A day after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reply to the no-trust motion in Parliament&nbsp;which his government won, Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the PM saying that it does not behove a PM to crack jokes and laugh when the state of Manipur is on fire.

Gandhi also denounced the prime minister for his response in the Lok Sabha on&nbsp;the no-confidence motion stating that he dedicated only two minutes of his over two-hour-long speech to the violence-hit state.

"I watched the PM yesterday speaking for two hours, laughing, joking, and raising slogans. The Prime Minister seems to have forgotten that the state of Manipur is on fire and has been on fire for many days," Gandhi said.

"The Prime Minister sitting in the middle of Parliament was shamelessly laughing...The issue was not Congress or me, the issue was what is happening in Manipur and why it was not being stopped," he said.

<h2>PM Modi has misunderstanding of what PM is: Gandhi</h2>

Rahul Gandhi further said that PM Modi has a “complete misunderstanding about what the Prime Minister of India is.”

“And it is tragic to watch Mr Narendra Modi, it is sad. Because the Prime Minister does not understand what he actually is. He is our representative. He is my representative. He is all our representative. And watching the Prime Minister spend two hours talking about the Congress party, talking about the Opposition, making ridiculous remarks about the name. This really does not do justice to an Indian Prime Minister. I have seen Prime Ministers from the Congress party. I have seen Prime Ministers from the BJP, and I have seen previous Prime Ministers including Mr Vajpayee, and Mr Deve Gowda, but none of them has ever done this. This is a complete misunderstanding in the mind of Narendra Modi ji about what the Prime Minister of India is,” he added.

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Gandhi said his comments that Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had "murdered Bharat Mata in Manipur" were not hollow words.

"In 19 years of experience, I have never seen what I saw and heard in Manipur. In Parliament, I said 'PM aur Amit Shah Ji Ne Bharat Mata Ki Hatya Ki Hai, Manipur mein Bharat ko khatam kar diya'. I didn't say like this, these are not empty words. Let me explain to you, why is said this. In Manipur, when we visited the Meitei area, we were clearly told that if there is any Kuki in your security detail, they should not be brought here as they will kill the person. When we went to the Kuki area, we were told that they will shoot down any Meitei person we bring...So, it is not one state, there are two states. State ki hatya ki gayi hai&nbsp;aur usko cheer diya gaya hai," he said.

"When the PM becomes a PM, he ceases to be a politician. He becomes the representative of the voice of the country. Politics should be put aside and the PM should speak not as a petty politician but the PM should speak with the weight of the Indian people behind him. It is tragic to post Mr Narendra Modi, it is sad... The PM does not understand what he actually is..," he added.

"Hindustan has been murdered by BJP in Manipur," the Congress leader said.&nbsp;

<h2>Modi wants Manipur to burn, says Rahul Gandhi</h2>

Gandhi further claimed that PM Modi "wants Manipur to burn and not douse the fire", underlining that despite knowing the fact that Indian Army can resolve the situation and has the ability to bring peace, the government is not deploying it.

"Indian Army can stop this nonsense, drama in two days, but the PM wants to burn Manipur and does not want to extinguish the fire." &nbsp;

Restating that PM Modi should visit the conflict-torn state of Manipur and set aside the talks of the next general elections.

"PM at least could go to Manipur, talk to communities and say I am your PM, let's start talking but I don't see any intention...The question is not whether PM Modi will become PM in 2024, the question is Manipur where children, and people are being killed," he added.

 
(With inputs from agencies)

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A day after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reply to the no-trust motion in Parliament which his government won, Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the PM saying that it does not behove a PM to crack jokes and laugh when the state of Manipur is on fire.

A day after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reply to the no-trust motion in Parliament which his government won, Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the PM saying that it does not behove a PM to crack jokes and laugh when the state of Manipur is on fire. Gandhi also denounced the prime minister for his response in the Lok Sabha on the no-confidence motion stating that he dedicated only two minutes of his over two-hour-long speech to the violence-hit state. "I watched the PM yesterday speaking for two hours, laughing, joking, and raising slogans. The Prime Minister seems to have forgotten that the state of Manipur is on fire and has been on fire for many days," Gandhi said. "The Prime Minister sitting in the middle of Parliament was shamelessly laughing...The issue was not Congress or me, the issue was what is happening in Manipur and why it was not being stopped," he said. PM Modi has misunderstanding of what PM is: Gandhi Rahul Gandhi further said that PM Modi has a “complete misunderstanding about what the Prime Minister of India is.” “And it is tragic to watch Mr Narendra Modi, it is sad. Because the Prime Minister does not understand what he actually is. He is our representative. He is my representative. He is all our representative. And watching the Prime Minister spend two hours talking about the Congress party, talking about the Opposition, making ridiculous remarks about the name. This really does not do justice to an Indian Prime Minister. I have seen Prime Ministers from the Congress party. I have seen Prime Ministers from the BJP, and I have seen previous Prime Ministers including Mr Vajpayee, and Mr Deve Gowda, but none of them has ever done this. This is a complete misunderstanding in the mind of Narendra Modi ji about what the Prime Minister of India is,” he added. Also read: PM Modi-led govt brings a bill excluding Chief Justice from panel selecting poll officers Gandhi said his comments that Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had "murdered Bharat Mata in Manipur" were not hollow words. "In 19 years of experience, I have never seen what I saw and heard in Manipur. In Parliament, I said 'PM aur Amit Shah Ji Ne Bharat Mata Ki Hatya Ki Hai, Manipur mein Bharat ko khatam kar diya'. I didn't say like this, these are not empty words. Let me explain to you, why is said this. In Manipur, when we visited the Meitei area, we were clearly told that if there is any Kuki in your security detail, they should not be brought here as they will kill the person. When we went to the Kuki area, we were told that they will shoot down any Meitei person we bring...So, it is not one state, there are two states. State ki hatya ki gayi hai aur usko cheer diya gaya hai," he said. "When the PM becomes a PM, he ceases to be a politician. He becomes the representative of the voice of the country. Politics should be put aside and the PM should speak not as a petty politician but the PM should speak with the weight of the Indian people behind him. It is tragic to post Mr Narendra Modi, it is sad... The PM does not understand what he actually is..," he added. "Hindustan has been murdered by BJP in Manipur," the Congress leader said. Modi wants Manipur to burn, says Rahul Gandhi Gandhi further claimed that PM Modi "wants Manipur to burn and not douse the fire", underlining that despite knowing the fact that Indian Army can resolve the situation and has the ability to bring peace, the government is not deploying it. "Indian Army can stop this nonsense, drama in two days, but the PM wants to burn Manipur and does not want to extinguish the fire." Restating that PM Modi should visit the conflict-torn state of Manipur and set aside the talks of the next general elections. "PM at least could go to Manipur, talk to communities and say I am your PM, let's start talking but I don't see any intention...The question is not whether PM Modi will become PM in 2024, the question is Manipur where children, and people are being killed," he added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants Manipur to burn, does not want to extinguish fire', says Rahul Gandhi

In an unusual instance of officers facing a criminal case over on-duty violence, three police officers, on Thursday, were charged over the death of a 27-year-old man in the southern French city of Marseille during nationwide riots that took place in early July, prosecutors said.

Five officers were arrested over the incident on Tuesday, out of which two were released quickly.

Last month, France was jolted by fierce rioting over the killing of a 17-year-old in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, who was shot dead by a policeman for fleeing a traffic check and failing to comply with an order to stop his car.

The riots in the country witnessed a violent response from the police as hundreds of people were arrested and several police officers suffered wounds.&nbsp;

The 27-year-old who lost his life in the riots was identified as Bendriss, who was a married man and a father of one. His widow is now expecting a second child. As per reports, Bendriss died after feeling unwell while riding a scooter.

His postmortem showed traces on his chest, of what as per reports could be the impact of a shot from a blast ball, known in French as an LBD and commonly used by the country's police.

Prosecutors have said they consider it "probable" that the man's death was "caused by a violent impact to the thorax caused by the firing of a projectile of the blast ball type".

The three will be charged with "armed violence unintentionally causing death".

However, the prosecutor's office also said that there is a probability that the victim may have been involved in the looting of a shoe outlet in the city.

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There were indications that Bendriss had been involved in theft from the store, and was being chased by police as he rode his scooter away.

As he rode on the pavement farther from the police, he was he was struck by one shot, and another, launched by police.

As per the prosecutors, he continued to ride his scooter but was later found to have suffered cardio-respiratory arrest and later died.

<h2>Latest controversy around Marseille police</h2>

The investigation into this matter is the latest controversy to surround the Marseille police.

Earlier, a 22-year-old, named Hedi, had to have a part of his skull amputated after he was beaten up and fired on with an LBD on July 21 by a group of men who were suspected to be police officers.

Four Marseille police officers have been charged over the incident, whereas, three others have been released under judicial supervision. The fourth has been remanded in custody during the time period of the probe. His arrest caused huge controversy among the French police.

As a result, the officers throughout the country went on sick leave in order to stage a demonstration but a court last week denied the appeal against his detention.

The officer, in the court, admitted to firing a blast ball round, which reversed an earlier denial.&nbsp;However, he claimed that he did not witness anybody sustaining injuries. His lawyer added that there was no proof it was his round that had wounded Hedi.

The powerful police union, Alliance, said the ruling was "incomprehensible and very unfair".

(With inputs from agencies)

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In an unusual instance of officers facing a criminal case over on-duty violence, three police officers, on Thursday, were charged over the death of a 27-year-old man in the southern French city of Marseille during nationwide riots that took place in early July, prosecutors said.

In an unusual instance of officers facing a criminal case over on-duty violence, three police officers, on Thursday, were charged over the death of a 27-year-old man in the southern French city of Marseille during nationwide riots that took place in early July, prosecutors said. Five officers were arrested over the incident on Tuesday, out of which two were released quickly. Last month, France was jolted by fierce rioting over the killing of a 17-year-old in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, who was shot dead by a policeman for fleeing a traffic check and failing to comply with an order to stop his car. The riots in the country witnessed a violent response from the police as hundreds of people were arrested and several police officers suffered wounds. The 27-year-old who lost his life in the riots was identified as Bendriss, who was a married man and a father of one. His widow is now expecting a second child. As per reports, Bendriss died after feeling unwell while riding a scooter. His postmortem showed traces on his chest, of what as per reports could be the impact of a shot from a blast ball, known in French as an LBD and commonly used by the country's police. Prosecutors have said they consider it "probable" that the man's death was "caused by a violent impact to the thorax caused by the firing of a projectile of the blast ball type". The three will be charged with "armed violence unintentionally causing death". However, the prosecutor's office also said that there is a probability that the victim may have been involved in the looting of a shoe outlet in the city. Also read: Sweden's embassy in Lebanon attacked amid anger over Quran burning incidents There were indications that Bendriss had been involved in theft from the store, and was being chased by police as he rode his scooter away. As he rode on the pavement farther from the police, he was he was struck by one shot, and another, launched by police. As per the prosecutors, he continued to ride his scooter but was later found to have suffered cardio-respiratory arrest and later died. Latest controversy around Marseille police The investigation into this matter is the latest controversy to surround the Marseille police. Earlier, a 22-year-old, named Hedi, had to have a part of his skull amputated after he was beaten up and fired on with an LBD on July 21 by a group of men who were suspected to be police officers. Four Marseille police officers have been charged over the incident, whereas, three others have been released under judicial supervision. The fourth has been remanded in custody during the time period of the probe. His arrest caused huge controversy among the French police. As a result, the officers throughout the country went on sick leave in order to stage a demonstration but a court last week denied the appeal against his detention. The officer, in the court, admitted to firing a blast ball round, which reversed an earlier denial. However, he claimed that he did not witness anybody sustaining injuries. His lawyer added that there was no proof it was his round that had wounded Hedi. The powerful police union, Alliance, said the ruling was "incomprehensible and very unfair". (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

France: 3 police officers charged over death of man during nationwide riots

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was suspended from Lok Sabha on Thursday over “deliberate and repeated misconduct” and the matter has been referred to Privileges Committee. The resolution for suspension of Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who is Congress leader in Lok Sabha, was moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi.

"This House having taken the serious note of the gross, deliberate and repeated misconduct of Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in utter disregard to the House and authority of Chair resolves that the matter of his misconduct be referred to Committee of Privileges of the House for the further investigation and report to the House and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury be suspended from the service of the House till the Committee submits its report," he said.

The House adopted the resolution by voice vote. Earlier in the day, some remarks of Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury pertaining to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were expunged from the proceedings.

BJP members had strongly objected to Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s remarks. Pralhad Joshi had raised point of order and demanded an apology from the Congress member. After the debate on no-confidence motion, which was defeated, Lok Sabha Speaker said that conduct of BJP member Virendra Awasthi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had not been in accordance with the decorum of the House. Virendra Awasthi tenderd apology for his conduct and said he could not tolerate words against the Prime Minister.

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Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was suspended from Lok Sabha on Thursday over “deliberate and repeated misconduct” and the matter has been referred to Privileges Committee.

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was suspended from Lok Sabha on Thursday over “deliberate and repeated misconduct” and the matter has been referred to Privileges Committee. The resolution for suspension of Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who is Congress leader in Lok Sabha, was moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi. "This House having taken the serious note of the gross, deliberate and repeated misconduct of Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in utter disregard to the House and authority of Chair resolves that the matter of his misconduct be referred to Committee of Privileges of the House for the further investigation and report to the House and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury be suspended from the service of the House till the Committee submits its report," he said. The House adopted the resolution by voice vote. Earlier in the day, some remarks of Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury pertaining to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were expunged from the proceedings. BJP members had strongly objected to Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s remarks. Pralhad Joshi had raised point of order and demanded an apology from the Congress member. After the debate on no-confidence motion, which was defeated, Lok Sabha Speaker said that conduct of BJP member Virendra Awasthi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had not been in accordance with the decorum of the House. Virendra Awasthi tenderd apology for his conduct and said he could not tolerate words against the Prime Minister. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury suspended from Lok Sabha till report of Privileges Committee

Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Anna Kwok, who was accused by the officials along with seven others of endangering national security, on Wednesday said that her parents were "questioned, harassed and intimidated" by authorities.

Last month, Hong Kong police had offered reward of HK$1 million ($128,000) for information that would lead to the detention of eight notable democracy activists, who are now living abroad, accusing them of crimes like subversion and foreign collusion.

As per news agency AFP reports, police on Tuesday confirmed that its national security department "took away a man and a woman for investigation" related to national security crimes, without naming them.

Kwok, who is the executive director of the non-profit Hong Kong Democracy Council, released a statement on Wednesday apologising to her parents for getting them involved.

"Yesterday my parents were questioned, harassed and intimidated. Even though I feel apologetic, I must say this is a price I expected to pay," said Kwok, who is based in the United States.

Over the past few weeks, family members of at least four other wanted activists, former lawmaker Nathan Law, unionist Mung Siu-tat, lawyer Dennis Kwok, and activist Elmer Yuen, have been taken for police interrogation.

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Kwok said she would continue to revolt and called on Hong Kong residents to counter the fears arising from the political environment.

"I choose to overcome my fear and continue to seize the initiative for my life," she said.

As per local media reports, on Tuesday, Kwok's parents were permitted to exit the police station after interrogation and were not arrested.

<h2>Bounties by police ignite outcry in countries</h2>

The rewards issued by Hong Kong police have prompted an uproar from the United States, Britain and Australia, where all eight activists are living.

In an interview with news agency AFP last month, Kwok said that she had raised concerns to the Biden administration to prevent Hong Kong leader John Lee from attending the upcoming APEC summit in San Francisco.

The bounties were meant to "intimidate" the activists and to prompt pro-Beijing segments of the population to "bring us inconveniences or even physical threats", she said.

Police have arrested 260 people under the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020, with 79 of them convicted or awaiting sentencing in Hong Kong.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Anna Kwok, who was accused by the officials along with seven others of endangering national security, on Wednesday said that her parents were "questioned, harassed and intimidated" by authorities.

Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Anna Kwok, who was accused by the officials along with seven others of endangering national security, on Wednesday said that her parents were "questioned, harassed and intimidated" by authorities. Last month, Hong Kong police had offered reward of HK$1 million ($128,000) for information that would lead to the detention of eight notable democracy activists, who are now living abroad, accusing them of crimes like subversion and foreign collusion. As per news agency AFP reports, police on Tuesday confirmed that its national security department "took away a man and a woman for investigation" related to national security crimes, without naming them. Kwok, who is the executive director of the non-profit Hong Kong Democracy Council, released a statement on Wednesday apologising to her parents for getting them involved. "Yesterday my parents were questioned, harassed and intimidated. Even though I feel apologetic, I must say this is a price I expected to pay," said Kwok, who is based in the United States. Over the past few weeks, family members of at least four other wanted activists, former lawmaker Nathan Law, unionist Mung Siu-tat, lawyer Dennis Kwok, and activist Elmer Yuen, have been taken for police interrogation. Also read: France: At least nine dead in fire at holiday home for disabled people Kwok said she would continue to revolt and called on Hong Kong residents to counter the fears arising from the political environment. "I choose to overcome my fear and continue to seize the initiative for my life," she said. As per local media reports, on Tuesday, Kwok's parents were permitted to exit the police station after interrogation and were not arrested. Bounties by police ignite outcry in countries The rewards issued by Hong Kong police have prompted an uproar from the United States, Britain and Australia, where all eight activists are living. In an interview with news agency AFP last month, Kwok said that she had raised concerns to the Biden administration to prevent Hong Kong leader John Lee from attending the upcoming APEC summit in San Francisco. The bounties were meant to "intimidate" the activists and to prompt pro-Beijing segments of the population to "bring us inconveniences or even physical threats", she said. Police have arrested 260 people under the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020, with 79 of them convicted or awaiting sentencing in Hong Kong. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Wanted Hong Kong activist Anna Kwok says parents 'questioned, harassed and intimidated'

Australia could be a testing ground for US hypersonic and other long-range precision weapons under the AUKUS pact, a top Pentagon official told AFP on Wednesday.

US Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth said Australia's contribution to the three-way AUKUS agreement, which includes Britain, "doesn't always have to be dollars".

The pact was signed in late 2021 and is seen as a way of countering China's growing clout in the Asia-Pacific region.

Work under AUKUS has so far focused on supplying Australia with nuclear-powered submarines, a fleet capable of travelling stealthily over vast distances and striking foes at long range.

But the pact is increasingly focused on developing advanced capabilities such as long-range precision firing, artificial intelligence and hypersonic weapons.

Wormuth said Australia could be a proving ground for these weapons.

"One thing Australia has in spades is long distances and relatively unpopulated land," she told AFP in a telephone interview from Washington.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-nine-dead-two-missing-after-holiday-lodging-fire-623863">France: At least nine dead in fire at holiday home for disabled people</a>

"A challenge for us in the United States when it comes to hypersonics or even some of our things like the precision strike missile -- which is not a hypersonic weapon but has very long ranges in some of its increments -- for us to find open spaces in the United States where we can actually test these weapons, it's a challenge."

"Australia obviously has a tremendous amount of territory where that testing is a little bit more doable -- so I think that's a unique thing, as an example, that the Australians bring to the table."

China has denounced the AUKUS pact as undermining peace in the region -- a charge that Washington, Canberra and London reject.

But critics have also asked whether it is truly cooperative, or whether the United States, because of its size and overwhelming military power, will dominate.

Wormuth said she expected the two smaller partners to pitch in and "have skin in this game -- and they do".

"The sense I got certainly from talking to senior Australian officials is they're not doing this to make us happy, they're not doing this just for fun," said the Pentagon official, who visited Australia last week for the Talisman Sabre multinational military exercise.

"They're doing this because they see it as in their own national interest in terms of being able to meet the different challenges that they see in the theatre."

<h2>'Prohibitively expensive'</h2>

Facing Russia's war in Europe, threats from North Korea and a more bellicose China, the United States has sought to bolster its defence alliances and put more advanced capabilities into the hands of allies like Australia, Ukraine and Taiwan.

For much of the Cold War, it was Washington's policy to be able to fight two major wars at once.

Wormuth admitted that today, budget constraints, US public opinion and the relative strength of Russia and China make such a doctrine impossible.

"I think there is a recognition that when you look at the size of our military, when you look at the size of the defence budget that the American taxpayer is willing to pay for, we... don't plan to fight more than one major war at a time," she said.

Instead, the United States hopes its alliance and nuclear arsenal will "discourage opportunistic aggression".

"Given the sophistication of the Russian military and the Chinese military today, to try to size our military to hypothetically handle two wars at a time would be prohibitively expensive".

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Australia could be a testing ground for US hypersonic and other long-range precision weapons under the AUKUS pact, a top Pentagon official told AFP on Wednesday.

Australia could be a testing ground for US hypersonic and other long-range precision weapons under the AUKUS pact, a top Pentagon official told AFP on Wednesday. US Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth said Australia's contribution to the three-way AUKUS agreement, which includes Britain, "doesn't always have to be dollars". The pact was signed in late 2021 and is seen as a way of countering China's growing clout in the Asia-Pacific region. Work under AUKUS has so far focused on supplying Australia with nuclear-powered submarines, a fleet capable of travelling stealthily over vast distances and striking foes at long range. But the pact is increasingly focused on developing advanced capabilities such as long-range precision firing, artificial intelligence and hypersonic weapons. Wormuth said Australia could be a proving ground for these weapons. "One thing Australia has in spades is long distances and relatively unpopulated land," she told AFP in a telephone interview from Washington. Also read: France: At least nine dead in fire at holiday home for disabled people "A challenge for us in the United States when it comes to hypersonics or even some of our things like the precision strike missile -- which is not a hypersonic weapon but has very long ranges in some of its increments -- for us to find open spaces in the United States where we can actually test these weapons, it's a challenge." "Australia obviously has a tremendous amount of territory where that testing is a little bit more doable -- so I think that's a unique thing, as an example, that the Australians bring to the table." China has denounced the AUKUS pact as undermining peace in the region -- a charge that Washington, Canberra and London reject. But critics have also asked whether it is truly cooperative, or whether the United States, because of its size and overwhelming military power, will dominate. Wormuth said she expected the two smaller partners to pitch in and "have skin in this game -- and they do". "The sense I got certainly from talking to senior Australian officials is they're not doing this to make us happy, they're not doing this just for fun," said the Pentagon official, who visited Australia last week for the Talisman Sabre multinational military exercise. "They're doing this because they see it as in their own national interest in terms of being able to meet the different challenges that they see in the theatre." 'Prohibitively expensive' Facing Russia's war in Europe, threats from North Korea and a more bellicose China, the United States has sought to bolster its defence alliances and put more advanced capabilities into the hands of allies like Australia, Ukraine and Taiwan. For much of the Cold War, it was Washington's policy to be able to fight two major wars at once. Wormuth admitted that today, budget constraints, US public opinion and the relative strength of Russia and China make such a doctrine impossible. "I think there is a recognition that when you look at the size of our military, when you look at the size of the defence budget that the American taxpayer is willing to pay for, we... don't plan to fight more than one major war at a time," she said. Instead, the United States hopes its alliance and nuclear arsenal will "discourage opportunistic aggression". "Given the sophistication of the Russian military and the Chinese military today, to try to size our military to hypothetically handle two wars at a time would be prohibitively expensive". WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Pentagon eyes missile testing role for Australia

Authorities released a statement saying that they had by mistake shared the names and ranks of police officers in Northern Ireland, which further scintillated fears that the 'monumental' data breach could imperil their security.

As per the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), the data was released as part of a routine freedom of information request and also included the work location, surnames and first initials of staff but not their home addresses.

The breach comes months after the terrorism threat level in the province run by the United Kingdom was raised to "severe" in response to an assassination attempt on a senior police officer by dissenting Republicans.

"We have informed the organisation to make our officers and staff aware of the incident, appreciating the concern that this will cause many of our colleagues and families," Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd said.

Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wanted-hong-kong-activist-anna-kwok-says-parents-questioned-harassed-and-intimidated-623953"> Wanted Hong Kong activist Anna Kwok says parents "questioned, harassed and intimidated"</a>

He explained the "matter is being fully investigated" and the "information was taken down very quickly".

"This is an issue we take extremely seriously and as our investigation continues we will keep the Northern Ireland Policing Board and the Information Commissioner's Office updated," Todd added.

<h2>'Officers go to great lengths to protect their identities,' says the chairman of the Police Federation</h2>

The chairman of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, Liam Kelly, described the release as one of "monumental proportions" and in a conversation with BBC Radio said that had been "inundated" with messages from his members.&nbsp;

"They are shocked, dismayed and basically angry that this has happened," he said.

"Our officers go to great lengths to protect their identities. Some of them don't even tell their close friends and associates," Kelly explained, confirming that some on the list worked with Britain's domestic intelligence body MI5.

The killing of Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell, after he left a sports complex in Omagh with his son in the month of February, triggered a public uproar in Northern Ireland.&nbsp;

Later, the responsibility of the attack was claimed by the dissident republican group the New IRA.

In recent years, the group has been connected to two attacks, including the incident where a bomb was planted under a policewoman's car in April 2021.

"Our officers operate under the veil of the highest potential threat to them both on and off duty and so it's important that they do take precautions around their movements and actions and that the organisation protects them as well," Kelly said.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, the PSNI announced officers are probing the theft of documents, including a spreadsheet containing the names of more than 200 serving officers and staff.

"The documents, along with a police issue laptop and radio, were believed to have been stolen from a private vehicle," Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd said in a statement.&nbsp;

"We have contacted the officers and staff concerned to make them aware of the incident and an initial notification has been made to the office of the Information Commissioner regarding the data breach."

(With inputs from agencies)

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Authorities released a statement saying that they had by mistake shared the names and ranks of police officers in Northern Ireland, which further scintillated fears that the 'monumental' data breach could imperil their security.

Authorities released a statement saying that they had by mistake shared the names and ranks of police officers in Northern Ireland, which further scintillated fears that the 'monumental' data breach could imperil their security. As per the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), the data was released as part of a routine freedom of information request and also included the work location, surnames and first initials of staff but not their home addresses. The breach comes months after the terrorism threat level in the province run by the United Kingdom was raised to "severe" in response to an assassination attempt on a senior police officer by dissenting Republicans. "We have informed the organisation to make our officers and staff aware of the incident, appreciating the concern that this will cause many of our colleagues and families," Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd said. Also read: Wanted Hong Kong activist Anna Kwok says parents "questioned, harassed and intimidated" He explained the "matter is being fully investigated" and the "information was taken down very quickly". "This is an issue we take extremely seriously and as our investigation continues we will keep the Northern Ireland Policing Board and the Information Commissioner's Office updated," Todd added. 'Officers go to great lengths to protect their identities,' says the chairman of the Police Federation The chairman of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, Liam Kelly, described the release as one of "monumental proportions" and in a conversation with BBC Radio said that had been "inundated" with messages from his members. "They are shocked, dismayed and basically angry that this has happened," he said. "Our officers go to great lengths to protect their identities. Some of them don't even tell their close friends and associates," Kelly explained, confirming that some on the list worked with Britain's domestic intelligence body MI5. The killing of Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell, after he left a sports complex in Omagh with his son in the month of February, triggered a public uproar in Northern Ireland. Later, the responsibility of the attack was claimed by the dissident republican group the New IRA. In recent years, the group has been connected to two attacks, including the incident where a bomb was planted under a policewoman's car in April 2021. "Our officers operate under the veil of the highest potential threat to them both on and off duty and so it's important that they do take precautions around their movements and actions and that the organisation protects them as well," Kelly said. On Wednesday, the PSNI announced officers are probing the theft of documents, including a spreadsheet containing the names of more than 200 serving officers and staff. "The documents, along with a police issue laptop and radio, were believed to have been stolen from a private vehicle," Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd said in a statement. "We have contacted the officers and staff concerned to make them aware of the incident and an initial notification has been made to the office of the Information Commissioner regarding the data breach." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Monumental' data breach exposes names, ranks of Northern Ireland police officers

At least 17 Rohingyas were killed and 30 remain missing after a boat capsized in bad weather in the Bay of Bengal earlier this week, aid workers in Myanmar said.

Volunteers said eight people were rescued from the boat, which was headed for Malaysia, a coveted destination for thousands of Rohingya Muslims fleeing persecution and poverty in Myanmar and Bangladesh.

It was unclear from where the boat had set off.

"We found dead bodies starting from August 7," said Min Htal Wah, chairperson of Shwe Yaung Metta Foundation, a rescue organisation based in the coastal Rakhine region of Myanmar.

"Within three days, we found 17 dead bodies...We found some people alive," he said, adding 10 women were among the dead.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/air-india-all-set-for-brand-overhaul-but-maharaja-isnt-going-anywhere-624184">Air India undergoes brand overhaul but iconic mascot Maharaja isn’t going anywhere</a>

A Rohingya aid worker in Maungdaw township on the border with Bangladesh said the boat had departed in bad weather and that about 500 others were still hoping to cross to Malaysia.

Nearly 1 million Rohingya live in crowded conditions in Bangladesh, among them those who fled a deadly crackdown in 2017 by Myanmar's military, which denies committing crimes against humanity.

An untold number of them have died at sea from disease, hunger and fatigue as they attempt to reach Muslim-majority Malaysia and Indonesia in rickety boats.

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At least 17 Rohingyas were killed and 30 remain missing after a boat capsized in bad weather in the Bay of Bengal earlier this week, aid workers in Myanmar said.

At least 17 Rohingyas were killed and 30 remain missing after a boat capsized in bad weather in the Bay of Bengal earlier this week, aid workers in Myanmar said. Volunteers said eight people were rescued from the boat, which was headed for Malaysia, a coveted destination for thousands of Rohingya Muslims fleeing persecution and poverty in Myanmar and Bangladesh. It was unclear from where the boat had set off. "We found dead bodies starting from August 7," said Min Htal Wah, chairperson of Shwe Yaung Metta Foundation, a rescue organisation based in the coastal Rakhine region of Myanmar. "Within three days, we found 17 dead bodies...We found some people alive," he said, adding 10 women were among the dead. Also read: Air India undergoes brand overhaul but iconic mascot Maharaja isn’t going anywhere A Rohingya aid worker in Maungdaw township on the border with Bangladesh said the boat had departed in bad weather and that about 500 others were still hoping to cross to Malaysia. Nearly 1 million Rohingya live in crowded conditions in Bangladesh, among them those who fled a deadly crackdown in 2017 by Myanmar's military, which denies committing crimes against humanity. An untold number of them have died at sea from disease, hunger and fatigue as they attempt to reach Muslim-majority Malaysia and Indonesia in rickety boats. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

At least 17 dead as boat carrying Rohingyas sinks in Bay of Bengal

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday, while addressing Lok Sabha, spoke on the Manipur issue and assured the citizens of the country that there will be peace in the violence-hit state in the near future. He also affirmed that the ones behind egregious crimes against women will be given severe punishment.&nbsp;

"Efforts are underway by the Centre, and state government to punish the accused in Manipur. I want to assure the people of the country that there will be peace in Manipur in the near future," he said.

He then promised the people of Manipur that the government will leave no stone unturned to bring the state back on the path of development.

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VIDEO | "There will be peace again in Manipur. I want to assure people of Manipur that the state will soon be back on the path of development and we will leave no stones unturned for this. Whatever was said about 'Maa Bharti' in this House has hurt the sentiments of people of the… <a href="https://t.co/8bmdbFCja9">pic.twitter.com/8bmdbFCja9</a>
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"I want to assure the people of Manipur that the state will soon be back on the path of development and we will leave no stones unturned for this," he said.

Taking a slight dig at Congress, PM Modi said that Home Minister Amit Shah had written a letter to the opposition asking them to hold a discussion on Manipur, but they had no intention to resolve the issue, rather only wanted to indulge in politics.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-exudes-confidence-during-no-confidence-motion-debate-slams-india-alliance-624273">India: No-confidence motion defeated; PM Modi exudes 'confidence' of 2024 win, slams I.N.D.I.A. alliance</a>

"We had asked them (opposition) to come for a discussion on Manipur. The Home Minister had written a letter, asking them to hold a discussion on Manipur. But they didn't have the courage and intention. There was an intention to send a message of peace to the people of Manipur in Amit Shah's message (Lok Sabha speech)," the Indian prime minister said.&nbsp;

While responding to the opposition's no-confidence motion, the Indian Prime Minister also denounced Rahul Gandhi for the references he made to 'Bharat Mata' and said that his comments had hurt the sentiments of every Indian.

"These are people who sometimes speak about the murder of democracy and the murder of the Constitution. These are the people (Congress) who divided Maa Bharati into three pieces. When the time came to free Maa Bharati of slavery, they chopped off her limbs," he said in a blistering attack on the Congress, accusing it of doing nothing but politics.

"The violence in Manipur is saddening. Crimes against women are unacceptable and the central and state governments are working together to ensure the guilty are punished," he said.

(With inputs from the agencies) 
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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday, while addressing Lok Sabha, spoke on the Manipur issue and assured the citizens of the country that there will be peace in the violence-hit state in the near future.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday, while addressing Lok Sabha, spoke on the Manipur issue and assured the citizens of the country that there will be peace in the violence-hit state in the near future. He also affirmed that the ones behind egregious crimes against women will be given severe punishment. "Efforts are underway by the Centre, and state government to punish the accused in Manipur. I want to assure the people of the country that there will be peace in Manipur in the near future," he said. He then promised the people of Manipur that the government will leave no stone unturned to bring the state back on the path of development. VIDEO | "There will be peace again in Manipur. I want to assure people of Manipur that the state will soon be back on the path of development and we will leave no stones unturned for this. Whatever was said about 'Maa Bharti' in this House has hurt the sentiments of people of the… pic.twitter.com/8bmdbFCja9 — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 10, 2023 × "I want to assure the people of Manipur that the state will soon be back on the path of development and we will leave no stones unturned for this," he said. Taking a slight dig at Congress, PM Modi said that Home Minister Amit Shah had written a letter to the opposition asking them to hold a discussion on Manipur, but they had no intention to resolve the issue, rather only wanted to indulge in politics. Also read: India: No-confidence motion defeated; PM Modi exudes 'confidence' of 2024 win, slams I.N.D.I.A. alliance "We had asked them (opposition) to come for a discussion on Manipur. The Home Minister had written a letter, asking them to hold a discussion on Manipur. But they didn't have the courage and intention. There was an intention to send a message of peace to the people of Manipur in Amit Shah's message (Lok Sabha speech)," the Indian prime minister said. While responding to the opposition's no-confidence motion, the Indian Prime Minister also denounced Rahul Gandhi for the references he made to 'Bharat Mata' and said that his comments had hurt the sentiments of every Indian. "These are people who sometimes speak about the murder of democracy and the murder of the Constitution. These are the people (Congress) who divided Maa Bharati into three pieces. When the time came to free Maa Bharati of slavery, they chopped off her limbs," he said in a blistering attack on the Congress, accusing it of doing nothing but politics. "The violence in Manipur is saddening. Crimes against women are unacceptable and the central and state governments are working together to ensure the guilty are punished," he said. (With inputs from the agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

PM Modi speaks on Manipur issue, says centre and state working together to restore peace

Nearly 42 per cent&nbsp;of adult Japanese women might end up never having children in their lifetimes, which could further pose a threat to the future of the country's social security program, the Nikkei newspaper reported citing a forthcoming government research estimate.

Further, Japan's National Institute of Population and Social Security Research estimated that 33.4&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;of the women born in the year 2005 may end up not having a child under a moderate scenario. Even in the most optimistic case, the rate will only be &nbsp;24.6 per cent.

On the other hand, men face an even higher probability of not being married than women with the likelihood of as many as half of 18-year-olds not having children ever, reported Nikkei citing research's estimate.

<h2>Self-fulfilment over kids</h2>

Similar trends are being witnessed and are likely to rise in developed economies such as the United States and Europe where people are deviating from the norm of bearing kids and are rather shifting focus towards self-fulfilment.

In Western countries, nearly 10&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;to 20&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;of women born in the year 1970 never had children, whereas, in Japan, the figures are slightly higher with 27 per cent, which are further expected to double if US and Europe percentages stay at their same respective levels.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/threat-from-wagner-poland-a-nato-ally-deploys-more-troops-on-belarus-border-623873">Threat from Wagner? Poland, a NATO ally, deploys more troops on Belarus border</a>

This trend has slightly plummeted in countries like the United Kingdom and Germany where measures are being taken to create a work-life balance which has encouraged couples to opt for at least one child.

Japan has also been making attempts through initiatives like work-style reforms to create more suitable conditions for prospective parents. However, factors like uncertainty about the future and stagnant wages have impacted the youth's decision of getting married.&nbsp;

"There needs to be an urgent discussion on building a social safety net in every area -- including pensions, medical care, nursing care and living assistance -- that does not disadvantage people without family, along with funding," Nikkei quoted social security expert Takashi Oshio, a professor at Hitotsubashi University's Institute of Economic Research, as saying.

(With inputs from agencies)

 
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Nearly 42 per cent of adult Japanese women might end up never having children in their lifetimes, which could further pose a threat to the future of the country's social security program, the Nikkei newspaper reported citing a forthcoming government research estimate.

Nearly 42 per cent of adult Japanese women might end up never having children in their lifetimes, which could further pose a threat to the future of the country's social security program, the Nikkei newspaper reported citing a forthcoming government research estimate. Further, Japan's National Institute of Population and Social Security Research estimated that 33.4 per cent of the women born in the year 2005 may end up not having a child under a moderate scenario. Even in the most optimistic case, the rate will only be 24.6 per cent. On the other hand, men face an even higher probability of not being married than women with the likelihood of as many as half of 18-year-olds not having children ever, reported Nikkei citing research's estimate. Self-fulfilment over kids Similar trends are being witnessed and are likely to rise in developed economies such as the United States and Europe where people are deviating from the norm of bearing kids and are rather shifting focus towards self-fulfilment. In Western countries, nearly 10 per cent to 20 per cent of women born in the year 1970 never had children, whereas, in Japan, the figures are slightly higher with 27 per cent, which are further expected to double if US and Europe percentages stay at their same respective levels. Also read: Threat from Wagner? Poland, a NATO ally, deploys more troops on Belarus border This trend has slightly plummeted in countries like the United Kingdom and Germany where measures are being taken to create a work-life balance which has encouraged couples to opt for at least one child. Japan has also been making attempts through initiatives like work-style reforms to create more suitable conditions for prospective parents. However, factors like uncertainty about the future and stagnant wages have impacted the youth's decision of getting married. "There needs to be an urgent discussion on building a social safety net in every area -- including pensions, medical care, nursing care and living assistance -- that does not disadvantage people without family, along with funding," Nikkei quoted social security expert Takashi Oshio, a professor at Hitotsubashi University's Institute of Economic Research, as saying. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Over 40% of adult Japanese women may end up never having children: Report

ABC Australia released a statement saying that it will shut down all of its official accounts on Elon Musk's X, formerly known as Twitter, citing high costs and "toxic interactions" on the microblogging social media platform as the reasons behind the closure.

Managing Director David Anderson made an announcement saying that aside from ABC News, ABC Sport, ABC Chinese and ABC Australia, will also shut their official accounts down from Wednesday.

He further said that discontinuing the ABC accounts earlier this year had an extremely positive impact and reduced the toxic interactions that take place online.

"There are multiple reasons for this decision," he said in a statement.&nbsp;

This move comes after ABC began creating content for other platforms, including TikTok and Instagram. He said that the vast majority of their digital audience was located elsewhere.

"The vast majority of the ABC’s social media audience is located on other platforms and we want to focus our effort and resources where our audiences are."

Many journalists from the media organisation had left the platform after being subjected to abuse. The high-profile names include News Breakfast host Lisa Millar and Australian Story host Leigh Sales.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wanted-hong-kong-activist-anna-kwok-says-parents-questioned-harassed-and-intimidated-623953">Wanted Hong Kong activist Anna Kwok says parents 'questioned, harassed and intimidated'</a>

"Also, we have found that closing individual program accounts helps limit the exposure of team members to the sometimes toxic interactions that unfortunately are becoming more prevalent. Concerningly, X has reduced its trust and safety teams," Anderson said.

Anderson said that the additional charges, which were introduced after Elon Musk's takeover, had made the microblogging site "increasingly costly to use".

In the month of April, NPR and PBS discontinued their presence on X. They left the microblogging site after CEO Elon Musk dubbed them as “state media”.

In the same month, ABC and SBS were also branded as “government-funded media”.

As per Guardian reports, a spokesperson had released a statement then saying that ABC will not follow in the footsteps of NPR and PBS by quitting Twitter.

“The ABC doesn’t currently have any plans to shut down all its Twitter accounts. We’re liaising with Twitter regarding changes to account verification and labels,” they said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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ABC Australia released a statement saying that it will shut down all of its official accounts on Elon Musk's X, formerly known as Twitter, citing high costs and "toxic interactions" on the microblogging social media platform as the reasons behind the closure.

ABC Australia released a statement saying that it will shut down all of its official accounts on Elon Musk's X, formerly known as Twitter, citing high costs and "toxic interactions" on the microblogging social media platform as the reasons behind the closure. Managing Director David Anderson made an announcement saying that aside from ABC News, ABC Sport, ABC Chinese and ABC Australia, will also shut their official accounts down from Wednesday. He further said that discontinuing the ABC accounts earlier this year had an extremely positive impact and reduced the toxic interactions that take place online. "There are multiple reasons for this decision," he said in a statement. This move comes after ABC began creating content for other platforms, including TikTok and Instagram. He said that the vast majority of their digital audience was located elsewhere. "The vast majority of the ABC’s social media audience is located on other platforms and we want to focus our effort and resources where our audiences are." Many journalists from the media organisation had left the platform after being subjected to abuse. The high-profile names include News Breakfast host Lisa Millar and Australian Story host Leigh Sales. Also read: Wanted Hong Kong activist Anna Kwok says parents 'questioned, harassed and intimidated' "Also, we have found that closing individual program accounts helps limit the exposure of team members to the sometimes toxic interactions that unfortunately are becoming more prevalent. Concerningly, X has reduced its trust and safety teams," Anderson said. Anderson said that the additional charges, which were introduced after Elon Musk's takeover, had made the microblogging site "increasingly costly to use". In the month of April, NPR and PBS discontinued their presence on X. They left the microblogging site after CEO Elon Musk dubbed them as “state media”. In the same month, ABC and SBS were also branded as “government-funded media”. As per Guardian reports, a spokesperson had released a statement then saying that ABC will not follow in the footsteps of NPR and PBS by quitting Twitter. “The ABC doesn’t currently have any plans to shut down all its Twitter accounts. We’re liaising with Twitter regarding changes to account verification and labels,” they said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

ABC Australia exits Elon Musk's X, cites high costs and 'toxic interactions'

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while reacting on the issue of Manipur in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, denounced the Opposition for not having a discussion over the 'sensitive' issue.

“From day one, I was ready for discussion on the Manipur issue but the Opposition never wanted to do discussion. If they would have not been satisfied with my points, then they should have demanded the PM's statement. But, the Opposition was not ready to have the discussion,” Shah said in the Lower House.

He then said that during the time when the BJP government was in power in the northeastern state of Manipur, no such situation arose for which there would have been the requirement of a curfew.

“The opposition doesn't want me to speak but they can't silence me. You have to listen to me. 130 crore people have elected us so they have to listen to us...It has been almost six years since BJP formed a government there. During the past six years of our government, the need for a curfew never rose," Shah said while speaking on the no-confidence motion in the Lower House.

He added that doing politics over such a sensitive matter is “shameful”.

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“I agree that there have been incidents of violence in Manipur. No one can support such incidents. Doing politics on these incidents is shameful,” Shah said.

Replying to the opposition's demands to sack Chief Minister N Biren Singh, Shah said that the Manipur CM has been cooperating with the Centre to restore peace in the state.

Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-govt-to-investigate-enigmatic-havana-syndrome-after-startling-incident-in-delhi-623826"> </a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-govt-to-investigate-enigmatic-havana-syndrome-after-startling-incident-in-delhi-623826">Indian govt to investigate enigmatic Havana Syndrome after startling incident in Delhi</a>

“A state CM needs to be changed when he is not cooperating. This CM is cooperating with the Centre,” he said.

<h2>Shah appeals for peace in Manipur&nbsp;</h2>

Amit Shah urged both warring communities, Meitei and Kuki, to hold talks saying that violence was not the solution.

“I assure you that we will bring peace in the state. Politics should not be done on this issue,” Shah said.

The Lok Sabha adopted a resolution on Wednesday appealing for peace in Manipur, with NDA members enthusiastically supporting it in the presence of the opposition.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while reacting on the issue of Manipur in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, denounced the Opposition for not having a discussion over the 'sensitive' issue.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while reacting on the issue of Manipur in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, denounced the Opposition for not having a discussion over the 'sensitive' issue. “From day one, I was ready for discussion on the Manipur issue but the Opposition never wanted to do discussion. If they would have not been satisfied with my points, then they should have demanded the PM's statement. But, the Opposition was not ready to have the discussion,” Shah said in the Lower House. He then said that during the time when the BJP government was in power in the northeastern state of Manipur, no such situation arose for which there would have been the requirement of a curfew. “The opposition doesn't want me to speak but they can't silence me. You have to listen to me. 130 crore people have elected us so they have to listen to us...It has been almost six years since BJP formed a government there. During the past six years of our government, the need for a curfew never rose," Shah said while speaking on the no-confidence motion in the Lower House. He added that doing politics over such a sensitive matter is “shameful”. #WATCH | I agree that there have been incidents of violence in Manipur. No one can support such incidents. Doing politics on these incidents is shameful: Home Minister Amit Shah on violence in Manipur pic.twitter.com/9qaP8s59PV — ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2023 × “I agree that there have been incidents of violence in Manipur. No one can support such incidents. Doing politics on these incidents is shameful,” Shah said. Replying to the opposition's demands to sack Chief Minister N Biren Singh, Shah said that the Manipur CM has been cooperating with the Centre to restore peace in the state. Also read: Indian govt to investigate enigmatic Havana Syndrome after startling incident in Delhi “A state CM needs to be changed when he is not cooperating. This CM is cooperating with the Centre,” he said. Shah appeals for peace in Manipur Amit Shah urged both warring communities, Meitei and Kuki, to hold talks saying that violence was not the solution. “I assure you that we will bring peace in the state. Politics should not be done on this issue,” Shah said. The Lok Sabha adopted a resolution on Wednesday appealing for peace in Manipur, with NDA members enthusiastically supporting it in the presence of the opposition. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Amit Shah slams opposition for politicising Manipur issue, appeals for peace in state

Record rainfall and floods in Beijing have so far claimed the lives of 33 people, whereas 18 are still missing, the officials confirmed on Wednesday.

The Chinese capital has been hit by record rainfall in recent weeks, causing damage to the infrastructure, also ravaging farms and cities.

On Wednesday (9 Aug), officials said that the floods in Beijing had killed 33 people which was almost thrice the numbers shared by authorities last Tuesday.

"I would like to express my deep condolences to those who died in the line of duty and the unfortunate victims," Xia Linmao, Beijing's vice-mayor, told a press conference, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

Hebei province, which neighbours Beijing, had reported 15 deaths with 22 still missing.

Whereas, in northeastern Jilin, 14 people had lost their lives and one person was reported missing on Sunday.

Further north in Heilongjiang, state media reported dozens of rivers saw water levels rise above "warning markers" in recent days.

"I still feel scared when I recall the recent flooding," Zheng Xiaokang, a police officer from the province's Jiangxi village, told the state-run Xinhua News Agency.

"In the face of the persistent downpour and rising river water, the consequences would have been devastating had we not managed to timely evacuate the villagers," Zheng said.

<h2>Floods kill 7 in Sichuan province</h2>

Seven people lost their lives in flash floods in southwestern China on Wednesday.

As per reports, the victims who died were taking pictures when the torrent struck, were tourists visiting a popular site.&nbsp;

<h2>147 deaths, disappearances caused by natural disasters</h2>

Last week, China released a statement saying that natural disasters had claimed the lives of at least 147 people, with several missing in the month of July after record rainfall hit the country's capital.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/migrant-shipwreck-in-central-mediterranean-claims-lives-of-41-623866">Migrant shipwreck in central Mediterranean claims lives of 41</a>

China's Ministry of Emergency Management said that 142 of the deaths or disappearances recorded in the month of July were caused by flooding or geological disasters. &nbsp;

The remaining five deaths or disappearances were due to other natural disasters such as drought.&nbsp;

<h2>China to ramp up restoration efforts</h2>

China will ramp up restoration efforts in the country's north and northeast regions which were severely impacted by storm Doksuri. As per state media reports, Beijing will reconstruct the houses that were destroyed due to the recent record flooding in order to make sure that the ones affected can go back to their homes by winter.

The floods, which ravaged farms and cities in the northern Hebei province and enclosing areas, led to more than 1.5 million evacuations.

China's Cabinet said authorities would accelerate the efforts to restore power and telecom connections destroyed by the floods, state broadcaster CCTV reported, citing a cabinet meeting chaired by Premier Li Qiang.

(With inputs from agencies)

 
&nbsp;

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Record rainfall and floods in Beijing have so far claimed the lives of 33 people, whereas 18 are still missing, the officials confirmed on Wednesday. The Chinese capital has been hit by record rainfall in recent weeks, causing damage to the infrastructure, also ravaging farms and cities.

Record rainfall and floods in Beijing have so far claimed the lives of 33 people, whereas 18 are still missing, the officials confirmed on Wednesday. The Chinese capital has been hit by record rainfall in recent weeks, causing damage to the infrastructure, also ravaging farms and cities. On Wednesday (9 Aug), officials said that the floods in Beijing had killed 33 people which was almost thrice the numbers shared by authorities last Tuesday. "I would like to express my deep condolences to those who died in the line of duty and the unfortunate victims," Xia Linmao, Beijing's vice-mayor, told a press conference, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Hebei province, which neighbours Beijing, had reported 15 deaths with 22 still missing. Whereas, in northeastern Jilin, 14 people had lost their lives and one person was reported missing on Sunday. Further north in Heilongjiang, state media reported dozens of rivers saw water levels rise above "warning markers" in recent days. "I still feel scared when I recall the recent flooding," Zheng Xiaokang, a police officer from the province's Jiangxi village, told the state-run Xinhua News Agency. "In the face of the persistent downpour and rising river water, the consequences would have been devastating had we not managed to timely evacuate the villagers," Zheng said. Floods kill 7 in Sichuan province Seven people lost their lives in flash floods in southwestern China on Wednesday. As per reports, the victims who died were taking pictures when the torrent struck, were tourists visiting a popular site. 147 deaths, disappearances caused by natural disasters Last week, China released a statement saying that natural disasters had claimed the lives of at least 147 people, with several missing in the month of July after record rainfall hit the country's capital. Also read: Migrant shipwreck in central Mediterranean claims lives of 41 China's Ministry of Emergency Management said that 142 of the deaths or disappearances recorded in the month of July were caused by flooding or geological disasters. The remaining five deaths or disappearances were due to other natural disasters such as drought. China to ramp up restoration efforts China will ramp up restoration efforts in the country's north and northeast regions which were severely impacted by storm Doksuri. As per state media reports, Beijing will reconstruct the houses that were destroyed due to the recent record flooding in order to make sure that the ones affected can go back to their homes by winter. The floods, which ravaged farms and cities in the northern Hebei province and enclosing areas, led to more than 1.5 million evacuations. China's Cabinet said authorities would accelerate the efforts to restore power and telecom connections destroyed by the floods, state broadcaster CCTV reported, citing a cabinet meeting chaired by Premier Li Qiang. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Record rainfall, floods in China kill 33 in Beijing, 18 others still missing

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