Russia plans to share preliminary results of its COVID-19 vaccine trial based on the first six weeks of monitoring participants, raising the tempo in an already frenzied global race to end the pandemic.

Alexander Gintsburg, head of the Gamaleya Institute that produced the Sputnik V vaccine, told Reuters that the pace of its development was necessary under the "wartime" conditions of a pandemic but no corners were being cut.

Russia has pushed ahead with its potential COVID-19 vaccine at top speed with mass public vaccinations alongside the main human trial, raising concerns among some observers that it was prioritising national prestige over solid science and safety.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/all-you-want-to-know-about-russias-coronavirus-vaccine-sputnik-v-319775">All you want to know about Russia's coronavirus vaccine 'Sputnik V'</a>

"People are dying just like during a war," said Gintsburg, holding a crystal model of a coronavirus in his hand. "But this fast-tracked pace is not synonymous, as some media have suggested, with corners being cut. No way."

Sitting in his wood-panelled office at the institute in Moscow, Gintsburg said his team had been set a tight deadline to produce a vaccine but all the guidelines for testing Sputnik V's safety and efficacy had been followed.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/after-russia-these-covid-19-vaccines-set-to-unveil-soon-319760">After Russia, these COVID-19 vaccines set to unveil soon!</a>

The plan to publish interim results based on the first 42 days of monitoring volunteers means Russia has a high chance of becoming the first worldwide to announce any data from a final-stage trial, which is known as Phase III.

The first of 5,000 volunteers was vaccinated on Sept. 9, which means interim results could be issued some time after Oct. 21. Russia's sovereign wealth fund, which has invested in the vaccine's roll-out, has said it expects interim results to be published in October or November.

PUBLIC INTEREST

Several Western developers are conducting final-stage trials that have already been going on for more than 42 days but have not published any interim results.

Drugmakers have said they would wait until they have enough infections to get a reliable read-out from the data before publication, rather than assigning a specific date.

Gintsburg said there was a public interest argument for sharing interim results after 42 days as they would show the general trend in the data.

"For me, for example, it is too short. But for people who are interested in how things are going, it is already too long."

Gintsburg said volunteers would be monitored for 180 days after the last of 40,000 participants was vaccinated. Six months on, his team planned to tally up final results and then publish them in an international journal.

Their early-stage trial results were peer-reviewed and published in The Lancet.

In parallel with the trial, Russia began inoculating members of the general public considered at high risk on Sept. 8, another unconventional move by Moscow in the race for a vaccine.

About 400 people have been inoculated so far, according to the health ministry. They undergo a less rigorous medical exam than trial volunteers, though they can submit data about their health following inoculation via an online platform.

A government source told Reuters the interim Phase III trial results would likely inform a decision on whether to expand this mass inoculation drive, starting with people over 60.

RUSSIAN ROULETTE

Gintsburg said no serious side-effects had been reported during the Phase III trial so far, while minor, anticipated side-effects had occurred among just 14 per cent&nbsp;to 15 per cent&nbsp;of the volunteers. A quarter of the participants receive a placebo.

He also defended the vaccine's early registration for public use, saying it was the most ethical approach.

"The choice was between giving people the opportunity to protect themselves, or letting them play roulette with this deadly infection."

He also said Russia was aiming for the vaccine to be about 75 per cent&nbsp;more effective than a placebo, which is above the 50 per cent&nbsp;threshold for COVID-19 vaccines set by the US&nbsp;Food and Drug Administration.

Gintsburg said having 40,000 trial participants meant the trial would be effective even with low levels of COVID-19 transmission in the Russian capital.

"It guarantees that even with a low infection rate, we would still have statistically significant data."

Moscow registered 642 new cases of COVID-19 the day the trial began. The infection rate has risen since, with 2,217 new cases on Monday, though that's still well below a peak of around 6,000 daily infections in the capital in early May.

Other vaccine-makers have launched mass trials in countries such as Brazil, South Africa and the United States, searching for places where the disease is still rife after the epidemic came down from its peak in Europe.

Russia also plans to test in several countries, including Belarus, Brazil and India.

IMPOSSIBLE AND UNETHICAL

Drugmakers have also pledged to ensure their larger clinical trials include diverse sets of volunteers in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, age and other factors.

Russia is setting Phase III quotas by age to ensure a sufficient number of elderly participants, Gintsburg said, but no other special groups were being formed. Over a fifth of those vaccinated in the trial so far have been over 50, he said.

The rate of transmission among trial participants affects the timing of when many vaccine-makers plan to publish interim results as they need to record a certain number of COVID-19 infections before early data can be shared.

British drugmaker AstraZeneca&nbsp;launched a Phase III trial for its vaccine in May and has not yet disclosed any trends.

US&nbsp;pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, which is developing a vaccine with German partner BioNTech, and US&nbsp;vaccine maker Moderna both began their trials in late July. Neither has made any preliminary disclosures yet.

BioNTech has said it may have data for a regulatory filing by the end of October or early November.

In a bid to speed up the process of finding a vaccine, Britain is planning to host trials where volunteers are deliberately infected with COVID-19.

Gintsburg said this kind of trial was impossible in Russia and considered unethical: "We were surprised by the news."

Russia plans to share preliminary results of its COVID-19 vaccine trial based on the first six weeks of monitoring participants, raising the tempo in an already frenzied global race to end the pandemic.

Russia plans to share preliminary results of its COVID-19 vaccine trial based on the first six weeks of monitoring participants, raising the tempo in an already frenzied global race to end the pandemic. Alexander Gintsburg, head of the Gamaleya Institute that produced the Sputnik V vaccine, told Reuters that the pace of its development was necessary under the "wartime" conditions of a pandemic but no corners were being cut. Russia has pushed ahead with its potential COVID-19 vaccine at top speed with mass public vaccinations alongside the main human trial, raising concerns among some observers that it was prioritising national prestige over solid science and safety. Also see: All you want to know about Russia's coronavirus vaccine 'Sputnik V' "People are dying just like during a war," said Gintsburg, holding a crystal model of a coronavirus in his hand. "But this fast-tracked pace is not synonymous, as some media have suggested, with corners being cut. No way." Sitting in his wood-panelled office at the institute in Moscow, Gintsburg said his team had been set a tight deadline to produce a vaccine but all the guidelines for testing Sputnik V's safety and efficacy had been followed. Also see: After Russia, these COVID-19 vaccines set to unveil soon! The plan to publish interim results based on the first 42 days of monitoring volunteers means Russia has a high chance of becoming the first worldwide to announce any data from a final-stage trial, which is known as Phase III. The first of 5,000 volunteers was vaccinated on Sept. 9, which means interim results could be issued some time after Oct. 21. Russia's sovereign wealth fund, which has invested in the vaccine's roll-out, has said it expects interim results to be published in October or November. PUBLIC INTEREST Several Western developers are conducting final-stage trials that have already been going on for more than 42 days but have not published any interim results. Drugmakers have said they would wait until they have enough infections to get a reliable read-out from the data before publication, rather than assigning a specific date. Gintsburg said there was a public interest argument for sharing interim results after 42 days as they would show the general trend in the data. "For me, for example, it is too short. But for people who are interested in how things are going, it is already too long." Gintsburg said volunteers would be monitored for 180 days after the last of 40,000 participants was vaccinated. Six months on, his team planned to tally up final results and then publish them in an international journal. Their early-stage trial results were peer-reviewed and published in The Lancet. In parallel with the trial, Russia began inoculating members of the general public considered at high risk on Sept. 8, another unconventional move by Moscow in the race for a vaccine. About 400 people have been inoculated so far, according to the health ministry. They undergo a less rigorous medical exam than trial volunteers, though they can submit data about their health following inoculation via an online platform. A government source told Reuters the interim Phase III trial results would likely inform a decision on whether to expand this mass inoculation drive, starting with people over 60. RUSSIAN ROULETTE Gintsburg said no serious side-effects had been reported during the Phase III trial so far, while minor, anticipated side-effects had occurred among just 14 per cent to 15 per cent of the volunteers. A quarter of the participants receive a placebo. He also defended the vaccine's early registration for public use, saying it was the most ethical approach. "The choice was between giving people the opportunity to protect themselves, or letting them play roulette with this deadly infection." He also said Russia was aiming for the vaccine to be about 75 per cent more effective than a placebo, which is above the 50 per cent threshold for COVID-19 vaccines set by the US Food and Drug Administration. Gintsburg said having 40,000 trial participants meant the trial would be effective even with low levels of COVID-19 transmission in the Russian capital. "It guarantees that even with a low infection rate, we would still have statistically significant data." Moscow registered 642 new cases of COVID-19 the day the trial began. The infection rate has risen since, with 2,217 new cases on Monday, though that's still well below a peak of around 6,000 daily infections in the capital in early May. Other vaccine-makers have launched mass trials in countries such as Brazil, South Africa and the United States, searching for places where the disease is still rife after the epidemic came down from its peak in Europe. Russia also plans to test in several countries, including Belarus, Brazil and India. IMPOSSIBLE AND UNETHICAL Drugmakers have also pledged to ensure their larger clinical trials include diverse sets of volunteers in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, age and other factors. Russia is setting Phase III quotas by age to ensure a sufficient number of elderly participants, Gintsburg said, but no other special groups were being formed. Over a fifth of those vaccinated in the trial so far have been over 50, he said. The rate of transmission among trial participants affects the timing of when many vaccine-makers plan to publish interim results as they need to record a certain number of COVID-19 infections before early data can be shared. British drugmaker AstraZeneca launched a Phase III trial for its vaccine in May and has not yet disclosed any trends. US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, which is developing a vaccine with German partner BioNTech, and US vaccine maker Moderna both began their trials in late July. Neither has made any preliminary disclosures yet. BioNTech has said it may have data for a regulatory filing by the end of October or early November. In a bid to speed up the process of finding a vaccine, Britain is planning to host trials where volunteers are deliberately infected with COVID-19. Gintsburg said this kind of trial was impossible in Russia and considered unethical: "We were surprised by the news."

Russian scientist behind COVID-19 vaccine defends 'wartime' roll-out

Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;authorities on Monday banned a pro-democracy group from holding a rally on China's National Day, the latest refusal in the semi-autonomous city where protest has been all but outlawed.

The People's Republic of China marks its founding on October 1 with a holiday and carefully choreographed celebrations, but in&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;it has become a day of grievance for those worried about authoritarian Beijing's increased control over the city.

Last year, the founding's 70th anniversary brought some of the fiercest clashes between protesters and police during seven straight months of pro-democracy demonstrations that swept through&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-diplomats-need-chinas-permission-for-meeting-hong-kong-officials-politicians-report-330813">US diplomats will require China's permission for meeting Hong Kong officials, politicians: Report</a>

"Police objected to the rally on the basis of public health, public security and protection of people’s freedom and rights," Superintendent Cheung Chi-wai told reporters Monday.

The rally application was made by the Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF),&nbsp;the coalition that organised record-breaking pro-democracy marches last year,&nbsp;to call for the release of 12&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kongers in mainland Chinese custody who were caught trying to flee serious protest-linked prosecutions.

The group tried to flee to Taiwan by boat, but were intercepted by Chinese coastguards and have since disappeared into the mainland's opaque judicial system.

Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;police are taking few chances for this year's National Day. At least 3,000 officers will be on standby in case of protests, a police source said, requesting anonymity to speak freely.

On messaging forums used by protesters last year, people had recently called for evening protests across the city if the official march was banned, but it was unclear whether such gatherings would materialise.

For most of this year, protest has been all but impossible in&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong.

Police have refused applications citing safety fears as well as a coronavirus-related ban on public gatherings of more than four.

Since June, the city has also been blanketed in a sweeping national security law that has criminalised expressing certain opinions and deepened the political chill seeping into the financial hub.

On the rare occasions when protests do bubble up, riot police and plain-clothes officers within the crowds move quickly -- on one day earlier this month nearly 300 people were arrested.

More than 10,000 have been arrested over the last 16 months at protests, and courts are crammed with trials. Many prominent protest leaders face prosecution.

Beijing and&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;authorities say stability has been restored.

Hong Kong authorities on Monday banned a pro-democracy group from holding a rally on China's National Day, the latest refusal in the semi-autonomous city where protest has been all but outlawed.

Hong Kong authorities on Monday banned a pro-democracy group from holding a rally on China's National Day, the latest refusal in the semi-autonomous city where protest has been all but outlawed. The People's Republic of China marks its founding on October 1 with a holiday and carefully choreographed celebrations, but in Hong Kong it has become a day of grievance for those worried about authoritarian Beijing's increased control over the city. Last year, the founding's 70th anniversary brought some of the fiercest clashes between protesters and police during seven straight months of pro-democracy demonstrations that swept through Hong Kong. Also read: US diplomats will require China's permission for meeting Hong Kong officials, politicians: Report "Police objected to the rally on the basis of public health, public security and protection of people’s freedom and rights," Superintendent Cheung Chi-wai told reporters Monday. The rally application was made by the Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF), the coalition that organised record-breaking pro-democracy marches last year, to call for the release of 12 Hong Kongers in mainland Chinese custody who were caught trying to flee serious protest-linked prosecutions. The group tried to flee to Taiwan by boat, but were intercepted by Chinese coastguards and have since disappeared into the mainland's opaque judicial system. Hong Kong police are taking few chances for this year's National Day. At least 3,000 officers will be on standby in case of protests, a police source said, requesting anonymity to speak freely. On messaging forums used by protesters last year, people had recently called for evening protests across the city if the official march was banned, but it was unclear whether such gatherings would materialise. For most of this year, protest has been all but impossible in Hong Kong. Police have refused applications citing safety fears as well as a coronavirus-related ban on public gatherings of more than four. Since June, the city has also been blanketed in a sweeping national security law that has criminalised expressing certain opinions and deepened the political chill seeping into the financial hub. On the rare occasions when protests do bubble up, riot police and plain-clothes officers within the crowds move quickly -- on one day earlier this month nearly 300 people were arrested. More than 10,000 have been arrested over the last 16 months at protests, and courts are crammed with trials. Many prominent protest leaders face prosecution. Beijing and Hong Kong authorities say stability has been restored.

Hong Kong denies approval for protest on China National Day

Taiwan on Monday&nbsp;expressed its gratitude towards the European Union for its help after a global alliance of mayors stopped referring to Taiwanese cities as part of China, in a rare win for the island amid growing Chinese pressure.

The dispute over international organisations referring to Taiwan as Chinese has moved from wild bird conservation to climate change, after a global alliance of mayors began listing Taiwanese cities as belonging to China on its website.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/real-possibility-of-war-taiwan-calls-for-global-coalition-against-china-328167">'Real possibility of war': Taiwan calls for global coalition against China</a>

China has ramped up pressure on international groups and companies to refer to democratic, self-ruled Taiwan as being part of China, to the anger of Taiwan’s government and many of its people.

Beijing views the island as merely a wayward Chinese province.

This month a Taiwan bird conservation body said it had been expelled from a partnership with a British-based wildlife charity after it demanded the Taiwan group change its name and sign documents stating it did not support Taiwan’s independence.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/set-off-war-china-threatens-retaliation-after-us-diplomats-visit-to-taiwan-329155">'Set off war': China threatens retaliation after US diplomat's visit to Taiwan</a>

Late on Saturday, the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung’s government said the website of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy had begun listing Taiwan member cities like itself as part of China.

On Sunday, Taiwan’s government expressed it fury.

“Taiwan is Taiwan. China is China. Taiwan is not a city of China’s. If there is incorrect usage we think this is extremely improper,” Premier Su Tseng-chang told reporters.

The Kaohsiung city government circulated to reporters a draft of a joint letter from six Taiwanese mayors to the Global Covenant asking it to fix the name issue, or they would withdraw from the group.

In an emailed statement, the Global Covenant’s secretariat said it was an apolitical organisation promoting climate action.

“Since our inception, we have designated cities in accordance with international practices and this has not changed since. We have received and are evaluating the request from the six mayors,” it said, without elaborating.

The Global Covenant says its mission is to “galvanise climate and energy action across cities worldwide”, representing a population of over 800 million. The only Chinese city it lists as a member is Hong Kong.

Taiwan on Monday expressed its gratitude towards the European Union for its help after a global alliance of mayors stopped referring to Taiwanese cities as part of China, in a rare win for the island amid growing Chinese pressure.

Taiwan on Monday expressed its gratitude towards the European Union for its help after a global alliance of mayors stopped referring to Taiwanese cities as part of China, in a rare win for the island amid growing Chinese pressure. The dispute over international organisations referring to Taiwan as Chinese has moved from wild bird conservation to climate change, after a global alliance of mayors began listing Taiwanese cities as belonging to China on its website. Also read: 'Real possibility of war': Taiwan calls for global coalition against China China has ramped up pressure on international groups and companies to refer to democratic, self-ruled Taiwan as being part of China, to the anger of Taiwan’s government and many of its people. Beijing views the island as merely a wayward Chinese province. This month a Taiwan bird conservation body said it had been expelled from a partnership with a British-based wildlife charity after it demanded the Taiwan group change its name and sign documents stating it did not support Taiwan’s independence. Also read: 'Set off war': China threatens retaliation after US diplomat's visit to Taiwan Late on Saturday, the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung’s government said the website of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy had begun listing Taiwan member cities like itself as part of China. On Sunday, Taiwan’s government expressed it fury. “Taiwan is Taiwan. China is China. Taiwan is not a city of China’s. If there is incorrect usage we think this is extremely improper,” Premier Su Tseng-chang told reporters. The Kaohsiung city government circulated to reporters a draft of a joint letter from six Taiwanese mayors to the Global Covenant asking it to fix the name issue, or they would withdraw from the group. In an emailed statement, the Global Covenant’s secretariat said it was an apolitical organisation promoting climate action. “Since our inception, we have designated cities in accordance with international practices and this has not changed since. We have received and are evaluating the request from the six mayors,” it said, without elaborating. The Global Covenant says its mission is to “galvanise climate and energy action across cities worldwide”, representing a population of over 800 million. The only Chinese city it lists as a member is Hong Kong.

Taiwan gets rare win in China naming dispute

Chinese Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou and her lawyers return to a Canadian court on Monday to press for her release, arguing the US misled Canada about her alleged crimes to secure her detention on foreign soil.

According to court filings, the defense&nbsp;will say that the crux of the US charges against Meng,&nbsp;that she hid Huawei's relationship with former subsidiary Skycom in Iran from HSBC bank,&nbsp;is false and lacks context.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-court-blocks-release-of-intelligence-documents-to-huaweis-meng-wanzhou-323085">Canada court blocks release of intelligence documents to Huawei's Meng Wanzhou</a>

"Putting such a misleading and incomplete record before this court disqualifies it from continuing these proceedings," the document said.

A Canadian court in August blocked Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou's request for intelligence documents over national security concerns.

To this end, China’s embassy in Canada said Ottawa was “accomplice to United States efforts to bring down Huawei and Chinese high-tech companies.”

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-huawei-executive-meng-wanzhou-183193">Who is Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou?</a>

Meng, a Chinese citizen and daughter of Huawei’s billionaire founder Ren Zheng, was arrested in December 2018 on a warrant issued by US authorities. They accused her of bank fraud for misleading HSBC about Huawei’s relationship with a company operating in Iran, putting HSBC at risk of fines and penalties for breaking US sanctions on Tehran. Meng had consistently denied the charges.

The Huawei executive's lawyers had sought access to the sensitive documents to support claims of abuse of process during her arrest, however, Justice Catherine Kane said that documents "is not relevant to the allegations of abuse of process described by counsel for Ms. Meng."

Canadian government lawyers had earlier said that it has released as much information as it legally can on Meng's arrest as her lawyers pushed for the release of more documents to support their claim that the Canadian and American authorities committed abuses of process while questioning Meng.

Chinese Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou and her lawyers return to a Canadian court on Monday to press for her release, arguing the US misled Canada about her alleged crimes to secure her detention on foreign soil.

Chinese Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou and her lawyers return to a Canadian court on Monday to press for her release, arguing the US misled Canada about her alleged crimes to secure her detention on foreign soil. According to court filings, the defense will say that the crux of the US charges against Meng, that she hid Huawei's relationship with former subsidiary Skycom in Iran from HSBC bank, is false and lacks context. Also read: Canada court blocks release of intelligence documents to Huawei's Meng Wanzhou "Putting such a misleading and incomplete record before this court disqualifies it from continuing these proceedings," the document said. A Canadian court in August blocked Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou's request for intelligence documents over national security concerns. To this end, China’s embassy in Canada said Ottawa was “accomplice to United States efforts to bring down Huawei and Chinese high-tech companies.” Also read: Who is Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou? Meng, a Chinese citizen and daughter of Huawei’s billionaire founder Ren Zheng, was arrested in December 2018 on a warrant issued by US authorities. They accused her of bank fraud for misleading HSBC about Huawei’s relationship with a company operating in Iran, putting HSBC at risk of fines and penalties for breaking US sanctions on Tehran. Meng had consistently denied the charges. The Huawei executive's lawyers had sought access to the sensitive documents to support claims of abuse of process during her arrest, however, Justice Catherine Kane said that documents "is not relevant to the allegations of abuse of process described by counsel for Ms. Meng." Canadian government lawyers had earlier said that it has released as much information as it legally can on Meng's arrest as her lawyers pushed for the release of more documents to support their claim that the Canadian and American authorities committed abuses of process while questioning Meng.

Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou to accuse US of misleading Canada in extradition case

Japan's government Monday urged people to seek help if they were struggling to cope, following the death at the weekend of a popular actress.

The death of "Miss Sherlock" star&nbsp;Yuko&nbsp;Takeuchi, 40, shocked the nation and follows other recent cases of Japanese celebrities taking their lives, with figures showing a recent rise in suicides.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/jessica-fletcher-to-vidya-bagchi-7-intriguing-female-detective-characters-329904">Jessica Fletcher to Vidya Bagchi: 7 intriguing female detective characters</a>

Takeuchi&nbsp;was a household name in Japan and had given birth to her second child in January.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato did not mention a particular case, but noted some people were struggling to cope during the coronavirus crisis.

"There has been an uptick in the number of suicide cases since July. We have to acknowledge the fact that so many people are ending their precious lives," said Kato, who was health minister until earlier this month.

He urged the public to use suicide-prevention hotlines and other services.

Takeuchi&nbsp;played the lead in the 2018 Hulu-HBO Asia series "Miss Sherlock", and also had a minor part in the 1998 Japanese horror classic "Ring".

Earlier in September, popular Japanese actress Sei Ashina died in an apparent suicide, and actor Haruma Miura is also thought to have taken his own life in July.

Reality TV show star Hana Kimura, 22, from the Netflix show "Terrace House", also apparently died in May following online abuse, making international headlines.

In August, Japan saw nearly 1,900 suicides, up 15.3 percent from a year earlier.&nbsp;

In the first half of the year, there was a drop in the number of suicides and in 2019 the figure fell to a record low, which non-governmental groups attributed to increasing efforts on the issue.

Japan's government Monday urged people to seek help if they were struggling to cope, following the death at the weekend of a popular actress. The death of "Miss Sherlock" star Yuko Takeuchi, 40, shocked the nation and follows other recent cases of Japanese celebrities taking their lives, with figures showing a recent rise in suicides.

Japan's government Monday urged people to seek help if they were struggling to cope, following the death at the weekend of a popular actress. The death of "Miss Sherlock" star Yuko Takeuchi, 40, shocked the nation and follows other recent cases of Japanese celebrities taking their lives, with figures showing a recent rise in suicides. Also see: Jessica Fletcher to Vidya Bagchi: 7 intriguing female detective characters Takeuchi was a household name in Japan and had given birth to her second child in January. Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato did not mention a particular case, but noted some people were struggling to cope during the coronavirus crisis. "There has been an uptick in the number of suicide cases since July. We have to acknowledge the fact that so many people are ending their precious lives," said Kato, who was health minister until earlier this month. He urged the public to use suicide-prevention hotlines and other services. Takeuchi played the lead in the 2018 Hulu-HBO Asia series "Miss Sherlock", and also had a minor part in the 1998 Japanese horror classic "Ring". Earlier in September, popular Japanese actress Sei Ashina died in an apparent suicide, and actor Haruma Miura is also thought to have taken his own life in July. Reality TV show star Hana Kimura, 22, from the Netflix show "Terrace House", also apparently died in May following online abuse, making international headlines. In August, Japan saw nearly 1,900 suicides, up 15.3 percent from a year earlier. In the first half of the year, there was a drop in the number of suicides and in 2019 the figure fell to a record low, which non-governmental groups attributed to increasing efforts on the issue.

Yuko Takeuchi: Japanese government warns on suicide after death of actress

Britain stood by its provocative bid to change the terms of its EU divorce deal on Monday, as a make-or-break week of post-Brexit trade talks began under a storm cloud.&nbsp;

Britain's Brexit supremo, Michael Gove, said on Monday&nbsp;that the clauses of the Internal Market Bill that undercut the Withdrawal Treaty would remain, despite a demand from the European Union that London scrap them.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-us-uk-trade-deal-if-brexit-risks-northern-irish-peace-deal-biden-to-johnson-328182">No US-UK trade deal if Brexit risks Northern Irish peace deal: Biden to Johnson</a>

The British government unveiled an "Internal Markets Bill" last month which is&nbsp;now winding its way through parliament and would override parts of the Brexit treaty that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson struck with the European Union last year.

Johnson argues it will provide a "safety net" against what he claimed are EU threats to impose tariffs on UK internal trade and even stop food going from mainland Britain to Northern Ireland,&nbsp;although his government has admitted that in overwriting a treaty it breaks international law.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/how-will-the-post-brexit-britain-look-like-330896/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The proposed law has infuriated the Europeans, who had demanded that it be withdrawn or amended before a deadline of Wednesday this week,&nbsp;but, after his meeting in Brussels with Sefcovic, Gove insisted it would not be changed.

"We want to make sure that the Withdrawal Agreement is implemented in full," Gove told reporters after talks in Brussels with European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic.

"But those clauses are there, they're in legislation, supported by the House of Commons, as a safety net, if need be. And those clauses will remain in that bill."

Gove said that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had been very clear that there needed to be progress in trade talks between chief negotiators Michel Barnier and David Frost for the process to conclude in time.

After talks with Sefcovic on the implementation of the 2020 Brexit divorce treaty, Gove said: "We had a constructive meeting. We both were clear with each other where we were still some distance apart but we were both also clear that we wanted to bridge that gap."

He added: "Maros Sefcovic and I are committed to using every moment available: every second, every minute, every hour, in order to reach agreement and I'm confident that we will."

'Big trouble'

The last scheduled round of trade talks begins on Tuesday as scores of officials meet in Brussels in talks presided by Europe's Michel Barnier and his counterpart David Frost.

"This is the final formal round of negotiations but we expect discussion to continue in the run up to the European council, which is taking place on 15 to 16 October," a Downing Street spokesman said.

"Significant gaps remain&nbsp;as the EU still needs to adopt more realistic policy positions, but we are ready to work as hard as necessary to move things forward this week."

Both London and Brussels say a deal on a free trade agreement must be struck by mid-October to allow time for it to be ratified before coming into force from January 1 next year.

Failure to do so would see trade conducted on World Trade Organization rules, with higher tariffs and quotas and almost certain economic chaos for Britain and Europe.

Britain stood by its provocative bid to change the terms of its EU divorce deal on Monday, as a make-or-break week of post-Brexit trade talks began under a storm cloud.

Britain stood by its provocative bid to change the terms of its EU divorce deal on Monday, as a make-or-break week of post-Brexit trade talks began under a storm cloud. Britain's Brexit supremo, Michael Gove, said on Monday that the clauses of the Internal Market Bill that undercut the Withdrawal Treaty would remain, despite a demand from the European Union that London scrap them. Also read: No US-UK trade deal if Brexit risks Northern Irish peace deal: Biden to Johnson The British government unveiled an "Internal Markets Bill" last month which is now winding its way through parliament and would override parts of the Brexit treaty that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson struck with the European Union last year. Johnson argues it will provide a "safety net" against what he claimed are EU threats to impose tariffs on UK internal trade and even stop food going from mainland Britain to Northern Ireland, although his government has admitted that in overwriting a treaty it breaks international law. The proposed law has infuriated the Europeans, who had demanded that it be withdrawn or amended before a deadline of Wednesday this week, but, after his meeting in Brussels with Sefcovic, Gove insisted it would not be changed. "We want to make sure that the Withdrawal Agreement is implemented in full," Gove told reporters after talks in Brussels with European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic. "But those clauses are there, they're in legislation, supported by the House of Commons, as a safety net, if need be. And those clauses will remain in that bill." Gove said that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had been very clear that there needed to be progress in trade talks between chief negotiators Michel Barnier and David Frost for the process to conclude in time. After talks with Sefcovic on the implementation of the 2020 Brexit divorce treaty, Gove said: "We had a constructive meeting. We both were clear with each other where we were still some distance apart but we were both also clear that we wanted to bridge that gap." He added: "Maros Sefcovic and I are committed to using every moment available: every second, every minute, every hour, in order to reach agreement and I'm confident that we will." 'Big trouble' The last scheduled round of trade talks begins on Tuesday as scores of officials meet in Brussels in talks presided by Europe's Michel Barnier and his counterpart David Frost. "This is the final formal round of negotiations but we expect discussion to continue in the run up to the European council, which is taking place on 15 to 16 October," a Downing Street spokesman said. "Significant gaps remain as the EU still needs to adopt more realistic policy positions, but we are ready to work as hard as necessary to move things forward this week." Both London and Brussels say a deal on a free trade agreement must be struck by mid-October to allow time for it to be ratified before coming into force from January 1 next year. Failure to do so would see trade conducted on World Trade Organization rules, with higher tariffs and quotas and almost certain economic chaos for Britain and Europe.

Brexit provisions to stay in Internal Market Bill as UK shows 'no indication' of withdrawal

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo requested NATO allies Greece and&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;to resolve Mediterranean row and said&nbsp;his country will use its&nbsp;diplomatic and military influence in the region to try to ease a volatile dispute&nbsp;over energy rights.

Rival claims to potentially resource-rich territory under the Mediterranean should be resolved "peacefully in accordance with international law", said Pompeo and Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias in a joint statement after holding talks in Thessaloniki.

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Always fantastic to see Greek Foreign Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/NikosDendias?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nikosdendias</a>. Today in Thessaloniki, we discussed the enduring strength of the U.S.-Greece relationship, the Western Balkans, and de-escalation of tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean. <a href="https://t.co/lKVV3yJjxN">pic.twitter.com/lKVV3yJjxN</a>
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Relations between Greece and neighboring Turkey deteriorated sharply this year over disputed maritime boundaries and exploration rights in the eastern Mediterranean.

The two countries&nbsp;have spent weeks at loggerheads after Ankara sent exploration vessels into disputed waters, roping in other European powers and raising concern about a wider escalation.

Turkey has also angered Greece by repeatedly casting doubt on postwar treaties setting out the status quo in the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean.

But last week Athens and Ankara said they were ready to start talks.

"Let's meet, let's talk and let's seek a mutually acceptable solution. Let's give diplomacy a chance," Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Friday to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in an address to the virtual UN General Assembly.

Pompeo, on a two-day visit to Greece, said in the joint statement that the US "welcomed Greece's confirmed readiness to engage with other countries in the region to achieve maritime delimitation agreements".

It is the first time a US secretary of State visits Thessaloniki, seen as a gateway to investment and trade in the Balkans.

Pompeo&nbsp;signed&nbsp;a bilateral science and technology agreement while in Greece, which seeks to become an energy hub in the Balkans, and meet with business leaders in the energy sector.

On Tuesday Pompeo will hold talks with Mitsotakis at Souda military base, a NATO and Greek naval base, on the island of Crete.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo requested NATO allies Greece and Turkey to resolve Mediterranean row and said his country will use its diplomatic and military influence in the region to try to ease a volatile dispute over energy rights.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo requested NATO allies Greece and Turkey to resolve Mediterranean row and said his country will use its diplomatic and military influence in the region to try to ease a volatile dispute over energy rights. Rival claims to potentially resource-rich territory under the Mediterranean should be resolved "peacefully in accordance with international law", said Pompeo and Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias in a joint statement after holding talks in Thessaloniki. Always fantastic to see Greek Foreign Minister @nikosdendias. Today in Thessaloniki, we discussed the enduring strength of the U.S.-Greece relationship, the Western Balkans, and de-escalation of tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean. pic.twitter.com/lKVV3yJjxN — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) September 28, 2020 × Relations between Greece and neighboring Turkey deteriorated sharply this year over disputed maritime boundaries and exploration rights in the eastern Mediterranean. The two countries have spent weeks at loggerheads after Ankara sent exploration vessels into disputed waters, roping in other European powers and raising concern about a wider escalation. Turkey has also angered Greece by repeatedly casting doubt on postwar treaties setting out the status quo in the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean. But last week Athens and Ankara said they were ready to start talks. "Let's meet, let's talk and let's seek a mutually acceptable solution. Let's give diplomacy a chance," Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Friday to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in an address to the virtual UN General Assembly. Pompeo, on a two-day visit to Greece, said in the joint statement that the US "welcomed Greece's confirmed readiness to engage with other countries in the region to achieve maritime delimitation agreements". It is the first time a US secretary of State visits Thessaloniki, seen as a gateway to investment and trade in the Balkans. Pompeo signed a bilateral science and technology agreement while in Greece, which seeks to become an energy hub in the Balkans, and meet with business leaders in the energy sector. On Tuesday Pompeo will hold talks with Mitsotakis at Souda military base, a NATO and Greek naval base, on the island of Crete.

Pompeo urges Greece, Turkey to resolve Mediterranean row; pledges support

The defence ministry on Monday approved the procurement of arms and military equipment worth Rs 2,290 crore including around 72,000 Sig Sauer assault rifles from the United States, officials said.

The procurement proposals were approved at a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the defence ministry's highest decision-making body on procurement.

Besides clearing the proposal to buy the rifles, the other notable acquisitions approved by the DAC include procurement of smart anti- airfield weapon (SAAW) systems for the Navy and the Indian Air Force at an approximate cost of Rs 970, the officials said.

"The DAC headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh accorded approval for various arms and equipment worth Rs 2,290 crore," the defence ministry said.

The cost of procurement of the Sig Sauer assault rifles for the frontline troops of the Indian Army will be Rs 780 crore, officials said.

They said the DAC also accorded approval for procurement of Static HF Tans-receiver sets under the buy Indian category at a cost of Rs 540 crore. The HF radio sets will enable seamless communication for the field units of the Army and the Air Force.

The military equipment are being procured at a time Indian Army is locked in a bitter border row with China in eastern Ladakh.

The defence ministry on Monday approved the procurement of arms and military equipment worth Rs 2,290 crore including around 72,000 Sig Sauer assault rifles from the United States, officials said.

The defence ministry on Monday approved the procurement of arms and military equipment worth Rs 2,290 crore including around 72,000 Sig Sauer assault rifles from the United States, officials said. The procurement proposals were approved at a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the defence ministry's highest decision-making body on procurement. Besides clearing the proposal to buy the rifles, the other notable acquisitions approved by the DAC include procurement of smart anti- airfield weapon (SAAW) systems for the Navy and the Indian Air Force at an approximate cost of Rs 970, the officials said. "The DAC headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh accorded approval for various arms and equipment worth Rs 2,290 crore," the defence ministry said. The cost of procurement of the Sig Sauer assault rifles for the frontline troops of the Indian Army will be Rs 780 crore, officials said. They said the DAC also accorded approval for procurement of Static HF Tans-receiver sets under the buy Indian category at a cost of Rs 540 crore. The HF radio sets will enable seamless communication for the field units of the Army and the Air Force. The military equipment are being procured at a time Indian Army is locked in a bitter border row with China in eastern Ladakh.

Defence Ministry approves acquisition of military hardware worth Rs 2,290 crore

French investigators&nbsp;are studying a video claiming responsibility for the meat cleaver attack in Paris that targeted satirical weekly&nbsp;Charlie&nbsp;Hebdo&nbsp;as the government condemned an act of "Islamist terrorism".

Six people were still in custody, including the suspected perpetrator of Friday's attack that left two badly wounded outside&nbsp;Charlie&nbsp;Hebdo's former offices in Paris.&nbsp;

The suspect, who is from Pakistan, was arrested soon after two people were wounded in front of the old offices of the Charlie Hebdo magazine. Officials said his clothes were spattered in blood.

Investigators said the assailant had identified himself as Hassan A., an 18-year-old born in Pakistan.&nbsp;But in a video in which he said he was targeting the satirical weekly&nbsp;Charlie&nbsp;Hebdo, the scene of a massacre by Islamist gunmen in January 2015,&nbsp;the man said his name was Zaheer Hassan Mehmood.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/al-qaeda-threatens-charlie-hebdo-for-republishing-prophet-mohammeds-cartoons-326975">Al-Qaeda threatens Charlie Hebdo for republishing Prophet Mohammed's cartoons</a>

The video was found on the suspect's mobile phone, French media reported.&nbsp;A police source confirmed a video was being examined.

In the video, the suspect identifies himself as Zeheer Hassan Mehmood and says he came from Mandi Bahauddin in Punjab province. Starting to sob, he then recites poetry praising the Prophet Mohammad.

"If I'm sounding emotional, let me explain: here, in France, the caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad were made," he says in Urdu. "I am going to do (an act of) resistance today, September&nbsp;25."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-am-innocent-prime-suspect-of-charlie-hebdo-shooting-declines-all-accusations-325255">'I am innocent': Prime suspect of Charlie Hebdo shooting declines all accusations</a>

Mehmood's father praised his son.

"My heart is filled with happiness," Arshad Mehmood told the online news site Naya Pakistan from the family home. "I can sacrifice all my five sons to protect the Prophet's honour."

"He called us ... and said that the God's Prophet had chosen him, and assigned him to kill the blasphemers."

The attack came three weeks into a trial of suspected accomplices of the authors of the January 2015 attacks on&nbsp;Charlie&nbsp;Hebdo, a policewoman, and a Jewish supermarket.

Seventeen people were killed in the three-day spree that heralded a wave of Islamist violence in France that has so far claimed 258 lives.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin acknowledged that the authorities could have become complacent over the terror risk after a relative lull in high-profile attacks in recent years.

"We are in an extremely critical situation, we are at war with Islamist terrorism. Maybe, collectively, we put this behind us," he said.

Darmanin said the threat was still real, noting 32 attacks had been foiled over the last three years. "It is around once a month," he said.

President Emmanuel Macron's centrist government has in recent weeks begun using increasingly tough rhetoric on domestic security issues in what analysts see as a shift to the right.

The weekly, which moved to a secret location after the attack, republished the cartoons earlier this month to mark the beginning of the trial of 14 people with alleged links to the Charlie Hebdo killers.

For Muslims, any depiction of the Prophet is blasphemous.

Wearing a long tunic, the suspect said he was spiritually guided by Ilyas Qadri. Qadri is a Sunni cleric and the founder of Dawat-e-Islami, a non-violent organisation spread across the globe.

Qadri says a person who commits blasphemy should be handed in to police, but if another individual were driven by their emotions to kill the blasphemer, the law should not apply.

Dawat-e-Islami did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The cartoons were first published by Charlie Hebdo in 2006 and spurred Islamist militants to target the magazine's office in 2015 in an attack that left 12 people dead and was claimed by al Qaeda.

French investigators are studying a video claiming responsibility for the meat cleaver attack in Paris that targeted satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo as the government condemned an act of "Islamist terrorism".

French investigators are studying a video claiming responsibility for the meat cleaver attack in Paris that targeted satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo as the government condemned an act of "Islamist terrorism". Six people were still in custody, including the suspected perpetrator of Friday's attack that left two badly wounded outside Charlie Hebdo's former offices in Paris. The suspect, who is from Pakistan, was arrested soon after two people were wounded in front of the old offices of the Charlie Hebdo magazine. Officials said his clothes were spattered in blood. Investigators said the assailant had identified himself as Hassan A., an 18-year-old born in Pakistan. But in a video in which he said he was targeting the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, the scene of a massacre by Islamist gunmen in January 2015, the man said his name was Zaheer Hassan Mehmood. Also read: Al-Qaeda threatens Charlie Hebdo for republishing Prophet Mohammed's cartoons The video was found on the suspect's mobile phone, French media reported. A police source confirmed a video was being examined. In the video, the suspect identifies himself as Zeheer Hassan Mehmood and says he came from Mandi Bahauddin in Punjab province. Starting to sob, he then recites poetry praising the Prophet Mohammad. "If I'm sounding emotional, let me explain: here, in France, the caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad were made," he says in Urdu. "I am going to do (an act of) resistance today, September 25." Also read: 'I am innocent': Prime suspect of Charlie Hebdo shooting declines all accusations Mehmood's father praised his son. "My heart is filled with happiness," Arshad Mehmood told the online news site Naya Pakistan from the family home. "I can sacrifice all my five sons to protect the Prophet's honour." "He called us ... and said that the God's Prophet had chosen him, and assigned him to kill the blasphemers." The attack came three weeks into a trial of suspected accomplices of the authors of the January 2015 attacks on Charlie Hebdo, a policewoman, and a Jewish supermarket. Seventeen people were killed in the three-day spree that heralded a wave of Islamist violence in France that has so far claimed 258 lives. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin acknowledged that the authorities could have become complacent over the terror risk after a relative lull in high-profile attacks in recent years. "We are in an extremely critical situation, we are at war with Islamist terrorism. Maybe, collectively, we put this behind us," he said. Darmanin said the threat was still real, noting 32 attacks had been foiled over the last three years. "It is around once a month," he said. President Emmanuel Macron's centrist government has in recent weeks begun using increasingly tough rhetoric on domestic security issues in what analysts see as a shift to the right. The weekly, which moved to a secret location after the attack, republished the cartoons earlier this month to mark the beginning of the trial of 14 people with alleged links to the Charlie Hebdo killers. For Muslims, any depiction of the Prophet is blasphemous. Wearing a long tunic, the suspect said he was spiritually guided by Ilyas Qadri. Qadri is a Sunni cleric and the founder of Dawat-e-Islami, a non-violent organisation spread across the globe. Qadri says a person who commits blasphemy should be handed in to police, but if another individual were driven by their emotions to kill the blasphemer, the law should not apply. Dawat-e-Islami did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The cartoons were first published by Charlie Hebdo in 2006 and spurred Islamist militants to target the magazine's office in 2015 in an attack that left 12 people dead and was claimed by al Qaeda.

Suspect in new Charlie Hebdo attack wanted to avenge Prophet cartoons

South Korea on Monday expanded the search for a missing fisheries official killed by North Korean troops at sea last week, a day after North Korea accused the South of raising tension by intruding into its territorial waters.

Restoring hotlines would facilitate communications and future rescue operations, Moon told a meeting with senior secretaries, as both sides continue searching for the man's body.

North Korea severed the inter-Korean hotlines this year as relations soured.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-warns-of-naval-tensions-during-search-for-shot-south-korean-man-330568">North Korea warns of naval tensions during search for shot South Korean man</a>

South Korea’s military has accused North Korean soldiers of killing a fisheries official, dousing his body in fuel and setting it on fire near the sea border, apparently in an effort to prevent the risk of a novel coronavirus outbreak.

Officials in Seoul are calling on North Korea to agree to a joint investigation into the incident, which prompted an apology from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who said the killing should not have happened.

Moon called Kim’s apology “unprecedented, very rare and special” and a sign that North Korea did not want relations to worsen. He added that communication must resume preventing future problems.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/north-korea-apologises-over-south-korean-citizens-killing-330148/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe>

As of Monday, the North had not responded to the call for a joint investigation. On Sunday, its state media issued a statement complaining that South Korea’s naval operations had entered its territorial waters in the area, off the west coast of the peninsula, threatening to raise tensions.

“We have never crossed the Northern Limit Line to the North’s side, but there have been differences in how the two Koreas mark the waters,” South Korea Coast Guard Lieutenant Lee Hong-chear said, referring to a disputed maritime demarcation that dates to the end of the 1950-1953 Korean War.

At least six aircraft and 45 vessels were participating in the search, including 36 ships from the coast guard and navy, and nine boats from the fisheries ministry and private owners, Lee said.

North Korea said on Sunday it was conducting its own search for the man’s body and said it was considering ways to hand it over to the South if found.

South Korea on Monday expanded the search for a missing fisheries official killed by North Korean troops at sea last week, a day after North Korea accused the South of raising tension by intruding into its territorial waters.

South Korea on Monday expanded the search for a missing fisheries official killed by North Korean troops at sea last week, a day after North Korea accused the South of raising tension by intruding into its territorial waters. Restoring hotlines would facilitate communications and future rescue operations, Moon told a meeting with senior secretaries, as both sides continue searching for the man's body. North Korea severed the inter-Korean hotlines this year as relations soured. Also read: North Korea warns of naval tensions during search for shot South Korean man South Korea’s military has accused North Korean soldiers of killing a fisheries official, dousing his body in fuel and setting it on fire near the sea border, apparently in an effort to prevent the risk of a novel coronavirus outbreak. Officials in Seoul are calling on North Korea to agree to a joint investigation into the incident, which prompted an apology from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who said the killing should not have happened. Moon called Kim’s apology “unprecedented, very rare and special” and a sign that North Korea did not want relations to worsen. He added that communication must resume preventing future problems. As of Monday, the North had not responded to the call for a joint investigation. On Sunday, its state media issued a statement complaining that South Korea’s naval operations had entered its territorial waters in the area, off the west coast of the peninsula, threatening to raise tensions. “We have never crossed the Northern Limit Line to the North’s side, but there have been differences in how the two Koreas mark the waters,” South Korea Coast Guard Lieutenant Lee Hong-chear said, referring to a disputed maritime demarcation that dates to the end of the 1950-1953 Korean War. At least six aircraft and 45 vessels were participating in the search, including 36 ships from the coast guard and navy, and nine boats from the fisheries ministry and private owners, Lee said. North Korea said on Sunday it was conducting its own search for the man’s body and said it was considering ways to hand it over to the South if found.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in calls for return of inter-Korean military hotlines

The owner of Australia's biggest theme park was fined $2.5 million (Aus$3.6 million) Monday for safety failures leading to the deaths of four people on a popular water ride in 2016.

Two women and two men died when their rafts collided on the Thunder River Rapids ride at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast, leading prosecutors to file three charges against owner Ardent Leisure in June.

A Queensland court found the company had breached the state's workplace health and safety laws but stopped short of the maximum Aus$4.5 million penalty.

Ardent Leisure said it accepted full responsibility and apologised "unreservedly" in a statement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

Its board and executives expressed their "deepest sympathies" to the victims' families for the "enormous loss to each of them from the terrible tragedy which occurred at Dreamworld... and the ongoing suffering from that loss".

The company, which faced heavy criticism for trying to re-open before the funerals had taken place, said a new leadership had driven a "complete overhaul" of safety procedures at the theme park.

Ardent Leisure said it had compensated the "majority" of families, first responders and others impacted by the tragedy and was working to complete the outstanding claims.

Construction of a memorial to the victims in Dreamworld was put on hold due to the pandemic but work is expected to restart within months, the firm added.

The owner of Australia's biggest theme park was fined $2.5 million (Aus$3.6 million) Monday for safety failures leading to the deaths of four people on a popular water ride in 2016.

The owner of Australia's biggest theme park was fined $2.5 million (Aus$3.6 million) Monday for safety failures leading to the deaths of four people on a popular water ride in 2016. Two women and two men died when their rafts collided on the Thunder River Rapids ride at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast, leading prosecutors to file three charges against owner Ardent Leisure in June. A Queensland court found the company had breached the state's workplace health and safety laws but stopped short of the maximum Aus$4.5 million penalty. Ardent Leisure said it accepted full responsibility and apologised "unreservedly" in a statement to the Australian Securities Exchange. Its board and executives expressed their "deepest sympathies" to the victims' families for the "enormous loss to each of them from the terrible tragedy which occurred at Dreamworld... and the ongoing suffering from that loss". The company, which faced heavy criticism for trying to re-open before the funerals had taken place, said a new leadership had driven a "complete overhaul" of safety procedures at the theme park. Ardent Leisure said it had compensated the "majority" of families, first responders and others impacted by the tragedy and was working to complete the outstanding claims. Construction of a memorial to the victims in Dreamworld was put on hold due to the pandemic but work is expected to restart within months, the firm added.

Australian theme park operator fined $2.5 million over accident that killed four

Senior Afghan peace official&nbsp;Abdullah&nbsp;Abdullah&nbsp;arrived in Pakistan on Monday for meetings in a country seen as vital to the success of Afghan talks aimed at ending decades of war.

During his three-day visit to Islamabad,&nbsp;Abdullah, a former foreign minister and chairman of Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation, will meet Prime Minister Imran Khan as well as Pakistan's foreign minister.

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have long been rocky. Afghanistan and its international allies have for years accused Pakistan of backing Taliban insurgents as a way to limit the influence of old rival India in Afghanistan.

Pakistan denies that and in turn accuses Afghanistan of letting anti-Pakistan militants plot attacks from Afghan soil, which Afghanistan denies.

"Pakistan fully supports all efforts for peace," its foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement.

"The visit of Dr&nbsp;Abdullah&nbsp;Abdullah&nbsp;will contribute to further strengthening amity, brotherhood and close cooperation."

The United States has acknowledged Pakistan's help in fostering Afghan peace efforts including in encouraging the Taliban to negotiate.

The US&nbsp;special representative for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, said last week the United States and its allies were looking at an agreement between Afghanistan and Pakistan so that neither side's territory would be used to attack the other.

Khalilzad was the architect of a February pact between the United States and the Taliban allowing US&nbsp;troops to withdraw from Afghanistan in exchange for Taliban guarantees on international terrorism.

But Prime Minister Khan, in an opinion piece in the Washington Post on Saturday, expressed concern that Afghanistan could again be used as a haven for international militant groups and warned that a "hasty international withdrawal from Afghanistan would be unwise".

There have also been concerns that the Afghan peace process could increase militancy in Pakistan as fighters now in Afghanistan seek refuge on the Pakistani side of the border.

Afghan and Taliban negotiators have been meeting in Doha since Sept. 12 hoping to agree on a ceasefire and a power-sharing deal.

But they have been bogged down on principles and procedures for talks even before discussing their agenda.

Senior Afghan peace official Abdullah Abdullah arrived in Pakistan on Monday for meetings in a country seen as vital to the success of Afghan talks aimed at ending decades of war.

Senior Afghan peace official Abdullah Abdullah arrived in Pakistan on Monday for meetings in a country seen as vital to the success of Afghan talks aimed at ending decades of war. During his three-day visit to Islamabad, Abdullah, a former foreign minister and chairman of Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation, will meet Prime Minister Imran Khan as well as Pakistan's foreign minister. Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have long been rocky. Afghanistan and its international allies have for years accused Pakistan of backing Taliban insurgents as a way to limit the influence of old rival India in Afghanistan. Pakistan denies that and in turn accuses Afghanistan of letting anti-Pakistan militants plot attacks from Afghan soil, which Afghanistan denies. "Pakistan fully supports all efforts for peace," its foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement. "The visit of Dr Abdullah Abdullah will contribute to further strengthening amity, brotherhood and close cooperation." The United States has acknowledged Pakistan's help in fostering Afghan peace efforts including in encouraging the Taliban to negotiate. The US special representative for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, said last week the United States and its allies were looking at an agreement between Afghanistan and Pakistan so that neither side's territory would be used to attack the other. Khalilzad was the architect of a February pact between the United States and the Taliban allowing US troops to withdraw from Afghanistan in exchange for Taliban guarantees on international terrorism. But Prime Minister Khan, in an opinion piece in the Washington Post on Saturday, expressed concern that Afghanistan could again be used as a haven for international militant groups and warned that a "hasty international withdrawal from Afghanistan would be unwise". There have also been concerns that the Afghan peace process could increase militancy in Pakistan as fighters now in Afghanistan seek refuge on the Pakistani side of the border. Afghan and Taliban negotiators have been meeting in Doha since Sept. 12 hoping to agree on a ceasefire and a power-sharing deal. But they have been bogged down on principles and procedures for talks even before discussing their agenda.

Afghan official Abdullah in Pakistan for talks on peace bid

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