'Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon...'&nbsp;

This song is one of the most heartbreaking tributes ever composed to commemorate Indian soldiers, who lost their lives fighting enemies. It was composed to remember Indian soldiers who died during the India-China war in 1962.&nbsp;

The emotional song is sung by none other than the iconic singer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/legendary-indian-singer-lata-mangeshkar-passes-away-nation-goes-into-mouring-450831">Lata Mangeshkar</a>, who left for heavenly abode on Sunday (February 6) at the age of 92.&nbsp;

The song 'Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon' is written in Hindi by Kavi Pradeep and composed by C Ramchandra.&nbsp;

It was first performed live two months after the war by Mangeshkar on Republic Day (26 January) 1963 at the National Stadium in the nation's capital, New Delhi.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/lata-mangeshkar-turns-91-from-beginning-to-great-achievements-a-look-back-at-her-great-life-330843" hreflang="en">Remembering Lata Mangeshkar: A look back at the music legend's incredible career</a>&nbsp;

The legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar sang the song in the presence of former Indian President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.&nbsp;

Years later in 2013, in one of the media interviews, Lata Mangeshkar said that she had initially refused the opportunity to sing the song, as she had said she wasn't prepared during that time.&nbsp;

"It was Pradeepji, (Kavi Pradeep) the poet, who wrote the immortal lyrics, who came to me and asked me to sing the song. I declined because there was no time to rehearse. You see, at that time I was working round-the-clock. To give special attention to one song seemed impossible," she had said.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/lata-mangeshkar1929-2022-10-melodious-bollywood-songs-from-her-80-year-long-career-261435" hreflang="en">Lata Mangeshkar(1929-2022): 10 Melodious Bollywood Songs from her 80 year long career</a>&nbsp;

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It was on 27th January, 1963. Didi Lata Mangeshkar sang "Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon" in front of PM Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru and thousands of Indians at Ramlila Maidan, New Delhi. 
 
Pt. Nehru couldn't control tears. The song became an emotion for crores of Indians.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RIP_Lata_Didi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RIP_Lata_Didi</a> 🙏😭 <a href="https://t.co/FYAEVcrFzB">pic.twitter.com/FYAEVcrFzB</a>
— Brijesh Kamani (@FighterBrijesh) <a href="https://twitter.com/FighterBrijesh/status/1490189221294149632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Legends Never Die ! 
 
Pic of 1963 : 
The Nightingale of India ‘Lata Mangeshkar’ ji Sings “Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon” To Remember Indian Soldiers Who Died In 
Indo - China War . 
 
Nation salutes her 🙏🏻 
 
PC <a href="https://twitter.com/IndiaHistorypic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndiaHistorypic</a> <a href="https://t.co/SXn6C4uShF">pic.twitter.com/SXn6C4uShF</a>
— Sonal Goel IAS (@sonalgoelias) <a href="https://twitter.com/sonalgoelias/status/1490203809549029382?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

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1963 :: Lata Mangeshkar Sings “Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon” To Remember Indian Soldiers Who Died In India - China War 
ॐ शांति शांति शांति।<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/latamangeshkar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#latamangeshkar</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/latamangeshkardeath?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#latamangeshkardeath</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LataMangeshkarrip?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LataMangeshkarrip</a> <a href="https://t.co/HFBo26QmST">pic.twitter.com/HFBo26QmST</a>
— Nitin Bundela (@Thenitinbundela) <a href="https://twitter.com/Thenitinbundela/status/1490198148744347648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
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RIP Lata&nbsp;Mangeshkar

The government announced&nbsp;two days of national mourning. The national flag will fly at half-mast and the Bollywood icon will be given a funeral with state honours.&nbsp;

She passed away on Feb 6&nbsp;at 8:12am (local time) due to a multi-organ failure, said&nbsp;Dr Pratit Samdani, who was treating the iconic singer in Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital.

Known as the 'Queen of Melody' and the 'Nightingale of India', Mangeshkar was one of the most loved singers in the history of the Indian music industry.

She was admitted to the hospital on January 8 after she had been diagnosed with Covid and pneumonia. She had recovered from the deadly virus but Mangeshkar was put on ventilator support after her condition worsened on Saturday.&nbsp;

'Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon...' This song is one of the most heartbreaking tributes ever composed to commemorate Indian soldiers, who lost their lives fighting enemies.

'Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon...' This song is one of the most heartbreaking tributes ever composed to commemorate Indian soldiers, who lost their lives fighting enemies. It was composed to remember Indian soldiers who died during the India-China war in 1962. The emotional song is sung by none other than the iconic singer Lata Mangeshkar, who left for heavenly abode on Sunday (February 6) at the age of 92. The song 'Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon' is written in Hindi by Kavi Pradeep and composed by C Ramchandra. It was first performed live two months after the war by Mangeshkar on Republic Day (26 January) 1963 at the National Stadium in the nation's capital, New Delhi. Remembering Lata Mangeshkar: A look back at the music legend's incredible career The legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar sang the song in the presence of former Indian President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Years later in 2013, in one of the media interviews, Lata Mangeshkar said that she had initially refused the opportunity to sing the song, as she had said she wasn't prepared during that time. "It was Pradeepji, (Kavi Pradeep) the poet, who wrote the immortal lyrics, who came to me and asked me to sing the song. I declined because there was no time to rehearse. You see, at that time I was working round-the-clock. To give special attention to one song seemed impossible," she had said. Lata Mangeshkar(1929-2022): 10 Melodious Bollywood Songs from her 80 year long career It was on 27th January, 1963. Didi Lata Mangeshkar sang "Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon" in front of PM Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru and thousands of Indians at Ramlila Maidan, New Delhi. Pt. Nehru couldn't control tears. The song became an emotion for crores of Indians.#RIP_Lata_Didi 🙏😭 pic.twitter.com/FYAEVcrFzB — Brijesh Kamani (@FighterBrijesh) February 6, 2022 × Legends Never Die ! Pic of 1963 : The Nightingale of India ‘Lata Mangeshkar’ ji Sings “Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon” To Remember Indian Soldiers Who Died In Indo - China War . Nation salutes her 🙏🏻 PC @IndiaHistorypic pic.twitter.com/SXn6C4uShF — Sonal Goel IAS (@sonalgoelias) February 6, 2022 × 1963 :: Lata Mangeshkar Sings “Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon” To Remember Indian Soldiers Who Died In India - China War ॐ शांति शांति शांति।#latamangeshkar #latamangeshkardeath #LataMangeshkarrip pic.twitter.com/HFBo26QmST — Nitin Bundela (@Thenitinbundela) February 6, 2022 × RIP Lata Mangeshkar The government announced two days of national mourning. The national flag will fly at half-mast and the Bollywood icon will be given a funeral with state honours. She passed away on Feb 6 at 8:12am (local time) due to a multi-organ failure, said Dr Pratit Samdani, who was treating the iconic singer in Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital. Known as the 'Queen of Melody' and the 'Nightingale of India', Mangeshkar was one of the most loved singers in the history of the Indian music industry. She was admitted to the hospital on January 8 after she had been diagnosed with Covid and pneumonia. She had recovered from the deadly virus but Mangeshkar was put on ventilator support after her condition worsened on Saturday.

Watch: When Lata Mangeshkar sang 'Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon' for the first time after India-China war

India's legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar passed away on Sunday (February 6) at the age of 92, leaving the entire nation grieving.&nbsp;

The government announced&nbsp;two days national mourning . The national flag will fly at half mast and the Bollywood icon will be given a funeral with state honours.

She passed away at 8:12am (local time) due to a multi-organ failure, said&nbsp;Dr Pratit Samdani, who was treating the iconic singer in Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital.

"It is with profound grief that we announce the sad demise of #LataMangeshkar at 8:12am. She has died because of multi-organ failure after more than 28 days of hospitalisation post COVID-19," Samdani said.&nbsp;

Known as the 'Queen of Melody' and the 'Nightingale of India', Mangeshkar was one of the most loved singers in the history of the Indian music industry.

She was admitted to the hospital on January 8 after she had been diagnosed with Covid and pneumonia.&nbsp;

She had recovered from the deadly virus but Mangeshkar was put on ventilator support after her condition worsened on Saturday.&nbsp;

Born to a family of artists and musicians, Mangeshkar joined the film industry at the age of 13 after her father's sudden demise and made her debut as playback singer in the Marathi film 'Kiti Hasaal'.

The song was, however, dropped from the final cut of that film. The same year, she made her debut as an actress in Marathi film 'Pahili Mangalaa-gau'.

Since then, Mangeshkar had a career spanning over seven&nbsp;decades and has sung in almost all Indian languages, becoming the musical voice of generations of Indian film heroines.&nbsp;

Honoured with India's&nbsp;highest civilian honour - the Bharat Ratna- Mangeshkar was also awarded France's&nbsp;highest civilian award, the Officer of the Legion of Honour.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/lata-mangeshkar-turns-91-from-beginning-to-great-achievements-a-look-back-at-her-great-life-330843" hreflang="en">Remembering Lata Mangeshkar: A look back at the music legend's incredible career</a>

Her body will be brought at 12.30 PM to her Peddar Road residence- Prabha Kunj- so that family members, colleagues, friends and fans can pay their last respect.&nbsp;

At 6:30 PM&nbsp;her body will be moved for last rites to Shivaji Park where the last rites will be performed.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/lata-mangeshkar1929-2022-10-melodious-bollywood-songs-from-her-80-year-long-career-261435" hreflang="en">Lata Mangeshkar(1929-2022): 10 Melodious Bollywood Songs from her 80 year long career</a>&nbsp;

India's legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar passed away on Sunday (February 6) at the age of 92, leaving the entire nation grieving. The government announced two days national mourning .

India's legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar passed away on Sunday (February 6) at the age of 92, leaving the entire nation grieving. The government announced two days national mourning . The national flag will fly at half mast and the Bollywood icon will be given a funeral with state honours. She passed away at 8:12am (local time) due to a multi-organ failure, said Dr Pratit Samdani, who was treating the iconic singer in Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital. "It is with profound grief that we announce the sad demise of #LataMangeshkar at 8:12am. She has died because of multi-organ failure after more than 28 days of hospitalisation post COVID-19," Samdani said. Known as the 'Queen of Melody' and the 'Nightingale of India', Mangeshkar was one of the most loved singers in the history of the Indian music industry. She was admitted to the hospital on January 8 after she had been diagnosed with Covid and pneumonia. She had recovered from the deadly virus but Mangeshkar was put on ventilator support after her condition worsened on Saturday. Born to a family of artists and musicians, Mangeshkar joined the film industry at the age of 13 after her father's sudden demise and made her debut as playback singer in the Marathi film 'Kiti Hasaal'. The song was, however, dropped from the final cut of that film. The same year, she made her debut as an actress in Marathi film 'Pahili Mangalaa-gau'. Since then, Mangeshkar had a career spanning over seven decades and has sung in almost all Indian languages, becoming the musical voice of generations of Indian film heroines. Honoured with India's highest civilian honour - the Bharat Ratna- Mangeshkar was also awarded France's highest civilian award, the Officer of the Legion of Honour. Remembering Lata Mangeshkar: A look back at the music legend's incredible career Her body will be brought at 12.30 PM to her Peddar Road residence- Prabha Kunj- so that family members, colleagues, friends and fans can pay their last respect. At 6:30 PM her body will be moved for last rites to Shivaji Park where the last rites will be performed. Lata Mangeshkar(1929-2022): 10 Melodious Bollywood Songs from her 80 year long career

Legendary Indian singer Lata Mangeshkar passes away, nation goes into mouring

In a landmark address marking the 70th anniversary of her reign, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II said on Saturday that she wants Camilla,&nbsp;Duchess of Cornwall, to be known as 'Queen Consort' when Prince Charles becomes King.&nbsp;

Queen Elizabeth II said that she remains "eternally grateful" for the loyalty and affection she continues to get from people and added that she knows the future King and his wife will get the "same support".&nbsp;

She weighed in on one of the most debated topics so far in her reign, which is the future title of Camilla, when Prince Charles will become the King.&nbsp;

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-along-with-queen-elizabeth-these-are-the-worlds-longest-reigning-monarchs-450363#frances-louis-xiv-450344">In Pics: Along with Queen Elizabeth, these are the world's longest reigning monarchs</a>

"It is my sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service," the Queen noted in a written letter.&nbsp;

Camilla married Charles in 2005 in a civil ceremony and both were divorcees during that time. She was often called the "outsider".&nbsp;

She was constantly targeted after the marriage, both by commoners and the tabloids in the UK, especially in the 1990s when Charles divorced his first wife Princess Diana, who died in a car crash in Paris in 1997.&nbsp;

IN PICS | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/can-the-queen-go-to-prison-heres-a-list-of-british-royals-who-faced-legal-troubles-448046">Can the Queen go to prison? Here's a list of British Royals who faced legal troubles</a>

Throughout British history, the wife of a King typically is given the title Queen Consort.&nbsp;

However, at the time of their marriage, it had been officially decided that Camilla would use the title Princess Consort if Charles were to become King.&nbsp;

But the latest remarks by Queen Elizabeth II will cement Camilla's status as a royal. Camilla now regularly represents the Royal Family alongside Charles during official duties.&nbsp;

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In her message, she references the broadcast she made on her 21st birthday in which she pledged her life’s work to the people of the Commonwealth with the words: 
 
“I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service.” <a href="https://t.co/JllEHYEGMu">pic.twitter.com/JllEHYEGMu</a>
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1490083072460607488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

In a landmark address marking the 70th anniversary of her reign, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II said on Saturday that she wants Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, to be known as 'Queen Consort' when Prince Charles becomes King.

In a landmark address marking the 70th anniversary of her reign, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II said on Saturday that she wants Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, to be known as 'Queen Consort' when Prince Charles becomes King. Queen Elizabeth II said that she remains "eternally grateful" for the loyalty and affection she continues to get from people and added that she knows the future King and his wife will get the "same support". She weighed in on one of the most debated topics so far in her reign, which is the future title of Camilla, when Prince Charles will become the King. IN PICS | In Pics: Along with Queen Elizabeth, these are the world's longest reigning monarchs "It is my sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service," the Queen noted in a written letter. Camilla married Charles in 2005 in a civil ceremony and both were divorcees during that time. She was often called the "outsider". She was constantly targeted after the marriage, both by commoners and the tabloids in the UK, especially in the 1990s when Charles divorced his first wife Princess Diana, who died in a car crash in Paris in 1997. IN PICS | Can the Queen go to prison? Here's a list of British Royals who faced legal troubles Throughout British history, the wife of a King typically is given the title Queen Consort. However, at the time of their marriage, it had been officially decided that Camilla would use the title Princess Consort if Charles were to become King. But the latest remarks by Queen Elizabeth II will cement Camilla's status as a royal. Camilla now regularly represents the Royal Family alongside Charles during official duties. In her message, she references the broadcast she made on her 21st birthday in which she pledged her life’s work to the people of the Commonwealth with the words: “I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service.” pic.twitter.com/JllEHYEGMu — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) February 5, 2022 ×

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II wants Prince Charles' wife Camilla to be known as 'Queen Consort'

The United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson has hired former Brexit minister Steve Barclay as the new chief of staff in an attempt to rebuild his scandal-hit team.

The United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson has hired former Brexit minister Steve Barclay as the new chief of staff in an attempt to rebuild his scandal-hit team. After a series of controversies at Downing Street and some resignations by key staff members, Johnson is looking forward to making more changes at No 10 to save his premiership. "The changes I'm announcing to my senior team today will improve how No 10 operates, strengthen the role of my Cabinet and backbench colleagues, and accelerate our defining mission to level up the country," the UK Prime Minister said in a statement as quoted by Reuters. ALSO READ | UK PM Johnson’s photo holding beer can at lockdown-breaching party handed over to police: Reports Barclay, who is currently the Cabinet Office minister, will oversee the running of Downing Street as he is set to combine his ministerial duties with his new job. In other changes, local media reported that former news presenter Guto Harri, 55, will be the new communications chief. Recently, Munira Mirza, the head of policy who had worked with him for 14 years, resigned on Thursday over Johnson's claim that Labour leader Keir Starmer failed to prosecute paedophile Jimmy Savile during his time as director of public prosecutions (DPP). ALSO READ | Four of Johnson's closest aides desert him, as he seeks a fresh start Johnson has repeatedly refused to resign over reports that he and some of his staff attended Downing Street parties during coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdowns. Johnson has admitted that problems needed to be fixed at the heart of Downing Street. Meanwhile, a police investigation is underway over lockdown-breaching gatherings when they were banned across the country. × (With inputs from agencies)

Amid scandals and controversies, UK PM Boris Johnson hires new chief of staff and communications head

Riding on half-centuries by Nishant Sindhu and Shaik Rasheed and clinical bowling performances from Raj Bawa and Ravi Kumar, India clinched a record-extending 5th U-19 World Cup title after beating England by four wickets in the final of the 2022 edition of the tournament at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, here on Saturday.

This is India`s record fifth title in the tournament`s history and came after previously winning it in 2000, 2008, 2012 and 2018. The Yash Dhull-led India U19 finished the tournament with an unbeaten run in the West Indies, flaunting the strength of the assembly line of Next-Gen India cricketers.

With this, Dhull joins the illustrious list of captains -- Mohammad Kaif (2000), Virat Kohli (2008), Unmukt Chand (2012), Prithvi Shaw (2018) -- who have lifted the U19 trophy for India in the past.

A superb bowling performance by Raj Bawa (5/31) and Ravi Kumar (4/34) helped India bowl out England for 189 despite a fighting fifty by James Rew (95). In reply, Shaik Rasheed (50 off 84) and Nishant Sindhu (50 not out off 54) smashed fifties while Raj Bawa (35 off 54) also played a vital knock and helped India chase the target in 47.4 overs, with four wickets in hand.&nbsp;

Chasing a challenging target, India were off to a poor start as left-arm pacer Joshua Boyden removed Angkrish Raghuvanshi for zero in the very second delivery of the innings. After losing Raghuvanshi early, Shaikh Rasheed and Harnoor Singh didn`t take too many risks and batted cautiously. The duo took India to 33/1 after 10 overs as England used three bowlers, including captain Tom Prest, in the first powerplay.

From there on, England dried the runs up by bowling some disciplined overs and backed that up with solid efforts in fielding. It was Thomas Aspinwall who gave England the big breakthrough by dismissing opener Harnoor Singh with an unplayable bouncer and ending a 49-run stand for the 2nd wicket.

Captain Yash Dhull, who played a match-winning knock of 110 runs against Australia in the semi-final, then joined vice-captain Rasheed at the crease. The asking rate was not too much but India were under a bit of pressure after that slow start. But Dhull and Shaikh Rasheed showed great composure and added runs quickly.

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No one is taking the trophy away from the India captain 😉<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/U19CWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#U19CWC</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/GvYVAqMRQG">pic.twitter.com/GvYVAqMRQG</a>
— ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1490084955384385542?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Rasheed, who took his time during the partnership with Harnoor, was more proactive between the two as he got to his fifty in 83 balls. However, he couldn`t carry his innings longer and got out to James Sales while going for a big hit. Soon, Sales dismissed Yash Dhull for 17 and helped England claw back in the match with India at 97 for 4 in 28.4 overs.

From there on, Raj Bawa and Nishant Sindhu joined hands to bail India out of the tricky situation. Both Bawa and Sindhu looked in solid touch and scored at a brisk rate, taking India closer to the target. It took 40 overs for India to hit their first six as Rehan Ahmed was launched over the long-on boundary by Nishant Sindhu, who hit the first six of the second innings to bring his 50-run partnership with Bawa.

With India needing 44 runs in the last 60 balls, Bawa changed gears and smashed a six and a four to turn things in India`s favour. In continuation of his aggressive batting, Bawa hit the ball straight to the mid-on fielder and departed after scoring 35 from 54 balls. However, Nishant Sindhu kept his nerves and hit a superb fifty, putting India on the cusp of victory. It was Raj Bawa -- the star of the day-- who hit a couple of sixes and took India over the victory line in style.

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That <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/U19CWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#U19CWC</a> winning feeling 💙 <a href="https://t.co/wKk7BibxXh">pic.twitter.com/wKk7BibxXh</a>
— ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1490090356557463553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Earlier, England won the toss and opted to bat first, but they were off to a terrible start as they lost Jacob Bethell (2) in the second over of the innings. Bethell played for an in-swing but the ball bowled by Ravi Kumar kept its line and the England opener was trapped plumb in front of the wicket.

Captain Tom Prest, who came to bat first, didn`t trouble the scorers and got out a duck. He was also dismissed by Ravi Kumar, who bowled a short delivery and Prest dragged the ball onto the stumps, leaving England to 18-2 after 3.3 overs. Thereafter, George Thomas, who was playing counter-attacking shots looking to rebuild England`s innings along with James Rew after two early blows.

During the process, Kaushal Tambe dropped a straightforward catch at first slip as Thomas survived and Raj Bawa, the first change bowler, was denied a wicket.

However, the drop didn`t cost India that much as Bawa dismissed the dangerous Thomas for 27. Opener Thomas looked to put pressure on Bawa by hitting across the line in the first delivery of the 11th over but he got a leading edge and was caught inside the 30-yard circle.&nbsp;

Continuing his dreamy bowling spell, Raj Bawa soon got rid of Will Luxton and George Bell in two consecutive deliveries of the 13th over as England were five down for 47 runs. Things were not looking good for England; it got worse when Bawa picked his fourth wicket of the match, dismissing Rehan Ahmed (10), who edged the ball straight to the slips and Kaushal Tambe made no mistake.

Wickets were falling from one end but James Rew was holding the fort for England amid all the carnage. He along with Alex Horton hit a few much-needed boundaries and stitched a 30-run stand for the seventh wicket before the latter got out to spinner Kaushal Tambe for 10 in the 25th over of the innings.

At 91-7, it looked like England would get bowled out for a lower total but James Rew and James Sales stitched a solid partnership for the 8th wicket. Rew mixed aggression with caution and found the gaps with ease, scoring his fifty in 79 balls. He was well supported by Sales from the other end as the duo took England to 147/5 after 35 overs. On the other hand, India were looking desperate for a wicket as skipper Yash Dhull made multiple bowling changes.

It was Ravi Kumar, who brought India back into the game by taking two quick wickets in the 44th over. He first got rid of James Rew, who played a fantastic knock of 95, snapping a 93-run stand for the 8th wicket and then removed lower-order batter Thomas Aspinwall for a duck.

Raj Bawa then dismissed Joshua Boyden to take his five-fer as England were bowled out for 189 after 44.5 overs. James Sales remained not out after scoring 34 off 65.

Brief scores: England U-19: 189 all out in 44.5 overs (James Rew 95, James Sales 34; Raj Bawa 5/31, Ravi Kumar 4/34) lost to India U-19: 195-6 in 47.4 overs (Shaik Rasheed 50, Nishant Sindhu 50; Joshua Boyden 2/24) by four wickets 
&nbsp;

Riding on half-centuries by Nishant Sindhu and Shaik Rasheed and clinical bowling performances from Raj Bawa and Ravi Kumar, India clinched a record-extending 5th U-19 World Cup title after beating England by four wickets in the final of the 2022 edition of the tournament at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, here on Saturday.

Riding on half-centuries by Nishant Sindhu and Shaik Rasheed and clinical bowling performances from Raj Bawa and Ravi Kumar, India clinched a record-extending 5th U-19 World Cup title after beating England by four wickets in the final of the 2022 edition of the tournament at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, here on Saturday. This is India`s record fifth title in the tournament`s history and came after previously winning it in 2000, 2008, 2012 and 2018. The Yash Dhull-led India U19 finished the tournament with an unbeaten run in the West Indies, flaunting the strength of the assembly line of Next-Gen India cricketers. With this, Dhull joins the illustrious list of captains -- Mohammad Kaif (2000), Virat Kohli (2008), Unmukt Chand (2012), Prithvi Shaw (2018) -- who have lifted the U19 trophy for India in the past. A superb bowling performance by Raj Bawa (5/31) and Ravi Kumar (4/34) helped India bowl out England for 189 despite a fighting fifty by James Rew (95). In reply, Shaik Rasheed (50 off 84) and Nishant Sindhu (50 not out off 54) smashed fifties while Raj Bawa (35 off 54) also played a vital knock and helped India chase the target in 47.4 overs, with four wickets in hand. Chasing a challenging target, India were off to a poor start as left-arm pacer Joshua Boyden removed Angkrish Raghuvanshi for zero in the very second delivery of the innings. After losing Raghuvanshi early, Shaikh Rasheed and Harnoor Singh didn`t take too many risks and batted cautiously. The duo took India to 33/1 after 10 overs as England used three bowlers, including captain Tom Prest, in the first powerplay. From there on, England dried the runs up by bowling some disciplined overs and backed that up with solid efforts in fielding. It was Thomas Aspinwall who gave England the big breakthrough by dismissing opener Harnoor Singh with an unplayable bouncer and ending a 49-run stand for the 2nd wicket. Captain Yash Dhull, who played a match-winning knock of 110 runs against Australia in the semi-final, then joined vice-captain Rasheed at the crease. The asking rate was not too much but India were under a bit of pressure after that slow start. But Dhull and Shaikh Rasheed showed great composure and added runs quickly. No one is taking the trophy away from the India captain 😉#U19CWC | #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/GvYVAqMRQG — ICC (@ICC) February 5, 2022 × Rasheed, who took his time during the partnership with Harnoor, was more proactive between the two as he got to his fifty in 83 balls. However, he couldn`t carry his innings longer and got out to James Sales while going for a big hit. Soon, Sales dismissed Yash Dhull for 17 and helped England claw back in the match with India at 97 for 4 in 28.4 overs. From there on, Raj Bawa and Nishant Sindhu joined hands to bail India out of the tricky situation. Both Bawa and Sindhu looked in solid touch and scored at a brisk rate, taking India closer to the target. It took 40 overs for India to hit their first six as Rehan Ahmed was launched over the long-on boundary by Nishant Sindhu, who hit the first six of the second innings to bring his 50-run partnership with Bawa. With India needing 44 runs in the last 60 balls, Bawa changed gears and smashed a six and a four to turn things in India`s favour. In continuation of his aggressive batting, Bawa hit the ball straight to the mid-on fielder and departed after scoring 35 from 54 balls. However, Nishant Sindhu kept his nerves and hit a superb fifty, putting India on the cusp of victory. It was Raj Bawa -- the star of the day-- who hit a couple of sixes and took India over the victory line in style. That #U19CWC winning feeling 💙 pic.twitter.com/wKk7BibxXh — ICC (@ICC) February 5, 2022 × Earlier, England won the toss and opted to bat first, but they were off to a terrible start as they lost Jacob Bethell (2) in the second over of the innings. Bethell played for an in-swing but the ball bowled by Ravi Kumar kept its line and the England opener was trapped plumb in front of the wicket. Captain Tom Prest, who came to bat first, didn`t trouble the scorers and got out a duck. He was also dismissed by Ravi Kumar, who bowled a short delivery and Prest dragged the ball onto the stumps, leaving England to 18-2 after 3.3 overs. Thereafter, George Thomas, who was playing counter-attacking shots looking to rebuild England`s innings along with James Rew after two early blows. During the process, Kaushal Tambe dropped a straightforward catch at first slip as Thomas survived and Raj Bawa, the first change bowler, was denied a wicket. However, the drop didn`t cost India that much as Bawa dismissed the dangerous Thomas for 27. Opener Thomas looked to put pressure on Bawa by hitting across the line in the first delivery of the 11th over but he got a leading edge and was caught inside the 30-yard circle. Continuing his dreamy bowling spell, Raj Bawa soon got rid of Will Luxton and George Bell in two consecutive deliveries of the 13th over as England were five down for 47 runs. Things were not looking good for England; it got worse when Bawa picked his fourth wicket of the match, dismissing Rehan Ahmed (10), who edged the ball straight to the slips and Kaushal Tambe made no mistake. Wickets were falling from one end but James Rew was holding the fort for England amid all the carnage. He along with Alex Horton hit a few much-needed boundaries and stitched a 30-run stand for the seventh wicket before the latter got out to spinner Kaushal Tambe for 10 in the 25th over of the innings. At 91-7, it looked like England would get bowled out for a lower total but James Rew and James Sales stitched a solid partnership for the 8th wicket. Rew mixed aggression with caution and found the gaps with ease, scoring his fifty in 79 balls. He was well supported by Sales from the other end as the duo took England to 147/5 after 35 overs. On the other hand, India were looking desperate for a wicket as skipper Yash Dhull made multiple bowling changes. It was Ravi Kumar, who brought India back into the game by taking two quick wickets in the 44th over. He first got rid of James Rew, who played a fantastic knock of 95, snapping a 93-run stand for the 8th wicket and then removed lower-order batter Thomas Aspinwall for a duck. Raj Bawa then dismissed Joshua Boyden to take his five-fer as England were bowled out for 189 after 44.5 overs. James Sales remained not out after scoring 34 off 65. Brief scores: England U-19: 189 all out in 44.5 overs (James Rew 95, James Sales 34; Raj Bawa 5/31, Ravi Kumar 4/34) lost to India U-19: 195-6 in 47.4 overs (Shaik Rasheed 50, Nishant Sindhu 50; Joshua Boyden 2/24) by four wickets

U-19 World Cup: India outclass England; clinch record-extending 5th title

Britain's Camilla: From public shaming to Queen Elizabeth's Consort-in-waiting

Cuba&nbsp;on Saturday announced a new 10 per cent tax on retail food sales, as the country endures economic woes marked by rampant inflation.

The levy taking effect Monday will target self-employed people and small- and medium-sized companies in the retail food sector, said the decree published in the official government gazette. These sales were only allowed starting in August of last year as part of reforms in the communist-run island.

Cuban economist Pedro Monreal wrote on Twitter that the new tax will probably have two effects: higher food prices and more inequality among the Cuban people.

Monreal said it will hurt "lower-income households that spend a relatively higher percentage of their resources on food."

Monetary reforms applied last year caused prices of goods and services to shoot up in&nbsp;Cuba, mainly those of food. Inflation last year came in at 70 per cent.

People have to wait in long lines for scarce supplies of food and medicine.

Cuba&nbsp;imports 80 per cent of the food it consumes. Its purchases have declined drastically due to a shortage of hard currency and because of international transport problems stemming from the Covid pandemic.

Cuba on Saturday announced a new 10 per cent tax on retail food sales, as the country endures economic woes marked by rampant inflation. The levy taking effect Monday will target self-employed people and small- and medium-sized companies in the retail food sector, said the decree published in the official government gazette.

Cuba on Saturday announced a new 10 per cent tax on retail food sales, as the country endures economic woes marked by rampant inflation. The levy taking effect Monday will target self-employed people and small- and medium-sized companies in the retail food sector, said the decree published in the official government gazette. These sales were only allowed starting in August of last year as part of reforms in the communist-run island. Cuban economist Pedro Monreal wrote on Twitter that the new tax will probably have two effects: higher food prices and more inequality among the Cuban people. Monreal said it will hurt "lower-income households that spend a relatively higher percentage of their resources on food." Monetary reforms applied last year caused prices of goods and services to shoot up in Cuba, mainly those of food. Inflation last year came in at 70 per cent. People have to wait in long lines for scarce supplies of food and medicine. Cuba imports 80 per cent of the food it consumes. Its purchases have declined drastically due to a shortage of hard currency and because of international transport problems stemming from the Covid pandemic.

Cuba slaps new tax on food sales as economic woes hit hard

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Sunday that the reopening of the country's borders to international tourists may not be far away, adding that the parliament will debate the matter this week.

Australia, which shut its borders in March of 2020, has been going through a staggered reopening in recent months, allowing in only its citizens and residents, skilled migrants, international students and certain seasonal workers.

In January, Morrison said he hoped international borders could fully reopen before Easter.

His popularity has been sliding in recent months, however, in part reflecting questions about his handling of the Omicron outbreak, and he faces pressure from a federal election that must be called by May.

While the highly transmissible Omicron variant keeps spreading, hospitalisations and deaths have been stabilising, with News Corp newspapers over the weekend quoting unnamed sources as saying that&nbsp;Australia&nbsp;may reopen its borders within two or three weeks.

"We are looking forward to be able to make that decision to open up our borders and welcome visitors back to&nbsp;Australia&nbsp;again as soon as we safely and possibly can," Morrison said on Sunday. "But I really do not believe that that is far away."

The first 2022 sitting of the&nbsp;Australian parliament is to start on Monday and Morrison said that reopening borders to tourists will be addressed "very early on".

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said in an interview on the&nbsp;Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Insiders programme on Sunday that the government is "very close" to deciding.

Australia, which has nearly 95% of the eligible population aged 16 and over double-vaccinated against the coronavirus and nearly nine million people with more than two doses, requires all international travellers to be vaccinated or provide evidence of a medical vaccination exemption to enter the country.

As of midday on Sunday, the country's latest daily reports showed 43 coronavirus-related deaths: 28 in New South Wales state, nine in Queensland and six in Victoria.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Sunday that the reopening of the country's borders to international tourists may not be far away, adding that the parliament will debate the matter this week.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Sunday that the reopening of the country's borders to international tourists may not be far away, adding that the parliament will debate the matter this week. Australia, which shut its borders in March of 2020, has been going through a staggered reopening in recent months, allowing in only its citizens and residents, skilled migrants, international students and certain seasonal workers. In January, Morrison said he hoped international borders could fully reopen before Easter. His popularity has been sliding in recent months, however, in part reflecting questions about his handling of the Omicron outbreak, and he faces pressure from a federal election that must be called by May. While the highly transmissible Omicron variant keeps spreading, hospitalisations and deaths have been stabilising, with News Corp newspapers over the weekend quoting unnamed sources as saying that Australia may reopen its borders within two or three weeks. "We are looking forward to be able to make that decision to open up our borders and welcome visitors back to Australia again as soon as we safely and possibly can," Morrison said on Sunday. "But I really do not believe that that is far away." The first 2022 sitting of the Australian parliament is to start on Monday and Morrison said that reopening borders to tourists will be addressed "very early on". Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said in an interview on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Insiders programme on Sunday that the government is "very close" to deciding. Australia, which has nearly 95% of the eligible population aged 16 and over double-vaccinated against the coronavirus and nearly nine million people with more than two doses, requires all international travellers to be vaccinated or provide evidence of a medical vaccination exemption to enter the country. As of midday on Sunday, the country's latest daily reports showed 43 coronavirus-related deaths: 28 in New South Wales state, nine in Queensland and six in Victoria.

Australian PM Scott Morrison signals reopening borders to tourists 'not far away'

Senior Biden administration officials told lawmakers this past week that they believed the Russian military had assembled 70% of the forces it would need to mount a full invasion of Ukraine, painting the most ominous picture yet of the options that Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, has created for himself in recent weeks.

During six hours of closed meetings with House and Senate lawmakers Thursday, the officials warned that if Putin chose the most aggressive of his options, he could quickly surround or capture Kyiv, the capital, and remove the country’s democratically elected president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. They also warned that the invasion could prompt an enormous refugee crisis on the European continent, sending millions fleeing.

The officials stressed that U.S. intelligence analysts still did not assess that Putin had made a final decision to invade. But satellite imagery, communications among Russian forces and images of Russian equipment on the move show that he has assembled everything he would need to undertake what the officials said would constitute the largest military operation on land in Europe since 1945.

They also warned of enormous possible human costs if Putin went ahead with a full invasion, including the potential deaths of 25,000 to 50,000 civilians, 5,000 to 25,000 members of the Ukrainian military and 3,000 to 10,000 members of the Russian military. The invasion, they said, could also result in 1 million to 5 million refugees, with many of them pouring into Poland.

Should Putin decide to invade, U.S. officials believe he is not likely to move until the second half of February. By that point, more ground will have frozen, making it easier to move heavy vehicles and equipment, and the Winter Olympics in Beijing will have ended or be winding down, which could help Putin avoid antagonizing President Xi Jinping of China, a critical ally for the Russian president.

The grim briefings were the latest salvo in weeks of grave messaging from the Biden administration about Putin’s plans. On the same day as the briefings, the administration also publicly warned that Russia may try to stage a false-flag operation suggesting that Russian-speaking populations are being attacked, which could create a pretext for an overt military operation. The drumbeat of warnings is part of a concerted campaign by the administration to expose Putin’s maneuvers in an attempt to build international pressure on him and make clear to him the risks to Russia of escalating the situation further.

Whether Putin decides to go through with a maximalist approach or a more scaled-down version is the question with which American, European and Ukrainian officials are all grappling.

For example, European officials, examining the same evidence, suggest that Putin could start smaller and test the reaction — with cyberattacks to paralyze Ukraine’s electric grid and communications, an invasion limited to the Russian-speaking territory in eastern Ukraine or an effort to cut the country in half, roughly along the Dnieper River. U.S. officials have acknowledged the possibility, especially if Putin wants to see if a smaller military action would create more divisions within Europe over whether to impose the most crushing economic sanctions.

Western intelligence officials also say they have picked up chatter suggesting Russian military leaders are confident they could take Ukraine in a blitzkrieg attack, but worry that they may not be able to hold on to the country, especially if the invasion sets off a significant insurgency. That has prompted speculation inside the NATO alliance that Putin might invade, seek to change the Ukrainian government and then partly withdraw his forces.

The briefings to Congress on Thursday were led by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin; Secretary of State Antony Blinken; Avril Haines, director of national intelligence; and Gen. Mark Milley, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The U.S. officials described to lawmakers five options that Putin could take, depending on the scope of his ambitions and his calculations about whether he would rather try to take the whole country quickly, no matter the human and economic cost to Russia, or attack it in pieces, in hopes of dividing Europe and NATO allies.

The options include a coup that would depose Zelenskyy; a limited incursion into eastern Ukraine similar to what Putin did when he annexed Crimea in 2014; an incursion into the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine accompanied by a Russian declaration of Donbas as an independent republic; or a Donbas incursion followed by an invasion and annexation of all of the eastern part of the country.

The worst-case assessment is that Putin is preparing to take the entire country — the scenario that would most likely produce the greatest casualties and, presumably, prompt the harshest sanctions from the United States and Europe.

Putin, Milley told lawmakers, is putting in the “military capability to do any and all, building himself a set of options.”

The unclassified parts of the briefings to lawmakers were described to The New York Times by officials in the room, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Diplomats and intelligence officials from three other countries involved in seeking to deter a Russian invasion confirmed the broad outlines of the status of Russian forces, although they disagreed about the importance of certain elements.

After hearing from administration officials, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., told reporters that a Russian invasion was a “near certainty.” He added that “if we now live in an era where someone can move into a country and just take it over and claim it as their own, I don’t think it’s going to stop at Ukraine,” echoing the fear that Putin may be trying to redraw the map of the continent to return to the days of the Soviet Union.

Increased planning in Russia’s military apparatus began last fall, Biden administration officials told lawmakers. The expansiveness of the effort alarmed intelligence analysts, who assessed that Putin had concluded that he would need some 150,000 troops from 110 battalion tactical groups to conquer Ukraine, which the Russian president views as a part of Russia.

The officials said that, as of this past week, Putin had amassed about 70% of the forces he would need to pull off a large-scale invasion to take the entire country, with more than 110,000 troops at the border with Ukraine from 83 battalion tactical groups. Some 14 additional groups were in transit to the border, the officials said.

They said Russian troops had been positioned in a manner that suggested a pincer movement, in which Russia would invade the country from three sides. Thirty thousand troops, according to U.S. and NATO estimates, are now in Belarus, which borders Ukraine to the north.

Ballistic missiles in Belarus, and to the east inside Russian territory, have captured British and Ukrainian attention in recent days. The Iskander-M missiles are mounted on mobile launchers, meaning they can be rolled closer to the border in short order, and they have a range of about 300 miles. That suggests that Putin, if he chose, could begin attacking cities and military emplacements before he moved any troops over the border.

Austin and Milley described to lawmakers a bristling array of additional Russian military assets that have encircled Ukraine. They include 11 amphibious assault ships, in the Black Sea and in the Mediterranean, with the capacity to carry five battalions of Russian marines who could land in Ukraine from the south, the officials said. In addition, Putin has deployed a number of submarines to the Black Sea, the defense officials told lawmakers.

Putin has also deployed Special Operations forces — about 1,500 troops — near and even inside the Ukrainian border, the officials told lawmakers. Those troops, they said, work closely with the Russian military intelligence agency, the GRU, which has in the past directed cyber and other attacks on foes.

European officials tend to be more skeptical that Putin would try to take the country in a large-scale invasion. Some believe that he would seek to take the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, where a grinding proxy war has been underway since 2014.

Another theory is that Putin could expand that operation in an effort to annex all of eastern Ukraine, up to the Dnieper River. Along the way he could try to decimate Ukrainian troops in that part of the country, roughly half of the Ukrainian military. That could incite panic in the western part of Ukraine — where resistance to Russia might be highest — and prompt people to flee the country. Over time, that could lead top government officials to flee or to try to rule from exile.

U.S. and European officials have made clear that a physical attack over the borders of Ukraine would lead to enormous sanctions on Russia’s banks, trade restrictions on semiconductors and other high-tech items and the freezing of the accounts of Russian oligarchs and leaders. But there is far less unanimity, as President Joe Biden himself has acknowledged, about how to respond to a “minor incursion.” Or even what a minor incursion might be.

European and U.S. officials worry that Putin might try to stage a coup in Kyiv. Another possibility is a cyberattack devised by Russia that tries to bring down parts or all of Ukraine’s electric and communications infrastructure, similar to the 2015 and 2016 attacks on parts of the country’s electric grid.

European officials say it is unclear how the Western allies would respond to such an attack. If they believed that the cyberoperations were a face-saving way for Putin to act and then retreat, they note, there might be a temptation to de-escalate and not seek to impose major sanctions, especially if there were few human casualties. On the other hand, a cyberattack could be a prelude to a full invasion, essentially cutting off Ukraine’s ability to communicate or track where Russian forces were coming from.

Senior Biden administration officials told lawmakers this past week that they believed the Russian military had assembled 70% of the forces it would need to mount a full invasion of Ukraine, painting the most ominous picture yet of the options that Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, has created for himself in recent weeks.

Senior Biden administration officials told lawmakers this past week that they believed the Russian military had assembled 70% of the forces it would need to mount a full invasion of Ukraine, painting the most ominous picture yet of the options that Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, has created for himself in recent weeks. During six hours of closed meetings with House and Senate lawmakers Thursday, the officials warned that if Putin chose the most aggressive of his options, he could quickly surround or capture Kyiv, the capital, and remove the country’s democratically elected president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. They also warned that the invasion could prompt an enormous refugee crisis on the European continent, sending millions fleeing. The officials stressed that U.S. intelligence analysts still did not assess that Putin had made a final decision to invade. But satellite imagery, communications among Russian forces and images of Russian equipment on the move show that he has assembled everything he would need to undertake what the officials said would constitute the largest military operation on land in Europe since 1945. They also warned of enormous possible human costs if Putin went ahead with a full invasion, including the potential deaths of 25,000 to 50,000 civilians, 5,000 to 25,000 members of the Ukrainian military and 3,000 to 10,000 members of the Russian military. The invasion, they said, could also result in 1 million to 5 million refugees, with many of them pouring into Poland. Should Putin decide to invade, U.S. officials believe he is not likely to move until the second half of February. By that point, more ground will have frozen, making it easier to move heavy vehicles and equipment, and the Winter Olympics in Beijing will have ended or be winding down, which could help Putin avoid antagonizing President Xi Jinping of China, a critical ally for the Russian president. The grim briefings were the latest salvo in weeks of grave messaging from the Biden administration about Putin’s plans. On the same day as the briefings, the administration also publicly warned that Russia may try to stage a false-flag operation suggesting that Russian-speaking populations are being attacked, which could create a pretext for an overt military operation. The drumbeat of warnings is part of a concerted campaign by the administration to expose Putin’s maneuvers in an attempt to build international pressure on him and make clear to him the risks to Russia of escalating the situation further. Whether Putin decides to go through with a maximalist approach or a more scaled-down version is the question with which American, European and Ukrainian officials are all grappling. For example, European officials, examining the same evidence, suggest that Putin could start smaller and test the reaction — with cyberattacks to paralyze Ukraine’s electric grid and communications, an invasion limited to the Russian-speaking territory in eastern Ukraine or an effort to cut the country in half, roughly along the Dnieper River. U.S. officials have acknowledged the possibility, especially if Putin wants to see if a smaller military action would create more divisions within Europe over whether to impose the most crushing economic sanctions. Western intelligence officials also say they have picked up chatter suggesting Russian military leaders are confident they could take Ukraine in a blitzkrieg attack, but worry that they may not be able to hold on to the country, especially if the invasion sets off a significant insurgency. That has prompted speculation inside the NATO alliance that Putin might invade, seek to change the Ukrainian government and then partly withdraw his forces. The briefings to Congress on Thursday were led by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin; Secretary of State Antony Blinken; Avril Haines, director of national intelligence; and Gen. Mark Milley, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The U.S. officials described to lawmakers five options that Putin could take, depending on the scope of his ambitions and his calculations about whether he would rather try to take the whole country quickly, no matter the human and economic cost to Russia, or attack it in pieces, in hopes of dividing Europe and NATO allies. The options include a coup that would depose Zelenskyy; a limited incursion into eastern Ukraine similar to what Putin did when he annexed Crimea in 2014; an incursion into the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine accompanied by a Russian declaration of Donbas as an independent republic; or a Donbas incursion followed by an invasion and annexation of all of the eastern part of the country. The worst-case assessment is that Putin is preparing to take the entire country — the scenario that would most likely produce the greatest casualties and, presumably, prompt the harshest sanctions from the United States and Europe. Putin, Milley told lawmakers, is putting in the “military capability to do any and all, building himself a set of options.” The unclassified parts of the briefings to lawmakers were described to The New York Times by officials in the room, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Diplomats and intelligence officials from three other countries involved in seeking to deter a Russian invasion confirmed the broad outlines of the status of Russian forces, although they disagreed about the importance of certain elements. After hearing from administration officials, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., told reporters that a Russian invasion was a “near certainty.” He added that “if we now live in an era where someone can move into a country and just take it over and claim it as their own, I don’t think it’s going to stop at Ukraine,” echoing the fear that Putin may be trying to redraw the map of the continent to return to the days of the Soviet Union. Increased planning in Russia’s military apparatus began last fall, Biden administration officials told lawmakers. The expansiveness of the effort alarmed intelligence analysts, who assessed that Putin had concluded that he would need some 150,000 troops from 110 battalion tactical groups to conquer Ukraine, which the Russian president views as a part of Russia. The officials said that, as of this past week, Putin had amassed about 70% of the forces he would need to pull off a large-scale invasion to take the entire country, with more than 110,000 troops at the border with Ukraine from 83 battalion tactical groups. Some 14 additional groups were in transit to the border, the officials said. They said Russian troops had been positioned in a manner that suggested a pincer movement, in which Russia would invade the country from three sides. Thirty thousand troops, according to U.S. and NATO estimates, are now in Belarus, which borders Ukraine to the north. Ballistic missiles in Belarus, and to the east inside Russian territory, have captured British and Ukrainian attention in recent days. The Iskander-M missiles are mounted on mobile launchers, meaning they can be rolled closer to the border in short order, and they have a range of about 300 miles. That suggests that Putin, if he chose, could begin attacking cities and military emplacements before he moved any troops over the border. Austin and Milley described to lawmakers a bristling array of additional Russian military assets that have encircled Ukraine. They include 11 amphibious assault ships, in the Black Sea and in the Mediterranean, with the capacity to carry five battalions of Russian marines who could land in Ukraine from the south, the officials said. In addition, Putin has deployed a number of submarines to the Black Sea, the defense officials told lawmakers. Putin has also deployed Special Operations forces — about 1,500 troops — near and even inside the Ukrainian border, the officials told lawmakers. Those troops, they said, work closely with the Russian military intelligence agency, the GRU, which has in the past directed cyber and other attacks on foes. European officials tend to be more skeptical that Putin would try to take the country in a large-scale invasion. Some believe that he would seek to take the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, where a grinding proxy war has been underway since 2014. Another theory is that Putin could expand that operation in an effort to annex all of eastern Ukraine, up to the Dnieper River. Along the way he could try to decimate Ukrainian troops in that part of the country, roughly half of the Ukrainian military. That could incite panic in the western part of Ukraine — where resistance to Russia might be highest — and prompt people to flee the country. Over time, that could lead top government officials to flee or to try to rule from exile. U.S. and European officials have made clear that a physical attack over the borders of Ukraine would lead to enormous sanctions on Russia’s banks, trade restrictions on semiconductors and other high-tech items and the freezing of the accounts of Russian oligarchs and leaders. But there is far less unanimity, as President Joe Biden himself has acknowledged, about how to respond to a “minor incursion.” Or even what a minor incursion might be. European and U.S. officials worry that Putin might try to stage a coup in Kyiv. Another possibility is a cyberattack devised by Russia that tries to bring down parts or all of Ukraine’s electric and communications infrastructure, similar to the 2015 and 2016 attacks on parts of the country’s electric grid. European officials say it is unclear how the Western allies would respond to such an attack. If they believed that the cyberoperations were a face-saving way for Putin to act and then retreat, they note, there might be a temptation to de-escalate and not seek to impose major sanctions, especially if there were few human casualties. On the other hand, a cyberattack could be a prelude to a full invasion, essentially cutting off Ukraine’s ability to communicate or track where Russian forces were coming from.

US warns of grim toll if Putin pursues full invasion of Ukraine

Russia has in place about 70% of the combat power it believes it would need for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and is sending more battalion tactical groups to the border with its neighbour, two US officials said on Saturday.

In the last two weeks, the number of battalion tactical groups (BTG) in the border region has risen to 83 from 60 as of Friday and 14 more are in transit, the officials told Reuters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the information.&nbsp;

As to the timing of an invasion, the ground is expected to reach peak freeze around Feb. 15, the officials said, allowing for off-road mechanized transit by Russian military units. Such conditions would continue until the end of March.&nbsp;

That timeline and the growing number and capability of Russian forces close to Ukraine could suggest the window for diplomacy is shutting.&nbsp;

The US officials did not provide evidence to back up their estimates of Russia's forces. &nbsp;

As Russia masses more than 100,000 troops near the border, it has said it is not planning an invasion but could take unspecified military action if its security demands are not met. Those include a promise that NATO will never admit Ukraine, a demand Washington and NATO have said is unacceptable. &nbsp;

Washington believes Russia may choose other options than a full-scale invasion, including a limited incursion, and does not believe President Vladimir Putin had made a final decision, the officials said. 
But they said Putin is putting in place a force that can execute all scenarios.&nbsp;

If Russia were to invade the capital of Kyiv, it could fall within a couple of days, the U.S. officials said.&nbsp;

A full-scale invasion would cause major casualties, one of the officials said.&nbsp;

Ukraine could suffer 5,000 to 25,000 troop casualties, while Russia's troop casualties could be between 3,000 and 10,000, and civilian casualties could range from 25,000 to 50,000, according to US estimates, the official said.&nbsp;

A full invasion would also prompt the flight of millions of refugees and internally displaced persons in Europe, Washington believes.

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Russia has in place about 70% of the combat power it believes it would need for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and is sending more battalion tactical groups to the border with its neighbour, two US officials said on Saturday.

Russia has in place about 70% of the combat power it believes it would need for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and is sending more battalion tactical groups to the border with its neighbour, two US officials said on Saturday. In the last two weeks, the number of battalion tactical groups (BTG) in the border region has risen to 83 from 60 as of Friday and 14 more are in transit, the officials told Reuters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the information. As to the timing of an invasion, the ground is expected to reach peak freeze around Feb. 15, the officials said, allowing for off-road mechanized transit by Russian military units. Such conditions would continue until the end of March. That timeline and the growing number and capability of Russian forces close to Ukraine could suggest the window for diplomacy is shutting. The US officials did not provide evidence to back up their estimates of Russia's forces. As Russia masses more than 100,000 troops near the border, it has said it is not planning an invasion but could take unspecified military action if its security demands are not met. Those include a promise that NATO will never admit Ukraine, a demand Washington and NATO have said is unacceptable. Washington believes Russia may choose other options than a full-scale invasion, including a limited incursion, and does not believe President Vladimir Putin had made a final decision, the officials said. But they said Putin is putting in place a force that can execute all scenarios. If Russia were to invade the capital of Kyiv, it could fall within a couple of days, the U.S. officials said. A full-scale invasion would cause major casualties, one of the officials said. Ukraine could suffer 5,000 to 25,000 troop casualties, while Russia's troop casualties could be between 3,000 and 10,000, and civilian casualties could range from 25,000 to 50,000, according to US estimates, the official said. A full invasion would also prompt the flight of millions of refugees and internally displaced persons in Europe, Washington believes. ×

US officials say Russian forces at 70% of level needed for full Ukraine invasion

The Indian government has announced that two-day national mourning will be observed after the sad demise of India's legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar on Sunday (February 6).&nbsp;

The government informed that today and tomorrow (February 6 and February 7), the national flag will be flown at half-mast throughout India as a mark of respect to the Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/live-lata-mangeshkar-dies-tributes-pour-in-latest-updates-450863">LIVE: Lata Mangeshkar dies, tributes pour in, latest updates</a>

In a communication to all Chief Secretaries and Administrators of Union Territories, India's&nbsp;Ministry of Home Affairs&nbsp;(MHA) stated, "The Government of India announces the death of Kumari Lata Mangeshkar on February 6, 2022."&nbsp;

MHA noted, "the government of India have decided that as a mark of respect to the departed dignitary 2 (two) days state mourning will be observed from 06.02.2022 (Sunday) to 07.02.2022 (Monday)."&nbsp;

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/lata-mangeshkar1929-2022-10-melodious-bollywood-songs-from-her-80-year-long-career-261435">Lata Mangeshkar(1929-2022): 10 Melodious Bollywood Songs from her 80 year long career</a>

The communication added that during the state mourning, the national flag will be flown at half-mast throughout India and there will be no official entertainment.&nbsp;

"It has also been decided that the state funereal will be accorded to the departed soul," it added.&nbsp;

Lata Mangeshkar, India's most loved singer, passed away on Sunday (February 6) at the age of 92, leaving the entire nation teary-eyed.&nbsp;

She passed away at 8:12am (local time) due to a multi-organ failure, said Dr Pratit Samdani, who was treating the iconic singer in Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital.&nbsp;

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/remembering-lata-mangeshkar-the-life-and-times-of-queen-of-melody-450865">Remembering Lata Mangeshkar: The Life and Times of Queen of Melody</a>

Honoured with India's highest civilian honour - the Bharat Ratna- Mangeshkar was also awarded France's highest civilian award, the Officer of the Legion of Honour.&nbsp;

Indian President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and all political leaders have expressed their condolences over the demise of Lata Mangeshkar.&nbsp;

The Indian government has announced that two-day national mourning will be observed after the sad demise of India's legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar on Sunday (February 6).

The Indian government has announced that two-day national mourning will be observed after the sad demise of India's legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar on Sunday (February 6). The government informed that today and tomorrow (February 6 and February 7), the national flag will be flown at half-mast throughout India as a mark of respect to the Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar. LIVE: Lata Mangeshkar dies, tributes pour in, latest updates In a communication to all Chief Secretaries and Administrators of Union Territories, India's Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) stated, "The Government of India announces the death of Kumari Lata Mangeshkar on February 6, 2022." MHA noted, "the government of India have decided that as a mark of respect to the departed dignitary 2 (two) days state mourning will be observed from 06.02.2022 (Sunday) to 07.02.2022 (Monday)." IN PICS | Lata Mangeshkar(1929-2022): 10 Melodious Bollywood Songs from her 80 year long career The communication added that during the state mourning, the national flag will be flown at half-mast throughout India and there will be no official entertainment. "It has also been decided that the state funereal will be accorded to the departed soul," it added. Lata Mangeshkar, India's most loved singer, passed away on Sunday (February 6) at the age of 92, leaving the entire nation teary-eyed. She passed away at 8:12am (local time) due to a multi-organ failure, said Dr Pratit Samdani, who was treating the iconic singer in Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital. IN PICS | Remembering Lata Mangeshkar: The Life and Times of Queen of Melody Honoured with India's highest civilian honour - the Bharat Ratna- Mangeshkar was also awarded France's highest civilian award, the Officer of the Legion of Honour. Indian President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and all political leaders have expressed their condolences over the demise of Lata Mangeshkar.

Lata Mangeshkar's demise: Two-day national mourning in India for the legendary singer

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has laid out a detailed plan for International Space Station's&nbsp;transition as the space agency has revealed what the future holds for ISS.&nbsp;

ISS is a unique space station currently in lower Earth orbit that facilitates collaborative projects involving five participating space agencies: NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA, ESA and CSA.&nbsp;

However, NASA has intended to keep operating the ISS until the end of 2030 as the 444,615kg gigantic structure is set to be taken out of orbit in January 2031 and crashed on Earth.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/russia-ukraine-crisis-deterring-aliens-from-making-their-presence-known-says-ufo-specialist-449854">Russia-Ukraine crisis deterring aliens from making their presence known, says UFO specialist</a>

As per the newly published plans, the crash is supposed to be in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean known as Point Nemo - the "spacecraft cemetery".&nbsp;

NASA said that ISS is returning enormous scientific, educational and technological developments to benefit people on Earth and is enabling our ability to travel into deep space.&nbsp;

The agency further said that the United States government's commitment to extend ISS' operations until 2030 will enable the country to continue to reap&nbsp;benefits for the next decade.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-identify-interesting-similarity-between-this-exoplanet-and-earth-449674">Scientists identify interesting similarity between this exoplanet and Earth</a>

Robyn Gatens, the director of ISS at NASA headquarters said, "This third decade is one of results, building on our successful global partnership to verify exploration and human research technologies to support deep space exploration, continue to return medical and environmental benefits to humanity, and lay the groundwork for a commercial future in low-Earth orbit."&nbsp;

"We look forward to maximizing these returns from the space station through 2030 while planning for transition to commercial space destinations that will follow," Gatens added.&nbsp;

Phil McAlister, director of commercial space at NASA Headquarters in a statement said, "The private sector is technically and financially capable of developing and operating commercial low-Earth orbit destinations, with NASA's assistance."&nbsp;

"We look forward to sharing our lessons learned and operations experience with the private sector to help them develop safe, reliable, and cost-effective destinations in space," McAlister added.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;After a delay, SpaceX successfully launches Italian Cosmo-SkyMed satellite

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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has laid out a detailed plan for International Space Station's transition as the space agency has revealed what the future holds for ISS.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has laid out a detailed plan for International Space Station's transition as the space agency has revealed what the future holds for ISS. ISS is a unique space station currently in lower Earth orbit that facilitates collaborative projects involving five participating space agencies: NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA, ESA and CSA. However, NASA has intended to keep operating the ISS until the end of 2030 as the 444,615kg gigantic structure is set to be taken out of orbit in January 2031 and crashed on Earth. ALSO READ | Russia-Ukraine crisis deterring aliens from making their presence known, says UFO specialist As per the newly published plans, the crash is supposed to be in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean known as Point Nemo - the "spacecraft cemetery". NASA said that ISS is returning enormous scientific, educational and technological developments to benefit people on Earth and is enabling our ability to travel into deep space. The agency further said that the United States government's commitment to extend ISS' operations until 2030 will enable the country to continue to reap benefits for the next decade. ALSO READ | Scientists identify interesting similarity between this exoplanet and Earth Robyn Gatens, the director of ISS at NASA headquarters said, "This third decade is one of results, building on our successful global partnership to verify exploration and human research technologies to support deep space exploration, continue to return medical and environmental benefits to humanity, and lay the groundwork for a commercial future in low-Earth orbit." "We look forward to maximizing these returns from the space station through 2030 while planning for transition to commercial space destinations that will follow," Gatens added. Phil McAlister, director of commercial space at NASA Headquarters in a statement said, "The private sector is technically and financially capable of developing and operating commercial low-Earth orbit destinations, with NASA's assistance." "We look forward to sharing our lessons learned and operations experience with the private sector to help them develop safe, reliable, and cost-effective destinations in space," McAlister added. ALSO WATCH | After a delay, SpaceX successfully launches Italian Cosmo-SkyMed satellite ×

NASA reveals when it will crash International Space Station on Earth

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