As Afghan peace talks grind on, the Taliban are trying to portray themselves as a viable government-in-waiting in an image makeover that includes rehabilitating their ultra-violent affiliate, the Haqqani network.

Negotiators from both sides in Afghanistan's 19-year-old war have been meeting in Qatar since September and are&nbsp;attempting to draw up a blueprint for the country after US and foreign forces leave next year.

The languid pace of talks at a luxury hotel in Doha belies the chaos on the ground in Afghanistan.

As the militants push for battlefield dominance including a major assault this month in Helmand province, the Taliban's propaganda arm is churning out a steady stream of social media messages and videos, and publishing reports on a slick website depicting themselves as good governors.

A recent article said Taliban task forces had been deployed in Kabul to protect the population against "lawlessness and corruption", a swipe at overwhelmed authorities struggling to control crime.

A video released on Facebook by the group this year showed members in surgical masks distributing hand sanitisers after the coronavirus reached Afghanistan.

And even though they frequently blow up telecom towers and government buildings, the terrorists are also circulating claims on WhatsApp about their infrastructure projects such as roads and irrigation canals.

Sediq Sediqqi, a spokesman for President Ashraf Ghani, highlighted the apparent contradiction.

"On one hand, they are talking about brotherhood, mercy, service, humility, and unity, and affection among the Muslims," he told AFP.&nbsp;

"And on the other hand, they are killing and wounding innocent civilians, including women and children."

In power from 1996-2001, the Taliban ran a brutal form of an Islamist government that punished women for leaving the house, forbade entertainment, and made public beatings and executions routine.

Haqqani 'the great reformer'

Perhaps the most dramatic part of the public relations push is around the Haqqani network, a violent Taliban wing blamed for some of the worst atrocities in Afghanistan's war.

A new documentary tracing the life of Jalaluddin Haqqani, founder of the eponymous network, depicts him as a "great reformer" who fought heroically over four decades, first against the Soviets and then against the Americans.

Designated a foreign terrorist group by the US State Department in 2012 and suspected of ties to Pakistan's secretive security apparatus, the Haqqani network has been linked to a string of attacks against foreign forces and Afghan civilians, including a 2017 truck bombing near the German embassy in Kabul that killed more than 150 people.

The film features archive footage of the bearded and turbaned Haqqani, who died in 2018, and claims he was an effective administrator in his former stronghold of Khost province, where he opened dozens of madrassas, "focused on charity" and fought corruption.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the film aimed to "introduce" Haqqani as an "icon".

"We wanted to show his way of life, his sacrifices, his speeches to our future leaders and young mujahideen," he told AFP.

Taliban and Haqqani 'same thing'

The film seeks to rebrand the deadly and once semi-autonomous Haqqani network and present them as unified with the broader Taliban movement, Andrew Watkins, an analyst on Afghanistan for the Crisis Group think tank, told AFP.

The Taliban "clearly has an agenda" to show supporters and outside audiences that the two groups "are the same thing".

"They may not have been in the past but they are today. And the Taliban celebrating the Haqqani network's patriarch is a way of solidifying that," Watkins said.

In February, Sirajuddin Haqqani, one of Haqqani's sons who now heads the Haqqani network and is also deputy leader of the Taliban, penned an editorial in The New York Times.

Sirajuddin wrote that the Taliban were ready to agree to "a new, inclusive political system in which the voice of every Afghan is reflected and where no Afghan feels excluded".

The Taliban's attempt to depict themselves and the Haqqanis as efficient rulers is a far cry from early public relations efforts when the terrorists produced videos showing suicide bombers and gloated about attacks on Western troops.

Watkins said the effort being pumped into the image revamp is directly linked to the peace talks: "They've expanded their capability and are producing on a staggering scale now."

As Afghan peace talks grind on, the Taliban are trying to portray themselves as a viable government-in-waiting in an image makeover that includes rehabilitating their ultra-violent affiliate, the Haqqani network.

As Afghan peace talks grind on, the Taliban are trying to portray themselves as a viable government-in-waiting in an image makeover that includes rehabilitating their ultra-violent affiliate, the Haqqani network. Negotiators from both sides in Afghanistan's 19-year-old war have been meeting in Qatar since September and are attempting to draw up a blueprint for the country after US and foreign forces leave next year. The languid pace of talks at a luxury hotel in Doha belies the chaos on the ground in Afghanistan. As the militants push for battlefield dominance including a major assault this month in Helmand province, the Taliban's propaganda arm is churning out a steady stream of social media messages and videos, and publishing reports on a slick website depicting themselves as good governors. A recent article said Taliban task forces had been deployed in Kabul to protect the population against "lawlessness and corruption", a swipe at overwhelmed authorities struggling to control crime. A video released on Facebook by the group this year showed members in surgical masks distributing hand sanitisers after the coronavirus reached Afghanistan. And even though they frequently blow up telecom towers and government buildings, the terrorists are also circulating claims on WhatsApp about their infrastructure projects such as roads and irrigation canals. Sediq Sediqqi, a spokesman for President Ashraf Ghani, highlighted the apparent contradiction. "On one hand, they are talking about brotherhood, mercy, service, humility, and unity, and affection among the Muslims," he told AFP. "And on the other hand, they are killing and wounding innocent civilians, including women and children." In power from 1996-2001, the Taliban ran a brutal form of an Islamist government that punished women for leaving the house, forbade entertainment, and made public beatings and executions routine. Haqqani 'the great reformer' Perhaps the most dramatic part of the public relations push is around the Haqqani network, a violent Taliban wing blamed for some of the worst atrocities in Afghanistan's war. A new documentary tracing the life of Jalaluddin Haqqani, founder of the eponymous network, depicts him as a "great reformer" who fought heroically over four decades, first against the Soviets and then against the Americans. Designated a foreign terrorist group by the US State Department in 2012 and suspected of ties to Pakistan's secretive security apparatus, the Haqqani network has been linked to a string of attacks against foreign forces and Afghan civilians, including a 2017 truck bombing near the German embassy in Kabul that killed more than 150 people. The film features archive footage of the bearded and turbaned Haqqani, who died in 2018, and claims he was an effective administrator in his former stronghold of Khost province, where he opened dozens of madrassas, "focused on charity" and fought corruption. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the film aimed to "introduce" Haqqani as an "icon". "We wanted to show his way of life, his sacrifices, his speeches to our future leaders and young mujahideen," he told AFP. Taliban and Haqqani 'same thing' The film seeks to rebrand the deadly and once semi-autonomous Haqqani network and present them as unified with the broader Taliban movement, Andrew Watkins, an analyst on Afghanistan for the Crisis Group think tank, told AFP. The Taliban "clearly has an agenda" to show supporters and outside audiences that the two groups "are the same thing". "They may not have been in the past but they are today. And the Taliban celebrating the Haqqani network's patriarch is a way of solidifying that," Watkins said. In February, Sirajuddin Haqqani, one of Haqqani's sons who now heads the Haqqani network and is also deputy leader of the Taliban, penned an editorial in The New York Times. Sirajuddin wrote that the Taliban were ready to agree to "a new, inclusive political system in which the voice of every Afghan is reflected and where no Afghan feels excluded". The Taliban's attempt to depict themselves and the Haqqanis as efficient rulers is a far cry from early public relations efforts when the terrorists produced videos showing suicide bombers and gloated about attacks on Western troops. Watkins said the effort being pumped into the image revamp is directly linked to the peace talks: "They've expanded their capability and are producing on a staggering scale now."

Taliban seek image revamp as Afghan peace talks grind on

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Joe Biden's son, Hunter did ''made very good money in Ukraine'' but Moscow is not aware of anything criminal about his&nbsp;past business.

Putin's rejection of US President&nbsp;Donald Trump's criticism of the Biden family business comes with almost a week to go for the US election 2020 on November 3.

Trump, who is trailing behind Biden in opinion polls, has used the debates to make accusations that&nbsp;Hunter Biden engaged in unethical practices in Ukraine. No evidence has been verified to support the allegations, and Joe Biden has called them false and discredited.

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Putin, who has praised Trump in the past for saying he wanted better ties with Moscow, has said Russia will work with any US&nbsp;leader while noting what he called Joe Biden's "sharp anti-Russian rhetoric".

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-hit-trump-team-slams-failure-biden-337891" hreflang="en">Covid-hit Trump team slams 'failure' Biden</a>

Putin&nbsp;appeared less friendly towards Trump in remarks broadcast by Russian state TV on Sunday. In what may be seen by some analysts as an attempt to try to curry favour with the Biden camp, he took the time to knock down what he made clear he regarded as false allegations from Trump about the Bidens.

"Yes, in Ukraine he (Hunter Biden) had or maybe still has a business, I don't know. It doesn't concern us. It concerns the Americans and the Ukrainians," said&nbsp;Putin.

"But well yes he had at least one company, which he practically headed up, and judging from everything he made good money. I don't see anything criminal about this, at least we don't know anything about this (being criminal)."

Putin&nbsp;also reacted with visible irritation when asked about comments Trump has made concerning&nbsp;Putin's ties to the former mayor of Moscow, and to an alleged payment made to Hunter Biden by the ex-mayor's widow.&nbsp;Putin&nbsp;said he knew nothing about the existence of any commercial relationship between Hunter and the woman. Joe Biden says the accusation about his son is not true.

US&nbsp;intelligence agencies concluded that Russia tried to interfere in the 2016 US&nbsp;presidential election to tilt the contest in Trump's favour, an allegation Moscow has denied.

Russia has also dismissed accusations by US&nbsp;intelligence agencies of trying to interfere with this year's election too.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Joe Biden's son, Hunter did ''made very good money in Ukraine'' but Moscow is not aware of anything criminal about his past business.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Joe Biden's son, Hunter did ''made very good money in Ukraine'' but Moscow is not aware of anything criminal about his past business. Putin's rejection of US President Donald Trump's criticism of the Biden family business comes with almost a week to go for the US election 2020 on November 3. Trump, who is trailing behind Biden in opinion polls, has used the debates to make accusations that Hunter Biden engaged in unethical practices in Ukraine. No evidence has been verified to support the allegations, and Joe Biden has called them false and discredited. Putin, who has praised Trump in the past for saying he wanted better ties with Moscow, has said Russia will work with any US leader while noting what he called Joe Biden's "sharp anti-Russian rhetoric". Also read: Covid-hit Trump team slams 'failure' Biden Putin appeared less friendly towards Trump in remarks broadcast by Russian state TV on Sunday. In what may be seen by some analysts as an attempt to try to curry favour with the Biden camp, he took the time to knock down what he made clear he regarded as false allegations from Trump about the Bidens. "Yes, in Ukraine he (Hunter Biden) had or maybe still has a business, I don't know. It doesn't concern us. It concerns the Americans and the Ukrainians," said Putin. "But well yes he had at least one company, which he practically headed up, and judging from everything he made good money. I don't see anything criminal about this, at least we don't know anything about this (being criminal)." Putin also reacted with visible irritation when asked about comments Trump has made concerning Putin's ties to the former mayor of Moscow, and to an alleged payment made to Hunter Biden by the ex-mayor's widow. Putin said he knew nothing about the existence of any commercial relationship between Hunter and the woman. Joe Biden says the accusation about his son is not true. US intelligence agencies concluded that Russia tried to interfere in the 2016 US presidential election to tilt the contest in Trump's favour, an allegation Moscow has denied. Russia has also dismissed accusations by US intelligence agencies of trying to interfere with this year's election too.

US election 2020: Vladimir Putin rejects Donald Trump's criticism of Hunter Biden's business

October 26: Agreement to accession of Jammu and Kashmir, assassination of Baghdadi and more

Hundreds of people marched in Taiwan's capital&nbsp;to demand the release of 12 Hong Kong anti-government protesters who were arrested by mainland Chinese authorities in August.

The 12 were allegedly traveling illegally by boat to Taiwan when Chinese authorities detained them. They&nbsp;were also reportedly suspected of committing crimes including manufacturing or possessing explosives, arson, and rioting in Hong Kong.

They are now facing formal charges for illegal border crossings in Shenzhen, a southern Chinese city that borders Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

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Many demonstrators wore black shirts, with some holding signs demanding "immediate release" for the 12 and others waving yellow umbrellas, a symbol of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement.

In the crowd in Taipei on Sunday were activists from several Taiwanese organizations, as well as other residents of the self-ruled democratic island and many Hong Kongers.

Prominent Hong Kong activists Joshua Wong and Nathan Law helped launch the campaign on social media.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BringThemBack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BringThemBack</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SAVE12?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SAVE12</a> at United Nations Office at Geneva. 
 
Story Filter：<a href="https://t.co/QEWe5GZ19X">https://t.co/QEWe5GZ19X</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/save12hkyouths?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#save12hkyouths</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/save12hkyouths?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@save12hkyouths</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/save12hkyouth?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#save12hkyouth</a> <a href="https://t.co/V9qdLsearM">pic.twitter.com/V9qdLsearM</a>
— Joshua Wong 黃之鋒 😷 (@joshuawongcf) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshuawongcf/status/1320237353307312128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Thank you for all my friends who came to the London rally yesterday in support of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/save12hkyouths?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#save12hkyouths</a> campaign. Really thrilled to be able to give a speech in Cantonese to our beloved Hong Kong people again. 
Some also vowed their support to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StandWithThailand?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StandWithThailand</a>. Democracy prevails <a href="https://t.co/sf2jH86doQ">pic.twitter.com/sf2jH86doQ</a>
— Nathan Law 羅冠聰 😷 (@nathanlawkc) <a href="https://twitter.com/nathanlawkc/status/1320283702115651584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has said the 12 would have to face justice in the mainland and that her government will provide them with "needed and feasible" assistance.

Ten of them were on bail and not allowed to leave Hong Kong.

Taiwan shares with the Hong Kong protesters a deep antipathy for Beijing, which considers Taiwan its territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen in May became the first government leader globally to pledge measures to help Hong Kong people who leave due to what they see as tightening Chinese controls.

This, however, has further strained Taipei's already poor ties with Beijing, which has ramped up military activities near Taiwan.

Hundreds of people marched in Taiwan's capital to demand the release of 12 Hong Kong anti-government protesters who were arrested by mainland Chinese authorities in August.

Hundreds of people marched in Taiwan's capital to demand the release of 12 Hong Kong anti-government protesters who were arrested by mainland Chinese authorities in August. The 12 were allegedly traveling illegally by boat to Taiwan when Chinese authorities detained them. They were also reportedly suspected of committing crimes including manufacturing or possessing explosives, arson, and rioting in Hong Kong. They are now facing formal charges for illegal border crossings in Shenzhen, a southern Chinese city that borders Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous Chinese territory. Many demonstrators wore black shirts, with some holding signs demanding "immediate release" for the 12 and others waving yellow umbrellas, a symbol of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement. In the crowd in Taipei on Sunday were activists from several Taiwanese organizations, as well as other residents of the self-ruled democratic island and many Hong Kongers. Prominent Hong Kong activists Joshua Wong and Nathan Law helped launch the campaign on social media. #BringThemBack #SAVE12 at United Nations Office at Geneva. Story Filter：https://t.co/QEWe5GZ19X#save12hkyouths @save12hkyouths #save12hkyouth pic.twitter.com/V9qdLsearM — Joshua Wong 黃之鋒 😷 (@joshuawongcf) October 25, 2020 × Thank you for all my friends who came to the London rally yesterday in support of the #save12hkyouths campaign. Really thrilled to be able to give a speech in Cantonese to our beloved Hong Kong people again. Some also vowed their support to #StandWithThailand. Democracy prevails pic.twitter.com/sf2jH86doQ — Nathan Law 羅冠聰 😷 (@nathanlawkc) October 25, 2020 × Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has said the 12 would have to face justice in the mainland and that her government will provide them with "needed and feasible" assistance. Ten of them were on bail and not allowed to leave Hong Kong. Taiwan shares with the Hong Kong protesters a deep antipathy for Beijing, which considers Taiwan its territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen in May became the first government leader globally to pledge measures to help Hong Kong people who leave due to what they see as tightening Chinese controls. This, however, has further strained Taipei's already poor ties with Beijing, which has ramped up military activities near Taiwan.

Hundreds rally in Taiwan, call for release for Hong Kong citizens arrested by China

The "historic"&nbsp;international treaty banning nuclear weapons has passed an important threshold and is all set to enter into force after 90 days.

Earlier, the United Nations informed that Honduras became the 50th nation to ratify the treaty on Sunday.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/honduras-becomes-50th-nation-to-ratify-un-nuclear-ban-treaty-337823" hreflang="en">Honduras becomes 50th nation to ratify UN nuclear ban treaty</a>

While nuclear powers have not signed up to the treaty, activists who have pushed for its enactment hold out hope that it will nonetheless prove to be more than symbolic and have a gradual deterrent effect.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called it "the culmination of a worldwide movement to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of&nbsp;nuclear weapons," according to a statement from his spokesman on Saturday.

"It represents a meaningful commitment towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons, which remains the highest disarmament priority of the United Nations."

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NGOs also welcomed the news, including the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), a coalition that won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize for its key role in bringing the treaty to fruition.

"Honduras just ratified the Treaty as the 50th state, triggering entry into force and making history," ICAN said in a tweet.

Peter Maurer, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said in a statement: "Today is a victory for humanity and a promise of a safer future."

The 75th anniversary of the nuclear attacks on Nagasaki and Hiroshima, marked in August, saw a wave of countries ratify the treaty, which will now to enter into force on January 22, 2021, the UN said.

'A new chapter'

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons,&nbsp;&nbsp;which bans the use, development, production, testing, stationing, stockpiling, and the threat of use of such weapons, was adopted by the UN General Assembly in July 2017 with the approval of 122 countries.

Eighty-four states have since signed it, though not all have ratified the text.

The clutch of nuclear-armed states, including the United States, Britain, France, China, and Russia, have not signed the treaty.

Japan, the only country to have been attacked with atomic weapons, ruled out any immediate plans to sign.

"We can't help but question the effectiveness of the treaty, which nuclear powers can't join," Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi told reporters on Sunday.

But atom bomb survivor Sunao Tsuboi told public broadcaster NHK: "We have no doubt that it is a great step toward materialising the ban and abolition of nuclear weapons.

"We really want the Japanese government to join the treaty in consideration of the wish of atomic bomb survivors."

Campaigners hope that it comes into force will have the same impact as previous international treaties on landmines and cluster munitions, bringing a stigma to their stockpiling and use, and thereby a change in behavior even in countries that did not sign up.

ICAN said it expects "companies to stop producing nuclear weapons and financial institutions to stop investing in nuclear weapon producing companies."

The coalition's executive director Beatrice Fihn called it "a new chapter for nuclear disarmament."

"Decades of activism have achieved what many said was impossible: nuclear weapons are banned."

Nuclear-armed states argue their arsenals serve as a deterrent and say they remain committed to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which seeks to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.

Separately, Russia and the United States have been seeking to break an impasse in long-running talks aimed at extending a nuclear arms deal between them.

The two sides have struggled to find common ground over the fate of the New START treaty, which limits both sides to 1,550 deployed warheads but is due to expire next February.

While the US wants to rework the deal to include China and cover new kinds of weapons, Russia is willing to extend the agreement for five years without any new conditions -- and each side has repeatedly shot down the other's proposals.

The agreement was signed in 2010 at the peak of hopes for a "reset" in relations between the two countries.

Together with the Cold War-era Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, it was considered a centerpiece of international arms control.

However, the United States withdrew from the INF last year after accusing Moscow of violations.

&nbsp;

The "historic" international treaty banning nuclear weapons has passed an important threshold and is all set to enter into force after 90 days. Earlier, the United Nations informed that Honduras became the 50th nation to ratify the treaty on Sunday.

The "historic" international treaty banning nuclear weapons has passed an important threshold and is all set to enter into force after 90 days. Earlier, the United Nations informed that Honduras became the 50th nation to ratify the treaty on Sunday. Also read: Honduras becomes 50th nation to ratify UN nuclear ban treaty While nuclear powers have not signed up to the treaty, activists who have pushed for its enactment hold out hope that it will nonetheless prove to be more than symbolic and have a gradual deterrent effect. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called it "the culmination of a worldwide movement to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons," according to a statement from his spokesman on Saturday. "It represents a meaningful commitment towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons, which remains the highest disarmament priority of the United Nations." NGOs also welcomed the news, including the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), a coalition that won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize for its key role in bringing the treaty to fruition. "Honduras just ratified the Treaty as the 50th state, triggering entry into force and making history," ICAN said in a tweet. Peter Maurer, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said in a statement: "Today is a victory for humanity and a promise of a safer future." The 75th anniversary of the nuclear attacks on Nagasaki and Hiroshima, marked in August, saw a wave of countries ratify the treaty, which will now to enter into force on January 22, 2021, the UN said. 'A new chapter' The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which bans the use, development, production, testing, stationing, stockpiling, and the threat of use of such weapons, was adopted by the UN General Assembly in July 2017 with the approval of 122 countries. Eighty-four states have since signed it, though not all have ratified the text. The clutch of nuclear-armed states, including the United States, Britain, France, China, and Russia, have not signed the treaty. Japan, the only country to have been attacked with atomic weapons, ruled out any immediate plans to sign. "We can't help but question the effectiveness of the treaty, which nuclear powers can't join," Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi told reporters on Sunday. But atom bomb survivor Sunao Tsuboi told public broadcaster NHK: "We have no doubt that it is a great step toward materialising the ban and abolition of nuclear weapons. "We really want the Japanese government to join the treaty in consideration of the wish of atomic bomb survivors." Campaigners hope that it comes into force will have the same impact as previous international treaties on landmines and cluster munitions, bringing a stigma to their stockpiling and use, and thereby a change in behavior even in countries that did not sign up. ICAN said it expects "companies to stop producing nuclear weapons and financial institutions to stop investing in nuclear weapon producing companies." The coalition's executive director Beatrice Fihn called it "a new chapter for nuclear disarmament." "Decades of activism have achieved what many said was impossible: nuclear weapons are banned." Nuclear-armed states argue their arsenals serve as a deterrent and say they remain committed to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which seeks to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. Separately, Russia and the United States have been seeking to break an impasse in long-running talks aimed at extending a nuclear arms deal between them. The two sides have struggled to find common ground over the fate of the New START treaty, which limits both sides to 1,550 deployed warheads but is due to expire next February. While the US wants to rework the deal to include China and cover new kinds of weapons, Russia is willing to extend the agreement for five years without any new conditions -- and each side has repeatedly shot down the other's proposals. The agreement was signed in 2010 at the peak of hopes for a "reset" in relations between the two countries. Together with the Cold War-era Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, it was considered a centerpiece of international arms control. However, the United States withdrew from the INF last year after accusing Moscow of violations.

'Historic' treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons to enter into force

President Donald Trump’s daughter and son-in-law and&nbsp;top White House aides Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner threatened a lawsuit against 'The Lincoln Project', a coalition of anti-Trump Republicans working against his re-election in November.

The coalition had posted billboard ads in New York City’s Times Square linking them to the country’s almost 225,000 coronavirus deaths.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-vladimir-putin-rejects-donald-trumps-criticism-of-hunter-bidens-business-337930">'Nothing criminal': Putin rejects Trump's criticism of Hunter Biden's business</a>

Marc Kasowitz, a&nbsp;lawyer representing Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, sent a letter to the coalition calling the ads “false, malicious and defamatory” and saying they constituted “outrageous and shameful libel.”

“If these billboard ads are not immediately removed, we will sue you for what will doubtless be enormous compensatory and punitive damages.”&nbsp;

'The Lincoln Project' hit back by&nbsp;posting the letter on its official Twitter handle and&nbsp;calling it ''nuts''.

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Nuts! <a href="https://t.co/XxxkG43z3W">pic.twitter.com/XxxkG43z3W</a>
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProjectLincoln/status/1319801126363951104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2020</a></blockquote>
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It further went on to say that&nbsp;"The billboards will stay up" and that Ivanka and Kushner can sue them 'if they must''.

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The Lincoln Project’s legal response to the frivolous threat of a lawsuit from Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump’s lawyer. 
 
This will not be the last they hear from us. <a href="https://t.co/GNnFsnsCer">pic.twitter.com/GNnFsnsCer</a>
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProjectLincoln/status/1320150701947846656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2020</a></blockquote>
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“While we truly enjoy living rent-free in their heads, their empty threats will not be taken any more seriously than we take Jared and Ivanka,” the group said.

The group, which includes former campaign consultants to President George W. Bush and Senator John McCain, is the most prominent Republican-led organization opposing Trump’s re-election on November&nbsp;3. It has produced barrages of ads calling for his defeat, attacked pro-Trump Republican lawmakers, and endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.

One of the ads features a smiling Ivanka Trump gesturing towards text showing the number of coronavirus deaths in New York and nationwide. The other is a photo of Kushner next to a quote attributed to him last month by Vanity Fair magazine, citing an unidentified source: “(New Yorkers) are going to suffer and that’s their problem.”

President Donald Trump’s daughter and son-in-law and top White House aides Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner threatened a lawsuit against 'The Lincoln Project', a coalition of anti-Trump Republicans working against his re-election in November.

President Donald Trump’s daughter and son-in-law and top White House aides Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner threatened a lawsuit against 'The Lincoln Project', a coalition of anti-Trump Republicans working against his re-election in November. The coalition had posted billboard ads in New York City’s Times Square linking them to the country’s almost 225,000 coronavirus deaths. Also read| 'Nothing criminal': Putin rejects Trump's criticism of Hunter Biden's business Marc Kasowitz, a lawyer representing Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, sent a letter to the coalition calling the ads “false, malicious and defamatory” and saying they constituted “outrageous and shameful libel.” “If these billboard ads are not immediately removed, we will sue you for what will doubtless be enormous compensatory and punitive damages.” 'The Lincoln Project' hit back by posting the letter on its official Twitter handle and calling it ''nuts''. Nuts! pic.twitter.com/XxxkG43z3W — The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) October 24, 2020 × It further went on to say that "The billboards will stay up" and that Ivanka and Kushner can sue them 'if they must''. The Lincoln Project’s legal response to the frivolous threat of a lawsuit from Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump’s lawyer. This will not be the last they hear from us. pic.twitter.com/GNnFsnsCer — The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) October 24, 2020 × “While we truly enjoy living rent-free in their heads, their empty threats will not be taken any more seriously than we take Jared and Ivanka,” the group said. The group, which includes former campaign consultants to President George W. Bush and Senator John McCain, is the most prominent Republican-led organization opposing Trump’s re-election on November 3. It has produced barrages of ads calling for his defeat, attacked pro-Trump Republican lawmakers, and endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. One of the ads features a smiling Ivanka Trump gesturing towards text showing the number of coronavirus deaths in New York and nationwide. The other is a photo of Kushner next to a quote attributed to him last month by Vanity Fair magazine, citing an unidentified source: “(New Yorkers) are going to suffer and that’s their problem.”

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner threaten lawsuit over billboards blaming them for COVID-19 death count

In the high-stakes world of coronavirus testing, one mistake has taken center stage: the dreaded false negative, wherein a test mistakenly deems an infected person to be virus-free.

These troublesome results, experts have said, can deprive a person of treatment and embolden them to mingle with others, hastening the spread of disease.

But false negatives are not the only errors bedeviling coronavirus diagnostics. False positives, which incorrectly identify a healthy person as infected by the virus, can have serious consequences as well, especially in places where the virus is scarce.

Although false positives may seem relatively harmless in comparison with their false-negative cousins, “people can absolutely get hurt,” said Dr. Benjamin Mazer, a pathologist and diagnostics expert at Johns Hopkins University.

False positives are generally very rare among tests that have been vetted by the Food and Drug Administration. But any test can be plagued by contamination, mishandling, or technical glitches, leading a device to spot the coronavirus where it is not.

Some rapid tests, which forgo sophisticated laboratory equipment and can deliver results in under an hour, have been criticized for returning high numbers of false positives, especially when used to screen people without symptoms. Even laboratory tests that rely on a very reliable technique called a polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, have been known to return the occasional false positive.

In places where the virus is relatively scarce, false positives may even outnumber actual positives — eroding trust in tests and, under some circumstances, prompting outbreaks of their own.

Unnecessary Isolation

A positive result on a coronavirus test sets off a cascade of consequences. According to guidelines published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people who test positive should immediately isolate for at least 10 days after their symptoms start (if they experience symptoms at all).

That is 10 days spent away from friends and family, and 10 days of potential productivity in a school or workplace lost.

The ever-increasing availability of virtual platforms might make that transition easy for some, Mazer said. But for people whose work can only be done in person or who lack a financial buffer, “this could be a huge deal,” he said. “They could lose their paycheck. They could lose their job.”

Caregivers, too, may find themselves put in a precarious position by false positives, which could force them to separate from children, older family members or other vulnerable contacts. Should another person need to come in and take their place, the risks of exposure to the virus could increase for all involved.

And for facilities with limited space, placing a person in unnecessary isolation could shift equipment, medical care and even follow-up tests away from someone who might need those resources more.

New Outbreaks

Under certain circumstances, a false positive could seed new coronavirus cases. Crowded facilities, such as nursing homes, prisons, or hospitals, might isolate coronavirus-positive people together.

In a worst-case scenario, “if someone isn’t actually positive, we could be sending them to their death,” said Dr. Valerie Fitzhugh, a pathologist at Rutgers University.

In early October, officials in Nevada ordered the state’s nursing homes to halt the use of two rapid coronavirus tests until further notice, citing concerns about accuracy. (Nearly 40% of the country’s known COVID-19 deaths have come from nursing homes, according to an analysis by The New York Times.) A rash of false positives had been uncovered, according to the directive, which had risked placing uninfected residents into units with infected people, giving the coronavirus more opportunity to spread. Such a scenario “could result in causing harm to a population that we have collectively worked so hard to protect,” officials noted in a follow-up directive.

Under pressure from the federal government, Nevada officials revoked the rapid testing prohibition Oct. 9.

Missed or Inappropriate Treatment

False positives can also be disastrous from a treatment standpoint, said Linoj Samuel, a clinical microbiologist at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. People with the flu or COVID-19, for example, often show similar symptoms but may only be tested for one of them at a time. If a patient is given an incorrect diagnosis of COVID-19, that person could be deprived of treatment that could alleviate their illness or be given a costly therapy that does little to speed their recovery.

“That’s definitely a price you pay,” Samuel said.

A False Sense of Security

Mounting evidence suggests that most people who have fought off the coronavirus once retain a degree of immunity that can thwart the virus a second time. Scientists do not know how long this immunity lasts or how it varies from person to person, but the CDC has issued guidelines that note that reinfection is unlikely within 90 days. People who don’t have symptoms within this time window do not need to be tested again, the agency has said.

That could be helpful advice for people who actually contracted the coronavirus. But people who unknowingly receive a false positive on a test might be misled into thinking that they are invincible, said Saskia Popescu, an infection prevention expert at George Mason University.

However, if these people never actually encountered the virus, they would be just as vulnerable as before — if not more, should they choose to forgo masks or physical distancing after assuming their bodies are already bolstered against the virus.

Dr. Catherine O’Neal, an infectious disease specialist at Louisiana State University, expressed similar concerns when discussing a false-positive result given to the University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban this month. Should someone be dropped from routine testing, O’Neal said, they would not just imperil their own health. A false positive could put an entire group of close contacts at risk.

Undue Stress

With so many of the long-term consequences of coronavirus infections unknown, a positive result can understandably take an emotional toll on the person who receives it, Fitzhugh said.

“You hear that news, and the first thing you think is, ‘I could die,’” she said.

On a recent call with Adm. Brett Giroir, who has led the nation’s coronavirus testing efforts, Ruth Katz, senior vice president of policy at LeadingAge, an association of nonprofit providers of aging services, noted that the repercussions of false positives had been a source of extra heartache among residents and staff members.

Mazer noted that false positives on coronavirus tests were likely to evoke some of the same stressful reactions as when other types of clinical screens like mammograms, which search for signs of breast cancer, return incorrect results.

“We see the anxiety, the frustration,” he said.

Loss of Trust in Testing

As testing in the United States continues to increase, experts have expressed concerns that frequent and high-profile diagnostic errors could seed disillusionment among the general public.

Tests with a reputation for spitting out incorrect results of any kind might struggle to gain widespread traction. People who are wary of coronavirus tests might even become more hesitant to take other types of tests, for fear that they will not be given the answers they require.

More frequent and accessible testing is needed — but putting it in effect could be more challenging if the public is less willing to engage, Mazer said.

“That could have long-term consequences,” he said.

These concerns and more have prompted several experts to call for more data evaluating how different types of tests performed outside of laboratories and clinics, in places where most sick people go to get a diagnosis. Some tests may be able to effectively screen the healthy and quash outbreaks before they spin out of control, while others are ill-suited to for this purpose. Depending on the circumstances, certain tests might need their results to be confirmed with a second, more accurate test. 
&nbsp;

In the high-stakes world of coronavirus testing, one mistake has taken center stage: the dreaded false negative, wherein a test mistakenly deems an infected person to be virus-free.

In the high-stakes world of coronavirus testing, one mistake has taken center stage: the dreaded false negative, wherein a test mistakenly deems an infected person to be virus-free. These troublesome results, experts have said, can deprive a person of treatment and embolden them to mingle with others, hastening the spread of disease. But false negatives are not the only errors bedeviling coronavirus diagnostics. False positives, which incorrectly identify a healthy person as infected by the virus, can have serious consequences as well, especially in places where the virus is scarce. Although false positives may seem relatively harmless in comparison with their false-negative cousins, “people can absolutely get hurt,” said Dr. Benjamin Mazer, a pathologist and diagnostics expert at Johns Hopkins University. False positives are generally very rare among tests that have been vetted by the Food and Drug Administration. But any test can be plagued by contamination, mishandling, or technical glitches, leading a device to spot the coronavirus where it is not. Some rapid tests, which forgo sophisticated laboratory equipment and can deliver results in under an hour, have been criticized for returning high numbers of false positives, especially when used to screen people without symptoms. Even laboratory tests that rely on a very reliable technique called a polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, have been known to return the occasional false positive. In places where the virus is relatively scarce, false positives may even outnumber actual positives — eroding trust in tests and, under some circumstances, prompting outbreaks of their own. Unnecessary Isolation A positive result on a coronavirus test sets off a cascade of consequences. According to guidelines published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people who test positive should immediately isolate for at least 10 days after their symptoms start (if they experience symptoms at all). That is 10 days spent away from friends and family, and 10 days of potential productivity in a school or workplace lost. The ever-increasing availability of virtual platforms might make that transition easy for some, Mazer said. But for people whose work can only be done in person or who lack a financial buffer, “this could be a huge deal,” he said. “They could lose their paycheck. They could lose their job.” Caregivers, too, may find themselves put in a precarious position by false positives, which could force them to separate from children, older family members or other vulnerable contacts. Should another person need to come in and take their place, the risks of exposure to the virus could increase for all involved. And for facilities with limited space, placing a person in unnecessary isolation could shift equipment, medical care and even follow-up tests away from someone who might need those resources more. New Outbreaks Under certain circumstances, a false positive could seed new coronavirus cases. Crowded facilities, such as nursing homes, prisons, or hospitals, might isolate coronavirus-positive people together. In a worst-case scenario, “if someone isn’t actually positive, we could be sending them to their death,” said Dr. Valerie Fitzhugh, a pathologist at Rutgers University. In early October, officials in Nevada ordered the state’s nursing homes to halt the use of two rapid coronavirus tests until further notice, citing concerns about accuracy. (Nearly 40% of the country’s known COVID-19 deaths have come from nursing homes, according to an analysis by The New York Times.) A rash of false positives had been uncovered, according to the directive, which had risked placing uninfected residents into units with infected people, giving the coronavirus more opportunity to spread. Such a scenario “could result in causing harm to a population that we have collectively worked so hard to protect,” officials noted in a follow-up directive. Under pressure from the federal government, Nevada officials revoked the rapid testing prohibition Oct. 9. Missed or Inappropriate Treatment False positives can also be disastrous from a treatment standpoint, said Linoj Samuel, a clinical microbiologist at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. People with the flu or COVID-19, for example, often show similar symptoms but may only be tested for one of them at a time. If a patient is given an incorrect diagnosis of COVID-19, that person could be deprived of treatment that could alleviate their illness or be given a costly therapy that does little to speed their recovery. “That’s definitely a price you pay,” Samuel said. A False Sense of Security Mounting evidence suggests that most people who have fought off the coronavirus once retain a degree of immunity that can thwart the virus a second time. Scientists do not know how long this immunity lasts or how it varies from person to person, but the CDC has issued guidelines that note that reinfection is unlikely within 90 days. People who don’t have symptoms within this time window do not need to be tested again, the agency has said. That could be helpful advice for people who actually contracted the coronavirus. But people who unknowingly receive a false positive on a test might be misled into thinking that they are invincible, said Saskia Popescu, an infection prevention expert at George Mason University. However, if these people never actually encountered the virus, they would be just as vulnerable as before — if not more, should they choose to forgo masks or physical distancing after assuming their bodies are already bolstered against the virus. Dr. Catherine O’Neal, an infectious disease specialist at Louisiana State University, expressed similar concerns when discussing a false-positive result given to the University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban this month. Should someone be dropped from routine testing, O’Neal said, they would not just imperil their own health. A false positive could put an entire group of close contacts at risk. Undue Stress With so many of the long-term consequences of coronavirus infections unknown, a positive result can understandably take an emotional toll on the person who receives it, Fitzhugh said. “You hear that news, and the first thing you think is, ‘I could die,’” she said. On a recent call with Adm. Brett Giroir, who has led the nation’s coronavirus testing efforts, Ruth Katz, senior vice president of policy at LeadingAge, an association of nonprofit providers of aging services, noted that the repercussions of false positives had been a source of extra heartache among residents and staff members. Mazer noted that false positives on coronavirus tests were likely to evoke some of the same stressful reactions as when other types of clinical screens like mammograms, which search for signs of breast cancer, return incorrect results. “We see the anxiety, the frustration,” he said. Loss of Trust in Testing As testing in the United States continues to increase, experts have expressed concerns that frequent and high-profile diagnostic errors could seed disillusionment among the general public. Tests with a reputation for spitting out incorrect results of any kind might struggle to gain widespread traction. People who are wary of coronavirus tests might even become more hesitant to take other types of tests, for fear that they will not be given the answers they require. More frequent and accessible testing is needed — but putting it in effect could be more challenging if the public is less willing to engage, Mazer said. “That could have long-term consequences,” he said. These concerns and more have prompted several experts to call for more data evaluating how different types of tests performed outside of laboratories and clinics, in places where most sick people go to get a diagnosis. Some tests may be able to effectively screen the healthy and quash outbreaks before they spin out of control, while others are ill-suited to for this purpose. Depending on the circumstances, certain tests might need their results to be confirmed with a second, more accurate test.

Why false positives matter, too

Nigeria’s police chief has ordered the mobilization of all police resources to reclaim public space after more than two weeks of peaceful protests over police brutality gave way to widespread vandalism and looting.

The order came four days after police and soldiers fired on demonstrators, killing 12 and injuring hundreds in an upscale Lagos neighborhood. The protesters are demanding that the government dismantle and discipline a police unit known as SARS, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, which for years has been known for detaining, brutalizing, and stealing from citizens, particularly young people.

Tuesday’s violent crackdown on protesters, combined with a nighttime curfew imposed in its wake and protest leaders urging people to stay home, have largely cleared peaceful demonstrators from the streets of Lagos.

But following the shootings, which outraged Nigerians, at least 17 police stations were destroyed in Lagos, according to a police spokesperson.

Widespread looting has also taken place, including at government warehouses stocked with food. Malls, TV stations and banks have been targeted as well as retail stores in popular shopping districts in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial and cultural hub.

“Enough is enough to all acts of lawlessness, disruption of public peace and order and wanton violence, which have resulted in indiscriminate looting of shops, malls and warehouses, damage to property and loss of lives in some parts of the country,” said the police chief, M.A. Adamu, in a statement Saturday.

Additional police units are being deployed to all 36 states, Adamu said. He added that police would “use all legitimate means to halt the further slide into lawlessness and brigandage.”

Violence and looting were also reported in other states.

On Saturday, the governor of the southwestern state of Osun, Adegboyega Oyetola, imposed a 24-hour curfew “to forestall the breakdown of law and order and protect the lives and property of citizens and residents.”

Dozens have died in the protests against police brutality that started Oct. 8, with 38 killed across the country on Tuesday alone, Amnesty International said. The turmoil has been the worst street violence since Nigeria’s return to civilian rule in 1999.

Many of the demonstrators have been middle-class, well-educated young people in the southern and central cities who are too young to remember the military rule that ended two decades ago.

The government has promised to reform the police force in the wake of the protests, but President Muhammadu Buhari has been criticized for not mentioning Tuesday’s shooting and for warning Nigerians against “undermining national security.”

He further inflamed the protesters Friday by saying security forces have exercised “extreme restraint” in handling the situation.

Buhari has said 51 civilians have been killed, along with 11 police officers and seven soldiers since the protests began.

Protesters said the surge in violence this week could damage their peaceful efforts at reform and allow the government to cast the movement as having been hijacked by criminal elements.

“The lootings don’t put us in a good light,” said Chiamaka Ebochue, 27, a protester in Lagos. “We have to take this loss and restrategize. We need to be aware of our voting rights; that’s the only ammunition we have.”

Nigeria’s police chief has ordered the mobilization of all police resources to reclaim public space after more than two weeks of peaceful protests over police brutality gave way to widespread vandalism and looting.

Nigeria’s police chief has ordered the mobilization of all police resources to reclaim public space after more than two weeks of peaceful protests over police brutality gave way to widespread vandalism and looting. The order came four days after police and soldiers fired on demonstrators, killing 12 and injuring hundreds in an upscale Lagos neighborhood. The protesters are demanding that the government dismantle and discipline a police unit known as SARS, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, which for years has been known for detaining, brutalizing, and stealing from citizens, particularly young people. Tuesday’s violent crackdown on protesters, combined with a nighttime curfew imposed in its wake and protest leaders urging people to stay home, have largely cleared peaceful demonstrators from the streets of Lagos. But following the shootings, which outraged Nigerians, at least 17 police stations were destroyed in Lagos, according to a police spokesperson. Widespread looting has also taken place, including at government warehouses stocked with food. Malls, TV stations and banks have been targeted as well as retail stores in popular shopping districts in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial and cultural hub. “Enough is enough to all acts of lawlessness, disruption of public peace and order and wanton violence, which have resulted in indiscriminate looting of shops, malls and warehouses, damage to property and loss of lives in some parts of the country,” said the police chief, M.A. Adamu, in a statement Saturday. Additional police units are being deployed to all 36 states, Adamu said. He added that police would “use all legitimate means to halt the further slide into lawlessness and brigandage.” Violence and looting were also reported in other states. On Saturday, the governor of the southwestern state of Osun, Adegboyega Oyetola, imposed a 24-hour curfew “to forestall the breakdown of law and order and protect the lives and property of citizens and residents.” Dozens have died in the protests against police brutality that started Oct. 8, with 38 killed across the country on Tuesday alone, Amnesty International said. The turmoil has been the worst street violence since Nigeria’s return to civilian rule in 1999. Many of the demonstrators have been middle-class, well-educated young people in the southern and central cities who are too young to remember the military rule that ended two decades ago. The government has promised to reform the police force in the wake of the protests, but President Muhammadu Buhari has been criticized for not mentioning Tuesday’s shooting and for warning Nigerians against “undermining national security.” He further inflamed the protesters Friday by saying security forces have exercised “extreme restraint” in handling the situation. Buhari has said 51 civilians have been killed, along with 11 police officers and seven soldiers since the protests began. Protesters said the surge in violence this week could damage their peaceful efforts at reform and allow the government to cast the movement as having been hijacked by criminal elements. “The lootings don’t put us in a good light,” said Chiamaka Ebochue, 27, a protester in Lagos. “We have to take this loss and restrategize. We need to be aware of our voting rights; that’s the only ammunition we have.”

As lawlessness roils Nigeria, police chief vows to take back streets

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday took a thinly-veiled swipe at the United States after he invoked the People's Liberation Army saying they should be ''determined to defeat invaders''.

Speaking on the 70th anniversary of the Korean War, Jinping told the Chinese troops that ''without a strong army there can be no motherland.''

Xi did not directly refer to the United States, with which relations have sunk to their lowest in decades over disputes ranging from trade and technology to human rights and the coronavirus. Taiwan has become a growing point of contention and military tension.

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"Let the world know that 'the people of China are now organised, and are not to be trifled with'," Xi said at the Great Hall of the People, quoting Mao Zedong, the founding father of the People's Republic of China.

Beijing frequently uses war anniversaries to fire thinly covered warnings to the US of the military strength of the "new China".

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-us-china-relationship-took-a-turn-for-the-worse-314882">How US-China relationship took a turn for the worse</a>

The Korean War is a key foundation story for the ruling Communist Party.

Friday's anniversary comes as the party is called out by US President Donald&nbsp;Trump, in a bitter row spanning trade, tech, human rights, and the status of Taiwan, which China says is an inviolable part of the mainland.

Without explicitly naming the US, Xi loaded up with the historical precedent of the Korean war and took swings at modern-day "unilateralism, protectionism and extreme egoism".

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"Chinese people don't create troubles, nor are we afraid of them," Xi said to applause.

"We will never sit back and watch any damage to our national sovereignty... and we will never allow any force to invade or divide the sacred territory of the motherland."

On Wednesday, the Pentagon announced it had agreed to sell over one billion dollars' worth of missiles to self-governing Taiwan, the sharpest potential flashpoint with US forces.

'Sacrifice'

The Korean War was the first and so far only time Chinese and US forces have engaged in large-scale direct combat.

According to the Chinese government, more than 197,000 Chinese&nbsp;soldiers died during the&nbsp;three-year war, which saw the US-led United Nations coalition pushed back to the 38th parallel bisecting the Korean Peninsula after China weighed in on the side of North Korea's communist army.

The war essentially fought to a bloody stalemate, is hailed in China as a victory and an example of resilience and spirit against a more advanced foe.

"When China was very poor, it didn't surrender to US pressure," an editorial in the nationalist Global Times said this week.&nbsp;

"Today, China has grown to be a strong country, so there is no reason for China to fear US threats and suppression."

With tensions at their highest in decades between Beijing and Washington, China is making much of the 70th anniversary of its forces entering the fight, intended as much for domestic consumption as it is a warning to its superpower rivals.

Chinese state media have unleashed a wave of propaganda with daily interviews with Chinese veterans who survived the war during prime-time news over the past week.

An action-thriller "Sacrifice", directed by three of the biggest names in Chinese cinema and depicting a small band of Chinese troops holding off US forces in the final days of the war-hit cinemas across the country on Friday.

"This should be seen as a message directly addressed to the United States, there is no ambiguity here", Alice Ekman, an analyst specialising in China at the European Union Institute for Security Studies said before the speech.

"Xi is invoking the spirit of war in a broad sense."

China and North Korea have worked to improve relations in the past two years after they deteriorated as Beijing backed a series of UN sanctions against Pyongyang over its nuclear activities.

Xi and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have met five times since March 2018, even as nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have hit a standstill.

By commemorating the anniversary "China is declaring to the US that it was not afraid of the US in the past, and is still not afraid of the US now", said Shi Yinhong, professor of international politics at Renmin University.

"It's to prepare for a possible limited military conflict with the US", Shi said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday took a thinly-veiled swipe at the United States after he invoked the People's Liberation Army saying they should be ''determined to defeat invaders''.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday took a thinly-veiled swipe at the United States after he invoked the People's Liberation Army saying they should be ''determined to defeat invaders''. Speaking on the 70th anniversary of the Korean War, Jinping told the Chinese troops that ''without a strong army there can be no motherland.'' Xi did not directly refer to the United States, with which relations have sunk to their lowest in decades over disputes ranging from trade and technology to human rights and the coronavirus. Taiwan has become a growing point of contention and military tension. × "Let the world know that 'the people of China are now organised, and are not to be trifled with'," Xi said at the Great Hall of the People, quoting Mao Zedong, the founding father of the People's Republic of China. Beijing frequently uses war anniversaries to fire thinly covered warnings to the US of the military strength of the "new China". Also see: How US-China relationship took a turn for the worse The Korean War is a key foundation story for the ruling Communist Party. Friday's anniversary comes as the party is called out by US President Donald Trump, in a bitter row spanning trade, tech, human rights, and the status of Taiwan, which China says is an inviolable part of the mainland. Without explicitly naming the US, Xi loaded up with the historical precedent of the Korean war and took swings at modern-day "unilateralism, protectionism and extreme egoism". "Chinese people don't create troubles, nor are we afraid of them," Xi said to applause. "We will never sit back and watch any damage to our national sovereignty... and we will never allow any force to invade or divide the sacred territory of the motherland." On Wednesday, the Pentagon announced it had agreed to sell over one billion dollars' worth of missiles to self-governing Taiwan, the sharpest potential flashpoint with US forces. 'Sacrifice' The Korean War was the first and so far only time Chinese and US forces have engaged in large-scale direct combat. According to the Chinese government, more than 197,000 Chinese soldiers died during the three-year war, which saw the US-led United Nations coalition pushed back to the 38th parallel bisecting the Korean Peninsula after China weighed in on the side of North Korea's communist army. The war essentially fought to a bloody stalemate, is hailed in China as a victory and an example of resilience and spirit against a more advanced foe. "When China was very poor, it didn't surrender to US pressure," an editorial in the nationalist Global Times said this week. "Today, China has grown to be a strong country, so there is no reason for China to fear US threats and suppression." With tensions at their highest in decades between Beijing and Washington, China is making much of the 70th anniversary of its forces entering the fight, intended as much for domestic consumption as it is a warning to its superpower rivals. Chinese state media have unleashed a wave of propaganda with daily interviews with Chinese veterans who survived the war during prime-time news over the past week. An action-thriller "Sacrifice", directed by three of the biggest names in Chinese cinema and depicting a small band of Chinese troops holding off US forces in the final days of the war-hit cinemas across the country on Friday. "This should be seen as a message directly addressed to the United States, there is no ambiguity here", Alice Ekman, an analyst specialising in China at the European Union Institute for Security Studies said before the speech. "Xi is invoking the spirit of war in a broad sense." China and North Korea have worked to improve relations in the past two years after they deteriorated as Beijing backed a series of UN sanctions against Pyongyang over its nuclear activities. Xi and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have met five times since March 2018, even as nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have hit a standstill. By commemorating the anniversary "China is declaring to the US that it was not afraid of the US in the past, and is still not afraid of the US now", said Shi Yinhong, professor of international politics at Renmin University. "It's to prepare for a possible limited military conflict with the US", Shi said.

Xi Jinping invokes Chinese military; takes thinly-veiled swipe at US

North Korea has warned its citizens to stay indoors over fears that "yellow dust" which blows in from China could infect the population with COVID-19.

Yellow dust&nbsp;contains harmful ingredients&nbsp;and directly acts on the human respiratory system.&nbsp;

Yellow dust refers to sand from Mongolian and Chinese deserts that blow into North and South Korea at certain times of the year. It is intermingled with toxic dust that for years has raised health concerns in both countries.

However, Okryu-gwan, a restaurant in the capital Pyongyang, well known for serving&nbsp;North Korea's signature cuisine "Pyongyang naengmyeon",&nbsp;is operating at full capacity and is violating social distancing norms imposed due to the surge in coronavirus cases.

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The famous restaurant is cramped up with&nbsp;customers without any booths to separate one from another. It is still working at a full capacity at a time when most eateries in the world are shutting down amid concerns of a second wave.

Jong Sol Hung, one of the&nbsp;restaurant's&nbsp;managers, said&nbsp;"We will continue to work more closely on our emergency quarantine projects, while serving the people more actively, and thereby do our best to inspire the strong will of our people by the time the 80-day campaign is over."

Despite claiming the country has no cases of coronavirus, there are deep fears about COVID-19 in North Korea and leader Kim Jong-un has been holding high-level meetings to ensure tight restrictions remain in place.

Analysts have said it is highly unlikely that North Korea has not experienced any coronavirus cases at all.

The behavior of&nbsp;Kim Jong-un's regime raises the question that what is likely to spread the Wuhan virus more?

A&nbsp;wave of yellow dust from miles away&nbsp;based on unproven science or hundreds of people packed into a single restaurant.

North Korea has warned its citizens to stay indoors over fears that "yellow dust" which blows in from China could infect the population with COVID-19. Yellow dust contains harmful ingredients and directly acts on the human respiratory system.

North Korea has warned its citizens to stay indoors over fears that "yellow dust" which blows in from China could infect the population with COVID-19. Yellow dust contains harmful ingredients and directly acts on the human respiratory system. Yellow dust refers to sand from Mongolian and Chinese deserts that blow into North and South Korea at certain times of the year. It is intermingled with toxic dust that for years has raised health concerns in both countries. However, Okryu-gwan, a restaurant in the capital Pyongyang, well known for serving North Korea's signature cuisine "Pyongyang naengmyeon", is operating at full capacity and is violating social distancing norms imposed due to the surge in coronavirus cases. × The famous restaurant is cramped up with customers without any booths to separate one from another. It is still working at a full capacity at a time when most eateries in the world are shutting down amid concerns of a second wave. Jong Sol Hung, one of the restaurant's managers, said "We will continue to work more closely on our emergency quarantine projects, while serving the people more actively, and thereby do our best to inspire the strong will of our people by the time the 80-day campaign is over." Despite claiming the country has no cases of coronavirus, there are deep fears about COVID-19 in North Korea and leader Kim Jong-un has been holding high-level meetings to ensure tight restrictions remain in place. Analysts have said it is highly unlikely that North Korea has not experienced any coronavirus cases at all. The behavior of Kim Jong-un's regime raises the question that what is likely to spread the Wuhan virus more? A wave of yellow dust from miles away based on unproven science or hundreds of people packed into a single restaurant.

North Korea on high alert due to yellow dust coming from China

A major row over the gag order issued earlier this year can derail the celebration of the 75th-anniversary of the&nbsp;United Nations on&nbsp;October 24.

The&nbsp;United&nbsp;Nations&nbsp;was created when countries came together after World War Two to prevent another such conflict and to replace an ineffective League of&nbsp;Nations.

On June 26, 1945, representatives of 50 countries met in San Francisco at the&nbsp;United&nbsp;Nations&nbsp;Conference on International Organization to draw up the&nbsp;United&nbsp;Nations&nbsp;Charter. Those delegates deliberated on the basis of proposals worked out by the representatives of China, the Soviet Union, the&nbsp;United&nbsp;Kingdom, and the&nbsp;United&nbsp;States at Dumbarton Oaks,&nbsp;United&nbsp;States in August-October 1944. The Charter then came into force on October 24, 1945.

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&nbsp;

The&nbsp;United&nbsp;Nations' past has been as fraught as its present and future seems to be. It was hamstrung during the Cold War by superpower rivalry, leading it to near inertia as the&nbsp;United&nbsp;States, former the Soviet Union, and China either threatened to or did, veto resolution after resolution.

Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/curb-climate-change-protect-environment-to-prevent-more-outbreaks-united-nations-311242">Curb climate change, protect environment to prevent more outbreaks: United Nations</a>

In the 90s its reputation was badly damaged by its apparent helplessness to end to the conflict in former Yugoslavia -- let alone manage a successful peacekeeping and humanitarian operation.

In&nbsp;the summer of 2020, as anti-racism demonstrations spread around the globe in response to the murder of George Floyd, UN&nbsp;civil servants who wanted to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement were up in arms about instructions from the UN&nbsp;ethics office telling personnel to steer clear of public demonstrations, even in their free time.

The directive, which was initially endorsed by the UN chief&nbsp;Antonio Guterres&nbsp;expressly banned participation in the protests.

Guterres then reversed course, assuring UN&nbsp;employees at a hastily arranged town hall meeting in June that they could take part, as long as they didn’t wave the UN&nbsp;flag. In a letter to staff on June 9, Guterres insisted that “there is no ban on personal expressions of solidarity or acts of peaceful civic engagement, provided they are carried out in an entirely private capacity.”

But his statement didn’t put the matter to rest—or give an explicit green light to UN&nbsp;staffers to participate in political demonstrations, UN&nbsp;officials contend. Staffers at an organization founded to advance fundamental human rights and freedoms now wonder if they can even advocate for those rights, or if they’re going to be gagged to avoid courting public controversy.

On June 22, less than two weeks after Guterres sent the letter, the UN&nbsp;Development Program reissued its own gag order. “The international, impartial nature of your role limits your freedom to publicly express views on controversial matters,” the UNDP’s Code of Ethics document, which was revised this year, states. “For example, you cannot take part in political demonstrations, or wear politically-themed clothing or buttons. You may not publicly criticize governments, or run for or hold political office at any level while working for UNDP.”

The internal debate over the UN&nbsp;response to the Black Lives Matter movement raises difficult questions about the rights of international civil servants to express support for core UN&nbsp;values, including the promotion of equality and human rights, if they are viewed as controversial by member states. It also places the UN&nbsp;leadership in the awkward position of urging countries around the world to promote free expression and assembly, while restraining their own staff from exercising those same rights.

The UN&nbsp;development agency—which relies on the cooperation of foreign governments to carry out its work—has been among the UN’s most risk-averse entities, seeking to avoid offending member states at almost any cost. But the guidance did not sit well with some UNDP staffers, who argued that it didn’t comply with the policy laid out by Guterres.

Niall McCann, an Irish national who works in UNDP’s Brussels office, filed a complaint against UNDP’s administrator and ethics office with the development agency’s internal Office of Audit and Investigations, and he requested an investigation into the matter. The ban on participation in demonstrations, McCann wrote, constituted an “abuse of authority.”

“This assertion directly contradicts the UN&nbsp;Secretary-General, who specifically commented on this matter, in the context of the ongoing Black Lives Matter protest movement in the United States,” he wrote in the complaint, which was reviewed by&nbsp;Foreign Policy. McCann argued that there was no legal basis for the protest prohibition, insisting that it is not expressly banned by the key directives governing staff conduct: the UN&nbsp; Standards of Conduct for the International Civil Service or the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations.

He also accused UNDP’s ethics chief, Peter Liria, of seeking to “muzzle UNDP staff standing up against racism.”

Several leaders have called for a reform of the&nbsp;United&nbsp;Nations&nbsp;and in particular the 15-member Security Council, arguing it was unfair that the&nbsp;United&nbsp;States, Russia, China, France and Britain were the only permanent veto-wielding powers.

With barely days left for the United Nations Day, the world body finds itself in an awkward spot.&nbsp;

The United Nations&nbsp;pushes member countries to promote free speech, expression, and the right of assembly. But as an organisation it is restricting its own staff from exercising the same fundamental rights.

A major row over the gag order issued earlier this year can derail the celebration of the 75th-anniversary of the United Nations on October 24. The United Nations was created when countries came together after World War Two to prevent another such conflict and to replace an ineffective League of Nations.

A major row over the gag order issued earlier this year can derail the celebration of the 75th-anniversary of the United Nations on October 24. The United Nations was created when countries came together after World War Two to prevent another such conflict and to replace an ineffective League of Nations. On June 26, 1945, representatives of 50 countries met in San Francisco at the United Nations Conference on International Organization to draw up the United Nations Charter. Those delegates deliberated on the basis of proposals worked out by the representatives of China, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States at Dumbarton Oaks, United States in August-October 1944. The Charter then came into force on October 24, 1945. × The United Nations' past has been as fraught as its present and future seems to be. It was hamstrung during the Cold War by superpower rivalry, leading it to near inertia as the United States, former the Soviet Union, and China either threatened to or did, veto resolution after resolution. Also read| Curb climate change, protect environment to prevent more outbreaks: United Nations In the 90s its reputation was badly damaged by its apparent helplessness to end to the conflict in former Yugoslavia -- let alone manage a successful peacekeeping and humanitarian operation. In the summer of 2020, as anti-racism demonstrations spread around the globe in response to the murder of George Floyd, UN civil servants who wanted to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement were up in arms about instructions from the UN ethics office telling personnel to steer clear of public demonstrations, even in their free time. The directive, which was initially endorsed by the UN chief Antonio Guterres expressly banned participation in the protests. Guterres then reversed course, assuring UN employees at a hastily arranged town hall meeting in June that they could take part, as long as they didn’t wave the UN flag. In a letter to staff on June 9, Guterres insisted that “there is no ban on personal expressions of solidarity or acts of peaceful civic engagement, provided they are carried out in an entirely private capacity.” But his statement didn’t put the matter to rest—or give an explicit green light to UN staffers to participate in political demonstrations, UN officials contend. Staffers at an organization founded to advance fundamental human rights and freedoms now wonder if they can even advocate for those rights, or if they’re going to be gagged to avoid courting public controversy. On June 22, less than two weeks after Guterres sent the letter, the UN Development Program reissued its own gag order. “The international, impartial nature of your role limits your freedom to publicly express views on controversial matters,” the UNDP’s Code of Ethics document, which was revised this year, states. “For example, you cannot take part in political demonstrations, or wear politically-themed clothing or buttons. You may not publicly criticize governments, or run for or hold political office at any level while working for UNDP.” The internal debate over the UN response to the Black Lives Matter movement raises difficult questions about the rights of international civil servants to express support for core UN values, including the promotion of equality and human rights, if they are viewed as controversial by member states. It also places the UN leadership in the awkward position of urging countries around the world to promote free expression and assembly, while restraining their own staff from exercising those same rights. The UN development agency—which relies on the cooperation of foreign governments to carry out its work—has been among the UN’s most risk-averse entities, seeking to avoid offending member states at almost any cost. But the guidance did not sit well with some UNDP staffers, who argued that it didn’t comply with the policy laid out by Guterres. Niall McCann, an Irish national who works in UNDP’s Brussels office, filed a complaint against UNDP’s administrator and ethics office with the development agency’s internal Office of Audit and Investigations, and he requested an investigation into the matter. The ban on participation in demonstrations, McCann wrote, constituted an “abuse of authority.” “This assertion directly contradicts the UN Secretary-General, who specifically commented on this matter, in the context of the ongoing Black Lives Matter protest movement in the United States,” he wrote in the complaint, which was reviewed by Foreign Policy. McCann argued that there was no legal basis for the protest prohibition, insisting that it is not expressly banned by the key directives governing staff conduct: the UN Standards of Conduct for the International Civil Service or the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations. He also accused UNDP’s ethics chief, Peter Liria, of seeking to “muzzle UNDP staff standing up against racism.” Several leaders have called for a reform of the United Nations and in particular the 15-member Security Council, arguing it was unfair that the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain were the only permanent veto-wielding powers. With barely days left for the United Nations Day, the world body finds itself in an awkward spot. The United Nations pushes member countries to promote free speech, expression, and the right of assembly. But as an organisation it is restricting its own staff from exercising the same fundamental rights.

How row over gag order could derail the celebration of UN's 75 anniversary

Human challenge&nbsp;trials, where young and healthy volunteers are deliberately infected with COVID-19, to accelerate the development of&nbsp;vaccines for the disease, are a gamble with a long pedigree.

Although challenge trials are now very carefully monitored, they go back more than 200 years.

Historical precedent

In 1796, the English physician Edward Jenner took a calculated gamble that the feared killer disease smallpox could be avoided by someone who had previously had the much milder cowpox.&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

Jenner purposefully gave the eight-year-old son of his gardener cowpox, then – presumably with hope and trepidation –&nbsp;a dose of smallpox. The boy did not develop smallpox and humans were on their way to the first successful eradication of a deadly viral infection.&nbsp;

Human challenge trials have since been used to accelerate cures for cholera, typhoid fever, malaria, tuberculosis, influenza, whooping cough, and dengue fever.

World's first human challenge trial for COVID-19

Now, the United Kingdom is set to join&nbsp;the world's first human challenge trial for COVID-19 – intentionally infecting healthy young volunteers to speed up the search for a vaccine.&nbsp;

The government said it would invest 33.6 million pounds ($43.5 million) in the studies in partnership with Imperial College London, laboratory and trial services company hVIVO, and the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.

If approved by regulators and an ethics committee, the studies would start in January with results expected by May 2021, the government said.

Britain's hVIVO, a unit of pharmaceutical services company Open Orphan, said on Friday it was carrying out preliminary work for the trials.

Using controlled doses of virus, the aim of the research team  will initially be to discover the smallest amount of virus it takes to cause COVID-19 infection in small groups of healthy young people, aged between 18 and 30, who are  at the lowest risk of harm, the government said.

Up to 90 volunteers could be involved at the early stage, it said.

Imperial College's Chris Chiu, lead researcher on the human challenge study, said the trials could increase understanding of COVID-19 in unique ways and accelerate development of the many potential new treatments and&nbsp;vaccines.

"Our number one priority is the safety of the volunteers," he said. "My team has been safely running human challenge studies with other respiratory viruses for over 10 years. No study is completely risk free, but the Human Challenge Programme partners will be working hard to ensure we make the risks as low as we possibly can."

Human challenge trials, where young and healthy volunteers are deliberately infected with COVID-19, to accelerate the development of vaccines for the disease, are a gamble with a long pedigree.

Human challenge trials, where young and healthy volunteers are deliberately infected with COVID-19, to accelerate the development of vaccines for the disease, are a gamble with a long pedigree. Although challenge trials are now very carefully monitored, they go back more than 200 years. Historical precedent In 1796, the English physician Edward Jenner took a calculated gamble that the feared killer disease smallpox could be avoided by someone who had previously had the much milder cowpox. × Jenner purposefully gave the eight-year-old son of his gardener cowpox, then – presumably with hope and trepidation – a dose of smallpox. The boy did not develop smallpox and humans were on their way to the first successful eradication of a deadly viral infection. Human challenge trials have since been used to accelerate cures for cholera, typhoid fever, malaria, tuberculosis, influenza, whooping cough, and dengue fever. World's first human challenge trial for COVID-19 Now, the United Kingdom is set to join the world's first human challenge trial for COVID-19 – intentionally infecting healthy young volunteers to speed up the search for a vaccine. The government said it would invest 33.6 million pounds ($43.5 million) in the studies in partnership with Imperial College London, laboratory and trial services company hVIVO, and the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. If approved by regulators and an ethics committee, the studies would start in January with results expected by May 2021, the government said. Britain's hVIVO, a unit of pharmaceutical services company Open Orphan, said on Friday it was carrying out preliminary work for the trials. Using controlled doses of virus, the aim of the research team  will initially be to discover the smallest amount of virus it takes to cause COVID-19 infection in small groups of healthy young people, aged between 18 and 30, who are  at the lowest risk of harm, the government said. Up to 90 volunteers could be involved at the early stage, it said. Imperial College's Chris Chiu, lead researcher on the human challenge study, said the trials could increase understanding of COVID-19 in unique ways and accelerate development of the many potential new treatments and vaccines. "Our number one priority is the safety of the volunteers," he said. "My team has been safely running human challenge studies with other respiratory viruses for over 10 years. No study is completely risk free, but the Human Challenge Programme partners will be working hard to ensure we make the risks as low as we possibly can."

Deliberate COVID-19 infection: The gamble with a long pedigree

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Vyomica Berry

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