The "self-help" guru of a group called Nxivm has been&nbsp;convicted of running a&nbsp;cult-like organisation of sex slaves on Tuesday.

Keith Raniere, 60, was convicted on multiple accounts such as&nbsp;racketeering, sex trafficking, and forced labor conspiracy. He has also been fined $1.75 million.

Followers signed up for $5,000, five-day self-help courses, but some were then financially and sexually exploited and forced to follow a restrictive diet, as Raniere,&nbsp;known as "Vanguard", exerted control, his six-week trial heard.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/keith-raniere-founder-of-sex-cult-nxivm-convicted-on-7-charges-including-sex-trafficking-228848">Keith Raniere, founder of sex cult 'Nxivm', convicted on 7 charges including sex trafficking</a>

He established a faction within the group called DOS, a pyramid structure in which the women were "slaves" and "Grand Master" Raniere sat at the top.

The "slaves" were made to have sex with Raniere, hand over personal information, and compromising photos, and some of the women were branded like cattle as other members held them down.&nbsp;

Raniere was convicted in June 2019 on all seven charges brought against him, including racketeering, sex trafficking, extortion, criminal conspiracy, and the sexual exploitation of a 15-year-old girl.

Also read:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/smallville-actress-allison-mack-pleads-guilty-in-sex-cult-case-208891">'Smallville' actress Allison Mack pleads guilty in sex cult case</a>

Verdict

"It is our sincere hope that today's sentence does deliver some measure of justice for those victims who suffered in immeasurable and numerous ways," acting US&nbsp;Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Seth DuCharme said following the verdict.

"Certainly the judge's sentence, which in effect incapacitates Keith&nbsp;Raniere&nbsp;for the rest of his life, should hopefully give them some sense of security and should stand as a warning to others who would participate in similar like conduct that when justice catches up with you - as it did today - it is severe. Keith&nbsp;Raniere&nbsp;will not be able to victimise people anymore after today's sentence, and we're very grateful for that."

Lawyers for&nbsp;Raniere&nbsp;countered that he maintained his "complete innocence" and was the victim of an "unfair trial." They requested a sentence of no more than 15 years in prison.

Jurors convicted&nbsp;Raniere&nbsp;in June 2019 of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, possession of child pornography and other crimes, following extensive testimony from former NXIVM members.

Prosecutors said&nbsp;Raniere&nbsp;created a secret sorority within NXIVM called DOS, where female "slaves" turned over nude photos and other compromising materials that could be used for blackmail if they tried to leave.

More than 50 people wrote letters to Garaufis urging leniency for&nbsp;Raniere. Many said NXIVM classes, which could cost thousands of dollars, had greatly improved their lives.

Heiress&nbsp;

The dramatic story has been the subject of two screen adaptions: HBO's recently released "The Vow" docu-series and "Escaping the Nxivm&nbsp;Cult," a 2019 Lisa Robinson film focused on the testimony of a mother working to save her daughter from the organization.

Addressing the court Tuesday, Raniere said he was "deeply sorry" for the "pain and anger" that his victims had expressed but maintained his innocence.

"I'm not remorseful over the charges. Those are not right," he added.

Five other people were charged in the case, and all of them pleaded guilty.

German-born American actress Allison Mack,&nbsp;known for her role in "Smallville", admitted to two counts of racketeering in April 2019.

The heiress of the Canadian drinks empire Seagram, Clare Bronfman, was sentenced last month after also pleading guilty.

The 41-year-old was accused of using more than $100 million of her $2.6 billion estimated net worth to fund the group and&nbsp;got more than six years in jail.

Following Raniere's conviction, New York prosecutor Richard Donoghue said the proceedings "revealed that Raniere, who portrayed himself as a savant and a genius, was in fact, a master manipulator, a con-man and the crime boss of a&nbsp;cult-like organization."

Prosecutors had called for a life sentence, accusing Raniere of a "total denial of culpability."

Citing post-conviction calls and emails, the prosecution said Raniere presented his organization as a "good" thing, wondering "who will carry forth this burning torch of light?"

Raniere's defense team -- who unsuccessfully asked the jury to focus on whether they saw his actions as legal, even if they found them immoral -- had suggested a 15-year jail term would be appropriate

The "self-help" guru of a group called Nxivm has been convicted of running a cult-like organisation of sex slaves on Tuesday. Keith Raniere, 60, was convicted on multiple accounts such as racketeering, sex trafficking, and forced labor conspiracy.

The "self-help" guru of a group called Nxivm has been convicted of running a cult-like organisation of sex slaves on Tuesday. Keith Raniere, 60, was convicted on multiple accounts such as racketeering, sex trafficking, and forced labor conspiracy. He has also been fined $1.75 million. Followers signed up for $5,000, five-day self-help courses, but some were then financially and sexually exploited and forced to follow a restrictive diet, as Raniere, known as "Vanguard", exerted control, his six-week trial heard. Also read: Keith Raniere, founder of sex cult 'Nxivm', convicted on 7 charges including sex trafficking He established a faction within the group called DOS, a pyramid structure in which the women were "slaves" and "Grand Master" Raniere sat at the top. The "slaves" were made to have sex with Raniere, hand over personal information, and compromising photos, and some of the women were branded like cattle as other members held them down. Raniere was convicted in June 2019 on all seven charges brought against him, including racketeering, sex trafficking, extortion, criminal conspiracy, and the sexual exploitation of a 15-year-old girl. Also read: 'Smallville' actress Allison Mack pleads guilty in sex cult case Verdict "It is our sincere hope that today's sentence does deliver some measure of justice for those victims who suffered in immeasurable and numerous ways," acting US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Seth DuCharme said following the verdict. "Certainly the judge's sentence, which in effect incapacitates Keith Raniere for the rest of his life, should hopefully give them some sense of security and should stand as a warning to others who would participate in similar like conduct that when justice catches up with you - as it did today - it is severe. Keith Raniere will not be able to victimise people anymore after today's sentence, and we're very grateful for that." Lawyers for Raniere countered that he maintained his "complete innocence" and was the victim of an "unfair trial." They requested a sentence of no more than 15 years in prison. Jurors convicted Raniere in June 2019 of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, possession of child pornography and other crimes, following extensive testimony from former NXIVM members. Prosecutors said Raniere created a secret sorority within NXIVM called DOS, where female "slaves" turned over nude photos and other compromising materials that could be used for blackmail if they tried to leave. More than 50 people wrote letters to Garaufis urging leniency for Raniere. Many said NXIVM classes, which could cost thousands of dollars, had greatly improved their lives. Heiress The dramatic story has been the subject of two screen adaptions: HBO's recently released "The Vow" docu-series and "Escaping the Nxivm Cult," a 2019 Lisa Robinson film focused on the testimony of a mother working to save her daughter from the organization. Addressing the court Tuesday, Raniere said he was "deeply sorry" for the "pain and anger" that his victims had expressed but maintained his innocence. "I'm not remorseful over the charges. Those are not right," he added. Five other people were charged in the case, and all of them pleaded guilty. German-born American actress Allison Mack, known for her role in "Smallville", admitted to two counts of racketeering in April 2019. The heiress of the Canadian drinks empire Seagram, Clare Bronfman, was sentenced last month after also pleading guilty. The 41-year-old was accused of using more than $100 million of her $2.6 billion estimated net worth to fund the group and got more than six years in jail. Following Raniere's conviction, New York prosecutor Richard Donoghue said the proceedings "revealed that Raniere, who portrayed himself as a savant and a genius, was in fact, a master manipulator, a con-man and the crime boss of a cult-like organization." Prosecutors had called for a life sentence, accusing Raniere of a "total denial of culpability." Citing post-conviction calls and emails, the prosecution said Raniere presented his organization as a "good" thing, wondering "who will carry forth this burning torch of light?" Raniere's defense team -- who unsuccessfully asked the jury to focus on whether they saw his actions as legal, even if they found them immoral -- had suggested a 15-year jail term would be appropriate

Leader of sex cult Nxivm that attracted rich and famous; jailed for 120 years

French satirical magazine Charle Hebdo has caricatured Turkish President Recep&nbsp;Tayyip&nbsp;Erdogan&nbsp;over a front-page cartoon for its latest edition that mocking him for his attacks on the country.

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Erdogan : dans le privé, il est très drôle ! 
 
Retrouvez : 
 
👉 Laïcité : zoom sur le CCIF par <a href="https://twitter.com/LaureDaussy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LaureDaussy</a> 
👉 Voyage dans la crackosphère parisienne par <a href="https://twitter.com/AntonioFischet8?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AntonioFischet8</a> et Foolz 
👉 Reportage à Lunéville et son théâtre par Juin 
 
➡ Disponible demain ! <a href="https://t.co/jxXqKrvXbK">pic.twitter.com/jxXqKrvXbK</a>
— Charlie Hebdo (@Charlie_Hebdo_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Charlie_Hebdo_/status/1321134572105572352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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It comes after Erdogan questioned the mental health of French President Emmanuel Macron&nbsp;for treating "millions of members from different&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-imran-khan-recep-erdogan-doubles-down-in-backlash-against-macrons-islam-comments-337912">After Imran Khan, Recep Erdogan doubles down in backlash against Macron's Islam comments</a>

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We will not give in, ever. 
We respect all differences in a spirit of peace. We do not accept hate speech and defend reasonable debate. We will always be on the side of human dignity and universal values.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) <a href="https://twitter.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/1320419059016617985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The front-page caricature of Wednesday's edition of Charlie Hebdo, released online on Tuesday night, shows Erdogan in a t-shirt and underpants, drinking a can of beer and lifting up the skirt of a woman wearing a hijab to reveal her naked bottom.

"Ooh, the prophet!" the character says in a speech bubble, while the title proclaims "Erdogan: in private, he's very funny".

"We condemn this most disgusting effort by this publication to spread its cultural racism and hatred," Erdogan's top press aide, Fahrettin Altun, tweeted.&nbsp;

"French President Macron's anti-Muslim agenda is bearing fruit! Charlie Hebdo just published a series of so-called cartoons full of despicable images purportedly of our President."

Charlie Hebdo's intervention came during an escalating war of words between Erdogan, Macron, and other European leaders after the beheading of French schoolteacher Samuel Paty by a suspected Islamist attacker this month.

Some of the weekly's previous work lampooning the prophet was shown by Paty in a class on free speech, leading to an online campaign against him and the grisly murder before the start of school holidays on October 16.

An attack on Charlie Hebdo by jihadists in 2015 left 12 people dead, including some of its most famed cartoonists.&nbsp;

Relations between Macron and Erdogan have become increasingly strained over geopolitical issues ranging from a Greek-Turkish maritime dispute to the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.&nbsp;

Macron's defence of Charlie Hebdo, and his recent comment that Islam worldwide is "in crisis", have prompted Erdogan to urge Turks to boycott French products amid a wave of anti-France protests in Muslim-majority countries.

French satirical magazine Charle Hebdo has caricatured Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over a front-page cartoon for its latest edition that mocking him for his attacks on the country.

French satirical magazine Charle Hebdo has caricatured Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over a front-page cartoon for its latest edition that mocking him for his attacks on the country. Erdogan : dans le privé, il est très drôle ! Retrouvez : 👉 Laïcité : zoom sur le CCIF par @LaureDaussy 👉 Voyage dans la crackosphère parisienne par @AntonioFischet8 et Foolz 👉 Reportage à Lunéville et son théâtre par Juin ➡ Disponible demain ! pic.twitter.com/jxXqKrvXbK — Charlie Hebdo (@Charlie_Hebdo_) October 27, 2020 × It comes after Erdogan questioned the mental health of French President Emmanuel Macron for treating "millions of members from different Also read: After Imran Khan, Recep Erdogan doubles down in backlash against Macron's Islam comments We will not give in, ever. We respect all differences in a spirit of peace. We do not accept hate speech and defend reasonable debate. We will always be on the side of human dignity and universal values. — Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) October 25, 2020 × The front-page caricature of Wednesday's edition of Charlie Hebdo, released online on Tuesday night, shows Erdogan in a t-shirt and underpants, drinking a can of beer and lifting up the skirt of a woman wearing a hijab to reveal her naked bottom. "Ooh, the prophet!" the character says in a speech bubble, while the title proclaims "Erdogan: in private, he's very funny". "We condemn this most disgusting effort by this publication to spread its cultural racism and hatred," Erdogan's top press aide, Fahrettin Altun, tweeted. "French President Macron's anti-Muslim agenda is bearing fruit! Charlie Hebdo just published a series of so-called cartoons full of despicable images purportedly of our President." Charlie Hebdo's intervention came during an escalating war of words between Erdogan, Macron, and other European leaders after the beheading of French schoolteacher Samuel Paty by a suspected Islamist attacker this month. Some of the weekly's previous work lampooning the prophet was shown by Paty in a class on free speech, leading to an online campaign against him and the grisly murder before the start of school holidays on October 16. An attack on Charlie Hebdo by jihadists in 2015 left 12 people dead, including some of its most famed cartoonists. Relations between Macron and Erdogan have become increasingly strained over geopolitical issues ranging from a Greek-Turkish maritime dispute to the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Macron's defence of Charlie Hebdo, and his recent comment that Islam worldwide is "in crisis", have prompted Erdogan to urge Turks to boycott French products amid a wave of anti-France protests in Muslim-majority countries.

Charlie Hebdo caricatures Recep Erdogan; sparks Turkish fury

With less than a week to go for the final showdown between President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden for the US election 2020, it appears that voters who have voted early are trying to change their minds.

More than 60 million Americans have cast ballots in the US&nbsp;presidential election, a record-breaking pace that could lead to the highest voter turnout in over a century, according to data from the US&nbsp;Elections Project.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-how-are-votes-counted-in-the-presidential-election-335422" hreflang="en">US election 2020: How are votes counted in the presidential election?</a>

Apparently, there was a spike in&nbsp;'can I change my vote', and Trump believes that this means that the trend refers to him.

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Strongly Trending (Google) since immediately after the second debate is CAN I CHANGE MY VOTE? This refers changing it to me. The answer in most states is YES. Go do it. Most important Election of your life!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1321042229838909441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Reportedly, the trend skyrocketed after the final presidential debate and has been going up steadily ever since.

A media professor at the University of New Mexico, Nick Flor posted his analysis about it.

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BTW, did you hear that "Can I change my vote" is trending as a search term on Google? ROFL! 
 
Started peaking right after the final debate / Hunter Biden controversy. This is why social media is trying so hard to censor.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FoxAndFriends?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FoxAndFriends</a> 
 
The answer is yes:<a href="https://t.co/xrQwOeoOAU">https://t.co/xrQwOeoOAU</a> <a href="https://t.co/qZA3tPmK3u">pic.twitter.com/qZA3tPmK3u</a>
— Nick Flor-ProfessorF (@ProfessorF) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProfessorF/status/1321042252982972416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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However, he later said that this happens in every US election and is not something that has occurred for the first time.

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LOL, no it is not EVERY election this happens — contrary to what the correct-the-record mob is frantically trying to post. 
 
And this is the highest level ever for "Can I change my vote" (dashes indicate still climbing, see below) <a href="https://t.co/uOC9TdVmHZ">pic.twitter.com/uOC9TdVmHZ</a>
— Nick Flor-ProfessorF (@ProfessorF) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProfessorF/status/1321045284613361664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Consumer confidence dropped sharply in October in three US&nbsp;states considered crucial for Republican President Donald Trump's re-election&nbsp;as fears about the economy's outlook mounted, according to a survey on Tuesday.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-with-a-week-to-go-heres-what-is-abuzz-338402" hreflang="en">US election 2020: With a week to go, here's what is abuzz</a>

The Conference Board's findings came ahead of next Tuesday's fiercely contested battle for the White House between Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden. Trump is trailing the former vice president in national opinion polls.

Consumer confidence in Florida dropped to a reading of 100.3 this month from 114.4 in September. Though confidence has rebounded after slumping as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the state, it is near levels seen just before the 2016&nbsp;election.

In Pennsylvania, consumer confidence tumbled to a reading of 92.0 from 115.5 in September. Consumer confidence in Michigan fell to 119.2 in October from a reading of 124.1 in the prior month. Confidence in the three swing states was dragged by declines in consumers' expectations.

"The numbers can be choppy, but this does not bode well for Donald Trump's chances of re-election&nbsp;and with incomes being squeezed and COVID-19 cases on the rise, neither for the economy," said James Knightley, chief international economist at ING in New York.

Consumer confidence also fell in Ohio and Illinois and Texas this month but edged up in New York and California.

As result, overall consumer confidence dipped to a reading of 100.9 in October from 101.3 in September.

"There is little to suggest that consumers foresee the economy gaining momentum in the final months of 2020, especially with COVID-19 cases on the rise and unemployment still high," said Lynn Franco, senior director of Economic Indicators at The Conference Board.

&nbsp;

With less than a week to go for the final showdown between President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden for the US election 2020, it appears that voters who have voted early are trying to change their minds.

With less than a week to go for the final showdown between President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden for the US election 2020, it appears that voters who have voted early are trying to change their minds. More than 60 million Americans have cast ballots in the US presidential election, a record-breaking pace that could lead to the highest voter turnout in over a century, according to data from the US Elections Project. Also read: US election 2020: How are votes counted in the presidential election? Apparently, there was a spike in 'can I change my vote', and Trump believes that this means that the trend refers to him. Strongly Trending (Google) since immediately after the second debate is CAN I CHANGE MY VOTE? This refers changing it to me. The answer in most states is YES. Go do it. Most important Election of your life! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 27, 2020 × Reportedly, the trend skyrocketed after the final presidential debate and has been going up steadily ever since. A media professor at the University of New Mexico, Nick Flor posted his analysis about it. BTW, did you hear that "Can I change my vote" is trending as a search term on Google? ROFL! Started peaking right after the final debate / Hunter Biden controversy. This is why social media is trying so hard to censor.#FoxAndFriends The answer is yes:https://t.co/xrQwOeoOAU pic.twitter.com/qZA3tPmK3u — Nick Flor-ProfessorF (@ProfessorF) October 27, 2020 × However, he later said that this happens in every US election and is not something that has occurred for the first time. LOL, no it is not EVERY election this happens — contrary to what the correct-the-record mob is frantically trying to post. And this is the highest level ever for "Can I change my vote" (dashes indicate still climbing, see below) pic.twitter.com/uOC9TdVmHZ — Nick Flor-ProfessorF (@ProfessorF) October 27, 2020 × Consumer confidence dropped sharply in October in three US states considered crucial for Republican President Donald Trump's re-election as fears about the economy's outlook mounted, according to a survey on Tuesday. Also read: US election 2020: With a week to go, here's what is abuzz The Conference Board's findings came ahead of next Tuesday's fiercely contested battle for the White House between Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden. Trump is trailing the former vice president in national opinion polls. Consumer confidence in Florida dropped to a reading of 100.3 this month from 114.4 in September. Though confidence has rebounded after slumping as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the state, it is near levels seen just before the 2016 election. In Pennsylvania, consumer confidence tumbled to a reading of 92.0 from 115.5 in September. Consumer confidence in Michigan fell to 119.2 in October from a reading of 124.1 in the prior month. Confidence in the three swing states was dragged by declines in consumers' expectations. "The numbers can be choppy, but this does not bode well for Donald Trump's chances of re-election and with incomes being squeezed and COVID-19 cases on the rise, neither for the economy," said James Knightley, chief international economist at ING in New York. Consumer confidence also fell in Ohio and Illinois and Texas this month but edged up in New York and California. As result, overall consumer confidence dipped to a reading of 100.9 in October from 101.3 in September. "There is little to suggest that consumers foresee the economy gaining momentum in the final months of 2020, especially with COVID-19 cases on the rise and unemployment still high," said Lynn Franco, senior director of Economic Indicators at The Conference Board.

US election 2020: Surge in 'can I change my vote'; Donald Trump says trend refers to him

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said on Wednesday that 10 female&nbsp;passengers flying out of Doha were forced to endure invasive physical examinations.

Earlier, the government of Qatar said it “regrets any distress or infringement on the personal freedom of any traveller” after several women were asked to deboard the flight and were strip-searched by the authorities of Qatar Airways onboard a flight from&nbsp;Doha to Sydney after a&nbsp;newborn baby had been found abandoned in a trash can and was wrapped in a plastic bag.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/several-women-strip-searched-by-qatar-airways-authorities-after-infant-found-dead-337845">Several women strip-searched by Qatar Airways authorities after infant found dead</a>

"While the aim of the urgently-decided search was to prevent the perpetrators of the horrible crime from escaping, the State of Qatar regrets any distress or infringement on the personal freedoms of any traveller caused by this action," the <a href="https://www.gco.gov.qa/en/2020/10/28/government-communications-office-statement-on-an-abandoned-infant-discovered-at-hamad-international-airport/">statement</a>.

Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, had ordered an investigation and the results would be shared with international partners, it added.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/global-aviation-industry-hammered-qatar-airways-at-risk-of-bankruptcy-290029/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

However, the statement did not specifically detail that women had been forcibly examined, only referring to a "search for the parents".

Payne&nbsp;told parliament that women on "10 aircraft in total" had been subject to the searches, which she had earlier described as "grossly disturbing" and "offensive".

Payne said 18 women,&nbsp;including 13 Australians, on the October 2 flight to Sydney were affected, along with "other foreign nationals".&nbsp;

She did not detail the destinations of the other flights, adding she was unaware if any Australian women were on those planes.

Frances Adamson, head of&nbsp;Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said there was "distress, abhorrence and deep questioning of how this can have happened".

Officials said&nbsp;Australia&nbsp;was also working "very closely" with other countries to jointly raise concerns with Doha but refused to name those countries, citing privacy concerns of women on the Sydney-bound flight.

"There is a very strong, likeminded view about this -- other countries affected absolutely share&nbsp;Australia's views and the strength of&nbsp;Australia's views," Adamson told the Senate hearing.

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said on Wednesday that 10 female passengers flying out of Doha were forced to endure invasive physical examinations. Earlier, the government of Qatar said it “regrets any distress or infringement on the personal freedom of any traveller” after several women were asked to deboard the flight and were strip-searched by the authorities of Qatar Airways onboard a flight from Doha to Sydney after a newborn baby had been found abandoned in a trash can and was wrapped in a plastic bag.

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said on Wednesday that 10 female passengers flying out of Doha were forced to endure invasive physical examinations. Earlier, the government of Qatar said it “regrets any distress or infringement on the personal freedom of any traveller” after several women were asked to deboard the flight and were strip-searched by the authorities of Qatar Airways onboard a flight from Doha to Sydney after a newborn baby had been found abandoned in a trash can and was wrapped in a plastic bag. Also read: Several women strip-searched by Qatar Airways authorities after infant found dead "While the aim of the urgently-decided search was to prevent the perpetrators of the horrible crime from escaping, the State of Qatar regrets any distress or infringement on the personal freedoms of any traveller caused by this action," the statement. Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, had ordered an investigation and the results would be shared with international partners, it added. However, the statement did not specifically detail that women had been forcibly examined, only referring to a "search for the parents". Payne told parliament that women on "10 aircraft in total" had been subject to the searches, which she had earlier described as "grossly disturbing" and "offensive". Payne said 18 women, including 13 Australians, on the October 2 flight to Sydney were affected, along with "other foreign nationals". She did not detail the destinations of the other flights, adding she was unaware if any Australian women were on those planes. Frances Adamson, head of Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said there was "distress, abhorrence and deep questioning of how this can have happened". Officials said Australia was also working "very closely" with other countries to jointly raise concerns with Doha but refused to name those countries, citing privacy concerns of women on the Sydney-bound flight. "There is a very strong, likeminded view about this -- other countries affected absolutely share Australia's views and the strength of Australia's views," Adamson told the Senate hearing.

Australia says female passengers on 10 flights from Qatar invasively examined

As far as championship droughts go, this was not the longest in baseball history or even the most agonizing.

But in terms of recent effort, including nearly $2 billion spent on player salaries in the past eight years, and the frustration of being tantalizingly close to that celebratory sip of Champagne without actually tasting it, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 21st century championship dry spell had become the most prominent — and baffling — in baseball.

They won seven straight divisional titles without winning the World Series. They made it to the Fall Classic in 2017, only to lose at home to a team that would later be exposed as cheaters. And the very next year they lost at home again, to a team led by Mookie Betts, now roaming the outfield for Los Angeles.

But on their eighth consecutive trip to the postseason, the Dodgers finally became champions, again. They beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 3-1, in Game 6 of the World Series on Tuesday at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, as Betts hit a double and a home run and scored twice to help the storied franchise end 32 years of disappointment.

It was the seventh title for the Dodgers, their sixth since moving to Los Angeles from Brooklyn, New York, in 1957, and the first for Dave Roberts as a manager. The steady Roberts became only the third skipper to win a World Series with the Dodgers, joining Hall of Famers Walter Alston and Tommy Lasorda, who was at the helm of the franchise’s 1988 championship team.

When Game 6 ended and all the pressure that had built up on this core group of players was finally released, they exploded out of the dugout and onto the field to celebrate, knowing that they would no longer be labeled choking underachievers.

“To know what it feels like to lose,” said Corey Seager, who was named the Series’ most valuable player, “and be able to rebuild and come back and rebuild and stay focused, it’s special.”

The victory should help make up for the perceived injustice of 2017, when the Dodgers lost Game 7 to the Houston Astros, a team that illicitly stole signs that year and admitted to the scheme after an investigation by Major League Baseball in 2019. The title also should soothe the pain inflicted the following year when the Red Sox, with Betts in their outfield, also won at Dodger Stadium, that time in Game 5.

And it surely quelled the anguish felt in 2019 when, after winning 106 games with a $205 million payroll, the Dodgers were bounced out of the playoffs — once again at home — in the first round by the eventual champions, the Washington Nationals.

This time was different: a postseason of unusual circumstances, the team sequestered for weeks in a playoff bubble in Texas, the players separated from their extended families and friends because of the coronavirus pandemic. The impact of the contagion even overshadowed the celebrations after Game 6 as it emerged that Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner had been removed from the game before the top of the eighth because he had received a positive test result for the coronavirus.

But through all their postseason games, the Dodgers made Globe Life Field their own. They played 16 postseason games there and hit more home runs (29) in the new stadium than did the regular residents, the Texas Rangers, who hit just 27 in their 30 games there this season.

The championship reflected the Dodgers’ dedication and commitment, but it also helped that they had Betts, whom they acquired from the Red Sox in a trade in February.

“I was traded for this reason,” Betts said. “I’m proud of myself and proud of the guys for accomplishing it.”

The superstar right fielder added a special dynamism and confidence to a lineup that was already stacked with stars like Seager, Cody Bellinger and Turner, the third baseman that the New York Mets gave up on before he went on to become one of the most dangerous hitters in the Dodgers’ postseason history.

And it took Roberts to bring everything together. The Dodgers’ manager since 2016, Roberts helped his players block out the simmering pressure that built to a rolling boil over nearly a decade of frustration for a passionate fan base that never seemed to give up, packing Dodger Stadium regularly despite year upon year of letdowns.

In his fifth season at the helm, Roberts directed the team to the best regular-season record in the major leagues for the second time in his tenure and helped guide it back from a three-games-to-one deficit against the Atlanta Braves in the National League Championship Series this month. But it all would have meant nothing if the team had failed in the World Series for a third time in four years.

After the Dodgers finished off the Braves, Roberts stood at a podium and, with the crack of emotion in his voice, declared: “This year is our year. This is our year.” He reiterated the same sentiment Tuesday, this time with the World Series trophy up there with him.

“I’ve never been around a group that is closer, tougher, and that I love more,” he said, and then credited many of the current Dodger players who had suffered through the hard losses, like Clayton Kershaw, Kenley Jansen and Turner.

It was Roberts’ approach, combined with a lineup of indisputable talent earning the second-highest payroll in baseball (behind that of the New York Yankees), that proved too much for the Rays, a plucky, overachieving squad with a pre-pandemic opening day payroll of only $72 million, the fourth lowest in baseball.

The Series went back and forth through five games, but in the sixth, the Dodgers proved their superiority and their resilience, rallying after falling behind in the first inning.

They scraped together two runs in the sixth inning to take the lead after Rays manager Kevin Cash made a pitching change that will be debated for years.

Blake Snell, Tampa Bay’s starter, was dominating the Dodgers and led, 1-0, after five innings. He recorded the first out in the sixth, but after he gave up a single to the No. 9 batter, Austin Barnes, on his 73rd pitch, Cash bounced out of the dugout and removed Snell in favor of Nick Anderson.

Snell’s body language suggested he could not believe he was coming out, but Cash had made up his mind. He said he was concerned about the Dodgers catching up to Snell in their third at-bats against him, even though Snell had struck out Betts, Seager and Turner twice each.

Asked if he regretted the move, Cash said, “Yeah I guess I regret it because it didn’t work out. But the thought process was right.”

The results were not. When Betts saw Snell leave, he looked at Roberts in the dugout and gave him a little smile.

“We were all just kind of excited that Snell was out of the game,” Roberts said.

Betts hit a double off Anderson, who then threw a wild pitch, allowing Barnes to score as Betts went to third. He then scored on a fielder’s choice.

Betts’ homer came off Pete Fairbanks in the eighth inning, and as he pumped his fist while rounding the bases, decades of Dodger frustration seemed to melt away.

Their ability to bounce back over the years was encapsulated within this postseason, including the NLCS and the World Series. The Dodgers had lost in shocking fashion in Game 4 on Saturday, when the Rays scored two runs on a pair of fielding mistakes with two outs in the ninth inning.

But Los Angeles came back to win Game 5 the next day behind Kershaw, their star pitcher who has faced criticism in recent years for failing to reproduce his regular-season success when the calendar turned to October, and Kershaw won both of his Series starts to become a champion for the first time.

“I’m so happy for my wife, the sense of relief that we finally did it,” Kershaw said, “and for my whole family, and the people that are happy for me. It’s overwhelming just to see the support.”

It was also the first title for Andrew Friedman, the former general manager of the Rays and the president and architect of the Dodgers for the past six years.

Freidman’s job was to spend lavishly, to win at almost any cost, and the Dodgers were consistently in a position to do exactly that. It took a little longer than expected, but Roberts sensed their time had come.

“I had a crazy feeling that came to fruition,” he said. “I just knew that we weren’t going to be denied this year.”

As far as championship droughts go, this was not the longest in baseball history or even the most agonizing. But in terms of recent effort, including nearly $2 billion spent on player salaries in the past eight years, and the frustration of being tantalizingly close to that celebratory sip of Champagne without actually tasting it, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 21st century championship dry spell had become the most prominent — and baffling — in baseball.

As far as championship droughts go, this was not the longest in baseball history or even the most agonizing. But in terms of recent effort, including nearly $2 billion spent on player salaries in the past eight years, and the frustration of being tantalizingly close to that celebratory sip of Champagne without actually tasting it, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 21st century championship dry spell had become the most prominent — and baffling — in baseball. They won seven straight divisional titles without winning the World Series. They made it to the Fall Classic in 2017, only to lose at home to a team that would later be exposed as cheaters. And the very next year they lost at home again, to a team led by Mookie Betts, now roaming the outfield for Los Angeles. But on their eighth consecutive trip to the postseason, the Dodgers finally became champions, again. They beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 3-1, in Game 6 of the World Series on Tuesday at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, as Betts hit a double and a home run and scored twice to help the storied franchise end 32 years of disappointment. It was the seventh title for the Dodgers, their sixth since moving to Los Angeles from Brooklyn, New York, in 1957, and the first for Dave Roberts as a manager. The steady Roberts became only the third skipper to win a World Series with the Dodgers, joining Hall of Famers Walter Alston and Tommy Lasorda, who was at the helm of the franchise’s 1988 championship team. When Game 6 ended and all the pressure that had built up on this core group of players was finally released, they exploded out of the dugout and onto the field to celebrate, knowing that they would no longer be labeled choking underachievers. “To know what it feels like to lose,” said Corey Seager, who was named the Series’ most valuable player, “and be able to rebuild and come back and rebuild and stay focused, it’s special.” The victory should help make up for the perceived injustice of 2017, when the Dodgers lost Game 7 to the Houston Astros, a team that illicitly stole signs that year and admitted to the scheme after an investigation by Major League Baseball in 2019. The title also should soothe the pain inflicted the following year when the Red Sox, with Betts in their outfield, also won at Dodger Stadium, that time in Game 5. And it surely quelled the anguish felt in 2019 when, after winning 106 games with a $205 million payroll, the Dodgers were bounced out of the playoffs — once again at home — in the first round by the eventual champions, the Washington Nationals. This time was different: a postseason of unusual circumstances, the team sequestered for weeks in a playoff bubble in Texas, the players separated from their extended families and friends because of the coronavirus pandemic. The impact of the contagion even overshadowed the celebrations after Game 6 as it emerged that Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner had been removed from the game before the top of the eighth because he had received a positive test result for the coronavirus. But through all their postseason games, the Dodgers made Globe Life Field their own. They played 16 postseason games there and hit more home runs (29) in the new stadium than did the regular residents, the Texas Rangers, who hit just 27 in their 30 games there this season. The championship reflected the Dodgers’ dedication and commitment, but it also helped that they had Betts, whom they acquired from the Red Sox in a trade in February. “I was traded for this reason,” Betts said. “I’m proud of myself and proud of the guys for accomplishing it.” The superstar right fielder added a special dynamism and confidence to a lineup that was already stacked with stars like Seager, Cody Bellinger and Turner, the third baseman that the New York Mets gave up on before he went on to become one of the most dangerous hitters in the Dodgers’ postseason history. And it took Roberts to bring everything together. The Dodgers’ manager since 2016, Roberts helped his players block out the simmering pressure that built to a rolling boil over nearly a decade of frustration for a passionate fan base that never seemed to give up, packing Dodger Stadium regularly despite year upon year of letdowns. In his fifth season at the helm, Roberts directed the team to the best regular-season record in the major leagues for the second time in his tenure and helped guide it back from a three-games-to-one deficit against the Atlanta Braves in the National League Championship Series this month. But it all would have meant nothing if the team had failed in the World Series for a third time in four years. After the Dodgers finished off the Braves, Roberts stood at a podium and, with the crack of emotion in his voice, declared: “This year is our year. This is our year.” He reiterated the same sentiment Tuesday, this time with the World Series trophy up there with him. “I’ve never been around a group that is closer, tougher, and that I love more,” he said, and then credited many of the current Dodger players who had suffered through the hard losses, like Clayton Kershaw, Kenley Jansen and Turner. It was Roberts’ approach, combined with a lineup of indisputable talent earning the second-highest payroll in baseball (behind that of the New York Yankees), that proved too much for the Rays, a plucky, overachieving squad with a pre-pandemic opening day payroll of only $72 million, the fourth lowest in baseball. The Series went back and forth through five games, but in the sixth, the Dodgers proved their superiority and their resilience, rallying after falling behind in the first inning. They scraped together two runs in the sixth inning to take the lead after Rays manager Kevin Cash made a pitching change that will be debated for years. Blake Snell, Tampa Bay’s starter, was dominating the Dodgers and led, 1-0, after five innings. He recorded the first out in the sixth, but after he gave up a single to the No. 9 batter, Austin Barnes, on his 73rd pitch, Cash bounced out of the dugout and removed Snell in favor of Nick Anderson. Snell’s body language suggested he could not believe he was coming out, but Cash had made up his mind. He said he was concerned about the Dodgers catching up to Snell in their third at-bats against him, even though Snell had struck out Betts, Seager and Turner twice each. Asked if he regretted the move, Cash said, “Yeah I guess I regret it because it didn’t work out. But the thought process was right.” The results were not. When Betts saw Snell leave, he looked at Roberts in the dugout and gave him a little smile. “We were all just kind of excited that Snell was out of the game,” Roberts said. Betts hit a double off Anderson, who then threw a wild pitch, allowing Barnes to score as Betts went to third. He then scored on a fielder’s choice. Betts’ homer came off Pete Fairbanks in the eighth inning, and as he pumped his fist while rounding the bases, decades of Dodger frustration seemed to melt away. Their ability to bounce back over the years was encapsulated within this postseason, including the NLCS and the World Series. The Dodgers had lost in shocking fashion in Game 4 on Saturday, when the Rays scored two runs on a pair of fielding mistakes with two outs in the ninth inning. But Los Angeles came back to win Game 5 the next day behind Kershaw, their star pitcher who has faced criticism in recent years for failing to reproduce his regular-season success when the calendar turned to October, and Kershaw won both of his Series starts to become a champion for the first time. “I’m so happy for my wife, the sense of relief that we finally did it,” Kershaw said, “and for my whole family, and the people that are happy for me. It’s overwhelming just to see the support.” It was also the first title for Andrew Friedman, the former general manager of the Rays and the president and architect of the Dodgers for the past six years. Freidman’s job was to spend lavishly, to win at almost any cost, and the Dodgers were consistently in a position to do exactly that. It took a little longer than expected, but Roberts sensed their time had come. “I had a crazy feeling that came to fruition,” he said. “I just knew that we weren’t going to be denied this year.”

Dodgers win the world series after years of frustration

With less than a week to go for the final showdown between President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a> and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/us-election">US election</a> 2020, the market of prediction is running wild.

The latest and perhaps the wildest prediction has been made by the Republican presidential candidate himself.

Trump has claimed that his party will retake control of the&nbsp;House&nbsp;of&nbsp;Representatives on November 3.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-surge-in-can-i-change-my-vote-donald-trump-says-trend-refers-to-him-338447">Voters' remorse? Surge in 'can I change my vote' as US election nears</a>

Speaking in reference to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi,&nbsp;Trump told reporters at the White&nbsp;House, ''After the election, we'll get the best stimulus package you've ever seen, because I think we're going to take back the House because of her."

Trump had made a similar prediction last week as well saying, "I think we are going to win the House.&nbsp;"We'll see. But I think we are going to win the House."

However, if nonpartisan political handicappers are to be believed the prediction is likely to fail.

David Wasserman,&nbsp;the polling guru who forecasted Republican candidate Donald Trump's 2016 win, is betting on Democratic candidate Joe Biden this time.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-polling-guru-who-forecasted-donald-trumps-2016-win-reveals-this-years-winner-338228">US election 2020: Polling guru who forecasted Donald Trump's 2016 win, reveals this year's winner</a>

"Overall, we're revising our outlook in the House from a Democratic net gain of five to ten seats to a gain of between five and 15 seats," he said.

Nathaniel Rakich,&nbsp;an elections analyst at <a href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/our-forecast-thinks-democrats-will-keep-the-house-and-maybe-even-gain-seats/">FiveThirtyEight</a>, said&nbsp;"Democrats have between a 92 and 97 percent chance of keeping control of the House."

Biden leads Trump nationally by 10 percentage points, according to the Reuters/Ipsos poll. The national online survey, conducted October&nbsp;23 to 27, found that 52 per cent&nbsp;of likely voters said they were backing Biden, while 42&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;&nbsp;were voting for Trump.

With less than a week to go for the final showdown between President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden for the US election 2020, the market of prediction is running wild.

With less than a week to go for the final showdown between President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden for the US election 2020, the market of prediction is running wild. The latest and perhaps the wildest prediction has been made by the Republican presidential candidate himself. Trump has claimed that his party will retake control of the House of Representatives on November 3. Also read: Voters' remorse? Surge in 'can I change my vote' as US election nears Speaking in reference to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Trump told reporters at the White House, ''After the election, we'll get the best stimulus package you've ever seen, because I think we're going to take back the House because of her." Trump had made a similar prediction last week as well saying, "I think we are going to win the House. "We'll see. But I think we are going to win the House." However, if nonpartisan political handicappers are to be believed the prediction is likely to fail. David Wasserman, the polling guru who forecasted Republican candidate Donald Trump's 2016 win, is betting on Democratic candidate Joe Biden this time. Also read| US election 2020: Polling guru who forecasted Donald Trump's 2016 win, reveals this year's winner "Overall, we're revising our outlook in the House from a Democratic net gain of five to ten seats to a gain of between five and 15 seats," he said. Nathaniel Rakich, an elections analyst at FiveThirtyEight, said "Democrats have between a 92 and 97 percent chance of keeping control of the House." Biden leads Trump nationally by 10 percentage points, according to the Reuters/Ipsos poll. The national online survey, conducted October 23 to 27, found that 52 per cent of likely voters said they were backing Biden, while 42 per cent were voting for Trump.

US election 2020: President Donald Trump's wildest prediction till date

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sued Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders after the anti-Islam politician posted a series of tweets against the Turkish leader, including one that described him as a "terrorist."

Erdogan's lawyer on Tuesday filed a criminal complaint against Wilders at the Ankara Chief Prosecutor's office for "insulting the president,'' a crime in Turkey punishable by up to four years in prison.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/charlie-hebdo-caricatures-recep-erdogan-sparks-turkish-fury-338428">Charlie Hebdo caricatures Recep Erdogan; sparks Turkish fury</a>

&nbsp;

Wilders had posted a cartoon depicting Erdogan wearing a bomb-shaped hat on his head, with the comment: "terrorist." &nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Terrorist. <a href="https://t.co/jxdnDhk9ti">pic.twitter.com/jxdnDhk9ti</a>
— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) <a href="https://twitter.com/geertwilderspvv/status/1320082685902147584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The Dutch politician continued posting tweets targeting Erdogan this week amid a growing quarrel between Turkey and European countries sparked by Erdogan's sharp comments against French President Emmanuel Macron.

These included a remark from Erdogan that questioned Macron's mental health over his stance on Islam.

In a speech on Sunday, Erdogan called on the Dutch lawmaker to "know your place," adding that "fascism is not in our book, it is in your book."

Erdogan has persistently sued people for alleged insults since he took office as president in 2014.

Thousands have been convicted. More than 29,000 people were prosecuted on charges of insulting Erdogan last year, according to Birgun newspaper.

The complaint against Wilders, whose political career has been based largely on his strident anti-Islam rhetoric, accused him of using language "insulting the honor and dignity of our President" and of targeting Erdogan's personality, dignity, and reputation."&nbsp;

Wilders, who leads the largest opposition party in the Dutch Parliament, shrugged off the Turkish criminal complaint and described Erdogan as a "loser."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sued Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders after the anti-Islam politician posted a series of tweets against the Turkish leader, including one that described him as a "terrorist.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sued Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders after the anti-Islam politician posted a series of tweets against the Turkish leader, including one that described him as a "terrorist." Erdogan's lawyer on Tuesday filed a criminal complaint against Wilders at the Ankara Chief Prosecutor's office for "insulting the president,'' a crime in Turkey punishable by up to four years in prison. Also read: Charlie Hebdo caricatures Recep Erdogan; sparks Turkish fury Wilders had posted a cartoon depicting Erdogan wearing a bomb-shaped hat on his head, with the comment: "terrorist." Terrorist. pic.twitter.com/jxdnDhk9ti — Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) October 24, 2020 × The Dutch politician continued posting tweets targeting Erdogan this week amid a growing quarrel between Turkey and European countries sparked by Erdogan's sharp comments against French President Emmanuel Macron. These included a remark from Erdogan that questioned Macron's mental health over his stance on Islam. In a speech on Sunday, Erdogan called on the Dutch lawmaker to "know your place," adding that "fascism is not in our book, it is in your book." Erdogan has persistently sued people for alleged insults since he took office as president in 2014. Thousands have been convicted. More than 29,000 people were prosecuted on charges of insulting Erdogan last year, according to Birgun newspaper. The complaint against Wilders, whose political career has been based largely on his strident anti-Islam rhetoric, accused him of using language "insulting the honor and dignity of our President" and of targeting Erdogan's personality, dignity, and reputation." Wilders, who leads the largest opposition party in the Dutch Parliament, shrugged off the Turkish criminal complaint and described Erdogan as a "loser."

Turkish President Erdogan files criminal complaint against Dutch politician Wilders

A UK taskforce has voiced concerns that an early coronavirus vaccine&nbsp;"is likely to be&nbsp;imperfect" and that they "might not work for everyone".

According to a piece published in The Lancet medical journal, Kate Bingham,&nbsp;UK Vaccine Taskforce Chair said&nbsp;''we do not know that we will ever have a vaccine at all. It is important to guard against complacency and over-optimism."

"The first generation of vaccines is likely to be&nbsp;imperfect, and we should be prepared that they might not prevent infection but rather reduce symptoms, and, even then, might not work for everyone or for long," she added.

Bingham wrote that the Vaccine Taskforce recognises that "many, and possibly all, of these vaccines, could fail", adding the focus has been on vaccines that are expected to elicit immune responses in the population older than 65 years.

She said that the global manufacturing capacity for vaccines is vastly inadequate for the billions of doses that are needed and that the United Kingdom's manufacturing capability to date has been "equally scarce".

Meanwhile, British pharma giant AstraZeneca said on Monday trials of its coronavirus&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;pioneered with Oxford University had shown "encouraging" responses among the elderly, as well as younger participants.

Earlier on Tuesday, a study by scientists at Imperial College London found that antibodies against the novel coronavirus declined rapidly in the British population during the summer, suggesting protection after infection may not be long-lasting and raising the prospect of waning immunity in the community.

The Telegraph newspaper reported that the British government is working on the assumption that the second wave of coronavirus will be more deadly than the first.

A UK taskforce has voiced concerns that an early coronavirus vaccine "is likely to be imperfect" and that they "might not work for everyone". According to a piece published in The Lancet medical journal, Kate Bingham, UK Vaccine Taskforce Chair said ''we do not know that we will ever have a vaccine at all.

A UK taskforce has voiced concerns that an early coronavirus vaccine "is likely to be imperfect" and that they "might not work for everyone". According to a piece published in The Lancet medical journal, Kate Bingham, UK Vaccine Taskforce Chair said ''we do not know that we will ever have a vaccine at all. It is important to guard against complacency and over-optimism." "The first generation of vaccines is likely to be imperfect, and we should be prepared that they might not prevent infection but rather reduce symptoms, and, even then, might not work for everyone or for long," she added. Bingham wrote that the Vaccine Taskforce recognises that "many, and possibly all, of these vaccines, could fail", adding the focus has been on vaccines that are expected to elicit immune responses in the population older than 65 years. She said that the global manufacturing capacity for vaccines is vastly inadequate for the billions of doses that are needed and that the United Kingdom's manufacturing capability to date has been "equally scarce". Meanwhile, British pharma giant AstraZeneca said on Monday trials of its coronavirus vaccine pioneered with Oxford University had shown "encouraging" responses among the elderly, as well as younger participants. Earlier on Tuesday, a study by scientists at Imperial College London found that antibodies against the novel coronavirus declined rapidly in the British population during the summer, suggesting protection after infection may not be long-lasting and raising the prospect of waning immunity in the community. The Telegraph newspaper reported that the British government is working on the assumption that the second wave of coronavirus will be more deadly than the first.

First generation of coronavirus vaccine 'likely to be imperfect', says UK taskforce

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday the Chinese Communist Party was operating as a "predator" in Sri Lanka, as the top US&nbsp;diplomat kept up tough criticism of China on a tour of Asia.

Pompeo arrived in Sri Lanka from India as part of a four-leg tour aimed at bolstering allies against China's increasing political and military inroads in the region in recent years.

"We see from bad deals, violations of sovereignty and lawlessness on land and sea that the Chinese Communist Party is a predator, and the United States comes in a different way, we come as a friend, and as a partner," Pompeo told a televised news conference in the capital, Colombo.

In contrast to India, which is locked in a military stand-off with China and was the first stop on Pompeo's trip, Sri Lanka is a close ally of Beijing.

China has invested billions of dollars in Sri Lankan ports and highways as part of its Belt and Road Initiative of transport and energy links, a programme the United States believes is designed to trap smaller countries in debt.

Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said Sri Lanka wanted peace and good relations with all.

"Sri Lanka is a neutral, non-aligned country, committed to peace," Gunawardena told the news conference.

"We hope to continue with our relations with the United States and other countries."

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday the Chinese Communist Party was operating as a "predator" in Sri Lanka, as the top US diplomat kept up tough criticism of China on a tour of Asia.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday the Chinese Communist Party was operating as a "predator" in Sri Lanka, as the top US diplomat kept up tough criticism of China on a tour of Asia. Pompeo arrived in Sri Lanka from India as part of a four-leg tour aimed at bolstering allies against China's increasing political and military inroads in the region in recent years. "We see from bad deals, violations of sovereignty and lawlessness on land and sea that the Chinese Communist Party is a predator, and the United States comes in a different way, we come as a friend, and as a partner," Pompeo told a televised news conference in the capital, Colombo. In contrast to India, which is locked in a military stand-off with China and was the first stop on Pompeo's trip, Sri Lanka is a close ally of Beijing. China has invested billions of dollars in Sri Lankan ports and highways as part of its Belt and Road Initiative of transport and energy links, a programme the United States believes is designed to trap smaller countries in debt. Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said Sri Lanka wanted peace and good relations with all. "Sri Lanka is a neutral, non-aligned country, committed to peace," Gunawardena told the news conference. "We hope to continue with our relations with the United States and other countries."

Pompeo says China has brought bad deals and lawlessness to Sri Lanka

Once celebrated as democracy champions, a tight elite of elderly former political prisoners at the helm of Myanmar's ruling party now stand accused of oppression, discrimination and censorship.

The National League for Democracy (NLD) is widely expected to win next week's election,&nbsp;five years after it swept to power in a landslide victory.

Throngs of young people signed up to the party when the Southeast Asian nation emerged from outright military rule, eager to play their role in cementing democracy.

But critics now say the top echelons of the NLD remain closed to anyone who did not serve time behind bars in the fight against the former junta -- effectively sidelining the youth.

"We thought, proudly, we'd be future political leaders," current NLD MP and former youth leader&nbsp;Aung Hlaing Win, now 37, told AFP.

"But, unfortunately, it went the wrong way."

The average age for the 12 members of the NLD's top decision-making body, including party boss and civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, is more than 70.

All of them were jailed or placed under house arrest for opposing the military regime.

Younger members of the party were largely reduced to supporting acts for their seniors, required to ask permission to speak to anyone outside the party, and submit speeches for "censorship", said Aung Hlaing Win.

"It turned out to be an oppressive system — no different from the system of military rule," he added.

"Just because they'd been political prisoners didn't mean they knew how to run a country."

The hopes for change were dashed for many young democracy activists, who accuse the NLD of operating no better than other parties.

Political parties still ask new members about the role they played in the 1988 protests, complained 28-year-old activist Thinzar Shunlei Li, even though a majority of people in Myanmar were born in or after the 1980s.

"This is not the right way to judge a person," she said. "Our issues, concerns and struggles are different."

'Older people have thicker skin'

The NLD emerged from Myanmar's 1988 pro-democracy movement as it fought against the junta.

This was when Suu Kyi -- now 75 -- was propelled to fame. She became a national hero, serving 15 years under house arrest, one of around 10,000 people imprisoned by the regime for their political beliefs.

But critics say incarceration has become an unwritten requirement for rising up in her party.

"People who served jail time longer are more important&nbsp;-- that's the philosophy of the NLD," former NLD MP Thet Thet Khine told AFP.

The 53-year-old was kicked out last year for not toeing the NLD line, and now heads a rival party.

More than 120 current NLD ministers or MPs have served time in prison -- from State Counsellor Suu Kyi and the president down.

A similar number of the party's 2020 election candidates have also been jailed at some point.

"Doing time is a badge of honour," explained Yangon-based analyst Richard Horsey, describing it as an "entry ticket to the upper echelons of the NLD".

It is a policy the party makes no attempt to hide.

"When we consider giving responsibilities to someone, we favour our old comrades," NLD spokesman and former '88 Generation activist Myo Nyunt told AFP.

"Older people have thicker skin, while newer members can be susceptible to criticism."

Unquestioning support&nbsp;

Critics have also pointed to the NLD's flipped role -- a party led by victims of political repression that is cracking down on dissenters now that it is in power.

The number of activists incarcerated under Suu Kyi's government has soared.&nbsp;

In recent weeks, 15 protesters have been arrested and two sentenced to six years behind bars for condemning alleged abuses by Myanmar's military in Rakhine state.

Fortify Rights regional director Ismail Wolff described the crackdown on freedom of expression as "extreme and worsening".

There are currently 537 political prisoners either already sentenced or awaiting trial, said Bo Kyi, co-founder of the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

He also served time under the junta, and said he felt marginalised after his release because of the climate of fear.

But he conceded today's young activists fare little better, faced with an unsympathetic public that unquestioningly supports Suu Kyi.

"Most people don't want anyone to do anything against her."

Once celebrated as democracy champions, a tight elite of elderly former political prisoners at the helm of Myanmar's ruling party now stand accused of oppression, discrimination and censorship.

Once celebrated as democracy champions, a tight elite of elderly former political prisoners at the helm of Myanmar's ruling party now stand accused of oppression, discrimination and censorship. The National League for Democracy (NLD) is widely expected to win next week's election, five years after it swept to power in a landslide victory. Throngs of young people signed up to the party when the Southeast Asian nation emerged from outright military rule, eager to play their role in cementing democracy. But critics now say the top echelons of the NLD remain closed to anyone who did not serve time behind bars in the fight against the former junta -- effectively sidelining the youth. "We thought, proudly, we'd be future political leaders," current NLD MP and former youth leader Aung Hlaing Win, now 37, told AFP. "But, unfortunately, it went the wrong way." The average age for the 12 members of the NLD's top decision-making body, including party boss and civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, is more than 70. All of them were jailed or placed under house arrest for opposing the military regime. Younger members of the party were largely reduced to supporting acts for their seniors, required to ask permission to speak to anyone outside the party, and submit speeches for "censorship", said Aung Hlaing Win. "It turned out to be an oppressive system — no different from the system of military rule," he added. "Just because they'd been political prisoners didn't mean they knew how to run a country." The hopes for change were dashed for many young democracy activists, who accuse the NLD of operating no better than other parties. Political parties still ask new members about the role they played in the 1988 protests, complained 28-year-old activist Thinzar Shunlei Li, even though a majority of people in Myanmar were born in or after the 1980s. "This is not the right way to judge a person," she said. "Our issues, concerns and struggles are different." 'Older people have thicker skin' The NLD emerged from Myanmar's 1988 pro-democracy movement as it fought against the junta. This was when Suu Kyi -- now 75 -- was propelled to fame. She became a national hero, serving 15 years under house arrest, one of around 10,000 people imprisoned by the regime for their political beliefs. But critics say incarceration has become an unwritten requirement for rising up in her party. "People who served jail time longer are more important -- that's the philosophy of the NLD," former NLD MP Thet Thet Khine told AFP. The 53-year-old was kicked out last year for not toeing the NLD line, and now heads a rival party. More than 120 current NLD ministers or MPs have served time in prison -- from State Counsellor Suu Kyi and the president down. A similar number of the party's 2020 election candidates have also been jailed at some point. "Doing time is a badge of honour," explained Yangon-based analyst Richard Horsey, describing it as an "entry ticket to the upper echelons of the NLD". It is a policy the party makes no attempt to hide. "When we consider giving responsibilities to someone, we favour our old comrades," NLD spokesman and former '88 Generation activist Myo Nyunt told AFP. "Older people have thicker skin, while newer members can be susceptible to criticism." Unquestioning support Critics have also pointed to the NLD's flipped role -- a party led by victims of political repression that is cracking down on dissenters now that it is in power. The number of activists incarcerated under Suu Kyi's government has soared. In recent weeks, 15 protesters have been arrested and two sentenced to six years behind bars for condemning alleged abuses by Myanmar's military in Rakhine state. Fortify Rights regional director Ismail Wolff described the crackdown on freedom of expression as "extreme and worsening". There are currently 537 political prisoners either already sentenced or awaiting trial, said Bo Kyi, co-founder of the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. He also served time under the junta, and said he felt marginalised after his release because of the climate of fear. But he conceded today's young activists fare little better, faced with an unsympathetic public that unquestioningly supports Suu Kyi. "Most people don't want anyone to do anything against her."

Suu Kyi and old guard frustrate young Myanmar politicians

With less than a week to go for the final showdown between President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden for the US election 2020,&nbsp;more than 70 million people have cast their&nbsp;ballots.

Raising worries about conceivable elector terrorising, Trump has been encouraging his allies to go the surveys and "watch cautiously".

The Republican presidential candidate has been telling his supporters that his re-election campaign will have people&nbsp;watching&nbsp;the&nbsp;polls "like crazy" on November 3.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-american-voters-make-history-more-than-70-million-cast-ballots-338468">American voters make history; more than 70 million cast ballots</a>

"Both law enforcement and yourselves and everybody," he told a large crowd at an airport in Londonderry near the city of Manchester.

Republicans are mobilising thousands of volunteers to watch early voting sites and ballot drop boxes leading up to November's election, part of an effort to find evidence to back up Trump's unsubstantiated complaints about widespread voter fraud.

Some voting-rights activists are concerned such encounters could escalate in a tense year that has seen armed militias face off against protesters in the nation's streets.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/who-will-be-americas-future-us-election-2020-new-york-direct-338147/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Here's the historical backdrop of "survey viewing" and how the training may take on new importance in the midst of a flood in mail balloting prodded by the coronavirus pandemic and Republican President Donald Trump's unconfirmed cases that mail casting a ballot is filled with misrepresentation.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-how-are-votes-counted-in-the-presidential-election-335422" hreflang="en">US election 2020: How are votes counted in the presidential election?</a>

WHAT IS POLL WATCHING?&nbsp;

Survey watchers are essential for US&nbsp;races going back to the eighteenth century, with their exercises constrained by state laws and nearby principles. Individuals from the two players watch out for the democratic - and one another - to ensure things go easily.&nbsp;

State laws call eyewitnesses inside surveying places various things and appoint them various jobs. In certain spots, the survey "watchers" are not quite the same as "challengers," who can call attention to individuals they speculate aren't legitimate electors. In different states, survey watchers additionally do the difficult.&nbsp;

Then again different principles set limits on how close hardliner allies can remain outside surveying places, as they attempt to prepare to uphold for their applicants with signs, flyers, and other promoting.&nbsp;

Grumblings about excessively forceful survey watchers are normal. In some cases, spectators have utilized the capacity to challenge electors' capabilities in manners that oppress minorities, which has brought about some court activities to end those practices.&nbsp;

In a 1999 city political decision in Hamtramck, Michigan, for instance, challengers from a city bunch called "Residents for a Better Hamtramck" tested 40 Arab-Americans who had "brown complexion and particularly Arabic names," who were then constrained by political decision authorities to make a vow to demonstrate they were residents, as indicated by a US&nbsp;Equity Department assent order. The city consented to gather information laborers, and a government inspector was selected to regulate city decisions through 2003.&nbsp;

In 1981, a Republican activity put outfitted men in regalia decorated with "Voting form Security Task Force" outside surveying places in generally minority territories during a New Jersey state political decision. After that episode, the RNC consented to an assent order that restricted its polling form security tasks.&nbsp;

That declaration terminated in 2018 after a government judge declined Democratic endeavors to reestablish it.&nbsp;

This year points the principal official political race in almost forty years in which the RNC can take part in polling form security exercises without earlier audit and endorsement.&nbsp;

WHAT ARE THE RULES?&nbsp;

Guidelines on who can "watch" casting a ballot and the forces allowed these eyewitnesses, change from state to state. In Pennsylvania, for instance, survey watchers can watch the political decision - checking turnout and casting ballot machines - and furthermore challenge electors by taking their interests to political decision authorities. Nonetheless, these challenges for the most part are banished from collaborating straightforwardly with citizens, or from making meritless difficulties that hinder casting a ballot.&nbsp;

Capabilities for survey laborers likewise change. They regularly should be enrolled citizens; in certain states, they should be affirmed ahead of time by political race authorities. North Carolina necessitates that survey laborers be of "acceptable good character."&nbsp;

Eyewitnesses likewise are allowed by law in states that lead races generally via mail. In Oregon, for instance, the law says gatherings and competitors can support eyewitnesses to watch political race laborers open voting forms and tally them, however, these screens must carry on such that "won't meddle with an organized system."&nbsp;

Allies of gatherings and up-and-comers may remain outside surveying stations with flags and other political promoting, an action known as "electioneering." But that additionally is dependent upon laws that fluctuate from state to state.&nbsp;

For the most part, these supporters must keep specific good ways from the passage, so as not to pester or scare electors.&nbsp;

In Ohio, the fringe is 100 feet, and it should be set apart by two little American banners. In Florida and Georgia, the limit is 150 feet.&nbsp;

WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS YEAR?&nbsp;

The COVID-19 pandemic methods uncommon quantities of Americans will cast a ballot via mail and not face to face in 2020.&nbsp;

President Trump has made unwarranted cases that these polling forms will be polluted by extortion. His mission is trying to select a huge number of volunteers to search for anomalies,&nbsp;for example, individuals dropping off more than one voting form in states like Pennsylvania where that, by and large, isn't permitted.&nbsp;

This exertion is trying democratic laws planned around the face to face balloting on Election Day, political race specialists said. There is no rulebook for screens attempting to enter early surveying destinations, or conceivably testing citizens in open who are attempting to drop off their polling forms, said Terry Madonna, a political theory teacher at Franklin and Marshall College in Pennsylvania.&nbsp;

This current fall's political race will be the first in almost 40 years where the Republican National Committee will be free from an assent order that confined its capacity to take part in facilitated survey watching exercises. Leftists are worried that could open the entryway for Republicans to take part in a similar sort of elector terrorizing that brought about the assent order in any case in the mid-1980s.

ARE GUNS ALLOWED?&nbsp;

In a year that has seen equipped civilian armies stand up to protestors, some democratic rights advocates are anxious about the arrival of firearm hauling bunches appearing outside surveying places.&nbsp;

Some landmark states, including Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Virginia, are purported open-convey states where residents can convey firearms straightforwardly in broad daylight. There are no laws on the books in those states unequivocally denying individuals from conveying guns into surveying places.&nbsp;

All things considered, state and government laws make it unlawful for anybody to attempt to scare citizens.&nbsp;

Casting a ballot rights associations to state they will have a large number of legal counselors remaining by who might mediate with nearby authorities or look for court requests to stop such movement.

With less than a week to go for the final showdown between President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden for the US election 2020, more than 70 million people have cast their ballots.

With less than a week to go for the final showdown between President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden for the US election 2020, more than 70 million people have cast their ballots. Raising worries about conceivable elector terrorising, Trump has been encouraging his allies to go the surveys and "watch cautiously". The Republican presidential candidate has been telling his supporters that his re-election campaign will have people watching the polls "like crazy" on November 3. Also read: American voters make history; more than 70 million cast ballots "Both law enforcement and yourselves and everybody," he told a large crowd at an airport in Londonderry near the city of Manchester. Republicans are mobilising thousands of volunteers to watch early voting sites and ballot drop boxes leading up to November's election, part of an effort to find evidence to back up Trump's unsubstantiated complaints about widespread voter fraud. Some voting-rights activists are concerned such encounters could escalate in a tense year that has seen armed militias face off against protesters in the nation's streets. Here's the historical backdrop of "survey viewing" and how the training may take on new importance in the midst of a flood in mail balloting prodded by the coronavirus pandemic and Republican President Donald Trump's unconfirmed cases that mail casting a ballot is filled with misrepresentation. Also read: US election 2020: How are votes counted in the presidential election? WHAT IS POLL WATCHING? Survey watchers are essential for US races going back to the eighteenth century, with their exercises constrained by state laws and nearby principles. Individuals from the two players watch out for the democratic - and one another - to ensure things go easily. State laws call eyewitnesses inside surveying places various things and appoint them various jobs. In certain spots, the survey "watchers" are not quite the same as "challengers," who can call attention to individuals they speculate aren't legitimate electors. In different states, survey watchers additionally do the difficult. Then again different principles set limits on how close hardliner allies can remain outside surveying places, as they attempt to prepare to uphold for their applicants with signs, flyers, and other promoting. Grumblings about excessively forceful survey watchers are normal. In some cases, spectators have utilized the capacity to challenge electors' capabilities in manners that oppress minorities, which has brought about some court activities to end those practices. In a 1999 city political decision in Hamtramck, Michigan, for instance, challengers from a city bunch called "Residents for a Better Hamtramck" tested 40 Arab-Americans who had "brown complexion and particularly Arabic names," who were then constrained by political decision authorities to make a vow to demonstrate they were residents, as indicated by a US Equity Department assent order. The city consented to gather information laborers, and a government inspector was selected to regulate city decisions through 2003. In 1981, a Republican activity put outfitted men in regalia decorated with "Voting form Security Task Force" outside surveying places in generally minority territories during a New Jersey state political decision. After that episode, the RNC consented to an assent order that restricted its polling form security tasks. That declaration terminated in 2018 after a government judge declined Democratic endeavors to reestablish it. This year points the principal official political race in almost forty years in which the RNC can take part in polling form security exercises without earlier audit and endorsement. WHAT ARE THE RULES? Guidelines on who can "watch" casting a ballot and the forces allowed these eyewitnesses, change from state to state. In Pennsylvania, for instance, survey watchers can watch the political decision - checking turnout and casting ballot machines - and furthermore challenge electors by taking their interests to political decision authorities. Nonetheless, these challenges for the most part are banished from collaborating straightforwardly with citizens, or from making meritless difficulties that hinder casting a ballot. Capabilities for survey laborers likewise change. They regularly should be enrolled citizens; in certain states, they should be affirmed ahead of time by political race authorities. North Carolina necessitates that survey laborers be of "acceptable good character." Eyewitnesses likewise are allowed by law in states that lead races generally via mail. In Oregon, for instance, the law says gatherings and competitors can support eyewitnesses to watch political race laborers open voting forms and tally them, however, these screens must carry on such that "won't meddle with an organized system." Allies of gatherings and up-and-comers may remain outside surveying stations with flags and other political promoting, an action known as "electioneering." But that additionally is dependent upon laws that fluctuate from state to state. For the most part, these supporters must keep specific good ways from the passage, so as not to pester or scare electors. In Ohio, the fringe is 100 feet, and it should be set apart by two little American banners. In Florida and Georgia, the limit is 150 feet. WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS YEAR? The COVID-19 pandemic methods uncommon quantities of Americans will cast a ballot via mail and not face to face in 2020. President Trump has made unwarranted cases that these polling forms will be polluted by extortion. His mission is trying to select a huge number of volunteers to search for anomalies, for example, individuals dropping off more than one voting form in states like Pennsylvania where that, by and large, isn't permitted. This exertion is trying democratic laws planned around the face to face balloting on Election Day, political race specialists said. There is no rulebook for screens attempting to enter early surveying destinations, or conceivably testing citizens in open who are attempting to drop off their polling forms, said Terry Madonna, a political theory teacher at Franklin and Marshall College in Pennsylvania. This current fall's political race will be the first in almost 40 years where the Republican National Committee will be free from an assent order that confined its capacity to take part in facilitated survey watching exercises. Leftists are worried that could open the entryway for Republicans to take part in a similar sort of elector terrorizing that brought about the assent order in any case in the mid-1980s. ARE GUNS ALLOWED? In a year that has seen equipped civilian armies stand up to protestors, some democratic rights advocates are anxious about the arrival of firearm hauling bunches appearing outside surveying places. Some landmark states, including Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Virginia, are purported open-convey states where residents can convey firearms straightforwardly in broad daylight. There are no laws on the books in those states unequivocally denying individuals from conveying guns into surveying places. All things considered, state and government laws make it unlawful for anybody to attempt to scare citizens. Casting a ballot rights associations to state they will have a large number of legal counselors remaining by who might mediate with nearby authorities or look for court requests to stop such movement.

US election 2020: The history and rules of poll watching

A 3-year-old boy in Texas has died&nbsp;at his birthday party after accidentally shooting himself in the chest.

According to the&nbsp;Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, deputies were dispatched to a home in Porter, Texas on October 24 in reference to a Welfare Check.

Family and friends had gathered earlier to celebrate the birthday of the three-year-old, and while playing cards, heard a gunshot.

The child was located with a gunshot wound to the chest. During the investigation, it was learned the child found the pistol after it fell out of a family member's pocket.

The sheriff's office said in the release ''The child was rushed to the nearest fire station where he succumbed to his wounds. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of this tragic accident.

<img alt="Texas" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aeca2fea-717d-422a-b0c4-c356860b05f5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/122470541_3818813118175374_4919727657099814182_o.jpg" />

A 3-year-old boy in Texas has died at his birthday party after accidentally shooting himself in the chest. According to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, deputies were dispatched to a home in Porter, Texas on October 24 in reference to a Welfare Check.

A 3-year-old boy in Texas has died at his birthday party after accidentally shooting himself in the chest. According to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, deputies were dispatched to a home in Porter, Texas on October 24 in reference to a Welfare Check. Family and friends had gathered earlier to celebrate the birthday of the three-year-old, and while playing cards, heard a gunshot. The child was located with a gunshot wound to the chest. During the investigation, it was learned the child found the pistol after it fell out of a family member's pocket. The sheriff's office said in the release ''The child was rushed to the nearest fire station where he succumbed to his wounds. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of this tragic accident.

Texas: 3-year-old boy dies at his birthday party from gunshot wound

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