Equity indices were on a weak note during early hours on Monday as global oil prices surged to a four-month high after a strike on the world`s biggest oil facility in Saudi Arabia removed about 5 per cent of global supplies.

At 10:15 am, the BSE S&amp;P Sensex was down by 175 points at 37,210 while the Nifty 50 edged lower by 51 points to 11,025.

At the National Stock Exchange, sectoral indices were mixed with Nifty auto, financial service, media, metal, bank and realty in the negative zone. Nifty FMCG, IT and pharma showed marginal gains.&nbsp;

Among stocks, oil processing and marketing firms suffered the most as the United States blamed Iran for the weekend attack on Saudi Arabia`s crude oil facilities.

Bharat Petroleum Corporation dropped by 6.1 per cent to trade at Rs 383.50 per share while IndiaOil Corporation was down by 3.3 per cent to Rs 125.80 apiece.

Index heavyweight Reliance Industries slipped by 2.2 per cent.

The other prominent losers were Tata Motors, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra, Yes Bank, State Bank of India, Bharti Infratel and Asian Paints.

However, those which traded in the green were Indiabulls Housing Finance, ONGC, GAIL, Sun Pharma and Dr Reddy.

Meanwhile, moves in Asian share markets were small with Japan shut for a public holiday.&nbsp;

MSCI`s broadest index of Asia Pacific shares outside Japan was a notch lower at 515.4 while South Korea`s KOSPI was a tad higher by 0.4 per cent. Hong Kong`s Hang Seng was down by 1 per cent.&nbsp;

Equity indices were on a weak note during early hours on Monday as global oil prices surged to a four-month high after a strike on the world`s biggest oil facility in Saudi Arabia removed about 5 per cent of global supplies.

Equity indices were on a weak note during early hours on Monday as global oil prices surged to a four-month high after a strike on the world`s biggest oil facility in Saudi Arabia removed about 5 per cent of global supplies. At 10:15 am, the BSE S&P Sensex was down by 175 points at 37,210 while the Nifty 50 edged lower by 51 points to 11,025. At the National Stock Exchange, sectoral indices were mixed with Nifty auto, financial service, media, metal, bank and realty in the negative zone. Nifty FMCG, IT and pharma showed marginal gains. Among stocks, oil processing and marketing firms suffered the most as the United States blamed Iran for the weekend attack on Saudi Arabia`s crude oil facilities. Bharat Petroleum Corporation dropped by 6.1 per cent to trade at Rs 383.50 per share while IndiaOil Corporation was down by 3.3 per cent to Rs 125.80 apiece. Index heavyweight Reliance Industries slipped by 2.2 per cent. The other prominent losers were Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Yes Bank, State Bank of India, Bharti Infratel and Asian Paints. However, those which traded in the green were Indiabulls Housing Finance, ONGC, GAIL, Sun Pharma and Dr Reddy. Meanwhile, moves in Asian share markets were small with Japan shut for a public holiday. MSCI`s broadest index of Asia Pacific shares outside Japan was a notch lower at 515.4 while South Korea`s KOSPI was a tad higher by 0.4 per cent. Hong Kong`s Hang Seng was down by 1 per cent.

Sensex and Nifty slip, oil firms under pressure after Saudi attack

Scientists for the first time have detected water in the atmosphere of an Earth-like planet orbiting a distant star, evidence that a key ingredient for life exists beyond our solar system. The newest exciting find involves K2-18 b, a planet about 110 light-years from Earth.&nbsp;

In an interview to WION, lead author of a study at University College London (UCL), Angelos Tsiaras, said the&nbsp;K2-18 b&nbsp;planet is the best candidate to be a habitable place out there and added that life can evolve in different ways.&nbsp;

"Like here on earth, we have the extremophiles, these are kind of life that exist in extreme environments something like volcanoes or very deep in the oceans where humans would not be able to live. Hence it could be possible that other forms of life in the universe evolve in a way that they don't need water, who knows that hence we need to find out!", said Tsiaras.

When asked about the next steps and other factors, besides water that&nbsp;confirm the existence of life, Tsiaras said,&nbsp;"The next step will be the James webspace telescope which will be able to give us a much better spectrum of the planet and also help in finding methane which is a sign of life."

Here is the full excerpt&nbsp;of the conversation-

WION: Why is this discovery of water on the exo-planet significant? Does this mean that life exists in other places in the universe?

Tsiaras: No, we cannot answer this question with the current observation. We can say that this planet from what we know right now is the best candidate to be a habitable place out there in the universe. But to find the science of life or a really habitable planet, we will need much better observations. This will come in the next decades. So, unless we have this big telescopes we cannot say more than the existence of water and the existence of an atmosphere around this planet which has very pleasant temperatures similar to the earth.

WION-What more do we know about this exo-planet? Is it a gas giant or does it have a surface to speak of?

Tsiaras: So, we know that the planet has the density that is similar to Mars or the Moon. This means probably that it has a surface. It is definitely not a gas giant. We know that based on the mass and the radius. But given that we cannot really observe the surface and we cannot say much about the surface itself. I can only think of that.

WION- The exo-planet is said to be in the habitable zone but the dwarf star around which it is orbiting is said to be more active. How does this complicate things for the emergence of life?

Tsiaras: These stars are more active than our sun. But until now there have been many studies that are trying to understand whether this is hostile or not. So for example, this star is not that active as per example some has a temperature around 3,5000 kelvin, so it has an activity and it has some more harmful radiation. But we have not detected any flares so very hostile events. In addition, if you think of an atmosphere that it is bigger than ours, so this is probably working as a better against this radiation.

WION-So what is the next step? What else besides water confirms the existence of life?

Tsiaras: The next step will be the James webspace telescope which is three times bigger than Hubble and will be flying in 2021 very soon. It will be able to give us a much better spectrum of the planet and it is a very interesting one. So I believe that we will try to find methane as a next step. As we know that on earth methane is a sign of life. It is produced because life is here. we don't know if life outside universe is working in the same way. Life in a different place could evolve differently and produce different kind of gases. What we are actually looking at is gases that shouldn't be there. Assuming that we put together a mix of certain elements we expect certain molecules to exist in an atmosphere. If we find something that it is not right and it shouldn't be there it is a sign that it could because, of life, this is what we call as biomarkers. 
Our estimate is not very good. We don't know how much water is there. So the estimate is between 0.01 per cent up to 50 per cent. It's a huge race. We don't know. It could be made out of water. For example here on Earth, mostly the atmosphere is made of Nitrogen. Imagine an atmosphere which is mainly made of water, that would be a completely different atmosphere. We will be able to bring down this estimate with smaller and certainty with future telescopes.

WION-How is the water found on this exoplanet different from the water found on the moons of Jupiter and Saturn?

Tsiaras: So the water in the icy moon is an ocean and it is liquid water. Here we are talking about gaseous water. We don't know if there is indeed liquid water. We know that the planet can support liquid water so presumably, we can say but not sure. In the moon, the water is beneath the surface, it's something different. The moon is covered with ice crusts and water lives beneath that.

Scientists for the first time have detected water in the atmosphere of an Earth-like planet orbiting a distant star, evidence that a key ingredient for life exists beyond our solar system.

Scientists for the first time have detected water in the atmosphere of an Earth-like planet orbiting a distant star, evidence that a key ingredient for life exists beyond our solar system. The newest exciting find involves K2-18 b, a planet about 110 light-years from Earth. In an interview to WION, lead author of a study at University College London (UCL), Angelos Tsiaras, said the K2-18 b planet is the best candidate to be a habitable place out there and added that life can evolve in different ways. "Like here on earth, we have the extremophiles, these are kind of life that exist in extreme environments something like volcanoes or very deep in the oceans where humans would not be able to live. Hence it could be possible that other forms of life in the universe evolve in a way that they don't need water, who knows that hence we need to find out!", said Tsiaras. When asked about the next steps and other factors, besides water that confirm the existence of life, Tsiaras said, "The next step will be the James webspace telescope which will be able to give us a much better spectrum of the planet and also help in finding methane which is a sign of life." Here is the full excerpt of the conversation- WION: Why is this discovery of water on the exo-planet significant? Does this mean that life exists in other places in the universe? Tsiaras: No, we cannot answer this question with the current observation. We can say that this planet from what we know right now is the best candidate to be a habitable place out there in the universe. But to find the science of life or a really habitable planet, we will need much better observations. This will come in the next decades. So, unless we have this big telescopes we cannot say more than the existence of water and the existence of an atmosphere around this planet which has very pleasant temperatures similar to the earth. WION-What more do we know about this exo-planet? Is it a gas giant or does it have a surface to speak of? Tsiaras: So, we know that the planet has the density that is similar to Mars or the Moon. This means probably that it has a surface. It is definitely not a gas giant. We know that based on the mass and the radius. But given that we cannot really observe the surface and we cannot say much about the surface itself. I can only think of that. WION- The exo-planet is said to be in the habitable zone but the dwarf star around which it is orbiting is said to be more active. How does this complicate things for the emergence of life? Tsiaras: These stars are more active than our sun. But until now there have been many studies that are trying to understand whether this is hostile or not. So for example, this star is not that active as per example some has a temperature around 3,5000 kelvin, so it has an activity and it has some more harmful radiation. But we have not detected any flares so very hostile events. In addition, if you think of an atmosphere that it is bigger than ours, so this is probably working as a better against this radiation. WION-So what is the next step? What else besides water confirms the existence of life? Tsiaras: The next step will be the James webspace telescope which is three times bigger than Hubble and will be flying in 2021 very soon. It will be able to give us a much better spectrum of the planet and it is a very interesting one. So I believe that we will try to find methane as a next step. As we know that on earth methane is a sign of life. It is produced because life is here. we don't know if life outside universe is working in the same way. Life in a different place could evolve differently and produce different kind of gases. What we are actually looking at is gases that shouldn't be there. Assuming that we put together a mix of certain elements we expect certain molecules to exist in an atmosphere. If we find something that it is not right and it shouldn't be there it is a sign that it could because, of life, this is what we call as biomarkers. Our estimate is not very good. We don't know how much water is there. So the estimate is between 0.01 per cent up to 50 per cent. It's a huge race. We don't know. It could be made out of water. For example here on Earth, mostly the atmosphere is made of Nitrogen. Imagine an atmosphere which is mainly made of water, that would be a completely different atmosphere. We will be able to bring down this estimate with smaller and certainty with future telescopes. WION-How is the water found on this exoplanet different from the water found on the moons of Jupiter and Saturn? Tsiaras: So the water in the icy moon is an ocean and it is liquid water. Here we are talking about gaseous water. We don't know if there is indeed liquid water. We know that the planet can support liquid water so presumably, we can say but not sure. In the moon, the water is beneath the surface, it's something different. The moon is covered with ice crusts and water lives beneath that.

K2-18 b planet is best candidate for life beyond Earth: Astronomer Tsiaras to WION

In a bid to provide relief to people from paying hefty fines for traffic violations under the new Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, the Jharkhand government has asked state residents to complete all their documents within three months while putting the provisions of the Act on hold for the said period.

Speaking to ANI, Jharkhand Transport Minister, CP Singh said, "Taking cognisance of people`s safety some amendments were made in the Motor Vehicle Act by Centre. However, taking note of the issues people are facing, we have decided to give three-month relief to people so that they can get their documents in order."

He also requested people to abide by all traffic rules and regulations.

"Meanwhile, the public should also make sure that they abide by all the traffic rules and regulations", Singh added.

The new Motor Vehicles Act has enhanced the penalties for traffic violations and erring drivers. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had notified the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act 2019 last month and it was implemented in many states across the nation from September 1.

Earlier on September 12, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had said that the Central government did not take the states into confidence before implementing the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019.&nbsp;

In a bid to provide relief to people from paying hefty fines for traffic violations under the new Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, the Jharkhand government has asked state residents to complete all their documents within three months while putting the provisions of the Act on hold for the said period.

In a bid to provide relief to people from paying hefty fines for traffic violations under the new Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, the Jharkhand government has asked state residents to complete all their documents within three months while putting the provisions of the Act on hold for the said period. Speaking to ANI, Jharkhand Transport Minister, CP Singh said, "Taking cognisance of people`s safety some amendments were made in the Motor Vehicle Act by Centre. However, taking note of the issues people are facing, we have decided to give three-month relief to people so that they can get their documents in order." He also requested people to abide by all traffic rules and regulations. "Meanwhile, the public should also make sure that they abide by all the traffic rules and regulations", Singh added. The new Motor Vehicles Act has enhanced the penalties for traffic violations and erring drivers. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had notified the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act 2019 last month and it was implemented in many states across the nation from September 1. Earlier on September 12, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had said that the Central government did not take the states into confidence before implementing the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019.

Jharkhand to give three-month 'relief' from fines under new Motor Vehicle Act

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Sunday warned Pakistan to stop supporting terrorism and added that it should be ready to lose Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (PoK).

"Article 370 has been revoked. Now, Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) too is ours. Pakistan should be ready to lose PoK. For fulfilling the dream of united India, we are ready to move forward for PoK... Pakistan should stop supporting terrorism... India will not tolerate this," he said while attending a Bharat Ekta Manch rally here.&nbsp;

In August, Parliament had revoked Article 370 which gave special provisions to Jammu and Kashmir and also bifurcated the state into two union territories- Jammu &amp; Kashmir and Ladakh.

The Chief Minister also reminded Pakistan`s Prime Minister Imran Khan about the 1971 war in which Bangladesh was liberated.

"Pakistan was boasting of occupying Delhi in 1971 but they were about to lose Karachi. Bangladesh was partitioned. Their Army became our refugees," he added.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Sunday warned Pakistan to stop supporting terrorism and added that it should be ready to lose Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (PoK). "Article 370 has been revoked.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Sunday warned Pakistan to stop supporting terrorism and added that it should be ready to lose Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (PoK). "Article 370 has been revoked. Now, Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) too is ours. Pakistan should be ready to lose PoK. For fulfilling the dream of united India, we are ready to move forward for PoK... Pakistan should stop supporting terrorism... India will not tolerate this," he said while attending a Bharat Ekta Manch rally here. In August, Parliament had revoked Article 370 which gave special provisions to Jammu and Kashmir and also bifurcated the state into two union territories- Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. The Chief Minister also reminded Pakistan`s Prime Minister Imran Khan about the 1971 war in which Bangladesh was liberated. "Pakistan was boasting of occupying Delhi in 1971 but they were about to lose Karachi. Bangladesh was partitioned. Their Army became our refugees," he added.

Pakistan should be ready to lose PoK, says Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani

Pakistan violated ceasefire in Mendhar sector of Poonch district on Sunday.

Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation at about 2230 hours by firing of small arms and intense shelling with mortars in Balakote, Mendhar.

The Indian Army retaliated befittingly.

Ever since India announced move to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, a rattled Pakistan has frequently resorted to ceasefire violations along the LOC.

These violations have been retaliated effectively by the Indian Army.

Pakistan violated ceasefire in Mendhar sector of Poonch district on Sunday. Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation at about 2230 hours by firing of small arms and intense shelling with mortars in Balakote, Mendhar.

Pakistan violated ceasefire in Mendhar sector of Poonch district on Sunday. Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation at about 2230 hours by firing of small arms and intense shelling with mortars in Balakote, Mendhar. The Indian Army retaliated befittingly. Ever since India announced move to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, a rattled Pakistan has frequently resorted to ceasefire violations along the LOC. These violations have been retaliated effectively by the Indian Army.

Pakistan violates ceasefire in Mendhar sector of Jammu and Kashmir

Oil prices surged more than 10 per cent Monday after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-races-to-restore-oil-supply-after-strike-blamed-on-iran-249851">attacks on two Saudi Arabian plants that slashed output</a> in the world's top producer by half, with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-dismisses-us-claim-it-was-behind-saudi-oil-attacks-says-ready-for-war-249810">Donald Trump blaming Iran </a>and raising the possibility of a military strike on the country.

West Texas Intermediate jumped 10.68 per cent to $60.71 and Brent climbed 11.77 per cent to $67.31 in early Asia trading following the blasts at facilities run by state-owned giant Aramco.

The attack by Tehran-backed Huthi rebels in neighbouring Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is bogged down in a five-year war, effectively shut down six per cent of the global oil supply.

Brent soared almost 20 per cent at one point on Monday, while WTI surged around 15 per cent before paring the gains.

Trump said Sunday the US was "locked and loaded" to respond to the attack, while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said,&nbsp;"The United States will work with our partners and allies to ensure that energy markets remain well supplied and Iran is held accountable for its aggression."

Tehran denies the accusations but the news has revived fears of a conflict in the tinderbox Middle East after a series of attacks on oil tankers earlier this year that were also blamed on Iran.

"Tensions in the Middle East are rising quickly, meaning this story will continue to reverberate this week even after the knee-jerk panic in oil markets this morning," said Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at OANDA.

Oil prices surged more than 10 per cent Monday after attacks on two Saudi Arabian plants that slashed output in the world's top producer by half, with Donald Trump blaming Iran and raising the possibility of a military strike on the country.

Oil prices surged more than 10 per cent Monday after attacks on two Saudi Arabian plants that slashed output in the world's top producer by half, with Donald Trump blaming Iran and raising the possibility of a military strike on the country. West Texas Intermediate jumped 10.68 per cent to $60.71 and Brent climbed 11.77 per cent to $67.31 in early Asia trading following the blasts at facilities run by state-owned giant Aramco. The attack by Tehran-backed Huthi rebels in neighbouring Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is bogged down in a five-year war, effectively shut down six per cent of the global oil supply. Brent soared almost 20 per cent at one point on Monday, while WTI surged around 15 per cent before paring the gains. Trump said Sunday the US was "locked and loaded" to respond to the attack, while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, "The United States will work with our partners and allies to ensure that energy markets remain well supplied and Iran is held accountable for its aggression." Tehran denies the accusations but the news has revived fears of a conflict in the tinderbox Middle East after a series of attacks on oil tankers earlier this year that were also blamed on Iran. "Tensions in the Middle East are rising quickly, meaning this story will continue to reverberate this week even after the knee-jerk panic in oil markets this morning," said Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at OANDA.

Oil prices soar more than 10% after attacks on two Saudi plants

President Donald Trump said Sunday the US is "locked and loaded" to respond to attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-dismisses-us-claim-it-was-behind-saudi-oil-attacks-says-ready-for-war-249810">Washington blamed on Iran</a>, which have sent<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-races-to-restore-oil-supply-after-strike-blamed-on-iran-249851"> oil prices soaring</a>.

It is the first time the president has hinted at a potential American military response to the drone attacks, which slashed Saudi oil production by half and led both the kingdom and the United States to announce they may tap their strategic reserves.

"Saudi Arabia oil supply was attacked. There is reason to believe that we know the culprit, are locked and loaded depending on verification, but are waiting to hear from the Kingdom as to who they believe was the cause of this attack, and under what terms we would proceed!" Trump tweeted.

The Tehran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is bogged down in a five-year war, claimed Saturday's strikes on two plants owned by state energy giant Aramco.

But US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pointed the finger squarely at Tehran, saying there was no evidence the "unprecedented attack on the world's energy supply" was launched from Yemen.

"The United States will work with our partners and allies to ensure that energy markets remain well supplied and Iran is held accountable for its aggression," the top US diplomat said.

That drew an angry response from Tehran, where foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said: "Such fruitless and blind accusations and remarks are incomprehensible and meaningless."

The remarks were designed to damage Iran's reputation and provide a pretext for "future actions" against the Islamic republic, he added.

Baghdad, caught between its two main allies -- Tehran and Washington -- also denied any link to the attacks amid media speculation that the drones were launched from Iraq.

Saudi de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said the kingdom is "willing and able" to respond to this "terrorist aggression."

But a tit-for-tat strike on Iranian oil fields is "highly unlikely," Middle East expert James Dorsey told AFP.

"The Saudis do not want an open conflict with Iran. The Saudis would like others to fight that war, and the others are reluctant," said Dorsey, from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.

'Genie is out of the bottle'

Oil prices soared by 10 per cent in early Asia trading on Monday, while Saudi Arabia focused on restoring production at the plants.

Saturday's explosions set off fires that engulfed the Abqaiq plant, the world's largest oil processing facility, and nearby Khurais, which hosts a massive oil field.

Saudi's energy infrastructure has been hit by the Huthis many times before, but this strike was of a different order, abruptly halting 5.7 million barrels per day (bpd) or about six per cent of the world's oil supply.

"The genie is out of the bottle," said Bill Farren-Price, director of the London-based RS Energy Group.

"It is now clear that Saudi and other Gulf oil facilities are vulnerable to this kind of attack, which means that the geopolitical risk premium for oil needs to rise."

No casualties were reported but the full extent of the damage was not clear.

Aramco also said it will dip into its reserves to offset the disruption. On Saturday, CEO Amin Nasser said that "work is underway" to restore production, but the incident could affect investor confidence ahead of Aramco's stock market debut.

A significant volume of oil production can be restored within days but the company would need weeks to reach full output again, Bloomberg News reported Sunday, citing unnamed sources.

Trump tweeted that he had "authorized the release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, if needed, in a to-be-determined amount" that is "sufficient to keep the markets well-supplied."

The president also "informed all appropriate agencies to expedite approvals of the oil pipelines currently in the permitting process in Texas and various other States," without naming specific projects.

Loggerheads

Following a phone call between Trump and Prince Mohammed, the White House condemned the attacks on "infrastructure vital to the global economy."

Tehran and Washington have been at loggerheads since May last year, when Trump pulled the US out of a landmark 2015 deal with world powers that promised Iran relief from sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear program.

Despite the US accusation, the White House said on Sunday Trump may still meet his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani at the upcoming United Nations assembly.

Saudi Arabia has spent billions on military hardware but recent events have underscored the vulnerability of its infrastructure to attack.

The Huthis have staged repeated cross-border missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi air bases and other facilities in what they say is retaliation for the Riyadh-led bombing campaign on rebel-held areas in Yemen. 
&nbsp;

President Donald Trump said Sunday the US is "locked and loaded" to respond to attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure that Washington blamed on Iran, which have sent oil prices soaring.

President Donald Trump said Sunday the US is "locked and loaded" to respond to attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure that Washington blamed on Iran, which have sent oil prices soaring. It is the first time the president has hinted at a potential American military response to the drone attacks, which slashed Saudi oil production by half and led both the kingdom and the United States to announce they may tap their strategic reserves. "Saudi Arabia oil supply was attacked. There is reason to believe that we know the culprit, are locked and loaded depending on verification, but are waiting to hear from the Kingdom as to who they believe was the cause of this attack, and under what terms we would proceed!" Trump tweeted. The Tehran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is bogged down in a five-year war, claimed Saturday's strikes on two plants owned by state energy giant Aramco. But US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pointed the finger squarely at Tehran, saying there was no evidence the "unprecedented attack on the world's energy supply" was launched from Yemen. "The United States will work with our partners and allies to ensure that energy markets remain well supplied and Iran is held accountable for its aggression," the top US diplomat said. That drew an angry response from Tehran, where foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said: "Such fruitless and blind accusations and remarks are incomprehensible and meaningless." The remarks were designed to damage Iran's reputation and provide a pretext for "future actions" against the Islamic republic, he added. Baghdad, caught between its two main allies -- Tehran and Washington -- also denied any link to the attacks amid media speculation that the drones were launched from Iraq. Saudi de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said the kingdom is "willing and able" to respond to this "terrorist aggression." But a tit-for-tat strike on Iranian oil fields is "highly unlikely," Middle East expert James Dorsey told AFP. "The Saudis do not want an open conflict with Iran. The Saudis would like others to fight that war, and the others are reluctant," said Dorsey, from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. 'Genie is out of the bottle' Oil prices soared by 10 per cent in early Asia trading on Monday, while Saudi Arabia focused on restoring production at the plants. Saturday's explosions set off fires that engulfed the Abqaiq plant, the world's largest oil processing facility, and nearby Khurais, which hosts a massive oil field. Saudi's energy infrastructure has been hit by the Huthis many times before, but this strike was of a different order, abruptly halting 5.7 million barrels per day (bpd) or about six per cent of the world's oil supply. "The genie is out of the bottle," said Bill Farren-Price, director of the London-based RS Energy Group. "It is now clear that Saudi and other Gulf oil facilities are vulnerable to this kind of attack, which means that the geopolitical risk premium for oil needs to rise." No casualties were reported but the full extent of the damage was not clear. Aramco also said it will dip into its reserves to offset the disruption. On Saturday, CEO Amin Nasser said that "work is underway" to restore production, but the incident could affect investor confidence ahead of Aramco's stock market debut. A significant volume of oil production can be restored within days but the company would need weeks to reach full output again, Bloomberg News reported Sunday, citing unnamed sources. Trump tweeted that he had "authorized the release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, if needed, in a to-be-determined amount" that is "sufficient to keep the markets well-supplied." The president also "informed all appropriate agencies to expedite approvals of the oil pipelines currently in the permitting process in Texas and various other States," without naming specific projects. Loggerheads Following a phone call between Trump and Prince Mohammed, the White House condemned the attacks on "infrastructure vital to the global economy." Tehran and Washington have been at loggerheads since May last year, when Trump pulled the US out of a landmark 2015 deal with world powers that promised Iran relief from sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear program. Despite the US accusation, the White House said on Sunday Trump may still meet his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani at the upcoming United Nations assembly. Saudi Arabia has spent billions on military hardware but recent events have underscored the vulnerability of its infrastructure to attack. The Huthis have staged repeated cross-border missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi air bases and other facilities in what they say is retaliation for the Riyadh-led bombing campaign on rebel-held areas in Yemen.

Trump says US 'locked and loaded' after Saudi attacks as oil prices surge

Six weeks after he took office and six weeks before he is due to lead Britain out of the European Union, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to meet Jean-Claude Junker.

On Monday, after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/underfire-pm-calls-up-hulk-claims-huge-brexit-progress-249824">comparing himself to berserk comic book super-smasher Hulk</a>, the British leader will enjoy a genteel working lunch with the EU Commission president.

Downing Street has confidently billed the Luxembourg visit as part of efforts to negotiate an orderly divorce from the union before an October 17 EU summit.

But Brussels has played down talk of a breakthrough, insisting Johnson has yet to suggest any "legally operable" proposal to revise a previous withdrawal accord.

Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier, who will join the leaders for their talks in Juncker's native Grand Duchy, has said he has "no reason to be optimistic".

And the European Parliament will this week vote on a resolution rejecting Johnson's demand that the so-called "Irish backstop" clause be stripped from the deal.

Johnson insists this measure, which temporarily keeps the UK in the EU customs union, has to go if he is to bring the agreement back to the House of Commons.

But the accord will also have to win the support of the other 27 EU leaders and the European Parliament if Britain is not to crash out with no deal on October 31.

And Johnson, in turn, boasts that he would rather be "dead in a ditch" than ask his European counterparts to postpone Brexit for a third time into next year.

It is difficult, then, to see what might come from Monday's lunch, which will be held behind closed doors with no plan for a joint statement afterwards.

Nevertheless, before leaving London, Johnson told the Mail on Sunday he was "very confident" of getting a new deal before the October 17 summit.

'Hulk smash!'

"A huge amount of progress is being made," he said, referring to "technical talks" on border procedures between his Brexit adviser David Frost and Barnier's team.&nbsp;

Johnson compared himself to Marvel comics hero Hulk, the rampaging mutant alter-ego of a mild-mannered nuclear scientist whose catchphrase is "Hulk smash!"&nbsp;

"The madder Hulk gets, the stronger Hulk gets and he always escaped, no matter how tightly bound in he seemed to be," Johnson told the paper.

Johnson's strategy faces opposition at home, where rebel and opposition MPs have passed a law aimed at forcing him to seek a Brexit delay.

Britain's Supreme Court will rule this week on a bid to overturn Johnson's decision to suspend parliament and limit time to debate the crisis.

And on Wednesday, Barnier will address the European Parliament session in Strasbourg as MEPs vote to reaffirm and reinforce the EU Brexit stance.

Barnier previously briefed the leaders of political groups in the assembly on Thursday last week, and he had a downbeat message.

"I can't objectively tell you whether the contacts we have undertaken with Mr. Johnson's government will lead to an agreement between now and mid-October," he said.

After that meeting, the speaker of the parliament David Sassoli unveiled the Brexit resolution, which would insist that the backstop remain in the deal.

"The resolution says that if there is a no-deal departure, then that is entirely the responsibility of the United Kingdom," he said.

After his lunch with Juncker, Johnson is due to meet Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel. The pair will hold a joint news conference. &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Six weeks after he took office and six weeks before he is due to lead Britain out of the European Union, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to meet Jean-Claude Junker.

Six weeks after he took office and six weeks before he is due to lead Britain out of the European Union, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to meet Jean-Claude Junker. On Monday, after comparing himself to berserk comic book super-smasher Hulk, the British leader will enjoy a genteel working lunch with the EU Commission president. Downing Street has confidently billed the Luxembourg visit as part of efforts to negotiate an orderly divorce from the union before an October 17 EU summit. But Brussels has played down talk of a breakthrough, insisting Johnson has yet to suggest any "legally operable" proposal to revise a previous withdrawal accord. Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier, who will join the leaders for their talks in Juncker's native Grand Duchy, has said he has "no reason to be optimistic". And the European Parliament will this week vote on a resolution rejecting Johnson's demand that the so-called "Irish backstop" clause be stripped from the deal. Johnson insists this measure, which temporarily keeps the UK in the EU customs union, has to go if he is to bring the agreement back to the House of Commons. But the accord will also have to win the support of the other 27 EU leaders and the European Parliament if Britain is not to crash out with no deal on October 31. And Johnson, in turn, boasts that he would rather be "dead in a ditch" than ask his European counterparts to postpone Brexit for a third time into next year. It is difficult, then, to see what might come from Monday's lunch, which will be held behind closed doors with no plan for a joint statement afterwards. Nevertheless, before leaving London, Johnson told the Mail on Sunday he was "very confident" of getting a new deal before the October 17 summit. 'Hulk smash!' "A huge amount of progress is being made," he said, referring to "technical talks" on border procedures between his Brexit adviser David Frost and Barnier's team. Johnson compared himself to Marvel comics hero Hulk, the rampaging mutant alter-ego of a mild-mannered nuclear scientist whose catchphrase is "Hulk smash!" "The madder Hulk gets, the stronger Hulk gets and he always escaped, no matter how tightly bound in he seemed to be," Johnson told the paper. Johnson's strategy faces opposition at home, where rebel and opposition MPs have passed a law aimed at forcing him to seek a Brexit delay. Britain's Supreme Court will rule this week on a bid to overturn Johnson's decision to suspend parliament and limit time to debate the crisis. And on Wednesday, Barnier will address the European Parliament session in Strasbourg as MEPs vote to reaffirm and reinforce the EU Brexit stance. Barnier previously briefed the leaders of political groups in the assembly on Thursday last week, and he had a downbeat message. "I can't objectively tell you whether the contacts we have undertaken with Mr. Johnson's government will lead to an agreement between now and mid-October," he said. After that meeting, the speaker of the parliament David Sassoli unveiled the Brexit resolution, which would insist that the backstop remain in the deal. "The resolution says that if there is a no-deal departure, then that is entirely the responsibility of the United Kingdom," he said. After his lunch with Juncker, Johnson is due to meet Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel. The pair will hold a joint news conference.

Boris Johnson the Brexit 'Hulk' to meet EU's Jean-Claude Junker

Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan was the latest to join the chorus of politicians in Tamil Nadu to oppose the comments of Home Minister Amit Shah, who had spoken at a ‘Hindi Day’ event and said that Hindi should be India’s common and unifying language.&nbsp;

Following Amit Shah’s comments made at the Hindi day event, leaders of the DMK, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee and NDA-ally Pattali Makkal Katchi, among others had expressed their disapproval.&nbsp;

In a video message, Kamal Haasan stated that a lot of kings had given up their kingdoms for the creation of India, but a lot of Indians and states vehemently opposed giving up their language, culture and traditions. “When India became a Constitutional republic in 1950, the Government promised the same to the people and asserted that no Shah or Sultan or Samrat can attempt to change it”.&nbsp;

Making a mention of the 2017 protests demanding the conduct of the bull-taming sport he said, “Jallikattu was just a protest, the battle for our language will be exponentially bigger than that. India or Tamil Nadu does not need or deserve such a battle.”

“Most of the Nation happily sings their National Anthem in Bengali with pride, and will continue to do so. The reason is the poet who wrote the National Anthem gave due respect to all languages and culture within the Anthem. And hence, it became our Anthem. Do not make an inclusive India into an exclusive one. All will suffer because of such short-sighted folly” he added.&nbsp;

Earlier, DMK President MK Stalin had also slammed the Home Minister’s comments, “The Prime Minister should clarify his stand, otherwise the DMK will get ready for another language war. This is India not ‘Hindia’. There is a threat to India’s unity after attempting to thrust Hindi in Railways, Postal jobs. DMK will not hesitate to unite states which stand to lose rights due to Hindi dominance”.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan was the latest to join the chorus of politicians in Tamil Nadu to oppose the comments of Home Minister Amit Shah, who had spoken at a ‘Hindi Day’ event and said that Hindi should be India’s common and unifying language.

Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan was the latest to join the chorus of politicians in Tamil Nadu to oppose the comments of Home Minister Amit Shah, who had spoken at a ‘Hindi Day’ event and said that Hindi should be India’s common and unifying language. Following Amit Shah’s comments made at the Hindi day event, leaders of the DMK, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee and NDA-ally Pattali Makkal Katchi, among others had expressed their disapproval. In a video message, Kamal Haasan stated that a lot of kings had given up their kingdoms for the creation of India, but a lot of Indians and states vehemently opposed giving up their language, culture and traditions. “When India became a Constitutional republic in 1950, the Government promised the same to the people and asserted that no Shah or Sultan or Samrat can attempt to change it”. Making a mention of the 2017 protests demanding the conduct of the bull-taming sport he said, “Jallikattu was just a protest, the battle for our language will be exponentially bigger than that. India or Tamil Nadu does not need or deserve such a battle.” “Most of the Nation happily sings their National Anthem in Bengali with pride, and will continue to do so. The reason is the poet who wrote the National Anthem gave due respect to all languages and culture within the Anthem. And hence, it became our Anthem. Do not make an inclusive India into an exclusive one. All will suffer because of such short-sighted folly” he added. Earlier, DMK President MK Stalin had also slammed the Home Minister’s comments, “The Prime Minister should clarify his stand, otherwise the DMK will get ready for another language war. This is India not ‘Hindia’. There is a threat to India’s unity after attempting to thrust Hindi in Railways, Postal jobs. DMK will not hesitate to unite states which stand to lose rights due to Hindi dominance”.

Kamal Haasan joins Tamil Nadu politicians in chorus against Amit Shah’s Hindi pitch; warns of battle for language

Former Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kodela Siva Prasad Rao, who was at the centre of a row over alleged theft of assembly property, is said to have committed suicide on Monday.

BJP Chief Spokesperson, K. Krishna Saagar Rao in a statement said, "Shocked to know that former minister, former AP speaker Shri Kodela Siva Prasad has committed suicide. I extend heartfelt condolences on the unfortunate demise of this senior politician. May his soul rest in peace"

"I believe this forced death is a testimony to the ongoing bitter and contemptuous politics of Andhra Pradesh. It`s quite unfortunate," he added.&nbsp;

Former Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kodela Siva Prasad Rao, who was at the centre of a row over alleged theft of assembly property, is said to have committed suicide on Monday.

Former Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kodela Siva Prasad Rao, who was at the centre of a row over alleged theft of assembly property, is said to have committed suicide on Monday. BJP Chief Spokesperson, K. Krishna Saagar Rao in a statement said, "Shocked to know that former minister, former AP speaker Shri Kodela Siva Prasad has committed suicide. I extend heartfelt condolences on the unfortunate demise of this senior politician. May his soul rest in peace" "I believe this forced death is a testimony to the ongoing bitter and contemptuous politics of Andhra Pradesh. It`s quite unfortunate," he added.

Former Andhra Pradesh speaker Kodela Siva Prasad Rao allegedly commits suicide: BJP chief spokesperson

A violent mob in Pakistan vandalised three Hindu temples and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-minority-members-stage-walkout-after-anti-hindu-remarks-by-pak-lawmaker-204474">attacked members of the minority community</a>&nbsp;on Saturday.

The mob which went furious over allegations that a Hindu school principal had allegedly committed blasphemy also targetted&nbsp;multiple houses belonging to the minority community and a school in Ghotki in Pakistan's Sindh province.

The violence followed after an FIR was registered against the principal of Sindh Public School on the complaint of a student`s father.

The FIR was lodged under Article 295(c) - that pertains to "derogatory remarks in respect of the Holy Prophet - of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Videos that surfaced on the social media showed a group of people violently wielding sticks on a Hindu temple and the school.

After the incident, large contingents of police and paramilitary Rangers were deployed in Ghotki.

The residents have demanded the arrest the principal. Also, religious groups and organisations have called for a shutter down strike. Shops in the region remained closed on Sunday.

Meanwhile, due to the violent situation prevailing in the region, the police has put the alleged accused under "safe custody".

The authorities have also launched an investigation into the incident.

The rioters allegedly included supporters of radical religious leader Pir Abdul Haq alias Mian Mithu, who is widely accused of involvement in forced conversion of Hindu women in Sindh, IANS stated.

&nbsp;

A violent mob in Pakistan vandalised three Hindu temples and attacked members of the minority community on Saturday. The mob which went furious over allegations that a Hindu school principal had allegedly committed blasphemy also targetted multiple houses belonging to the minority community and a school in Ghotki in Pakistan's Sindh province.

A violent mob in Pakistan vandalised three Hindu temples and attacked members of the minority community on Saturday. The mob which went furious over allegations that a Hindu school principal had allegedly committed blasphemy also targetted multiple houses belonging to the minority community and a school in Ghotki in Pakistan's Sindh province. The violence followed after an FIR was registered against the principal of Sindh Public School on the complaint of a student`s father. The FIR was lodged under Article 295(c) - that pertains to "derogatory remarks in respect of the Holy Prophet - of the Pakistan Penal Code. Videos that surfaced on the social media showed a group of people violently wielding sticks on a Hindu temple and the school. After the incident, large contingents of police and paramilitary Rangers were deployed in Ghotki. The residents have demanded the arrest the principal. Also, religious groups and organisations have called for a shutter down strike. Shops in the region remained closed on Sunday. Meanwhile, due to the violent situation prevailing in the region, the police has put the alleged accused under "safe custody". The authorities have also launched an investigation into the incident. The rioters allegedly included supporters of radical religious leader Pir Abdul Haq alias Mian Mithu, who is widely accused of involvement in forced conversion of Hindu women in Sindh, IANS stated.

Violent mob vandalises temple in Pakistan's Sindh province

Greta Thunberg: How one school girl's climate change campaign recruited millions

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