PML(N) leader Ayaz Sadiq's revelation that India would have attacked Pakistan at "night by 9 pm" if Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman wasn't released has created ripples in the Imran Khan-led PTI government.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-was-scared-of-indian-attack-truth-behind-abhinandans-release-revealed-338667">Also Read |&nbsp;Pakistan was scared of Indian attack: Truth behind Abhinandan's release revealed</a>

Imran's association with Sadiq goes back to his college years as both Pakistan politicians studied&nbsp;in Lahore's elite Aitchison college. Sadiq is known to be one of Sharif's most trusted aides. The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nawaz-sharif-sharpens-attack-on-army-isi-chief-maryam-says-sun-is-about-to-set-337967">PML(N)</a> leader was elected Speaker of the National Assembly in 2013.

Sadiq had defeated Imran Khan in the National Assembly from Lahore during the elections. However, Imran cried foul after the results were declared and the court ordered re-election as Sadiq again secured victory.

The PML(N) leader during his speech in the Pakistan Parliament said during a meeting with foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in which PPP and PML-N leaders were present the Pakistan foreign minister&nbsp;had asked IAF pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan to be set free.

"I remember Shah Mahmood Qureshi was in the meeting in which Imran Khan had refused to attend and Chief of Army Staff General Bajwa came into the room, his legs were shaking and he was perspiring," Sadiq said in Parliament, adding,"Foreign minister Qureshi said for God's sake let Abhinandan go, India`s about to attack Pakistan at 9pm".

Wing Commander Varthaman's MiG-21 Bison fighter aircraft was shot down by Pakistan's F-16 fighter during a dog fight on &nbsp;February 27 last year. Pakistan later returned Abhinandan to India who came back from the Attari-Wagah border on March 1, 2019.

Wg Commander Abhinandan was awarded the Vir Chakra on Independence Day by President Ram Nath Kovind. 
&nbsp;

PML(N) leader Ayaz Sadiq's revelation that India would have attacked Pakistan at "night by 9 pm" if Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman wasn't released has created ripples in the Imran Khan-led PTI government.

PML(N) leader Ayaz Sadiq's revelation that India would have attacked Pakistan at "night by 9 pm" if Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman wasn't released has created ripples in the Imran Khan-led PTI government. Also Read | Pakistan was scared of Indian attack: Truth behind Abhinandan's release revealed Imran's association with Sadiq goes back to his college years as both Pakistan politicians studied in Lahore's elite Aitchison college. Sadiq is known to be one of Sharif's most trusted aides. The PML(N) leader was elected Speaker of the National Assembly in 2013. Sadiq had defeated Imran Khan in the National Assembly from Lahore during the elections. However, Imran cried foul after the results were declared and the court ordered re-election as Sadiq again secured victory. The PML(N) leader during his speech in the Pakistan Parliament said during a meeting with foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in which PPP and PML-N leaders were present the Pakistan foreign minister had asked IAF pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan to be set free. "I remember Shah Mahmood Qureshi was in the meeting in which Imran Khan had refused to attend and Chief of Army Staff General Bajwa came into the room, his legs were shaking and he was perspiring," Sadiq said in Parliament, adding,"Foreign minister Qureshi said for God's sake let Abhinandan go, India`s about to attack Pakistan at 9pm". Wing Commander Varthaman's MiG-21 Bison fighter aircraft was shot down by Pakistan's F-16 fighter during a dog fight on February 27 last year. Pakistan later returned Abhinandan to India who came back from the Attari-Wagah border on March 1, 2019. Wg Commander Abhinandan was awarded the Vir Chakra on Independence Day by President Ram Nath Kovind.

'Bajwa's legs were shaking': Who is PML(N) leader Ayaz Sadiq?

According to reports, police was&nbsp;deployed in Champs-Élysées in France after a bag of ammunition was reportedly discovered near the Eiffel Tower.

Watch:&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/france-emmanuel-macrons-war-against-radical-islam-338181/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

There is also a bomb scare at the Arc de Triomphe, reports said. However,&nbsp;traffic was back to normal later, police said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/why-macron-is-paying-the-price-for-not-believing-in-politics-of-appeasement-338397">Also Read:&nbsp;Why Macron is paying the price for not believing in politics of appeasement</a>

The area around Champs-Élysées was&nbsp;evacuated briefly as police searched for evidence, reports said.

France is on high alert after the beheading of a teacher this month by an 18-year-old Muslim man.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/anti-macron-protests-soar-across-the-world-in-the-aftermath-of-france-beheading-338335">Also See:&nbsp;Anti-Macron protests soar across the world in the aftermath of France beheading</a>

French school teacher Samuel Paty was beheaded in a Paris suburb&nbsp;after showing his students Mohammed cartoons during a lesson on freedom of expression.

President Emmanuel Macron vowed that the country "will not give up cartoons" as he was vilified by protesters in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Syria, Gaza Strip and Libya.

Meanwhile, the French&nbsp;government has urged its citizens to be cautious in countries that have announced the boycott&nbsp;of French products after Turkish President Erdogan backed&nbsp;calls to boycott French goods.

"In several countries in recent days, there have been calls for a boycott of French products, particularly foodstuff, and more generally calls to protest against France," the French foreign ministry said. &nbsp;

"It is advisable to avoid areas where demonstrations are held, to stay away from gatherings, and to follow the guidance of the relevant French embassy or consulate," it added.&nbsp;

"It is recommended to be most vigilant, especially when travelling, and in places frequented by tourists and expatriate communities," the French government said.

According to reports, police was deployed in Champs-Élysées in France after a bag of ammunition was reportedly discovered near the Eiffel Tower. Watch: There is also a bomb scare at the Arc de Triomphe, reports said.

According to reports, police was deployed in Champs-Élysées in France after a bag of ammunition was reportedly discovered near the Eiffel Tower. Watch: There is also a bomb scare at the Arc de Triomphe, reports said. However, traffic was back to normal later, police said. Also Read: Why Macron is paying the price for not believing in politics of appeasement The area around Champs-Élysées was evacuated briefly as police searched for evidence, reports said. France is on high alert after the beheading of a teacher this month by an 18-year-old Muslim man. Also See: Anti-Macron protests soar across the world in the aftermath of France beheading French school teacher Samuel Paty was beheaded in a Paris suburb after showing his students Mohammed cartoons during a lesson on freedom of expression. President Emmanuel Macron vowed that the country "will not give up cartoons" as he was vilified by protesters in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Syria, Gaza Strip and Libya. Meanwhile, the French government has urged its citizens to be cautious in countries that have announced the boycott of French products after Turkish President Erdogan backed calls to boycott French goods. "In several countries in recent days, there have been calls for a boycott of French products, particularly foodstuff, and more generally calls to protest against France," the French foreign ministry said. "It is advisable to avoid areas where demonstrations are held, to stay away from gatherings, and to follow the guidance of the relevant French embassy or consulate," it added. "It is recommended to be most vigilant, especially when travelling, and in places frequented by tourists and expatriate communities," the French government said.

France: Bomb scare in Paris after ammunition bag reportedly discovered

One of China’s most influential tech companies, the internet finance titan Ant Group, is poised to raise a boatload of cash by selling shares.

The sale puts another stamp on China’s importance as a digital powerhouse. But it also shows how the tech world is fracturing.

The company could be worth more than many global banks after its share sale, yet its business is highly concentrated in just one country: China. Instead of listing in New York, as many other Chinese internet companies have done, Ant is going public in Hong Kong and Shanghai.

Here’s what to know about the company and its initial public offering.

Ant is Jack Ma’s second tech giant

Around the turn of the millennium, the internet was a lawless frontier, not least in China. Online shopping was a gamble. Buying and selling took place largely between strangers. Nobody could be sure they weren’t being defrauded.

Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce group, had an idea for cultivating trust. In 2003, it created a service called Alipay that held on to payments until buyers confirmed that they were satisfied with their purchases. If the items were fake or never arrived, the money was refunded.

Alipay helped Alibaba’s bazaars take off. Jack Ma, Alibaba’s co-founder, spun the service out in 2011 as a separate company, setting off a tiff with Yahoo, which was then a major Alibaba investor.

Today, Alibaba owns a one-third stake in Ant. Ma is Ant’s controlling shareholder, although he is not part of its management.

Ant’s executive chairman, Eric Jing, and chief executive, Simon Hu, both worked for years in Alibaba’s orbit. Ant has 16,660 employees.

Life is different with Alipay

When people across China want to pay for something, they don’t reach for their wallets. They grab their phones.

With Alipay and another smartphone app, the social platform WeChat, exchanging money is a matter of scanning a QR code — at an in-person cashier, during checkout at an online store or face-to-face with a friend. Shops and restaurants still accept cash, though often begrudgingly.

Over time, Alipay has come to host other services, too. People in China use it to shop on credit — no plastic card required. They take out small loans, invest their savings and buy health and life insurance. Fees from those businesses accounted for more than half of Ant’s revenue last year.

The app is a big deal in China

Alipay has more than 730 million monthly users, more than twice the U.S. population. By comparison, PayPal has 346 million active accounts.

Ant handled more than $17 trillion in digital payments in mainland China during the 12 months that ended in June. PayPal says its total payment volume in 2019 was $712 billion. Ant also enabled around $300 billion in credit to consumers and small businesses.

When the company goes public, it could be valued around $310 billion. That would make it worth about as much as JPMorgan Chase, and much more than Citigroup and Goldman Sachs.

Alipay is no slouch technologically, either. Ant says its systems processed 459,000 payments a second at the peak of a Chinese shopping holiday last year. Visa, by contrast, says it can handle 65,000 transactions a second.

Ant is huge not only because China’s population is huge. Its growth was also helped by the fact that China had previously been so far behind in digital finance. Few people had credit cards. The big government-run banks were slow to modernize.

But how much bigger can it get?

Around 95% of Ant’s revenue last year came from mainland China. The company has invested in Paytm, an Indian payment app, and acquired EyeVerify, a startup in Kansas City, Missouri, that makes biometric authentication technology. But for now at least, Alipay seems unlikely to implant itself so deeply in another country’s financial system.

Even in China, the government is wary about fast-growing financial products. The Communist Party has clamped down on lending fraud and questionable investment schemes. Regulators have also criticized Ant for not adequately protecting users’ personal data.

The fact that Ant has survived for so long in China under regulatory pressure means it will probably continue working around whatever the authorities throw at it, said Kevin Kwek, an analyst with the research firm Bernstein.

“If you’re going to sell anything to consumers that’s financial services, the regulators have to scrutinize it,” he said. “I don’t think they’re trying to find ways to kill Ant.”

One of China’s most influential tech companies, the internet finance titan Ant Group, is poised to raise a boatload of cash by selling shares. The sale puts another stamp on China’s importance as a digital powerhouse.

One of China’s most influential tech companies, the internet finance titan Ant Group, is poised to raise a boatload of cash by selling shares. The sale puts another stamp on China’s importance as a digital powerhouse. But it also shows how the tech world is fracturing. The company could be worth more than many global banks after its share sale, yet its business is highly concentrated in just one country: China. Instead of listing in New York, as many other Chinese internet companies have done, Ant is going public in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Here’s what to know about the company and its initial public offering. Ant is Jack Ma’s second tech giant Around the turn of the millennium, the internet was a lawless frontier, not least in China. Online shopping was a gamble. Buying and selling took place largely between strangers. Nobody could be sure they weren’t being defrauded. Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce group, had an idea for cultivating trust. In 2003, it created a service called Alipay that held on to payments until buyers confirmed that they were satisfied with their purchases. If the items were fake or never arrived, the money was refunded. Alipay helped Alibaba’s bazaars take off. Jack Ma, Alibaba’s co-founder, spun the service out in 2011 as a separate company, setting off a tiff with Yahoo, which was then a major Alibaba investor. Today, Alibaba owns a one-third stake in Ant. Ma is Ant’s controlling shareholder, although he is not part of its management. Ant’s executive chairman, Eric Jing, and chief executive, Simon Hu, both worked for years in Alibaba’s orbit. Ant has 16,660 employees. Life is different with Alipay When people across China want to pay for something, they don’t reach for their wallets. They grab their phones. With Alipay and another smartphone app, the social platform WeChat, exchanging money is a matter of scanning a QR code — at an in-person cashier, during checkout at an online store or face-to-face with a friend. Shops and restaurants still accept cash, though often begrudgingly. Over time, Alipay has come to host other services, too. People in China use it to shop on credit — no plastic card required. They take out small loans, invest their savings and buy health and life insurance. Fees from those businesses accounted for more than half of Ant’s revenue last year. The app is a big deal in China Alipay has more than 730 million monthly users, more than twice the U.S. population. By comparison, PayPal has 346 million active accounts. Ant handled more than $17 trillion in digital payments in mainland China during the 12 months that ended in June. PayPal says its total payment volume in 2019 was $712 billion. Ant also enabled around $300 billion in credit to consumers and small businesses. When the company goes public, it could be valued around $310 billion. That would make it worth about as much as JPMorgan Chase, and much more than Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. Alipay is no slouch technologically, either. Ant says its systems processed 459,000 payments a second at the peak of a Chinese shopping holiday last year. Visa, by contrast, says it can handle 65,000 transactions a second. Ant is huge not only because China’s population is huge. Its growth was also helped by the fact that China had previously been so far behind in digital finance. Few people had credit cards. The big government-run banks were slow to modernize. But how much bigger can it get? Around 95% of Ant’s revenue last year came from mainland China. The company has invested in Paytm, an Indian payment app, and acquired EyeVerify, a startup in Kansas City, Missouri, that makes biometric authentication technology. But for now at least, Alipay seems unlikely to implant itself so deeply in another country’s financial system. Even in China, the government is wary about fast-growing financial products. The Communist Party has clamped down on lending fraud and questionable investment schemes. Regulators have also criticized Ant for not adequately protecting users’ personal data. The fact that Ant has survived for so long in China under regulatory pressure means it will probably continue working around whatever the authorities throw at it, said Kevin Kwek, an analyst with the research firm Bernstein. “If you’re going to sell anything to consumers that’s financial services, the regulators have to scrutinize it,” he said. “I don’t think they’re trying to find ways to kill Ant.”

All about Ant group, the next Big Tech IPO

The first phase of polling for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bihar-elections-2020-pm-modi-urges-voters-to-vote-safely-follow-pandemic-rules-338464">Bihar</a> assembly elections passed off peacefully on Wednesday as an estimated 54.26 per cent of nearly 2.15 crore eligible voters exercised their franchise, marginally lower than in 2015, as the coronavirus scare failed to impact the turnout.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bihar-election-2020-technical-snag-glitches-in-75-evms-hassle-voters-in-phase-1-polling-338531">Also Read:&nbsp;Technical snag, glitches in 75 EVMs hassle voters in phase 1 polling</a>

The polls were held in 71 constituencies spread across 16 districts amid tight security and strict COVID-19 regulations in place. According to the Election Commission's Voter Turnout App, the provisional polling percentage was 54.26 that was updated till 10 PM.

The Chief Electoral Officer's office said in Patna that the voter turnout in the 2015 election in these 16 districts was 54.75 per cent.

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said in Delhi that the voter turnout in phase one was 54.94 per cent in the 2015 assembly polls, while in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections the corresponding figure was 53.54 per cent.

Election Commission secretary general Umesh Sinha told reporters in Delhi that the "projected" voter turnout is expected to exceed the last assembly and the Lok Sabha poll figures. 
This was the first major poll held in the country amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic and the poll time increased by an hour till 6 pm to allow suspected or confirmed coronavirus patients to vote in the last hour.

Polling went beyond 6 PM in some constituencies, while the voting hours were curtailed in Naxal-affected areas and ended at 4 pm after beginning at 7 am.

Out of the 16 districts which went to polls, 12 are hit by Left-wing extremism, a senior poll panel official said.

"And out of the 12, four are considered as extreme Left-Wing affected," the official said in Delhi, expressing satisfaction at the smooth conduct of the exercise.

Of the nearly 2.15 crore electors eligible to exercise the franchise, 1.12 crore were male, 1.01 crore female and 599 were categorised as third gender, according to data provided by the Election Commission.

As many as 1,066 candidates are in the fray in the first phase of the poll.

The prominent candidates whose electoral fate has been locked in the EVMs are Shreyasi Singh, a CWG gold medallist shooter, and six members of the outgoing cabinet -- Prem Kumar (Gaya Town), Vijay Kumar Sinha (Lakhisarai), Ram Narayan Mandal (Banka), Krishnanandan Prasad Verma (Jehanabad), Jaikumar Singh (Dinara) and Santosh Kumar Nirala (Rajpur).

Deputy Election Commissioner in-charge of EVMs said in Delhi that the functioning of electronic voting machines was "very satisfactory" during the polling.

A minuscule 0.22 per cent of the total 41,689 ballot units, 0.25 per cent of the total 31,371 control units and 1.28 per cent of the total 31,371 paper trail machines were replaced due to malfunctioning, the officer said.

In 12 polling stations of Jamui, the poll timing was increased by one hour due to the delay in replacing the faulty machines, he said. 
One control unit and at least one ballot unit makes for one EVM.

Deputy Election Commissioner in charge of Bihar Chandra Bhushan Kumar said in Delhi that overall cash seizure in Bihar so far stood at Rs 46.11 crore including foreign currency worth Rs 89.30 lakh.

Across all 16 districts that went to poll on Wednesday, voters were seen queuing up at polling stations since early morning and COVID-19 norms were largely followed with people wearing masks and maintaining a safe distance from each other.

At a polling station in Jalpura village of Bhojpur district, there were not many voters around 3.15 pm when a PTI reporter went to cast his ballot, but plastic hand gloves were strewn all around, used and discarded by electors.

Hand sanitisers were kept at the entrance and the exit gates of the booth. Some people, however, were seen without a face mask.

"We have hand gloves, but some people are refusing to wear," said Angad Kumar, the presiding officer of one of the four booths at the polling station.

A 55-year-old polling agent died of heart attack in Nawada district. Officials said Krishna Singh was deployed at booth number 258 in Foolawa village of Hisua assembly constituency.

They said Singh complained of severe heart pain and was rushed to the Sadar Hospital where doctors declared him dead.

As many as 159 people were detained as a preventive measure during the polling, the election panel said.

The first phase of polling for the Bihar assembly elections passed off peacefully on Wednesday as an estimated 54.26 per cent of nearly 2.15 crore eligible voters exercised their franchise, marginally lower than in 2015, as the coronavirus scare failed to impact the turnout.

The first phase of polling for the Bihar assembly elections passed off peacefully on Wednesday as an estimated 54.26 per cent of nearly 2.15 crore eligible voters exercised their franchise, marginally lower than in 2015, as the coronavirus scare failed to impact the turnout. Also Read: Technical snag, glitches in 75 EVMs hassle voters in phase 1 polling The polls were held in 71 constituencies spread across 16 districts amid tight security and strict COVID-19 regulations in place. According to the Election Commission's Voter Turnout App, the provisional polling percentage was 54.26 that was updated till 10 PM. The Chief Electoral Officer's office said in Patna that the voter turnout in the 2015 election in these 16 districts was 54.75 per cent. Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said in Delhi that the voter turnout in phase one was 54.94 per cent in the 2015 assembly polls, while in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections the corresponding figure was 53.54 per cent. Election Commission secretary general Umesh Sinha told reporters in Delhi that the "projected" voter turnout is expected to exceed the last assembly and the Lok Sabha poll figures. This was the first major poll held in the country amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic and the poll time increased by an hour till 6 pm to allow suspected or confirmed coronavirus patients to vote in the last hour. Polling went beyond 6 PM in some constituencies, while the voting hours were curtailed in Naxal-affected areas and ended at 4 pm after beginning at 7 am. Out of the 16 districts which went to polls, 12 are hit by Left-wing extremism, a senior poll panel official said. "And out of the 12, four are considered as extreme Left-Wing affected," the official said in Delhi, expressing satisfaction at the smooth conduct of the exercise. Of the nearly 2.15 crore electors eligible to exercise the franchise, 1.12 crore were male, 1.01 crore female and 599 were categorised as third gender, according to data provided by the Election Commission. As many as 1,066 candidates are in the fray in the first phase of the poll. The prominent candidates whose electoral fate has been locked in the EVMs are Shreyasi Singh, a CWG gold medallist shooter, and six members of the outgoing cabinet -- Prem Kumar (Gaya Town), Vijay Kumar Sinha (Lakhisarai), Ram Narayan Mandal (Banka), Krishnanandan Prasad Verma (Jehanabad), Jaikumar Singh (Dinara) and Santosh Kumar Nirala (Rajpur). Deputy Election Commissioner in-charge of EVMs said in Delhi that the functioning of electronic voting machines was "very satisfactory" during the polling. A minuscule 0.22 per cent of the total 41,689 ballot units, 0.25 per cent of the total 31,371 control units and 1.28 per cent of the total 31,371 paper trail machines were replaced due to malfunctioning, the officer said. In 12 polling stations of Jamui, the poll timing was increased by one hour due to the delay in replacing the faulty machines, he said. One control unit and at least one ballot unit makes for one EVM. Deputy Election Commissioner in charge of Bihar Chandra Bhushan Kumar said in Delhi that overall cash seizure in Bihar so far stood at Rs 46.11 crore including foreign currency worth Rs 89.30 lakh. Across all 16 districts that went to poll on Wednesday, voters were seen queuing up at polling stations since early morning and COVID-19 norms were largely followed with people wearing masks and maintaining a safe distance from each other. At a polling station in Jalpura village of Bhojpur district, there were not many voters around 3.15 pm when a PTI reporter went to cast his ballot, but plastic hand gloves were strewn all around, used and discarded by electors. Hand sanitisers were kept at the entrance and the exit gates of the booth. Some people, however, were seen without a face mask. "We have hand gloves, but some people are refusing to wear," said Angad Kumar, the presiding officer of one of the four booths at the polling station. A 55-year-old polling agent died of heart attack in Nawada district. Officials said Krishna Singh was deployed at booth number 258 in Foolawa village of Hisua assembly constituency. They said Singh complained of severe heart pain and was rushed to the Sadar Hospital where doctors declared him dead. As many as 159 people were detained as a preventive measure during the polling, the election panel said.

Bihar elections 2020: First phase voter turnout over 54% amid peaceful polling

The United States government has charged eight people for running an "illegal Chinese law enforcement operation known as Fox Hunt".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/eye-on-china-us-to-open-embassy-in-maldives-says-pompeo-338589">Also Read:&nbsp;Eye on China: US to open embassy in Maldives, says Pompeo</a>

"Since 2014, at the direction of Chinese General Secretary Xi Jinping, China has been engaged in a global operation known as Fox Hunt," Assistant Attorney General John Demers said.

"China describes Fox Hunt as an international anti-corruption campaign in which it seeks to locate legitimate fugitives around the world and bring them to China to face genuine criminal charges," Demers said, adding," But in many instances the hunted are opponents of Communist Party Chairman Xi -- political rivals, dissidents, and critics," he said. "In either event, the operation is a clear violation of the rule of law and international norms."

The US Assistant Attorney General said that five Chinese agents were arrested in the United States with three believed to be in China. Zhu Yong, Hongru Jin, Michael McMahon Rong Jing and Zheng Congying were arrested by US officials as three others Zhu Feng, Hu Ji, and Li Minjun remained untraced.

"The Chinese government's brazen attempts to surveil, threaten, and harass our own citizens and lawful permanent residents, while on American soil, are part of China's diverse campaign of theft and malign influence in our country and around the world," FBI Director Wray said.

The Justice Department informed charges of conspiracy to act as an agent of China carries&nbsp;a maximum sentence of five years in prison.&nbsp;

Court records showed the agents were allegedly involved in a plot known as &nbsp;“Operation Fox Hunt” and “Operation Skynet" between 2016 and 2019.

The United States government has charged eight people for running an "illegal Chinese law enforcement operation known as Fox Hunt". Also Read: Eye on China: US to open embassy in Maldives, says Pompeo "Since 2014, at the direction of Chinese General Secretary Xi Jinping, China has been engaged in a global operation known as Fox Hunt," Assistant Attorney General John Demers said.

The United States government has charged eight people for running an "illegal Chinese law enforcement operation known as Fox Hunt". Also Read: Eye on China: US to open embassy in Maldives, says Pompeo "Since 2014, at the direction of Chinese General Secretary Xi Jinping, China has been engaged in a global operation known as Fox Hunt," Assistant Attorney General John Demers said. "China describes Fox Hunt as an international anti-corruption campaign in which it seeks to locate legitimate fugitives around the world and bring them to China to face genuine criminal charges," Demers said, adding," But in many instances the hunted are opponents of Communist Party Chairman Xi -- political rivals, dissidents, and critics," he said. "In either event, the operation is a clear violation of the rule of law and international norms." The US Assistant Attorney General said that five Chinese agents were arrested in the United States with three believed to be in China. Zhu Yong, Hongru Jin, Michael McMahon Rong Jing and Zheng Congying were arrested by US officials as three others Zhu Feng, Hu Ji, and Li Minjun remained untraced. "The Chinese government's brazen attempts to surveil, threaten, and harass our own citizens and lawful permanent residents, while on American soil, are part of China's diverse campaign of theft and malign influence in our country and around the world," FBI Director Wray said. The Justice Department informed charges of conspiracy to act as an agent of China carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Court records showed the agents were allegedly involved in a plot known as “Operation Fox Hunt” and “Operation Skynet" between 2016 and 2019.

Operation Fox Hunt: US arrests eight in alleged plot to intimidate citizens to return to China

Keith Raniere sold dreams to America which later turned out to be nightmares. Raniere started a self-help group in 1998 while mingling with the superrich and was invited to big Hollywood parties but beneath all the&nbsp;glitz and glamour he was running a cult sexually abusing women and branding them as slaves.

Now, the law has caught up with Raniere. He has been sentenced to jail for 120 years, an effective life sentence.

"When justice catches up with you - as it did today - it is severe. Keith Raniere will not be able to victimise people anymore," Seth D. Ducharme, acting US attorney eastern district, New York, said.

With those words, a 22-year-old chapter was closed which was about power and exploitation by Keith Allen Raniere who was a sexual predator disguised himself as a self-help guru.

In 1998, Raniere founded 'Nxivm' - a multi-level marketing company which offered personal development courses often recruiting celebrities to take classes but behind the scenes, he was running a cult. Female members of Nxivm were sexually abused by Raniere and his inner circle, some of them were underage.

In 2003, the American media caught wind of Raniere's cult. Forbes magazine published a detailed cover story titled "the world's strangest executive coach" but even they failed to realise the true extent of what was going on as within Nxivm there was a secret group called Dos who were close associates of Raniere. Women in Dos were branded with Raniere's initials using a hot cauterizing pen they were treated as sex slaves

Throughout the last decade, many of Raniere's associates broke ranks with him and they recounted disturbing stories of sexual abuse. Finally, in 2018, Raniere and his associates were arrested.

Fifteen women came forward with testimonies during the trial, one of them revealed that Raniere had a sexual relationship with her when she was a minor. Her testimony was chilling.

"While he hid our sexual relationship from others, he explained it to me by telling me that I was very mature for my age and I know now that it was false, I was a child, he used my innocence to do whatever he wanted with me not just sexually but also psychologically," a witness identified as Camila said.

Despite the mounting evidence and witness accounts, Raniere maintained his innocence. He branded some of the witnesses as liars, something the judge noted while reading the sentence.

"Despite everything that has happened and despite the countless victims who have given voice to their great pain, Mr Raniere remains unmoved. indeed, he maintains his innocence," the judge said.

Keith Raniere will not see the outside world again, he has been sentenced to prison for 120 years. His chapter of exploitation is effectively closed but it could be years before the wounds he inflicted finally heal.

Keith Raniere sold dreams to America which later turned out to be nightmares. Raniere started a self-help group in 1998 while mingling with the superrich and was invited to big Hollywood parties but beneath all the glitz and glamour he was running a cult sexually abusing women and branding them as slaves.

Keith Raniere sold dreams to America which later turned out to be nightmares. Raniere started a self-help group in 1998 while mingling with the superrich and was invited to big Hollywood parties but beneath all the glitz and glamour he was running a cult sexually abusing women and branding them as slaves. Now, the law has caught up with Raniere. He has been sentenced to jail for 120 years, an effective life sentence. "When justice catches up with you - as it did today - it is severe. Keith Raniere will not be able to victimise people anymore," Seth D. Ducharme, acting US attorney eastern district, New York, said. With those words, a 22-year-old chapter was closed which was about power and exploitation by Keith Allen Raniere who was a sexual predator disguised himself as a self-help guru. In 1998, Raniere founded 'Nxivm' - a multi-level marketing company which offered personal development courses often recruiting celebrities to take classes but behind the scenes, he was running a cult. Female members of Nxivm were sexually abused by Raniere and his inner circle, some of them were underage. In 2003, the American media caught wind of Raniere's cult. Forbes magazine published a detailed cover story titled "the world's strangest executive coach" but even they failed to realise the true extent of what was going on as within Nxivm there was a secret group called Dos who were close associates of Raniere. Women in Dos were branded with Raniere's initials using a hot cauterizing pen they were treated as sex slaves Throughout the last decade, many of Raniere's associates broke ranks with him and they recounted disturbing stories of sexual abuse. Finally, in 2018, Raniere and his associates were arrested. Fifteen women came forward with testimonies during the trial, one of them revealed that Raniere had a sexual relationship with her when she was a minor. Her testimony was chilling. "While he hid our sexual relationship from others, he explained it to me by telling me that I was very mature for my age and I know now that it was false, I was a child, he used my innocence to do whatever he wanted with me not just sexually but also psychologically," a witness identified as Camila said. Despite the mounting evidence and witness accounts, Raniere maintained his innocence. He branded some of the witnesses as liars, something the judge noted while reading the sentence. "Despite everything that has happened and despite the countless victims who have given voice to their great pain, Mr Raniere remains unmoved. indeed, he maintains his innocence," the judge said. Keith Raniere will not see the outside world again, he has been sentenced to prison for 120 years. His chapter of exploitation is effectively closed but it could be years before the wounds he inflicted finally heal.

US sex cult leader Keith Raniere jailed for 120 years

The Counsel General of China to Karachi says "do you know what will be the aftermath of playing with fire?", the statement is in response to an article that called on the Indian government to embrace the Quad.

A Chinese diplomat sitting in Karachi is threatening India against joining the Quad, sitting in Karachi, he seems to have forgotten that India isn’t Pakistan, not bound to do China’s bidding and clearly the prospect of an 'Asian NATO'&nbsp;has rattled China as major dailies of the Communist Party have raised it and the not so major ones, like the Global Times, have a lot to say about India, America and the anti-China alliance but few take the sabre-rattling of the Global Times seriously because it ranks quite low in the Communist Party hierarchy.

China Daily is owned by the publicity department of the Communist Party. &nbsp;

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On the India-US alignment, it says: "Border skirmishes with China may prompt India to draw closer to the US side so as to gain more leverage in its negotiations with China but, blindly following the US lead will only push it closer to a head-on conflict with China, which would not be in its interests."

The Chinese military later re-published the piece. Beijing has been leveraging every medium for its propaganda. The wire service of the Chinese state Xinhua has also weighed in. Their piece is about the upcoming Malabar exercise and India's invitation to Australia.

Xinhua says, "Quad members need to realize that attempting to stir up rivalry in the region goes against the trend of the times and will definitely not be accepted by major countries worldwide."

The Chinese press is living in a bubble of its own. A Reuters report talks about the alliances that are taking shape in Asia. It says that several Asian countries are now building an alliance among themselves informally.

China claims that America and its so-called "cold war mentality" is the driving force behind anti-china alliances in Asia but Reuters reports that Asian countries are joining hands without American support. The piece goes on to talk about how the Australian prime minister inaugurated the Shangri-la dialogue - an inter-governmental security forum that is attended by defence ministers, heads of ministries and military chiefs of more than 20 Asia-pacific states.

Mike Pompeo's Asia tour has made Beijing more worried after India, the US. secretary of state Mike Pompeo will be visiting Sri Lanka and the Maldives. It is a visit which would highlight how China bullies smaller countries with its debt traps. So even before Pompeo kicked off his Asia trip, China accused America of meddling in Sri Lanka.

"The US official's remarks are brimming with cold war mentality and hegemony, which fully expose their usual practice of interfering in other countries' internal affairs by bullying small and medium-sized countries into picking sides," Zhao Lijian, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said.

"China believes that all counties, big or small, have the right to independently develop their foreign relations based on their own interests. any attempts to use pressure and coercion to obstruct normal cooperation and exchanges between countries will not succeed. in the end, they will become the scorn of history, the laughing stock of the international community," Lijian added.

An official of the US state department had said that Sri Lanka must make "tough choices" to ensure its economic independence over the long term. In Colombo, Pompeo is expected to make an appeal to the Rajapaksas for greater engagement with America and its allies - a shift like that will only give the anti-china alliance more power.

The Counsel General of China to Karachi says "do you know what will be the aftermath of playing with fire?", the statement is in response to an article that called on the Indian government to embrace the Quad.

The Counsel General of China to Karachi says "do you know what will be the aftermath of playing with fire?", the statement is in response to an article that called on the Indian government to embrace the Quad. A Chinese diplomat sitting in Karachi is threatening India against joining the Quad, sitting in Karachi, he seems to have forgotten that India isn’t Pakistan, not bound to do China’s bidding and clearly the prospect of an 'Asian NATO' has rattled China as major dailies of the Communist Party have raised it and the not so major ones, like the Global Times, have a lot to say about India, America and the anti-China alliance but few take the sabre-rattling of the Global Times seriously because it ranks quite low in the Communist Party hierarchy. China Daily is owned by the publicity department of the Communist Party. On the India-US alignment, it says: "Border skirmishes with China may prompt India to draw closer to the US side so as to gain more leverage in its negotiations with China but, blindly following the US lead will only push it closer to a head-on conflict with China, which would not be in its interests." The Chinese military later re-published the piece. Beijing has been leveraging every medium for its propaganda. The wire service of the Chinese state Xinhua has also weighed in. Their piece is about the upcoming Malabar exercise and India's invitation to Australia. Xinhua says, "Quad members need to realize that attempting to stir up rivalry in the region goes against the trend of the times and will definitely not be accepted by major countries worldwide." The Chinese press is living in a bubble of its own. A Reuters report talks about the alliances that are taking shape in Asia. It says that several Asian countries are now building an alliance among themselves informally. China claims that America and its so-called "cold war mentality" is the driving force behind anti-china alliances in Asia but Reuters reports that Asian countries are joining hands without American support. The piece goes on to talk about how the Australian prime minister inaugurated the Shangri-la dialogue - an inter-governmental security forum that is attended by defence ministers, heads of ministries and military chiefs of more than 20 Asia-pacific states. Mike Pompeo's Asia tour has made Beijing more worried after India, the US. secretary of state Mike Pompeo will be visiting Sri Lanka and the Maldives. It is a visit which would highlight how China bullies smaller countries with its debt traps. So even before Pompeo kicked off his Asia trip, China accused America of meddling in Sri Lanka. "The US official's remarks are brimming with cold war mentality and hegemony, which fully expose their usual practice of interfering in other countries' internal affairs by bullying small and medium-sized countries into picking sides," Zhao Lijian, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said. "China believes that all counties, big or small, have the right to independently develop their foreign relations based on their own interests. any attempts to use pressure and coercion to obstruct normal cooperation and exchanges between countries will not succeed. in the end, they will become the scorn of history, the laughing stock of the international community," Lijian added. An official of the US state department had said that Sri Lanka must make "tough choices" to ensure its economic independence over the long term. In Colombo, Pompeo is expected to make an appeal to the Rajapaksas for greater engagement with America and its allies - a shift like that will only give the anti-china alliance more power.

Quad effect: 'Asian NATO' rattles China as local press propaganda goes in high gear

Amid the rising coronavirus cases in the country, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-pakistan-shuts-restaurants-with-no-distancing-331922">Pakistan</a> government on Wednesday imposed a partial lockdown in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi including capital Islamabad among other cities.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-warns-of-new-lockdown-as-covid-mortality-rate-increases-by-140-336954">Also Read:&nbsp;Pakistan warns of new lockdown as virus mortality rate increases by 140%&nbsp;</a>

The Pakistan government laid down strict COVID-19&nbsp;rules making wearing masks compulsory in confined spaces especially in public transport, markets and railways stations.

The authorities also decided to close all commercial activities including shopping malls, marriage halls, restaurants by 10pm local time with essential services namely hospitals and medical stores allowed to remain open.

The new rules will come into force from Thursday, October 29, the government notification said.

Several other cities including Rawalpindi, Multan, Hyderabad, Gilgit, Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, Peshawar and Quetta were also put under partial lockdown.

Special Assistant Pakistan Prime Minister (SAPM) Imran Khan on health Dr Faisal Sultan said that the country was experiencing a "second wave" as an Islamabad court ordered imposition of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) for two months to ensure people wear masks in public places in the capital.

"We fear a second wave could come and there are some indications that our cases are rising a little bit," Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan warned citizens.

The number of coronavirus cases in the country has jumped to 330,516 with 6,766 fatalities reported in the country. Sindh province in Pakistan has reported over &nbsp;144,7600 cases so far with the death toll climbing to over 2,610.&nbsp;

On Tuesday, Pakistan has reported 374 fresh COVID-19 cases with Punjab province reporting over 200 coronavirus cases for the second day consecutive day.&nbsp;

Amid the rising coronavirus cases in the country, Pakistan government on Wednesday imposed a partial lockdown in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi including capital Islamabad among other cities.

Amid the rising coronavirus cases in the country, Pakistan government on Wednesday imposed a partial lockdown in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi including capital Islamabad among other cities. Also Read: Pakistan warns of new lockdown as virus mortality rate increases by 140% The Pakistan government laid down strict COVID-19 rules making wearing masks compulsory in confined spaces especially in public transport, markets and railways stations. The authorities also decided to close all commercial activities including shopping malls, marriage halls, restaurants by 10pm local time with essential services namely hospitals and medical stores allowed to remain open. The new rules will come into force from Thursday, October 29, the government notification said. Several other cities including Rawalpindi, Multan, Hyderabad, Gilgit, Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, Peshawar and Quetta were also put under partial lockdown. Special Assistant Pakistan Prime Minister (SAPM) Imran Khan on health Dr Faisal Sultan said that the country was experiencing a "second wave" as an Islamabad court ordered imposition of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) for two months to ensure people wear masks in public places in the capital. "We fear a second wave could come and there are some indications that our cases are rising a little bit," Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan warned citizens. The number of coronavirus cases in the country has jumped to 330,516 with 6,766 fatalities reported in the country. Sindh province in Pakistan has reported over 144,7600 cases so far with the death toll climbing to over 2,610. On Tuesday, Pakistan has reported 374 fresh COVID-19 cases with Punjab province reporting over 200 coronavirus cases for the second day consecutive day.

Pakistan battles coronavirus 'second wave', partial lockdown imposed in Islamabad, several other cities

With just 15 days to go for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/us-election">US elections</a>, early voting started in San Francisco as US presidential race enters its home stretch.

Watch:

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Amid the election frenzy, President Donald <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-calls-coronavirus-expert-anthony-fauci-a-disaster-336526">Trump</a> and Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden have been criss-crossing states in a bid to capture the last minute voters as the final polling day nears.

According to US elections project, over 30 million Americans have already exercised their franchise. The tracker informed that 30,738,627 ballots have been cast across the United States with over 4 million voters in Texas who have already chosen their president.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-biden-trump-campaigns-and-the-role-of-faith-in-american-elections-336518">Also Read:&nbsp;Biden-Trump campaigns and the role of faith in American elections</a>

In California, over 3 million votes have been cast with over 2 million in Florida.

As the election heat reaches fever pitch, Donald Trump told supporters to deliver Democrats "a thundering defeat" at a campaign rally in Tuscon, Arizona even as he objected to the "mute" button in next TV <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-elections-mikes-to-be-muted-in-next-us-presidential-debate-between-trump-and-biden-to-stop-interruptions-336543">presidential debate </a>with Biden.

Voters have turned in southern Florida with masks for the start of in-person as voters poured in throughout Hialeah and Miami beach.

According to an opinion poll, Biden leads Trump by 8.9 percentage points with the Democratic presidential hopeful ahead by an average 1.4 percentage points as the presidential race enters the final stage.

"Together, we can put an end to the last four years of darkness, division, and chaos," Biden he tweeted, adding, "We can unite, mend our wounds, and begin to heal."

Biden has already campaigned in North Carolina as his vice presidential pics Kamla Harris was pitched to take on a drive-in rally in Orlando amid a voter mobilization event in Jacksonville. 
 
Meanwhile, more than 70 million Americans have cast ballots in the U.S. presidential election, more than half the total turnout of the 2016 election with one week to go until Election Day, according to a Tuesday tally from the U.S. Elections Project.

With just 15 days to go for the US elections, early voting started in San Francisco as US presidential race enters its home stretch. Watch: Amid the election frenzy, President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden have been criss-crossing states in a bid to capture the last minute voters as the final polling day nears.

With just 15 days to go for the US elections, early voting started in San Francisco as US presidential race enters its home stretch. Watch: Amid the election frenzy, President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden have been criss-crossing states in a bid to capture the last minute voters as the final polling day nears. According to US elections project, over 30 million Americans have already exercised their franchise. The tracker informed that 30,738,627 ballots have been cast across the United States with over 4 million voters in Texas who have already chosen their president. Also Read: Biden-Trump campaigns and the role of faith in American elections In California, over 3 million votes have been cast with over 2 million in Florida. As the election heat reaches fever pitch, Donald Trump told supporters to deliver Democrats "a thundering defeat" at a campaign rally in Tuscon, Arizona even as he objected to the "mute" button in next TV presidential debate with Biden. Voters have turned in southern Florida with masks for the start of in-person as voters poured in throughout Hialeah and Miami beach. According to an opinion poll, Biden leads Trump by 8.9 percentage points with the Democratic presidential hopeful ahead by an average 1.4 percentage points as the presidential race enters the final stage. "Together, we can put an end to the last four years of darkness, division, and chaos," Biden he tweeted, adding, "We can unite, mend our wounds, and begin to heal." Biden has already campaigned in North Carolina as his vice presidential pics Kamla Harris was pitched to take on a drive-in rally in Orlando amid a voter mobilization event in Jacksonville. Meanwhile, more than 70 million Americans have cast ballots in the U.S. presidential election, more than half the total turnout of the 2016 election with one week to go until Election Day, according to a Tuesday tally from the U.S. Elections Project.

Early voting begins in Florida with over 30 million votes cast in US elections

Turkey President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/erdogan-says-macron-needs-mental-checks-france-reacts-337679">Erdogan</a> said his country will take "all legal and diplomatic" action against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-condemns-cartoons-offending-prophet-mohammad-338197">Charlie Hebdo </a>after the French satirical weekly published a caricature of the Turkish president.

Watch:

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"Our battle against these rude, ill-intentioned and insulting steps will continue until the end," Turkey's president said in a statement.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-anti-macron-row-chinas-state-run-cctv-shows-prophet-muhammads-portrait-in-tv-show-338578">Also Read:&nbsp;Amid anti-Macron row, China's state-run CCTV shows Prophet Muhammad's portrait in TV show</a>

Erdogan slammed the French president saying Muslims around the world have taken up the issue with Macron.

The Turkish president called those working at <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-not-give-up-cartoons-teens-charged-over-teachers-beheading-in-france-336999">Charlie Hebdo </a>"scoundrels" for mocking him in a front-page cartoon.

"I don't need to say anything to those scoundrels who insult my beloved prophet on such a scale," Erdogan said, adding that it was "disgusting attack".&nbsp;

However, French government spokesman Gabriel Attal said that his country "will never renounce its principles and values" while adding that it will not give in to "destabilisation and intimidation attempts".

According to reports, Turkish prosecutors have already launched an investigation into Charlie Hebdo's executives as relations between France and Turkey nosedived amid the row over Erdogan's caricature.

Erdogan had earlier said Macron needed a mental "health check" as he called for a<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kuwaits-retail-co-ops-boycott-french-products-over-prophet-mohammads-cartoons-337958"> boycott </a>of French products.

Turkey President Erdogan said his country will take "all legal and diplomatic" action against Charlie Hebdo after the French satirical weekly published a caricature of the Turkish president.

Turkey President Erdogan said his country will take "all legal and diplomatic" action against Charlie Hebdo after the French satirical weekly published a caricature of the Turkish president. Watch: "Our battle against these rude, ill-intentioned and insulting steps will continue until the end," Turkey's president said in a statement. Also Read: Amid anti-Macron row, China's state-run CCTV shows Prophet Muhammad's portrait in TV show Erdogan slammed the French president saying Muslims around the world have taken up the issue with Macron. The Turkish president called those working at Charlie Hebdo "scoundrels" for mocking him in a front-page cartoon. "I don't need to say anything to those scoundrels who insult my beloved prophet on such a scale," Erdogan said, adding that it was "disgusting attack". However, French government spokesman Gabriel Attal said that his country "will never renounce its principles and values" while adding that it will not give in to "destabilisation and intimidation attempts". According to reports, Turkish prosecutors have already launched an investigation into Charlie Hebdo's executives as relations between France and Turkey nosedived amid the row over Erdogan's caricature. Erdogan had earlier said Macron needed a mental "health check" as he called for a boycott of French products.

'Those scoundrels': Erdogan vows 'all legal and diplomatic' action against Charlie Hebdo amid anti-Macron wave

As French President Macron faces backlash over the&nbsp;depiction of the cartoon of Prophet Muhamed in the aftermath of the beheading of a French national, China's state-run channel China Central Television (CCTV) has broadcast a portrait of Prophet &nbsp;Muhammad in a&nbsp;TV series.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/protests-continue-in-islamic-world-against-france-over-cartoon-row-338442/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In the television scene an Arab ambassador visiting China during the rule of Tang dynasty gifts a portrait of Prophet Muhammad to the Chinese emperor. The video has gone viral in China with the ambassador in the show declaring: “This is the portrait of the God of our country, Muhammad.”

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-condemns-cartoons-offending-prophet-mohammad-338197">Also Read:&nbsp;Saudi Arabia condemns cartoons offending Prophet Mohammad</a>

The fact that the portrait of the Prophet was shown openly in a TV show has taken web users by surprise in China with several wondering whether it has the blessing of the Chinese censors and the Chinese Communist Party.

Netizens have been asking whether it is blasphemous to show Prophet Muhammad’s paintings so brazenly in a TV show. Many Muslims across the world consider any depictions of their prophet, let alone satirical ones, to be blasphemous.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kuwaits-retail-co-ops-boycott-french-products-over-prophet-mohammads-cartoons-337958">Also Read:&nbsp;Kuwait's retail co-ops boycott French products over Prophet Mohammad's cartoons</a>

After the beheading of Samuel Paty in a Paris suburb on October 16, a huge debate has ignited in the Muslim world as Macron defended the right to free expression, including to mock religion as freedom of expression.

Macron had emphatically declared that France "will not give up cartoons" even as Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan slammed the French president and called for a boycott of French goods. In several Gulf states, French products have been taken off the shelves as anti-Macron protests erupted in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Gaza Strip and Libya.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/offensive-cartoons-of-prophet-being-used-to-intimidate-muslims-turkey-says-337854">Also Read:&nbsp;'Offensive' cartoons of prophet being used to intimidate Muslims, Turkey says</a>

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan had condemned the publication of cartoons of Prophet Mohammed in Charlie Hebdo calling it rise in Islamophobia. "Incidents in Europe including the republication of blasphemous sketches by Charlie Hebdo are recent examples," the Pakistan Prime Minister said, adding, "We stress that willful provocations and incitement to hate and violence must be universally outlawed."

Twelve people were killed during an attack by Islamist gunmen on Charlie Hebdo's office in Paris on January 7, 2015.

In fact, some Netizens have been wondering whether the Muslim world will now boycott Chinese goods after Prophet Muhamed was displayed in the TV series amid large scale reports of Chinese repression of Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang.

As French President Macron faces backlash over the depiction of the cartoon of Prophet Muhamed in the aftermath of the beheading of a French national, China's state-run channel China Central Television (CCTV) has broadcast a portrait of Prophet Muhammad in a TV series.

As French President Macron faces backlash over the depiction of the cartoon of Prophet Muhamed in the aftermath of the beheading of a French national, China's state-run channel China Central Television (CCTV) has broadcast a portrait of Prophet Muhammad in a TV series. Watch: In the television scene an Arab ambassador visiting China during the rule of Tang dynasty gifts a portrait of Prophet Muhammad to the Chinese emperor. The video has gone viral in China with the ambassador in the show declaring: “This is the portrait of the God of our country, Muhammad.” Also Read: Saudi Arabia condemns cartoons offending Prophet Mohammad The fact that the portrait of the Prophet was shown openly in a TV show has taken web users by surprise in China with several wondering whether it has the blessing of the Chinese censors and the Chinese Communist Party. Netizens have been asking whether it is blasphemous to show Prophet Muhammad’s paintings so brazenly in a TV show. Many Muslims across the world consider any depictions of their prophet, let alone satirical ones, to be blasphemous. Also Read: Kuwait's retail co-ops boycott French products over Prophet Mohammad's cartoons After the beheading of Samuel Paty in a Paris suburb on October 16, a huge debate has ignited in the Muslim world as Macron defended the right to free expression, including to mock religion as freedom of expression. Macron had emphatically declared that France "will not give up cartoons" even as Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan slammed the French president and called for a boycott of French goods. In several Gulf states, French products have been taken off the shelves as anti-Macron protests erupted in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Gaza Strip and Libya. Also Read: 'Offensive' cartoons of prophet being used to intimidate Muslims, Turkey says Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan had condemned the publication of cartoons of Prophet Mohammed in Charlie Hebdo calling it rise in Islamophobia. "Incidents in Europe including the republication of blasphemous sketches by Charlie Hebdo are recent examples," the Pakistan Prime Minister said, adding, "We stress that willful provocations and incitement to hate and violence must be universally outlawed." Twelve people were killed during an attack by Islamist gunmen on Charlie Hebdo's office in Paris on January 7, 2015. In fact, some Netizens have been wondering whether the Muslim world will now boycott Chinese goods after Prophet Muhamed was displayed in the TV series amid large scale reports of Chinese repression of Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang.

Amid anti-Macron row, China's state-run CCTV shows Prophet Muhammad's portrait in TV show

After a stopover in Sri Lanka, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo met Maldives foreign minister Abdullah Shahid as he pitched for stronger ties between "Maldives and the US to promote security in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-china-standoff-stop-hyping-threat-china-urges-pompeo-amid-22-dialogue-with-india-338361">Indian Ocean</a>."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pompeo-says-china-has-brought-bad-deals-and-lawlessness-to-sri-lanka-338485">Also Read:&nbsp;Pompeo says China has brought bad deals and lawlessness to Sri Lanka</a>

Pompeo said the United States will open its embassy in the Maldives with a resident US envoy in Male as the Maldives foreign minister welcomed the move calling it a "historic step" which will form a "bridge" between the two countries.

During his interaction with the US secretary of state, the Maldives foreign minister Abdullah Shahid said that although the country's carbon footprint was very low but it was still suffering due to climate change. "We look upon the US and other large countries to work together," Shahid told Pompeo.

In Sri Lanka, Pompeo while meeting with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa called <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/us-india-must-focus-on-threat-posed-by-china-secretary-of-state-mike-pompeo-338239">China's</a> Communist government a "predator" even as the Chinese embassy in Colombo hit back, tweeting a promotional image for the "Aliens vs Predator" video game.

"Sorry Mr. Secretary Pompeo, we're busy promoting China-Sri Lanka friendship and cooperation, not interested in your Alien v Predator game invitation," it said. The Chinese embassy, however, pointed out that it "firmly opposed" US secretary of state's visit to "sow and interfere in China-Sri Lanka relations, and to coerce and bully Sri Lanka".

Pompeo's visit to the Maldives and Sri Lanka comes after his<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-china-standoff-stop-hyping-threat-china-urges-pompeo-amid-22-dialogue-with-india-338361"> 2+2</a> dialogue with top Indian officials on Tuesday amid the India-China standoff along the LAC.

India and the US concluded a defence agreement during the talks as the two countries pledged to work strongly in the Indian Ocean region even as China makes inroads in the area with its military and naval push.

After a stopover in Sri Lanka, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo met Maldives foreign minister Abdullah Shahid as he pitched for stronger ties between "Maldives and the US to promote security in the Indian Ocean.

After a stopover in Sri Lanka, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo met Maldives foreign minister Abdullah Shahid as he pitched for stronger ties between "Maldives and the US to promote security in the Indian Ocean." Also Read: Pompeo says China has brought bad deals and lawlessness to Sri Lanka Pompeo said the United States will open its embassy in the Maldives with a resident US envoy in Male as the Maldives foreign minister welcomed the move calling it a "historic step" which will form a "bridge" between the two countries. During his interaction with the US secretary of state, the Maldives foreign minister Abdullah Shahid said that although the country's carbon footprint was very low but it was still suffering due to climate change. "We look upon the US and other large countries to work together," Shahid told Pompeo. In Sri Lanka, Pompeo while meeting with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa called China's Communist government a "predator" even as the Chinese embassy in Colombo hit back, tweeting a promotional image for the "Aliens vs Predator" video game. "Sorry Mr. Secretary Pompeo, we're busy promoting China-Sri Lanka friendship and cooperation, not interested in your Alien v Predator game invitation," it said. The Chinese embassy, however, pointed out that it "firmly opposed" US secretary of state's visit to "sow and interfere in China-Sri Lanka relations, and to coerce and bully Sri Lanka". Pompeo's visit to the Maldives and Sri Lanka comes after his 2+2 dialogue with top Indian officials on Tuesday amid the India-China standoff along the LAC. India and the US concluded a defence agreement during the talks as the two countries pledged to work strongly in the Indian Ocean region even as China makes inroads in the area with its military and naval push.

Eye on China: US to open embassy in Maldives, says Pompeo

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Rajasthan News in Hindi: In-depth coverage of Rajasthan Crime, Political News, Education, Rajasthan Weather Update and Latest Rajasthan News on Zee News Rajasthan.