Trade-dependent&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;has made "relatively" good progress towards joining the revamped version of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, but it is awaiting clearer rules on membership, the island's chief trade negotiator said on Monday.

While a member of the World Trade Organization, many countries are wary of signing trade deals with&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;fearing objections from China, which claims the democratic island as its own territory, and&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;has sought greater access to multilateral deals.

Fifteen Asia-Pacific economies formed the world's largest free-trade bloc on Sunday, the China-backed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which does not include the United States or&nbsp;Taiwan.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/asian-nations-sign-rcep-a-china-backed-trade-pact-excluding-india-and-us-343226" hreflang="en">Asian nations sign RCEP, a China-backed trade pact, excluding India and US</a>

Tech-powerhouse&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;has instead been angling to join the 11-country Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), signed in 2018, again without the United States.

Taiwan&nbsp;minister without portfolio John Deng, who leads trade talks, told reporters they had expressed willingness to join the CPTPP.

"Countries that have made relatively good progress (in applying for membership) include Britain,&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;and Thailand, and&nbsp;Taiwan's hard work has been welcomed by many," Deng said.

"They hope for us to stay in touch," he said, adding that&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;is waiting for the CPTPP grouping to make "clearer rules" about membership application.

The original 12-member agreement, known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), was thrown into limbo in early 2017 when U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew.

It was renamed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and links Canada, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

Taiwan&nbsp;has played down the impact of RCEP on its economy, saying that 70% of its exports to RCEP member countries, mostly electronic products, are already tariff free.

Taiwan&nbsp;hopes eventually to sign a free trade deal with the United States, its main arms seller and most important international backer, and the two will hold high-level economic talks at the end of this week.

Trade-dependent Taiwan has made "relatively" good progress towards joining the revamped version of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, but it is awaiting clearer rules on membership, the island's chief trade negotiator said on Monday.

Trade-dependent Taiwan has made "relatively" good progress towards joining the revamped version of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, but it is awaiting clearer rules on membership, the island's chief trade negotiator said on Monday. While a member of the World Trade Organization, many countries are wary of signing trade deals with Taiwan fearing objections from China, which claims the democratic island as its own territory, and Taiwan has sought greater access to multilateral deals. Fifteen Asia-Pacific economies formed the world's largest free-trade bloc on Sunday, the China-backed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which does not include the United States or Taiwan. Also read: Asian nations sign RCEP, a China-backed trade pact, excluding India and US Tech-powerhouse Taiwan has instead been angling to join the 11-country Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), signed in 2018, again without the United States. Taiwan minister without portfolio John Deng, who leads trade talks, told reporters they had expressed willingness to join the CPTPP. "Countries that have made relatively good progress (in applying for membership) include Britain, Taiwan and Thailand, and Taiwan's hard work has been welcomed by many," Deng said. "They hope for us to stay in touch," he said, adding that Taiwan is waiting for the CPTPP grouping to make "clearer rules" about membership application. The original 12-member agreement, known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), was thrown into limbo in early 2017 when U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew. It was renamed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and links Canada, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. Taiwan has played down the impact of RCEP on its economy, saying that 70% of its exports to RCEP member countries, mostly electronic products, are already tariff free. Taiwan hopes eventually to sign a free trade deal with the United States, its main arms seller and most important international backer, and the two will hold high-level economic talks at the end of this week.

Taiwan talks up trans-Pacific trade pact after exclusion from new deal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend a virtual summit of the influential grouping BRICS on Tuesday which will focus on cooperation in counter-terrorism, trade, health, energy, and ways to offset the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to attend the 12th summit of the Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (BRICS) grouping.

The BRICS summit is taking place at a time two of the bloc's members, India and China, are locked in a bitter border standoff in eastern Ladakh for over six months. Both Modi and Xi had come face-to-face virtually at the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on November 10.

"At the invitation of President Putin, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending the 12th BRICS Summit hosted by Russia, under the theme 'Global Stability, Shared Security and Innovative Growth' on November 17," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

The BRICS is known as an influential bloc that represents over 3.6 billion people, or half of the world's population. The BRICS countries have a combined GDP of USD 16.6 trillion.

The MEA said the leaders would be discussing intra-BRICS cooperation and key issues in the global context, including the reform of the multilateral system, measures to mitigate the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, cooperation in counter-terrorism, trade, health, energy and people-to-people exchanges.

"India will be taking over the chair of the BRICS, which would be the third BRICS Presidency for India since its inception (after 2012 and 2016) and will host the 13th BRICS summit in 2021," the MEA said.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend a virtual summit of the influential grouping BRICS on Tuesday which will focus on cooperation in counter-terrorism, trade, health, energy, and ways to offset the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend a virtual summit of the influential grouping BRICS on Tuesday which will focus on cooperation in counter-terrorism, trade, health, energy, and ways to offset the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to attend the 12th summit of the Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (BRICS) grouping. The BRICS summit is taking place at a time two of the bloc's members, India and China, are locked in a bitter border standoff in eastern Ladakh for over six months. Both Modi and Xi had come face-to-face virtually at the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on November 10. "At the invitation of President Putin, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending the 12th BRICS Summit hosted by Russia, under the theme 'Global Stability, Shared Security and Innovative Growth' on November 17," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement. The BRICS is known as an influential bloc that represents over 3.6 billion people, or half of the world's population. The BRICS countries have a combined GDP of USD 16.6 trillion. The MEA said the leaders would be discussing intra-BRICS cooperation and key issues in the global context, including the reform of the multilateral system, measures to mitigate the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, cooperation in counter-terrorism, trade, health, energy and people-to-people exchanges. "India will be taking over the chair of the BRICS, which would be the third BRICS Presidency for India since its inception (after 2012 and 2016) and will host the 13th BRICS summit in 2021," the MEA said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend virtual summit of BRICS on Tuesday

Istanbul's mayor&nbsp;Ekrem Imamoglu, is being probed for opposing&nbsp;President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's dream of building an alternative to the Bosphorus Strait, according to his spokesman.

While,&nbsp;Erdogan argues that the new Istanbul canal, which he has dubbed one of his "crazy projects", would relieve pressure on one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.&nbsp;Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, whose election last year saw Erdogan's ruling AK Party lose its 25-year grip on Turkey's largest city, has been a vocal opponent of the project on financial and environmental grounds.

The Bosphorus creates a border between Europe and Asia, splitting Istanbul in two as it runs between the Black and Marmara Seas.

The proposed 75-billion-lira ($9.8-billion) alternative would run to the west of the Bosphorus along a new 45-kilometre (28-mile) route.

The investigation by the ministry's property inspectorate is focused on posters containing the phrases, "Either Canal or Istanbul" and "Who needs Canal Istanbul?", Imamoglu's spokesman Murat Ongun tweeted.

The investigation was started on the grounds that the posters violated articles of the constitution prohibiting public resources from being used against "the integrity of the administration and state policy," Ongun said.

Critics say the project would destroy nature and could even worsen the earthquake risk in the city of more than 15 million people.

Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, is being probed for opposing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's dream of building an alternative to the Bosphorus Strait, according to his spokesman.

Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, is being probed for opposing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's dream of building an alternative to the Bosphorus Strait, according to his spokesman. While, Erdogan argues that the new Istanbul canal, which he has dubbed one of his "crazy projects", would relieve pressure on one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, whose election last year saw Erdogan's ruling AK Party lose its 25-year grip on Turkey's largest city, has been a vocal opponent of the project on financial and environmental grounds. The Bosphorus creates a border between Europe and Asia, splitting Istanbul in two as it runs between the Black and Marmara Seas. The proposed 75-billion-lira ($9.8-billion) alternative would run to the west of the Bosphorus along a new 45-kilometre (28-mile) route. The investigation by the ministry's property inspectorate is focused on posters containing the phrases, "Either Canal or Istanbul" and "Who needs Canal Istanbul?", Imamoglu's spokesman Murat Ongun tweeted. The investigation was started on the grounds that the posters violated articles of the constitution prohibiting public resources from being used against "the integrity of the administration and state policy," Ongun said. Critics say the project would destroy nature and could even worsen the earthquake risk in the city of more than 15 million people.

Istanbul's mayor being investigated for opposing Erdogan's dream project

Belarusian police used tear gas, rubber bullets, and stun grenades to disperse the crowds demonstrating against President Alexander Lukashenko.

The street rallies were re-ignited following the death of Roman Bondarenko, a 31-year old anti-government protester. He died in hospital in Minsk on Thursday following what demonstrators said was a severe beating by security forces.

Hundreds of people have been detained after they took to the streets in mass demonstrations chanting "I'm going out", the last known written words of an anti-government protester who died last week.

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Belarusian rights group Viasna said at least 328 people were detained, including journalists.

Tens of thousands have taken to the streets of cities throughout&nbsp;Belarus&nbsp;every weekend since August 9 when Lukashenko claimed a sixth presidential term in elections that his critics and Western countries said were rigged.

The EU has slapped sanctions on officials in the authoritarian country for rigging the vote and waging a brutal crackdown on post-vote demonstrations that led to mass arrests and allegations of torture and abuse at the hands of the security services.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/you-cannot-say-no-the-reign-of-terror-that-sustains-belarus-leader-343358" hreflang="en">'You cannot say no': The reign of terror that sustains Belarus' leader</a>

Sunday's rally comes after thousands of demonstrators turned out in Minsk Friday to mourn the death of a protester who was pronounced dead one day after police arrested him.

Roman Bondarenko, 31, died in Minsk after police arrested him following a dispute in a city square that has become a regular meeting place for the opposition.

He was arrested by police on Wednesday after an altercation between residents and masked men who removed red and white ribbons, the colours of the opposition, hung in a building courtyard in Minsk.&nbsp;

Bondarenko was pronounced dead on Thursday after suffering brain damage, triggering a wave of outrage&nbsp;among the Belarusian opposition, who believe Lukashenko's security forces are ultimately responsible.

The interior ministry has denied responsibility for Bondarenko's death, saying he was killed in a scuffle with civilians.

'Devastating'&nbsp;

Exiled opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya described the former soldier Bondarenko as a "man who was killed because he wanted to live in a free country".&nbsp;

On Sunday she described the crackdown on protesters with "gas, grenades and firearms" as "devastating" and called for international support for the demonstrators.

"We ask our allies to stand up for the Belarusian people and human rights. We need a humanitarian corridor for the injured, support for the media, international investigation of crimes," she wrote on Twitter.

Lukashenko said Friday he had asked investigators to probe the incident "honestly and objectively".&nbsp;

Political crisis

Belarus&nbsp;has been mired in a political crisis for months. Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets every week since an election in August that they say was rigged, something Lukasheko denies. They want the veteran leader, in power for 26 years, to resign.

Lukashenko, who has the firm backing of longstanding ally Russian President Vladimir Putin, has refused to stand down and instead suggests reforms to the constitution to placate the opposition.

Belarusian police used tear gas, rubber bullets, and stun grenades to disperse the crowds demonstrating against President Alexander Lukashenko. The street rallies were re-ignited following the death of Roman Bondarenko, a 31-year old anti-government protester.

Belarusian police used tear gas, rubber bullets, and stun grenades to disperse the crowds demonstrating against President Alexander Lukashenko. The street rallies were re-ignited following the death of Roman Bondarenko, a 31-year old anti-government protester. He died in hospital in Minsk on Thursday following what demonstrators said was a severe beating by security forces. Hundreds of people have been detained after they took to the streets in mass demonstrations chanting "I'm going out", the last known written words of an anti-government protester who died last week. Belarusian rights group Viasna said at least 328 people were detained, including journalists. Tens of thousands have taken to the streets of cities throughout Belarus every weekend since August 9 when Lukashenko claimed a sixth presidential term in elections that his critics and Western countries said were rigged. The EU has slapped sanctions on officials in the authoritarian country for rigging the vote and waging a brutal crackdown on post-vote demonstrations that led to mass arrests and allegations of torture and abuse at the hands of the security services. Also read| 'You cannot say no': The reign of terror that sustains Belarus' leader Sunday's rally comes after thousands of demonstrators turned out in Minsk Friday to mourn the death of a protester who was pronounced dead one day after police arrested him. Roman Bondarenko, 31, died in Minsk after police arrested him following a dispute in a city square that has become a regular meeting place for the opposition. He was arrested by police on Wednesday after an altercation between residents and masked men who removed red and white ribbons, the colours of the opposition, hung in a building courtyard in Minsk. Bondarenko was pronounced dead on Thursday after suffering brain damage, triggering a wave of outrage among the Belarusian opposition, who believe Lukashenko's security forces are ultimately responsible. The interior ministry has denied responsibility for Bondarenko's death, saying he was killed in a scuffle with civilians. 'Devastating' Exiled opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya described the former soldier Bondarenko as a "man who was killed because he wanted to live in a free country". On Sunday she described the crackdown on protesters with "gas, grenades and firearms" as "devastating" and called for international support for the demonstrators. "We ask our allies to stand up for the Belarusian people and human rights. We need a humanitarian corridor for the injured, support for the media, international investigation of crimes," she wrote on Twitter. Lukashenko said Friday he had asked investigators to probe the incident "honestly and objectively". Political crisis Belarus has been mired in a political crisis for months. Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets every week since an election in August that they say was rigged, something Lukasheko denies. They want the veteran leader, in power for 26 years, to resign. Lukashenko, who has the firm backing of longstanding ally Russian President Vladimir Putin, has refused to stand down and instead suggests reforms to the constitution to placate the opposition.

Belarus police uses tear gas, stun grenades to disperse protesters

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Monday called&nbsp;for halt to violence after reports of an attempt on his life.

Pashinyan has fuelled outrage after he announced a Moscow-brokered peace deal that ended weeks of heavy fighting over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh that left at least 2,400 dead and displaced tens of thousands.

Armenia&nbsp;agreed to cede parts of the region to Azerbaijan as well as other territories controlled by Armenian separatists since a 1990s post-Soviet war.

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Ethnic&nbsp;Armenians have set fire to their homes, severed electricity cables, and cut down trees before leaving the area that is to be handed over to Baku's control.

After the deal was announced, thousands of protesters took to the streets of the Armenian capital Yerevan, calling Pashinyan a "traitor" and demanding his resignation.&nbsp;Protesters also stormed government buildings.

On Monday, Pashinyan appealed for calm.

"Today I clearly stated that violence or the provoking of violence (especially armed violence) cannot in any way be a means of action for the government," Pashinyan said on Facebook.

Pashinyan said he expected the opposition to also declare that it did not back "any violent action".

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has told his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev to take care of Christian shrines in parts of Nagorno-Karabakh that Azerbaijan gets under the deal, the Kremlin said on Saturday.

Vanetsyan, leader of the centre-right "Homeland" party, was released on Sunday after a court ruled that his detention lacked legal grounds.&nbsp;

A dozen opposition leaders were detained last week for inciting riots but were also released by courts.

Nagorno-Karabakh declared independence from Azerbaijan nearly 30 years ago but it has not been recognised internationally, even by&nbsp;Armenia.

Clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenian separatists broke out in late September and persisted despite efforts by France, Russia and the United States to mediate ceasefires that collapsed as both sides accused the other of violations.

&nbsp;

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Monday called for halt to violence after reports of an attempt on his life. Pashinyan has fuelled outrage after he announced a Moscow-brokered peace deal that ended weeks of heavy fighting over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh that left at least 2,400 dead and displaced tens of thousands.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Monday called for halt to violence after reports of an attempt on his life. Pashinyan has fuelled outrage after he announced a Moscow-brokered peace deal that ended weeks of heavy fighting over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh that left at least 2,400 dead and displaced tens of thousands. Armenia agreed to cede parts of the region to Azerbaijan as well as other territories controlled by Armenian separatists since a 1990s post-Soviet war. Ethnic Armenians have set fire to their homes, severed electricity cables, and cut down trees before leaving the area that is to be handed over to Baku's control. After the deal was announced, thousands of protesters took to the streets of the Armenian capital Yerevan, calling Pashinyan a "traitor" and demanding his resignation. Protesters also stormed government buildings. On Monday, Pashinyan appealed for calm. "Today I clearly stated that violence or the provoking of violence (especially armed violence) cannot in any way be a means of action for the government," Pashinyan said on Facebook. Pashinyan said he expected the opposition to also declare that it did not back "any violent action". Russia's President Vladimir Putin has told his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev to take care of Christian shrines in parts of Nagorno-Karabakh that Azerbaijan gets under the deal, the Kremlin said on Saturday. Vanetsyan, leader of the centre-right "Homeland" party, was released on Sunday after a court ruled that his detention lacked legal grounds. A dozen opposition leaders were detained last week for inciting riots but were also released by courts. Nagorno-Karabakh declared independence from Azerbaijan nearly 30 years ago but it has not been recognised internationally, even by Armenia. Clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenian separatists broke out in late September and persisted despite efforts by France, Russia and the United States to mediate ceasefires that collapsed as both sides accused the other of violations.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan calls for halt to violence over peace deal

A group of space experts has found a peculiar item that can exist around a couple of dark openings. The disclosure could assist with unwinding the character of the dim issue and uncover the idea of room time.&nbsp;

A new examination found that the exceptional molecule can exist around a couple of dark openings in a way like how an electron exists around a couple of hydrogen iotas. It's the first run through the presence of a supposed "gravitational atom" that has ever been clarified.&nbsp;

To unload what this all methods, it must be recalled that in present-day material science the electron is spoken to as a field – a numerical item that has an incentive for each point in existence.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/three-asteroids-over-30-metres-in-diametre-travelling-earths-way-341959" hreflang="en">Three asteroids over 30 metres in diametre travelling Earth’s way</a>

A particle is fundamentally a little core encompassed by the electron field, that electron field reacts to the presence of the core and permits the electron to show up just in specific locales.&nbsp;

Curiously, the climate of a dark opening can be depicted along these lines. The focal point of a dark opening is to some degree like the core of an iota, while the general climate is like the one that portrays a subatomic molecule.&nbsp;

The creators of the new examination found that specific sorts of fields – called scalar fields – can exist around paired dark openings. It was additionally found that they can shape themselves into designs that look like how electron fields organize themselves in particles.&nbsp;

The advancement implies that researchers may before long have the option to identify the dim issues with existing gravitational wave finders. It raises the tempting possibility of focusing light on the ineffectively perceived dull area of the universe.

A group of space experts has found a peculiar item that can exist around a couple of dark openings. The disclosure could assist with unwinding the character of the dim issue and uncover the idea of room time.

A group of space experts has found a peculiar item that can exist around a couple of dark openings. The disclosure could assist with unwinding the character of the dim issue and uncover the idea of room time. A new examination found that the exceptional molecule can exist around a couple of dark openings in a way like how an electron exists around a couple of hydrogen iotas. It's the first run through the presence of a supposed "gravitational atom" that has ever been clarified. To unload what this all methods, it must be recalled that in present-day material science the electron is spoken to as a field – a numerical item that has an incentive for each point in existence. Also read: Three asteroids over 30 metres in diametre travelling Earth’s way A particle is fundamentally a little core encompassed by the electron field, that electron field reacts to the presence of the core and permits the electron to show up just in specific locales. Curiously, the climate of a dark opening can be depicted along these lines. The focal point of a dark opening is to some degree like the core of an iota, while the general climate is like the one that portrays a subatomic molecule. The creators of the new examination found that specific sorts of fields – called scalar fields – can exist around paired dark openings. It was additionally found that they can shape themselves into designs that look like how electron fields organize themselves in particles. The advancement implies that researchers may before long have the option to identify the dim issues with existing gravitational wave finders. It raises the tempting possibility of focusing light on the ineffectively perceived dull area of the universe.

Unusual 'electron' to reveal insight into dark matter, space-time mysteries

A lead scientist behind&nbsp;Pfizer's&nbsp;coronavirus vaccine,&nbsp;Ugur Sahin, has warned that the jab needs time to be effective and that&nbsp;life will not return to normal till next winter.

Together with US giant&nbsp;Pfizer, BioN is developing the leading candidate in the worldwide chase for a vaccine.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/volunteers-face-severe-hangover-headache-and-pain-after-getting-pfizer-vaccine-shot-342518">Volunteers face 'severe hangover', headache and pain after getting Pfizer vaccine shot</a>

An effective inoculation against COVID-19 has been billed as the best way to end the global health crisis, but Professor Ugur Sahin, the co-founder of BioNTech, has cautioned against assuming the pandemic is behind us. &nbsp;

"Our goal is to deliver more than 300 million doses by April next year, which could already have an impact," he said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pfizer-biontech-claim-their-coronavirus-vaccine-is-90-effective-341931">Pfizer, BioNTech claim their coronavirus vaccine is 90% effective</a>

The vaccine, which Pfizer reports is over 90 percent effective, could be distributed to the general public as early as mid-December.&nbsp;

Israel signed a deal with Pfizer Inc on Friday to receive 8 million doses of the drugmaker's potential COVID-19 vaccine, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, enough to cover close to half of Israel`s population.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-signs-deal-with-pfizer-for-potential-covid-19-vaccine-342970">Israel signs deal with Pfizer for potential COVID-19 vaccine</a>

The infection rate will then go down in summer, Sahin predicted, adding that it is essential that there is a high takeup of the vaccination by autumn.

A number of vaccination companies are working to increase the supply, he said: "so we could have a normal winter next (year)."

Sahin and his wife Ozlem Tureci founded BioNTech in the western German city of Mainz in 2008.

Having identified promising vaccine blueprints, the company formed a partnership in March with American pharmaceutical giant&nbsp;Pfizer.

The announcement on Monday that their vaccine was more than 90 percent effective in trials led news bulletins around the world and sent stock markets and hopes soaring.&nbsp;

BioNTech is now worth $25.8 billion (21.8 billion euros), more than Germany's largest lender Deutsche Bank.

A lead scientist behind Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine, Ugur Sahin, has warned that the jab needs time to be effective and that life will not return to normal till next winter.

A lead scientist behind Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine, Ugur Sahin, has warned that the jab needs time to be effective and that life will not return to normal till next winter. Together with US giant Pfizer, BioN is developing the leading candidate in the worldwide chase for a vaccine. Also read: Volunteers face 'severe hangover', headache and pain after getting Pfizer vaccine shot An effective inoculation against COVID-19 has been billed as the best way to end the global health crisis, but Professor Ugur Sahin, the co-founder of BioNTech, has cautioned against assuming the pandemic is behind us. "Our goal is to deliver more than 300 million doses by April next year, which could already have an impact," he said. Also read: Pfizer, BioNTech claim their coronavirus vaccine is 90% effective The vaccine, which Pfizer reports is over 90 percent effective, could be distributed to the general public as early as mid-December. Israel signed a deal with Pfizer Inc on Friday to receive 8 million doses of the drugmaker's potential COVID-19 vaccine, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, enough to cover close to half of Israel`s population. Also read: Israel signs deal with Pfizer for potential COVID-19 vaccine The infection rate will then go down in summer, Sahin predicted, adding that it is essential that there is a high takeup of the vaccination by autumn. A number of vaccination companies are working to increase the supply, he said: "so we could have a normal winter next (year)." Sahin and his wife Ozlem Tureci founded BioNTech in the western German city of Mainz in 2008. Having identified promising vaccine blueprints, the company formed a partnership in March with American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. The announcement on Monday that their vaccine was more than 90 percent effective in trials led news bulletins around the world and sent stock markets and hopes soaring. BioNTech is now worth $25.8 billion (21.8 billion euros), more than Germany's largest lender Deutsche Bank.

Lead scientist behind Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, Ugur Sahin, says life will not return to normal till next winter

Saudi Arabia's&nbsp;Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Friday warned an&nbsp;"iron fist" response to extremists&nbsp;threatening its security.

Prince Mohammed, the kingdom's de facto ruler, warned those seeking to carry out jihadist acts of a "painful and severe punishment".

It comes after the&nbsp;Islamic State claimed responsibility for a bomb blast that struck a World War I commemoration at a non-Muslim cemetery in Jeddah on Wednesday, just two weeks after a guard at the French consulate in the Red Sea city was wounded by a knife-wielding Saudi citizen.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/islamic-state-group-claims-responsibility-for-saudi-cemetery-attack-342740" hreflang="en">Islamic State group claims responsibility for Saudi cemetery attack</a>

The attacks, which underscore Muslim fury over French satirical cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, come as Saudi Arabia prepares for the G20 leaders' summit later this month,&nbsp;the first to be hosted by an Arab nation.

Wednesday's attack occurred two weeks after a Saudi man wounded a security guard at the French consulate in Jeddah with what has been described as a "sharp tool" and after recent Islamist militant attacks in France and Austria.

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Prince Mohammed said Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, is committed to confronting extremism and rejects and condemns all terrorist acts.

He said actual terror attacks in the kingdom, the world's top oil exporter and a key US&nbsp;ally, had "fallen to near-zero" following a restructuring of the interior ministry and reforming of the security sector that began in mid-2017.

Prince Mohammed, who pledged in 2017 to return Saudi Arabia to an "open, moderate Islam", has sought&nbsp;to roll back the influence of the ultra-conservative religious establishment.

The prince also said the kingdom would continue to combat corruption after the state recovered 247 billion riyals ($65.86 billion) in settlements in addition to assets worth tens of billions of riyals in the past three years.

The heir to the Saudi throne has curbed the influence of the once-powerful religious police, as he permits mixed-gender music concerts, cinemas, and other entertainment options that appeal to a majority young population.

But simultaneously, the prince has launched a sweeping crackdown on dissent and free speech, arresting women activists, clerics, and journalists as well as royal family members.

In January 2019 Saudi Arabia ended a sweeping anti-corruption campaign in which many members of the kingdom's economic and political elite were detained.

Critics saw the crackdown as a power grab by the crown prince, who has moved to sideline any rivals to his eventual succession to the throne. Prince Mohammed has defended the campaign as "shock therapy" as he tries to overhaul the economy.

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Friday warned an "iron fist" response to extremists threatening its security. Prince Mohammed, the kingdom's de facto ruler, warned those seeking to carry out jihadist acts of a "painful and severe punishment".

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Friday warned an "iron fist" response to extremists threatening its security. Prince Mohammed, the kingdom's de facto ruler, warned those seeking to carry out jihadist acts of a "painful and severe punishment". It comes after the Islamic State claimed responsibility for a bomb blast that struck a World War I commemoration at a non-Muslim cemetery in Jeddah on Wednesday, just two weeks after a guard at the French consulate in the Red Sea city was wounded by a knife-wielding Saudi citizen. Also read: Islamic State group claims responsibility for Saudi cemetery attack The attacks, which underscore Muslim fury over French satirical cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, come as Saudi Arabia prepares for the G20 leaders' summit later this month, the first to be hosted by an Arab nation. Wednesday's attack occurred two weeks after a Saudi man wounded a security guard at the French consulate in Jeddah with what has been described as a "sharp tool" and after recent Islamist militant attacks in France and Austria. × Prince Mohammed said Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, is committed to confronting extremism and rejects and condemns all terrorist acts. He said actual terror attacks in the kingdom, the world's top oil exporter and a key US ally, had "fallen to near-zero" following a restructuring of the interior ministry and reforming of the security sector that began in mid-2017. Prince Mohammed, who pledged in 2017 to return Saudi Arabia to an "open, moderate Islam", has sought to roll back the influence of the ultra-conservative religious establishment. The prince also said the kingdom would continue to combat corruption after the state recovered 247 billion riyals ($65.86 billion) in settlements in addition to assets worth tens of billions of riyals in the past three years. The heir to the Saudi throne has curbed the influence of the once-powerful religious police, as he permits mixed-gender music concerts, cinemas, and other entertainment options that appeal to a majority young population. But simultaneously, the prince has launched a sweeping crackdown on dissent and free speech, arresting women activists, clerics, and journalists as well as royal family members. In January 2019 Saudi Arabia ended a sweeping anti-corruption campaign in which many members of the kingdom's economic and political elite were detained. Critics saw the crackdown as a power grab by the crown prince, who has moved to sideline any rivals to his eventual succession to the throne. Prince Mohammed has defended the campaign as "shock therapy" as he tries to overhaul the economy.

Saudi Arabia warns 'iron fist' response to extremists threatening its security

Thousands of people carrying candles and flowers gathered in Minsk on Thursday to mourn the death of a protester who was pronounced dead the day after police arrested him.

Lining the capital's main thoroughfares, the protesters formed human chains, while dozens more laid flowers at the site where Roman Bondarenko, a 31-year-old former soldier, was arrested on Wednesday.

Witnesses say Roman Bondarenko was detained after scuffling with people in plain clothes who had come to a playground to remove red-and-white ribbons that represent the protest movement against veteran President Alexander Lukashenko.

Bondarenko died in Minsk after police arrested him following a dispute in a city square that has become a regular meeting place for the opposition.

The interior ministry denied responsibility for Bondarenko's death, saying he was killed due to a scuffle with civilians.

The death is the latest flashpoint in months of mass protests against Lukashenko following a disputed presidential election in August. The opposition says Lukashenko rigged the vote to secure a sixth successive term.

Lukashenko denies electoral fraud and, buoyed by support from traditional ally Russia, has shown little inclination to step down. A violent crackdown prompted a new round of Western sanctions on Minsk.

"Shocked by the death of Raman Bandarenka," Lithuania's Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius said on Twitter.

"Astonishing cynicism, cruelty of the regime and blunt ignorance of people's aspirations for changes."

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who stood against Lukashenko in the election and then fled into exile, called Bondarenko a hero of Belarus.

"Unfortunately, despite all the efforts of the emergency hospital doctors, the patient died," a statement by the health ministry said.

Britain expelled two Belarusian diplomats on Tuesday in response to two of its own diplomats being expelled from Belarus.

London also summoned the Belarusian ambassador to deliver a message that it believes the only way forward is for fresh elections to be held and for those responsible for violence against demonstrators to be held to account.

Thousands of people carrying candles and flowers gathered in Minsk on Thursday to mourn the death of a protester who was pronounced dead the day after police arrested him.

Thousands of people carrying candles and flowers gathered in Minsk on Thursday to mourn the death of a protester who was pronounced dead the day after police arrested him. Lining the capital's main thoroughfares, the protesters formed human chains, while dozens more laid flowers at the site where Roman Bondarenko, a 31-year-old former soldier, was arrested on Wednesday. Witnesses say Roman Bondarenko was detained after scuffling with people in plain clothes who had come to a playground to remove red-and-white ribbons that represent the protest movement against veteran President Alexander Lukashenko. Bondarenko died in Minsk after police arrested him following a dispute in a city square that has become a regular meeting place for the opposition. The interior ministry denied responsibility for Bondarenko's death, saying he was killed due to a scuffle with civilians. The death is the latest flashpoint in months of mass protests against Lukashenko following a disputed presidential election in August. The opposition says Lukashenko rigged the vote to secure a sixth successive term. Lukashenko denies electoral fraud and, buoyed by support from traditional ally Russia, has shown little inclination to step down. A violent crackdown prompted a new round of Western sanctions on Minsk. "Shocked by the death of Raman Bandarenka," Lithuania's Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius said on Twitter. "Astonishing cynicism, cruelty of the regime and blunt ignorance of people's aspirations for changes." Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who stood against Lukashenko in the election and then fled into exile, called Bondarenko a hero of Belarus. "Unfortunately, despite all the efforts of the emergency hospital doctors, the patient died," a statement by the health ministry said. Britain expelled two Belarusian diplomats on Tuesday in response to two of its own diplomats being expelled from Belarus. London also summoned the Belarusian ambassador to deliver a message that it believes the only way forward is for fresh elections to be held and for those responsible for violence against demonstrators to be held to account.

Candles and condemnation: Thousands rally in Belarus after opposition protester's death

President Donald Trump lost more than an election last week. When he leaves the White House in January, he will also lose the constitutional protection from prosecution afforded to a sitting president.

After Jan. 20, Trump, who has refused to concede and is fighting to hold onto his office, will be more vulnerable than ever to a pending grand jury investigation by the Manhattan district attorney into the president’s family business and its practices, as well as his taxes.

The two-year inquiry, the only known active criminal investigation of Trump, has been stalled since last fall when the president sued to block a subpoena for his tax returns and other records, a bitter dispute that for the second time is before the U.S. Supreme Court. A ruling is expected soon.

Trump has contended that the investigation by the district attorney, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., a Democrat, is a politically motivated fishing expedition. But if the Supreme Court rules that Vance is entitled to the records, and he uncovers possible crimes, Trump could face a reckoning with law enforcement — further inflaming political tensions and raising the startling specter of a criminal conviction, or even prison, for a former president.

“He’ll never have more protection from Vance than he has right now,” said Stephen I. Vladeck, a law professor at the University of Texas.

“Vance has been the wild card here,” Vladeck added. “And there is very little that even a new administration that wants to let bygones be bygones could do formally to stop him.”

A lawyer for the president, Jay Sekulow, declined to comment through a spokesman.

The district attorney’s investigation of a sitting president has taken on even greater significance because Trump’s past use of his presidential power — pardoning those close to him charged with federal crimes — suggests he will make liberal use of the pardon pen on behalf of associates, family members and possibly even himself, as he claimed he has the right to do.

But his pardon power does not extend to state crimes, like the possible violations under investigation by Vance’s office.

Vance’s inquiry could take on outsized importance if the incoming Biden administration, in seeking to unify the country and avoid the appearance of retaliation against Trump, shies away from new federal investigations.

Such a move would not bind the district attorney, an independently elected state official.

Vance’s lawyers acknowledged during the court fight over the subpoena that the Constitution bars them from prosecuting a president while in office, but the district attorney has said nothing about what might happen once Trump leaves the White House.

Danny Frost, a spokesman for Vance, declined to comment. It remains unclear whether the office will determine that crimes were committed and choose to prosecute Trump or anyone in his orbit.

Vance’s actions in the coming months are likely to put him under increasing political scrutiny. Trump will leave the White House amid calls for him to face criminal charges and a drumbeat of strident criticism from the left that he has evaded any legal consequences for his conduct over the years.

On the one hand, Vance could face pressure to forsake any charges to allow the country to move forward after a contentious presidential election. On the other, the district attorney was sharply criticized for his 2012 decision not to seek an indictment against Trump’s children, Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr., after they were accused of misleading investors in a condo-hotel project. Vance has said that after a two-year investigation, his office could not prove a crime was committed.

Some legal experts said it would send the wrong message if Vance had evidence to justify charges but decided to walk away from prosecution of Trump.

“That would put the president above the law,” said Anne Milgram, a former assistant district attorney in Manhattan and Democratic attorney general in New Jersey and a frequent critic of Trump.

And because Trump has repeatedly complained that the investigation was part of a broad partisan witch hunt, any decision to end it once the president left office could be seen as a tacit acknowledgment that such criticism was justified.

Few facts have been publicly disclosed about the course of the district attorney’s investigation or the people or potential crimes being examined because the inquiry is shielded by grand jury secrecy.

But during the legal battle over Vance’s subpoena, which sought eight years of Trump’s personal and corporate tax returns and other records from his accounting firm, prosecutors suggested in court papers that they were investigating a range of potential financial crimes. They include insurance fraud and criminal tax evasion, as well as grand larceny and scheming to defraud — which together are New York state's equivalent of federal bank fraud charges.

And prosecutors argued in court that the documents they had demanded from the accounting firm, Mazars USA, represented “central evidence” for their investigation.

But they have provided little in the way of specifics beyond citing multiple news reports that detailed a range of potential criminal conduct by the president and his associates, including a series of 2018 New York Times articles that outlined possible tax crimes committed by Trump based on a detailed analysis of some of his tax return data obtained by the newspaper.

Trump, before and during his presidency, declined to publicly release his tax returns, breaking with 40 years of White House tradition, and he vigorously fought attempts by Congress and state lawmakers to obtain them.

The district attorney’s inquiry, which began in the summer of 2018, was first thought to focus on hush-money payments made on behalf of Trump just days before the 2016 presidential election to an adult film star who had claimed she had an affair with him.

But the subpoena for Trump’s tax returns underscores an apparent greater focus on potential tax crimes, which tax experts, former prosecutors and defense lawyers agree can be among the toughest cases for the government to win at trial.

“The burden of proof is substantial,” said William J. Comiskey, a former longtime state prosecutor of white-collar and organized crime cases who later oversaw enforcement at New York’s Department of Taxation and Finance.

That, in large measure, is because prosecutors must prove that the defendant actually intended to evade taxes, Comiskey said.

And tax cases can be boring for jurors.

“They involve a complicated set of rules and numbers, and it’s hard for jurors — or anyone — to keep their focus through days and days of testimony,” said Amy Walsh, who handled tax cases as a federal prosecutor and later as a defense lawyer at a firm that specialized in tax matters.

The challenge in presenting such cases to a jury is compounded without a cooperating witness who can serve as a guide through complex financial strategies and records, or emails or other statements containing admissions, experts said.

“They need a smoking gun or they need someone to flip,” said Daniel J. Horwitz, who brought tax and complex fraud cases during more than eight years in the Manhattan district attorney’s office and is now a white-collar defense lawyer.

It is unknown whether Vance’s prosecutors have obtained the cooperation of any insiders for their investigation, but another consequence of Trump’s departure from office and loss of the power of the presidency could be that it would be easier for them to do so.

In addition to Vance’s inquiry, Trump also faces continuing scrutiny by New York state’s attorney general — who he has also claimed has targeted him out of partisan rancor.

In his lawsuit seeking to block the grand jury subpoena, Trump’s lawyers quoted 2018 campaign statements by Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, saying they were part of a “campaign to harass the president.”

They cited one statement, for example, in which she said Trump should worry because “we’re all closing in on him.”

Last year, James’ office opened a civil fraud investigation into Trump’s businesses. As recently as last month, Trump’s son Eric, after months of delays, was questioned under oath by the office’s lawyers.

Rebecca Roiphe, a former assistant district attorney in Manhattan who teaches legal ethics and criminal law at New York Law School, said James’ earlier statements made it appear there was some truth to the accusation that people who were investigating Trump were “at least capitalizing on that from a political perspective.”

The only way for Vance to avoid that perception, Roiphe said, was “to have a rock-solid case with overwhelming evidence, which will help convince the public that they’re holding the former president accountable for criminal acts.”

James, in response to criticism from Trump last year, tweeted that her office “will follow the facts of any case, wherever they lead.” She added: “Make no mistake: No one is above the law, not even the President.”

One thing seems likely: Defending against a white-collar investigation, even as a former president, will be challenging, stressful and disruptive for Trump, said Daniel R. Alonso, who was Vance’s top deputy from 2010 to 2014 and is now in private practice.

“There are subpoenas and seizures and documents all over the place, as well as constant meetings with lawyers,” Alonso said, adding, “It would certainly not be pleasant for him.”

President Donald Trump lost more than an election last week. When he leaves the White House in January, he will also lose the constitutional protection from prosecution afforded to a sitting president.

President Donald Trump lost more than an election last week. When he leaves the White House in January, he will also lose the constitutional protection from prosecution afforded to a sitting president. After Jan. 20, Trump, who has refused to concede and is fighting to hold onto his office, will be more vulnerable than ever to a pending grand jury investigation by the Manhattan district attorney into the president’s family business and its practices, as well as his taxes. The two-year inquiry, the only known active criminal investigation of Trump, has been stalled since last fall when the president sued to block a subpoena for his tax returns and other records, a bitter dispute that for the second time is before the U.S. Supreme Court. A ruling is expected soon. Trump has contended that the investigation by the district attorney, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., a Democrat, is a politically motivated fishing expedition. But if the Supreme Court rules that Vance is entitled to the records, and he uncovers possible crimes, Trump could face a reckoning with law enforcement — further inflaming political tensions and raising the startling specter of a criminal conviction, or even prison, for a former president. “He’ll never have more protection from Vance than he has right now,” said Stephen I. Vladeck, a law professor at the University of Texas. “Vance has been the wild card here,” Vladeck added. “And there is very little that even a new administration that wants to let bygones be bygones could do formally to stop him.” A lawyer for the president, Jay Sekulow, declined to comment through a spokesman. The district attorney’s investigation of a sitting president has taken on even greater significance because Trump’s past use of his presidential power — pardoning those close to him charged with federal crimes — suggests he will make liberal use of the pardon pen on behalf of associates, family members and possibly even himself, as he claimed he has the right to do. But his pardon power does not extend to state crimes, like the possible violations under investigation by Vance’s office. Vance’s inquiry could take on outsized importance if the incoming Biden administration, in seeking to unify the country and avoid the appearance of retaliation against Trump, shies away from new federal investigations. Such a move would not bind the district attorney, an independently elected state official. Vance’s lawyers acknowledged during the court fight over the subpoena that the Constitution bars them from prosecuting a president while in office, but the district attorney has said nothing about what might happen once Trump leaves the White House. Danny Frost, a spokesman for Vance, declined to comment. It remains unclear whether the office will determine that crimes were committed and choose to prosecute Trump or anyone in his orbit. Vance’s actions in the coming months are likely to put him under increasing political scrutiny. Trump will leave the White House amid calls for him to face criminal charges and a drumbeat of strident criticism from the left that he has evaded any legal consequences for his conduct over the years. On the one hand, Vance could face pressure to forsake any charges to allow the country to move forward after a contentious presidential election. On the other, the district attorney was sharply criticized for his 2012 decision not to seek an indictment against Trump’s children, Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr., after they were accused of misleading investors in a condo-hotel project. Vance has said that after a two-year investigation, his office could not prove a crime was committed. Some legal experts said it would send the wrong message if Vance had evidence to justify charges but decided to walk away from prosecution of Trump. “That would put the president above the law,” said Anne Milgram, a former assistant district attorney in Manhattan and Democratic attorney general in New Jersey and a frequent critic of Trump. And because Trump has repeatedly complained that the investigation was part of a broad partisan witch hunt, any decision to end it once the president left office could be seen as a tacit acknowledgment that such criticism was justified. Few facts have been publicly disclosed about the course of the district attorney’s investigation or the people or potential crimes being examined because the inquiry is shielded by grand jury secrecy. But during the legal battle over Vance’s subpoena, which sought eight years of Trump’s personal and corporate tax returns and other records from his accounting firm, prosecutors suggested in court papers that they were investigating a range of potential financial crimes. They include insurance fraud and criminal tax evasion, as well as grand larceny and scheming to defraud — which together are New York state's equivalent of federal bank fraud charges. And prosecutors argued in court that the documents they had demanded from the accounting firm, Mazars USA, represented “central evidence” for their investigation. But they have provided little in the way of specifics beyond citing multiple news reports that detailed a range of potential criminal conduct by the president and his associates, including a series of 2018 New York Times articles that outlined possible tax crimes committed by Trump based on a detailed analysis of some of his tax return data obtained by the newspaper. Trump, before and during his presidency, declined to publicly release his tax returns, breaking with 40 years of White House tradition, and he vigorously fought attempts by Congress and state lawmakers to obtain them. The district attorney’s inquiry, which began in the summer of 2018, was first thought to focus on hush-money payments made on behalf of Trump just days before the 2016 presidential election to an adult film star who had claimed she had an affair with him. But the subpoena for Trump’s tax returns underscores an apparent greater focus on potential tax crimes, which tax experts, former prosecutors and defense lawyers agree can be among the toughest cases for the government to win at trial. “The burden of proof is substantial,” said William J. Comiskey, a former longtime state prosecutor of white-collar and organized crime cases who later oversaw enforcement at New York’s Department of Taxation and Finance. That, in large measure, is because prosecutors must prove that the defendant actually intended to evade taxes, Comiskey said. And tax cases can be boring for jurors. “They involve a complicated set of rules and numbers, and it’s hard for jurors — or anyone — to keep their focus through days and days of testimony,” said Amy Walsh, who handled tax cases as a federal prosecutor and later as a defense lawyer at a firm that specialized in tax matters. The challenge in presenting such cases to a jury is compounded without a cooperating witness who can serve as a guide through complex financial strategies and records, or emails or other statements containing admissions, experts said. “They need a smoking gun or they need someone to flip,” said Daniel J. Horwitz, who brought tax and complex fraud cases during more than eight years in the Manhattan district attorney’s office and is now a white-collar defense lawyer. It is unknown whether Vance’s prosecutors have obtained the cooperation of any insiders for their investigation, but another consequence of Trump’s departure from office and loss of the power of the presidency could be that it would be easier for them to do so. In addition to Vance’s inquiry, Trump also faces continuing scrutiny by New York state’s attorney general — who he has also claimed has targeted him out of partisan rancor. In his lawsuit seeking to block the grand jury subpoena, Trump’s lawyers quoted 2018 campaign statements by Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, saying they were part of a “campaign to harass the president.” They cited one statement, for example, in which she said Trump should worry because “we’re all closing in on him.” Last year, James’ office opened a civil fraud investigation into Trump’s businesses. As recently as last month, Trump’s son Eric, after months of delays, was questioned under oath by the office’s lawyers. Rebecca Roiphe, a former assistant district attorney in Manhattan who teaches legal ethics and criminal law at New York Law School, said James’ earlier statements made it appear there was some truth to the accusation that people who were investigating Trump were “at least capitalizing on that from a political perspective.” The only way for Vance to avoid that perception, Roiphe said, was “to have a rock-solid case with overwhelming evidence, which will help convince the public that they’re holding the former president accountable for criminal acts.” James, in response to criticism from Trump last year, tweeted that her office “will follow the facts of any case, wherever they lead.” She added: “Make no mistake: No one is above the law, not even the President.” One thing seems likely: Defending against a white-collar investigation, even as a former president, will be challenging, stressful and disruptive for Trump, said Daniel R. Alonso, who was Vance’s top deputy from 2010 to 2014 and is now in private practice. “There are subpoenas and seizures and documents all over the place, as well as constant meetings with lawyers,” Alonso said, adding, “It would certainly not be pleasant for him.”

As soon as Trump leaves office, he faces greater risk of prosecution

The British government has given&nbsp;the green light to a&nbsp;controversial road tunnel project near the prehistoric Stonehenge site.

The&nbsp;$2.2&nbsp;billion&nbsp;tunnel project&nbsp;includes a new dual carriageway with a two-mile&nbsp;tunnel&nbsp;beside&nbsp;Stonehenge and&nbsp;aims&nbsp;at hiding a nearby main&nbsp;road&nbsp;that has long blighted the mysterious prehistoric circle of stones in southern England.

England's highways agency believes&nbsp;the&nbsp;road&nbsp;beside&nbsp;Stonehenge&nbsp;is a congestion hotspot with traffic flow double what it was designed for, and that the&nbsp;tunnel&nbsp;amounts to the biggest investment in English&nbsp;roads for a generation.

However, as per a report,&nbsp;the decision was taken by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and it conflicts with the suggestions of the Planning Inspectorate, which had cautioned about the "lasting" and "irreversible" hurt which can emerge from the task.

According to the Department for Transport, Shapps was supposed to be "fulfilled that on balance the need case for the improvement along with different advantages distinguished exceed any damage."

Stonehenge, one of the world's most famous prehistoric monuments, includes a 5,000-year-old ditch and a Neolithic stone circle with early Bronze Age burial mounds nearby. It is a World Heritage Site.

Some archaeologists and local residents oppose the&nbsp;project.&nbsp;They say the&nbsp;tunnel&nbsp;is too short and will damage the archaeological surroundings of&nbsp;Stonehenge. They have called for a deep-bored&nbsp;tunnel&nbsp;at least 4.5 km (3 miles) long.

The&nbsp;Stonehenge&nbsp;Alliance, which opposes the&nbsp;project, said it deeply regretted Shapps' decision and would discuss its options. There is now a six-week period in which the decisions may be challenged in the High Court, Highways England said.

The British government has given the green light to a controversial road tunnel project near the prehistoric Stonehenge site. The $2.2 billion tunnel project includes a new dual carriageway with a two-mile tunnel beside Stonehenge and aims at hiding a nearby main road that has long blighted the mysterious prehistoric circle of stones in southern England.

The British government has given the green light to a controversial road tunnel project near the prehistoric Stonehenge site. The $2.2 billion tunnel project includes a new dual carriageway with a two-mile tunnel beside Stonehenge and aims at hiding a nearby main road that has long blighted the mysterious prehistoric circle of stones in southern England. England's highways agency believes the road beside Stonehenge is a congestion hotspot with traffic flow double what it was designed for, and that the tunnel amounts to the biggest investment in English roads for a generation. However, as per a report, the decision was taken by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and it conflicts with the suggestions of the Planning Inspectorate, which had cautioned about the "lasting" and "irreversible" hurt which can emerge from the task. According to the Department for Transport, Shapps was supposed to be "fulfilled that on balance the need case for the improvement along with different advantages distinguished exceed any damage." Stonehenge, one of the world's most famous prehistoric monuments, includes a 5,000-year-old ditch and a Neolithic stone circle with early Bronze Age burial mounds nearby. It is a World Heritage Site. Some archaeologists and local residents oppose the project. They say the tunnel is too short and will damage the archaeological surroundings of Stonehenge. They have called for a deep-bored tunnel at least 4.5 km (3 miles) long. The Stonehenge Alliance, which opposes the project, said it deeply regretted Shapps' decision and would discuss its options. There is now a six-week period in which the decisions may be challenged in the High Court, Highways England said.

British government approves controversial road tunnel project near Stonehenge

Germany on Friday charged 12&nbsp;men with plotting well-funded, armed attacks on mosques in which they planned to kill or injure as many Muslims as possible.

German prosecutors said in a statement&nbsp;"They aimed through attacks on mosques and the killing and wounding of as many Muslims as possible to create civil war-like conditions."

The suspects, 11 gang members, and one accomplice had met regularly to plan, with all but one of them pledging to contribute thousands towards a $59,000&nbsp;pot to finance the purchase of weapons.

It comes as the&nbsp;European Union ministers agreed to reinforce security at the bloc's external borders and to impose tougher controls on violent extremism online.

The suspects, aged between 31 and 61, are all Germans, and all but one of them has been detained. The twelfth is still at large, prosecutors in the southeastern city of Stuttgart said.

Another suspect had died while in custody. A prosecution official said he had killed himself and that there was nothing to indicate foul play.

The official said cash sums in the "mid-four-digit range" had been found in suspects' houses.

Germany&nbsp;has experienced a spate of right-wing attacks in recent years directed at minorities and those perceived to support them.

Members of the so-called National Socialist Underground were convicted in 2018 for a decade-long spree of murders of ethnic Turks. Last year, another right-wing extremist targeted a synagogue in Eastern&nbsp;Germany, killing two bystanders.

A suspected far-right sympathiser is on trial for killing conservative politician Walter Luebcke. Luebcke, a vocal supporter of Chancellor Angela Merkel, had called for refugees to be given the support and welcome they needed during the 2015 refugee crisis.

Far-right sympathisers have also been unmasked in the police and armed forces.

Far-right extremism is particularly sensitive in&nbsp;Germany&nbsp;because of its responsibility for the Nazis' World War Two genocide of six million European Jews.

Germany on Friday charged 12 men with plotting well-funded, armed attacks on mosques in which they planned to kill or injure as many Muslims as possible. German prosecutors said in a statement "They aimed through attacks on mosques and the killing and wounding of as many Muslims as possible to create civil war-like conditions.

Germany on Friday charged 12 men with plotting well-funded, armed attacks on mosques in which they planned to kill or injure as many Muslims as possible. German prosecutors said in a statement "They aimed through attacks on mosques and the killing and wounding of as many Muslims as possible to create civil war-like conditions." The suspects, 11 gang members, and one accomplice had met regularly to plan, with all but one of them pledging to contribute thousands towards a $59,000 pot to finance the purchase of weapons. It comes as the European Union ministers agreed to reinforce security at the bloc's external borders and to impose tougher controls on violent extremism online. The suspects, aged between 31 and 61, are all Germans, and all but one of them has been detained. The twelfth is still at large, prosecutors in the southeastern city of Stuttgart said. Another suspect had died while in custody. A prosecution official said he had killed himself and that there was nothing to indicate foul play. The official said cash sums in the "mid-four-digit range" had been found in suspects' houses. Germany has experienced a spate of right-wing attacks in recent years directed at minorities and those perceived to support them. Members of the so-called National Socialist Underground were convicted in 2018 for a decade-long spree of murders of ethnic Turks. Last year, another right-wing extremist targeted a synagogue in Eastern Germany, killing two bystanders. A suspected far-right sympathiser is on trial for killing conservative politician Walter Luebcke. Luebcke, a vocal supporter of Chancellor Angela Merkel, had called for refugees to be given the support and welcome they needed during the 2015 refugee crisis. Far-right sympathisers have also been unmasked in the police and armed forces. Far-right extremism is particularly sensitive in Germany because of its responsibility for the Nazis' World War Two genocide of six million European Jews.

Germany charges 12 for plotting mosque attacks, murders

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