The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has&nbsp;embarassed itself after&nbsp;mistaking&nbsp;Taiwan's National Day celebrations for North Korea's military parade.

The network made the mistake on Saturday after it posted a video titled 'Live Pyongyang'. However, the video was from Taipei.

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The only similarity between the two events were the military themes. Other than that, both events looked nothing alike. While Taiwan's event took place during day time, North Korea's event took place at night.

The mistake was noticed by the eagle-eyed viewers of the network who took to social networking websites to point out the mistake.

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BBC WORLD NEWS reported "the celebration of the 75th anniversary of WPK (Worker's Party of north Korea)" using a video of Republic of China (Taiwan) 109th Double Tenth National Day celebrations. 
 
They apologized their terrible confusion of North Korea and Taiwan 30 minutes later. <a href="https://t.co/mvOCXvN0E8">pic.twitter.com/mvOCXvN0E8</a>
— 須藤玲司 (@LazyWorkz) <a href="https://twitter.com/LazyWorkz/status/1314798220019671040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Some viewers took the error quite seriously while others seemingly took offense and lambasted BBC for their lack of knowledge of the region.

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I wonder if people in the UK realise that a once reputable news service is now just an embarrassment.
— 老将 (@TheDaSheng) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheDaSheng/status/1315151364968783873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
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It’s terrible confusing. BBC’s lack of basic understanding in Asia is also terrible.
— charles0420 (@charles04201) <a href="https://twitter.com/charles04201/status/1314882769307070464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The network, reportedly corrected its mistake later on and profusely apologised for it.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has embarassed itself after mistaking Taiwan's National Day celebrations for North Korea's military parade. The network made the mistake on Saturday after it posted a video titled 'Live Pyongyang'.

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has embarassed itself after mistaking Taiwan's National Day celebrations for North Korea's military parade. The network made the mistake on Saturday after it posted a video titled 'Live Pyongyang'. However, the video was from Taipei. The only similarity between the two events were the military themes. Other than that, both events looked nothing alike. While Taiwan's event took place during day time, North Korea's event took place at night. The mistake was noticed by the eagle-eyed viewers of the network who took to social networking websites to point out the mistake. BBC WORLD NEWS reported "the celebration of the 75th anniversary of WPK (Worker's Party of north Korea)" using a video of Republic of China (Taiwan) 109th Double Tenth National Day celebrations. They apologized their terrible confusion of North Korea and Taiwan 30 minutes later. pic.twitter.com/mvOCXvN0E8 — 須藤玲司 (@LazyWorkz) October 10, 2020 × Some viewers took the error quite seriously while others seemingly took offense and lambasted BBC for their lack of knowledge of the region. I wonder if people in the UK realise that a once reputable news service is now just an embarrassment. — 老将 (@TheDaSheng) October 11, 2020 × It’s terrible confusing. BBC’s lack of basic understanding in Asia is also terrible. — charles0420 (@charles04201) October 10, 2020 × The network, reportedly corrected its mistake later on and profusely apologised for it.

BBC confuses Taiwan's National Day celebrations for North Korea's military parade

Malaysia's maritime authorities said on Saturday they had detained 60 Chinese nationals and six Chinese-registered fishing vessels they said were trespassing into the Southeast Asian country's waters.

Malaysia&nbsp;reported 89 intrusions by Chinese coastguard and navy ships between 2016 and 2019, amid escalating tensions between the United States and China over Beijing's claims to most of the resource-rich South China Sea, which is also a major trade route.

The&nbsp;Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said the fishing vessels and crew were detained in an operation off the coast of the southern state of Johor on Friday.

"Further checks found that all the vessels registered in Qinhuangdao, China, were manned by six captains and 54 crew who are Chinese nationals aged between 31 and 60 years," MMEA regional director Mohd Zulfadli Nayan said in a statement.

The MMEA said the vessels, which had no cargo when detained, were believed to have been en route to Mauritania but had to stop due to some malfunction.

Earlier this year, a Chinese research ship spent a month surveying in&nbsp;Malaysia's exclusive economic zone, amid a standoff with a&nbsp;Malaysian oil exploration vessel near disputed waters.

Malaysia's maritime authorities said on Saturday they had detained 60 Chinese nationals and six Chinese-registered fishing vessels they said were trespassing into the Southeast Asian country's waters.

Malaysia's maritime authorities said on Saturday they had detained 60 Chinese nationals and six Chinese-registered fishing vessels they said were trespassing into the Southeast Asian country's waters. Malaysia reported 89 intrusions by Chinese coastguard and navy ships between 2016 and 2019, amid escalating tensions between the United States and China over Beijing's claims to most of the resource-rich South China Sea, which is also a major trade route. The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said the fishing vessels and crew were detained in an operation off the coast of the southern state of Johor on Friday. "Further checks found that all the vessels registered in Qinhuangdao, China, were manned by six captains and 54 crew who are Chinese nationals aged between 31 and 60 years," MMEA regional director Mohd Zulfadli Nayan said in a statement. The MMEA said the vessels, which had no cargo when detained, were believed to have been en route to Mauritania but had to stop due to some malfunction. Earlier this year, a Chinese research ship spent a month surveying in Malaysia's exclusive economic zone, amid a standoff with a Malaysian oil exploration vessel near disputed waters.

Malaysia detains Chinese vessels for trespassing in territorial waters

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has postponed her annual policy speech until she travels to Beijing to ask the Chinese central government for help with measures to help her city's battered economy.

Chief executive&nbsp;Carrie&nbsp;Lam&nbsp;had been due to make a key annual address on Wednesday outlining her administration's plans for the politically restless city.

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Lam's speech clashed with Chinese President Xi Jinping visit&nbsp;to the Chinese southern coastal city of Shenzhen to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the special economic zone.

She said she is postponing the address after submitting several proposed measures to Beijing seeking their support to help boost Hong Kong's economy, which has taken a battering due to the coronavirus pandemic and months of anti-government protests last year.

Lam said at a news conference that she will travel to Beijing at the end of October to participate in meetings with various ministries and commissions and see if the central authorities will support the proposed measures. She declined to give details on the proposals.

"It is a matter of responding to a positive indication from the central government that they want to take into account the chief executive's recommendations, that they really want to facilitate those policy measures so that&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;people have more confidence that the economy will bounce back."

The Chinese government has thrown its full support behind&nbsp;Lam, a pro-Beijing appointee, despite her dismal approval ratings.

The central government's role in the semi-autonomous former British colony has been in the spotlight, in particular with the imposition in June of a security law after months of pro-democracy protests - the most intense in decades - last year.

The protests were triggered in part by fears in&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;that the central government was whittling away the freedoms granted when the city returned to Chinese rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula.

The protests and later the novel coronavirus have battered the city's economy with full year gross domestic product (GDP) forecast to contract 6&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;to 8 per cent.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has postponed her annual policy speech until she travels to Beijing to ask the Chinese central government for help with measures to help her city's battered economy.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has postponed her annual policy speech until she travels to Beijing to ask the Chinese central government for help with measures to help her city's battered economy. Chief executive Carrie Lam had been due to make a key annual address on Wednesday outlining her administration's plans for the politically restless city. Lam's speech clashed with Chinese President Xi Jinping visit to the Chinese southern coastal city of Shenzhen to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the special economic zone. She said she is postponing the address after submitting several proposed measures to Beijing seeking their support to help boost Hong Kong's economy, which has taken a battering due to the coronavirus pandemic and months of anti-government protests last year. Lam said at a news conference that she will travel to Beijing at the end of October to participate in meetings with various ministries and commissions and see if the central authorities will support the proposed measures. She declined to give details on the proposals. "It is a matter of responding to a positive indication from the central government that they want to take into account the chief executive's recommendations, that they really want to facilitate those policy measures so that Hong Kong people have more confidence that the economy will bounce back." The Chinese government has thrown its full support behind Lam, a pro-Beijing appointee, despite her dismal approval ratings. The central government's role in the semi-autonomous former British colony has been in the spotlight, in particular with the imposition in June of a security law after months of pro-democracy protests - the most intense in decades - last year. The protests were triggered in part by fears in Hong Kong that the central government was whittling away the freedoms granted when the city returned to Chinese rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula. The protests and later the novel coronavirus have battered the city's economy with full year gross domestic product (GDP) forecast to contract 6 per cent to 8 per cent.

Hong Kong leader delays major policy address until Beijing visit

Finance Minister Sitharaman on Monday announced&nbsp;Rupees 12,000 crore interest-free 50-year loan&nbsp;to states for spending on capital projects.

The initiative will&nbsp;bolster the pandemic-hit Indian economy by creating a consumer demand of about 280 billion rupees ($3.83 billion).

Sitharaman said during a press conference, "The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected the economy. The needs of the poor and weaker sections were addressed in various announcements by the government. Supply constraints have somewhat got eased but consumer demand still needs to be given a boost."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-gdp-expected-to-contract-by-9-per-cent-this-year-world-bank-333426" hreflang="en">India's GDP expected to contract by 9 per cent this year: World Bank</a>

In a bid to stimulate consumer demand in the economy,&nbsp;Sitharaman announced two proposals: Leave Travel Concession (LTC) Cash Voucher Scheme and Special Festival Advance Scheme.

"The proposals being presented are designed in a way that they can stimulate demand by front-loading/advancing some of the expenditure with some offsetting changes. Others are directly linked to an increase in the GDP," she explained.

Under the LTC Cash Voucher Scheme, government employees can opt to receive cash amounting to leave encashment plus three times ticket fare, to buy items, which attract GST of 12 per cent or more.

Every four years, central government employees get LTC to any destination to their choice plus one to their hometown. 
Since travel is difficult to undertake during the pandemic, the government will pay the entitled fare as cash vouchers which have to be spent by March 31, 2021, she said.

Central government payout on cash-in-lieu-for-LTC will be Rs 5,675 crore, and another Rs 1,900 crore will be payout by central PSUs and public sector banks, Sitharaman said.

The demand infusion because of this would be Rs 19,000 crore, and another Rs 9,000 crore if half of the states follow this guideline, she added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, which imposed a tough lockdown to stem the spread of the coronavirus in March, is pushing ahead with a full opening to try to boost the economy ahead of the usually high-spending festival season.

Finance Minister Sitharaman on Monday announced Rupees 12,000 crore interest-free 50-year loan to states for spending on capital projects. The initiative will bolster the pandemic-hit Indian economy by creating a consumer demand of about 280 billion rupees ($3.

Finance Minister Sitharaman on Monday announced Rupees 12,000 crore interest-free 50-year loan to states for spending on capital projects. The initiative will bolster the pandemic-hit Indian economy by creating a consumer demand of about 280 billion rupees ($3.83 billion). Sitharaman said during a press conference, "The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected the economy. The needs of the poor and weaker sections were addressed in various announcements by the government. Supply constraints have somewhat got eased but consumer demand still needs to be given a boost." Also read: India's GDP expected to contract by 9 per cent this year: World Bank In a bid to stimulate consumer demand in the economy, Sitharaman announced two proposals: Leave Travel Concession (LTC) Cash Voucher Scheme and Special Festival Advance Scheme. "The proposals being presented are designed in a way that they can stimulate demand by front-loading/advancing some of the expenditure with some offsetting changes. Others are directly linked to an increase in the GDP," she explained. Under the LTC Cash Voucher Scheme, government employees can opt to receive cash amounting to leave encashment plus three times ticket fare, to buy items, which attract GST of 12 per cent or more. Every four years, central government employees get LTC to any destination to their choice plus one to their hometown. Since travel is difficult to undertake during the pandemic, the government will pay the entitled fare as cash vouchers which have to be spent by March 31, 2021, she said. Central government payout on cash-in-lieu-for-LTC will be Rs 5,675 crore, and another Rs 1,900 crore will be payout by central PSUs and public sector banks, Sitharaman said. The demand infusion because of this would be Rs 19,000 crore, and another Rs 9,000 crore if half of the states follow this guideline, she added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, which imposed a tough lockdown to stem the spread of the coronavirus in March, is pushing ahead with a full opening to try to boost the economy ahead of the usually high-spending festival season.

Finance Minister Sitharaman announces Rs12,000 crore interest-free 50-year loan to states

At least six pilgrims were abducted by unidentified armed assailants near the Pakistan-Iran border, the media reported. 
 
The incident took place on Sunday in Balochistan`s Panjgur district when the Shia pilgrims, belonging from Karachi, were arriving from Iran, reports The Express Tribune. 
 
Sources said that the pilgrims had spent around 50 days in Iranian city of Mashhad and were on their way back to Karachi. 
 
The kidnappers left two women and took away six male pilgrims with them. 
 
Every year, a large number of Shia pilgrims from various parts of the country enter Iran from Taftan border. 
 
Pakistan shares a 900 km border with Iran.

At least six pilgrims were abducted by unidentified armed assailants near the Pakistan-Iran border, the media reported. The incident took place on Sunday in Balochistan`s Panjgur district when the Shia pilgrims, belonging from Karachi, were arriving from Iran, reports The Express Tribune.

At least six pilgrims were abducted by unidentified armed assailants near the Pakistan-Iran border, the media reported. The incident took place on Sunday in Balochistan`s Panjgur district when the Shia pilgrims, belonging from Karachi, were arriving from Iran, reports The Express Tribune. Sources said that the pilgrims had spent around 50 days in Iranian city of Mashhad and were on their way back to Karachi. The kidnappers left two women and took away six male pilgrims with them. Every year, a large number of Shia pilgrims from various parts of the country enter Iran from Taftan border. Pakistan shares a 900 km border with Iran.

Six pilgrims kidnapped near Pakistan-Iran border

The Afghan Air Force has successfully carried out an attack on a group of Taliban terrorists in the southern Helmand Province, capturing the Taliban`s local deputy governor, the Helmand Governor`s press office said in a statement.

The attack was carried out in the Nawa-I-Barakzayi District. Over 20 Taliban members were killed, while the Taliban`s deputy governor for Helmand, Mawlawi Ghafoor, was captured alive by the National Directorate of Security (NDS).

The Taliban have not released any comments yet.Clashes between the Afghan forces and the Taliban terrorists intensified in Helmand over the weekend.

A civilian source told Sputnik on Sunday that residents of the Nad-e-Ali district were seeking refuge in the city of Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand Province, amid the escalation of violence.

There were no reports about any fatalities caused by the Sunday clashes, which came amid ongoing peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban in the Qatari capital of Doha.

The Afghan Air Force has successfully carried out an attack on a group of Taliban terrorists in the southern Helmand Province, capturing the Taliban`s local deputy governor, the Helmand Governor`s press office said in a statement.

The Afghan Air Force has successfully carried out an attack on a group of Taliban terrorists in the southern Helmand Province, capturing the Taliban`s local deputy governor, the Helmand Governor`s press office said in a statement. The attack was carried out in the Nawa-I-Barakzayi District. Over 20 Taliban members were killed, while the Taliban`s deputy governor for Helmand, Mawlawi Ghafoor, was captured alive by the National Directorate of Security (NDS). The Taliban have not released any comments yet.Clashes between the Afghan forces and the Taliban terrorists intensified in Helmand over the weekend. A civilian source told Sputnik on Sunday that residents of the Nad-e-Ali district were seeking refuge in the city of Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand Province, amid the escalation of violence. There were no reports about any fatalities caused by the Sunday clashes, which came amid ongoing peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban in the Qatari capital of Doha.

Afghan forces attack Taliban in Helmand province, deputy governor captured

Space agency&nbsp;NASA has solved the mini-moon mystery by identifying a massive space rock approaching Earth as an old rocket from a failed lunar mission.

NASA's leading asteroid expert Paul Choda pointed out that&nbsp;the asteroid-type object called&nbsp;Asteroid 2020 CD3 cannot be a space rock because of its unique pathway across the Sun.&nbsp;

He believes that the object is actually the Centaur rocket upper stage that propelled NASA's Surveyor lander to the moon 54 years ago.

The lander ended up crashing in the moon aftyer one of its thrusters failed to ignite on its way there. Meanwhile, the rocket swept past the moon and into the orbit around the Sun as intended junk, never to be seen again, until perhaps now.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/earth-has-a-new-mini-moon-about-the-size-of-a-car-283144">Earth has a new 'mini-moon' about the&nbsp;size of a car</a>

Last month, astronomers in the United States had&nbsp;spotted a new "mini-moon" circling the planet Earth which is about the&nbsp;size of a car.&nbsp;

According to the astronomers, Kacper Wierzchos and Teddy Pruyne of the NASA-funded Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona, the mini-moon is between 2 to 3 meters wide.

"BIG NEWS, Earth has a new temporarily captured object/Possible mini-moon called 2020 CD3," Wierzchos had&nbsp;announced on Twitter.

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BIG NEWS (thread 1/3). Earth has a new temporarily captured object/Possible mini-moon called 2020 CD3. On the night of Feb. 15, my Catalina Sky Survey teammate Teddy Pruyne and I found a 20th magnitude object. Here are the discovery images. <a href="https://t.co/zLkXyGAkZl">pic.twitter.com/zLkXyGAkZl</a>
— Kacper Wierzchoś (@WierzchosKacper) <a href="https://twitter.com/WierzchosKacper/status/1232460436634656769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Scientists say that there is at least one mini-moon circling the planet at any given time, but most of them go undiscovered due to their small size.

Space agency NASA has solved the mini-moon mystery by identifying a massive space rock approaching Earth as an old rocket from a failed lunar mission. NASA's leading asteroid expert Paul Choda pointed out that the asteroid-type object called Asteroid 2020 CD3 cannot be a space rock because of its unique pathway across the Sun.

Space agency NASA has solved the mini-moon mystery by identifying a massive space rock approaching Earth as an old rocket from a failed lunar mission. NASA's leading asteroid expert Paul Choda pointed out that the asteroid-type object called Asteroid 2020 CD3 cannot be a space rock because of its unique pathway across the Sun. He believes that the object is actually the Centaur rocket upper stage that propelled NASA's Surveyor lander to the moon 54 years ago. The lander ended up crashing in the moon aftyer one of its thrusters failed to ignite on its way there. Meanwhile, the rocket swept past the moon and into the orbit around the Sun as intended junk, never to be seen again, until perhaps now. Also read: Earth has a new 'mini-moon' about the size of a car Last month, astronomers in the United States had spotted a new "mini-moon" circling the planet Earth which is about the size of a car. According to the astronomers, Kacper Wierzchos and Teddy Pruyne of the NASA-funded Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona, the mini-moon is between 2 to 3 meters wide. "BIG NEWS, Earth has a new temporarily captured object/Possible mini-moon called 2020 CD3," Wierzchos had announced on Twitter. BIG NEWS (thread 1/3). Earth has a new temporarily captured object/Possible mini-moon called 2020 CD3. On the night of Feb. 15, my Catalina Sky Survey teammate Teddy Pruyne and I found a 20th magnitude object. Here are the discovery images. pic.twitter.com/zLkXyGAkZl — Kacper Wierzchoś (@WierzchosKacper) February 26, 2020 × Scientists say that there is at least one mini-moon circling the planet at any given time, but most of them go undiscovered due to their small size.

NASA solves mini-moon mystery by identifying 'asteroid' approaching Earth

New South Wales state&nbsp;premier&nbsp;Gladys Berejiklian on Monday accepted that she&nbsp;had a secret "close personal relationship" with disgraced Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire.

Her statement comes as Maguire is being&nbsp;investigated for monetising his position through business dealings with China.

Berejiklian revealed the relationship to the NSW Independent Commission into Corruption (ICAC), prompting calls from the opposition Labor party for her resignation.

Addressing media after the hearing, Berejiklian said she had "made a mistake in my personal life" with a relationship she did not even disclose to her family or closest friends, but would continue to serve as premier because she had "not done anything wrong".

Berejiklian had earlier told the ICAC she was "beyond shocked, disgusted" by evidence put before the inquiry that the former MP for the town of Wagga Wagga, Daryl Maguire, was allegedly involved in a "cash for visas scheme" for Chinese nationals involving falsified employment.

Maguire could not be reached for comment and will appear before the inquiry later in the week.

Maguire was forced to resign from the NSW Parliament, and his position as chairman of the NSW Parliament Asia Pacific Friendship Group, after a 2018 investigation heard he had sought to act for Chinese property developers in land deals.

Berejiklian said she had been in a relationship with Maguire since 2015, and had once called him her "numero uno", but demanded Maguire's resignation after the 2018 ICAC revelations.

She said she ceased contact with him in September 2020 after being privately interviewed by corruption investigators.

A new ICAC inquiry is investigating Maguire's pursuit of business deals between 2012 and 2018 which commonly involved an "association with China".

ICAC telephone intercepts played to the inquiry showed Maguire discussed his financial problems, including debts of $1.5 million, with Berejiklian, as well as the potential for him to gain financially from an airport land deal.

NSW Labour leader Jodi Mckay criticised&nbsp;Berejiklian on social networking platform Twitter.

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Disappointing that Gladys Berejiklian has played the victim card. This isn’t about a relationship it is about integrity and turning a blind eye to corruption.
— Jodi McKay (@JodiMcKayMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/JodiMcKayMP/status/1315535299242409986?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Maguire boasted in one telephone intercept that he had met Chinese President Xi Jinping, an encounter which Berejiklian explained to the inquiry was among a group of 15 NSW politicians who lined up to greet Xi on his visit to Sydney in 2014.

In 2017, Maguire wrote to the board of China's biggest food producers, Bright Foods, to complain a delay in a deal with an Australian agribusiness UWE was "causing loss of face for my political leaders".

Berejiklian said she had no knowledge of the letter and it was "highly inappropriate".

Maguire had sought to join a NSW government trade delegation to China in 2017 to lobby for the project, but had been rebuffed by Berejiklian's office, and told the delay would be raised in meetings.

New South Wales state premier Gladys Berejiklian on Monday accepted that she had a secret "close personal relationship" with disgraced Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire.

New South Wales state premier Gladys Berejiklian on Monday accepted that she had a secret "close personal relationship" with disgraced Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire. Her statement comes as Maguire is being investigated for monetising his position through business dealings with China. Berejiklian revealed the relationship to the NSW Independent Commission into Corruption (ICAC), prompting calls from the opposition Labor party for her resignation. Addressing media after the hearing, Berejiklian said she had "made a mistake in my personal life" with a relationship she did not even disclose to her family or closest friends, but would continue to serve as premier because she had "not done anything wrong". Berejiklian had earlier told the ICAC she was "beyond shocked, disgusted" by evidence put before the inquiry that the former MP for the town of Wagga Wagga, Daryl Maguire, was allegedly involved in a "cash for visas scheme" for Chinese nationals involving falsified employment. Maguire could not be reached for comment and will appear before the inquiry later in the week. Maguire was forced to resign from the NSW Parliament, and his position as chairman of the NSW Parliament Asia Pacific Friendship Group, after a 2018 investigation heard he had sought to act for Chinese property developers in land deals. Berejiklian said she had been in a relationship with Maguire since 2015, and had once called him her "numero uno", but demanded Maguire's resignation after the 2018 ICAC revelations. She said she ceased contact with him in September 2020 after being privately interviewed by corruption investigators. A new ICAC inquiry is investigating Maguire's pursuit of business deals between 2012 and 2018 which commonly involved an "association with China". ICAC telephone intercepts played to the inquiry showed Maguire discussed his financial problems, including debts of $1.5 million, with Berejiklian, as well as the potential for him to gain financially from an airport land deal. NSW Labour leader Jodi Mckay criticised Berejiklian on social networking platform Twitter. Disappointing that Gladys Berejiklian has played the victim card. This isn’t about a relationship it is about integrity and turning a blind eye to corruption. — Jodi McKay (@JodiMcKayMP) October 12, 2020 × Maguire boasted in one telephone intercept that he had met Chinese President Xi Jinping, an encounter which Berejiklian explained to the inquiry was among a group of 15 NSW politicians who lined up to greet Xi on his visit to Sydney in 2014. In 2017, Maguire wrote to the board of China's biggest food producers, Bright Foods, to complain a delay in a deal with an Australian agribusiness UWE was "causing loss of face for my political leaders". Berejiklian said she had no knowledge of the letter and it was "highly inappropriate". Maguire had sought to join a NSW government trade delegation to China in 2017 to lobby for the project, but had been rebuffed by Berejiklian's office, and told the delay would be raised in meetings.

ICAC inquiry: Australian state premier accepts secret relationship with China-linked politician

Hungary's nationalist government on Thursday sparked outrage after calling a children's fairytale book as a&nbsp;"homosexual propaganda".

The book called&nbsp;"Wonderland Is For Everyone'' has been&nbsp;published by a lesbian group called&nbsp;Labrisz Lesbian Association.

Earlier, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had said Sunday that homosexuals should "leave our children alone"&nbsp;when asked about a children's book containing gay characters that was publicly shredded by a far-right politician.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hungarys-new-legislation-could-stir-trouble-for-its-lgbtqia-population-294952">Hungary's new legislation could stir trouble for its LGBTQIA+ population</a>

"Hungary&nbsp;has laws pertaining to homosexuality, the basis of which is an exceptionally tolerant and patient approach," Orban said during a regular interview on public radio.&nbsp;

"But there is a red line that you cannot cross," Orban said, referring to the book as a "provocative act".&nbsp;

"To sum up my opinion on this: leave our children alone,"&nbsp;he said.

The remarks were prompted by a row over a children's story book published by an LGBT association entitled "Storyworld is for everyone" that included gay characters.

A politician from the far-right fringe Our Homeland party tore the book apart and shredded it at a press conference and called it homosexual propaganda.&nbsp;

"Sexual identity is a private matter but there is a threshold ... namely that homosexual propaganda should not be directed at children," Gergely Gulyas said, adding this amounted to endangering minors.

Dorottya Redai, a project leader with the publisher responded: "We reject the unfounded accusations that we would be causing harm to children." The politician's remarks amounted to "hate propaganda" she added.

In power since 2010, Orban has promised to "build a new era" with major cultural changes in Hungary. His government has so far refrained from strong attacks on the LGBT+ community, unlike Poland, where homophobia has been part of the ruling PiS party's ideology and election strategy.

However parliament, with the ruling party's majority, voted in May to ban transgender people from changing their gender on identity documents.

Bulcsu Hunyadi, an analyst at think tank Political Capital said the government seized on the book to prevent the far-right dominating the agenda, but was unlikely to step up its anti-LGBT stance to the extent seen in Poland ahead of the 2022 parliamentary elections.

"Hungarian society is a lot more secular and more accepting towards LGBT people (than Polish society)," he said. "This today ... could be followed with some policy moves but I don't think Fidesz will build a big campaign around the issue."

The first 1,500 copies of the book, which contains 17 stories with characters from various social backgrounds, sold out quickly.

The Hungarian Publishers' and Booksellers Association said several bookshops had been threatened and become the target of hate mongering. "Leave the bookshops alone," it said, rejecting condemnation of the book.

Hungary's nationalist government on Thursday sparked outrage after calling a children's fairytale book as a "homosexual propaganda". The book called "Wonderland Is For Everyone'' has been published by a lesbian group called Labrisz Lesbian Association.

Hungary's nationalist government on Thursday sparked outrage after calling a children's fairytale book as a "homosexual propaganda". The book called "Wonderland Is For Everyone'' has been published by a lesbian group called Labrisz Lesbian Association. Earlier, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had said Sunday that homosexuals should "leave our children alone" when asked about a children's book containing gay characters that was publicly shredded by a far-right politician. Also read: Hungary's new legislation could stir trouble for its LGBTQIA+ population "Hungary has laws pertaining to homosexuality, the basis of which is an exceptionally tolerant and patient approach," Orban said during a regular interview on public radio. "But there is a red line that you cannot cross," Orban said, referring to the book as a "provocative act". "To sum up my opinion on this: leave our children alone," he said. The remarks were prompted by a row over a children's story book published by an LGBT association entitled "Storyworld is for everyone" that included gay characters. A politician from the far-right fringe Our Homeland party tore the book apart and shredded it at a press conference and called it homosexual propaganda. "Sexual identity is a private matter but there is a threshold ... namely that homosexual propaganda should not be directed at children," Gergely Gulyas said, adding this amounted to endangering minors. Dorottya Redai, a project leader with the publisher responded: "We reject the unfounded accusations that we would be causing harm to children." The politician's remarks amounted to "hate propaganda" she added. In power since 2010, Orban has promised to "build a new era" with major cultural changes in Hungary. His government has so far refrained from strong attacks on the LGBT+ community, unlike Poland, where homophobia has been part of the ruling PiS party's ideology and election strategy. However parliament, with the ruling party's majority, voted in May to ban transgender people from changing their gender on identity documents. Bulcsu Hunyadi, an analyst at think tank Political Capital said the government seized on the book to prevent the far-right dominating the agenda, but was unlikely to step up its anti-LGBT stance to the extent seen in Poland ahead of the 2022 parliamentary elections. "Hungarian society is a lot more secular and more accepting towards LGBT people (than Polish society)," he said. "This today ... could be followed with some policy moves but I don't think Fidesz will build a big campaign around the issue." The first 1,500 copies of the book, which contains 17 stories with characters from various social backgrounds, sold out quickly. The Hungarian Publishers' and Booksellers Association said several bookshops had been threatened and become the target of hate mongering. "Leave the bookshops alone," it said, rejecting condemnation of the book.

Hungarian government sparks outrage after calling new children's book 'homosexual propaganda'

With&nbsp;less than a month to go for the US election 2020,&nbsp;President Donald Trump is currently battling the novel coronavirus which has claimed over 200,000 American lives, raising several unanswered questions about the uncertain future.

He has pulled out of an October&nbsp;15 debate with Democratic rival Joe Biden, blasting the debate commission's decision to make it a virtual event.

This has raised the question&nbsp;that what happens in the election, already well underway, should his condition take a turn for the worse.

Under Section 3 of the US&nbsp;Constitution's&nbsp;25th&nbsp;Amendment, adopted in 1967 following the 1963 assassination of President John Kennedy, Trump could declare in writing his inability to discharge his duties.

Vice President Mike Pence would become acting president, although Trump would remain in office. The president would regain his powers by declaring in writing that he is again ready to discharge them.

The&nbsp;25th&nbsp;Amendment's Section 4 also offers a path to stripping a president of power if, for instance, his Cabinet believes he has become incapacitated, but this has never been invoked.

However, if a presidentail nominee dies shortly before or after the election, that is the Inaugration Day, the final call regarding the residency is of the House of Representatives. Before that, the House might take charge.

Can political parties replace a candidate who dies?

Yes,&nbsp;political parties can take charge but not this close to the Election Day.&nbsp;More than 6.6 million Americans have already voted. This is&nbsp;10 times the number who had voted at this stage in the 2016 election cycle, indicating a potentially record turnout for the November&nbsp;3 contest.

The deadline for candidates&nbsp;to withdraw has passed in all states. The date of the election is set by the federal law and only Congress can change that date.

In a&nbsp;US election, voters do not elect the president directly. USA has an electoral college system. The candidate who secures more than 270 out of 538 electoral votes wins the election. After the popular vote, electors in each state mostly vote for the candidate that the popular vote has favoured.

Not every&nbsp;US state&nbsp;has the same number of electors. Number of electors in a state depends on that&nbsp;state's representation in the US Congress.

What happens if the winning candidate dies before the Congress decalres a winner?

If the winning candidate dies before the Electoral College meets, the electors could coalesce around a replacement candidate recommended by the party, perhaps the vice presidential candidate.

A party’s electors would have an incentive to coalesce around one candidate, he said, because they wouldn’t want to risk throwing the election to the other party. But there is no guarantee they would all agree on a replacement candidate.

Some states have laws that require electors to vote for the presidential candidate who won the statewide vote; other states could quickly pass laws governing the electors in the event that a candidate dies.

The Supreme Court ruled unanimously in July that states may require electors to support the candidate picked by voters in the election. However, the court left open what would happen if the candidate dies.

With less than a month to go for the US election 2020, President Donald Trump is currently battling the novel coronavirus which has claimed over 200,000 American lives, raising several unanswered questions about the uncertain future.

With less than a month to go for the US election 2020, President Donald Trump is currently battling the novel coronavirus which has claimed over 200,000 American lives, raising several unanswered questions about the uncertain future. He has pulled out of an October 15 debate with Democratic rival Joe Biden, blasting the debate commission's decision to make it a virtual event. This has raised the question that what happens in the election, already well underway, should his condition take a turn for the worse. Under Section 3 of the US Constitution's 25th Amendment, adopted in 1967 following the 1963 assassination of President John Kennedy, Trump could declare in writing his inability to discharge his duties. Vice President Mike Pence would become acting president, although Trump would remain in office. The president would regain his powers by declaring in writing that he is again ready to discharge them. The 25th Amendment's Section 4 also offers a path to stripping a president of power if, for instance, his Cabinet believes he has become incapacitated, but this has never been invoked. However, if a presidentail nominee dies shortly before or after the election, that is the Inaugration Day, the final call regarding the residency is of the House of Representatives. Before that, the House might take charge. Can political parties replace a candidate who dies? Yes, political parties can take charge but not this close to the Election Day. More than 6.6 million Americans have already voted. This is 10 times the number who had voted at this stage in the 2016 election cycle, indicating a potentially record turnout for the November 3 contest. The deadline for candidates to withdraw has passed in all states. The date of the election is set by the federal law and only Congress can change that date. In a US election, voters do not elect the president directly. USA has an electoral college system. The candidate who secures more than 270 out of 538 electoral votes wins the election. After the popular vote, electors in each state mostly vote for the candidate that the popular vote has favoured. Not every US state has the same number of electors. Number of electors in a state depends on that state's representation in the US Congress. What happens if the winning candidate dies before the Congress decalres a winner? If the winning candidate dies before the Electoral College meets, the electors could coalesce around a replacement candidate recommended by the party, perhaps the vice presidential candidate. A party’s electors would have an incentive to coalesce around one candidate, he said, because they wouldn’t want to risk throwing the election to the other party. But there is no guarantee they would all agree on a replacement candidate. Some states have laws that require electors to vote for the presidential candidate who won the statewide vote; other states could quickly pass laws governing the electors in the event that a candidate dies. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously in July that states may require electors to support the candidate picked by voters in the election. However, the court left open what would happen if the candidate dies.

US election 2020: What happens if a US presidential candidate dies before the election

Three major employees' federations of the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), which operates 41 ammunition production facilities across the country, on Friday called off their proposed indefinite strike from Monday following talks with the government, defence ministry officials said.

The federations of the OFB had given the call for the indefinite strike against the defence ministry's move to corporatise the 200-year-old organisation that supplies ammunition to the defence forces.

Last month, the government constituted an Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) under the chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to oversee the process of corporatisation of the OFB which was strongly opposed by the three unions.

The federations claimed to have support of over 70,000 employees of the OFB.

Additional Director General (Media and Communication) in the defence ministry A Bharat Bhushan Babu said the unions called off their strike following a "conciliation meeting" with the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

He said the ministry received a notice on August 4 from the three federations for the proposed strike from October 12 following which it referred the matter last month to the Chief Labour Commissioner in the Ministry of Labour and Employment to initiate conciliation in the matter.

"After a conciliation meeting today, the federations have called off the proposed strike from October 12," the spokesperson said. 
Babu said it was agreed by the representatives of the federations and officials of the defence ministry that during the pendency of the on-going conciliation proceedings, the ministry will abide by the provisions of Section 33(1) of the Industrial Disputes Act 1947.

The provision stipulates that the employer cannot alter the conditions of service of the employees till the conclusion of conciliation proceedings. 
"However, it will not affect the government's decision to corporatise Ordnance Factory Board," he said.

Babu said the defence ministry has also invited the representatives of the federations to meet secretary, Department of Defence Production and the Empowered Group of Ministers to put forward their issues and grievances.

At present, the government has to shell out around Rs 5,000 crore annually to pay salaries of the OFB employees. Additionally, it gives around Rs 3,000 crore to OFB as operational cost.

The ordnance factories were set up as "captive centres" to serve the needs of the armed forces, but they have been facing performance-related issues for a long time.

The defence ministry if of the view that the present structure of OFB is inconsistent with the requirement of production centre which calls for lot of flexibility at managerial and functional level.

Three major employees' federations of the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), which operates 41 ammunition production facilities across the country, on Friday called off their proposed indefinite strike from Monday following talks with the government, defence ministry officials said.

Three major employees' federations of the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), which operates 41 ammunition production facilities across the country, on Friday called off their proposed indefinite strike from Monday following talks with the government, defence ministry officials said. The federations of the OFB had given the call for the indefinite strike against the defence ministry's move to corporatise the 200-year-old organisation that supplies ammunition to the defence forces. Last month, the government constituted an Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) under the chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to oversee the process of corporatisation of the OFB which was strongly opposed by the three unions. The federations claimed to have support of over 70,000 employees of the OFB. Additional Director General (Media and Communication) in the defence ministry A Bharat Bhushan Babu said the unions called off their strike following a "conciliation meeting" with the Ministry of Labour and Employment. He said the ministry received a notice on August 4 from the three federations for the proposed strike from October 12 following which it referred the matter last month to the Chief Labour Commissioner in the Ministry of Labour and Employment to initiate conciliation in the matter. "After a conciliation meeting today, the federations have called off the proposed strike from October 12," the spokesperson said. Babu said it was agreed by the representatives of the federations and officials of the defence ministry that during the pendency of the on-going conciliation proceedings, the ministry will abide by the provisions of Section 33(1) of the Industrial Disputes Act 1947. The provision stipulates that the employer cannot alter the conditions of service of the employees till the conclusion of conciliation proceedings. "However, it will not affect the government's decision to corporatise Ordnance Factory Board," he said. Babu said the defence ministry has also invited the representatives of the federations to meet secretary, Department of Defence Production and the Empowered Group of Ministers to put forward their issues and grievances. At present, the government has to shell out around Rs 5,000 crore annually to pay salaries of the OFB employees. Additionally, it gives around Rs 3,000 crore to OFB as operational cost. The ordnance factories were set up as "captive centres" to serve the needs of the armed forces, but they have been facing performance-related issues for a long time. The defence ministry if of the view that the present structure of OFB is inconsistent with the requirement of production centre which calls for lot of flexibility at managerial and functional level.

Employees' unions of Ordnance Factory Board call off strike following talks: Defence Ministry

Dickson Yeo, the Singaporean man who pleaded guilty for spying on the United States for China has been&nbsp;sentenced to 14 months in prison on&nbsp;Friday.

Working with Chinese intelligence since 2015, Jun Wei Yeo, also called Dickson Yeo, set up a political consultancy in Washington which he used to identify Americans with high-level security clearances that he sought to pay for classified information.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-spying-on-millions-around-the-world-by-harvesting-personal-details-from-the-dark-web-327896">China spying on millions around the world by harvesting personal details from the dark web</a>

The 39 year old was arrested at an airport in November 2019 and pleaded guilty in July to one count of operating illegally as a foreign agent, which can bring up to 10 years in prison.

But he was given a relatively light sentence and credited for 11 months already spent in prison based on his cooperation with US authorities and also due to the threat of contracting Covid-19 in jail, said Washington federal judge Tanya Chutkan.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/fbi-arrests-nasa-researcher-for-not-disclosing-ties-with-china-298579/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The sentence means he could be released and expelled from the United States by January.

In a sentencing hearing conducted by teleconference, Yeo appeared to break down as he expressed regrets, and said he had no intention to harm anyone.

He said he had been treated well by US justice authorities.

"All I'd like to do is to go home to my family," he said. But then he added that he remains supportive of Beijing.

"I am still sympathetic to the Chinese cause," he told the court.

Chutkan, whose sentence was two months less than the 16 months recommended by federal prosecutors, drew a comparison with other countries, telling Yeo: "I'm going to punish you for what you did, not what you think."

"Mr. Yeo worked under the direction of the intelligence service of the People's Republic of China," she said.

"The crime that Mr. Yeo committed was not a momentary lapse of judgment."

"I can tell you are a highly educated man and I have no doubt you understood you knew what you were doing," she told Yeo.

"Your operation was designed to weaken the United States for the benefit of China."

At the same time, Chutkan said she had to accept prosecutors' assertions that Yeo cooperated well with investigators in the case.

In addition, she noted Yeo had survived 11 months in US prisons, where there are extensive coronavirus outbreaks, without getting infected.&nbsp;

"Yeo is fortunate. So far he has not gotten Covid," she said.

"It would be horrible if he gets it because he has to spend a few more months in jail.&nbsp;

A PhD student at the National University of Singapore, Yeo was directed by Chinese intelligence to open up a fake consultancy in the United States and offer jobs, according to his indictment.

He received more than 400 resumes, 90 percent of which were from US military or government personnel with security clearances.

He used these and the networking functions of LinkedIn to track down possible targets, focusing on people with top security clearances.

He recruited a number of people to work with him, targeting those who admitted to financial difficulties.

They included a civilian working on the Air Force's F-35B stealth fighter-bomber project, a Pentagon army officer with Afghanistan experience, and a State Department official, all of whom were paid as much as $2,000 for writing reports for Yeo.

Prosecutors said Friday that he never got as far as collecting highly classified information, but that was his intent.

Dickson Yeo, the Singaporean man who pleaded guilty for spying on the United States for China has been sentenced to 14 months in prison on Friday. Working with Chinese intelligence since 2015, Jun Wei Yeo, also called Dickson Yeo, set up a political consultancy in Washington which he used to identify Americans with high-level security clearances that he sought to pay for classified information.

Dickson Yeo, the Singaporean man who pleaded guilty for spying on the United States for China has been sentenced to 14 months in prison on Friday. Working with Chinese intelligence since 2015, Jun Wei Yeo, also called Dickson Yeo, set up a political consultancy in Washington which he used to identify Americans with high-level security clearances that he sought to pay for classified information. Also read: China spying on millions around the world by harvesting personal details from the dark web The 39 year old was arrested at an airport in November 2019 and pleaded guilty in July to one count of operating illegally as a foreign agent, which can bring up to 10 years in prison. But he was given a relatively light sentence and credited for 11 months already spent in prison based on his cooperation with US authorities and also due to the threat of contracting Covid-19 in jail, said Washington federal judge Tanya Chutkan. The sentence means he could be released and expelled from the United States by January. In a sentencing hearing conducted by teleconference, Yeo appeared to break down as he expressed regrets, and said he had no intention to harm anyone. He said he had been treated well by US justice authorities. "All I'd like to do is to go home to my family," he said. But then he added that he remains supportive of Beijing. "I am still sympathetic to the Chinese cause," he told the court. Chutkan, whose sentence was two months less than the 16 months recommended by federal prosecutors, drew a comparison with other countries, telling Yeo: "I'm going to punish you for what you did, not what you think." "Mr. Yeo worked under the direction of the intelligence service of the People's Republic of China," she said. "The crime that Mr. Yeo committed was not a momentary lapse of judgment." "I can tell you are a highly educated man and I have no doubt you understood you knew what you were doing," she told Yeo. "Your operation was designed to weaken the United States for the benefit of China." At the same time, Chutkan said she had to accept prosecutors' assertions that Yeo cooperated well with investigators in the case. In addition, she noted Yeo had survived 11 months in US prisons, where there are extensive coronavirus outbreaks, without getting infected. "Yeo is fortunate. So far he has not gotten Covid," she said. "It would be horrible if he gets it because he has to spend a few more months in jail. A PhD student at the National University of Singapore, Yeo was directed by Chinese intelligence to open up a fake consultancy in the United States and offer jobs, according to his indictment. He received more than 400 resumes, 90 percent of which were from US military or government personnel with security clearances. He used these and the networking functions of LinkedIn to track down possible targets, focusing on people with top security clearances. He recruited a number of people to work with him, targeting those who admitted to financial difficulties. They included a civilian working on the Air Force's F-35B stealth fighter-bomber project, a Pentagon army officer with Afghanistan experience, and a State Department official, all of whom were paid as much as $2,000 for writing reports for Yeo. Prosecutors said Friday that he never got as far as collecting highly classified information, but that was his intent.

US imprisons Singaporean academic who spied for China

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