The Indian Air Force (IAF) has placed its airbases on orange alert based on intelligence inputs about a possible suicidal terror attack on them in and around Jammu and Kashmir.

According to top sources in the government, intelligence agencies have issued warning against a module of eight to 10 Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists who will possibly try to carry out a suicidal attack against air bases in and around areas of Jammu and Kashmir.

An orange alert has been sounded for Srinagar, Avantipur, Jammu, Pathankot, Hindan airbases after the monitoring of the terrorists` movements by the intelligence agencies.

The orange alert is the second-highest level of alert second only to Red alert which, if issued, would entail closing of schools and restriction on movements in airbases.

Senior officers are reviewing security arrangements round the clock to tackle the threat, sources said.

This came two days after Army chief Bipin Rawat said Balakot terrorists` camp in Pakistan, which was destroyed by the IAF in February, had been reactivated to send terrorists across the border in India in the backdrop of heightened tension between India and Pakistan over the abrogation of special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Last month, Pakistan had, the government sources said, deployed its Special Service Group (SSG) commandos along the Sir Creek area in Gujarat.Security forces have eliminated several terrorists and foiled several infiltration bids over the past two months.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has placed its airbases on orange alert based on intelligence inputs about a possible suicidal terror attack on them in and around Jammu and Kashmir.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has placed its airbases on orange alert based on intelligence inputs about a possible suicidal terror attack on them in and around Jammu and Kashmir. According to top sources in the government, intelligence agencies have issued warning against a module of eight to 10 Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists who will possibly try to carry out a suicidal attack against air bases in and around areas of Jammu and Kashmir. An orange alert has been sounded for Srinagar, Avantipur, Jammu, Pathankot, Hindan airbases after the monitoring of the terrorists` movements by the intelligence agencies. The orange alert is the second-highest level of alert second only to Red alert which, if issued, would entail closing of schools and restriction on movements in airbases. Senior officers are reviewing security arrangements round the clock to tackle the threat, sources said. This came two days after Army chief Bipin Rawat said Balakot terrorists` camp in Pakistan, which was destroyed by the IAF in February, had been reactivated to send terrorists across the border in India in the backdrop of heightened tension between India and Pakistan over the abrogation of special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Last month, Pakistan had, the government sources said, deployed its Special Service Group (SSG) commandos along the Sir Creek area in Gujarat.Security forces have eliminated several terrorists and foiled several infiltration bids over the past two months.

Indian Air Force bases put on orange alert over Jaish terror attack alert

Equity indices slipped during early hours on Wednesday on the back of weak global cues as selling pressure built up across various segments.

At 10:15 am, the BSE S&amp;P Sensex was down by 310 points at 38,787 while the Nifty 50 lost by 90 points at 11,498.

At the National Stock Exchange, all sectoral indices were in the red.

Nifty PSU bank was down by 2 per cent, auto by 1.5 per cent, financial service and metal by 1.4 per cent each.Among stocks, Tata Motors was the top loser which erased previous gains by 3.1 per cent to trade at Rs 126.80 per share.

Eicher Motors too lost by 2.2 per cent and traded at Rs 18,020.05 apiece.

Banking stocks were in the red with State Bank of India losing by 2.9 per cent and Kotak Mahindra Bank by 2.1 per cent.

HDFC slipped by 2.2 per cent. The other prominent losers were Cipla, Hindalco, GAIL, Vedanta and Tata Steel.

However, those which gained were Power Grid Corporation, Tata Consultancy Services, Zee Entertainment, Reliance Industries and power utility major NTPC.

Meanwhile, Asian stocks fell as US lawmakers called for an impeachment enquiry into US President Donald Trump over whether he sought help from Ukraine to smear former Vice President Joe Biden, a front-runner for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.

Further, trade concerns emerged with Trump saying that he will not accept a bad deal in trade talks with China as the world's two largest economies meet in early October to end the long-drawn trade war.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia Pacific shares outside Japan was down by 0.2 per cent while Japan's Nikkei fell by 0.55 per cent. Hang Seng slipped by 0.9 per cent, Kospi index by 0.8 per cent and Shanghai Composite by 0.57 per cent.

 
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Equity indices slipped during early hours on Wednesday on the back of weak global cues as selling pressure built up across various segments. At 10:15 am, the BSE S&P Sensex was down by 310 points at 38,787 while the Nifty 50 lost by 90 points at 11,498.

Equity indices slipped during early hours on Wednesday on the back of weak global cues as selling pressure built up across various segments. At 10:15 am, the BSE S&P Sensex was down by 310 points at 38,787 while the Nifty 50 lost by 90 points at 11,498. At the National Stock Exchange, all sectoral indices were in the red. Nifty PSU bank was down by 2 per cent, auto by 1.5 per cent, financial service and metal by 1.4 per cent each.Among stocks, Tata Motors was the top loser which erased previous gains by 3.1 per cent to trade at Rs 126.80 per share. Eicher Motors too lost by 2.2 per cent and traded at Rs 18,020.05 apiece. Banking stocks were in the red with State Bank of India losing by 2.9 per cent and Kotak Mahindra Bank by 2.1 per cent. HDFC slipped by 2.2 per cent. The other prominent losers were Cipla, Hindalco, GAIL, Vedanta and Tata Steel. However, those which gained were Power Grid Corporation, Tata Consultancy Services, Zee Entertainment, Reliance Industries and power utility major NTPC. Meanwhile, Asian stocks fell as US lawmakers called for an impeachment enquiry into US President Donald Trump over whether he sought help from Ukraine to smear former Vice President Joe Biden, a front-runner for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. Further, trade concerns emerged with Trump saying that he will not accept a bad deal in trade talks with China as the world's two largest economies meet in early October to end the long-drawn trade war. MSCI's broadest index of Asia Pacific shares outside Japan was down by 0.2 per cent while Japan's Nikkei fell by 0.55 per cent. Hang Seng slipped by 0.9 per cent, Kospi index by 0.8 per cent and Shanghai Composite by 0.57 per cent.

Equity indices down on weak global cues, Tata Motors top loser

Bulgarian economist Kristalina Georgieva is expected to be confirmed on Wednesday as the Managing Director of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/christine-lagarde-resigns-as-international-monetary-fund-chief-starting-race-for-her-successor-236536">International Monetary Fund</a>, which would make her the first person from an emerging economy to head the global lender.

A centre-right politician who grew up in Bulgaria under communism, Georgieva has built a reputation during her time at the&nbsp;World&nbsp;Bank&nbsp;- where she has been on a leave of absence from her post as the Chief Executive Officer during the IMF nomination process - and the European Commission as a tenacious straight-shooter, champion of gender equality and leader in the global fight against climate change.

She will face a host of challenges as the head of the IMF, the&nbsp;world's crisis lender with $1 Trillion in firepower, including a global economic slowdown triggered by escalating trade tensions between the United States and China.

In addition, the United States, which represents the largest voting bloc on the IMF board, has withdrawn from multilateral accords, and risks are growing in emerging markets like Argentina, which last year received a $57 billion bailout, the IMF's largest ever.

The IMF's executive board interviewed Georgieva, 65, the sole nominee for the job, on Tuesday, and is due to vote on her nomination on Wednesday.

The vote is largely ceremonial. Georgieva, backed by the French President Emmanuel Macron, last month won support from the rest of the European Union, as well as tacit backing from the United States.

An IMF board source told Reuters that Georgieva was ready for the job. "She has convinced the board that she is the leader that the institution needs and will be a strong advocate for the multilateral system," the source said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the board’s deliberations are not public.

Her likely confirmation has spawned great pride in her home country, with some newspapers lauding it as evidence of both Georgieva's own qualities and as a diplomatic success.

"Only 20 years ago, Bulgaria was among the countries with an IMF rescue programme," the leading financial newspaper Kapital said earlier this month. "The nomination of the former Bulgarian EU commissioner should be seen not only as her personal acknowledgement&nbsp;but as a diplomatic success for the country."&nbsp;

Georgieva will replace Christine Lagarde, who became the first woman to head the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-east-asia/international-monetary-fund-to-consider-three-year-extended-fund-facility-of-6-billion-for-pakistan-231072">IMF</a> when she took the helm in 2011. Lagarde, 63, guided the lender through the European sovereign debt crisis, which began about a month after she took office. She is departing to head the European Central&nbsp;Bank.

Before her appointment at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/international-monetary-fund-downgrades-world-growth-warns-of-precarious-2020-238104">World&nbsp;Bank</a>, Georgieva held numerous senior European Commission posts, including the budget commissioner, and has deep knowledge of emerging market countries served by the&nbsp;World&nbsp;Bank.

Scott Morris, a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development, said Georgieva quickly made an impact after assuming the No. 2 role at the&nbsp;World&nbsp;Bank&nbsp;in early 2017. She pushed for consensus on a $13 billion capital increase and reform package agreed last year. Under the reforms, lending to China and other wealthier developing countries will decrease with more resources going to needier countries.

"She was able to bring together a diverse group of shareholders. That's her strength," said Morris, a former US&nbsp;Treasury official. "What's less clear is how she will handle the day to day business of the fund, that business being the crisis moments. It's harder to see how she will respond in a crisis."

Morris said Lagarde was successful in that she was not viewed as representing European interests, which helped her navigate the Greek debt crisis. Georgieva will have to take a similar multilateral approach, keeping her focus on the interests of the institution and individual countries.

"No one thought of Lagarde as a European&nbsp;chief&nbsp;executive," Morris said. "She rose above that."

Bulgarian economist Kristalina Georgieva is expected to be confirmed on Wednesday as the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, which would make her the first person from an emerging economy to head the global lender.

Bulgarian economist Kristalina Georgieva is expected to be confirmed on Wednesday as the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, which would make her the first person from an emerging economy to head the global lender. A centre-right politician who grew up in Bulgaria under communism, Georgieva has built a reputation during her time at the World Bank - where she has been on a leave of absence from her post as the Chief Executive Officer during the IMF nomination process - and the European Commission as a tenacious straight-shooter, champion of gender equality and leader in the global fight against climate change. She will face a host of challenges as the head of the IMF, the world's crisis lender with $1 Trillion in firepower, including a global economic slowdown triggered by escalating trade tensions between the United States and China. In addition, the United States, which represents the largest voting bloc on the IMF board, has withdrawn from multilateral accords, and risks are growing in emerging markets like Argentina, which last year received a $57 billion bailout, the IMF's largest ever. The IMF's executive board interviewed Georgieva, 65, the sole nominee for the job, on Tuesday, and is due to vote on her nomination on Wednesday. The vote is largely ceremonial. Georgieva, backed by the French President Emmanuel Macron, last month won support from the rest of the European Union, as well as tacit backing from the United States. An IMF board source told Reuters that Georgieva was ready for the job. "She has convinced the board that she is the leader that the institution needs and will be a strong advocate for the multilateral system," the source said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the board’s deliberations are not public. Her likely confirmation has spawned great pride in her home country, with some newspapers lauding it as evidence of both Georgieva's own qualities and as a diplomatic success. "Only 20 years ago, Bulgaria was among the countries with an IMF rescue programme," the leading financial newspaper Kapital said earlier this month. "The nomination of the former Bulgarian EU commissioner should be seen not only as her personal acknowledgement but as a diplomatic success for the country." Georgieva will replace Christine Lagarde, who became the first woman to head the IMF when she took the helm in 2011. Lagarde, 63, guided the lender through the European sovereign debt crisis, which began about a month after she took office. She is departing to head the European Central Bank. Before her appointment at the World Bank, Georgieva held numerous senior European Commission posts, including the budget commissioner, and has deep knowledge of emerging market countries served by the World Bank. Scott Morris, a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development, said Georgieva quickly made an impact after assuming the No. 2 role at the World Bank in early 2017. She pushed for consensus on a $13 billion capital increase and reform package agreed last year. Under the reforms, lending to China and other wealthier developing countries will decrease with more resources going to needier countries. "She was able to bring together a diverse group of shareholders. That's her strength," said Morris, a former US Treasury official. "What's less clear is how she will handle the day to day business of the fund, that business being the crisis moments. It's harder to see how she will respond in a crisis." Morris said Lagarde was successful in that she was not viewed as representing European interests, which helped her navigate the Greek debt crisis. Georgieva will have to take a similar multilateral approach, keeping her focus on the interests of the institution and individual countries. "No one thought of Lagarde as a European chief executive," Morris said. "She rose above that."

World Bank's Georgieva to be first International Monetary Fund chief from emerging economy

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wework-ipo-valuation-likely-below-20-billion-clouding-softbanks-vision-248837">WeWork</a> co-founder Adam&nbsp;Neumann&nbsp;agreed on Tuesday to resign as the Chief Executive and to give up majority voting&nbsp;control, after SoftBank Group Corp&nbsp;and other shareholders turned on him over a plunge in the US&nbsp;office-sharing start-up's estimated valuation.

The decision came after WeWork's parent We Company postponed its initial public offering last week&nbsp;following a push-back from prospective&nbsp;stock market&nbsp;investors, not just over its widening losses, but also over&nbsp;Neumann's unusually firm grip on the company.

This was a blow for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/softbank-toyota-autonomous-car-venture-to-launch-in-south-east-asia-next-year-226268">SoftBank</a>, which was hoping for We Company's IPO to bolster its fortunes as it seeks to woo&nbsp;investors for its second $108 billion Vision Fund.

SoftBank invested in We Company at a $47 billion valuation in January. But&nbsp;investor&nbsp;scepticism led to it earlier this month considering a potential IPO valuation of as low as $10 billion, Reuters reported.

We Company had vowed to press ahead with an IPO by the end of the year. But there was little sign that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/exclusive-wework-to-press-on-with-ipo-launch-despite-valuation-concerns-sources-248290">IPO&nbsp;investor</a>&nbsp;sentiment would change, threatening the value of the stakes held not just by outside&nbsp;investors, but by&nbsp;Neumann&nbsp;as well.

The size of&nbsp;Neumann's holding has not been disclosed.

What was the venture capital world's biggest upset then morphed into one of corporate America's most high-profile boardroom dramas. SoftBank managed to muster enough opposition to&nbsp;Neumann&nbsp;in a meeting of We Company's seven-member board on Tuesday to convince him to step down. Reuters had reported on Monday that&nbsp;Neumann&nbsp;had engaged in talks about changes to his&nbsp;role.

"In recent weeks, the scrutiny directed towards me has become a significant distraction, and I have decided that it is in the best interest of the company to step down as Chief Executive,"&nbsp;Neumann&nbsp;said in a statement.

Artie Minson, currently the Chief Financial Officer of WeWork's parent We Company, and Sebastian Gunningham, the&nbsp;Vice-Chairman&nbsp;of&nbsp;the New York-based start-up, will become co-chief executives, the company said.&nbsp;Neumann&nbsp;will stay on the board as a Non-executive Chairman, the company added.

Minson, a former Chief Financial Officer at the&nbsp;Time Warner Cable who joined We Company in 2015, will oversee its finance, legal, human resources, real estate and public communications. Gunningham, a former executive at Amazon.com Inc, Apple Inc,&nbsp;and Oracle Corp&nbsp;who joined We Company last year, will take responsibility for product, design, development, sales, marketing, technology and regional teams.

We Company is considering slowing its expansion so it burns through less cash and would require less funding in the absence of an IPO in the nearing&nbsp;team, Reuters reported on Monday.

"While we anticipate difficult decisions ahead, each decision will be made with rigorous analysis, always bearing in mind the company’s long-term interests and health," Minson and Gunningham wrote in an internal company memo seen by Reuters.

Neumann&nbsp;also agreed to reduce the power of his voting shares, losing majority voting&nbsp;control, according to the sources. Each of his shares will now have the same voting rights as three We Company common shares, not the 10 common shares previously, the sources said.

Neumann's shares used to have the same voting power as 20 We Company common shares, before he agreed to reduce his grip slightly earlier this month in an unsuccessful attempt to make the IPO more attractive to&nbsp;investors.

We Company said on Tuesday it was now evaluating the "optimal timing" for an IPO.

Firm Grip

Neumann, whose net worth is pegged by Forbes at $2.2 billion, developed a cult&nbsp;following&nbsp;among many We Company employees, vowing to "elevate the world's consciousness" as he sought to establish WeWork as a brand that transcended office sharing.

While his&nbsp;investors were willing to entertain his eccentricities over the decade he led WeWork since its founding in 2010, his free-whiling ways and party-heavy lifestyle came into focus once he failed to get the company's IPO underway.

During the attempts to woo IPO&nbsp;investors this month,&nbsp;Neumann&nbsp;was criticized by corporate governance experts for arrangements that went beyond the typical practice of having majority voting&nbsp;control&nbsp;through special categories of shares.

These included giving his estate a major say in his replacement as&nbsp;CEO, and tying the voting power of shares to how much he donates to charitable causes.

Neumann&nbsp;had also entered several transactions with We Company, making the company a tenant in some of his properties and charging it rent. He has also secured a $500 million credit line from banks using company stock as collateral.

Late Concessions

Following&nbsp;criticism by potential&nbsp;investors,&nbsp;Neumann&nbsp;agreed to some concessions without relinquishing majority&nbsp;control. He agreed to give We Company any profit he receives from real estate deals he had&nbsp;reached with the New York-based firm.

These changes did little to address concerns about the business model for We Company, which rents workspace to clients under short-term contracts, even though it pays rent under long-term leases. This mix of long-term liabilities and short-term revenue raised questions among&nbsp;investors about how the company would weather an economic downturn.

Neumann, 40, is not the first founder of a major start-up to be forced to step down recently. Uber Technologies Inc&nbsp;co-founder Travis Kalanick resigned as the CEO&nbsp;of the ride-hailing start-up in 2017 after facing a rebellion from his board over a string of scandals, including allegations of enabling a chauvinistic and toxic work culture.

Uber replaced Kalanick with an outsider, former Expedia Group Inc&nbsp;CEO&nbsp;Dara Khosrowshahi, and completed its IPO last May.

WeWork co-founder Adam Neumann agreed on Tuesday to resign as the Chief Executive and to give up majority voting control, after SoftBank Group Corp and other shareholders turned on him over a plunge in the US office-sharing start-up's estimated valuation.

WeWork co-founder Adam Neumann agreed on Tuesday to resign as the Chief Executive and to give up majority voting control, after SoftBank Group Corp and other shareholders turned on him over a plunge in the US office-sharing start-up's estimated valuation. The decision came after WeWork's parent We Company postponed its initial public offering last week following a push-back from prospective stock market investors, not just over its widening losses, but also over Neumann's unusually firm grip on the company. This was a blow for SoftBank, which was hoping for We Company's IPO to bolster its fortunes as it seeks to woo investors for its second $108 billion Vision Fund. SoftBank invested in We Company at a $47 billion valuation in January. But investor scepticism led to it earlier this month considering a potential IPO valuation of as low as $10 billion, Reuters reported. We Company had vowed to press ahead with an IPO by the end of the year. But there was little sign that IPO investor sentiment would change, threatening the value of the stakes held not just by outside investors, but by Neumann as well. The size of Neumann's holding has not been disclosed. What was the venture capital world's biggest upset then morphed into one of corporate America's most high-profile boardroom dramas. SoftBank managed to muster enough opposition to Neumann in a meeting of We Company's seven-member board on Tuesday to convince him to step down. Reuters had reported on Monday that Neumann had engaged in talks about changes to his role. "In recent weeks, the scrutiny directed towards me has become a significant distraction, and I have decided that it is in the best interest of the company to step down as Chief Executive," Neumann said in a statement. Artie Minson, currently the Chief Financial Officer of WeWork's parent We Company, and Sebastian Gunningham, the Vice-Chairman of the New York-based start-up, will become co-chief executives, the company said. Neumann will stay on the board as a Non-executive Chairman, the company added. Minson, a former Chief Financial Officer at the Time Warner Cable who joined We Company in 2015, will oversee its finance, legal, human resources, real estate and public communications. Gunningham, a former executive at Amazon.com Inc, Apple Inc, and Oracle Corp who joined We Company last year, will take responsibility for product, design, development, sales, marketing, technology and regional teams. We Company is considering slowing its expansion so it burns through less cash and would require less funding in the absence of an IPO in the nearing team, Reuters reported on Monday. "While we anticipate difficult decisions ahead, each decision will be made with rigorous analysis, always bearing in mind the company’s long-term interests and health," Minson and Gunningham wrote in an internal company memo seen by Reuters. Neumann also agreed to reduce the power of his voting shares, losing majority voting control, according to the sources. Each of his shares will now have the same voting rights as three We Company common shares, not the 10 common shares previously, the sources said. Neumann's shares used to have the same voting power as 20 We Company common shares, before he agreed to reduce his grip slightly earlier this month in an unsuccessful attempt to make the IPO more attractive to investors. We Company said on Tuesday it was now evaluating the "optimal timing" for an IPO. Firm Grip Neumann, whose net worth is pegged by Forbes at $2.2 billion, developed a cult following among many We Company employees, vowing to "elevate the world's consciousness" as he sought to establish WeWork as a brand that transcended office sharing. While his investors were willing to entertain his eccentricities over the decade he led WeWork since its founding in 2010, his free-whiling ways and party-heavy lifestyle came into focus once he failed to get the company's IPO underway. During the attempts to woo IPO investors this month, Neumann was criticized by corporate governance experts for arrangements that went beyond the typical practice of having majority voting control through special categories of shares. These included giving his estate a major say in his replacement as CEO, and tying the voting power of shares to how much he donates to charitable causes. Neumann had also entered several transactions with We Company, making the company a tenant in some of his properties and charging it rent. He has also secured a $500 million credit line from banks using company stock as collateral. Late Concessions Following criticism by potential investors, Neumann agreed to some concessions without relinquishing majority control. He agreed to give We Company any profit he receives from real estate deals he had reached with the New York-based firm. These changes did little to address concerns about the business model for We Company, which rents workspace to clients under short-term contracts, even though it pays rent under long-term leases. This mix of long-term liabilities and short-term revenue raised questions among investors about how the company would weather an economic downturn. Neumann, 40, is not the first founder of a major start-up to be forced to step down recently. Uber Technologies Inc co-founder Travis Kalanick resigned as the CEO of the ride-hailing start-up in 2017 after facing a rebellion from his board over a string of scandals, including allegations of enabling a chauvinistic and toxic work culture. Uber replaced Kalanick with an outsider, former Expedia Group Inc CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, and completed its IPO last May.

WeWork's Neumann surrenders control and CEO role following investor revolt

French President Emmanuel&nbsp;Macron&nbsp;said on Tuesday that&nbsp;he believed that the&nbsp;conditions&nbsp;for the leaders of the United States and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rouhani-says-iran-resists-sanctions-drives-us-desperate-251461">Iran</a> to meet were now in place, but the ball was now in their court to make it happen.

"I believe that the&nbsp;conditions&nbsp;in this context for a rapid return to negotiations have been created,"&nbsp;Macron&nbsp;told reporters before heading back to Paris from New York, where he attended the annual United Nations General Assembly.

"It's now&nbsp;up&nbsp;to the Iranians and the United States to seize these&nbsp;conditions&nbsp;and work together to relaunch momentum", he added.

The French leader has been pushing to defuse tensions between Washington and Tehran over the last few weeks, especially after an attack on Saudi oil facilities on September 14. that the United States, Europe, and Saudi Arabia have blamed on Iran.

Macron&nbsp;used two days of shuffle diplomacy at the United Nations to try to bring US&nbsp;President Donald&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;and Iranian President Hassan&nbsp;Rouhani&nbsp;face-to-face or at the very least get&nbsp;them&nbsp;to engage, fearing that a new incident could inflame the region.

But, with&nbsp;Rouhani&nbsp;demanding that the US lift tough sanctions that have strangled its economy and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-says-rouhani-meeting-not-scheduled-as-speculation-swirls-251685">Washington refusing</a> to do so until Iran comes to the table without&nbsp;conditions, the chances of a breakthrough still appear slim, even if the two leaders are still in New York on Wednesday.

"There is a common desire to progress and to not just find the terms of deescalation, but build a long-term accord,"&nbsp;Macron&nbsp;said. "But it depends on the will of both sides."

Macron&nbsp;said the parameters of the&nbsp;talks&nbsp;were to ensure that Iran can never acquire a nuclear weapon, end Yemen's civil war, develop a plan for regional security that includes other crises in the region, ensure maritime flows in the Strait of Hormuz and lift economic sanctions.

But while&nbsp;Macron&nbsp;said that those were the&nbsp;conditions, there appeared little to suggest that either side had agreed to take the next step.

"I think that lifting of sanctions on the part of the Americans without any visibility on the other subjects is not possible,"&nbsp;Macron&nbsp;said.

"At the same time, clear commitments from Iran on the points I mentioned are not possible without American commitments", he added.

When asked whether he thought that they could still meet this week,&nbsp;Macron&nbsp;urged the two leaders to not miss the chance.

"I don't think in the coming weeks and months there will be an opportunity for him <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-president-rouhani-calls-for-unity-to-overcome-us-economic-war-246275">(Rouhani)</a> to come back to the US, and I don't think President&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;will be going to Tehran," he said.

"It's a physical opportunity to seize because I think the best way to start a negotiation is to have a meeting, have a frank discussion between the two main protagonists,"&nbsp;Macron&nbsp;said.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that he believed that the conditions for the leaders of the United States and Iran to meet were now in place, but the ball was now in their court to make it happen.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that he believed that the conditions for the leaders of the United States and Iran to meet were now in place, but the ball was now in their court to make it happen. "I believe that the conditions in this context for a rapid return to negotiations have been created," Macron told reporters before heading back to Paris from New York, where he attended the annual United Nations General Assembly. "It's now up to the Iranians and the United States to seize these conditions and work together to relaunch momentum", he added. The French leader has been pushing to defuse tensions between Washington and Tehran over the last few weeks, especially after an attack on Saudi oil facilities on September 14. that the United States, Europe, and Saudi Arabia have blamed on Iran. Macron used two days of shuffle diplomacy at the United Nations to try to bring US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani face-to-face or at the very least get them to engage, fearing that a new incident could inflame the region. But, with Rouhani demanding that the US lift tough sanctions that have strangled its economy and Washington refusing to do so until Iran comes to the table without conditions, the chances of a breakthrough still appear slim, even if the two leaders are still in New York on Wednesday. "There is a common desire to progress and to not just find the terms of deescalation, but build a long-term accord," Macron said. "But it depends on the will of both sides." Macron said the parameters of the talks were to ensure that Iran can never acquire a nuclear weapon, end Yemen's civil war, develop a plan for regional security that includes other crises in the region, ensure maritime flows in the Strait of Hormuz and lift economic sanctions. But while Macron said that those were the conditions, there appeared little to suggest that either side had agreed to take the next step. "I think that lifting of sanctions on the part of the Americans without any visibility on the other subjects is not possible," Macron said. "At the same time, clear commitments from Iran on the points I mentioned are not possible without American commitments", he added. When asked whether he thought that they could still meet this week, Macron urged the two leaders to not miss the chance. "I don't think in the coming weeks and months there will be an opportunity for him (Rouhani) to come back to the US, and I don't think President Trump will be going to Tehran," he said. "It's a physical opportunity to seize because I think the best way to start a negotiation is to have a meeting, have a frank discussion between the two main protagonists," Macron said.

Macron says Trump, Rouhani know conditions for talks, but up to them to deliver

Asian stock markets fell on Wednesday after US Democrats launched<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-house-steps-up-donald-trump-impeachment-probe-248698"> formal impeachment</a> proceedings against Donald Trump and renewed worries about trade as the President adopted a hard line on China.

In a dramatic move, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi announced a formal impeachment inquiry after US markets closed.

Democrats accuse Trump of abuse of power in a reported attempt to pressure the newly installed president of Ukraine to open a corruption investigation into his lead challenger for the White House, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-feud-heats-up-donald-trump-says-joe-biden-was-subject-of-ukraine-call-251345">Joe Biden</a>, and Biden's son Hunter.

Trump denounced the inquiry as "Witch Hunt garbage" and said he would release a transcript of his phone call with Volodymyr Zelensky.

"The impeachment hearing announcement delivered a knock-out blow to stocks markets already weak at the knees," Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at OANDA, said in a note.

Concern over US political turmoil added to worries over international trade after Trump ripped into China at the UN, declaring that the time of Beijing's "abuses" of the system was "over."

Touting what he argued were the benefits of his <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/us-china-trade-war-is-making-china-stronger-234526">tariff war with China</a>, Trump reiterated his hope that a trade agreement "beneficial to both countries" could be struck.

"But as I said very clearly, I will not accept a bad deal for the American people," he said.

"Trump's speech at the United Nations lacked any semblance of endearment towards China, but instead, he used this opportunity to reignite US-China tensions while renewing his attacks on America's largest technology companies," said Stephen Innes, Asia Pacific market strategist at AxiTrader.

Tokyo slipped 0.5 per cent, while Hong Kong and Shanghai both dropped 0.4 per cent.

Oil prices took a hit, with both main contracts down 0.6 per cent following Trump's tough talk on China and after data indicating a build-up in US crude inventories.

In currency trading, the Pound slipped against the Dollar in Asia. It had rallied Tuesday following Britain's Supreme Court ruling that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's suspension of parliament was "unlawful", providing a spark of hope that Brexit will be more orderly than previously feared.

"The ensuing British Pound rally was a bit underwhelming. It probably reflected the uncertainty of both Mr Johnson's tenure and the Brexit process with October the 31st looming," said OANDA's Halley.

&nbsp;

Asian stock markets fell on Wednesday after US Democrats launched formal impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump and renewed worries about trade as the President adopted a hard line on China.

Asian stock markets fell on Wednesday after US Democrats launched formal impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump and renewed worries about trade as the President adopted a hard line on China. In a dramatic move, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi announced a formal impeachment inquiry after US markets closed. Democrats accuse Trump of abuse of power in a reported attempt to pressure the newly installed president of Ukraine to open a corruption investigation into his lead challenger for the White House, Joe Biden, and Biden's son Hunter. Trump denounced the inquiry as "Witch Hunt garbage" and said he would release a transcript of his phone call with Volodymyr Zelensky. "The impeachment hearing announcement delivered a knock-out blow to stocks markets already weak at the knees," Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at OANDA, said in a note. Concern over US political turmoil added to worries over international trade after Trump ripped into China at the UN, declaring that the time of Beijing's "abuses" of the system was "over." Touting what he argued were the benefits of his tariff war with China, Trump reiterated his hope that a trade agreement "beneficial to both countries" could be struck. "But as I said very clearly, I will not accept a bad deal for the American people," he said. "Trump's speech at the United Nations lacked any semblance of endearment towards China, but instead, he used this opportunity to reignite US-China tensions while renewing his attacks on America's largest technology companies," said Stephen Innes, Asia Pacific market strategist at AxiTrader. Tokyo slipped 0.5 per cent, while Hong Kong and Shanghai both dropped 0.4 per cent. Oil prices took a hit, with both main contracts down 0.6 per cent following Trump's tough talk on China and after data indicating a build-up in US crude inventories. In currency trading, the Pound slipped against the Dollar in Asia. It had rallied Tuesday following Britain's Supreme Court ruling that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's suspension of parliament was "unlawful", providing a spark of hope that Brexit will be more orderly than previously feared. "The ensuing British Pound rally was a bit underwhelming. It probably reflected the uncertainty of both Mr Johnson's tenure and the Brexit process with October the 31st looming," said OANDA's Halley.

Asian markets fall as impeachment process against Donald Trump begins

After being bestowed with the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-receives-global-goalkeepers-award-for-swachh-bharat-campaign-251855">Global Goalkeeper Award</a> for 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan'&nbsp;on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the honour does not belong to him but to the crores of Indians who made the initiative a part of their daily lives.

The award was presented by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation at a ceremony on the sidelines of the 74th UN General Assembly session in New York.

"This honour is not mine but of the crores of Indians who not only fulfilled the 'Swachh Bharat'&nbsp;dream but also made it a part of their daily lives," Modi said after receiving the award from Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

The Prime Minister said it is significant that he received the award on the occasion of 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

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"This is a proof that if the manpower of 130 crore people gets involved in fulfilling any one resolution, then any challenge can be won," Modi said.

He said that while the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan'&nbsp;was initiated by his government, it was the people of the country who took the movement forward.

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"In the last five years, a record more than 11 crore toilets were constructed. If this mission has benefited someone the most, it is the poor of this country and the women," the Prime Minister noted.

Modi said that the construction of 11 crore toilets opened a new door of economic activity at the village level.He said, "I have been told that in a report of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation it was found that in India due to better rural sanitation, heart problems in children have decreased, and there has been an improvement in Body Mass Index of women."

The Prime Minister said that India is close to achieving its sanitation target and the country is also working steadfastly on other missions as well.

"Through Fit India movement we are promoting fitness and preventive healthcare," he underlined.Modi said he was happy that through the 'Swachh Survekshan', there is a competition among the states in India to make it to the top in the cleanliness rankings.

"Many such mass movements are going on in India today. I have full faith in the ability of 1.3 billion Indians. I am confident that like the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan', other missions will also be successful," he remarked.

The 'Swachh Bharat Mission'&nbsp;was launched by the Modi government in 2014 and its components include the construction of household toilets, community and public toilets and solid waste management.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's Global Goalkeeper's Award is accorded every year to individuals for their achievement in a specific sustainable development goal.Prior to Modi, the previous winners have been Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia.

After being bestowed with the Global Goalkeeper Award for 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan' on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the honour does not belong to him but to the crores of Indians who made the initiative a part of their daily lives.

After being bestowed with the Global Goalkeeper Award for 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan' on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the honour does not belong to him but to the crores of Indians who made the initiative a part of their daily lives. The award was presented by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation at a ceremony on the sidelines of the 74th UN General Assembly session in New York. "This honour is not mine but of the crores of Indians who not only fulfilled the 'Swachh Bharat' dream but also made it a part of their daily lives," Modi said after receiving the award from Microsoft founder Bill Gates. The Prime Minister said it is significant that he received the award on the occasion of 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. × "This is a proof that if the manpower of 130 crore people gets involved in fulfilling any one resolution, then any challenge can be won," Modi said. He said that while the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' was initiated by his government, it was the people of the country who took the movement forward. × "In the last five years, a record more than 11 crore toilets were constructed. If this mission has benefited someone the most, it is the poor of this country and the women," the Prime Minister noted. Modi said that the construction of 11 crore toilets opened a new door of economic activity at the village level.He said, "I have been told that in a report of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation it was found that in India due to better rural sanitation, heart problems in children have decreased, and there has been an improvement in Body Mass Index of women." The Prime Minister said that India is close to achieving its sanitation target and the country is also working steadfastly on other missions as well. "Through Fit India movement we are promoting fitness and preventive healthcare," he underlined.Modi said he was happy that through the 'Swachh Survekshan', there is a competition among the states in India to make it to the top in the cleanliness rankings. "Many such mass movements are going on in India today. I have full faith in the ability of 1.3 billion Indians. I am confident that like the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan', other missions will also be successful," he remarked. The 'Swachh Bharat Mission' was launched by the Modi government in 2014 and its components include the construction of household toilets, community and public toilets and solid waste management. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's Global Goalkeeper's Award is accorded every year to individuals for their achievement in a specific sustainable development goal.Prior to Modi, the previous winners have been Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia.

This belongs to crores of Indians who adopted 'Swachh Bharat': PM Modi on receiving Global Goalkeeper Award

Democrats in the US&nbsp;House of Representatives on Tuesday launched a formal <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-house-to-launch-trump-impeachment-inquiry-over-ukraine-controversy-251842">impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump</a>, accusing him of seeking foreign help to smear Democratic rival Joe Biden ahead of next year's election.

The inquiry ensures a partisan fight in Congress and on the presidential campaign trail in coming months, energizing the most committed Republican and Democratic supporters and overshadowing the Democratic race for the nomination to face Trump in the November 2020 election.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the inquiry after a closed-door meeting with Democratic lawmakers, saying Trump's actions undermined national security and violated the US&nbsp;Constitution.

"The president must be held accountable. No one is above the law," said Pelosi, who for months had been reluctant to embrace an impeachment effort.

Trump fired back quickly on Twitter, calling the inquiry "Witch Hunt garbage."

Pelosi's change of heart followed reports that Trump had pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a July 25 phone call to investigate Biden, the Democratic presidential front-runner, and his son Hunter, who had worked for a company drilling for gas in Ukraine.

Trump promised on Tuesday to release a transcript of his phone call. He has acknowledged he discussed Biden in the call, but denied he withheld nearly $400 million in US&nbsp;aid to Ukraine as leverage to get Zelenskiy to launch a probe that would damage Biden, who leads opinion polls in the Democratic presidential race.

Pelosi said the six congressional committees currently investigating Trump would continue with their probes as part of the inquiry. Those panels would work collaboratively, and then decide whether the House Judiciary Committee should draft articles of impeachment, House aides said.

"The actions of the Trump presidency revealed a dishonourable fact of the president's betrayal of his oath of office, betrayal of our national security and betrayal of the integrity of our elections," Pelosi said.

Congressional allies of Trump accused Pelosi of playing politics with the decision. Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called it "a rush to judgement," saying it should have waited until after details of the phone call were revealed.

"It simply confirms that House Democrats' priority is not making life better for the American people, but their nearly three-year-old fixation on impeachment," he said in a statement.

The impeachment inquiry could eventually lead to Trump's removal from office, although that would be a steep task for Democrats. Even if the Democratic-controlled House voted to impeach Trump, the Republican-majority Senate would have to take the next step of removing him from office after a trial. A conviction would require a two-thirds Senate majority.

It will be the first impeachment inquiry in Congress since the 1998 probe of President Bill Clinton for perjury and obstruction of justice in relation to his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

The House voted to impeach Clinton in December 1998, but the Democratic president was acquitted two months later by the Senate and remained in office. The only other president to be impeached, Andrew Johnson in 1868, was also acquitted by the Senate.

US&nbsp;stocks plunged in volatile trade on Tuesday, with the S&amp;P 500 posting its biggest daily drop in a month as investors were rattled by Pelosi's announcement.

Political risk

Biden said he would back impeachment if the president did not fully comply with congressional investigations.

"If we allow a president to get away with shredding the Constitution, that will last forever," Biden told reporters in Wilmington, in his home state of Delaware.

Most Democratic presidential contenders support an impeachment inquiry, including US&nbsp;Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker and Amy Klobuchar; former US&nbsp;Representative Beto O'Rourke; South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg; and former US&nbsp;Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro.

But the move carries a risk of backfiring on Democrats if voters believe they are overreaching, as it did on House Republicans who unexpectedly lost seats in the 1998 elections after pursuing impeachment against Clinton.

Trump has proven particularly resilient since taking office in January 2017, withstanding repeated scandals and retaining strong support from Republicans.

He promised to release a "complete, fully declassified and unredacted" transcript of the July 25 Ukraine call on Wednesday.

Democrats are also seeking the original complaint about Trump's call, filed by a whistleblower within the US&nbsp;intelligence community, as well as information on deliberations over the Ukrainian aid.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said his panel was communicating with an attorney representing the whistleblower and that the individual would like to testify this week.

The White House had refused to hand over the whistleblower's complaint to Congress. But an administration official said late on Tuesday it was now preparing to release it by the end of the week and most likely allow the whistleblower to meet with congressional investigators.

The Senate approved a resolution on Tuesday calling for the complaint to be submitted to the Senate and House Intelligence committees. The House will vote on a similar resolution on Wednesday.

Trump said the transcript would show the Ukraine call was "totally appropriate," that he had not pressured Zelenskiy to investigate Biden and that there had been no "quid pro quo" for US&nbsp;aid in exchange for a probe. Quid pro quo is a Latin phrase meaning a favour that is exchanged for a favour.

Trump has produced no evidence of wrongdoing by Biden or his son.

"When you see the readout of the call, which I assume you'll see at some point, you'll understand. That call was perfect. It couldn't have been nicer," Trump told reporters at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Trump indicated there was nothing sinister about withholding the aid to Ukraine but he wanted Europe and not just the United States to step up and provide Ukraine assistance.

The money was later released by the Trump administration. Trump told reporters he had wanted the m

Democrats in the US House of Representatives on Tuesday launched a formal impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, accusing him of seeking foreign help to smear Democratic rival Joe Biden ahead of next year's election.

Democrats in the US House of Representatives on Tuesday launched a formal impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, accusing him of seeking foreign help to smear Democratic rival Joe Biden ahead of next year's election. The inquiry ensures a partisan fight in Congress and on the presidential campaign trail in coming months, energizing the most committed Republican and Democratic supporters and overshadowing the Democratic race for the nomination to face Trump in the November 2020 election. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the inquiry after a closed-door meeting with Democratic lawmakers, saying Trump's actions undermined national security and violated the US Constitution. "The president must be held accountable. No one is above the law," said Pelosi, who for months had been reluctant to embrace an impeachment effort. Trump fired back quickly on Twitter, calling the inquiry "Witch Hunt garbage." Pelosi's change of heart followed reports that Trump had pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a July 25 phone call to investigate Biden, the Democratic presidential front-runner, and his son Hunter, who had worked for a company drilling for gas in Ukraine. Trump promised on Tuesday to release a transcript of his phone call. He has acknowledged he discussed Biden in the call, but denied he withheld nearly $400 million in US aid to Ukraine as leverage to get Zelenskiy to launch a probe that would damage Biden, who leads opinion polls in the Democratic presidential race. Pelosi said the six congressional committees currently investigating Trump would continue with their probes as part of the inquiry. Those panels would work collaboratively, and then decide whether the House Judiciary Committee should draft articles of impeachment, House aides said. "The actions of the Trump presidency revealed a dishonourable fact of the president's betrayal of his oath of office, betrayal of our national security and betrayal of the integrity of our elections," Pelosi said. Congressional allies of Trump accused Pelosi of playing politics with the decision. Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called it "a rush to judgement," saying it should have waited until after details of the phone call were revealed. "It simply confirms that House Democrats' priority is not making life better for the American people, but their nearly three-year-old fixation on impeachment," he said in a statement. The impeachment inquiry could eventually lead to Trump's removal from office, although that would be a steep task for Democrats. Even if the Democratic-controlled House voted to impeach Trump, the Republican-majority Senate would have to take the next step of removing him from office after a trial. A conviction would require a two-thirds Senate majority. It will be the first impeachment inquiry in Congress since the 1998 probe of President Bill Clinton for perjury and obstruction of justice in relation to his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. The House voted to impeach Clinton in December 1998, but the Democratic president was acquitted two months later by the Senate and remained in office. The only other president to be impeached, Andrew Johnson in 1868, was also acquitted by the Senate. US stocks plunged in volatile trade on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 posting its biggest daily drop in a month as investors were rattled by Pelosi's announcement. Political risk Biden said he would back impeachment if the president did not fully comply with congressional investigations. "If we allow a president to get away with shredding the Constitution, that will last forever," Biden told reporters in Wilmington, in his home state of Delaware. Most Democratic presidential contenders support an impeachment inquiry, including US Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker and Amy Klobuchar; former US Representative Beto O'Rourke; South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg; and former US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro. But the move carries a risk of backfiring on Democrats if voters believe they are overreaching, as it did on House Republicans who unexpectedly lost seats in the 1998 elections after pursuing impeachment against Clinton. Trump has proven particularly resilient since taking office in January 2017, withstanding repeated scandals and retaining strong support from Republicans. He promised to release a "complete, fully declassified and unredacted" transcript of the July 25 Ukraine call on Wednesday. Democrats are also seeking the original complaint about Trump's call, filed by a whistleblower within the US intelligence community, as well as information on deliberations over the Ukrainian aid. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said his panel was communicating with an attorney representing the whistleblower and that the individual would like to testify this week. The White House had refused to hand over the whistleblower's complaint to Congress. But an administration official said late on Tuesday it was now preparing to release it by the end of the week and most likely allow the whistleblower to meet with congressional investigators. The Senate approved a resolution on Tuesday calling for the complaint to be submitted to the Senate and House Intelligence committees. The House will vote on a similar resolution on Wednesday. Trump said the transcript would show the Ukraine call was "totally appropriate," that he had not pressured Zelenskiy to investigate Biden and that there had been no "quid pro quo" for US aid in exchange for a probe. Quid pro quo is a Latin phrase meaning a favour that is exchanged for a favour. Trump has produced no evidence of wrongdoing by Biden or his son. "When you see the readout of the call, which I assume you'll see at some point, you'll understand. That call was perfect. It couldn't have been nicer," Trump told reporters at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Trump indicated there was nothing sinister about withholding the aid to Ukraine but he wanted Europe and not just the United States to step up and provide Ukraine assistance. The money was later released by the Trump administration. Trump told reporters he had wanted the m

US House begins Trump impeachment inquiry over call to Ukraine leader

From trade to terror: Key takeaways from Trump-Modi bilateral meeting

Asserting that there is an attitudinal shift in India on climate change, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that New Delhi is "doing better" than many of the western countries in achieving the Paris Accord's commitment.

"My first point I would make is there is a big attitudinal shift on climate change, in India. And until a few years ago people looked at climate change as something that was a growing awareness," Jaishankar said in an interview to Asia Society Policy Institute President Kevin Rudd on Tuesday.

"Actually when it comes to delivering on the Paris commitment... Frankly, it appears from what I read... it seems India is doing better than the much of Europe and other countries in meeting the Paris Accord's commitment," he said.

Jaishnakar said that in 2015 when the Paris agreement was being discussed, New Delhi had decided to take the lead on addressing climate change.

He asserted that India is on its way of meeting the target of installing 175 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity.

"At Paris... I think we decided that we would actually take the lead in addressing climate change challenges. I think our lot of views and position influenced the Group of 77 definitely but what we did outside the Paris conference to my mind was a more important outcome to us and for the world," he said.

"We decided to take the lead on advocating and implementing the spread of solar energy. We unveiled one of the most ambitious solar projects up to date. We started what is called the International Solar Alliance. The target was 175 GW. We are on the way to meeting that," he asserted.

Jaishankar said that the success of the world on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) would be dependent on the accomplishment of India in terms of goals.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.

"I think the big issue before the world and before the United Nations right now is how we're all going to deliver, or not, on the sustainable development goals. And this, I mean in a sense I say this, I mean this is an analytical observation. I think whether the world would be successful in achieving SDG&nbsp;targets would depend on whether India would be successful because our numbers are so big," he said.

 
&nbsp;

Asserting that there is an attitudinal shift in India on climate change, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that New Delhi is "doing better" than many of the western countries in achieving the Paris Accord's commitment.

Asserting that there is an attitudinal shift in India on climate change, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that New Delhi is "doing better" than many of the western countries in achieving the Paris Accord's commitment. "My first point I would make is there is a big attitudinal shift on climate change, in India. And until a few years ago people looked at climate change as something that was a growing awareness," Jaishankar said in an interview to Asia Society Policy Institute President Kevin Rudd on Tuesday. "Actually when it comes to delivering on the Paris commitment... Frankly, it appears from what I read... it seems India is doing better than the much of Europe and other countries in meeting the Paris Accord's commitment," he said. Jaishnakar said that in 2015 when the Paris agreement was being discussed, New Delhi had decided to take the lead on addressing climate change. He asserted that India is on its way of meeting the target of installing 175 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity. "At Paris... I think we decided that we would actually take the lead in addressing climate change challenges. I think our lot of views and position influenced the Group of 77 definitely but what we did outside the Paris conference to my mind was a more important outcome to us and for the world," he said. "We decided to take the lead on advocating and implementing the spread of solar energy. We unveiled one of the most ambitious solar projects up to date. We started what is called the International Solar Alliance. The target was 175 GW. We are on the way to meeting that," he asserted. Jaishankar said that the success of the world on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) would be dependent on the accomplishment of India in terms of goals. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. "I think the big issue before the world and before the United Nations right now is how we're all going to deliver, or not, on the sustainable development goals. And this, I mean in a sense I say this, I mean this is an analytical observation. I think whether the world would be successful in achieving SDG targets would depend on whether India would be successful because our numbers are so big," he said.

India is 'doing better' than many Western countries in achieving Paris Accord's commitment: Jaishankar

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/will-try-to-persuade-taliban-to-hold-talks-with-afghan-government-imran-khan-251858">Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan</a> on Tuesday was seen skipping a question from Indian media. As WION's Aditi Tyagi stood up to ask her question, Khan quickly rose and went away.&nbsp;

The incident happened during Pak prime minister Imran Khan's press conference on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, United States.&nbsp;

Khan, on Tuesday, said his country will try to persuade the Taliban to hold direct talks with the Afghan government and broker a peace deal to end the 18 year-long civil war in Afghanistan.

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"We thought a deal was being signed in Afghanistan. We found out through a tweet that the deal had been called off. I spoke to President Donald Trump in this regard. We will try our best to get the Taliban to talk to the Afghan government," he told reporters at the UN headquarters.

Khan hoped that a proper political solution is achieved to end the conflict else chaos could aggravate in the war-torn country.

"This time round, when the Americans leave Afghanistan we hope there is a transition to a proper political solution otherwise there will again be chaos in Afghanistan," he said.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump reacted to Khan's admission that his country's ISI is training Al Qaeda saying that "Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-will-take-care-of-it-trump-on-imran-khan-admitting-isis-role-in-training-al-qaeda-251841">Narendra Modi will take care of it</a>".

"...I know that your Prime Minister (PM Modi) will take care of it" Trump said when asked 'how do you see the statement coming from Pakistani PM admitting that the Pakistani ISI trained Al Qaeda?'.

Trump made the remarks during the press meet after holding bilateral meet with PM Modi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday was seen skipping a question from Indian media. As WION's Aditi Tyagi stood up to ask her question, Khan quickly rose and went away.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday was seen skipping a question from Indian media. As WION's Aditi Tyagi stood up to ask her question, Khan quickly rose and went away. The incident happened during Pak prime minister Imran Khan's press conference on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, United States. Khan, on Tuesday, said his country will try to persuade the Taliban to hold direct talks with the Afghan government and broker a peace deal to end the 18 year-long civil war in Afghanistan. × "We thought a deal was being signed in Afghanistan. We found out through a tweet that the deal had been called off. I spoke to President Donald Trump in this regard. We will try our best to get the Taliban to talk to the Afghan government," he told reporters at the UN headquarters. Khan hoped that a proper political solution is achieved to end the conflict else chaos could aggravate in the war-torn country. "This time round, when the Americans leave Afghanistan we hope there is a transition to a proper political solution otherwise there will again be chaos in Afghanistan," he said. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump reacted to Khan's admission that his country's ISI is training Al Qaeda saying that "Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take care of it". "...I know that your Prime Minister (PM Modi) will take care of it" Trump said when asked 'how do you see the statement coming from Pakistani PM admitting that the Pakistani ISI trained Al Qaeda?'. Trump made the remarks during the press meet after holding bilateral meet with PM Modi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

Watch: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan avoids WION's question, walks away 

Pak PM Imran Khan ignores Indian Media's questions in PC. Watch video to know more.

Pakistan PM Imran Khan ignores WION's question

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