World Health Organization(WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the coronavirus epedicmic was the one of the toughest challenges the UN health agency has faced, while asserting that "supply nationalism exacerbated the pandemic and contributed to the total failure of the global supply chain."

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/faux-coffins-indonesian-capital-adopts-novel-scare-tactic-to-fight-coronavirus-321772/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"For a period of time, some countries were without key supplies, such as key items for health workers who were dealing with surging cases of COVID-19," Tedros said.

"And many countries still do not have enough," the WHO chief said, adding,"the response to this pandemic has to be collective. This is not charity, we have learned the hard way."

The WHO chief said that the "highest risk populations" should be protected first, than "the entire populations of just some countries."

"Sharing finite supplies strategically and globally is actually in each country's national interest. No one is safe until everyone is safe," Tedros stated.

Meanwhile, the head of the WHO's European branch, Hans Kluge told reporters that Europe can combat the new coronavirus without full lockdowns since authorities are now better prepared to handle outbreaks.

"We can manage the virus and keep the economy running and an education system in operation," he said. Europe has witnessed an outbreak of the virus in the past few months after being hit hard from February&nbsp;and April, even though the virus had faded but it has shown signs of coming back with Spain, Italy and Germany.

In the first week of August, 40,000 more cases were reported in Europe.

"But we are not in February, we can manage the virus differently now than we did when COVID-19 first emerged," Kluge said.

World Health Organization(WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the coronavirus epedicmic was the one of the toughest challenges the UN health agency has faced, while asserting that "supply nationalism exacerbated the pandemic and contributed to the total failure of the global supply chain.

World Health Organization(WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the coronavirus epedicmic was the one of the toughest challenges the UN health agency has faced, while asserting that "supply nationalism exacerbated the pandemic and contributed to the total failure of the global supply chain." Watch: "For a period of time, some countries were without key supplies, such as key items for health workers who were dealing with surging cases of COVID-19," Tedros said. "And many countries still do not have enough," the WHO chief said, adding,"the response to this pandemic has to be collective. This is not charity, we have learned the hard way." The WHO chief said that the "highest risk populations" should be protected first, than "the entire populations of just some countries." "Sharing finite supplies strategically and globally is actually in each country's national interest. No one is safe until everyone is safe," Tedros stated. Meanwhile, the head of the WHO's European branch, Hans Kluge told reporters that Europe can combat the new coronavirus without full lockdowns since authorities are now better prepared to handle outbreaks. "We can manage the virus and keep the economy running and an education system in operation," he said. Europe has witnessed an outbreak of the virus in the past few months after being hit hard from February and April, even though the virus had faded but it has shown signs of coming back with Spain, Italy and Germany. In the first week of August, 40,000 more cases were reported in Europe. "But we are not in February, we can manage the virus differently now than we did when COVID-19 first emerged," Kluge said.

Supply nationalism exacerbated the pandemic, many countries still do not have enough: WHO chief Tedros

The curious case of Russian Kremlin critics who were allegedly poisoned

Amid the breakthrough UAE-Israel peace agreement, US President Donald Trump said today that UAE is interested in buying F-35 stealth fighter jets.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/policy-on-us-arms-sales-to-uae-unchanged-says-israels-netanyahu-321443">Also Read:&nbsp;Policy on US arms sales to UAE unchanged, says Israel's Netanyahu</a>

"They would like to buy F-35s. We'll see what happens. It's under review," the US president said when asked about UAE's intent.&nbsp;

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-taiwan-defence-deal-taiwan-buys-jets-from-lockheed-martin-320755/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Trump further went on to add that he expected Saudi Arabia to join the peace deal announced last week, however, Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said that "peace deal must be achieved with the Palestinians" as a condition for any normalisation of relations with Israel.

The jets made by Lockheed Martin Corp is used by the Israeli Air Force. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said that he would oppose F-35 sale to the UAE. The F-35 jets have recently been purchased by Poland.

The sale of jets was first reported by Israeli media. Reports said Trump's son-in-law White House Special Advisor Jared Kushner was reportedly involved in the sale of F-35 to UAE.

The sale of the F-35 to UAE would need Congressional approval which is a long drawn process. Trump, in fact, said, "they’ve definitely got the money to pay for it."

In the UAE accord, Israel had agreed to suspend annexation of areas in occupied West Bank.&nbsp;

Amid the breakthrough UAE-Israel peace agreement, US President Donald Trump said today that UAE is interested in buying F-35 stealth fighter jets. Also Read: Policy on US arms sales to UAE unchanged, says Israel's Netanyahu "They would like to buy F-35s.

Amid the breakthrough UAE-Israel peace agreement, US President Donald Trump said today that UAE is interested in buying F-35 stealth fighter jets. Also Read: Policy on US arms sales to UAE unchanged, says Israel's Netanyahu "They would like to buy F-35s. We'll see what happens. It's under review," the US president said when asked about UAE's intent. Watch: Trump further went on to add that he expected Saudi Arabia to join the peace deal announced last week, however, Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said that "peace deal must be achieved with the Palestinians" as a condition for any normalisation of relations with Israel. The jets made by Lockheed Martin Corp is used by the Israeli Air Force. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said that he would oppose F-35 sale to the UAE. The F-35 jets have recently been purchased by Poland. The sale of jets was first reported by Israeli media. Reports said Trump's son-in-law White House Special Advisor Jared Kushner was reportedly involved in the sale of F-35 to UAE. The sale of the F-35 to UAE would need Congressional approval which is a long drawn process. Trump, in fact, said, "they’ve definitely got the money to pay for it." In the UAE accord, Israel had agreed to suspend annexation of areas in occupied West Bank.

'They would like to buy F-35s': After peace accord with Israel, Trump puts fighter jets 'under review' for UAE

Equal distribution of wealth and public ownership of land is the foundation of Communism. A Communist society is one that strives towards being classless and stateless.

However, 22,000 people from China and Hong Kong have money stashed in offshore accounts. The people of China are unaware of it.&nbsp;China is an oligarchy and&nbsp;its people are being led by 21st-century Tsars.

At least $4 trillion in untraced assets have left China since 2000.&nbsp;The money has gone into offshore accounts and trusts. China's elites own secret companies abroad. &nbsp;They operate offshore accounts. At least 15 of them are members of China's National People's Congress.

Then there are members of the Politburo Standing Committee and some family members of President Xi Jinping.&nbsp;Deng Jiagui is the&nbsp;brother-in-law of Xi Jinping. He is also the owner of the&nbsp;offshore companies - Victory Enterprises Ltd, Best Effect Enterprises Ltd, and Wealth Ming International Ltd.

These companies are located in the British Virgin Island. The first company was dissolved in 2007. The other two companies have been laying low.&nbsp;Li Xiaolin is&nbsp;the daughter of former Chinese Premier Li Peng.

Li Xiaolin and her husband own an offshore firm called Cofic Investment. Their company is based out of the British Virgin Island.

Jasmin Li Zidan is the grand-daughter of the former Politburo Standing Committee member Jia Kinglin. Jasmin owns an offshore company called Harvest Sun Trading Limited.

Also in the list is a grandson-in-law of former CCP chairman&nbsp;Mao Zedong whose name is Che Dong-Sheng.&nbsp;He incorporated Keen Best International Limited&nbsp;in the British Virgin Islands in 2011. Chen is also the head of a life insurance company and an art auction house.

The question is how did they manage to set up companies abroad? The international consortium of investigative journalists ran a study.&nbsp;They found that these Chinese elites were helped by Western financial groups.&nbsp;Swiss financial giant Credit Suisse, for example&nbsp;reportedly helped Wen Jiabao's son create his company. It&nbsp;was at a time when Wen Jiabao was leading China.

Xi's&nbsp;administration does not require government&nbsp;officials to disclose their personal assets. They&nbsp;conceal their assets through&nbsp;censorship.&nbsp;Any reports regarding offshore assets are quickly taken off the internet as China likes to project&nbsp;itself as a no-nonsense society.

Public figures are routinely arrested to hammer the point home. From actor Fan Bingbing and Interpol chief Meng Hongwei, if someone still demands government officials to disclose their assets they are jailed.

Equal distribution of wealth and public ownership of land is the foundation of Communism. A Communist society is one that strives towards being classless and stateless.

Equal distribution of wealth and public ownership of land is the foundation of Communism. A Communist society is one that strives towards being classless and stateless. However, 22,000 people from China and Hong Kong have money stashed in offshore accounts. The people of China are unaware of it. China is an oligarchy and its people are being led by 21st-century Tsars. At least $4 trillion in untraced assets have left China since 2000. The money has gone into offshore accounts and trusts. China's elites own secret companies abroad. They operate offshore accounts. At least 15 of them are members of China's National People's Congress. Then there are members of the Politburo Standing Committee and some family members of President Xi Jinping. Deng Jiagui is the brother-in-law of Xi Jinping. He is also the owner of the offshore companies - Victory Enterprises Ltd, Best Effect Enterprises Ltd, and Wealth Ming International Ltd. These companies are located in the British Virgin Island. The first company was dissolved in 2007. The other two companies have been laying low. Li Xiaolin is the daughter of former Chinese Premier Li Peng. Li Xiaolin and her husband own an offshore firm called Cofic Investment. Their company is based out of the British Virgin Island. Jasmin Li Zidan is the grand-daughter of the former Politburo Standing Committee member Jia Kinglin. Jasmin owns an offshore company called Harvest Sun Trading Limited. Also in the list is a grandson-in-law of former CCP chairman Mao Zedong whose name is Che Dong-Sheng. He incorporated Keen Best International Limited in the British Virgin Islands in 2011. Chen is also the head of a life insurance company and an art auction house. The question is how did they manage to set up companies abroad? The international consortium of investigative journalists ran a study. They found that these Chinese elites were helped by Western financial groups. Swiss financial giant Credit Suisse, for example reportedly helped Wen Jiabao's son create his company. It was at a time when Wen Jiabao was leading China. Xi's administration does not require government officials to disclose their personal assets. They conceal their assets through censorship. Any reports regarding offshore assets are quickly taken off the internet as China likes to project itself as a no-nonsense society. Public figures are routinely arrested to hammer the point home. From actor Fan Bingbing and Interpol chief Meng Hongwei, if someone still demands government officials to disclose their assets they are jailed.

How China's Politburo members own offshore companies

Chen Yixin is the secretary-general of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission in China and a protégé of Chinese President&nbsp;Xi Jinping.

His name has appeared far too frequently within the Chinese press this year. Chen Yixin was sent to Wuhan to control the virus. Now, he is shifting his attention to China’s security apparatus and initiating a new round of evictions.

The successor of Xi Jinping has been a subject of intense speculation,&nbsp;if the Chinese president ever decides to step aside, Chen Yixin could be in the running.&nbsp;It is because for many years now Chen has been a loyal deputy to Xi Jinping even before he became president of China.

The association began in the Zhenjiang province in the east. Xi was in charge of the region from 2002 to 2007 and Chen was his&nbsp;loyal deputy.

He handled the secretariat of the province. When Xi Jinping came to Beijing, Chen Yixin received a promotion too. Now,&nbsp;Chen is seen as the right-hand man of Xi. He handles issues that Xi Jinping doesn’t want to get his hands dirty with like the Wuhan virus. When the outbreak began and China's chaos became international news,&nbsp;Xi Jinping stayed away from the limelight.

The man chosen to visit Wuhan was Chen Yixin. He was appointed as the deputy head of the central government group and was tasked with controlling the pandemic.

Chen knew the city well. He had served as the party chief of Wuhan and his hands are full under Xi's leadership.

He serves as the secretary-general of the central political and legal affairs commission which is the&nbsp;top law enforcement body of China. It oversees police officers, prosecutors, courts and prisons and Chen is best poised to lead the purge in the state security apparatus.

In July, China’s state-owned wire service had&nbsp;sent out a&nbsp;dispatch saying “China to rectify problems in political, legal organs”. It&nbsp;was a cryptic announcement of a new round of clean-up.

In Chen Yixin’s own words, he is “thoroughly removing tumors” from China’s justice system and going after the so-called corrupt officials like a surgeon would “scrap poison off one’s bones”.&nbsp;Xi is projecting it as part of his anti-corruption drive - the tool he's used to eliminate&nbsp;dissenters and political rivals from the Communist Party.

Chen Yixin is the secretary-general of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission in China and a protégé of Chinese President Xi Jinping. His name has appeared far too frequently within the Chinese press this year.

Chen Yixin is the secretary-general of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission in China and a protégé of Chinese President Xi Jinping. His name has appeared far too frequently within the Chinese press this year. Chen Yixin was sent to Wuhan to control the virus. Now, he is shifting his attention to China’s security apparatus and initiating a new round of evictions. The successor of Xi Jinping has been a subject of intense speculation, if the Chinese president ever decides to step aside, Chen Yixin could be in the running. It is because for many years now Chen has been a loyal deputy to Xi Jinping even before he became president of China. The association began in the Zhenjiang province in the east. Xi was in charge of the region from 2002 to 2007 and Chen was his loyal deputy. He handled the secretariat of the province. When Xi Jinping came to Beijing, Chen Yixin received a promotion too. Now, Chen is seen as the right-hand man of Xi. He handles issues that Xi Jinping doesn’t want to get his hands dirty with like the Wuhan virus. When the outbreak began and China's chaos became international news, Xi Jinping stayed away from the limelight. The man chosen to visit Wuhan was Chen Yixin. He was appointed as the deputy head of the central government group and was tasked with controlling the pandemic. Chen knew the city well. He had served as the party chief of Wuhan and his hands are full under Xi's leadership. He serves as the secretary-general of the central political and legal affairs commission which is the top law enforcement body of China. It oversees police officers, prosecutors, courts and prisons and Chen is best poised to lead the purge in the state security apparatus. In July, China’s state-owned wire service had sent out a dispatch saying “China to rectify problems in political, legal organs”. It was a cryptic announcement of a new round of clean-up. In Chen Yixin’s own words, he is “thoroughly removing tumors” from China’s justice system and going after the so-called corrupt officials like a surgeon would “scrap poison off one’s bones”. Xi is projecting it as part of his anti-corruption drive - the tool he's used to eliminate dissenters and political rivals from the Communist Party.

Meet Chen Yixin, Xi Jinping's likely successor

In 2019, the number of attacks against aid workers surpassed all previous records. 277 separate incidents took place around the world.

483 relief workers were attacked. An additional 125 were killed, 234 wounded and 124 kidnapped, inducting&nbsp;an 18 per cent increase in the number of victims compared to 2018.

Aid workers not only provide food and medicine to people in need around the world, but also perform their duties in environments not conducive for work.

Each year, the United Nations marks August 19 in their honour. It's called the World Humanitarian Day.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/a-record-number-of-aid-workers-were-murdered-in-2019-across-the-globe-321193" hreflang="en">A record number of aid workers were murdered in 2019 across the globe</a>

2020 has forced humanitarian workers into a war-like situation. The pandemic continues to rage, and conflict areas are not cooling down.

Red Cross has reported more than 600 attacks on health workers during the pandemic. There were reported mostly in Syria followed by South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, and the Central African Republic, which are all facing political and economic crisis with armed groups locked in a civil war.

The militants attack aid convoys to exercise control over the local population, by deciding who gets what.&nbsp;They also capture vehicles, relief material, and cash.&nbsp;Additionally, they also hold aid workers to ransom.

In the recent weeks, aid workers have been killed in Niger and Cameroon.&nbsp;Over the last decade, 100 aid workers have been killed every year.

In 2019, the number of attacks against aid workers surpassed all previous records. 277 separate incidents took place around the world. 483 relief workers were attacked.

In 2019, the number of attacks against aid workers surpassed all previous records. 277 separate incidents took place around the world. 483 relief workers were attacked. An additional 125 were killed, 234 wounded and 124 kidnapped, inducting an 18 per cent increase in the number of victims compared to 2018. Aid workers not only provide food and medicine to people in need around the world, but also perform their duties in environments not conducive for work. Each year, the United Nations marks August 19 in their honour. It's called the World Humanitarian Day. Also read: A record number of aid workers were murdered in 2019 across the globe 2020 has forced humanitarian workers into a war-like situation. The pandemic continues to rage, and conflict areas are not cooling down. Red Cross has reported more than 600 attacks on health workers during the pandemic. There were reported mostly in Syria followed by South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, and the Central African Republic, which are all facing political and economic crisis with armed groups locked in a civil war. The militants attack aid convoys to exercise control over the local population, by deciding who gets what. They also capture vehicles, relief material, and cash. Additionally, they also hold aid workers to ransom. In the recent weeks, aid workers have been killed in Niger and Cameroon. Over the last decade, 100 aid workers have been killed every year.

World Humanitarian Day: 2020 and the war-like situation for aid workers

President Xi Jinping was barely known a year before he rose to power. Now, he is China’s most powerful leader since Mao and is chasing the dreams of world domination.

The Chinese president doesn’t have to fight an election. However, he still needs to run campaigns to stay in power.&nbsp; It&nbsp;is about avoiding a leadership battle.

Xi Jinping has kicked off his campaign to stay in power.&nbsp;Eight months into 2020 with&nbsp;the world still fighting the Wuhan virus, Xi Jinping is fighting his officials.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The domestic security apparatus of China has become his focus with&nbsp;the policemen, judges, members of the judiciary, officials who work in law enforcement. The clean-up has already begun.&nbsp;It was announced in July. China says it is “rectifying problems in the political and legal organs.” But, it&nbsp;is a clean-up operation.

The Wall Street Journal has published the specifics. At least 21 police and judicial officials are under investigation. It includes cadres who have been awarded for good performance.

The police chief of Shanghai, Gong Daoan is the most senior target so far. Now, in any other country it will be an investigation agency who will conduct the probe. However,&nbsp;in China, it is the Communist Party that investigates a cop charged with corruption. They have an entire wing for it.&nbsp;It is called the Central Committee Discipline Inspection which is China’s top anti-graft watchdog.

Gong Daoan is also one of the deputy mayors of Shanghai. He has been accused of “serious violations of party discipline and law”. It is a&nbsp;classification that is used perhaps for every Chinese officer charged for corruption in Xi Jinping’s purge and there are no accusations,&nbsp;no charge of money changing hands or favours being granted. Everything is a “violation of party law".

Xi Jinping has been in power for seven years now. Since 2013, his anti-corruption drive has taken down one million officials. It&nbsp;includes party members, government officials, members of the armed forces and now security officials. No one is safe from the great purge of Xi Jinping&nbsp;especially&nbsp;when they are his rivals.

Sun Zhengcai was one of them. He was the party secretary of Chongqing which is an&nbsp;inland city of China. He was considered as China’s next leader.

However, two years back, he faced action. Sun Zhengcai was accused of taking almost $27 million&nbsp;in bribes. He has been sentenced to life in prison.

The Chinese government said Sun was corrupt. So he was punished. But Xi Jinping’s critics say the president jailed a rival but&nbsp;there is no way to prove it.

Xi Jinping did install one of his proteges in Sun’s place. Zhou Yongkang was another high profile name that Xi Jinping took down.

Until 2012, he was one of the nine most senior politicians in China serving as the head of China's security services and now&nbsp;he has to spend his life in prison.

Zhou was put under investigation after his retirement, just a year after Xi Jinping took power. His investigation began with the familiar charge&nbsp;"senior disciplinary violation".

In 2014, he was expelled from the party and arrested. Later, he was convicted of a series of corruption charges which&nbsp;included&nbsp;bribery, abuse of power and leaking state secrets.

The military has been one of the prime targets of the clean-up&nbsp;with several high profile generals being taken down.&nbsp;According to a report in 2018, more than 13,000 senior officers have faced investigation.

Last year, Fang Fenghui, an ex-chief of joint staff of the People’s Liberation Army was sentenced to life. He too was accused of bribery.

Fang had accompanied President Xi to his first meeting with US President Donald Trump in 2017.&nbsp;Now, he is in jail. After politicians, soldiers and party officials, Xi Jinping is now going after the police and the judges.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

President Xi Jinping was barely known a year before he rose to power. Now, he is China’s most powerful leader since Mao and is chasing the dreams of world domination.

President Xi Jinping was barely known a year before he rose to power. Now, he is China’s most powerful leader since Mao and is chasing the dreams of world domination. The Chinese president doesn’t have to fight an election. However, he still needs to run campaigns to stay in power. It is about avoiding a leadership battle. Xi Jinping has kicked off his campaign to stay in power. Eight months into 2020 with the world still fighting the Wuhan virus, Xi Jinping is fighting his officials. The domestic security apparatus of China has become his focus with the policemen, judges, members of the judiciary, officials who work in law enforcement. The clean-up has already begun. It was announced in July. China says it is “rectifying problems in the political and legal organs.” But, it is a clean-up operation. The Wall Street Journal has published the specifics. At least 21 police and judicial officials are under investigation. It includes cadres who have been awarded for good performance. The police chief of Shanghai, Gong Daoan is the most senior target so far. Now, in any other country it will be an investigation agency who will conduct the probe. However, in China, it is the Communist Party that investigates a cop charged with corruption. They have an entire wing for it. It is called the Central Committee Discipline Inspection which is China’s top anti-graft watchdog. Gong Daoan is also one of the deputy mayors of Shanghai. He has been accused of “serious violations of party discipline and law”. It is a classification that is used perhaps for every Chinese officer charged for corruption in Xi Jinping’s purge and there are no accusations, no charge of money changing hands or favours being granted. Everything is a “violation of party law". Xi Jinping has been in power for seven years now. Since 2013, his anti-corruption drive has taken down one million officials. It includes party members, government officials, members of the armed forces and now security officials. No one is safe from the great purge of Xi Jinping especially when they are his rivals. Sun Zhengcai was one of them. He was the party secretary of Chongqing which is an inland city of China. He was considered as China’s next leader. However, two years back, he faced action. Sun Zhengcai was accused of taking almost $27 million in bribes. He has been sentenced to life in prison. The Chinese government said Sun was corrupt. So he was punished. But Xi Jinping’s critics say the president jailed a rival but there is no way to prove it. Xi Jinping did install one of his proteges in Sun’s place. Zhou Yongkang was another high profile name that Xi Jinping took down. Until 2012, he was one of the nine most senior politicians in China serving as the head of China's security services and now he has to spend his life in prison. Zhou was put under investigation after his retirement, just a year after Xi Jinping took power. His investigation began with the familiar charge "senior disciplinary violation". In 2014, he was expelled from the party and arrested. Later, he was convicted of a series of corruption charges which included bribery, abuse of power and leaking state secrets. The military has been one of the prime targets of the clean-up with several high profile generals being taken down. According to a report in 2018, more than 13,000 senior officers have faced investigation. Last year, Fang Fenghui, an ex-chief of joint staff of the People’s Liberation Army was sentenced to life. He too was accused of bribery. Fang had accompanied President Xi to his first meeting with US President Donald Trump in 2017. Now, he is in jail. After politicians, soldiers and party officials, Xi Jinping is now going after the police and the judges.

Xi Jinping's great purge: Now, China targets domestic security apparatus

Joe Biden is now the official presidential candidate of the Democrats. The 77-year-old was formally nominated on Tuesday night at the Democratic National Convention.

The event saw speeches by 17 rising stars of the party. Joe Biden's wife, Jill shared her husband's story. She said Biden leaned on faith to get through the hardest times. Elevator operator Jacquelyn Brittany had a powerful testimony for Biden's humanity. She said, "in the short time I spent with Joe Biden, I could tell he really saw me."

Former Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, former president Bill Clinton were among the other speakers. The state of Maryland was represented by a 20-year-old Indian-American Bianca Shah. She is responsible for Biden campaign's outreach to South Asians picking her to represent Maryland was the campaign's gesture to accommodate minorities - Indian-Americans in particular.

As the race to the White House gains momentum, the Indian-Americans are emerging as one of the strongest vote banks in the US and it would be foolish to think that Indian-American vote bank was not kept in mind when Democrats nominated Kamala Harris as the VP pick.

Harris, on her part has left no stone unturned to celebrate her Indian roots. At least 10 Indian-Americans hold public offices in the United States and the number is unprecedented. Indian-Americans make up 1 per cent of the US population but they own 1/3rd of all Silicon Valley start-ups. Eight per cent of America's high-tech firms were founded by Indian-Americans.

Among all of America's fortune 500 companies, 2 per cent are led by Indian-Americans and&nbsp;examples include Mastercard, Microsoft, Alphabet, Adobe and IBM. One in every seven doctors in the US is of Indian descent. According to some estimates, half of America's motels are owned by Indian-Americans. They also happen to be very affluent. The median income of an Indian-American household is higher than that of other Asian communities.

There are around 1.8 million Indian-American voters in the US. Traditionally their the vote bank has leaned towards Democrats. In this election season too not much has changed. According to a recent survey, 65 per cent of Asian-Americans have decided to vote for Biden and 34 per cent support Trump. The remaining 1 per cent support other candidates.

The Indian-American vote bank could make a huge difference in the swing state of Texas. Their votes would also be significant in Arizona, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. However, both Democrats and Republicans know that they cannot rely on estimates with parties going out of their way to woo Indian-Americans.

On August 4, the Trump campaign had announced the formation of a group called the "Hindu voices for Trump". Two days later, the Democratic National Convention organised an interfaith service representing Hindus with&nbsp;prominent leader Neelima Gonuguntla.

Joe Biden is now the official presidential candidate of the Democrats. The 77-year-old was formally nominated on Tuesday night at the Democratic National Convention.

Joe Biden is now the official presidential candidate of the Democrats. The 77-year-old was formally nominated on Tuesday night at the Democratic National Convention. The event saw speeches by 17 rising stars of the party. Joe Biden's wife, Jill shared her husband's story. She said Biden leaned on faith to get through the hardest times. Elevator operator Jacquelyn Brittany had a powerful testimony for Biden's humanity. She said, "in the short time I spent with Joe Biden, I could tell he really saw me." Former Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, former president Bill Clinton were among the other speakers. The state of Maryland was represented by a 20-year-old Indian-American Bianca Shah. She is responsible for Biden campaign's outreach to South Asians picking her to represent Maryland was the campaign's gesture to accommodate minorities - Indian-Americans in particular. As the race to the White House gains momentum, the Indian-Americans are emerging as one of the strongest vote banks in the US and it would be foolish to think that Indian-American vote bank was not kept in mind when Democrats nominated Kamala Harris as the VP pick. Harris, on her part has left no stone unturned to celebrate her Indian roots. At least 10 Indian-Americans hold public offices in the United States and the number is unprecedented. Indian-Americans make up 1 per cent of the US population but they own 1/3rd of all Silicon Valley start-ups. Eight per cent of America's high-tech firms were founded by Indian-Americans. Among all of America's fortune 500 companies, 2 per cent are led by Indian-Americans and examples include Mastercard, Microsoft, Alphabet, Adobe and IBM. One in every seven doctors in the US is of Indian descent. According to some estimates, half of America's motels are owned by Indian-Americans. They also happen to be very affluent. The median income of an Indian-American household is higher than that of other Asian communities. There are around 1.8 million Indian-American voters in the US. Traditionally their the vote bank has leaned towards Democrats. In this election season too not much has changed. According to a recent survey, 65 per cent of Asian-Americans have decided to vote for Biden and 34 per cent support Trump. The remaining 1 per cent support other candidates. The Indian-American vote bank could make a huge difference in the swing state of Texas. Their votes would also be significant in Arizona, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. However, both Democrats and Republicans know that they cannot rely on estimates with parties going out of their way to woo Indian-Americans. On August 4, the Trump campaign had announced the formation of a group called the "Hindu voices for Trump". Two days later, the Democratic National Convention organised an interfaith service representing Hindus with prominent leader Neelima Gonuguntla.

As Democrats pick Biden, Indian-Americans emerge as vital vote bank in US elections

Mali's President Ibrahim Keita had to give up power as anti-government protests culminated in a military coup.

The president, the prime minister and the ruling elite are under detention. It is Mali's second military coup in less than 10 years, the last one was in 2012,&nbsp;both began at the same place at the garrison town of Kati.

On August 18, soldiers stormed a military base in Kati which is barely 15 kilometres away from capital Bamako. They arrested senior officers, lay siege to the armoury and rallied to the capital and by evening President Keita was detained.

"If today it pleased some elements of our armed forces to conclude that it should end with their intervention, do I really have a choice? I submit to it, because I do not wish any blood to be shed to keep me in power," the president said.

Now, Mali is a headless state - a country plunged into a crisis in the middle of Jihadist insurgency and mass protests. The streets of Bamako are full of armoured tanks and military vehicles. Military leaders have shut the borders and imposed a night-time curfew.

Mali has been locked in a political crisis since June with mass protests calling for Keita's resignation. There are multiple reasons for it - rigged election, corrupt government, sinking economy, growing jihadist insurgency and an army fighting over salaries.

Protesters and Opposition leaders back the army. The international community, however, has condemned the coup. The United Nations estimates that between 2016 and 2020, at least 4,000 people were killed in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.

Islamist groups operate out of central Mali and regularly launch attacks on countries in the Sahel region. An international coalition led by France has maintained presence to drive out fundamentalist forces. They have been&nbsp;been dethroned, but not defeated.

European leaders are worried about instability in Mali as it could fuel another wave of migration. So far, over a million people have fled their homes in west Africa. However, within Africa there is fear as central and west Africa are prone to political instability.&nbsp;

So, Mali's military coup could have a cascading effect as west African states have closed their borders and are mulling sanctions. 
&nbsp;

Mali's President Ibrahim Keita had to give up power as anti-government protests culminated in a military coup. The president, the prime minister and the ruling elite are under detention.

Mali's President Ibrahim Keita had to give up power as anti-government protests culminated in a military coup. The president, the prime minister and the ruling elite are under detention. It is Mali's second military coup in less than 10 years, the last one was in 2012, both began at the same place at the garrison town of Kati. On August 18, soldiers stormed a military base in Kati which is barely 15 kilometres away from capital Bamako. They arrested senior officers, lay siege to the armoury and rallied to the capital and by evening President Keita was detained. "If today it pleased some elements of our armed forces to conclude that it should end with their intervention, do I really have a choice? I submit to it, because I do not wish any blood to be shed to keep me in power," the president said. Now, Mali is a headless state - a country plunged into a crisis in the middle of Jihadist insurgency and mass protests. The streets of Bamako are full of armoured tanks and military vehicles. Military leaders have shut the borders and imposed a night-time curfew. Mali has been locked in a political crisis since June with mass protests calling for Keita's resignation. There are multiple reasons for it - rigged election, corrupt government, sinking economy, growing jihadist insurgency and an army fighting over salaries. Protesters and Opposition leaders back the army. The international community, however, has condemned the coup. The United Nations estimates that between 2016 and 2020, at least 4,000 people were killed in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. Islamist groups operate out of central Mali and regularly launch attacks on countries in the Sahel region. An international coalition led by France has maintained presence to drive out fundamentalist forces. They have been been dethroned, but not defeated. European leaders are worried about instability in Mali as it could fuel another wave of migration. So far, over a million people have fled their homes in west Africa. However, within Africa there is fear as central and west Africa are prone to political instability. So, Mali's military coup could have a cascading effect as west African states have closed their borders and are mulling sanctions.

How anti-government protests led to a coup in Mali

India had dispatched foreign secretary Harsh Shringla to Dhaka which had raised eyebrows.&nbsp;According to official accounts,&nbsp;Shringla's visit was meant to strengthen relationship between India and Bangladesh. However, there is the spectre of China over the engagement.

China reportedly wants to fund the construction of a dam on the Teesta river. After meeting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, India's foreign secretary held talks with his counterpart in Beijing.

Bangladesh newspapers featured just one story on their front page - the visit by India’s foreign secretary to Dhaka and his interaction with the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

Sheikh Hasina hasn’t met any other foreign dignitary in the last four months, neither has foreign secretary Harsh Shringla travelled outside India during the pandemic. So, the sudden meeting was closely watched both in India and Bangladesh.

Sources told WION on Tuesday that the foreign secretary delivered a message from Prime Minister Modi to Sheikh Hasina. India wanted to see how the two sides could take the relationship forward. On Wednesday, Shringla met with his Bangladeshi counterpart as they discussed ways to deepen cooperation in a post-coronavirus world including the possibility to open up an air bubble and priority access to the Oxford vaccine for Bangladesh.

New Delhi’s sudden effort to deepen ties with Dhaka was necessary. Shringla's sudden trip comes in the backdrop of a report which claims that China is ready to invest almost $1 billion in the Teesta river project which is a long-standing sticking point between India and Bangladesh.

Dhaka is demanding a greater share of the Teesta waters, specifically during December and May when the water supply to the fields of northern Bangladesh tends to dry up.

India and Bangladesh have failed to reach an agreement so far. The engagement this week signals a push as reports say&nbsp;India and Bangladesh have discussed a two-year roadmap for bilateral ties but both sides made no mention of the Teesta project or any other controversial issues.

The threat of the Dragon may have been contained in Bangladesh for now but it is far from over.

India had dispatched foreign secretary Harsh Shringla to Dhaka which had raised eyebrows. According to official accounts, Shringla's visit was meant to strengthen relationship between India and Bangladesh.

India had dispatched foreign secretary Harsh Shringla to Dhaka which had raised eyebrows. According to official accounts, Shringla's visit was meant to strengthen relationship between India and Bangladesh. However, there is the spectre of China over the engagement. China reportedly wants to fund the construction of a dam on the Teesta river. After meeting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, India's foreign secretary held talks with his counterpart in Beijing. Bangladesh newspapers featured just one story on their front page - the visit by India’s foreign secretary to Dhaka and his interaction with the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina hasn’t met any other foreign dignitary in the last four months, neither has foreign secretary Harsh Shringla travelled outside India during the pandemic. So, the sudden meeting was closely watched both in India and Bangladesh. Sources told WION on Tuesday that the foreign secretary delivered a message from Prime Minister Modi to Sheikh Hasina. India wanted to see how the two sides could take the relationship forward. On Wednesday, Shringla met with his Bangladeshi counterpart as they discussed ways to deepen cooperation in a post-coronavirus world including the possibility to open up an air bubble and priority access to the Oxford vaccine for Bangladesh. New Delhi’s sudden effort to deepen ties with Dhaka was necessary. Shringla's sudden trip comes in the backdrop of a report which claims that China is ready to invest almost $1 billion in the Teesta river project which is a long-standing sticking point between India and Bangladesh. Dhaka is demanding a greater share of the Teesta waters, specifically during December and May when the water supply to the fields of northern Bangladesh tends to dry up. India and Bangladesh have failed to reach an agreement so far. The engagement this week signals a push as reports say India and Bangladesh have discussed a two-year roadmap for bilateral ties but both sides made no mention of the Teesta project or any other controversial issues. The threat of the Dragon may have been contained in Bangladesh for now but it is far from over.

India's foreign secretary Harsh Shringla meets PM Sheikh Hasina as China eyes Teesta project

Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has returned empty-handed from Saudi Arabia.

The Pakistan general had flown to Riyadh on Sunday along with&nbsp;ISI chief General Faiz Hameed. They wanted to smoothen the straining Pak-Saudi ties and secure Pakistan's place in the Islamic brotherhood club.

However, the duo got a royal snub and a load of embarrassment.

Their visit to Saudi Arabia was an epic failure. According to reports, the Pakistan Army chief couldn't even secure a meeting with the Saudi crown prince Mohamed bin Salman who did not give him an audience.

General Bajwa was to be given a medal&nbsp;but the Saudis changed their mind and all he got was a meeting with the crown prince's younger brother Sheikh Khalid bin Salman, the deputy defence minister of Saudi Arabia and Major General Fayyad Ali Ruwaili, the Kingdom's chief of staff.

General Bajwa's interaction was limited to the Saudi defence establishment. The crown prince of Saudi Arabia is famous for meeting his guests in his own flamboyant ways, last year he had awarded a grand reception to General Bajwa in Riyadh.

However, Imran Khan's obsession with Kashmir has ruined his ties with the crown prince. His government has always relied on the Kashmir narrative to stay in power. Now, the same narrative has cast a shadow on Pakistan's foreign policy. It is hurting its business dealings with most Islamic countries and Saudi Arabia is not just any Islamic country - it is the de facto leader of the Islamic world.

Saudi Arabia is also the religious and financial master of Pakistan. Islamabad owes billions of dollars in loans to Riyadh. However, the Pakistan foreign minister was not quite in touch with reality as he let his emotions take control and crossed the red line. His statement has become one of the flashpoints of the Saudi-Pakistan breakup.

On Tuesday, there were reports that Pakistan's foreign minister was set to be sacked. In his frustration, Qureshi slapped the prime minister's principal secretary. Now with General Bajwa returning empty-handed from Saudi Arabia, Qureshi's position has become untenable.

Pakistan's rift with Saudi Arabia is a major setback to them and part of the credit goes to India. It is the first time in the history of India-Arab ties that they are backing India on Kashmir against Pakistan despite Pakistan's best efforts, the Organisation of Islamic Countries(OIC) has refused to censure India.

In fact, they have honoured the Indian prime minister with their highest civilian medal&nbsp;and also boosted trade ties with India which is a significant shift.

A major geopolitical realignment is taking place in West Asia. The most telling example was seen last week with the normalisation of the relations between UAE and Israel. India is a close strategic partner of both countries. India first dehyphenated Israel and Palestine, now the UAE has followed suit.

Imran Khan's frustration is evident. India is also a close trade and energy partner of Saudi Arabia and home to over than 180 million Muslims which is the second-highest population in the world.

Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has returned empty-handed from Saudi Arabia. The Pakistan general had flown to Riyadh on Sunday along with ISI chief General Faiz Hameed.

Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has returned empty-handed from Saudi Arabia. The Pakistan general had flown to Riyadh on Sunday along with ISI chief General Faiz Hameed. They wanted to smoothen the straining Pak-Saudi ties and secure Pakistan's place in the Islamic brotherhood club. However, the duo got a royal snub and a load of embarrassment. Their visit to Saudi Arabia was an epic failure. According to reports, the Pakistan Army chief couldn't even secure a meeting with the Saudi crown prince Mohamed bin Salman who did not give him an audience. General Bajwa was to be given a medal but the Saudis changed their mind and all he got was a meeting with the crown prince's younger brother Sheikh Khalid bin Salman, the deputy defence minister of Saudi Arabia and Major General Fayyad Ali Ruwaili, the Kingdom's chief of staff. General Bajwa's interaction was limited to the Saudi defence establishment. The crown prince of Saudi Arabia is famous for meeting his guests in his own flamboyant ways, last year he had awarded a grand reception to General Bajwa in Riyadh. However, Imran Khan's obsession with Kashmir has ruined his ties with the crown prince. His government has always relied on the Kashmir narrative to stay in power. Now, the same narrative has cast a shadow on Pakistan's foreign policy. It is hurting its business dealings with most Islamic countries and Saudi Arabia is not just any Islamic country - it is the de facto leader of the Islamic world. Saudi Arabia is also the religious and financial master of Pakistan. Islamabad owes billions of dollars in loans to Riyadh. However, the Pakistan foreign minister was not quite in touch with reality as he let his emotions take control and crossed the red line. His statement has become one of the flashpoints of the Saudi-Pakistan breakup. On Tuesday, there were reports that Pakistan's foreign minister was set to be sacked. In his frustration, Qureshi slapped the prime minister's principal secretary. Now with General Bajwa returning empty-handed from Saudi Arabia, Qureshi's position has become untenable. Pakistan's rift with Saudi Arabia is a major setback to them and part of the credit goes to India. It is the first time in the history of India-Arab ties that they are backing India on Kashmir against Pakistan despite Pakistan's best efforts, the Organisation of Islamic Countries(OIC) has refused to censure India. In fact, they have honoured the Indian prime minister with their highest civilian medal and also boosted trade ties with India which is a significant shift. A major geopolitical realignment is taking place in West Asia. The most telling example was seen last week with the normalisation of the relations between UAE and Israel. India is a close strategic partner of both countries. India first dehyphenated Israel and Palestine, now the UAE has followed suit. Imran Khan's frustration is evident. India is also a close trade and energy partner of Saudi Arabia and home to over than 180 million Muslims which is the second-highest population in the world.

Saudi Arabia snubs General Bajwa, no meeting with crown prince Mohammed bin Salman

Saudi Arabia said Wednesday it would not follow the United Arab Emirates and establish diplomatic ties with Israel until the Jewish state had sealed a peace accord with the Palestinians.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/policy-on-us-arms-sales-to-uae-unchanged-says-israels-netanyahu-321443">Also Read:&nbsp;Policy on US arms sales to UAE unchanged, says Israel's Netanyahu</a>

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan told reporters on a visit to Berlin that "peace must be achieved with the Palestinians" on the basis of international agreements as a condition for any normalisation of relations with Israel.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israeli-president-invites-uae-crown-prince-countries-move-ahead-to-establish-diplomatic-ties-321363/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Once that is achieved all things are possible," he said.

The surprise Israel-UAE deal last week is only the third such accord Israel has struck with an Arab country, after Egypt and Jordan, and raises the prospect of similar accords with other pro-Western Gulf states.

Until now, Saudi Arabia, the Arab world's biggest economy, has maintained a conspicuous silence over the deal, but local officials have hinted that Riyadh is unlikely to immediately follow in the footsteps of its principal regional ally despite US pressure.

At a news conference with his German counterpart Heiko Maas, Prince Faisal reiterated criticism of Israel's "unilateral policies" of annexation and building settlements in the West Bank as "illegitimate" and "detrimental" to a two-state solution.

As part of the landmark deal, Israel agreed to suspend the annexation of occupied West Bank territories, although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the plan was not off the table in the long run.

Palestinians protested the deal as a betrayal by a major player in the Arab world, which has broadly held that normal ties with Israel are only possible once the dispute with the Palestinians is resolved.

Prince Faisal noted that Saudi Arabia had sponsored 2002 Arab peace initiatives holding out the prospect of a normalisation of ties with Israel but said Riyadh now saw no road to diplomatic relations without a Palestinian peace deal.

Saudi Arabia said Wednesday it would not follow the United Arab Emirates and establish diplomatic ties with Israel until the Jewish state had sealed a peace accord with the Palestinians.

Saudi Arabia said Wednesday it would not follow the United Arab Emirates and establish diplomatic ties with Israel until the Jewish state had sealed a peace accord with the Palestinians. Also Read: Policy on US arms sales to UAE unchanged, says Israel's Netanyahu Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan told reporters on a visit to Berlin that "peace must be achieved with the Palestinians" on the basis of international agreements as a condition for any normalisation of relations with Israel. Watch: "Once that is achieved all things are possible," he said. The surprise Israel-UAE deal last week is only the third such accord Israel has struck with an Arab country, after Egypt and Jordan, and raises the prospect of similar accords with other pro-Western Gulf states. Until now, Saudi Arabia, the Arab world's biggest economy, has maintained a conspicuous silence over the deal, but local officials have hinted that Riyadh is unlikely to immediately follow in the footsteps of its principal regional ally despite US pressure. At a news conference with his German counterpart Heiko Maas, Prince Faisal reiterated criticism of Israel's "unilateral policies" of annexation and building settlements in the West Bank as "illegitimate" and "detrimental" to a two-state solution. As part of the landmark deal, Israel agreed to suspend the annexation of occupied West Bank territories, although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the plan was not off the table in the long run. Palestinians protested the deal as a betrayal by a major player in the Arab world, which has broadly held that normal ties with Israel are only possible once the dispute with the Palestinians is resolved. Prince Faisal noted that Saudi Arabia had sponsored 2002 Arab peace initiatives holding out the prospect of a normalisation of ties with Israel but said Riyadh now saw no road to diplomatic relations without a Palestinian peace deal.

Peace must be achieved with Palestinians, then all things possible: Saudi Arabia on Israel

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Zee News Rajasthan

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