Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan visited Istanbul's Hagia Sophia on Thursday (July 23) to inspect the final preparations for Muslim Friday prayers in the historic building on July 24.

He will take part in Friday's prayers at Hagia Sophia which are the first since the Istanbul landmark was reconverted to a mosque despite international condemnation.

Hagia Sophia served as a Christian Byzantine cathedral for 900 years before it was seized by Ottoman conquerors and converted to a mosque. Muslims prayed there until 1934 when it became a museum.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/all-you-want-to-know-about-istanbuls-iconic-hagia-sophias-history-309863">All you want to know about Istanbul's iconic Hagia Sophia's history</a>

A top Turkish court revoked the sixth-century monument's status as a museum on July 10 and Erdogan then ordered the building to reopen for Muslim worship, deeply angering the Christian community and further straining relations with NATO ally Greece.

The decision unleashed a torrent of criticism from church leaders, who said the conversion to exclusively Muslim worship risked deepening religious divisions. Turkey says the site will remain open for visitors and its Christian artworks protected.

Christian frescoes and the glittering mosaics adorning the cavernous dome and central hall will be concealed by curtains during Muslim prayer times, but remain on display for the rest of the time.

The head of Turkey's religious affairs directorate, Ali Erbas, said on Wednesday that up to 1,000 people could take part in the Friday prayer, which will be preceded by a Koran recital.

Leaders and officials from several Muslim-majority countries were invited, including Qatar and Azerbaijan, Turkish media reported.

Nearly 20,000 security forces will be in the area to ensure the first prayer takes place without incident.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan visited Istanbul's Hagia Sophia on Thursday (July 23) to inspect the final preparations for Muslim Friday prayers in the historic building on July 24.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan visited Istanbul's Hagia Sophia on Thursday (July 23) to inspect the final preparations for Muslim Friday prayers in the historic building on July 24. He will take part in Friday's prayers at Hagia Sophia which are the first since the Istanbul landmark was reconverted to a mosque despite international condemnation. Hagia Sophia served as a Christian Byzantine cathedral for 900 years before it was seized by Ottoman conquerors and converted to a mosque. Muslims prayed there until 1934 when it became a museum. Also see: All you want to know about Istanbul's iconic Hagia Sophia's history A top Turkish court revoked the sixth-century monument's status as a museum on July 10 and Erdogan then ordered the building to reopen for Muslim worship, deeply angering the Christian community and further straining relations with NATO ally Greece. The decision unleashed a torrent of criticism from church leaders, who said the conversion to exclusively Muslim worship risked deepening religious divisions. Turkey says the site will remain open for visitors and its Christian artworks protected. Christian frescoes and the glittering mosaics adorning the cavernous dome and central hall will be concealed by curtains during Muslim prayer times, but remain on display for the rest of the time. The head of Turkey's religious affairs directorate, Ali Erbas, said on Wednesday that up to 1,000 people could take part in the Friday prayer, which will be preceded by a Koran recital. Leaders and officials from several Muslim-majority countries were invited, including Qatar and Azerbaijan, Turkish media reported. Nearly 20,000 security forces will be in the area to ensure the first prayer takes place without incident.

Erdogan visits Hagia Sophia on eve of first Friday prayers after conversion from museum

July 24 in history: Signing of final treaty concluding World War I and much more!

As it inducts a first batch of five Rafale jets in the midst of the border row with China in eastern Ladakh, the Indian Air Force is looking at integrating the fleet with new generation air-to-ground missile systems having a strike range of up to 60 KM, people familiar with the development said.

The aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile, Scalp cruise missile and MICA weapons system will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets.

The people cited above said the IAF is zeroing in on procuring new generation medium-range modular air-to-ground weapon system Hammer to integrate with the Rafale jets, using the emergency financial powers provided by the government to the armed forces for faster acquisition of key weapons and platforms.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-arming-itself-to-remain-compelling-deterrent-against-attack-by-neighbours-315496" hreflang="en">India arming itself to remain compelling deterrent against attack by neighbours</a>

Hammer (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) is a precision-guided missile developed by French defence major Safran. The missile was originally designed and manufactured for the French Air Force and Navy.

In view of the border row with China, the defence ministry this month granted special powers to the three services for individual capital procurement programme worth Rs 300 crore to meet emergent operational requirements.

There will be no cap on the number of procurement programmes and that each acquisition under the emergency requirement category should not cost more than Rs 300 crore, according to officials.

They said the first batch of Rafale jets is likely to be deployed in the Ladakh sector by the second half of next month. India will receive a total of 36 Rafale jets under a Rs 58,000 crore contract.

The Meteor, Scalp and MICA weapons system will be the mainstay of the Rafale jets.

The Meteor is the next generation of BVR air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) designed to revolutionise air-to-air combat. The weapon has been developed by MBDA to combat common threats facing the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Sweden.

The Meteor is powered by a unique rocket-ramjet motor that gives it far more engine power for much longer than any other missile, said an official.

The Scalp is a deep-strike cruise missile known for having pinpoint terminal accuracy through its highly accurate seeker and target recognition system.

The Rafales will also be equipped with MICA weapon system which is integrated into IAF's Mirage 2000 aircraft.

Besides the missile systems, the Rafale jets will come with various India-specific modifications, including Israeli helmet-mounted displays, radar warning receivers, low-band jammers, 10-hour flight data recording, infra-red search and tracking systems among others.

The IAF has already completed preparations, including readying required infrastructure and training of pilots, to welcome the fighter aircraft.

The second squadron of Rafale will be stationed at Hasimara base in West Bengal. The IAF spent around Rs 400 crore to develop required infrastructure like shelters, hangers and maintenance facilities at the two bases.

Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets.

As it inducts a first batch of five Rafale jets in the midst of the border row with China in eastern Ladakh, the Indian Air Force is looking at integrating the fleet with new generation air-to-ground missile systems having a strike range of up to 60 KM, people familiar with the development said.

As it inducts a first batch of five Rafale jets in the midst of the border row with China in eastern Ladakh, the Indian Air Force is looking at integrating the fleet with new generation air-to-ground missile systems having a strike range of up to 60 KM, people familiar with the development said. The aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile, Scalp cruise missile and MICA weapons system will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets. The people cited above said the IAF is zeroing in on procuring new generation medium-range modular air-to-ground weapon system Hammer to integrate with the Rafale jets, using the emergency financial powers provided by the government to the armed forces for faster acquisition of key weapons and platforms. Also read: India arming itself to remain compelling deterrent against attack by neighbours Hammer (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) is a precision-guided missile developed by French defence major Safran. The missile was originally designed and manufactured for the French Air Force and Navy. In view of the border row with China, the defence ministry this month granted special powers to the three services for individual capital procurement programme worth Rs 300 crore to meet emergent operational requirements. There will be no cap on the number of procurement programmes and that each acquisition under the emergency requirement category should not cost more than Rs 300 crore, according to officials. They said the first batch of Rafale jets is likely to be deployed in the Ladakh sector by the second half of next month. India will receive a total of 36 Rafale jets under a Rs 58,000 crore contract. The Meteor, Scalp and MICA weapons system will be the mainstay of the Rafale jets. The Meteor is the next generation of BVR air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) designed to revolutionise air-to-air combat. The weapon has been developed by MBDA to combat common threats facing the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Sweden. The Meteor is powered by a unique rocket-ramjet motor that gives it far more engine power for much longer than any other missile, said an official. The Scalp is a deep-strike cruise missile known for having pinpoint terminal accuracy through its highly accurate seeker and target recognition system. The Rafales will also be equipped with MICA weapon system which is integrated into IAF's Mirage 2000 aircraft. Besides the missile systems, the Rafale jets will come with various India-specific modifications, including Israeli helmet-mounted displays, radar warning receivers, low-band jammers, 10-hour flight data recording, infra-red search and tracking systems among others. The IAF has already completed preparations, including readying required infrastructure and training of pilots, to welcome the fighter aircraft. The second squadron of Rafale will be stationed at Hasimara base in West Bengal. The IAF spent around Rs 400 crore to develop required infrastructure like shelters, hangers and maintenance facilities at the two bases. Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets.

Indian Air Force to integrate Rafale with new generation air-to-ground missiles

Experts have argued for long that China and&nbsp;not Pakistan is India’s biggest threat.&nbsp;

New Delhi might is&nbsp;recognising this fact by stepping up its defences by deploying the ultimate weapon: the nuclear bomb.

India’s nuclear weapons are pointing towards China now with Beijing within the range of Indian missiles.&nbsp;

Three years ago, India tested the Agni-5 missile.&nbsp;Its success was a boost for India’s defence capability.&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-inside-indias-china-centric-nuclear-strategy-315556/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In response, Chinese state media outlet The Global Times said “India needs to cool its missile fever”.

''India has broken the UN Limits on its development of nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missile”&nbsp;

The article goes on to argue that Pakistan should have the “same privileges” in nuclear development that india has.&nbsp;

The whole artice appears like a defence of Chinese ally Pakistan.&nbsp;

China is worried about India’s missile capabilities because the Agni-4, as well as the Agni-5 can hit targets within mainland China, includinh its capital Beijing.&nbsp;

Experts who have closely studied India’s nuclear program have confirmed that Pakistan is not the country only focus now.

India is now developing capabilities to deploy nuclear weapons against China.&nbsp;

All three branches of India’s defence forces have a role to play in this new strategy.&nbsp;

On the air front, three or four squadrons of the Mirage 2000h and the Jaguar have been assigned nuclear strike missions against Pakistan and China.&nbsp;

India is also set to induct the Rafale aircraft, a fighter jet that can be used for nuclear missions.&nbsp;

On land, the Agni-4, which if deployed in northeast India, can hit targets like Beijing and Shanghai.&nbsp;

The Agni-5 is much more capable as it can hit targets in china from bases in central and southern India.&nbsp;

On the high seas, India is developing a submarine-launched ballistic missile which will allow Indian submarines to target all of asia.&nbsp;

To back the new strategy, India is increasing its nuclear asrenal.&nbsp;Reportedly, India has developed 150 nuclear warheads.&nbsp;

48 nuclear bombs have been assigned to aircraft with the Indian Airforce.&nbsp;

While India maintains the no-first use policy, it is arming itself to remain a compelling deterrent for any kind of adventurism from the neighbours.

Experts have argued for long that China and not Pakistan is India’s biggest threat. New Delhi might is recognising this fact by stepping up its defences by deploying the ultimate weapon: the nuclear bomb.

Experts have argued for long that China and not Pakistan is India’s biggest threat. New Delhi might is recognising this fact by stepping up its defences by deploying the ultimate weapon: the nuclear bomb. India’s nuclear weapons are pointing towards China now with Beijing within the range of Indian missiles. Three years ago, India tested the Agni-5 missile. Its success was a boost for India’s defence capability. In response, Chinese state media outlet The Global Times said “India needs to cool its missile fever”. ''India has broken the UN Limits on its development of nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missile” The article goes on to argue that Pakistan should have the “same privileges” in nuclear development that india has. The whole artice appears like a defence of Chinese ally Pakistan. China is worried about India’s missile capabilities because the Agni-4, as well as the Agni-5 can hit targets within mainland China, includinh its capital Beijing. Experts who have closely studied India’s nuclear program have confirmed that Pakistan is not the country only focus now. India is now developing capabilities to deploy nuclear weapons against China. All three branches of India’s defence forces have a role to play in this new strategy. On the air front, three or four squadrons of the Mirage 2000h and the Jaguar have been assigned nuclear strike missions against Pakistan and China. India is also set to induct the Rafale aircraft, a fighter jet that can be used for nuclear missions. On land, the Agni-4, which if deployed in northeast India, can hit targets like Beijing and Shanghai. The Agni-5 is much more capable as it can hit targets in china from bases in central and southern India. On the high seas, India is developing a submarine-launched ballistic missile which will allow Indian submarines to target all of asia. To back the new strategy, India is increasing its nuclear asrenal. Reportedly, India has developed 150 nuclear warheads. 48 nuclear bombs have been assigned to aircraft with the Indian Airforce. While India maintains the no-first use policy, it is arming itself to remain a compelling deterrent for any kind of adventurism from the neighbours.

India arming itself to remain compelling deterrent against attack by neighbours

Despite rotting under debt and facing multiple crisis, Pakistan&nbsp;still&nbsp;persists&nbsp;in engineering wicked plots to defame India.

The plots are centered around Pakistan's favourite topic: Kashmir. Islamabad took a delegation of foreign journalists on a staged visit to the LoC&nbsp;on Wednesday.

A team of foreign media correspondents was taken on a tour by Imran Khan's government to&nbsp;the Poonch and Chirikot sector in Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

The delegation included journalists from media organizations such as Al Jazeera and CCTV, which are infamous for their anti-India rhetoric. The composition of the&nbsp;delegation itself speaks a lot about the purpose of the&nbsp;visit.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-pakistans-staged-tour-of-the-line-of-control-315554/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

This purpose of the&nbsp;visit was to portray India as the perpetrator of ceasefire violations and crimes along the Line of Control(LoC)&nbsp;and to show Pakistan as a "victim" of the circumstances created by India.

The Pakistan Army has been shelling villages along the LoC for three consecutive days.&nbsp;At 11 am on Thursday, it once again initiated an unprovoked ceasefire violation but these so-called foreign correspondents are obviously blind to Pakistan's actions.

They newspapers in Pakistan are carrying extensive columns on how these journalists praised the Pakistan army for its apparent ''bravery''. However, they were probably paid to do so.&nbsp;A similar incident had occured when a British parliamentary panel visited PoK earlier this year.

Debbie Abrahams, a British lawmaker, was barred from entering India due to an invalid visa.&nbsp;

In retaliation, she took part in press conferences with the Pak foreign minister and peddled lies about human rights violations in Kashmir.

According to reports, Abarahams was paid approximately $38,500 which&nbsp;is equivalent to 29 to 31 lakh Pakistani rupees. The British parliamentary panel has itself disclosed these details in its register a copy of of their filing.

It shows how Debbie Abrahams and her team received a "benefit of kind"&nbsp;of approximately $38,500 from the government of Pakistan. A benefit of kind which Britain has sugar-coated. It&nbsp;is not the first time that Debbie Abrahams has received funding from Pakistan.

In September 2018, the Pakistan High Commission in London had reportedly given around $14,000 euros to her group for a visit to Islamabad and Kashmir.

While Abrahams is accepting money from Imran Khan's government, she is hyprotically pointing out how can it be legal for UK to squander tax-payer's money on a bankrupt American company perhaps in the same manner in which Pakistan is paying journalists and lawmakers to defame India.

Despite rotting under debt and facing multiple crisis, Pakistan still persists in engineering wicked plots to defame India. The plots are centered around Pakistan's favourite topic: Kashmir.

Despite rotting under debt and facing multiple crisis, Pakistan still persists in engineering wicked plots to defame India. The plots are centered around Pakistan's favourite topic: Kashmir. Islamabad took a delegation of foreign journalists on a staged visit to the LoC on Wednesday. A team of foreign media correspondents was taken on a tour by Imran Khan's government to the Poonch and Chirikot sector in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. The delegation included journalists from media organizations such as Al Jazeera and CCTV, which are infamous for their anti-India rhetoric. The composition of the delegation itself speaks a lot about the purpose of the visit. This purpose of the visit was to portray India as the perpetrator of ceasefire violations and crimes along the Line of Control(LoC) and to show Pakistan as a "victim" of the circumstances created by India. The Pakistan Army has been shelling villages along the LoC for three consecutive days. At 11 am on Thursday, it once again initiated an unprovoked ceasefire violation but these so-called foreign correspondents are obviously blind to Pakistan's actions. They newspapers in Pakistan are carrying extensive columns on how these journalists praised the Pakistan army for its apparent ''bravery''. However, they were probably paid to do so. A similar incident had occured when a British parliamentary panel visited PoK earlier this year. Debbie Abrahams, a British lawmaker, was barred from entering India due to an invalid visa. In retaliation, she took part in press conferences with the Pak foreign minister and peddled lies about human rights violations in Kashmir. According to reports, Abarahams was paid approximately $38,500 which is equivalent to 29 to 31 lakh Pakistani rupees. The British parliamentary panel has itself disclosed these details in its register a copy of of their filing. It shows how Debbie Abrahams and her team received a "benefit of kind" of approximately $38,500 from the government of Pakistan. A benefit of kind which Britain has sugar-coated. It is not the first time that Debbie Abrahams has received funding from Pakistan. In September 2018, the Pakistan High Commission in London had reportedly given around $14,000 euros to her group for a visit to Islamabad and Kashmir. While Abrahams is accepting money from Imran Khan's government, she is hyprotically pointing out how can it be legal for UK to squander tax-payer's money on a bankrupt American company perhaps in the same manner in which Pakistan is paying journalists and lawmakers to defame India.

How Pakistan sponsors 'LoC tourism' to defame India

At least 132 people have lost their lives in about 445 incidents of landslides, flash floods, and other floods triggered by incessant rainfall in the past 40 days, in Nepal.

As per the natural calamity statistics recorded by Nepal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority till yesterday, at least 132 people had lost their lives whereas 53 were missing, and 128 were reported to be injured.

Around a thousand families have been directly affected since the monsoon season started in Nepal. This year the monsoon season hit the mountainous country last month.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepals-covid-19-tally-rises-to-18241-315538" hreflang="en">Nepal's COVID-19 tally rises to 18,241</a>

By now this has triggered incidents like floods and landslides in 70 of the 77 districts in the country.The Government of Nepal is yet to ascertain loss of properties in the incidents. This calculation is expected to rise on further as incidents of calamities have increased this year in comparison to previous year records.

As per the record of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, last year in the first 40 days of the monsoon season, only 48 people had lost their lives but the number this year increased by almost 3 times for the same considered time duration.

Landslides over major highways in various parts of the nation has disrupted life as the road connecting Kathmandu with other districts is still struggling to start its track activities. People living alongside the highway have been rendered homeless.

"There's no condition to go up there. My house now is surrounded by a stream making it totally inaccessible. Previously it was just a small stream," said Ramkumar Ghalan to ANI, a highway-side resident in Chitwan whose house is now surrounded by a downward stream of the flash floods.

In the past 10 years, Nepal has recorded 4,500 cases of landslides, flash floods, avalanches and heavy rainfall incidents in which a total of 1,952 people have lost their lives.

It has also been estimated that maximum property has been destroyed.In a span of 10 years, 19 major incidents of avalanches have been recorded by the government.

These incidents reportedly claimed the lives of 40 people. Nepal's Department of Meteorology and Hydrology has issued a warning of heavy rainfall in the coming days as the monsoon season is slated to last for an additional 60 days. This bears the potential capacity to aggravate the situation around the nation.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

At least 132 people have lost their lives in about 445 incidents of landslides, flash floods, and other floods triggered by incessant rainfall in the past 40 days, in Nepal.

At least 132 people have lost their lives in about 445 incidents of landslides, flash floods, and other floods triggered by incessant rainfall in the past 40 days, in Nepal. As per the natural calamity statistics recorded by Nepal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority till yesterday, at least 132 people had lost their lives whereas 53 were missing, and 128 were reported to be injured. Around a thousand families have been directly affected since the monsoon season started in Nepal. This year the monsoon season hit the mountainous country last month. Also read: Nepal's COVID-19 tally rises to 18,241 By now this has triggered incidents like floods and landslides in 70 of the 77 districts in the country.The Government of Nepal is yet to ascertain loss of properties in the incidents. This calculation is expected to rise on further as incidents of calamities have increased this year in comparison to previous year records. As per the record of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, last year in the first 40 days of the monsoon season, only 48 people had lost their lives but the number this year increased by almost 3 times for the same considered time duration. Landslides over major highways in various parts of the nation has disrupted life as the road connecting Kathmandu with other districts is still struggling to start its track activities. People living alongside the highway have been rendered homeless. "There's no condition to go up there. My house now is surrounded by a stream making it totally inaccessible. Previously it was just a small stream," said Ramkumar Ghalan to ANI, a highway-side resident in Chitwan whose house is now surrounded by a downward stream of the flash floods. In the past 10 years, Nepal has recorded 4,500 cases of landslides, flash floods, avalanches and heavy rainfall incidents in which a total of 1,952 people have lost their lives. It has also been estimated that maximum property has been destroyed.In a span of 10 years, 19 major incidents of avalanches have been recorded by the government. These incidents reportedly claimed the lives of 40 people. Nepal's Department of Meteorology and Hydrology has issued a warning of heavy rainfall in the coming days as the monsoon season is slated to last for an additional 60 days. This bears the potential capacity to aggravate the situation around the nation.

132 dead by rain triggered floods and landslides in past 40 days in Nepal

The&nbsp;luxury&nbsp;presidential&nbsp;jet&nbsp;Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador wants to sell returned on Wednesday to Mexico, more than 1-1/2 years after he sent it to the United States in search of a buyer.

Mexico has struggled to sell the opulent Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which the leftist Lopez Obrador has cast as a symbol of excess and corruption under previous governments in a country where around half the population lives in poverty.

Lopez Obrador early on Wednesday announced the plane's return, and television footage showed the aircraft landing in the afternoon at Mexico City's Benito Juarez International Airport where it was due to enter the presidential hangar.

The&nbsp;jet&nbsp;was acquired by former President Enrique Pena Nieto in 2012 and fitted with marble-lined bathrooms. Reconfigured to fly only 80 people, the plane has a "presidential suite" and a private bath.

The sale has been hamstrung in part by Lopez Obrador's unwillingness to accept offers below a United Nations-backed valuation of $130 million, even as the plane was potentially losing value as it sat unused in southern California.

Lopez Obrador's unorthodox plans to sell the plane included a raffle, where the plane was going to be the prize. Later he said the raffle would be a lottery-style event, with 100 winners getting about $1 million each rather than the plane.

Earlier this month, the government said Mexico was considering a $120 million bid for the&nbsp;jet&nbsp;after an unidentified prospective buyer offered to pay part in cash and part in medical equipment.

Lopez Obrador said the bidder was still interested and had even made an advance payment, without giving more details.

Mexico has been badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic, with hospitals running short on medical supplies and the country suffering the world's fourth highest death toll from the virus.

The luxury presidential jet Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador wants to sell returned on Wednesday to Mexico, more than 1-1/2 years after he sent it to the United States in search of a buyer.

The luxury presidential jet Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador wants to sell returned on Wednesday to Mexico, more than 1-1/2 years after he sent it to the United States in search of a buyer. Mexico has struggled to sell the opulent Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which the leftist Lopez Obrador has cast as a symbol of excess and corruption under previous governments in a country where around half the population lives in poverty. Lopez Obrador early on Wednesday announced the plane's return, and television footage showed the aircraft landing in the afternoon at Mexico City's Benito Juarez International Airport where it was due to enter the presidential hangar. The jet was acquired by former President Enrique Pena Nieto in 2012 and fitted with marble-lined bathrooms. Reconfigured to fly only 80 people, the plane has a "presidential suite" and a private bath. The sale has been hamstrung in part by Lopez Obrador's unwillingness to accept offers below a United Nations-backed valuation of $130 million, even as the plane was potentially losing value as it sat unused in southern California. Lopez Obrador's unorthodox plans to sell the plane included a raffle, where the plane was going to be the prize. Later he said the raffle would be a lottery-style event, with 100 winners getting about $1 million each rather than the plane. Earlier this month, the government said Mexico was considering a $120 million bid for the jet after an unidentified prospective buyer offered to pay part in cash and part in medical equipment. Lopez Obrador said the bidder was still interested and had even made an advance payment, without giving more details. Mexico has been badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic, with hospitals running short on medical supplies and the country suffering the world's fourth highest death toll from the virus.

Luxury jet spurned by Mexico's president returns from US

Dispute about Ethiopia's controversial Nile dam

The World Health Organization(WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Thursday rejected as false an allegation from US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that he owed his position to a deal with China.

"The comments are untrue and unacceptable and without any foundation," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual press conference, warning against the "politicisation of the pandemic."

Tedros appealed to all countries to work together in the fight against the virus, which has claimed more than 627,000 lives worldwide since it first emerged in China late last year.

"COVID-19 does not respect borders, ideologies or political parties," he said, warning that "politics and partisanship have made things worse. Coronavirus&nbsp;politics should be quarantined."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dead-britons-pompeo-slams-world-health-organization-says-chief-tedros-bought-by-china-315441">'Dead Britons': Pompeo slams WHO; says chief Tedros 'bought' by China</a>

Pompeo told a private meeting of MPs on Tuesday that the WHO had become a "political" body, alleging that its decisions were influenced by a deal struck between Tedros and China that helped him become its head.He also said that WHO's actions during the coronavirus pandemic led to "dead Britons".

Pompeo was in Britain for meetings with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab focused on China, and met some Conservative party MPs during a private morning event.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-us-vs-china-america-makes-3-big-moves-against-the-dragon-315248/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The US announced earlier this month that it would be withdrawing from the WHO, accusing it of being controlled by China.

US President Donald Trump had warned Tuesday that the coronavirus crisis in the US is likely to "get worse before it gets better".

"Some areas of our country are doing very well," Trump said at his first formal White House virus briefing since the end of April.

Trump urged Americans to wear facemasks to help prevent the spread of the highly contagious virus which has left more than 141,000 people dead in the US.

The World Health Organization(WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Thursday rejected as false an allegation from US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that he owed his position to a deal with China.

The World Health Organization(WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Thursday rejected as false an allegation from US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that he owed his position to a deal with China. "The comments are untrue and unacceptable and without any foundation," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual press conference, warning against the "politicisation of the pandemic." Tedros appealed to all countries to work together in the fight against the virus, which has claimed more than 627,000 lives worldwide since it first emerged in China late last year. "COVID-19 does not respect borders, ideologies or political parties," he said, warning that "politics and partisanship have made things worse. Coronavirus politics should be quarantined." Also read: 'Dead Britons': Pompeo slams WHO; says chief Tedros 'bought' by China Pompeo told a private meeting of MPs on Tuesday that the WHO had become a "political" body, alleging that its decisions were influenced by a deal struck between Tedros and China that helped him become its head.He also said that WHO's actions during the coronavirus pandemic led to "dead Britons". Pompeo was in Britain for meetings with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab focused on China, and met some Conservative party MPs during a private morning event. The US announced earlier this month that it would be withdrawing from the WHO, accusing it of being controlled by China. US President Donald Trump had warned Tuesday that the coronavirus crisis in the US is likely to "get worse before it gets better". "Some areas of our country are doing very well," Trump said at his first formal White House virus briefing since the end of April. Trump urged Americans to wear facemasks to help prevent the spread of the highly contagious virus which has left more than 141,000 people dead in the US.

Coronavirus politics should be quarantined, says WHO chief Tedros over Pompeo's remark

Jammu and Kashmir administration on Thursday sanctioned Rs 15 crore to set up additional testing laboratory and equipment for three medical colleges, for Personal protective equipment and other COVID containment efforts under State Disaster Response Fund.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-police-carries-out-awareness-rallies-on-covid-19-lockdown-reimposed-315454" hreflang="en">J&amp;K police carries out awareness rallies on COVID-19; lockdown reimposed</a>

The sanctioned amount will be equally distributed among Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Government Medical College of Jammu and Srinagar, that is,&nbsp;Rs 5 crore each, stated the press release by the Department of Information and Public Relation, Jammu and Kashmir.

This funding is mainly provided to the Health Department, said Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam during a Subject Expert Committee (SEC) meeting headed on Thursday.

Jammu and Kashmir administration on Thursday sanctioned Rs 15 crore to set up additional testing laboratory and equipment for three medical colleges, for Personal protective equipment and other COVID containment efforts under State Disaster Response Fund.

Jammu and Kashmir administration on Thursday sanctioned Rs 15 crore to set up additional testing laboratory and equipment for three medical colleges, for Personal protective equipment and other COVID containment efforts under State Disaster Response Fund. Also read: J&K police carries out awareness rallies on COVID-19; lockdown reimposed The sanctioned amount will be equally distributed among Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Government Medical College of Jammu and Srinagar, that is, Rs 5 crore each, stated the press release by the Department of Information and Public Relation, Jammu and Kashmir. This funding is mainly provided to the Health Department, said Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam during a Subject Expert Committee (SEC) meeting headed on Thursday.

Jammu and Kashmir sanctions Rs 15 crore for additional setup in 3 medical colleges

A man in New York called Mikey Cee has captured the exact moment when lightning struck the Statue of Liberty amid a storm in the city.

The dramatic 21-second footage taken recorded on Ellis Island was shared by several Twitter users and went viral within a few hours.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The best video I ever captured. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NewYork?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NewYork</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeatherChannel?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeatherChannel</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NYC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NYC</a> <a href="https://t.co/cOBqTqJ9LO">pic.twitter.com/cOBqTqJ9LO</a>
— Mikey Cee (@_Mikey_Cee) <a href="https://twitter.com/_Mikey_Cee/status/1286074510488350720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 22, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The clip reminded many of 1984 iconic movie Ghostbusters and some said in jest that the lightning could ''hit&nbsp;the White House.''

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Welp. That's spectacular <a href="https://t.co/P9rjdBkfA8">https://t.co/P9rjdBkfA8</a>
— Eric Fisher (@ericfisher) <a href="https://twitter.com/ericfisher/status/1286084568295055360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 22, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Many of them also&nbsp;reminisced about other "ominous" things 2020 had in store for them this year.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Any other year this is cool. In 2020 it just comes off as particularly ominous.
— Peter Mallouk (@PeterMallouk) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeterMallouk/status/1286091408437321730?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Amid severe warnings of storm in the Tri-State area, the powerful thunderstorm with strong winds passed across the Big Apple Wednesday afternoon.

&nbsp;

A man in New York called Mikey Cee has captured the exact moment when lightning struck the Statue of Liberty amid a storm in the city. The dramatic 21-second footage taken recorded on Ellis Island was shared by several Twitter users and went viral within a few hours.

A man in New York called Mikey Cee has captured the exact moment when lightning struck the Statue of Liberty amid a storm in the city. The dramatic 21-second footage taken recorded on Ellis Island was shared by several Twitter users and went viral within a few hours. The best video I ever captured. #NewYork #WeatherChannel #NYC pic.twitter.com/cOBqTqJ9LO — Mikey Cee (@_Mikey_Cee) July 22, 2020 × The clip reminded many of 1984 iconic movie Ghostbusters and some said in jest that the lightning could ''hit the White House.'' Welp. That's spectacular https://t.co/P9rjdBkfA8 — Eric Fisher (@ericfisher) July 22, 2020 × Many of them also reminisced about other "ominous" things 2020 had in store for them this year. Any other year this is cool. In 2020 it just comes off as particularly ominous. — Peter Mallouk (@PeterMallouk) July 23, 2020 × Amid severe warnings of storm in the Tri-State area, the powerful thunderstorm with strong winds passed across the Big Apple Wednesday afternoon.

Man captures exact moment lightning strikes Statue of Liberty; footage goes viral

French authorities have told telecoms operators planning to buy Huawei 5G equipment that they won’t be able to renew licences for the gear once they expire, effectively phasing the Chinese firm out of mobile networks, three sources close to the matter said.

Like other countries in Europe, France is laying the ground for its next-generation 5G mobile market in the middle of a growing geopolitical storm between two global superpowers.

The United States say the company’s equipment could be used by the Chinese government for espionage, a charge denied by Huawei and Beijing and has pressed its allies to ban it.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ready-to-replace-huawei-in-uk-at-scale-and-speed-nokia-313250">Ready to replace Huawei in UK at scale and speed: Nokia</a>

France’s cybersecurity agency ANSSI said this month it would allow operators to use equipment, including Huawei’s, under licences of three to eight years. But it added it was urging telcos not currently using the Chinese company’s gear to avoid switching to it.

Operators must each apply for dozens of licences for equipment to cover different parts of the country.

The sources said ANSSI had informed operators of most licence decisions for large cities. They said the bulk of authorisations for Huawei gear were for three or five years, while most of those for equipment from European rivals Ericsson or Nokia&nbsp;received eight-year licences.

ANSSI’s decisions have not been made public, either by the agency or by the companies.

The sources added that operators had also been told by French authorities during informal conversations in recent months, not stated formally in documents, that licences granted for Huawei equipment would not be renewed thereafter.

Both ANSSI and Huawei declined to comment.

A spokesman for the prime minister’s office, which oversees the permissions on 5G equipment, said ANSSI was working with operators within the legal framework, adding that any authorisation granted at present did not impinge on whether these would later be renewed or interrupted.

Such restrictions, though, would amount to a de facto phase-out of Huawei within France’s 5G networks by 2028, given the short time-frame of the licenses, according to the sources, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter.

French operators might still manage to get an eight-year authorisation for Huawei equipment in some cases, and could yet decide to use its gear for that time period, the sources said. But even this meant eventually dismantling it, they added.

One of the sources said it would be difficult for a telecom operator to take the risk of investing in Huawei gear, given new mobile technology like 5G takes at least eight years to yield a return on investment. “Granting three years amounts to a flat refusal,” the person added.

‘Similar&nbsp;to&nbsp;Britain’

An effective ban would be particularly troublesome for Bouygues Telecom and Altice Europe’s SFR, the two French telecom operators that already use Huawei’s equipment in their current mobile network.

The new authorisations for 5G network equipment are linked to existing 4G gear - meaning that if an operator opts for a different supplier for 5G, it would also have to replace its existing 4G infrastructure.

The companies have already said several times this year that such a scenario, in which they may be compelled to replace part of their grid at great cost, would lead them to asking for compensation from the state.

Bouygues and Altice declined to comment on whether they had applied for Huawei licences or any licence decisions or whether they had held informal conversations with ANSSI. They also declined to comment on whether they would now drop any purchase plans for Huawei equipment.

France’s two other major operators, leader Orange&nbsp;and Iliad,&nbsp;mainly rely on Nokia, Ericsson or both for their mobile networks.

French authorities have told telecoms operators planning to buy Huawei 5G equipment that they won’t be able to renew licences for the gear once they expire, effectively phasing the Chinese firm out of mobile networks, three sources close to the matter said.

French authorities have told telecoms operators planning to buy Huawei 5G equipment that they won’t be able to renew licences for the gear once they expire, effectively phasing the Chinese firm out of mobile networks, three sources close to the matter said. Like other countries in Europe, France is laying the ground for its next-generation 5G mobile market in the middle of a growing geopolitical storm between two global superpowers. The United States say the company’s equipment could be used by the Chinese government for espionage, a charge denied by Huawei and Beijing and has pressed its allies to ban it. Also read: Ready to replace Huawei in UK at scale and speed: Nokia France’s cybersecurity agency ANSSI said this month it would allow operators to use equipment, including Huawei’s, under licences of three to eight years. But it added it was urging telcos not currently using the Chinese company’s gear to avoid switching to it. Operators must each apply for dozens of licences for equipment to cover different parts of the country. The sources said ANSSI had informed operators of most licence decisions for large cities. They said the bulk of authorisations for Huawei gear were for three or five years, while most of those for equipment from European rivals Ericsson or Nokia received eight-year licences. ANSSI’s decisions have not been made public, either by the agency or by the companies. The sources added that operators had also been told by French authorities during informal conversations in recent months, not stated formally in documents, that licences granted for Huawei equipment would not be renewed thereafter. Both ANSSI and Huawei declined to comment. A spokesman for the prime minister’s office, which oversees the permissions on 5G equipment, said ANSSI was working with operators within the legal framework, adding that any authorisation granted at present did not impinge on whether these would later be renewed or interrupted. Such restrictions, though, would amount to a de facto phase-out of Huawei within France’s 5G networks by 2028, given the short time-frame of the licenses, according to the sources, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter. French operators might still manage to get an eight-year authorisation for Huawei equipment in some cases, and could yet decide to use its gear for that time period, the sources said. But even this meant eventually dismantling it, they added. One of the sources said it would be difficult for a telecom operator to take the risk of investing in Huawei gear, given new mobile technology like 5G takes at least eight years to yield a return on investment. “Granting three years amounts to a flat refusal,” the person added. ‘Similar to Britain’ An effective ban would be particularly troublesome for Bouygues Telecom and Altice Europe’s SFR, the two French telecom operators that already use Huawei’s equipment in their current mobile network. The new authorisations for 5G network equipment are linked to existing 4G gear - meaning that if an operator opts for a different supplier for 5G, it would also have to replace its existing 4G infrastructure. The companies have already said several times this year that such a scenario, in which they may be compelled to replace part of their grid at great cost, would lead them to asking for compensation from the state. Bouygues and Altice declined to comment on whether they had applied for Huawei licences or any licence decisions or whether they had held informal conversations with ANSSI. They also declined to comment on whether they would now drop any purchase plans for Huawei equipment. France’s two other major operators, leader Orange and Iliad, mainly rely on Nokia, Ericsson or both for their mobile networks.

France planning to halt renewal of Huawei's licence for operators by 2028: Reports

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