The Scottish National Party will call for a new referendum on independence next year, its leader said on Tuesday, after polls indicated growing support of a breakaway from the rest of Britain.

Nicola Sturgeon told delegates at the party's annual conference in Aberdeen it was "beyond doubt" that it was time to offer a choice on the issue.

"My call is that the referendum must happen next year," she said, adding that legal preparations were underway for the vote and would be completed in the new year.

"Before the end of this year, I will demand the transfer of power that puts the legality of a referendum beyond any doubt."

The devolved government in Edinburgh, which Sturgeon leads as the first minister, has to seek permission from the British parliament in London to hold a second referendum.

Members of the Scottish parliament in 2017 gave their backing for a request but the then-prime minister Theresa May said it was "not the time" to be talking about a new independence vote.

Scottish voters said "no" to independence in 2014 after a closely fought referendum campaign. But Brexit has put the issue back on the table.

Sturgeon said after the landmark 2016 vote on Britain's membership of the European Union that there had been a "significant and material change in circumstances" to allow another vote.

Unlike England and Wales, Scotland voted by nearly two-thirds to stay in the EU.

A Sunday Times Scotland survey published this week suggested 50 per cent of voters now backed independence, up by one point over the last poll in June and five points from the 2014 vote.

Tens of thousands of pro-independence supporters marched in Edinburgh last Saturday to call for a fresh vote.

Sturgeon said Brexit had been a "disaster" and, deal or no deal by the end-of-the-month deadline, "neither of these outcomes is in Scotland's interest".

She welcomed the prospect of a snap election, saying it would be an opportunity to send a message demanding independence and Scotland's right to choose its own future.

In London, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman told reporters: "The referendum which took place in Scotland was a once in a generation event.&nbsp;

"They were the words of the Scottish National Party at the time."

The Scottish National Party will call for a new referendum on independence next year, its leader said on Tuesday, after polls indicated growing support of a breakaway from the rest of Britain.

The Scottish National Party will call for a new referendum on independence next year, its leader said on Tuesday, after polls indicated growing support of a breakaway from the rest of Britain. Nicola Sturgeon told delegates at the party's annual conference in Aberdeen it was "beyond doubt" that it was time to offer a choice on the issue. "My call is that the referendum must happen next year," she said, adding that legal preparations were underway for the vote and would be completed in the new year. "Before the end of this year, I will demand the transfer of power that puts the legality of a referendum beyond any doubt." The devolved government in Edinburgh, which Sturgeon leads as the first minister, has to seek permission from the British parliament in London to hold a second referendum. Members of the Scottish parliament in 2017 gave their backing for a request but the then-prime minister Theresa May said it was "not the time" to be talking about a new independence vote. Scottish voters said "no" to independence in 2014 after a closely fought referendum campaign. But Brexit has put the issue back on the table. Sturgeon said after the landmark 2016 vote on Britain's membership of the European Union that there had been a "significant and material change in circumstances" to allow another vote. Unlike England and Wales, Scotland voted by nearly two-thirds to stay in the EU. A Sunday Times Scotland survey published this week suggested 50 per cent of voters now backed independence, up by one point over the last poll in June and five points from the 2014 vote. Tens of thousands of pro-independence supporters marched in Edinburgh last Saturday to call for a fresh vote. Sturgeon said Brexit had been a "disaster" and, deal or no deal by the end-of-the-month deadline, "neither of these outcomes is in Scotland's interest". She welcomed the prospect of a snap election, saying it would be an opportunity to send a message demanding independence and Scotland's right to choose its own future. In London, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman told reporters: "The referendum which took place in Scotland was a once in a generation event. "They were the words of the Scottish National Party at the time."

Scottish nationalists want new independence referendum in 2020

Some 52 per cent of US voters plan to vote against President Donald Trump in next year’s national election, but he retains broad core Republican support, a new poll showed on Thursday.

“The latest Rasmussen Reports'&nbsp;national telephone and online survey finds that 42 per cent of Likely US Voters say they are more likely to vote for Trump in the 2020 presidential election,” the polling organization said in a press release. “But 52 per cent are more likely to vote against him.”

Some 6 per cent of US voters remain undecided, Rasmussen added.

“Among all voters who say they are likely to vote against the incumbent, 58 per cent say their vote is more likely to be a vote against Trump than for some other candidate. Thirty-seven per cent expect their vote to be more about the other candidate,” the release said.

Some 75 per cent of Republicans remain likely to vote for Trump again, Rasmussen said. However, 21 per cent of Republicans are are more likely to vote against him next year, the polling company added. Trump loses Democrats by an 82 per cent to 13 per cent margin, it said.

&nbsp;

Some 52 per cent of US voters plan to vote against President Donald Trump in next year’s national election, but he retains broad core Republican support, a new poll showed on Thursday.

Some 52 per cent of US voters plan to vote against President Donald Trump in next year’s national election, but he retains broad core Republican support, a new poll showed on Thursday. “The latest Rasmussen Reports' national telephone and online survey finds that 42 per cent of Likely US Voters say they are more likely to vote for Trump in the 2020 presidential election,” the polling organization said in a press release. “But 52 per cent are more likely to vote against him.” Some 6 per cent of US voters remain undecided, Rasmussen added. “Among all voters who say they are likely to vote against the incumbent, 58 per cent say their vote is more likely to be a vote against Trump than for some other candidate. Thirty-seven per cent expect their vote to be more about the other candidate,” the release said. Some 75 per cent of Republicans remain likely to vote for Trump again, Rasmussen said. However, 21 per cent of Republicans are are more likely to vote against him next year, the polling company added. Trump loses Democrats by an 82 per cent to 13 per cent margin, it said.

More than half US voters prepared to reject Trump in 2020 national election: Report

The Indian women's team will start their T20 World Cup 2020 campaign against hosts and defending champions Australia, while the men's team will face South Africa in their T20 World Cup opener.&nbsp;

The ICC announced that both the tournaments will be held as standalone events in the same year and the same country.

The women's T20 World Cup will run from February 21 to March 8 in 2020, followed by the men's T20 World Cup from October 18 to November 15.

The finals of both the tournaments will be held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

A total of 10 women teams will contest 23 matches and 16 men teams will contest 45 matches across Australia in eight host cities and 13 venues.&nbsp;

The Indian women's team will start their T20 World Cup 2020 campaign against hosts and defending champions Australia, while the men's team will face South Africa in their T20 World Cup opener.

The Indian women's team will start their T20 World Cup 2020 campaign against hosts and defending champions Australia, while the men's team will face South Africa in their T20 World Cup opener. The ICC announced that both the tournaments will be held as standalone events in the same year and the same country. The women's T20 World Cup will run from February 21 to March 8 in 2020, followed by the men's T20 World Cup from October 18 to November 15. The finals of both the tournaments will be held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. A total of 10 women teams will contest 23 matches and 16 men teams will contest 45 matches across Australia in eight host cities and 13 venues.

ICC announces fixtures of men & women's T20 World Cup 2020

Democrats are already furiously jockeying for position to take on President Donald Trump in 2020.

But will Trump actually be on the ballot two years from now?

With approval ratings hovering around 40 per cent — even lower, according to some polls — speculation is mounting that Trump could face a primary challenge for the Republican presidential nomination.

Trump has shouldered much of the blame for a crippling government shutdown that failed to achieve his signature campaign promise — building a border wall with Mexico.

And Special Counsel Robert Mueller has not yet delivered the final report from his investigation into whether members of Trump's 2016 campaign colluded with Russia to get him elected. &nbsp;&nbsp;

It is rare for an incumbent president seeking reelection to be challenged for the nomination by a member of his own party — but not unprecedented.

In 1976, Ronald Reagan, a former California governor, sought to wrest the Republican nomination from president Gerald Ford.

Four years later, president Jimmy Carter faced a tough but ultimately unsuccessful primary challenge from Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy.

And in 1992, then president George H.W. Bush fended off an insurgent bid for the Republican nod by right-wing commentator Pat Buchanan.

All three incumbent presidents who faced a primary challenge — Ford, Carter and Bush — went on to lose the general election.

Kasich, Hogan among names floated 
&nbsp; 
You have to go all the way back to 1884 to find the last incumbent who failed to win his party's approval — an ailing Chester Alan Arthur, who lost the Republican nomination to James Blaine.

Although no Republican has come out so far and said that he — or she — would mount a challenge to Trump, several names have been floated.

Former Ohio governor John Kasich — who sought the Republican nomination in 2016, only to lose to Trump — is seen as one potential candidate.

The 66-year-old Kasich, a moderate Republican, has not ruled out a White House bid, telling students at the University of Florida last week that "all options are on the table."

"I'm only interested in running if I can win," The Gainesville Sun quoted Kasich as saying. "I'm not interested in running to damage someone else."

Another politician being talked about is Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, who easily won re-election in November as a centrist Republican in a heavily Democratic state.

The Washington Post reported on Monday that Hogan, 62, is "consulting with aides and national GOP critics of Trump about whether to pursue a White House bid."

The newspaper said that Hogan, who has been an outspoken critic of the president, could appeal to "Republican dissenters who are seeking a less-polarizing alternative to President Trump."

Hogan has apparently not made his mind up yet and the Post quoted people close to him as saying he is unlikely to run "unless Trump is severely weakened or decides not to seek a second term."

'We have a great record to run on'&nbsp;

Other Republicans who have been mentioned as potential primary challengers to Trump include retired Arizona senator Jeff Flake, 56, a vocal opponent of the president, and Utah Senator Mitt Romney, 71, who lost the 2012 presidential election to Barack Obama.

For the moment, Trump's approval ratings among Republicans remain relatively high — around 80 per cent.

Political analysts said those numbers will probably have to decline for any challenger to have a realistic chance of booting Trump from the 2020 ballot.

"At that point, even a loyal Republican — candidate or voter — might come to believe that the only thing that would save the party is to have someone else lead the ticket," wrote Paul Waldman of the Washington Post.

Amid the growing speculation, Mercedes Schlapp, the White House Director of Strategic Communications, was asked on Monday about the possibility of Trump facing a primary challenge.

"The president is ready for any candidate," Schlapp said. "We have a great record to run on. We have a great story to tell." 
&nbsp;

Democrats are already furiously jockeying for position to take on President Donald Trump in 2020. But will Trump actually be on the ballot two years from now? With approval ratings hovering around 40 per cent — even lower, according to some polls — speculation is mounting that Trump could face a primary challenge for the Republican presidential nomination.

Democrats are already furiously jockeying for position to take on President Donald Trump in 2020. But will Trump actually be on the ballot two years from now? With approval ratings hovering around 40 per cent — even lower, according to some polls — speculation is mounting that Trump could face a primary challenge for the Republican presidential nomination. Trump has shouldered much of the blame for a crippling government shutdown that failed to achieve his signature campaign promise — building a border wall with Mexico. And Special Counsel Robert Mueller has not yet delivered the final report from his investigation into whether members of Trump's 2016 campaign colluded with Russia to get him elected. It is rare for an incumbent president seeking reelection to be challenged for the nomination by a member of his own party — but not unprecedented. In 1976, Ronald Reagan, a former California governor, sought to wrest the Republican nomination from president Gerald Ford. Four years later, president Jimmy Carter faced a tough but ultimately unsuccessful primary challenge from Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy. And in 1992, then president George H.W. Bush fended off an insurgent bid for the Republican nod by right-wing commentator Pat Buchanan. All three incumbent presidents who faced a primary challenge — Ford, Carter and Bush — went on to lose the general election. Kasich, Hogan among names floated You have to go all the way back to 1884 to find the last incumbent who failed to win his party's approval — an ailing Chester Alan Arthur, who lost the Republican nomination to James Blaine. Although no Republican has come out so far and said that he — or she — would mount a challenge to Trump, several names have been floated. Former Ohio governor John Kasich — who sought the Republican nomination in 2016, only to lose to Trump — is seen as one potential candidate. The 66-year-old Kasich, a moderate Republican, has not ruled out a White House bid, telling students at the University of Florida last week that "all options are on the table." "I'm only interested in running if I can win," The Gainesville Sun quoted Kasich as saying. "I'm not interested in running to damage someone else." Another politician being talked about is Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, who easily won re-election in November as a centrist Republican in a heavily Democratic state. The Washington Post reported on Monday that Hogan, 62, is "consulting with aides and national GOP critics of Trump about whether to pursue a White House bid." The newspaper said that Hogan, who has been an outspoken critic of the president, could appeal to "Republican dissenters who are seeking a less-polarizing alternative to President Trump." Hogan has apparently not made his mind up yet and the Post quoted people close to him as saying he is unlikely to run "unless Trump is severely weakened or decides not to seek a second term." 'We have a great record to run on' Other Republicans who have been mentioned as potential primary challengers to Trump include retired Arizona senator Jeff Flake, 56, a vocal opponent of the president, and Utah Senator Mitt Romney, 71, who lost the 2012 presidential election to Barack Obama. For the moment, Trump's approval ratings among Republicans remain relatively high — around 80 per cent. Political analysts said those numbers will probably have to decline for any challenger to have a realistic chance of booting Trump from the 2020 ballot. "At that point, even a loyal Republican — candidate or voter — might come to believe that the only thing that would save the party is to have someone else lead the ticket," wrote Paul Waldman of the Washington Post. Amid the growing speculation, Mercedes Schlapp, the White House Director of Strategic Communications, was asked on Monday about the possibility of Trump facing a primary challenge. "The president is ready for any candidate," Schlapp said. "We have a great record to run on. We have a great story to tell."

Will Donald Trump even fight the US presidential elections in 2020?

Lamenting that the American Dream and its democracy are under attack in Donald Trump's United States, California Senator Kamala Harris formally declared Sunday her candidacy to become the country's first black female president in 2020.

Harris, who was California's attorney general from 2011 to 2017, made her announcement to supporters outside city hall in Oakland, San Francisco's grittier neighbour where she was born.

Barack Obama introduced himself to Californian voters in 2007 in the same location before he was elected the first African American president of the United States a year later.

Harris already announced in a January 21 video that she would run for president. She joins a Democratic field with several other candidates seeking to keep Trump out of the White House for a second term.

"We are here because the American dream and our American democracy are under attack and on the line like never before," she said.

"When democratic values are under attack around the globe, when authoritarianism is on the march, when nuclear proliferation is on the rise, when we have foreign powers infecting the White House like malware, let's speak the truth," she added to raucous applause.

'Not our America' 
Without naming the president, Harris directly targeted the divisive policies of his unconventional administration.

Harris, whose father is from Jamaica and whose mother is a Tamil Indian, said that "in the face of powerful forces trying to sow hate and division among us, the truth is that as Americans, we have so much more in common than what separates us."

Trump regularly tries to equate illegal immigrants with crime and gangs, and his standoff with Democrats in Congress over funding for a wall on the Mexican border led to a record nearly five-week shutdown of parts of the government.

"The president's medieval vanity project is not going to stop them," Harris said of transnational gangs.

She also attacked Trump's failed policy that put migrant children "in cages" after separating them from their parents.

"Don't you dare call that border security. That's a human rights abuse!" she said.

Referring to racist-inspired deadly violence in the country, Harris said "that's not our America," and neither is it when "we have leaders who bully and attack a free press and undermine our democratic institutions."

Trump regularly dismisses as "fake news" reports that cast him in a critical light, and has called some journalists the "enemy of the people."

Harris joins Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and former housing secretary Julian Castro, among others, either in the race or exploring a run for the 2020 Democratic nomination.

Lamenting that the American Dream and its democracy are under attack in Donald Trump's United States, California Senator Kamala Harris formally declared Sunday her candidacy to become the country's first black female president in 2020.

Lamenting that the American Dream and its democracy are under attack in Donald Trump's United States, California Senator Kamala Harris formally declared Sunday her candidacy to become the country's first black female president in 2020. Harris, who was California's attorney general from 2011 to 2017, made her announcement to supporters outside city hall in Oakland, San Francisco's grittier neighbour where she was born. Barack Obama introduced himself to Californian voters in 2007 in the same location before he was elected the first African American president of the United States a year later. Harris already announced in a January 21 video that she would run for president. She joins a Democratic field with several other candidates seeking to keep Trump out of the White House for a second term. "We are here because the American dream and our American democracy are under attack and on the line like never before," she said. "When democratic values are under attack around the globe, when authoritarianism is on the march, when nuclear proliferation is on the rise, when we have foreign powers infecting the White House like malware, let's speak the truth," she added to raucous applause. 'Not our America' Without naming the president, Harris directly targeted the divisive policies of his unconventional administration. Harris, whose father is from Jamaica and whose mother is a Tamil Indian, said that "in the face of powerful forces trying to sow hate and division among us, the truth is that as Americans, we have so much more in common than what separates us." Trump regularly tries to equate illegal immigrants with crime and gangs, and his standoff with Democrats in Congress over funding for a wall on the Mexican border led to a record nearly five-week shutdown of parts of the government. "The president's medieval vanity project is not going to stop them," Harris said of transnational gangs. She also attacked Trump's failed policy that put migrant children "in cages" after separating them from their parents. "Don't you dare call that border security. That's a human rights abuse!" she said. Referring to racist-inspired deadly violence in the country, Harris said "that's not our America," and neither is it when "we have leaders who bully and attack a free press and undermine our democratic institutions." Trump regularly dismisses as "fake news" reports that cast him in a critical light, and has called some journalists the "enemy of the people." Harris joins Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and former housing secretary Julian Castro, among others, either in the race or exploring a run for the 2020 Democratic nomination.

American dream under attack: Kamala Harris formally launches bid for US Presidency

The world is on course to miss its "best chance" of preventing runaway climate change by ensuring global greenhouse gas emissions peak in 2020, researchers warned Tuesday.

Even as Earth is buffeted by superstorms, droughts and flooding made worse by rising seas, and as greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise globally, an analysis by the World Resources Institute showed that current efforts to limit temperature increases are falling well short.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/in-china-air-pollution-is-driving-happiness-levels-down-191887">In China, air pollution is driving happiness levels down</a>

In 2017, experts identified six key milestones that mankind must hit by 2020 if the Paris climate goal of limiting global temperature rises to 1.5 Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) is to have a fighting chance of being met.

They include radical changes to how we get our electricity, and to how goods and services are distributed worldwide.&nbsp;

Chief among these are an immediate phasing out of fossil fuels, including a total halt to new coal power plant construction within two years, as well as an end to dirty energy subsidies.

The WRI on Tuesday said that achieving the 2020 goals was Earth's "best chance" of honouring the Paris deal goals.

Some progress has been made in renewable energy and green finance, it said, but headway was deemed "insufficient" across a host of sectors.

"One thing from energy -- where things are going much better -- is how renewable energy is progressing," said Helen Mountford, the WRI's vice president for climate change and economics. &nbsp;

Renewables such as wind and solar now account for roughly 25 percent of global electricity production, not too far from the 2020 goal of 30 percent.

But the world remains seriously off course when it comes to the phasing out of greenhouse gas-producing fossil fuels.&nbsp;

The Mission 2020 campaign says no new coal-fired power plants should be constructed after the end of next year, and advises that all existing coal power stations should be in the process of being retired by then.

While the pace of expansion has slowed, the world is still seeing a net gain in coal capacity. More than 28 gigawatts of coal power was retired from the global grid last year -- but 65 gigawatts was added.

"We are seeing new builds outpacing the retirements," said Mountford.

Subsidies sticking point 
Scientific consensus is hardening that for Earth to avoid the direst consequences of climate change, emissions must peak by 2020 and drastically reduce thereafter.

The WRI said this was the "best chance" for the global economy to be carbon neutral by mid-century and to stay beneath the 1.5C threshold. &nbsp;

Fossil fuel subsidies must also be entirely eliminated by 2020 to stay on track to the Paris goals, it said.

The subsidies have declined from $443 billion in 2010 to $373 billion in 2015, but major economies are yet to make good on their commitments to phase out the funding.&nbsp;

"Subsidies for coal, oil, and gas essentially act as a negative carbon price, reducing the costs for these polluting substances and taking up funding that could instead be used for other expenditures, including investment in sustainable development," the WRI said.&nbsp;

It also called for better transparency and reporting by governments and the private sector to allow for more targeted green action to take place.

The world is on course to miss its "best chance" of preventing runaway climate change by ensuring global greenhouse gas emissions peak in 2020, researchers warned Tuesday.

The world is on course to miss its "best chance" of preventing runaway climate change by ensuring global greenhouse gas emissions peak in 2020, researchers warned Tuesday. Even as Earth is buffeted by superstorms, droughts and flooding made worse by rising seas, and as greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise globally, an analysis by the World Resources Institute showed that current efforts to limit temperature increases are falling well short. Also read: In China, air pollution is driving happiness levels down In 2017, experts identified six key milestones that mankind must hit by 2020 if the Paris climate goal of limiting global temperature rises to 1.5 Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) is to have a fighting chance of being met. They include radical changes to how we get our electricity, and to how goods and services are distributed worldwide. Chief among these are an immediate phasing out of fossil fuels, including a total halt to new coal power plant construction within two years, as well as an end to dirty energy subsidies. The WRI on Tuesday said that achieving the 2020 goals was Earth's "best chance" of honouring the Paris deal goals. Some progress has been made in renewable energy and green finance, it said, but headway was deemed "insufficient" across a host of sectors. "One thing from energy -- where things are going much better -- is how renewable energy is progressing," said Helen Mountford, the WRI's vice president for climate change and economics. Renewables such as wind and solar now account for roughly 25 percent of global electricity production, not too far from the 2020 goal of 30 percent. But the world remains seriously off course when it comes to the phasing out of greenhouse gas-producing fossil fuels. The Mission 2020 campaign says no new coal-fired power plants should be constructed after the end of next year, and advises that all existing coal power stations should be in the process of being retired by then. While the pace of expansion has slowed, the world is still seeing a net gain in coal capacity. More than 28 gigawatts of coal power was retired from the global grid last year -- but 65 gigawatts was added. "We are seeing new builds outpacing the retirements," said Mountford. Subsidies sticking point Scientific consensus is hardening that for Earth to avoid the direst consequences of climate change, emissions must peak by 2020 and drastically reduce thereafter. The WRI said this was the "best chance" for the global economy to be carbon neutral by mid-century and to stay beneath the 1.5C threshold. Fossil fuel subsidies must also be entirely eliminated by 2020 to stay on track to the Paris goals, it said. The subsidies have declined from $443 billion in 2010 to $373 billion in 2015, but major economies are yet to make good on their commitments to phase out the funding. "Subsidies for coal, oil, and gas essentially act as a negative carbon price, reducing the costs for these polluting substances and taking up funding that could instead be used for other expenditures, including investment in sustainable development," the WRI said. It also called for better transparency and reporting by governments and the private sector to allow for more targeted green action to take place.

World is going to miss its 'best chance' of preventing runaway climate change: Study

Defiant Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir said Monday that ongoing protests will not lead to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/sudan-police-break-up-new-protests-as-opposition-leader-arrested-187246">a change in government</a>, as he addressed a rally of cheering supporters in war-torn Darfur.

"Demonstrations will not change the government," Bashir told crowds of supporters gathered in Niyala, the capital of South Darfur state, where just a day ago police had broken up an anti-government demonstration.

"There's only one road to power and that is through the ballot box. The Sudanese people will decide in 2020 who will govern them," said Bashir, who is planning to run for the presidency for the third time in elections to be held next year.

Deadly protests have rocked Sudan since December when angry crowds took to the streets in towns and villages against a government decision to raise the price of bread.

At least 24 people have died in the protests, which swiftly turned into nationwide anti-government rallies, with protesters calling on Bashir to step down.

"Sudan has many enemies and those enemies have few people among us who don't want stability and security," said Bashir, waving his trademark cane as supporters chanted "stay, stay".

"We will not allow anyone to destroy our homeland by looting and burning our properties."

In the initial days of protests, several buildings and offices of Bashir's ruling National Congress Party were set on fire in towns and villages.

On Sunday, the first anti-government demonstrations were held in Niyala and El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur.

Bashir is wanted by the Hague-based International Criminal Court for war crimes and genocide allegedly committed in Darfur where a brutal conflict had erupted in 2003.

Deadly protests have rocked Sudan since December when angry crowds took to the streets in towns and villages against a government decision to raise the price of bread.

Defiant Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir said Monday that ongoing protests will not lead to a change in government, as he addressed a rally of cheering supporters in war-torn Darfur. "Demonstrations will not change the government," Bashir told crowds of supporters gathered in Niyala, the capital of South Darfur state, where just a day ago police had broken up an anti-government demonstration. "There's only one road to power and that is through the ballot box. The Sudanese people will decide in 2020 who will govern them," said Bashir, who is planning to run for the presidency for the third time in elections to be held next year. Deadly protests have rocked Sudan since December when angry crowds took to the streets in towns and villages against a government decision to raise the price of bread. At least 24 people have died in the protests, which swiftly turned into nationwide anti-government rallies, with protesters calling on Bashir to step down. "Sudan has many enemies and those enemies have few people among us who don't want stability and security," said Bashir, waving his trademark cane as supporters chanted "stay, stay". "We will not allow anyone to destroy our homeland by looting and burning our properties." In the initial days of protests, several buildings and offices of Bashir's ruling National Congress Party were set on fire in towns and villages. On Sunday, the first anti-government demonstrations were held in Niyala and El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. Bashir is wanted by the Hague-based International Criminal Court for war crimes and genocide allegedly committed in Darfur where a brutal conflict had erupted in 2003.

Sudan protests 'will not change government': President Omar al-Bashir

Pakistan is gearing towards eradicating polio by 2020, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said after a meeting with top WHO officials.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two remaining countries in the world with ongoing wild poliovirus transmission. The WHO along with the UNICEF and other key partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative is supporting Pakistan to ensure that it achieves polio-free status.&nbsp;

"I would like to reaffirm Pakistan's commitment to the eradication of polio. We hope to end Polio in Pakistan by 2020," Qureshi tweeted Tuesday after meeting WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and WHO's Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region Ahmed Al-Mandhari.

Pakistan has come a long way in its struggle to eradicate polio. In the early 1990s, the annual incidence of polio was estimated at over 20,000 cases a year. The number of cases has declined from 306 in 2014 to 54 in 2015, 20 in 2016 and 8 in 2017. In 2018, a total of eight polio cases have been reported.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the WHO in a tweet also applauded the Pakistan government's commitment and efforts to end polio.&nbsp;

Pakistan is gearing towards eradicating polio by 2020, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said after a meeting with top WHO officials. Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two remaining countries in the world with ongoing wild poliovirus transmission.

Pakistan is gearing towards eradicating polio by 2020, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said after a meeting with top WHO officials. Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two remaining countries in the world with ongoing wild poliovirus transmission. The WHO along with the UNICEF and other key partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative is supporting Pakistan to ensure that it achieves polio-free status. "I would like to reaffirm Pakistan's commitment to the eradication of polio. We hope to end Polio in Pakistan by 2020," Qureshi tweeted Tuesday after meeting WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and WHO's Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region Ahmed Al-Mandhari. Pakistan has come a long way in its struggle to eradicate polio. In the early 1990s, the annual incidence of polio was estimated at over 20,000 cases a year. The number of cases has declined from 306 in 2014 to 54 in 2015, 20 in 2016 and 8 in 2017. In 2018, a total of eight polio cases have been reported. Meanwhile, the WHO in a tweet also applauded the Pakistan government's commitment and efforts to end polio.

Pakistan hopes to eradicate polio by 2020

Five nations, including Russia, whose doping records have risked weightlifting's place on the Olympic schedule have been limited to just two athletes for the 2020 Tokyo Games by the sport's governing body, according to a document seen by Reuters.

The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) is effectively allowing Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Belarus only two places each at Tokyo 2020 – as the new rules state that any nation with 20 or more doping violations from 2008 to 2020 will have just one man and one woman at the Games.

Countries with 10-19 doping violations over that same period will be limited to two men and two women in Tokyo. At least nine more countries, including Bulgaria, Iran and India, who have won five weightlifting golds at the Commonwealth Games, fall into that category.

There could be further sanctions, including being banned from the Olympics, or more nations penalised if there are further doping violations before the Olympic qualifying period ends in April 2020, the IWF said.

The crackdown will benefit countries with less than 10 violations from 2008-2020 as they can send up to eight qualifiers each, split equally between men and women.

The new policy has been approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and been welcomed by many nations.

"This is a monumental step forward for weightlifting and for athletes around the world," USA Weightlifting chief executive Phil Andrews told Reuters.

"This new qualification system is a huge step for clean sport."

Christian Baumgartner, president of Germany’s national federation and an outspoken critic of the "doping culture" prevalent in many countries, also approved the changes.

"The old system was abused by some federations but there is a new perspective with these new conditions, which provide a real chance for a level playing field,” he told Reuters.

The doping problem led to weightlifting being put on probation by the IOC, which wants constant updates – with the next one due in June.

OLYMPIC QUOTA CUT

When the IOC retested samples from the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics, 49 weightlifters came up positive. Forty two of them were from nations that were formerly part of the Soviet Union.

Weightlifting's quota has been cut from 260 places in Rio in 2016 to 196. There will also be one fewer medal event in Tokyo.

The sport's place on the Olympic schedule beyond 2020 depends on its ability to improve its doping record.

The IWF decided to count all positives since 2008 as it would punish those most responsible for the current predicament.

“Naturally not everybody is happy but everybody understands that the sport is in a difficult situation where hard decisions are necessary for our future,” the IWF’s director general Attila Adamfi told Reuters.

Collectively Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Armenia have had more than 130 doping violations since 2008, with several cases still outstanding according to the IWF’s website.

All five are among the nine nations serving a one-year suspension until October for multiple retest positives.

Of the four others Ukraine, Moldova and Turkey are in the 10-19 bracket while China is currently safe on seven.

Other nations with 10 or more positives are Iran – the best-performing country at last year’s IWF World Championships - Bulgaria, Albania, Romania, Uzbekistan and India. Thailand, with one case outstanding, is likely to join those on 10 or more violations.

If a nation tots up three positives during the 18-month qualifying period for Tokyo, it faces disqualification from the Games – a fate that befell Russia and Bulgaria at Rio 2016.

Among other changes, the IWF has made Olympic qualifying an individual rather than a team-based system, which will lead to more testing of prospective Olympic lifters.

All those who want to be in Tokyo will have to compete six times during the 18-month qualifying period, making it impossible for athletes to stay away for long periods, which has happened in the past.

Apart from his two gold-medal performances at Beijing 2008 and London 2012, Kazakhstan's Ilya Ilyin competed only three times in six years between 2006 and 2012. He was disqualified from both Olympics after failing the retrospective retests.

Countries with 10-19 doping violations between 2008 and 2020 will be limited to two men and two women in Tokyo. India is one of them

Five nations, including Russia, whose doping records have risked weightlifting's place on the Olympic schedule have been limited to just two athletes for the 2020 Tokyo Games by the sport's governing body, according to a document seen by Reuters. The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) is effectively allowing Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Belarus only two places each at Tokyo 2020 – as the new rules state that any nation with 20 or more doping violations from 2008 to 2020 will have just one man and one woman at the Games. Countries with 10-19 doping violations over that same period will be limited to two men and two women in Tokyo. At least nine more countries, including Bulgaria, Iran and India, who have won five weightlifting golds at the Commonwealth Games, fall into that category. There could be further sanctions, including being banned from the Olympics, or more nations penalised if there are further doping violations before the Olympic qualifying period ends in April 2020, the IWF said. The crackdown will benefit countries with less than 10 violations from 2008-2020 as they can send up to eight qualifiers each, split equally between men and women. The new policy has been approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and been welcomed by many nations. "This is a monumental step forward for weightlifting and for athletes around the world," USA Weightlifting chief executive Phil Andrews told Reuters. "This new qualification system is a huge step for clean sport." Christian Baumgartner, president of Germany’s national federation and an outspoken critic of the "doping culture" prevalent in many countries, also approved the changes. "The old system was abused by some federations but there is a new perspective with these new conditions, which provide a real chance for a level playing field,” he told Reuters. The doping problem led to weightlifting being put on probation by the IOC, which wants constant updates – with the next one due in June. OLYMPIC QUOTA CUT When the IOC retested samples from the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics, 49 weightlifters came up positive. Forty two of them were from nations that were formerly part of the Soviet Union. Weightlifting's quota has been cut from 260 places in Rio in 2016 to 196. There will also be one fewer medal event in Tokyo. The sport's place on the Olympic schedule beyond 2020 depends on its ability to improve its doping record. The IWF decided to count all positives since 2008 as it would punish those most responsible for the current predicament. “Naturally not everybody is happy but everybody understands that the sport is in a difficult situation where hard decisions are necessary for our future,” the IWF’s director general Attila Adamfi told Reuters. Collectively Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Armenia have had more than 130 doping violations since 2008, with several cases still outstanding according to the IWF’s website. All five are among the nine nations serving a one-year suspension until October for multiple retest positives. Of the four others Ukraine, Moldova and Turkey are in the 10-19 bracket while China is currently safe on seven. Other nations with 10 or more positives are Iran – the best-performing country at last year’s IWF World Championships - Bulgaria, Albania, Romania, Uzbekistan and India. Thailand, with one case outstanding, is likely to join those on 10 or more violations. If a nation tots up three positives during the 18-month qualifying period for Tokyo, it faces disqualification from the Games – a fate that befell Russia and Bulgaria at Rio 2016. Among other changes, the IWF has made Olympic qualifying an individual rather than a team-based system, which will lead to more testing of prospective Olympic lifters. All those who want to be in Tokyo will have to compete six times during the 18-month qualifying period, making it impossible for athletes to stay away for long periods, which has happened in the past. Apart from his two gold-medal performances at Beijing 2008 and London 2012, Kazakhstan's Ilya Ilyin competed only three times in six years between 2006 and 2012. He was disqualified from both Olympics after failing the retrospective retests.

Tokyo 2020: India to lose Olympic weightlifting spots in doping clampdown

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is everywhere now. From phones, Tv&#39;s to retail, e-commerce and even toilets!&nbsp; We are now in an era where anything that uses an algorithm can be called AI.&nbsp;

Facts say that with the upcoming use of AI, millions of people will be out of jobs in few years.&nbsp;

Web Summit, the massive technology conference in Lisbon, Portugal, polled 224 investors in one of the sub-conferences within the Web Summit framework where 93% of them said that AI will &#39;destroy&#39; jobs. Tesla CEO Elton Musk claimed that the race to development of AI will lead to World War III, founder of venture capital firm &#39;Sinovation&#39;, Kai-Fu Lee has said that AI will replace 50% off all jobs in the next decade.&nbsp;

A survey conducted by Quartz - with 1,600 respondents from 84 countries, mostly in the US&nbsp; - stated that 90% respondents thought&nbsp;that up to half of the jobs would be lost to automation within five years.&nbsp;

However, AI may only be able to do about 50 to 60 per cent of the work, one will need humans to fill up the 50-40 per cent. Only using AI algorithms won&#39;t work. That&#39;s when skilled humans come into play. Its all about balance!&nbsp;

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Jobs related to AI will increase up to 2 million by 2025 (Others)
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Therefore, the myth that AI will lead to more job losses can be soundly debunked - that&#39;s what history tells us.&nbsp;

The Industrial revolution spanned a technological revolution in the 19th century. It sparked major changes in virtually every sphere of human existence in Britain where it began. The British economy boomed as a result with new innovations in textile with the mechanised spinning, the advent of steam power to power engines and several other breakthrough designs.

The people adapted too, it did not mean employment fell, in fact, more and more people were added to the workforce as a result of &quot;mechanisation&quot;.&nbsp; It meant upgradation of skills which helped the British economy to expand and seize new markets in Asia and Africa.

The advent of computers in the workplace is another example of &quot;humans adapting to machines&quot;.&nbsp;

During the 60s and 70s in the US, computers increasingly began to enter offices which allowed small business to compete with large corporations. The rise of Apple in the 70s and Microsoft in the 80s can be attributed to the introduction of PCs in that era, despite this today after over 40 years since Apple it has employed more and more people into its company and spawned a culture of start-ups.

In the 80s and 90s, PCs aka &quot;machines&quot; helped &quot;humans&quot; to do away several tedious jobs and eliminated manual labour helping small companies not only to become more efficient but also helped the workforce to become sharper. Today in the era of startups and apps, technology has helped to take humans into a new frontier which promises a new era of growth and prosperity.

In contrary to remarks that robots will replace human workers, research firms predicts that AI may actually create more jobs than expected.&nbsp;

By 2020, AI will generate about 2.3 million jobs - exceeding the 1.8 million that will be ticked off. Moreover, jobs related to AI will increase up to 2 million by 2025.&nbsp;

Humans throughout history have adapted and &quot;re-skilled&quot; themselves as new technologies have entered the cycle, despite rumblings and disruptions it has only meant the &quot;comfort level&quot; has increased for us humans. Artificial Intelligence, in this respect, should not be &quot;feared&quot; rather it should be &quot;adapted&quot;.

For instance, as chatbots, robots, automated kiosks come into existence - more people imagine that it will capture jobs, but all this technology is only creating a better user interface. Look at automated kiosks for instance. Now, Mcdonald&#39;s in New York welcomes customers with a &ldquo;Create Your Taste&rdquo; kiosk - an automated touch-screen system that allows customers to create their own burgers without interacting with another human being. Does this mean cashiers and waiters will go out of jobs? NO. This is just innovation in technology which will, in turn, lead to a shift in skill - not jobs.&nbsp;

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Mcdonalds&#39; &ldquo;Create Your Taste&rdquo; kiosk (Others)
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Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Apple have invested millions in this field (smartbots, chatbots, AI algorithms etc) - why? because this will eventually generate better customer interaction, seamless user journeys, reduce search time, create quick and efficient responses. AI&#39;s role as a mediator between humans and technology has become the greatest triumph.&nbsp;

The jobs will be affected - yes - but that does not infer that jobs will be &quot;destroyed&quot;. The number of jobs that will be affected will vary for different industries, with public sector, education, healthcare booming. AI will &quot;replace&quot; jobs of low-skilled workers in IT sectors in India alone with more medium and high skilled jobs - which are expected to rise to about 1 million in the next five years.&nbsp;

Let&#39;s take driverless cars, for example, though driver won&rsquo;t be entirely displaced by self-driving cars, the nature of their work will fundamentally change. While the percentage of human drivers giving trips may go down, the absolute number of humans may actually go up. The rise of autonomous cars will open new jobs like maintaining the car fleets, jobs that don&#39;t exist today because there has never been a need. Part of advancing technology has always meant that some professions become extinct in the process.&nbsp;

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The rise of autonomous cars will open new jobs (Others)
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The fact is humans need to power the machines, it is a fantasy built by bloggers and science fiction enthusiasts who have, increasingly, through social media played the game of calling AI a barrier for mankind, but history teaches us that man has always &quot;upgraded&quot; himself since time in memorial.

So, once again, AI will eliminate a number of middle and low levels positions but it will give rise to more highly-skilled management and also entry-level and low-skilled jobs, it will accelerate innovation to a new level and fundamentally change the way businesses will run across the board. Focus should be more on augmenting people with AI, transforming culture to make it adaptable to AI-related job opportunities and threats.&nbsp;

AI may only be able to do about 50 to 60 per cent of the work, one will need humans to fill up at 50-40 per cent. Only using AI algorithms won't work. That's when skilled humans come into play. Its all about balance!

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is everywhere now. From phones, Tv's to retail, e-commerce and even toilets! We are now in an era where anything that uses an algorithm can be called AI. Facts say that with the upcoming use of AI, millions of people will be out of jobs in few years. Web Summit, the massive technology conference in Lisbon, Portugal, polled 224 investors in one of the sub-conferences within the Web Summit framework where 93% of them said that AI will 'destroy' jobs. Tesla CEO Elton Musk claimed that the race to development of AI will lead to World War III, founder of venture capital firm 'Sinovation', Kai-Fu Lee has said that AI will replace 50% off all jobs in the next decade. A survey conducted by Quartz - with 1,600 respondents from 84 countries, mostly in the US - stated that 90% respondents thought that up to half of the jobs would be lost to automation within five years. However, AI may only be able to do about 50 to 60 per cent of the work, one will need humans to fill up the 50-40 per cent. Only using AI algorithms won't work. That's when skilled humans come into play. Its all about balance! Jobs related to AI will increase up to 2 million by 2025 (Others) × Therefore, the myth that AI will lead to more job losses can be soundly debunked - that's what history tells us. The Industrial revolution spanned a technological revolution in the 19th century. It sparked major changes in virtually every sphere of human existence in Britain where it began. The British economy boomed as a result with new innovations in textile with the mechanised spinning, the advent of steam power to power engines and several other breakthrough designs. The people adapted too, it did not mean employment fell, in fact, more and more people were added to the workforce as a result of "mechanisation". It meant upgradation of skills which helped the British economy to expand and seize new markets in Asia and Africa. The advent of computers in the workplace is another example of "humans adapting to machines". During the 60s and 70s in the US, computers increasingly began to enter offices which allowed small business to compete with large corporations. The rise of Apple in the 70s and Microsoft in the 80s can be attributed to the introduction of PCs in that era, despite this today after over 40 years since Apple it has employed more and more people into its company and spawned a culture of start-ups. In the 80s and 90s, PCs aka "machines" helped "humans" to do away several tedious jobs and eliminated manual labour helping small companies not only to become more efficient but also helped the workforce to become sharper. Today in the era of startups and apps, technology has helped to take humans into a new frontier which promises a new era of growth and prosperity. In contrary to remarks that robots will replace human workers, research firms predicts that AI may actually create more jobs than expected. By 2020, AI will generate about 2.3 million jobs - exceeding the 1.8 million that will be ticked off. Moreover, jobs related to AI will increase up to 2 million by 2025. Humans throughout history have adapted and "re-skilled" themselves as new technologies have entered the cycle, despite rumblings and disruptions it has only meant the "comfort level" has increased for us humans. Artificial Intelligence, in this respect, should not be "feared" rather it should be "adapted". For instance, as chatbots, robots, automated kiosks come into existence - more people imagine that it will capture jobs, but all this technology is only creating a better user interface. Look at automated kiosks for instance. Now, Mcdonald's in New York welcomes customers with a “Create Your Taste” kiosk - an automated touch-screen system that allows customers to create their own burgers without interacting with another human being. Does this mean cashiers and waiters will go out of jobs? NO. This is just innovation in technology which will, in turn, lead to a shift in skill - not jobs. Mcdonalds' “Create Your Taste” kiosk (Others) × Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Apple have invested millions in this field (smartbots, chatbots, AI algorithms etc) - why? because this will eventually generate better customer interaction, seamless user journeys, reduce search time, create quick and efficient responses. AI's role as a mediator between humans and technology has become the greatest triumph. The jobs will be affected - yes - but that does not infer that jobs will be "destroyed". The number of jobs that will be affected will vary for different industries, with public sector, education, healthcare booming. AI will "replace" jobs of low-skilled workers in IT sectors in India alone with more medium and high skilled jobs - which are expected to rise to about 1 million in the next five years. Let's take driverless cars, for example, though driver won’t be entirely displaced by self-driving cars, the nature of their work will fundamentally change. While the percentage of human drivers giving trips may go down, the absolute number of humans may actually go up. The rise of autonomous cars will open new jobs like maintaining the car fleets, jobs that don't exist today because there has never been a need. Part of advancing technology has always meant that some professions become extinct in the process. The rise of autonomous cars will open new jobs (Others) × The fact is humans need to power the machines, it is a fantasy built by bloggers and science fiction enthusiasts who have, increasingly, through social media played the game of calling AI a barrier for mankind, but history teaches us that man has always "upgraded" himself since time in memorial. So, once again, AI will eliminate a number of middle and low levels positions but it will give rise to more highly-skilled management and also entry-level and low-skilled jobs, it will accelerate innovation to a new level and fundamentally change the way businesses will run across the board. Focus should be more on augmenting people with AI, transforming culture to make it adaptable to AI-related job opportunities and threats.

Don't believe the naysayers, Artificial Intelligence will create 2.3 million jobs by 2020

China aims to prevent power generated by its renewable energy sector being wasted by 2020, the country&rsquo;s National Energy Administration (NEA) said on Monday.

Power from wind, solar and hydro plants is often wasted as there is not enough transmission capacity to absorb it, leading to high curtailment rates, especially in northwestern China.

The NEA said in a statement that the utilization rate of hydro-power plants in the southwestern provinces of Yunnan and Sichuan should reach around 90 percent by 2017.

It expects the wind power curtailment rate to drop to about 30 percent in the northwestern provinces of Gansu and Xinjiang and to around 20 percent in the northeastern region of Jilin, Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia in 2017.

Solar power waste in Gansu and Xinjiang provinces should be controlled below around 20 percent and in Shaanxi and Qinghai to below 10 percent this year, it added.

Power generated from wind and solar power plants in other regions across the country will have to meet the 2017 targets set by the NEA last year, it said in the statement.

China has vowed to raise the portion of its renewable and non-fossil fuel power consumption to 15 percent of the total energy mix by 2020 and 20 percent by 2030.

It also said that it will promote the power trade market and improve its cross-region power transmission capacity to boost renewable energy consumption and cut its coal dependence.

Coal-fired power capacity across the country will be capped at 1,100 gigawatts by 2020, the NEA said.

Power from wind, solar and hydro plants is often wasted as there is not enough transmission capacity to absorb it, leading to high curtailment rates, especially in northwestern China

China aims to prevent power generated by its renewable energy sector being wasted by 2020, the country’s National Energy Administration (NEA) said on Monday. Power from wind, solar and hydro plants is often wasted as there is not enough transmission capacity to absorb it, leading to high curtailment rates, especially in northwestern China. The NEA said in a statement that the utilization rate of hydro-power plants in the southwestern provinces of Yunnan and Sichuan should reach around 90 percent by 2017. It expects the wind power curtailment rate to drop to about 30 percent in the northwestern provinces of Gansu and Xinjiang and to around 20 percent in the northeastern region of Jilin, Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia in 2017. Solar power waste in Gansu and Xinjiang provinces should be controlled below around 20 percent and in Shaanxi and Qinghai to below 10 percent this year, it added. Power generated from wind and solar power plants in other regions across the country will have to meet the 2017 targets set by the NEA last year, it said in the statement. China has vowed to raise the portion of its renewable and non-fossil fuel power consumption to 15 percent of the total energy mix by 2020 and 20 percent by 2030. It also said that it will promote the power trade market and improve its cross-region power transmission capacity to boost renewable energy consumption and cut its coal dependence. Coal-fired power capacity across the country will be capped at 1,100 gigawatts by 2020, the NEA said.

China to stop wastage of renewable energy by 2020

It was always a mere imagination that flying cars would exist many years from now, however, it might actually happen in the recent future.

Uber and NASA have partnered up to create flying taxis, which was confirmed during the Web Summit conference in Lisbon on November 8 by Uber chief product officer Jeff Holden.

It was also announced that Los Angeles will join two other previously revealed &ldquo;UberAIR&rdquo; pilot schemes in Dallas Fort-Worth, Texas, and Dubai.

Uber plans to start test drives by 2020 in Los Angeles and be set to carry out &ldquo;tens of thousands&rdquo; of rides per day across the city, just in time for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

But the planned electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOLS) &ldquo;&quot;differ from helicopters in that they are orders of magnitude quieter, safer, more affordable, and more environmentally-friendly,&rdquo; the company said, adding that journeys will be priced competitively with a standard Uber trip.

A promotional video shown at the summit, illustrated how the app would work in a similar way to the current set-up for ordering a car ride.

The video shows a women booking a &lsquo;ride&rsquo; from her Uber app after which she is seen entering the &lsquo;skyport&rsquo; on the roof of a building. After which she scans her phone with the code and enters the Uber flying taxi, a plane-helicopter hybrid aircraft with fixed wings and tilt prop-rotors. The flying taxi makes the journey to the destination and lands at another &#39;roof airport&#39;, where an Uber vehicle taxi is waiting for her. Finally, the end scene is shown where the woman enters her home after the hassle free ride without suffering any stress from daily commute.

Watch the video below:

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Want to experience what it will be like to push a button and get a flight with uberAIR? Keep watching. <a href="https://t.co/rRnj68Vs9j">pic.twitter.com/rRnj68Vs9j</a>
&mdash; Uber (@Uber) <a href="https://twitter.com/Uber/status/928312337207001089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The first demonstration flights are expected in 2020, moving into commercial operations by 2023 ? in plenty of time for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

It was always a mere imagination that flying cars would exist many years from now, however, it might actually happen in the recent future. Uber and NASA have partnered up to create flying taxis, which was confirmed during the Web Summit conference in Lisbon on November 8 by Uber chief product officer Jeff Holden. It was also announced that Los Angeles will join two other previously revealed “UberAIR” pilot schemes in Dallas Fort-Worth, Texas, and Dubai. Uber plans to start test drives by 2020 in Los Angeles and be set to carry out “tens of thousands” of rides per day across the city, just in time for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. But the planned electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOLS) “"differ from helicopters in that they are orders of magnitude quieter, safer, more affordable, and more environmentally-friendly,” the company said, adding that journeys will be priced competitively with a standard Uber trip. A promotional video shown at the summit, illustrated how the app would work in a similar way to the current set-up for ordering a car ride. The video shows a women booking a ‘ride’ from her Uber app after which she is seen entering the ‘skyport’ on the roof of a building. After which she scans her phone with the code and enters the Uber flying taxi, a plane-helicopter hybrid aircraft with fixed wings and tilt prop-rotors. The flying taxi makes the journey to the destination and lands at another 'roof airport', where an Uber vehicle taxi is waiting for her. Finally, the end scene is shown where the woman enters her home after the hassle free ride without suffering any stress from daily commute. Watch the video below: Want to experience what it will be like to push a button and get a flight with uberAIR? Keep watching. pic.twitter.com/rRnj68Vs9j — Uber (@Uber) November 8, 2017 ×

WATCH: Uber and NASA set to develop flying taxis

<div style="text-align: justify;">An ambitious project to awaken a sleeping giant of Asian soccer looks like confirming Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen&#39;s famous remark that India pricks up its ears only when comparisons with China are made. 
 
With China embarked on a multi-billion dollar mission to become a soccer superpower by 2050, India looks set to follow suit with its own plan to raise its status in the game to match its burgeoning economic power. 
 
Come&nbsp;October, India,&nbsp;most famously described as soccer&#39;s sleeping giant by former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, will launch a programme to engage more than 11 million children in soccer-related activities. 
 
All India Football Federation (AIFF) officials will not share details of the FIFA-backed programme yet, but according to a government statement, &quot;Mission 11 Million&quot; will be launched in about 30 cities across the country. 
 
As in China, where the soccer revolution was inspired by President Xi Jinping, the desire to improve India&#39;s standing in the world game goes to the very top. 
 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March lamented India&#39;s decline from one of Asia&#39;s top soccer nations in the 1960s to its current position at 163rd in the FIFA rankings, sandwiched between the Comoros and Tajikistan. 
 
&nbsp;&quot;Unfortunately, over the decades we have slipped to the lowest rungs,&quot; Modi said in his weekly radio talk. 
 
&nbsp;&quot;Today our ranking in FIFA is so low that I feel reluctant even to mention it.&quot; 
 
With India hosting the under-17 World Cup next year, states have been asked to promote football in a pattern similar to the trend across the border in China. 
 
The world&#39;s most populous nation plans to engage 30 million school children by 2020 as the first step towards achieving Xi&#39;s &quot;three wishes&quot; for China - to qualify for a second World Cup finals, to host a World Cup and to eventually win one. 
 
TARGETING DIASPORA 
 
And while the AIFF are looking to engage as many of the country&#39;s 1.3 billion people as possible, they have also cast their net wider with a global scouting programme to identify talent in the Indian diaspora. 
 
&quot;The idea is to increase the talent pool,&quot; former India captain and head of the scouting programme Abhishek Yadav told Reuters. 
 
&nbsp;&quot;We can&#39;t guarantee that we can unearth 20 players overnight. It&#39;s an attempt, which we believe might work. There&#39;s no harm in trying.&quot; 
 
The programme encourages anyone under 16 with an Indian passport to post, on a soon-to-be-launched portal, a two-minute video from a competitive match. 
 
&quot;We wanted to give the message that if you&#39;re talented, location should not be a problem. All you need is a passport and potential,&quot; said the former forward, who played 67 matches for India between 2002-2011. 
 
Yadav and his team are now focusing on the Gulf States, where a large number of expatriates still hold Indian passports. 
 
&quot;Maybe we can then expand it to U.S. and Australia, where we have many Indian students as well as parents who recently migrated there. We will also look at South Africa and Germany.&quot; 
 
While this has added to the buzz in the country around the hosting of the under-17 World Cup, not everyone believes India is standing on the cusp of a soccer resurgence. 
 
&quot;The fundamental difference between the neighbours is that China woke up long ago and played in World Cup finals before veering slightly off-track,&quot; soccer writer Jaydeep Basu told Reuters. 
 
&nbsp;&quot;With state support, they are now trying to get back on track. In contrast, India, I&#39;m afraid, is still in deep slumber,&quot; added Basu, who has written an anecdotal history of Indian soccer. 
 
&nbsp;&quot;&#39;Mission 11 Million&#39; has a nice ring to it but with only 3,000-odd certified coaches around, who&#39;ll teach these kids to play soccer?&quot; 
 
&nbsp;As well as the lack of qualified coaches, Basu cites a fast-shrinking number of pitches - China plans to build 70,000 around the country by 2020 - and paucity of infrastructure as the major handicaps for Indian soccer. 
 
MESSY MERGER OF LEAGUES 
 
The AIFF is also preoccupied with a messy merger of two Indian leagues, which jeopardises the future of several sides, including a couple of century-old clubs in Kolkata. 
 
The franchise-based India Super League (ISL), which is promoted by billionaire Mukesh Ambani&#39;s Reliance Industries and Rupert Murdoch&#39;s Star India TV, looks set to supplant the I-League. 
 
&nbsp;&quot;I&#39;m afraid the ISL franchises have no soccer pedigree and I doubt if they have any long-term commitment to the game either,&quot; Basu said. 
 
&nbsp;&quot;Who can guarantee they won&#39;t switch to another business if they suffer losses in ISL?&quot; 
 
&nbsp;There is, however, no denying the ISL&#39;s spectacular success in gaining a foothold in India&#39;s cricket-dominated sporting landscape since the 2014 launch of the league with celebrity owners. 
 
&nbsp;The ISL debuted as the fourth biggest soccer league with an average attendance lower only than Germany&#39;s Bundesliga, the English Premier League and Spain&#39;s La Liga. 
 
&nbsp;The government hopes next year&#39;s under-17 World Cup will further consolidate football&#39;s popularity in India, attracting kids who would otherwise be picking up bats and heading to the neighbourhood cricket academy. 
 
&nbsp;&quot;Our youth, the children in our schools, should be drenched in sweat just playing football,&quot; Modi said in his radio talk. 
 
&quot;If that happens, we shall have real fun playing the host. So, all of us should make the effort to ensure football reaches every village, street and alley.&quot; 
(Reuters)</div>

The country will launch a programme to engage more than 11 million children in activities related to the sport

An ambitious project to awaken a sleeping giant of Asian soccer looks like confirming Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen's famous remark that India pricks up its ears only when comparisons with China are made. With China embarked on a multi-billion dollar mission to become a soccer superpower by 2050, India looks set to follow suit with its own plan to raise its status in the game to match its burgeoning economic power. Come October, India, most famously described as soccer's sleeping giant by former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, will launch a programme to engage more than 11 million children in soccer-related activities. All India Football Federation (AIFF) officials will not share details of the FIFA-backed programme yet, but according to a government statement, "Mission 11 Million" will be launched in about 30 cities across the country. As in China, where the soccer revolution was inspired by President Xi Jinping, the desire to improve India's standing in the world game goes to the very top. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March lamented India's decline from one of Asia's top soccer nations in the 1960s to its current position at 163rd in the FIFA rankings, sandwiched between the Comoros and Tajikistan. "Unfortunately, over the decades we have slipped to the lowest rungs," Modi said in his weekly radio talk. "Today our ranking in FIFA is so low that I feel reluctant even to mention it." With India hosting the under-17 World Cup next year, states have been asked to promote football in a pattern similar to the trend across the border in China. The world's most populous nation plans to engage 30 million school children by 2020 as the first step towards achieving Xi's "three wishes" for China - to qualify for a second World Cup finals, to host a World Cup and to eventually win one. TARGETING DIASPORA And while the AIFF are looking to engage as many of the country's 1.3 billion people as possible, they have also cast their net wider with a global scouting programme to identify talent in the Indian diaspora. "The idea is to increase the talent pool," former India captain and head of the scouting programme Abhishek Yadav told Reuters. "We can't guarantee that we can unearth 20 players overnight. It's an attempt, which we believe might work. There's no harm in trying." The programme encourages anyone under 16 with an Indian passport to post, on a soon-to-be-launched portal, a two-minute video from a competitive match. "We wanted to give the message that if you're talented, location should not be a problem. All you need is a passport and potential," said the former forward, who played 67 matches for India between 2002-2011. Yadav and his team are now focusing on the Gulf States, where a large number of expatriates still hold Indian passports. "Maybe we can then expand it to U.S. and Australia, where we have many Indian students as well as parents who recently migrated there. We will also look at South Africa and Germany." While this has added to the buzz in the country around the hosting of the under-17 World Cup, not everyone believes India is standing on the cusp of a soccer resurgence. "The fundamental difference between the neighbours is that China woke up long ago and played in World Cup finals before veering slightly off-track," soccer writer Jaydeep Basu told Reuters. "With state support, they are now trying to get back on track. In contrast, India, I'm afraid, is still in deep slumber," added Basu, who has written an anecdotal history of Indian soccer. "'Mission 11 Million' has a nice ring to it but with only 3,000-odd certified coaches around, who'll teach these kids to play soccer?" As well as the lack of qualified coaches, Basu cites a fast-shrinking number of pitches - China plans to build 70,000 around the country by 2020 - and paucity of infrastructure as the major handicaps for Indian soccer. MESSY MERGER OF LEAGUES The AIFF is also preoccupied with a messy merger of two Indian leagues, which jeopardises the future of several sides, including a couple of century-old clubs in Kolkata. The franchise-based India Super League (ISL), which is promoted by billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries and Rupert Murdoch's Star India TV, looks set to supplant the I-League. "I'm afraid the ISL franchises have no soccer pedigree and I doubt if they have any long-term commitment to the game either," Basu said. "Who can guarantee they won't switch to another business if they suffer losses in ISL?" There is, however, no denying the ISL's spectacular success in gaining a foothold in India's cricket-dominated sporting landscape since the 2014 launch of the league with celebrity owners. The ISL debuted as the fourth biggest soccer league with an average attendance lower only than Germany's Bundesliga, the English Premier League and Spain's La Liga. The government hopes next year's under-17 World Cup will further consolidate football's popularity in India, attracting kids who would otherwise be picking up bats and heading to the neighbourhood cricket academy. "Our youth, the children in our schools, should be drenched in sweat just playing football," Modi said in his radio talk. "If that happens, we shall have real fun playing the host. So, all of us should make the effort to ensure football reaches every village, street and alley." (Reuters)

'Mission 11 Million' to kickoff as India follows China's lead

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd said on Tuesday that it expects to nearly double its transaction volumes by 2020, signalling it still expects rampant growth as Executive Chairman Jack Ma pledged to intensify a crackdown on fake goods. 
 
At an investor conference at its headquarters in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Alibaba said it expects to record 6 trillion yuan ($912 billion) in gross merchandise volume (GMV) in fiscal 2020, nearly double 3.09 trillion yuan in fiscal 2016. 
 
Echoing that growth, Ma said Alibaba expects to have 2 billion consumers on its books by 2036, up from 423 million active buyers in 2016. 
 
Addressing concerns about the company&#39;s efforts to remove counterfeit products from its online platforms, Ma said Alibaba will do &quot;anything to stop the fake products&quot;. The company has been dogged for years by accusations that its shopping platforms were conduits for counterfeiters. 
 
&quot;I promise you guys that counterfeits, fake products, and intellectual property theft - we are more and more confident than ever that we can solve the problem,&quot; he said.

Executive Chairman Jack Ma was even more hopeful long term, stating they'd have 2 billion annual consumers by 2036

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd said on Tuesday that it expects to nearly double its transaction volumes by 2020, signalling it still expects rampant growth as Executive Chairman Jack Ma pledged to intensify a crackdown on fake goods. At an investor conference at its headquarters in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Alibaba said it expects to record 6 trillion yuan ($912 billion) in gross merchandise volume (GMV) in fiscal 2020, nearly double 3.09 trillion yuan in fiscal 2016. Echoing that growth, Ma said Alibaba expects to have 2 billion consumers on its books by 2036, up from 423 million active buyers in 2016. Addressing concerns about the company's efforts to remove counterfeit products from its online platforms, Ma said Alibaba will do "anything to stop the fake products". The company has been dogged for years by accusations that its shopping platforms were conduits for counterfeiters. "I promise you guys that counterfeits, fake products, and intellectual property theft - we are more and more confident than ever that we can solve the problem," he said.

Alibaba expects to record $912 billion by 2020, even amid concerns it sells counterfeit products

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