The coronavirus pandemic in the United States continued to spread as Florida which has become the new epicentre of the virus reported 14,000 new cases and 156 deaths in the last 24 hours with the death toll rising to 4,782 in the state.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-sanctions-malaysias-surgical-glove-maker-over-forced-labour-amid-coronavirus-pandemic-313836">Also Read:&nbsp;US sanctions Malaysia's surgical glove maker over forced labour amid coronavirus pandemic</a>

Florida now has 315,000 COVID-19 cases with the number of coronavirus cases in the US surging to more than&nbsp;3.5 million cases and over 137 fatalities.

According to data analytics company Esri, forty five per cent counties in the United States are currently fighting the pandemic which is being termed "uncontrollable" with Texas, California and&nbsp;Florida hit hard due to the virus overwhelming health services across the country.

The Texas Department of State Health Services on Thursday reported 10,791 new cases asserting that numbers "are new highs" for the state even as Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt announced he had tested positive for the virus

As the virus gains momentum, a national poll by Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea-ack) University reported&nbsp;that Trump's approval rating had dipped to 37 per cent with Biden climbing to 52 per cent as the US elections nears.

Alabama and Oklahoma have also become new virus centres as California reported second highest single-day increase in coronavirus cases and deaths on Wednesday&nbsp;with 11,125 new cases and 140 deaths.

Meanwhile, New York governor Andrew Cuomo on Thursday gave "three strikes" to bars and restaurants in the financial hub for failing to enforce social distancing measures.

"There is significant evidence of failure to comply," Cuomo said, adding,"it's wrong, it's dangerous, it's selfish, it's unacceptable. It's also illegal."

The coronavirus pandemic in the United States continued to spread as Florida which has become the new epicentre of the virus reported 14,000 new cases and 156 deaths in the last 24 hours with the death toll rising to 4,782 in the state.

The coronavirus pandemic in the United States continued to spread as Florida which has become the new epicentre of the virus reported 14,000 new cases and 156 deaths in the last 24 hours with the death toll rising to 4,782 in the state. Also Read: US sanctions Malaysia's surgical glove maker over forced labour amid coronavirus pandemic Florida now has 315,000 COVID-19 cases with the number of coronavirus cases in the US surging to more than 3.5 million cases and over 137 fatalities. According to data analytics company Esri, forty five per cent counties in the United States are currently fighting the pandemic which is being termed "uncontrollable" with Texas, California and Florida hit hard due to the virus overwhelming health services across the country. The Texas Department of State Health Services on Thursday reported 10,791 new cases asserting that numbers "are new highs" for the state even as Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt announced he had tested positive for the virus As the virus gains momentum, a national poll by Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea-ack) University reported that Trump's approval rating had dipped to 37 per cent with Biden climbing to 52 per cent as the US elections nears. Alabama and Oklahoma have also become new virus centres as California reported second highest single-day increase in coronavirus cases and deaths on Wednesday with 11,125 new cases and 140 deaths. Meanwhile, New York governor Andrew Cuomo on Thursday gave "three strikes" to bars and restaurants in the financial hub for failing to enforce social distancing measures. "There is significant evidence of failure to comply," Cuomo said, adding,"it's wrong, it's dangerous, it's selfish, it's unacceptable. It's also illegal."

Coronavirus pandemic engulfs United States; Florida new epicentre

Uttar Pradesh on Friday reported 38 deaths, its highest single-day spike in coronavirus fatalities, raising the toll to 1,084 while 1,919 fresh cases pushed the infection tally to 45,363, officials said.

Additional chief secretary, medical and health, Amit Mohan Prasad said the state now has 16,445 active COVID-19 cases, while 27,634 patients have so far been discharged from hospitals after recovering from the infection.

At eight, the maximum deaths were reported from Kanpur, followed by five from Prayagraj, three from Moradabad, two each from Gorakhpur, Rampur and Jhansi, and one each from Meerut, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Lucknow, Firozabad, Varanasi, Barabanki, Ayodhya, Muzaffarnagar, Deoria, Rae Bareli, Bareli, Bhadohi, Mirzapur, Farukkhabad, Unnao and Bagpath, a health department report said.

Overall, the maximum 110 deaths have been reported from Kanpur followed by 96 and 94 deaths from Agra and Meerut respectively, it said.

Prasad said a record 54,207 coronavirus samples were tested on Thursday and the number would be increased further.

"In the past 24 hours (since 3 pm Thursday), 1,919 fresh cases of COVID-19 and 38 deaths were reported, pushing the total number of cases to 45,363 and deaths to 1,084," the health department said.

On home isolation facility, Prasad said it was not being provided deliberately in the state as asymptomatic patients tend to spread the virus among family members and others.

In an important decision, the state government, Prasad said, has decided to provide isolation facility in hotels in Lucknow and Ghaziabad.

"The district administration of Lucknow and Ghaziabad will acquire the hotel and the facility of isolation for asymptomatic patients will be provided there on a double occupancy basis at a charge of Rs 2,000 per day. The medical facility will be provided to them by the health department at a one-time payment of Rs 2,000," he said.

Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Information, Awanish Kumar Awasthi said that during the weekend lockdown, directives have been issued to all districts to use drone cameras to keep an eye on the movement of traffic and cleanliness work.

"Drones will be used in all districts in the next two days," Awasthi said.

Prasad said around 1.75 lakh people with coronavirus-like symptoms were found during the surveillance campaign conducted in the state till July 15. 
"The health department is now testing all of them," Prasad said.

Uttar Pradesh on Friday reported 38 deaths, its highest single-day spike in coronavirus fatalities, raising the toll to 1,084 while 1,919 fresh cases pushed the infection tally to 45,363, officials said.

Uttar Pradesh on Friday reported 38 deaths, its highest single-day spike in coronavirus fatalities, raising the toll to 1,084 while 1,919 fresh cases pushed the infection tally to 45,363, officials said. Additional chief secretary, medical and health, Amit Mohan Prasad said the state now has 16,445 active COVID-19 cases, while 27,634 patients have so far been discharged from hospitals after recovering from the infection. At eight, the maximum deaths were reported from Kanpur, followed by five from Prayagraj, three from Moradabad, two each from Gorakhpur, Rampur and Jhansi, and one each from Meerut, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Lucknow, Firozabad, Varanasi, Barabanki, Ayodhya, Muzaffarnagar, Deoria, Rae Bareli, Bareli, Bhadohi, Mirzapur, Farukkhabad, Unnao and Bagpath, a health department report said. Overall, the maximum 110 deaths have been reported from Kanpur followed by 96 and 94 deaths from Agra and Meerut respectively, it said. Prasad said a record 54,207 coronavirus samples were tested on Thursday and the number would be increased further. "In the past 24 hours (since 3 pm Thursday), 1,919 fresh cases of COVID-19 and 38 deaths were reported, pushing the total number of cases to 45,363 and deaths to 1,084," the health department said. On home isolation facility, Prasad said it was not being provided deliberately in the state as asymptomatic patients tend to spread the virus among family members and others. In an important decision, the state government, Prasad said, has decided to provide isolation facility in hotels in Lucknow and Ghaziabad. "The district administration of Lucknow and Ghaziabad will acquire the hotel and the facility of isolation for asymptomatic patients will be provided there on a double occupancy basis at a charge of Rs 2,000 per day. The medical facility will be provided to them by the health department at a one-time payment of Rs 2,000," he said. Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Information, Awanish Kumar Awasthi said that during the weekend lockdown, directives have been issued to all districts to use drone cameras to keep an eye on the movement of traffic and cleanliness work. "Drones will be used in all districts in the next two days," Awasthi said. Prasad said around 1.75 lakh people with coronavirus-like symptoms were found during the surveillance campaign conducted in the state till July 15. "The health department is now testing all of them," Prasad said.

Uttar Pradesh reports highest single-day fatalities; toll rises to over 1,000

World Health Organization(WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus lauded Spain and France for their coronavirus response even as he stressed that restrictions put in place to suppress the disease worldwide is taking a huge toll in protracted emergencies.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/jair-bolsonaro-and-his-non-normal-antics-amid-pandemic-314020">In Pics:&nbsp;Jair Bolsonaro and his 'non-normal' antics amid pandemic</a>

The WHO chief said that Spain and France are a good example of four essential pillars of coronavirus response - strong and humble leadership, community engagement, suppressing transmissions and saving lives.

Watch:

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Meanwhile, as Brazil continues to battle the virus, WHO's health emergencies chief Michael Ryan said, "The rise in Brazil is no longer exponential, it has plateaued." The WHO official stressed that the virus cases in Brazil had "stabilised".

Brazil is the second worst-hit country due to the virus with over 2 million cases and nearly 77,000 fatalities. The United States is the&nbsp;worst-hit country with the virus with over 3.6 million cases and over 138,000 deaths.

Ryan said it was "opportunity here now for Brazil to push the disease down, to suppress the transmission of the virus" although he cautioned that it would take "very sustained, concerted action in order for that to occur".

"Up to now, in many countries, including in Brazil, the virus has been in charge, the virus sets the rules," he said, adding, "We need to set the rules for the virus."

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro himself tested positive for the virus after dismissing it earlier as flu. The Brazilian president is currently in quarantine.

World Health Organization(WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus lauded Spain and France for their coronavirus response even as he stressed that restrictions put in place to suppress the disease worldwide is taking a huge toll in protracted emergencies.

World Health Organization(WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus lauded Spain and France for their coronavirus response even as he stressed that restrictions put in place to suppress the disease worldwide is taking a huge toll in protracted emergencies. In Pics: Jair Bolsonaro and his 'non-normal' antics amid pandemic The WHO chief said that Spain and France are a good example of four essential pillars of coronavirus response - strong and humble leadership, community engagement, suppressing transmissions and saving lives. Watch: Meanwhile, as Brazil continues to battle the virus, WHO's health emergencies chief Michael Ryan said, "The rise in Brazil is no longer exponential, it has plateaued." The WHO official stressed that the virus cases in Brazil had "stabilised". Brazil is the second worst-hit country due to the virus with over 2 million cases and nearly 77,000 fatalities. The United States is the worst-hit country with the virus with over 3.6 million cases and over 138,000 deaths. Ryan said it was "opportunity here now for Brazil to push the disease down, to suppress the transmission of the virus" although he cautioned that it would take "very sustained, concerted action in order for that to occur". "Up to now, in many countries, including in Brazil, the virus has been in charge, the virus sets the rules," he said, adding, "We need to set the rules for the virus." Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro himself tested positive for the virus after dismissing it earlier as flu. The Brazilian president is currently in quarantine.

Coronavirus in Brazil has plateaued, opportunity to suppress transmission: WHO

Bashar-al-Assad today completed 20 years in office. He has been the president of Syria since July 17, 2000.

The Syrian president has been at the centre of the worst humanitarian disaster of the 21st century. Assad is the commander-in-chief of the Syrian armed forces and regional secretary of the Arab Socialist Ba’ath party’s branch in Syria. Political scientists have termed Assad family’s rule as a "personalist dictatorship".

Bashar al-Assad succeeded his father and won elections&nbsp;which saw no challenger in 2000, 2007 and 2014. After almost 40 years of emergency law, in 2000, Syria saw an outbreak of political activism.

In 2000, around 100 intellectuals called for political pluralism and reforms including an end to the emergency but the so-called Damascus Spring was shortlived and by the summer of 2001, Assad was crushing dissent as the promise of economic liberalisation faded and wealth went into the hands of the regime's favoured few.

Bashar's bid to draw Syria closer to the West also ended in failure even then on May 2007&nbsp;Assad won another seven-year term in a referendum. Four years later, mass protests demanding political reforms and reinstatement of civil rights rocked Syria.

Once received and accepted in the West, now Assad became a reviled figure. The brutal crackdown on protests and the war that killed more than 380,000 people and displaced millions&nbsp;undermined Bashar’s international legitimacy.

The US and European Union imposed sanctions as much of the population was pushed into poverty and the Syrian pound hit an all-time low. It triggered a fresh wave of dissent, including violence.

Syria was declared to be in a state of civil war in 2012 by the international committee of Red Cross as the nationwide death toll neared 20,000 but the president maintained his stand that the conflict in his country was due to enemies outside Syria.

In early September 2015, the Russian president provided Syria with both military equipment and training as&nbsp;Russia started military operations in Syria with the goal of stabilising the legitimate power in Syria.

After the election of Donald Trump as US president, Washington was no longer focused of getting Assad out but the US position changed in the wake of the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack in 2017.

Trump ordered missile strikes on a Syrian airbase and Assad’s government described Trump’s behaviour as "unjust" and "arrogant aggression" but in June 2017, the Russian President Putin came out in support of Bashar al-Assad and released a statement saying that the chemical attack was a "100 per cent fabrication" and carried out by people who wanted to blame Assad.

The United Nations and the international chemical weapons inspectors found the attack was the work of Assad regime. In November 2017, the Syrian government announced that it has signed the Paris climate agreement.&nbsp;

Bashar’s reign is a far cry from the days when Syria was a major independent strategic player in the region - a time when Assad had political and military sway over Lebanon and controlled the tempo of operations against Israel.

What started as an internal matter in the form of public protests in 2011 against an authoritarian regime quickly fell into sectarian fault lines which gave regional and foreign players room to exacerbate the situation and drive it to the point of no return as things stand today.

Bashar-al-Assad today completed 20 years in office. He has been the president of Syria since July 17, 2000. The Syrian president has been at the centre of the worst humanitarian disaster of the 21st century.

Bashar-al-Assad today completed 20 years in office. He has been the president of Syria since July 17, 2000. The Syrian president has been at the centre of the worst humanitarian disaster of the 21st century. Assad is the commander-in-chief of the Syrian armed forces and regional secretary of the Arab Socialist Ba’ath party’s branch in Syria. Political scientists have termed Assad family’s rule as a "personalist dictatorship". Bashar al-Assad succeeded his father and won elections which saw no challenger in 2000, 2007 and 2014. After almost 40 years of emergency law, in 2000, Syria saw an outbreak of political activism. In 2000, around 100 intellectuals called for political pluralism and reforms including an end to the emergency but the so-called Damascus Spring was shortlived and by the summer of 2001, Assad was crushing dissent as the promise of economic liberalisation faded and wealth went into the hands of the regime's favoured few. Bashar's bid to draw Syria closer to the West also ended in failure even then on May 2007 Assad won another seven-year term in a referendum. Four years later, mass protests demanding political reforms and reinstatement of civil rights rocked Syria. Once received and accepted in the West, now Assad became a reviled figure. The brutal crackdown on protests and the war that killed more than 380,000 people and displaced millions undermined Bashar’s international legitimacy. The US and European Union imposed sanctions as much of the population was pushed into poverty and the Syrian pound hit an all-time low. It triggered a fresh wave of dissent, including violence. Syria was declared to be in a state of civil war in 2012 by the international committee of Red Cross as the nationwide death toll neared 20,000 but the president maintained his stand that the conflict in his country was due to enemies outside Syria. In early September 2015, the Russian president provided Syria with both military equipment and training as Russia started military operations in Syria with the goal of stabilising the legitimate power in Syria. After the election of Donald Trump as US president, Washington was no longer focused of getting Assad out but the US position changed in the wake of the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack in 2017. Trump ordered missile strikes on a Syrian airbase and Assad’s government described Trump’s behaviour as "unjust" and "arrogant aggression" but in June 2017, the Russian President Putin came out in support of Bashar al-Assad and released a statement saying that the chemical attack was a "100 per cent fabrication" and carried out by people who wanted to blame Assad. The United Nations and the international chemical weapons inspectors found the attack was the work of Assad regime. In November 2017, the Syrian government announced that it has signed the Paris climate agreement. Bashar’s reign is a far cry from the days when Syria was a major independent strategic player in the region - a time when Assad had political and military sway over Lebanon and controlled the tempo of operations against Israel. What started as an internal matter in the form of public protests in 2011 against an authoritarian regime quickly fell into sectarian fault lines which gave regional and foreign players room to exacerbate the situation and drive it to the point of no return as things stand today.

Bashar-al-Assad completes 20 years as president amid turmoil in Syria

India-China standoff: Indian paratroopers conduct air exercise in Ladakh

Fadi al-Mahmoud painstakingly parts the green leaves and examines the fruit of his toil - the famed pistachio nut.

He is almost oblivious to the army nearby sweeping the same ground for buried explosives. War-torn Syria also happens to be home to rich pistachio farming.&nbsp;

After years of war and violence, Syria's pistachio farmers have returned to the orchards.

"Our fields have been neglected for eight years, from 2012 to today they've suffered a lot. The trees need continuous pruning, three or four times a year, and insecticides two or three times. When we returned, half of the trees had dried out, some tree branches had withered, and there were trenches and landmines scattered all around," Fadi al-Mahmoud says.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/your-story-syrias-pistachio-farmers-return-to-their-orchards-after-years-of-war-313811/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Al-Mahmoud is awaiting his first harvest after years of war with some pistachio fields in Syria completely destroyed farmers are now doing damage-control in the hope of getting a good yield. Before violence wreaked havoc on pistachio fields, Syria produced up to 80,000 tonnes of pistachios a year.

In rich fields across Aleppo's Hama and idlib provinces, it was exported to Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan and Europe but the conflict which ensued in 2011 crippled production as many pistachio growing regions were controlled by jihadists and rebels and have now fallen to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

"The production of pistachios before the crisis ranged between sixty thousand and seventy five thousand tons each year. During the crisis, production decreased a lot, due to the inability of farmers to reach their land and take care of their crops," Hassan Ibrahim, director, Pistachio department of ministry of agriculture, said.

Though the violence has subsided even to this day the locals across battle-scarred Hama live with the deafening sounds of blasts as the army routinely detonates landmines in nearby fields.

Pistachio farmers are now hoping to recover years of losses and look forward to a revival of their famed produce but they are aware of the danger that lurks in Syria's soil.

Fadi al-Mahmoud painstakingly parts the green leaves and examines the fruit of his toil - the famed pistachio nut. He is almost oblivious to the army nearby sweeping the same ground for buried explosives.

Fadi al-Mahmoud painstakingly parts the green leaves and examines the fruit of his toil - the famed pistachio nut. He is almost oblivious to the army nearby sweeping the same ground for buried explosives. War-torn Syria also happens to be home to rich pistachio farming. After years of war and violence, Syria's pistachio farmers have returned to the orchards. "Our fields have been neglected for eight years, from 2012 to today they've suffered a lot. The trees need continuous pruning, three or four times a year, and insecticides two or three times. When we returned, half of the trees had dried out, some tree branches had withered, and there were trenches and landmines scattered all around," Fadi al-Mahmoud says. Al-Mahmoud is awaiting his first harvest after years of war with some pistachio fields in Syria completely destroyed farmers are now doing damage-control in the hope of getting a good yield. Before violence wreaked havoc on pistachio fields, Syria produced up to 80,000 tonnes of pistachios a year. In rich fields across Aleppo's Hama and idlib provinces, it was exported to Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan and Europe but the conflict which ensued in 2011 crippled production as many pistachio growing regions were controlled by jihadists and rebels and have now fallen to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces. "The production of pistachios before the crisis ranged between sixty thousand and seventy five thousand tons each year. During the crisis, production decreased a lot, due to the inability of farmers to reach their land and take care of their crops," Hassan Ibrahim, director, Pistachio department of ministry of agriculture, said. Though the violence has subsided even to this day the locals across battle-scarred Hama live with the deafening sounds of blasts as the army routinely detonates landmines in nearby fields. Pistachio farmers are now hoping to recover years of losses and look forward to a revival of their famed produce but they are aware of the danger that lurks in Syria's soil.

After war and violence, Syria's pistachio farmers return to their orchards

A highly secretive conclave of the Communist Party is about to be held. It is a meeting that even the Chinese President Xi Jinping is afraid to attend. It's a conference that happens far away from the limelight of Beijing.

The Beidaihe conference is an annual gathering of luminaries of the Communist Party that sets the political agenda for the year&nbsp;but this time around, the Beidaihe meeting could add to Xi Jinping’s headaches.

Mao Zedong has been there so has Deng Xiaoping. A visit to the beach resort of Beidaihe was an annual affair for the two leaders but, they were not on a holiday. Every year, Beidaihe plays host to a secret conclave of the Communist Party. An informal gathering is used to brainstorm the political agenda.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-a-secret-conclave-to-grill-xi-jinping-313862/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The tradition was started by the founder of Communist China -&nbsp;Mao Zedong and continues even today. The meeting is never announced and&nbsp;there is no press release. Leaders of the Communist Party arrive in Beidaihe quietly and never rub shoulders with the public.

Xi Jinping would like to keep things quiet this year too because this year’s summit conclave would be far from smooth sailing for Xi Jinping.

During the Beidaihe summit, he will come face to face with the party elders and&nbsp;retired members of the Communist party including&nbsp;former leaders of the Chinese state, leaders&nbsp;who could have things to say about how China handled the coronavirus outbreak, the situation in Hong Kong and China’s tensions with the US.&nbsp;

Reports suggest that there are 10 to 20 figures who still influence the Communist Party. But four names stand out-&nbsp;former president Jiang Zemin, former Premier Zhu Rongji, former president Hu Jintao and former Premier Wen Jiabao.

The Beidaihe meeting is perhaps one of the few forums where China’s leading political figures can criticise the leader in charge and this year’s meeting is happening under extraordinary circumstances.

After the pandemic spread from China to the world, Beijing has launched an unprecedented diplomatic mission to assert itself.

Several military standoffs are playing out in China’s neighbourhood. For the first time this year, China hasn’t set a GDP target and economic growth is what binds the elders as all four elders oversaw China’s high economic growth.

According to various accounts of the Beidaihe meeting, the elders never hesitate to criticise leaders in power and even&nbsp;offer binding advice to the president. Even in retirement&nbsp;these elders enjoy considerable perks and powers.

They are assigned elite bodyguards, special housing, secretaries and drivers. They can even access restricted documents and information. It&nbsp;allows them to keep tabs on the party's activities and influence decisions.

The challenge for Xi Jinping is to keep the party united&nbsp;because&nbsp;if the party elders were to go against him, their anger could spread to party cadres triggering a wave of dissent within the Chinese ruling establishment.

A highly secretive conclave of the Communist Party is about to be held. It is a meeting that even the Chinese President Xi Jinping is afraid to attend. It's a conference that happens far away from the limelight of Beijing.

A highly secretive conclave of the Communist Party is about to be held. It is a meeting that even the Chinese President Xi Jinping is afraid to attend. It's a conference that happens far away from the limelight of Beijing. The Beidaihe conference is an annual gathering of luminaries of the Communist Party that sets the political agenda for the year but this time around, the Beidaihe meeting could add to Xi Jinping’s headaches. Mao Zedong has been there so has Deng Xiaoping. A visit to the beach resort of Beidaihe was an annual affair for the two leaders but, they were not on a holiday. Every year, Beidaihe plays host to a secret conclave of the Communist Party. An informal gathering is used to brainstorm the political agenda. The tradition was started by the founder of Communist China - Mao Zedong and continues even today. The meeting is never announced and there is no press release. Leaders of the Communist Party arrive in Beidaihe quietly and never rub shoulders with the public. Xi Jinping would like to keep things quiet this year too because this year’s summit conclave would be far from smooth sailing for Xi Jinping. During the Beidaihe summit, he will come face to face with the party elders and retired members of the Communist party including former leaders of the Chinese state, leaders who could have things to say about how China handled the coronavirus outbreak, the situation in Hong Kong and China’s tensions with the US. Reports suggest that there are 10 to 20 figures who still influence the Communist Party. But four names stand out- former president Jiang Zemin, former Premier Zhu Rongji, former president Hu Jintao and former Premier Wen Jiabao. The Beidaihe meeting is perhaps one of the few forums where China’s leading political figures can criticise the leader in charge and this year’s meeting is happening under extraordinary circumstances. After the pandemic spread from China to the world, Beijing has launched an unprecedented diplomatic mission to assert itself. Several military standoffs are playing out in China’s neighbourhood. For the first time this year, China hasn’t set a GDP target and economic growth is what binds the elders as all four elders oversaw China’s high economic growth. According to various accounts of the Beidaihe meeting, the elders never hesitate to criticise leaders in power and even offer binding advice to the president. Even in retirement these elders enjoy considerable perks and powers. They are assigned elite bodyguards, special housing, secretaries and drivers. They can even access restricted documents and information. It allows them to keep tabs on the party's activities and influence decisions. The challenge for Xi Jinping is to keep the party united because if the party elders were to go against him, their anger could spread to party cadres triggering a wave of dissent within the Chinese ruling establishment.

China's President Xi Jinping dreads Beidaihe summit, here's why!

Xi Jinping, the president of the world's second-largest economy was so threatened by his resemblance to Winnie the Pooh that the fictional bear was kicked out of China with his&nbsp;movies, TV series and stuffed toys banned in the country.

Pooh became a common nickname for Xi Jinping around 2013 when the Chinese president&nbsp;had gone to the United States for an official visit and&nbsp;he came back with a twin named&nbsp;Pooh.

The meme took the internet by storm and in&nbsp;the next year, a photo of Xi Jinping and Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe gave the internet a field day.&nbsp;The following year the toy car comparison had the world laughing out loud.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-why-chinas-censors-banned-winnie-the-pooh-313858/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

It also went on to become the most censored picture of the year. The memes were harmless but leaders&nbsp;often tolerate such jokes but Xi is not one of them. He cannot be trolled,&nbsp;questioned and no quirks either and Pooh was violating his great wall of sham.

Hence, the fictional bear was banned in all kinds.&nbsp;

These trivial censorships are a grim reminder of&nbsp;Xi Jinping's insecurities. Noboady is allowed to&nbsp;talk about Winnie the Pooh in China. In 2019, the Taiwanese game 'devotion' was taken down as it drew parallels between Xi and Pooh.

Try searching for 'Winnie' on Chinese microblog Sina Weibo, it&nbsp;says some results have been omitted,&nbsp;too bad for Xi&nbsp;despite all the censorship, he has not been able to get rid of his nickname.

Every time the Chinese president is in the news,&nbsp;Winnie the Pooh starts trending on Twitter.

Xi Jinping, the president of the world's second-largest economy was so threatened by his resemblance to Winnie the Pooh that the fictional bear was kicked out of China with his movies, TV series and stuffed toys banned in the country.

Xi Jinping, the president of the world's second-largest economy was so threatened by his resemblance to Winnie the Pooh that the fictional bear was kicked out of China with his movies, TV series and stuffed toys banned in the country. Pooh became a common nickname for Xi Jinping around 2013 when the Chinese president had gone to the United States for an official visit and he came back with a twin named Pooh. The meme took the internet by storm and in the next year, a photo of Xi Jinping and Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe gave the internet a field day. The following year the toy car comparison had the world laughing out loud. It also went on to become the most censored picture of the year. The memes were harmless but leaders often tolerate such jokes but Xi is not one of them. He cannot be trolled, questioned and no quirks either and Pooh was violating his great wall of sham. Hence, the fictional bear was banned in all kinds. These trivial censorships are a grim reminder of Xi Jinping's insecurities. Noboady is allowed to talk about Winnie the Pooh in China. In 2019, the Taiwanese game 'devotion' was taken down as it drew parallels between Xi and Pooh. Try searching for 'Winnie' on Chinese microblog Sina Weibo, it says some results have been omitted, too bad for Xi despite all the censorship, he has not been able to get rid of his nickname. Every time the Chinese president is in the news, Winnie the Pooh starts trending on Twitter.

Why China's President Xi Jinping fears 'Winnie the Pooh'

Beijing has reported a 3.2 per cent increase in GDP for the second quarter of 2020 that is the April to June period. Analyst had expected 2.5 per cent growth for this quarter but the Chinese economy declined 6.

Beijing has reported a 3.2 per cent increase in GDP for the second quarter of 2020 that is the April to June period. Analyst had expected 2.5 per cent growth for this quarter but the Chinese economy declined 6.8 per cent during the first three months of the year. China exceeded the projections but the trends are worrying. There is some good news though but that is for the global economy. China is the world's factory, the global manufacturer. China's economy is dependant on manufacturing. The number that China is projecting right now 3.2 per cent increase in GDP is an indicator of the rise in global demand. China's export and industrial production are moving ahead, the domestic market, on the other hand, is dead. China's industrial production is up by 4.8 per cent and the global demand for goods has grown not by 4.8 per cent but it has grown. According to experts, China is overproducing for reasons best known to Beijing due to domestic demand. China's retail sales in Q2 has fallen by 1.8 per cent. So back at home, the Chinese are not buying despite all of Beijing's promotional measures. Earlier, WION had reported how the government of China was handing out coupons to its people so that they would buy goods and services. However, the sales campaign has failed. A fall in retail also displays a lack of confidence. The Chinese are not confident to spend right now because for them, it is not yet business as usual. The job losses in China are not to be forgotten therefore it is not surprising that people are not investing. China's fixed-asset investment has fallen by 3.1 per cent. However, China averted a recession. It was the first country to go into lockdown and the first also to come out of it. The virus was not a bolt from the blue for China. China was prepared for the pandemic and it should not go to town blowing its trumpet with the GDP numbers. Instead, here's what it should do. First, companies are diversifying their manufacturing. In other words, they are avoiding over-reliance on China and are preparing to move out. According to one survey, 2/3rd of large US corporates want to move their manufacturing from China to Mexico in the next two years. Second, the US-China trade war is far from over, also, China's GDP may be rising but it is only a matter of time before it either stagnates or plummets. It is because China is sitting on mounting of debt. Beijing's total debt is 317 per cent of its Q1 GDP which means, its banks are on the brink of collapse. According to a report, the run to banks has already begun. It started with Hebei over the weekend, several customers rushed to banks to withdraw their money as Heibei announced a program to limit large transactions. The pilot project will soon include banks in Zhejiang and Shenzhen too. The people are losing confidence in the Chinese banking system. It is worth $43 trillion dollars, 317 per cent of its GDP. China's GDP is around $14 trillion dollars. River banks too are collapsing in China. There is mass flooding in several parts of the country. China has not released any data on the people affected or the lives lost.

Despite witnessing growth in GDP, China's debt continues to mount

High-profile users in America were in for a shock as accounts of major companies and individuals were compromised. In a blitzkrieg, Bitcoin scammers targetted some of the most recognisable faces on Twitter.

Elon Musk's account posted the first of the mysterious tweets - it asked the Twitterati to send money to a Bitcoin wallet address which is like a bank account number for Bitcoin transactions.

Followers were told their money will be doubled. Soon, former president Barack Obama, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, the world's richest man - Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Microsoft's billionaire founder Bill Gates, the i-Phone maker Apple and several other verified accounts began tweeting similar posts.

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Millions of users follow these accounts and they fell into a trap. So far, the hacker has pocketed over 100,000 dollars but it took Twitter two hours to respond to the rapid hacks. For the first time ever it froze all verified accounts and all fake tweets were deleted but they began to reappear as fast as they were being erased.

The hacker was in total control as Twitter's two-step verification was easily breached. Twitter had an embarrassing answer - it said the hacker gained access to Twitter employee’s admin privileges. Technically, Twitter was the first to get hacked in the fiasco. CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted saying he feels terrible over what has happened but it is not the first time the social media platform has been hacked.

Last year Dorsey's account was hijacked and the company promised to fix the loopholes.

Clearly, it has not done enough and now the platform is facing its biggest scandal - the head of products at Twitter Kayvon Beykpour said sorry to users. However, it may not be enough to quieten the outrage. Politicians are a worried lot in the run upto to the US presidential election.

Republican Senator Josh Hawley has already written to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. The letter lists immediate concerns, reserving the most important question to the end: did the attack threaten the security of President Donald Trump's Twitter account?

The concern is justified, the hacker could have had a field day with Trump's account. Whoever is behind the hacking could have caused more damage as the access they had is unprecedented.

They were after money, hence caused no major harm to reputations, but Twitter will have to answer tough questions. It won't be long before investigation agencies come knocking.

Can Twitter really come out of this with its reputation intact?

High-profile users in America were in for a shock as accounts of major companies and individuals were compromised. In a blitzkrieg, Bitcoin scammers targetted some of the most recognisable faces on Twitter.

High-profile users in America were in for a shock as accounts of major companies and individuals were compromised. In a blitzkrieg, Bitcoin scammers targetted some of the most recognisable faces on Twitter. Elon Musk's account posted the first of the mysterious tweets - it asked the Twitterati to send money to a Bitcoin wallet address which is like a bank account number for Bitcoin transactions. Followers were told their money will be doubled. Soon, former president Barack Obama, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, the world's richest man - Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Microsoft's billionaire founder Bill Gates, the i-Phone maker Apple and several other verified accounts began tweeting similar posts. Millions of users follow these accounts and they fell into a trap. So far, the hacker has pocketed over 100,000 dollars but it took Twitter two hours to respond to the rapid hacks. For the first time ever it froze all verified accounts and all fake tweets were deleted but they began to reappear as fast as they were being erased. The hacker was in total control as Twitter's two-step verification was easily breached. Twitter had an embarrassing answer - it said the hacker gained access to Twitter employee’s admin privileges. Technically, Twitter was the first to get hacked in the fiasco. CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted saying he feels terrible over what has happened but it is not the first time the social media platform has been hacked. Last year Dorsey's account was hijacked and the company promised to fix the loopholes. Clearly, it has not done enough and now the platform is facing its biggest scandal - the head of products at Twitter Kayvon Beykpour said sorry to users. However, it may not be enough to quieten the outrage. Politicians are a worried lot in the run upto to the US presidential election. Republican Senator Josh Hawley has already written to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. The letter lists immediate concerns, reserving the most important question to the end: did the attack threaten the security of President Donald Trump's Twitter account? The concern is justified, the hacker could have had a field day with Trump's account. Whoever is behind the hacking could have caused more damage as the access they had is unprecedented. They were after money, hence caused no major harm to reputations, but Twitter will have to answer tough questions. It won't be long before investigation agencies come knocking. Can Twitter really come out of this with its reputation intact?

Bitcoin scammers hack Twitter accounts of high profile users in America

The biggest annual live-fire exercise in Taiwan showcased fighter jets, assault helicopters, armored vehicles&nbsp;and ground troops.

It is a five-day drill to test Taiwan's military preparedness. This year it serves a special purpose as it is aimed at demonstrating Taiwan's ability to repel any Chinese invasion.

On display were Taiwan's fearsome Thunderbolt-2000 missiles, the F-16 jets dispensing flares and military tanks stationed on the beach capable of hitting targets far into the sea, also were on dispaly the fierce predators in the form of assault helicopters dropping missiles with soldiers in attack mode moving amid clouds of smoke together they bombarded the Jianan beach to deter a simulated invading force.

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Overseeing the exercise was President Tsai Ing-wen wearing a green military uniform complete with a helmet.

Tsai Ing-wen sent out a message to mainland China: "The annual Han Kuang exercise is an important event for our military. Not only does it show the progress of our military strength, it also lets the international community see our resolve in protecting our country."

The message was loud and clear. Taiwan may be outnumbered and outgunned by China's enormous People's Liberation Army but its determination to protect itself is much stronger.

The biggest annual live-fire exercise in Taiwan showcased fighter jets, assault helicopters, armored vehicles and ground troops. It is a five-day drill to test Taiwan's military preparedness.

The biggest annual live-fire exercise in Taiwan showcased fighter jets, assault helicopters, armored vehicles and ground troops. It is a five-day drill to test Taiwan's military preparedness. This year it serves a special purpose as it is aimed at demonstrating Taiwan's ability to repel any Chinese invasion. On display were Taiwan's fearsome Thunderbolt-2000 missiles, the F-16 jets dispensing flares and military tanks stationed on the beach capable of hitting targets far into the sea, also were on dispaly the fierce predators in the form of assault helicopters dropping missiles with soldiers in attack mode moving amid clouds of smoke together they bombarded the Jianan beach to deter a simulated invading force. Overseeing the exercise was President Tsai Ing-wen wearing a green military uniform complete with a helmet. Tsai Ing-wen sent out a message to mainland China: "The annual Han Kuang exercise is an important event for our military. Not only does it show the progress of our military strength, it also lets the international community see our resolve in protecting our country." The message was loud and clear. Taiwan may be outnumbered and outgunned by China's enormous People's Liberation Army but its determination to protect itself is much stronger.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen takes aim at China with military exercise

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a new coronavirus roadmap&nbsp;on Friday while allowing theatres and music venues to open from next month under social distance restrictions including wedding receptions for up to 30 people.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/catalan-government-urges-barcelona-residents-to-stay-home-amid-rise-in-coronavirus-cases-314023">Also Read:&nbsp;Catalan government urges Barcelona residents to stay home amid rise in coronavirus cases</a>

In a wide-ranging announcement aimed at recovery across the country, the UK PM allowed&nbsp;schools to reopen&nbsp;from September and gave the green light to&nbsp;universities. Also from October, stadiums will be opened, he said.

Watch:

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"We will pilot larger gatherings in venues such as sports stadia with a view to a wider reopening in the autumn," he said, adding,"from October we intend to bring back audiences in stadia and allow conferences and other business events to recommence." Although the British prime minister added that "pilot events" needed to go well for fans to be allowed.

Indoor live performances have also been allowed from August subject to pilot events.

Amid the new measures, PM Johnson gave new powers to local authorities to contain the outbreak while allowing public transport to operate.

"Companies will have more discretion to bring staff back to workplaces if it is safe to do so," the PM said, "and they should use public transport if they need to. Though, of course, where possible, alternative means should also be used.”

"It is my strong and sincere hope that we will be able to review the outstanding restrictions and allow a more significant return to normality from November at the earliest - possibly in time for Christmas," he said.

On social distancing restrictions, the PM said: "Throughout this period, we will look to allow more close contact between friends and family, where we can."

Johnson also announced extra funding for NHS health workers if Britain is hit a by second wave.

The UK &nbsp;has recorded 292,552 coronavirus cases and 45,119 fatalities from the virus so far.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a new coronavirus roadmap on Friday while allowing theatres and music venues to open from next month under social distance restrictions including wedding receptions for up to 30 people.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a new coronavirus roadmap on Friday while allowing theatres and music venues to open from next month under social distance restrictions including wedding receptions for up to 30 people. Also Read: Catalan government urges Barcelona residents to stay home amid rise in coronavirus cases In a wide-ranging announcement aimed at recovery across the country, the UK PM allowed schools to reopen from September and gave the green light to universities. Also from October, stadiums will be opened, he said. Watch: "We will pilot larger gatherings in venues such as sports stadia with a view to a wider reopening in the autumn," he said, adding,"from October we intend to bring back audiences in stadia and allow conferences and other business events to recommence." Although the British prime minister added that "pilot events" needed to go well for fans to be allowed. Indoor live performances have also been allowed from August subject to pilot events. Amid the new measures, PM Johnson gave new powers to local authorities to contain the outbreak while allowing public transport to operate. "Companies will have more discretion to bring staff back to workplaces if it is safe to do so," the PM said, "and they should use public transport if they need to. Though, of course, where possible, alternative means should also be used.” "It is my strong and sincere hope that we will be able to review the outstanding restrictions and allow a more significant return to normality from November at the earliest - possibly in time for Christmas," he said. On social distancing restrictions, the PM said: "Throughout this period, we will look to allow more close contact between friends and family, where we can." Johnson also announced extra funding for NHS health workers if Britain is hit a by second wave. The UK has recorded 292,552 coronavirus cases and 45,119 fatalities from the virus so far.

'Significant return to normality from November': UK PM Johnson allows schools to reopen, bring back audiences in stadiums

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