<p>Dubai-based Syrian influencers&nbsp;Anas and Asala Marwah on Tuesday hosted a gender reveal party at one of the world's tallest buildings, Burj Khalifa.</p>

<p>The incident has taken place&nbsp;right after the news that a gender reveal party sparked a wildfire in California that has burned more than 7,000 acres (2,800 hectares) of land and caused several residents to leave their homes.</p>

<p><strong>Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/california-gender-reveal-party-sparks-fire-that-burned-7000-acres-of-land-325761">California: Gender reveal party sparks fire that burned 7,000 acres of land</a></strong></p>

<p>A video posted by the couple on their&nbsp;YouTube channel called&nbsp;'The Anasala Family', which has a following of&nbsp;over 7 million,&nbsp;shows the tower light up in blue after a dramatic countdown has gone viral&nbsp;on social media and has garnered over 15 million views.</p>

<p>The stunt, which has literally taken gender reveal parties to new heights,&nbsp;reportedly cost the duo&nbsp;over $100,000.</p>

<p>Their gender reveal has been viewed 1.7 million times on Instagram.</p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CE7NMiUAeCb/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">عايلة انصالة شكرا لكم على حبكم!! شكرا لانكم جزء من حياتنا، قصتنا و كل شي نسويه! We love you! ITS A BOY🙏 @emaardubai @burjkhalifa @mydubai @thedubaimall @namshi thank you for welcoming us here, being a part of our family, and most importantly this amazing surprise! Too much love❤️ #الحمدلله #thankyouEmaar #biggestbabyrevealever #anasalaBKReveal</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/anasmarwah/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Anas Marwah | انس مروة</a> (@anasmarwah) on <time datetime="2020-09-09T18:14:55+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Sep 9, 2020 at 11:14am PDT</time></p>
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<p>However, it has received mixed reactions. Several people&nbsp;criticised the event and called it ''lavish''.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Syrians are displaced internally, displaced externally, in squalid camps and under trees, hungry, in need of aid, food, baby milk and medical supplies and treatment and the son of former Syrian Coalition member spends $95,000 on a gender reveal party. Disgustingly shameful. <a href="https://t.co/r1aXZkyoUk">https://t.co/r1aXZkyoUk</a></p>
— rebels wear masks (@riseuprebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/riseuprebel/status/1303835052095176705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Someone did a gender reveal on the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Cost 350 grand or so they say. Gammiest looking thing I’ve ever seen. <a href="https://t.co/Z93GpNMWRJ">pic.twitter.com/Z93GpNMWRJ</a></p>
— Aifric Ní Chríodáin (@aifreckle) <a href="https://twitter.com/aifreckle/status/1303817730957737994?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>It still remains unclear&nbsp;whether the couple paid for the event themselves or if it was part of a promotional deal with the city.</p>


Dubai-based Syrian influencers Anas and Asala Marwah on Tuesday hosted a gender reveal party at one of the world's tallest buildings, Burj Khalifa. The incident has taken place right after the news that a gender reveal party sparked a wildfire in California that has burned more than 7,000 acres (2,800 hectares) of land and caused several residents to leave their homes.

Dubai-based Syrian influencers Anas and Asala Marwah on Tuesday hosted a gender reveal party at one of the world's tallest buildings, Burj Khalifa. The incident has taken place right after the news that a gender reveal party sparked a wildfire in California that has burned more than 7,000 acres (2,800 hectares) of land and caused several residents to leave their homes. Also read| California: Gender reveal party sparks fire that burned 7,000 acres of land A video posted by the couple on their YouTube channel called 'The Anasala Family', which has a following of over 7 million, shows the tower light up in blue after a dramatic countdown has gone viral on social media and has garnered over 15 million views. The stunt, which has literally taken gender reveal parties to new heights, reportedly cost the duo over $100,000. Their gender reveal has been viewed 1.7 million times on Instagram. View this post on Instagram عايلة انصالة شكرا لكم على حبكم!! شكرا لانكم جزء من حياتنا، قصتنا و كل شي نسويه! We love you! ITS A BOY🙏 @emaardubai @burjkhalifa @mydubai @thedubaimall @namshi thank you for welcoming us here, being a part of our family, and most importantly this amazing surprise! Too much love❤️ #الحمدلله #thankyouEmaar #biggestbabyrevealever #anasalaBKReveal A post shared by Anas Marwah | انس مروة (@anasmarwah) on Sep 9, 2020 at 11:14am PDT However, it has received mixed reactions. Several people criticised the event and called it ''lavish''. Syrians are displaced internally, displaced externally, in squalid camps and under trees, hungry, in need of aid, food, baby milk and medical supplies and treatment and the son of former Syrian Coalition member spends $95,000 on a gender reveal party. Disgustingly shameful. https://t.co/r1aXZkyoUk — rebels wear masks (@riseuprebel) September 9, 2020 × Someone did a gender reveal on the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Cost 350 grand or so they say. Gammiest looking thing I’ve ever seen. pic.twitter.com/Z93GpNMWRJ — Aifric Ní Chríodáin (@aifreckle) September 9, 2020 × It still remains unclear whether the couple paid for the event themselves or if it was part of a promotional deal with the city.

Despite California wildfire debacle, Dubai couple hosts lavish gender reveal party

<p>NASA&nbsp;on Thursday launched an effort to pay companies to mine resources on the moon, announcing it would buy from them rocks, dirt and other lunar materials as the US&nbsp;space agency seeks to spur private extraction of coveted off-world resources for its use.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">✨ We're looking for the next class of NASA flight directors, and today is the last day to apply.<br />
<br />
Be part of the team leading astronauts on missions to the <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Artemis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Artemis</a> missions to the Moon: <a href="https://t.co/6fRdqmQF6J">https://t.co/6fRdqmQF6J</a> <a href="https://t.co/MUITVVaRl1">pic.twitter.com/MUITVVaRl1</a></p>
— NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1304096801109180422?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>NASA&nbsp;Administrator Jim Bridenstine wrote in a blog post accompanying the announcement that the plans would not violate a 1967 treaty that holds that celestial bodies and space are exempt from national claims of ownership.</p>

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<p><em><strong>FILE PHOTO:&nbsp;NASA&nbsp;Administrator Jim Bridenstine speaks about the upcoming year's budget during an address to the workers at&nbsp;NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, US&nbsp;March 11, 2019/REUTERS</strong></em></p>

<p>The initiative, targeting companies that plan to send robots to mine lunar resources, is part of&nbsp;NASA's goal of setting what Bridenstine called "norms of behavior" in space and allowing private mining on the moon in ways&nbsp;that could help&nbsp;sustain future astronaut missions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>NASA&nbsp;said it views the mined resources as the property of the company, and the materials would become "the sole property of&nbsp;NASA" after purchase.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bezoss-blue-origin-and-musks-spacex-to-collaborate-in-building-nasas-lunar-lander-296099">Bezos's Blue Origin and Musk's SpaceX to collaborate in building NASA's lunar lander</a></strong></p>

<p>Under&nbsp;NASA's Artemis program, President Donald Trump's administration envisions a return of American astronauts to the moon by 2024.&nbsp;NASA&nbsp;has cast such as mission as a precursor to a future first human voyage to Mars.</p>

<p>"The bottom line is we are going to buy some lunar soil for the purpose of it demonstrating that it can be done," Bridenstine said during an event hosted by the Secure World Foundation, a space policy organization.</p>

<p>Bridenstine said&nbsp;NASA&nbsp;eventually&nbsp;would buy more types of resources such as ice and other materials that may be discovered on the moon.&nbsp;</p>

<p>NASA&nbsp;in May set the stage for a global debate over the basic principles governing how people will live and work on the moon, releasing the main tenets of what it hopes will become an international pact for moon exploration called the Artemis Accords. This would permit companies to own the lunar resources they mine, a crucial element in allowing&nbsp;NASA&nbsp;contractors to convert the moon's water ice for rocket fuel or mine lunar minerals to construct landing pads.</p>

<p>Under the initiative disclosed on Thursday,&nbsp;NASA&nbsp;offered to purchase limited amounts of lunar resources and asked companies to offer proposals. Under contracts whose terms would vary,&nbsp;a company mining on the moon would collect lunar rocks or dirt to sell to&nbsp;NASA&nbsp;without having to bring the resources back to Earth.</p>

<p>&nbsp; "This is one small step for space resources, but a giant leap for policy and precedent," said&nbsp;Mike Gold,&nbsp;NASA's chief of international relations.</p>

<p>"They are paying the company to sell them a rock that the company owns. That's the product," Joanne Gabrynowicz, former&nbsp;editor-in-chief of the Journal of Space Law, said in an interview. "A company has to decide for itself if it's worth taking the financial and technological risk to do this to sell a rock."</p>


NASA on Thursday launched an effort to pay companies to mine resources on the moon, announcing it would buy from them rocks, dirt and other lunar materials as the US space agency seeks to spur private extraction of coveted off-world resources for its use.

NASA on Thursday launched an effort to pay companies to mine resources on the moon, announcing it would buy from them rocks, dirt and other lunar materials as the US space agency seeks to spur private extraction of coveted off-world resources for its use. ✨ We're looking for the next class of NASA flight directors, and today is the last day to apply. Be part of the team leading astronauts on missions to the @Space_Station and #Artemis missions to the Moon: https://t.co/6fRdqmQF6J pic.twitter.com/MUITVVaRl1 — NASA (@NASA) September 10, 2020 × NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine wrote in a blog post accompanying the announcement that the plans would not violate a 1967 treaty that holds that celestial bodies and space are exempt from national claims of ownership. FILE PHOTO: NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine speaks about the upcoming year's budget during an address to the workers at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, US March 11, 2019/REUTERS The initiative, targeting companies that plan to send robots to mine lunar resources, is part of NASA's goal of setting what Bridenstine called "norms of behavior" in space and allowing private mining on the moon in ways that could help sustain future astronaut missions. NASA said it views the mined resources as the property of the company, and the materials would become "the sole property of NASA" after purchase. Also read: Bezos's Blue Origin and Musk's SpaceX to collaborate in building NASA's lunar lander Under NASA's Artemis program, President Donald Trump's administration envisions a return of American astronauts to the moon by 2024. NASA has cast such as mission as a precursor to a future first human voyage to Mars. "The bottom line is we are going to buy some lunar soil for the purpose of it demonstrating that it can be done," Bridenstine said during an event hosted by the Secure World Foundation, a space policy organization. Bridenstine said NASA eventually would buy more types of resources such as ice and other materials that may be discovered on the moon. NASA in May set the stage for a global debate over the basic principles governing how people will live and work on the moon, releasing the main tenets of what it hopes will become an international pact for moon exploration called the Artemis Accords. This would permit companies to own the lunar resources they mine, a crucial element in allowing NASA contractors to convert the moon's water ice for rocket fuel or mine lunar minerals to construct landing pads. Under the initiative disclosed on Thursday, NASA offered to purchase limited amounts of lunar resources and asked companies to offer proposals. Under contracts whose terms would vary, a company mining on the moon would collect lunar rocks or dirt to sell to NASA without having to bring the resources back to Earth. "This is one small step for space resources, but a giant leap for policy and precedent," said Mike Gold, NASA's chief of international relations. "They are paying the company to sell them a rock that the company owns. That's the product," Joanne Gabrynowicz, former editor-in-chief of the Journal of Space Law, said in an interview. "A company has to decide for itself if it's worth taking the financial and technological risk to do this to sell a rock."

NASA seeking explorers for mining on the moon, all nationalities welcome

<p>The suspension of a US&nbsp;university professor has ignited a debate over the use of a seemingly innocuous Chinese word.</p>

<p>While communicating with his students during a lecture, Professor Greg Patton at the University of Southern California (USC) said&nbsp;"in China, the common pause word is 'that, that, that'. So in China, it might be na-ge, na-ge, na-ge."</p>

<p>In Chinese, the word "na-ge" (那个) is a common filler phrase that people use when they're hesitating or trying to find the right word. It literally translates to the word "that".</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I cannot believe this is real, but it is.<br />
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This USC Professor is on leave after students were offended that a Chinese word he used during a lecture on foreign languages sounded like an english racial slur.<br />
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Watch the video for yourself: <a href="https://t.co/HkFPMEP5I2">pic.twitter.com/HkFPMEP5I2</a></p>
— Cabot Phillips (@cabot_phillips) <a href="https://twitter.com/cabot_phillips/status/1301516424276578305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Annunciated, na-ge sounds like the n-word, which led several of the professor's students to complain to the university. Responding to the complaint, the dean of the university, Geoffrey Garrett, told students that Prof Patton would no longer be teaching the course.</p>

<p>"It is simply unacceptable for the faculty to use words in class that can marginalise, hurt and harm the psychological safety of our students," he said.</p>

<p><strong>Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-us-china-relationship-took-a-turn-for-the-worse-314882">How US-China relationship took a turn for the worse</a></strong></p>

<p>However, the word's usage has&nbsp;a wholly different history and language in a lecture on communication in international business.</p>

<p>News of the spat reached China, where many posted on social media saying they thought Professor Patton's punishment, conversely, was discrimination against speakers of the Chinese language.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/there-will-be-no-extension-trump-says-on-tiktok-deadline-326736" hreflang="en">'There will be no extension': Trump says on TikTok deadline</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>Lost in translation</strong></p>

<p>There have been many documented incidents of the word being used innocuously and leading to misunderstandings, and even violence.</p>

<p>In July 2016, a fight broke out on the subway in the city of southern Guangzhou, after a black man heard a Chinese man saying na-ge and mistook it for the n-word.</p>

<p>Footage went viral online showing the black man slapping the chinese commuter and shouting "you dare try that again" and "never say that again"</p>

<p>More recently, in April this year, Taiwanese news website UDN&nbsp;reported that two men nearly came to blows on the island outside a restaurant over the same misunderstanding.</p>

<p>Even Chinese basketball star Yao Ming has spoken of how the word brought him "some trouble" while playing in the US&nbsp;for the National Basketball Association (NBA).</p>


The suspension of a US university professor has ignited a debate over the use of a seemingly innocuous Chinese word. While communicating with his students during a lecture, Professor Greg Patton at the University of Southern California (USC) said "in China, the common pause word is 'that, that, that'.

The suspension of a US university professor has ignited a debate over the use of a seemingly innocuous Chinese word. While communicating with his students during a lecture, Professor Greg Patton at the University of Southern California (USC) said "in China, the common pause word is 'that, that, that'. So in China, it might be na-ge, na-ge, na-ge." In Chinese, the word "na-ge" (那个) is a common filler phrase that people use when they're hesitating or trying to find the right word. It literally translates to the word "that". I cannot believe this is real, but it is. This USC Professor is on leave after students were offended that a Chinese word he used during a lecture on foreign languages sounded like an english racial slur. Watch the video for yourself: pic.twitter.com/HkFPMEP5I2 — Cabot Phillips (@cabot_phillips) September 3, 2020 × Annunciated, na-ge sounds like the n-word, which led several of the professor's students to complain to the university. Responding to the complaint, the dean of the university, Geoffrey Garrett, told students that Prof Patton would no longer be teaching the course. "It is simply unacceptable for the faculty to use words in class that can marginalise, hurt and harm the psychological safety of our students," he said. Also see: How US-China relationship took a turn for the worse However, the word's usage has a wholly different history and language in a lecture on communication in international business. News of the spat reached China, where many posted on social media saying they thought Professor Patton's punishment, conversely, was discrimination against speakers of the Chinese language. Also read: 'There will be no extension': Trump says on TikTok deadline Lost in translation There have been many documented incidents of the word being used innocuously and leading to misunderstandings, and even violence. In July 2016, a fight broke out on the subway in the city of southern Guangzhou, after a black man heard a Chinese man saying na-ge and mistook it for the n-word. Footage went viral online showing the black man slapping the chinese commuter and shouting "you dare try that again" and "never say that again" More recently, in April this year, Taiwanese news website UDN reported that two men nearly came to blows on the island outside a restaurant over the same misunderstanding. Even Chinese basketball star Yao Ming has spoken of how the word brought him "some trouble" while playing in the US for the National Basketball Association (NBA).

'Neige controversy': US professor's suspension sparks debate over a Chinese word

<p>The Uttar Pradesh Police have registered an FIR against unknown persons for fraudulently transferring rupees&nbsp;six lakh from the bank account of the Ram Mandir Trust through two fake cheques and attempting to transfer around Rs 10 lakh with a third cheque that was timely detected as counterfeit by the bank.</p>

<p>A case has been registered at the Kotwali police station on a complaint filed by the Trust's secretary and VHP leader Champat Rai, a senior police official said.</p>

<p>"We have seized the account in which the fund has been transferred. A police team has been sent to Lucknow and another team to Bombay as the account in which the money has been transferred is of Maharashtra," Ayodhya DIG Deepak Kumar told PTI.</p>

<p>He said those behind the crime have withdrawn rupees&nbsp;four lakh from the fraudulently transferred amount while rupees&nbsp;two lakh is still in their account.</p>

<p>Rupees 2.5 lakhs was fraudulently transferred from the Trust's account in State Bank of India (SBI) on September 1 and rupees&nbsp;3.5 lakh on September 8 through a second fake cheque, the FIR said.</p>

<p>The issue came to light after a senior official of the SBI in Lucknow called Rai to confirm if the Trust had issued a cheque for transfer of Rs 9.86 lakh.</p>

<p>"We give phone calls to all our customers before clearing cheques (with large amounts). I myself called the customer regarding the clearing of cheque for Rs 9 lakhs 86 thousand and the customer (Rai) received the phone after many repeated calls," Mona Rastogi, deputy manager of the clearing department of SBI, told PTI.</p>

<p>She said it was certain that bank officials had called on the Trust's registered phone number to confirm payments for the first two "fake" cheques of Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 3.5 lakh each before clearing the payments earlier this month.</p>

<p>"Definitely the bank had called the customer before clearing the cheques of Rs 2.5 lakhs and Rs 3.5 lakh. The call records and details are being checked to ascertain if the customer had received the calls," she said.</p>

<p>Rastogi said had Rai not taken her call, the third cloned cheque would also have been cleared because it appeared as original and the signatures too raised no doubts. "The cheques are cleared if the norms are followed and the signatures are found to be correct," she said.</p>

<p>In his complaint filed with the police, Rai stated that the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has crores of rupees in its bank account and it was earlier unaware that the funds were fraudulently transferred from the account.</p>

<p>Ayodhya DIG Deepak Kumar told PTI that an FIR has been lodged at the Kotwali police station here in this regard and investigation is being done.</p>

<p>"We have seized the account in which the fund has been transferred. Four lakh rupees from the account have been withdrawn but two lakhs rupees are still there," he said.</p>


The Uttar Pradesh Police have registered an FIR against unknown persons for fraudulently transferring rupees six lakh from the bank account of the Ram Mandir Trust through two fake cheques and attempting to transfer around Rs 10 lakh with a third cheque that was timely detected as counterfeit by the bank.

The Uttar Pradesh Police have registered an FIR against unknown persons for fraudulently transferring rupees six lakh from the bank account of the Ram Mandir Trust through two fake cheques and attempting to transfer around Rs 10 lakh with a third cheque that was timely detected as counterfeit by the bank. A case has been registered at the Kotwali police station on a complaint filed by the Trust's secretary and VHP leader Champat Rai, a senior police official said. "We have seized the account in which the fund has been transferred. A police team has been sent to Lucknow and another team to Bombay as the account in which the money has been transferred is of Maharashtra," Ayodhya DIG Deepak Kumar told PTI. He said those behind the crime have withdrawn rupees four lakh from the fraudulently transferred amount while rupees two lakh is still in their account. Rupees 2.5 lakhs was fraudulently transferred from the Trust's account in State Bank of India (SBI) on September 1 and rupees 3.5 lakh on September 8 through a second fake cheque, the FIR said. The issue came to light after a senior official of the SBI in Lucknow called Rai to confirm if the Trust had issued a cheque for transfer of Rs 9.86 lakh. "We give phone calls to all our customers before clearing cheques (with large amounts). I myself called the customer regarding the clearing of cheque for Rs 9 lakhs 86 thousand and the customer (Rai) received the phone after many repeated calls," Mona Rastogi, deputy manager of the clearing department of SBI, told PTI. She said it was certain that bank officials had called on the Trust's registered phone number to confirm payments for the first two "fake" cheques of Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 3.5 lakh each before clearing the payments earlier this month. "Definitely the bank had called the customer before clearing the cheques of Rs 2.5 lakhs and Rs 3.5 lakh. The call records and details are being checked to ascertain if the customer had received the calls," she said. Rastogi said had Rai not taken her call, the third cloned cheque would also have been cleared because it appeared as original and the signatures too raised no doubts. "The cheques are cleared if the norms are followed and the signatures are found to be correct," she said. In his complaint filed with the police, Rai stated that the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has crores of rupees in its bank account and it was earlier unaware that the funds were fraudulently transferred from the account. Ayodhya DIG Deepak Kumar told PTI that an FIR has been lodged at the Kotwali police station here in this regard and investigation is being done. "We have seized the account in which the fund has been transferred. Four lakh rupees from the account have been withdrawn but two lakhs rupees are still there," he said.

Rupees 6 lakh fraudulently transferred from Ram Temple Trust bank account

<p>Belarus opposition politician Maria Kolesnikova said security officers put a bag over her head and threatened to kill her when they tried to forcibly deport her to Ukraine earlier this week, according to a complaint filed by her lawyer on Thursday.</p>

<p>Kolesnikova, one of the most prominent leaders of month-long protests against the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko, prevented the attempt to expel her by tearing up her passport.</p>

<p>She has emerged as a hero for the protest movement trying to bring down the curtain on Lukashenko's 26-year rule, and a chief target for the authorities who have detained her over accusations of an illegal attempt to seize power in the former Soviet republic.</p>

<p><strong>Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/we-come-in-peace-belarusian-women-dressed-in-white-protest-against-corrupt-leadership-321060">We come in peace: Belarusian women dressed in white protest against corrupt leadership</a></strong></p>

<p>She said in her statement that she had genuinely feared for her life during the failed deportation attempt.</p>

<p>"In particular it was stated that if I did not voluntarily leave the Republic of Belarus, I would be taken out anyway, alive or in bits. There were also threats to imprison me for up to 25 years," Kolesnikova said.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/belarusian-protest-leader-disappears-after-being-detained-by-masked-men-325847">Belarusian protest leader disappears after being detained by masked men</a></strong></p>

<p>She was told there would be problems for her while she was held under guard or in jail.</p>

<p>"The persons indicated (security officers) uttered threats to my life and health, which I took to be real," she said.</p>

<p>Her lawyer Lyudmila Kazak filed a criminal complaint against Belarusian authorities including the KGB security police, for kidnap, illegal detention and threats to commit murder.</p>

<p>The complaint was submitted to the state Investigative Committee. Asked for comment, a representative of the Committee, Sergei Kabakovich, said: "At the present moment I have no information about this."</p>

<p>Kolesnikova, who remains jailed in the Belarusian capital of Minsk, is accused of undermining national security as part of a criminal probe against senior members of the opposition Coordination Council. She faces up to five years in prison, if convicted.</p>

<p>All of the council's senior members except for Nobel Prize-winning writer Svetlana Alexievich have been jailed or forcibly expelled from the country. Unidentified people attempted Wednesday to enter Alexievich's apartment in Minsk. Diplomats from several European Union nations gathered there to prevent her detention.</p>

<p>Lukashenko denies rigging the August&nbsp;9 election, which official results said he won by a landslide, and has cracked down hard on protesters demanding his resignation. He has refused to talk to the opposition, saying it is bent on wrecking the country.</p>

<p>Inaugurating a new chief prosecutor on Thursday, Lukashenko reiterated his uncompromising line.</p>

<p>"I want to tell you like a man... People often reproach me: 'He won't give up power.' They're right to reproach me. The people didn't elect me for this," he said.</p>

<p>"Power is not given to be taken, thrown and given away," he added, saying the country must not return to the chaos of the 1990s following the break-up of the Soviet Union.</p>

<p>In the month since the disputed election, nearly all the opposition's key leaders have been arrested, fled, or been forced to leave the country.</p>

<p>Writer Svetlana Alexievich, winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature, accused the authorities on Wednesday of terrorising their own people. Diplomats from seven European countries came to her flat, in part to help protect her.</p>

<p>Lukashenko, in power since 1994, retains the support of his key ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin. The West has so far been cautious about taking firm action that might provoke a Russian intervention, although the EU is drawing up a list of Belarusian officials to target with sanctions.</p>


Belarus opposition politician Maria Kolesnikova said security officers put a bag over her head and threatened to kill her when they tried to forcibly deport her to Ukraine earlier this week, according to a complaint filed by her lawyer on Thursday.

Belarus opposition politician Maria Kolesnikova said security officers put a bag over her head and threatened to kill her when they tried to forcibly deport her to Ukraine earlier this week, according to a complaint filed by her lawyer on Thursday. Kolesnikova, one of the most prominent leaders of month-long protests against the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko, prevented the attempt to expel her by tearing up her passport. She has emerged as a hero for the protest movement trying to bring down the curtain on Lukashenko's 26-year rule, and a chief target for the authorities who have detained her over accusations of an illegal attempt to seize power in the former Soviet republic. Also see: We come in peace: Belarusian women dressed in white protest against corrupt leadership She said in her statement that she had genuinely feared for her life during the failed deportation attempt. "In particular it was stated that if I did not voluntarily leave the Republic of Belarus, I would be taken out anyway, alive or in bits. There were also threats to imprison me for up to 25 years," Kolesnikova said. Also read: Belarusian protest leader disappears after being detained by masked men She was told there would be problems for her while she was held under guard or in jail. "The persons indicated (security officers) uttered threats to my life and health, which I took to be real," she said. Her lawyer Lyudmila Kazak filed a criminal complaint against Belarusian authorities including the KGB security police, for kidnap, illegal detention and threats to commit murder. The complaint was submitted to the state Investigative Committee. Asked for comment, a representative of the Committee, Sergei Kabakovich, said: "At the present moment I have no information about this." Kolesnikova, who remains jailed in the Belarusian capital of Minsk, is accused of undermining national security as part of a criminal probe against senior members of the opposition Coordination Council. She faces up to five years in prison, if convicted. All of the council's senior members except for Nobel Prize-winning writer Svetlana Alexievich have been jailed or forcibly expelled from the country. Unidentified people attempted Wednesday to enter Alexievich's apartment in Minsk. Diplomats from several European Union nations gathered there to prevent her detention. Lukashenko denies rigging the August 9 election, which official results said he won by a landslide, and has cracked down hard on protesters demanding his resignation. He has refused to talk to the opposition, saying it is bent on wrecking the country. Inaugurating a new chief prosecutor on Thursday, Lukashenko reiterated his uncompromising line. "I want to tell you like a man... People often reproach me: 'He won't give up power.' They're right to reproach me. The people didn't elect me for this," he said. "Power is not given to be taken, thrown and given away," he added, saying the country must not return to the chaos of the 1990s following the break-up of the Soviet Union. In the month since the disputed election, nearly all the opposition's key leaders have been arrested, fled, or been forced to leave the country. Writer Svetlana Alexievich, winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature, accused the authorities on Wednesday of terrorising their own people. Diplomats from seven European countries came to her flat, in part to help protect her. Lukashenko, in power since 1994, retains the support of his key ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin. The West has so far been cautious about taking firm action that might provoke a Russian intervention, although the EU is drawing up a list of Belarusian officials to target with sanctions.

Belarus protest leader says she was threatened with expulsion 'alive or in bits'

<p>US President Donald Trump&nbsp;facing the possibility of a cash crunch, said on Tuesday he would spend his own money to finance his 2020 presidential campaign against Democrat Joe Biden if he had to.</p>

<p>Money is supposed to have one of the great advantages of incumbency for any president of the United States of America.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-trump-demands-apology-from-biden-for-challenging-him-on-vaccines-325885" hreflang="en">US election 2020: Trump demands apology from Biden for challenging him on vaccines</a></strong></p>

<p>According a New York Times report, Trump had an upper hand of $200 million over Biden when he&nbsp;filed for re-election on the day of his inauguration,&nbsp;earlier than any other modern president. The motive behind this headstart was to give him a decisive financial advantage this year.</p>

<p>However, merely five months later, Trump's financial supremacy has evaporated. Out of the&nbsp;$1.1 billion&nbsp;his campaign and the party raised from the beginning of 2019 through July, over&nbsp;$800 million has been spent.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-kamala-harris-will-never-be-president-of-us-says-donald-trump-325860" hreflang="en">US election 2020: Kamala Harris will never be president of US, says Donald Trump</a></strong></p>

<p>With the coronavirus pandemic and civil unrest over racism and police brutality commanding attention in recent months, Biden is seeking to maintain his edge by painting the Republican president as an ineffectual leader who thrives on chaos and has left the working class behind. And&nbsp;a cash crunch with less than 60 days until the election will only add to it.</p>

<p>Trump&nbsp;has struggled to change the contours of the campaign despite highly charged rhetoric on racial polarization and "law and order" intended to motivate his base and draw new supporters in suburban parts of key swing states, such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan.</p>

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<p>Under&nbsp;Brad Parscale, the former campaign manager of Trump, splurged&nbsp;more than $350 million went to fundraising operations, as no expense was spared in finding new donors online.</p>

<p>Since 2019, Trump, the RNC, and their shared committees have spent $145 million on costs related to direct mail, almost $42 million on digital list acquisition and rentals (to expand their list of email addresses) and tens of millions more in online advertising for new donors.</p>

<p>Parscale&nbsp;faced the president's wrath after his Tulsa Rally attracted just a sparse crowd despite claiming that many hundreds of thousands have applied for the ticket.</p>

<p>Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien, who took over from Brad Parscale in mid-July, told reporters on a campaign press call on Tuesday that "we are now carefully monitoring the budget."</p>

<p>Stepien said the campaign will have more resources to spend than it had in Trump's 2016 victory and that "we're very comfortable and confident" in how money is now being spent and where.</p>

<p>Critics of the campaign's management say the lavish spending was ineffective.&nbsp;Trump enters Autumn trailing in most national and battleground state polls.</p>

<p>Whereas,&nbsp;after&nbsp;posting a record-setting haul of nearly $365 million in August, Biden has surpassed him as a fundraising powerhouse.</p>

<p>Despite spending heavily on television and other sorts of advertisements Trump is lagging behind rival Biden in polls. As a result of which the Trump campaign slashed its August television spending, mostly abandoning the airwaves during the party conventions.</p>


US President Donald Trump facing the possibility of a cash crunch, said on Tuesday he would spend his own money to finance his 2020 presidential campaign against Democrat Joe Biden if he had to.

US President Donald Trump facing the possibility of a cash crunch, said on Tuesday he would spend his own money to finance his 2020 presidential campaign against Democrat Joe Biden if he had to. Money is supposed to have one of the great advantages of incumbency for any president of the United States of America. Also read: US election 2020: Trump demands apology from Biden for challenging him on vaccines According a New York Times report, Trump had an upper hand of $200 million over Biden when he filed for re-election on the day of his inauguration, earlier than any other modern president. The motive behind this headstart was to give him a decisive financial advantage this year. However, merely five months later, Trump's financial supremacy has evaporated. Out of the $1.1 billion his campaign and the party raised from the beginning of 2019 through July, over $800 million has been spent. Also read: US election 2020: Kamala Harris will never be president of US, says Donald Trump With the coronavirus pandemic and civil unrest over racism and police brutality commanding attention in recent months, Biden is seeking to maintain his edge by painting the Republican president as an ineffectual leader who thrives on chaos and has left the working class behind. And a cash crunch with less than 60 days until the election will only add to it. Trump has struggled to change the contours of the campaign despite highly charged rhetoric on racial polarization and "law and order" intended to motivate his base and draw new supporters in suburban parts of key swing states, such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan. × Under Brad Parscale, the former campaign manager of Trump, splurged more than $350 million went to fundraising operations, as no expense was spared in finding new donors online. Since 2019, Trump, the RNC, and their shared committees have spent $145 million on costs related to direct mail, almost $42 million on digital list acquisition and rentals (to expand their list of email addresses) and tens of millions more in online advertising for new donors. Parscale faced the president's wrath after his Tulsa Rally attracted just a sparse crowd despite claiming that many hundreds of thousands have applied for the ticket. Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien, who took over from Brad Parscale in mid-July, told reporters on a campaign press call on Tuesday that "we are now carefully monitoring the budget." Stepien said the campaign will have more resources to spend than it had in Trump's 2016 victory and that "we're very comfortable and confident" in how money is now being spent and where. Critics of the campaign's management say the lavish spending was ineffective. Trump enters Autumn trailing in most national and battleground state polls. Whereas, after posting a record-setting haul of nearly $365 million in August, Biden has surpassed him as a fundraising powerhouse. Despite spending heavily on television and other sorts of advertisements Trump is lagging behind rival Biden in polls. As a result of which the Trump campaign slashed its August television spending, mostly abandoning the airwaves during the party conventions.

US election 2020: Trump's billion-dollar campaign has lost 'cash advantage'

US election 2020: Controversies associated with Watergate scandal reporter Bob Woodward

<p>Netizens are trolling the&nbsp;'COVID secure marshals' introduced by the Prime Minister of United Kingdom Boris Johnson on Wednesday.</p>

<p>In a news conference, Johnson said&nbsp;the aim behind the step was to ''boost the enforcement capacity of local authorities'' and to&nbsp;to help ensure social distancing in town and city centres, and by setting up a register of environmental health officers that local authorities can draw upon for support."</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pm-johnson-unveils-moonshot-plan-rule-of-six-amid-spike-in-covid-19-cases-326388">PM Johnson unveils 'moonshot' plan, 'rule of six' amid spike in COVID-19 cases</a></strong></p>

<p>According to the plan, an army&nbsp;of marshals will be sent to towns and cities across the country to enforce new coronavirus laws.</p>

<p>Under the&nbsp;"rule of six", marshals will break&nbsp;groups of more than six in town centres and alert police if fines need to be handed out.</p>

<p>The new rules will not apply to workplaces or schools, and there will be exemptions for weddings, funerals and some organised team sports. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland set their own lockdown policies.</p>

<p>Social media users did not like the initiative and mocked it by sharing a flurry of memes.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Anyone else thinking about possible people to be Covid secure marshals? <a href="https://t.co/PnWNy77nS9">pic.twitter.com/PnWNy77nS9</a></p>
— Mark Brandreth (@mbrandreth) <a href="https://twitter.com/mbrandreth/status/1303719014766727174?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">SIX months on<br />
UK curve flattened<br />
NHS capacity "protected"<br />
<br />
SIX months on<br />
No working track &amp; trace app<br />
No reliable testing capacity<br />
<br />
SIX months on<br />
Police will arrest you (BLM/XR/Dinghyboaters excepted) if the new "Covid secure marshals" don't get you 1st<br />
Seriously <a href="https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BorisJohnson</a>...</p>
— Aman Bhogal 🇬🇧 🇮🇳 (@AmandeepBhogal) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmandeepBhogal/status/1303736203020251138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Where, in God’s name, are these ‘Covid-secure marshals’ being conjured from?? Welcome to the Wild West!</p>
— nigel waugh (@nglwaug) <a href="https://twitter.com/nglwaug/status/1303727173048635398?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">‘Covid secure Marshals’!? ... WE’RE LIVING IN THE HANDMAIDS TALE.</p>
— Sweetness and Life. (@katy_red) <a href="https://twitter.com/katy_red/status/1303714210539593728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Netizens are trolling the 'COVID secure marshals' introduced by the Prime Minister of United Kingdom Boris Johnson on Wednesday. In a news conference, Johnson said the aim behind the step was to ''boost the enforcement capacity of local authorities'' and to to help ensure social distancing in town and city centres, and by setting up a register of environmental health officers that local authorities can draw upon for support.

Netizens are trolling the 'COVID secure marshals' introduced by the Prime Minister of United Kingdom Boris Johnson on Wednesday. In a news conference, Johnson said the aim behind the step was to ''boost the enforcement capacity of local authorities'' and to to help ensure social distancing in town and city centres, and by setting up a register of environmental health officers that local authorities can draw upon for support." Also read: PM Johnson unveils 'moonshot' plan, 'rule of six' amid spike in COVID-19 cases According to the plan, an army of marshals will be sent to towns and cities across the country to enforce new coronavirus laws. Under the "rule of six", marshals will break groups of more than six in town centres and alert police if fines need to be handed out. The new rules will not apply to workplaces or schools, and there will be exemptions for weddings, funerals and some organised team sports. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland set their own lockdown policies. Social media users did not like the initiative and mocked it by sharing a flurry of memes. Anyone else thinking about possible people to be Covid secure marshals? pic.twitter.com/PnWNy77nS9 — Mark Brandreth (@mbrandreth) September 9, 2020 × SIX months on UK curve flattened NHS capacity "protected" SIX months on No working track & trace app No reliable testing capacity SIX months on Police will arrest you (BLM/XR/Dinghyboaters excepted) if the new "Covid secure marshals" don't get you 1st Seriously @BorisJohnson... — Aman Bhogal 🇬🇧 🇮🇳 (@AmandeepBhogal) September 9, 2020 × Where, in God’s name, are these ‘Covid-secure marshals’ being conjured from?? Welcome to the Wild West! — nigel waugh (@nglwaug) September 9, 2020 × ‘Covid secure Marshals’!? ... WE’RE LIVING IN THE HANDMAIDS TALE. — Sweetness and Life. (@katy_red) September 9, 2020 ×

Netizens ridicule UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's army of 'COVID secure marshals'

<p>We Charity, which is at the centre of a political firestorm in Canada due to&nbsp;scandal involving the country's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, said&nbsp;on Thursday that it will&nbsp;no longer operate in the country.</p>

<p>Craig and Marc Kielburger, the charity's co-founders, will also leave the organisation.</p>

<p>The charity is a&nbsp;key player&nbsp;in a scandal involving Canadian&nbsp;Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family due to which he had to face his third ethics probe as a result of conflict of interest.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canadian-prime-minister-justin-trudeau-faces-third-ethics-probe-over-charity-grant-program-310616">Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces third ethics probe over charity grant program</a></strong></p>

<p>Trudeau had apologised in July&nbsp;for not recusing himself from discussions about a government contract to a charity that had paid his family large sums of money for speaking appearances.</p>

<p>"I made a mistake not recusing myself immediately from the discussions, given our family's history. And I'm sincerely sorry," Trudeau told a news conference.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canadas-trudeau-admits-mistake-apologises-over-controversial-charity-contract-313114">Canada's Trudeau admits 'mistake'; apologises over controversial charity contract</a></strong></p>

<p>His apology came amid opposition demands for an investigation into a USD $662 million&nbsp;contract awarded by the government to development and youth advocacy organization WE Charity.</p>

<p>The NGO also&nbsp;admitted paying nearly CAN $300,000 to Trudeau's mother, brother and wife for speaking engagements.</p>

<p>Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, have regularly participated in WE Charity events.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="G" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a2efaa7c-47f2-47d7-bba1-1881db3d402b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/_113601477_gettyimages-850235616.jpg" /></p>

<p><em><strong>In picture: Sophie Gregoire Trudeau and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appear at a WE Day UN event</strong></em></p>

<p>The Canada Student Service Grant was awarded to the WE Charity to set up a programme that would pay students to earn funds for tuition and expenses during the pandemic as employment options dried up.</p>

<p>Canada's Finance Minister&nbsp;Bill Morneau also&nbsp;resigned in August after&nbsp;friction with Trudeau&nbsp;after coming under fire for his ties to a&nbsp;charity&nbsp;tapped to run a student grant program.</p>


We Charity, which is at the centre of a political firestorm in Canada due to scandal involving the country's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, said on Thursday that it will no longer operate in the country.

We Charity, which is at the centre of a political firestorm in Canada due to scandal involving the country's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, said on Thursday that it will no longer operate in the country. Craig and Marc Kielburger, the charity's co-founders, will also leave the organisation. The charity is a key player in a scandal involving Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family due to which he had to face his third ethics probe as a result of conflict of interest. Also read: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces third ethics probe over charity grant program Trudeau had apologised in July for not recusing himself from discussions about a government contract to a charity that had paid his family large sums of money for speaking appearances. "I made a mistake not recusing myself immediately from the discussions, given our family's history. And I'm sincerely sorry," Trudeau told a news conference. Also read: Canada's Trudeau admits 'mistake'; apologises over controversial charity contract His apology came amid opposition demands for an investigation into a USD $662 million contract awarded by the government to development and youth advocacy organization WE Charity. The NGO also admitted paying nearly CAN $300,000 to Trudeau's mother, brother and wife for speaking engagements. Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, have regularly participated in WE Charity events. In picture: Sophie Gregoire Trudeau and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appear at a WE Day UN event The Canada Student Service Grant was awarded to the WE Charity to set up a programme that would pay students to earn funds for tuition and expenses during the pandemic as employment options dried up. Canada's Finance Minister Bill Morneau also resigned in August after friction with Trudeau after coming under fire for his ties to a charity tapped to run a student grant program.

WE Charity closes Canada operations after scandal linked to Trudeau family

<p>One of the world's rarest diamonds, about the size of an egg or a large lollipop, is going up for auction next month and is expected to fetch $12 million to $30 million.</p>

<p>Sotheby's said on Thursday that the 102.39-carat diamond, a flawless white sparkler, was the second-largest oval diamond of its kind to be offered at auction. The largest, a 118.28-carat diamond, set a record $30.8 million price when it was sold in 2013.</p>

<p><img alt="P" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="94762317-8a02-421a-812c-19e7fef1cca2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WhatsApp%20Image%202020-09-10%20at%203.46.27%20PM.jpeg" /></p>

<p><em><strong>In picture: An employee of Sotheby's poses with a perfect 100+&nbsp;carat diamond, the second largest oval&nbsp;diamond&nbsp;of its kind to ever appear at an auction</strong></em></p>

<p>Only seven such diamonds, known in the trade as D color flawless or internally flawless white diamonds, over 100 carats have previously been sold at auction.</p>

<p>"More and more people have come to understand that something billions of years old and of the size of a lollipop can store as much value as a Rembrandt self-portrait or a Basquiat," Gary Schuler, worldwide chairman of jewelry at Sotheby's, said in a statement.</p>

<p>The&nbsp;diamond&nbsp;will be sold in a single-lot action without a reserve price at Sotheby's in Hong Kong on October&nbsp;5.</p>

<p>"Diamonds of this caliber and size have sold anywhere between $11.9 million to $33.7 million," said Quig Bruning, head of Sotheby's New York jewelry department.</p>

<p>Sotheby's said the gem was cut from a 271-carat rough that was discovered at the Victor Mine in the Canadian province of Ontario in 2018 and cut and polished for more than a year.</p>

<p>Two of the most famous large&nbsp;diamonds,&nbsp;the Koh-i-Noor and The Cullinan 1,&nbsp;belong to the British monarchy and form part of the British Crown Jewels.</p>

<p>The world record for any&nbsp;diamond&nbsp;or jewel sold at auction was set in 2017 when a 59.60-carat fancy vivid pink&nbsp;diamond&nbsp;was sold for $71.2 million to the Hong Kong jewelry company Chow Tai Fook, Sotheby's said.</p>


One of the world's rarest diamonds, about the size of an egg or a large lollipop, is going up for auction next month and is expected to fetch $12 million to $30 million.

One of the world's rarest diamonds, about the size of an egg or a large lollipop, is going up for auction next month and is expected to fetch $12 million to $30 million. Sotheby's said on Thursday that the 102.39-carat diamond, a flawless white sparkler, was the second-largest oval diamond of its kind to be offered at auction. The largest, a 118.28-carat diamond, set a record $30.8 million price when it was sold in 2013. In picture: An employee of Sotheby's poses with a perfect 100+ carat diamond, the second largest oval diamond of its kind to ever appear at an auction Only seven such diamonds, known in the trade as D color flawless or internally flawless white diamonds, over 100 carats have previously been sold at auction. "More and more people have come to understand that something billions of years old and of the size of a lollipop can store as much value as a Rembrandt self-portrait or a Basquiat," Gary Schuler, worldwide chairman of jewelry at Sotheby's, said in a statement. The diamond will be sold in a single-lot action without a reserve price at Sotheby's in Hong Kong on October 5. "Diamonds of this caliber and size have sold anywhere between $11.9 million to $33.7 million," said Quig Bruning, head of Sotheby's New York jewelry department. Sotheby's said the gem was cut from a 271-carat rough that was discovered at the Victor Mine in the Canadian province of Ontario in 2018 and cut and polished for more than a year. Two of the most famous large diamonds, the Koh-i-Noor and The Cullinan 1, belong to the British monarchy and form part of the British Crown Jewels. The world record for any diamond or jewel sold at auction was set in 2017 when a 59.60-carat fancy vivid pink diamond was sold for $71.2 million to the Hong Kong jewelry company Chow Tai Fook, Sotheby's said.

Flawless 102-carat diamond could fetch up to $30 million at auction

<p>Formers critics of Thailand are inspiring youngsters to protest and take on King&nbsp;Maha Vajiralongkorn.</p>

<p>At&nbsp;demonstrations in&nbsp;Bangkok, the images used to display the muse behind the protest are&nbsp;of two exiles who have openly criticised the monarchy.</p>

<p>King Maha Vajiralongkorn&nbsp;holds a place of “revered worship” in the Thai constitution and his&nbsp;images are&nbsp;omnipresent on city streets, schools and businesses.</p>

<p><strong>Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/down-with-the-dictatorship-thailand-witness-biggest-anti-government-protest-in-years-321005">'Down with the dictatorship': Thailand witness biggest anti-government protest in years</a></strong></p>

<p>Former diplomat Pavin Chachavalpongpun and historian Somsak Jeamteerasakul have not been involved in organizing a recent series of demonstrations and show no sign of working together, but some protesters said their writing and social media posts have helped to loosen the taboo on questioning the monarchy, which is punishable by up to 15 years in prison under Thailand’s lese majeste law.</p>

<p>"The fact that the public discusses the monarchy institution more is because of them," said Panusaya Sithijirawattankul, a 21-year old student at Thammasat University in Bangkok.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thailand-king-maha-vajiralongkorn-reconciles-with-ousted-consort-sineenatra-wongvajirabhakdi-324827">Thailand King Maha Vajiralongkorn reconciles with ousted consort Sineenatra Wongvajirabhakdi</a></strong></p>

<p>"Previously, we were unable to say any of this and if we did, we would risk becoming another exile," said Panusaya, who read out a 10-point demand for palace reform at the August&nbsp;10 protest. It was based on a reform proposal by Somsak, which he wrote a decade ago and revised and published on Facebook last year, where Panusaya first saw it.</p>

<p>Somsak’s proposal called for the abolition of the lese majeste law and the end of what he called “one-sided public relations campaigns promoting the monarchy,” among other things.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/after-block-new-facebook-group-critical-of-thai-monarchy-gains-500000-members-323118">After block, new Facebook group critical of Thai monarchy gains 500,000 members</a></strong></p>

<p>The government's deputy spokeswoman, Ratchada Thanadirek, said the two men’s online criticism of the monarchy was “inappropriate.”</p>

<p>“The monarchy is loved and revered by Thais. Insults to the monarchy can upset another group of people. Expressions should take other people’s feelings into consideration too,” she said. &nbsp;</p>

<p>“Criticising the monarchy is a legitimate act,” Pavin said. Somsak did not respond to requests for comment.</p>

<p>Since July 18, a growing number of mostly young protesters have gathered on Bangkok’s streets and university campuses calling for changes to a political system they say assures prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha a hold on power. The protests have focused on Prayuth, but some protesters have also called for reform of the monarchy. More than 10,000 people attended the biggest of the rallies on August&nbsp;16. Another big gathering is planned for September&nbsp;19.</p>

<p>Prayuth, who led a military coup in 2014, says elections held last year were fair.&nbsp;His security forces have arrested more than a dozen leaders of the demonstrations for breaching internal security laws and defying an emergency decree banning public gatherings to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. All protesters have been released on bail.</p>

<p>Pavin and Somsak, who now live in Japan and in France, respectively, have been singled out for attack by Prayuth.</p>

<p>"Where are they now and how are they taking responsibility for the damage afflicted on our country?" Prayuth said on August&nbsp;25, referring to the two men specifically, when asked about royal criticism on social media.</p>

<p>The Royal Palace in Bangkok declined to comment on the recent protests and on overseas critics of the monarchy. In addition to Pavin and Somsak, at least 102 other Thais have gone into exile since the 2014 coup, mostly for fear of prosecution for lese majeste, according to campaign group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.</p>

<p>In April 2017, Prayuth's military government said anyone sharing&nbsp; what it described as “false information” from the two men, as well as UK-based author and former Reuters journalist Andrew MacGregor Marshall, could face prison under the Computer Crime Act. Later that month, police arrested and detained four people after they shared a Facebook post by Somsak but did not proceed with charges, according to legal group iLaw, which keeps track of the Thai government’s moves to restrict freedom of expression. Thai police did not respond to questions from Reuters.</p>

<p>The threat of prosecution has not deterred many Thais. Each of the three men has hundreds of thousands of followers on Twitter and Facebook, many of whom share and comment on their material.</p>

<p>Royalist Marketplace, a private Facebook group set up by Pavin in April, had more than 1 million followers before the Thai government demanded that Facebook make the page unavailable within Thailand. Facebook, which complied on August&nbsp;24, said it was “compelled” by the government to make Pavin’s group inaccessible. Within a week Pavin’s replacement group on Facebook, with an almost identical name, had attracted more than 1 million followers.</p>

<p>The Royalist Marketplace group and its successor provide a platform for Thais to discuss the country’s traditional culture that promotes the monarch as a semi-divine leader of the nation who must never be questioned, even though it leaves them open to prosecution under the lese majeste law if they criticize the monarchy.</p>

<p>“The movement's real catalyst is Royalist Marketplace,” said Titipol Phakdeewanich, a political scientist at Ubon Ratchathani University. “This is the main reason why the government wanted to shut it down."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pavin and Somsak are reviled by Thai traditionalists who believe the monarchy must never be questioned.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>"They are exiles because they have committed&nbsp;illegal&nbsp;actions and have&nbsp;illegal&nbsp;thoughts," said Warong Dechgitvigrom, a politician who launched the Thai Pakdee (Loyal Thais) group in response to the student protests. "They're dangerous because they incite hatred and bully and smear the monarchy."</p>

<p>Pavin, who has not been charged with lese majeste, rejected Warong’s accusation.</p>

<p>Somsak was charged with lese majeste in 2011 over two articles he posted on Facebook about Vajiralongkorn’s sister. He denies wrongdoing in the case, which remains open, saying the lese majeste law only applies to the king, queen and heir to the throne.</p>

<p><strong>PARODY AND HISTORY</strong></p>

<p>Pavin, 49, is a former Thai diplomat who quit the foreign service in 2010. He told said he left because during a posting in Singapore, he was upset at having to defend the military coup in 2006 that removed populist Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra from power. Thai authorities declined to comment on why Pavin left the foreign service.</p>

<p>He worked as an academic in Singapore before moving to Japan in 2012 and is now an associate professor at the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at Kyoto University in Japan.</p>

<p>“I'm only glad that whatever I've been fighting for so long, that those people (protesters) begin to appreciate whatever I paved the way for them,” Pavin told Reuters. He said he is not involved in organising any protests but once addressed a demonstration for a few minutes via video link at the request of students.</p>

<p>Almost half a million Thais read his analytical Facebook posts on the monarchy and thousands watch his TikTok videos in which he lip-syncs to songs and acts out soap opera dialogues to mock the royal family.</p>

<p>Somsak, 62, cuts a more solemn figure. Still, his face and shock of white hair are a popular image on people’s T-shirts at demonstrations.</p>

<p>Many protesters say he is respected for his historical knowledge of Thai monarchs and his knowledge of the inner-workings of the royal family and its spending.</p>

<p>In 1976, he was one of the 2,000 pro-democracy students at Thammasat University that were attacked by state forces and royalist supporters which accused them of being anti-monarchist, communist sympathisers. Dozens of protesters were killed. He fled to France after the Prayuth-led coup in 2014.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Marshall, 49, was a Reuters journalist for 16 years until 2011, mostly in Asia including two years in Bangkok. He has written two books on Thailand, the latest called "A Kingdom in Crisis," which is banned in Thailand. He moved back to his native Scotland in 2016 and is now a journalism lecturer at Edinburgh Napier University. He has not been charged with lese majeste.</p>

<p>“One of the most striking developments of the past few years is the collapse of royalist mythology,” Marshall said, adding that many Thais, especially younger people who spend time online, no longer believe what he described as “palace propaganda.”</p>

<p>Government spokeswoman Ratchada said the government respects young Thais’ freedom of expression but said they should not cross the line into&nbsp;illegality by criticizing the monarchy.</p>

<p>At the Aug. 16 demonstration, protesters carried large, gilt-framed portrait photographs of Pavin, Somsak and Marshall. &nbsp;</p>

<p>“Now they put me on a gold frame and raise it, just like what true royalists would do the royal family,” Pavin said. “It's parody. It's a part of the political tactic.”</p>


Formers critics of Thailand are inspiring youngsters to protest and take on King Maha Vajiralongkorn. At demonstrations in Bangkok, the images used to display the muse behind the protest are of two exiles who have openly criticised the monarchy.

Formers critics of Thailand are inspiring youngsters to protest and take on King Maha Vajiralongkorn. At demonstrations in Bangkok, the images used to display the muse behind the protest are of two exiles who have openly criticised the monarchy. King Maha Vajiralongkorn holds a place of “revered worship” in the Thai constitution and his images are omnipresent on city streets, schools and businesses. Also see: 'Down with the dictatorship': Thailand witness biggest anti-government protest in years Former diplomat Pavin Chachavalpongpun and historian Somsak Jeamteerasakul have not been involved in organizing a recent series of demonstrations and show no sign of working together, but some protesters said their writing and social media posts have helped to loosen the taboo on questioning the monarchy, which is punishable by up to 15 years in prison under Thailand’s lese majeste law. "The fact that the public discusses the monarchy institution more is because of them," said Panusaya Sithijirawattankul, a 21-year old student at Thammasat University in Bangkok. Also read: Thailand King Maha Vajiralongkorn reconciles with ousted consort Sineenatra Wongvajirabhakdi "Previously, we were unable to say any of this and if we did, we would risk becoming another exile," said Panusaya, who read out a 10-point demand for palace reform at the August 10 protest. It was based on a reform proposal by Somsak, which he wrote a decade ago and revised and published on Facebook last year, where Panusaya first saw it. Somsak’s proposal called for the abolition of the lese majeste law and the end of what he called “one-sided public relations campaigns promoting the monarchy,” among other things. Also read: After block, new Facebook group critical of Thai monarchy gains 500,000 members The government's deputy spokeswoman, Ratchada Thanadirek, said the two men’s online criticism of the monarchy was “inappropriate.” “The monarchy is loved and revered by Thais. Insults to the monarchy can upset another group of people. Expressions should take other people’s feelings into consideration too,” she said. “Criticising the monarchy is a legitimate act,” Pavin said. Somsak did not respond to requests for comment. Since July 18, a growing number of mostly young protesters have gathered on Bangkok’s streets and university campuses calling for changes to a political system they say assures prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha a hold on power. The protests have focused on Prayuth, but some protesters have also called for reform of the monarchy. More than 10,000 people attended the biggest of the rallies on August 16. Another big gathering is planned for September 19. Prayuth, who led a military coup in 2014, says elections held last year were fair. His security forces have arrested more than a dozen leaders of the demonstrations for breaching internal security laws and defying an emergency decree banning public gatherings to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. All protesters have been released on bail. Pavin and Somsak, who now live in Japan and in France, respectively, have been singled out for attack by Prayuth. "Where are they now and how are they taking responsibility for the damage afflicted on our country?" Prayuth said on August 25, referring to the two men specifically, when asked about royal criticism on social media. The Royal Palace in Bangkok declined to comment on the recent protests and on overseas critics of the monarchy. In addition to Pavin and Somsak, at least 102 other Thais have gone into exile since the 2014 coup, mostly for fear of prosecution for lese majeste, according to campaign group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights. In April 2017, Prayuth's military government said anyone sharing what it described as “false information” from the two men, as well as UK-based author and former Reuters journalist Andrew MacGregor Marshall, could face prison under the Computer Crime Act. Later that month, police arrested and detained four people after they shared a Facebook post by Somsak but did not proceed with charges, according to legal group iLaw, which keeps track of the Thai government’s moves to restrict freedom of expression. Thai police did not respond to questions from Reuters. The threat of prosecution has not deterred many Thais. Each of the three men has hundreds of thousands of followers on Twitter and Facebook, many of whom share and comment on their material. Royalist Marketplace, a private Facebook group set up by Pavin in April, had more than 1 million followers before the Thai government demanded that Facebook make the page unavailable within Thailand. Facebook, which complied on August 24, said it was “compelled” by the government to make Pavin’s group inaccessible. Within a week Pavin’s replacement group on Facebook, with an almost identical name, had attracted more than 1 million followers. The Royalist Marketplace group and its successor provide a platform for Thais to discuss the country’s traditional culture that promotes the monarch as a semi-divine leader of the nation who must never be questioned, even though it leaves them open to prosecution under the lese majeste law if they criticize the monarchy. “The movement's real catalyst is Royalist Marketplace,” said Titipol Phakdeewanich, a political scientist at Ubon Ratchathani University. “This is the main reason why the government wanted to shut it down." Pavin and Somsak are reviled by Thai traditionalists who believe the monarchy must never be questioned. "They are exiles because they have committed illegal actions and have illegal thoughts," said Warong Dechgitvigrom, a politician who launched the Thai Pakdee (Loyal Thais) group in response to the student protests. "They're dangerous because they incite hatred and bully and smear the monarchy." Pavin, who has not been charged with lese majeste, rejected Warong’s accusation. Somsak was charged with lese majeste in 2011 over two articles he posted on Facebook about Vajiralongkorn’s sister. He denies wrongdoing in the case, which remains open, saying the lese majeste law only applies to the king, queen and heir to the throne. PARODY AND HISTORY Pavin, 49, is a former Thai diplomat who quit the foreign service in 2010. He told said he left because during a posting in Singapore, he was upset at having to defend the military coup in 2006 that removed populist Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra from power. Thai authorities declined to comment on why Pavin left the foreign service. He worked as an academic in Singapore before moving to Japan in 2012 and is now an associate professor at the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at Kyoto University in Japan. “I'm only glad that whatever I've been fighting for so long, that those people (protesters) begin to appreciate whatever I paved the way for them,” Pavin told Reuters. He said he is not involved in organising any protests but once addressed a demonstration for a few minutes via video link at the request of students. Almost half a million Thais read his analytical Facebook posts on the monarchy and thousands watch his TikTok videos in which he lip-syncs to songs and acts out soap opera dialogues to mock the royal family. Somsak, 62, cuts a more solemn figure. Still, his face and shock of white hair are a popular image on people’s T-shirts at demonstrations. Many protesters say he is respected for his historical knowledge of Thai monarchs and his knowledge of the inner-workings of the royal family and its spending. In 1976, he was one of the 2,000 pro-democracy students at Thammasat University that were attacked by state forces and royalist supporters which accused them of being anti-monarchist, communist sympathisers. Dozens of protesters were killed. He fled to France after the Prayuth-led coup in 2014. Marshall, 49, was a Reuters journalist for 16 years until 2011, mostly in Asia including two years in Bangkok. He has written two books on Thailand, the latest called "A Kingdom in Crisis," which is banned in Thailand. He moved back to his native Scotland in 2016 and is now a journalism lecturer at Edinburgh Napier University. He has not been charged with lese majeste. “One of the most striking developments of the past few years is the collapse of royalist mythology,” Marshall said, adding that many Thais, especially younger people who spend time online, no longer believe what he described as “palace propaganda.” Government spokeswoman Ratchada said the government respects young Thais’ freedom of expression but said they should not cross the line into illegality by criticizing the monarchy. At the Aug. 16 demonstration, protesters carried large, gilt-framed portrait photographs of Pavin, Somsak and Marshall. “Now they put me on a gold frame and raise it, just like what true royalists would do the royal family,” Pavin said. “It's parody. It's a part of the political tactic.”

Thailand protests: Exiled critics inspiring protesters to take on King Maha Vajiralongkorn

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation on Wednesday with Saudi Arabia’s King Salman.</p>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Spoke on phone with His Majesty <a href="https://twitter.com/KingSalman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KingSalman</a> about the important role being played by the G20 under the Saudi Presidency, including against COVID-19. We also reviewed the tremendous growth in our bilateral ties in recent years.</p>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1303730207740706817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>The two leaders exchanged views on the global challenges following the COVID-19 pandemic and&nbsp;reviewed the work of the G20 countries.</p>

<p>The Prime Minister's Office said Modi expressed his appreciation for the leadership provided by Saudi Arabia during its ongoing presidency of the G20 grouping.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/g20-chair-saudi-arabia-accepts-pm-modis-call-for-meet-via-video-conference-over-coronavirus-287105">G20 chair Saudi Arabia accepts PM Modi's call for meet via video conference over coronavirus</a></strong></p>

<p>He also expressed "special thanks" to King Salman for the support provided to Indian expatriates by the Saudi authorities during the pandemic.</p>

<p>The two leaders agreed that the initiatives taken at the level of the G20 had helped in promoting a coordinated response to the pandemic.</p>

<p>They also discussed the main priorities presently on the agenda of the G20, it said.</p>

<p>The two leaders expressed satisfaction at the state of bilateral relations between India and Saudi Arabia, and committed to further strengthening cooperation in all areas, the PMO said.</p>

<p>Modi conveyed his warm wishes for the good health and well-being of King Salman, other members of the royal family of Saudi Arabia and all citizens of the kingdom.</p>


Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation on Wednesday with Saudi Arabia’s King Salman. Spoke on phone with His Majesty @KingSalman about the important role being played by the G20 under the Saudi Presidency, including against COVID-19.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation on Wednesday with Saudi Arabia’s King Salman. Spoke on phone with His Majesty @KingSalman about the important role being played by the G20 under the Saudi Presidency, including against COVID-19. We also reviewed the tremendous growth in our bilateral ties in recent years. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 9, 2020 × The two leaders exchanged views on the global challenges following the COVID-19 pandemic and reviewed the work of the G20 countries. The Prime Minister's Office said Modi expressed his appreciation for the leadership provided by Saudi Arabia during its ongoing presidency of the G20 grouping. Also read: G20 chair Saudi Arabia accepts PM Modi's call for meet via video conference over coronavirus He also expressed "special thanks" to King Salman for the support provided to Indian expatriates by the Saudi authorities during the pandemic. The two leaders agreed that the initiatives taken at the level of the G20 had helped in promoting a coordinated response to the pandemic. They also discussed the main priorities presently on the agenda of the G20, it said. The two leaders expressed satisfaction at the state of bilateral relations between India and Saudi Arabia, and committed to further strengthening cooperation in all areas, the PMO said. Modi conveyed his warm wishes for the good health and well-being of King Salman, other members of the royal family of Saudi Arabia and all citizens of the kingdom.

PM Modi speaks to Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, discusses G20, coronavirus

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