Indian-American Kash Patel has been named as the Chief of Staff to the acting US Defence Secretary Chris Miller, the <a href="https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2411893/dod-statement-on-personnel-changes-at-the-pentagon/">Pentagon</a> has announced.

The new appointment from the Pentagon comes a day after Trump fired Defence Secretary Mark Esper and designated the National Counter Terrorism Center Director, Chris Miller, as the acting Secretary of Defence.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/donald-trump-fires-defense-secretary-mark-esper-342052/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Miller took over the functions and responsibilities of the new role on Monday, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.

Kash Patel, currently on the National Security Council staff, has been named by Acting Secretary Miller as his Chief of Staff,? the Pentagon announced on Tuesday. He replaces Jen Stewart, who resigned earlier in the day.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/biden-picks-indian-american-to-lead-the-new-task-force-to-tackle-covid-crisis-in-us-341964" hreflang="en">Biden picks Indian American to lead the new task force to tackle COVID crisis in US</a>

Acting Under Secretary of Defence for Policy James Anderson, Under Secretary of Defence for Intelligence and Security Joseph Kernan have submitted letters of resignation.

Kashyap Pramod Patel, or popularly known as Kash Patel, had previously served as senior counsel for Counterterrorism at the House Permanent Select Committee.''

In June 2019, Patel, 39, was appointed as senior director of Counterterrorism Directorate of the National Security Council (NSC) in the White House.

New York-born Patel has his roots in Gujarat. However, his parents are from East Africa, the mother from Tanzania and father from Uganda. They came to the US from Canada in 1970. The family moved to Queens in New York&nbsp;which is often called as Little India -- in the late 70s.

After his schooling in New York and college in Richmond, Virginia, and law school in New York, Patel went to Florida where he was a state public defender for four years and then federal public defender for another four years.

From Florida, he moved to Washington DC as a terrorism prosecutor at the Department of Justice. Here he was an international terrorism prosecutor for about three and a half years. During this period, he worked on cases all over the world, in America in East Africa as well as in Uganda and Kenya.

While still employed by the Department of Justice, he went as a civilian to join Special Operations Command at the Department of Defence.

At the Pentagon, he sat as the Department of Justice's lawyer with Special Forces people and worked interagency collaborative targeting operations around the world.

After a year in this sensitive position, Congressman Davin Nunes, Chairman of the House Permanent Select on Intelligence Committee, pulled him as senior counsel on counterterrorism.

Indian-American Kash Patel has been named as the Chief of Staff to the acting US Defence Secretary Chris Miller, the Pentagon has announced. The new appointment from the Pentagon comes a day after Trump fired Defence Secretary Mark Esper and designated the National Counter Terrorism Center Director, Chris Miller, as the acting Secretary of Defence.

Indian-American Kash Patel has been named as the Chief of Staff to the acting US Defence Secretary Chris Miller, the Pentagon has announced. The new appointment from the Pentagon comes a day after Trump fired Defence Secretary Mark Esper and designated the National Counter Terrorism Center Director, Chris Miller, as the acting Secretary of Defence. Miller took over the functions and responsibilities of the new role on Monday, the Pentagon said on Tuesday. Kash Patel, currently on the National Security Council staff, has been named by Acting Secretary Miller as his Chief of Staff,? the Pentagon announced on Tuesday. He replaces Jen Stewart, who resigned earlier in the day. Also read: Biden picks Indian American to lead the new task force to tackle COVID crisis in US Acting Under Secretary of Defence for Policy James Anderson, Under Secretary of Defence for Intelligence and Security Joseph Kernan have submitted letters of resignation. Kashyap Pramod Patel, or popularly known as Kash Patel, had previously served as senior counsel for Counterterrorism at the House Permanent Select Committee.'' In June 2019, Patel, 39, was appointed as senior director of Counterterrorism Directorate of the National Security Council (NSC) in the White House. New York-born Patel has his roots in Gujarat. However, his parents are from East Africa, the mother from Tanzania and father from Uganda. They came to the US from Canada in 1970. The family moved to Queens in New York which is often called as Little India -- in the late 70s. After his schooling in New York and college in Richmond, Virginia, and law school in New York, Patel went to Florida where he was a state public defender for four years and then federal public defender for another four years. From Florida, he moved to Washington DC as a terrorism prosecutor at the Department of Justice. Here he was an international terrorism prosecutor for about three and a half years. During this period, he worked on cases all over the world, in America in East Africa as well as in Uganda and Kenya. While still employed by the Department of Justice, he went as a civilian to join Special Operations Command at the Department of Defence. At the Pentagon, he sat as the Department of Justice's lawyer with Special Forces people and worked interagency collaborative targeting operations around the world. After a year in this sensitive position, Congressman Davin Nunes, Chairman of the House Permanent Select on Intelligence Committee, pulled him as senior counsel on counterterrorism.

Indian-American Kash Patel appointed Chief of Staff to acting US Defence Secretary

The European Union charged&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;with damaging retail competition, alleging on Tuesday that the US&nbsp;company uses its size, power, and data to gain an unfair advantage over smaller merchants that sell on its online platform.

The move by competition chief Margrethe Vestager, the latest European salvo against US&nbsp;tech giants, comes at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified&nbsp;Amazon's role in the global economy, with online sales soaring in lockdowns.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/boycottamazon-trending-in-india-for-selling-om-printed-doormats-342118" hreflang="en">#BoycottAmazon trending in India for selling 'Om' printed doormats</a>

The European Commission has been investigating&nbsp;Amazon's position as both a marketplace for merchants and a rival seller, while the firm also faces scrutiny in the United States over its alleged mistreatment of sellers, as well as its dual role.

The EU regulator looked into how&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;collects data on competitors that sell on its platform, offering everything from electronics and toys to food and kitchenware. It says that&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;uses that sensitive information, which shows what is proving popular or not, to better target its own products.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/german-anti-trust-watchdog-launches-new-amazon-investigation-report-321008">German anti-trust watchdog launches new Amazon investigation: Report</a>

"The use of these data allows&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;to focus on the sale of the best-selling products and it marginalises third-party sellers and caps their ability to grow," European Competition Commissioner Vestager told a news conference.

Vestager, who has a reputation of being one of the world's toughest antitrust enforcers, said that regulators had to ensure that dual-role platforms with market power, such as&nbsp;Amazon, did not distort competition.

Amazon&nbsp;disagreed with the EU assertions.

"Amazon&nbsp;represents less than 1% of the global retail market, and there are larger retailers in every country in which we operate," the company said.

A US&nbsp;Congressional antitrust report earlier this year into the alleged abuse of market power by&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;also raised the concerns highlighted by the EU and is likely to influence the case US&nbsp;regulators bring against the company.

US&nbsp;Representative David Cicilline, a Democrat and the top antitrust lawmaker in the House, applauded the EU and urged the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to take similar action.

"As we found as part of a 16-month bipartisan investigation,&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;has monopoly power over sellers on its platform," Cicilline said.

The EU charges are the latest example of how watchdogs around the world, led by Europe, are grappling with the challenges of regulating Big Tech, companies that have achieved dominance in their fields and vast troves of user data.

On Vestager's watch, the EU has imposed large fines on the Alphabet's Google and other companies. See FACTBOX:

A final EU decision could come next year.&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;faces being fined up to 10% of its global turnover if found guilty of breaching antitrust rules. However, it can avoid a hefty penalty and a finding of wrongdoing by offering concessions to settle.

NEW INVESTIGATION

The EU competition enforcer has been investigating&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;since July last year after rival traders voiced their grievances. The regulator said the charges related to&nbsp;Amazon's activities in France and Germany, its two biggest markets in Europe and where it is the dominant player.

The case focuses on its use of merchant data on its platform. Vestager said her officials had trawled 80 million transactions and reviewed 100 million products on&nbsp;Amazon's platform to put the case together.

The European Commission also opened a new investigation into&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;on Tuesday, over the possible preferential treatment of its own retail offers and those of marketplace sellers that use&nbsp;Amazon's logistics and delivery services.

That probe will look into the possible preferential treatment of&nbsp;Amazon's own retail offers and those of marketplace sellers that use&nbsp;Amazon's logistics and delivery services.

Regulators will investigate the criteria the company uses to select winners of its "buy box", which allows customers to add items from a specific retailer directly into their shopping carts.

"Its rules should not artificially favour&nbsp;Amazon's own retail offers or advantage the offers of retailers using&nbsp;Amazon's logistics and delivery services," Vestager said, citing the importance of e-commerce, an area which has gained importance with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The European Union charged Amazon with damaging retail competition, alleging on Tuesday that the US company uses its size, power, and data to gain an unfair advantage over smaller merchants that sell on its online platform.

The European Union charged Amazon with damaging retail competition, alleging on Tuesday that the US company uses its size, power, and data to gain an unfair advantage over smaller merchants that sell on its online platform. The move by competition chief Margrethe Vestager, the latest European salvo against US tech giants, comes at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified Amazon's role in the global economy, with online sales soaring in lockdowns. Also read: #BoycottAmazon trending in India for selling 'Om' printed doormats The European Commission has been investigating Amazon's position as both a marketplace for merchants and a rival seller, while the firm also faces scrutiny in the United States over its alleged mistreatment of sellers, as well as its dual role. The EU regulator looked into how Amazon collects data on competitors that sell on its platform, offering everything from electronics and toys to food and kitchenware. It says that Amazon uses that sensitive information, which shows what is proving popular or not, to better target its own products. Also read: German anti-trust watchdog launches new Amazon investigation: Report "The use of these data allows Amazon to focus on the sale of the best-selling products and it marginalises third-party sellers and caps their ability to grow," European Competition Commissioner Vestager told a news conference. Vestager, who has a reputation of being one of the world's toughest antitrust enforcers, said that regulators had to ensure that dual-role platforms with market power, such as Amazon, did not distort competition. Amazon disagreed with the EU assertions. "Amazon represents less than 1% of the global retail market, and there are larger retailers in every country in which we operate," the company said. A US Congressional antitrust report earlier this year into the alleged abuse of market power by Amazon also raised the concerns highlighted by the EU and is likely to influence the case US regulators bring against the company. US Representative David Cicilline, a Democrat and the top antitrust lawmaker in the House, applauded the EU and urged the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to take similar action. "As we found as part of a 16-month bipartisan investigation, Amazon has monopoly power over sellers on its platform," Cicilline said. The EU charges are the latest example of how watchdogs around the world, led by Europe, are grappling with the challenges of regulating Big Tech, companies that have achieved dominance in their fields and vast troves of user data. On Vestager's watch, the EU has imposed large fines on the Alphabet's Google and other companies. See FACTBOX: A final EU decision could come next year. Amazon faces being fined up to 10% of its global turnover if found guilty of breaching antitrust rules. However, it can avoid a hefty penalty and a finding of wrongdoing by offering concessions to settle. NEW INVESTIGATION The EU competition enforcer has been investigating Amazon since July last year after rival traders voiced their grievances. The regulator said the charges related to Amazon's activities in France and Germany, its two biggest markets in Europe and where it is the dominant player. The case focuses on its use of merchant data on its platform. Vestager said her officials had trawled 80 million transactions and reviewed 100 million products on Amazon's platform to put the case together. The European Commission also opened a new investigation into Amazon on Tuesday, over the possible preferential treatment of its own retail offers and those of marketplace sellers that use Amazon's logistics and delivery services. That probe will look into the possible preferential treatment of Amazon's own retail offers and those of marketplace sellers that use Amazon's logistics and delivery services. Regulators will investigate the criteria the company uses to select winners of its "buy box", which allows customers to add items from a specific retailer directly into their shopping carts. "Its rules should not artificially favour Amazon's own retail offers or advantage the offers of retailers using Amazon's logistics and delivery services," Vestager said, citing the importance of e-commerce, an area which has gained importance with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Europe charges Amazon with using dominance and data to squeeze rivals

The endeavored fix of a sculpture on the façade of a notable structure in the Spanish city of Palencia has been taunted for its "animation like appearance" in the most recent instance of Spanish workmanship rebuilding turned out badly.&nbsp;

In a trifecta for workmanship 'reclamation' extends that end up humorously twisted, a mid-twentieth century exterior in&nbsp;Palencia has joined the scandalous positions of 'Potato Jesus' and the battered 'Impeccable Conception.'&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/baroque-artist-murillos-valuable-painting-botched-up-by-spanish-restorer-308143">Baroque artist Murillo's valuable painting botched up by Spanish restorer</a>

The new rebuilding catastrophe is standing out as truly newsworthy in Spain after it arose that an endured mold on one of the city's most symbolic structures had gone through a patch up that didn't actually turn out as it should.&nbsp;

'It's more similar to an animation head than the creative head of one of Palencia's most symbolic structures,' insulted neighborhood painter Antonio Guzman Capel wrote in a Facebook with when shots of the sculpture.&nbsp;

<img alt="F" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="91820674-3d46-4ab9-bdd4-0a2f3579ab14" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Capture%205676.PNG" />

One online media client contrasted the new figure with 'sand models kids do on the seashore,' while another joked that "it seemed as though a plasticine model made in kindergarten".&nbsp;

The sculpture was apparently supplanted during rebuilding chip away at the recorded structure which dates from 1919 and now houses a Unicaja bank.&nbsp;

<img alt="F" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a17a52fe-53db-4ab3-b231-da1f8c9ed028" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Capture%2009823.PNG" />

It is hazy who is liable for the "reclamation".&nbsp;

It has been named the new Ecce Homo, concerning the now scandalous endeavors by Cecilia Giménez, who in 2012 at 82 years old chose to clean up a canvas in her nearby house of prayer.&nbsp;

<img alt="F" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="91d5db02-091b-4a1d-8680-bc4f411b9c0e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/1605025045_1527085093-000-par7280635_0.jpg" />

The original work by Elias Garcia had decayed before the bungled rebuilding Photo: AFP&nbsp;

The tragic fix stood out as truly newsworthy over the world, yet changed the fortunes of the little Aragon town of Borja by drawing in sightseers and even motivated a drama.&nbsp;

Two years back another rebuilding endeavor additionally brought scorn when a 500-year-old St George's sculpture in a side of a little church in Navarra endured the outrage of fairly pompous paintwork.&nbsp;

<img alt="F" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d0c64cb2-9105-4037-a248-f899d59fcf5b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/1605025063_dgixdr6w0aen1o3.jpg" />

Before and after images of the statue in the hamlet of Estella, Navarra/Twitter

Almudena Gonzalez, another nearby, composed on Facebook that the Palencia rebuilding 'makes me need to cry.'&nbsp;

'It's awful. What's more, to think about all the extraordinary craftsmen we have.'

The endeavored fix of a sculpture on the façade of a notable structure in the Spanish city of Palencia has been taunted for its "animation like appearance" in the most recent instance of Spanish workmanship rebuilding turned out badly.

The endeavored fix of a sculpture on the façade of a notable structure in the Spanish city of Palencia has been taunted for its "animation like appearance" in the most recent instance of Spanish workmanship rebuilding turned out badly. In a trifecta for workmanship 'reclamation' extends that end up humorously twisted, a mid-twentieth century exterior in Palencia has joined the scandalous positions of 'Potato Jesus' and the battered 'Impeccable Conception.' Also read: Baroque artist Murillo's valuable painting botched up by Spanish restorer The new rebuilding catastrophe is standing out as truly newsworthy in Spain after it arose that an endured mold on one of the city's most symbolic structures had gone through a patch up that didn't actually turn out as it should. 'It's more similar to an animation head than the creative head of one of Palencia's most symbolic structures,' insulted neighborhood painter Antonio Guzman Capel wrote in a Facebook with when shots of the sculpture. One online media client contrasted the new figure with 'sand models kids do on the seashore,' while another joked that "it seemed as though a plasticine model made in kindergarten". The sculpture was apparently supplanted during rebuilding chip away at the recorded structure which dates from 1919 and now houses a Unicaja bank. It is hazy who is liable for the "reclamation". It has been named the new Ecce Homo, concerning the now scandalous endeavors by Cecilia Giménez, who in 2012 at 82 years old chose to clean up a canvas in her nearby house of prayer. The original work by Elias Garcia had decayed before the bungled rebuilding Photo: AFP The tragic fix stood out as truly newsworthy over the world, yet changed the fortunes of the little Aragon town of Borja by drawing in sightseers and even motivated a drama. Two years back another rebuilding endeavor additionally brought scorn when a 500-year-old St George's sculpture in a side of a little church in Navarra endured the outrage of fairly pompous paintwork. Before and after images of the statue in the hamlet of Estella, Navarra/Twitter Almudena Gonzalez, another nearby, composed on Facebook that the Palencia rebuilding 'makes me need to cry.' 'It's awful. What's more, to think about all the extraordinary craftsmen we have.'

Appears like Trump? Spain laughs and groans at botched restoration of classical statue

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Tuesday declared war against an&nbsp;ink stamp known as Hanko.

Hanko seals are used on administrative documents, a custom that has been reprimanded as obsolete and necessitating face-to-face interaction that risks spreading the coronavirus.

It might seem paradoxical in a country often assumed to be a futuristic tech-savvy paradise, but Japan's business world and bureaucracy remain heavily dependent on paper documents, hand-stamped with approval.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-suicides-up-to-highest-level-in-5-years-due-to-coronavirus-related-economic-woes-342143" hreflang="en">Japan: Suicides up to highest level in 5 years due to coronavirus-related economic woes</a>

Now, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is on a push to digitise the nation, but he faces an uphill struggle when it comes to the stamps, which range from mass-produced plastic ones to hand-carved wooden versions used on special occasions.

"I need all services to accumulate a thorough survey of their authoritative strategies sooner rather than later," Suga told a gathering of the Council for Promotion of Regulatory Reform, a warning board of individuals from the private area and scholastics.&nbsp;

It might seem paradoxical in a country often assumed to be a futuristic tech-savvy paradise, but Japan's business world and bureaucracy remain heavily dependent on paper documents, hand-stamped with approval.

Stamp it out&nbsp;

As the seals should be squeezed onto actual duplicates of records, they are viewed as preventing endeavors to keep up social separating in the midst of the COVID-19 emergency.&nbsp;

Of the in excess of 10,000 kinds of authoritative techniques that require Hanko, beyond what 90% can be disentangled, as indicated by Taro Kono, the administrative reform minister.

Kono has said he plans to submit enactment to deliver the issue to the following year's common Diet meeting, and that he likewise needs to lessen the utilization of fax machines.&nbsp;

At Wednesday's gathering, Suga focused on the requirement for online clinical meetings, which have been liberated as an uncommon measure against the Covid, to turn into a lasting choice.&nbsp;

The PM, who got down to business in mid-September, likewise emphasized his push for separation figuring out how to be made all the more broadly accessible, saying such innovation "should be exploited in the advanced age."

Seal of approval

Having the whole team's stamps shows a collective decision has been made, Watanabe said.

"It's like, 'I stamped my seal to approve it but you did it before me, so you should be held liable'," explained accountant Tetsuya Katayama.

"No one wants to take responsibility in Japan," he said.

Watanabe warned that the government's anti-hanko campaign will founder unless Japanese workers can break out of that mentality.

"Even if they digitise paperwork, they will end up pressing computer buttons as many times (as they stamped)," he said.

"People have to steel themselves to take certain responsibility."

At the All Japan Hanko Industry Association, senior official Keiichi Fukushima is a perhaps unlikely advocate for scaling back stamping.

"People have used hanko stamps just for the sake of stamping," he concedes.

Insisting they are used only when necessary will clarify when they're actually needed and "may be a good chance to prove how important the custom of hanko is".

&nbsp;

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Tuesday declared war against an ink stamp known as Hanko. Hanko seals are used on administrative documents, a custom that has been reprimanded as obsolete and necessitating face-to-face interaction that risks spreading the coronavirus.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Tuesday declared war against an ink stamp known as Hanko. Hanko seals are used on administrative documents, a custom that has been reprimanded as obsolete and necessitating face-to-face interaction that risks spreading the coronavirus. It might seem paradoxical in a country often assumed to be a futuristic tech-savvy paradise, but Japan's business world and bureaucracy remain heavily dependent on paper documents, hand-stamped with approval. Also read: Japan: Suicides up to highest level in 5 years due to coronavirus-related economic woes Now, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is on a push to digitise the nation, but he faces an uphill struggle when it comes to the stamps, which range from mass-produced plastic ones to hand-carved wooden versions used on special occasions. "I need all services to accumulate a thorough survey of their authoritative strategies sooner rather than later," Suga told a gathering of the Council for Promotion of Regulatory Reform, a warning board of individuals from the private area and scholastics. It might seem paradoxical in a country often assumed to be a futuristic tech-savvy paradise, but Japan's business world and bureaucracy remain heavily dependent on paper documents, hand-stamped with approval. Stamp it out As the seals should be squeezed onto actual duplicates of records, they are viewed as preventing endeavors to keep up social separating in the midst of the COVID-19 emergency. Of the in excess of 10,000 kinds of authoritative techniques that require Hanko, beyond what 90% can be disentangled, as indicated by Taro Kono, the administrative reform minister. Kono has said he plans to submit enactment to deliver the issue to the following year's common Diet meeting, and that he likewise needs to lessen the utilization of fax machines. At Wednesday's gathering, Suga focused on the requirement for online clinical meetings, which have been liberated as an uncommon measure against the Covid, to turn into a lasting choice. The PM, who got down to business in mid-September, likewise emphasized his push for separation figuring out how to be made all the more broadly accessible, saying such innovation "should be exploited in the advanced age." Seal of approval Having the whole team's stamps shows a collective decision has been made, Watanabe said. "It's like, 'I stamped my seal to approve it but you did it before me, so you should be held liable'," explained accountant Tetsuya Katayama. "No one wants to take responsibility in Japan," he said. Watanabe warned that the government's anti-hanko campaign will founder unless Japanese workers can break out of that mentality. "Even if they digitise paperwork, they will end up pressing computer buttons as many times (as they stamped)," he said. "People have to steel themselves to take certain responsibility." At the All Japan Hanko Industry Association, senior official Keiichi Fukushima is a perhaps unlikely advocate for scaling back stamping. "People have used hanko stamps just for the sake of stamping," he concedes. Insisting they are used only when necessary will clarify when they're actually needed and "may be a good chance to prove how important the custom of hanko is".

Paradoxical? Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga declares war on ink stamp 'hanko'

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro sparked&nbsp;outrage and drew criticism over his homophobic outburst for telling Brazilians not to deal with Covid-19 like "a country of fags".

In his latest controversial statement, the&nbsp;far-right leader&nbsp;hit out at hysteria over the coronavirus pandemic, arguing that "all of us are going to die one day" and to "stop being a country of sissies".

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/brazil-president-jair-bolsonaro-and-his-non-normal-antics-314020">Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro and his 'non-normal' antics</a>

"All anyone talks about these days is the pandemic. We need to stop that," said Bolsonaro during the speech, which was ostensibly on tourism.

"I regret the deaths. I really do. But we're all going to die someday. There's no use fleeing reality. We have to stop being a country of fags.... We have to face up to it and fight. I hate this faggot stuff."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazilian-mayor-asks-bolsonaro-to-resign-shut-up-and-stay-at-home-as-death-toll-mounts-300982">Brazilian mayor asks Bolsonaro to 'resign, shut up, and stay at home' as death toll mounts</a>

His comments triggered immediate outcry from critics.

"Between 'gunpowder' and 'fags,' we have more than 160,000 dead in the country," tweeted the speaker of the lower house of Congress, Rodrigo Maia.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Entre pólvora, maricas e o risco à hiperinflação, temos mais de 160 mil mortos no país, uma economia frágil e um estado às escuras. Em nome da Câmara dos Deputados, reafirmo o nosso compromisso com a vacina, a independência dos órgãos reguladores e com a responsabilidade fiscal.
— Rodrigo Maia (@RodrigoMaia) <a href="https://twitter.com/RodrigoMaia/status/1326296648360800256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
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"Our solidarity to all the friends and family of victims of Covid-19."

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E a todos os parentes e amigos de vítimas da covid-19 a nossa solidariedade.
— Rodrigo Maia (@RodrigoMaia) <a href="https://twitter.com/RodrigoMaia/status/1326296649958907907?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Bolsonaro is a longstanding enemy of Brazil’s LGBTQ+ community and during three decades in politics has made no secret of his homophobia.

Bolsonaro has consistently downplayed the virus comparing&nbsp;the new coronavirus to a "little flu" and asserted that Brazilians' immune systems were so strong they could swim in raw sewage and "not catch a thing."

Brazil&nbsp;reported 25,012 additional confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, and 201 deaths from COVID-19, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

The South American country has registered 5,700,044 cases since the pandemic began, while the official death toll has risen to 162,829, according to ministry data. It is the world's second most fatal outbreak after the United States.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro sparked outrage and drew criticism over his homophobic outburst for telling Brazilians not to deal with Covid-19 like "a country of fags".

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro sparked outrage and drew criticism over his homophobic outburst for telling Brazilians not to deal with Covid-19 like "a country of fags". In his latest controversial statement, the far-right leader hit out at hysteria over the coronavirus pandemic, arguing that "all of us are going to die one day" and to "stop being a country of sissies". Also see: Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro and his 'non-normal' antics "All anyone talks about these days is the pandemic. We need to stop that," said Bolsonaro during the speech, which was ostensibly on tourism. "I regret the deaths. I really do. But we're all going to die someday. There's no use fleeing reality. We have to stop being a country of fags.... We have to face up to it and fight. I hate this faggot stuff." Also read: Brazilian mayor asks Bolsonaro to 'resign, shut up, and stay at home' as death toll mounts His comments triggered immediate outcry from critics. "Between 'gunpowder' and 'fags,' we have more than 160,000 dead in the country," tweeted the speaker of the lower house of Congress, Rodrigo Maia. Entre pólvora, maricas e o risco à hiperinflação, temos mais de 160 mil mortos no país, uma economia frágil e um estado às escuras. Em nome da Câmara dos Deputados, reafirmo o nosso compromisso com a vacina, a independência dos órgãos reguladores e com a responsabilidade fiscal. — Rodrigo Maia (@RodrigoMaia) November 10, 2020 × "Our solidarity to all the friends and family of victims of Covid-19." E a todos os parentes e amigos de vítimas da covid-19 a nossa solidariedade. — Rodrigo Maia (@RodrigoMaia) November 10, 2020 × Bolsonaro is a longstanding enemy of Brazil’s LGBTQ+ community and during three decades in politics has made no secret of his homophobia. Bolsonaro has consistently downplayed the virus comparing the new coronavirus to a "little flu" and asserted that Brazilians' immune systems were so strong they could swim in raw sewage and "not catch a thing." Brazil reported 25,012 additional confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, and 201 deaths from COVID-19, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday. The South American country has registered 5,700,044 cases since the pandemic began, while the official death toll has risen to 162,829, according to ministry data. It is the world's second most fatal outbreak after the United States.

Brazilian President Bolsonaro sparks outrage over his homophobic statement

November 11 in history: Launch of Gemini 12, death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and more

Myanmar's military-backed opposition said on Tuesday there had been "many contentious events" during a parliamentary election two days ago which the ruling party says it won by a landslide, but offered no immediate evidence of violations.

Than Htay, leader of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), said in a video on the party's official Facebook page that it was pursuing legal options and urged viewers to send in evidence of "illegal acts".

"There were many contentious events during the whole voting process, whether in line with the law or not, and more facts are coming out," he said, without specifying.

"We will continue to work according to the law to receive the result our supporters want."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/aung-san-suu-kyis-ruling-party-claims-resounding-election-win-in-myanmar-342001" hreflang="en">Aung San Suu Kyi's ruling party claims resounding election win in Myanmar</a>

Sunday's election was seen as a referendum on the fledgling democratic government led by Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD), which remains very popular at home but has seen its overseas reputation battered by accusations of genocide against the Rohingya Muslim minority, which it denies.

The NLD has said it won more than the 322 seats in parliament needed to form a government based on data compiled from reports by party agents at polling stations nationwide.

The election commission is yet to announce a final tally, but the several dozen seats it has announced so far put the NLD comfortably ahead.

The commission, which is appointed by the president, was criticized in the run-up to the vote over alleged errors in voter lists, censorship of broadcasts by opposition parties, and the cancellation of voting in areas affected by insurgencies.

A commission spokesman did not answer calls seeking comment.

The NLD said it was ready to cooperate if any reliable evidence of violations was provided.

"We are also ready to resolve it according to the law," party spokesman Myo Nyunt said by phone.

International and local observers have said the election went smoothly without major irregularities.

The U.S-based Carter Center said on Tuesday entry for observers was restricted in three centres where votes were being tabulated but that voting was conducted positively in 94% of stations visited.

Candidates can file objections within 45 days of the results to tribunals appointed by the election commission, but cannot appeal the judgments at an independent court.

Myanmar's military-backed opposition said on Tuesday there had been "many contentious events" during a parliamentary election two days ago which the ruling party says it won by a landslide, but offered no immediate evidence of violations.

Myanmar's military-backed opposition said on Tuesday there had been "many contentious events" during a parliamentary election two days ago which the ruling party says it won by a landslide, but offered no immediate evidence of violations. Than Htay, leader of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), said in a video on the party's official Facebook page that it was pursuing legal options and urged viewers to send in evidence of "illegal acts". "There were many contentious events during the whole voting process, whether in line with the law or not, and more facts are coming out," he said, without specifying. "We will continue to work according to the law to receive the result our supporters want." Also read: Aung San Suu Kyi's ruling party claims resounding election win in Myanmar Sunday's election was seen as a referendum on the fledgling democratic government led by Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD), which remains very popular at home but has seen its overseas reputation battered by accusations of genocide against the Rohingya Muslim minority, which it denies. The NLD has said it won more than the 322 seats in parliament needed to form a government based on data compiled from reports by party agents at polling stations nationwide. The election commission is yet to announce a final tally, but the several dozen seats it has announced so far put the NLD comfortably ahead. The commission, which is appointed by the president, was criticized in the run-up to the vote over alleged errors in voter lists, censorship of broadcasts by opposition parties, and the cancellation of voting in areas affected by insurgencies. A commission spokesman did not answer calls seeking comment. The NLD said it was ready to cooperate if any reliable evidence of violations was provided. "We are also ready to resolve it according to the law," party spokesman Myo Nyunt said by phone. International and local observers have said the election went smoothly without major irregularities. The U.S-based Carter Center said on Tuesday entry for observers was restricted in three centres where votes were being tabulated but that voting was conducted positively in 94% of stations visited. Candidates can file objections within 45 days of the results to tribunals appointed by the election commission, but cannot appeal the judgments at an independent court.

Myanmar’s army-backed party alleges 'contentious events' during election

Elon Musk's rocket company&nbsp;SpaceX is set to launch its first fully-crewed bound for the International Space Station on Saturday.

It is&nbsp;the program's first six-month routine mission since the United States resumed crewed space flight in May after nine years of reliance on Russia. &nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/spacexs-envisioned-machinery-will-not-only-take-us-to-mars-but-reduce-travel-time-on-earth-tremendously-306615">SpaceX's envisioned machinery will not only take us to Mars, but reduce travel time on Earth tremendously!</a>

NASA on Tuesday officially certified as safe the Crew Dragon capsule developed for regular astronaut transportation by SpaceX, the company founded by Elon Musk that carried two astronauts to the ISS in May and back to Earth again in August without major incident.&nbsp;

"I'm extremely proud to say we are returning regular human spaceflight launches to American soil on an American rocket and spacecraft," NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said.&nbsp;

The mission, named CREW-1, will deliver four of the seven individuals from Expedition 64 to the ISS: NASA space travelers Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, and Shannon Walker, just as Japanese space explorer Soichi Noguchi. Endeavor 64 is the term for this 64th gathering of individuals to possess and chip away at the ISS long haul.

Take-off is planned for 7:49 pm Saturday (0049 GMT Sunday) from Kennedy Space Center in Florida and they are expected to arrive at the ISS eight hours later, at 0920 GMT Sunday.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spacex-launches-third-batch-of-mini-satellites-into-orbit-272623">SpaceX launches third batch of mini-satellites into orbit</a>

The mission marks a culmination for SpaceX, setting it up to be NASA's favored,&nbsp;and so far most reliable, transportation provider as the agency waits on Boeing's Starliner capsule, which has been held up in testing and is not expected to be ready before next year.&nbsp;

SpaceX has been operating space station re-supplying flights with the cargo version of the Dragon since 2012.&nbsp;

"For the next 15 months, we will fly seven crew and cargo Dragon missions for NASA," SpaceX head of crewed flights Benji Reed said during a phone call Tuesday.&nbsp;

"That means that (from December) starting with Crew-1, there will be a continuous presence of SpaceX Dragons in orbit."

The next crewed mission is expected to blast off at the end of March 2021, carrying one European, one Japanese and two American crew members.&nbsp;

Elon Musk's organisation has dispatched two individuals into space to date: NASA space explorers Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken, who rode to the International Space Station May 30 on board a Crew Dragon container mounted on a Falcon 9 rocket. That experimental drill, named DEMO-2, denoted the primary ever business manned dispatch, and the principal dispatch from American soil since the finish of the Space Shuttle program in 2011.

In any case, it was an experimental drill, with only two space explorers on board, enduring only 64 days with the vast majority of that time in zero-gravity spent on the International Space Station (ISS). On Nov. 14, if all works out as expected, four space explorers will take a Crew Dragon to the ISS and stay on the space station for a half year. It will check the start of the period of commonsense business spaceflight.&nbsp;

Elon Musk's rocket company SpaceX is set to launch its first fully-crewed bound for the International Space Station on Saturday. It is the program's first six-month routine mission since the United States resumed crewed space flight in May after nine years of reliance on Russia.

Elon Musk's rocket company SpaceX is set to launch its first fully-crewed bound for the International Space Station on Saturday. It is the program's first six-month routine mission since the United States resumed crewed space flight in May after nine years of reliance on Russia. Also read: SpaceX's envisioned machinery will not only take us to Mars, but reduce travel time on Earth tremendously! NASA on Tuesday officially certified as safe the Crew Dragon capsule developed for regular astronaut transportation by SpaceX, the company founded by Elon Musk that carried two astronauts to the ISS in May and back to Earth again in August without major incident. "I'm extremely proud to say we are returning regular human spaceflight launches to American soil on an American rocket and spacecraft," NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said. The mission, named CREW-1, will deliver four of the seven individuals from Expedition 64 to the ISS: NASA space travelers Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, and Shannon Walker, just as Japanese space explorer Soichi Noguchi. Endeavor 64 is the term for this 64th gathering of individuals to possess and chip away at the ISS long haul. Take-off is planned for 7:49 pm Saturday (0049 GMT Sunday) from Kennedy Space Center in Florida and they are expected to arrive at the ISS eight hours later, at 0920 GMT Sunday. Also read: SpaceX launches third batch of mini-satellites into orbit The mission marks a culmination for SpaceX, setting it up to be NASA's favored, and so far most reliable, transportation provider as the agency waits on Boeing's Starliner capsule, which has been held up in testing and is not expected to be ready before next year. SpaceX has been operating space station re-supplying flights with the cargo version of the Dragon since 2012. "For the next 15 months, we will fly seven crew and cargo Dragon missions for NASA," SpaceX head of crewed flights Benji Reed said during a phone call Tuesday. "That means that (from December) starting with Crew-1, there will be a continuous presence of SpaceX Dragons in orbit." The next crewed mission is expected to blast off at the end of March 2021, carrying one European, one Japanese and two American crew members. Elon Musk's organisation has dispatched two individuals into space to date: NASA space explorers Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken, who rode to the International Space Station May 30 on board a Crew Dragon container mounted on a Falcon 9 rocket. That experimental drill, named DEMO-2, denoted the primary ever business manned dispatch, and the principal dispatch from American soil since the finish of the Space Shuttle program in 2011. In any case, it was an experimental drill, with only two space explorers on board, enduring only 64 days with the vast majority of that time in zero-gravity spent on the International Space Station (ISS). On Nov. 14, if all works out as expected, four space explorers will take a Crew Dragon to the ISS and stay on the space station for a half year. It will check the start of the period of commonsense business spaceflight.

'Another big leap': SpaceX set to launch first fully-crewed ISS mission

Apple on Tuesday introduced a MacBook Air notebook and other computers with the first microprocessor designed in-house&nbsp;which can allow the machines to operate more like its popular iPhones.

The new chip, called the M1, marks a shift away from Intel Corp technology that has driven the electronic brains of Mac computers for nearly 15 years.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/apple-puts-taiwanese-supplier-pegatron-on-probation-for-exploitation-of-students-342003" hreflang="en">Apple puts Taiwanese supplier Pegatron on probation for exploitation of students</a>

The MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini will integrate Apple's new M1 chip which delivers improved battery life and allows the computers to run apps designed for mobile devices.

The M1 replaces Intel chips used on earlier versions of the Apple computers.

It is a boon for&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;computers, which are overshadowed by the company's iPhone but still rack up tens of billions of dollars in sales per year.&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;hopes developers now will create families of apps that work on both computers and phones.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/microsoft-launches-worlds-most-powerful-next-generation-xbox-gaming-console-342103" hreflang="en">Microsoft launches 'world's most powerful' next-generation Xbox gaming console</a>

The MacBook Air will start at $999, the same as its predecessor, and have up to twice the battery life,&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;said. The M1 will also power the MacBook Pro notebook, which starts at $1299, and its $699 Mac Mini computer, which comes without a monitor. They will be available from next week, executives said.

The Mini is targeted at engineers and scientists because of the artificial intelligence capabilities of the new chip that usually requires a graphics chip from Nvidia Corp or AMD.

Apple said in its release that "iPhone and iPad apps can now run directly on the Mac", although software developers will need to create compatible versions for the computers.

In June,&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;said it would begin outfitting Macs with its own chips, building on its decades-long history of designing processors for its iPhones, iPads and&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;Watches.

Apple&nbsp;executives made numerous performance claims against Windows-based laptops and prior generations of Macs, virtually all of which are based on Intel chips, though&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;did not directly name Intel.

The Cupertino-based company ended its presentation with a cameo by its "PC guy," a nerdy, suit-wearing man who portrays a bumbling PC struggling to keep up with&nbsp;Apple's more hip Mac advances.

&nbsp;

Apple on Tuesday introduced a MacBook Air notebook and other computers with the first microprocessor designed in-house which can allow the machines to operate more like its popular iPhones.

Apple on Tuesday introduced a MacBook Air notebook and other computers with the first microprocessor designed in-house which can allow the machines to operate more like its popular iPhones. The new chip, called the M1, marks a shift away from Intel Corp technology that has driven the electronic brains of Mac computers for nearly 15 years. Also read: Apple puts Taiwanese supplier Pegatron on probation for exploitation of students The MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini will integrate Apple's new M1 chip which delivers improved battery life and allows the computers to run apps designed for mobile devices. The M1 replaces Intel chips used on earlier versions of the Apple computers. It is a boon for Apple computers, which are overshadowed by the company's iPhone but still rack up tens of billions of dollars in sales per year. Apple hopes developers now will create families of apps that work on both computers and phones. Also read: Microsoft launches 'world's most powerful' next-generation Xbox gaming console The MacBook Air will start at $999, the same as its predecessor, and have up to twice the battery life, Apple said. The M1 will also power the MacBook Pro notebook, which starts at $1299, and its $699 Mac Mini computer, which comes without a monitor. They will be available from next week, executives said. The Mini is targeted at engineers and scientists because of the artificial intelligence capabilities of the new chip that usually requires a graphics chip from Nvidia Corp or AMD. Apple said in its release that "iPhone and iPad apps can now run directly on the Mac", although software developers will need to create compatible versions for the computers. In June, Apple said it would begin outfitting Macs with its own chips, building on its decades-long history of designing processors for its iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches. Apple executives made numerous performance claims against Windows-based laptops and prior generations of Macs, virtually all of which are based on Intel chips, though Apple did not directly name Intel. The Cupertino-based company ended its presentation with a cameo by its "PC guy," a nerdy, suit-wearing man who portrays a bumbling PC struggling to keep up with Apple's more hip Mac advances.

Apple launches MacBook laptops with first microprocessor designed in-house

Students at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, have never been led by a Black woman in the school’s 175-year history, but that will change after the holiday break when Midshipman 1st Class Sydney Barber takes charge as brigade commander for the spring semester.

The 21-year-old from Lake Forest, Illinois, will wear the distinctive six stripes on her uniform and lead 4,500 midshipmen until she graduates with her degree in mechanical engineering and, as expected, commissions as a Marine Corps ground officer in May. During her tenure, Barber will be responsible for much of the brigade’s daily activities as well as the professional training of other midshipmen.

Although women have been studying at the nation’s service academies since 1976, the appointment of Black women to the highest cadet and midshipman leadership roles has happened only recently. In 2017, Simone Askew was selected as the cadet first captain at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point’s equivalent position to the one Barber will assume. Officials at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, did not immediately respond to questions about whether Black women have ever served in the school’s top student post, cadet wing commander.

Barber graduated from Lake Forest High School in Illinois, and walked onto the academy’s track and field team as a sprinter, earning varsity letters her first three years, according to a statement from the academy. She holds the school record for the outdoor 4x400-meter relay, and is a member of several extracurricular clubs on the campus, including the academy’s gospel choir.

Barber will be the 16th woman selected for brigade commander in the 44 years since Congress began allowing women to enroll in the service academies. The first was Juliane Gallina, who led the brigade in the fall of 1991, at a time when women were still prohibited from flying warplanes or serving on warships at sea. School records show Gallina retired from the Navy as a commander.

The academy did not make Barber available for an interview on Tuesday, but in a statement she said, “Earning the title of brigade commander speaks volumes, but the title itself is not nearly as significant as the opportunity it brings to lead a team in doing something I believe will be truly special.”

“I am humbled to play a small role in this momentous season of American history,” she added.

Wesley Brown was the first Black man to graduate from the Naval Academy, in 1949. And the first Black woman to enter the academy was Janie Mines, who graduated in 1980; she has also served on the staff of the secretary of the Navy and is currently a management consultant. In an interview, Mines said she still mentors midshipmen at the academy and was pleasantly surprised to see a video earlier this year in which Barber said it was her goal to be Mines’ “wildest dream.”

“Becoming the brigade commander, I said she achieved that goal,” Mines said. “She achieved my wildest dream. I’m very proud of her and academy leadership.”

Brown was forced to live alone for all four years at the academy, according to Reuben E. Brigety, who in 1994 became the fourth Black man to lead the brigade. The mistreatment of Brown was severe until a track teammate of his — an upperclassman from Georgia named James Carter — intervened on his behalf, according to Brigety. Carter later became the 39th president of the United States.

That it took so long for a Black woman to be selected as brigade commander is a sign of how difficult it has been for the Navy to select minority candidates for leadership positions, said Brigety, who is vice chancellor at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, and currently serves on the board of Task Force One Navy, which the service established in June to study racial issues within the Navy. In an interview, Brigety said that the armed forces continue to have a problem in diversifying senior leadership, with admirals and generals often selecting people for promotion who look like them and come from similar backgrounds.

“At the end of the day you have to make the decision to give highly qualified people who are not in the majority the chance to take those leadership positions,” he said.

“The position of brigade commander is not selected by who’s done the best in their class work. In a place that is a self-described leadership laboratory, it is, ‘Who has the potential to be the leader of these leaders?’” he added. “That is a combination of skill and art and character.”

Brigety described a rigorous selection process for naming a brigade commander that involved assessments by many senior commissioned officers, and said Barber had proved that she was more than ready for the challenges ahead. “It is a testament not only to her, but also to the institution that it will recognize and support and promote talent in whatever form it comes,” he said.

“Representation matters, not as tokenism, but as a full commitment to our values as to what is possible,” he said. “One day we will be finished celebrating firsts, but we’re not there yet.”

Students at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, have never been led by a Black woman in the school’s 175-year history, but that will change after the holiday break when Midshipman 1st Class Sydney Barber takes charge as brigade commander for the spring semester.

Students at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, have never been led by a Black woman in the school’s 175-year history, but that will change after the holiday break when Midshipman 1st Class Sydney Barber takes charge as brigade commander for the spring semester. The 21-year-old from Lake Forest, Illinois, will wear the distinctive six stripes on her uniform and lead 4,500 midshipmen until she graduates with her degree in mechanical engineering and, as expected, commissions as a Marine Corps ground officer in May. During her tenure, Barber will be responsible for much of the brigade’s daily activities as well as the professional training of other midshipmen. Although women have been studying at the nation’s service academies since 1976, the appointment of Black women to the highest cadet and midshipman leadership roles has happened only recently. In 2017, Simone Askew was selected as the cadet first captain at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point’s equivalent position to the one Barber will assume. Officials at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, did not immediately respond to questions about whether Black women have ever served in the school’s top student post, cadet wing commander. Barber graduated from Lake Forest High School in Illinois, and walked onto the academy’s track and field team as a sprinter, earning varsity letters her first three years, according to a statement from the academy. She holds the school record for the outdoor 4x400-meter relay, and is a member of several extracurricular clubs on the campus, including the academy’s gospel choir. Barber will be the 16th woman selected for brigade commander in the 44 years since Congress began allowing women to enroll in the service academies. The first was Juliane Gallina, who led the brigade in the fall of 1991, at a time when women were still prohibited from flying warplanes or serving on warships at sea. School records show Gallina retired from the Navy as a commander. The academy did not make Barber available for an interview on Tuesday, but in a statement she said, “Earning the title of brigade commander speaks volumes, but the title itself is not nearly as significant as the opportunity it brings to lead a team in doing something I believe will be truly special.” “I am humbled to play a small role in this momentous season of American history,” she added. Wesley Brown was the first Black man to graduate from the Naval Academy, in 1949. And the first Black woman to enter the academy was Janie Mines, who graduated in 1980; she has also served on the staff of the secretary of the Navy and is currently a management consultant. In an interview, Mines said she still mentors midshipmen at the academy and was pleasantly surprised to see a video earlier this year in which Barber said it was her goal to be Mines’ “wildest dream.” “Becoming the brigade commander, I said she achieved that goal,” Mines said. “She achieved my wildest dream. I’m very proud of her and academy leadership.” Brown was forced to live alone for all four years at the academy, according to Reuben E. Brigety, who in 1994 became the fourth Black man to lead the brigade. The mistreatment of Brown was severe until a track teammate of his — an upperclassman from Georgia named James Carter — intervened on his behalf, according to Brigety. Carter later became the 39th president of the United States. That it took so long for a Black woman to be selected as brigade commander is a sign of how difficult it has been for the Navy to select minority candidates for leadership positions, said Brigety, who is vice chancellor at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, and currently serves on the board of Task Force One Navy, which the service established in June to study racial issues within the Navy. In an interview, Brigety said that the armed forces continue to have a problem in diversifying senior leadership, with admirals and generals often selecting people for promotion who look like them and come from similar backgrounds. “At the end of the day you have to make the decision to give highly qualified people who are not in the majority the chance to take those leadership positions,” he said. “The position of brigade commander is not selected by who’s done the best in their class work. In a place that is a self-described leadership laboratory, it is, ‘Who has the potential to be the leader of these leaders?’” he added. “That is a combination of skill and art and character.” Brigety described a rigorous selection process for naming a brigade commander that involved assessments by many senior commissioned officers, and said Barber had proved that she was more than ready for the challenges ahead. “It is a testament not only to her, but also to the institution that it will recognize and support and promote talent in whatever form it comes,” he said. “Representation matters, not as tokenism, but as a full commitment to our values as to what is possible,” he said. “One day we will be finished celebrating firsts, but we’re not there yet.”

Black woman, for first time, will lead midshipmen at the US Naval Academy

Mirelis Morales contributed reporting from Lima, Peru, and Isayen Herrera contributed reporting from Caracas, Venezuela.

A devastating pandemic, the deepest economic crisis on record, and now, the fourth president in five years.

Exhausted by this year’s turmoil, Peruvians woke up Tuesday to yet another shock. This time, it was one of their leaders’ making: The country’s deeply disliked Congress had voted Monday night to impeach Martín Vizcarra, a popular, if flawed, president, for “moral incapacity,” just five months before new elections.

By Tuesday morning, just thirteen hours later, Congress had sworn in a new president — Manuel Merino, the little-known rice farmer who had been head of Congress.

And the population was left reeling, astonished and furious at a political system many saw as willing to risk instability in pursuit of petty political disputes instead focusing on the country’s pressing problems.

“All of us Peruvians are disappointed in the people who govern us,” said Andrés Cordero, an unemployed electrician. “They’ve been promising change for a long time and it always ends the same way.”

The spreading national malaise marks a stark turnaround from Peru’s fortunes before the pandemic, when the country posted Latin America’s highest economic growth rates and fell behind Vizcarra’s ambitious attempts to stamp out deep-seated corruption.

Now, Vizcarra has been accused of the same crimes he pledged to combat, becoming Peru’s sixth president in a row to be investigated for corruption, after leaked witness testimonies appeared to show him accepting bribes during his time as a provincial governor.

Vizcarra came to power after the previous president, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, resigned in one of several corruption scandals that have ensnared politicians, businessmen, judges and prosecutors in recent years. As Kuczynski’s vice president, Vizcarra stepped into the office.

While polls show that vast majority of Peruvians want Vizcarra to face justice, his swift removal by Congress, before the accusations were proven, has provoked even greater public outrage.

Hundreds of protesters took to the streets in the capital, Lima, on Tuesday to denounce what they called a congressional “coup,” accusing lawmakers of perverting justice for personal benefit in a moment of grave national crisis. They clashed with riot police outside Congress, who dispersed them with tear gas and rubber pellets.

Protests and clashes also erupted in several other cities, according to local media.

“This has been the drop that overflowed the glass of political destabilization,” said Elsa Soldevilla, a 27-year-old student who joined the protest. “If Vizcarra has a crime to pay, let him do it in courts. The Congress doesn’t need to exploit this.”

The popular anger over Vizcarra’s ouster quickly spread to Peru’s other political institutions, undermining the last vestiges of legitimacy of a system that many citizens consider beyond repair. Some at the protests have blamed the country’s top court, which had declined to weigh in on the previous attempt by the Congress to remove Vizcarra — in September, less than two months ago — for an unrelated and also still unproven offense.

The court is still evaluating Vizcarra’s request for clarification on the use of the country’s archaic impeachment clause, which allows lawmakers to remove presidents who they consider morally or mentally unfit for office on grounds of “permanent moral incapacity.” The request was filed in September.

The criticism of Vizcarra’s ouster was amplified by its timing. The former president had eight months left in office and had said he would not seek reelection in the general elections scheduled for April.

He had also promised to face the prosecutors to defend himself against corruption charges after leaving power. In his defense speech in Congress shortly before being impeached, he had accused his opponents of hypocrisy, pointing out that 68 of the country’s 130 congressmen were under investigation for crimes such as corruption or money laundering themselves.

Under Peru’s law, lawmakers enjoy parliamentary immunity, a benefit that Vizcarra had unsuccessfully attempted to remove during his campaign to overhaul the country’s governance.

Vizcarra’s political undoing has been partly of his own doing. By limiting the lawmakers’ time in office to one term in an effort to ostensibly limit corruption, Vizcarra has removed the incentive for responsible and experienced politicians to seek careers in Congress, said Diego Moya-Ocampos, a political risk analyst at the consultancy IHS Markit, in London.

The result has been a raucous, fractious legislature filled with rookie, little-known politicians from a dozen parties, including the political wing of a messianic religious group and supporters of a jailed former military officer who advocate firing squads for corrupt officials.

Merino, the new president, promised to focus on the pandemic and honor the scheduled Apr. 11 election date.

“Today the population looks at us with expectation but also with concern,” he said in his acceptance speech Tuesday. “Our commitment is to carry out a democratic transition.”

But the impeachment left many in Peru dispirited, worried that the country is headed for greater political instability just as it tries to recover from one of the world’s worst coronavirus outbreaks, and reopen its battered economy. Peru’s gross domestic product is set to contract 14% this year, according to the International Monetary Fund — the largest decline since the nation began collecting economic statistics in 1951.

David Rivera, a Peruvian political analyst, said the widespread opposition to Vizcarra’s impeachment would likely make it hard for Merino to find qualified professionals to fill key positions in an interim government.

“What serious technocrat or politician is going to want to be a minister with Merino?” he said. “I don’t even want to imagine what this administration is going to be like.”

Lacking legitimacy and popular support, Merino may resort to populist measures to govern, such as lowering sales taxes and allowing citizens to withdraw money from their private insurance schemes, said analysts.

An even larger risk is that the new government will use its short time in office to pass laws benefiting their members’ business interests, said Martín Tanaka, a political scientist at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, in Lima.

“The big problem is that in eight months, a lot of damage can be done,” said Tanaka.

Mirelis Morales contributed reporting from Lima, Peru, and Isayen Herrera contributed reporting from Caracas, Venezuela. A devastating pandemic, the deepest economic crisis on record, and now, the fourth president in five years.

Mirelis Morales contributed reporting from Lima, Peru, and Isayen Herrera contributed reporting from Caracas, Venezuela. A devastating pandemic, the deepest economic crisis on record, and now, the fourth president in five years. Exhausted by this year’s turmoil, Peruvians woke up Tuesday to yet another shock. This time, it was one of their leaders’ making: The country’s deeply disliked Congress had voted Monday night to impeach Martín Vizcarra, a popular, if flawed, president, for “moral incapacity,” just five months before new elections. By Tuesday morning, just thirteen hours later, Congress had sworn in a new president — Manuel Merino, the little-known rice farmer who had been head of Congress. And the population was left reeling, astonished and furious at a political system many saw as willing to risk instability in pursuit of petty political disputes instead focusing on the country’s pressing problems. “All of us Peruvians are disappointed in the people who govern us,” said Andrés Cordero, an unemployed electrician. “They’ve been promising change for a long time and it always ends the same way.” The spreading national malaise marks a stark turnaround from Peru’s fortunes before the pandemic, when the country posted Latin America’s highest economic growth rates and fell behind Vizcarra’s ambitious attempts to stamp out deep-seated corruption. Now, Vizcarra has been accused of the same crimes he pledged to combat, becoming Peru’s sixth president in a row to be investigated for corruption, after leaked witness testimonies appeared to show him accepting bribes during his time as a provincial governor. Vizcarra came to power after the previous president, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, resigned in one of several corruption scandals that have ensnared politicians, businessmen, judges and prosecutors in recent years. As Kuczynski’s vice president, Vizcarra stepped into the office. While polls show that vast majority of Peruvians want Vizcarra to face justice, his swift removal by Congress, before the accusations were proven, has provoked even greater public outrage. Hundreds of protesters took to the streets in the capital, Lima, on Tuesday to denounce what they called a congressional “coup,” accusing lawmakers of perverting justice for personal benefit in a moment of grave national crisis. They clashed with riot police outside Congress, who dispersed them with tear gas and rubber pellets. Protests and clashes also erupted in several other cities, according to local media. “This has been the drop that overflowed the glass of political destabilization,” said Elsa Soldevilla, a 27-year-old student who joined the protest. “If Vizcarra has a crime to pay, let him do it in courts. The Congress doesn’t need to exploit this.” The popular anger over Vizcarra’s ouster quickly spread to Peru’s other political institutions, undermining the last vestiges of legitimacy of a system that many citizens consider beyond repair. Some at the protests have blamed the country’s top court, which had declined to weigh in on the previous attempt by the Congress to remove Vizcarra — in September, less than two months ago — for an unrelated and also still unproven offense. The court is still evaluating Vizcarra’s request for clarification on the use of the country’s archaic impeachment clause, which allows lawmakers to remove presidents who they consider morally or mentally unfit for office on grounds of “permanent moral incapacity.” The request was filed in September. The criticism of Vizcarra’s ouster was amplified by its timing. The former president had eight months left in office and had said he would not seek reelection in the general elections scheduled for April. He had also promised to face the prosecutors to defend himself against corruption charges after leaving power. In his defense speech in Congress shortly before being impeached, he had accused his opponents of hypocrisy, pointing out that 68 of the country’s 130 congressmen were under investigation for crimes such as corruption or money laundering themselves. Under Peru’s law, lawmakers enjoy parliamentary immunity, a benefit that Vizcarra had unsuccessfully attempted to remove during his campaign to overhaul the country’s governance. Vizcarra’s political undoing has been partly of his own doing. By limiting the lawmakers’ time in office to one term in an effort to ostensibly limit corruption, Vizcarra has removed the incentive for responsible and experienced politicians to seek careers in Congress, said Diego Moya-Ocampos, a political risk analyst at the consultancy IHS Markit, in London. The result has been a raucous, fractious legislature filled with rookie, little-known politicians from a dozen parties, including the political wing of a messianic religious group and supporters of a jailed former military officer who advocate firing squads for corrupt officials. Merino, the new president, promised to focus on the pandemic and honor the scheduled Apr. 11 election date. “Today the population looks at us with expectation but also with concern,” he said in his acceptance speech Tuesday. “Our commitment is to carry out a democratic transition.” But the impeachment left many in Peru dispirited, worried that the country is headed for greater political instability just as it tries to recover from one of the world’s worst coronavirus outbreaks, and reopen its battered economy. Peru’s gross domestic product is set to contract 14% this year, according to the International Monetary Fund — the largest decline since the nation began collecting economic statistics in 1951. David Rivera, a Peruvian political analyst, said the widespread opposition to Vizcarra’s impeachment would likely make it hard for Merino to find qualified professionals to fill key positions in an interim government. “What serious technocrat or politician is going to want to be a minister with Merino?” he said. “I don’t even want to imagine what this administration is going to be like.” Lacking legitimacy and popular support, Merino may resort to populist measures to govern, such as lowering sales taxes and allowing citizens to withdraw money from their private insurance schemes, said analysts. An even larger risk is that the new government will use its short time in office to pass laws benefiting their members’ business interests, said Martín Tanaka, a political scientist at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, in Lima. “The big problem is that in eight months, a lot of damage can be done,” said Tanaka.

Peru’s surprise new leader stokes anger, fear in a traumatized country

Russia's Sputnik V vaccine is 92 per cent&nbsp;effective at protecting people from COVID-19 according to interim trial results, the country's sovereign wealth fund said on Wednesday, as Moscow rushes to keep pace with Western drugmakers in the race for a shot.

The initial results are only the second to be published from a late-stage human trial in the global race to produce a vaccine that could halt a pandemic that has killed more than 1.2 million people and ravaged the world economy.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/all-you-want-to-know-about-russias-coronavirus-vaccine-sputnik-v-319775">All you want to know about Russia's coronavirus vaccine 'Sputnik V'</a>

Russia registered Sputnik V for public use in August, the first country to do so, though the approval came before the start of the large-scale trial in September.

The interim results are based on data from the first 16,000 trial participants to receive both shots of the two-dose vaccine, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which has been backing the vaccine and marketing it globally, said.

The so-called Phase III trial of the shot developed by the Gamaleya Institute is taking place in 29 clinics across Moscow and will involve 40,000 volunteers in total, with a quarter receiving a placebo shot.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-sputnik-v-russia-approves-second-covid-19-vaccine-epivaccorona-335302">After Sputnik V, Russia approves second COVID-19 vaccine - EpiVacCorona</a>

The chances of contracting COVID-19 were 92&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;lower among people vaccinated with Sputnik V than those who received the placebo, the RDIF said.

That's well above the 50&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;effectiveness threshold for COVID-19 vaccines set by the US&nbsp;Food and Drug Administration.

"We are showing, based on the data, that we have a very effective vaccine," said RDIF head Kirill Dmitriev, adding that it was the sort of news that the vaccine's developers would talk about one day with their grandchildren.

Russia's announcement follows swiftly on from results posted on Monday by vaccine developers Pfizer Inc and BioNTech, who said their shot was also more than 90&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;effective.

The Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine uses messenger RNA (mRNA) technology and is designed to trigger an immune response without using pathogens, such as actual virus particles.

The Sputnik V vaccine is designed to trigger a response from two shots administered 21 days apart each based on different viral vectors that normally cause the common cold: human adenoviruses Ad5 and Ad26.

Russia's Sputnik V vaccine is 92 per cent effective at protecting people from COVID-19 according to interim trial results, the country's sovereign wealth fund said on Wednesday, as Moscow rushes to keep pace with Western drugmakers in the race for a shot.

Russia's Sputnik V vaccine is 92 per cent effective at protecting people from COVID-19 according to interim trial results, the country's sovereign wealth fund said on Wednesday, as Moscow rushes to keep pace with Western drugmakers in the race for a shot. The initial results are only the second to be published from a late-stage human trial in the global race to produce a vaccine that could halt a pandemic that has killed more than 1.2 million people and ravaged the world economy. Also see: All you want to know about Russia's coronavirus vaccine 'Sputnik V' Russia registered Sputnik V for public use in August, the first country to do so, though the approval came before the start of the large-scale trial in September. The interim results are based on data from the first 16,000 trial participants to receive both shots of the two-dose vaccine, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which has been backing the vaccine and marketing it globally, said. The so-called Phase III trial of the shot developed by the Gamaleya Institute is taking place in 29 clinics across Moscow and will involve 40,000 volunteers in total, with a quarter receiving a placebo shot. Also read: After Sputnik V, Russia approves second COVID-19 vaccine - EpiVacCorona The chances of contracting COVID-19 were 92 per cent lower among people vaccinated with Sputnik V than those who received the placebo, the RDIF said. That's well above the 50 per cent effectiveness threshold for COVID-19 vaccines set by the US Food and Drug Administration. "We are showing, based on the data, that we have a very effective vaccine," said RDIF head Kirill Dmitriev, adding that it was the sort of news that the vaccine's developers would talk about one day with their grandchildren. Russia's announcement follows swiftly on from results posted on Monday by vaccine developers Pfizer Inc and BioNTech, who said their shot was also more than 90 per cent effective. The Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine uses messenger RNA (mRNA) technology and is designed to trigger an immune response without using pathogens, such as actual virus particles. The Sputnik V vaccine is designed to trigger a response from two shots administered 21 days apart each based on different viral vectors that normally cause the common cold: human adenoviruses Ad5 and Ad26.

Russia says its Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine is 92% effective

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