A Myanmar court on Friday charged eight people with financing terrorism, including six deported from Singapore last month over allegations they had sent money to ethnic rebels in the conflict-torn Rakhine region.

Rakhine state came to global attention after about 730,000 Rohingya Muslims crossed into Bangladesh fleeing a military crackdown in response to militant attacks in 2017.

More recently, civilians have been caught up in clashes between the military and the Arakan Army, an insurgent group that recruits from the mainly Buddhist ethnic Rakhine population and is fighting for greater autonomy for the state.

Myanmar has designated the Arakan Army a terrorist organisation and authorities have deployed thousands of troops to the region.

Speaking outside the courtroom in the commercial capital of Yangon, one defendant said they ran a legitimate association in Singapore raising funds for people displaced by the fighting. The UN says 35,000 people have been forced from their homes.

"We are the Arakan Association. They mixed us up with the Arakan Army," said Tin Hlaing Oo, one of the six deported from Singapore.

Their lawyer, Kyaw Myo Tun, said they were sending money to support those displaced by the violence and recent flooding in the region.

Singapore's home ministry said in July the group - five men and one woman - had "organized and mobilised" some members of the Myanmar community in the city-state to support the Arakan Army.

The Myanmar army has battled various autonomy-seeking ethnic minority insurgent groups for decades but several have agreed to make peace in recent years.

&nbsp;

A Myanmar court on Friday charged eight people with financing terrorism, including six deported from Singapore last month over allegations they had sent money to ethnic rebels in the conflict-torn Rakhine region.

A Myanmar court on Friday charged eight people with financing terrorism, including six deported from Singapore last month over allegations they had sent money to ethnic rebels in the conflict-torn Rakhine region. Rakhine state came to global attention after about 730,000 Rohingya Muslims crossed into Bangladesh fleeing a military crackdown in response to militant attacks in 2017. More recently, civilians have been caught up in clashes between the military and the Arakan Army, an insurgent group that recruits from the mainly Buddhist ethnic Rakhine population and is fighting for greater autonomy for the state. Myanmar has designated the Arakan Army a terrorist organisation and authorities have deployed thousands of troops to the region. Speaking outside the courtroom in the commercial capital of Yangon, one defendant said they ran a legitimate association in Singapore raising funds for people displaced by the fighting. The UN says 35,000 people have been forced from their homes. "We are the Arakan Association. They mixed us up with the Arakan Army," said Tin Hlaing Oo, one of the six deported from Singapore. Their lawyer, Kyaw Myo Tun, said they were sending money to support those displaced by the violence and recent flooding in the region. Singapore's home ministry said in July the group - five men and one woman - had "organized and mobilised" some members of the Myanmar community in the city-state to support the Arakan Army. The Myanmar army has battled various autonomy-seeking ethnic minority insurgent groups for decades but several have agreed to make peace in recent years.

Myanmar court charges eight over alleged ties to insurgents

Sri&nbsp;Lanka's tourism industry, badly hurt by Easter day bombings, is showing signs of gradual recovery, industry executives say, although a national election later this year is likely to weigh on holiday season arrivals.

The island nation's tourism sector, one of the country's top revenue streams, suffered a massive blow following April 21 Islamist militant bombings of churches and luxury hotels, which killed more than 250 people, including 42 foreign nationals.

Tourist arrivals from Europe and Asia-Pacific, which together account for 90 per cent&nbsp;of the total visitors to&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka, nearly halved in July from a year ago, according to the latest data from the country's Tourism Development Authority.

SriLankan Airlines, the country's lone carrier, will likely post a loss of as much as $160 million in the financial year to end-March 2020 as it lost business after the attacks, its chief executive officer told Reuters.

To be sure,&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka&nbsp;is trying to woo tourists back: it has offered a raft of discount deals, scrapped the fee on tourist visas for 48 nations, including China, India and the United Kingdom, and simplified the visa process for visitors from those countries.

Those moves have started to pay off, hospitality executives said.

"(We are) almost 50 per cent&nbsp;booked for the winter and see a pickup in bookings," said Sanjeewani Yogarajah, an executive at Hikkaduwa Beach Hotels in the southern coastal belt of Hikkaduwa, 112 km (69 miles) from the capital Colombo and popular for water sports.

"This time also we hope we will get around 90 per cent&nbsp;(bookings) by winter," she added.

Tourist footfall is gradually reviving, said the high-end Taj Samudra and Shangri-La hotels in Colombo.

While the Taj, operated by the Indian Hotels Company, said it was hoping for a recovery as the winter holiday season draws nearer, the Shangri-La hotel, which is part of Shangri-La Asia, said the pace of winter bookings was slower than previous years.

The holiday season, from November through January, is the busiest time of the year for&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka's tourism industry, which accounts for nearly 5 per cent&nbsp;of the country's GDP and was its third-biggest source of foreign exchange in 2018.

Even though arrivals to&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka&nbsp;have improved in the months since the attack, tourist inflow in July was almost half of what it was a year ago, hurting revenues and profits for hotel chains and tour operators.

Revenue from the sector in the first half of 2019 has fallen 13.4 per cent&nbsp;to $1.89 billion, according to official data.

Boosting it will likely be a challenge as an impending presidential election, preceded by political campaigning, could persuade tourists to steer clear of&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka.

Given&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka's volatile ethnic and religious mix there will become concerns about communal violence.

The politically powerful Sinhala Buddhists make up about 70 per cent&nbsp;of&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka's 21 million population, Hindu's constitute almost 13 per cent, Muslims 10 per cent, while about 7 per cent&nbsp;are Christians.

The country was plagued by 26 years of civil war which ended with the defeat of the Tamil Tigers in 2009, allowing peace to return to the island.

"Of course, the election will have an impact on tourism," said Sanath Ukwatta, chairman of the&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka&nbsp;Hoteliers Association.

"We have to convince people to come here. There is still fear psychosis among consumers that&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka&nbsp;is not safe."

Sri Lanka's tourism industry, badly hurt by Easter day bombings, is showing signs of gradual recovery, industry executives say, although a national election later this year is likely to weigh on holiday season arrivals.

Sri Lanka's tourism industry, badly hurt by Easter day bombings, is showing signs of gradual recovery, industry executives say, although a national election later this year is likely to weigh on holiday season arrivals. The island nation's tourism sector, one of the country's top revenue streams, suffered a massive blow following April 21 Islamist militant bombings of churches and luxury hotels, which killed more than 250 people, including 42 foreign nationals. Tourist arrivals from Europe and Asia-Pacific, which together account for 90 per cent of the total visitors to Sri Lanka, nearly halved in July from a year ago, according to the latest data from the country's Tourism Development Authority. SriLankan Airlines, the country's lone carrier, will likely post a loss of as much as $160 million in the financial year to end-March 2020 as it lost business after the attacks, its chief executive officer told Reuters. To be sure, Sri Lanka is trying to woo tourists back: it has offered a raft of discount deals, scrapped the fee on tourist visas for 48 nations, including China, India and the United Kingdom, and simplified the visa process for visitors from those countries. Those moves have started to pay off, hospitality executives said. "(We are) almost 50 per cent booked for the winter and see a pickup in bookings," said Sanjeewani Yogarajah, an executive at Hikkaduwa Beach Hotels in the southern coastal belt of Hikkaduwa, 112 km (69 miles) from the capital Colombo and popular for water sports. "This time also we hope we will get around 90 per cent (bookings) by winter," she added. Tourist footfall is gradually reviving, said the high-end Taj Samudra and Shangri-La hotels in Colombo. While the Taj, operated by the Indian Hotels Company, said it was hoping for a recovery as the winter holiday season draws nearer, the Shangri-La hotel, which is part of Shangri-La Asia, said the pace of winter bookings was slower than previous years. The holiday season, from November through January, is the busiest time of the year for Sri Lanka's tourism industry, which accounts for nearly 5 per cent of the country's GDP and was its third-biggest source of foreign exchange in 2018. Even though arrivals to Sri Lanka have improved in the months since the attack, tourist inflow in July was almost half of what it was a year ago, hurting revenues and profits for hotel chains and tour operators. Revenue from the sector in the first half of 2019 has fallen 13.4 per cent to $1.89 billion, according to official data. Boosting it will likely be a challenge as an impending presidential election, preceded by political campaigning, could persuade tourists to steer clear of Sri Lanka. Given Sri Lanka's volatile ethnic and religious mix there will become concerns about communal violence. The politically powerful Sinhala Buddhists make up about 70 per cent of Sri Lanka's 21 million population, Hindu's constitute almost 13 per cent, Muslims 10 per cent, while about 7 per cent are Christians. The country was plagued by 26 years of civil war which ended with the defeat of the Tamil Tigers in 2009, allowing peace to return to the island. "Of course, the election will have an impact on tourism," said Sanath Ukwatta, chairman of the Sri Lanka Hoteliers Association. "We have to convince people to come here. There is still fear psychosis among consumers that Sri Lanka is not safe."

Sri Lanka tourism industry begins to recover after attacks

Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam warned Friday that two months of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-gravitas-hong-kong-civil-unrest-escalates-241594">pro-democracy demonstrations </a>were causing economic chaos in the city but ruled out making concessions to "silence the violent protesters."

The embattled leader abruptly announced a press conference after meeting business leaders as demonstrators rallied at the airport, with the protest movement entering its third month.

Lam, whose support for a bill to allow extradition to mainland <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-tells-united-states-diplomats-in-hong-kong-to-stop-interfering-241565/amp">China</a> sparked the crisis, warned that the economic impact of the unrest threatened to be worse than the 2003 SARS outbreak in the financial hub.

"The downturn this time came very quickly. Someone described it as coming like a tsunami," Lam said.

"Compared to the economic downturn caused by SARS that we handled previously, which caused an economic storm, the situation this time is more severe."

"In other words, the economic recovery will take a very long time," she added.

Watch: Fresh protests at Hong Kong airport, mock boarding passes read 'HK to freedom'

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While Lam is a figure of hatred for many pro-democracy activists, her comments echo worried statements from the private sector and the tourism industry in particular.

Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific has warned bookings are down, travel agencies have reported drops of up to 50 percent in group tour bookings and the tourism board reported double-digit declines in visitor arrivals in the second half of July.

Protesters have continued to stage almost daily rallies despite increasingly violent confrontations with police that have prompted several countries to issue Hong Kong travel warnings for their citizens.

On Friday, thousands of pro-democracy protesters staged a sit-in at the airport to bring their message to arriving visitors.

Lam has suspended the bill that sparked the crisis, but has not yet responded to protester calls to withdraw it altogether, and she has brushed aside demands for an enquiry into police brutality.

She ruled out meeting the demands of protesters, which also include a call for the direct election of the city's chief executive, currently chosen by Beijing.

"As far as political solution is concerned, I don't think we should just sort of make concessions in order to silence the violent protesters," she said.

"We should do what is right for Hong Kong. And at this moment what is right for Hong Kong... is to stop the violence, and to say no to the chaotic situation that Hong Kong has experienced in the last few weeks, so that we can move on."

She said the way for the economy to begin recovering was to "stop the widespread violent actions now appearing in Hong Kong." 
&nbsp;

Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam warned Friday that two months of pro-democracy demonstrations were causing economic chaos in the city but ruled out making concessions to "silence the violent protesters.

Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam warned Friday that two months of pro-democracy demonstrations were causing economic chaos in the city but ruled out making concessions to "silence the violent protesters." The embattled leader abruptly announced a press conference after meeting business leaders as demonstrators rallied at the airport, with the protest movement entering its third month. Lam, whose support for a bill to allow extradition to mainland China sparked the crisis, warned that the economic impact of the unrest threatened to be worse than the 2003 SARS outbreak in the financial hub. "The downturn this time came very quickly. Someone described it as coming like a tsunami," Lam said. "Compared to the economic downturn caused by SARS that we handled previously, which caused an economic storm, the situation this time is more severe." "In other words, the economic recovery will take a very long time," she added. Watch: Fresh protests at Hong Kong airport, mock boarding passes read 'HK to freedom' × While Lam is a figure of hatred for many pro-democracy activists, her comments echo worried statements from the private sector and the tourism industry in particular. Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific has warned bookings are down, travel agencies have reported drops of up to 50 percent in group tour bookings and the tourism board reported double-digit declines in visitor arrivals in the second half of July. Protesters have continued to stage almost daily rallies despite increasingly violent confrontations with police that have prompted several countries to issue Hong Kong travel warnings for their citizens. On Friday, thousands of pro-democracy protesters staged a sit-in at the airport to bring their message to arriving visitors. Lam has suspended the bill that sparked the crisis, but has not yet responded to protester calls to withdraw it altogether, and she has brushed aside demands for an enquiry into police brutality. She ruled out meeting the demands of protesters, which also include a call for the direct election of the city's chief executive, currently chosen by Beijing. "As far as political solution is concerned, I don't think we should just sort of make concessions in order to silence the violent protesters," she said. "We should do what is right for Hong Kong. And at this moment what is right for Hong Kong... is to stop the violence, and to say no to the chaotic situation that Hong Kong has experienced in the last few weeks, so that we can move on." She said the way for the economy to begin recovering was to "stop the widespread violent actions now appearing in Hong Kong."

Hong Kong chief Carrie Lam warns of economic fall, rules out concessions

The UN rights chief on Thursday intensified criticism of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-imposes-sanctions-on-venezuelan-governments-assets-240952">US sanctions targeting Venezuela</a>, condemning the latest measures as "extremely broad" with the potential to exacerbate suffering among an already vulnerable population.&nbsp;

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, has raised concern about previous sanctions imposed by Washington against the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.&nbsp;

In the new measures, President Donald Trump's administration ordered a freeze on all Venezuelan government assets in the United States and barred transactions with its authorities.

Watch: 'Venezuela will win', says Maduro after new US sanctions

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"I am deeply worried about the potentially severe impact on the human rights of the people of Venezuela of the new set of unilateral sanctions imposed by the US this week," Bachelet said in a statement.&nbsp;

"The sanctions are extremely broad and fail to contain sufficient measures to mitigate their impact on the most vulnerable sectors of the population," she added.

Bachelet, a former president of Chile, noted that the latest sanctions included exceptions for transactions related to certain food, clothing and medicine.

"However, they are still likely to significantly exacerbate the crisis for millions of ordinary Venezuelans," she said.

Venezuela -- wracked by a devastating economic crisis despite vast oil wealth -- has been mired in a political impasse since January when Juan Guaido, speaker of the National Assembly, proclaimed himself acting president.&nbsp;

He is now recognised as Venezuela's leader by more than 50 countries, including the US.

Bachelet has criticised Maduro's government, notably over its violent crackdown on protests, but stressed that previous US sanctions imposed in 2017 and in January of this year had made the "dire crisis" in Venezuela even worse.

The UN rights chief on Thursday intensified criticism of US sanctions targeting Venezuela, condemning the latest measures as "extremely broad" with the potential to exacerbate suffering among an already vulnerable population.

The UN rights chief on Thursday intensified criticism of US sanctions targeting Venezuela, condemning the latest measures as "extremely broad" with the potential to exacerbate suffering among an already vulnerable population. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, has raised concern about previous sanctions imposed by Washington against the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. In the new measures, President Donald Trump's administration ordered a freeze on all Venezuelan government assets in the United States and barred transactions with its authorities. Watch: 'Venezuela will win', says Maduro after new US sanctions × "I am deeply worried about the potentially severe impact on the human rights of the people of Venezuela of the new set of unilateral sanctions imposed by the US this week," Bachelet said in a statement. "The sanctions are extremely broad and fail to contain sufficient measures to mitigate their impact on the most vulnerable sectors of the population," she added. Bachelet, a former president of Chile, noted that the latest sanctions included exceptions for transactions related to certain food, clothing and medicine. "However, they are still likely to significantly exacerbate the crisis for millions of ordinary Venezuelans," she said. Venezuela -- wracked by a devastating economic crisis despite vast oil wealth -- has been mired in a political impasse since January when Juan Guaido, speaker of the National Assembly, proclaimed himself acting president. He is now recognised as Venezuela's leader by more than 50 countries, including the US. Bachelet has criticised Maduro's government, notably over its violent crackdown on protests, but stressed that previous US sanctions imposed in 2017 and in January of this year had made the "dire crisis" in Venezuela even worse.

UN rights chief condemns latest US Venezuela sanctions

The Trump administration hailed a large drop in migrant border crossings Thursday but found itself under attack&nbsp;over a massive sweep of&nbsp;long-resident <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-immigration-raids-sweep-up-hundreds-of-undocumented-migrants-241420">undocumented&nbsp;immigrants</a> working in several Mississippi slaughterhouses.

Detentions on the southern US border plunged for the second straight month in July after a deal with&nbsp;Mexico&nbsp;to block Central American migrants, the Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday.

US Border Patrol agents detained or blocked 82,049 migrants at the frontier with&nbsp;Mexico&nbsp;last month, down from 104,367 in June and a 13-year peak of 144,266 in May.

DHS credited a deal with&nbsp;Mexico&nbsp;in June to stem the flow of migrants traveling northward to the United States from Central America --&nbsp;mainly Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador --&nbsp;as well as cooperation by the three in cracking down on migrant smuggling groups.

But the success of the border crackdown was clouded by criticism of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency for its workplace raids in Mississippi on Wednesday that rounded up some 680 migrants, many of them longtime US residents, while leaving their children to fend for themselves.

The largest single-state immigration raids in US history targeted seven food processing plants in the southern state, an industry long known to employ undocumented migrants as inexpensive labor.

"They have to follow our laws, they have to abide by our rules, they have to come here legally or they shouldn't come here at all," Mike Hurst, the US attorney for the southern district of Mississippi, said.

But Chokwe Antar Lumumba, the mayor of Jackson, the state capital, blasted the raids and called on local churches to provide migrants sanctuary from authorities.

"The ICE raids are both dehumanizing and ineffective as a tactic for protecting citizens from potential harm," he said.

The American Civil Liberties Union accused the administration of "terrorizing" migrant communities.

"We are deeply concerned that the raids have separated Mississippians' families, disrupted our local economy, and diverted our state's limited resources to support Trump's mass deportation agenda," said Joshua Tom, interim executive director of the ACLU of Mississippi.

"Local law enforcement should refuse to cooperate with the president's anti-immigrant policies."

'I need my mommy'

Local television broadcast tearful scenes of children returning from school Wednesday to find out their parents had been taken away by authorities.

"I need my dad and mommy," 11-year-old Magdalena Gomez Gregorio told WJTV. "My dad didn't do anything, he's not a criminal."

Neighbor Christina Peralta said the girl's mother had been in the country for 15 years and had no record.

Peralta was taking care of two boys whose mother also was arrested.

"They've been crying all day since they got home from school," she said.

ICE, which has come under fire before for arresting undocumented migrants without providing for their children, said it had allowed detainees on Wednesday to contact their families and make arrangements for the children.

Around 300 of the 680 detainees had been released by Thursday after being processed by authorities. In a statement, the office of the federal prosecutor in Jackson said that if two parents were swept up in the raid, one would be released to care for their children.

"Based on these procedures, it is believed that all children were with at least one of their parents as of last night," it said.

Several Democratic politicians running for president attacked Trump's policies as immoral.

"This is inhumane and will have devastating effects on the children that are left behind," said Senator Elizabeth Warren, one of the candidates.

The Trump administration hailed a large drop in migrant border crossings Thursday but found itself under attack over a massive sweep of long-resident undocumented immigrants working in several Mississippi slaughterhouses.

The Trump administration hailed a large drop in migrant border crossings Thursday but found itself under attack over a massive sweep of long-resident undocumented immigrants working in several Mississippi slaughterhouses. Detentions on the southern US border plunged for the second straight month in July after a deal with Mexico to block Central American migrants, the Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday. US Border Patrol agents detained or blocked 82,049 migrants at the frontier with Mexico last month, down from 104,367 in June and a 13-year peak of 144,266 in May. DHS credited a deal with Mexico in June to stem the flow of migrants traveling northward to the United States from Central America -- mainly Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador -- as well as cooperation by the three in cracking down on migrant smuggling groups. But the success of the border crackdown was clouded by criticism of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency for its workplace raids in Mississippi on Wednesday that rounded up some 680 migrants, many of them longtime US residents, while leaving their children to fend for themselves. The largest single-state immigration raids in US history targeted seven food processing plants in the southern state, an industry long known to employ undocumented migrants as inexpensive labor. "They have to follow our laws, they have to abide by our rules, they have to come here legally or they shouldn't come here at all," Mike Hurst, the US attorney for the southern district of Mississippi, said. But Chokwe Antar Lumumba, the mayor of Jackson, the state capital, blasted the raids and called on local churches to provide migrants sanctuary from authorities. "The ICE raids are both dehumanizing and ineffective as a tactic for protecting citizens from potential harm," he said. The American Civil Liberties Union accused the administration of "terrorizing" migrant communities. "We are deeply concerned that the raids have separated Mississippians' families, disrupted our local economy, and diverted our state's limited resources to support Trump's mass deportation agenda," said Joshua Tom, interim executive director of the ACLU of Mississippi. "Local law enforcement should refuse to cooperate with the president's anti-immigrant policies." 'I need my mommy' Local television broadcast tearful scenes of children returning from school Wednesday to find out their parents had been taken away by authorities. "I need my dad and mommy," 11-year-old Magdalena Gomez Gregorio told WJTV. "My dad didn't do anything, he's not a criminal." Neighbor Christina Peralta said the girl's mother had been in the country for 15 years and had no record. Peralta was taking care of two boys whose mother also was arrested. "They've been crying all day since they got home from school," she said. ICE, which has come under fire before for arresting undocumented migrants without providing for their children, said it had allowed detainees on Wednesday to contact their families and make arrangements for the children. Around 300 of the 680 detainees had been released by Thursday after being processed by authorities. In a statement, the office of the federal prosecutor in Jackson said that if two parents were swept up in the raid, one would be released to care for their children. "Based on these procedures, it is believed that all children were with at least one of their parents as of last night," it said. Several Democratic politicians running for president attacked Trump's policies as immoral. "This is inhumane and will have devastating effects on the children that are left behind," said Senator Elizabeth Warren, one of the candidates.

US border crossings plunge but immigration raids draw fire

New Zealand on Thursday passed a bill with a resounding victory to decriminalise abortion.

The bill that ends the restrictive law in New Zealand allows women to self-refer to abortion clinics within the first 20 weeks of gestation.

The bill was passed with 94 votes in favour and 23 against it.

The earlier law&nbsp;listed abortion as a crime and was allowed only after the assent of two doctors, to save a pregnant woman's life from mental or physical danger.

Speaking in favour of the bill, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that the time was right to finally put women's dignity and their rights at the centre of this discussion. 
&nbsp;

New Zealand on Thursday passed a bill with a resounding victory to decriminalise abortion. The bill that ends the restrictive law in New Zealand allows women to self-refer to abortion clinics within the first 20 weeks of gestation.

New Zealand on Thursday passed a bill with a resounding victory to decriminalise abortion. The bill that ends the restrictive law in New Zealand allows women to self-refer to abortion clinics within the first 20 weeks of gestation. The bill was passed with 94 votes in favour and 23 against it. The earlier law listed abortion as a crime and was allowed only after the assent of two doctors, to save a pregnant woman's life from mental or physical danger. Speaking in favour of the bill, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that the time was right to finally put women's dignity and their rights at the centre of this discussion.

New Zealand passes bill to decriminalise abortion

An Afghan politician once seen as a top contender to stop President Ashraf Ghani winning a second term suspended his campaign on Thursday amid worsening violence and problems on his team.

Hanif Atmar, the former national security advisor to Ghani, had hoped to beat his former boss in elections set for September 28.

Official campaign season started July 28 but was immediately beset by deadly violence, when Ghani's running mate Amrullah Saleh was targeted in an attack in Kabul that killed at least 20 people.

Atmar highlighted the violence in his decision to suspend his campaign, and also attacked Ghani for using his presidential bully pulpit to an unfair and "illegal" advantage.

"Threats against the election process have increased with each passing day," Atmar said.&nbsp;

"This is not only threatening the election teams and their campaigns, but also endangers the lives of millions of Afghans who participle in the election."

Atmar's campaign was also beset by rumours of an internal rift with one of his running mates.

With Atmar's at least temporary departure, only Afghanistan's Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah remains as a serious opponent.&nbsp;

The election race is off to a lacklustre start and many observers think the poll will be postponed again -- it has already been pushed back twice this year -- to create space for a peace deal to be finalised between the US and the Taliban.

Of the 18 candidates running, many have not bothered launching their campaigns and at least one has already abandoned the race completely.

Atmar cited the need to focus on peace as another reason he paused his campaign.

A possible deal between the US and the Taliban is widely viewed as entering its final phase, but questions remain about what happens next and when a ceasefire might kick in.

In a message Thursday ahead of next week's Eid al-Adha festival, top Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada avoided any mention of a ceasefire and taunted American and foreign troops.

"We believe the time of demise and humiliation of these tyrants has come near, Allah willing," Akhundzada said.

His message also criticised the Afghan and US militaries for killing Afghans, even though the Taliban continue to strike urban areas packed with civilians.

On Wednesday, a Taliban bomb killed at least 14 people and wounded 145 more in an attack on a Kabul police station. Most of the dead and wounded were civilians, authorities said.

Even if an election goes ahead, Afghans are pessimistic about whether it will be fair or safe, after violence and widespread fraud allegations tainted previous polls.

A survey released Thursday by the Transparent Election Foundation of Afghanistan found that 57 percent of Afghans have no intention of voting.

An Afghan politician once seen as a top contender to stop President Ashraf Ghani winning a second term suspended his campaign on Thursday amid worsening violence and problems on his team.

An Afghan politician once seen as a top contender to stop President Ashraf Ghani winning a second term suspended his campaign on Thursday amid worsening violence and problems on his team. Hanif Atmar, the former national security advisor to Ghani, had hoped to beat his former boss in elections set for September 28. Official campaign season started July 28 but was immediately beset by deadly violence, when Ghani's running mate Amrullah Saleh was targeted in an attack in Kabul that killed at least 20 people. Atmar highlighted the violence in his decision to suspend his campaign, and also attacked Ghani for using his presidential bully pulpit to an unfair and "illegal" advantage. "Threats against the election process have increased with each passing day," Atmar said. "This is not only threatening the election teams and their campaigns, but also endangers the lives of millions of Afghans who participle in the election." Atmar's campaign was also beset by rumours of an internal rift with one of his running mates. With Atmar's at least temporary departure, only Afghanistan's Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah remains as a serious opponent. The election race is off to a lacklustre start and many observers think the poll will be postponed again -- it has already been pushed back twice this year -- to create space for a peace deal to be finalised between the US and the Taliban. Of the 18 candidates running, many have not bothered launching their campaigns and at least one has already abandoned the race completely. Atmar cited the need to focus on peace as another reason he paused his campaign. A possible deal between the US and the Taliban is widely viewed as entering its final phase, but questions remain about what happens next and when a ceasefire might kick in. In a message Thursday ahead of next week's Eid al-Adha festival, top Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada avoided any mention of a ceasefire and taunted American and foreign troops. "We believe the time of demise and humiliation of these tyrants has come near, Allah willing," Akhundzada said. His message also criticised the Afghan and US militaries for killing Afghans, even though the Taliban continue to strike urban areas packed with civilians. On Wednesday, a Taliban bomb killed at least 14 people and wounded 145 more in an attack on a Kabul police station. Most of the dead and wounded were civilians, authorities said. Even if an election goes ahead, Afghans are pessimistic about whether it will be fair or safe, after violence and widespread fraud allegations tainted previous polls. A survey released Thursday by the Transparent Election Foundation of Afghanistan found that 57 percent of Afghans have no intention of voting.

Top opponent suspends campaign to unseat Afghan president

Two consecutive explosions injured at least nine people, including two police personnel, in Khost city, capital of Afghanistan`s eastern Khost province on Thursday, provincial police spokesman Haider Adil said.

The first blast, with a magnetic mine, targeted a car at around 11:20 am (local time) next to Spin Jumat locality.&nbsp;

The second one went off a few minutes later, almost in the same area, injuring nine people, including two police personnel, Adil was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.No group has claimed responsibility for the bombings.

Today`s blasts come two days after the city of Khost was targeted by a magnetic bomb blast that killed at least one person and injured two others.

The incident comes at a time when the Taliban and the United States are engaged in conducting the eighth round of talks in Doha aimed at achieving ever-lasting peace after decades of war in Afghanistan.

In his Eid message to the US, Taliban leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada today said that the group is taking forward the peace process "thoroughly" and that the former should move forward "honestly" to take effective steps to resolve the country`s issues and end 18 years of war.

Akhundzada also ordered members of the group to take all necessary steps to protect people of his country during Eid days.

He said that while the war is ongoing, the political efforts have also increased aimed at ending the "occupation of Afghanistan".

However, reacting on his comments, Afghan presidential spokesman, Sediq Sediqqi, during a press briefing, earlier in the day, said, "Afghans have no need to hear Taliban`s message. Taliban`s message is still a message of panic, a message of fear and message of war."

"The Taliban are the main cause of destruction and killing of civilians. The people of Afghanistan want the Taliban to renounce war and destruction," he added.&nbsp;

Two consecutive explosions injured at least nine people, including two police personnel, in Khost city, capital of Afghanistan`s eastern Khost province on Thursday, provincial police spokesman Haider Adil said.

Two consecutive explosions injured at least nine people, including two police personnel, in Khost city, capital of Afghanistan`s eastern Khost province on Thursday, provincial police spokesman Haider Adil said. The first blast, with a magnetic mine, targeted a car at around 11:20 am (local time) next to Spin Jumat locality. The second one went off a few minutes later, almost in the same area, injuring nine people, including two police personnel, Adil was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.No group has claimed responsibility for the bombings. Today`s blasts come two days after the city of Khost was targeted by a magnetic bomb blast that killed at least one person and injured two others. The incident comes at a time when the Taliban and the United States are engaged in conducting the eighth round of talks in Doha aimed at achieving ever-lasting peace after decades of war in Afghanistan. In his Eid message to the US, Taliban leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada today said that the group is taking forward the peace process "thoroughly" and that the former should move forward "honestly" to take effective steps to resolve the country`s issues and end 18 years of war. Akhundzada also ordered members of the group to take all necessary steps to protect people of his country during Eid days. He said that while the war is ongoing, the political efforts have also increased aimed at ending the "occupation of Afghanistan". However, reacting on his comments, Afghan presidential spokesman, Sediq Sediqqi, during a press briefing, earlier in the day, said, "Afghans have no need to hear Taliban`s message. Taliban`s message is still a message of panic, a message of fear and message of war." "The Taliban are the main cause of destruction and killing of civilians. The people of Afghanistan want the Taliban to renounce war and destruction," he added.

Twin blasts in east Afghanistan injure nine

The main focus of Prime Minister Modi's address to the nation on Thursday was Jammu and Kashmir and the abrogation of Article 370 from the state.

Referring to Article 370 PM Modi said, "Many of our brothers and sisters from Jammu &amp; Kashmir and Ladakh were deprived of their rights due to the Article which acted as an obstruction to their development. The entire country along with the state took the historic decision to remove the Article."

"Sardar Patel, BR Ambedkar, Syama Prasad Mukherjee, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and millions of countrymen's dreams were fulfilled after the Article was revoked."

"Our brothers and sisters from Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were suffering due to Article 370. &nbsp;No one ever discussed this.&nbsp;Surprisingly no one could ever talk about the advantages of the Article."

"The legislation that were formed in the Parliament after days of contemplation and discussions were not applicable in Jammu and Kashmir. The state's Dalits, minorities and poor were deprived of the Act that prevailed in other parts of the country. The people of Jammu and Kashmir never enjoyed their rights under the Minority Act, the Minimum Wage Act, SC/ST Act. Now all laws made by the Parliament will apply in Jammu and Kashmir&nbsp;and Ladakh.&nbsp;

Referring to the people who migrated to India from Pakistan after the partition, PM Modi said, "There were many people in the state who enjoyed the right to vote in the Lok Sabha but did not have the right to cast their votes in the assembly and municipal elections.&nbsp;With the scrapping of Article 370, rights to those who had migrated will be restored."

Further assuring the people of the state PM Modi said, "soon they will be able to choose their state government with transparent elections."

Under the new arrangement, the Centre will make sure that the workers and police in Jammu and Kashmir get the same rights that are enjoyed by people from the same fraternity in India.

He further said that soon the state will have ample job opportunities to fill in the vacancies in Central and state government. The PM also added that the government will also encourage the public and private sector in Jammu and Kashmir to provide job opportunities to the people of the state.

He said after the abrogation of article 370, the Panchayat in the state will work to give best results.

He said the people of Jammu and Kashmir will defeat separatism and will move forward with new hopes.

"With good governance, the people of Jammu and Kashmir will achieve all their goals in a transparent environment."

The PM hit out at the dynastic politics in Jammu and Kashmir and said that so far parties had not allowed the youth to lead. Now the young people from the state will come forward and take the state to new heights. He also urged the women to come forward and lead the way for development in the state.&nbsp;

PM Modi said Ladakh's development was now the responsibility of the central government.

"Article 370 was used as a tool by Pakistan to terrorise Kashmiris. Nearly 42,000 people died over the last three decades."

"Kashmir was the preferred destination for Bollywood movies. Now when the situation is normal, people from world over would shoot movies there. The region has the potential to become the world`s biggest tourism destination. Filmmaking would provide employment, " the PM said.

&nbsp;

The main focus of Prime Minister Modi's address to the nation on Thursday was Jammu and Kashmir and the abrogation of Article 370 from the state. Referring to Article 370 PM Modi said, "Many of our brothers and sisters from Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh were deprived of their rights due to the Article which acted as an obstruction to their development.

The main focus of Prime Minister Modi's address to the nation on Thursday was Jammu and Kashmir and the abrogation of Article 370 from the state. Referring to Article 370 PM Modi said, "Many of our brothers and sisters from Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh were deprived of their rights due to the Article which acted as an obstruction to their development. The entire country along with the state took the historic decision to remove the Article." "Sardar Patel, BR Ambedkar, Syama Prasad Mukherjee, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and millions of countrymen's dreams were fulfilled after the Article was revoked." "Our brothers and sisters from Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were suffering due to Article 370. No one ever discussed this. Surprisingly no one could ever talk about the advantages of the Article." "The legislation that were formed in the Parliament after days of contemplation and discussions were not applicable in Jammu and Kashmir. The state's Dalits, minorities and poor were deprived of the Act that prevailed in other parts of the country. The people of Jammu and Kashmir never enjoyed their rights under the Minority Act, the Minimum Wage Act, SC/ST Act. Now all laws made by the Parliament will apply in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Referring to the people who migrated to India from Pakistan after the partition, PM Modi said, "There were many people in the state who enjoyed the right to vote in the Lok Sabha but did not have the right to cast their votes in the assembly and municipal elections. With the scrapping of Article 370, rights to those who had migrated will be restored." Further assuring the people of the state PM Modi said, "soon they will be able to choose their state government with transparent elections." Under the new arrangement, the Centre will make sure that the workers and police in Jammu and Kashmir get the same rights that are enjoyed by people from the same fraternity in India. He further said that soon the state will have ample job opportunities to fill in the vacancies in Central and state government. The PM also added that the government will also encourage the public and private sector in Jammu and Kashmir to provide job opportunities to the people of the state. He said after the abrogation of article 370, the Panchayat in the state will work to give best results. He said the people of Jammu and Kashmir will defeat separatism and will move forward with new hopes. "With good governance, the people of Jammu and Kashmir will achieve all their goals in a transparent environment." The PM hit out at the dynastic politics in Jammu and Kashmir and said that so far parties had not allowed the youth to lead. Now the young people from the state will come forward and take the state to new heights. He also urged the women to come forward and lead the way for development in the state. PM Modi said Ladakh's development was now the responsibility of the central government. "Article 370 was used as a tool by Pakistan to terrorise Kashmiris. Nearly 42,000 people died over the last three decades." "Kashmir was the preferred destination for Bollywood movies. Now when the situation is normal, people from world over would shoot movies there. The region has the potential to become the world`s biggest tourism destination. Filmmaking would provide employment, " the PM said.

Key takeaways from PM Modi's address to the nation

Around 70 terrorists and hardcore pro-Pakistan separatists from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/government-employees-in-jammu-and-kashmir-told-to-report-to-duties-with-immediate-effect-241566">Kashmir valley </a>have been shifted to Agra, news agency ANI reported citing sources.

The terrorists and separatists were shifted in a special plane provided by the Indian Air Force, ANI added.

Earlier today, government employees in Jammu and Kashmir working at divisional and district level and those serving in civil secretariat Srinagar were told to report to duties with immediate effect.

The chief secretary said that necessary arrangements regarding the smooth and secure working environment for the employees were made by the administration.

Jammu&nbsp;and Kashmir has been on lockdown since Sunday and security forces are on maximum alert to "pre-empt" and "prevent" any breach of security.

Parliament on Tuesday approved a resolution abrogating special status to Jammu and Kashmir under&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/in-a-point-by-point-rebuttal-amit-shah-takes-on-congress-in-fiery-speech-after-abrogation-of-article-370-241181">Article 370&nbsp;</a>of the Constitution and a bill for splitting the state into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladhak.

The repeal of Article 370 has also led to abrogation of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/what-is-article-35a-heres-all-you-need-to-know-240752">Article 35A</a>&nbsp;related to "permanent residents".

(With inputs from ANI)

&nbsp;

Around 70 terrorists and hardcore pro-Pakistan separatists from Kashmir valley have been shifted to Agra, news agency ANI reported citing sources. The terrorists and separatists were shifted in a special plane provided by the Indian Air Force, ANI added.

Around 70 terrorists and hardcore pro-Pakistan separatists from Kashmir valley have been shifted to Agra, news agency ANI reported citing sources. The terrorists and separatists were shifted in a special plane provided by the Indian Air Force, ANI added. Earlier today, government employees in Jammu and Kashmir working at divisional and district level and those serving in civil secretariat Srinagar were told to report to duties with immediate effect. The chief secretary said that necessary arrangements regarding the smooth and secure working environment for the employees were made by the administration. Jammu and Kashmir has been on lockdown since Sunday and security forces are on maximum alert to "pre-empt" and "prevent" any breach of security. Parliament on Tuesday approved a resolution abrogating special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution and a bill for splitting the state into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladhak. The repeal of Article 370 has also led to abrogation of Article 35A related to "permanent residents". (With inputs from ANI)

70 terrorists, pro-Pakistani separatists from Kashmir shifted to Agra: Report

The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its order on Assam <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/opinion-mamata-banerjee-takes-a-u-turn-on-national-register-of-citizens-156891">National Register of Citizens (NRC)</a> which aims to separate "genuine" citizens from "illegal immigrants".&nbsp;

"We will not be bothered by what others say about our orders and judgments. We will continue to oversee <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/additional-exclusion-list-to-draft-nrc-published-in-assam-102-lakh-people-named-230525">NRC </a>finalised as per the scheduled date of August 31, " the apex court bench said.

The NRC in Assam is being updated under the monitoring of the Supreme Court and the final list is scheduled to be released on August 31.&nbsp;

NRC authorities have started a re-verification of some of the people whose names figured in the draft NRC published last year.

The Supreme Court had recently turned down a petition from the Assam government as well as from the Central government seeking sample re-verification of 20 per cent of people in districts bordering Bangladesh and 10 per cent sample re-verification for people in other districts.

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its order on Assam National Register of Citizens (NRC) which aims to separate "genuine" citizens from "illegal immigrants".

The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its order on Assam National Register of Citizens (NRC) which aims to separate "genuine" citizens from "illegal immigrants". "We will not be bothered by what others say about our orders and judgments. We will continue to oversee NRC finalised as per the scheduled date of August 31, " the apex court bench said. The NRC in Assam is being updated under the monitoring of the Supreme Court and the final list is scheduled to be released on August 31. NRC authorities have started a re-verification of some of the people whose names figured in the draft NRC published last year. The Supreme Court had recently turned down a petition from the Assam government as well as from the Central government seeking sample re-verification of 20 per cent of people in districts bordering Bangladesh and 10 per cent sample re-verification for people in other districts. (With inputs from agencies)

SC reserves order on National Register of Citizens, says 'We will not be bothered about what others say'

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-shuts-down-samjhauta-express-forever-241514">Pakistan shuts down Samjhauta Express 'forever' amid spiraling tension</a>

In a big blow to people to people contact between arch rivals Pakistan and India, Imran Khan-led government&nbsp;announced that it's shutting down Samjhauta Express--the bi-weekly train that connects Delhi in India to Lahore in Pakistan -- ''forever''.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/not-looking-at-military-option-over-kashmir-dispute-pakistan-foreign-minister-241539">'Not looking at military option' over Kashmir dispute: Pakistan foreign minister</a>

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Thursday that Pakistan is not looking at a military option over Kashmir after Indian government revoked decades-old special status granted under Indian constitution to Jammu and Kashmir by abrogating Article 370.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/sensex-jumps-637-points-while-nifty-regains-11000-mark-241560">Sensex jumps 637 points while Nifty regains 11,000 mark</a>

Equity benchmark indices staged a smart recovery during second half of trading on Thursday with the Nifty closing above 11,000 mark. The market rallied after reports suggested that the government is likely to roll back the recently-imposed higher tax on foreign portfolio investors (FPIs).&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-restricts-screening-of-indian-movies-241502">Pakistan restricts screening of Indian movies</a>

"No Indian movie to be screened in Pakistani cinemas," Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Special Assistant to Pakistan Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/beatles-fans-come-together-for-50th-anniversary-of-abbey-road-photo-241534">Beatles fans come together for 50th anniversary of Abbey Road photo</a>

Beatles fans came together near London's Abbey Road Studios on Thursday to mark the 50th anniversary of the band's most iconic images of all time.

Pakistan shuts down Samjhauta Express 'forever' amid spiraling tension In a big blow to people to people contact between arch rivals Pakistan and India, Imran Khan-led government announced that it's shutting down Samjhauta Express--the bi-weekly train that connects Delhi in India to Lahore in Pakistan -- ''forever''.

Pakistan shuts down Samjhauta Express 'forever' amid spiraling tension In a big blow to people to people contact between arch rivals Pakistan and India, Imran Khan-led government announced that it's shutting down Samjhauta Express--the bi-weekly train that connects Delhi in India to Lahore in Pakistan -- ''forever''. 'Not looking at military option' over Kashmir dispute: Pakistan foreign minister Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Thursday that Pakistan is not looking at a military option over Kashmir after Indian government revoked decades-old special status granted under Indian constitution to Jammu and Kashmir by abrogating Article 370. Sensex jumps 637 points while Nifty regains 11,000 mark Equity benchmark indices staged a smart recovery during second half of trading on Thursday with the Nifty closing above 11,000 mark. The market rallied after reports suggested that the government is likely to roll back the recently-imposed higher tax on foreign portfolio investors (FPIs). Pakistan restricts screening of Indian movies "No Indian movie to be screened in Pakistani cinemas," Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Special Assistant to Pakistan Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting said. Beatles fans come together for 50th anniversary of Abbey Road photo Beatles fans came together near London's Abbey Road Studios on Thursday to mark the 50th anniversary of the band's most iconic images of all time.

News brief: Big stories of the day

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