Indian-American Vijaya Gadde, 45, who takes care of Twitter's legal affairs has been instrumental in permanently suspending President Donald <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/arnold-schwarzenegger-blasts-trump-compares-us-capitol-violence-to-rise-of-nazi-germany-355912">Trump's</a> Twitter account.

Watch:

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Twitter had earlier suspended Trump's account but later moved to block the US president's account amid riots in US Capitol which the company believed encouraged rioters.

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The account of <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> has been permanently suspended from Twitter due to the risk of further violence. We've also published our policy enforcement analysis - you can read more about our decision here: <a href="https://t.co/fhjXkxdEcw">https://t.co/fhjXkxdEcw</a>
— Vijaya Gadde (@vijaya) <a href="https://twitter.com/vijaya/status/1347686841881821184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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"The account of @realDonaldTrump has been permanently suspended from Twitter due to the risk of further violence," Gadde had tweeted on Friday.

President Trump's Twitter account was "permanently suspended due to the risk of further incitement of violence," the company said.

Gadde who was born in India grew up in Texas graduated from Cornell University and New York University Law School and had joined Twitter in 2011.

The Indian-American actively oversaw the US elections declaring that of the "300,000 flagged tweets, 456 were covered over by a warning message and had engagement features limited -- users could not like, retweet or reply to the posts."

"During the election period, Twitter posted messages on American users' pages which were seen 389 million times that "reminded people that election results were likely to be delayed, and that voting by mail is safe and legitimate," she said.

Vijaya Gadde had accompanied Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey when had met US President Donald Trump last year and had accompanied Dorsey when he met India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi three years ago.

Twitter said Trump's tweets were assessed under "glorification of violence"&nbsp;policy and that it determined that they were "highly likely to encourage and inspire people to replicate the criminal acts that took place at the US&nbsp;Capitol on January 6, 2021."

"President’s statements can be mobilized by different audiences, including to incite violence, as well as in the context of the pattern of behaviour from this account in recent weeks," it added.

Indian-American Vijaya Gadde, 45, who takes care of Twitter's legal affairs has been instrumental in permanently suspending President Donald Trump's Twitter account.

Indian-American Vijaya Gadde, 45, who takes care of Twitter's legal affairs has been instrumental in permanently suspending President Donald Trump's Twitter account. Watch: Twitter had earlier suspended Trump's account but later moved to block the US president's account amid riots in US Capitol which the company believed encouraged rioters. The account of @realDonaldTrump has been permanently suspended from Twitter due to the risk of further violence. We've also published our policy enforcement analysis - you can read more about our decision here: https://t.co/fhjXkxdEcw — Vijaya Gadde (@vijaya) January 8, 2021 × "The account of @realDonaldTrump has been permanently suspended from Twitter due to the risk of further violence," Gadde had tweeted on Friday. President Trump's Twitter account was "permanently suspended due to the risk of further incitement of violence," the company said. Gadde who was born in India grew up in Texas graduated from Cornell University and New York University Law School and had joined Twitter in 2011. The Indian-American actively oversaw the US elections declaring that of the "300,000 flagged tweets, 456 were covered over by a warning message and had engagement features limited -- users could not like, retweet or reply to the posts." "During the election period, Twitter posted messages on American users' pages which were seen 389 million times that "reminded people that election results were likely to be delayed, and that voting by mail is safe and legitimate," she said. Vijaya Gadde had accompanied Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey when had met US President Donald Trump last year and had accompanied Dorsey when he met India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi three years ago. Twitter said Trump's tweets were assessed under "glorification of violence" policy and that it determined that they were "highly likely to encourage and inspire people to replicate the criminal acts that took place at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021." "President’s statements can be mobilized by different audiences, including to incite violence, as well as in the context of the pattern of behaviour from this account in recent weeks," it added.

Meet Indian-American Vijaya Gadde who moved to ban Trump's Twitter account

As <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/shortage-of-oxygen-kills-every-coronavirus-patient-in-egyptian-hospitals-icu-354861">coronavirus</a> cases continue to mount in Europe, EU's medicines watchdog approved the Moderna coronavirus vaccine.

Watch:

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The European Medicines Agency had earlier approved the Pfizer-BionTech vaccine last month as the EU&nbsp;began vaccinating citizens across countries from December 27.

EMA Executive Director Emer Cooke said: "This vaccine provides us with another tool to overcome the current emergency, it is a testament to the efforts and commitment of all involved that we have this second positive vaccine recommendation just short of a year since the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-records-several-coronavirus-cases-near-beijing-imposes-new-restrictions-354849">pandemic</a> was declared by WHO."

The European Commission also formally backed US firm Moderna's vaccine.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said: "We are providing more COVID-19 vaccines for Europeans. With the Moderna vaccine, the second one now authorised in the EU, we will have a further 160 million doses. And more vaccines will come."&nbsp;

Moderna's vaccine was found to be 94.1 per cent effective in preventing COVID-19.

"EMA has recommended granting a conditional marketing authorisation for COVID-19 vaccine Moderna to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 in people from 18 years of age," the European Medicines Agency said.

Europe has seen the highest number of coronavirus-related casualties with Italy, Spain, France being the worst-hit, other countries have also been hit hard in the second wave including Switzerland and eastern European countries.

Several European governments have put their countries under <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-johnson-says-end-of-lockdown-in-england-will-be-slow-unwrapping-354863">lockdown </a>as they battle the virus. EU has been battling with logistical issues in rolling out the vaccines as the Netherlands was seen to be lagging behind in administering the Pfizer-BionNTech vaccine.

The French government faced similar criticism after the national inoculation campaign got off to a slow start.

The World Bank has warned that delays in vaccine distribution could limit the global economic recovery to just 1.6 per cent this year.

As coronavirus cases continue to mount in Europe, EU's medicines watchdog approved the Moderna coronavirus vaccine. Watch: The European Medicines Agency had earlier approved the Pfizer-BionTech vaccine last month as the EU began vaccinating citizens across countries from December 27.

As coronavirus cases continue to mount in Europe, EU's medicines watchdog approved the Moderna coronavirus vaccine. Watch: The European Medicines Agency had earlier approved the Pfizer-BionTech vaccine last month as the EU began vaccinating citizens across countries from December 27. EMA Executive Director Emer Cooke said: "This vaccine provides us with another tool to overcome the current emergency, it is a testament to the efforts and commitment of all involved that we have this second positive vaccine recommendation just short of a year since the pandemic was declared by WHO." The European Commission also formally backed US firm Moderna's vaccine. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said: "We are providing more COVID-19 vaccines for Europeans. With the Moderna vaccine, the second one now authorised in the EU, we will have a further 160 million doses. And more vaccines will come." Moderna's vaccine was found to be 94.1 per cent effective in preventing COVID-19. "EMA has recommended granting a conditional marketing authorisation for COVID-19 vaccine Moderna to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 in people from 18 years of age," the European Medicines Agency said. Europe has seen the highest number of coronavirus-related casualties with Italy, Spain, France being the worst-hit, other countries have also been hit hard in the second wave including Switzerland and eastern European countries. Several European governments have put their countries under lockdown as they battle the virus. EU has been battling with logistical issues in rolling out the vaccines as the Netherlands was seen to be lagging behind in administering the Pfizer-BionNTech vaccine. The French government faced similar criticism after the national inoculation campaign got off to a slow start. The World Bank has warned that delays in vaccine distribution could limit the global economic recovery to just 1.6 per cent this year.

EU regulator approves Moderna coronavirus vaccine amid surge in cases

WhatsApp has two options for you - my way or the highway, you either accept its terms and conditions, share your personal information or lose access to WhatsApp.

The same app claims "respect for your privacy is coded into our DNA". There is a tech war underway between Apple and Facebook. The tech giants have been fighting over consumers.

Two years ago Facebook's tagline was "it's free and always will be", that slogan silently vanished in August 2019. It was after it was out in the open that Facebook is feeding off its users while using the data to serve advertisements.

Facebook invariably greets users with related ads. Facebook tracks your online activities - the apps and websites- tacks a shopper, ads being clicked and then targets customers with personalised ads. It is Facebook's business model and the customer is the product.

Facebook has been monetising personal data and Apple says it wants to put an end to it. It wants to give users control over their data and allows them to make a conscious choice whether or not they want an app to track their browsing activity.

Apple tracks users with an app tracking transparency feature. It will come as an update with IoS 14. Facebook is obviously not happy. It says the move will strangle small businesses. Facebook has started a webpage criticising Apple's move.

The company also published a full-page newspaper ad in December 2020, it read: "more than 10 million businesses use our advertising tools each month to find new customers, hire employees, and engage with their communities."

Facebook pretends to champion small businesses while totally disregarding the fact that small businesses are frustrated- with Facebook. It has failed to provide customer support and has failed to stop scam ads.

Facebook has also pushed small businesses out of the market. New York attorney general Letitia James had said that "by using its vast troves of data and money, Facebook has squashed or hindered what the company perceived as potential threats."

On December 18, 2020, Tim Cook tweeted: "We believe users should have the choice over the data that is being collected." Apple is not the good guy, if it really cared about user data why would it store iCloud keys in China?

Apple has been basically building roadblocks for its rival with the intention to harm Facebook and not benefit users. Facebook is worth around $778 billion, Apple over $2 trillion. The consumer base for both companies is almost the same - educated and social media savvy.

People buy iPhones, browse Facebook and Instagram on them. Apple makes money on the hardware, Facebook makes money from targeted ads both companies were symbiotic at least for some time.

Then Facebook acquired WhatsApp and iMessage became its rival while Whatsapp gained popularity in Brazil, India, Mexico, Germany and Turkey, iMessage maintained its dominance in America.

Then came the drop in iPhone sales and Apple started looking at software, subscriptions and payments for money. Soon, Facebook announced it is developing a cryptocurrency for payments within Whatsapp. It meant there was a threat to Apple pay.

Apple and Facebook are now fighting on the same turf with both fighting for dominance and fighting to profit from users. In 2018, Apple CEO Tim Cook criticised Facebook for tracking people's browsing activities.

"The truth is we could make a ton of money if we monetized our customer, if our customer was our product. We've elected not to do that," the Apple CEO said.

The data privacy feature is Apple's latest move against Facebook and Facebook has shot back by sneaking in a privacy update on WhatsApp.

WhatsApp has two options for you - my way or the highway, you either accept its terms and conditions, share your personal information or lose access to WhatsApp.

WhatsApp has two options for you - my way or the highway, you either accept its terms and conditions, share your personal information or lose access to WhatsApp. The same app claims "respect for your privacy is coded into our DNA". There is a tech war underway between Apple and Facebook. The tech giants have been fighting over consumers. Two years ago Facebook's tagline was "it's free and always will be", that slogan silently vanished in August 2019. It was after it was out in the open that Facebook is feeding off its users while using the data to serve advertisements. Facebook invariably greets users with related ads. Facebook tracks your online activities - the apps and websites- tacks a shopper, ads being clicked and then targets customers with personalised ads. It is Facebook's business model and the customer is the product. Facebook has been monetising personal data and Apple says it wants to put an end to it. It wants to give users control over their data and allows them to make a conscious choice whether or not they want an app to track their browsing activity. Apple tracks users with an app tracking transparency feature. It will come as an update with IoS 14. Facebook is obviously not happy. It says the move will strangle small businesses. Facebook has started a webpage criticising Apple's move. The company also published a full-page newspaper ad in December 2020, it read: "more than 10 million businesses use our advertising tools each month to find new customers, hire employees, and engage with their communities." Facebook pretends to champion small businesses while totally disregarding the fact that small businesses are frustrated- with Facebook. It has failed to provide customer support and has failed to stop scam ads. Facebook has also pushed small businesses out of the market. New York attorney general Letitia James had said that "by using its vast troves of data and money, Facebook has squashed or hindered what the company perceived as potential threats." On December 18, 2020, Tim Cook tweeted: "We believe users should have the choice over the data that is being collected." Apple is not the good guy, if it really cared about user data why would it store iCloud keys in China? Apple has been basically building roadblocks for its rival with the intention to harm Facebook and not benefit users. Facebook is worth around $778 billion, Apple over $2 trillion. The consumer base for both companies is almost the same - educated and social media savvy. People buy iPhones, browse Facebook and Instagram on them. Apple makes money on the hardware, Facebook makes money from targeted ads both companies were symbiotic at least for some time. Then Facebook acquired WhatsApp and iMessage became its rival while Whatsapp gained popularity in Brazil, India, Mexico, Germany and Turkey, iMessage maintained its dominance in America. Then came the drop in iPhone sales and Apple started looking at software, subscriptions and payments for money. Soon, Facebook announced it is developing a cryptocurrency for payments within Whatsapp. It meant there was a threat to Apple pay. Apple and Facebook are now fighting on the same turf with both fighting for dominance and fighting to profit from users. In 2018, Apple CEO Tim Cook criticised Facebook for tracking people's browsing activities. "The truth is we could make a ton of money if we monetized our customer, if our customer was our product. We've elected not to do that," the Apple CEO said. The data privacy feature is Apple's latest move against Facebook and Facebook has shot back by sneaking in a privacy update on WhatsApp.

Privacy for sale as Apple and Facebook fight for consumers

India's health ministry said today that the number of cases of the new strain of coronavirus from the UK has gone up to 73. Watch: As India prepares to roll out the coronavirus vaccine in the next nine days, the government informed it is set to conduct a massive country-wide mock drill exercise of vaccine administration on January 8.

India's health ministry said today that the number of cases of the new strain of coronavirus from the UK has gone up to 73. Watch: As India prepares to roll out the coronavirus vaccine in the next nine days, the government informed it is set to conduct a massive country-wide mock drill exercise of vaccine administration on January 8. "Around 1.7 lakh vaccinators and 3 lakh vaccination team members have been trained in vaccine administration," the government said. Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan will be meeting state health ministers of all the states and union territories on Thursday prior to the vaccine rollout dry run. Meanwhile, PM Modi spoke to German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday as both leaders discussed key issues of mutual importance including the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, bilateral ties, regional and global issues including India-EU relations. Amid the rising number coronavirus cases, Andhra Pradesh reports 289 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours taking the total number of cases to 8,83,876, according to the state health department. The death toll in the state due to the virus has now reached 7,125. India's southern state of Tamil Nadu recorded 811 new coronavirus cases including 11 deaths in the last 24 hours taking the total number of cases to 8,23,181. The state which is one of the worst-hit due to the virus has recorded 12,188 fatalities so far.

UK virus strain cases rise to 73 in India; massive COVID-19 vaccine dry run planned on January 8

White Winter: Snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir

A UK court on Wednesday denied bail to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange who is hauled up in the high-security Belmarsh prison in southeast London.

Watch:

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The London court said that Assange may abscond if granted bail.

Assange will now remain in custody pending a US appeal that blocked his extradition. The US government has charged the whistleblower of leaking secret military documents.

Judge Vanessa Baraitser told Westminster Magistrates Court: "I am satisfied that there are substantial grounds for believing that if Mr Assange is released today he will fail to surrender to the court to face the appellant proceedings."

Kristinn Hrafnsson, WikiLeaks Editor-in-Chief, said: "It does not make any sense from any point of view to not give him bail, when the court earlier observed his condition."

The judge had earlier blocked Assange's extradition to the United States stating that he is a suicide risk.

Assange faces 18 charges in the US relating to the 2010 release by WikiLeaks of 500,000 secret files detailing military campaigns in Afghanistan&nbsp;and Iraq.&nbsp;

The controversial whistleblower had sought refuge in Ecuador's embassy in 2012 after Sweden issued an arrest warrant in his name for allegedly committing rape, however, the country later dropped the charge.

After spending seven years at the Ecuadorian embassy the government revoked his citizenship allowing British police to drag him out and arrest him in 2019.&nbsp;

A UK court on Wednesday denied bail to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange who is hauled up in the high-security Belmarsh prison in southeast London. Watch: The London court said that Assange may abscond if granted bail.

A UK court on Wednesday denied bail to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange who is hauled up in the high-security Belmarsh prison in southeast London. Watch: The London court said that Assange may abscond if granted bail. Assange will now remain in custody pending a US appeal that blocked his extradition. The US government has charged the whistleblower of leaking secret military documents. Judge Vanessa Baraitser told Westminster Magistrates Court: "I am satisfied that there are substantial grounds for believing that if Mr Assange is released today he will fail to surrender to the court to face the appellant proceedings." Kristinn Hrafnsson, WikiLeaks Editor-in-Chief, said: "It does not make any sense from any point of view to not give him bail, when the court earlier observed his condition." The judge had earlier blocked Assange's extradition to the United States stating that he is a suicide risk. Assange faces 18 charges in the US relating to the 2010 release by WikiLeaks of 500,000 secret files detailing military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq. The controversial whistleblower had sought refuge in Ecuador's embassy in 2012 after Sweden issued an arrest warrant in his name for allegedly committing rape, however, the country later dropped the charge. After spending seven years at the Ecuadorian embassy the government revoked his citizenship allowing British police to drag him out and arrest him in 2019.

London court denies bail to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

China's Hebei province near Beijing recorded several new cases as authorities moved to impose travel restrictions and banned gatherings.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/who-chief-says-very-disappointed-as-china-delays-the-probe-into-covid-19-origin-354728/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/impasse-over-who-virus-mission-not-just-a-visa-issue-china-says-354801">Hebei</a> recorded at least 20 locally transmitted virus cases with &nbsp;64 new asymptomatic cases. Local authorities moved to clampdown on movement with residents ordered to present negative nucleic acid COVID-19 test at least 72 hours before boarding a plane or bus.

City officials also began a massive COVID-19 testing campaign with reports indicating the last time local transmission took place in Hebei was in June last year.&nbsp;

Reports said residents had visited village events in Xiaoguozhuang, Shijiazhuang as state-run Xinhua news agency reported the provincial capital had moved to suspend train service in order to combat the fast-spreading virus.

Reports said local authorities had also locked down some villages and banned gatherings in order to prevent further spread of the virus.

Authorities had identified Gaocheng district in Shijiazhuang as a "high risk" zone, reports said.

There were also cases reported in Dalian, Liaoning province as residents were barred from leaving the city.

Beijing had begun mass vaccinations in the New Year with thousands lining up to get their jabs. China's state media reported that at least &nbsp;73,000 people in the country's capital have received the vaccine.

Health authorities had given their approval to pharma giant Sinopharm, with the company asserting that it had 79 per cent efficacy rate to fight the virus.

The country plans to vaccinate millions of citizens this winter in the run-up to Lunar New Year in mid-February.

China's Hebei province near Beijing recorded several new cases as authorities moved to impose travel restrictions and banned gatherings. Watch: Hebei recorded at least 20 locally transmitted virus cases with 64 new asymptomatic cases.

China's Hebei province near Beijing recorded several new cases as authorities moved to impose travel restrictions and banned gatherings. Watch: Hebei recorded at least 20 locally transmitted virus cases with 64 new asymptomatic cases. Local authorities moved to clampdown on movement with residents ordered to present negative nucleic acid COVID-19 test at least 72 hours before boarding a plane or bus. City officials also began a massive COVID-19 testing campaign with reports indicating the last time local transmission took place in Hebei was in June last year. Reports said residents had visited village events in Xiaoguozhuang, Shijiazhuang as state-run Xinhua news agency reported the provincial capital had moved to suspend train service in order to combat the fast-spreading virus. Reports said local authorities had also locked down some villages and banned gatherings in order to prevent further spread of the virus. Authorities had identified Gaocheng district in Shijiazhuang as a "high risk" zone, reports said. There were also cases reported in Dalian, Liaoning province as residents were barred from leaving the city. Beijing had begun mass vaccinations in the New Year with thousands lining up to get their jabs. China's state media reported that at least 73,000 people in the country's capital have received the vaccine. Health authorities had given their approval to pharma giant Sinopharm, with the company asserting that it had 79 per cent efficacy rate to fight the virus. The country plans to vaccinate millions of citizens this winter in the run-up to Lunar New Year in mid-February.

China records several coronavirus cases near Beijing; imposes new restrictions

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Tuesday that he was “disappointed” with China as it hadn't finalised permissions for the arrival of the team which is set to investigate the origin of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-surge-continues-in-us-uk-despite-vaccine-roll-out-354678">coronavirus</a>.

Watch:

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“Today, we learned that Chinese officials have not yet finalized the necessary permissions for the team’s arrival in China,” Tedros said, adding," I’m very disappointed with this news, given that two members had already begun their journeys and others were not able to travel at the last minute but had been in contact with senior Chinese officials."

WHO officials are already on the way to China to investigate the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uks-covid-19-lockdown-may-be-extended-till-march-minister-354624">virus </a>origin.&nbsp;

“We are eager to get the mission underway as soon as possible,” Tedros asserted while adding that China had assured speeding up of internal procedure.

China had earlier said it would give the WHO's expert team full access to investigate the virus origin. China had informed the first case of the virus to the WHO on December 31, 2019, although some experts feel the virus had taken hold much earlier.

The virus which spread to every corner of the globe in 2020 has led to over 1.8 million fatalities worldwide and over 85 million cases.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Tuesday that he was “disappointed” with China as it hadn't finalised permissions for the arrival of the team which is set to investigate the origin of the coronavirus.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Tuesday that he was “disappointed” with China as it hadn't finalised permissions for the arrival of the team which is set to investigate the origin of the coronavirus. Watch: “Today, we learned that Chinese officials have not yet finalized the necessary permissions for the team’s arrival in China,” Tedros said, adding," I’m very disappointed with this news, given that two members had already begun their journeys and others were not able to travel at the last minute but had been in contact with senior Chinese officials." WHO officials are already on the way to China to investigate the virus origin. “We are eager to get the mission underway as soon as possible,” Tedros asserted while adding that China had assured speeding up of internal procedure. China had earlier said it would give the WHO's expert team full access to investigate the virus origin. China had informed the first case of the virus to the WHO on December 31, 2019, although some experts feel the virus had taken hold much earlier. The virus which spread to every corner of the globe in 2020 has led to over 1.8 million fatalities worldwide and over 85 million cases.

Disappointed with China over delayed access to virus investigation team: WHO chief Tedros

Just hours after the historic embrace between <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-historic-turn-saudi-crown-prince-mohammed-bin-salman-embraces-qatar-emir-354655">Saudi</a> Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Qatar's emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Saudi Arabia said it had reestablished full ties with Qatar.

"What happened today is... the turning of the page on all points of difference and a full return of diplomatic relations," Prince Faisal bin Farhan at the Gulf Cooperation Council(GCC) summit at al-Ula in Saudi Arabia.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/why-saudi-arabia-cut-diplomatic-ties-with-qatar-in-2017-354675">Also Read:&nbsp;Why Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Qatar in 2017</a>

Leaders of the six-member GCC signed two documents and a final communique as it sought to restore ties with Qatar.

The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt had taken part in a three and a half year blockade of Qatar accusing it of siding with radical forces in the region, an allegation it vehemently denied. Qatar's closeness with Iran also angered GCC.

However on Tuesday, the Gulf leaders signed the "solidarity and stability" deal bringing Qatar back into its economic fold.

"The Al-Ula Declaration "affirms our Gulf, Arab and Islamic solidarity and stability," Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said.

US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/trump-senior-aide-kushner-and-team-meets-saudi-arabias-mbs-emit-of-qatar-347783">Kushner</a> attended the signing in Al-Ula signifying the influence of the US government in latest peace moves. Amid the new friendship wave, Kuwait said an agreement had been reached to open all borders between Saudi and Qatar with immediate effect.&nbsp;

GCC countries along with Egypt had blocked its airspace to Qatari planes and sealed their borders and port. Qatari citizens were also expelled from various GCC countries.

The GCC countries had put forward a list of 13 demands to Qatar to fulfil at the start of the standoff including the closure of the famous Al Jazeera television and shutting of Turkish military base, however, Qatar has not publicly bowed to any of the demands.

Just hours after the historic embrace between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Qatar's emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Saudi Arabia said it had reestablished full ties with Qatar.

Just hours after the historic embrace between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Qatar's emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Saudi Arabia said it had reestablished full ties with Qatar. "What happened today is... the turning of the page on all points of difference and a full return of diplomatic relations," Prince Faisal bin Farhan at the Gulf Cooperation Council(GCC) summit at al-Ula in Saudi Arabia. Also Read: Why Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Qatar in 2017 Leaders of the six-member GCC signed two documents and a final communique as it sought to restore ties with Qatar. The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt had taken part in a three and a half year blockade of Qatar accusing it of siding with radical forces in the region, an allegation it vehemently denied. Qatar's closeness with Iran also angered GCC. However on Tuesday, the Gulf leaders signed the "solidarity and stability" deal bringing Qatar back into its economic fold. "The Al-Ula Declaration "affirms our Gulf, Arab and Islamic solidarity and stability," Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said. US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner attended the signing in Al-Ula signifying the influence of the US government in latest peace moves. Amid the new friendship wave, Kuwait said an agreement had been reached to open all borders between Saudi and Qatar with immediate effect. GCC countries along with Egypt had blocked its airspace to Qatari planes and sealed their borders and port. Qatari citizens were also expelled from various GCC countries. The GCC countries had put forward a list of 13 demands to Qatar to fulfil at the start of the standoff including the closure of the famous Al Jazeera television and shutting of Turkish military base, however, Qatar has not publicly bowed to any of the demands.

After royal embrace, Saudi Arabia restores full ties with Qatar

British PM Boris Johnson was scheduled to be the chief guest for India's 70th Republic Day but the UK PM called off the visit due to the Wuhan virus.

The virus has mutated and pushed the country into another lockdown with tougher restrictions imposed across the UK. PM Boris Johnson called Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and regretted the cancellation.

The United Kingdom is battling a crisis with the entire country preparing to stay indoors once again. The pandemic is far from over, not just in Britain but across the world. There are still enough flare-ups, outbreaks and challenges to show that the pandemic has not been defeated.

In the United States hospitals have been overflowing with new cases but the vaccines are sitting idle. In South Africa, there are fears that the vaccine won't work on the new Wuhan virus variant which is spreading rapidly.

In Portugal, a nurse died barely two days after getting the Pfizer vaccine. The developments were only a reminder on why it's important to not fall into the trap of normalcy.

There have been 85.7 million cases and over 1.8 million deaths and three dangerous variants. The Wuhan virus is still wreaking havoc across the world.

The United States remains the worst-hit country. The cases in the US have been rising including hospitalisations but the vaccine doses are sitting on ice with vo: more than two-third vaccines shipped to the United States gone unused.

There are organisational glitches and logistical issues at hospitals contributing to a growing hesitancy among patients regarding the vaccine's side-effects.

Out of the 15 million doses provided to states and territories, only 4.5 million have been administered.

The governors of New York and Florida have vowed to penalise hospitals that fail to dispense the shots in the next few days.

In the United Kingdom, the new virus strain is overwhelming the health system with 58,000 fresh cases reported on Monday which is the highest daily spike since the pandemic began.

PM Boris Johnson has ordered a new national lockdown to slow the surge. The entire country must now stay at home and the exceptions are limited.

In South Africa, the mutated strain is turning out to be more problematic than expected with cases having risen by 200 per cent in just one month.&nbsp;

Scientists are not fully confident that the vaccine will work on the South African strain, if it turns out to be true then it might take a few more months to adapt the vaccine to the higher viral load of the mutation.

British PM Boris Johnson was scheduled to be the chief guest for India's 70th Republic Day but the UK PM called off the visit due to the Wuhan virus. The virus has mutated and pushed the country into another lockdown with tougher restrictions imposed across the UK.

British PM Boris Johnson was scheduled to be the chief guest for India's 70th Republic Day but the UK PM called off the visit due to the Wuhan virus. The virus has mutated and pushed the country into another lockdown with tougher restrictions imposed across the UK. PM Boris Johnson called Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and regretted the cancellation. The United Kingdom is battling a crisis with the entire country preparing to stay indoors once again. The pandemic is far from over, not just in Britain but across the world. There are still enough flare-ups, outbreaks and challenges to show that the pandemic has not been defeated. In the United States hospitals have been overflowing with new cases but the vaccines are sitting idle. In South Africa, there are fears that the vaccine won't work on the new Wuhan virus variant which is spreading rapidly. In Portugal, a nurse died barely two days after getting the Pfizer vaccine. The developments were only a reminder on why it's important to not fall into the trap of normalcy. There have been 85.7 million cases and over 1.8 million deaths and three dangerous variants. The Wuhan virus is still wreaking havoc across the world. The United States remains the worst-hit country. The cases in the US have been rising including hospitalisations but the vaccine doses are sitting on ice with vo: more than two-third vaccines shipped to the United States gone unused. There are organisational glitches and logistical issues at hospitals contributing to a growing hesitancy among patients regarding the vaccine's side-effects. Out of the 15 million doses provided to states and territories, only 4.5 million have been administered. The governors of New York and Florida have vowed to penalise hospitals that fail to dispense the shots in the next few days. In the United Kingdom, the new virus strain is overwhelming the health system with 58,000 fresh cases reported on Monday which is the highest daily spike since the pandemic began. PM Boris Johnson has ordered a new national lockdown to slow the surge. The entire country must now stay at home and the exceptions are limited. In South Africa, the mutated strain is turning out to be more problematic than expected with cases having risen by 200 per cent in just one month. Scientists are not fully confident that the vaccine will work on the South African strain, if it turns out to be true then it might take a few more months to adapt the vaccine to the higher viral load of the mutation.

Coronavirus surge continues in US, UK despite vaccine roll out

The Qatar crisis began in June 2017 when <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-historic-turn-saudi-crown-prince-mohammed-bin-salman-embraces-qatar-emir-354655">Saudi Arabia </a>broke ties with Qatar and in a matter of hours, six more countries followed suit. It was the biggest diplomatic crisis in the region since the Gulf War of 1991.

Saudi Arabia and its allies - Egypt, UAE, Bahrain had announced they would cut diplomatic ties with Qatar a neighbour who wasn't getting along with Saudi Arabia.

Qatar's independent and ambitious foreign policy triggered the fight. It was making moves to step out of the shadow of Saudi Arabia, then the Muslim Brotherhood began to gain ground in Egypt.&nbsp;In 2011, Qatar endorsed it, however, Saudi Arabia did not like the decision.

Riyadh saw the Muslim Brotherhood as a threat to regional stability. It felt their success in Egypt might motivate underground brotherhoods in other countries and challenge the authority of the Kingdoms of the Gulf.

But Qatar disagreed and deepened its engagement with the Muslim Brotherhood. The second flashpoint was Hamas - the Palestinian militant group. Qatar allowed Hamas to operate from its soil even as Saudi Arabia declared it a terrorist organisation.

The third major point of difference was Iran. Qatar supported Iran which the Saudis view as their arch enemy. In 2017, the disagreements came to a head. Saudi Arabia and its allies announced blockade in Qatar cutting diplomatic ties as air, land and sea travel was suspended.

Qatar was given ten days to meet thirteen sweeping demands. Qatar made no major concessions as it managed to tide the wave due to its gas-fuelled wealth.

However, the initial days were a struggle as store shelves went dry and air traffic came to a halt. Qatar arranged new shipping routes to offset the closure of the border with Saudi Arabia.

Cash from Qatar's sovereign wealth fund was deployed to shore up local banks and throughout the negotiations, the Qatari government stuck to its guns. It refused to outsource its foreign policy.

The rift ended up fracturing the Arab world causing real damage to the Gulf as trade and commerce fell apart in the region. Thousands of people had to rush back to their homes overnight to return to Qatar.

Some families were unable to see their relatives on the other side of the divide.

"What’s behind this crisis, of course is Qatar's sovereignty and independence to put it very simply. It is about our foreign policy and about outsourcing our foreign policy so that decisions are not made in Qatar and that is something that will never be acceptable," Sheikh Saif bin Ahmad al-Thani, Qatar's spokesman said.

The Qatar crisis began in June 2017 when Saudi Arabia broke ties with Qatar and in a matter of hours, six more countries followed suit. It was the biggest diplomatic crisis in the region since the Gulf War of 1991.

The Qatar crisis began in June 2017 when Saudi Arabia broke ties with Qatar and in a matter of hours, six more countries followed suit. It was the biggest diplomatic crisis in the region since the Gulf War of 1991. Saudi Arabia and its allies - Egypt, UAE, Bahrain had announced they would cut diplomatic ties with Qatar a neighbour who wasn't getting along with Saudi Arabia. Qatar's independent and ambitious foreign policy triggered the fight. It was making moves to step out of the shadow of Saudi Arabia, then the Muslim Brotherhood began to gain ground in Egypt. In 2011, Qatar endorsed it, however, Saudi Arabia did not like the decision. Riyadh saw the Muslim Brotherhood as a threat to regional stability. It felt their success in Egypt might motivate underground brotherhoods in other countries and challenge the authority of the Kingdoms of the Gulf. But Qatar disagreed and deepened its engagement with the Muslim Brotherhood. The second flashpoint was Hamas - the Palestinian militant group. Qatar allowed Hamas to operate from its soil even as Saudi Arabia declared it a terrorist organisation. The third major point of difference was Iran. Qatar supported Iran which the Saudis view as their arch enemy. In 2017, the disagreements came to a head. Saudi Arabia and its allies announced blockade in Qatar cutting diplomatic ties as air, land and sea travel was suspended. Qatar was given ten days to meet thirteen sweeping demands. Qatar made no major concessions as it managed to tide the wave due to its gas-fuelled wealth. However, the initial days were a struggle as store shelves went dry and air traffic came to a halt. Qatar arranged new shipping routes to offset the closure of the border with Saudi Arabia. Cash from Qatar's sovereign wealth fund was deployed to shore up local banks and throughout the negotiations, the Qatari government stuck to its guns. It refused to outsource its foreign policy. The rift ended up fracturing the Arab world causing real damage to the Gulf as trade and commerce fell apart in the region. Thousands of people had to rush back to their homes overnight to return to Qatar. Some families were unable to see their relatives on the other side of the divide. "What’s behind this crisis, of course is Qatar's sovereignty and independence to put it very simply. It is about our foreign policy and about outsourcing our foreign policy so that decisions are not made in Qatar and that is something that will never be acceptable," Sheikh Saif bin Ahmad al-Thani, Qatar's spokesman said.

Why Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Qatar in 2017

British Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/uk-pm-boris-johnson-calls-india-indispensable-partner-ahead-of-delhi-visit-next-month-350001">Boris Johnson</a> who was set to visit India for Republic Day celebrations on January 26 has postponed his visit.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/british-prime-minister-boris-johnson-announces-another-national-lockdown-354504/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Downing Street said the PM Johnson's visit has been postponed due to the coronavirus crisis.

England entered stringent lockdown on Monday amid a surge in coronavirus cases.

"The prime minister spoke to Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi this morning, to express his regret that he will be unable to visit India later this month as planned," newswire AFP quoted Downing Street spokesman as saying.

Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove told a television channel that the national lockdown in England could last till March with&nbsp;measures to be reviewed from February 15.&nbsp;

India's Prime Minister's Office(PMO) said that PM Modi had a telephone conversation today with the Prime Minister of UK Boris Johnson and he expressed regret over his inability to attend India's forthcoming Republic Day celebrations in view of the changed COVID-19 situation prevailing in the UK. &nbsp;

"He reiterated his keenness to visit India in the near future," PMO said in a statement.

"The leaders reviewed ongoing cooperation between both countries, including in the area of making COVID-19 vaccines available for the world," the PMO informed.

The national lockdown in England was announced on Monday&nbsp;after the British government revealed a new variant of the virus had entered Britain from South Africa a fortnight ago which was "70 per cent" more transferable.

England has been rolling out its vaccines at a fast pace amid the virus surge with supermarkets Tesco, Morrisons and Boots declaring they are ready to chip in to provide space and&nbsp;refrigerated lorries.&nbsp;

The United Kingdom has been hit hard due to the virus with the cases surging to over 2.7 million along with over 75,540 fatalities.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson who was set to visit India for Republic Day celebrations on January 26 has postponed his visit. Watch: Downing Street said the PM Johnson's visit has been postponed due to the coronavirus crisis.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson who was set to visit India for Republic Day celebrations on January 26 has postponed his visit. Watch: Downing Street said the PM Johnson's visit has been postponed due to the coronavirus crisis. England entered stringent lockdown on Monday amid a surge in coronavirus cases. "The prime minister spoke to Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi this morning, to express his regret that he will be unable to visit India later this month as planned," newswire AFP quoted Downing Street spokesman as saying. Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove told a television channel that the national lockdown in England could last till March with measures to be reviewed from February 15. India's Prime Minister's Office(PMO) said that PM Modi had a telephone conversation today with the Prime Minister of UK Boris Johnson and he expressed regret over his inability to attend India's forthcoming Republic Day celebrations in view of the changed COVID-19 situation prevailing in the UK. "He reiterated his keenness to visit India in the near future," PMO said in a statement. "The leaders reviewed ongoing cooperation between both countries, including in the area of making COVID-19 vaccines available for the world," the PMO informed. The national lockdown in England was announced on Monday after the British government revealed a new variant of the virus had entered Britain from South Africa a fortnight ago which was "70 per cent" more transferable. England has been rolling out its vaccines at a fast pace amid the virus surge with supermarkets Tesco, Morrisons and Boots declaring they are ready to chip in to provide space and refrigerated lorries. The United Kingdom has been hit hard due to the virus with the cases surging to over 2.7 million along with over 75,540 fatalities.

UK PM Boris Johnson postpones India visit due to virus surge in England

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