The Ethiopian government said on Tuesday that Tigrayan soldiers were surrendering in the face of an advance towards the regional capital, but the local forces reported they were resisting and had destroyed a prestigious army division. 
 
Hundreds have died, more than 41,000 refugees have fled to Sudan, and there has been widespread destruction and uprooting of people from homes in the northern Tigray region. 
 
The three-week war has spread to Eritrea, where the Tigrayans have fired rockets, and also affected Somalia where Ethiopia has disarmed several hundred Tigrayans in a peacekeeping force fighting al Qaeda-linked militants. 
 
Reuters has been unable to verify statements made by either side since phone and internet connections to Tigray are down and access to the area is strictly controlled. 
 
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed`s government said many Tigrayan combatants had responded to an ultimatum to lay down arms before a threatened offensive against Mekelle city, with half a million inhabitants. The deadline expires on Wednesday. 
 
"Using the government`s 72-hour period, a large number of Tigray militia and special forces are surrendering. Many have surrendered through the Afar region, and the remaining forces are surrendering peacefully," a government taskforce said. 
 
 
`TRAGIC CONFLICT` 
 
The battle-hardened Tigray People`s Liberation Front (TPLF), which had ruled the region of more than 5 million people, gave a sharply different version, saying their troops were keeping the federal forces at bay and scoring some big victories. 
 
Their spokesman Getachew Reda told Tigray TV an important army unit - which he termed the 21st mechanised division - had been destroyed in an assault at Raya-Wajirat led by a former commander of that unit now fighting for the TPLF. 
 
Billene Seyoum, the prime minister`s spokeswoman, told Reuters that was not true. 
 
The United States - which regards Ethiopia as a powerful ally in a turbulent region - France and Britain were the latest foreign powers to call for peace. 
 
Washington said it supported African Union (AU) mediation efforts "to end this tragic conflict now", while Paris and London warned against ethnic discrimination. 
 
The U.N. Security Council was to hold an informal discussion later on Tuesday over Ethiopia, according to a New York-based U.N. source and an email seen by Reuters. South Africa, as AU chair, was to report on the conflict and de-escalation efforts. 
 
Abiy, who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year for ending a standoff with Eritrea, has said he will not negotiate with the TPLF, though he does plan to receive AU envoys. 
 
 
MYRIAD ETHNIC GROUPS 
 
His predecessor, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, criticised international mediation efforts by "well-intentioned outsiders" in a piece for Foreign Policy magazine. 
 
"The key problem in the international community’s approach to Ethiopia is the assumption of moral equivalence, which leads foreign governments to adopt an attitude of false balance and bothsidesism" between the federal and Tigrayan sides, he said. 
 
Abiy, whose parents are from the larger Oromo and Amhara groups, denies any ethnic overtones to his offensive against the TPLF, saying he is pursuing criminals who have revolted against the federal government and ambushed a military base. 
 
The TPLF says he wants to subdue Tigray to amass more personal power. Since taking office in 2018, the prime minister has removed many Tigrayans from positions in government and the security forces and arrested some on charges of corruption and human rights abuses, even though he was their former military comrade and coalition partner. 
 
TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael has disputed the government version that Mekelle is encircled at a roughly 50km (31 mile) distance and told Reuters the ultimatum was a cover for government forces to regroup after defeats. 
 
The conflict threatens to destabilise Ethiopia, a vast nation of 115 million people from myriad ethnic groups whose struggles for greater resources and power have intensified since Abiy took office. 
 
Some school students` exams scheduled for December were postponed "due to the current situation in the country," the Education Ministry said. 
 
 
 
(Reporting by Addis Ababa newsroom, Omar Mohammed, Nazanine Moshiri, Maggie Fick and Katharine Houreld in Nairobi; Writing by Andrew Cawthorne; Editing by William Maclean) 
&nbsp;

The Ethiopian government said on Tuesday that Tigrayan soldiers were surrendering in the face of an advance towards the regional capital, but the local forces reported they were resisting and had destroyed a prestigious army division.

The Ethiopian government said on Tuesday that Tigrayan soldiers were surrendering in the face of an advance towards the regional capital, but the local forces reported they were resisting and had destroyed a prestigious army division. Hundreds have died, more than 41,000 refugees have fled to Sudan, and there has been widespread destruction and uprooting of people from homes in the northern Tigray region. The three-week war has spread to Eritrea, where the Tigrayans have fired rockets, and also affected Somalia where Ethiopia has disarmed several hundred Tigrayans in a peacekeeping force fighting al Qaeda-linked militants. Reuters has been unable to verify statements made by either side since phone and internet connections to Tigray are down and access to the area is strictly controlled. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed`s government said many Tigrayan combatants had responded to an ultimatum to lay down arms before a threatened offensive against Mekelle city, with half a million inhabitants. The deadline expires on Wednesday. "Using the government`s 72-hour period, a large number of Tigray militia and special forces are surrendering. Many have surrendered through the Afar region, and the remaining forces are surrendering peacefully," a government taskforce said. `TRAGIC CONFLICT` The battle-hardened Tigray People`s Liberation Front (TPLF), which had ruled the region of more than 5 million people, gave a sharply different version, saying their troops were keeping the federal forces at bay and scoring some big victories. Their spokesman Getachew Reda told Tigray TV an important army unit - which he termed the 21st mechanised division - had been destroyed in an assault at Raya-Wajirat led by a former commander of that unit now fighting for the TPLF. Billene Seyoum, the prime minister`s spokeswoman, told Reuters that was not true. The United States - which regards Ethiopia as a powerful ally in a turbulent region - France and Britain were the latest foreign powers to call for peace. Washington said it supported African Union (AU) mediation efforts "to end this tragic conflict now", while Paris and London warned against ethnic discrimination. The U.N. Security Council was to hold an informal discussion later on Tuesday over Ethiopia, according to a New York-based U.N. source and an email seen by Reuters. South Africa, as AU chair, was to report on the conflict and de-escalation efforts. Abiy, who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year for ending a standoff with Eritrea, has said he will not negotiate with the TPLF, though he does plan to receive AU envoys. MYRIAD ETHNIC GROUPS His predecessor, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, criticised international mediation efforts by "well-intentioned outsiders" in a piece for Foreign Policy magazine. "The key problem in the international community’s approach to Ethiopia is the assumption of moral equivalence, which leads foreign governments to adopt an attitude of false balance and bothsidesism" between the federal and Tigrayan sides, he said. Abiy, whose parents are from the larger Oromo and Amhara groups, denies any ethnic overtones to his offensive against the TPLF, saying he is pursuing criminals who have revolted against the federal government and ambushed a military base. The TPLF says he wants to subdue Tigray to amass more personal power. Since taking office in 2018, the prime minister has removed many Tigrayans from positions in government and the security forces and arrested some on charges of corruption and human rights abuses, even though he was their former military comrade and coalition partner. TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael has disputed the government version that Mekelle is encircled at a roughly 50km (31 mile) distance and told Reuters the ultimatum was a cover for government forces to regroup after defeats. The conflict threatens to destabilise Ethiopia, a vast nation of 115 million people from myriad ethnic groups whose struggles for greater resources and power have intensified since Abiy took office. Some school students` exams scheduled for December were postponed "due to the current situation in the country," the Education Ministry said. (Reporting by Addis Ababa newsroom, Omar Mohammed, Nazanine Moshiri, Maggie Fick and Katharine Houreld in Nairobi; Writing by Andrew Cawthorne; Editing by William Maclean)

Ethiopia says foes surrendering, Tigray forces report battle win

Scientists in California have discovered&nbsp;caves holding the first evidence of humans taking hallucinogens, in the latest study.

The&nbsp;hallucinogenic trance was left behind by indigenous Californians who painted a pinwheel and a big-eyed moth on the ceilings.

This strange "pinwheel," is likely a portrayal of the sensitive, white bloom of Datura wrightii, an amazing drug that the Chumash public took for formal purposes as well as for therapeutic and extraordinary ones, as per another examination.&nbsp;

The moth is likely a type of bird of prey moth, known for its "loopy" inebriated trip in the wake of slurping up Datura's nectar, the specialists said.&nbsp;

Radiocarbon dating shows the cave was used on and off again from about 1600 to the late 1800s.&nbsp;What's more, Indigenous individuals utilized the cavern for some different purposes: The archeologists additionally discovered shot focuses and a bolt shaft straightener - demonstrating the cavern may have filled in as a spot for getting ready chasing apparatuses. Similarly, ground seeds and creature remains propose the cavern was utilized for food planning, stockpiling, and collective dinners.&nbsp;

Indigenous individuals around the globe, including ancient cultures in Siberia, North America, and South America, are known to have taken psyche modifying substances, said Patrick McGovern, the logical head of the Biomolecular Archeology Project at the Penn Museum in Philadelphia, who was not engaged with the examination.&nbsp;

Bitten globs that people adhered to the cavern's roof gave more proof of these antiquated outings; these as long as 400-year-old irregularities, known as quids, contained the brain adjusting drugs scopolamine and atropine, which are found in Datura, the scientists said.&nbsp;

The discovering marks "the primary away from for the ingestion of drugs at a stone workmanship webpage, for this situation, from Pinwheel Cave, California," the analysts wrote in the examination, distributed online today (Nov. 23) in the diary Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.&nbsp;

Scientists in California have discovered caves holding the first evidence of humans taking hallucinogens, in the latest study. The hallucinogenic trance was left behind by indigenous Californians who painted a pinwheel and a big-eyed moth on the ceilings.

Scientists in California have discovered caves holding the first evidence of humans taking hallucinogens, in the latest study. The hallucinogenic trance was left behind by indigenous Californians who painted a pinwheel and a big-eyed moth on the ceilings. This strange "pinwheel," is likely a portrayal of the sensitive, white bloom of Datura wrightii, an amazing drug that the Chumash public took for formal purposes as well as for therapeutic and extraordinary ones, as per another examination. The moth is likely a type of bird of prey moth, known for its "loopy" inebriated trip in the wake of slurping up Datura's nectar, the specialists said. Radiocarbon dating shows the cave was used on and off again from about 1600 to the late 1800s. What's more, Indigenous individuals utilized the cavern for some different purposes: The archeologists additionally discovered shot focuses and a bolt shaft straightener - demonstrating the cavern may have filled in as a spot for getting ready chasing apparatuses. Similarly, ground seeds and creature remains propose the cavern was utilized for food planning, stockpiling, and collective dinners. Indigenous individuals around the globe, including ancient cultures in Siberia, North America, and South America, are known to have taken psyche modifying substances, said Patrick McGovern, the logical head of the Biomolecular Archeology Project at the Penn Museum in Philadelphia, who was not engaged with the examination. Bitten globs that people adhered to the cavern's roof gave more proof of these antiquated outings; these as long as 400-year-old irregularities, known as quids, contained the brain adjusting drugs scopolamine and atropine, which are found in Datura, the scientists said. The discovering marks "the primary away from for the ingestion of drugs at a stone workmanship webpage, for this situation, from Pinwheel Cave, California," the analysts wrote in the examination, distributed online today (Nov. 23) in the diary Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Scientists discover caves holding first evidence of humans taking hallucinogens

Homing in on an&nbsp;all-time high of just under $20,000,&nbsp;Bitcoin hit $19,000 on Tuesday for the first time in nearly three years.

The world’s most popular cryptocurrency was last up 3.2 per cent&nbsp;at $18,958. Bitcoin has gained nearly 40&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;in November alone and is up around 160&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;this year.

Fuelling its gains have been the demand for risk-on assets amid unprecedented fiscal and monetary stimulus, hunger for assets perceived as resistant to inflation, and expectations that cryptocurrencies would win mainstream acceptance.

<img alt="F" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="04088e26-d1d8-4eaa-ad9e-59bf34435747" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/bitcoin.jpg" />

Bitcoin&nbsp;investors, which include top hedge funds and money managers, are betting the virtual currency could more than quintuple to as high as $100,000 in a year.

It's a wager that has drawn eye-rolls from skeptics who believe the volatile cryptocurrency is a speculative asset rather than a store of value like gold.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/us-seizes-bitcoins-worth-1billion-the-largest-cryptocurrency-haul-in-history-342170">US seizes bitcoins worth $1billion, the largest cryptocurrency haul in history</a>

Since January,&nbsp;bitcoin&nbsp;has gained 160%, bolstered by strong institutional demand as well as scarcity as payment companies such as Square and Paypal buy it on behalf of customers.

Bitcoin&nbsp;is within sight of its all-time peak of just under $20,000 hit in December 2017. It debuted in 2011 at zero and was last trading at $18,415.

Going from $18,000 to $100,000 in one year is not a stretch, Brian Estes, chief investment officer at hedge fund Off the Chain Capital, said.

"I have seen&nbsp;bitcoin&nbsp;go up 10X, 20X, 30X in a year. So going up 5X is not a big deal."

Estes predicts&nbsp;bitcoin&nbsp;could hit between $100,000 and $288,000 by end-2021, based on a model that utilizes the stock-to-flow ratio measuring the scarcity of commodities like gold. That model, he said, has a 94 per cent&nbsp;correlation with the price of&nbsp;bitcoin.

Citi technical analyst Tom Fitzpatrick said in a note last week that&nbsp;bitcoin&nbsp;could climb as high as $318,000 by the end of next year, citing its limited supply, ease of movement across borders, and opaque ownership.

Those numbers though are a head-scratcher for Toronto-based Kevin Muir, an independent proprietary trader.

"Any hedge fund model on&nbsp;bitcoin&nbsp;is rubbish. You can't model a mania," Muir said. "Is it plausible? For sure. It's a mania. But does anyone actually have a clue? Not a chance."

DEARTH OF SUPPLY

Bitcoin&nbsp;relies on so-called "mining" computers that validate blocks of transactions by competing to solve mathematical puzzles every 10 minutes. The first to solve the puzzle and clear the transaction is rewarded new&nbsp;bitcoins.

Its technology was designed to cut the reward for miners in half every four years, a move meant to curb inflation. In May,&nbsp;bitcoin&nbsp;went through a third "halving," which reduced the rate at which new coins are created, restricting supply.

That halving has kickstarted&nbsp;bitcoin's renewed ascent.

Square's Cash App and PayPal, which recently launched a crypto service to its more than 300 million users, have been scooping up all new&nbsp;bitcoins, hedge fund Pantera Capital said in its letter to investors on Friday. That has caused a&nbsp;bitcoin&nbsp;shortage and has driven the rally in the last few weeks.

BIG FUNDS BUYING?

The so-called whale index, which counts addresses or wallets holding at least 1,000&nbsp;bitcoins, is at an all-time high, said Phil Bonello, research director at digital asset manager Grayscale. Bonello said more than 2,200 addresses were linked to large&nbsp;bitcoin&nbsp;holders, up 37% from 1,600 in 2018, suggesting that institutional money has stormed in.

Investors like Stanley Druckenmiller, founder of hedge fund Duquesne Capital, and Rick Rieder, BlackRock Inc's chief investment officer of global fixed income, have recently touted&nbsp;bitcoin.

Retail investors though are still mostly sidelined due to the pandemic's effect on the economy. But with the entry of Square and PayPal, Lennard Neo, head of research at crypto index fund provider Stack Funds, expects a deluge of retail demand more intense than in 2017.

Neo forecasts&nbsp;bitcoin&nbsp;to reach $60,000-$80,000 by the end of 2021.

Tempus Inc currency trader Juan Perez was unimpressed, even shocked, with all the lofty forecasts and said a bet on&nbsp;bitcoin&nbsp;at $100,000 next year would be a bet on the collapse of the global financial system.

"Governments around the world won't let that happen. They will not let fiat currencies collapse just like that," Perez said.

Homing in on an all-time high of just under $20,000, Bitcoin hit $19,000 on Tuesday for the first time in nearly three years. The world’s most popular cryptocurrency was last up 3.

Homing in on an all-time high of just under $20,000, Bitcoin hit $19,000 on Tuesday for the first time in nearly three years. The world’s most popular cryptocurrency was last up 3.2 per cent at $18,958. Bitcoin has gained nearly 40 per cent in November alone and is up around 160 per cent this year. Fuelling its gains have been the demand for risk-on assets amid unprecedented fiscal and monetary stimulus, hunger for assets perceived as resistant to inflation, and expectations that cryptocurrencies would win mainstream acceptance. Bitcoin investors, which include top hedge funds and money managers, are betting the virtual currency could more than quintuple to as high as $100,000 in a year. It's a wager that has drawn eye-rolls from skeptics who believe the volatile cryptocurrency is a speculative asset rather than a store of value like gold. Also read: US seizes bitcoins worth $1billion, the largest cryptocurrency haul in history Since January, bitcoin has gained 160%, bolstered by strong institutional demand as well as scarcity as payment companies such as Square and Paypal buy it on behalf of customers. Bitcoin is within sight of its all-time peak of just under $20,000 hit in December 2017. It debuted in 2011 at zero and was last trading at $18,415. Going from $18,000 to $100,000 in one year is not a stretch, Brian Estes, chief investment officer at hedge fund Off the Chain Capital, said. "I have seen bitcoin go up 10X, 20X, 30X in a year. So going up 5X is not a big deal." Estes predicts bitcoin could hit between $100,000 and $288,000 by end-2021, based on a model that utilizes the stock-to-flow ratio measuring the scarcity of commodities like gold. That model, he said, has a 94 per cent correlation with the price of bitcoin. Citi technical analyst Tom Fitzpatrick said in a note last week that bitcoin could climb as high as $318,000 by the end of next year, citing its limited supply, ease of movement across borders, and opaque ownership. Those numbers though are a head-scratcher for Toronto-based Kevin Muir, an independent proprietary trader. "Any hedge fund model on bitcoin is rubbish. You can't model a mania," Muir said. "Is it plausible? For sure. It's a mania. But does anyone actually have a clue? Not a chance." DEARTH OF SUPPLY Bitcoin relies on so-called "mining" computers that validate blocks of transactions by competing to solve mathematical puzzles every 10 minutes. The first to solve the puzzle and clear the transaction is rewarded new bitcoins. Its technology was designed to cut the reward for miners in half every four years, a move meant to curb inflation. In May, bitcoin went through a third "halving," which reduced the rate at which new coins are created, restricting supply. That halving has kickstarted bitcoin's renewed ascent. Square's Cash App and PayPal, which recently launched a crypto service to its more than 300 million users, have been scooping up all new bitcoins, hedge fund Pantera Capital said in its letter to investors on Friday. That has caused a bitcoin shortage and has driven the rally in the last few weeks. BIG FUNDS BUYING? The so-called whale index, which counts addresses or wallets holding at least 1,000 bitcoins, is at an all-time high, said Phil Bonello, research director at digital asset manager Grayscale. Bonello said more than 2,200 addresses were linked to large bitcoin holders, up 37% from 1,600 in 2018, suggesting that institutional money has stormed in. Investors like Stanley Druckenmiller, founder of hedge fund Duquesne Capital, and Rick Rieder, BlackRock Inc's chief investment officer of global fixed income, have recently touted bitcoin. Retail investors though are still mostly sidelined due to the pandemic's effect on the economy. But with the entry of Square and PayPal, Lennard Neo, head of research at crypto index fund provider Stack Funds, expects a deluge of retail demand more intense than in 2017. Neo forecasts bitcoin to reach $60,000-$80,000 by the end of 2021. Tempus Inc currency trader Juan Perez was unimpressed, even shocked, with all the lofty forecasts and said a bet on bitcoin at $100,000 next year would be a bet on the collapse of the global financial system. "Governments around the world won't let that happen. They will not let fiat currencies collapse just like that," Perez said.

Bitcoin cryptocurrency near record high, hits $19,000 for first time in three years

Most famous Indian personalities across social media

Turkish President&nbsp;Recep&nbsp;Tayyip Erdogan's&nbsp;outreach to his country's diaspora&nbsp;is inflaming tensions with Europe.

From stoking the rage of extremists to justifying violence in the name of terror, Erdogan has been lambasted by European leaders for several reasons.

However, now Erdogan has taken a u-turn and decided to play the victim card. He said on Sunday that his country, an official candidate for European Union membership, sees itself as an inseparable part of Europe but will not give in to attacks and double standards.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-accuses-turkey-of-obstructing-libya-peace-344921" hreflang="en">Germany accuses Turkey of obstructing Libya peace</a>

At one point Turkey had pursued a track towards EU membership, but it encountered opposition from several EU members and has pulled back under&nbsp;Erdogan's leadership.

But on Saturday he said: "We don't see ourselves elsewhere but in Europe. We envisage building our future together with Europe."

Turkey has no problem with any country or institution "that cannot be resolved through politics, diplomacy or dialogue," he added.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/why-greece-turkey-are-fighting-over-hydrocarbons-in-mediterranean-sea-320304">Why Greece, Turkey are fighting over hydrocarbons in Mediterranean Sea</a>

Erdogan's message comes as EU leaders are to decide at a December summit whether to impose further sanctions in response to recent Turkish activity.

Its exploration ship Oruc Reis remains at the centre of tensions with Brussels and on Saturday, Ankara extended its mission until November 29, despite protests from Athens.

A Greek foreign ministry statement denounced the move as "illegal conduct, which further undermines any prospect for a constructive dialogue.&nbsp;

"These actions, which essentially cancel any prospect for improving EU-Turkey relations, are taking place, while Turkish officials state that their country's accession to the EU is a 'strategic priority,'" the ministry said.&nbsp;

Turkey's drilling activities in a disputed part of the eastern Mediterranean have raised tensions with the EU as Turkey locked in a dispute with and Greece and Cyprus over the extent of their continental shelves and hydrocarbon resources.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said this month that Turkey's rhetoric on Cyprus was aggravating tensions with the EU and Ankara had to understand that its behaviour was "widening its separation" from the bloc.

The EU will discuss Turkey's pursuit of natural gas exploration in contested waters in the eastern Mediterranean at their next summit in December, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday.

"We do not believe that we have any problems with countries or institutions that cannot be solved through politics, dialogue and negotiations,"&nbsp;Erdogan&nbsp;said.

Erdogan, connected to the event through videolink, said that the EU should keep its promises regarding the migrants issue and making Turkey a full member of the bloc. He was referring to a 2016 deal under which Ankara curbed migrant entries into Europe in exchange for financial help and visa-free travel in the Schengen region.

Turkey recently extended the seismic survey work being carried out by its Oruc Reis ship in a disputed part of the eastern Mediterranean until Nov. 29, according to a naval notice.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's outreach to his country's diaspora is inflaming tensions with Europe. From stoking the rage of extremists to justifying violence in the name of terror, Erdogan has been lambasted by European leaders for several reasons.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's outreach to his country's diaspora is inflaming tensions with Europe. From stoking the rage of extremists to justifying violence in the name of terror, Erdogan has been lambasted by European leaders for several reasons. However, now Erdogan has taken a u-turn and decided to play the victim card. He said on Sunday that his country, an official candidate for European Union membership, sees itself as an inseparable part of Europe but will not give in to attacks and double standards. Also read: Germany accuses Turkey of obstructing Libya peace At one point Turkey had pursued a track towards EU membership, but it encountered opposition from several EU members and has pulled back under Erdogan's leadership. But on Saturday he said: "We don't see ourselves elsewhere but in Europe. We envisage building our future together with Europe." Turkey has no problem with any country or institution "that cannot be resolved through politics, diplomacy or dialogue," he added. Also read: Why Greece, Turkey are fighting over hydrocarbons in Mediterranean Sea Erdogan's message comes as EU leaders are to decide at a December summit whether to impose further sanctions in response to recent Turkish activity. Its exploration ship Oruc Reis remains at the centre of tensions with Brussels and on Saturday, Ankara extended its mission until November 29, despite protests from Athens. A Greek foreign ministry statement denounced the move as "illegal conduct, which further undermines any prospect for a constructive dialogue. "These actions, which essentially cancel any prospect for improving EU-Turkey relations, are taking place, while Turkish officials state that their country's accession to the EU is a 'strategic priority,'" the ministry said. Turkey's drilling activities in a disputed part of the eastern Mediterranean have raised tensions with the EU as Turkey locked in a dispute with and Greece and Cyprus over the extent of their continental shelves and hydrocarbon resources. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said this month that Turkey's rhetoric on Cyprus was aggravating tensions with the EU and Ankara had to understand that its behaviour was "widening its separation" from the bloc. The EU will discuss Turkey's pursuit of natural gas exploration in contested waters in the eastern Mediterranean at their next summit in December, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday. "We do not believe that we have any problems with countries or institutions that cannot be solved through politics, dialogue and negotiations," Erdogan said. Erdogan, connected to the event through videolink, said that the EU should keep its promises regarding the migrants issue and making Turkey a full member of the bloc. He was referring to a 2016 deal under which Ankara curbed migrant entries into Europe in exchange for financial help and visa-free travel in the Schengen region. Turkey recently extended the seismic survey work being carried out by its Oruc Reis ship in a disputed part of the eastern Mediterranean until Nov. 29, according to a naval notice.

Turkey's outreach to Europe is inflaming tensions

Fugitive auto tycoon Carlos Ghosn's multiple arrests and detentions in Japan before he dramatically fled the country last year were "arbitrary", UN experts have ruled, urging Tokyo to pay him compensation.

In an opinion dated late last week and harshly condemned by Japan, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that "the process of arresting and detaining Mr. Ghosn four times was fundamentally unfair".

The working group, made up of five independent experts who do not speak on behalf of the United Nations and whose opinions are not binding, stressed that its findings did not pertain to the accusations against Ghosn, but only to the conditions surrounding his detention.

It ruled that the now 66-year-old's detention was "arbitrary", and also voiced concern that his bail conditions had been "unusually strict", especially during the second period when he was barred from all contact with his wife, other than through lawyers.

The experts called on Tokyo to "take the steps necessary to remedy the situation of Mr. Ghosn without delay".

"The appropriate remedy would be to accord Mr. Ghosn an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations, in accordance with international law," it said.

The ex-Nissan chief's lawyers Francois Zimeray and Jessica Finelle hailed the "courageous decision", saying it represented "a decisive turning point."

'Totally unacceptable'

But the Japanese government slammed the findings, saying it "deeply regrets" that the experts had "rendered opinions based on limited information and biased allegations", and not on "accurate understanding of Japan’s criminal justice system."

"The opinion is totally unacceptable."

Ghosn was dramatically arrested over financial misconduct allegations in November 2018 as he stepped off his private jet in Tokyo.&nbsp;

He was granted bail after a few months, but was rearrested three more times, spending a total of 130 days in detention, before eventually smuggling himself out of Japan and fleeing to Lebanon, arriving in Beirut on December 30.

Brazilian-born Ghosn, who also holds French and Lebanese citizenship, has denied the allegations against him.

The UN working group has no power to compel states to follow its rulings, but its decisions carry reputational weight.

In their opinion, the experts urged Japan "to ensure a full and independent investigation of the circumstances surrounding the arbitrary detention of Mr. Ghosn, and to take appropriate measures against those responsible for the violation of his rights."

It requested that Tokyo within six months inform it of whether such an investigation had been undertaken and whether Ghosn had received compensation or reparations.

In its statement Monday, the Japanese government said it would provide the working group with some details to help it rectify a number of "obvious factual errors", including on the time Ghosn had spent in detention without being brought before a judge.

But it stressed that it was inappropriate for the working group to have considered the case, insisting it was common practice to detain suspects likely to destroy evidence or skip bail.

"Flight from a criminal trial, in violation of the conditions a defendant promised to respect upon his or her release on bail, is not condoned under any nation’s legal system."

The working group's findings, it warned, could "encourage those who would stand criminal trial to entertain the idea that flight can be justified and prevent the realisation of justice and the proper functioning of the criminal justice system in each country."

66-year-old with French, Lebanese and Brazilian citizenship, led Japanese carmaker Nissan for 20 years, rescuing it from near-bankruptcy.

Fugitive auto tycoon Carlos Ghosn's multiple arrests and detentions in Japan before he dramatically fled the country last year were "arbitrary", UN experts have ruled, urging Tokyo to pay him compensation.

Fugitive auto tycoon Carlos Ghosn's multiple arrests and detentions in Japan before he dramatically fled the country last year were "arbitrary", UN experts have ruled, urging Tokyo to pay him compensation. In an opinion dated late last week and harshly condemned by Japan, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that "the process of arresting and detaining Mr. Ghosn four times was fundamentally unfair". The working group, made up of five independent experts who do not speak on behalf of the United Nations and whose opinions are not binding, stressed that its findings did not pertain to the accusations against Ghosn, but only to the conditions surrounding his detention. It ruled that the now 66-year-old's detention was "arbitrary", and also voiced concern that his bail conditions had been "unusually strict", especially during the second period when he was barred from all contact with his wife, other than through lawyers. The experts called on Tokyo to "take the steps necessary to remedy the situation of Mr. Ghosn without delay". "The appropriate remedy would be to accord Mr. Ghosn an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations, in accordance with international law," it said. The ex-Nissan chief's lawyers Francois Zimeray and Jessica Finelle hailed the "courageous decision", saying it represented "a decisive turning point." 'Totally unacceptable' But the Japanese government slammed the findings, saying it "deeply regrets" that the experts had "rendered opinions based on limited information and biased allegations", and not on "accurate understanding of Japan’s criminal justice system." "The opinion is totally unacceptable." Ghosn was dramatically arrested over financial misconduct allegations in November 2018 as he stepped off his private jet in Tokyo. He was granted bail after a few months, but was rearrested three more times, spending a total of 130 days in detention, before eventually smuggling himself out of Japan and fleeing to Lebanon, arriving in Beirut on December 30. Brazilian-born Ghosn, who also holds French and Lebanese citizenship, has denied the allegations against him. The UN working group has no power to compel states to follow its rulings, but its decisions carry reputational weight. In their opinion, the experts urged Japan "to ensure a full and independent investigation of the circumstances surrounding the arbitrary detention of Mr. Ghosn, and to take appropriate measures against those responsible for the violation of his rights." It requested that Tokyo within six months inform it of whether such an investigation had been undertaken and whether Ghosn had received compensation or reparations. In its statement Monday, the Japanese government said it would provide the working group with some details to help it rectify a number of "obvious factual errors", including on the time Ghosn had spent in detention without being brought before a judge. But it stressed that it was inappropriate for the working group to have considered the case, insisting it was common practice to detain suspects likely to destroy evidence or skip bail. "Flight from a criminal trial, in violation of the conditions a defendant promised to respect upon his or her release on bail, is not condoned under any nation’s legal system." The working group's findings, it warned, could "encourage those who would stand criminal trial to entertain the idea that flight can be justified and prevent the realisation of justice and the proper functioning of the criminal justice system in each country." 66-year-old with French, Lebanese and Brazilian citizenship, led Japanese carmaker Nissan for 20 years, rescuing it from near-bankruptcy.

Japan should compensate Ghosn for 'arbitrary' detention: UN panel

Qatar said Monday it had identified the mother of a baby dumped at its airport, an incident that prompted officials to order departing female passengers to undergo invasive examinations, sparking global outrage.

Qatar's public prosecutor said in a statement "Investigations revealed that the infant's mother... threw the newborn infant in the trash can in one of the toilets in the departures lounge at the airport and boarded the plane to her destination."

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/your-story-qatar-regrets-strip-searches-over-abandoned-body-338608/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Qatar's public prosecutor has filed criminal charges against an unspecified number of police officers working at Qatar's Hamad airport after women said they were invasively searched there last month.

Women on 10 Qatar Airways flights out of Doha were subject to the examinations as authorities searched for the mother of a newborn baby found abandoned in an airport bathroom on October 2.

Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said the searches were appalling and Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani has apologised.

Judicial police officers working in the Airport Security Department broke the law when they summoned female medical staff to conduct the searches, the public prosecutor said in a statement on Monday

The police officers acted unilaterally and face "penalties of a maximum of three years," it said.

The public prosecutor did not say what crimes had been committed, how many police officers had been charged or detail the penalties they faced, such as imprisonment, if convicted.

The public prosecutor said it had also charged the child's mother, who has left the country, with attempted murder and that it had launched legal proceedings to arrest her.

The mother, identified as of "Asian nationality", faces a maximum penalty of 15 years if convicted, the statement said.

It also said a male defendant had been identified as the father of the child after a DNA test, without saying how they were able to initially locate him.

The mother of the abandoned child had messaged the father telling him she had just given birth and that she was abandoning the child and leaving the country, the prosecutor said.

The incident has caused diplomatic tensions with three friendly nations,&nbsp;Australia, Britain, and New Zealand, which intensified when authorities initially declined to apologise, leading to an online backlash against the airline, one of the wealthy Gulf nation's&nbsp;prestige projects.

New Zealand was the latest to raise concerns, saying late Thursday that one of its citizens was among the women subjected to the invasive&nbsp;examinations.

"We were extremely concerned to learn... that a New&nbsp;Zealand national was involved in the appalling incident involving female passengers on several Qatar Airways flights," its foreign ministry said in a statement.

It labeled the action "completely unacceptable".

The incident only came to light this week after affected Australian passengers spoke out.

Qatar is an ultra-conservative Muslim monarchy, where sex and childbirth outside of marriage are punishable by jail.

Ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, it has struggled to reassure critics that its promises on women's rights, labour relations and democracy are credible.

Facing potentially devastating commercial and reputational damage, Qatar has repeatedly vowed to guarantee the future "safety and security" of passengers.

Australia's criticism of Qatar had grown increasingly strident in the absence of an unequivocal apology from Doha in the days after the scandal emerged.

Qatar said on Friday that taskforces were looking at "potential gaps in the procedures and protocols" at the airport.

"This incident is the first of its kind at Hamad International Airport, which has served tens of millions of passengers without any issues like this before," the Qatari statement said.

"What took place is wholly inconsistent with Qatar's culture and values."

Qatar's assistant foreign minister Lolwah al-Khater, one of the few female ministers in the Gulf region, tweeted Qatar's apologies "for the disturbing experience".

Qatar said Monday it had identified the mother of a baby dumped at its airport, an incident that prompted officials to order departing female passengers to undergo invasive examinations, sparking global outrage.

Qatar said Monday it had identified the mother of a baby dumped at its airport, an incident that prompted officials to order departing female passengers to undergo invasive examinations, sparking global outrage. Qatar's public prosecutor said in a statement "Investigations revealed that the infant's mother... threw the newborn infant in the trash can in one of the toilets in the departures lounge at the airport and boarded the plane to her destination." Qatar's public prosecutor has filed criminal charges against an unspecified number of police officers working at Qatar's Hamad airport after women said they were invasively searched there last month. Women on 10 Qatar Airways flights out of Doha were subject to the examinations as authorities searched for the mother of a newborn baby found abandoned in an airport bathroom on October 2. Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said the searches were appalling and Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani has apologised. Judicial police officers working in the Airport Security Department broke the law when they summoned female medical staff to conduct the searches, the public prosecutor said in a statement on Monday The police officers acted unilaterally and face "penalties of a maximum of three years," it said. The public prosecutor did not say what crimes had been committed, how many police officers had been charged or detail the penalties they faced, such as imprisonment, if convicted. The public prosecutor said it had also charged the child's mother, who has left the country, with attempted murder and that it had launched legal proceedings to arrest her. The mother, identified as of "Asian nationality", faces a maximum penalty of 15 years if convicted, the statement said. It also said a male defendant had been identified as the father of the child after a DNA test, without saying how they were able to initially locate him. The mother of the abandoned child had messaged the father telling him she had just given birth and that she was abandoning the child and leaving the country, the prosecutor said. The incident has caused diplomatic tensions with three friendly nations, Australia, Britain, and New Zealand, which intensified when authorities initially declined to apologise, leading to an online backlash against the airline, one of the wealthy Gulf nation's prestige projects. New Zealand was the latest to raise concerns, saying late Thursday that one of its citizens was among the women subjected to the invasive examinations. "We were extremely concerned to learn... that a New Zealand national was involved in the appalling incident involving female passengers on several Qatar Airways flights," its foreign ministry said in a statement. It labeled the action "completely unacceptable". The incident only came to light this week after affected Australian passengers spoke out. Qatar is an ultra-conservative Muslim monarchy, where sex and childbirth outside of marriage are punishable by jail. Ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, it has struggled to reassure critics that its promises on women's rights, labour relations and democracy are credible. Facing potentially devastating commercial and reputational damage, Qatar has repeatedly vowed to guarantee the future "safety and security" of passengers. Australia's criticism of Qatar had grown increasingly strident in the absence of an unequivocal apology from Doha in the days after the scandal emerged. Qatar said on Friday that taskforces were looking at "potential gaps in the procedures and protocols" at the airport. "This incident is the first of its kind at Hamad International Airport, which has served tens of millions of passengers without any issues like this before," the Qatari statement said. "What took place is wholly inconsistent with Qatar's culture and values." Qatar's assistant foreign minister Lolwah al-Khater, one of the few female ministers in the Gulf region, tweeted Qatar's apologies "for the disturbing experience".

Qatar authorities identify mother who dumped her baby in airport scandal

A prominent British paleologist has advanced a convincing case contending that a very much saved antiquated house in Nazareth was the youth home of Jesus.&nbsp;

The structure goes back to the primary century and the site is currently home to the Sisters of Nazareth Convent.

The site&nbsp;was first recognised as the house where Jesus grew up with Joseph and Mary in the nineteenth century, yet the hypothesis was excused during the 1930s and has been dismissed from that point forward.&nbsp;

In any case, following 14 years of fieldwork&nbsp;work and exploration on the site, Ken Dark, an educator of archaeology&nbsp;and history at Reading University in the UK, has discovered that the cloister remains on an abode that antiquated Nazarene accepted was Jesus' first home.&nbsp;

Huge pieces of the structure endure, including a stone cut flight of stairs. In its first-century prime, it presumably incorporated various living and extra spaces around a patio, and a rooftop porch.&nbsp;

Teacher Dark found that individuals in the zone accepted that the structure was Jesus' home from at any rate the 380s. His examination likewise affirmed the structure's status as a first-century staying. No such case can be made for some other destinations in the city.&nbsp;

Huge pieces of the structure endure, including a stone cut flight of stairs. In its first-century prime, it presumably incorporated various living and extra spaces around a patio, and a rooftop porch.&nbsp;

Teacher Dark found that individuals in the zone accepted that the structure was Jesus' home from at any rate the 380s. His examination likewise affirmed the structure's status as a first-century staying. No such case can be made for some other destinations in the city.&nbsp;

The paleontologist's examination of the two-story house uncovered fantastic craftsmanship and comprehension of rock that would be steady with it having been manufactured and possessed by a tekton – the depiction of Joseph's calling in the Greek accounts, which implies that he was a woodworker, yet additionally a stonemason or developer.&nbsp;

His fieldwork also demonstrates that a cavern church brightened with mosaics was worked close to the house's remaining parts in the fourth century. In the fifth century, a congregation was worked over both the house and the cavern church and it was the biggest church in Nazareth at that point.&nbsp;

This congregation was extravagantly enlivened with marble and mosaics and it precisely coordinated a seventh-century portrayal of the huge Byzantine church that was said to have remained on the site of Jesus' home and was a significant journey objective.&nbsp;

In his book, 'The Sisters of Nazareth Convent: A Roman-Period, Byzantine and Crusader Site in Central Nazareth', Professor Dark examined the probability of memory of a structure's set of experiences being communicated from the principal century to the fourth century, when the main church was worked at the site. "My decision is that, from anthropological proof and investigations of oral custom, there's definitely no motivation behind why they couldn't have known," he said.

A prominent British paleologist has advanced a convincing case contending that a very much saved antiquated house in Nazareth was the youth home of Jesus. The structure goes back to the primary century and the site is currently home to the Sisters of Nazareth Convent.

A prominent British paleologist has advanced a convincing case contending that a very much saved antiquated house in Nazareth was the youth home of Jesus. The structure goes back to the primary century and the site is currently home to the Sisters of Nazareth Convent. The site was first recognised as the house where Jesus grew up with Joseph and Mary in the nineteenth century, yet the hypothesis was excused during the 1930s and has been dismissed from that point forward. In any case, following 14 years of fieldwork work and exploration on the site, Ken Dark, an educator of archaeology and history at Reading University in the UK, has discovered that the cloister remains on an abode that antiquated Nazarene accepted was Jesus' first home. Huge pieces of the structure endure, including a stone cut flight of stairs. In its first-century prime, it presumably incorporated various living and extra spaces around a patio, and a rooftop porch. Teacher Dark found that individuals in the zone accepted that the structure was Jesus' home from at any rate the 380s. His examination likewise affirmed the structure's status as a first-century staying. No such case can be made for some other destinations in the city. Huge pieces of the structure endure, including a stone cut flight of stairs. In its first-century prime, it presumably incorporated various living and extra spaces around a patio, and a rooftop porch. Teacher Dark found that individuals in the zone accepted that the structure was Jesus' home from at any rate the 380s. His examination likewise affirmed the structure's status as a first-century staying. No such case can be made for some other destinations in the city. The paleontologist's examination of the two-story house uncovered fantastic craftsmanship and comprehension of rock that would be steady with it having been manufactured and possessed by a tekton – the depiction of Joseph's calling in the Greek accounts, which implies that he was a woodworker, yet additionally a stonemason or developer. His fieldwork also demonstrates that a cavern church brightened with mosaics was worked close to the house's remaining parts in the fourth century. In the fifth century, a congregation was worked over both the house and the cavern church and it was the biggest church in Nazareth at that point. This congregation was extravagantly enlivened with marble and mosaics and it precisely coordinated a seventh-century portrayal of the huge Byzantine church that was said to have remained on the site of Jesus' home and was a significant journey objective. In his book, 'The Sisters of Nazareth Convent: A Roman-Period, Byzantine and Crusader Site in Central Nazareth', Professor Dark examined the probability of memory of a structure's set of experiences being communicated from the principal century to the fourth century, when the main church was worked at the site. "My decision is that, from anthropological proof and investigations of oral custom, there's definitely no motivation behind why they couldn't have known," he said.

Childhood home of Jesus Christ discovered by a British archeologist

Lahore has once again topped the list of most polluted cities in the world as its air quality index (AQI) recorded six times over the safe limit.

Citing the data by IQAir, a Swiss air technology company that pulls together air quality indices from across the world, Geo News reported that on Monday morning, Lahore was engulfed in a grey haze and recorded an AQI of 306.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-1300-year-old-ancient-hindu-temple-discovered-in-swat-district-344484" hreflang="en">Pakistan: 1300 year old ancient Hindu temple discovered in Swat district</a>

The city's air quality has been classified as "hazardous", putting an additional burden on the fragile healthcare system amid a surge in coronavirus deaths and new infections.

The other city that made the list of the top 10 most polluted cities was Karachi. It ranked seventh with an AQI of 168.

The Swiss air quality monitor regards air quality as satisfactory if the AQI is below 50.&nbsp;

Lahore has once again topped the list of most polluted cities in the world as its air quality index (AQI) recorded six times over the safe limit. Citing the data by IQAir, a Swiss air technology company that pulls together air quality indices from across the world, Geo News reported that on Monday morning, Lahore was engulfed in a grey haze and recorded an AQI of 306.

Lahore has once again topped the list of most polluted cities in the world as its air quality index (AQI) recorded six times over the safe limit. Citing the data by IQAir, a Swiss air technology company that pulls together air quality indices from across the world, Geo News reported that on Monday morning, Lahore was engulfed in a grey haze and recorded an AQI of 306. Also read| Pakistan: 1300 year old ancient Hindu temple discovered in Swat district The city's air quality has been classified as "hazardous", putting an additional burden on the fragile healthcare system amid a surge in coronavirus deaths and new infections. The other city that made the list of the top 10 most polluted cities was Karachi. It ranked seventh with an AQI of 168. The Swiss air quality monitor regards air quality as satisfactory if the AQI is below 50.

Lahore ranks world's most polluted city once again

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump's administration is stepping&nbsp;up its challenges to Beijing's maritime claims in the dispute-rife South China Sea.

The national security adviser of the United States, Robert O'Brien on Monday assured the Philippines and Vietnam, countries both locked in maritime rows with China, that Washington has their backs and would fight to keep the Indo-Pacific region free and open.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/why-us-has-deployed-its-2-billion-worth-b-2-spirit-bombers-in-south-china-sea-315392">Why US has deployed its $2 billion worth B-2 Spirit bombers in South China Sea</a>

"Our message is we're going to be here, we've got your back, and we're not leaving," said O'Brien, on a visit to the Philippines after concluding a trip to Vietnam on Sunday.

"I think when we send that message –&nbsp; that peace-through-strength message – is the way to deter China. It is a way to ensure the peace," O'Brien said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-sends-three-vessels-to-south-china-sea-in-anti-submarine-exercise-334183">Japan sends three vessels to South China Sea in anti-submarine exercise</a>

China&nbsp;claims almost the whole of the&nbsp;South&nbsp;China&nbsp;Sea&nbsp;as its own, a claim contested by several countries including Malaysia, Taiwan,the Philippines, and Indonesia.

In July, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper slammed a "catalog of bad behavior" in the&nbsp;South&nbsp;China&nbsp;Sea&nbsp;over the previous months and accused the Chinese military of having sunk a Vietnamese fishing boat, harassing Malaysian oil and gas development and escorting Chinese fishing fleets into Indonesia's exclusive economic zone.

The United States has long opposed China's expansive claims, sending warships regularly through the strategic waterway to demonstrate freedom of navigation there.

China maintains it is a force for peace in the region and sees the US&nbsp;presence as provocative and interference by an outsider.

O'Brien, who led the turnover in Manila of $18 million worth of precision-guided munitions, said the United States stood with the Philippines in protecting its offshore resource entitlements.

"Those resources belong to the children and grandchildren of the people here," he said.

"They don't belong to some other country that just because they may be bigger than the Philippines," he said, adding: "That's just wrong."

His visit came more than a week after the Philippines suspended its scrapping of a Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States for a second time, as the treaty allies work on a long-term mutual defence arrangement.

Last year, US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo assured the Philippines it would come to its defense if attacked in the South China Sea.

US President Donald Trump's administration is stepping up its challenges to Beijing's maritime claims in the dispute-rife South China Sea. The national security adviser of the United States, Robert O'Brien on Monday assured the Philippines and Vietnam, countries both locked in maritime rows with China, that Washington has their backs and would fight to keep the Indo-Pacific region free and open.

US President Donald Trump's administration is stepping up its challenges to Beijing's maritime claims in the dispute-rife South China Sea. The national security adviser of the United States, Robert O'Brien on Monday assured the Philippines and Vietnam, countries both locked in maritime rows with China, that Washington has their backs and would fight to keep the Indo-Pacific region free and open. Also see: Why US has deployed its $2 billion worth B-2 Spirit bombers in South China Sea "Our message is we're going to be here, we've got your back, and we're not leaving," said O'Brien, on a visit to the Philippines after concluding a trip to Vietnam on Sunday. "I think when we send that message – that peace-through-strength message – is the way to deter China. It is a way to ensure the peace," O'Brien said. Also read: Japan sends three vessels to South China Sea in anti-submarine exercise China claims almost the whole of the South China Sea as its own, a claim contested by several countries including Malaysia, Taiwan,the Philippines, and Indonesia. In July, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper slammed a "catalog of bad behavior" in the South China Sea over the previous months and accused the Chinese military of having sunk a Vietnamese fishing boat, harassing Malaysian oil and gas development and escorting Chinese fishing fleets into Indonesia's exclusive economic zone. The United States has long opposed China's expansive claims, sending warships regularly through the strategic waterway to demonstrate freedom of navigation there. China maintains it is a force for peace in the region and sees the US presence as provocative and interference by an outsider. O'Brien, who led the turnover in Manila of $18 million worth of precision-guided munitions, said the United States stood with the Philippines in protecting its offshore resource entitlements. "Those resources belong to the children and grandchildren of the people here," he said. "They don't belong to some other country that just because they may be bigger than the Philippines," he said, adding: "That's just wrong." His visit came more than a week after the Philippines suspended its scrapping of a Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States for a second time, as the treaty allies work on a long-term mutual defence arrangement. Last year, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo assured the Philippines it would come to its defense if attacked in the South China Sea.

South China Sea: US vows support to Philippines and Vietnam over row with China

Germany on Monday accused Turkey of&nbsp;obstructing peace in&nbsp;Libya after it prevented German forces belonging to a European Union military mission carrying out a full search of a Turkish cargo ship that they suspected of taking weapons to Libya.

Soldiers from the frigate Hamburg boarded the Turkish freighter, the Rosaline A, overnight, but had to abandon checks and withdraw after Turkey protested to the EU mission, the German defence ministry said.

<img alt="F" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0665390f-f889-421c-8a4c-faf6fdb8d10e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2820%29_13.jpg" />

In picture:&nbsp;German Navy armed personnel stand in front of the Frigate Hamburg, docked at Port Rashid/REUTERS

The frigate was operating in the Mediterranean as part of the EU's Irini mission, which aims to stop arms reaching the warring factions in Libya.

"By the time the soldiers left the ship, they had not found anything suspicious," a German defence ministry spokesman said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/why-greece-turkey-are-fighting-over-hydrocarbons-in-mediterranean-sea-320304">Why Greece, Turkey are fighting over hydrocarbons in Mediterranean Sea</a>

European states involved in efforts to end the conflict in Libya on Monday threatened sanctions against any parties or countries (Turkey)&nbsp;that harm the fragile peace process.

Britain, France, Germany and Italy in a joint statement urged "all Libyan and international parties to refrain from any parallel and uncoordinated initiative" that risked undermining the UN-led efforts.&nbsp;

Their statement said they were "ready to take measures against those who obstruct" the process, plunder state funds or commit rights abuses.&nbsp;

It did not name other states but Europe has in the past accused both Russia and&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;of interfering in Libya.

Moscow has been accused of backing mercenaries fighting the UN-backed Tripoli Government of National Accord (GNA) while&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;has deployed its military as well as drones to back the GNA.

The four European countries said they welcomed the roadmap agreed by the Libyan parties to pave the way to national elections scheduled for December 24 following an October ceasefire deal.

"This is an important step to restore Libya's sovereignty and the democratic legitimacy of its institutions," the statement said.

It said that the four countries shared the opposition of Libyans "to all foreign interference, and support their willingness to come together in peaceful and patriotic dialogue".

French President Emmanuel Macron has been a particularly vocal critic of&nbsp;Turkey's role in the Libya conflict, accusing it of seeking new influence in the eastern Mediterranean, in one of a number of issues that have triggered grave tensions between Paris and Ankara.

Last month's ceasefire formally ended fighting between forces of the Ankara-backed GNA and those of eastern strongman Khalifa Haftar, who was long favoured by Russia.

The ceasefire aims to end years of conflict following the 2011 killing of dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

Stephanie Williams, UN acting special envoy for Libya, said last week that rival forces in Libya had failed to begin withdrawing as required under an October ceasefire agreement.

Germany on Monday accused Turkey of obstructing peace in Libya after it prevented German forces belonging to a European Union military mission carrying out a full search of a Turkish cargo ship that they suspected of taking weapons to Libya.

Germany on Monday accused Turkey of obstructing peace in Libya after it prevented German forces belonging to a European Union military mission carrying out a full search of a Turkish cargo ship that they suspected of taking weapons to Libya. Soldiers from the frigate Hamburg boarded the Turkish freighter, the Rosaline A, overnight, but had to abandon checks and withdraw after Turkey protested to the EU mission, the German defence ministry said. In picture: German Navy armed personnel stand in front of the Frigate Hamburg, docked at Port Rashid/REUTERS The frigate was operating in the Mediterranean as part of the EU's Irini mission, which aims to stop arms reaching the warring factions in Libya. "By the time the soldiers left the ship, they had not found anything suspicious," a German defence ministry spokesman said. Also read: Why Greece, Turkey are fighting over hydrocarbons in Mediterranean Sea European states involved in efforts to end the conflict in Libya on Monday threatened sanctions against any parties or countries (Turkey) that harm the fragile peace process. Britain, France, Germany and Italy in a joint statement urged "all Libyan and international parties to refrain from any parallel and uncoordinated initiative" that risked undermining the UN-led efforts. Their statement said they were "ready to take measures against those who obstruct" the process, plunder state funds or commit rights abuses. It did not name other states but Europe has in the past accused both Russia and Turkey of interfering in Libya. Moscow has been accused of backing mercenaries fighting the UN-backed Tripoli Government of National Accord (GNA) while Turkey has deployed its military as well as drones to back the GNA. The four European countries said they welcomed the roadmap agreed by the Libyan parties to pave the way to national elections scheduled for December 24 following an October ceasefire deal. "This is an important step to restore Libya's sovereignty and the democratic legitimacy of its institutions," the statement said. It said that the four countries shared the opposition of Libyans "to all foreign interference, and support their willingness to come together in peaceful and patriotic dialogue". French President Emmanuel Macron has been a particularly vocal critic of Turkey's role in the Libya conflict, accusing it of seeking new influence in the eastern Mediterranean, in one of a number of issues that have triggered grave tensions between Paris and Ankara. Last month's ceasefire formally ended fighting between forces of the Ankara-backed GNA and those of eastern strongman Khalifa Haftar, who was long favoured by Russia. The ceasefire aims to end years of conflict following the 2011 killing of dictator Moamer Kadhafi. Stephanie Williams, UN acting special envoy for Libya, said last week that rival forces in Libya had failed to begin withdrawing as required under an October ceasefire agreement.

Germany accuses Turkey of obstructing Libya peace

The European Commission on Monday responded to a question about France's draft security law by warning that news media must be able to "work freely".

French journalists and press freedom advocates have protested against the planned law, which would limit the right to film or photograph on-duty police officers.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-emmanuel-macron-issues-ultimatum-to-muslim-leaders-344433/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

It will also&nbsp;make it harder to hold police accountable for abuses such as excessive use of force - a growing public concern. The offence would carry a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a 45,000-euro ($53,000) fine.

EU spokesman Christian Wigand said "The commission does not comment on draft laws, but it goes without saying that in a period of crisis it is more important than ever that journalists must be able to do their jobs freely and in complete safety."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/blatant-lies-france-asks-pakistan-to-withdraw-comments-that-compared-macron-to-nazis-344721" hreflang="en">France asks Pakistan to withdraw comments that compared Macron to Nazis</a>

"As is always the case, the commission reserves the right to examine the final legislation in order to verify that it conforms to EU law," he added.

Last Tuesday, two journalists were detained in a protest that led to clashes with police as lawmakers in the National Assembly began debating the bill, which is backed by President Emmanuel Macron's party and its parliamentary allies.

The bill passed its first reading on Friday and there will be a second reading on Tuesday. It then goes to the Senate for further debate before it can become law.

An amendment drafted by the government and approved on Friday modified the article in question, 24, to add the phrase "without prejudice to the right to inform".

Prime Minister Jean Castex said this would "remove any ambiguity on the intention to guarantee respect for public freedoms while better protecting those, police and gendarmes, who ensure the protection of the population".

In practice, this law would restrict the publication of photos or videos taken of police officers' faces while carrying out their duties in public spaces, and in many cases an officer's face would have to be blurred.&nbsp;

Media unions say this could give police a green light to prevent journalists from doing their work and potentially documenting abuses by security forces.

Members of protest movements such as the "Yellow Vests" and "Extinction Rebellion", who faced a robust police response to street demonstrations -- have also denounced the draft law. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Prison term, big fine

Article 24 of the draft law foresees a one-year prison term and a 45,000-euro ($54,000) fine for publishing images that officers object to, but officials insist their target is not press freedom.

Instead, police are concerned about social media campaigns that expose individual officers.

Police say they risk great personal threat in the line of duty, and dozens have been injured in clashes with protesters in recent years.

An attack on a police station outside Paris last month by dozens of people armed with fireworks and steel bars spurred the government into taking measures.

"Ensuring the security of all those living in Europe is a key priority for the Commission and we are working hand-in-hand with the member states," Wigand said.&nbsp;

"When drafting their security legislation, member states must respect the principle of proportionality and strike the right balance between guaranteeing public security and protecting citizens' rights and freedoms, including freedom of expression, media freedom, freedom of association, privacy and access to information."

The European Commission on Monday responded to a question about France's draft security law by warning that news media must be able to "work freely". French journalists and press freedom advocates have protested against the planned law, which would limit the right to film or photograph on-duty police officers.

The European Commission on Monday responded to a question about France's draft security law by warning that news media must be able to "work freely". French journalists and press freedom advocates have protested against the planned law, which would limit the right to film or photograph on-duty police officers. It will also make it harder to hold police accountable for abuses such as excessive use of force - a growing public concern. The offence would carry a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a 45,000-euro ($53,000) fine. EU spokesman Christian Wigand said "The commission does not comment on draft laws, but it goes without saying that in a period of crisis it is more important than ever that journalists must be able to do their jobs freely and in complete safety." Also read: France asks Pakistan to withdraw comments that compared Macron to Nazis "As is always the case, the commission reserves the right to examine the final legislation in order to verify that it conforms to EU law," he added. Last Tuesday, two journalists were detained in a protest that led to clashes with police as lawmakers in the National Assembly began debating the bill, which is backed by President Emmanuel Macron's party and its parliamentary allies. The bill passed its first reading on Friday and there will be a second reading on Tuesday. It then goes to the Senate for further debate before it can become law. An amendment drafted by the government and approved on Friday modified the article in question, 24, to add the phrase "without prejudice to the right to inform". Prime Minister Jean Castex said this would "remove any ambiguity on the intention to guarantee respect for public freedoms while better protecting those, police and gendarmes, who ensure the protection of the population". In practice, this law would restrict the publication of photos or videos taken of police officers' faces while carrying out their duties in public spaces, and in many cases an officer's face would have to be blurred. Media unions say this could give police a green light to prevent journalists from doing their work and potentially documenting abuses by security forces. Members of protest movements such as the "Yellow Vests" and "Extinction Rebellion", who faced a robust police response to street demonstrations -- have also denounced the draft law. Prison term, big fine Article 24 of the draft law foresees a one-year prison term and a 45,000-euro ($54,000) fine for publishing images that officers object to, but officials insist their target is not press freedom. Instead, police are concerned about social media campaigns that expose individual officers. Police say they risk great personal threat in the line of duty, and dozens have been injured in clashes with protesters in recent years. An attack on a police station outside Paris last month by dozens of people armed with fireworks and steel bars spurred the government into taking measures. "Ensuring the security of all those living in Europe is a key priority for the Commission and we are working hand-in-hand with the member states," Wigand said. "When drafting their security legislation, member states must respect the principle of proportionality and strike the right balance between guaranteeing public security and protecting citizens' rights and freedoms, including freedom of expression, media freedom, freedom of association, privacy and access to information."

European Union warns France over press freedom as it pushes security law

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Vyomica Berry

Home

Live Tv

Latest

World

India

Business

Entertainment

Sports

Opinions

Videos

Photos

Gravitas

Lifestyle

Science

Tech

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