Russia struck a nitric acid tank at a chemical plant in Severodonetsk, a city in Ukraine's Luhansk region, said local governor. Sergiy Gaiday, the governor urged people to stay inside shelters.

Nitric acid is dangerous if inhaled, swallowed or even if it comes in contact with the skin.

The governor said on Telegram that air strike by Russian forces "hit a tank with nitric acid at a chemical plant".

"Do not come out of shelters!" Gaiday said.&nbsp;

Severodonetsk has seen fierce battle between Russian and Ukrainian forces.

The governor has urged people in the city to "prepare protective face masks impregnated with soda solution".&nbsp;

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia's air strike at a chemical plant in Severodonetsk was "just crazy".

But it is "no longer surprising that for the Russian military, for Russian commanders, for Russian soldiers, any madness is absolutely acceptable", Zelensky said in an evening video address on Telegram.

AFP quoted pro-Moscow separatists as saying that the tank had "exploded" on territory controlled by Ukrainian forces.&nbsp;

"At the Azot chemical plant, a container with chemicals was blown up. Preliminarily, it is nitric acid," Rodion Mironchik, a representative of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic, said on Telegram. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Russia struck a nitric acid tank at a chemical plant in Severodonetsk, a city in Ukraine's Luhansk region, said local governor. Sergiy Gaiday, the governor urged people to stay inside shelters.

Russia struck a nitric acid tank at a chemical plant in Severodonetsk, a city in Ukraine's Luhansk region, said local governor. Sergiy Gaiday, the governor urged people to stay inside shelters. Nitric acid is dangerous if inhaled, swallowed or even if it comes in contact with the skin. The governor said on Telegram that air strike by Russian forces "hit a tank with nitric acid at a chemical plant". "Do not come out of shelters!" Gaiday said. Severodonetsk has seen fierce battle between Russian and Ukrainian forces. The governor has urged people in the city to "prepare protective face masks impregnated with soda solution". Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia's air strike at a chemical plant in Severodonetsk was "just crazy". But it is "no longer surprising that for the Russian military, for Russian commanders, for Russian soldiers, any madness is absolutely acceptable", Zelensky said in an evening video address on Telegram. AFP quoted pro-Moscow separatists as saying that the tank had "exploded" on territory controlled by Ukrainian forces. "At the Azot chemical plant, a container with chemicals was blown up. Preliminarily, it is nitric acid," Rodion Mironchik, a representative of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic, said on Telegram. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Russia struck 'nitric acid tank' in Ukraine's Severodonetsk: Governor

Imran Khan led government removes Punjab Governor Mohammad Sarwar on the day of CM vote. Omar Sarfaraz Cheema takes oath as new governor.

Imran Khan led government removes Punjab Governor on the day of CM vote

An air strike by the Nigerian army targeting 'bandits' has left seven children dead and five others wounded "by mistake" in the Maradi region of southern Niger, a local governor told AFP on Sunday.

"There was a mistake with the Nigerian strikes on the border that resulted in victims on our territory in the village of Nachade" on Friday, said Chaibou Aboubacar, governor of the Maradi region, close to&nbsp;Nigeria.&nbsp;

"The victims are 12 children, seven of them dead and five wounded."

Four children died instantly and three others succumbed "to their injuries while being transported to hospital", he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nigerias-looted-benin-bronzes-returned-more-than-a-century-later-454757">Nigeria's looted Benin bronzes returned, more than a century later</a>

According to the governor, "the parents were attending a ceremony and the children were probably playing when the strikes" hit them.&nbsp;

He believes the planes were targeting "armed bandits" in the border areas, but "missed their target" hitting Nachade instead.&nbsp;

Aboubacar said he visited the children's graves on Saturday as well as the scene of the bombardment.&nbsp;

Several municipalities in the Maradi region are seriously affected by the violence of heavily armed gangs from the Nigerian states of neighbouring Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara.&nbsp;

In 2018, Niamey reinforced military patrols along its border with&nbsp;Nigeria&nbsp;to prevent the incursions of these gangs which carry out assassinations, kidnappings for ransom, attacks on traders and raids on cattle which they then lead into&nbsp;Nigeria.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/around-200-killed-in-deadly-attacks-by-armed-bandits-in-nigeria-say-residents-443277">Around 200 killed in deadly attacks by armed bandits in Nigeria, say residents</a>

In April 2021, International Crisis Group (ICG) said it feared a third jihadist centre could emerge in this region of Maradi, exploiting the actions of Nigerian gangs and conflicts between local communities.&nbsp;

Niger already faces two jihadist fronts. The Nigerian group Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP), its dissident branch, are operating in the south-east while groups affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) and Al-Qaeda are at work in the west.&nbsp;

According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Maradi is host to 100,000 Nigerian refugees, who have fled the relentless attacks in their country.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Nigeria destroys more than 1 million AstraZeneca COVID vaccine doses

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/nigeria-destroys-more-than-1-million-astrazeneca-covid-vaccine-doses-439158/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In mid-February 2015, 36 people were killed &nbsp;in a bombardment by an "unidentified" plane against a mosque in the village of Abadam in the Diffa region (southeast) where Boko Haram jihadists had just made their first attacks against Niger.

&nbsp;

An air strike by the Nigerian army targeting 'bandits' has left seven children dead and five others wounded "by mistake" in the Maradi region of southern Niger, a local governor told AFP on Sunday.

An air strike by the Nigerian army targeting 'bandits' has left seven children dead and five others wounded "by mistake" in the Maradi region of southern Niger, a local governor told AFP on Sunday. "There was a mistake with the Nigerian strikes on the border that resulted in victims on our territory in the village of Nachade" on Friday, said Chaibou Aboubacar, governor of the Maradi region, close to Nigeria. "The victims are 12 children, seven of them dead and five wounded." Four children died instantly and three others succumbed "to their injuries while being transported to hospital", he said. Also read | Nigeria's looted Benin bronzes returned, more than a century later According to the governor, "the parents were attending a ceremony and the children were probably playing when the strikes" hit them. He believes the planes were targeting "armed bandits" in the border areas, but "missed their target" hitting Nachade instead. Aboubacar said he visited the children's graves on Saturday as well as the scene of the bombardment. Several municipalities in the Maradi region are seriously affected by the violence of heavily armed gangs from the Nigerian states of neighbouring Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara. In 2018, Niamey reinforced military patrols along its border with Nigeria to prevent the incursions of these gangs which carry out assassinations, kidnappings for ransom, attacks on traders and raids on cattle which they then lead into Nigeria. Also read | Around 200 killed in deadly attacks by armed bandits in Nigeria, say residents In April 2021, International Crisis Group (ICG) said it feared a third jihadist centre could emerge in this region of Maradi, exploiting the actions of Nigerian gangs and conflicts between local communities. Niger already faces two jihadist fronts. The Nigerian group Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP), its dissident branch, are operating in the south-east while groups affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) and Al-Qaeda are at work in the west. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Maradi is host to 100,000 Nigerian refugees, who have fled the relentless attacks in their country. Watch | Nigeria destroys more than 1 million AstraZeneca COVID vaccine doses In mid-February 2015, 36 people were killed in a bombardment by an "unidentified" plane against a mosque in the village of Abadam in the Diffa region (southeast) where Boko Haram jihadists had just made their first attacks against Niger.

Stray Nigeria air strike kills seven children in Niger

In a bizarre incident, a governor in the US has used vulgarity to get even with a singer. &nbsp;

Jim Justice, Governor, West Virginia told singer Bette Midler to “kiss his dog's hiney" on Thursday. The leader’s comment was in response to a tweet from the singer, who seems to have insulted the people of the state last month.&nbsp;

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The incident happened at the end of the governor's address, where he talked about the state's successes during the COVID-19 pandemic, including an increase in tourism, as per the West Virginia Gazette. &nbsp;

The Republican leader lifted his female bulldog, named Babydog, who was present at the address, and turned the dog to expose her rear end to the audience. &nbsp;

Justice said, "They told every bad joke in the world about us. Babydog tells Bette Midler and all those out there [to] kiss her hiney.” &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-man-wrongly-serves-20-years-in-prison-released-after-twin-brothers-confession-448709" hreflang="en">US man wrongly serves 20 years in prison, released after twin brother's confession</a>

On December 20, 2021, Midler, in a tweet, had called the people of West Virginia "poor, illiterate and strung out" after Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia said he would vote against his party's Build Back Better plan. Later, Midler had apologised for the comment. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In a tweet on Friday, Midler responded, "Judging from the&nbsp;rankings, I’d say his dog’s ass would make a better governor than him." Midler claimed West Virginia ranked No 47 overall in the country in rankings, which took into account the state of healthcare, environment, etc. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In a bizarre incident, a governor in the US has used vulgarity to get even with a singer. Jim Justice, Governor, West Virginia told singer Bette Midler to “kiss his dog's hiney" on Thursday.

In a bizarre incident, a governor in the US has used vulgarity to get even with a singer. Jim Justice, Governor, West Virginia told singer Bette Midler to “kiss his dog's hiney" on Thursday. The leader’s comment was in response to a tweet from the singer, who seems to have insulted the people of the state last month. Also Read: A distraction? New feline addition to White House catches netizens' attention The incident happened at the end of the governor's address, where he talked about the state's successes during the COVID-19 pandemic, including an increase in tourism, as per the West Virginia Gazette. The Republican leader lifted his female bulldog, named Babydog, who was present at the address, and turned the dog to expose her rear end to the audience. Justice said, "They told every bad joke in the world about us. Babydog tells Bette Midler and all those out there [to] kiss her hiney.” Also Read: US man wrongly serves 20 years in prison, released after twin brother's confession On December 20, 2021, Midler, in a tweet, had called the people of West Virginia "poor, illiterate and strung out" after Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia said he would vote against his party's Build Back Better plan. Later, Midler had apologised for the comment. In a tweet on Friday, Midler responded, "Judging from the rankings, I’d say his dog’s ass would make a better governor than him." Midler claimed West Virginia ranked No 47 overall in the country in rankings, which took into account the state of healthcare, environment, etc. (With inputs from agencies)

US governor chooses vulgarity to get even with singer. Find out why

In a strange incident, an SUV filled with ten bodies was left outside the office of a Mexican state governor, located in a public square, which was lit up with Christmas decor all around. The bodies were loaded in a Mazda SUV which was parked in the main plaza of the state capital of Zacatecas.

David Monreal, governor of the central state of Zacatecas said, "A grey Mazda van and that was left with the bodies in front of the Government Palace."

In a video, he said that the car contained bodies of people with signs of beating and bruising.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/to-strengthen-ties-us-japan-look-to-ink-crucial-defence-pacts-soon-442795">Also read |&nbsp;To strengthen ties, US, Japan look to ink crucial defence pacts soon</a>

The public security agency, in a statement, said that government officials found the car after a suspicious vehicle was seen driving in the area. The federal security ministry revealed that there were 10 bodies inside.

Zacatecas is considered to be a transit point of drugs as it was once dominated by the Zetas cartel. The region now sees the presence of several cartels.&nbsp;

A report by The Guardian suggests that there were 31,615 killings in the first 11 months of 2021. However, Monreal has claimed that security has been one of the major challenges in Zacatecas and he would work on bringing down the violence.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a strange incident, an SUV filled with ten bodies was left outside the office of a Mexican state governor, located in a public square, which was lit up with Christmas decor all around.

In a strange incident, an SUV filled with ten bodies was left outside the office of a Mexican state governor, located in a public square, which was lit up with Christmas decor all around. The bodies were loaded in a Mazda SUV which was parked in the main plaza of the state capital of Zacatecas. David Monreal, governor of the central state of Zacatecas said, "A grey Mazda van and that was left with the bodies in front of the Government Palace." In a video, he said that the car contained bodies of people with signs of beating and bruising. Also read | To strengthen ties, US, Japan look to ink crucial defence pacts soon The public security agency, in a statement, said that government officials found the car after a suspicious vehicle was seen driving in the area. The federal security ministry revealed that there were 10 bodies inside. Zacatecas is considered to be a transit point of drugs as it was once dominated by the Zetas cartel. The region now sees the presence of several cartels. A report by The Guardian suggests that there were 31,615 killings in the first 11 months of 2021. However, Monreal has claimed that security has been one of the major challenges in Zacatecas and he would work on bringing down the violence. (With inputs from agencies)

Mexico: 10 bodies left in car outside a state governor's office

The death toll from record tornadoes that ripped over hundreds of miles of Kentucky this weekend was expected to top 100, with many still missing and contradictory reports on the number of survivors as rescuers scrambled to examine wreckage.

With at least 80 verified deaths, Governor Andy Beshear stated this was the most deadly tornado event in the state's history.&nbsp;

"I know we’ve lost more than 80 Kentuckians. That number is going to exceed 100. This is the deadliest tornado event we have ever had... I’ve got towns that are gone, that are just, I mean, gone, "Beshear said on Sunday.

Twisters destroyed a candle factory and fire and police stations in a small town in Kentucky, ripped through a nursing home in neighbouring Missouri, and killed at least six workers at an Amazon warehouse in Illinois, according to weather forecasters.&nbsp; 
 
Watch | Over 100 feared dead as multiple tornadoes rip through 6 US states

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The previous record for the longest tornado in the United States was a 219-mile storm in Missouri in March 1925, which killed 695 people.

Outside of the spring and summer months, huge events like this are relatively rare.&nbsp;

Rescuers examined the wreckage for survivors in Kentucky, while crews gave water and generators to residents.

More than 300 National Guard members were going door to door clearing debris.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The death toll from record tornadoes that ripped over hundreds of miles of Kentucky this weekend was expected to top 100, with many still missing and contradictory reports on the number of survivors as rescuers scrambled to examine wreckage.

The death toll from record tornadoes that ripped over hundreds of miles of Kentucky this weekend was expected to top 100, with many still missing and contradictory reports on the number of survivors as rescuers scrambled to examine wreckage. With at least 80 verified deaths, Governor Andy Beshear stated this was the most deadly tornado event in the state's history. "I know we’ve lost more than 80 Kentuckians. That number is going to exceed 100. This is the deadliest tornado event we have ever had... I’ve got towns that are gone, that are just, I mean, gone, "Beshear said on Sunday. Twisters destroyed a candle factory and fire and police stations in a small town in Kentucky, ripped through a nursing home in neighbouring Missouri, and killed at least six workers at an Amazon warehouse in Illinois, according to weather forecasters. Watch | Over 100 feared dead as multiple tornadoes rip through 6 US states The previous record for the longest tornado in the United States was a 219-mile storm in Missouri in March 1925, which killed 695 people. Outside of the spring and summer months, huge events like this are relatively rare. Rescuers examined the wreckage for survivors in Kentucky, while crews gave water and generators to residents. More than 300 National Guard members were going door to door clearing debris. (With inputs from agencies)

Kentucky tornadoes likely killed more than 100, says Governor Andy Beshear

Republican Party's Glenn Youngkin won election to become next governor of Virginia staging an upset against the Democratic Party. The race for governor was&nbsp;being seen as an early verdict on US President Joe Biden's first year in presidency. The negative outcome for the Democrats is likely to compound their problems in the run-up to Congressional elections due next year

The race for governor was initially expected to be a comfortable Democratic win but instead became a toss-up in the closing days of the campaign.

A private equity multi-millionaire who has never run for office defeating a former popular Democratic governor will be seen as a disaster for Biden going into the all-important 2022 races that will determine who controls Congress.

"All right Virginia -- we won this thing! How much fun!" Youngkin, who poured at least $20 million of his own fortune into the race, told cheering fans after dancing onstage to Norman Greenbaum's 1969 hit "Spirit in the Sky."

Calling his victory a "defining moment," he told the crowd: "Together, we will change the trajectory of this commonwealth. And friends, we are going to start that transformation on day one."

The election, a neck-and-neck tussle for weeks, resonated nationwide as a proxy war between Biden and former president Donald Trump, who gave Youngkin his early backing.&nbsp;

Youngkin's campaign will now likely become a blueprint for Republicans across the country as they strategize on how to leverage Trump's base while avoiding becoming tainted by his toxic brand among moderates in the midterms.

(With inputs from agencies)

Republican Party's Glenn Youngkin won election to become next governor of Virginia staging an upset against the Democratic Party. The race for governor was being seen as an early verdict on US President Joe Biden's first year in presidency.

Republican Party's Glenn Youngkin won election to become next governor of Virginia staging an upset against the Democratic Party. The race for governor was being seen as an early verdict on US President Joe Biden's first year in presidency. The negative outcome for the Democrats is likely to compound their problems in the run-up to Congressional elections due next year The race for governor was initially expected to be a comfortable Democratic win but instead became a toss-up in the closing days of the campaign. A private equity multi-millionaire who has never run for office defeating a former popular Democratic governor will be seen as a disaster for Biden going into the all-important 2022 races that will determine who controls Congress. "All right Virginia -- we won this thing! How much fun!" Youngkin, who poured at least $20 million of his own fortune into the race, told cheering fans after dancing onstage to Norman Greenbaum's 1969 hit "Spirit in the Sky." Calling his victory a "defining moment," he told the crowd: "Together, we will change the trajectory of this commonwealth. And friends, we are going to start that transformation on day one." The election, a neck-and-neck tussle for weeks, resonated nationwide as a proxy war between Biden and former president Donald Trump, who gave Youngkin his early backing. Youngkin's campaign will now likely become a blueprint for Republicans across the country as they strategize on how to leverage Trump's base while avoiding becoming tainted by his toxic brand among moderates in the midterms. (With inputs from agencies)

Newcomer Republican Glenn Youngkin becomes Virginia governor, a blow to Biden's Democrats

After Republican Governor of US state of Oklahoma Kevin Stitt insisted there was "no such thing as non-binary sex", a Democratic state representative, who identifies as "non-binary" complained. &nbsp;

Stitt made remark after a legal settlement prompted the Oklahoma State Department of Health to begin allowing residents to identify as non-binary on their birth certificates. The governor explained that he believes the change was made without "proper approval or oversight." &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-lawmakers-seek-info-from-fauci-over-alleged-experiments-on-puppies-423846" hreflang="en">US lawmakers seek info from Fauci over alleged experiments on puppies</a>

In a statement last week, Stitt said, "I believe that people are created by God to be male or female. Period. There is no such thing as non-binary sex and I, wholeheartedly, condemn the purported OSDH court settlement that was entered into by rogue activists, who acted without receiving proper approval or oversight... I will be taking whatever action necessary to protect Oklahoma values and our way of life." &nbsp;

Oklahoma state Rep Mauree Turner claimed the governor's views "adamantly oppose" her existence. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/now-russians-will-have-to-visit-warsaw-to-get-immigrant-visas-for-us-423730" hreflang="en">Now, Russians will have to visit Warsaw to get immigrant visas for US</a>

As per Fox 25, Turner said, "If you have to work with people who adamantly oppose your existence, right, to the point to where we can't work together, you can't talk to me, you can't talk to me like I'm a human being, you don't see me, that damages anyone’s working relationship." &nbsp;&nbsp;

"To be able to have that autonomy and have that part, that real intimate part of you really kind of recognised in a big way is really, really important in more ways than one," Turner added. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

After Republican Governor of US state of Oklahoma Kevin Stitt insisted there was "no such thing as non-binary sex", a Democratic state representative, who identifies as "non-binary" complained.

After Republican Governor of US state of Oklahoma Kevin Stitt insisted there was "no such thing as non-binary sex", a Democratic state representative, who identifies as "non-binary" complained. Stitt made remark after a legal settlement prompted the Oklahoma State Department of Health to begin allowing residents to identify as non-binary on their birth certificates. The governor explained that he believes the change was made without "proper approval or oversight." Also Read: US lawmakers seek info from Fauci over alleged experiments on puppies In a statement last week, Stitt said, "I believe that people are created by God to be male or female. Period. There is no such thing as non-binary sex and I, wholeheartedly, condemn the purported OSDH court settlement that was entered into by rogue activists, who acted without receiving proper approval or oversight... I will be taking whatever action necessary to protect Oklahoma values and our way of life." Oklahoma state Rep Mauree Turner claimed the governor's views "adamantly oppose" her existence. Also Read: Now, Russians will have to visit Warsaw to get immigrant visas for US As per Fox 25, Turner said, "If you have to work with people who adamantly oppose your existence, right, to the point to where we can't work together, you can't talk to me, you can't talk to me like I'm a human being, you don't see me, that damages anyone’s working relationship." "To be able to have that autonomy and have that part, that real intimate part of you really kind of recognised in a big way is really, really important in more ways than one," Turner added. (With inputs from agencies)

'Non-binary' US lawmaker complains as state governor says ‘there's no such thing’

Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott, responding to what he called "bullying" by the Biden Administration, on Monday barred all COVID-19 vaccine mandates in the state by any entity, including private employers.

Abbott's move sets him up for a clash with President Joe Biden, a Democrat who last month called on businesses nationwide to order their workers to be vaccinated or lose their jobs. At least several thousand people have since been fired for refusing to comply.

ALSO read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vaccines-prevent-severe-covid-even-from-delta-study-419798">Vaccines prevent severe Covid, even from Delta: study</a>

"In another instance of federal overreach, the Biden Administration is now bullying many private entities into imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates, causing workforce disruptions that threaten Texas continued recovery from the COVID-19 disaster," Abbott said in an executive order.

The White House had no immediate comment.

Abbott's order states that "no entity in Texas" could compel proof of vaccination by any individual, including employees or customers. He called on state lawmakers to take up the issue in an upcoming special session.

Technology giants Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google have both told employees that they would need proof of vaccination to return to their offices. Both companies employ large numbers in Texas.

Fort Worth-based American Airlines, the largest US&nbsp;carrier, last week told its 100,000 US-based employees they must submit proof of full vaccination no later than November&nbsp;24 - or be fired. read more

United Airlines&nbsp;imposed a vaccine mandate on its 60,000 employees, around 9,000 of whom are based in Texas.

Also Read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/old-fake-news-sputnik-v-refutes-claims-russia-stole-oxford-vaccine-blueprint-419855">&nbsp;'Old fake news': Sputnik V refutes claims Russia stole Oxford vaccine blueprint</a>

The company is defending a lawsuit filed in Fort Worth, and a federal judge on Wednesday will hear a request by United employees for an injunction to prevent the carrier from firing those who requested exemptions.

Biden issued his mandate in September as his administration struggled to control the pandemic, which has killed more than 700,000 Americans.

Political leaders across the United States have ratcheted up pressure on the unvaccinated in recent weeks.

Laws requiring proof of vaccinations are deeply controversial in the United States, with many Americans criticizing them as unconstitutional and authoritarian.

Proponents of vaccine mandates see them as necessary to pull the nation out of the nearly two-year pandemic and return to normalcy.

Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott, responding to what he called "bullying" by the Biden Administration, on Monday barred all COVID-19 vaccine mandates in the state by any entity, including private employers.

Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott, responding to what he called "bullying" by the Biden Administration, on Monday barred all COVID-19 vaccine mandates in the state by any entity, including private employers. Abbott's move sets him up for a clash with President Joe Biden, a Democrat who last month called on businesses nationwide to order their workers to be vaccinated or lose their jobs. At least several thousand people have since been fired for refusing to comply. ALSO read | Vaccines prevent severe Covid, even from Delta: study "In another instance of federal overreach, the Biden Administration is now bullying many private entities into imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates, causing workforce disruptions that threaten Texas continued recovery from the COVID-19 disaster," Abbott said in an executive order. The White House had no immediate comment. Abbott's order states that "no entity in Texas" could compel proof of vaccination by any individual, including employees or customers. He called on state lawmakers to take up the issue in an upcoming special session. Technology giants Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google have both told employees that they would need proof of vaccination to return to their offices. Both companies employ large numbers in Texas. Fort Worth-based American Airlines, the largest US carrier, last week told its 100,000 US-based employees they must submit proof of full vaccination no later than November 24 - or be fired. read more United Airlines imposed a vaccine mandate on its 60,000 employees, around 9,000 of whom are based in Texas. Also Read | 'Old fake news': Sputnik V refutes claims Russia stole Oxford vaccine blueprint The company is defending a lawsuit filed in Fort Worth, and a federal judge on Wednesday will hear a request by United employees for an injunction to prevent the carrier from firing those who requested exemptions. Biden issued his mandate in September as his administration struggled to control the pandemic, which has killed more than 700,000 Americans. Political leaders across the United States have ratcheted up pressure on the unvaccinated in recent weeks. Laws requiring proof of vaccinations are deeply controversial in the United States, with many Americans criticizing them as unconstitutional and authoritarian. Proponents of vaccine mandates see them as necessary to pull the nation out of the nearly two-year pandemic and return to normalcy.

Texas governor bars all COVID-19 vaccine mandates in state, rips Biden for 'bullying'

On the eve of a vote which could remove the California governor from office, US President Joe Biden has thrown his support behind Gov Gavin Newsom. &nbsp;

This recall vote will decide the future for Newsom. If the Californians decide to approve Newsom, he stays and if not, then someone else will replace him. &nbsp;

In a rally in Long Beach, Biden said the result would "reverberate around the world". &nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;US President Joe Biden to host Quad summit

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The polls show a comfortable lead for the Democrat. Newsom’s main rival, Larry Elder, is a conservative radio host. &nbsp;

In 2019, Newsom was democratically elected and took office, but Republicans hope to unseat him early. It is only the second-ever recall vote for a governor to appear on the ballots of the Democratic state. &nbsp;

"The eyes of the nation are on you," Biden said, while urging the Long Beach crowd to vote "no" to the recall.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hurricane-nicholas-makes-landfall-on-texas-coast-may-unleash-flash-floods-413040" hreflang="en">Hurricane Nicholas makes landfall on Texas coast, may unleash flash floods</a>

"You either keep Gavin Newsom as your governor or you'll get Donald Trump," Biden added, while signifying Elder to be a "clone" of the former president. &nbsp;

After he took office in 2019, the governor has cemented California's status as progressive and free-spending state in the US. But frustration over the handling of the pandemic and rise in partisanship in politics has fuelled a Republican-led effort to supplant him before his term ends.&nbsp;

On the eve of a vote which could remove the California governor from office, US President Joe Biden has thrown his support behind Gov Gavin Newsom. This recall vote will decide the future for Newsom.

On the eve of a vote which could remove the California governor from office, US President Joe Biden has thrown his support behind Gov Gavin Newsom. This recall vote will decide the future for Newsom. If the Californians decide to approve Newsom, he stays and if not, then someone else will replace him. In a rally in Long Beach, Biden said the result would "reverberate around the world". Watch: US President Joe Biden to host Quad summit × The polls show a comfortable lead for the Democrat. Newsom’s main rival, Larry Elder, is a conservative radio host. In 2019, Newsom was democratically elected and took office, but Republicans hope to unseat him early. It is only the second-ever recall vote for a governor to appear on the ballots of the Democratic state. "The eyes of the nation are on you," Biden said, while urging the Long Beach crowd to vote "no" to the recall. Also Read: Hurricane Nicholas makes landfall on Texas coast, may unleash flash floods "You either keep Gavin Newsom as your governor or you'll get Donald Trump," Biden added, while signifying Elder to be a "clone" of the former president. After he took office in 2019, the governor has cemented California's status as progressive and free-spending state in the US. But frustration over the handling of the pandemic and rise in partisanship in politics has fuelled a Republican-led effort to supplant him before his term ends.

Biden supports California Governor Gavin Newsom on eve of crucial vote

In a scene replayed across the United States, angry parents and activists streamed into a meeting of the Florida's Lake County school board on Thursday where it considered whether to mandate mask-wearing for students and staff due to COVID.

Some opponents of the mask proposal brandished signs that read “Let Our Children Breathe.” Even with Florida seeing a record number of coronavirus cases, one attendee called the pandemic "overblown." Another was escorted out by deputies after yelling at board members.

The proposal would require staff and students to wear masks for 14 days at schools with COVID positivity rates at or above 5%.

But Florida's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, effectively banned similar mandates in July.

Since DeSantis' order, more than a dozen Florida counties have rebelled and voted to require masks to protect students and teachers as the Delta variant sweeps across the state. This week, the state's Department of Education sanctioned two counties that passed school mask requirements.

The battle between DeSantis and the state's school systems echoes larger fights across the country.

Other Republican-run states such as Arizona and Texas have also banned mask mandates in schools even as COVID cases have soared in their states, as parents and voters are sharply divided over safety measures and personal freedoms.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/militants-may-use-afghan-chaos-to-infiltrate-us-eu-nato-410633">Also read |&nbsp;Militants may use Afghan chaos to infiltrate US, EU: NATO</a>

The pushback in Florida against the Republican governor initially was led by large urban school districts run by Democrats. But this week saw more conservative counties that backed Republican Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election also defying DeSantis and instituting their own mandates.

Earlier this week, populous Brevard County along Florida’s east coast, which went for Trump over President Joe Biden by more than 16 percentage points in November, narrowly voted to approve a 30-day school mask mandate.

A day later, Hernando County, which supported Trump over Biden by almost 30 points, also passed a mandate, but one that allows parents to opt out.

In Lake County near Orlando, which also strongly backed Trump, a school official said on Thursday that more than 1,000 students of the 36,000 in the district had tested positive for the virus.

The board listened to more than three hours of public comment on the mask proposal then postponed a decision. Some 280 people spoke or sent emails on the issue, and two-thirds of them supported the idea, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

Still, proponents of a mask mandate were booed and heckled by the crowd in attendance.

“This topic has completely polarized communities,” said Andrea Messina, president of the Florida School Boards Association.

'ABSOLUTE CRISIS'

While the conflict centers on whether state or local governments are best equipped to make decisions on health and safety, it also has become a political challenge for DeSantis, whose state has once again become a COVID-19 hotbed.

After being widely praised last year when cases declined and the state’s economy seemed revived, DeSantis has faced renewed criticism for his opposition to masks and employer vaccine mandates. Florida on Aug. 26 saw a single-day record number of new cases of the virus – almost 28,000 – since the pandemic began.

A spokesperson for DeSantis, Christina Pushaw, defended the ban on school mandates, saying the governor is "protecting the rights of families and children from all levels of government overreach."

At the Brevard County meeting on Monday, Misty Belford, the chair of the school board who a month earlier had opposed a mask mandate, switched her vote and gave proponents a 3-2 majority.

Belford changed her mind, she told Reuters, after watching the district’s caseload spike, including a 49% increase in student cases from one week to the next. One school was closed for two days after most of its students were quarantined.

“We are at an absolute crisis point," Belford said.

But board member Katye Campbell, who voted against the mandate, said she worries about negative effects on students from requiring masks, such as asthma flare-ups, suicidal ideation and panic attacks.

“There is nothing easy about this decision because our community is so divided,” Campbell said.

Belford said she was relying on a decision from a Florida court last week that declared the DeSantis rule illegal. DeSantis on Thursday appealed the ruling. Earlier this week, the Florida Board of Education said it would penalize two counties that voted for mask mandates without providing a parental opt-out, Alachua and Broward, by withholding funds from the districts for the board members’ salaries.

Leanetta McNealy, chair of the Alachua County school board, said her board voted for the mask mandate last month based on scientific evidence that it would help mitigate the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant.

“I’d rather have a decrease in my compensation than have a death under my watch,” she said.

In a scene replayed across the United States, angry parents and activists streamed into a meeting of the Florida's Lake County school board on Thursday where it considered whether to mandate mask-wearing for students and staff due to COVID.

In a scene replayed across the United States, angry parents and activists streamed into a meeting of the Florida's Lake County school board on Thursday where it considered whether to mandate mask-wearing for students and staff due to COVID. Some opponents of the mask proposal brandished signs that read “Let Our Children Breathe.” Even with Florida seeing a record number of coronavirus cases, one attendee called the pandemic "overblown." Another was escorted out by deputies after yelling at board members. The proposal would require staff and students to wear masks for 14 days at schools with COVID positivity rates at or above 5%. But Florida's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, effectively banned similar mandates in July. Since DeSantis' order, more than a dozen Florida counties have rebelled and voted to require masks to protect students and teachers as the Delta variant sweeps across the state. This week, the state's Department of Education sanctioned two counties that passed school mask requirements. The battle between DeSantis and the state's school systems echoes larger fights across the country. Other Republican-run states such as Arizona and Texas have also banned mask mandates in schools even as COVID cases have soared in their states, as parents and voters are sharply divided over safety measures and personal freedoms. Also read | Militants may use Afghan chaos to infiltrate US, EU: NATO The pushback in Florida against the Republican governor initially was led by large urban school districts run by Democrats. But this week saw more conservative counties that backed Republican Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election also defying DeSantis and instituting their own mandates. Earlier this week, populous Brevard County along Florida’s east coast, which went for Trump over President Joe Biden by more than 16 percentage points in November, narrowly voted to approve a 30-day school mask mandate. A day later, Hernando County, which supported Trump over Biden by almost 30 points, also passed a mandate, but one that allows parents to opt out. In Lake County near Orlando, which also strongly backed Trump, a school official said on Thursday that more than 1,000 students of the 36,000 in the district had tested positive for the virus. The board listened to more than three hours of public comment on the mask proposal then postponed a decision. Some 280 people spoke or sent emails on the issue, and two-thirds of them supported the idea, the Orlando Sentinel reported. Still, proponents of a mask mandate were booed and heckled by the crowd in attendance. “This topic has completely polarized communities,” said Andrea Messina, president of the Florida School Boards Association. 'ABSOLUTE CRISIS' While the conflict centers on whether state or local governments are best equipped to make decisions on health and safety, it also has become a political challenge for DeSantis, whose state has once again become a COVID-19 hotbed. After being widely praised last year when cases declined and the state’s economy seemed revived, DeSantis has faced renewed criticism for his opposition to masks and employer vaccine mandates. Florida on Aug. 26 saw a single-day record number of new cases of the virus – almost 28,000 – since the pandemic began. A spokesperson for DeSantis, Christina Pushaw, defended the ban on school mandates, saying the governor is "protecting the rights of families and children from all levels of government overreach." At the Brevard County meeting on Monday, Misty Belford, the chair of the school board who a month earlier had opposed a mask mandate, switched her vote and gave proponents a 3-2 majority. Belford changed her mind, she told Reuters, after watching the district’s caseload spike, including a 49% increase in student cases from one week to the next. One school was closed for two days after most of its students were quarantined. “We are at an absolute crisis point," Belford said. But board member Katye Campbell, who voted against the mandate, said she worries about negative effects on students from requiring masks, such as asthma flare-ups, suicidal ideation and panic attacks. “There is nothing easy about this decision because our community is so divided,” Campbell said. Belford said she was relying on a decision from a Florida court last week that declared the DeSantis rule illegal. DeSantis on Thursday appealed the ruling. Earlier this week, the Florida Board of Education said it would penalize two counties that voted for mask mandates without providing a parental opt-out, Alachua and Broward, by withholding funds from the districts for the board members’ salaries. Leanetta McNealy, chair of the Alachua County school board, said her board voted for the mask mandate last month based on scientific evidence that it would help mitigate the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant. “I’d rather have a decrease in my compensation than have a death under my watch,” she said.

More Florida school districts revolt against governor's mask ban as cases surge

Kathy Hochul became the first female governor of New York on Tuesday, and outlined her goals for combating deadly COVID-19 pandemic.

The 62-year-old said she&nbsp;wants to impose vaccines for all educational workers in the state, with the option to test out weekly.&nbsp; 
 
"Your priorities are my priorities and right now that means fighting the delta variant, none of us want a re-run of last year's horrors with COVID-19," she said. 
 
Hochul said she will lead a "dramatic transformation in culture, with responsibility and no tolerance for people who cross the line" in her first speech to New Yorkers since being sworn in as the state's 57th governor. 
 
Elevated from the relative obscurity as lieutenant governor to the post of prominent position of New York’s 57th governor at the stroke of midnight, Hochul said she wants to revive faith in government after a ceremonial swearing-in on Tuesday morning. &nbsp; 
 
Watch:&nbsp;US Supreme Court requires Biden to revive Trump-era 'remain in Mexico' policy

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The New York’s new governor said, “I want people to believe in our government again. It’s important to me that people have faith – our strength comes from the faith and the confidence of the people who put us into these offices and I take that very seriously.” &nbsp;

Hochul also talked about “changing the culture of Albany. I’m looking forward to a fresh collaborative approach – that’s how I’ve always conducted myself, it’s nothing new to me, but it’s something I’ll be introducing to the state Capitol.” &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-vice-president-offers-vietnam-support-to-counter-beijing-in-south-china-sea-408161">US vice president offers Vietnam support to counter Beijing in South China Sea&nbsp;</a>

Without mentioning the predecessor Andrew Cuomo’s name, she criticised the leader in her remarks. &nbsp;

Cuomo was the governor of the state for a decade until he was brought down by a devastating report from the state attorney general based on sexual harassment accusations from 11 women.&nbsp; 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Kathy Hochul became the first female governor of New York on Tuesday, and outlined her goals for combating deadly COVID-19 pandemic. The 62-year-old said she wants to impose vaccines for all educational workers in the state, with the option to test out weekly.

Kathy Hochul became the first female governor of New York on Tuesday, and outlined her goals for combating deadly COVID-19 pandemic. The 62-year-old said she wants to impose vaccines for all educational workers in the state, with the option to test out weekly. "Your priorities are my priorities and right now that means fighting the delta variant, none of us want a re-run of last year's horrors with COVID-19," she said. Hochul said she will lead a "dramatic transformation in culture, with responsibility and no tolerance for people who cross the line" in her first speech to New Yorkers since being sworn in as the state's 57th governor. Elevated from the relative obscurity as lieutenant governor to the post of prominent position of New York’s 57th governor at the stroke of midnight, Hochul said she wants to revive faith in government after a ceremonial swearing-in on Tuesday morning. Watch: US Supreme Court requires Biden to revive Trump-era 'remain in Mexico' policy × The New York’s new governor said, “I want people to believe in our government again. It’s important to me that people have faith – our strength comes from the faith and the confidence of the people who put us into these offices and I take that very seriously.” Hochul also talked about “changing the culture of Albany. I’m looking forward to a fresh collaborative approach – that’s how I’ve always conducted myself, it’s nothing new to me, but it’s something I’ll be introducing to the state Capitol.” Also Read: US vice president offers Vietnam support to counter Beijing in South China Sea Without mentioning the predecessor Andrew Cuomo’s name, she criticised the leader in her remarks. Cuomo was the governor of the state for a decade until he was brought down by a devastating report from the state attorney general based on sexual harassment accusations from 11 women. (With inputs from agencies)

Kathy Hochul becomes first female governor of New York state

The office of Abdullah Abdullah, chairman, National Reconciliation Council, said Abdullah and former president Hamid Karzai had met with the acting Taliban governor for Kabul, Abdul Rahman Mansoor, and discussed the priority of protecting people's lives and property. A local news channel TOLO News said on Twitter. &nbsp;

Meanwhile, Taliban's co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar has arrived in Kabul on Saturday to hold talks with fellow group members and other politicians to intensify efforts to establish a new Afghan government. &nbsp;&nbsp;

A senior Taliban official told AFP, "He will be in Kabul to meet jihadi leaders and politicians for an inclusive government set-up." &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Baradar is the chief of the Taliban's political office. The Taliban leader took a C17 aircraft from Qatar and chose to land in the group's spiritual birthplace Kandahar on Tuesday night. The city was the capital of the group during its first time in power in the 90s. &nbsp; &nbsp;

After his return, the Taliban announced its rule would be "different" this time. &nbsp; &nbsp;

A controversial figure in the Taliban, Baradar was arrested in 2010 in Pakistan but was released from prison three years ago at the request of the former Trump administration as it prepared to open peace talks with the militant group. &nbsp; &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The office of Abdullah Abdullah, chairman, National Reconciliation Council, said Abdullah and former president Hamid Karzai had met with the acting Taliban governor for Kabul, Abdul Rahman Mansoor, and discussed the priority of protecting people's lives and property.

The office of Abdullah Abdullah, chairman, National Reconciliation Council, said Abdullah and former president Hamid Karzai had met with the acting Taliban governor for Kabul, Abdul Rahman Mansoor, and discussed the priority of protecting people's lives and property. A local news channel TOLO News said on Twitter. Meanwhile, Taliban's co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar has arrived in Kabul on Saturday to hold talks with fellow group members and other politicians to intensify efforts to establish a new Afghan government. A senior Taliban official told AFP, "He will be in Kabul to meet jihadi leaders and politicians for an inclusive government set-up." Baradar is the chief of the Taliban's political office. The Taliban leader took a C17 aircraft from Qatar and chose to land in the group's spiritual birthplace Kandahar on Tuesday night. The city was the capital of the group during its first time in power in the 90s. After his return, the Taliban announced its rule would be "different" this time. A controversial figure in the Taliban, Baradar was arrested in 2010 in Pakistan but was released from prison three years ago at the request of the former Trump administration as it prepared to open peace talks with the militant group. (With inputs from agencies)

Abdullah, Karzai meet Kabul’s acting Taliban guv, discuss protection of lives, property  

As delta variant continues to spread through the US, Oregon’s governor has said that she would send up to 1,500 national guard troops to help hospital workers pushed to the brink by a surge of cases.

Also, the White House announced that Texas and Florida alone accounted for almost 40 per cent of new US Covid hospitalisations last week.

As per Democrat Kate Brown, troops will be sent to 20 hospitals around the state.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-issues-new-terrorism-threat-warning-ahead-of-911-anniversary-405276">Also read |&nbsp;US issues new terrorism threat warning ahead of 9/11 anniversary</a>

The official figures reveal that 733 people were hospitalised in Oregon on Friday.

This included 185 people in intensive care units, which is 60 more than a day before and nearly double the figure of two weeks ago.

The democrat was quoted by The Guardian as saying, “I cannot emphasize enough the seriousness of this crisis for all Oregonians, especially those needing emergency and intensive care. When our hospitals are full with Covid-19 patients, there may not be room for someone needing care after a car crash, a heart attack, or other emergency situation.”

As per the state data, in Oregon, the Delta variant now makes up 96 per cent of all samples tested, up from just 15 per cent six weeks ago.&nbsp;

As delta variant continues to spread through the US, Oregon’s governor has said that she would send up to 1,500 national guard troops to help hospital workers pushed to the brink by a surge of cases.

As delta variant continues to spread through the US, Oregon’s governor has said that she would send up to 1,500 national guard troops to help hospital workers pushed to the brink by a surge of cases. Also, the White House announced that Texas and Florida alone accounted for almost 40 per cent of new US Covid hospitalisations last week. As per Democrat Kate Brown, troops will be sent to 20 hospitals around the state. Also read | US issues new terrorism threat warning ahead of 9/11 anniversary The official figures reveal that 733 people were hospitalised in Oregon on Friday. This included 185 people in intensive care units, which is 60 more than a day before and nearly double the figure of two weeks ago. The democrat was quoted by The Guardian as saying, “I cannot emphasize enough the seriousness of this crisis for all Oregonians, especially those needing emergency and intensive care. When our hospitals are full with Covid-19 patients, there may not be room for someone needing care after a car crash, a heart attack, or other emergency situation.” As per the state data, in Oregon, the Delta variant now makes up 96 per cent of all samples tested, up from just 15 per cent six weeks ago.

Oregon governor to send troops to help hospitals as COVID-19 cases soar

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday he will resign after a report from the state’s attorney general documented multiple accusations of sexual harassment against women.

Andrew Cuomo resigns after multiple accusations of sexual harassment against women

At least six Cameroon soldiers were killed Saturday in an attack by Boko Haram in the far north of the country, the governor of the region said on state television.

Heavily armed Boko Haram fighters "arrived at around four o'clock in the morning on six vehicles", the governor of the Far North Region, Bakari Midjiyawa, told CRTV television.

"We deplore the deaths of our six soldiers, who died in action, and four more were injured."

The attack took place in Sagme, a few dozen kilometres from the border with Nigeria, from where Boko Haram originates.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boko-haram-fighters-pledge-allegiance-to-islamic-state-in-video-worrying-observers-394384">Also read |&nbsp;Boko Haram fighters pledge allegiance to Islamic State in video, worrying observers</a>

According to a police report, confirmed by several local sources, eight soldiers were killed.

Boko Haram and its breakaway faction Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have increased their deadly attacks against security forces and civilians in the far north of Cameroon in recent years, as well as in the border regions with three neighbouring countries, Nigeria, Niger and Chad.&nbsp;

They have also frequently kidnapped civilians, particularly women and children.&nbsp;

Fighting with Boko Haram and ISWAP jihadists has killed more than 36,000 people since 2009 and driven almost two million people from their homes in northeastern Nigeria.&nbsp;

In mid-June, Boko Haram confirmed that its leader, Abubakar Shekau was killed after clashes with ISWAP.&nbsp;

At least six Cameroon soldiers were killed Saturday in an attack by Boko Haram in the far north of the country, the governor of the region said on state television.

At least six Cameroon soldiers were killed Saturday in an attack by Boko Haram in the far north of the country, the governor of the region said on state television. Heavily armed Boko Haram fighters "arrived at around four o'clock in the morning on six vehicles", the governor of the Far North Region, Bakari Midjiyawa, told CRTV television. "We deplore the deaths of our six soldiers, who died in action, and four more were injured." The attack took place in Sagme, a few dozen kilometres from the border with Nigeria, from where Boko Haram originates. Also read | Boko Haram fighters pledge allegiance to Islamic State in video, worrying observers According to a police report, confirmed by several local sources, eight soldiers were killed. Boko Haram and its breakaway faction Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have increased their deadly attacks against security forces and civilians in the far north of Cameroon in recent years, as well as in the border regions with three neighbouring countries, Nigeria, Niger and Chad. They have also frequently kidnapped civilians, particularly women and children. Fighting with Boko Haram and ISWAP jihadists has killed more than 36,000 people since 2009 and driven almost two million people from their homes in northeastern Nigeria. In mid-June, Boko Haram confirmed that its leader, Abubakar Shekau was killed after clashes with ISWAP.

Six soldiers killed in Boko Haram attack in Cameroon: governor

President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday called Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and expressed his concern over the loss of life and property in the state due to rains and floods.

The governor apprised the President about rescue and relief works undertaken to mitigate people's plight, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

As many as 129 people have died in rain-related incidents, including multiple landslides, in Maharashtra over the last two days, according to official data updated till Friday.

"President Shri Ram Nath Kovind called Maharashtra Governor Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari and expressed his concern over loss of life and property in the state due to rains and floods. The Governor apprised him about rescue and relief works undertaken to mitigate people's plight," the Rashtrapati Bhavan tweeted.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday called Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and expressed his concern over the loss of life and property in the state due to rains and floods.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday called Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and expressed his concern over the loss of life and property in the state due to rains and floods. The governor apprised the President about rescue and relief works undertaken to mitigate people's plight, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said. As many as 129 people have died in rain-related incidents, including multiple landslides, in Maharashtra over the last two days, according to official data updated till Friday. "President Shri Ram Nath Kovind called Maharashtra Governor Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari and expressed his concern over loss of life and property in the state due to rains and floods. The Governor apprised him about rescue and relief works undertaken to mitigate people's plight," the Rashtrapati Bhavan tweeted.

Indian Prez calls Maharashtra governor, expresses concern over loss of life due to rains, floods

Even as India has withdrawn its diplomats from its consulate in Kandahar, the local government has said that the consulate remains open.

Speaking to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Bahir Ahmadi, spokesman of the Kandahar governor said, "Indian consulate is still open.&nbsp;It&nbsp;is&nbsp;functioning&nbsp;normally".

India has withdrawn its diplomats as the violence increases, with&nbsp;the Taliban making&nbsp;attempts to gain more territories in the country.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: What is the situation&nbsp;at&nbsp;the Indian consulate?&nbsp;

Bahir Ahmadi: I can assure you that the place where the Indian consulate is located is safe and sound and there is no problem. But yes, for&nbsp;four to five&nbsp;days, the situation was a little bit critical and fighting was&nbsp;happening&nbsp;at least 3 kilometers away from the Indian consulate. Besides&nbsp;that,&nbsp;Pakistan and Iran consulate is also located&nbsp;nearby.&nbsp;The governor, the chief of police&nbsp;and&nbsp;chief of commando forces&nbsp;have&nbsp;checked the area.&nbsp;They have&nbsp;ensured&nbsp;that there&nbsp;is&nbsp;no security issue&nbsp;at&nbsp;the&nbsp;three&nbsp;consulates.&nbsp;Although&nbsp;Indian&nbsp;diplomats&nbsp;at the&nbsp;consulate&nbsp;have&nbsp;shifted&nbsp;to Kabul,&nbsp;the&nbsp;local staff&nbsp;is&nbsp;still&nbsp;present&nbsp;and the consulate is open.&nbsp;It is functioning&nbsp;normally.&nbsp;Anyone can go to the consulate&nbsp;as there are&nbsp;no security issues.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal:&nbsp;What about the security of Pakistani and Iranian&nbsp;consulates?&nbsp;

Bahir Ahmadi: Pakistani and Iranian diplomats are still in their&nbsp;respective consulates&nbsp;because we assured&nbsp;them that there will not be any kind of problem. They are still continuing their operations.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal:&nbsp;What is the&nbsp;situation in Kandahar?&nbsp;

Bahir Ahmadi: As you know, the Taliban attacked&nbsp;five&nbsp;districts, some places in the city but can assure that the central government and the local government&nbsp;are able to control the situation&nbsp;with local forces&nbsp;and&nbsp;central government forces.&nbsp;Several&nbsp;airstrikes&nbsp;were also carried out&nbsp;by&nbsp;our troops in the area. The problem is Taliban has entered local people's houses, and we&nbsp;can’t&nbsp;carry out&nbsp;air strikes or&nbsp;other&nbsp;operations&nbsp;as it&nbsp;might&nbsp;cause&nbsp;injuries to locals. We are&nbsp;trying to safeguard&nbsp;locals,&nbsp;therefore,&nbsp;our operation&nbsp;is&nbsp;going slowly. In the next&nbsp;seven to eight&nbsp;days,&nbsp;there will be&nbsp;no&nbsp;security issue&nbsp;in Kandahar and the people of Kandahar will be safe and sound.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Even as India has withdrawn its diplomats from its consulate in Kandahar, the local government has said that the consulate remains open. Speaking to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Bahir Ahmadi, spokesman of the Kandahar governor said, "Indian consulate is still open.

Even as India has withdrawn its diplomats from its consulate in Kandahar, the local government has said that the consulate remains open. Speaking to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Bahir Ahmadi, spokesman of the Kandahar governor said, "Indian consulate is still open. It is functioning normally". India has withdrawn its diplomats as the violence increases, with the Taliban making attempts to gain more territories in the country. Sidhant Sibal: What is the situation at the Indian consulate? Bahir Ahmadi: I can assure you that the place where the Indian consulate is located is safe and sound and there is no problem. But yes, for four to five days, the situation was a little bit critical and fighting was happening at least 3 kilometers away from the Indian consulate. Besides that, Pakistan and Iran consulate is also located nearby. The governor, the chief of police and chief of commando forces have checked the area. They have ensured that there is no security issue at the three consulates. Although Indian diplomats at the consulate have shifted to Kabul, the local staff is still present and the consulate is open. It is functioning normally. Anyone can go to the consulate as there are no security issues. Sidhant Sibal: What about the security of Pakistani and Iranian consulates? Bahir Ahmadi: Pakistani and Iranian diplomats are still in their respective consulates because we assured them that there will not be any kind of problem. They are still continuing their operations. Sidhant Sibal: What is the situation in Kandahar? Bahir Ahmadi: As you know, the Taliban attacked five districts, some places in the city but can assure that the central government and the local government are able to control the situation with local forces and central government forces. Several airstrikes were also carried out by our troops in the area. The problem is Taliban has entered local people's houses, and we can’t carry out air strikes or other operations as it might cause injuries to locals. We are trying to safeguard locals, therefore, our operation is going slowly. In the next seven to eight days, there will be no security issue in Kandahar and the people of Kandahar will be safe and sound.

Indian consulate in city still open, says Kandahar governor's spokesman

A Venezuelan state governor, who once served as defence minister for former President Hugo Chavez has died, officials said on Saturday.&nbsp;

Gen Jorge Luis García Carneiro was 69.&nbsp;

The death was confirmed in a string of tweets from senior officials, including President Nicolás Maduro, who called him 'a friend, a brother for life’.&nbsp;

No cause was listed and García Carneiro himself had been active on social media sites in recent days, giving no sign of problems. He appeared with Maduro at an event on Thursday.&nbsp;

The general served as defence minister from January 2004 to July 2005 and also held other cabinet posts, as well as serving as governor of La Guaira state since 2008 for the governing socialist party.&nbsp;

He was among four Venezuelan governors sanctioned by the US.&nbsp;

Treasury Department in February 2019 for alleged 'endemic corruption' and blocking aid shipments backed by the US and domestic opposition.&nbsp;

He is survived by his wife and five children. &nbsp;

A Venezuelan state governor, who once served as defence minister for former President Hugo Chavez has died, officials said on Saturday. Gen Jorge Luis García Carneiro was 69.

A Venezuelan state governor, who once served as defence minister for former President Hugo Chavez has died, officials said on Saturday. Gen Jorge Luis García Carneiro was 69. The death was confirmed in a string of tweets from senior officials, including President Nicolás Maduro, who called him 'a friend, a brother for life’. No cause was listed and García Carneiro himself had been active on social media sites in recent days, giving no sign of problems. He appeared with Maduro at an event on Thursday. The general served as defence minister from January 2004 to July 2005 and also held other cabinet posts, as well as serving as governor of La Guaira state since 2008 for the governing socialist party. He was among four Venezuelan governors sanctioned by the US. Treasury Department in February 2019 for alleged 'endemic corruption' and blocking aid shipments backed by the US and domestic opposition. He is survived by his wife and five children.

Venezuelan governor, former defence minister, dies 

One of the many Republican candidates vying to replace the governor of California in an upcoming vote caused a stir on Tuesday by bringing a bear to his political rally.&nbsp;

John Cox is campaigning on the theme of 'beauty and the beast',&nbsp;the ‘beauty' being current Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, known for his polished appearance in the state that is home to Hollywood. &nbsp;

Cox has cast himself as the 'beast', who will shake up politics in the most populous US state, where a brown bear features prominently on its flag.&nbsp;

"The beautiful politicians have failed California," Cox said during a rally in Sacramento, the state capital. "We need big, beastly changes to save it. I'll cut taxes, make California more affordable and shake up Sacramento."&nbsp;

For a publicity stunt, Cox brought a Kodiak bear, considered the largest ursine species, to his rally. &nbsp;

The bear, named "Tag," weighs about 1,100 pounds (500 kg) and was born in captivity and trained to appear in films and television series.&nbsp;

Tag displayed a locally appropriate laid-back attitude on Tuesday, content to wait patiently for the end of Cox's speech, munching on snacks given by his trainer or grooming himself with his tongue.&nbsp;

But the use of a bear for political and publicity purposes caused an outcry among animal rights advocates, such as PETA, who said&nbsp;it was "unfortunate and shameful that Tag the Kodiak bear has been exploited in this way."&nbsp;

"Bears need to be left alone, not confined to an open pen on asphalt and wheeled out for events," the NGO said on Twitter, urging "anyone with an ounce of decency to keep wild animals out of their publicity stunts."&nbsp;

A Republican-backed effort to recall Newsom, fueled by his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, has forced a special election that is set to be held later this year.&nbsp;

California allows voters to hold a referendum on replacing its governor if they can gather the signatures of 12 per cent of previous voters, which the campaign succeeded in doing.&nbsp;

(With input from agencies)&nbsp;

One of the many Republican candidates vying to replace the governor of California in an upcoming vote caused a stir on Tuesday by bringing a bear to his political rally.

One of the many Republican candidates vying to replace the governor of California in an upcoming vote caused a stir on Tuesday by bringing a bear to his political rally. John Cox is campaigning on the theme of 'beauty and the beast', the ‘beauty' being current Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, known for his polished appearance in the state that is home to Hollywood. Cox has cast himself as the 'beast', who will shake up politics in the most populous US state, where a brown bear features prominently on its flag. "The beautiful politicians have failed California," Cox said during a rally in Sacramento, the state capital. "We need big, beastly changes to save it. I'll cut taxes, make California more affordable and shake up Sacramento." For a publicity stunt, Cox brought a Kodiak bear, considered the largest ursine species, to his rally. The bear, named "Tag," weighs about 1,100 pounds (500 kg) and was born in captivity and trained to appear in films and television series. Tag displayed a locally appropriate laid-back attitude on Tuesday, content to wait patiently for the end of Cox's speech, munching on snacks given by his trainer or grooming himself with his tongue. But the use of a bear for political and publicity purposes caused an outcry among animal rights advocates, such as PETA, who said it was "unfortunate and shameful that Tag the Kodiak bear has been exploited in this way." "Bears need to be left alone, not confined to an open pen on asphalt and wheeled out for events," the NGO said on Twitter, urging "anyone with an ounce of decency to keep wild animals out of their publicity stunts." A Republican-backed effort to recall Newsom, fueled by his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, has forced a special election that is set to be held later this year. California allows voters to hold a referendum on replacing its governor if they can gather the signatures of 12 per cent of previous voters, which the campaign succeeded in doing. (With input from agencies)

California governor candidate brings a huge brown bear to rally 

Mexico's Congress voted on Friday to impeach the current governor of the border state of Tamaulipas on charges of tax evasion, money laundering and organised crime.

But the state legislature in Tamaulipas, a cartel-plagued state across from Texas, voted not to recognise the action by the federal Congress and reaffirm Francisco Garcia Cabeza de Vaca as governor. His term ends next year. 
It is unclear if the state legislature's move would hold up in courts. It seemed likely the issue could go to the Supreme Court.

The lower house of the federal congress voted earlier on Friday to remove Cabeza de Vaca's immunity from prosecution, a process similar to impeachment. He is the latest in a string of Tamaulipas governors accused of wrongdoing or corruption.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="Number of migrant children at Mexico-US border increases nine-fold this year">Number of migrant children at Mexico-US border increases nine-fold this year</a>

Garcia Cabeza de Vaca is a leading member of the opposition National Action Party, which claimed the charge were part of a campaign by President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador's Morena party to win votes in the June 6 midterm elections.

The vote is part of a political propaganda operation by the Morena government to try to win the elections,&nbsp;National Action said in a statement.

Prosecutors claim he owns a large number of luxury properties that it says don't match the income from his government jobs over the last 20 years. Garcia Cabeza de Vaca has denied the charges.

Mexico's agency for curbing money laundering, the Financial Intelligence Unit, said in a report to Congress earlier this year that Garcia Cabeza de Vaca earned about USD 2,000,000 in wages and USD 1,000,000 in other income since 2000, but acquired properties worth many times that. It also mentioned properties owned by the governor or his relatives in Texas.

The agency also said front companies used by the Sinaloa drug cartel had passed money through the same company that assisted in purchasing one of Garcia Cabeza de Vaca's luxury apartments. But the agency did not say it has any direct evidence of links between the governor and the cartel.

In a video in March, the governor said the agency used data and speculations that are notoriously false&nbsp;in drawing up its report. None of the homes that were shown in the report belong to me, he said.&nbsp;Garcia Cabeza de Vaca also said, have no links to organised crime."

But Garcia Cabeza de Vaca speculated his brushes with the federal government had angered Lpez Obrador's administration. He is among the National Action Party governors who have staked out opposition policies on the coronavirus pandemic and other issues.

He noted that his Gulf coast state is a leading site of wind farms, an energy source that Lpez Obrador has proposed reducing in favor of fossil fuels.

They must be very upset over the way we publicly exposed them, the governor said, referring to an incident in December when the federal power utility&nbsp;a pet agency of the president acknowledged it had falsified a document in an effort to excuse a widespread blackout that month.

The Federal Electricity Commission denied the December&nbsp;28 outage was the result of incompetence.

Instead, it said, a brush fire in Tamaulipas had caused a kind of short-circuit that led to a two-hour blackout that affected one-fourth of the country's customers.

The utility published a supposed report of a brush fire in an area beneath power pylons that it claimed caused the blackout.

But Tamaulipas officials maintained that the document, purportedly issued by a state civil defense office, was forged. The utility at first denied that, but later admitted the report was false.

Garcia Cabeza De Vaca has governed Tamaulipas since 2016. Organised crime groups have long had deep roots in the state and numerous politicians have been implicated in dealings with them.

Former Governor&nbsp;Toms Yarrington of the Institutional Revolutionary Party was extradited to the US&nbsp;from Italy in 2018 to face drug trafficking charges. US&nbsp;Officials also have tried to extradite the governor, who succeeded Yarrington in 2005, Eugenio Hernndez, to face money laundering charges.

The leading candidate to follow Hernndez in 2011, Rodolfo Torre Cant, was assassinated while campaigning for office.

Mexico's Congress voted on Friday to impeach the current governor of the border state of Tamaulipas on charges of tax evasion, money laundering and organised crime.

Mexico's Congress voted on Friday to impeach the current governor of the border state of Tamaulipas on charges of tax evasion, money laundering and organised crime. But the state legislature in Tamaulipas, a cartel-plagued state across from Texas, voted not to recognise the action by the federal Congress and reaffirm Francisco Garcia Cabeza de Vaca as governor. His term ends next year. It is unclear if the state legislature's move would hold up in courts. It seemed likely the issue could go to the Supreme Court. The lower house of the federal congress voted earlier on Friday to remove Cabeza de Vaca's immunity from prosecution, a process similar to impeachment. He is the latest in a string of Tamaulipas governors accused of wrongdoing or corruption. Also read: Number of migrant children at Mexico-US border increases nine-fold this year Garcia Cabeza de Vaca is a leading member of the opposition National Action Party, which claimed the charge were part of a campaign by President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador's Morena party to win votes in the June 6 midterm elections. The vote is part of a political propaganda operation by the Morena government to try to win the elections, National Action said in a statement. Prosecutors claim he owns a large number of luxury properties that it says don't match the income from his government jobs over the last 20 years. Garcia Cabeza de Vaca has denied the charges. Mexico's agency for curbing money laundering, the Financial Intelligence Unit, said in a report to Congress earlier this year that Garcia Cabeza de Vaca earned about USD 2,000,000 in wages and USD 1,000,000 in other income since 2000, but acquired properties worth many times that. It also mentioned properties owned by the governor or his relatives in Texas. The agency also said front companies used by the Sinaloa drug cartel had passed money through the same company that assisted in purchasing one of Garcia Cabeza de Vaca's luxury apartments. But the agency did not say it has any direct evidence of links between the governor and the cartel. In a video in March, the governor said the agency used data and speculations that are notoriously false in drawing up its report. None of the homes that were shown in the report belong to me, he said. Garcia Cabeza de Vaca also said, have no links to organised crime." But Garcia Cabeza de Vaca speculated his brushes with the federal government had angered Lpez Obrador's administration. He is among the National Action Party governors who have staked out opposition policies on the coronavirus pandemic and other issues. He noted that his Gulf coast state is a leading site of wind farms, an energy source that Lpez Obrador has proposed reducing in favor of fossil fuels. They must be very upset over the way we publicly exposed them, the governor said, referring to an incident in December when the federal power utility a pet agency of the president acknowledged it had falsified a document in an effort to excuse a widespread blackout that month. The Federal Electricity Commission denied the December 28 outage was the result of incompetence. Instead, it said, a brush fire in Tamaulipas had caused a kind of short-circuit that led to a two-hour blackout that affected one-fourth of the country's customers. The utility published a supposed report of a brush fire in an area beneath power pylons that it claimed caused the blackout. But Tamaulipas officials maintained that the document, purportedly issued by a state civil defense office, was forged. The utility at first denied that, but later admitted the report was false. Garcia Cabeza De Vaca has governed Tamaulipas since 2016. Organised crime groups have long had deep roots in the state and numerous politicians have been implicated in dealings with them. Former Governor Toms Yarrington of the Institutional Revolutionary Party was extradited to the US from Italy in 2018 to face drug trafficking charges. US Officials also have tried to extradite the governor, who succeeded Yarrington in 2005, Eugenio Hernndez, to face money laundering charges. The leading candidate to follow Hernndez in 2011, Rodolfo Torre Cant, was assassinated while campaigning for office.

Mexican border governor impeached for alleged tax evasion

Government spending will be "essential" to help struggling Americans weather the downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard said Tuesday.

With the White House and Congress still at an impasse over a new emergency relief package, Brainard warned that "the economy continues to face considerable uncertainty associated with the vagaries of the COVID-19 pandemic" and business shutdowns risk becoming permanent.

Amid the uncertainty, "fiscal support will remain essential to sustaining many families and businesses" and in fact that support is "key" to the economic outlook, she said in speech to the Broookings Institution.

The White House and Congress have been deadlocked for weeks over a successor to the $2.2 trillion CARES Act passed as the pandemic struck in March, and key provisions of the law including extra jobless payments and aid to small businesses expired at the end of July.

President Donald Trump's administration has balked at proposals from Democrats, who in May passed a $3 trillion spending package in the House of Representatives that remains in limbo in the Republican-controlled Senate.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Monday said Republicans will soon unveil a new spending bill to aid the coronavirus-battered economy. He was set to testify before a House committee Tuesday.

Brainard's comments echoed those made repeatedly by Fed Chair Jerome Powell and other central bankers, who have warned that monetary policy cannot address all the problems posed by the severe economic downturn.

While the housing market is booming thanks to low interest rates, she noted that the recovery in employment -- after tens of millions of jobs were lost in the early weeks of the pandemic -- has stalled.

"The longer COVID-19-related uncertainty persists, the greater the risk of shuttered businesses and permanent layoffs in some sectors," she said in the event that featured the past two Fed chairs, Janet Yellen and Ben Bernanke.

She said the new Fed policy that Powell unveiled last week, which shifts emphasis towards holding interest rates lower for longer and tolerating higher inflation in order to boost employment "will strengthen our support for the recovery."

The new policy is especially important for Black and Hispanic workers who tend to be the first laid off in a downturn and the last hired in a recovery, Brainard said.

Government spending will be "essential" to help struggling Americans weather the downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard said Tuesday.

Government spending will be "essential" to help struggling Americans weather the downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard said Tuesday. With the White House and Congress still at an impasse over a new emergency relief package, Brainard warned that "the economy continues to face considerable uncertainty associated with the vagaries of the COVID-19 pandemic" and business shutdowns risk becoming permanent. Amid the uncertainty, "fiscal support will remain essential to sustaining many families and businesses" and in fact that support is "key" to the economic outlook, she said in speech to the Broookings Institution. The White House and Congress have been deadlocked for weeks over a successor to the $2.2 trillion CARES Act passed as the pandemic struck in March, and key provisions of the law including extra jobless payments and aid to small businesses expired at the end of July. President Donald Trump's administration has balked at proposals from Democrats, who in May passed a $3 trillion spending package in the House of Representatives that remains in limbo in the Republican-controlled Senate. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Monday said Republicans will soon unveil a new spending bill to aid the coronavirus-battered economy. He was set to testify before a House committee Tuesday. Brainard's comments echoed those made repeatedly by Fed Chair Jerome Powell and other central bankers, who have warned that monetary policy cannot address all the problems posed by the severe economic downturn. While the housing market is booming thanks to low interest rates, she noted that the recovery in employment -- after tens of millions of jobs were lost in the early weeks of the pandemic -- has stalled. "The longer COVID-19-related uncertainty persists, the greater the risk of shuttered businesses and permanent layoffs in some sectors," she said in the event that featured the past two Fed chairs, Janet Yellen and Ben Bernanke. She said the new Fed policy that Powell unveiled last week, which shifts emphasis towards holding interest rates lower for longer and tolerating higher inflation in order to boost employment "will strengthen our support for the recovery." The new policy is especially important for Black and Hispanic workers who tend to be the first laid off in a downturn and the last hired in a recovery, Brainard said.

US government aid 'essential' to weather downturn: Federal Reserve Governor

The confrontation between the West Bengal government and the Raj Bhavan escalated further on Friday with Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar accusing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of "explicitly appeasing" the minority community.

Referring to Banerjee's Thursday letter to him where she accused him of "repeatedly interfering" in the functioning of her government, Dhankhar said the chief minister's outburst is an alibi strategy to cover up "monumental failures" in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.

Urging the TMC supremo "to shun politics and confrontational approach", Dhankhar said her conduct is only compounding the miseries of the people of the state.

"Your communication is part of the alibi strategy that emanates from a script that seeks to cover up monumental failures in these challenging times by a series of blunders," the governor said in his second letter to Banerjee after her Thursday letter set off acrimonious exchanges between the two constitutional functionaries.

"Your appeasement of the minority community was so explicit and awkward on the Nizamuddin Markaz incident.

This is most unfortunate and cannot be appreciated," he said, referring to an event where Banerjee was asked to comment on the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in the national capital.

The confrontation between the West Bengal government and the Raj Bhavan escalated further on Friday with Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar accusing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of "explicitly appeasing" the minority community.

The confrontation between the West Bengal government and the Raj Bhavan escalated further on Friday with Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar accusing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of "explicitly appeasing" the minority community. Referring to Banerjee's Thursday letter to him where she accused him of "repeatedly interfering" in the functioning of her government, Dhankhar said the chief minister's outburst is an alibi strategy to cover up "monumental failures" in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic in the state. Urging the TMC supremo "to shun politics and confrontational approach", Dhankhar said her conduct is only compounding the miseries of the people of the state. "Your communication is part of the alibi strategy that emanates from a script that seeks to cover up monumental failures in these challenging times by a series of blunders," the governor said in his second letter to Banerjee after her Thursday letter set off acrimonious exchanges between the two constitutional functionaries. "Your appeasement of the minority community was so explicit and awkward on the Nizamuddin Markaz incident. This is most unfortunate and cannot be appreciated," he said, referring to an event where Banerjee was asked to comment on the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in the national capital.

Mamata explicitly appeasing minority community: Governor attacks Bengal CM

Arunachal Pradesh Governor Brig (Retd) B D Mishra Monday emphasized on strengthening the coordination between the border state and the Indian Army to reinforce the sense of security among the people and the territorial integrity of the country.

Mishra, who chaired a coordination meeting of the state government and the Army at the Raj Bhawan here, advised regular meetings between the two sides at various levels, a communiqu informed here. The general security arrangements on the entire Indo-China border opposite were also reviewed during the meeting.

Lt General Anil Chauhan GoC Eastern Command and Lt General Shantanu Dayal GoC 4 Corps along with Army officials were present in the meeting in which various security and border infrastructure related issues were discussed. Chauhan apprised the governor of action taken by the Army in coordination with other agencies for maintaining peace and security in the state, the communique said.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Legislative Assembly Speaker P D Sona, Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, DGP R P Upadhyaya and Lok Sabha MP Tapir Gao also attended the meeting, it said.

The Army Commander assured the governor and the chief minister of assistance by the Army whenever required. Mishra suggested the general officers commanding of the Eastern Command and 4 Corps to enhance the socio-economic activities of the people of the state, it added.

In a separate meeting with Khandu at the Raj Bhawan, the governor discussed the administrative issues and deliberated on removing the hurdles and bottlenecks in the implementation of welfare projects. Issues related to border area development, farmers, agriculture and allied sectors were also discussed in the meeting, the communique added.

Arunachal Pradesh Governor Brig (Retd) B D Mishra Monday emphasized on strengthening the coordination between the border state and the Indian Army to reinforce the sense of security among the people and the territorial integrity of the country.

Arunachal Pradesh Governor Brig (Retd) B D Mishra Monday emphasized on strengthening the coordination between the border state and the Indian Army to reinforce the sense of security among the people and the territorial integrity of the country. Mishra, who chaired a coordination meeting of the state government and the Army at the Raj Bhawan here, advised regular meetings between the two sides at various levels, a communiqu informed here. The general security arrangements on the entire Indo-China border opposite were also reviewed during the meeting. Lt General Anil Chauhan GoC Eastern Command and Lt General Shantanu Dayal GoC 4 Corps along with Army officials were present in the meeting in which various security and border infrastructure related issues were discussed. Chauhan apprised the governor of action taken by the Army in coordination with other agencies for maintaining peace and security in the state, the communique said. Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Legislative Assembly Speaker P D Sona, Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, DGP R P Upadhyaya and Lok Sabha MP Tapir Gao also attended the meeting, it said. The Army Commander assured the governor and the chief minister of assistance by the Army whenever required. Mishra suggested the general officers commanding of the Eastern Command and 4 Corps to enhance the socio-economic activities of the people of the state, it added. In a separate meeting with Khandu at the Raj Bhawan, the governor discussed the administrative issues and deliberated on removing the hurdles and bottlenecks in the implementation of welfare projects. Issues related to border area development, farmers, agriculture and allied sectors were also discussed in the meeting, the communique added.

Arunachal Pradesh Governor emphasizes on strengthening coordination between state and Army

Governor of Maharashtra Bhagat Singh Koshiyari on Monday invited the third-largest party Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to stake claim to form government after Shiv Sena failed to submit letter of support.

Earlier, Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari met a delegation of Shiv Sena which expressed willingness to form a government in the state but he declined the party's request for a three-day extension for submitting 'requisite' letters of support from other political parties.

In a press conference Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray&nbsp;had said that his party's willingness to form the government in Maharashtra was conveyed to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

"We told the Governor that we are willing to form the government. We asked for at least two days but we were not given the time," Thackeray told media persons after meeting the Governor.

The majority mark in Maharashtra is 145.

The Shiv Sena, Congress and the NCP together will have a total strength of 154 seats in the state assembly. Which is well over the majority figure.

(With inputs from agencies)

Governor of Maharashtra Bhagat Singh Koshiyari on Monday invited the third-largest party Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to stake claim to form government after Shiv Sena failed to submit letter of support.

Governor of Maharashtra Bhagat Singh Koshiyari on Monday invited the third-largest party Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to stake claim to form government after Shiv Sena failed to submit letter of support. Earlier, Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari met a delegation of Shiv Sena which expressed willingness to form a government in the state but he declined the party's request for a three-day extension for submitting 'requisite' letters of support from other political parties. In a press conference Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray had said that his party's willingness to form the government in Maharashtra was conveyed to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. "We told the Governor that we are willing to form the government. We asked for at least two days but we were not given the time," Thackeray told media persons after meeting the Governor. The majority mark in Maharashtra is 145. The Shiv Sena, Congress and the NCP together will have a total strength of 154 seats in the state assembly. Which is well over the majority figure. (With inputs from agencies)

Maharashtra Government formation: Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari invites NCP to stake claim

Girish Chandra Murmu on Thursday took oath as the first Lt. Governor of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

The oath was administered by Chief Justice of J&amp;K High Court, Gita Mittal.

IAS officer Girish Chandra Murmu had arrived in Srinagar on Wednesday. Murmu was received by Advisor Farooq Khan and Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam at Srinagar International Airport.

Murmu served as an expenditure secretary at the Centre before getting appointed as Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir.

Earlier in the day, Radha Krishna Mathur took oath as the first Lieutenant Governor of Union Territory of Ladakh.

Mathur, a retired 1977-batch IAS officer from Tripura cadre, retired as the Chief Information Commissioner of India in November 2018.

He served as an expenditure secretary at the Centre before getting appointed as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/girish-chandra-murmu-appointed-first-lt-governor-of-jammu-and-kashmir-malik-sent-to-goa-258237">Lieutenant Governor</a> of Jammu and Kashmir.

Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court Geeta Mittal administered the oath to Mathur.

In August this year, the government revoked Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and also bifurcated the state into two Union Territories- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.&nbsp;

Girish Chandra Murmu on Thursday took oath as the first Lt. Governor of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The oath was administered by Chief Justice of J&K High Court, Gita Mittal.

Girish Chandra Murmu on Thursday took oath as the first Lt. Governor of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The oath was administered by Chief Justice of J&K High Court, Gita Mittal. IAS officer Girish Chandra Murmu had arrived in Srinagar on Wednesday. Murmu was received by Advisor Farooq Khan and Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam at Srinagar International Airport. Murmu served as an expenditure secretary at the Centre before getting appointed as Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier in the day, Radha Krishna Mathur took oath as the first Lieutenant Governor of Union Territory of Ladakh. Mathur, a retired 1977-batch IAS officer from Tripura cadre, retired as the Chief Information Commissioner of India in November 2018. He served as an expenditure secretary at the Centre before getting appointed as Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court Geeta Mittal administered the oath to Mathur. In August this year, the government revoked Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and also bifurcated the state into two Union Territories- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Srinagar: Girish Chandra Murmu takes oath as first Lt Governor of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir

Taliban militants on Sunday killed the governor of the Jaghatu district of Afghanistan's Wardak, Raz Mohammad Waziri.&nbsp; 
 
The governor was killed in his own car in Golai hospital area in the Koti Sangi district in western Kabul, Sputnik reported. 
 
The police have declined to comment over the incident. 
 
Taliban has launched a series of attack after United States President abruptly ended the peace talks. 
 
This comes as Defence Ministry announced that the government have gained control over 12 districts in five provinces in the last six month. 
 
"For the past six months, 12 districts in Ghazni, Badakhshan, Kunduz, Takhar and Faryab provinces have been completely liberated from Taliban control," Aman wrote on his Twitter page on Saturday.&nbsp;

Taliban militants on Sunday killed the governor of the Jaghatu district of Afghanistan's Wardak, Raz Mohammad Waziri. The governor was killed in his own car in Golai hospital area in the Koti Sangi district in western Kabul, Sputnik reported.

Taliban militants on Sunday killed the governor of the Jaghatu district of Afghanistan's Wardak, Raz Mohammad Waziri. The governor was killed in his own car in Golai hospital area in the Koti Sangi district in western Kabul, Sputnik reported. The police have declined to comment over the incident. Taliban has launched a series of attack after United States President abruptly ended the peace talks. This comes as Defence Ministry announced that the government have gained control over 12 districts in five provinces in the last six month. "For the past six months, 12 districts in Ghazni, Badakhshan, Kunduz, Takhar and Faryab provinces have been completely liberated from Taliban control," Aman wrote on his Twitter page on Saturday.

Afghanistan: Talbian militants kill governor of Jaghatu district

Advisor to Governor Satya Pal Malik, Farooq Khan on Wednesday chaired a meeting to review the preparedness for the smooth conduct of upcoming annual examinations of 10th, 11th and 12th classes in Kashmir and winter zone of Jammu division.

"The Chairperson informed that the examination for 10th and 12th classes are likely to start from the last week of October. The detailed instructions will be issued to the supervisory staff for collecting necessary material related to the exams from concerned police stations in accordance with the date sheet, classes etc to avoid any kind of pilferage," said an official statement.

Khan directed the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) Chairman to work out a detailed schedule for the smooth conduct of board examinations and emphasised the need for proper coordination between the JKBOSE authorities, police and civil administration to ensure the hassle-free examinations.

The chairman appraised that the concerned superintendents of the examination shall deposit the answer book/packets in proper seal cover with respective police stations which shall be later collected by the BOSE staff.

"The meeting noted that Section 144 will be imposed around all examination centers and adequate deployment of police personnel shall be made to avoid public interference in order to uphold the sanctity of the examinations," the statement said.

It said that the police department will ensure the facility of communication and transmission of urgent messages during the course of examinations.

School Education Commissioner and Secretary Sarita Chouhan, JKBOSE Chairperson Veena Pandita, Kashmir Director School Education Mohammad Younis, Jammu Director School Education Anuradha Gupta, and other senior officers were also present in the meeting.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Advisor to Governor Satya Pal Malik, Farooq Khan on Wednesday chaired a meeting to review the preparedness for the smooth conduct of upcoming annual examinations of 10th, 11th and 12th classes in Kashmir and winter zone of Jammu division.

Advisor to Governor Satya Pal Malik, Farooq Khan on Wednesday chaired a meeting to review the preparedness for the smooth conduct of upcoming annual examinations of 10th, 11th and 12th classes in Kashmir and winter zone of Jammu division. "The Chairperson informed that the examination for 10th and 12th classes are likely to start from the last week of October. The detailed instructions will be issued to the supervisory staff for collecting necessary material related to the exams from concerned police stations in accordance with the date sheet, classes etc to avoid any kind of pilferage," said an official statement. Khan directed the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) Chairman to work out a detailed schedule for the smooth conduct of board examinations and emphasised the need for proper coordination between the JKBOSE authorities, police and civil administration to ensure the hassle-free examinations. The chairman appraised that the concerned superintendents of the examination shall deposit the answer book/packets in proper seal cover with respective police stations which shall be later collected by the BOSE staff. "The meeting noted that Section 144 will be imposed around all examination centers and adequate deployment of police personnel shall be made to avoid public interference in order to uphold the sanctity of the examinations," the statement said. It said that the police department will ensure the facility of communication and transmission of urgent messages during the course of examinations. School Education Commissioner and Secretary Sarita Chouhan, JKBOSE Chairperson Veena Pandita, Kashmir Director School Education Mohammad Younis, Jammu Director School Education Anuradha Gupta, and other senior officers were also present in the meeting.

Jammu and Kashmir: Advisor to Governor reviews preparedness for upcoming board exams

A Taliban truck bomb killed at least 20 people and wounded 95 others when it exploded near a hospital in southern Afghanistan, an official said.

The blast in Zabul was just the latest in a string of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-4-killed-after-gunmen-attack-government-building-following-suicide-bombing-in-jalalabad-250490">deadly Taliban bombings </a>across Afghanistan this week as violence intensifies after US President Donald Trump abruptly ended talks with the Taliban over an American withdrawal from the country.

"This morning a car bomb targeted the NDS (National Directorate of Security) in Qalat of Zabul. The regional hospital of Zabul was also located there and has been destroyed in the attack," said Rahmatullah Yarmal.

Atta Jan Haqbayan, the head of Zabul's provincial council, gave a higher death toll, saying 20 people had been killed in the attack and another 90 wounded.

The bombing was later claimed by a Taliban spokesman, Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, who said the attack was against the National Directorate of Security and had killed intelligence officers.

Watch: Afghan city of Qalat attacked by Taliban

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Trump's declaration earlier this month that the talks were "dead" spurred the Taliban to declare last week that the only other option was more fighting, sparking fears of an uptick in attacks ahead of presidential elections at the end of the month.&nbsp;

Earlier this week, the Taliban killed nearly 50 people and wounded dozens more in two separate attacks -- one near a campaign rally for President Ashraf Ghani in the central province of Parwan, and one in Kabul.

The militants have vowed to disrupt the upcoming presidential election, scheduled for September 28, in which President Ashraf Ghani is taking on his own Chief Executive, Abdullah Abdullah, and more than a dozen other candidates.

The winner is hoping for a mandate to negotiate with the Taliban for a lasting peace in the country suffering from decades of violence.&nbsp;

The insurgents, however, are set on undermining the legitimacy of the process and keeping the president weak.&nbsp;

But even as fighting rages, the Taliban have also continued to voice their belief that the US will eventually return to the table for more negotiations.

Chief negotiator Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai reiterated that stance in an interview with BBC earlier this week, stating "our doors are open for negotiations".

Trump has been eager to end America's longest war, launched nearly 18 years ago after the September 11 attacks on the US.

But he has also accused the Taliban of bad faith for launching an attack in Kabul that killed a US soldier, and others, ahead of a scheduled sit down at Camp David that was later cancelled by Trump.

A Taliban truck bomb killed at least 20 people and wounded 95 others when it exploded near a hospital in southern Afghanistan, an official said. The blast in Zabul was just the latest in a string of deadly Taliban bombings across Afghanistan this week as violence intensifies after US President Donald Trump abruptly ended talks with the Taliban over an American withdrawal from the country.

A Taliban truck bomb killed at least 20 people and wounded 95 others when it exploded near a hospital in southern Afghanistan, an official said. The blast in Zabul was just the latest in a string of deadly Taliban bombings across Afghanistan this week as violence intensifies after US President Donald Trump abruptly ended talks with the Taliban over an American withdrawal from the country. "This morning a car bomb targeted the NDS (National Directorate of Security) in Qalat of Zabul. The regional hospital of Zabul was also located there and has been destroyed in the attack," said Rahmatullah Yarmal. Atta Jan Haqbayan, the head of Zabul's provincial council, gave a higher death toll, saying 20 people had been killed in the attack and another 90 wounded. The bombing was later claimed by a Taliban spokesman, Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, who said the attack was against the National Directorate of Security and had killed intelligence officers. Watch: Afghan city of Qalat attacked by Taliban Trump's declaration earlier this month that the talks were "dead" spurred the Taliban to declare last week that the only other option was more fighting, sparking fears of an uptick in attacks ahead of presidential elections at the end of the month. Earlier this week, the Taliban killed nearly 50 people and wounded dozens more in two separate attacks -- one near a campaign rally for President Ashraf Ghani in the central province of Parwan, and one in Kabul. The militants have vowed to disrupt the upcoming presidential election, scheduled for September 28, in which President Ashraf Ghani is taking on his own Chief Executive, Abdullah Abdullah, and more than a dozen other candidates. The winner is hoping for a mandate to negotiate with the Taliban for a lasting peace in the country suffering from decades of violence. The insurgents, however, are set on undermining the legitimacy of the process and keeping the president weak. But even as fighting rages, the Taliban have also continued to voice their belief that the US will eventually return to the table for more negotiations. Chief negotiator Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai reiterated that stance in an interview with BBC earlier this week, stating "our doors are open for negotiations". Trump has been eager to end America's longest war, launched nearly 18 years ago after the September 11 attacks on the US. But he has also accused the Taliban of bad faith for launching an attack in Kabul that killed a US soldier, and others, ahead of a scheduled sit down at Camp David that was later cancelled by Trump.

Taliban car bomb attack kills at least 20 in southern Afghanistan: Official

Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said cutting interest rates further into negative territory is among the bank's policy options, according to an interview with the Nikkei newspaper published on Friday.

Cutting rates "further into the negative zone is always an option," the newspaper quoted him as saying in the interview, held on Thursday.

Kuroda said while Japan's economy was sustaining momentum to achieve the BOJ's 2 per cent&nbsp;inflation target, risks surrounding the overseas economy were heightening.

"There are various things we can do, such as combining various tools or enhancing them," Kuroda was quoted as saying on what the BOJ could do if it were to ease again.

But Kuroda also stressed that the BOJ must take into account the impact any policy change could have on Japan's banking system and financial market functions.

Life insurers and pension funds have seen the return on their investments decline significantly due to falling long-term yields, which could hurt consumer sentiment, he said.

Kuroda also said yields on super-long Japanese government bonds with maturities of 20 or 30 years have "fallen a bit too far."

Markets are rife with speculation the BOJ could ease policy as early as this month to fend off an unwelcome yen spike that could be caused by expected monetary easing steps by the US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank.

But some BOJ policymakers are wary of ramping up stimulus due to the rising cost of prolonged easings, such as the strain years of ultra-low interest rates are inflicting on financial institutions

Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said cutting interest rates further into negative territory is among the bank's policy options, according to an interview with the Nikkei newspaper published on Friday.

Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said cutting interest rates further into negative territory is among the bank's policy options, according to an interview with the Nikkei newspaper published on Friday. Cutting rates "further into the negative zone is always an option," the newspaper quoted him as saying in the interview, held on Thursday. Kuroda said while Japan's economy was sustaining momentum to achieve the BOJ's 2 per cent inflation target, risks surrounding the overseas economy were heightening. "There are various things we can do, such as combining various tools or enhancing them," Kuroda was quoted as saying on what the BOJ could do if it were to ease again. But Kuroda also stressed that the BOJ must take into account the impact any policy change could have on Japan's banking system and financial market functions. Life insurers and pension funds have seen the return on their investments decline significantly due to falling long-term yields, which could hurt consumer sentiment, he said. Kuroda also said yields on super-long Japanese government bonds with maturities of 20 or 30 years have "fallen a bit too far." Markets are rife with speculation the BOJ could ease policy as early as this month to fend off an unwelcome yen spike that could be caused by expected monetary easing steps by the US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank. But some BOJ policymakers are wary of ramping up stimulus due to the rising cost of prolonged easings, such as the strain years of ultra-low interest rates are inflicting on financial institutions

Bank of Japan's Kuroda says deepening negative rates is among options: Nikkei

President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday made five new appointments for the posts of Governor in Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana and Rajasthan.

Kalraj Mishra has been transferred from Himachal Pradesh to Rajasthan, where he replaces Kalyan Singh as the new Governor. Bandaru Dattatreya replaces Mishra in Himachal Pradesh.

Bhagat Singh Koshyari has been appointed the new Governor of Maharashtra shunting out Vidyasagar Rao.

In Kerala, Arif Mohammed Khan replaces P. Sathasivam as the new Governor.

Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan has been made the new governor of Telangana replacing ESL Narasimhan.

''The above appointments will take effect from the dates they assume charge of their respective offices,'' a Rashtrapati Bhawan communique said.&nbsp;

President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday made five new appointments for the posts of Governor in Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana and Rajasthan. Kalraj Mishra has been transferred from Himachal Pradesh to Rajasthan, where he replaces Kalyan Singh as the new Governor.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday made five new appointments for the posts of Governor in Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana and Rajasthan. Kalraj Mishra has been transferred from Himachal Pradesh to Rajasthan, where he replaces Kalyan Singh as the new Governor. Bandaru Dattatreya replaces Mishra in Himachal Pradesh. Bhagat Singh Koshyari has been appointed the new Governor of Maharashtra shunting out Vidyasagar Rao. In Kerala, Arif Mohammed Khan replaces P. Sathasivam as the new Governor. Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan has been made the new governor of Telangana replacing ESL Narasimhan. ''The above appointments will take effect from the dates they assume charge of their respective offices,'' a Rashtrapati Bhawan communique said.

Tamil Nadu BJP chief among new Governors appointed in 5 states

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