiar with the deliberations said they expected as much from Republicans already angling to run for president in four years. Advisers said Biden was cleareyed about the need to use some of his political capital to fight for Tanden’s nomination, citing her years of policymaking experience and a compelling personal story as reasons to fight to get her confirmed. They noted that the reaction from Republicans to Biden’s other nominees has been more muted, with some Republicans suggesting they would be willing to give the president-elect deference in terms of who he wants in his Cabinet. One person close to the nomination process said that Biden and his team had, in fact, been reaching out to Republican lawmakers in recent weeks. Transition officials said the crisis situation in the nation makes quick confirmation imperative. “The country is facing multiple crises, from a pandemic that is killing over 10,000 Americans a week to a recession that is continuing to push thousands out of the workforce,” said Andrew Bates, a transition spokesman. “The American people cannot afford partisan obstruction of qualified and experienced women who are nominees.” Democrats scoffed at the criticisms surrounding Tanden’s selection, particularly over her Twitter feed — given that most Senate Republicans have diligently spent four years evading queries about the array of policy announcements, racist commentary and inflammatory attacks on their own colleagues from Trump on Twitter. “After spending four years pretending that they didn’t see the latest insane tweet from President Trump, Senate Republicans seem to have found a newfound interest in the Twitter feeds of President-elect Biden’s Cabinet selection,” Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, said on the Senate floor. “A few critical tweets about substantive policy positions have caused Senate Republicans to label Ms. Tanden’s nomination ‘radioactive.’ Spare us the hyperbole.” Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said he believed that Biden and his team should reach out to Capitol Hill about the looming nominations. He added that he had been in touch with some of the intended nominees about scheduling private, one-on-one meetings. (On Tuesday, Schumer’s office circulated photographs of him in a video conference with Biden’s choices for secretary of state, Antony J. Blinken, and director of national intelligence, Avril D. Haines.) “That’s probably the most important first thing because there’s nothing like making your case for yourself,” Kaine said. “Four years ago, President Trump put some nominees up — if they said things in tweets or whatever that we didn’t like, we’d ask them tough questions about that, so she will expect the same.” Democrats also said they were astounded by calls from Republicans for extensive disclosures of business dealings from Biden’s potential picks after the record compiled by Trump. “This is just stunning, even by the double standards of Washington,” said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., who labeled the Trump administration “the Babe Ruth of darkness.” “The Trump administration has stonewalled on so many things — starting with the president’s taxes — and then they come in and the first thing they’re doing is saying, ‘Oh, my goodness, there’s no transparency in the Biden administration,’” he added. Manley, the former Senate aide, urged Democrats to stand behind the new administration’s nominees or face an onslaught of obstruction from emboldened Republicans. “If Republicans have objections to her policy views, they should give her a hearing and grill her,” he said. “But the idea that they are prepared to block her nomination because she was mean to them on Twitter is ridiculous, and no Democrat should fall for it.”

Republican resistance to Tanden illustrates trouble ahead for Biden

Like giant octopuses or Dinosaurs, jellyfish are not the stuff of legends. They are the stuff of fear, and excruciating pain. Ask any open water swimmer or even an average beachgoer and they will tell you how these pixie-like, free-swimming wisps can give you hell. The tentacles of jellyfish contain chemicals that may cause anything from mild irritation to cardiac arrest. More often than not, a touch from these (literally) brainless creatures gives hell of a pain that lasts several weeks.

And perhaps that's why you never get to read romantic prose or poetry titled something like 'Swimming with jellyfish' on the same lines of Dolphins and other sweet-natured water dwellers.

<img alt="Jellyfish" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d005bb3a-2cc2-41d1-8103-31a86682048f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1PK2TH.jpg" />

But for those who are too enamored by the majestic yet sublime appearance of jellyfish and wonder how would it be to touch them, mother nature has an option for you.

Take a 2.5-hour boat ride from Siargao island in southeastern Philippines to go to Tojoman Lagoon and you'd find a jellyfish you can actually touch without running to your mother cursing mother nature.

The jellyfish in question are Aurelia aurita (moon jellyfish) and Mastigias papua (spotted jellyfish).

These two species of jellyfish are found in big number in waters around Tojoman Lagoon. And they don't sting humans.

The Lagoon is fairly popular among tourists and there are many other activities than touching just jellyfish.

The waters around the lagoon are shallow and motorised boats can't go there. So the tourists have to take paddleboats in order to reach the actual island.

The jellyfish hear don't sting humans, but that doesn't mean they don't sting. Their sting is fatal for their food, that is, planktons. But human skin is too thick for them to deliver the toxins.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Like giant octopuses or Dinosaurs, jellyfish are not the stuff of legends. They are the stuff of fear, and excruciating pain. Ask any open water swimmer or even an average beachgoer and they will tell you how these pixie-like, free-swimming wisps can give you hell.

Like giant octopuses or Dinosaurs, jellyfish are not the stuff of legends. They are the stuff of fear, and excruciating pain. Ask any open water swimmer or even an average beachgoer and they will tell you how these pixie-like, free-swimming wisps can give you hell. The tentacles of jellyfish contain chemicals that may cause anything from mild irritation to cardiac arrest. More often than not, a touch from these (literally) brainless creatures gives hell of a pain that lasts several weeks. And perhaps that's why you never get to read romantic prose or poetry titled something like 'Swimming with jellyfish' on the same lines of Dolphins and other sweet-natured water dwellers. But for those who are too enamored by the majestic yet sublime appearance of jellyfish and wonder how would it be to touch them, mother nature has an option for you. Take a 2.5-hour boat ride from Siargao island in southeastern Philippines to go to Tojoman Lagoon and you'd find a jellyfish you can actually touch without running to your mother cursing mother nature. The jellyfish in question are Aurelia aurita (moon jellyfish) and Mastigias papua (spotted jellyfish). These two species of jellyfish are found in big number in waters around Tojoman Lagoon. And they don't sting humans. The Lagoon is fairly popular among tourists and there are many other activities than touching just jellyfish. The waters around the lagoon are shallow and motorised boats can't go there. So the tourists have to take paddleboats in order to reach the actual island. The jellyfish hear don't sting humans, but that doesn't mean they don't sting. Their sting is fatal for their food, that is, planktons. But human skin is too thick for them to deliver the toxins.

You can literally swim with jellyfish and touch them on this island

In his first TV interview since losing US Presidential Election 2020, current US President Donald Trump said that he will continue to allege that the elections were a fraud. Trump or his associates are yet to present substantial evidence to back&nbsp;claims of rigged elections. He has faced legal setbacks in various courts in the US. However, he hasn't budged from his position.

"It's not like you're gonna change my mind. My mind will not change in six months," Trump told Fox News interviewer Maria Bartiromo.

"This election was rigged. This election was a total fraud," he claimed, again without backing this up. "We won the election easily."

As he attempts to challenge the validity of elections, case after case has been rejected by judges around the country. The latest rebuff came from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which on Saturday turned down a lawsuit filed by Trump supporters seeking to contest Biden's win in the state.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-supreme-court-weighs-trump-bid-to-bar-illegal-immigrants-from-census-totals-346274">US Supreme Court weighs Trump bid to bar illegal immigrants from census totals</a>

"We're trying to put the evidence in and the judges won't allow us to do it," Trump said. "We are trying. We have so much evidence."

Ignoring the usual boundaries between his office and the judicial and law enforcement system, Trump complained that the Department of Justice and FBI were not helping him.

They are "missing in action," he said, also questioning the point of the Supreme Court if it doesn't intervene.

"We should be heard by the Supreme Court. Something has to be able to get up there. Otherwise, what is the Supreme Court?" he asked.

The 2020 election was not especially close.

Biden won the electoral college vote -- the state-by-state competition deciding the winner -- by 306 to 232. In the popular national vote, which does not decide the result but still has political and symbolic heft, Biden won by 51 to 47 percent.

Losers of US presidential elections traditionally concede almost immediately.

But whether or not Trump ever acknowledges defeat, the Electoral College is all but certain to go through the formal motions of confirming Biden when it meets on December 14 and the Democrat will be sworn in on Inauguration Day January 20.

Even as the clock runs down on his single term, Trump declined to say on Fox News whether he sees an expiry date for his unsuccessful legal campaign.

"I'm not going to say a date," he said.

Asked if he saw a path to victory, he said: "I hope so."

(With AFP inputs)

In his first TV interview since losing US Presidential Election 2020, current US President Donald Trump said that he will continue to allege that the elections were a fraud.

In his first TV interview since losing US Presidential Election 2020, current US President Donald Trump said that he will continue to allege that the elections were a fraud. Trump or his associates are yet to present substantial evidence to back claims of rigged elections. He has faced legal setbacks in various courts in the US. However, he hasn't budged from his position. "It's not like you're gonna change my mind. My mind will not change in six months," Trump told Fox News interviewer Maria Bartiromo. "This election was rigged. This election was a total fraud," he claimed, again without backing this up. "We won the election easily." As he attempts to challenge the validity of elections, case after case has been rejected by judges around the country. The latest rebuff came from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which on Saturday turned down a lawsuit filed by Trump supporters seeking to contest Biden's win in the state. Also Read | US Supreme Court weighs Trump bid to bar illegal immigrants from census totals "We're trying to put the evidence in and the judges won't allow us to do it," Trump said. "We are trying. We have so much evidence." Ignoring the usual boundaries between his office and the judicial and law enforcement system, Trump complained that the Department of Justice and FBI were not helping him. They are "missing in action," he said, also questioning the point of the Supreme Court if it doesn't intervene. "We should be heard by the Supreme Court. Something has to be able to get up there. Otherwise, what is the Supreme Court?" he asked. The 2020 election was not especially close. Biden won the electoral college vote -- the state-by-state competition deciding the winner -- by 306 to 232. In the popular national vote, which does not decide the result but still has political and symbolic heft, Biden won by 51 to 47 percent. Losers of US presidential elections traditionally concede almost immediately. But whether or not Trump ever acknowledges defeat, the Electoral College is all but certain to go through the formal motions of confirming Biden when it meets on December 14 and the Democrat will be sworn in on Inauguration Day January 20. Even as the clock runs down on his single term, Trump declined to say on Fox News whether he sees an expiry date for his unsuccessful legal campaign. "I'm not going to say a date," he said. Asked if he saw a path to victory, he said: "I hope so." (With AFP inputs)

Donald Trump still refuses to budge from election fraud claims

An award-winning Syrian photojournalist, who was wounded in a Paris protest against police brutality said on Sunday that his ordeal reminded him of the civil war in his home country.

Ameer al-Halbi, a freelance photographer who has previously worked for AFP, was trapped for several hours after getting hurt. He was unable to go to hospital despite receiving head wounds.

AFP quoted a police source tp say that an internal administrative inquiry had been opened to determine the circumstances under which al-Halbi was hurt in the protests.

"I am better this morning," said al-Halbi, who won several international awards for his coverage of the Syrian conflict in his home city of Aleppo for AFP.

"But the shock was very heavy, especially yesterday when I found myself wounded, bleeding heavily in my face and stuck for two hours in the demonstration -- wedged between demonstrators and the police who did not want to let us out to get to hospital," he told AFP.

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"Images of Syria surged back into my head... I was aged 15 when I found myself blocked in a demonstration in Aleppo, wounded by two bullets in my hand. It was Aleppo that came back to me last (Saturday) night."

He said that when police had began a charge to disperse the crowds in Paris he was in a group of four to five photographers who were "clearly recognisable" as such.

Al-Halbi, who has also worked for Polka magazine, was seen with a bruised face and much of his head covered in bandages in AFP photos.

Christophe Deloire, secretary general of Reporters Without Borders, tweeted that the 24-year-old had been wounded at Place de la Bastille by "a police baton".

Polka Magazine and AFP both condemned the incident in statements Sunday.

"We are shocked by the injuries suffered by our colleague Ameer al-Halbi and condemn the unprovoked violence," said Phil Chetwynd, AFP's global news director, demanding that the police investigate the incident.

A statement from Polka magazine also condemned the "police aggression" against Alhalbi.

The magazine's Director of Publication Alain Genestar said the incident was "all the more shocking and reprehensible" because he was clearly identified as a press photographer.

Al-Halbi won second prize in the "Spot News" category for the World Press Photo in 2017.

(With AFP inputs)

An award-winning Syrian photojournalist, who was wounded in a Paris protest against police brutality said on Sunday that his ordeal reminded him of the civil war in his home country.

An award-winning Syrian photojournalist, who was wounded in a Paris protest against police brutality said on Sunday that his ordeal reminded him of the civil war in his home country. Ameer al-Halbi, a freelance photographer who has previously worked for AFP, was trapped for several hours after getting hurt. He was unable to go to hospital despite receiving head wounds. AFP quoted a police source tp say that an internal administrative inquiry had been opened to determine the circumstances under which al-Halbi was hurt in the protests. "I am better this morning," said al-Halbi, who won several international awards for his coverage of the Syrian conflict in his home city of Aleppo for AFP. "But the shock was very heavy, especially yesterday when I found myself wounded, bleeding heavily in my face and stuck for two hours in the demonstration -- wedged between demonstrators and the police who did not want to let us out to get to hospital," he told AFP. × "Images of Syria surged back into my head... I was aged 15 when I found myself blocked in a demonstration in Aleppo, wounded by two bullets in my hand. It was Aleppo that came back to me last (Saturday) night." He said that when police had began a charge to disperse the crowds in Paris he was in a group of four to five photographers who were "clearly recognisable" as such. Al-Halbi, who has also worked for Polka magazine, was seen with a bruised face and much of his head covered in bandages in AFP photos. Christophe Deloire, secretary general of Reporters Without Borders, tweeted that the 24-year-old had been wounded at Place de la Bastille by "a police baton". Polka Magazine and AFP both condemned the incident in statements Sunday. "We are shocked by the injuries suffered by our colleague Ameer al-Halbi and condemn the unprovoked violence," said Phil Chetwynd, AFP's global news director, demanding that the police investigate the incident. A statement from Polka magazine also condemned the "police aggression" against Alhalbi. The magazine's Director of Publication Alain Genestar said the incident was "all the more shocking and reprehensible" because he was clearly identified as a press photographer. Al-Halbi won second prize in the "Spot News" category for the World Press Photo in 2017. (With AFP inputs)

Paris: Wounded photographer says protests brought back Syria memories

A horrific attack blamed on Boko Haram jihadist group has claimed 110 lives in northeast Nigeria, said the United Nations. UN's humanitarian coordinator said that this was the "most violent direct attack against innocent civilians this year". The attack took in Koshobe, a village near the main city of Maiduguri. The attackers targetted rice field farmers. The tragedy took place on Saturday (November 28)

"At least 110 civilians were ruthlessly killed and many others were wounded in this attack," UN's Edward Kallon said in a statement after initial tolls indicated 43 and then at least 70 dead from Saturday's massacre by suspected Boko Haram fighters.

"The incident is the most violent direct attack against innocent civilians this year," Kallon said, adding: "I call for the perpetrators of this heinous and senseless act to be brought to justice."

Borno Governor Babaganan Umara Zulum attended the burial Sunday in the nearby village of Zabarmari of 43 bodies recovered on Saturday, saying the toll could rise after search operations resumed.

According to a pro-government anti-jihadist media, the attackers tied up agricultural workers and slit their throats.

The victims were among labourers from Sokoto state in northwestern Nigeria, roughly 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) away, who had travelled to the northeast to find work, it said.&nbsp;

Six were wounded in the attack and eight remained missing as of Saturday.&nbsp;

Kallon, citing "reports that several women may have been kidnapped", called for their immediate release and return to safety.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the attack, saying: "The entire country has been wounded by these senseless killings."

The attack took place as voters went to the polls in long-delayed local elections in Borno State. 
The polls had been repeatedly postponed because of an increase in attacks by Boko Haram and a rival dissident faction, ISWAP.

The two groups have been blamed for increasing attacks on loggers, farmers and fishermen whom they accuse of spying for the army and pro-government militias.&nbsp;

(With AFP inputs)

A horrific attack blamed on Boko Haram jihadist group has claimed 110 lives in northeast Nigeria, said the United Nations. UN's humanitarian coordinator said that this was the "most violent direct attack against innocent civilians this year".

A horrific attack blamed on Boko Haram jihadist group has claimed 110 lives in northeast Nigeria, said the United Nations. UN's humanitarian coordinator said that this was the "most violent direct attack against innocent civilians this year". The attack took in Koshobe, a village near the main city of Maiduguri. The attackers targetted rice field farmers. The tragedy took place on Saturday (November 28) "At least 110 civilians were ruthlessly killed and many others were wounded in this attack," UN's Edward Kallon said in a statement after initial tolls indicated 43 and then at least 70 dead from Saturday's massacre by suspected Boko Haram fighters. "The incident is the most violent direct attack against innocent civilians this year," Kallon said, adding: "I call for the perpetrators of this heinous and senseless act to be brought to justice." Borno Governor Babaganan Umara Zulum attended the burial Sunday in the nearby village of Zabarmari of 43 bodies recovered on Saturday, saying the toll could rise after search operations resumed. According to a pro-government anti-jihadist media, the attackers tied up agricultural workers and slit their throats. The victims were among labourers from Sokoto state in northwestern Nigeria, roughly 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) away, who had travelled to the northeast to find work, it said. Six were wounded in the attack and eight remained missing as of Saturday. Kallon, citing "reports that several women may have been kidnapped", called for their immediate release and return to safety. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the attack, saying: "The entire country has been wounded by these senseless killings." The attack took place as voters went to the polls in long-delayed local elections in Borno State. The polls had been repeatedly postponed because of an increase in attacks by Boko Haram and a rival dissident faction, ISWAP. The two groups have been blamed for increasing attacks on loggers, farmers and fishermen whom they accuse of spying for the army and pro-government militias. (With AFP inputs)

Nigeria attack blamed on jihadists claims 110 lives

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Zee News Rajasthan

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