Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) unveiled on Tuesday its manifesto for an October&nbsp;31 election with a focus on ending the coronavirus pandemic, promises to rebuild the middle class and defend against an increasingly assertive China.

The party's leader, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, enjoys a reasonable level of public support a week into the job, polls show, boding well for his goal of maintaining a lower house&nbsp;majority for the LDP and its Komeito party coalition partner.

"We would like to show solid measures and appeal to the people, first, how to confront the coronavirus&nbsp;and to bring peace of mind and hope to the people," LDP policy chief Sanae Takaichi told a news conference.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-pm-kishida-vows-to-devote-himself-to-ending-covid-19-crisis-419051">Japan PM Kishida vows to devote himself to ending COVID-19 crisis</a>

Voters will want to see a government with plans for decisive action to bring an end to the pandemic and rebuild a weak economy.

A recent Sankei newspaper poll showed that about 48 per cent&nbsp;say they want the Kishida administration to work on coronavirus most, followed by economic recovery and employment.

The manifesto highlighted coronavirus measures including supplying oral antiviral medication this year, as well as Kishida's vision of realising a "new capitalism" that focuses on economic growth and redistribution of wealth.

The LDP said in its manifesto it would expand support for small and medium businesses hit by the pandemic and offer subsidies for enterprises if they move into new industries.

Fortunately for Kishida, the coronavirus situation has improved, with the smallest number of new cases on Monday since the middle of last year.

But Kishida is taking nothing for granted and told parliament earlier on Tuesday the government would plan for a worst-case coronavirus scenario by securing more health resources and preparing to start giving booster shots in December.

Asked about how the government would respond to excessive yen declines, Kishida said he would closely watch the impact of currency moves, noting that a weak yen increases costs for companies by pushing up import prices.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-to-gauge-timing-for-restarting-subsidised-travel-programme-418299">Japan to gauge timing for restarting subsidised travel programme</a>

&nbsp;More on defence

On security, the LDP said it would "reconsider" its response to an increase in China's military activity around the Taiwan strait and islets in the western Pacific controlled by Japan but also claimed by China. 
The government would aim to raise its defence budget "with an eye to bringing it even above two percent" of gross domestic product (GDP), the party said.

Japan's defence spending has stayed around one per cent&nbsp;of GDP in recent decades. 
Kishida, a former foreign minister seen as a safe if lacklustre pair of hands, has a 49 per cent&nbsp; approval rating, according to poll published by state-run broadcaster NHK late on Monday.

That is lower than the approval enjoyed by some predecessors at the beginning of their tenures but support for Kishida's government was higher than the most recent ratings for that of his predecessor, Yoshihide Suga.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-to-compile-big-extra-budget-after-polls-says-ldp-heavyweight-417867">Japan to compile big extra budget after polls, says LDP heavyweight</a>

Suga grew deeply unpopular as he struggled to contain a fifth wave of coronavirus infections and stepped down last month after only a year in office.

Kishida can take more cheer from the Sankey survey published on Monday that showed 63 per cent&nbsp; of respondents supported his administration, with many voters saying there was no better person than him for the job of prime minister.

The poll showed a solid 45 per cent&nbsp; rate of voter support for the LDP, with backing for opposition parties hovering around the single digits.

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) unveiled on Tuesday its manifesto for an October 31 election with a focus on ending the coronavirus pandemic, promises to rebuild the middle class and defend against an increasingly assertive China.

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) unveiled on Tuesday its manifesto for an October 31 election with a focus on ending the coronavirus pandemic, promises to rebuild the middle class and defend against an increasingly assertive China. The party's leader, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, enjoys a reasonable level of public support a week into the job, polls show, boding well for his goal of maintaining a lower house majority for the LDP and its Komeito party coalition partner. "We would like to show solid measures and appeal to the people, first, how to confront the coronavirus and to bring peace of mind and hope to the people," LDP policy chief Sanae Takaichi told a news conference. Also Read | Japan PM Kishida vows to devote himself to ending COVID-19 crisis Voters will want to see a government with plans for decisive action to bring an end to the pandemic and rebuild a weak economy. A recent Sankei newspaper poll showed that about 48 per cent say they want the Kishida administration to work on coronavirus most, followed by economic recovery and employment. The manifesto highlighted coronavirus measures including supplying oral antiviral medication this year, as well as Kishida's vision of realising a "new capitalism" that focuses on economic growth and redistribution of wealth. The LDP said in its manifesto it would expand support for small and medium businesses hit by the pandemic and offer subsidies for enterprises if they move into new industries. Fortunately for Kishida, the coronavirus situation has improved, with the smallest number of new cases on Monday since the middle of last year. But Kishida is taking nothing for granted and told parliament earlier on Tuesday the government would plan for a worst-case coronavirus scenario by securing more health resources and preparing to start giving booster shots in December. Asked about how the government would respond to excessive yen declines, Kishida said he would closely watch the impact of currency moves, noting that a weak yen increases costs for companies by pushing up import prices. Also Read | Japan to gauge timing for restarting subsidised travel programme More on defence On security, the LDP said it would "reconsider" its response to an increase in China's military activity around the Taiwan strait and islets in the western Pacific controlled by Japan but also claimed by China. The government would aim to raise its defence budget "with an eye to bringing it even above two percent" of gross domestic product (GDP), the party said. Japan's defence spending has stayed around one per cent of GDP in recent decades. Kishida, a former foreign minister seen as a safe if lacklustre pair of hands, has a 49 per cent approval rating, according to poll published by state-run broadcaster NHK late on Monday. That is lower than the approval enjoyed by some predecessors at the beginning of their tenures but support for Kishida's government was higher than the most recent ratings for that of his predecessor, Yoshihide Suga. Also Read | Japan to compile big extra budget after polls, says LDP heavyweight Suga grew deeply unpopular as he struggled to contain a fifth wave of coronavirus infections and stepped down last month after only a year in office. Kishida can take more cheer from the Sankey survey published on Monday that showed 63 per cent of respondents supported his administration, with many voters saying there was no better person than him for the job of prime minister. The poll showed a solid 45 per cent rate of voter support for the LDP, with backing for opposition parties hovering around the single digits.

Japan's ruling party unveils manifesto with focus on coronavirus, defence

Russians vote on Sunday in the final stretch of a three-day parliamentary election that the ruling party is expected to win after a sweeping crackdown that crushed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's movement and barred opponents from the ballot.

The expected win by the ruling United Russia party will be used by the Kremlin as proof of support for President Vladimir Putin despite malaise over years of faltering living standards.

The party that backs Russia's 68-year-old leader faces a ratings slump, state pollsters say, but remains more popular than its closest rivals on the ballot, the Communist Party and nationalist LDPR party, which often back the Kremlin.

United Russia holds nearly three quarters of the State Duma's 450 seats. That dominance last year helped the Kremlin pass constitutional reforms that allow Putin to run for two more terms as president after 2024, potentially staying in power until 2036.

"If United Russia manages (to win), our country can expect another five years of poverty, five years of repressions, five lost years," ran a message to supporters on Navalny's blog this week.

Navalny's allies were barred from running after his movement was banned in June as extremist. Other opposition figures allege they were targeted with dirty tricks campaigns or not allowed to compete.

A Communist strawberry tycoon says he was unfairly barred, while a liberal opposition politician in St Petersburg says two identically-named "spoiler" candidates are running against him to confuse his voters.

TACTICAL VOTING

The Kremlin denies a politically-driven crackdown and says individuals are prosecuted for breaking the law. Both it and United Russia deny any role in the registration process for candidates.

Navalny's camp is promoting a tactical voting ploy against United Russia that authorities want blocked online. Since voting began on Friday, Google, Apple and Telegram messenger have limited some access to the campaign on their platforms. Activists accuse them of caving to pressure.

The election runs until 1800 GMT on Sunday when polling stations close in the European exclave of Kaliningrad. It is the last national vote before the 2024 presidential election. Putin, who turns 69 next month, has not said if he will run.

In Moscow, Navalny's tactical voting campaign has recommended their supporters vote for politicians like the Communist Party's Mikhail Lobanov. He said he welcomed the Navalny campaign and criticised United Russia.

"People see the glaring inequalities, they feel the effects of economic policy and the swell of repression and respond with dissatisfaction accordingly," Lobanov said.

At a polling station in Lobanov's district, three people told Reuters they had voted for United Russia and three said they had voted Communist, two of them at the behest of Navalny's team.

One Moscow pensioner who gave his name only as Anatoly said he voted United Russia because he was proud of Russia's muscular foreign policy and Putin's efforts to restore what he sees as Russia's rightful great power status.

"Countries like the United States and Britain more or less respect us now like they respected the Soviet Union in the 1960s and 70s… The Anglo-Saxons only understand the language of force," he said.

Other voters voiced anger at United Russia at a polling station in the capital of more than 12.5 million where United Russia has fared worse in recent years than in some regions.

"I'm always against United Russia. They haven't done anything good," said Roman Malakhov who voted Communist.

The vote is being held alongside elections for regional governors and local legislative assemblies. It is stretched over three days as a COVID-19 precaution.

Russians vote on Sunday in the final stretch of a three-day parliamentary election that the ruling party is expected to win after a sweeping crackdown that crushed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's movement and barred opponents from the ballot.

Russians vote on Sunday in the final stretch of a three-day parliamentary election that the ruling party is expected to win after a sweeping crackdown that crushed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's movement and barred opponents from the ballot. The expected win by the ruling United Russia party will be used by the Kremlin as proof of support for President Vladimir Putin despite malaise over years of faltering living standards. The party that backs Russia's 68-year-old leader faces a ratings slump, state pollsters say, but remains more popular than its closest rivals on the ballot, the Communist Party and nationalist LDPR party, which often back the Kremlin. United Russia holds nearly three quarters of the State Duma's 450 seats. That dominance last year helped the Kremlin pass constitutional reforms that allow Putin to run for two more terms as president after 2024, potentially staying in power until 2036. "If United Russia manages (to win), our country can expect another five years of poverty, five years of repressions, five lost years," ran a message to supporters on Navalny's blog this week. Navalny's allies were barred from running after his movement was banned in June as extremist. Other opposition figures allege they were targeted with dirty tricks campaigns or not allowed to compete. A Communist strawberry tycoon says he was unfairly barred, while a liberal opposition politician in St Petersburg says two identically-named "spoiler" candidates are running against him to confuse his voters. TACTICAL VOTING The Kremlin denies a politically-driven crackdown and says individuals are prosecuted for breaking the law. Both it and United Russia deny any role in the registration process for candidates. Navalny's camp is promoting a tactical voting ploy against United Russia that authorities want blocked online. Since voting began on Friday, Google, Apple and Telegram messenger have limited some access to the campaign on their platforms. Activists accuse them of caving to pressure. The election runs until 1800 GMT on Sunday when polling stations close in the European exclave of Kaliningrad. It is the last national vote before the 2024 presidential election. Putin, who turns 69 next month, has not said if he will run. In Moscow, Navalny's tactical voting campaign has recommended their supporters vote for politicians like the Communist Party's Mikhail Lobanov. He said he welcomed the Navalny campaign and criticised United Russia. "People see the glaring inequalities, they feel the effects of economic policy and the swell of repression and respond with dissatisfaction accordingly," Lobanov said. At a polling station in Lobanov's district, three people told Reuters they had voted for United Russia and three said they had voted Communist, two of them at the behest of Navalny's team. One Moscow pensioner who gave his name only as Anatoly said he voted United Russia because he was proud of Russia's muscular foreign policy and Putin's efforts to restore what he sees as Russia's rightful great power status. "Countries like the United States and Britain more or less respect us now like they respected the Soviet Union in the 1960s and 70s… The Anglo-Saxons only understand the language of force," he said. Other voters voiced anger at United Russia at a polling station in the capital of more than 12.5 million where United Russia has fared worse in recent years than in some regions. "I'm always against United Russia. They haven't done anything good," said Roman Malakhov who voted Communist. The vote is being held alongside elections for regional governors and local legislative assemblies. It is stretched over three days as a COVID-19 precaution.

Pro-Putin party heads for Russian election win after Navalny clampdown

The John Deere tractor pulled onto Broadway and rumbled into the madness.

On a Friday night in the heart of Nashville, as crowds and music spilled from packed clubs, it lumbered along at 5 mph, tugging a canopied trailer with flashing lights and a group of friends from Denver sipping drinks and dancing to Shania Twain.

It wasn’t especially conspicuous. The Big Green Tractor, as it’s called, passed an open-air school bus crammed with partyers, and then another, and another. It also crept beside a vehicle with women leaning over a railing in tank tops printed with the slogan “Let’s Get Nashty!”

The tractor hadn’t even made it a mile.

“It’s the Wild West out here,” Ronee Heatherly said from her perch behind the bar of the Big Green Tractor, where she served variously as safety monitor, bartender, DJ, photographer, tour guide and taunter of ride-share drivers blocking the tractor’s path. (She blasted the Ludacris song “Move” as she stared them down.)

As Nashville has cemented its reputation as a destination for getaways and bachelorette trips, party vehicles have proliferated, promising a rollicking good time and quite a stage to see and be seen while exploring the city. But there’s a growing sense — among residents, local officials, even some in the so-called transportainment industry — that it has all gotten out of hand.

“We made the monster, and now we can’t control the monster,” said Steve Haruch, a journalist and the editor of the book “Greetings From New Nashville.” “It’s the plot of every monster movie.”

The menagerie on Nashville streets includes — but is by no means limited to — a truck with a hot tub, a bus packed with electric massage chairs, a Ford pickup retrofitted into a “party barge” with waves painted on the side and “Ship Faced” stamped on the tailgate, retired military vehicles, a purple bus with drag performers, an old school bus named Bev adorned with antlers, and yet another old bus, with antlers, named Bertha.

City officials estimate as many as 40 companies operate vehicles on weekends. About 20 were launched in the past six months alone.

The expanding multitude of vehicles has stirred concerns about safety, noise and traffic, given the parade of fuming drivers often trailing them. But the consternation also reflects something deeper: To critics, the vehicles are a rowdy side effect of Nashville’s soaring popularity in recent years that threatens to dilute the soul that made the city so alluring to begin with.

“That is my fear, that we are losing our sense of who we are, what built our success,” said Butch Spyridon, president and CEO of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp., describing a version of Nashville — for generations known as the capital of country music — with an easygoing vibe and access to exceptional live music any day of the year that now must coexist with something much more decadent.

“You can have a fun, entertaining, unique experience here,” he said. “There’s nothing unique about downing 12 White Claws at 3 in the afternoon in 95-degree heat.”

Scrutiny of the transportainment industry sharpened this summer after a 22-year-old man fell off a party bus that then ran over his legs, an episode that underscored the virtual absence of safety regulations for the vehicles. A petition circulated blaming the vehicles for “causing a bigger hangover than they’re worth.” Nashville’s Metropolitan Council is now considering a proposal to rein in the industry, barring alcohol, requiring training, permits and inspections, and delineating limited areas where vehicles are authorized to operate.

Still, the vehicles have multiplied for a reason. The demand is there. They have been hired for children’s birthdays and retirement parties; a church once rented one to hand out Bibles. But transportainment is mostly associated with a revelrous side of the city that earned the nickname NashVegas, as it draws visitors for trips that — depending on how things go — could wind up being unforgettable or entirely forgotten.

Some in the industry contend that unruly outliers overshadow responsible businesses with passengers safely enjoying themselves at no one else’s expense.

Hell on Wheels, a company that deploys converted military cargo trucks, has strict rules: No music with explicit lyrics. No inflatable penises, an item that is popular with bachelorette parties. The last ride is done by 10:30 p.m.

“It’s not always about being loud and ridiculous on Broadway,” said Nicholas Lyon, an owner of the company, which is named after an armored tank division of the U.S. Army.

That said, he added, Nashville will always be a lively place, and the riders on party vehicles have been an ingredient in the city’s success. “Those ‘woo’ girls are literally the heartbeat of our economy,” Lyon said of downtown tourism. “If someone is looking for quiet Mayberry, you move to Brentwood, you move to Franklin.”

(Brentwood and Franklin are Nashville suburbs where, coincidentally, residents called the police last year with complaints about noise and indecent exposure after party vehicles displaced by the city’s temporary coronavirus limits on gathering places ventured farther afield.)

Lyon said he is a reluctant supporter of regulations. He worries that restrictions that are too onerous could choke the life out of businesses like his, which he started three years ago.

Yet he considers the free-for-all nature of the industry just as much of a threat. It is open to pretty much anyone with the desire and access to an old school bus. (Craigslist in Nashville has some listed for as little as $5,800.) There are no safety requirements or insurance mandates specifically related to transportainment, and most of the vehicles are not regulated by the local government, people in the industry and city transportation officials said.

“We need these bad apples out of here,” Lyon said.

After the city’s pandemic restrictions were eased in the spring, party vehicles started populating the streets again, making it possible on a weekday afternoon to see two roofless old buses, a converted pink SUV and a farm tractor and trailer at a single intersection.

The industry is largely concentrated in the Lower Broadway district, the nucleus of the Nashville that tourists come to see — a sort of Tennessee take on Times Square, with bright lights and beloved old haunts crowded alongside big brands and behemoth multistory bars linked to major music stars (Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk &amp; Rock N’ Roll Steakhouse, for example).

On a recent evening, the Big Green Tractor started its jaunt a few blocks from Broadway in the alley behind a liquor store, where riders could stock up.

Once the passengers boarded, Heatherly discussed the rules and issued a warning: Break them, and she would have no problem stopping the tractor, forcing everyone off and riding away.

She pointed to a metal railing around the trailer. “My husband used to say, this is for your safety, not your booty,” she said, moving swiftly to the next edict: “If you puke on this wagon, it will cost you some money.”

“Nobody puke!” one of the riders called out.

It turned out to be a lovely night: A day of rain gave way to a breeze and open skies. The women from Denver swayed and shimmied as Heatherly worked her way through a playlist of country hits and party staples: the Walker Hayes song “Fancy Like,” Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” Big and Rich’s “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy).” She fast-forwarded to get to the good part of the Backstreet Boys song “Everybody.”

The tractor wasn’t on Broadway for long. The densest section of the thoroughfare was limited to pedestrians, sending the vehicle on a slow-moving obstacle course of narrow streets, jaywalkers, idling Ubers, lifted pickups and 90-degree turn after 90-degree turn.

The driver, Cole Canada, seemed to take it in stride.

“It hurts me to see Cole up there driving,” Heatherly said, “because my husband should be up there.” Her husband, Rickie, died in June; they had been married for 42 years. The business had been Rickie Heatherly’s creation, and he was an expert driver, she said, maneuvering the wagon into tight spaces others would not dare attempt.

Cheree Jubin, whose wedding in the fall was the impetus for the trip, stood on the wagon’s wooden bench. “Everyone needs to raise their glass to Rickie!” she said as her friends cheered.

“I’ve really loved it,” Jubin said of the evening. “I didn’t expect it to be as beautiful as it was.”

The tractor had crossed the Cumberland River, stopping at a truck stop for a restroom break. Then, it wove around the stadium where the Tennessee Titans play, headed for the ideal spot for Heatherly to take the group’s photo. The women stood huddled together with the neon from Broadway and the lights from the skyline looming behind them and reflecting off the river.

But the quiet was fleeting. A roofless school bus, with speakers thumping, was already waiting, its riders eager to get the same shot.

The John Deere tractor pulled onto Broadway and rumbled into the madness. On a Friday night in the heart of Nashville, as crowds and music spilled from packed clubs, it lumbered along at 5 mph, tugging a canopied trailer with flashing lights and a group of friends from Denver sipping drinks and dancing to Shania Twain.

The John Deere tractor pulled onto Broadway and rumbled into the madness. On a Friday night in the heart of Nashville, as crowds and music spilled from packed clubs, it lumbered along at 5 mph, tugging a canopied trailer with flashing lights and a group of friends from Denver sipping drinks and dancing to Shania Twain. It wasn’t especially conspicuous. The Big Green Tractor, as it’s called, passed an open-air school bus crammed with partyers, and then another, and another. It also crept beside a vehicle with women leaning over a railing in tank tops printed with the slogan “Let’s Get Nashty!” The tractor hadn’t even made it a mile. “It’s the Wild West out here,” Ronee Heatherly said from her perch behind the bar of the Big Green Tractor, where she served variously as safety monitor, bartender, DJ, photographer, tour guide and taunter of ride-share drivers blocking the tractor’s path. (She blasted the Ludacris song “Move” as she stared them down.) As Nashville has cemented its reputation as a destination for getaways and bachelorette trips, party vehicles have proliferated, promising a rollicking good time and quite a stage to see and be seen while exploring the city. But there’s a growing sense — among residents, local officials, even some in the so-called transportainment industry — that it has all gotten out of hand. “We made the monster, and now we can’t control the monster,” said Steve Haruch, a journalist and the editor of the book “Greetings From New Nashville.” “It’s the plot of every monster movie.” The menagerie on Nashville streets includes — but is by no means limited to — a truck with a hot tub, a bus packed with electric massage chairs, a Ford pickup retrofitted into a “party barge” with waves painted on the side and “Ship Faced” stamped on the tailgate, retired military vehicles, a purple bus with drag performers, an old school bus named Bev adorned with antlers, and yet another old bus, with antlers, named Bertha. City officials estimate as many as 40 companies operate vehicles on weekends. About 20 were launched in the past six months alone. The expanding multitude of vehicles has stirred concerns about safety, noise and traffic, given the parade of fuming drivers often trailing them. But the consternation also reflects something deeper: To critics, the vehicles are a rowdy side effect of Nashville’s soaring popularity in recent years that threatens to dilute the soul that made the city so alluring to begin with. “That is my fear, that we are losing our sense of who we are, what built our success,” said Butch Spyridon, president and CEO of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp., describing a version of Nashville — for generations known as the capital of country music — with an easygoing vibe and access to exceptional live music any day of the year that now must coexist with something much more decadent. “You can have a fun, entertaining, unique experience here,” he said. “There’s nothing unique about downing 12 White Claws at 3 in the afternoon in 95-degree heat.” Scrutiny of the transportainment industry sharpened this summer after a 22-year-old man fell off a party bus that then ran over his legs, an episode that underscored the virtual absence of safety regulations for the vehicles. A petition circulated blaming the vehicles for “causing a bigger hangover than they’re worth.” Nashville’s Metropolitan Council is now considering a proposal to rein in the industry, barring alcohol, requiring training, permits and inspections, and delineating limited areas where vehicles are authorized to operate. Still, the vehicles have multiplied for a reason. The demand is there. They have been hired for children’s birthdays and retirement parties; a church once rented one to hand out Bibles. But transportainment is mostly associated with a revelrous side of the city that earned the nickname NashVegas, as it draws visitors for trips that — depending on how things go — could wind up being unforgettable or entirely forgotten. Some in the industry contend that unruly outliers overshadow responsible businesses with passengers safely enjoying themselves at no one else’s expense. Hell on Wheels, a company that deploys converted military cargo trucks, has strict rules: No music with explicit lyrics. No inflatable penises, an item that is popular with bachelorette parties. The last ride is done by 10:30 p.m. “It’s not always about being loud and ridiculous on Broadway,” said Nicholas Lyon, an owner of the company, which is named after an armored tank division of the U.S. Army. That said, he added, Nashville will always be a lively place, and the riders on party vehicles have been an ingredient in the city’s success. “Those ‘woo’ girls are literally the heartbeat of our economy,” Lyon said of downtown tourism. “If someone is looking for quiet Mayberry, you move to Brentwood, you move to Franklin.” (Brentwood and Franklin are Nashville suburbs where, coincidentally, residents called the police last year with complaints about noise and indecent exposure after party vehicles displaced by the city’s temporary coronavirus limits on gathering places ventured farther afield.) Lyon said he is a reluctant supporter of regulations. He worries that restrictions that are too onerous could choke the life out of businesses like his, which he started three years ago. Yet he considers the free-for-all nature of the industry just as much of a threat. It is open to pretty much anyone with the desire and access to an old school bus. (Craigslist in Nashville has some listed for as little as $5,800.) There are no safety requirements or insurance mandates specifically related to transportainment, and most of the vehicles are not regulated by the local government, people in the industry and city transportation officials said. “We need these bad apples out of here,” Lyon said. After the city’s pandemic restrictions were eased in the spring, party vehicles started populating the streets again, making it possible on a weekday afternoon to see two roofless old buses, a converted pink SUV and a farm tractor and trailer at a single intersection. The industry is largely concentrated in the Lower Broadway district, the nucleus of the Nashville that tourists come to see — a sort of Tennessee take on Times Square, with bright lights and beloved old haunts crowded alongside big brands and behemoth multistory bars linked to major music stars (Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk & Rock N’ Roll Steakhouse, for example). On a recent evening, the Big Green Tractor started its jaunt a few blocks from Broadway in the alley behind a liquor store, where riders could stock up. Once the passengers boarded, Heatherly discussed the rules and issued a warning: Break them, and she would have no problem stopping the tractor, forcing everyone off and riding away. She pointed to a metal railing around the trailer. “My husband used to say, this is for your safety, not your booty,” she said, moving swiftly to the next edict: “If you puke on this wagon, it will cost you some money.” “Nobody puke!” one of the riders called out. It turned out to be a lovely night: A day of rain gave way to a breeze and open skies. The women from Denver swayed and shimmied as Heatherly worked her way through a playlist of country hits and party staples: the Walker Hayes song “Fancy Like,” Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” Big and Rich’s “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy).” She fast-forwarded to get to the good part of the Backstreet Boys song “Everybody.” The tractor wasn’t on Broadway for long. The densest section of the thoroughfare was limited to pedestrians, sending the vehicle on a slow-moving obstacle course of narrow streets, jaywalkers, idling Ubers, lifted pickups and 90-degree turn after 90-degree turn. The driver, Cole Canada, seemed to take it in stride. “It hurts me to see Cole up there driving,” Heatherly said, “because my husband should be up there.” Her husband, Rickie, died in June; they had been married for 42 years. The business had been Rickie Heatherly’s creation, and he was an expert driver, she said, maneuvering the wagon into tight spaces others would not dare attempt. Cheree Jubin, whose wedding in the fall was the impetus for the trip, stood on the wagon’s wooden bench. “Everyone needs to raise their glass to Rickie!” she said as her friends cheered. “I’ve really loved it,” Jubin said of the evening. “I didn’t expect it to be as beautiful as it was.” The tractor had crossed the Cumberland River, stopping at a truck stop for a restroom break. Then, it wove around the stadium where the Tennessee Titans play, headed for the ideal spot for Heatherly to take the group’s photo. The women stood huddled together with the neon from Broadway and the lights from the skyline looming behind them and reflecting off the river. But the quiet was fleeting. A roofless school bus, with speakers thumping, was already waiting, its riders eager to get the same shot.

In the heart of US' Nashville, rolling parties rage at every stoplight

In the heart of Nashville, rolling parties rage at every stoplight

At least 16 people were killed and over a dozen injured on Wednesday when lightning struck a wedding party on a boat in northwestern Bangladesh, officials said.

The incident took place at Shibganj sub-district bordering India in Chapainawabganj district. The groom was among the 12 persons injured.

"Several lightning bolts within few seconds hit the boat carrying the wedding party revellers, killing 16 of them instantly," Chief Administrative Officer Sakib Al Rabby told reporters at Shibganj.

The bride was not with the wedding party, he said.

Rabby said the mishap took place as the revellers were disembarking from the boat one by one to take refuge at a shelter due to sudden monsoon rains that brought with it the unexpected thunderbolts.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-to-vaccinate-10-million-in-seven-days-402973">Also read |&nbsp;Bangladesh to vaccinate 10 million in seven days</a>

The bridegroom survived the disaster, but he was injured along with 11 others, the officer said, adding that the wounded are being treated at a government hospital with burn wounds.

Lightning strikes, especially in monsoon season, kill hundreds of people every year in Bangladesh. The country in 2016 declared lightning strikes a natural disaster, though many thunderstorm deaths are never officially recorded.

In 2016, over 200 people, including 82 on a single day, died in the month of May alone due to lightning strikes. Most of them were farmers and died while working in their fields.

Experts attribute the rise in fatal lightning strikes to deforestation. According to them tall trees would have drawn lightning strikes.

The monsoon rains in recent weeks have ravaged southeastern Cox's Bazar, leaving 20 people dead, including six Rohingya refugees.

At least 16 people were killed and over a dozen injured on Wednesday when lightning struck a wedding party on a boat in northwestern Bangladesh, officials said. The incident took place at Shibganj sub-district bordering India in Chapainawabganj district.

At least 16 people were killed and over a dozen injured on Wednesday when lightning struck a wedding party on a boat in northwestern Bangladesh, officials said. The incident took place at Shibganj sub-district bordering India in Chapainawabganj district. The groom was among the 12 persons injured. "Several lightning bolts within few seconds hit the boat carrying the wedding party revellers, killing 16 of them instantly," Chief Administrative Officer Sakib Al Rabby told reporters at Shibganj. The bride was not with the wedding party, he said. Rabby said the mishap took place as the revellers were disembarking from the boat one by one to take refuge at a shelter due to sudden monsoon rains that brought with it the unexpected thunderbolts. Also read | Bangladesh to vaccinate 10 million in seven days The bridegroom survived the disaster, but he was injured along with 11 others, the officer said, adding that the wounded are being treated at a government hospital with burn wounds. Lightning strikes, especially in monsoon season, kill hundreds of people every year in Bangladesh. The country in 2016 declared lightning strikes a natural disaster, though many thunderstorm deaths are never officially recorded. In 2016, over 200 people, including 82 on a single day, died in the month of May alone due to lightning strikes. Most of them were farmers and died while working in their fields. Experts attribute the rise in fatal lightning strikes to deforestation. According to them tall trees would have drawn lightning strikes. The monsoon rains in recent weeks have ravaged southeastern Cox's Bazar, leaving 20 people dead, including six Rohingya refugees.

16 killed as lightning strikes wedding party in Bangladesh

As China completes a century of its ruling Communist party, it has put a propaganda campaign into overdrive with movies, history tours and well-timed space missions.

As China completes a century of its ruling Communist party, it has put a propaganda campaign into overdrive with movies, history tours and well-timed space missions. The party was founded 100 years ago in Shanghai and under its leadership, China today is the world's second-largest economy. There were several key events that helped in shaping the country. From the Long March that gave motion to Mao Zedong’s rise to Deng Xiaoping’s economic reforms to Xi Jinping coming to power, the party has evolved in its own ways. "China has been developing for so long thanks to the efforts of our forefathers and that generation of Communist Party members," said 23-year-old student and party member Li Peng. He added, "The CCP isn't dying. It's a party that's full of life... now, young people are particularly patriotic and unafraid to speak out." It all began in 1921 with the first meeting in Shanghai. July 1 was chosen by Mao Zedong years later for commemoration. This was because he could not remember the exact date on which the dozen or so comrades had held their conclave. Also Read | One year into contentious security law, Hong Kong has made 117 arrests This was followed by the long march of 1934. As Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists were gaining upper hand in their struggle for power, the Communist armies embarked on a series of lengthy retreats. Mao took over as the leader in 1935. The year 1949 is deemed as the year of revolution as the Chinese defeated the Japanese and came to power again. By 1949 Beijing was captured by the communists as Mao’s portrait replaced that of Chiang above the Gate of Heavenly Peace at the entrance to the Forbidden City. In the process of revolutionizing the country, there were hindrances. The first was a man-made famine, which was triggered by Mao’s attempt to rapidly industrialise China. Under Mao's rule, farmers were forced to build backyard furnaces. As a result, grain output collapsed, and between 35 million and 40 million people starved to death. The Cultural Revolution stopped in 1965 when Mao turned young Red Guards on the political system as he urged the young radicals to “bombard the headquarters". Millions were killed, families were broken up and the economy stooped to a new low. The death of Mao in 1976 has been a turning point in the history of China. Mao’s death created a power vacuum between the Gang of Four, the ultra-leftists led by Jiang Qing, or Madame Mao; and reformers including Deng Xiaoping and Hua Guofeng, Mao’s designated successor. The reformers managed to win the loyalty of the Central Security Bureau. Just a month after Mao's death, the army unit arrested Jiang Qing and her comrades. The four were imprisoned and then tried in 1980-81. Another year that marked a turning point in Chinese history was 1978 when China approved its first special economic zones. China has been involved in a series of conflicts. In 1996, Beijing shelled the waters near Taiwan to portray its anger at the island’s first democratic presidential election. However, all it gained was humiliation by its powerlessness. In 2013, China built islands in disputed waters in the South China Sea, and soon turned them into military bases, trying to show its power. The current Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, will complete his second five-year term towards the end of next year. It is still unclear if he will step down or will start to groom a successor.

China's Communist Party: One century that impacted the entire world

Behind roadblocks and hundreds of police in the Chinese capital of Beijing on Friday, fireworks resembling the national flag bloomed over the city as part of secretive and tightly choreographed rehearsal for the 100th anniversary of China's Communist Party. 
 
Beijing has shut down traffic, decked streets in patriotic flower arrangements and national flags, and ramped up surveillance and security this week in preparation for the centenary event on July 1. 
 
The covert rehearsals represent the final stages of a year-long planning effort, designed to glorify Party history and cement domestic loyalty to China's socialist system. 
 
"Without the Communist Party, there is no new China," read new propaganda posters throughout the city. 
 
Plans for the event haven't been fully revealed, though state media and government agencies have hinted at a large-scale theatrical event in Tiananmen Square. A performance is scheduled for Monday at the Bird's Nest stadium, built for the 2008 Olympics. 
 
The anniversary has been preceded by a clampdown on potential dissident activity, including a spate of arrests this year under a law banning the defamation of national heroes, and an online venue for citizens to report 'historical nihilists'," a phrase referring to those sharing unsanctioned versions of Party history. 
 
Upgraded security and its attendant disruption isn't unusual ahead of major political events in the capital, but the fanfare has taken on added importance amid new political challenges to the Party at home and abroad.

(With inputs from agencies)

Behind roadblocks and hundreds of police in the Chinese capital of Beijing on Friday, fireworks resembling the national flag bloomed over the city as part of secretive and tightly choreographed rehearsal for the 100th anniversary of China's Communist Party.

Behind roadblocks and hundreds of police in the Chinese capital of Beijing on Friday, fireworks resembling the national flag bloomed over the city as part of secretive and tightly choreographed rehearsal for the 100th anniversary of China's Communist Party. Beijing has shut down traffic, decked streets in patriotic flower arrangements and national flags, and ramped up surveillance and security this week in preparation for the centenary event on July 1. The covert rehearsals represent the final stages of a year-long planning effort, designed to glorify Party history and cement domestic loyalty to China's socialist system. "Without the Communist Party, there is no new China," read new propaganda posters throughout the city. Plans for the event haven't been fully revealed, though state media and government agencies have hinted at a large-scale theatrical event in Tiananmen Square. A performance is scheduled for Monday at the Bird's Nest stadium, built for the 2008 Olympics. The anniversary has been preceded by a clampdown on potential dissident activity, including a spate of arrests this year under a law banning the defamation of national heroes, and an online venue for citizens to report 'historical nihilists'," a phrase referring to those sharing unsanctioned versions of Party history. Upgraded security and its attendant disruption isn't unusual ahead of major political events in the capital, but the fanfare has taken on added importance amid new political challenges to the Party at home and abroad. (With inputs from agencies)

China leaves nothing to chance ahead of Communist Party centenary

The first round results of France's regional elections marked a form of failure for President Emmanuel Macron's party, said Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin on Monday, although he added it was too soon to draw conclusions for the 2022 Presidential vote. 
 
France's far right performed worse than predicted in Sunday's regional elections, exit polls showed, and the centre-right made a comeback while the vote as a whole was impacted by a high abstention rate. 
 
Asked on France 2 television if Sunday's results were a failure for Macron's party, Darmanin replied: "Of course." 
 
"Democracy means sometimes losing elections. The Presidential majority faced an important hurdle...let us not draw quick conclusions regarding the Presidential elections," he added. 
 
Darmanin also said that Sunday's record low turnout was 'a defeat for all of us' as 'abstention is a message. The French people are telling politicians they do not trust them.' 
 
"No-one can be happy when there is a 70% abstention rate, rising to over 80% among young people," he added. 
 
An IPSOS exit poll showed the centre-right Les Republicains winning 27.2% of the national vote, ahead of the far right on 19.3%, followed by the Green party, the Socialist Party and Macron's La Republique en Marche on 11.2%. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The first round results of France's regional elections marked a form of failure for President Emmanuel Macron's party, said Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin on Monday, although he added it was too soon to draw conclusions for the 2022 Presidential vote.

The first round results of France's regional elections marked a form of failure for President Emmanuel Macron's party, said Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin on Monday, although he added it was too soon to draw conclusions for the 2022 Presidential vote. France's far right performed worse than predicted in Sunday's regional elections, exit polls showed, and the centre-right made a comeback while the vote as a whole was impacted by a high abstention rate. Asked on France 2 television if Sunday's results were a failure for Macron's party, Darmanin replied: "Of course." "Democracy means sometimes losing elections. The Presidential majority faced an important hurdle...let us not draw quick conclusions regarding the Presidential elections," he added. Darmanin also said that Sunday's record low turnout was 'a defeat for all of us' as 'abstention is a message. The French people are telling politicians they do not trust them.' "No-one can be happy when there is a 70% abstention rate, rising to over 80% among young people," he added. An IPSOS exit poll showed the centre-right Les Republicains winning 27.2% of the national vote, ahead of the far right on 19.3%, followed by the Green party, the Socialist Party and Macron's La Republique en Marche on 11.2%. (With inputs from agencies)

French regional vote marks failure for Macron's party: Interior minister

Friends will hug, pints will be pulled and swathes of the British economy will reopen on Monday, giving 65 million people a measure of freedom after the gloom of a four-month COVID-19 lockdown.&nbsp;

Most of the British will be free once again to hug, albeit cautiously, drink a pint in their pub, sit down to an indoor meal or visit the cinema after a series of lockdowns that imposed the strictest restrictions in peacetime history.&nbsp;

The biggest public health crisis in a century was accompanied by a drastic extension of state power; during England's lockdowns police broke up parties and protests alike, shut down religious services and handed out fines of up to 10,000 pounds ($14,000) to youngsters for partying.&nbsp;

As freedom beckons once more, there is excitement. &nbsp;

"I shall be hugging literally everyone I can get my hands on," British actress Joanna Lumley told The Telegraph newspaper. "I shall snatch babies from their mothers, and lean over zimmer frames." &nbsp;

"I shall hug girls at the till, the picture framer, and lads playing footie in the park. Much later obviously I shall be hugging police personnel as I am charged at the station. Hugger-mugger, that’s me."&nbsp;

Beside the euphoria, though, there is also anxiety.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who before he imposed three national lockdowns had railed against the 'nanny' tendencies of the British state, advised people to cuddle cautiously and served notice that the spread of the coronavirus variant first identified in India meant that the final UK reopening in June could be delayed.&nbsp;

"Together, we have reached another milestone in our roadmap out of lockdown, but we must take this next step with a heavy dose of caution," Johnson said in a statement.&nbsp;

There is growing concern about variant B.1.617.2 which British scientific advisers say will become the dominant variant in the United Kingdom and which is more transmissible than B.1.1.7 (the variant first identified in Kent, England).&nbsp;

Broadly, from Monday, in England gatherings of up to 30 people will be allowed outdoors, two families will be allowed to meet indoors; cafes, bars and restaurants will reopen for indoor service; care home residents will be allowed to have five visitors; and face coverings will no longer be compulsory in schools. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Friends will hug, pints will be pulled and swathes of the British economy will reopen on Monday, giving 65 million people a measure of freedom after the gloom of a four-month COVID-19 lockdown.

Friends will hug, pints will be pulled and swathes of the British economy will reopen on Monday, giving 65 million people a measure of freedom after the gloom of a four-month COVID-19 lockdown. Most of the British will be free once again to hug, albeit cautiously, drink a pint in their pub, sit down to an indoor meal or visit the cinema after a series of lockdowns that imposed the strictest restrictions in peacetime history. The biggest public health crisis in a century was accompanied by a drastic extension of state power; during England's lockdowns police broke up parties and protests alike, shut down religious services and handed out fines of up to 10,000 pounds ($14,000) to youngsters for partying. As freedom beckons once more, there is excitement. "I shall be hugging literally everyone I can get my hands on," British actress Joanna Lumley told The Telegraph newspaper. "I shall snatch babies from their mothers, and lean over zimmer frames." "I shall hug girls at the till, the picture framer, and lads playing footie in the park. Much later obviously I shall be hugging police personnel as I am charged at the station. Hugger-mugger, that’s me." Beside the euphoria, though, there is also anxiety. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who before he imposed three national lockdowns had railed against the 'nanny' tendencies of the British state, advised people to cuddle cautiously and served notice that the spread of the coronavirus variant first identified in India meant that the final UK reopening in June could be delayed. "Together, we have reached another milestone in our roadmap out of lockdown, but we must take this next step with a heavy dose of caution," Johnson said in a statement. There is growing concern about variant B.1.617.2 which British scientific advisers say will become the dominant variant in the United Kingdom and which is more transmissible than B.1.1.7 (the variant first identified in Kent, England). Broadly, from Monday, in England gatherings of up to 30 people will be allowed outdoors, two families will be allowed to meet indoors; cafes, bars and restaurants will reopen for indoor service; care home residents will be allowed to have five visitors; and face coverings will no longer be compulsory in schools. (With inputs from agencies)

Free at last to hug and party: UK reopens for business 

A key expert has warned that the coronavirus pandemic is far from over after Spaniards celebrated the end of a six-month lockdown with abandon and paid little heed to precautions like masks and social distancing. 
 
In remarks to the national daily El Pais, the president of Spain's Epidemiological Society, Elena Vanessa Martinez, warned there are still many infected people who could pass the virus on, DPA news agency reported.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="COVID 19 : Spain ends Covid state of emergency">COVID 19 : Spain ends Covid state of emergency</a> 
 
She noted that people having more contact could lead to more infections. 
 
"In this situation, I am concerned about the false security signal sent with the end of the emergency and the end of the night curfew," Martinez said.

Watch |&nbsp;

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Most of restrictions expired at Sunday midnight, including the nationwide night curfew, which was lifted in most places but remains in force in a several others. 
 
Travel within Spain is also allowed again, as are in-person family visits. 
 
"I can finally visit my son, my daughter-in-law and my grandchildren in Cadiz," said Asuncion, an 82-year-old widow. 
 
Spain's left-wing government has also urged caution. "The pandemic is not over yet," Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo on Saturday. 
 
Officials are concerned that the past year could repeat itself: in June the government declared a 'new normal' with many restrictions easing. 
 
By November, coronavirus numbers spiked again and the government had to pull the emergency brake and declare the state of emergency, which formed the legal basis for nationwide restrictions.

A key expert has warned that the coronavirus pandemic is far from over after Spaniards celebrated the end of a six-month lockdown with abandon and paid little heed to precautions like masks and social distancing.

A key expert has warned that the coronavirus pandemic is far from over after Spaniards celebrated the end of a six-month lockdown with abandon and paid little heed to precautions like masks and social distancing. In remarks to the national daily El Pais, the president of Spain's Epidemiological Society, Elena Vanessa Martinez, warned there are still many infected people who could pass the virus on, DPA news agency reported. Also read | COVID 19 : Spain ends Covid state of emergency She noted that people having more contact could lead to more infections. "In this situation, I am concerned about the false security signal sent with the end of the emergency and the end of the night curfew," Martinez said. Watch | Most of restrictions expired at Sunday midnight, including the nationwide night curfew, which was lifted in most places but remains in force in a several others. Travel within Spain is also allowed again, as are in-person family visits. "I can finally visit my son, my daughter-in-law and my grandchildren in Cadiz," said Asuncion, an 82-year-old widow. Spain's left-wing government has also urged caution. "The pandemic is not over yet," Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo on Saturday. Officials are concerned that the past year could repeat itself: in June the government declared a 'new normal' with many restrictions easing. By November, coronavirus numbers spiked again and the government had to pull the emergency brake and declare the state of emergency, which formed the legal basis for nationwide restrictions.

Spain celebrates end of lockdown, expert warns pandemic isn't over

You could hear the music from the sidewalk, high-spirited renditions of “Ice Ice Baby” and “MMMBop.”

It was ’90s night at Rumi, a ballroom and event space in the Chelsea section of Manhattan in New York City, and millennials and Gen Zers lined up to get inside. They dressed the part in tracksuits, neon crop tops, denim overalls and scrunchies.

To enter, they had to pass two checkpoints. First, a bouncer verified IDs and took temperatures. Then, Joseph Ko, one of the ballroom’s owners, confirmed that each person had been fully vaccinated for COVID-19. The process took about five minutes.

The crowd seemed happy, eager even, to comply. Some flashed their paper vaccination cards, protected in a plastic case or folded into their wallets. “I carry it around with me everywhere,” said Tom Allen, 25, a lawyer in Chelsea, pulling the card out from his passport. He was with eight friends who had been texting days earlier to make sure everyone had the proper documentation.

Catherine Fiorentino, 35, a lawyer who lives in downtown Brooklyn, used an Excelsior Pass, a digital “vaccine passport” created by New York state. “This is the first time I’m going to an Excelsior Pass event. It’s so cool,” she said. “I’m not just excited to get to my first party post-COVID, but I’m excited to spend it with other people who are also vaccinated.”

Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now advises that fully vaccinated people can gather indoors without masks (and stand closer than 6 feet apart), the ballroom took extra precaution, per state guidelines: Each group was assigned to a designated area marked off by white tape. But within each group, it felt like old times: Patrons were dancing, singing at the top of their lungs and smooching on the dance floor.

“I feel like I can drink without a mask on, dance without a mask on and be a little less cautious,” Fiorentino said.

Vaccinated-only parties have started to pop up across the country, especially in and around New York City, where anyone over 16 has been eligible for vaccination since April 6.

Bar and club owners in New York are not required to check for vaccine cards, but there are benefits to doing so. On May 3, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that places where proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test is required can operate at a greater capacity.

Some partygoers say they feel safer knowing that others are vaccinated. That was the case at the Bear Party, a sex-positive gathering for men held in a midtown Manhattan loft. To its long list of house rules (no shirts, no pants, no alcohol) comes a new one: Patrons must be fully vaccinated.

In addition to a CDC card or an Excelsior Pass, patrons can also show documentation proving they “were part of a vaccine trial, were unblinded and did indeed receive real vaccine,” according to the Bear Party website. “Foreign vaccine card equivalents, Green Passes, etc. will be accepted too.”

At 6 p.m. on a recent Friday, about a dozen guests in gym clothes and jeans arrived at a nondescript door at a building in the West 30s between a construction site and a South American restaurant. Like well-behaved schoolchildren, they had their vaccine cards out and ready to show before entering the building.

“I will have more fun knowing everybody inside is vaccinated,” said a 35-year-old man who declined to give his name. He kept his vaccine card in a Ziploc bag. “Especially with sex, it’s important that people feel as safe as possible.”

Some patrons likened the process at some venues to showing off their IDs on their 21st birthday. Time will tell whether vaccine cards become the new velvet rope, or whether the novelty will last.

While New York state is encouraging bars and clubs to ask for proof of vaccination, other states are handling the situation differently. California does not have its own vaccine passport, but it does allow indoor events that check for vaccinations (or negative COVID tests) to operate at greater capacity. In Florida, however, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation this week making it illegal for businesses, schools and government offices to require proof of vaccination, with fines of up to $5,000.

Legal experts say that absent such a law, public establishments are allowed to require proof of vaccination for entry. “If you are a bar or club you can legally discriminate on the basis of someone’s vaccination status, but the law requires you to give reasonable accommodation to those persons who have a medical disability or sincerely held religious beliefs,” said Lee Jacobs, a partner at Helbraun Levey, a law firm that represents restaurants, bars and hotels.

Private parties are different. “If you are a private citizen, you can mandate everyone is vaccinated,” Jacobs added.

John Seitz, 45, an anesthesiologist in Manhattan, was invited to such a party last month. A friend was moving out of his apartment and invited 70 people for a last hurrah. “He sent out a thing on Facebook that said you have to have a vaccine or a negative COVID test,” Seitz said.

At the party, he was greeted by a bouncer who asked for a vaccine card. He showed him a photo on his phone in lieu of the real thing. (“If you lose it you are screwed,” he said.) Guests gathered around a bar stocked with beer, wine and liquor. A DJ played house music until 3 a.m.

Some hosts have resorted to more elaborate procedures, and have hired medical professionals to verify the vaccination status of guests.

“These are elite parties thrown by companies or people with a lot of money,” said Dr. Asma Rashid, who runs a medical concierge service in the Hamptons that was hired to vet guests for 10 events last month. “They are birthday parties, weddings, conferences. They send out invitations and have people send a proof of vaccination to us.”

“If you want to be in the social circle and you want to party it up,” she added, “you need to be vaccinated.”

You could hear the music from the sidewalk, high-spirited renditions of “Ice Ice Baby” and “MMMBop.” It was ’90s night at Rumi, a ballroom and event space in the Chelsea section of Manhattan in New York City, and millennials and Gen Zers lined up to get inside.

You could hear the music from the sidewalk, high-spirited renditions of “Ice Ice Baby” and “MMMBop.” It was ’90s night at Rumi, a ballroom and event space in the Chelsea section of Manhattan in New York City, and millennials and Gen Zers lined up to get inside. They dressed the part in tracksuits, neon crop tops, denim overalls and scrunchies. To enter, they had to pass two checkpoints. First, a bouncer verified IDs and took temperatures. Then, Joseph Ko, one of the ballroom’s owners, confirmed that each person had been fully vaccinated for COVID-19. The process took about five minutes. The crowd seemed happy, eager even, to comply. Some flashed their paper vaccination cards, protected in a plastic case or folded into their wallets. “I carry it around with me everywhere,” said Tom Allen, 25, a lawyer in Chelsea, pulling the card out from his passport. He was with eight friends who had been texting days earlier to make sure everyone had the proper documentation. Catherine Fiorentino, 35, a lawyer who lives in downtown Brooklyn, used an Excelsior Pass, a digital “vaccine passport” created by New York state. “This is the first time I’m going to an Excelsior Pass event. It’s so cool,” she said. “I’m not just excited to get to my first party post-COVID, but I’m excited to spend it with other people who are also vaccinated.” Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now advises that fully vaccinated people can gather indoors without masks (and stand closer than 6 feet apart), the ballroom took extra precaution, per state guidelines: Each group was assigned to a designated area marked off by white tape. But within each group, it felt like old times: Patrons were dancing, singing at the top of their lungs and smooching on the dance floor. “I feel like I can drink without a mask on, dance without a mask on and be a little less cautious,” Fiorentino said. Vaccinated-only parties have started to pop up across the country, especially in and around New York City, where anyone over 16 has been eligible for vaccination since April 6. Bar and club owners in New York are not required to check for vaccine cards, but there are benefits to doing so. On May 3, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that places where proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test is required can operate at a greater capacity. Some partygoers say they feel safer knowing that others are vaccinated. That was the case at the Bear Party, a sex-positive gathering for men held in a midtown Manhattan loft. To its long list of house rules (no shirts, no pants, no alcohol) comes a new one: Patrons must be fully vaccinated. In addition to a CDC card or an Excelsior Pass, patrons can also show documentation proving they “were part of a vaccine trial, were unblinded and did indeed receive real vaccine,” according to the Bear Party website. “Foreign vaccine card equivalents, Green Passes, etc. will be accepted too.” At 6 p.m. on a recent Friday, about a dozen guests in gym clothes and jeans arrived at a nondescript door at a building in the West 30s between a construction site and a South American restaurant. Like well-behaved schoolchildren, they had their vaccine cards out and ready to show before entering the building. “I will have more fun knowing everybody inside is vaccinated,” said a 35-year-old man who declined to give his name. He kept his vaccine card in a Ziploc bag. “Especially with sex, it’s important that people feel as safe as possible.” Some patrons likened the process at some venues to showing off their IDs on their 21st birthday. Time will tell whether vaccine cards become the new velvet rope, or whether the novelty will last. While New York state is encouraging bars and clubs to ask for proof of vaccination, other states are handling the situation differently. California does not have its own vaccine passport, but it does allow indoor events that check for vaccinations (or negative COVID tests) to operate at greater capacity. In Florida, however, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation this week making it illegal for businesses, schools and government offices to require proof of vaccination, with fines of up to $5,000. Legal experts say that absent such a law, public establishments are allowed to require proof of vaccination for entry. “If you are a bar or club you can legally discriminate on the basis of someone’s vaccination status, but the law requires you to give reasonable accommodation to those persons who have a medical disability or sincerely held religious beliefs,” said Lee Jacobs, a partner at Helbraun Levey, a law firm that represents restaurants, bars and hotels. Private parties are different. “If you are a private citizen, you can mandate everyone is vaccinated,” Jacobs added. John Seitz, 45, an anesthesiologist in Manhattan, was invited to such a party last month. A friend was moving out of his apartment and invited 70 people for a last hurrah. “He sent out a thing on Facebook that said you have to have a vaccine or a negative COVID test,” Seitz said. At the party, he was greeted by a bouncer who asked for a vaccine card. He showed him a photo on his phone in lieu of the real thing. (“If you lose it you are screwed,” he said.) Guests gathered around a bar stocked with beer, wine and liquor. A DJ played house music until 3 a.m. Some hosts have resorted to more elaborate procedures, and have hired medical professionals to verify the vaccination status of guests. “These are elite parties thrown by companies or people with a lot of money,” said Dr. Asma Rashid, who runs a medical concierge service in the Hamptons that was hired to vet guests for 10 events last month. “They are birthday parties, weddings, conferences. They send out invitations and have people send a proof of vaccination to us.” “If you want to be in the social circle and you want to party it up,” she added, “you need to be vaccinated.”

Want to party? You might need a ‘vaccine passport.’

Czech Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek will be dismissed from his position after he lost a bid to lead his centre-left Social Democratic party (CSSD) party last week.&nbsp;

Party chief Jan Hamacek will submit a proposal to the prime minister later on Monday to dismiss Petricek, Hamacek said.&nbsp;

Petricek, the cabinet member, who most frequently warns against closer ties with Russia and China, has often clashed with pro-Russian and pro-Chinese President Milos Zeman, who had called for his dismissal.&nbsp;

He has questioned a plan to let Russian bidder participate in a tender to build a new nuclear power plant, a view shared with the country's intelligence community and parliamentary opposition. The 6 billion-euro project is the Czech Republic's biggest single public investment.&nbsp;

That opposition and his losing the challenge to Hamacek were among the reasons for his dismissal, Petricek suggested at a televised news conference.&nbsp;

The CSSD is the junior coalition party in the minority government of Prime Minister Andrej Babis. A general election is due in October in the Czech Republic, a NATO and European Union member country.&nbsp;

The current Minister of Culture, Lubomir Zaoralek, will be nominated to replace Petricek, Hamacek said. Zaoralek had held the job in the previous government.&nbsp;

During his tenure, Zaoralek took part in initiatives seen as too open towards China. In 2016, he prepared a declaration of top Czech officials assuring Beijing of good relations after a minister met in Prague with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, to China's disapproval.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Czech Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek will be dismissed from his position after he lost a bid to lead his centre-left Social Democratic party (CSSD) party last week.

Czech Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek will be dismissed from his position after he lost a bid to lead his centre-left Social Democratic party (CSSD) party last week. Party chief Jan Hamacek will submit a proposal to the prime minister later on Monday to dismiss Petricek, Hamacek said. Petricek, the cabinet member, who most frequently warns against closer ties with Russia and China, has often clashed with pro-Russian and pro-Chinese President Milos Zeman, who had called for his dismissal. He has questioned a plan to let Russian bidder participate in a tender to build a new nuclear power plant, a view shared with the country's intelligence community and parliamentary opposition. The 6 billion-euro project is the Czech Republic's biggest single public investment. That opposition and his losing the challenge to Hamacek were among the reasons for his dismissal, Petricek suggested at a televised news conference. The CSSD is the junior coalition party in the minority government of Prime Minister Andrej Babis. A general election is due in October in the Czech Republic, a NATO and European Union member country. The current Minister of Culture, Lubomir Zaoralek, will be nominated to replace Petricek, Hamacek said. Zaoralek had held the job in the previous government. During his tenure, Zaoralek took part in initiatives seen as too open towards China. In 2016, he prepared a declaration of top Czech officials assuring Beijing of good relations after a minister met in Prague with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, to China's disapproval. (With inputs from agencies)

Czech foreign minister to lose job after challenging party leader 

Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday said that members of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were as angry with the government as the public.&nbsp;

"The puppet government has been exposed across the country. We have shown that their own members are afraid of the government," Bilawal was quoted as saying by Geo News.&nbsp;

As the polling for 37 seats of Pakistan's Senate is underway, the PPP chairman stated that even a single vote more would be a bonus for the party to lead in the elections for the Upper House of the Parliament.&nbsp;

Bilawal further remarked that Prime Minister Imran Khan will be 'ousted' with the collective effort of the people and the Opposition. "We will get him [Imran Khan] out of here together. PDM is with the people," he said. &nbsp;

Taking a jibe at the incumbent government, Bilawal said those, who should be winning the elections easily, are seen worried about the results. "They are losing, their government is leaving," he said.&nbsp;

Polling for the 37 seats of Pakistan's Senate is underway via secret ballot as a total of 78 candidates are contesting from the federal capital and three provinces - Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.&nbsp;

The polls are being held after a long-drawn open ballot controversy that kept the ruling party and opposition in a war of words and a legal battle before the Supreme Court on Monday announced that the polls for the Upper House of the Parliament will be held through secret ballot, according to Article 226 of the Pakistan Constitution. The ruling PTI's numerical strength in the Senate is expected to almost double from the existing 14 seats. &nbsp;

Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday said that members of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were as angry with the government as the public.

Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday said that members of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were as angry with the government as the public. "The puppet government has been exposed across the country. We have shown that their own members are afraid of the government," Bilawal was quoted as saying by Geo News. As the polling for 37 seats of Pakistan's Senate is underway, the PPP chairman stated that even a single vote more would be a bonus for the party to lead in the elections for the Upper House of the Parliament. Bilawal further remarked that Prime Minister Imran Khan will be 'ousted' with the collective effort of the people and the Opposition. "We will get him [Imran Khan] out of here together. PDM is with the people," he said. Taking a jibe at the incumbent government, Bilawal said those, who should be winning the elections easily, are seen worried about the results. "They are losing, their government is leaving," he said. Polling for the 37 seats of Pakistan's Senate is underway via secret ballot as a total of 78 candidates are contesting from the federal capital and three provinces - Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. The polls are being held after a long-drawn open ballot controversy that kept the ruling party and opposition in a war of words and a legal battle before the Supreme Court on Monday announced that the polls for the Upper House of the Parliament will be held through secret ballot, according to Article 226 of the Pakistan Constitution. The ruling PTI's numerical strength in the Senate is expected to almost double from the existing 14 seats.

Bilawal: Imran Khan's party members are as angry with 'puppet' govt as public  

2020 has perhaps been one of Neymar best years, which is why he is throwing a grand party as it comes to an end. A-list models and celebrities are flying to Rio. But Brazilians are furious. Palki Sharma tells you why.

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Across The World, There Are Plenty Of Ways In Which Different Cultures Remember The Dead.

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-shops-shutter-as-months-of-protest-darken-economic-gloom-258593">Hong Kong</a> is bracing for a rowdy and possibly hugely dangerous Halloween on Thursday, when thousands of pro-democracy protesters, many wearing banned face masks, plan to combine with fancy-dress clubbers in the party district of Lan Kwai Fong.

The protesters say they will march, without police permission, from a park in the Causeway Bay shopping district through the heaving bar streets of Wan Chai to the steep, narrow foothills of the Peak above Central.

Every weekend, the bars in Lan Kwai Fong spill on to the streets office goers, clubbers and expatriate families, even without the activists who have thrown petrol bombs at police, set fires and trashed buildings during five months of unrest.

A stampede at midnight on New Year's Eve in 1992, when thousands had gathered, killed at least 20 and wounded scores.

This month Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam banned protesters from wearing face masks under a resuscitated British colonial-era emergency law, but few have taken any notice.

And Halloween masks have not been banned, which will make it difficult for police to identify protesters.

"Based on past experience, such unauthorised assembly will impose a serious threat to public order and public safety," police said in a statement.

"Members of the public should avoid travelling to the concerned area when public disorder occurs."

Protesters are angry at what they see as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/hong-kong-enters-recession-as-protests-show-no-sign-of-relenting-258425">Beijing's increasing interference in Hong Kong</a>, which returned from British to Chinese rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula intended to guarantee freedoms not seen on the mainland. Some are increasingly focusing their fury on mainland Chinese in the city.

China denies meddling and has accused foreign governments, including the United States and Britain, of stirring up trouble.

Lam said she expected negative economic growth in the Asian financial hub this year, in part as a result of the unrest.

"The increasingly violent reality since June is hurting Hong Kong's economy," Lam said in a speech on Wednesday. "...what started off as peaceful protests, a hallmark of Hong Kong's rights and freedoms, have turned into violent acts by rioters."

With visitors deterred by months of violence, many small firms across the city have already closed or are struggling to turn a profit.

Lam's gloomy forecast came two days after Financial Secretary Paul Chan said Hong Kong had slipped into a technical recession, meaning two successive quarters of contraction. That is expected to be confirmed by Thursday's third-quarter GDP data.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/protests-erupt-in-hong-kong-police-fire-tear-gas-to-clear-rally-258401">The protests, which started over a now-withdrawn extradition bill</a>, have plunged the city into its biggest crisis in decades and also pose the biggest populist challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012.

Hong Kong is bracing for a rowdy and possibly hugely dangerous Halloween on Thursday, when thousands of pro-democracy protesters, many wearing banned face masks, plan to combine with fancy-dress clubbers in the party district of Lan Kwai Fong.

Hong Kong is bracing for a rowdy and possibly hugely dangerous Halloween on Thursday, when thousands of pro-democracy protesters, many wearing banned face masks, plan to combine with fancy-dress clubbers in the party district of Lan Kwai Fong. The protesters say they will march, without police permission, from a park in the Causeway Bay shopping district through the heaving bar streets of Wan Chai to the steep, narrow foothills of the Peak above Central. Every weekend, the bars in Lan Kwai Fong spill on to the streets office goers, clubbers and expatriate families, even without the activists who have thrown petrol bombs at police, set fires and trashed buildings during five months of unrest. A stampede at midnight on New Year's Eve in 1992, when thousands had gathered, killed at least 20 and wounded scores. This month Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam banned protesters from wearing face masks under a resuscitated British colonial-era emergency law, but few have taken any notice. And Halloween masks have not been banned, which will make it difficult for police to identify protesters. "Based on past experience, such unauthorised assembly will impose a serious threat to public order and public safety," police said in a statement. "Members of the public should avoid travelling to the concerned area when public disorder occurs." Protesters are angry at what they see as Beijing's increasing interference in Hong Kong, which returned from British to Chinese rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula intended to guarantee freedoms not seen on the mainland. Some are increasingly focusing their fury on mainland Chinese in the city. China denies meddling and has accused foreign governments, including the United States and Britain, of stirring up trouble. Lam said she expected negative economic growth in the Asian financial hub this year, in part as a result of the unrest. "The increasingly violent reality since June is hurting Hong Kong's economy," Lam said in a speech on Wednesday. "...what started off as peaceful protests, a hallmark of Hong Kong's rights and freedoms, have turned into violent acts by rioters." With visitors deterred by months of violence, many small firms across the city have already closed or are struggling to turn a profit. Lam's gloomy forecast came two days after Financial Secretary Paul Chan said Hong Kong had slipped into a technical recession, meaning two successive quarters of contraction. That is expected to be confirmed by Thursday's third-quarter GDP data. The protests, which started over a now-withdrawn extradition bill, have plunged the city into its biggest crisis in decades and also pose the biggest populist challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012.

Hong Kong protesters to target party district during Halloween

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-opposition-alliance-demands-action-over-election-attacks-185453">Bangladesh</a>'s main opposition website has been shut down, the party said Saturday, amid accusation the government is muzzling dissent ahead of next week's <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/facebook-and-twitter-remove-pages-and-accounts-in-bangladesh-ahead-of-election-185612">general election.</a>

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) said authorities had closed the site since last week when they shut 54 news portals and websites for what they claimed were security reasons.

"We've written to the Election Commission to open the website. But it has not been opened yet," BNP spokesman Nazrul Islam Khan told AFP.

The shutdown has hit the party's election campaign just days before the December 30 polls.

"We cannot communicate with our supporters," he said.

The BNP is part of the opposition National Unity Front alliance, which is contesting the polls after boycotting the 2014 election. It has emerged as the main challenger to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's bid for record fourth term in office.

Hasina's government has been accused by civil society and rights groups of drifting towards authoritarianism, silencing dissent and the press by using an onerous digital-security law.

At least six people have been killed in election campaign clashes between supporters of Hasina's ruling Awami League and the BNP, whose incarcerated veteran leader Khaleda Zia was last month handed another stiff jail term.

The Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission could not confirm whether the BNP website was among the 54 sites it blocked last week.

But commission chairman Jahurul Haque accused the website of bad taste. "It is obscene and indecent," he said.

In an email to the Election Commission, the BTRC, however, said the website was closed following orders from two intelligence agencies for containing "outlawed" materials, according to a report by the online edition of the mass-circulation Bengali daily Jugantor.

BNP spokesman Khan rejected allegations that the website contained obscene materials.

Last week the government blocked more than 50 websites and news portals for what it said were security reasons, prompting an outcry from rights advocates.

BTRC spokesman Zakir Khan said the websites were "spreading propaganda" and "destabilising the state".&nbsp;

A BNP spokesman has said 18 of its online activists have been detained in recent months, including a former air force officer who was arrested on Thursday.

Human Rights Watch said the arrests and the crackdown on free speech including widespread surveillance contributed to "a widely described climate of fear" ahead of the election.

"The authorities have used a number of broadly worded laws arbitrarily to constrain journalists, restrict the free speech of ordinary citizens, and target the government's opponents and critics," the New York-based group said.

"The government has ordered several units and agencies to censor the internet, monitor online communications, and detain users accused of 'spreading rumours' or 'anti-state activity'," it said.

This week Facebook said it had suspended nine pages and six accounts it had linked to "individuals associated with the Bangladesh government" and which posted anti-opposition content while masquerading as independent news sources.

Bangladesh's main opposition website has been shut down, the party said Saturday, amid accusation the government is muzzling dissent ahead of next week's general election.

Bangladesh's main opposition website has been shut down, the party said Saturday, amid accusation the government is muzzling dissent ahead of next week's general election. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) said authorities had closed the site since last week when they shut 54 news portals and websites for what they claimed were security reasons. "We've written to the Election Commission to open the website. But it has not been opened yet," BNP spokesman Nazrul Islam Khan told AFP. The shutdown has hit the party's election campaign just days before the December 30 polls. "We cannot communicate with our supporters," he said. The BNP is part of the opposition National Unity Front alliance, which is contesting the polls after boycotting the 2014 election. It has emerged as the main challenger to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's bid for record fourth term in office. Hasina's government has been accused by civil society and rights groups of drifting towards authoritarianism, silencing dissent and the press by using an onerous digital-security law. At least six people have been killed in election campaign clashes between supporters of Hasina's ruling Awami League and the BNP, whose incarcerated veteran leader Khaleda Zia was last month handed another stiff jail term. The Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission could not confirm whether the BNP website was among the 54 sites it blocked last week. But commission chairman Jahurul Haque accused the website of bad taste. "It is obscene and indecent," he said. In an email to the Election Commission, the BTRC, however, said the website was closed following orders from two intelligence agencies for containing "outlawed" materials, according to a report by the online edition of the mass-circulation Bengali daily Jugantor. BNP spokesman Khan rejected allegations that the website contained obscene materials. Last week the government blocked more than 50 websites and news portals for what it said were security reasons, prompting an outcry from rights advocates. BTRC spokesman Zakir Khan said the websites were "spreading propaganda" and "destabilising the state". A BNP spokesman has said 18 of its online activists have been detained in recent months, including a former air force officer who was arrested on Thursday. Human Rights Watch said the arrests and the crackdown on free speech including widespread surveillance contributed to "a widely described climate of fear" ahead of the election. "The authorities have used a number of broadly worded laws arbitrarily to constrain journalists, restrict the free speech of ordinary citizens, and target the government's opponents and critics," the New York-based group said. "The government has ordered several units and agencies to censor the internet, monitor online communications, and detain users accused of 'spreading rumours' or 'anti-state activity'," it said. This week Facebook said it had suspended nine pages and six accounts it had linked to "individuals associated with the Bangladesh government" and which posted anti-opposition content while masquerading as independent news sources.

Bangladesh opposition website shut down ahead of polls: Report

Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal’s arrest in a money laundering case and subsequent incarceration was “fate’s revenge” against him for his bid, when he was minister, to put Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray behind bars, the Sena said on May 8. Law and power are used many a times to settle political scores, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party added.

Bhujbal, 70, in jail since March 2016, was granted bail on May 4 by the Bombay High Court after it took into consideration his old age and deteriorating health. Mocking him, the Sena claimed that he desperately wanted to arrest Bal Thackeray around two decades ago when he was Maharashtra’s home minister.

Cases were filed against the late Sena supremo for giving speeches and writing editorials in the name of Hindutva, it said in an editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamana.

“Bhujbal’s imprisonment was the revenge taken against him by fate. He wanted to arrest Balasaheb by any means. Our ally (BJP) was in power at the Centre then and it had sent additional police forces from other states to prevent any law and order problem,” the BJP’s bickering ally said. This proved that there has been a hidden alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) since then, claimed the Sena.

It said Bhujbal was in jail for two years on money laundering charges, while former Union finance minister P Chidambaram’s son Karti Chidambaram, facing similar charges, came out on bail within eight days of his arrest (in March this year). “Laws and power are often used to take political revenge,” the Marathi daily said.

Bhujbal, who handled the Public Works Department in the Congress-NCP government, was arrested in March 2016 after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) found in an inquiry that he allegedly misused his office in awarding contracts for PWD projects, causing a loss to the exchequer.

According to the ED, Bhujbal awarded contracts, including the one for the construction of a new Maharashtra Sadan — the state guest house — in Delhi to a private firm, allegedly in return for kickbacks for himself and his family. The former state deputy chief minister and his nephew Sameer Bhujbal channelled the ill-gotten money into shell companies, the agency alleged.

Bhujbal started his political career with the Shiv Sena and was in the party for over two decades. He left the Sena in 1991 and joined the Congress. Later, after Sharad Pawar decided to split from the Congress and form the NCP, the former PWD minister went along with him.

Bhujbal started his political career with the Shiv Sena and was in the party for over two decades. He left the Sena in 1991 and joined the Congress.

Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal’s arrest in a money laundering case and subsequent incarceration was “fate’s revenge” against him for his bid, when he was minister, to put Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray behind bars, the Sena said on May 8. Law and power are used many a times to settle political scores, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party added. Bhujbal, 70, in jail since March 2016, was granted bail on May 4 by the Bombay High Court after it took into consideration his old age and deteriorating health. Mocking him, the Sena claimed that he desperately wanted to arrest Bal Thackeray around two decades ago when he was Maharashtra’s home minister. Cases were filed against the late Sena supremo for giving speeches and writing editorials in the name of Hindutva, it said in an editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamana. “Bhujbal’s imprisonment was the revenge taken against him by fate. He wanted to arrest Balasaheb by any means. Our ally (BJP) was in power at the Centre then and it had sent additional police forces from other states to prevent any law and order problem,” the BJP’s bickering ally said. This proved that there has been a hidden alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) since then, claimed the Sena. It said Bhujbal was in jail for two years on money laundering charges, while former Union finance minister P Chidambaram’s son Karti Chidambaram, facing similar charges, came out on bail within eight days of his arrest (in March this year). “Laws and power are often used to take political revenge,” the Marathi daily said. Bhujbal, who handled the Public Works Department in the Congress-NCP government, was arrested in March 2016 after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) found in an inquiry that he allegedly misused his office in awarding contracts for PWD projects, causing a loss to the exchequer. According to the ED, Bhujbal awarded contracts, including the one for the construction of a new Maharashtra Sadan — the state guest house — in Delhi to a private firm, allegedly in return for kickbacks for himself and his family. The former state deputy chief minister and his nephew Sameer Bhujbal channelled the ill-gotten money into shell companies, the agency alleged. Bhujbal started his political career with the Shiv Sena and was in the party for over two decades. He left the Sena in 1991 and joined the Congress. Later, after Sharad Pawar decided to split from the Congress and form the NCP, the former PWD minister went along with him.

Fate avenged Chhagan Bhujbal’s attempt to jail Bal Thackeray: Shiv Sena

Sri Lanka's main party in the ruling unity government United National Party today unanimously decided to back its leader and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in the no-confidence motion submitted against him by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa-backed Joint Opposition.

The motion scheduled for April 4 was handed over to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya by the Joint Opposition (JO) last week against Wickremesinghe, accusing him of financial mismanagement and failing to tackle anti-Muslim riots early this month in the central Kandy district.

"At the policy-making working committee meeting this morning, it was unanimously decided to back the Prime Minister in the no-confidence motion," Education Minister Akila Viraj said.

He said the party will meet for three days to deliberate on the reforms needed to implement them within two months.

Wickremesinghe, 68, had resisted a call from President Maithripala Sirisena to resign following a crushing defeat to Rajapaksa's new party Sri Lanka People's Front in the February 10 local election.

According to analysts, the no-confidence motion against Wickremesinghe is being secretly backed by Sirisena against the man who sponsored him to be the President after Rajapaksa's defeat in 2015.

The motion calls for the removal of Wickremesinghe for appointing a non-Sri Lankan as the governor of the Central Bank, allegedly protecting those responsible for the bank Bond issues scam and failing in his duty as the law and order minister to tackle anti-Muslim riots early this month.

Wickremesinghe was recently replaced as law and order minister after clashes erupted in the central Kandy district.

Anti-Muslim violence in Kandy and Ampara districts left three people dead.

Sirisena last night removed key institutions from the control of Wickremesinghe, including the Central Bank.

He had appointed a committee to probe the bank's bond issues scam under Wickremesinghe's friend and former Governor Arjuna Mahendran.

The party will meet for three days to deliberate on the reforms needed to implement them within two months

Sri Lanka's main party in the ruling unity government United National Party today unanimously decided to back its leader and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in the no-confidence motion submitted against him by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa-backed Joint Opposition. The motion scheduled for April 4 was handed over to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya by the Joint Opposition (JO) last week against Wickremesinghe, accusing him of financial mismanagement and failing to tackle anti-Muslim riots early this month in the central Kandy district. "At the policy-making working committee meeting this morning, it was unanimously decided to back the Prime Minister in the no-confidence motion," Education Minister Akila Viraj said. He said the party will meet for three days to deliberate on the reforms needed to implement them within two months. Wickremesinghe, 68, had resisted a call from President Maithripala Sirisena to resign following a crushing defeat to Rajapaksa's new party Sri Lanka People's Front in the February 10 local election. According to analysts, the no-confidence motion against Wickremesinghe is being secretly backed by Sirisena against the man who sponsored him to be the President after Rajapaksa's defeat in 2015. The motion calls for the removal of Wickremesinghe for appointing a non-Sri Lankan as the governor of the Central Bank, allegedly protecting those responsible for the bank Bond issues scam and failing in his duty as the law and order minister to tackle anti-Muslim riots early this month. Wickremesinghe was recently replaced as law and order minister after clashes erupted in the central Kandy district. Anti-Muslim violence in Kandy and Ampara districts left three people dead. Sirisena last night removed key institutions from the control of Wickremesinghe, including the Central Bank. He had appointed a committee to probe the bank's bond issues scam under Wickremesinghe's friend and former Governor Arjuna Mahendran.

Sri Lanka's UNP backs its leader in no-confidence motion

Hollywood actor Billy Baldwin responded to&nbsp;Donald Trump Jr.&#39;s sexual assault&nbsp;allegations against&nbsp;Senator Al Franken on Thursday with the Tweet targetting senior Trump.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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Talk amongst yourselves: Two more women accuse Sen Al Franken of inappropriate touching <a href="https://t.co/rM17xQdbz6">https://t.co/rM17xQdbz6</a> # via <a href="https://twitter.com/HuffPostPol?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HuffPostPol</a>
&mdash; Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) <a href="https://twitter.com/DonaldJTrumpJr/status/933492047738052609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 23, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The actor took to Twitter to respond to the president&#39;s son allegations against&nbsp;Al Franken,&nbsp;by calling&nbsp;the President Donald Trump&nbsp;a&nbsp;&#39;5th-degree black belt in sexual impropriety allegations&#39; and added that his wife had then &#39;shown his fat ass&#39; to out of the party.&nbsp;

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Your Dad is a 5th degree black belt when it comes to sexual impropriety allegations. 
In fact&hellip; I once had a party at the Plaza Hotel&hellip; your father showed up uninvited &amp; hit on my wife&hellip; invited her on his helicopter to Atlantic City. 
 
She showed his fat ass the door.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TrumpRussia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TrumpRussia</a> <a href="https://t.co/A8BInetbbZ">https://t.co/A8BInetbbZ</a>
&mdash; Billy Baldwin (@BillyBaldwin) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillyBaldwin/status/933577244273811456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 23, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Trump had previously been accused of sexually harassing around 12 women, forcing himself on them without their consent.

However, the United States president had denied these allegations and&nbsp;threatened to sue the women.&nbsp;

Billy Baldwin has accused Trump of sexually harassing his wife two decades ago.

Hollywood actor Billy Baldwin responded to Donald Trump Jr.'s sexual assault allegations against Senator Al Franken on Thursday with the Tweet targetting senior Trump. Talk amongst yourselves: Two more women accuse Sen Al Franken of inappropriate touching https://t.co/rM17xQdbz6 # via @HuffPostPol — Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) November 23, 2017 × The actor took to Twitter to respond to the president's son allegations against Al Franken, by calling the President Donald Trump a '5th-degree black belt in sexual impropriety allegations' and added that his wife had then 'shown his fat ass' to out of the party. Your Dad is a 5th degree black belt when it comes to sexual impropriety allegations. In fact… I once had a party at the Plaza Hotel… your father showed up uninvited & hit on my wife… invited her on his helicopter to Atlantic City. She showed his fat ass the door.#TrumpRussia https://t.co/A8BInetbbZ — Billy Baldwin (@BillyBaldwin) November 23, 2017 × Trump had previously been accused of sexually harassing around 12 women, forcing himself on them without their consent. However, the United States president had denied these allegations and threatened to sue the women.

Billy Baldwin claims Donald Trump hit on his wife

Any event organiser, if using copyrighted music or songs in a party, would have to inform the copyright societies which will issue an invoice for payment of royalty along with proof of their rights as per an interim arrangement arrived at in the Delhi High Court between a firm and three such societies.

Under the arrangement, anyone who is going to hold an event will inform the three societies -- Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS), Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL) and Novex Communications Pvt Ltd -- about the copyrighted work to be used and one of these three, which holds the rights, shall issue an invoice for royalty along with proof of ownership of the copyright.

The event organiser would have to pay the royalty prior to holding the event, Justice Najmi Waziri noted in his order in which he also directed the respondent societies to &quot;upload on their respective websites the (copyright) assignment deeds along with the list of songs pertaining to such assignment deed&quot;.

The order came after the societies claimed that they &quot;are legitimate assignees of copyrighted works or are otherwise duly authorised agents of copyright owners&quot; and sought to enforce their rights under section 18 (assignment of copyright) and 30 (licences by owners of copyright) of the Copyright Act.

They argued before the court that as long as the owner of a copyright exercises its rights under section 18 and section 30 read with section 19 (mode of assignment of copyright) of the Act, &quot;there is no bar on the copyright owner or his agent or an assignee from monetising the copyrighted works&quot;.

The court was hearing an application moved by the three societies against its December 23, 2016, decision restraining them from granting any licence, as a copyright society under section 33 of the Act, to play music and songs of various artists in public.

The December 23, 2016&nbsp;order had come on a plea by Event and Entertainment Management Association (EEMA) which has claimed that registration of IPRS and PPL expired in 2013 and Novex was never registered&nbsp;and only registered societies can issue licences for playing music in public.&nbsp;

(PTI)

The court had earlier decided of restraining the groups from granting any licence as a copyright society to play music and songs in publi

Any event organiser, if using copyrighted music or songs in a party, would have to inform the copyright societies which will issue an invoice for payment of royalty along with proof of their rights as per an interim arrangement arrived at in the Delhi High Court between a firm and three such societies. Under the arrangement, anyone who is going to hold an event will inform the three societies -- Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS), Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL) and Novex Communications Pvt Ltd -- about the copyrighted work to be used and one of these three, which holds the rights, shall issue an invoice for royalty along with proof of ownership of the copyright. The event organiser would have to pay the royalty prior to holding the event, Justice Najmi Waziri noted in his order in which he also directed the respondent societies to "upload on their respective websites the (copyright) assignment deeds along with the list of songs pertaining to such assignment deed". The order came after the societies claimed that they "are legitimate assignees of copyrighted works or are otherwise duly authorised agents of copyright owners" and sought to enforce their rights under section 18 (assignment of copyright) and 30 (licences by owners of copyright) of the Copyright Act. They argued before the court that as long as the owner of a copyright exercises its rights under section 18 and section 30 read with section 19 (mode of assignment of copyright) of the Act, "there is no bar on the copyright owner or his agent or an assignee from monetising the copyrighted works". The court was hearing an application moved by the three societies against its December 23, 2016, decision restraining them from granting any licence, as a copyright society under section 33 of the Act, to play music and songs of various artists in public. The December 23, 2016 order had come on a plea by Event and Entertainment Management Association (EEMA) which has claimed that registration of IPRS and PPL expired in 2013 and Novex was never registered and only registered societies can issue licences for playing music in public. (PTI)

Event organisers can use copyrighted songs if they pay, says Delhi HC

If your idea of a club is a huge dance floor flooded with hundreds of dancing figurines, you might want to check out the smallest discotheque in the middle of the street that accommodates no more than five people. 
 
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NvftX05CVrU?list=PLmWa9ZZLlCjt0Jlg7kN3JBNX4LH1sRsGh" width="970"></iframe> 
 
Your personal party space unimaginably lies inside a small telephone booth that has been converted into a disco. The classic phone booths have been gradually disappearing however, more innovative uses are now giving phone booths a second life. They serve as mini libraries, decorative pieces and now as coin-operated mini-discos. 
 
The phonebooth disco is a complete package in itself with smoke machines, disco-balls, light effects, dry ice and a touchscreen that lets you play your favourite music. The booth also comes with a built-in camera to capture your crazy moments! Unlike what one would imagine, the cramped space doesn&rsquo;t act as a dampener to the party spirit.

Shake a leg at the world?s smallest disco

If your idea of a club is a huge dance floor flooded with hundreds of dancing figurines, you might want to check out the smallest discotheque in the middle of the street that accommodates no more than five people. Your personal party space unimaginably lies inside a small telephone booth that has been converted into a disco. The classic phone booths have been gradually disappearing however, more innovative uses are now giving phone booths a second life. They serve as mini libraries, decorative pieces and now as coin-operated mini-discos. The phonebooth disco is a complete package in itself with smoke machines, disco-balls, light effects, dry ice and a touchscreen that lets you play your favourite music. The booth also comes with a built-in camera to capture your crazy moments! Unlike what one would imagine, the cramped space doesn’t act as a dampener to the party spirit.

Video: A club inside a telephone booth?

After a week of protests following the public beating of four Dalits (also known as &quot;untouchables) for skinning a dead cow, which Hindus revere as holy, the chief minister of the Indian state of Gujarat has resigned. 
 
Anandiben Patel, who took over as CM after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vacated the position, posted her letter of resignation on Facebook.&nbsp;In it, she asked the BJP top brass to relieve her of her post as she was soon going to turn 75. 
 
Patel had come in for critcism for her handling of the fallout from the public beating of the Dalits. And under her leadership, the BJP has for the first time in the post-Narendra Modi era had to put up with a tough challenge from its opponents in the state. 
 
Patel, who will turn 75 on November 21 and who been a minister in the BJP government since 1998 and CM since 2014, said in her post-cum-resignation letter that the BJP needed a fresh face in the state before the elections next year. 
 
&quot;For the last some time there has been a tradition in the party that those who attain the age of 75, voluntarily retires from the post. I will attain the age of 75 in November,&quot; she said.&nbsp;&quot;Two months ago I had requested the party to relieve me from the post and today also through this letter, I request the party to relieve me of the post,&quot; she added. 
 
&quot;I am asking the party to relieve me two months in advance as the new chief minister will require the time to work, when the state is going to face elections in 2017 and an important event like Vibrant Gujarat Summit to be held in January,&quot; Patel said.&nbsp;&quot;It (the rule of 75) is a good thing and it will give a chance to young leaders to come up,&quot; she added. 
 
Elections in the state are due in the second half of 2017.&nbsp;The unwritten convention in the party in recent times, set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been that people quit their posts when they turn 75. 
 
Patel has had to deal a number of recent upsets. The BJP fared badly in the rural civic bodies poll of December 2015 and the opposition Congress made gains at the cost of the ruling party. 
 
She also had to deal with the fierce Patel community quota agitation, one of the factors which contributed to the BJP losing in the rural local bodies poll. The BJP though retained its hold over the urban areas. 
 
The Dalit uprising after the Una public beating incident also dented the image of the party.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from PTI)

Anandiben Patel's government had come in for criticism for its handling of the furore caused by the public beating of four low-caste Dalits

After a week of protests following the public beating of four Dalits (also known as "untouchables) for skinning a dead cow, which Hindus revere as holy, the chief minister of the Indian state of Gujarat has resigned. Anandiben Patel, who took over as CM after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vacated the position, posted her letter of resignation on Facebook. In it, she asked the BJP top brass to relieve her of her post as she was soon going to turn 75. Patel had come in for critcism for her handling of the fallout from the public beating of the Dalits. And under her leadership, the BJP has for the first time in the post-Narendra Modi era had to put up with a tough challenge from its opponents in the state. Patel, who will turn 75 on November 21 and who been a minister in the BJP government since 1998 and CM since 2014, said in her post-cum-resignation letter that the BJP needed a fresh face in the state before the elections next year. "For the last some time there has been a tradition in the party that those who attain the age of 75, voluntarily retires from the post. I will attain the age of 75 in November," she said. "Two months ago I had requested the party to relieve me from the post and today also through this letter, I request the party to relieve me of the post," she added. "I am asking the party to relieve me two months in advance as the new chief minister will require the time to work, when the state is going to face elections in 2017 and an important event like Vibrant Gujarat Summit to be held in January," Patel said. "It (the rule of 75) is a good thing and it will give a chance to young leaders to come up," she added. Elections in the state are due in the second half of 2017. The unwritten convention in the party in recent times, set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been that people quit their posts when they turn 75. Patel has had to deal a number of recent upsets. The BJP fared badly in the rural civic bodies poll of December 2015 and the opposition Congress made gains at the cost of the ruling party. She also had to deal with the fierce Patel community quota agitation, one of the factors which contributed to the BJP losing in the rural local bodies poll. The BJP though retained its hold over the urban areas. The Dalit uprising after the Una public beating incident also dented the image of the party. (WION with inputs from PTI)

After week of protests, Gujarat chief minister posts her resignation on Facebook

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