Japan's defence ministry is seeking an annual budget increase that will add to past hikes to expand military spending over a decade by almost a sixth, as it looks to counter the growing strength of neighbouring China.

Since last year, Japan has identified China as its main national security threat, pointing in a July policy paper to a "sense of crisis" over Beijing's threat to Taiwan, which lies close to Japanese islands along the edge of the East China Sea.

The ministry's budget proposal, released on Tuesday, seeks an increase of 2.6 percent in spending, to a record 5.48 trillion yen ($49.93 billion), for the year starting April 1.

Finance ministry officials will review, and could amend, the request before sending it to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's cabinet for approval.

However, Japan's defence spending increases are not enough to keep pace with China's expanding military budget, which increased 6.8% this year and is already about four times more than Japan's, and second only to the United States in size.

Instead, Tokyo's strategy is to build a force armed with the latest equipment to deter Beijing from military action to settle territorial or other disputes in the region.

Big-ticket spending requests include 130 billion yen for 12 Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 stealth fighters, four of which will be short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) B variants operating off converted helicopter carriers.

The defence ministry is asking for 105 billion yen next year to develop its first new domestic jet fighter in three decades. The project, expected to be completed in the 2030s, at a cost of about $40 billion, is being led by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

Japan's forces, which defend its islands alongside U.S. units, also want money for new compact warships and funds to buy and develop longer-range missiles to strike distant enemy targets, including land bases.

The ministry is also seeking funds for space-related forces, such as satellites and lasers to track targets beyond the atmosphere. It also wants 34.5 billion yen to strengthen defences against cyber attacks.

Japan's defence ministry is seeking an annual budget increase that will add to past hikes to expand military spending over a decade by almost a sixth, as it looks to counter the growing strength of neighbouring China.

Japan's defence ministry is seeking an annual budget increase that will add to past hikes to expand military spending over a decade by almost a sixth, as it looks to counter the growing strength of neighbouring China. Since last year, Japan has identified China as its main national security threat, pointing in a July policy paper to a "sense of crisis" over Beijing's threat to Taiwan, which lies close to Japanese islands along the edge of the East China Sea. The ministry's budget proposal, released on Tuesday, seeks an increase of 2.6 percent in spending, to a record 5.48 trillion yen ($49.93 billion), for the year starting April 1. Finance ministry officials will review, and could amend, the request before sending it to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's cabinet for approval. However, Japan's defence spending increases are not enough to keep pace with China's expanding military budget, which increased 6.8% this year and is already about four times more than Japan's, and second only to the United States in size. Instead, Tokyo's strategy is to build a force armed with the latest equipment to deter Beijing from military action to settle territorial or other disputes in the region. Big-ticket spending requests include 130 billion yen for 12 Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 stealth fighters, four of which will be short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) B variants operating off converted helicopter carriers. The defence ministry is asking for 105 billion yen next year to develop its first new domestic jet fighter in three decades. The project, expected to be completed in the 2030s, at a cost of about $40 billion, is being led by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Japan's forces, which defend its islands alongside U.S. units, also want money for new compact warships and funds to buy and develop longer-range missiles to strike distant enemy targets, including land bases. The ministry is also seeking funds for space-related forces, such as satellites and lasers to track targets beyond the atmosphere. It also wants 34.5 billion yen to strengthen defences against cyber attacks.

Japan's defence ministry seeks fresh hike in military spending

Israeli aircraft struck Hamas sites in Gaza early on Sunday in response to incendiary balloons launched from the Palestinian enclave, the military said, as a recent rise in cross-border violence tests a fragile truce that ended fierce fighting in May.

Sanctioned by Hamas, the Islamist armed group that rules Gaza, Palestinian groups said on Saturday they were resuming protests at the Israel-Gaza border, aimed at pressing Israel to ease restrictions on the enclave. The Israeli military said hundreds of Palestinians gathered along the frontier during the night, hurling explosives and burning tyres.

The military said its troops responded with "riot dispersal means" and Gaza medics said at least six Palestinians were hurt, one seriously. A few hours later, Israeli pre-dawn air strikes targeted a Hamas weapons manufacturing complex and a tunnel it said was used by militants, after incendiary balloons were sent across the border.

There were no reports of casualties in the bombings.

An Egyptian-mediated truce ended the May conflict in which Gaza militants fired rockets towards Israeli cities and Israel carried out air strikes across the coastal enclave. At least 250

Palestinians and 13 people in Israel were killed in 11 days of fighting.

But violence has recently increased despite an Israeli announcement this month of a resumption of Qatari aid to Gaza, a decision that had been seen as bolstering the truce.

Palestinian groups say Israel has yet to make good on its word and over the past two weeks militants have fired a rocket and sent balloons carrying incendiary material into Israel, setting off brush fires and drawing Israeli strikes on Hamas facilities.

Citing security threats, Israel keeps Gaza under a blockade, tightly restricting movement in and out of the territory that is home to 2 million Palestinians. Egypt also maintains Gaza restrictions.

Israeli aircraft struck Hamas sites in Gaza early on Sunday in response to incendiary balloons launched from the Palestinian enclave, the military said, as a recent rise in cross-border violence tests a fragile truce that ended fierce fighting in May.

Israeli aircraft struck Hamas sites in Gaza early on Sunday in response to incendiary balloons launched from the Palestinian enclave, the military said, as a recent rise in cross-border violence tests a fragile truce that ended fierce fighting in May. Sanctioned by Hamas, the Islamist armed group that rules Gaza, Palestinian groups said on Saturday they were resuming protests at the Israel-Gaza border, aimed at pressing Israel to ease restrictions on the enclave. The Israeli military said hundreds of Palestinians gathered along the frontier during the night, hurling explosives and burning tyres. The military said its troops responded with "riot dispersal means" and Gaza medics said at least six Palestinians were hurt, one seriously. A few hours later, Israeli pre-dawn air strikes targeted a Hamas weapons manufacturing complex and a tunnel it said was used by militants, after incendiary balloons were sent across the border. There were no reports of casualties in the bombings. An Egyptian-mediated truce ended the May conflict in which Gaza militants fired rockets towards Israeli cities and Israel carried out air strikes across the coastal enclave. At least 250 Palestinians and 13 people in Israel were killed in 11 days of fighting. But violence has recently increased despite an Israeli announcement this month of a resumption of Qatari aid to Gaza, a decision that had been seen as bolstering the truce. Palestinian groups say Israel has yet to make good on its word and over the past two weeks militants have fired a rocket and sent balloons carrying incendiary material into Israel, setting off brush fires and drawing Israeli strikes on Hamas facilities. Citing security threats, Israel keeps Gaza under a blockade, tightly restricting movement in and out of the territory that is home to 2 million Palestinians. Egypt also maintains Gaza restrictions.

Israel bombs Hamas sites in Gaza over fire balloons

The Americans called him “Mikey,” and as an interpreter for the Special Forces he did not just bridge language gaps. He did everything from easing negotiations with local Afghans loyal to the Taliban to warning a convoy away from an ambush.

“Mikey wasn’t just a regular interpreter,” recalls Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Torres, a Texan who served in the Special Forces. “He was our lifeline. He went everywhere we went on the most remote and dangerous missions. It was because of him that we returned home alive after deployments.”

But the day after Kabul fell to the Taliban, the 34-year-old Afghan was on his own.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-lawmakers-write-to-joe-biden-demanding-answers-over-afghanistan-china-terrorism-nuclear-weapon-and-more-409006" hreflang="en">US lawmakers write to Biden demanding answers over Afghanistan, China and more</a>

Determined to get out of Afghanistan, he was making a desperate run to the airport with his wife and two young sons when they were caught in gunfire amid the crush of people who had gathered there to escape. His wife and one son, 6, were both shot in the foot.

As he carried the bloodied and screaming child in search of a hospital, Mikey says, he flashed back to his time on the battlefield with US forces.

“I kept thinking, after everything I did for the Americans,” he said. “After all my hard work and risking my life, now this is what happens to my family? They are leaving us to die here.”

Mikey — who is being identified by his American nickname for safety reasons — is one of tens of thousands of Afghans who worked for the United States and have applications pending for expedited visas allowing them to resettle in America. President Joe Biden has pledged that Afghan allies will be welcomed to “their new homes” and called the situation on the ground “heartbreaking.”

But the evacuation of US&nbsp;citizens and green-card holders remains the immediate priority of the military operation underway at the Kabul airport. That means that for many Afghans who worked with the United States, there is little to do but wait — and try to keep out of the sights of the Taliban.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/heart-wrenching-details-of-some-of-the-13-us-troops-killed-in-afghan-bombings-409001">Heart wrenching details of some of the 13 US troops killed in Afghan bombings</a>

Mikey worked as an interpreter for the Special Forces from 2009 to 2012 in Kandahar, and from 2015 to 2017 in Kabul. He was once so badly wounded in an explosion that he had to be airlifted to a field hospital.

The night his wife and son were shot, Mikey got them into a hospital and then went into hiding. Preferring rooms without windows, he switched locations four times in one week.

He was waiting for the US government to give him an evacuation plan. He was waiting for the approval of his visa application.

And he was waiting for the Taliban to find him.

In interviews from his bunkers in Kabul as events unfolded over the past week, Mikey talked about the ordeal of trying to keep himself alive and his family safe in the chaos left behind by the U.S. exit from Afghanistan. With no word from the US&nbsp;government about when or how he might get out, he realized that the bonds he had forged with U.S. soldiers might offer his only hope for safe passage.

That is where Torres, who now lives in Pecos, Texas, came in.

He had worked with Mikey on multiple deployments, and now he had a new battle: leading a global operation to get him out.

To coordinate those efforts, Torres and a group of about 20 former and current members of the military formed a WhatsApp chat group and an email thread. They reached out to military and Department of State contacts, along with members of Congress, to try to get Mikey and his family onto a military evacuation plane.

They say they understand why US citizens are getting priority when it comes to evacuations. The outrage is over the lack of a clear plan for all those Afghans who worked side by side with the Americans, who may have targets on their backs now that the Taliban is in control.

“It’s infuriating,” Torres said. “My heart breaks for everyone who doesn’t have the support Mikey has.”

It was not the case that Mikey tried to get out of Afghanistan only when the danger became clear.

He started his special visa application in 2012, when he was in Kandahar with the military. He had his interview, one of the final steps in the process, in November 2018 when he worked at Camp Duskin in Kabul. He is still waiting for medical tests and approval. Emails he has sent to follow up on his application have gone unanswered.

Across the US, members of the armed forces are leading their own campaigns to pressure the Biden administration to scale up the evacuation of Afghans who worked as their interpreters. They have taken to social media and created fundraising campaigns such as “Help Our Interpreters.”

Military interpreters are among the most vulnerable of Afghan allies. The nature of their work required that they accompany military personnel in the battlefield and be present during interactions with locals. If residents of the areas where they worked were hostile to Americans, the interpreters could be easily identified for the Taliban.

Mikey was a teenager in Kabul when the US invaded Afghanistan in 2001. In high school he worked hard to learn English, and his language teacher suggested he work as an interpreter for the Americans after graduation.

He was dispatched to Kandahar airfield, one of the largest US military bases in Afghanistan, and from there to multiple remote outposts, quickly working his way up to become a lead interpreter.

“Mikey was always fun to be around, very open-minded with a very big heart,” said Sgt. First Class Raymond Steele, an active member of Special Forces who has stayed in regular contact with him over the years.

Mikey listened to communications to intercept threats, talking to local tribal leaders in person and on his phone. On one patrol, he got word of an ambush and of insurgents burying explosive devices in their path.

“I felt proud of my job because it felt like I was helping my country,” Mikey said.

Between stints in Kandahar and Kabul, Mikey got married. He bought a car and worked as a taxi driver in Kabul. He and his wife had children.

But the US era in Afghanistan was ending — and the Taliban’s resuming. That left countless Afghans feeling helpless and adrift, as Mikey was when we spoke by phone last Saturday night.

“We are in the dark,” he told me. “My American friends say just wait, wait to see what happens. Be ready to leave when we tell you.”

Then Monday around 4 p.m. Mikey received an astonishing text from Torres: We are going to get you out, it said. Get ready now. Wait for instructions.

The mission to rescue Mikey, with the help of current and former military contacts on the ground, was in motion — and things were moving quickly. In a space of two hours, Mikey and his family were hidden in a car, their documents stashed, heading for a gate at the Kabul airport where members of the military were expecting him.

They welcomed him, taking his family to a clinic so his wife and son’s bullet wounds could be treated. The children got candy.

When Torres got the call that Mikey was finally in the clear, he broke into sobs. He never cries, he says. Steele called Mikey and shouted, “I love you, man.”

On Tuesday, Mikey and his family flew out of Afghanistan aboard a US military plane, his initial destination withheld for security reasons.

It was his son’s sixth birthday.

“I am extremely relieved and happy,” Mikey said during a call from the tarmac in Kabul as he waited to board the plane. “My infinite gratitude for the help and kindness of my American brothers. You gave us a second chance at life.”

The Americans called him “Mikey,” and as an interpreter for the Special Forces he did not just bridge language gaps. He did everything from easing negotiations with local Afghans loyal to the Taliban to warning a convoy away from an ambush.

The Americans called him “Mikey,” and as an interpreter for the Special Forces he did not just bridge language gaps. He did everything from easing negotiations with local Afghans loyal to the Taliban to warning a convoy away from an ambush. “Mikey wasn’t just a regular interpreter,” recalls Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Torres, a Texan who served in the Special Forces. “He was our lifeline. He went everywhere we went on the most remote and dangerous missions. It was because of him that we returned home alive after deployments.” But the day after Kabul fell to the Taliban, the 34-year-old Afghan was on his own. Also read | US lawmakers write to Biden demanding answers over Afghanistan, China and more Determined to get out of Afghanistan, he was making a desperate run to the airport with his wife and two young sons when they were caught in gunfire amid the crush of people who had gathered there to escape. His wife and one son, 6, were both shot in the foot. As he carried the bloodied and screaming child in search of a hospital, Mikey says, he flashed back to his time on the battlefield with US forces. “I kept thinking, after everything I did for the Americans,” he said. “After all my hard work and risking my life, now this is what happens to my family? They are leaving us to die here.” Mikey — who is being identified by his American nickname for safety reasons — is one of tens of thousands of Afghans who worked for the United States and have applications pending for expedited visas allowing them to resettle in America. President Joe Biden has pledged that Afghan allies will be welcomed to “their new homes” and called the situation on the ground “heartbreaking.” But the evacuation of US citizens and green-card holders remains the immediate priority of the military operation underway at the Kabul airport. That means that for many Afghans who worked with the United States, there is little to do but wait — and try to keep out of the sights of the Taliban. Also read | Heart wrenching details of some of the 13 US troops killed in Afghan bombings Mikey worked as an interpreter for the Special Forces from 2009 to 2012 in Kandahar, and from 2015 to 2017 in Kabul. He was once so badly wounded in an explosion that he had to be airlifted to a field hospital. The night his wife and son were shot, Mikey got them into a hospital and then went into hiding. Preferring rooms without windows, he switched locations four times in one week. He was waiting for the US government to give him an evacuation plan. He was waiting for the approval of his visa application. And he was waiting for the Taliban to find him. In interviews from his bunkers in Kabul as events unfolded over the past week, Mikey talked about the ordeal of trying to keep himself alive and his family safe in the chaos left behind by the U.S. exit from Afghanistan. With no word from the US government about when or how he might get out, he realized that the bonds he had forged with U.S. soldiers might offer his only hope for safe passage. That is where Torres, who now lives in Pecos, Texas, came in. He had worked with Mikey on multiple deployments, and now he had a new battle: leading a global operation to get him out. To coordinate those efforts, Torres and a group of about 20 former and current members of the military formed a WhatsApp chat group and an email thread. They reached out to military and Department of State contacts, along with members of Congress, to try to get Mikey and his family onto a military evacuation plane. They say they understand why US citizens are getting priority when it comes to evacuations. The outrage is over the lack of a clear plan for all those Afghans who worked side by side with the Americans, who may have targets on their backs now that the Taliban is in control. “It’s infuriating,” Torres said. “My heart breaks for everyone who doesn’t have the support Mikey has.” It was not the case that Mikey tried to get out of Afghanistan only when the danger became clear. He started his special visa application in 2012, when he was in Kandahar with the military. He had his interview, one of the final steps in the process, in November 2018 when he worked at Camp Duskin in Kabul. He is still waiting for medical tests and approval. Emails he has sent to follow up on his application have gone unanswered. Across the US, members of the armed forces are leading their own campaigns to pressure the Biden administration to scale up the evacuation of Afghans who worked as their interpreters. They have taken to social media and created fundraising campaigns such as “Help Our Interpreters.” Military interpreters are among the most vulnerable of Afghan allies. The nature of their work required that they accompany military personnel in the battlefield and be present during interactions with locals. If residents of the areas where they worked were hostile to Americans, the interpreters could be easily identified for the Taliban. Mikey was a teenager in Kabul when the US invaded Afghanistan in 2001. In high school he worked hard to learn English, and his language teacher suggested he work as an interpreter for the Americans after graduation. He was dispatched to Kandahar airfield, one of the largest US military bases in Afghanistan, and from there to multiple remote outposts, quickly working his way up to become a lead interpreter. “Mikey was always fun to be around, very open-minded with a very big heart,” said Sgt. First Class Raymond Steele, an active member of Special Forces who has stayed in regular contact with him over the years. Mikey listened to communications to intercept threats, talking to local tribal leaders in person and on his phone. On one patrol, he got word of an ambush and of insurgents burying explosive devices in their path. “I felt proud of my job because it felt like I was helping my country,” Mikey said. Between stints in Kandahar and Kabul, Mikey got married. He bought a car and worked as a taxi driver in Kabul. He and his wife had children. But the US era in Afghanistan was ending — and the Taliban’s resuming. That left countless Afghans feeling helpless and adrift, as Mikey was when we spoke by phone last Saturday night. “We are in the dark,” he told me. “My American friends say just wait, wait to see what happens. Be ready to leave when we tell you.” Then Monday around 4 p.m. Mikey received an astonishing text from Torres: We are going to get you out, it said. Get ready now. Wait for instructions. The mission to rescue Mikey, with the help of current and former military contacts on the ground, was in motion — and things were moving quickly. In a space of two hours, Mikey and his family were hidden in a car, their documents stashed, heading for a gate at the Kabul airport where members of the military were expecting him. They welcomed him, taking his family to a clinic so his wife and son’s bullet wounds could be treated. The children got candy. When Torres got the call that Mikey was finally in the clear, he broke into sobs. He never cries, he says. Steele called Mikey and shouted, “I love you, man.” On Tuesday, Mikey and his family flew out of Afghanistan aboard a US military plane, his initial destination withheld for security reasons. It was his son’s sixth birthday. “I am extremely relieved and happy,” Mikey said during a call from the tarmac in Kabul as he waited to board the plane. “My infinite gratitude for the help and kindness of my American brothers. You gave us a second chance at life.”

A stranded interpreter, and the soldiers who would not let go

Al Shabaab militants on Tuesday launched a surprise attack on a military base in Somalia and managed to recapture&nbsp;the central town which was earlier lost to the government, local media quoting eyewitnesses said.

Al Shabaab is a religiously-motivated violent extremist organisation based in Somalia. The group is an officially recognised affiliate of Al-Qaeda which promotes sectarian violence against those who do not agree with its extreme religious interpretation.

According to the residents of Amara in the Galmudug region, the morning assault started with a suicide bomb attack, targeting government special force units—Danab and Darawish.

“Al Shabaab militants have launched an attack on a government base in the town of Amara this morning. The government forces, especially the Danab and the Darawish of Galmudug, withdrew from the area and al Shabaab took control of the area,” Farah Osman, a resident of Amara, told Reuters.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-launches-second-air-strike-in-a-week-targeting-al-shabaab-in-somalia-400262">Also read |&nbsp;US launches second air strike in a week targeting Al-Shabaab in Somalia</a>

The Somali Army and Darawish forces responded with airstrikes and succeeded in killing “several” combatants of al Shabaab forces, according to the state media which did not provide details on the casualties or the status of the military base or town.

Amara is a strategic town which lies on the route to the coastal town of Harardheere, another al Shabaab stronghold. Harardheere was once a pirate base at the peak of hijackings of merchant ships in 2011

Al‑Shabaab’s primary objective is the establishment of an Islamist state in the Horn of Africa based on Sharia law and the elimination of secular and foreign influence, including through violent means.

(With inputs from agencies)<o:p></o:p>

Al Shabaab militants on Tuesday launched a surprise attack on a military base in Somalia and managed to recapture the central town which was earlier lost to the government, local media quoting eyewitnesses said.

Al Shabaab militants on Tuesday launched a surprise attack on a military base in Somalia and managed to recapture the central town which was earlier lost to the government, local media quoting eyewitnesses said. Al Shabaab is a religiously-motivated violent extremist organisation based in Somalia. The group is an officially recognised affiliate of Al-Qaeda which promotes sectarian violence against those who do not agree with its extreme religious interpretation. According to the residents of Amara in the Galmudug region, the morning assault started with a suicide bomb attack, targeting government special force units—Danab and Darawish. “Al Shabaab militants have launched an attack on a government base in the town of Amara this morning. The government forces, especially the Danab and the Darawish of Galmudug, withdrew from the area and al Shabaab took control of the area,” Farah Osman, a resident of Amara, told Reuters. Also read | US launches second air strike in a week targeting Al-Shabaab in Somalia The Somali Army and Darawish forces responded with airstrikes and succeeded in killing “several” combatants of al Shabaab forces, according to the state media which did not provide details on the casualties or the status of the military base or town. Amara is a strategic town which lies on the route to the coastal town of Harardheere, another al Shabaab stronghold. Harardheere was once a pirate base at the peak of hijackings of merchant ships in 2011 Al‑Shabaab’s primary objective is the establishment of an Islamist state in the Horn of Africa based on Sharia law and the elimination of secular and foreign influence, including through violent means. (With inputs from agencies)

Al Shabaab militants attack military base, recapture Somalian town from govt forces

Shutting the door on Congress for an alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in May, &nbsp;Bahujan Samaj Party &nbsp;(BSP) supremo Mayawati on Saturday said Congress will not be a part of SP-BSP alliance.&nbsp;

Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati were addressing a joint press conference in Lucknow on Saturday.&nbsp;

''We won't gain anything by including Congress in our alliance. Both BSP and SP have experienced in the past that Congress's vote is not transferable,'' she said.

To defeat the arrogance of BJP, it was necessary for BSP and SP to come together, she said and added BJP can go to any extent to ''create differences in our workers we must be united and counter any such tactic''.

Accusing both Congress and the BJP of indulging in corruption, she said be it BJP or Congress, whoever rules, their policies are mostly the same. For example, we are seeing how both indulged in corruption in defence deals. Congress imposed declared emergency, today there is undeclared emergency, she said.

Attacking the BJP government at the Centre, she said SP-BSP alliance will give sleepless nights to Modi-Shah. &nbsp;

''SP-BSP have buried the hatchet and come together. BJP fears this alliance and this press briefing will give sleepless nights to Modi and Amit Shah,'' she said.&nbsp;

The alliance will herald a new political revolution, she said and added that grand alliance will trouble guru-chela, referring Modi and Amit Shah.&nbsp;

BSP-SP will leave no stone unturned to oust BJP, she added.&nbsp;

Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati to contest 38 each of Uttar Pradesh's 80 seats leaving two seats for other parties in the alliance.&nbsp;

SP-BSP alliance will not field any candidates in Amethi and Rae Bareli and will leave both the seats for the Congress, Mayawati said.&nbsp;

Shutting the door on Congress for an alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in May, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Saturday said Congress will not be a part of SP-BSP alliance.

Shutting the door on Congress for an alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in May, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Saturday said Congress will not be a part of SP-BSP alliance. Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati were addressing a joint press conference in Lucknow on Saturday. ''We won't gain anything by including Congress in our alliance. Both BSP and SP have experienced in the past that Congress's vote is not transferable,'' she said. To defeat the arrogance of BJP, it was necessary for BSP and SP to come together, she said and added BJP can go to any extent to ''create differences in our workers we must be united and counter any such tactic''. Accusing both Congress and the BJP of indulging in corruption, she said be it BJP or Congress, whoever rules, their policies are mostly the same. For example, we are seeing how both indulged in corruption in defence deals. Congress imposed declared emergency, today there is undeclared emergency, she said. Attacking the BJP government at the Centre, she said SP-BSP alliance will give sleepless nights to Modi-Shah. ''SP-BSP have buried the hatchet and come together. BJP fears this alliance and this press briefing will give sleepless nights to Modi and Amit Shah,'' she said. The alliance will herald a new political revolution, she said and added that grand alliance will trouble guru-chela, referring Modi and Amit Shah. BSP-SP will leave no stone unturned to oust BJP, she added. Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati to contest 38 each of Uttar Pradesh's 80 seats leaving two seats for other parties in the alliance. SP-BSP alliance will not field any candidates in Amethi and Rae Bareli and will leave both the seats for the Congress, Mayawati said.

Human remains found in landing gear of military flight from Kabul: US Air Force

In Tibet, children as young as eight were forced to attend military summer camps during summer vacation. The Chinese state wants Tibetans to serve in the military, and become more loyal to the Communist Party. Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Tibetan kids forced to attend military "summer camps"

Israeli aircraft bombed Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip on Saturday in response to incendiary balloons launched from the Palestinian enclave, Israel's military said. 
 
There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the strike that targeted what the military said was a rocket launching site and a compound belonging to Hamas, the Islamist group that rules Gaza. Hamas had no immediate comment. 
 
Since a May 21 ceasefire ended 11 days of Israel-Hamas fighting, Palestinians in Gaza have sporadically launched balloons laden with incendiary material across the border, causing fires that have burned fields in Israel. 
 
Palestinians say the balloons aim to pressure Israel to ease restrictions on the coastal enclave that were tightened during the May fighting. 
 
Balloon launches had mostly ebbed after Israel eased some restrictions on Gaza. 
 
But on Friday, balloons were again launched from Gaza, causing at least four brush fires in areas near the Israel-Gaza frontier. 
 
The Israeli military said its air strikes were in "response to continual launches of incendiary balloons from Gaza into Israel throughout the day." 
 
The blazes along the Gaza frontier broke out on Friday as Israel separately traded fire over its northern border with Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah, in a third day of cross-border salvoes amid wider regional tensions with Iran.

Israeli aircraft bombed Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip on Saturday in response to incendiary balloons launched from the Palestinian enclave, Israel's military said.

Israeli aircraft bombed Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip on Saturday in response to incendiary balloons launched from the Palestinian enclave, Israel's military said. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the strike that targeted what the military said was a rocket launching site and a compound belonging to Hamas, the Islamist group that rules Gaza. Hamas had no immediate comment. Since a May 21 ceasefire ended 11 days of Israel-Hamas fighting, Palestinians in Gaza have sporadically launched balloons laden with incendiary material across the border, causing fires that have burned fields in Israel. Palestinians say the balloons aim to pressure Israel to ease restrictions on the coastal enclave that were tightened during the May fighting. Balloon launches had mostly ebbed after Israel eased some restrictions on Gaza. But on Friday, balloons were again launched from Gaza, causing at least four brush fires in areas near the Israel-Gaza frontier. The Israeli military said its air strikes were in "response to continual launches of incendiary balloons from Gaza into Israel throughout the day." The blazes along the Gaza frontier broke out on Friday as Israel separately traded fire over its northern border with Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah, in a third day of cross-border salvoes amid wider regional tensions with Iran.

Israel strikes Hamas sites in Gaza in response to fire balloons: Military

The US&nbsp;Navy is assisting an Israeli-managed petroleum products tanker attacked off Oman with two crew members killed, the US&nbsp;military said on Saturday, adding the ship was most likely hit by a drone strike. 
 
Mercer Street, a Liberian-flagged, Japanese-owned vessel that was attacked on Thursday, is being escorted by the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, US&nbsp;Central Command said in a statement. 
 
"US&nbsp;Navy explosives experts are aboard to ensure there is no additional danger to the crew, and are prepared to support an investigation into the attack," said Central Command, which oversees American military operations in the Middle East and Central Asia. 
 
"Initial indications clearly point to a UAV-style (drone) attack," it added. 
 
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid blamed Iran on Friday for the attack, which killed a Briton and a Romanian, and said it deserved a harsh response. There was no immediate official reaction from Iran to the accusation that it was responsible. 
 
Lapid spoke with US&nbsp;Secretary of State Antony Blinken about the incident on Saturday evening, he said on Twitter. 
 
"We are working together against Iranian terrorism, which poses a threat to all of us, by formulating a real and effective international response," Lapid said. 
 
Lapid added on Twitter: Iran "repeatedly errs in understanding our commitment to protecting ourselves and our interests." 
 
US&nbsp;and European sources familiar with intelligence reporting said on Friday that Iran was their leading suspect for the incident. 
 
Al Alam TV, the Iranian government`s Arabic-language television network, cited unnamed sources as saying the attack on the ship came in response to a suspected, unspecified Israeli attack on Dabaa airport in Syria. 
 
The vessel is managed by Israeli-owned Zodiac Maritime. The company said on Friday the vessel was sailing under the control of its crew and own power to a safe location with a US&nbsp;naval escort.

The US Navy is assisting an Israeli-managed petroleum products tanker attacked off Oman with two crew members killed, the US military said on Saturday, adding the ship was most likely hit by a drone strike.

The US Navy is assisting an Israeli-managed petroleum products tanker attacked off Oman with two crew members killed, the US military said on Saturday, adding the ship was most likely hit by a drone strike. Mercer Street, a Liberian-flagged, Japanese-owned vessel that was attacked on Thursday, is being escorted by the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, US Central Command said in a statement. "US Navy explosives experts are aboard to ensure there is no additional danger to the crew, and are prepared to support an investigation into the attack," said Central Command, which oversees American military operations in the Middle East and Central Asia. "Initial indications clearly point to a UAV-style (drone) attack," it added. Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid blamed Iran on Friday for the attack, which killed a Briton and a Romanian, and said it deserved a harsh response. There was no immediate official reaction from Iran to the accusation that it was responsible. Lapid spoke with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken about the incident on Saturday evening, he said on Twitter. "We are working together against Iranian terrorism, which poses a threat to all of us, by formulating a real and effective international response," Lapid said. Lapid added on Twitter: Iran "repeatedly errs in understanding our commitment to protecting ourselves and our interests." US and European sources familiar with intelligence reporting said on Friday that Iran was their leading suspect for the incident. Al Alam TV, the Iranian government`s Arabic-language television network, cited unnamed sources as saying the attack on the ship came in response to a suspected, unspecified Israeli attack on Dabaa airport in Syria. The vessel is managed by Israeli-owned Zodiac Maritime. The company said on Friday the vessel was sailing under the control of its crew and own power to a safe location with a US naval escort.

US military aids Israel-managed tanker attacked off Oman

Venezuela's armed forces said on Friday that a US&nbsp;military plane violated its airspace along the South American country's border with Colombia in what it said was a "flagrant provocation." 
 
Venezuela, whose socialist government is under heavy sanctions from Washington, has on several occasions in recent years reported alleged airspace violations. 
 
It said that on Thursday evening, a C-17 plane from the US&nbsp;Air Force flew over the Perija mountains in western Zulia state for three minutes. 
 
"They are performing reconnaissance tasks on Venezuelan geophysical space, and thus we do not rule out other possible hostile actions that violate our sovereignty and territorial integrity," the Venezuelan armed forces said in a statement. 
 
The US&nbsp;State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Washington accuses President Nicolas Maduro of corruption, human rights violations and rigging his 2018 re-election, and has pressured him to step down.

Venezuela's armed forces said on Friday that a US military plane violated its airspace along the South American country's border with Colombia in what it said was a "flagrant provocation.

Venezuela's armed forces said on Friday that a US military plane violated its airspace along the South American country's border with Colombia in what it said was a "flagrant provocation." Venezuela, whose socialist government is under heavy sanctions from Washington, has on several occasions in recent years reported alleged airspace violations. It said that on Thursday evening, a C-17 plane from the US Air Force flew over the Perija mountains in western Zulia state for three minutes. "They are performing reconnaissance tasks on Venezuelan geophysical space, and thus we do not rule out other possible hostile actions that violate our sovereignty and territorial integrity," the Venezuelan armed forces said in a statement. The US State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Washington accuses President Nicolas Maduro of corruption, human rights violations and rigging his 2018 re-election, and has pressured him to step down.

Venezuela says US military plane violated its airspace

Reeling from a surge in battlefield losses, Afghanistan's military is overhauling its war strategy against the Taliban to concentrate forces around the most critical areas like Kabul and other cities, border crossings and vital infrastructure, Afghan and US&nbsp;officials say. 
 
The politically perilous strategy will inevitably cede territory to Taliban insurgents. But officials say it appears to be a military necessity as over-stretched Afghan troops try to prevent the loss of provincial capitals, which could deeply fracture the country. 
 
The consolidation of forces, which has been publicly acknowledged but not reported in such detail before, coincides with the US&nbsp;military withdrawal ahead of a formal end to the military mission on August&nbsp;31, on orders from President Joe Biden. 
 
Taliban insurgents are gaining control of more and more territory, which the Pentagon estimated on Wednesday now extends to over half of half Afghanistan's district centers. The Taliban are also putting pressure on the outskirts of half of the provincial capitals, trying to isolate them. 
 
US&nbsp;intelligence assessments have warned that the Afghan government could fall in as little as six months, US&nbsp;officials told Reuters. 
 
One Afghan official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the "reorientation" of troops would help Kabul hold strategic territory and defend infrastructure, including a dam built with India's assistance, and major highways. 
 
But consolidating troops also means leaving other areas unguarded, a hard sell to Afghan communities or ethnic groups who will feel they are being abandoned to the Taliban. 
 
"How do you communicate this to a public that has been jittery - and understandably so - over the past few weeks in which the Taliban have been taking over districts?" the Afghan official asked. 
 
"Because a major part of this reorientation would entail, at least in the short term, the Taliban filling in the vacuum that we're leaving behind." 
 
US&nbsp;Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the strategy would involve "giving up district centers" to protect larger population centers, like the capital Kabul. He said the Taliban appeared to have "strategic momentum." 
 
"There's a possibility of a complete Taliban takeover or a possibility of any number of other scenarios," Milley told a news conference on Wednesday, adding: "I don't think the endgame is yet written." 
 
US&nbsp;Marine General Kenneth McKenzie, commander of US&nbsp;Central Command, which oversees US&nbsp;forces in Afghanistan and support to Afghan troops, said after being briefed on the plan this month the Afghans knew they had to pick their battles. 
 
"You can't defend everything. If you defend everywhere, you defend nowhere. So I think the Afghans realize they need to consolidate," McKenzie said, without offering details. 
 
He noted years-old US&nbsp;concerns about how Afghan forces were manning checkpoints, including in remote or hostile areas that are particularly vulnerable or serve little strategic value. 
 
"So, I think now they're now in the process of recognizing you got to pull back, you got to consolidate, you got to defend those areas that are absolutely critical," McKenzie said. 
 
The Afghan ministry of defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 
 
The Taliban's swift territorial gains are rattling Afghans just as the United States withdraws from a war that succeeded in punishing al Qaeda following its September&nbsp;11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington but failed to deliver anything close to peace for Afghanistan. 
 
Biden has promised to provide financial assistance to Afghan forces and to redouble diplomatic efforts to revive stalled peace talks. 
 
But the Taliban have not responded to calls from 15 diplomatic missions and the NATO representative in Afghanistan on Monday to halt their military offensives. The insurgents and the Afghan government also failed to agree on a ceasefire at talks in Doha for this week's Eid holidays. 
 
In the past, the Taliban have called short ceasefires for Eid, saying they wanted to let Afghans spend them in peace. 
 
US&nbsp;military officials believe the Taliban are seeking to end the war with a battlefield victory, instead of at the negotiating table.

Reeling from a surge in battlefield losses, Afghanistan's military is overhauling its war strategy against the Taliban to concentrate forces around the most critical areas like Kabul and other cities, border crossings and vital infrastructure, Afghan and US officials say.

Reeling from a surge in battlefield losses, Afghanistan's military is overhauling its war strategy against the Taliban to concentrate forces around the most critical areas like Kabul and other cities, border crossings and vital infrastructure, Afghan and US officials say. The politically perilous strategy will inevitably cede territory to Taliban insurgents. But officials say it appears to be a military necessity as over-stretched Afghan troops try to prevent the loss of provincial capitals, which could deeply fracture the country. The consolidation of forces, which has been publicly acknowledged but not reported in such detail before, coincides with the US military withdrawal ahead of a formal end to the military mission on August 31, on orders from President Joe Biden. Taliban insurgents are gaining control of more and more territory, which the Pentagon estimated on Wednesday now extends to over half of half Afghanistan's district centers. The Taliban are also putting pressure on the outskirts of half of the provincial capitals, trying to isolate them. US intelligence assessments have warned that the Afghan government could fall in as little as six months, US officials told Reuters. One Afghan official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the "reorientation" of troops would help Kabul hold strategic territory and defend infrastructure, including a dam built with India's assistance, and major highways. But consolidating troops also means leaving other areas unguarded, a hard sell to Afghan communities or ethnic groups who will feel they are being abandoned to the Taliban. "How do you communicate this to a public that has been jittery - and understandably so - over the past few weeks in which the Taliban have been taking over districts?" the Afghan official asked. "Because a major part of this reorientation would entail, at least in the short term, the Taliban filling in the vacuum that we're leaving behind." US Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the strategy would involve "giving up district centers" to protect larger population centers, like the capital Kabul. He said the Taliban appeared to have "strategic momentum." "There's a possibility of a complete Taliban takeover or a possibility of any number of other scenarios," Milley told a news conference on Wednesday, adding: "I don't think the endgame is yet written." US Marine General Kenneth McKenzie, commander of US Central Command, which oversees US forces in Afghanistan and support to Afghan troops, said after being briefed on the plan this month the Afghans knew they had to pick their battles. "You can't defend everything. If you defend everywhere, you defend nowhere. So I think the Afghans realize they need to consolidate," McKenzie said, without offering details. He noted years-old US concerns about how Afghan forces were manning checkpoints, including in remote or hostile areas that are particularly vulnerable or serve little strategic value. "So, I think now they're now in the process of recognizing you got to pull back, you got to consolidate, you got to defend those areas that are absolutely critical," McKenzie said. The Afghan ministry of defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Taliban's swift territorial gains are rattling Afghans just as the United States withdraws from a war that succeeded in punishing al Qaeda following its September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington but failed to deliver anything close to peace for Afghanistan. Biden has promised to provide financial assistance to Afghan forces and to redouble diplomatic efforts to revive stalled peace talks. But the Taliban have not responded to calls from 15 diplomatic missions and the NATO representative in Afghanistan on Monday to halt their military offensives. The insurgents and the Afghan government also failed to agree on a ceasefire at talks in Doha for this week's Eid holidays. In the past, the Taliban have called short ceasefires for Eid, saying they wanted to let Afghans spend them in peace. US military officials believe the Taliban are seeking to end the war with a battlefield victory, instead of at the negotiating table.

As Taliban advances, Afghan military overhauls war strategy to limit losses

Senior officials from Baghdad were in Washington Thursday for preliminary talks on the US military presence in Iraq, ahead of an upcoming meeting between leaders of the two countries, the Pentagon said in a statement.

US President Joe Biden is set to host Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi at the White House on Monday, and Kadhemi is expected to push for a concrete timetable of foreign troop withdrawal.

On Thursday Mara Karlin, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defence for International Security Affairs, hosted Iraqi National Security Advisor Qassem al-Araji and a military delegation, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.

Both sides "reaffirmed the importance of the US-Iraq bilateral security relationship" as well as "the long-term US-Iraq security cooperation partnership and areas for cooperation beyond counterterrorism."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-carries-out-air-strikes-against-iran-backed-militia-in-iraq-syria-394352">Also read |&nbsp;US carries out air strikes against Iran-backed militia in Iraq, Syria&nbsp;</a>

Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin joined the group to reaffirm his support for "the US-Iraq strategic partnership."

Talks are set to resume on Friday.

Some 3,500 foreign troops are in Iraqi territory, including 2,500 Americans, who have been posted to help fight the Islamic State group since 2014.

The implementation of their withdrawal could take years.

Iraq, long an arena for bitter rivalry between the United States and Iran despite their shared enmity towards the IS, has seen growing numbers of rocket and drone attacks on US targets in recent months.

Last week Iraq's leader met with visiting US envoy Brett McGurk in Baghdad to discuss foreign troop withdrawal, his office in statement.

Senior officials from Baghdad were in Washington Thursday for preliminary talks on the US military presence in Iraq, ahead of an upcoming meeting between leaders of the two countries, the Pentagon said in a statement.

Senior officials from Baghdad were in Washington Thursday for preliminary talks on the US military presence in Iraq, ahead of an upcoming meeting between leaders of the two countries, the Pentagon said in a statement. US President Joe Biden is set to host Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi at the White House on Monday, and Kadhemi is expected to push for a concrete timetable of foreign troop withdrawal. On Thursday Mara Karlin, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defence for International Security Affairs, hosted Iraqi National Security Advisor Qassem al-Araji and a military delegation, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement. Both sides "reaffirmed the importance of the US-Iraq bilateral security relationship" as well as "the long-term US-Iraq security cooperation partnership and areas for cooperation beyond counterterrorism." Also read | US carries out air strikes against Iran-backed militia in Iraq, Syria Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin joined the group to reaffirm his support for "the US-Iraq strategic partnership." Talks are set to resume on Friday. Some 3,500 foreign troops are in Iraqi territory, including 2,500 Americans, who have been posted to help fight the Islamic State group since 2014. The implementation of their withdrawal could take years. Iraq, long an arena for bitter rivalry between the United States and Iran despite their shared enmity towards the IS, has seen growing numbers of rocket and drone attacks on US targets in recent months. Last week Iraq's leader met with visiting US envoy Brett McGurk in Baghdad to discuss foreign troop withdrawal, his office in statement.

Iraqi officials discuss US military presence on Washington visit

South African military said on Monday that it was deploying soldiers in order to control protests and quell violence that has erupted during demonstrations supporting ex-South Africa president Jacob Zuma. As of now, soldiers will be deployed in two provinces namely Guateng and KwaZulu-Natal. The latter is home province of Jacob Zuma.

Soldiers will also be deployed in Johannesburg, the commercial hub of South Africa which is witnessing widespread violence.

Zuma is currently serving 15-month sentence handed to him due to contempt of court.

"The South African National Defence Force has commenced with pre-deployment processes and procedures in line with a request for assistance received... to assist law enforcement agencies deployed in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces respectively to quell the unrest that has gripped both Provinces in the last few days," it said in a statement.

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Current President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa warned protesters against committing acts of violence.

“It is a matter of concern to all South Africans that some of these acts of violence are based on ethnic mobilisation.While there are those who may be hurt and angry at this moment, there can never be any justification for such violent, destructive and disruptive actions.This must be condemned by all South Africans at all costs as we are a nation committed to non-racialism and non-tribalism that is underpinned by the diversity and unity of all the people of South Africa, whatever their language, culture, religious beliefs and race,” the president said.

(With inputs from agencies)

South African military said on Monday that it was deploying soldiers in order to control protests and quell violence that has erupted during demonstrations supporting ex-South Africa president Jacob Zuma.

South African military said on Monday that it was deploying soldiers in order to control protests and quell violence that has erupted during demonstrations supporting ex-South Africa president Jacob Zuma. As of now, soldiers will be deployed in two provinces namely Guateng and KwaZulu-Natal. The latter is home province of Jacob Zuma. Soldiers will also be deployed in Johannesburg, the commercial hub of South Africa which is witnessing widespread violence. Zuma is currently serving 15-month sentence handed to him due to contempt of court. "The South African National Defence Force has commenced with pre-deployment processes and procedures in line with a request for assistance received... to assist law enforcement agencies deployed in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces respectively to quell the unrest that has gripped both Provinces in the last few days," it said in a statement. × Current President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa warned protesters against committing acts of violence. “It is a matter of concern to all South Africans that some of these acts of violence are based on ethnic mobilisation.While there are those who may be hurt and angry at this moment, there can never be any justification for such violent, destructive and disruptive actions.This must be condemned by all South Africans at all costs as we are a nation committed to non-racialism and non-tribalism that is underpinned by the diversity and unity of all the people of South Africa, whatever their language, culture, religious beliefs and race,” the president said. (With inputs from agencies)

South Africa: Military deployed to quell violence by Zuma supporters

Norwegian telecoms group&nbsp;Telenor&nbsp;said Thursday it is selling its subsidiary in Myanmar, where it is one of the major operators, as a result of the military coup there.

While the agreement to sell&nbsp;Telenor&nbsp;Myanmar to M1 Group for $105 million will ensure continued operations of its fixed and wireless networks, analysts expressed concern it might not bode well for freedom to use social networks.

"The situation in Myanmar has over the past months become increasingly challenging for&nbsp;Telenor&nbsp;for people security, regulatory and compliance reasons,"&nbsp;Telenor&nbsp;chief executive Sigve Brekke was quoted as saying in a statement announcing the divestment.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/military-coup-puts-telenors-future-in-myanmar-on-the-line-383525">Military coup puts Telenor's future in Myanmar on the line</a>

"We have evaluated all options and believe a sale of the company is the best possible solution in this situation," he said.&nbsp;

Telenor&nbsp;has had a commercial presence in Myanmar since 2014 and employs a workforce of around 750 in the country.

Telenor&nbsp;was pushed deep into the red in the first quarter after it was forced to write down all of its assets in Myanmar, taking their value from 6.5 billion kroner ($769 million) to zero.

But the operator was highly profitable, however, with&nbsp;Telenor&nbsp;saying the subsidiary had paid 3.2 billion in dividends since 2017.

Myanmar has been rocked by massive protests and a brutal military response since the February coup that ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her government.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-may-target-free-speech-in-effort-to-stifle-protests-363394">Myanmar may target free speech in effort to stifle protests</a>

More than 880 civilians have been killed in a crackdown by the State Administration Council, as the junta calls itself, and almost 6,500 arrested, according to a local monitoring group.&nbsp;

"Further deterioration of the situation and recent developments in Myanmar form the basis for the decision to divest the company," said&nbsp;Telenor.

The sale is subject to regulator approval by the authorities in Myanmar.

The junta has vested interests in swathes of the country's economy, from mining to banking, oil and tourism.

NGOs have urged foreign companies to review their presence in Myanmar.

M1 Group is a holding company founded by former Lebanese prime minister Najib Azmi Mikati and his brother.

It holds a major stake in the MTN mobile operator that is a leader in Africa but which is also active in Asia.

'End of story'&nbsp;

M1 is also on the blacklist established by Burma Campaign UK, which monitors the business ties of international firms with the Myanmar military.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/after-pressuring-telecom-firms-myanmars-junta-bans-executives-from-leaving-395816">After pressuring telecom firms, Myanmar's junta bans executives from leaving</a>

According to a 2019 report conducted by an international independent fact-finding mission presented the UN Human Rights Council on the economic interests of Myanmar's military, the M1 Group has a stake in a company that rents mobile phone towers to the MEC, an army-owned firm that owns the Mytel mobile network.

Htwe Htwe Thein, a professor of international business at Curtin University in Australia, expressed concern about the impact of the sale on data security and privacy for Burmese using social networks if the new owner is more compliant with authorities.

"End of story for the people of Myanmar who are hugely reliant on social media to send the messages out, to promote their cause," she said in comments emailed to AFP.

The junta has at times completely blocked internet access or certain social networks being used to organise opposition.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/internet-access-restored-as-myanmar-coup-protests-grow-361966">Internet access restored as Myanmar coup protests grow</a>

"At a broader level, the exit of&nbsp;Telenor&nbsp;has proven it is not possible to continue doing business in Myanmar under the military without breaking their commitment to human rights policies," Htwe Htwe Thein added.

She noted that companies that remain, like energy companies Chevron and TotalEnergies, face a dilemma as by remaining they fill the tax coffers of the junta but their departure could worsen the human rights situation further.

Telenor&nbsp;shares were 0.3 percent higher in afternoon trading in Oslo, lagging the overall market which was up 1.0 percent.

Norwegian telecoms group Telenor said Thursday it is selling its subsidiary in Myanmar, where it is one of the major operators, as a result of the military coup there.

Norwegian telecoms group Telenor said Thursday it is selling its subsidiary in Myanmar, where it is one of the major operators, as a result of the military coup there. While the agreement to sell Telenor Myanmar to M1 Group for $105 million will ensure continued operations of its fixed and wireless networks, analysts expressed concern it might not bode well for freedom to use social networks. "The situation in Myanmar has over the past months become increasingly challenging for Telenor for people security, regulatory and compliance reasons," Telenor chief executive Sigve Brekke was quoted as saying in a statement announcing the divestment. Also read | Military coup puts Telenor's future in Myanmar on the line "We have evaluated all options and believe a sale of the company is the best possible solution in this situation," he said. Telenor has had a commercial presence in Myanmar since 2014 and employs a workforce of around 750 in the country. Telenor was pushed deep into the red in the first quarter after it was forced to write down all of its assets in Myanmar, taking their value from 6.5 billion kroner ($769 million) to zero. But the operator was highly profitable, however, with Telenor saying the subsidiary had paid 3.2 billion in dividends since 2017. Myanmar has been rocked by massive protests and a brutal military response since the February coup that ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her government. Also read | Myanmar may target free speech in effort to stifle protests More than 880 civilians have been killed in a crackdown by the State Administration Council, as the junta calls itself, and almost 6,500 arrested, according to a local monitoring group. "Further deterioration of the situation and recent developments in Myanmar form the basis for the decision to divest the company," said Telenor. The sale is subject to regulator approval by the authorities in Myanmar. The junta has vested interests in swathes of the country's economy, from mining to banking, oil and tourism. NGOs have urged foreign companies to review their presence in Myanmar. M1 Group is a holding company founded by former Lebanese prime minister Najib Azmi Mikati and his brother. It holds a major stake in the MTN mobile operator that is a leader in Africa but which is also active in Asia. 'End of story' M1 is also on the blacklist established by Burma Campaign UK, which monitors the business ties of international firms with the Myanmar military. Also read | After pressuring telecom firms, Myanmar's junta bans executives from leaving According to a 2019 report conducted by an international independent fact-finding mission presented the UN Human Rights Council on the economic interests of Myanmar's military, the M1 Group has a stake in a company that rents mobile phone towers to the MEC, an army-owned firm that owns the Mytel mobile network. Htwe Htwe Thein, a professor of international business at Curtin University in Australia, expressed concern about the impact of the sale on data security and privacy for Burmese using social networks if the new owner is more compliant with authorities. "End of story for the people of Myanmar who are hugely reliant on social media to send the messages out, to promote their cause," she said in comments emailed to AFP. The junta has at times completely blocked internet access or certain social networks being used to organise opposition. Also read | Internet access restored as Myanmar coup protests grow "At a broader level, the exit of Telenor has proven it is not possible to continue doing business in Myanmar under the military without breaking their commitment to human rights policies," Htwe Htwe Thein added. She noted that companies that remain, like energy companies Chevron and TotalEnergies, face a dilemma as by remaining they fill the tax coffers of the junta but their departure could worsen the human rights situation further. Telenor shares were 0.3 percent higher in afternoon trading in Oslo, lagging the overall market which was up 1.0 percent.

Norway's Telenor quits Myanmar over military coup

Ottawa prepared Friday to send military aircraft and other help to evacuate towns and fight more than 100 wildfires in western Canada fueled by a record-smashing heatwave.

According to wildfire officials, at least 152 fires were active in British Columbia, 89 of them sparked in the last two days. Most were caused by lightning strikes.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met in the afternoon with an incident response group that included several ministers. He said he had already spoken with British Columbia's premier, as well as local mayors and indigenous chiefs in communities under threat.

"We will be there to help," he told a news conference.

The response group decided to set up an operations centre in Edmonton to "provide support across the region as needed," said Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-inducts-china-made-vt-4-battle-tanks-395404">Also Read |&nbsp;Pakistan inducts China-made VT-4 battle tanks</a>

He also said that armed forces will be positioned across the region to provide logistical assistance "if requested." The military resources would include military helicopters and possibly Hercules turboprop transport planes.

"The dry conditions and the extreme heat in British Columbia are unprecedented," said Public Safety Minister Bill Blair. "These wildfires show that we are in the earliest stages of what promises to be a long and challenging summer."

Roughly 1,000 people have already fled the wildfires in British Columbia, and authorities are searching for many who have gone missing.

The village of Lytton, 250 kilometers (155 miles) northeast of Vancouver, was evacuated Wednesday night because of a fire that flared up suddenly and spread quickly.

The fire came a day after the village set a Canadian record-high temperature on Tuesday of 49.6 degrees Celsius (121 degrees Fahrenheit).

'Unprecedented' deaths

Late Friday, the British Columbia province medical examiner's office said there had been 719 deaths in the past week, an "unprecedented number." This provisional death toll is "three times more" than the average number of deaths recorded over this period under normal circumstances.

"It is believed likely the extreme weather BC has experienced in the past week is a significant contributing factor to the increased number of deaths," Lisa Lapointe, the province's chief coroner, said in a statement.

Lytton resident Jeff Chapman told the CBC he witnessed his parents die in the fire that engulfed the town.

With only minutes to react, the elderly couple sought shelter from the smoke and flames in a trench in their backyard, as Chapman ran for safety at nearby rail tracks.

From that vantage, he said he saw the fires sweep across and destroy most of the town.

His distressed voice could be heard pleading for help over the crackling flames in a video on CBC. The ground, he said, was too hot to go back for his parents.

"Today our thoughts are mostly with families that are grieving, that are facing terrible loss," said Trudeau during his press conference.

"But of course, we also have to reflect on the fact that extreme weather events are getting more frequent and climate change has a significant role to play in that."

Meanwhile, a heat wave that stretched at the beginning of the week from the US state of Oregon to Canada's Arctic territories has started moving eastward, late Thursday touching parts of Ontario in central Canada.

British Columbia also warned Friday of flooding from melting mountain snow caps and glaciers under the heat dome, which occurs when hot air is trapped by high pressure fronts, heating the ground.

Ottawa prepared Friday to send military aircraft and other help to evacuate towns and fight more than 100 wildfires in western Canada fueled by a record-smashing heatwave.

Ottawa prepared Friday to send military aircraft and other help to evacuate towns and fight more than 100 wildfires in western Canada fueled by a record-smashing heatwave. According to wildfire officials, at least 152 fires were active in British Columbia, 89 of them sparked in the last two days. Most were caused by lightning strikes. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met in the afternoon with an incident response group that included several ministers. He said he had already spoken with British Columbia's premier, as well as local mayors and indigenous chiefs in communities under threat. "We will be there to help," he told a news conference. The response group decided to set up an operations centre in Edmonton to "provide support across the region as needed," said Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan. Also Read | Pakistan inducts China-made VT-4 battle tanks He also said that armed forces will be positioned across the region to provide logistical assistance "if requested." The military resources would include military helicopters and possibly Hercules turboprop transport planes. "The dry conditions and the extreme heat in British Columbia are unprecedented," said Public Safety Minister Bill Blair. "These wildfires show that we are in the earliest stages of what promises to be a long and challenging summer." Roughly 1,000 people have already fled the wildfires in British Columbia, and authorities are searching for many who have gone missing. The village of Lytton, 250 kilometers (155 miles) northeast of Vancouver, was evacuated Wednesday night because of a fire that flared up suddenly and spread quickly. The fire came a day after the village set a Canadian record-high temperature on Tuesday of 49.6 degrees Celsius (121 degrees Fahrenheit). 'Unprecedented' deaths Late Friday, the British Columbia province medical examiner's office said there had been 719 deaths in the past week, an "unprecedented number." This provisional death toll is "three times more" than the average number of deaths recorded over this period under normal circumstances. "It is believed likely the extreme weather BC has experienced in the past week is a significant contributing factor to the increased number of deaths," Lisa Lapointe, the province's chief coroner, said in a statement. Lytton resident Jeff Chapman told the CBC he witnessed his parents die in the fire that engulfed the town. With only minutes to react, the elderly couple sought shelter from the smoke and flames in a trench in their backyard, as Chapman ran for safety at nearby rail tracks. From that vantage, he said he saw the fires sweep across and destroy most of the town. His distressed voice could be heard pleading for help over the crackling flames in a video on CBC. The ground, he said, was too hot to go back for his parents. "Today our thoughts are mostly with families that are grieving, that are facing terrible loss," said Trudeau during his press conference. "But of course, we also have to reflect on the fact that extreme weather events are getting more frequent and climate change has a significant role to play in that." Meanwhile, a heat wave that stretched at the beginning of the week from the US state of Oregon to Canada's Arctic territories has started moving eastward, late Thursday touching parts of Ontario in central Canada. British Columbia also warned Friday of flooding from melting mountain snow caps and glaciers under the heat dome, which occurs when hot air is trapped by high pressure fronts, heating the ground.

Military put on standby to evacuate fire-threatened towns in western Canada

Canada's government warned Friday of a "long and challenging summer" ahead as it prepared military aircraft to help evacuate towns and fight more than 100 wildfires fueled by a record-smashing heatwave.

At least 152 fires were active in the western province of British Columbia, 89 of them sparked in the last two days, according to officials. Most were caused by lightning strikes.

The fires were north of the city of Kamloops, 350 kilometres (220 miles) northeast of Vancouver.

While the immediate blame for the scorching heat in Canada has been placed on a high-pressure "heat dome" trapping warm air in the region, climate change is causing record-setting temperatures to become more frequent.

Globally, the decade to 2019 was the hottest recorded, and the five hottest years on record have all occurred within the last five years.

"The dry conditions and the extreme heat in British Columbia are unprecedented," Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said Friday. "These wildfires show that we are in the earliest stages of what promises to be a long and challenging summer."

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met Friday afternoon with an incident response group that included several ministers. He said he had already spoken with British Columbia's premier, as well as local mayors and indigenous chiefs in communities under threat.

"We will be there to help," he told a news conference.

The response group announced it would set up an operations centre in Edmonton, where armed forces will be able to provide logistical support. Military aircraft were also deployed to help.

Roughly 1,000 people have already fled the wildfires in British Columbia, and authorities are searching for many who have gone missing.

Late Friday, the British Columbia medical examiner's office said there had been 719 deaths in the past week, "three times more" than the average number of deaths recorded over this period under normal circumstances.

"It is believed likely the extreme weather BC has experienced in the past week is a significant contributing factor to the increased number of deaths," Lisa Lapointe, the province's chief coroner, said in a statement.

The village of Lytton, 250 kilometres (155 miles) northeast of Vancouver, was evacuated Wednesday night because of a fire that flared up suddenly and spread quickly. Nearly 90 per cent of the village was torched, according to Brad Vis, an MP for the area.

The fire came a day after the village set a Canadian record-high temperature on Tuesday of 49.6 degrees Celsius (121 degrees Fahrenheit).

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"I cannot stress enough how extreme the fire risk is at this time in almost every part of British Columbia and I urge British Columbians to listen carefully to officials in your communities and follow those directions," provincial Premier John Horgan said.

&nbsp;'Concerning' heat

The heatwave continued to spread across central Canada on Friday. In addition to British Columbia, heatwave warnings were issued for the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, as well as parts of the Northwest Territories and northern Ontario.

"A dangerous long-duration heatwave will continue" and will bring "very warm temperatures over the next couple of days," Environment Canada warned in bulletins for British Columbia.

"The duration of this heatwave is concerning as there is little relief at night with elevated overnight temperatures."

Lytton resident Jeff Chapman told the CBC he saw his parents die in the fire that engulfed the town.

With only minutes to react, the elderly couple sought shelter from the smoke and flames in a trench in their backyard, as Chapman ran for safety at nearby rail tracks. From that vantage, he said, he saw the fires sweep across and destroy most of the town.

"Today our thoughts are mostly with families that are grieving, that are facing terrible loss," said Trudeau during his press conference.

British Columbia also warned Friday of flooding from melting mountain snowcaps and glaciers under the heat dome.

Further south, the US states of Washington and Oregon have also been sweltering under record-high temperatures this week.

Hundreds of firefighters scrambled Friday to contain three wildfires in&nbsp;drought-hit northern California that have scorched nearly 40,000 acres, including a popular tourist lake preparing to welcome hordes of visitors for the July 4 holiday weekend.

Evacuation orders were in place along stretches of Shasta Lake -- a camping and boating hotspot 160 kilometres south of the Oregon border -- as soaring temperatures and high winds spur blazes at a relatively early stage in the region's fire season.

Around 40 structures were destroyed, including at least half a dozen homes near the town of Lakehead.

More than 500 lightning strikes were recorded in California in the last 24 hours, threatening to cause more fires.

Canada's government warned Friday of a "long and challenging summer" ahead as it prepared military aircraft to help evacuate towns and fight more than 100 wildfires fueled by a record-smashing heatwave.

Canada's government warned Friday of a "long and challenging summer" ahead as it prepared military aircraft to help evacuate towns and fight more than 100 wildfires fueled by a record-smashing heatwave. At least 152 fires were active in the western province of British Columbia, 89 of them sparked in the last two days, according to officials. Most were caused by lightning strikes. The fires were north of the city of Kamloops, 350 kilometres (220 miles) northeast of Vancouver. While the immediate blame for the scorching heat in Canada has been placed on a high-pressure "heat dome" trapping warm air in the region, climate change is causing record-setting temperatures to become more frequent. Globally, the decade to 2019 was the hottest recorded, and the five hottest years on record have all occurred within the last five years. "The dry conditions and the extreme heat in British Columbia are unprecedented," Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said Friday. "These wildfires show that we are in the earliest stages of what promises to be a long and challenging summer." Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met Friday afternoon with an incident response group that included several ministers. He said he had already spoken with British Columbia's premier, as well as local mayors and indigenous chiefs in communities under threat. "We will be there to help," he told a news conference. The response group announced it would set up an operations centre in Edmonton, where armed forces will be able to provide logistical support. Military aircraft were also deployed to help. Roughly 1,000 people have already fled the wildfires in British Columbia, and authorities are searching for many who have gone missing. Late Friday, the British Columbia medical examiner's office said there had been 719 deaths in the past week, "three times more" than the average number of deaths recorded over this period under normal circumstances. "It is believed likely the extreme weather BC has experienced in the past week is a significant contributing factor to the increased number of deaths," Lisa Lapointe, the province's chief coroner, said in a statement. The village of Lytton, 250 kilometres (155 miles) northeast of Vancouver, was evacuated Wednesday night because of a fire that flared up suddenly and spread quickly. Nearly 90 per cent of the village was torched, according to Brad Vis, an MP for the area. The fire came a day after the village set a Canadian record-high temperature on Tuesday of 49.6 degrees Celsius (121 degrees Fahrenheit). Also Read | Myanmar protesters burn junta leader's images on his birthday "I cannot stress enough how extreme the fire risk is at this time in almost every part of British Columbia and I urge British Columbians to listen carefully to officials in your communities and follow those directions," provincial Premier John Horgan said. 'Concerning' heat The heatwave continued to spread across central Canada on Friday. In addition to British Columbia, heatwave warnings were issued for the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, as well as parts of the Northwest Territories and northern Ontario. "A dangerous long-duration heatwave will continue" and will bring "very warm temperatures over the next couple of days," Environment Canada warned in bulletins for British Columbia. "The duration of this heatwave is concerning as there is little relief at night with elevated overnight temperatures." Lytton resident Jeff Chapman told the CBC he saw his parents die in the fire that engulfed the town. With only minutes to react, the elderly couple sought shelter from the smoke and flames in a trench in their backyard, as Chapman ran for safety at nearby rail tracks. From that vantage, he said, he saw the fires sweep across and destroy most of the town. "Today our thoughts are mostly with families that are grieving, that are facing terrible loss," said Trudeau during his press conference. British Columbia also warned Friday of flooding from melting mountain snowcaps and glaciers under the heat dome. Further south, the US states of Washington and Oregon have also been sweltering under record-high temperatures this week. Hundreds of firefighters scrambled Friday to contain three wildfires in drought-hit northern California that have scorched nearly 40,000 acres, including a popular tourist lake preparing to welcome hordes of visitors for the July 4 holiday weekend. Evacuation orders were in place along stretches of Shasta Lake -- a camping and boating hotspot 160 kilometres south of the Oregon border -- as soaring temperatures and high winds spur blazes at a relatively early stage in the region's fire season. Around 40 structures were destroyed, including at least half a dozen homes near the town of Lakehead. More than 500 lightning strikes were recorded in California in the last 24 hours, threatening to cause more fires.

Military put on standby to evacuate Canada's fire-threatened towns

Thirteen&nbsp;Boko&nbsp;Haram&nbsp;fighters have been killed in clashes in southeast Niger while four civilians have been executed by the jihadists, a mixed African military force said Thursday.

Boko&nbsp;Haram&nbsp;fighters aboard ten vehicles sprang an ambush on soldiers on Tuesday evening along the road between Diffa and Maine Soroa, the Mixed Multinational Force (FMM) said in a statement.

"This attack was foiled thanks to the bravery of our ground and air forces," said the FMM, which is made up of soldiers from Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon.

Before the attack, the assailants intercepted a bus transporting passengers and attacked "peaceful villagers," it said.

"Four civilians were executed by the enemy," including the bus driver, two villagers and a village chief, the MMF said.

It added that six soldiers and two female civilians were wounded.

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"On the enemy's side, thirteen terrorists were neutralised," it said, using a term indicating they were killed.

The force seized one enemy vehicle, four AK-47 rifles and large quantities of munitions.

Jihadists in Niger have since May increased attacks in the region bordering Lake Chad and against Diffa, its large city.

Rated the poorest country in the world under the UN's Human Development Index, Niger is battling jihadist insurgences on its southwestern flank with Mali and on its southeastern border with Nigeria.

Last month, nearly 6,000 people who fled jihadist violence in 2015 returned home to the troubled Diffa region.

Diffa is home to 300,000 refugees and internally displaced people who have fled attacks by the Nigeria-based&nbsp;Boko&nbsp;Haram&nbsp;and its breakaway faction Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), according to the UN.

Thirteen Boko Haram fighters have been killed in clashes in southeast Niger while four civilians have been executed by the jihadists, a mixed African military force said Thursday.

Thirteen Boko Haram fighters have been killed in clashes in southeast Niger while four civilians have been executed by the jihadists, a mixed African military force said Thursday. Boko Haram fighters aboard ten vehicles sprang an ambush on soldiers on Tuesday evening along the road between Diffa and Maine Soroa, the Mixed Multinational Force (FMM) said in a statement. "This attack was foiled thanks to the bravery of our ground and air forces," said the FMM, which is made up of soldiers from Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon. Before the attack, the assailants intercepted a bus transporting passengers and attacked "peaceful villagers," it said. "Four civilians were executed by the enemy," including the bus driver, two villagers and a village chief, the MMF said. It added that six soldiers and two female civilians were wounded. Also Read | EU-approved vaccines effective against Delta variant in bloc, says EMA "On the enemy's side, thirteen terrorists were neutralised," it said, using a term indicating they were killed. The force seized one enemy vehicle, four AK-47 rifles and large quantities of munitions. Jihadists in Niger have since May increased attacks in the region bordering Lake Chad and against Diffa, its large city. Rated the poorest country in the world under the UN's Human Development Index, Niger is battling jihadist insurgences on its southwestern flank with Mali and on its southeastern border with Nigeria. Last month, nearly 6,000 people who fled jihadist violence in 2015 returned home to the troubled Diffa region. Diffa is home to 300,000 refugees and internally displaced people who have fled attacks by the Nigeria-based Boko Haram and its breakaway faction Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), according to the UN.

Thirteen jihadists, four civilians killed in Niger, reveals military

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday issued a broad 120-day ban on unauthorized outdoor fires as the country suffered its worst drought in decades ahead of the annual burning season in the&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;rainforest.

On Monday, Bolsonaro redeployed the military to stop deforestation in the world's largest&nbsp;rainforest.

Both moves repeat policies instituted by Bolsonaro annually since 2019, in response to the international outcry that Brazil was not doing enough to stop the destruction of the vital bulwark to climate change.

Neither policy has previously been effective in lowering deforestation or forest fires. Generally, criminals first cut down the valuable timber and later set fire to the area, clearing it for future agricultural use in speculative land grabs.

Deforestation in the&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;has accelerated under Bolsonaro, hitting a 12-year-high in 2020 as an area seven times the size of London was cut down, according to national space research agency Inpe. Last year the region also recorded the most fires since 2017, Inpe data show.

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Preliminary Inpe data show deforestation rose a further 25% in the first five months of 2021 from a year ago.

Scientists warn the risk for fires is greater this year due to extreme drought, with many parts of the&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;recording drier weather than last year.

Between September and May, hydroelectric plants across the country have reported the lowest water inflows in 91 years, according to the Mines and Energy Ministry.

"To make matters worse, this is a year affected by La Niña, which especially makes it dry in the southern&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;– which expands the window of deforestation and burning," said the non-profit&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;Environmental Research Institute (IPAM) in a statement.

Fire season, which generally peaks in August and September, is beginning to accelerate, with 23 major fires recorded so far this year, according to Matt Finer, who leads a fire tracking project for the&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;Conservation non-profit. All the fires have been in Mato Grosso state at the southeastern edge of the&nbsp;Amazon, Finer said.

Bolsonaro issued this year's fire ban in a decree published in the official government gazette on Tuesday. The decree redeploying the military was published Monday night.

This military deployment will be much more focused than past deployments restricted to 26 municipalities in four states -&nbsp;Amazonas, Mato Grosso, Pará and Rondônia. The most recent past deployment, which ended in April, was for the entire&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;region.

Bolsonaro authorized the current deployment until the end of August.

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday issued a broad 120-day ban on unauthorized outdoor fires as the country suffered its worst drought in decades ahead of the annual burning season in the Amazon rainforest.

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday issued a broad 120-day ban on unauthorized outdoor fires as the country suffered its worst drought in decades ahead of the annual burning season in the Amazon rainforest. On Monday, Bolsonaro redeployed the military to stop deforestation in the world's largest rainforest. Both moves repeat policies instituted by Bolsonaro annually since 2019, in response to the international outcry that Brazil was not doing enough to stop the destruction of the vital bulwark to climate change. Neither policy has previously been effective in lowering deforestation or forest fires. Generally, criminals first cut down the valuable timber and later set fire to the area, clearing it for future agricultural use in speculative land grabs. Deforestation in the Amazon has accelerated under Bolsonaro, hitting a 12-year-high in 2020 as an area seven times the size of London was cut down, according to national space research agency Inpe. Last year the region also recorded the most fires since 2017, Inpe data show. Also Read | A year of Hong Kong security law: Crackdown on people and the press Preliminary Inpe data show deforestation rose a further 25% in the first five months of 2021 from a year ago. Scientists warn the risk for fires is greater this year due to extreme drought, with many parts of the Amazon recording drier weather than last year. Between September and May, hydroelectric plants across the country have reported the lowest water inflows in 91 years, according to the Mines and Energy Ministry. "To make matters worse, this is a year affected by La Niña, which especially makes it dry in the southern Amazon – which expands the window of deforestation and burning," said the non-profit Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM) in a statement. Fire season, which generally peaks in August and September, is beginning to accelerate, with 23 major fires recorded so far this year, according to Matt Finer, who leads a fire tracking project for the Amazon Conservation non-profit. All the fires have been in Mato Grosso state at the southeastern edge of the Amazon, Finer said. Bolsonaro issued this year's fire ban in a decree published in the official government gazette on Tuesday. The decree redeploying the military was published Monday night. This military deployment will be much more focused than past deployments restricted to 26 municipalities in four states - Amazonas, Mato Grosso, Pará and Rondônia. The most recent past deployment, which ended in April, was for the entire Amazon region. Bolsonaro authorized the current deployment until the end of August.

Brazil bans unauthorised outdoor fires, redeploys military to protect Amazon rainforest

The US&nbsp;military appears just days away from completing its withdrawal from Afghanistan, well ahead of the September&nbsp;11 deadline set by President Joe Biden to end America's longest war, US&nbsp;officials told Reuters on Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity. 
 
The withdrawal of troops and equipment from Afghanistan would not include forces that will remain to protect diplomats at the US&nbsp;embassy and potentially assist securing Kabul airport. 
 
US&nbsp;officials have told Reuters that embassy presence could be around 650 troops. 
 
The US military stopped publicly detailing the pace of its withdrawal after it was more than 50 per cent complete earlier in June. 
 
The disclosure of the brisk pace of the US&nbsp;withdrawal comes as the Taliban insurgency ramps up its offensive throughout the country. The Pentagon now estimates the Taliban control 81 of the country's 419 district centers. 
 
Peace talks in Qatar, meanwhile, have failed to make significant progress. 
 
The Pentagon said earlier on Tuesday that the US&nbsp;withdrawal would not necessarily signify the end of NATO's Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan, but referred further queries to NATO. 
 
The withdraw of US-led NATO forces has raised concerns that the country could erupt in full-scale civil war, potentially providing al Qaeda space in which to rebuild and plan new attacks on US&nbsp;and other targets. 
 
A United Nations report in January said there were as many as 500 al Qaeda fighters in Afghanistan and that the Taliban maintained a close relationship with the Islamist extremist group. The Taliban denies al Qaeda has a presence in Afghanistan. 
 
US&nbsp;Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin is expected on Wednesday to meet his Germany counterpart at the Pentagon. Germany, which had the second largest contingent of troops after the United States in Afghanistan, announced on Tuesday that it had concluded its withdrawal from Afghanistan. 
 
It was unclear if the pace of the US&nbsp;withdrawal would still allow first for a planned evacuation of thousands of vulnerable Afghan interpreters and their families, something that had been expected before the US&nbsp;pullout.

The US military appears just days away from completing its withdrawal from Afghanistan, well ahead of the September 11 deadline set by President Joe Biden to end America's longest war, US officials told Reuters on Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The US military appears just days away from completing its withdrawal from Afghanistan, well ahead of the September 11 deadline set by President Joe Biden to end America's longest war, US officials told Reuters on Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity. The withdrawal of troops and equipment from Afghanistan would not include forces that will remain to protect diplomats at the US embassy and potentially assist securing Kabul airport. US officials have told Reuters that embassy presence could be around 650 troops. The US military stopped publicly detailing the pace of its withdrawal after it was more than 50 per cent complete earlier in June. The disclosure of the brisk pace of the US withdrawal comes as the Taliban insurgency ramps up its offensive throughout the country. The Pentagon now estimates the Taliban control 81 of the country's 419 district centers. Peace talks in Qatar, meanwhile, have failed to make significant progress. The Pentagon said earlier on Tuesday that the US withdrawal would not necessarily signify the end of NATO's Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan, but referred further queries to NATO. The withdraw of US-led NATO forces has raised concerns that the country could erupt in full-scale civil war, potentially providing al Qaeda space in which to rebuild and plan new attacks on US and other targets. A United Nations report in January said there were as many as 500 al Qaeda fighters in Afghanistan and that the Taliban maintained a close relationship with the Islamist extremist group. The Taliban denies al Qaeda has a presence in Afghanistan. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin is expected on Wednesday to meet his Germany counterpart at the Pentagon. Germany, which had the second largest contingent of troops after the United States in Afghanistan, announced on Tuesday that it had concluded its withdrawal from Afghanistan. It was unclear if the pace of the US withdrawal would still allow first for a planned evacuation of thousands of vulnerable Afghan interpreters and their families, something that had been expected before the US pullout.

US military days away from completing Afghan withdrawal: Sources

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Tuesday he favors amending the Pentagon's justice system to remove decisions about prosecuting sexual assault from the military chain of command.

The Pentagon chief had appointed an independent commission to submit recommendations as to how best to deal with perpetrators of sexual violence in the armed forces, and how to prosecute them more effectively.

He said in a statement he had received the recommendations of the panel and pledged to "work with Congress to amend the Uniform Code of Military Justice, removing the prosecution of sexual assaults and related crimes from the military chain of command."

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The commission recommended including other related crimes such as domestic violence among those that would be removed from the chain's purview.

"I support this as well, given the strong correlation between these sorts of crimes and the prevalence of sexual assault," Austin said.

More than a dozen commanders and unit leaders were sacked last December after a series of murders and sex crimes at a major US military base. Among the victims was Vanessa Guillen, a 20-year-old soldier who disappeared on April 22 after being sexually harassed.&nbsp;

Guillen had told her family that she did not trust the military command to follow up on her sexual harassment complaint, and her relatives publicly cast doubt on the military's resolve to investigate her disappearance, until her dismembered body was finally discovered on June 30.&nbsp;

The Pentagon has since been called upon to remove any decisions about prosecuting sex crimes from the chain of command, but the military has so far resisted, citing the need to maintain control over discipline in the ranks.&nbsp;

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Tuesday he favors amending the Pentagon's justice system to remove decisions about prosecuting sexual assault from the military chain of command.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Tuesday he favors amending the Pentagon's justice system to remove decisions about prosecuting sexual assault from the military chain of command. The Pentagon chief had appointed an independent commission to submit recommendations as to how best to deal with perpetrators of sexual violence in the armed forces, and how to prosecute them more effectively. He said in a statement he had received the recommendations of the panel and pledged to "work with Congress to amend the Uniform Code of Military Justice, removing the prosecution of sexual assaults and related crimes from the military chain of command." Also Read | Countries relying on Chinese vaccines reporting COVID-19 surge: Report The commission recommended including other related crimes such as domestic violence among those that would be removed from the chain's purview. "I support this as well, given the strong correlation between these sorts of crimes and the prevalence of sexual assault," Austin said. More than a dozen commanders and unit leaders were sacked last December after a series of murders and sex crimes at a major US military base. Among the victims was Vanessa Guillen, a 20-year-old soldier who disappeared on April 22 after being sexually harassed. Guillen had told her family that she did not trust the military command to follow up on her sexual harassment complaint, and her relatives publicly cast doubt on the military's resolve to investigate her disappearance, until her dismembered body was finally discovered on June 30. The Pentagon has since been called upon to remove any decisions about prosecuting sex crimes from the chain of command, but the military has so far resisted, citing the need to maintain control over discipline in the ranks.

US defence chief favours reforms on how military prosecutes sex crimes

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told visiting junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaingid that Moscow is committed to strengthening military ties with Myanmar, Russia's RIA news agency reported. 
 
"We are determined to continue our efforts to strengthen bilateral ties based on the mutual understanding, respect and trust that have been established between our countries," RIA quoted Shoigu as saying at a meeting late on Tuesday. 
 
Min Aung Hlaing was in the Russian capital to attend a security conference this week. 
 
Rights activists have accused Moscow of legitimising Myanmar's military junta, which came to power in a February&nbsp;1 coup, by continuing bilateral visits and arms deals. 
 
Russia said in March it was deeply concerned by the rising number of civilian deaths in Myanmar. 
 
Defence ties between the two countries have grown in recent years with Moscow providing army training and university scholarships to thousands of soldiers, as well as selling arms to a military blacklisted by several Western countries. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told visiting junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaingid that Moscow is committed to strengthening military ties with Myanmar, Russia's RIA news agency reported.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told visiting junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaingid that Moscow is committed to strengthening military ties with Myanmar, Russia's RIA news agency reported. "We are determined to continue our efforts to strengthen bilateral ties based on the mutual understanding, respect and trust that have been established between our countries," RIA quoted Shoigu as saying at a meeting late on Tuesday. Min Aung Hlaing was in the Russian capital to attend a security conference this week. Rights activists have accused Moscow of legitimising Myanmar's military junta, which came to power in a February 1 coup, by continuing bilateral visits and arms deals. Russia said in March it was deeply concerned by the rising number of civilian deaths in Myanmar. Defence ties between the two countries have grown in recent years with Moscow providing army training and university scholarships to thousands of soldiers, as well as selling arms to a military blacklisted by several Western countries. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia says to boost military ties with Myanmar as junta leader visits

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said his country needs to prepare for "both dialogue and confrontation" with the United States under President Joe Biden, state media reported Friday.

At a plenary meeting of the central committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea on Thursday, Kim outlined his strategy for relations with Washington, and the "policy tendency of the newly emerged US administration", the Korean Central News Agency said.

Kim "stressed the need to get prepared for both dialogue and confrontation, especially to get fully prepared for confrontation to protect the dignity of our state" and reliably guarantee a "peaceful environment", KCNA reported. 
 
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The North Korean leader "called for sharply and promptly reacting to and coping with the fast-changing situation and concentrating efforts on taking stable control of the situation on the Korean peninsula", the agency said.

Pyongyang had already accused Biden of pursuing a "hostile policy" and saying it was a "big blunder" for the veteran Democrat to say he would deal with the threat posed by the North's nuclear programme "through diplomacy as well as stern deterrence". 
 
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In 2019, the North said Biden should be "beaten to death with a stick".

"Calibrated" approach

Biden's predecessor Donald Trump made headlines -- but little diplomatic progress -- with a series of face-to-face meetings with Kim, a policy that Biden says he will not pursue unless the terms change dramatically.

During a visit to Washington last month by South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Biden said he "would not meet" Kim unless there was a concrete plan for negotiating on Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal.

And he made a clear criticism of Trump's chummy relationship with Kim, saying he "would not do what had been done in the recent past. I would not give him all he's looking for — international recognition".

The White House says it is now pursuing "a calibrated practical approach" -- diplomatic jargon, it seems, for being realistically low-key, while open-minded.

"We understand where previous efforts in the past had difficulties and we've tried to learn from those," a senior White House official said.

North Korea has carried out six atomic bomb tests since 2006. It is under multiple sets of international sanctions for its banned weapons programmes.

A report from US intelligence experts released in April said North Korea could resume nuclear tests this year as a way to force Biden's administration to return to the negotiating table.

Kim "may take several aggressive and potentially destabilising actions to reshape the regional security environment and drive wedges between the United States and its allies -- up to and including the resumption of nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) testing," said the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said his country needs to prepare for "both dialogue and confrontation" with the United States under President Joe Biden, state media reported Friday.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said his country needs to prepare for "both dialogue and confrontation" with the United States under President Joe Biden, state media reported Friday. At a plenary meeting of the central committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea on Thursday, Kim outlined his strategy for relations with Washington, and the "policy tendency of the newly emerged US administration", the Korean Central News Agency said. Kim "stressed the need to get prepared for both dialogue and confrontation, especially to get fully prepared for confrontation to protect the dignity of our state" and reliably guarantee a "peaceful environment", KCNA reported. Also read | 'Denuclearisation is the goal': Biden, Moon express willingness for dialogue with North Korea The North Korean leader "called for sharply and promptly reacting to and coping with the fast-changing situation and concentrating efforts on taking stable control of the situation on the Korean peninsula", the agency said. Pyongyang had already accused Biden of pursuing a "hostile policy" and saying it was a "big blunder" for the veteran Democrat to say he would deal with the threat posed by the North's nuclear programme "through diplomacy as well as stern deterrence". Also read | North Korea accuses the US of using 'spurious' diplomacy to 'cover up hostile acts' In 2019, the North said Biden should be "beaten to death with a stick". "Calibrated" approach Biden's predecessor Donald Trump made headlines -- but little diplomatic progress -- with a series of face-to-face meetings with Kim, a policy that Biden says he will not pursue unless the terms change dramatically. During a visit to Washington last month by South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Biden said he "would not meet" Kim unless there was a concrete plan for negotiating on Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal. And he made a clear criticism of Trump's chummy relationship with Kim, saying he "would not do what had been done in the recent past. I would not give him all he's looking for — international recognition". The White House says it is now pursuing "a calibrated practical approach" -- diplomatic jargon, it seems, for being realistically low-key, while open-minded. "We understand where previous efforts in the past had difficulties and we've tried to learn from those," a senior White House official said. North Korea has carried out six atomic bomb tests since 2006. It is under multiple sets of international sanctions for its banned weapons programmes. A report from US intelligence experts released in April said North Korea could resume nuclear tests this year as a way to force Biden's administration to return to the negotiating table. Kim "may take several aggressive and potentially destabilising actions to reshape the regional security environment and drive wedges between the United States and its allies -- up to and including the resumption of nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) testing," said the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

North Korea must prepare for 'dialogue and confrontation' with the US: Kim Jong Un

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un chaired a Central Military Commission meeting, state media KCNA said on Saturday, where he called for boosting military power, but KCNA did not have details of any military activities planned. 
 
The meeting on Friday called for a 'high-alert posture' against the 'recent fast-changing' situation on the Korean Peninsula, said KCNA, adding that it also addressed organisational issue of dismissing, transferring and newly appointing some military officers. 
 
Kim discussed 'important tasks' to make 'a fresh turn in the overall work of national defence',&nbsp;KCNA said without elaborating on details. 
 
North Korea's plenary meeting of the ruling party's Central Committee is planned for later in June.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un chaired a Central Military Commission meeting, state media KCNA said on Saturday, where he called for boosting military power, but KCNA did not have details of any military activities planned.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un chaired a Central Military Commission meeting, state media KCNA said on Saturday, where he called for boosting military power, but KCNA did not have details of any military activities planned. The meeting on Friday called for a 'high-alert posture' against the 'recent fast-changing' situation on the Korean Peninsula, said KCNA, adding that it also addressed organisational issue of dismissing, transferring and newly appointing some military officers. Kim discussed 'important tasks' to make 'a fresh turn in the overall work of national defence', KCNA said without elaborating on details. North Korea's plenary meeting of the ruling party's Central Committee is planned for later in June.

North Korea's Kim calls for boosting military power: KCNA

France has suspended military operations with Central African Republic, accusing its government of failing to respect political opposition and failing to stop a 'massive' anti-French disinformation campaign.

The French government is also suspending about 10 million euros (USD 12.1 million) in budgetary support for CAR, two French officials said on Tuesday.

The move comes amid high tensions and diplomatic wrangling over influence in the mineral-rich former French colony. Russia has business interests in the country and also sent military instructors there last year.

Central African Republic has faced deadly inter-religious and inter-communal fighting since 2013. After a 2019 peace deal, violence erupted anew after the constitutional court rejected former President Francois Bozize's effort to run for president again last year.

President Faustin Archange Touadera won reelection in December, but continues to face opposition from forces linked to Bozize. Rebels aligned with Bozize tried to attack the capital in January, underscoring how CAR's military faces serious security threats that they had looked to the French for help with.

About 160 French troops, who were providing operational support in the capital Bangui and training Central African forces have suspended their mission and stopped cooperating with the country's military, a French government official said.

The decision didn't affect the approximately 100 French troops involved in UN&nbsp;Peacekeeping forces and EU training forces in the country, or French advisers helping CAR with domestic civil security, the official said.

The official said CAR failed to respect promises toward the political opposition, and failed to fight anti-French disinformation campaigns online, notably targeting the French ambassador and defense attache.

Facebook took down hundreds of accounts and groups linked to Russia and France that were accused of using fake Facebook and Instagram accounts to wage a covert disinformation campaign in CAR before the December election.

An official in French President Emmanuel Macron's office said that CAR President Touadera ignored pressure from his country's neighbors and France to allow open up elections to opposition figures, 'but this didn't happen'.&nbsp;

Both officials weren't authorised to be publicly named. The French decision came after France suspended joint military operations last week with Malian forces until its coup leaders comply with international demands to restore civilian rule.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

France has suspended military operations with Central African Republic, accusing its government of failing to respect political opposition and failing to stop a 'massive' anti-French disinformation campaign.

France has suspended military operations with Central African Republic, accusing its government of failing to respect political opposition and failing to stop a 'massive' anti-French disinformation campaign. The French government is also suspending about 10 million euros (USD 12.1 million) in budgetary support for CAR, two French officials said on Tuesday. The move comes amid high tensions and diplomatic wrangling over influence in the mineral-rich former French colony. Russia has business interests in the country and also sent military instructors there last year. Central African Republic has faced deadly inter-religious and inter-communal fighting since 2013. After a 2019 peace deal, violence erupted anew after the constitutional court rejected former President Francois Bozize's effort to run for president again last year. President Faustin Archange Touadera won reelection in December, but continues to face opposition from forces linked to Bozize. Rebels aligned with Bozize tried to attack the capital in January, underscoring how CAR's military faces serious security threats that they had looked to the French for help with. About 160 French troops, who were providing operational support in the capital Bangui and training Central African forces have suspended their mission and stopped cooperating with the country's military, a French government official said. The decision didn't affect the approximately 100 French troops involved in UN Peacekeeping forces and EU training forces in the country, or French advisers helping CAR with domestic civil security, the official said. The official said CAR failed to respect promises toward the political opposition, and failed to fight anti-French disinformation campaigns online, notably targeting the French ambassador and defense attache. Facebook took down hundreds of accounts and groups linked to Russia and France that were accused of using fake Facebook and Instagram accounts to wage a covert disinformation campaign in CAR before the December election. An official in French President Emmanuel Macron's office said that CAR President Touadera ignored pressure from his country's neighbors and France to allow open up elections to opposition figures, 'but this didn't happen'. Both officials weren't authorised to be publicly named. The French decision came after France suspended joint military operations last week with Malian forces until its coup leaders comply with international demands to restore civilian rule. (With inputs from agencies)

France freezes military ties with Central African Republic

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a challenge to a federal law that requires only men to register for the military draft.

As is the court’s custom, it gave no reasons for turning down the case. But three justices issued a statement saying that Congress should be allowed more time to consider what they acknowledged was a significant legal issue.

“It remains to be seen, of course, whether Congress will end gender-based registration under the Military Selective Service Act,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in the statement, which was joined by Justices Stephen Breyer and Brett Kavanaugh. “But at least for now, the court’s long-standing deference to Congress on matters of national defense and military affairs cautions against granting review while Congress actively weighs the issue.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/supreme-court-rules-against-immigrants-seeking-green-cards-390023" hreflang="en">Supreme Court rules against immigrants seeking green cards</a>

The requirement is one of the last sex-based distinctions in federal law, one that challengers say cannot be justified now that women are allowed to serve in every role in the military, including ground combat. Unlike men, though, they are not required to register with the Selective Service System, the government agency that maintains a database of Americans who would be eligible for the draft were it reinstated.

The unequal treatment “imposes selective burdens on men, reinforces the notion that women are not full and equal citizens, and perpetuates stereotypes about men’s and women’s capabilities,” lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union wrote in a petition on behalf of two men who were required to register and the National Coalition for Men.

In 1981, in Rostker v. Goldberg, the Supreme Court rejected a sex-discrimination challenge to the registration requirement, reasoning that it was justified because women could not at that time serve in combat roles.

“Since women are excluded from combat service by statute or military policy,” Justice William Rehnquist wrote for the majority, “men and women are simply not similarly situated for purposes of a draft or registration for a draft.”

On Monday, Sotomayor wrote that “the role of women in the military has changed dramatically since then.”

“Beginning in 1991,” she wrote, “thousands of women have served with distinction in a wide range of combat roles, from operating military aircraft and naval vessels to participating in boots-on-the-ground infantry missions.”

Lower courts had agreed with that assessment.

In 2019, Judge Gray H. Miller of U.S. District Court in Houston ruled that since women can now serve in combat, the men-only registration requirement was no longer justified. A unanimous three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in New Orleans, agreed that “the factual underpinning of the controlling Supreme Court decision has changed.” But it said that only the Supreme Court could overrule its own precedent.

The Trump administration defended the differing registration requirements in the appeals court. The Biden administration urged the Supreme Court not to hear the case, National Coalition for Men v. Selective Service System, No. 20-928, but it did not defend the constitutionality of the law. Instead, it asked the justices to give Congress more time to consider the matter.

Last year, a congressional commission concluded that expanding the registration requirement to women was “a necessary — and overdue — step” that “signals that both men and women are valued for their contributions in defending the nation.” That echoed recommendations from military leaders. But Congress, which has long been studying the question, has yet to act.

Men who fail to register can face harsh punishments, including criminal prosecution, denial of student loans and disqualification from citizenship. Eight states do not let men enroll in public universities unless they have registered.

The government has not drafted anyone since the Vietnam War, and there is no reason to think that will change. The challengers said that was a reason for the court to act now, before a crisis arises.

“Should the court declare the men-only registration requirement unconstitutional,” their brief said, “Congress has considerable latitude to decide how to respond. It could require everyone between the ages of 18 and 26, regardless of sex, to register; it could rescind the registration requirement entirely; or it could adopt a new approach altogether, such as replacing” the registration requirement “with a more expansive national service requirement.”

A group of retired military officers, along with the Center for Military Readiness, urged the court to deny review, saying the 1981 precedent was sound.

The brief said that Congress rather than the court should decide who must register. It added that the challengers “also fail to address the elephant in the room: Men, as a group, are stronger, bigger, faster and have greater endurance than women as a group.”

Another group of retired military officers — including Michael V. Hayden, who directed both the CIA and the National Security Agency; Stanley A. McChrystal, a former commander in Afghanistan; and Claudia J. Kennedy, first woman to become a three-star general in the Army — urged the court to hear the case.

“Including women in the Selective Service would double the pool of candidates available to draft,” their brief said, “raising the overall quality of the conscripted force and enabling the nation to better meet its military needs.”

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a challenge to a federal law that requires only men to register for the military draft. As is the court’s custom, it gave no reasons for turning down the case.

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a challenge to a federal law that requires only men to register for the military draft. As is the court’s custom, it gave no reasons for turning down the case. But three justices issued a statement saying that Congress should be allowed more time to consider what they acknowledged was a significant legal issue. “It remains to be seen, of course, whether Congress will end gender-based registration under the Military Selective Service Act,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in the statement, which was joined by Justices Stephen Breyer and Brett Kavanaugh. “But at least for now, the court’s long-standing deference to Congress on matters of national defense and military affairs cautions against granting review while Congress actively weighs the issue.” Also read | Supreme Court rules against immigrants seeking green cards The requirement is one of the last sex-based distinctions in federal law, one that challengers say cannot be justified now that women are allowed to serve in every role in the military, including ground combat. Unlike men, though, they are not required to register with the Selective Service System, the government agency that maintains a database of Americans who would be eligible for the draft were it reinstated. The unequal treatment “imposes selective burdens on men, reinforces the notion that women are not full and equal citizens, and perpetuates stereotypes about men’s and women’s capabilities,” lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union wrote in a petition on behalf of two men who were required to register and the National Coalition for Men. In 1981, in Rostker v. Goldberg, the Supreme Court rejected a sex-discrimination challenge to the registration requirement, reasoning that it was justified because women could not at that time serve in combat roles. “Since women are excluded from combat service by statute or military policy,” Justice William Rehnquist wrote for the majority, “men and women are simply not similarly situated for purposes of a draft or registration for a draft.” On Monday, Sotomayor wrote that “the role of women in the military has changed dramatically since then.” “Beginning in 1991,” she wrote, “thousands of women have served with distinction in a wide range of combat roles, from operating military aircraft and naval vessels to participating in boots-on-the-ground infantry missions.” Lower courts had agreed with that assessment. In 2019, Judge Gray H. Miller of U.S. District Court in Houston ruled that since women can now serve in combat, the men-only registration requirement was no longer justified. A unanimous three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in New Orleans, agreed that “the factual underpinning of the controlling Supreme Court decision has changed.” But it said that only the Supreme Court could overrule its own precedent. The Trump administration defended the differing registration requirements in the appeals court. The Biden administration urged the Supreme Court not to hear the case, National Coalition for Men v. Selective Service System, No. 20-928, but it did not defend the constitutionality of the law. Instead, it asked the justices to give Congress more time to consider the matter. Last year, a congressional commission concluded that expanding the registration requirement to women was “a necessary — and overdue — step” that “signals that both men and women are valued for their contributions in defending the nation.” That echoed recommendations from military leaders. But Congress, which has long been studying the question, has yet to act. Men who fail to register can face harsh punishments, including criminal prosecution, denial of student loans and disqualification from citizenship. Eight states do not let men enroll in public universities unless they have registered. The government has not drafted anyone since the Vietnam War, and there is no reason to think that will change. The challengers said that was a reason for the court to act now, before a crisis arises. “Should the court declare the men-only registration requirement unconstitutional,” their brief said, “Congress has considerable latitude to decide how to respond. It could require everyone between the ages of 18 and 26, regardless of sex, to register; it could rescind the registration requirement entirely; or it could adopt a new approach altogether, such as replacing” the registration requirement “with a more expansive national service requirement.” A group of retired military officers, along with the Center for Military Readiness, urged the court to deny review, saying the 1981 precedent was sound. The brief said that Congress rather than the court should decide who must register. It added that the challengers “also fail to address the elephant in the room: Men, as a group, are stronger, bigger, faster and have greater endurance than women as a group.” Another group of retired military officers — including Michael V. Hayden, who directed both the CIA and the National Security Agency; Stanley A. McChrystal, a former commander in Afghanistan; and Claudia J. Kennedy, first woman to become a three-star general in the Army — urged the court to hear the case. “Including women in the Selective Service would double the pool of candidates available to draft,” their brief said, “raising the overall quality of the conscripted force and enabling the nation to better meet its military needs.”

Supreme Court won’t hear case on limiting military draft to men

The United States officials ratcheted up pressure on companies and foreign adversaries to fight cybercriminals and said President Joe Biden is considering all options, including a military response, to counter the growing threat.

US asks firms, foreign adversaries to be transparent about cyberattacks

Iraqi military said on Sunday that air defences at Iraq's Ain al-Asad air base that hosts US&nbsp;forces, intercepted and shot down two drones. 
 
The military said in a statement the drones were intercepted and shot down at a round 12:30 am&nbsp;local time. 
 
On May 8, an attack by an unmanned aerial surveillance system targeted Iraq’s Ain al-Asad air base, but it caused no injuries. 
 
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Sunday's attack. Armed groups that some Iraqi officials say are backed by Iran have claimed responsibility for similar incidents in the past. 
 
A separate rocket attack late on Saturday targeted the area of the Baghdad International Airport which also hosts US&nbsp;forces, two Iraqi security sources said. There were no reported damages or casualties, they said. 
 
Iraqi security forces found a rocket launcher with a timer in a rural area in western Baghdad which was used in the attack, said one security official.

Iraqi military said on Sunday that air defences at Iraq's Ain al-Asad air base that hosts US forces, intercepted and shot down two drones. The military said in a statement the drones were intercepted and shot down at a round 12:30 am local time.

Iraqi military said on Sunday that air defences at Iraq's Ain al-Asad air base that hosts US forces, intercepted and shot down two drones. The military said in a statement the drones were intercepted and shot down at a round 12:30 am local time. On May 8, an attack by an unmanned aerial surveillance system targeted Iraq’s Ain al-Asad air base, but it caused no injuries. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Sunday's attack. Armed groups that some Iraqi officials say are backed by Iran have claimed responsibility for similar incidents in the past. A separate rocket attack late on Saturday targeted the area of the Baghdad International Airport which also hosts US forces, two Iraqi security sources said. There were no reported damages or casualties, they said. Iraqi security forces found a rocket launcher with a timer in a rural area in western Baghdad which was used in the attack, said one security official.

Two drones intercepted, shot down over Iraqi air base: Military

After the country's second coup in nine months, the African Union suspended Mali and threatened to impose sanctions if restoration to democracy was delayed further.&nbsp; 
 
The Peace and Security Council laid out a statement, saying Mali is immediately barred from participating in African Union activities, adding that the union was "deeply concerned about the evolving situation in Mali and its negative impact on the gains made thus far in the transition process in the country".

The statement asked for a return to the transition, the release of all political stakeholders, including arrested interim President Bah Ndaw and house-arrested interim Prime Minister Moctar Ouane, and for authorities to adhere to the original agreement's 18-month transition term.&nbsp;

If the military delays handing back power to civilian transitional leaders, “the council will not hesitate to impose targeted sanctions and other punitive measures,” it said.

The AU "strongly urged the Malian military to urgently and unconditionally return to the barracks, and to refrain from further interference in the political processes in Mali", reported DW.

It said if Mali fails to comply, the Peace and Security Council will not hesitate to impose targeted sanctions and other punitive measures against any spoilers of the current transition.

Colonel Goita sparked global outrage last month after he detained the transitional president and prime minister and was subsequently named president by Mali's constitutional court, DW reported. Mali was subjected to sanctions from neighbouring western African countries in the wake of the coup.

Meanwhile, Goita had earlier said he had dismissed the president and prime minister for violating the transitional charter. He told ECOWAS that a military council would assume power in Mali, informed a military source.

In August last year, a group of Malian soldiers started a mutiny at the Kati military base, where insurgents kidnapped several ministers and high-ranking military officials, including former President Ibrahim Boubakar Keita, who later dissolved the government and parliament.

Later, on September 12, the military approved the basic law and strategy for transition after consultations with political and civil figures. The parties agreed that the transition period would last eighteen months. Bah N'Daw, a former defence minister, was initially appointed as president for that period, Sputnik reported.

(With inputs from agencies)

After the country's second coup in nine months, the African Union suspended Mali and threatened to impose sanctions if restoration to democracy was delayed further.

After the country's second coup in nine months, the African Union suspended Mali and threatened to impose sanctions if restoration to democracy was delayed further. The Peace and Security Council laid out a statement, saying Mali is immediately barred from participating in African Union activities, adding that the union was "deeply concerned about the evolving situation in Mali and its negative impact on the gains made thus far in the transition process in the country". The statement asked for a return to the transition, the release of all political stakeholders, including arrested interim President Bah Ndaw and house-arrested interim Prime Minister Moctar Ouane, and for authorities to adhere to the original agreement's 18-month transition term. If the military delays handing back power to civilian transitional leaders, “the council will not hesitate to impose targeted sanctions and other punitive measures,” it said. The AU "strongly urged the Malian military to urgently and unconditionally return to the barracks, and to refrain from further interference in the political processes in Mali", reported DW. It said if Mali fails to comply, the Peace and Security Council will not hesitate to impose targeted sanctions and other punitive measures against any spoilers of the current transition. Colonel Goita sparked global outrage last month after he detained the transitional president and prime minister and was subsequently named president by Mali's constitutional court, DW reported. Mali was subjected to sanctions from neighbouring western African countries in the wake of the coup. Meanwhile, Goita had earlier said he had dismissed the president and prime minister for violating the transitional charter. He told ECOWAS that a military council would assume power in Mali, informed a military source. In August last year, a group of Malian soldiers started a mutiny at the Kati military base, where insurgents kidnapped several ministers and high-ranking military officials, including former President Ibrahim Boubakar Keita, who later dissolved the government and parliament. Later, on September 12, the military approved the basic law and strategy for transition after consultations with political and civil figures. The parties agreed that the transition period would last eighteen months. Bah N'Daw, a former defence minister, was initially appointed as president for that period, Sputnik reported. (With inputs from agencies)

African Union announces 'immediate suspension' of Mali after second coup in nine months

The US&nbsp;Commerce Department is failing to do its part to protect national security and keep sensitive technology out of the hands of China's military, according to a US&nbsp;congressional advisory report. 
 
The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission report, due to be published on Tuesday, said the Commerce Department had been slow to create a list of sensitive technology that should be scrutinised before export to China. 
 
The lag in developing the list of emerging and foundational technologies, as required by a 2018 law, may exacerbate national security risks, the report said. 
 
The Commerce Department, entrusted to strengthen US&nbsp;export control laws, "has, to date, failed to carry out its responsibilities," said the report, titled, "Unfinished Business: Export Control and Foreign Investment Reforms." 
 
In a statement, the Commerce Department declined to directly respond to the lack of a list, but noted it had published four rules on controls on emerging technologies and more are pending. 
 
It also said it had expanded the military end user rule and added companies to its entity list, which restricts US&nbsp;suppliers from selling to companies like Huawei Technologies and Hangzhou Hikvision. 
 
In 2018, Congress tightened US&nbsp;export policies and the process for screening foreign investment in response to efforts by Chinese entities to obtain sensitive US&nbsp;technology and use civilian innovation for the military. 
 
The report questions whether a more-than-two-year delay in developing the list should be investigated&nbsp;by the Commerce Department's inspector general. It also asks whether the authority to enforce export controls should be delegated to another agency. 
 
Congress passed the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 to make it harder to export key technologies to adversaries like China. 
 
The law directed the Commerce Department to work with other agencies to identify emerging, or cutting edge, technologies and so-called foundational technologies essential to making key items like semiconductors, that should be controlled. 
 
In November 2018, the department published 45 examples of emerging technologies, including face and voice recognition, but no list was ever finalised. And it has yet to propose a list of foundational technologies, instead asking for input in August about how to define the category. 
 
Eric Hirschhorn, a former Commerce under secretary, said the criticism of the agency was unfair. "They’re already controlling emerging technologies to the extent that it can be done, which is limited by the need to be specific,” he said. “Foundational technologies are, by definition, widely available outside the United States, which makes controlling them difficult, if not impossible." 
 
The report did note some actions by Commerce. 
 
The department has proposed to regulate software for gene editing, which can make it easier to develop biological weapons, but the rule has not been finalised. It also released an interim rule on geospatial imagery involving AI neural networks. 
 
Advanced surveillance technology has received some attention as well, including on export controls to promote human rights, given its use in Xinjiang for the detention of minority Muslim Uyghurs. But the department still does not control&nbsp;newer types of advanced surveillance software, the report says. 
 
The US-China commission was created by Congress two decades ago to report on the national security implications of trade with China. It is now chaired by Carolyn Bartholomew, who was appointed by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The US Commerce Department is failing to do its part to protect national security and keep sensitive technology out of the hands of China's military, according to a US congressional advisory report.

The US Commerce Department is failing to do its part to protect national security and keep sensitive technology out of the hands of China's military, according to a US congressional advisory report. The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission report, due to be published on Tuesday, said the Commerce Department had been slow to create a list of sensitive technology that should be scrutinised before export to China. The lag in developing the list of emerging and foundational technologies, as required by a 2018 law, may exacerbate national security risks, the report said. The Commerce Department, entrusted to strengthen US export control laws, "has, to date, failed to carry out its responsibilities," said the report, titled, "Unfinished Business: Export Control and Foreign Investment Reforms." In a statement, the Commerce Department declined to directly respond to the lack of a list, but noted it had published four rules on controls on emerging technologies and more are pending. It also said it had expanded the military end user rule and added companies to its entity list, which restricts US suppliers from selling to companies like Huawei Technologies and Hangzhou Hikvision. In 2018, Congress tightened US export policies and the process for screening foreign investment in response to efforts by Chinese entities to obtain sensitive US technology and use civilian innovation for the military. The report questions whether a more-than-two-year delay in developing the list should be investigated by the Commerce Department's inspector general. It also asks whether the authority to enforce export controls should be delegated to another agency. Congress passed the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 to make it harder to export key technologies to adversaries like China. The law directed the Commerce Department to work with other agencies to identify emerging, or cutting edge, technologies and so-called foundational technologies essential to making key items like semiconductors, that should be controlled. In November 2018, the department published 45 examples of emerging technologies, including face and voice recognition, but no list was ever finalised. And it has yet to propose a list of foundational technologies, instead asking for input in August about how to define the category. Eric Hirschhorn, a former Commerce under secretary, said the criticism of the agency was unfair. "They’re already controlling emerging technologies to the extent that it can be done, which is limited by the need to be specific,” he said. “Foundational technologies are, by definition, widely available outside the United States, which makes controlling them difficult, if not impossible." The report did note some actions by Commerce. The department has proposed to regulate software for gene editing, which can make it easier to develop biological weapons, but the rule has not been finalised. It also released an interim rule on geospatial imagery involving AI neural networks. Advanced surveillance technology has received some attention as well, including on export controls to promote human rights, given its use in Xinjiang for the detention of minority Muslim Uyghurs. But the department still does not control newer types of advanced surveillance software, the report says. The US-China commission was created by Congress two decades ago to report on the national security implications of trade with China. It is now chaired by Carolyn Bartholomew, who was appointed by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. (With inputs from agencies)

US agency not doing its job to halt tech to China's military: Congressional report

Mali's interim leaders have been arrested in a second military coup in the space of 9 months. Why is the West African country stuck in this cycle of instability? Will the junta keep its promise of elections next year? Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: Another military coup in Mali

Foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday said in the Senate that Pakistan would not provide its military bases to the United States for future counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan and also not allow drone attacks inside Pakistan.&nbsp;

The foreign minister rejected as unfounded the reports of Pakistan providing bases to the US, making it clear that Prime Minister Imran Khan would never allow it. He would also not&nbsp;allow drone attacks inside Pakistan, reported The News International.&nbsp;

"I want to assure the House that Pakistan is in safe hands," he remarked.

The remarks came after a Pentagon official said that Pakistan had allowed the US military to use its airspace and given ground access so that it could support its presence in Afghanistan. &nbsp;

Responding to the concerns of a senator, Qureshi, said, "Because what we were fearing and we still fear and are concerned that a vacuum created in Afghanistan can drag or suck the country back into the decade of 1990s".&nbsp;

Qureshi contended that as the US planned to withdraw its remaining troops from Afghanistan by September 11, Pakistan would continue playing its role for advancement of the peace process in that country, reported The News International.&nbsp;

Mian Raza Rabbani, ex-chairman of Senate, also said that Pakistan should not allow the United States the use of its air and ground facilities for action in Afghanistan and an international mechanism be thrashed out to prevent such circumstances from happening again.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, diplomatic sources in Washington told Dawn newspaper that Pakistan had always allowed overflights and ground access to the US to facilitate its military presence in Afghanistan and would continue to do so. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

Foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday said in the Senate that Pakistan would not provide its military bases to the United States for future counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan and also not allow drone attacks inside Pakistan.

Foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday said in the Senate that Pakistan would not provide its military bases to the United States for future counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan and also not allow drone attacks inside Pakistan. The foreign minister rejected as unfounded the reports of Pakistan providing bases to the US, making it clear that Prime Minister Imran Khan would never allow it. He would also not allow drone attacks inside Pakistan, reported The News International. "I want to assure the House that Pakistan is in safe hands," he remarked. The remarks came after a Pentagon official said that Pakistan had allowed the US military to use its airspace and given ground access so that it could support its presence in Afghanistan. Responding to the concerns of a senator, Qureshi, said, "Because what we were fearing and we still fear and are concerned that a vacuum created in Afghanistan can drag or suck the country back into the decade of 1990s". Qureshi contended that as the US planned to withdraw its remaining troops from Afghanistan by September 11, Pakistan would continue playing its role for advancement of the peace process in that country, reported The News International. Mian Raza Rabbani, ex-chairman of Senate, also said that Pakistan should not allow the United States the use of its air and ground facilities for action in Afghanistan and an international mechanism be thrashed out to prevent such circumstances from happening again. Meanwhile, diplomatic sources in Washington told Dawn newspaper that Pakistan had always allowed overflights and ground access to the US to facilitate its military presence in Afghanistan and would continue to do so. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan FM Qureshi rules out providing military bases to US for operations in Afghanistan

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