Authorities in&nbsp;Colombia, working alongside counterparts in Panama and the United States, have seized 5.4 tonnes of cocaine worth $185 million, the Andean country's navy said on Wednesday (July 14).

The drugs were found after a speedboat fled back into&nbsp;Colombian waters after being detected by Panamanian authorities and was pursued by members of&nbsp;Colombia's coast guard, the navy said in a statement.

Following a detailed inspection of the area, members of the coast guard found the suspicious vessel with 81 sacks onboard and 147 other sacks hidden in the surrounding vegetation, which together contained the cocaine.

The drugs belonged to the Clan del Golfo criminal gang, the authorities said. The group is led by Dairo Antonio Usuga, known as "Otoniel,"&nbsp;Colombia's most-wanted drug trafficking suspect.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indian-origin-man-arrested-in-canada-for-smuggling-112-kg-cocaine-397167">Also read |&nbsp;Indian-origin man arrested in Canada for smuggling 112 kg cocaine</a>

Despite decades of fighting drug trafficking,&nbsp;Colombia&nbsp;remains one of the world's top producers of cocaine and faces constant pressure from the United States to reduce crops and production of the drug that has long financed&nbsp;Colombia's internal armed conflict.

Colombia's security forces destroyed some 130,000 hectares (321,000 acres) of coca in 2020 and confiscated around 505 tonnes of cocaine.

The Clan del Golfo, or Gulf Clan, is considered&nbsp;Colombia's largest criminal gang made up of former far-right paramilitaries. It closed in 2016 with some 1,600 members, a high-ranking military official told Reuters in January.

Earlier this week,&nbsp;Colombia's Defense Ministry reported that five members of Clan del Golfo were killed in the country's Norte de Santander province, including a regional leader, while another five were captured during a military operation.

Authorities in Colombia, working alongside counterparts in Panama and the United States, have seized 5.4 tonnes of cocaine worth $185 million, the Andean country's navy said on Wednesday (July 14).

Authorities in Colombia, working alongside counterparts in Panama and the United States, have seized 5.4 tonnes of cocaine worth $185 million, the Andean country's navy said on Wednesday (July 14). The drugs were found after a speedboat fled back into Colombian waters after being detected by Panamanian authorities and was pursued by members of Colombia's coast guard, the navy said in a statement. Following a detailed inspection of the area, members of the coast guard found the suspicious vessel with 81 sacks onboard and 147 other sacks hidden in the surrounding vegetation, which together contained the cocaine. The drugs belonged to the Clan del Golfo criminal gang, the authorities said. The group is led by Dairo Antonio Usuga, known as "Otoniel," Colombia's most-wanted drug trafficking suspect. Also read | Indian-origin man arrested in Canada for smuggling 112 kg cocaine Despite decades of fighting drug trafficking, Colombia remains one of the world's top producers of cocaine and faces constant pressure from the United States to reduce crops and production of the drug that has long financed Colombia's internal armed conflict. Colombia's security forces destroyed some 130,000 hectares (321,000 acres) of coca in 2020 and confiscated around 505 tonnes of cocaine. The Clan del Golfo, or Gulf Clan, is considered Colombia's largest criminal gang made up of former far-right paramilitaries. It closed in 2016 with some 1,600 members, a high-ranking military official told Reuters in January. Earlier this week, Colombia's Defense Ministry reported that five members of Clan del Golfo were killed in the country's Norte de Santander province, including a regional leader, while another five were captured during a military operation.

Colombia seizes 5.4 tonnes of cocaine worth $185 million

A new survey of half a million adults in the United Kingdom has revealed that around two million people may have had some long-lasting symptoms after having coronavirus.

A new survey of half a million adults in the United Kingdom has revealed that around two million people may have had some long-lasting symptoms after having coronavirus. This is known as long Covid. As per researchers, managing the long-term consequences are a "major challenge". Long Covid is not yet fully understood. Also, there is no universally agreed definition. It includes a wide variety of symptoms after a Covid infection, including fatigue, coughs, chest pain, headaches and muscle pain. As a part of the study, random samples of people were asked whether they had had Covid-19, and about the presence and duration of 29 different symptoms. It was concluded that around 37 per cent of people who had Covid experienced at least one symptom lasting 12 weeks or more. Nearly 15 per cent had three or more symptoms for at least 12 weeks. Also, long term issues were more common in women, and with increasing age. Factors like increased body weight, smoking, lower incomes, chronic illness and being hospitalised with Covid contributed to a higher chance of experiencing long-lasting symptoms. Also Read | UK study indicates Covid resulting in long-term loss of grey matter Tiredness and shortness of breath were deemed as dominant long-lasting symptom. Prof Paul Elliott, director of the React programme at Imperial College London said that the findings highlighted a 'concerning' picture of the longer-term health consequences of Covid. He was quoted by BBC saying, "Long Covid is still poorly understood but we hope through our research that we can contribute to better identification and management of this condition, which our data and others' suggest may ultimately affect millions of people in the UK alone". Another UK study highlighted that there is a 'substantial loss of grey matter in those who recovered from Covid-19. The loss of grey matter hint towards damage to certain areas of the brain. As per experts, it suggests damage to areas of the brain. As a part of the study, the UK Biobank (UKB) performed brain image tests on over 40,000 participants before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The scientists used structural and functional brain scans from before and after the Covid-19 infection. This helped them to compare changes in the brain between these 394 Covid patients and 388 controls (those who tested negative) who were matched for age, sex, ethnicity and interval between scans. Most of the Covid patients who were examined had mild to moderate disease in the past.

More than two million in England may have suffered from Long Covid, says study

A painting by wartime British Prime Minister Winston&nbsp;Churchill&nbsp;that was gifted to Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis sold for $1.85 million at a Phillips auction in New York on Wednesday.

"The Moat, Breccles," a signed 1921 oil landscape, went for within its pre-sale estimate price of between $1.5 million and $2 million.

The sale was far less than the $11.6 million netted by another&nbsp;Churchill&nbsp;painting sold by Angelina Jolie at Christie's last March.

Despite failing to shatter records, the landscape which&nbsp;Churchill&nbsp;mentioned in a December 1921 essay titled "Painting as a Pastime" -- appealed to both history and celebrity buffs.

Churchill&nbsp;kept the painting for 40 years before offering it in 1961, four years before his death, to his friend Onassis.

<img alt="Jean Paul Engelen, Deputy Chairman and worldwide co-head of 20th century and contemporary art at Phillips Auction House speaks next to &quot;The Moat, Breccles&quot; painting made by Winston Churchill and owned by the Onassis family, in New York." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="118499ed-b075-49af-82bb-488d777fe437" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9D23XT.jpg" />

Jean Paul Engelen, Deputy Chairman and worldwide co-head of 20th century and contemporary art at Phillips Auction House speaks next to "The Moat, Breccles" painting made by Winston Churchill and owned by the Onassis family, in New York. Image Credits: AFP

The tycoon was so proud of his gift that he hung it in a place of honour -- behind the bar of his yacht -- alongside works by Vermeer, Gauguin, El Greco and Pissarro.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-citizens-snap-up-final-edition-of-apple-daily-taiwan-edition-to-continue-operations-393571">Also Read |&nbsp;Hong Kong citizens snap up final edition of Apple Daily, Taiwan edition to continue operations</a>

This superyacht, named "Christina" after Onassis's daughter, was a former Canadian Navy frigate, nearly 100 meters long. It had been a part of the Normandy landings before Onassis bought the ship post-war for $34,000.

Onassis had it lavishly renovated to the tune of $4 million, making it "one of the most incredible structures that floated," Phillips Deputy Chairman Jean-Paul Engelen told AFP.

It was a favoured gathering spot for the rich and famous, including Elizabeth Taylor, John F. and Jackie Kennedy, Richard Burton, Grace Kelly, J. Paul Getty, Eva Peron and others.

When Onassis died in 1975, seven years after his marriage to Jackie Kennedy, the yacht was sold and everything on board placed in storage, until his heirs recently decided to part with the painting.

To spur interest in the canvas, Phillips has recreated the bar on the "Christina" -- known as Ari's Bar -- in its New York showroom, including facsimiles of its famous whale teeth, and filled the shelves with Pol Roger champagne,&nbsp;Churchill's preferred bubbly.

A painting by wartime British Prime Minister Winston Churchill that was gifted to Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis sold for $1.85 million at a Phillips auction in New York on Wednesday.

A painting by wartime British Prime Minister Winston Churchill that was gifted to Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis sold for $1.85 million at a Phillips auction in New York on Wednesday. "The Moat, Breccles," a signed 1921 oil landscape, went for within its pre-sale estimate price of between $1.5 million and $2 million. The sale was far less than the $11.6 million netted by another Churchill painting sold by Angelina Jolie at Christie's last March. Despite failing to shatter records, the landscape which Churchill mentioned in a December 1921 essay titled "Painting as a Pastime" -- appealed to both history and celebrity buffs. Churchill kept the painting for 40 years before offering it in 1961, four years before his death, to his friend Onassis. Jean Paul Engelen, Deputy Chairman and worldwide co-head of 20th century and contemporary art at Phillips Auction House speaks next to "The Moat, Breccles" painting made by Winston Churchill and owned by the Onassis family, in New York. Image Credits: AFP The tycoon was so proud of his gift that he hung it in a place of honour -- behind the bar of his yacht -- alongside works by Vermeer, Gauguin, El Greco and Pissarro. Also Read | Hong Kong citizens snap up final edition of Apple Daily, Taiwan edition to continue operations This superyacht, named "Christina" after Onassis's daughter, was a former Canadian Navy frigate, nearly 100 meters long. It had been a part of the Normandy landings before Onassis bought the ship post-war for $34,000. Onassis had it lavishly renovated to the tune of $4 million, making it "one of the most incredible structures that floated," Phillips Deputy Chairman Jean-Paul Engelen told AFP. It was a favoured gathering spot for the rich and famous, including Elizabeth Taylor, John F. and Jackie Kennedy, Richard Burton, Grace Kelly, J. Paul Getty, Eva Peron and others. When Onassis died in 1975, seven years after his marriage to Jackie Kennedy, the yacht was sold and everything on board placed in storage, until his heirs recently decided to part with the painting. To spur interest in the canvas, Phillips has recreated the bar on the "Christina" -- known as Ari's Bar -- in its New York showroom, including facsimiles of its famous whale teeth, and filled the shelves with Pol Roger champagne, Churchill's preferred bubbly.

Churchill painting from Onassis superyacht sells for $1.85 million

Brazil on Saturday, June 19, became the second country after the United States to surpass 500,000 Covid-19 deaths as the country fights the third wave of the deadly pandemic.

Brazil on Saturday, June 19, became the second country after the United States to surpass 500,000 Covid-19 deaths as the country fights the third wave of the deadly pandemic. As per the Health Ministry, there have been 500,800 deaths, including 2,301 in the last 24 hours. This week the average number of daily deaths surpassed 2,000 for the first time since May 10. Ethel Maciel, an epidemiologist from Espirito Santo University, told AFP, "The third wave is arriving, there's already in a change in the case and death curves". He added, "Our vaccination (program), which could make a difference, is slow and there are no signs of restrictive measures, quite the contrary". Taking to his official Twitter handle, Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga wrote, "500 thousand lives lost by the pandemic that affects our Brazil and the whole world. I work tirelessly to vaccinate all Brazilians in the shortest time possible and change this scenario that has plagued us for over a year". He further wrote, "I offer my sympathy to every father, mother, friends and relatives who have lost loved ones". Also Read | Brazilians protest Bolsonaro's role in half a million COVID-19 deaths While life seems normal in large cities, where restaurants have opened, the situation is yet very critical in 19 of Brazil's 27 states with more than 80 per cent occupancy of intensive care beds. As the death toll soared, thousands took to the streets across Brazil to protest against President Jair Bolsonaro's pandemic response, blasting the leader for not acquiring vaccines fast enough and for questioning the need for mask-wearing. The government faces fierce criticism for passing up early opportunities to buy vaccines. Pharmaceutical maker Pfizer said it got no response to offers to sell vaccines to the government between August and November last year. Bolsonaro's press office did not respond to the request for comment. Only 11 per cent of Brazilians are fully vaccinated, and 29 per cent have received the first dose, Health Ministry data shows.

Third pandemic wave hits as Brazil surpasses half million deaths due to covid

A seat on a spaceship ride with billionaire Jeff Bezos went for $28 million during a live auction on Saturday, May 12. Bezos revealed this week that both he and his brother Mark would take seats onboard the company's New Shepard launch vehicle on July 20, to fly to the edge of space and back.

The brothers will be joined by the winner of Saturday's charity auction. His identity remains unknown as of now.&nbsp;

Bidding for the seat next to Bezos had reached $4.8 million by Thursday. However, it drastically shot up in the final live auction.

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The auction for the very first seat on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NewShepard?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NewShepard</a> has concluded with a winning bid of $28 million. The winning bid amount will be donated to Blue Origin’s foundation, <a href="https://twitter.com/clubforfuture?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ClubforFuture</a>. Full replay of the auction webcast: <a href="https://t.co/5Vc8IvWxJR">https://t.co/5Vc8IvWxJR</a> <a href="https://t.co/IlGbgOFmhx">pic.twitter.com/IlGbgOFmhx</a>
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) <a href="https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/1403768272277880834?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The New Shepard trip will last 10 minutes and will begin from a desert in western Texas. After lift-off, the capsule will separate from its booster and then spends four minutes at an altitude exceeding 60 miles. During this time those the people onboard will experience weightlessness and will be able to observe the curvature of Earth.

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The booster will then land autonomously on a pad two miles from the launch site. Meanwhile, the capsule will float back to the surface with three large parachutes that will help to slow it down to about a mile per hour when it lands.

"We're ready to fly some astronauts," said Blue Origin's director of astronaut and orbital sales, Ariane Cornell, on Saturday, June 12.

The automated capsules with no pilot have six seats with horizontal backrests. They have been placed next to large portholes, in a futuristic cabin with also includes swish lighting. Multiple cameras have been installed to help in immortalizing the few minutes the space tourists experience weightlessness.

The reusable suborbital rocket system has been named after Alan Shepard, the first American in space 60 years ago.

Earlier this month, Jeff Bezos announced that he will be boarding the New Shepard. In an Instagram post, Bezos said that it was his dream to travel to space ever since he was five years old.&nbsp;

A seat on a spaceship ride with billionaire Jeff Bezos went for $28 million during a live auction on Saturday, May 12. Bezos revealed this week that both he and his brother Mark would take seats onboard the company's New Shepard launch vehicle on July 20, to fly to the edge of space and back.

A seat on a spaceship ride with billionaire Jeff Bezos went for $28 million during a live auction on Saturday, May 12. Bezos revealed this week that both he and his brother Mark would take seats onboard the company's New Shepard launch vehicle on July 20, to fly to the edge of space and back. The brothers will be joined by the winner of Saturday's charity auction. His identity remains unknown as of now. Bidding for the seat next to Bezos had reached $4.8 million by Thursday. However, it drastically shot up in the final live auction. The auction for the very first seat on #NewShepard has concluded with a winning bid of $28 million. The winning bid amount will be donated to Blue Origin’s foundation, @ClubforFuture. Full replay of the auction webcast: https://t.co/5Vc8IvWxJR pic.twitter.com/IlGbgOFmhx — Blue Origin (@blueorigin) June 12, 2021 × The New Shepard trip will last 10 minutes and will begin from a desert in western Texas. After lift-off, the capsule will separate from its booster and then spends four minutes at an altitude exceeding 60 miles. During this time those the people onboard will experience weightlessness and will be able to observe the curvature of Earth. Also Read | China unveils pictures by Martian rover on Red Planet The booster will then land autonomously on a pad two miles from the launch site. Meanwhile, the capsule will float back to the surface with three large parachutes that will help to slow it down to about a mile per hour when it lands. "We're ready to fly some astronauts," said Blue Origin's director of astronaut and orbital sales, Ariane Cornell, on Saturday, June 12. The automated capsules with no pilot have six seats with horizontal backrests. They have been placed next to large portholes, in a futuristic cabin with also includes swish lighting. Multiple cameras have been installed to help in immortalizing the few minutes the space tourists experience weightlessness. The reusable suborbital rocket system has been named after Alan Shepard, the first American in space 60 years ago. Earlier this month, Jeff Bezos announced that he will be boarding the New Shepard. In an Instagram post, Bezos said that it was his dream to travel to space ever since he was five years old.

Trip to space with Jeff Bezos sells at auction for $28 million

The overall global COVID-19 caseload has topped 167.6 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.48 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University.&nbsp;

In its latest update on Wednesday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 167,628,424 and 3,481,199, respectively.&nbsp;

The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 33,165,808 and 590,922, respectively, according to the CSSE.&nbsp;

In terms of infections, India follows in the second place with 26,948,874 cases.&nbsp;

The other worst countries with over 3 million cases are Brazil (16,194,209), France (5,670,486), Turkey (5,203,385), Russia (4,960,174), the UK (4,483,177), Italy (4,197,892), Germany (3,662,568), Spain (3,652,879), Argentina (3,586,736) and Colombia (3,270,614), the CSSE figures showed.&nbsp;

In terms of deaths, Brazil comes second with 452,031 fatalities.&nbsp;

Nations with a death toll of over 100,000 are India (307,231), Mexico (221,963), the UK (128,001), Italy (125,501), Russia (117,197) and France (109,040).&nbsp;

The overall global COVID-19 caseload has topped 167.6 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.48 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

The overall global COVID-19 caseload has topped 167.6 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.48 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University. In its latest update on Wednesday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 167,628,424 and 3,481,199, respectively. The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 33,165,808 and 590,922, respectively, according to the CSSE. In terms of infections, India follows in the second place with 26,948,874 cases. The other worst countries with over 3 million cases are Brazil (16,194,209), France (5,670,486), Turkey (5,203,385), Russia (4,960,174), the UK (4,483,177), Italy (4,197,892), Germany (3,662,568), Spain (3,652,879), Argentina (3,586,736) and Colombia (3,270,614), the CSSE figures showed. In terms of deaths, Brazil comes second with 452,031 fatalities. Nations with a death toll of over 100,000 are India (307,231), Mexico (221,963), the UK (128,001), Italy (125,501), Russia (117,197) and France (109,040).

Global COVID-19 caseload tops 167.6 mn 

A family from USA's Virginia has a grand rush of luck when it stumbled upon almost $1 million in cash.

The family was on a weekend drive when it picked up two bags it thought contained waste.

David and Emily Schantz were driving near their Caroline County address on Saturday when their pickup truck ran-over two bags. They decided to pull over and collect what they presumed was waste.

The Schantz family then discovered the two bags contained around $1 million in cash.

They then contacted Caroline County police, who were dispatched to the address to investigate.

"To have someone so honest give that million dollars back was exceptional on their part," said sheriff's major Scott Moser to WTVR.

Police continue to investigate how the money bags were left on the road in Goochland County, but suspect the bags belonged to the US Postal Service, and were en route to a bank.

A family from USA's Virginia has a grand rush of luck when it stumbled upon almost $1 million in cash. The family was on a weekend drive when it picked up two bags it thought contained waste.

A family from USA's Virginia has a grand rush of luck when it stumbled upon almost $1 million in cash. The family was on a weekend drive when it picked up two bags it thought contained waste. David and Emily Schantz were driving near their Caroline County address on Saturday when their pickup truck ran-over two bags. They decided to pull over and collect what they presumed was waste. The Schantz family then discovered the two bags contained around $1 million in cash. They then contacted Caroline County police, who were dispatched to the address to investigate. "To have someone so honest give that million dollars back was exceptional on their part," said sheriff's major Scott Moser to WTVR. Police continue to investigate how the money bags were left on the road in Goochland County, but suspect the bags belonged to the US Postal Service, and were en route to a bank.

Family in US stumbles upon $1 million in cash on a weekend drive

Volkswagen has been slapped with a five-million-Euro ($5.5 million) fine in Italy over the massive engine-fixing scandal, the Italian competition authority said on Monday. 
 
The German carmaker was handed the fine for &quot;improper business practices&quot; after it installed emissions-cheating software in 11 million diesel engines worldwide in a scandal which broke last year, dubbed &quot;dieselgate&quot;. 
 
The antitrust watchdog said the fine related to the marketing in Italy since 2009 of vehicles that tricked pollution tests. 
 
Volkswagen, which owns 12 brands in all, from VW to Audi, Porsche, Seat, and Lamborghini, admitted in September that it had installed software in the vehicles that tricked US emissions tests into showing the cars met environmental standards. 
 
The device switched off after testing, enabling the vehicles to spew up to 40 times the permitted amounts of nitrogen oxides. The still incalculable costs of the affair, including regulatory fines and legal costs, pushed VW into the red for the first time in more than 20 years last year when it booked a loss of 1.6 billion Euros. 
 
In June it agreed to pay out $14.7 billion in a settlement with US authorities and car owners.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP) 
 
Keywords- VW scandal, VW engine-fixing scandal, Volkswagen emissions&nbsp;scandal, VW fined by Italy watchdog, VW fined $5.5 million, Italy watchdog fines VW with 5 million Euros

The fine was for the emissions-cheating software the German carmaker had installed in 11 million of its diesel cars worldwide

Volkswagen has been slapped with a five-million-Euro ($5.5 million) fine in Italy over the massive engine-fixing scandal, the Italian competition authority said on Monday. The German carmaker was handed the fine for "improper business practices" after it installed emissions-cheating software in 11 million diesel engines worldwide in a scandal which broke last year, dubbed "dieselgate". The antitrust watchdog said the fine related to the marketing in Italy since 2009 of vehicles that tricked pollution tests. Volkswagen, which owns 12 brands in all, from VW to Audi, Porsche, Seat, and Lamborghini, admitted in September that it had installed software in the vehicles that tricked US emissions tests into showing the cars met environmental standards. The device switched off after testing, enabling the vehicles to spew up to 40 times the permitted amounts of nitrogen oxides. The still incalculable costs of the affair, including regulatory fines and legal costs, pushed VW into the red for the first time in more than 20 years last year when it booked a loss of 1.6 billion Euros. In June it agreed to pay out $14.7 billion in a settlement with US authorities and car owners. (AFP) Keywords- VW scandal, VW engine-fixing scandal, Volkswagen emissions scandal, VW fined by Italy watchdog, VW fined $5.5 million, Italy watchdog fines VW with 5 million Euros

Volkswagen fined $5.5 million in Italy

The Pentagon will not pay Pakistan $300 million in military reimbursements after US secretary of defence Ash Carter decided not to tell Congress that Pakistan was taking adequate action against the Haqqani network, a US official said. 
 
Relations between the two countries have been frayed over the past decade, with US&nbsp;officials frustrated by what they term Islamabad&#39;s unwillingness to act against Islamist groups such as the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network. 
 
&quot;The funds could not be released to the government of Pakistan at this time because the secretary has not yet certified that Pakistan has taken sufficient action against the Haqqani network,&quot; Pentagon spokesman Adam Stump said on Wednesday. 
 
The $300 million comes under the Coalition Support Fund (CSF), a US defence department programme to reimburse allies that have incurred costs in supporting counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations. Pakistan is the largest recipient. 
 
&quot;This decision does not reduce the significance of the sacrifices that the Pakistani military has undertaken over the last two years,&quot; Stump said. 
 
According to Pentagon data, about $14 billion has already been paid to Pakistan under the CSF since 2002. 
 
The decision by the Pentagon is a sign that while it sees some progress by Pakistan in its military operations in North Waziristan, much work remains. 
 
Pakistan rejects harboring militants but says there are limits to how much it can do as it is already fighting multiple Islamist groups and is wary of a &quot;blowback&quot; in the form of more militant attacks on its soil. 
 
&quot;Pakistan does not draw any distinction between any terrorists and we have taken up the fight against terrorism and the terrorist elements within Pakistan,&quot; foreign office spokesman Nafees Zakaria told reporters in Islamabad on Thursday. 
 
&quot;These reimbursements enable the United States to support Pakistan&#39;s ongoing counterterrorism efforts in a manner that serves shared interests of both the countries.&quot; 
 
Relations between the United States and Pakistan were tested in May by a US drone strike that killed Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour on Pakistani soil. 
 
There has been growing resistance in the US Congress to sending money to Pakistan. Many lawmakers have expressed concern about its nuclear program, commitment to fighting terrorist organisations and cooperation in the Afghanistan peace process. 
 
In March, Republican senator Bob Corker said he would use his power as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to bar any US funding for Islamabad&#39;s purchase of $700 million of Lockheed Martin Corp F-16 fighter jets. 
 
(Reuters)

US secretary of defence Ash Carter is not yet convinced that Pakistan has taken sufficient action against the Haqqani network

The Pentagon will not pay Pakistan $300 million in military reimbursements after US secretary of defence Ash Carter decided not to tell Congress that Pakistan was taking adequate action against the Haqqani network, a US official said. Relations between the two countries have been frayed over the past decade, with US officials frustrated by what they term Islamabad's unwillingness to act against Islamist groups such as the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network. "The funds could not be released to the government of Pakistan at this time because the secretary has not yet certified that Pakistan has taken sufficient action against the Haqqani network," Pentagon spokesman Adam Stump said on Wednesday. The $300 million comes under the Coalition Support Fund (CSF), a US defence department programme to reimburse allies that have incurred costs in supporting counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations. Pakistan is the largest recipient. "This decision does not reduce the significance of the sacrifices that the Pakistani military has undertaken over the last two years," Stump said. According to Pentagon data, about $14 billion has already been paid to Pakistan under the CSF since 2002. The decision by the Pentagon is a sign that while it sees some progress by Pakistan in its military operations in North Waziristan, much work remains. Pakistan rejects harboring militants but says there are limits to how much it can do as it is already fighting multiple Islamist groups and is wary of a "blowback" in the form of more militant attacks on its soil. "Pakistan does not draw any distinction between any terrorists and we have taken up the fight against terrorism and the terrorist elements within Pakistan," foreign office spokesman Nafees Zakaria told reporters in Islamabad on Thursday. "These reimbursements enable the United States to support Pakistan's ongoing counterterrorism efforts in a manner that serves shared interests of both the countries." Relations between the United States and Pakistan were tested in May by a US drone strike that killed Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour on Pakistani soil. There has been growing resistance in the US Congress to sending money to Pakistan. Many lawmakers have expressed concern about its nuclear program, commitment to fighting terrorist organisations and cooperation in the Afghanistan peace process. In March, Republican senator Bob Corker said he would use his power as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to bar any US funding for Islamabad's purchase of $700 million of Lockheed Martin Corp F-16 fighter jets. (Reuters)

Pentagon not to pay Pakistan $300 million in military reimbursements

Nearly 120,000 units of digital currency bitcoin worth about US$72 million was stolen from the exchange platform Bitfinex in Hong Kong, making it the second-biggest security breach ever of such an exchange. 
 
Bitfinex is one of the largest bitcoin exchanges, and is known in the digital currency community for having a platform that has deep liquidity in the US Dollar-bitcoin currency pair. 
 
Zane Tackett, Director of Community &amp; Product Development for Bitfinex, told Reuters on Wednesday that 119,756 bitcoin had been stolen from users&#39; accounts, and that the exchange had not yet decided how to address customer losses. 
 
&quot;The bitcoin was stolen from users&#39; segregated wallets,&quot; he said. 
 
Bitcoin plunged just over 23 per cent on Tuesday after the news broke. On Wednesday it was up 1 per cent at $545.20 on the BitStamp platform. 
 
Tackett added that the breach did not &quot;expose any weaknesses in the security of a blockchain&quot;, the technology that generates and processes bitcoin, a web-based &quot;cryptocurrency&quot; that can move across the globe anonymously without the need for a central authority. 
 
The volume stolen amounts to about 0.75 per cent of all bitcoin in circulation. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s the biggest USD exchange, so outside China it&#39;s the one that everyone has an account with,&quot; said Antony Lewis, a bitcoin expert in Singapore. &quot;It&#39;s very liquid, folk can trade on margin, lots of daily volume.&quot; 
 
It is not yet clear whether the theft was an inside job or whether hackers were able to gain access to the system externally.&nbsp;Bitfinex suspended trading on Tuesday after it discovered the breach. It said on its website that it was investigating and cooperating with the authorities. 
 
The attack on Bitfinex was reminiscent of a similar but larger breach at MtGox, a Tokyo-based bitcoin exchange that was forced to file for bankruptcy in early 2014 after hackers stole an estimated $650 million worth of customers&#39; bitcoins. 
 
(Reuters)

?The volume stolen amounts to about 0.75 per cent of all bitcoin in circulation. Bitcoin plunged by just over 23% after the news broke

Nearly 120,000 units of digital currency bitcoin worth about US$72 million was stolen from the exchange platform Bitfinex in Hong Kong, making it the second-biggest security breach ever of such an exchange. Bitfinex is one of the largest bitcoin exchanges, and is known in the digital currency community for having a platform that has deep liquidity in the US Dollar-bitcoin currency pair. Zane Tackett, Director of Community & Product Development for Bitfinex, told Reuters on Wednesday that 119,756 bitcoin had been stolen from users' accounts, and that the exchange had not yet decided how to address customer losses. "The bitcoin was stolen from users' segregated wallets," he said. Bitcoin plunged just over 23 per cent on Tuesday after the news broke. On Wednesday it was up 1 per cent at $545.20 on the BitStamp platform. Tackett added that the breach did not "expose any weaknesses in the security of a blockchain", the technology that generates and processes bitcoin, a web-based "cryptocurrency" that can move across the globe anonymously without the need for a central authority. The volume stolen amounts to about 0.75 per cent of all bitcoin in circulation. "It's the biggest USD exchange, so outside China it's the one that everyone has an account with," said Antony Lewis, a bitcoin expert in Singapore. "It's very liquid, folk can trade on margin, lots of daily volume." It is not yet clear whether the theft was an inside job or whether hackers were able to gain access to the system externally. Bitfinex suspended trading on Tuesday after it discovered the breach. It said on its website that it was investigating and cooperating with the authorities. The attack on Bitfinex was reminiscent of a similar but larger breach at MtGox, a Tokyo-based bitcoin exchange that was forced to file for bankruptcy in early 2014 after hackers stole an estimated $650 million worth of customers' bitcoins. (Reuters)

Bitcoin worth $72 million stolen from Hong Kong's Bitfinex exchange

German flag carrier Lufthansa warned Tuesday that &quot;horrific&quot; terror attacks in Europe were having a &quot;tangible impact&quot; on business, with second-quarter profits down 17 per cent. 
 
Advance bookings were down sharply, the airline said, as net profits for the three months ending June came in at 437 million euros ($488 million). 
 
&quot;Horrific terror attacks are making people feel unsafe,&quot; chief executive Carsten Spohr said in a conference call with reporters on Tuesday. 
 
&quot;Because of repeated terror attacks in Europe and political and economic uncertainty, advance bookings, especially on long-haul flights to Europe, have fallen significantly,&quot; finance director Simone Menne said. 
 
The weak profits came despite the lower oil price, which resulted in a fuel cost boon of 597 million Euros. Compared with the figure for the first half of 2015, net profits took a 55 per cent blow, falling to 429 million Euros. 
 
Lufthansa had already said last month that the jittery atmosphere in Europe was hitting its business and considered &quot;a complete recovery as not likely anymore.&quot; Its European rival Air France-KLM also warned last week about the impact of recent attacks on the airline. 
 
Air France-KLM&#39;s chief financial officer Pierre-Francois Riolacci said unit revenue fell by 5.6 per cent in the second quarter, which he put down to the sluggish global economic recovery and &quot;most of all the effect of the terror attacks that have struck Europe in recent quarters&quot;. 
 
A spate of attacks targeting France and Germany at the height of peak tourist season in Europe has hurt the industry. France, the world&#39;s top tourist destination, is reeling from an attack at the Riviera town of Nice on Bastille Day when a gunman drove a 19-tonne truck into a crowd of revellers, killing 84. 
 
That was the third major strike against France in less than 18 months, coming just eight months after Islamic State gunmen and suicide bombers stormed bars, restaurants, a concert hall and the national stadium in Paris, killing 130 people. 
 
In January last year, 17 were killed in another assault at various sites including the offices of the Charlie Hebdo magazine and a Jewish supermarket in Paris. 
 
Germany was meanwhile hit in July by an axe attack that left five people, including four tourists from Hong Kong, wounded, a gun rampage, a machete assault and a suicide bomb attack. 
 
A spokeswoman for the German tourism board told AFP last week that &quot;there haven&#39;t been any cancellations&quot; in the immediate aftermath of the attacks in Europe&#39;s biggest economy. 
 
But in France, flight reservations following the Nice attack were down 20 per cent. Between January and July 10 arrivals to France by air were down 5.8 per cent, and down 11 per cent to Paris. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

The weak profits for the airline have come in despite the lower oil price, which resulted in a fuel cost boon of 597 million Euros

German flag carrier Lufthansa warned Tuesday that "horrific" terror attacks in Europe were having a "tangible impact" on business, with second-quarter profits down 17 per cent. Advance bookings were down sharply, the airline said, as net profits for the three months ending June came in at 437 million euros ($488 million). "Horrific terror attacks are making people feel unsafe," chief executive Carsten Spohr said in a conference call with reporters on Tuesday. "Because of repeated terror attacks in Europe and political and economic uncertainty, advance bookings, especially on long-haul flights to Europe, have fallen significantly," finance director Simone Menne said. The weak profits came despite the lower oil price, which resulted in a fuel cost boon of 597 million Euros. Compared with the figure for the first half of 2015, net profits took a 55 per cent blow, falling to 429 million Euros. Lufthansa had already said last month that the jittery atmosphere in Europe was hitting its business and considered "a complete recovery as not likely anymore." Its European rival Air France-KLM also warned last week about the impact of recent attacks on the airline. Air France-KLM's chief financial officer Pierre-Francois Riolacci said unit revenue fell by 5.6 per cent in the second quarter, which he put down to the sluggish global economic recovery and "most of all the effect of the terror attacks that have struck Europe in recent quarters". A spate of attacks targeting France and Germany at the height of peak tourist season in Europe has hurt the industry. France, the world's top tourist destination, is reeling from an attack at the Riviera town of Nice on Bastille Day when a gunman drove a 19-tonne truck into a crowd of revellers, killing 84. That was the third major strike against France in less than 18 months, coming just eight months after Islamic State gunmen and suicide bombers stormed bars, restaurants, a concert hall and the national stadium in Paris, killing 130 people. In January last year, 17 were killed in another assault at various sites including the offices of the Charlie Hebdo magazine and a Jewish supermarket in Paris. Germany was meanwhile hit in July by an axe attack that left five people, including four tourists from Hong Kong, wounded, a gun rampage, a machete assault and a suicide bomb attack. A spokeswoman for the German tourism board told AFP last week that "there haven't been any cancellations" in the immediate aftermath of the attacks in Europe's biggest economy. But in France, flight reservations following the Nice attack were down 20 per cent. Between January and July 10 arrivals to France by air were down 5.8 per cent, and down 11 per cent to Paris. (AFP)

Lufthansa says terror attacks impacting business

Premier League clubs have already splashed out 475 million Pounds ($631 million) since the transfer window reopened in July, according to business analysts Deloitte. 
 
Bolstered by the increased revenue from the Premier League&#39;s new 5.1 billion television deals, the 20 top-flight teams have been throwing money at a host of new signings, and Deloitte says the spending could shatter the 1 billion mark for the first time in the pre-season window. 
 
The current figure of 475 million is slightly less than the 515 million spent by Premier League teams at the same stage in 2015, which led to an eventual 870 million outlay in the whole window. 
 
Leroy Sane&#39;s million dollar move to Manchester City is not included in the figures, as it was only confirmed on Tuesday. And the spending figure would rise significantly if Manchester United complete their reported world record 100 million move for Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba. 
 
Chelsea, linked with a 65 million deal for Everton striker Romelu Lukaku, could also add to the rising transfer total. 
 
&quot;The prospect of increased revenue from the new broadcast deals next season has encouraged Premier League clubs to invest in this window in order to be as competitive as possible,&quot; Alex Thorpe, senior manager in the sports business group at Deloitte, told the BBC. 
 
&quot;With a month of the window still to go, some significant deals in the pipeline and a number of clubs yet to enter the market, we may see another summer of record Premier League spending, possibly breaking the one billion barrier for the first time.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Leroy Sane's million dollar move to Manchester City wasn't included in the figures, as it was only confirmed on Tuesday

Premier League clubs have already splashed out 475 million Pounds ($631 million) since the transfer window reopened in July, according to business analysts Deloitte. Bolstered by the increased revenue from the Premier League's new 5.1 billion television deals, the 20 top-flight teams have been throwing money at a host of new signings, and Deloitte says the spending could shatter the 1 billion mark for the first time in the pre-season window. The current figure of 475 million is slightly less than the 515 million spent by Premier League teams at the same stage in 2015, which led to an eventual 870 million outlay in the whole window. Leroy Sane's million dollar move to Manchester City is not included in the figures, as it was only confirmed on Tuesday. And the spending figure would rise significantly if Manchester United complete their reported world record 100 million move for Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba. Chelsea, linked with a 65 million deal for Everton striker Romelu Lukaku, could also add to the rising transfer total. "The prospect of increased revenue from the new broadcast deals next season has encouraged Premier League clubs to invest in this window in order to be as competitive as possible," Alex Thorpe, senior manager in the sports business group at Deloitte, told the BBC. "With a month of the window still to go, some significant deals in the pipeline and a number of clubs yet to enter the market, we may see another summer of record Premier League spending, possibly breaking the one billion barrier for the first time." (AFP)

English Premier League clubs' transfer spending nears 500 million

Every week, scientists in southern China release three million bacteria-infected mosquitoes on a three kilometre (two-mile) long island in a bid to wipe out diseases such as dengue, yellow fever, and Zika. 
 
The scientists inject mosquito eggs with wolbachia bacteria in a laboratory, then release infected male mosquitoes on the island on the outskirts of the city of Guangzhou. The bacteria, which occurs naturally in about 28 per cent of wild mosquitoes, causes infected males to sterilise the females they mate with. 
 
&quot;The aim is trying to suppress the mosquito density below the threshold which can cause disease transmission,&quot; said Zhiyong Xi, who is director of the Sun Yat-sen University Centre of Vector Control for Tropical Diseases and pioneered the idea. &quot;There are hot spots,&quot; Xi said. &quot;This technology can be used at the beginning to target the hot spots ... it will dramatically reduce disease transmission.&quot; 
 
Mosquito-borne diseases are responsible for more than one million deaths worldwide every year and Zika has become a concern for athletes at this year&#39;s Olympic Games, which open in Rio de Janeiro on Friday. Some athletes, including the top four ranked male golfers, have declined to take part. 
 
An outbreak of the Zika virus in Brazil last year has spread through the Americas and beyond, with China confirming its first case in February. 
 
US health officials have concluded that Zika infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to severe developmental problems in babies. 
 
The World Health Organization has said there is strong scientific consensus that Zika can also cause Guillain-Barre, a rare neurological syndrome that causes temporary paralysis in adults. 
 
Sun Yat-sen&#39;s Xi said that several countries had expressed interest in his experiments, especially Brazil and Mexico. In the laboratory, mosquito eggs are collected from breeding cages containing 5,000 females and 1,600 males and injected with the wolbachia bacteria. 
 
Xi&#39;s facility has the capacity to breed up to five million mosquitoes a week. While a female mosquito that acquires wolbachia by mating is sterile, one that is infected by injection will produce wolbachia-infected offspring. Dengue, yellow fever and Zika are also suppressed in wolbachia-injected females, making it harder for the diseases to be transmitted to humans. 
 
Xi set up his 3,500 square metre (38,000 square feet) &quot;mosquito factory&quot; in 2012 and releases the males into two residential areas on the outskirts of Guangzhou. 
 
Xi said the mosquito population on the island has been reduced by more than 90 per cent. One villager on the island, 66 year-old Liang Jintian, who has lived there for six decades, said the study was so effective he didn&#39;t have to sleep with a mosquito net any longer. 
 
&quot;We used to have a lot of mosquitoes in the past. Back then some people were worried that if mosquitoes were released here, we would get even more mosquitoes,&quot; he said. &quot;We have a lot less mosquitoes now compared to the past.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Scientists inject mosquito eggs with wolbachia bacteria, then release infected male mosquitoes to sterilise females they mate with

Every week, scientists in southern China release three million bacteria-infected mosquitoes on a three kilometre (two-mile) long island in a bid to wipe out diseases such as dengue, yellow fever, and Zika. The scientists inject mosquito eggs with wolbachia bacteria in a laboratory, then release infected male mosquitoes on the island on the outskirts of the city of Guangzhou. The bacteria, which occurs naturally in about 28 per cent of wild mosquitoes, causes infected males to sterilise the females they mate with. "The aim is trying to suppress the mosquito density below the threshold which can cause disease transmission," said Zhiyong Xi, who is director of the Sun Yat-sen University Centre of Vector Control for Tropical Diseases and pioneered the idea. "There are hot spots," Xi said. "This technology can be used at the beginning to target the hot spots ... it will dramatically reduce disease transmission." Mosquito-borne diseases are responsible for more than one million deaths worldwide every year and Zika has become a concern for athletes at this year's Olympic Games, which open in Rio de Janeiro on Friday. Some athletes, including the top four ranked male golfers, have declined to take part. An outbreak of the Zika virus in Brazil last year has spread through the Americas and beyond, with China confirming its first case in February. US health officials have concluded that Zika infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to severe developmental problems in babies. The World Health Organization has said there is strong scientific consensus that Zika can also cause Guillain-Barre, a rare neurological syndrome that causes temporary paralysis in adults. Sun Yat-sen's Xi said that several countries had expressed interest in his experiments, especially Brazil and Mexico. In the laboratory, mosquito eggs are collected from breeding cages containing 5,000 females and 1,600 males and injected with the wolbachia bacteria. Xi's facility has the capacity to breed up to five million mosquitoes a week. While a female mosquito that acquires wolbachia by mating is sterile, one that is infected by injection will produce wolbachia-infected offspring. Dengue, yellow fever and Zika are also suppressed in wolbachia-injected females, making it harder for the diseases to be transmitted to humans. Xi set up his 3,500 square metre (38,000 square feet) "mosquito factory" in 2012 and releases the males into two residential areas on the outskirts of Guangzhou. Xi said the mosquito population on the island has been reduced by more than 90 per cent. One villager on the island, 66 year-old Liang Jintian, who has lived there for six decades, said the study was so effective he didn't have to sleep with a mosquito net any longer. "We used to have a lot of mosquitoes in the past. Back then some people were worried that if mosquitoes were released here, we would get even more mosquitoes," he said. "We have a lot less mosquitoes now compared to the past." (Reuters)

China: Scientists release 3 million bacteria-infected mosquitoes to combat Zika, other diseases

Up to&nbsp;one million people could be forced to flee their homes in Iraq in coming weeks and months as fighting intensifies to retake the city of Mosul from Islamic State, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Friday. 
 
The humanitarian agency said it was seeking a further 17.1 million Swiss Francs for its programme in Iraq, its third largest worldwide, bringing its budget for the country to $137 million Swiss Francs. 
 
&quot;The situation is unpredictable but we must prepare for the worst. There&rsquo;s the likelihood that fighting will intensify, particularly in the Mosul area. Hundreds of thousands of people may very well be on the move in the coming weeks and months, seeking shelter and assistance,&quot; said Robert Mardini, ICRC director for the Near and Middle East on return from Iraq.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)

'The situation is unpredictable but we must prepare for the worst,' said the International Committee of the Red Cross chief

Up to one million people could be forced to flee their homes in Iraq in coming weeks and months as fighting intensifies to retake the city of Mosul from Islamic State, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Friday. The humanitarian agency said it was seeking a further 17.1 million Swiss Francs for its programme in Iraq, its third largest worldwide, bringing its budget for the country to $137 million Swiss Francs. "The situation is unpredictable but we must prepare for the worst. There’s the likelihood that fighting will intensify, particularly in the Mosul area. Hundreds of thousands of people may very well be on the move in the coming weeks and months, seeking shelter and assistance," said Robert Mardini, ICRC director for the Near and Middle East on return from Iraq. (Reuters)

About one million may flee Iraq due to IS takeover: Red Cross

Authorities will plant 18 million trees in Mexico City and its surrounding suburbs as part of efforts to combat air pollution, the government said Monday. 
 
Environment Minister Rafael Pacchiano dubbed it a &quot;historic reforestation&quot; to reinforce the &quot;green belt in the megalopolis&quot;. 
 
The greater Mexico City area was hit by the worst air pollution in more than a decade in March, prompting authorities to restrict traffic for the 5.4 million vehicles that circulate daily. 
 
Pacchiano said that the lack of wind and record high temperatures in March contributed to an increase in ozone levels. 
 
Other new measures announced by Pacchiano include replacing 1,000 taxis that are more than 10 years old with hybrid cars and stepping up a program to renew cargo and passenger transport vehicles.&nbsp;Anti-pollution rules will also be tightened in industry. 
 
The government imposed temporary car restrictions between April and June 30, forcing all vehicles to stay home at least once a week. Normally, older vehicles and those that fail emissions tests have traffic restrictions. 
 
Last month, the environment ministry unveiled new rules to prevent corruption at emission inspection centres that have allowed polluting cars to remain on the road. 
 
(AFP)

The city will also restrict traffic to combat air pollution, which is at its worst levels in a decade

Authorities will plant 18 million trees in Mexico City and its surrounding suburbs as part of efforts to combat air pollution, the government said Monday. Environment Minister Rafael Pacchiano dubbed it a "historic reforestation" to reinforce the "green belt in the megalopolis". The greater Mexico City area was hit by the worst air pollution in more than a decade in March, prompting authorities to restrict traffic for the 5.4 million vehicles that circulate daily. Pacchiano said that the lack of wind and record high temperatures in March contributed to an increase in ozone levels. Other new measures announced by Pacchiano include replacing 1,000 taxis that are more than 10 years old with hybrid cars and stepping up a program to renew cargo and passenger transport vehicles. Anti-pollution rules will also be tightened in industry. The government imposed temporary car restrictions between April and June 30, forcing all vehicles to stay home at least once a week. Normally, older vehicles and those that fail emissions tests have traffic restrictions. Last month, the environment ministry unveiled new rules to prevent corruption at emission inspection centres that have allowed polluting cars to remain on the road. (AFP)

Mexico City to plant 18 million trees in massive reforestation effort

Pakistan has extended by six months a deadline for Afghan refugees to register with the government, a refugee official said on Wednesday, a day before the deadline was set to expire. 
 
Pakistan has the world&#39;s second largest refugee population, with more than 1.5 million registered, and about a million unregistered, refugees from Afghanistan, most of whom fled the Soviet occupation of their country in the 1980s. 
 
The number of Afghans voluntarily returning home has plunged this year as violence worsens in Afghanistan, where the government and its US allies are fighting a stubborn Taliban insurgency. 
 
&quot;The prime minister has approved another six-month extension in the deadline,&quot; Imran Zeb Khan, the chief commissioner for Afghan Refugees, told Reuters in an interview. 
 
&quot;But Pakistan can&#39;t ensure that these refugees will return. That cannot happen without support from Afghanistan and the international community which need to create the right conditions for their repatriation.&quot; 
 
Khan said Pakistan would hold a tripartite meeting with Afghanistan and the United Nations refugee agency on July 19 to plan the way forward. 
 
The comments came soon after officials told Reuters at least 500 Afghan refugees were arrested in a northwestern border province and deported as a security risk. 
 
Pakistan&#39;s Dawn newspaper reported that more than 2,000 refugees were arrested in the last month, and 400 deported to Afghanistan. 
 
There are only 100,000 registered refugees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the site of the arrests, said provincial information minister Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani. 
 
&quot;We don&#39;t suggest any aggressive campaign against Afghan refugees, but we have been hosting them for the past 35 years and it is time they should go back to their country,&quot; Ghani said. 
 
Unregistered Afghans had become a major security issue for the government, he added. About 6,000 Afghans have chosen to return home from Pakistan in 2016, well below last year&#39;s figure of 58,211, the United Nations&#39; refugee agency has said. 
 
Registration cards allowing a temporary legal stay for Afghan refugees last received a six-month extension after they expired in December 2015. 
 
Many Afghans have lived in Pakistan for decades and contribute significantly to its labour force. 
 
But Afghan refugee camps have become &quot;safe havens for terrorists&quot;, Pakistani foreign policy chief Sartaj Aziz told a Pakistani television channel last week. 
 
Pakistani federal minister for states and frontier regions, Abdul Qadir Baloch, also warned that Pakistan was not willing to host Afghan refugees indefinitely. 
 
Visiting Pakistan last week, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, said he had made the case to the government for extending the June 30 deadline. 
 
(Reuters)

Pakistan has the world's second-largest refugee population, with about 2.5 million from Afghanistan

Pakistan has extended by six months a deadline for Afghan refugees to register with the government, a refugee official said on Wednesday, a day before the deadline was set to expire. Pakistan has the world's second largest refugee population, with more than 1.5 million registered, and about a million unregistered, refugees from Afghanistan, most of whom fled the Soviet occupation of their country in the 1980s. The number of Afghans voluntarily returning home has plunged this year as violence worsens in Afghanistan, where the government and its US allies are fighting a stubborn Taliban insurgency. "The prime minister has approved another six-month extension in the deadline," Imran Zeb Khan, the chief commissioner for Afghan Refugees, told Reuters in an interview. "But Pakistan can't ensure that these refugees will return. That cannot happen without support from Afghanistan and the international community which need to create the right conditions for their repatriation." Khan said Pakistan would hold a tripartite meeting with Afghanistan and the United Nations refugee agency on July 19 to plan the way forward. The comments came soon after officials told Reuters at least 500 Afghan refugees were arrested in a northwestern border province and deported as a security risk. Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reported that more than 2,000 refugees were arrested in the last month, and 400 deported to Afghanistan. There are only 100,000 registered refugees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the site of the arrests, said provincial information minister Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani. "We don't suggest any aggressive campaign against Afghan refugees, but we have been hosting them for the past 35 years and it is time they should go back to their country," Ghani said. Unregistered Afghans had become a major security issue for the government, he added. About 6,000 Afghans have chosen to return home from Pakistan in 2016, well below last year's figure of 58,211, the United Nations' refugee agency has said. Registration cards allowing a temporary legal stay for Afghan refugees last received a six-month extension after they expired in December 2015. Many Afghans have lived in Pakistan for decades and contribute significantly to its labour force. But Afghan refugee camps have become "safe havens for terrorists", Pakistani foreign policy chief Sartaj Aziz told a Pakistani television channel last week. Pakistani federal minister for states and frontier regions, Abdul Qadir Baloch, also warned that Pakistan was not willing to host Afghan refugees indefinitely. Visiting Pakistan last week, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, said he had made the case to the government for extending the June 30 deadline. (Reuters)

Pakistan extends deadline for Afghan refugees to register with the government

At least 17 million women and girls in Africa collect water every day, which increases their risk of sexual abuse, disease and dropping out of school, a study published recently has found.

It is one of the first studies to calculate how many women and children were responsible for water collection in Africa, the researchers said.

Using datasets from the World Bank, the UN&nbsp;children&#39;s agency UNICEF, and the US&nbsp;Agency for International Development, researchers found that around 3 million children and 14 million women collect water in sub-Saharan Africa.

&quot;The absolute number of adult females affected by this practice was a shock to me,&quot; Jay Graham, lead author of the study, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

&quot;I knew it would be large... but I didn&#39;t realise it would be that high,&quot; added Graham, who is professor at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University.

The daily practice causes musculoskeletal damage, soft tissue damage and can lead to early arthritis, Graham said.

People also have to contend with water-borne diseases like schistosomiasis, an infection caused by parasitic worms living in fresh water, he said.

Across all 24 countries examined, including Sierra Leone, Malawi and Niger, more girls were tasked with water collection than boys. Women were also the primary water collector in all countries.

Children are pulled out of school for the daily task, and many women cannot earn an income because of the time and energy it takes to collect water, Graham said.

Since they often need to walk long distances to find water, women and children are also at a higher risk of sexual abuse, he added.

In a statement issued last month, the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone said drought was putting even more pressure on children to find water.

&quot;Children, particularly girls, are out in the street very late at night or as early as 4a.m. in search of water,&quot; the statement read.

&quot;This heightens their vulnerability and contributes to increase in teenage pregnancy, child labour, high rates of school drop outs, and poor school performance,&quot; it said.

Demand for water is expected to increase by 2050 as the world&#39;s population is forecast to grow by one-third to more than 9 billion, according to the United Nations.

As climate change strengthens, drought is becoming more frequent and severe in southern Africa, and that &ndash; combined with this year&#39;s El Nino phenomenon &ndash; is taking a heavy toll on rural lives and economies.

&quot;With climate change, it&#39;s going to be more of an uphill battle,&quot; said Graham. &quot;If there&#39;s focused attention on it and resources, we can improve upon the situation but I do think it&#39;s going to become more difficult.&quot;

But it also crucial to address gender inequality and to recognise the unpaid labour that women do across the globe, he said, which he believes is the underlying issue.

&quot;There is a need to address cultural values and really shifting the belief that women and men are equal too.&quot;

Many have to travel real far to collect water, thus exposing them to the risk of being sexually abused. And there is the added threat of a water-borne disease and other ailments.

At least 17 million women and girls in Africa collect water every day, which increases their risk of sexual abuse, disease and dropping out of school, a study published recently has found. It is one of the first studies to calculate how many women and children were responsible for water collection in Africa, the researchers said. Using datasets from the World Bank, the UN children's agency UNICEF, and the US Agency for International Development, researchers found that around 3 million children and 14 million women collect water in sub-Saharan Africa. "The absolute number of adult females affected by this practice was a shock to me," Jay Graham, lead author of the study, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "I knew it would be large... but I didn't realise it would be that high," added Graham, who is professor at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University. The daily practice causes musculoskeletal damage, soft tissue damage and can lead to early arthritis, Graham said. People also have to contend with water-borne diseases like schistosomiasis, an infection caused by parasitic worms living in fresh water, he said. Across all 24 countries examined, including Sierra Leone, Malawi and Niger, more girls were tasked with water collection than boys. Women were also the primary water collector in all countries. Children are pulled out of school for the daily task, and many women cannot earn an income because of the time and energy it takes to collect water, Graham said. Since they often need to walk long distances to find water, women and children are also at a higher risk of sexual abuse, he added. In a statement issued last month, the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone said drought was putting even more pressure on children to find water. "Children, particularly girls, are out in the street very late at night or as early as 4a.m. in search of water," the statement read. "This heightens their vulnerability and contributes to increase in teenage pregnancy, child labour, high rates of school drop outs, and poor school performance," it said. Demand for water is expected to increase by 2050 as the world's population is forecast to grow by one-third to more than 9 billion, according to the United Nations. As climate change strengthens, drought is becoming more frequent and severe in southern Africa, and that – combined with this year's El Nino phenomenon – is taking a heavy toll on rural lives and economies. "With climate change, it's going to be more of an uphill battle," said Graham. "If there's focused attention on it and resources, we can improve upon the situation but I do think it's going to become more difficult." But it also crucial to address gender inequality and to recognise the unpaid labour that women do across the globe, he said, which he believes is the underlying issue. "There is a need to address cultural values and really shifting the belief that women and men are equal too."

The risks more than 17 million African women and girls have to take to fetch water

Nestle, the world&#39;s biggest food company, is stepping up its push into medicine with a global deal worth up to 100 million euros ($111 million) to develop and market an experimental milk allergy test for infants.

The Swiss group will pay DBV Technologies 10 million euros upfront for rights to its skin patch test for cow&rsquo;s milk protein allergy (CMPA), with the balance depending on successful development, the two companies said on Tuesday.

Shares in the French biotech company rose 5 percent on the news.

The deal underscores Nestle&#39;s ambitions for its&nbsp;Health&nbsp;Science division, which it believes could eventually generate more than 10 billion Swiss francs ($10 billion) in annual sales.

It also complements the company&#39;s market-leading infant formula business and could help lift sales of products designed for babies with food intolerance.

Nestle has signed a series of similar deals with other small companies in its bid to create a new kind business that is midway between food and pharmaceuticals. The goal is to find new ways to treat, diagnose and prevent a range of diseases, from gastrointestinal problems to Alzheimer&#39;s.

CMPA affects up to 2 or 3 percent of infants and toddlers, according to the companies. Many others, however, have symptoms suggestive of the condition, creating a need for a simple diagnostic test.

Under the terms of the agreement, DBV will be eligible to receive up to 90 million euros in development, regulatory and commercial milestones - on top of the upfront payment - and will also collect royalties on eventual product sales.

&ldquo;This innovation can become the breakthrough diagnostic for CMPA,&quot; said Greg Behar, chief executive of Nestl?&nbsp;Health&nbsp;Science.

The new test will need to go through extensive clinical trials before it is cleared for sale and DBV expects it to be submitted for approval to regulators worldwide by 2021.

Behar&#39;s division, which employs around 3,000 people, is an expanding part of Nestle&#39;s operations.

Given ageing populations around the world and spiralling cases of lifestyle diseases, the Swiss group sees big opportunities in&nbsp;health&nbsp;- but the initiative also poses new challenges by taking it into the highly regulated medical field.

Strategically the shift towards&nbsp;health&nbsp;offers Nestle a hedge against slowing growth in packaged foods and may also offset crackdowns on unhealthy foods blamed for obesity and other lifestyle problems.

The milk allergy test dovetails with Nestle&#39;s presence in infant formula, where it had 22 percent of the market in 2015, according Euromonitor International. It already has a range of products called Althera, Alfare and Alfamino that are designed for infants allergic to cow&rsquo;s milk.

For DBV, the deal is a vindication of its Viaskin patch technology. The company also has a patch to treat peanut allergy in clinical trials, as well as an earlier-stage programme for egg allergy.

Nestle, the world's biggest food company, is stepping up its push into medicine with a global deal worth up to 100 million euros ($111 million) to develop and market an experimental milk allergy test for infants

Nestle, the world's biggest food company, is stepping up its push into medicine with a global deal worth up to 100 million euros ($111 million) to develop and market an experimental milk allergy test for infants. The Swiss group will pay DBV Technologies 10 million euros upfront for rights to its skin patch test for cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA), with the balance depending on successful development, the two companies said on Tuesday. Shares in the French biotech company rose 5 percent on the news. The deal underscores Nestle's ambitions for its Health Science division, which it believes could eventually generate more than 10 billion Swiss francs ($10 billion) in annual sales. It also complements the company's market-leading infant formula business and could help lift sales of products designed for babies with food intolerance. Nestle has signed a series of similar deals with other small companies in its bid to create a new kind business that is midway between food and pharmaceuticals. The goal is to find new ways to treat, diagnose and prevent a range of diseases, from gastrointestinal problems to Alzheimer's. CMPA affects up to 2 or 3 percent of infants and toddlers, according to the companies. Many others, however, have symptoms suggestive of the condition, creating a need for a simple diagnostic test. Under the terms of the agreement, DBV will be eligible to receive up to 90 million euros in development, regulatory and commercial milestones - on top of the upfront payment - and will also collect royalties on eventual product sales. “This innovation can become the breakthrough diagnostic for CMPA," said Greg Behar, chief executive of Nestl? Health Science. The new test will need to go through extensive clinical trials before it is cleared for sale and DBV expects it to be submitted for approval to regulators worldwide by 2021. Behar's division, which employs around 3,000 people, is an expanding part of Nestle's operations. Given ageing populations around the world and spiralling cases of lifestyle diseases, the Swiss group sees big opportunities in health - but the initiative also poses new challenges by taking it into the highly regulated medical field. Strategically the shift towards health offers Nestle a hedge against slowing growth in packaged foods and may also offset crackdowns on unhealthy foods blamed for obesity and other lifestyle problems. The milk allergy test dovetails with Nestle's presence in infant formula, where it had 22 percent of the market in 2015, according Euromonitor International. It already has a range of products called Althera, Alfare and Alfamino that are designed for infants allergic to cow’s milk. For DBV, the deal is a vindication of its Viaskin patch technology. The company also has a patch to treat peanut allergy in clinical trials, as well as an earlier-stage programme for egg allergy.

Nestle, on health kick, moves into milk allergy testing

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