Coronavirus was detected on several surfaces in hotel rooms where two presymptomatic Chinese students were quarantined before being diagnosed with the disease, according to a study released on Monday.

The research was conducted by scientists at the Qingdao Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Shandong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Global Health Research Center at Duke Kunshan University and the Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology.

For the study, published in the Emerging Infectious Diseases journal of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), researchers in China examined the hotel rooms of the two students, who returned to China from studying abroad on March 19 and March 20.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-worldwide-cases-near-49-million-death-toll-at-318465-299544" hreflang="en">Covid-19 worldwide cases near 4.9 million; death toll at 318,465</a>

They did not display any virus symptoms at the time and were transferred to a hotel for 14 days of quarantine.

On the morning of the second day in quarantine, they remained presymptomatic but both tested positive for COVID-19 and were hospitalized.

A total of 22 samples were collected from the two rooms and eight tested positive for COVID-19.Six were from the room of a student identified only as Patient A. They were from the light switch, bathroom door handle, sheet, duvet cover, pillow cover and towel.

In Patient B's room, positive samples were detected on a faucet and pillow case.

The researchers said the study "demonstrates extensive environmental contamination of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in a relatively short time."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/imf-chief-warns-full-global-economic-recovery-unlikely-in-2021-299531" hreflang="en">IMF chief warns full global economic recovery unlikely in 2021</a>

They noted that a higher viral load was detected after prolonged contact with sheets and pillow covers.

"The detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the surface samples of the sheet, duvet cover, and pillow cover highlights the importance of proper handling procedures when changing or laundering used linens of SARS-CoV-2 patients," they said.

"In summary, our study demonstrates that presymptomatic patients have high viral load shedding and can easily contaminate environments," they said.

Researchers around the world have been looking at how long the virus can survive on various surfaces.

Studies have shown it can live between three hours and seven days, depending on the material, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

About three hours after they tested positive, the researchers sampled various surfaces in their rooms.

These included door handles, light switches, faucet handles, thermometers, television remotes, pillow covers, duvet covers, sheets, towels, bathroom door handles, toilet seats and toilet flushing buttons.

Coronavirus was detected on several surfaces in hotel rooms where two presymptomatic Chinese students were quarantined before being diagnosed with the disease, according to a study released on Monday.

Coronavirus was detected on several surfaces in hotel rooms where two presymptomatic Chinese students were quarantined before being diagnosed with the disease, according to a study released on Monday. The research was conducted by scientists at the Qingdao Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Shandong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Global Health Research Center at Duke Kunshan University and the Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology. For the study, published in the Emerging Infectious Diseases journal of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), researchers in China examined the hotel rooms of the two students, who returned to China from studying abroad on March 19 and March 20. Also read: Covid-19 worldwide cases near 4.9 million; death toll at 318,465 They did not display any virus symptoms at the time and were transferred to a hotel for 14 days of quarantine. On the morning of the second day in quarantine, they remained presymptomatic but both tested positive for COVID-19 and were hospitalized. A total of 22 samples were collected from the two rooms and eight tested positive for COVID-19.Six were from the room of a student identified only as Patient A. They were from the light switch, bathroom door handle, sheet, duvet cover, pillow cover and towel. In Patient B's room, positive samples were detected on a faucet and pillow case. The researchers said the study "demonstrates extensive environmental contamination of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in a relatively short time." Also read: IMF chief warns full global economic recovery unlikely in 2021 They noted that a higher viral load was detected after prolonged contact with sheets and pillow covers. "The detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the surface samples of the sheet, duvet cover, and pillow cover highlights the importance of proper handling procedures when changing or laundering used linens of SARS-CoV-2 patients," they said. "In summary, our study demonstrates that presymptomatic patients have high viral load shedding and can easily contaminate environments," they said. Researchers around the world have been looking at how long the virus can survive on various surfaces. Studies have shown it can live between three hours and seven days, depending on the material, according to the Cleveland Clinic. About three hours after they tested positive, the researchers sampled various surfaces in their rooms. These included door handles, light switches, faucet handles, thermometers, television remotes, pillow covers, duvet covers, sheets, towels, bathroom door handles, toilet seats and toilet flushing buttons.

Presymptomatic COVID-19 patients can contaminate surroundings: Study

May 19 in history: Turkish War of Independence begins, invention of Rubik's cube and more

US President Donald Trump on Monday&nbsp;defended ousting the state department's independent watchdog by calling it ''fully&nbsp;justified''.&nbsp;

Steve Linick, the agency's inspector general, was investigating Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for staff misuse and&nbsp;arms deal with Saudi Arabia.&nbsp;Trump fired had fired him on Friday.

Earlier,&nbsp;Pompeo had&nbsp;denied seeking to fire him&nbsp;in "retaliation" for an investigation.

Pompeo confirmed that he had recommended Linick's removal for "undermining" the state department, but said he did not know that the inspector general was investigating him.

"I went to the president and made clear to him that Inspector General Linick wasn't performing a function in a way that we had tried to get him to, that was additive for the state department, very consistent with what the statute says he's supposed to be doing," he said.

He is the fourth inspector general (IG) to be fired by&nbsp;Trump in four weeks, and the move sparked outcry from Democrats, who claimed Linick was fired for political reasons.

According to Democratic congressional aides, Linick had nearly completed an investigation into a highly&nbsp;controversial decision&nbsp;by Trump and Pompeo last May to approve $8bn in arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates without consulting Congress, on the grounds that the regional threat posed by Iran constituted a national emergency.

US President Donald Trump on Monday defended ousting the state department's independent watchdog by calling it ''fully justified''. Steve Linick, the agency's inspector general, was investigating Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for staff misuse and arms deal with Saudi Arabia.

US President Donald Trump on Monday defended ousting the state department's independent watchdog by calling it ''fully justified''. Steve Linick, the agency's inspector general, was investigating Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for staff misuse and arms deal with Saudi Arabia. Trump fired had fired him on Friday. Earlier, Pompeo had denied seeking to fire him in "retaliation" for an investigation. Pompeo confirmed that he had recommended Linick's removal for "undermining" the state department, but said he did not know that the inspector general was investigating him. "I went to the president and made clear to him that Inspector General Linick wasn't performing a function in a way that we had tried to get him to, that was additive for the state department, very consistent with what the statute says he's supposed to be doing," he said. He is the fourth inspector general (IG) to be fired by Trump in four weeks, and the move sparked outcry from Democrats, who claimed Linick was fired for political reasons. According to Democratic congressional aides, Linick had nearly completed an investigation into a highly controversial decision by Trump and Pompeo last May to approve $8bn in arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates without consulting Congress, on the grounds that the regional threat posed by Iran constituted a national emergency.

Trump defends firing watchdog investigating Pompeo for arms deal and staff misuse

One rocket hit near the US embassy in Baghdad early Tuesday morning, security sources told AFP,&nbsp;the first to land in the high-security zone in weeks.

The blast could be heard across the Iraqi capital and triggered security sirens at the US embassy compound but did not cause casualties, the sources confirmed. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.&nbsp;

It follows more than two dozen similar attacks against American interests in Iraq since October that the US has blamed on Iran-backed factions among Iraq's security forces.

The volleys of rockets, which have killed US, British and Iraqi armed personnel, have severely strained ties between Baghdad and Washington.

Tensions reached boiling point in January when the US killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a drone strike on Baghdad.

But the US and Iraq have hoped to reset the relationship since Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi took the helm earlier this month, with bilateral talks planned for June.&nbsp;

The negotiations are expected to set a framework for the presence of US troops, which deployed to Iraq in 2014 to lead a coalition fighting back the Islamic State group.

But the forces are a thorn in the side of Iran and its allies in Iraq, which have insisted they leave the country.

On Sunday, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the US "will not be staying either in Iraq or Syria and must withdraw and will certainly be expelled".&nbsp;

The US-led coalition has already drawn down its 7,500-strong force in Iraq this year, citing a decreased threat from IS and difficulties training Iraqi forces due to the spread of the coronavirus.

One rocket hit near the US embassy in Baghdad early Tuesday morning, security sources told AFP, the first to land in the high-security zone in weeks. The blast could be heard across the Iraqi capital and triggered security sirens at the US embassy compound but did not cause casualties, the sources confirmed.

One rocket hit near the US embassy in Baghdad early Tuesday morning, security sources told AFP, the first to land in the high-security zone in weeks. The blast could be heard across the Iraqi capital and triggered security sirens at the US embassy compound but did not cause casualties, the sources confirmed. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. It follows more than two dozen similar attacks against American interests in Iraq since October that the US has blamed on Iran-backed factions among Iraq's security forces. The volleys of rockets, which have killed US, British and Iraqi armed personnel, have severely strained ties between Baghdad and Washington. Tensions reached boiling point in January when the US killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a drone strike on Baghdad. But the US and Iraq have hoped to reset the relationship since Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi took the helm earlier this month, with bilateral talks planned for June. The negotiations are expected to set a framework for the presence of US troops, which deployed to Iraq in 2014 to lead a coalition fighting back the Islamic State group. But the forces are a thorn in the side of Iran and its allies in Iraq, which have insisted they leave the country. On Sunday, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the US "will not be staying either in Iraq or Syria and must withdraw and will certainly be expelled". The US-led coalition has already drawn down its 7,500-strong force in Iraq this year, citing a decreased threat from IS and difficulties training Iraqi forces due to the spread of the coronavirus.

Rocket hits near US embassy in Baghdad: Security sources

The White House Director of Strategic Communications has confirmed that US President Donald Trump was prescribed hydroxychloroquine and has been consuming the&nbsp;anti-malarial drug&nbsp;for a week and a half.

Earlier,&nbsp;Trump, noting that he has tested negative for the virus and shows no symptoms, said he'd been taking the drug as a preventative measure.

His remarks on Monday immediately grabbed&nbsp;headlines.&nbsp;US deaths from COVID-19 has topped 90,000 people, almost a third of the total world toll.

Trump’s doctor, Sean Conley, released a memorandum stating that he and the doctor had discussed the use of the drug, but did not confirm in the memo that the US president was actually taking the drug.

Trump has shown interest in promoting the use of hydroxychloroquine&nbsp;for weeks,&nbsp;even if some doctors think it does not work for coronavirus patients and US government regulators warn it has "not been shown to be safe."

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been warning since April that the drug should not be used for that purpose because it could cause irregular heartbeats and other cardiac trauma.

Trump has often played down the dangers of coronavirus, including last week when he said it threatened only a small number of people. He also pointedly refuses to wear a mask, despite federal recommendations to do so and the fact that most of his staff have taken to covering their faces in public.

The White House Director of Strategic Communications has confirmed that US President Donald Trump was prescribed hydroxychloroquine and has been consuming the anti-malarial drug for a week and a half.

The White House Director of Strategic Communications has confirmed that US President Donald Trump was prescribed hydroxychloroquine and has been consuming the anti-malarial drug for a week and a half. Earlier, Trump, noting that he has tested negative for the virus and shows no symptoms, said he'd been taking the drug as a preventative measure. His remarks on Monday immediately grabbed headlines. US deaths from COVID-19 has topped 90,000 people, almost a third of the total world toll. Trump’s doctor, Sean Conley, released a memorandum stating that he and the doctor had discussed the use of the drug, but did not confirm in the memo that the US president was actually taking the drug. Trump has shown interest in promoting the use of hydroxychloroquine for weeks, even if some doctors think it does not work for coronavirus patients and US government regulators warn it has "not been shown to be safe." The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been warning since April that the drug should not be used for that purpose because it could cause irregular heartbeats and other cardiac trauma. Trump has often played down the dangers of coronavirus, including last week when he said it threatened only a small number of people. He also pointedly refuses to wear a mask, despite federal recommendations to do so and the fact that most of his staff have taken to covering their faces in public.

White House confirms Trump is taking anti-malarial drug to ward off COVID-19

A Chinese laboratory has been developing a drug it believes has the power to bring the coronavirus pandemic to a halt.

The outbreak first emerged in China late last year before spreading across the world, prompting an international race to find treatments and vaccines.

A drug being tested by scientists at China's prestigious Peking University could not only shorten the recovery time for those infected, but even offer short-term immunity from the virus, researchers say.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/presymptomatic-covid-19-patients-can-contaminate-surroundings-study-299576" hreflang="en">Presymptomatic COVID-19 patients can contaminate surroundings: Study</a>

Sunney Xie, director of the university's Beijing advanced innovation center for genomics, said that the drug has been successful at the animal testing stage.

"When we injected neutralising antibodies into infected mice, after five days the viral load was reduced by a factor of 2,500," said Xie.

"That means this potential drug has a&nbsp;therapeutic effect.'' he added.

It&nbsp;uses neutralising antibodies, produced by the human immune system to prevent the virus infecting cells, which Xie's team isolated from the blood of 60 recovered patients.&nbsp;

A study on the team's research, published Sunday in the scientific journal cell, suggests that using the antibodies provides a potential "cure" for the disease and shortens recovery time.

Xie said his team had been working "day and night" searching for the antibody.

"Our expertise is single-cell genomics rather than immunology or virology. When we realised that the single-cell genomic approach can effectively find the neutralising antibody we were thrilled."

<a href="http://13.235.153.162/videos/china-develops-a-drug-to-fight-pandemic-covid-19-299652">Also watch |&nbsp;China develops a drug to fight pandemic COVID-19</a>

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He added that the drug should be ready for use later this year and in time for any potential winter outbreak of the virus, which has infected 4.8 million people around the world and killed more than 315,000.

"Planning for the clinical trial is underway," said xie, adding it will be carried out in Australia and other countries since cases have dwindled in China, offering fewer human guinea pigs for testing.

China already has five potential coronavirus vaccines at the human trial stage, a health official said last week.

A Chinese laboratory has been developing a drug it believes has the power to bring the coronavirus pandemic to a halt. The outbreak first emerged in China late last year before spreading across the world, prompting an international race to find treatments and vaccines.

A Chinese laboratory has been developing a drug it believes has the power to bring the coronavirus pandemic to a halt. The outbreak first emerged in China late last year before spreading across the world, prompting an international race to find treatments and vaccines. A drug being tested by scientists at China's prestigious Peking University could not only shorten the recovery time for those infected, but even offer short-term immunity from the virus, researchers say. Also read: Presymptomatic COVID-19 patients can contaminate surroundings: Study Sunney Xie, director of the university's Beijing advanced innovation center for genomics, said that the drug has been successful at the animal testing stage. "When we injected neutralising antibodies into infected mice, after five days the viral load was reduced by a factor of 2,500," said Xie. "That means this potential drug has a therapeutic effect.'' he added. It uses neutralising antibodies, produced by the human immune system to prevent the virus infecting cells, which Xie's team isolated from the blood of 60 recovered patients. A study on the team's research, published Sunday in the scientific journal cell, suggests that using the antibodies provides a potential "cure" for the disease and shortens recovery time. Xie said his team had been working "day and night" searching for the antibody. "Our expertise is single-cell genomics rather than immunology or virology. When we realised that the single-cell genomic approach can effectively find the neutralising antibody we were thrilled." Also watch | China develops a drug to fight pandemic COVID-19 × He added that the drug should be ready for use later this year and in time for any potential winter outbreak of the virus, which has infected 4.8 million people around the world and killed more than 315,000. "Planning for the clinical trial is underway," said xie, adding it will be carried out in Australia and other countries since cases have dwindled in China, offering fewer human guinea pigs for testing. China already has five potential coronavirus vaccines at the human trial stage, a health official said last week.

New drug can halt pandemic 'without vaccine', claim scientists

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg on Monday urged the European Union to take the lead in setting global standards for tech regulation or risk seeing countries follow China as a model.

"A&nbsp;lot of other countries are looking at China's&nbsp;model and thinking it gives their government more control," Zuckerberg said, during a video debate with EU commissioner Thierry Breton.

Under the Beijing model, "you don't have to respect human rights quite as much in how the society gets run," he added.

"I just think that that's really dangerous and I worry about that kind of model spreading to other countries," Zuckerberg said in&nbsp;in the talk, organised by the Centre on Regulation in Europe.

"I think that the best antidote to that is having a clear regulatory framework that comes out of Western democratic countries, and that can become a standard around the world," he argued.

"When Europe sets policies, they often become the standards around the world," he said, citing the EU's GDPR data protection legislation, which has been widely replicated. 
 
Breton, one of the EU's top officials on tech policy, said that Facebook and other big tech companies must also live up to certain values.

If you want to have the right regulation "you have to have a clear set of values and in Europe we have these values," he said, hinting Facebook sometimes fell short, especially on controlling illegal content or paying fair taxes.

"At the end of the day, if we cannot find a way, we will regulate, of course," he warned "It is extremely important that when you are CEO, at the end of the day, you are the only one to be responsible," Breton said.

"It is extremely important that when you are CEO, at the end of the day, you are the only one to be responsible," Breton said. "The mission of a CEO is to listen to everyone and then to take the decision.

"The mission of a CEO is to listen to everyone and then to take the decision. At the end of the day, it will be Mark who will be responsible, nobody else." 
 
The European Commission is ramping up towards a Digital Service Act, a major piece of EU lawmaking intended to curb the powers of US big tech. 
 
The law would include all aspects of the digital world, including cracking down on hate speech, protecting user data and preventing big companies from abusing their dominant market positions. 
 
&nbsp;

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg on Monday urged the European Union to take the lead in setting global standards for tech regulation or risk seeing countries follow China as a model.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg on Monday urged the European Union to take the lead in setting global standards for tech regulation or risk seeing countries follow China as a model. "A lot of other countries are looking at China's model and thinking it gives their government more control," Zuckerberg said, during a video debate with EU commissioner Thierry Breton. Under the Beijing model, "you don't have to respect human rights quite as much in how the society gets run," he added. "I just think that that's really dangerous and I worry about that kind of model spreading to other countries," Zuckerberg said in in the talk, organised by the Centre on Regulation in Europe. "I think that the best antidote to that is having a clear regulatory framework that comes out of Western democratic countries, and that can become a standard around the world," he argued. "When Europe sets policies, they often become the standards around the world," he said, citing the EU's GDPR data protection legislation, which has been widely replicated. Breton, one of the EU's top officials on tech policy, said that Facebook and other big tech companies must also live up to certain values. If you want to have the right regulation "you have to have a clear set of values and in Europe we have these values," he said, hinting Facebook sometimes fell short, especially on controlling illegal content or paying fair taxes. "At the end of the day, if we cannot find a way, we will regulate, of course," he warned "It is extremely important that when you are CEO, at the end of the day, you are the only one to be responsible," Breton said. "It is extremely important that when you are CEO, at the end of the day, you are the only one to be responsible," Breton said. "The mission of a CEO is to listen to everyone and then to take the decision. "The mission of a CEO is to listen to everyone and then to take the decision. At the end of the day, it will be Mark who will be responsible, nobody else." The European Commission is ramping up towards a Digital Service Act, a major piece of EU lawmaking intended to curb the powers of US big tech. The law would include all aspects of the digital world, including cracking down on hate speech, protecting user data and preventing big companies from abusing their dominant market positions.

Zuckerberg urges EU to lead on tech rules and overcome Chinese competition

A fossil unearthed in Australia by a volunteer digger has been identified as a rare, toothless dinosaur that roamed the country 110 million years ago.

The elaphrosaur was a member of the theropod family of dinosaurs that included all of the predatory species.

It stood about the height of a small emu, measuring 2 metre&nbsp;from its head to the end of a long tail, and had short arms, each ending in four fingers.

It is the first elaphrosaur bone ever to be found in Australia.

The fossil was discovered by volunteer Jessica Parker, who was taking part in an annual dig led by Melbourne Museum.

Initially,&nbsp;it was thought to be from a flying reptile called a pterosaur. But when palaeontologists at&nbsp;Swinburne University&nbsp;in Melbourne studied the fossil further, they realised it was a delicately-built dinosaur.

<ul>
</ul>

Stephen Poropat, the lead researcher behind the find, at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, said elaphrosaurs were ''really rare,''&nbsp;with just three named species from Tanzania, China and Argentina.

''This is the first record of the group in Australia, and only the second Cretaceous record worldwide.''

<section>
Palaeontologists from Swinburne say they are hoping to return to the Cape Otway to hopefully uncover more fossils at the site soon, but plans have been halted for now due to the recent bushfires and COVID-19 pandemic.
</section>

<ul>
	<li>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

A fossil unearthed in Australia by a volunteer digger has been identified as a rare, toothless dinosaur that roamed the country 110 million years ago. The elaphrosaur was a member of the theropod family of dinosaurs that included all of the predatory species.

A fossil unearthed in Australia by a volunteer digger has been identified as a rare, toothless dinosaur that roamed the country 110 million years ago. The elaphrosaur was a member of the theropod family of dinosaurs that included all of the predatory species. It stood about the height of a small emu, measuring 2 metre from its head to the end of a long tail, and had short arms, each ending in four fingers. It is the first elaphrosaur bone ever to be found in Australia. The fossil was discovered by volunteer Jessica Parker, who was taking part in an annual dig led by Melbourne Museum. Initially, it was thought to be from a flying reptile called a pterosaur. But when palaeontologists at Swinburne University in Melbourne studied the fossil further, they realised it was a delicately-built dinosaur. Stephen Poropat, the lead researcher behind the find, at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, said elaphrosaurs were ''really rare,'' with just three named species from Tanzania, China and Argentina. ''This is the first record of the group in Australia, and only the second Cretaceous record worldwide.'' Palaeontologists from Swinburne say they are hoping to return to the Cape Otway to hopefully uncover more fossils at the site soon, but plans have been halted for now due to the recent bushfires and COVID-19 pandemic.

Toothless, 110 million-year-old dinosaur discovered in Australia

The United Nations called Tuesday for an immediate reduction of violence in Afghanistan, saying civilian deaths by both Taliban and Afghanistan's own security forces is on the increase.

In a statement, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, or UNAMA, also expressed concern about the stepped-up attacks and brutality of assaults claimed by the Islamic State group.

A horrific attack last week at a maternity hospital in the capital has not been claimed by any group, but the United States said it bears all the hallmarks of Afghanistan's IS affiliate&nbsp;targeting the country's minority Shiites in a neighborhood of Kabul they have repeatedly attacked in the past.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/afghanistan/seven-killed-in-a-car-bomb-attack-on-spy-agency-in-afghanistan-299392" hreflang="en">Seven killed in a car bomb attack on spy agency in Afghanistan</a>

The Taliban denied involvement in the maternity hospital attack, which killed 24 people, including two infants and several new mothers, calling it vile.

The U.N. Report blamed the Taliban for killing 208 civilians in April, while 172 civilians were killed in the month by the Afghan National Security and Defense Force.

Parties have committed to finding a peaceful solution and should protect the lives of all Afghans and not jeopardize people's hope for an end to the war,&nbsp;said Deborah Lyons, the UNAMA head and the U.N. Secretary- General's Special Representative to Afghanistan. ''Intra-Afghan peace negotiations need to start as soon as possible,''&nbsp;she said.

The UN's call for an end to violence comes as Washington's special peace envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, began another round of talks with the Taliban to press them to start talking to the newly reconciled Afghan political leadership in Kabul and implement an immediate reduction in violence, said a US&nbsp;State department statement.

Khalilzad, who is the architect of a US-Taliban peace deal signed in February, has been trying to salvage the agreement and jump-start intra-Afghan negotiations between the Taliban and Afghanistan's political leadership.

A power-sharing agreement on Sunday between President Ashraf Ghani and his rival Abdullah Abdullaah brought to an end months of wrangling over who won a deeply controversial presidential election last year.

The agreement raised expectations that the next, critical round of the US-Taliban peace deal, which calls for negotiations between the Taliban and Afghanistan's political leaders, can begin.

The Taliban have said a permanent cease-fire would be one of the first items on the agenda but have been critical of repeated delays in the deals promised prisoner release, which is to be completed before talks can begin.

In Doha, Ambassador Khalilzad will meet with Taliban representatives to discuss implementation of the US-Taliban agreement and press for steps necessary to commence intra-Afghan negotiations, including a significant reduction of violence,&nbsp;said the US&nbsp;State Department statement.

Khalilzad will also visit the Afghan capital, his first visit to Kabul since Secretary of State Mike Pompeo failed to get the squabbling leaders to reach an agreement during a surprise visit in March. A frustrated Pompeo cut $1 billion in US&nbsp;Aid to Afghanistan.

Following the agreement Sunday, Pompeo called Ghani and bemoaned the time lost to their bickering.

The United States remains committed to supporting the desire of the Afghan people and the international community for a political settlement that ends the 40-year conflict and ensures Afghanistan never again serves as a platform for international terrorism,? the State Department statement said.

The agreement provides for the withdrawal of US&nbsp;And NATO troops, but only if the Taliban live up to their end to battle terrorist groups, like the Islamic State affiliate against whom they have waged bitter battles.

The increasingly brutal attacks by the IS would seem to have given urgency to the US. Efforts to get the Taliban into a coordinated battle against IS.

The United Nations called Tuesday for an immediate reduction of violence in Afghanistan, saying civilian deaths by both Taliban and Afghanistan's own security forces is on the increase.

The United Nations called Tuesday for an immediate reduction of violence in Afghanistan, saying civilian deaths by both Taliban and Afghanistan's own security forces is on the increase. In a statement, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, or UNAMA, also expressed concern about the stepped-up attacks and brutality of assaults claimed by the Islamic State group. A horrific attack last week at a maternity hospital in the capital has not been claimed by any group, but the United States said it bears all the hallmarks of Afghanistan's IS affiliate targeting the country's minority Shiites in a neighborhood of Kabul they have repeatedly attacked in the past. Also read: Seven killed in a car bomb attack on spy agency in Afghanistan The Taliban denied involvement in the maternity hospital attack, which killed 24 people, including two infants and several new mothers, calling it vile. The U.N. Report blamed the Taliban for killing 208 civilians in April, while 172 civilians were killed in the month by the Afghan National Security and Defense Force. Parties have committed to finding a peaceful solution and should protect the lives of all Afghans and not jeopardize people's hope for an end to the war, said Deborah Lyons, the UNAMA head and the U.N. Secretary- General's Special Representative to Afghanistan. ''Intra-Afghan peace negotiations need to start as soon as possible,'' she said. The UN's call for an end to violence comes as Washington's special peace envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, began another round of talks with the Taliban to press them to start talking to the newly reconciled Afghan political leadership in Kabul and implement an immediate reduction in violence, said a US State department statement. Khalilzad, who is the architect of a US-Taliban peace deal signed in February, has been trying to salvage the agreement and jump-start intra-Afghan negotiations between the Taliban and Afghanistan's political leadership. A power-sharing agreement on Sunday between President Ashraf Ghani and his rival Abdullah Abdullaah brought to an end months of wrangling over who won a deeply controversial presidential election last year. The agreement raised expectations that the next, critical round of the US-Taliban peace deal, which calls for negotiations between the Taliban and Afghanistan's political leaders, can begin. The Taliban have said a permanent cease-fire would be one of the first items on the agenda but have been critical of repeated delays in the deals promised prisoner release, which is to be completed before talks can begin. In Doha, Ambassador Khalilzad will meet with Taliban representatives to discuss implementation of the US-Taliban agreement and press for steps necessary to commence intra-Afghan negotiations, including a significant reduction of violence, said the US State Department statement. Khalilzad will also visit the Afghan capital, his first visit to Kabul since Secretary of State Mike Pompeo failed to get the squabbling leaders to reach an agreement during a surprise visit in March. A frustrated Pompeo cut $1 billion in US Aid to Afghanistan. Following the agreement Sunday, Pompeo called Ghani and bemoaned the time lost to their bickering. The United States remains committed to supporting the desire of the Afghan people and the international community for a political settlement that ends the 40-year conflict and ensures Afghanistan never again serves as a platform for international terrorism,? the State Department statement said. The agreement provides for the withdrawal of US And NATO troops, but only if the Taliban live up to their end to battle terrorist groups, like the Islamic State affiliate against whom they have waged bitter battles. The increasingly brutal attacks by the IS would seem to have given urgency to the US. Efforts to get the Taliban into a coordinated battle against IS.

Rise in civilian deaths by Taliban and Afghan forces, says UN

China is ready to take a series of countermeasures against the&nbsp;plan of the United States to block shipments of semiconductors to Chinese telecom firm Huawei, including putting US&nbsp;companies on an "unreliable entity list".

It will launch&nbsp;investigations and imposing restrictions on us companies such as Apple, and halting purchase of Boeing airplanes, according to&nbsp;Chinese state media.

The potential move, the second time within two days that China has released a message of hitting back against the US, also the very first time government source noted to target specific US&nbsp;companies, is a result of a spat between the two countries regarding the origin of the deadly coronavirus.

Both US and China are&nbsp;mulling punitive countermeasures against each other&nbsp;over COVID-19 lawsuits due to the abuse of litigation.

China's latest moves indicate a toe-to-toe strategy between the world's two largest economies, from political to economic ends, being in full play, experts said.

The Trump administration on Friday moved to block shipments of semiconductors to Huawei from global chipmakers.

The US&nbsp;commerce department said it was amending an export rule and the entity list to "strategically target Huawei's acquisition of semiconductors that are the direct product of certain US software and technology," according to a statement on its website.

''China will take forceful countermeasures to protect its own legitimate rights," if the US&nbsp;moves forward with the plan to change its rules and bar essential suppliers of chips, including Taiwan-based TSMC, from selling chips to Huawei, the source told the Chinese state media's channel Global Times.

China is ready to take a series of countermeasures against the plan of the United States to block shipments of semiconductors to Chinese telecom firm Huawei, including putting US companies on an "unreliable entity list".

China is ready to take a series of countermeasures against the plan of the United States to block shipments of semiconductors to Chinese telecom firm Huawei, including putting US companies on an "unreliable entity list". It will launch investigations and imposing restrictions on us companies such as Apple, and halting purchase of Boeing airplanes, according to Chinese state media. The potential move, the second time within two days that China has released a message of hitting back against the US, also the very first time government source noted to target specific US companies, is a result of a spat between the two countries regarding the origin of the deadly coronavirus. Both US and China are mulling punitive countermeasures against each other over COVID-19 lawsuits due to the abuse of litigation. China's latest moves indicate a toe-to-toe strategy between the world's two largest economies, from political to economic ends, being in full play, experts said. The Trump administration on Friday moved to block shipments of semiconductors to Huawei from global chipmakers. The US commerce department said it was amending an export rule and the entity list to "strategically target Huawei's acquisition of semiconductors that are the direct product of certain US software and technology," according to a statement on its website. ''China will take forceful countermeasures to protect its own legitimate rights," if the US moves forward with the plan to change its rules and bar essential suppliers of chips, including Taiwan-based TSMC, from selling chips to Huawei, the source told the Chinese state media's channel Global Times.

China all set to make its biggest counterattack against US

Thailand uprising: Timeline of 10th anniversary of red-shirt protests

While&nbsp;caped crusaders never go out of style, the past two years&nbsp;were terrific years for superhero blockbusters.

Marvel's 'Avengers Endgame' created history last year by breaking 'Avatar's' box-office record.

Its characters such as Superman, Spiderman, Batman, Captain America, Iron Man,&nbsp;Wonder Woman are the some of the most loved superheroes in the film industry.

And although Hollywood holds an irrefutable sway over the superhero genre, other film industries have also made attempts to make&nbsp;films in the same genre.

This includes&nbsp;Bollywood which has made shows such as 'Shaktiman' and&nbsp;with films such&nbsp;'Krrish'. &nbsp;

Now an unlikely country is set to launch a vast superhero universe. This is the archipelago country of Indonesia, which is all set to launch its own franchise of superheroes.

The first movie of the series,'Gundala', has been directed by one of country's most prolific filmmakers, Joko Anwar.

It is based on a 1969 comic which tells the story of an impoverished factory worker's son who fights corruption and injustice after a lightning strike gives him superhuman powers.

'Gundala" has earned $4.7 million in the Indonesian cinemas since August last year.&nbsp; It will hit screens worldwide in July, once cinema halls re-open after the coronavirus pandemic.

The producers of the movie hope they&nbsp;will launch a vast cinematic universe, featuring 1,100 characters, with eight films planned through 2025.&nbsp;

According to Anwar,&nbsp;"our films&nbsp;are about our&nbsp;country, our oppressors and the powers of the superheroes come from our mythology. We do&nbsp;not deal&nbsp;with super high technology.''

Indonesian filmmakers are betting big on their home-grown superhero films&nbsp;which will be made at a fraction of a budget of Hollywood's Marvel and DC&nbsp;films.&nbsp;

While caped crusaders never go out of style, the past two years were terrific years for superhero blockbusters. Marvel's 'Avengers Endgame' created history last year by breaking 'Avatar's' box-office record.

While caped crusaders never go out of style, the past two years were terrific years for superhero blockbusters. Marvel's 'Avengers Endgame' created history last year by breaking 'Avatar's' box-office record. Its characters such as Superman, Spiderman, Batman, Captain America, Iron Man, Wonder Woman are the some of the most loved superheroes in the film industry. And although Hollywood holds an irrefutable sway over the superhero genre, other film industries have also made attempts to make films in the same genre. This includes Bollywood which has made shows such as 'Shaktiman' and with films such 'Krrish'. Now an unlikely country is set to launch a vast superhero universe. This is the archipelago country of Indonesia, which is all set to launch its own franchise of superheroes. The first movie of the series,'Gundala', has been directed by one of country's most prolific filmmakers, Joko Anwar. It is based on a 1969 comic which tells the story of an impoverished factory worker's son who fights corruption and injustice after a lightning strike gives him superhuman powers. 'Gundala" has earned $4.7 million in the Indonesian cinemas since August last year. It will hit screens worldwide in July, once cinema halls re-open after the coronavirus pandemic. The producers of the movie hope they will launch a vast cinematic universe, featuring 1,100 characters, with eight films planned through 2025. According to Anwar, "our films are about our country, our oppressors and the powers of the superheroes come from our mythology. We do not deal with super high technology.'' Indonesian filmmakers are betting big on their home-grown superhero films which will be made at a fraction of a budget of Hollywood's Marvel and DC films.

Now, Indonesia all set to get its own superhero franchise

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Vyomica Berry

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