China Zero Covid Policy is possibly hurting the country in more ways than one. Its Covid-19 model initially curbed the infection successfully but ever since the Omicron Barium started to spread, China has not been able to curb the infections effectively.

Despite stringent curbs, Covid cases rise in China

Nepal's foreign minister reaffirmed his country's one-China policy during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. China promised to invest $15 billion dollars in multiple Nepalese projects. How must India respond to these moves? Palki Sharma Upadhyay tells you.

Gravitas: Nepal's foreign minister reaffirms one-China policy

China is currently assessing the impact of climate change and has unveiled a new climate policy. It is planning to decrease industrial water use by 16%.

China assesses climate change impact as it releases new climate policy

In an unprecedented move, British government plans to resettle thousands of asylum seekers in Rwanda, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday. &nbsp;

On Thursday, Interior Minister Priti Patel signed a partnership agreement in Kigali and presented the policy at a news conference with Rwandan Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-johnson-to-receive-three-more-fines-for-lockdown-breaching-parties-report-471039" hreflang="en">UK PM Johnson to receive 3 more fines for lockdown breaching parties: Report</a>

The government's move has not gone down well with several organisations and opposition parties of the country. Lawmaker Yvette Cooper said it was costly, "unworkable and unethical". &nbsp;

The government looks to keep a check on people-smuggling networks and the flow of migrants. &nbsp;

In a speech in Kent, the prime minister, said, "We must ensure that the only route to asylum in the UK is a safe and legal one. Those who try to jump the queue or abuse our systems will find no automatic path to set them up in our country, but rather be swiftly and humanely removed to a safe third country or their country of origin." &nbsp;

Watch | Partygate: Opposition calls for UK PM Boris Johnson's resignation

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Any person who has arrived in the UK illegally since January 1 may get relocated to Rwanda in East Africa, Johnson said. &nbsp;

"The deal we have done is uncapped and Rwanda will have the capacity to resettle tens of thousands of people in the years ahead," the PM added. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In an unprecedented move, British government plans to resettle thousands of asylum seekers in Rwanda, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday. On Thursday, Interior Minister Priti Patel signed a partnership agreement in Kigali and presented the policy at a news conference with Rwandan Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta.

In an unprecedented move, British government plans to resettle thousands of asylum seekers in Rwanda, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday. On Thursday, Interior Minister Priti Patel signed a partnership agreement in Kigali and presented the policy at a news conference with Rwandan Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta. Also Read | UK PM Johnson to receive 3 more fines for lockdown breaching parties: Report The government's move has not gone down well with several organisations and opposition parties of the country. Lawmaker Yvette Cooper said it was costly, "unworkable and unethical". The government looks to keep a check on people-smuggling networks and the flow of migrants. In a speech in Kent, the prime minister, said, "We must ensure that the only route to asylum in the UK is a safe and legal one. Those who try to jump the queue or abuse our systems will find no automatic path to set them up in our country, but rather be swiftly and humanely removed to a safe third country or their country of origin." Watch | Partygate: Opposition calls for UK PM Boris Johnson's resignation × Any person who has arrived in the UK illegally since January 1 may get relocated to Rwanda in East Africa, Johnson said. "The deal we have done is uncapped and Rwanda will have the capacity to resettle tens of thousands of people in the years ahead," the PM added. (With inputs from agencies)

UK: Govt move to send asylum seekers to Rwanda leads to sharp criticism      

If the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recommended better masks from the beginning, how many people would have worn them and for how long? If the Biden administration had flooded stores with cheap rapid tests, would people have used them? If boosters had been pushed earlier, and more loudly, would the United States no longer trail peer nations in vaccinations?

Put differently: How much would getting our pandemic policies right have mattered?

It’s easy to speak as if policy smoothly reshapes reality. I’m more guilty of that than most. But policy lies downstream of society. Mandates are not self-executing; to work, policies need to be followed, guidance needs to be believed. Public health is rooted in the soil of trust. That soil has thinned in America.

That isn’t to absolve policymakers of responsibility for their mistakes, but it is to wonder about the power they actually wield, in a country that led the world in vaccine development but lags Chile, Vietnam and Brazil in vaccine deployment. A recent interview with Michael Bang Petersen, a Danish political scientist, drove that point home for me. “In Denmark, people are in favor of vaccines, with more than 81% of adults doubly vaccinated, but also very opposed to vaccine mandates,” he told The Atlantic’s Derek Thompson. “There are no political parties in Parliament that are loudly advocating for vaccine mandates.”

You know what’s better than a vaccine mandate? A society that doesn’t need one.

We began this pandemic by asking the wrong questions, and thus we got the wrong answers. Rewind to October 2019. The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and the Nuclear Threat Initiative release the Global Health Security Index. It ranks 195 countries on their pandemic preparedness. Each country is judged on prevention policy, on detection capabilities, on response infrastructure, on health system capacity, on international cooperation and on underlying risk. The news is reassuring, at least if you live in the United States: We’re No. 1!

Then, only months later, we get an actual, once-in-a-century pandemic. The United States fails the test. We have more infections, more deaths, more pain and suffering and division and grief. Our performance doesn’t just fall short of rich countries like Germany and Denmark. It falls short of far poorer countries, too. The Global Health Security Index was measuring the wrong things. The researchers later noted that tucked inside the report was a finding about the United States that would prove more predictive of our response: “It had the lowest possible score on public confidence in the government.”

But that leaves the question: What &lt;em&gt;were&lt;/em&gt; the right questions? What did we miss?

A paper published Tuesday in The Lancet tries to unravel the mystery — and not just for the United States. It’s built atop new data that tries to adjust for differences in testing and gaps in reporting to paint a clearer picture of case numbers and fatality rates across 177 countries from Jan. 1, 2020, to Sept. 30, 2021. (I do want to note that the data here remains far from perfect, and there is inevitably noise, randomness and distortion in these comparisons. We live in a fallen world, and yet still we try and understand.)

Looked at in an international context, the magnitude of America’s failure comes clear. So too do the successes of other countries.

Over the first 21 months of the pandemic, the United States had 545 coronavirus cases per 1,000 residents. Uruguay had 472. The United Kingdom 374. Canada 346. Germany 188, Switzerland 164. But it’s our peers in Asia that really put us to shame. Japan had 67 cases per 1,000. Singapore 59. South Korea 28. Taiwan seven. These numbers are so low as to be baffling.

The United States does better when you measure the ratio of cases that lead to death. There, our performance is at least middling. Our infection fatality rate was 4.55 per 1,000 cases. That’s lower than Germany (6.34) and Switzerland (5.56) but higher than South Korea (3.24) or Singapore (0.68). Still, our far larger number of cases mean we’ve grieved far more loss. And we’re not the only ones.

“One reason this pandemic is an epidemiological mystery is because you see a surprising amount of variation among nations in close geographic proximity,” Thomas Bollyky, director of the global health program at the Council on Foreign Relations, and one of the paper’s authors, told me. “Bulgaria, Namibia and Bolivia have fatality rates twice as high as their neighbors, Turkey, Angola and Colombia.”

The researchers tested everything they could think of for predictive power. They looked at gross domestic product, population density, altitude, age, obesity, smoking, air pollution, cancer rates, exposure to previous beta-coronaviruses like severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome, health insurance coverage, pandemic preparedness ratings, trust in government, trust in fellow citizens, hospital beds per capita and more. It’s a dizzying suite of possibilities, and they run the numbers one by one.

When it comes to deaths caused by infections, no single variable explains everything or even all that much, with the exception of age. The coronavirus strikes the old with particular viciousness, and so the age of a population explains 47% of the variation in fatality ratios between countries. This helps explain why richer countries have seen a disproportionate number of deaths: Richer countries are older.

But age was alone in its ability to predict fatality rates. Nothing else — not body mass index, not smoking, not air pollution, not cancer prevalence, not universal health care, not hospital beds — explained very much.

More unexpected was what the researchers found when they looked at the factors that predicted how many people got infected. Some of the obvious candidates — population density, GDP per capita and exposure to past coronaviruses — failed to predict much in the way of outcomes. But both trust in government and trust in fellow citizens proved potent.

This yields the paper’s most striking finding: Moving every country up to the 75th percentile in trust in government — that’s where Denmark sits — would have prevented 13% of global infections. Moving every country to the 75th percentile of trust in their fellow citizens — roughly South Korea’s level — would have prevented 40% of global infections.

“When confronted with a novel, contagious virus the best way for governments to protect their citizens is to convince them to take the measures to protect themselves,” Bollyky said. “Especially in free societies the success of that effort depends on trust — trust between citizens and their government, and trusts between citizens themselves.”

When Bollyky told me that, I thought back to an essay I’d read in The New York Times by Hitoshi Oshitani, a key adviser to Japan’s government, that had been nagging at me.

The Japanese government, he said, understood that the virus was airborne, and they made sure their citizenry knew it. The message became that “People should avoid the three C’s, which are closed spaces, crowded places and close-contact settings. The Japanese government shared this advice with the public in early March, and it became omnipresent. The message to avoid the three C’s was on the news, variety shows, social media and posters. ‘Three C’s’ was even declared the buzzword of the year in Japan in 2020.”

What struck me about this, when I first read it, was what it left unsaid. Japan was much quicker to understand airborne transmission than the United States, but we knew it soon enough. We certainly knew it by the time of the delta surge, when Japan again performed far better than we did. We know it now, and Japan is still performing better than we are. It is what we do with what we know that matters.

Trust is regularly polled in international surveys, and so the researchers had access to those numbers. But I suspect trust is only a cousin of what we’re really trying to measure here. Solidarity is perhaps closer to the social sentiment the pandemic demanded. Poring over this data left me thinking about something my colleague Zeynep Tufekci told me:

"If you’re in the 19th century, and you’re just puzzling over yellow fever, and you don’t even have germ theory, and you don’t understand mosquito vectors — it’s hard. It’s really hard. I read those histories, and I want to give them clues. But right now, we have everything in place. And it’s our dysfunction that’s holding us back. It’s the global, political dysfunction; our U.S.-specific dysfunction."

There are lots of policy recommendations that work to curb the coronavirus: Masking, social distancing, vaccinations, testing, quarantining and so on. But for any of them to work, they need to be followed. This has been, certainly, the Biden administration’s insuperable challenge. It can make vaccines available, but it can’t make people take them. It can make masks available, but it can’t make people wear them. The context for the Biden administration’s entire response was a Republican Party divided over the legitimacy of the 2020 election and aware that the road to 2024 ran through opposition to Biden’s coronavirus policies.

So what if you assume political polarization and media disinformation are here to stay, and you need to work around them, rather than ignoring them?

When you reframe the question, other possibilities reveal themselves. As an example: Only 36% of Republicans trust Anthony Fauci. I think the Republican campaign against him has been largely unfair, but that he is particularly polarizing among the people the Biden administration most needs to reach is simply a fact, and one it has chosen to ignore. Perhaps new voices were needed, including high-profile ones chosen for their appeal to those most inclined to doubt Biden and avoid vaccination.

I asked Ron Klain, Biden’s chief of staff, about the absence of messengers with credibility among Republicans, and his response struck me as understandably but depressingly fatalistic. “I think this question of polarization around vaccinations is very, very complicated,” he replied. “I mean, you saw President Trump get booed when he himself advocated people getting booster shots. So this isn’t as simple as ‘Can you put more conservatives out there talking about vaccinations?’ ”

That’s certainly true. And I don’t mean to single out Fauci or overestimate the value of replacing him. Any Republican who joined the Biden administration would be seen as a traitor by much of the conservative base. But improvements are made on the margins.

That our political and social problems are maddeningly difficult to solve doesn’t make them any less necessary to at least try and ease. Whatever basket of pandemic policies the Biden administration tries — be they the vaccine mandates the Supreme Court just gutted, or new testing infrastructure, or variant-specific boosters — will not work if the social context in which those policies play out continues to deteriorate. And it is deteriorating: 88% of Americans say the pandemic has left us more divided, which is higher than in any of the other 16 countries Pew surveyed.

We erred this time by believing ourselves not just more capable, but also more united, than ultimately proved true. Now that we know the truth about ourselves, and the havoc our divisions will wreak on any pandemic response, the problem we need to solve becomes clearer.

What does good pandemic policy look like for a low-trust, high-dysfunction society?

If the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recommended better masks from the beginning, how many people would have worn them and for how long? If the Biden administration had flooded stores with cheap rapid tests, would people have used them?

If the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recommended better masks from the beginning, how many people would have worn them and for how long? If the Biden administration had flooded stores with cheap rapid tests, would people have used them? If boosters had been pushed earlier, and more loudly, would the United States no longer trail peer nations in vaccinations? Put differently: How much would getting our pandemic policies right have mattered? It’s easy to speak as if policy smoothly reshapes reality. I’m more guilty of that than most. But policy lies downstream of society. Mandates are not self-executing; to work, policies need to be followed, guidance needs to be believed. Public health is rooted in the soil of trust. That soil has thinned in America. That isn’t to absolve policymakers of responsibility for their mistakes, but it is to wonder about the power they actually wield, in a country that led the world in vaccine development but lags Chile, Vietnam and Brazil in vaccine deployment. A recent interview with Michael Bang Petersen, a Danish political scientist, drove that point home for me. “In Denmark, people are in favor of vaccines, with more than 81% of adults doubly vaccinated, but also very opposed to vaccine mandates,” he told The Atlantic’s Derek Thompson. “There are no political parties in Parliament that are loudly advocating for vaccine mandates.” You know what’s better than a vaccine mandate? A society that doesn’t need one. We began this pandemic by asking the wrong questions, and thus we got the wrong answers. Rewind to October 2019. The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and the Nuclear Threat Initiative release the Global Health Security Index. It ranks 195 countries on their pandemic preparedness. Each country is judged on prevention policy, on detection capabilities, on response infrastructure, on health system capacity, on international cooperation and on underlying risk. The news is reassuring, at least if you live in the United States: We’re No. 1! Then, only months later, we get an actual, once-in-a-century pandemic. The United States fails the test. We have more infections, more deaths, more pain and suffering and division and grief. Our performance doesn’t just fall short of rich countries like Germany and Denmark. It falls short of far poorer countries, too. The Global Health Security Index was measuring the wrong things. The researchers later noted that tucked inside the report was a finding about the United States that would prove more predictive of our response: “It had the lowest possible score on public confidence in the government.” But that leaves the question: What were the right questions? What did we miss? A paper published Tuesday in The Lancet tries to unravel the mystery — and not just for the United States. It’s built atop new data that tries to adjust for differences in testing and gaps in reporting to paint a clearer picture of case numbers and fatality rates across 177 countries from Jan. 1, 2020, to Sept. 30, 2021. (I do want to note that the data here remains far from perfect, and there is inevitably noise, randomness and distortion in these comparisons. We live in a fallen world, and yet still we try and understand.) Looked at in an international context, the magnitude of America’s failure comes clear. So too do the successes of other countries. Over the first 21 months of the pandemic, the United States had 545 coronavirus cases per 1,000 residents. Uruguay had 472. The United Kingdom 374. Canada 346. Germany 188, Switzerland 164. But it’s our peers in Asia that really put us to shame. Japan had 67 cases per 1,000. Singapore 59. South Korea 28. Taiwan seven. These numbers are so low as to be baffling. The United States does better when you measure the ratio of cases that lead to death. There, our performance is at least middling. Our infection fatality rate was 4.55 per 1,000 cases. That’s lower than Germany (6.34) and Switzerland (5.56) but higher than South Korea (3.24) or Singapore (0.68). Still, our far larger number of cases mean we’ve grieved far more loss. And we’re not the only ones. “One reason this pandemic is an epidemiological mystery is because you see a surprising amount of variation among nations in close geographic proximity,” Thomas Bollyky, director of the global health program at the Council on Foreign Relations, and one of the paper’s authors, told me. “Bulgaria, Namibia and Bolivia have fatality rates twice as high as their neighbors, Turkey, Angola and Colombia.” The researchers tested everything they could think of for predictive power. They looked at gross domestic product, population density, altitude, age, obesity, smoking, air pollution, cancer rates, exposure to previous beta-coronaviruses like severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome, health insurance coverage, pandemic preparedness ratings, trust in government, trust in fellow citizens, hospital beds per capita and more. It’s a dizzying suite of possibilities, and they run the numbers one by one. When it comes to deaths caused by infections, no single variable explains everything or even all that much, with the exception of age. The coronavirus strikes the old with particular viciousness, and so the age of a population explains 47% of the variation in fatality ratios between countries. This helps explain why richer countries have seen a disproportionate number of deaths: Richer countries are older. But age was alone in its ability to predict fatality rates. Nothing else — not body mass index, not smoking, not air pollution, not cancer prevalence, not universal health care, not hospital beds — explained very much. More unexpected was what the researchers found when they looked at the factors that predicted how many people got infected. Some of the obvious candidates — population density, GDP per capita and exposure to past coronaviruses — failed to predict much in the way of outcomes. But both trust in government and trust in fellow citizens proved potent. This yields the paper’s most striking finding: Moving every country up to the 75th percentile in trust in government — that’s where Denmark sits — would have prevented 13% of global infections. Moving every country to the 75th percentile of trust in their fellow citizens — roughly South Korea’s level — would have prevented 40% of global infections. “When confronted with a novel, contagious virus the best way for governments to protect their citizens is to convince them to take the measures to protect themselves,” Bollyky said. “Especially in free societies the success of that effort depends on trust — trust between citizens and their government, and trusts between citizens themselves.” When Bollyky told me that, I thought back to an essay I’d read in The New York Times by Hitoshi Oshitani, a key adviser to Japan’s government, that had been nagging at me. The Japanese government, he said, understood that the virus was airborne, and they made sure their citizenry knew it. The message became that “People should avoid the three C’s, which are closed spaces, crowded places and close-contact settings. The Japanese government shared this advice with the public in early March, and it became omnipresent. The message to avoid the three C’s was on the news, variety shows, social media and posters. ‘Three C’s’ was even declared the buzzword of the year in Japan in 2020.” What struck me about this, when I first read it, was what it left unsaid. Japan was much quicker to understand airborne transmission than the United States, but we knew it soon enough. We certainly knew it by the time of the delta surge, when Japan again performed far better than we did. We know it now, and Japan is still performing better than we are. It is what we do with what we know that matters. Trust is regularly polled in international surveys, and so the researchers had access to those numbers. But I suspect trust is only a cousin of what we’re really trying to measure here. Solidarity is perhaps closer to the social sentiment the pandemic demanded. Poring over this data left me thinking about something my colleague Zeynep Tufekci told me: "If you’re in the 19th century, and you’re just puzzling over yellow fever, and you don’t even have germ theory, and you don’t understand mosquito vectors — it’s hard. It’s really hard. I read those histories, and I want to give them clues. But right now, we have everything in place. And it’s our dysfunction that’s holding us back. It’s the global, political dysfunction; our U.S.-specific dysfunction." There are lots of policy recommendations that work to curb the coronavirus: Masking, social distancing, vaccinations, testing, quarantining and so on. But for any of them to work, they need to be followed. This has been, certainly, the Biden administration’s insuperable challenge. It can make vaccines available, but it can’t make people take them. It can make masks available, but it can’t make people wear them. The context for the Biden administration’s entire response was a Republican Party divided over the legitimacy of the 2020 election and aware that the road to 2024 ran through opposition to Biden’s coronavirus policies. So what if you assume political polarization and media disinformation are here to stay, and you need to work around them, rather than ignoring them? When you reframe the question, other possibilities reveal themselves. As an example: Only 36% of Republicans trust Anthony Fauci. I think the Republican campaign against him has been largely unfair, but that he is particularly polarizing among the people the Biden administration most needs to reach is simply a fact, and one it has chosen to ignore. Perhaps new voices were needed, including high-profile ones chosen for their appeal to those most inclined to doubt Biden and avoid vaccination. I asked Ron Klain, Biden’s chief of staff, about the absence of messengers with credibility among Republicans, and his response struck me as understandably but depressingly fatalistic. “I think this question of polarization around vaccinations is very, very complicated,” he replied. “I mean, you saw President Trump get booed when he himself advocated people getting booster shots. So this isn’t as simple as ‘Can you put more conservatives out there talking about vaccinations?’ ” That’s certainly true. And I don’t mean to single out Fauci or overestimate the value of replacing him. Any Republican who joined the Biden administration would be seen as a traitor by much of the conservative base. But improvements are made on the margins. That our political and social problems are maddeningly difficult to solve doesn’t make them any less necessary to at least try and ease. Whatever basket of pandemic policies the Biden administration tries — be they the vaccine mandates the Supreme Court just gutted, or new testing infrastructure, or variant-specific boosters — will not work if the social context in which those policies play out continues to deteriorate. And it is deteriorating: 88% of Americans say the pandemic has left us more divided, which is higher than in any of the other 16 countries Pew surveyed. We erred this time by believing ourselves not just more capable, but also more united, than ultimately proved true. Now that we know the truth about ourselves, and the havoc our divisions will wreak on any pandemic response, the problem we need to solve becomes clearer. What does good pandemic policy look like for a low-trust, high-dysfunction society?

Opinion: The Covid policy that really mattered wasn’t a policy

A new social media policy for the Kashmir region has been developed by the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

They recently ran ads in local newspapers warning people about the risks of misusing social media sites.

People are asked not to post anything contentious on social media networks.

The advertisement appeared in numerous local newspapers as well as on social media.

"Any individual who shares or forwards messages or videos which are fanning terror, violence [or] causing alarm or panic on social media platforms (Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, etc.) can be treated to be acting with intent to cause terror and disturbances in law and order situations," read the advertisement.

According to the Jammu and Kashmir Police, these commercials and awareness efforts will reduce the number of young people joining terrorist organisations, resulting in an improvement in law and order.

It's not a new thing, it's been done by police in every state, and we are doing it too. No one can publish fake news, glorify militancy, spread rumors, or threaten anyone.Whether it's Facebook or any other social media website, it's illegal. Anything that promotes militancy or fear among people is a crime under the law. We are awakening people in the first step, and in the next step, we will be taking action, "said IGP Kashmir, Vijay Kumar.

The security agencies have long claimed that social media is being used to promote terrorism in Kashmir.

It was also a source of law and order problems in various regions of the Kashmir Valley.

According to police sources, Pakistan has been unable to deploy terrorists into the valley with rifles and ammunition due to a tight security grid and monitoring along the Line of Control.

In the Kashmir valley, security personnel have taken a more robust approach to anti-terror operations.

The police source further added that terror handlers across the border are using social media as a tool to radicalise the Kashmiri youth.&nbsp;

There are numerous proofs with security agencies that handlers from across the border are using the internet to train local Kashmiri youth to become terrorists.

And security forces feel that by reviewing this policy, they would be able to put an end to these incidents.

A new social media policy for the Kashmir region has been developed by the Jammu and Kashmir Police. They recently ran ads in local newspapers warning people about the risks of misusing social media sites.

A new social media policy for the Kashmir region has been developed by the Jammu and Kashmir Police. They recently ran ads in local newspapers warning people about the risks of misusing social media sites. People are asked not to post anything contentious on social media networks. The advertisement appeared in numerous local newspapers as well as on social media. "Any individual who shares or forwards messages or videos which are fanning terror, violence [or] causing alarm or panic on social media platforms (Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, etc.) can be treated to be acting with intent to cause terror and disturbances in law and order situations," read the advertisement. According to the Jammu and Kashmir Police, these commercials and awareness efforts will reduce the number of young people joining terrorist organisations, resulting in an improvement in law and order. It's not a new thing, it's been done by police in every state, and we are doing it too. No one can publish fake news, glorify militancy, spread rumors, or threaten anyone.Whether it's Facebook or any other social media website, it's illegal. Anything that promotes militancy or fear among people is a crime under the law. We are awakening people in the first step, and in the next step, we will be taking action, "said IGP Kashmir, Vijay Kumar. The security agencies have long claimed that social media is being used to promote terrorism in Kashmir. It was also a source of law and order problems in various regions of the Kashmir Valley. According to police sources, Pakistan has been unable to deploy terrorists into the valley with rifles and ammunition due to a tight security grid and monitoring along the Line of Control. In the Kashmir valley, security personnel have taken a more robust approach to anti-terror operations. The police source further added that terror handlers across the border are using social media as a tool to radicalise the Kashmiri youth. There are numerous proofs with security agencies that handlers from across the border are using the internet to train local Kashmiri youth to become terrorists. And security forces feel that by reviewing this policy, they would be able to put an end to these incidents.

Jammu and Kashmir police warns against social media misuse, reviews policy

Pakistan is all set to announce its first ever national security policy, this according to reports will cover all internal and external security aspects including the situation in Afghanistan and its ramifications in the region.

Pakistan is all set to announce its first ever national security policy

Pakistan's government is announcing the country's first-ever National security policy at a meeting that will cover all internal and external security aspects. This will include the situation in Afghanistan.&nbsp;

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, in a report by Dawn, said, "It will be the first-ever National Security Policy to be approved at the meeting and later it will be made public."

He further said that the meeting will be attended by several senior military officials, including Chief of the Army staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and Inter-Services Intelligence Director General Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-ruling-partys-workers-resentful-of-changes-introduced-by-imran-khan-440032">Also read |&nbsp;Pakistan: Ruling party's workers resentful of changes introduced by Imran Khan</a>

This comes at a time of turmoil within the ruling party of Pakistan, Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI). It happened after Prime Minister Imran Khan, dissolved the ruling party's organisational structure and many workers reacted strongly. The workers expressed concern over the appointment of federal ministers as new party officials.&nbsp;

The party had to go through a major defeat in the first phase of local body polls, which were recently held in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of the country. PTI won less than 10 chairperson or mayor posts of the 39 seats it had contested on during the polls.

Several senior party leaders believe that the PTI could face major challenges in the upcoming elections. They further said that dissolving functional systems would not help.

(With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan's government is announcing the country's first-ever National security policy at a meeting that will cover all internal and external security aspects. This will include the situation in Afghanistan.

Pakistan's government is announcing the country's first-ever National security policy at a meeting that will cover all internal and external security aspects. This will include the situation in Afghanistan. Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, in a report by Dawn, said, "It will be the first-ever National Security Policy to be approved at the meeting and later it will be made public." He further said that the meeting will be attended by several senior military officials, including Chief of the Army staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and Inter-Services Intelligence Director General Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum. Also read | Pakistan: Ruling party's workers resentful of changes introduced by Imran Khan This comes at a time of turmoil within the ruling party of Pakistan, Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI). It happened after Prime Minister Imran Khan, dissolved the ruling party's organisational structure and many workers reacted strongly. The workers expressed concern over the appointment of federal ministers as new party officials. The party had to go through a major defeat in the first phase of local body polls, which were recently held in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of the country. PTI won less than 10 chairperson or mayor posts of the 39 seats it had contested on during the polls. Several senior party leaders believe that the PTI could face major challenges in the upcoming elections. They further said that dissolving functional systems would not help. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan to announce its first-ever National security policy today

Twitter has announced that its updated privacy policy comes into effect from Thursday, August 19.

In a blog post Twitter highlighted the changes in its privacy policy, including those around Twitter Blue, Twitter Spaces, payment features, and the like.

"The updated Privacy Policy will go into effect on August 19, 2021. We believe you should always know what data we collect from you and how we use it, and that you should have meaningful control over both. We want to empower you to make the best decisions about the information that you share with us. That’s the basic purpose of this Privacy Policy," read the blog.

One of the major updates include the introduction of Twitter spaces.

Twitter Spaces is a social audio feature that enables users to host or participate in a live-audio virtual environment.

It is a key part of the updated privacy policy.&nbsp;

Twitter said that it produces audio transcripts for the conversations taking place on the platform. This text is then scrutinised for any potential violations of Twitter's rules and guidelines.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nadia-ghulam-the-woman-who-disguised-herself-as-a-man-for-10-years-to-survive-torture-of-taliban-406742">Also read |&nbsp;Nadia Ghulam: The woman who disguised herself as a man for 10 years to survive 'torture' of Taliban</a>

This is also used to make "improvements" to the way the Twitter Spaces feature works, the company said.

Twitter also highlighted that in order to improve user experience, the company works with third-party partners to display their video content on the platform.&nbsp;

"When you watch or otherwise interact with content from these partners, they may receive and process your personal data as described in their privacy policies," the social media giant said.&nbsp;

"If you do not want this content to play automatically, you can adjust your autoplay settings. If you’ve shared information like Direct Messages or protected Tweets with someone else who accesses Twitter through a third-party service, keep in mind that the information may be shared with the third-party service."

"Twitter does not sell your personal data. We’ve updated our Privacy Policy to make this clear, and also clarified how we protect your data when it is transferred outside the country you reside in," the firm said in the blog post.

Twitter has announced that its updated privacy policy comes into effect from Thursday, August 19. In a blog post Twitter highlighted the changes in its privacy policy, including those around Twitter Blue, Twitter Spaces, payment features, and the like.

Twitter has announced that its updated privacy policy comes into effect from Thursday, August 19. In a blog post Twitter highlighted the changes in its privacy policy, including those around Twitter Blue, Twitter Spaces, payment features, and the like. "The updated Privacy Policy will go into effect on August 19, 2021. We believe you should always know what data we collect from you and how we use it, and that you should have meaningful control over both. We want to empower you to make the best decisions about the information that you share with us. That’s the basic purpose of this Privacy Policy," read the blog. One of the major updates include the introduction of Twitter spaces. Twitter Spaces is a social audio feature that enables users to host or participate in a live-audio virtual environment. It is a key part of the updated privacy policy. Twitter said that it produces audio transcripts for the conversations taking place on the platform. This text is then scrutinised for any potential violations of Twitter's rules and guidelines. Also read | Nadia Ghulam: The woman who disguised herself as a man for 10 years to survive 'torture' of Taliban This is also used to make "improvements" to the way the Twitter Spaces feature works, the company said. Twitter also highlighted that in order to improve user experience, the company works with third-party partners to display their video content on the platform. "When you watch or otherwise interact with content from these partners, they may receive and process your personal data as described in their privacy policies," the social media giant said. "If you do not want this content to play automatically, you can adjust your autoplay settings. If you’ve shared information like Direct Messages or protected Tweets with someone else who accesses Twitter through a third-party service, keep in mind that the information may be shared with the third-party service." "Twitter does not sell your personal data. We’ve updated our Privacy Policy to make this clear, and also clarified how we protect your data when it is transferred outside the country you reside in," the firm said in the blog post.

Twitter's updated privacy policy to come into effect from today, read everything here

A top doctor in&nbsp;China's fight against the coronavirus is under investigation for&nbsp;plagiarism, weeks&nbsp;after&nbsp;making a social media post&nbsp;questioning&nbsp;the country's zero-tolerance strategy to control the pandemic.

Beijing has basked in its success in bringing to heel a virus that first emerged in the central city of Wuhan in late 2019, but was virtually extinguished through hard lockdowns, closed borders and massive test and trace campaigns.&nbsp;

But the Delta variant has breached&nbsp;China's defences, with record local infections in dozens of cites, albeit still in low numbers,&nbsp;&nbsp;prodding authorities to reintroduce travel restrictions, mass testing and hyperlocal lockdowns.

Zhang Wenhong, a&nbsp;leading doctor described by state media as "China's&nbsp;Fauci",&nbsp;after&nbsp;the top US infectious disease expert Anthony&nbsp;Fauci,&nbsp;has since said countries have to find a way "to learn to live with it".

"The way&nbsp;China&nbsp;will choose in future will... help establish communication with the world and a return to normal life, &nbsp;while protecting citizens from fear of viruses," Zhang wrote on&nbsp;China's Twitter-like Weibo on July 29.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/at-least-5-dead-at-kabul-airport-as-us-officials-leave-afghanistan-report-405955">Also read | At least 5 dead at Kabul airport as US officials leave Afghanistan: Report</a>

The suggestion of a softened approach to Chain's zero-case approach to virus control enraged nationalists who stalk&nbsp;China's social media.

Zhang has found himself accused of "pandering to foreign ideas," while an apparent witch hunt is targeting his academic credentials.

Posts on Weibo accused Zhang of plagiarising his doctoral thesis published two decades ago.

On Sunday, Fudan University in Shanghai said it was "aware of the online criticism and had launched an investigation into the degree it awarded Zhang in 2000."

Zhang did not respond to AFP inquiries on the investigation.

Academics and scientists have rallied around Zhang, in a country where all non-state sanctioned information linked to the pandemic is highly sensitive and has led to arrests and smear campaigns on social media.

"Who will dare to speak out and act according to their professional judgment in the future?" Yan Feng, from Fudan's Chinese literature department, said on Weibo.&nbsp;

In a sign of the risks, a teacher in east&nbsp;China's Jianxi province was detained by police for 15 days&nbsp;after&nbsp;commenting last week on a news article saying the country can "coexist with the coronavirus", according to a local government notice.

China&nbsp;has reported 94,430 cases since the virus first emerged in Wuhan, and the death toll of 4,636 has remained unchanged for nearly a year.

But a recent flare-up at an airport in Nanjing spread to 18 provinces infecting 1,300 people in two months, although just 13 domestic transmissions were reported on Monday.

A top doctor in China's fight against the coronavirus is under investigation for plagiarism, weeks after making a social media post questioning the country's zero-tolerance strategy to control the pandemic.

A top doctor in China's fight against the coronavirus is under investigation for plagiarism, weeks after making a social media post questioning the country's zero-tolerance strategy to control the pandemic. Beijing has basked in its success in bringing to heel a virus that first emerged in the central city of Wuhan in late 2019, but was virtually extinguished through hard lockdowns, closed borders and massive test and trace campaigns. But the Delta variant has breached China's defences, with record local infections in dozens of cites, albeit still in low numbers, prodding authorities to reintroduce travel restrictions, mass testing and hyperlocal lockdowns. Zhang Wenhong, a leading doctor described by state media as "China's Fauci", after the top US infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci, has since said countries have to find a way "to learn to live with it". "The way China will choose in future will... help establish communication with the world and a return to normal life, while protecting citizens from fear of viruses," Zhang wrote on China's Twitter-like Weibo on July 29. Also read | At least 5 dead at Kabul airport as US officials leave Afghanistan: Report The suggestion of a softened approach to Chain's zero-case approach to virus control enraged nationalists who stalk China's social media. Zhang has found himself accused of "pandering to foreign ideas," while an apparent witch hunt is targeting his academic credentials. Posts on Weibo accused Zhang of plagiarising his doctoral thesis published two decades ago. On Sunday, Fudan University in Shanghai said it was "aware of the online criticism and had launched an investigation into the degree it awarded Zhang in 2000." Zhang did not respond to AFP inquiries on the investigation. Academics and scientists have rallied around Zhang, in a country where all non-state sanctioned information linked to the pandemic is highly sensitive and has led to arrests and smear campaigns on social media. "Who will dare to speak out and act according to their professional judgment in the future?" Yan Feng, from Fudan's Chinese literature department, said on Weibo. In a sign of the risks, a teacher in east China's Jianxi province was detained by police for 15 days after commenting last week on a news article saying the country can "coexist with the coronavirus", according to a local government notice. China has reported 94,430 cases since the virus first emerged in Wuhan, and the death toll of 4,636 has remained unchanged for nearly a year. But a recent flare-up at an airport in Nanjing spread to 18 provinces infecting 1,300 people in two months, although just 13 domestic transmissions were reported on Monday.

'China's Fauci' probed for plagiarism after questioning COVID-19 policy

A top doctor in&nbsp;China's fight against the coronavirus is under investigation for&nbsp;plagiarism, weeks&nbsp;after&nbsp;making a social media post&nbsp;questioning&nbsp;the country's zero-tolerance strategy to control the pandemic.

Beijing has basked in its success in bringing to heel a virus that first emerged in the central city of Wuhan in late 2019, but was virtually extinguished through hard lockdowns, closed borders and massive test and trace campaigns.&nbsp;

But the Delta variant has breached&nbsp;China's defences, with record local infections in dozens of cites, albeit still in low numbers, prodding authorities to reintroduce travel restrictions, mass testing and hyperlocal lockdowns.

Zhang Wenhong, a leading doctor described by state media as "China's&nbsp;Fauci",&nbsp;after&nbsp;the top US infectious disease expert Anthony&nbsp;Fauci, has since said countries have to find a way "to learn to live with it".

"The way&nbsp;China&nbsp;will choose in future will... help establish communication with the world and a return to normal life, &nbsp;while protecting citizens from fear of viruses," Zhang wrote on&nbsp;China's Twitter-like Weibo on July 29.

The suggestion of a softened approach to Chain's zero-case approach to virus control enraged nationalists who stalk&nbsp;China's social media.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/at-least-5-dead-at-kabul-airport-as-us-officials-leave-afghanistan-report-405955">Also read |&nbsp;At least 5 dead at Kabul airport as US officials leave Afghanistan: Report</a>

Zhang has found himself accused of "pandering to foreign ideas," while an apparent witch hunt is targeting his academic credentials.

Posts on Weibo accused Zhang of plagiarising his doctoral thesis published two decades ago.

On Sunday, Fudan University in Shanghai said it was "aware of the online criticism and had launched an investigation into the degree it awarded Zhang in 2000."

Zhang did not respond to AFP inquiries on the investigation.

Academics and scientists have rallied around Zhang, in a country where all non-state sanctioned information linked to the pandemic is highly sensitive and has led to arrests and smear campaigns on social media.

"Who will dare to speak out and act according to their professional judgment in the future?" Yan Feng, from Fudan's Chinese literature department, said on Weibo.&nbsp;

In a sign of the risks, a teacher in east&nbsp;China's Jianxi province was detained by police for 15 days&nbsp;after&nbsp;commenting last week on a news article saying the country can "coexist with the coronavirus", according to a local government notice.

China&nbsp;has reported 94,430 cases since the virus first emerged in Wuhan, and the death toll of 4,636 has remained unchanged for nearly a year.

But a recent flare-up at an airport in Nanjing spread to 18 provinces infecting 1,300 people in two months, although just 13 domestic transmissions were reported on Monday.

A top doctor in China's fight against the coronavirus is under investigation for plagiarism, weeks after making a social media post questioning the country's zero-tolerance strategy to control the pandemic. Beijing has basked in its success in bringing to heel a virus that first emerged in the central city of Wuhan in late 2019, but was virtually extinguished through hard lockdowns, closed borders and massive test and trace campaigns. But the Delta variant has breached China's defences, with record local infections in dozens of cites, albeit still in low numbers, prodding authorities to reintroduce travel restrictions, mass testing and hyperlocal lockdowns. Zhang Wenhong, a leading doctor described by state media as "China's Fauci", after the top US infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci, has since said countries have to find a way "to learn to live with it". "The way China will choose in future will... help establish communication with the world and a return to normal life, while protecting citizens from fear of viruses," Zhang wrote on China's Twitter-like Weibo on July 29. The suggestion of a softened approach to Chain's zero-case approach to virus control enraged nationalists who stalk China's social media. Also read | At least 5 dead at Kabul airport as US officials leave Afghanistan: Report Zhang has found himself accused of "pandering to foreign ideas," while an apparent witch hunt is targeting his academic credentials. Posts on Weibo accused Zhang of plagiarising his doctoral thesis published two decades ago. On Sunday, Fudan University in Shanghai said it was "aware of the online criticism and had launched an investigation into the degree it awarded Zhang in 2000." Zhang did not respond to AFP inquiries on the investigation. Academics and scientists have rallied around Zhang, in a country where all non-state sanctioned information linked to the pandemic is highly sensitive and has led to arrests and smear campaigns on social media. "Who will dare to speak out and act according to their professional judgment in the future?" Yan Feng, from Fudan's Chinese literature department, said on Weibo. In a sign of the risks, a teacher in east China's Jianxi province was detained by police for 15 days after commenting last week on a news article saying the country can "coexist with the coronavirus", according to a local government notice. China has reported 94,430 cases since the virus first emerged in Wuhan, and the death toll of 4,636 has remained unchanged for nearly a year. But a recent flare-up at an airport in Nanjing spread to 18 provinces infecting 1,300 people in two months, although just 13 domestic transmissions were reported on Monday.

OPEC+ will resume talks on Monday after failing to reach a deal on oil output policy for a second day running on Friday because the United Arab Emirates blocked some aspects of the pact. 
 
The standoff could delay plans to pump more oil through to the end of the year to cool oil prices that have soared to 2-1/2 year highs. 
 
Without a deal, the OPEC+ alliance could keep tighter restraints on output with oil prices now trading around $75 a barrel, more than 40% up this year. Consumers want more crude to aid a global recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. 
 
The rise in oil prices is contributing to global inflation, slowing the economic recovery from the coronavirus crisis. 
 
OPEC+, which groups the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia and their allies, voted on Friday to increase output by around 2 million barrels per day (bpd) from August to December 2021 and to extend remaining cuts to the end of 2022, instead of ending in April 2022, OPEC+ sources said. 
 
The UAE agreed to releasing more oil into the market but refused to support the extension of the cuts. 
 
Talks resume on Monday, OPEC+ said in a statement. 
 
Responding to oil demand destruction caused by the COVID crisis, OPEC+ agreed last year to cut output by almost 10 million bpd from May 2020, with plans to phase out the curbs by the end of April 2022. Cuts now stand at about 5.8 million bpd. 
 
If the UAE blocks a deal, the remaining cuts would likely stay in place, although there is a slim chance the pact could fall apart and all countries could pump as much as they wanted. 
 
Alternatively, the group could agree to increase output to the end of 2021 but postpone discussion about extending the deal beyond April 2022. OPEC+ sources said UAE had proposed this. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

OPEC+ will resume talks on Monday after failing to reach a deal on oil output policy for a second day running on Friday because the United Arab Emirates blocked some aspects of the pact.

OPEC+ will resume talks on Monday after failing to reach a deal on oil output policy for a second day running on Friday because the United Arab Emirates blocked some aspects of the pact. The standoff could delay plans to pump more oil through to the end of the year to cool oil prices that have soared to 2-1/2 year highs. Without a deal, the OPEC+ alliance could keep tighter restraints on output with oil prices now trading around $75 a barrel, more than 40% up this year. Consumers want more crude to aid a global recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The rise in oil prices is contributing to global inflation, slowing the economic recovery from the coronavirus crisis. OPEC+, which groups the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia and their allies, voted on Friday to increase output by around 2 million barrels per day (bpd) from August to December 2021 and to extend remaining cuts to the end of 2022, instead of ending in April 2022, OPEC+ sources said. The UAE agreed to releasing more oil into the market but refused to support the extension of the cuts. Talks resume on Monday, OPEC+ said in a statement. Responding to oil demand destruction caused by the COVID crisis, OPEC+ agreed last year to cut output by almost 10 million bpd from May 2020, with plans to phase out the curbs by the end of April 2022. Cuts now stand at about 5.8 million bpd. If the UAE blocks a deal, the remaining cuts would likely stay in place, although there is a slim chance the pact could fall apart and all countries could pump as much as they wanted. Alternatively, the group could agree to increase output to the end of 2021 but postpone discussion about extending the deal beyond April 2022. OPEC+ sources said UAE had proposed this. (With inputs from agencies)

OPEC+ to resume oil policy talks on Monday after UAE roadblock

The United States has formally ended the Trump-era 'remain in Mexico' policy, which forced tens of thousands of Central American asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico for US&nbsp;court cases, according to a US&nbsp;Department of Homeland Security (DHS) memo sent to agency leaders on Tuesday. 
 
The administration of President Joe Biden paused the programme, known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), shortly after he took office on January&nbsp;20. Since then, more than 11,000 migrants enrolled in it have been allowed to enter the United States to pursue asylum claims, a DHS official said on Tuesday. 
 
Biden, a Democrat, has reversed many of the restrictive immigration policies of former President Donald Trump, a Republican, saying Trump failed to honor US&nbsp;asylum laws. Republicans have criticised Biden's actions, including ending the MPP programme, saying he encouraged an increase in migrant arrivals at the US-Mexico border in recent months. 
 
US&nbsp;Border Patrol apprehensions at the southwestern border reached the highest monthly levels in 20 years in March and April. Apprehensions in May were similar, according to preliminary figures. 
 
Despite rolling back some Trump border policies, Biden has left in place a March 2020 health order known as Title 42 that allows US&nbsp;authorities to rapidly send migrants caught at the border back to Mexico during the pandemic. 
 
Advocates contend the policy cuts off access to the US&nbsp;asylum system for many migrants caught at the border while Biden officials say it is needed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 
 
The MPP decision comes after a February&nbsp;2 Biden executive order called for US&nbsp;agencies to review the programme, first launched in 2019, and consider whether to terminate it. 
 
The memo formally ending MPP, issued by DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday, said the programme did not "adequately or sustainably enhance border management," noting that border arrests increased at times while it remained in place. 
 
"Moreover, in making my assessment, I share the belief that we can only manage migration in an effective, responsible, and durable manner if we approach the issue comprehensively, looking well beyond our own borders," Mayorkas wrote. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The United States has formally ended the Trump-era 'remain in Mexico' policy, which forced tens of thousands of Central American asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico for US court cases, according to a US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) memo sent to agency leaders on Tuesday.

The United States has formally ended the Trump-era 'remain in Mexico' policy, which forced tens of thousands of Central American asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico for US court cases, according to a US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) memo sent to agency leaders on Tuesday. The administration of President Joe Biden paused the programme, known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), shortly after he took office on January 20. Since then, more than 11,000 migrants enrolled in it have been allowed to enter the United States to pursue asylum claims, a DHS official said on Tuesday. Biden, a Democrat, has reversed many of the restrictive immigration policies of former President Donald Trump, a Republican, saying Trump failed to honor US asylum laws. Republicans have criticised Biden's actions, including ending the MPP programme, saying he encouraged an increase in migrant arrivals at the US-Mexico border in recent months. US Border Patrol apprehensions at the southwestern border reached the highest monthly levels in 20 years in March and April. Apprehensions in May were similar, according to preliminary figures. Despite rolling back some Trump border policies, Biden has left in place a March 2020 health order known as Title 42 that allows US authorities to rapidly send migrants caught at the border back to Mexico during the pandemic. Advocates contend the policy cuts off access to the US asylum system for many migrants caught at the border while Biden officials say it is needed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The MPP decision comes after a February 2 Biden executive order called for US agencies to review the programme, first launched in 2019, and consider whether to terminate it. The memo formally ending MPP, issued by DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday, said the programme did not "adequately or sustainably enhance border management," noting that border arrests increased at times while it remained in place. "Moreover, in making my assessment, I share the belief that we can only manage migration in an effective, responsible, and durable manner if we approach the issue comprehensively, looking well beyond our own borders," Mayorkas wrote. (With inputs from agencies)

US formally ends Trump’s 'remain in Mexico' asylum policy

The US is setting up a USD 1.7 billion national network to identify and track worrisome coronavirus mutations whose spread could trigger another pandemic wave, the Biden administration announced on Friday.&nbsp;

White House officials unveiled a strategy that features three components: a major funding boost for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health departments to ramp up coronavirus gene-mapping; the creation of six 'centers of excellence' partnerships with universities to conduct research and develop technologies for gene-based surveillance of pathogens, and building a data system to better share and analyse information on emerging disease threats, so knowledge can be turned into action.&nbsp;

"Even as we accelerate our efforts to get shots into arms, more dangerous variants are growing, causing increases in cases in people without immunity," White House coronavirus adviser Andy Slavitt told reporters. That 'requires us to intensify our efforts to quickly test for and find the genetic sequence of the virus as it spreads.'&nbsp;

The new effort relies on money approved by Congress as part of President Joe Biden's coronavirus relief package to break what experts say is a feast-or-famine cycle in US preparedness for disease threats. The coronavirus is only one example. Other pathogens have included Ebola and Zika, and respiratory viruses like SARS in 2002 and MERS in 2012, which did not become major problems in the United States.&nbsp;

Typically, the government scrambles to counter a potential threat, but funding dries up when it recedes. The new genomic surveillance initiative aims to create a permanent infrastructure.&nbsp;

“It's a transformative amount of money," Mary Lee Watts, federal affairs director at the American Society for Microbiology, said in a recent interview. 'It has the potential not only to get ahead of the current crisis, but it is going to help us in the future. This is a programme that has been underfunded for years.'&nbsp;

The Biden administration's move comes as a variant known as B117, which first emerged in the United Kingdom, has become the predominant strain in the U.S. In hard-hit Michigan, the more transmissible mutation accounts for more than half the cases, according to CDC data. That's also the case in Minnesota. Vaccines are effective against the so-called U.K. Variant, but other mutations circulating around the globe have shown resistance to currently available vaccines.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The US is setting up a USD 1.7 billion national network to identify and track worrisome coronavirus mutations whose spread could trigger another pandemic wave, the Biden administration announced on Friday.

The US is setting up a USD 1.7 billion national network to identify and track worrisome coronavirus mutations whose spread could trigger another pandemic wave, the Biden administration announced on Friday. White House officials unveiled a strategy that features three components: a major funding boost for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health departments to ramp up coronavirus gene-mapping; the creation of six 'centers of excellence' partnerships with universities to conduct research and develop technologies for gene-based surveillance of pathogens, and building a data system to better share and analyse information on emerging disease threats, so knowledge can be turned into action. "Even as we accelerate our efforts to get shots into arms, more dangerous variants are growing, causing increases in cases in people without immunity," White House coronavirus adviser Andy Slavitt told reporters. That 'requires us to intensify our efforts to quickly test for and find the genetic sequence of the virus as it spreads.' The new effort relies on money approved by Congress as part of President Joe Biden's coronavirus relief package to break what experts say is a feast-or-famine cycle in US preparedness for disease threats. The coronavirus is only one example. Other pathogens have included Ebola and Zika, and respiratory viruses like SARS in 2002 and MERS in 2012, which did not become major problems in the United States. Typically, the government scrambles to counter a potential threat, but funding dries up when it recedes. The new genomic surveillance initiative aims to create a permanent infrastructure. “It's a transformative amount of money," Mary Lee Watts, federal affairs director at the American Society for Microbiology, said in a recent interview. 'It has the potential not only to get ahead of the current crisis, but it is going to help us in the future. This is a programme that has been underfunded for years.' The Biden administration's move comes as a variant known as B117, which first emerged in the United Kingdom, has become the predominant strain in the U.S. In hard-hit Michigan, the more transmissible mutation accounts for more than half the cases, according to CDC data. That's also the case in Minnesota. Vaccines are effective against the so-called U.K. Variant, but other mutations circulating around the globe have shown resistance to currently available vaccines. (With inputs from agencies)

US setting up $1.7B national network to track virus variants 

A top Chinese diplomat said on Friday that US Policy toward China is 'too negative' and that cooperation could be critically important as the Biden administration focuses on combatting Covid-19 and promoting economic recovery.&nbsp;

The US appears to be highlighting confrontation and playing down cooperation, Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng said in an interview.&nbsp;

"Such an approach, I must say, is too negative," he said, adding that it lacks ‘a forward-looking spirit’.&nbsp;

China could be a partner as Biden tackles the coronavirus and the economy, he said.&nbsp;

"To me it is hard to imagine the two priorities can be resolved without a cooperative and healthy China-US Relationship," he said.&nbsp;

Le also signaled that China is unlikely to make any new pledges at a climate change meeting called by President Joe Biden for next week. He spoke as Biden's climate envoy, John Kerry, was discussing the issue on the second day of closed-door meetings with Chinese counterparts in Shanghai.&nbsp;

Chinese President Xi Jinping announced last year that China would be carbon-neutral by 2060 and aim to reach a peak in its emissions by 2030.&nbsp;

"For a big country with 1.4 billion people, these goals are not easily delivered," Le said. "Some countries are asking China to do more on climate change. I am afraid this is not very realistic."&nbsp;

Le said he had no details on the Kerry meetings in Shanghai.&nbsp;

Biden has invited 40 world leaders, including Xi, to an April 22-23 virtual climate summit. &nbsp;

The US and other countries are expected to announce more ambitious national targets for cutting emissions and pledge financial help for climate efforts by less wealthy nations.&nbsp;

Le said that China would convey a positive message at the meeting, but added that China is responding to climate change on its own initiative, not because others asked it to. &nbsp;

On whether Xi would join the summit, Le said, "the Chinese side is actively studying the matter."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A top Chinese diplomat said on Friday that US Policy toward China is 'too negative' and that cooperation could be critically important as the Biden administration focuses on combatting Covid-19 and promoting economic recovery.

A top Chinese diplomat said on Friday that US Policy toward China is 'too negative' and that cooperation could be critically important as the Biden administration focuses on combatting Covid-19 and promoting economic recovery. The US appears to be highlighting confrontation and playing down cooperation, Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng said in an interview. "Such an approach, I must say, is too negative," he said, adding that it lacks ‘a forward-looking spirit’. China could be a partner as Biden tackles the coronavirus and the economy, he said. "To me it is hard to imagine the two priorities can be resolved without a cooperative and healthy China-US Relationship," he said. Le also signaled that China is unlikely to make any new pledges at a climate change meeting called by President Joe Biden for next week. He spoke as Biden's climate envoy, John Kerry, was discussing the issue on the second day of closed-door meetings with Chinese counterparts in Shanghai. Chinese President Xi Jinping announced last year that China would be carbon-neutral by 2060 and aim to reach a peak in its emissions by 2030. "For a big country with 1.4 billion people, these goals are not easily delivered," Le said. "Some countries are asking China to do more on climate change. I am afraid this is not very realistic." Le said he had no details on the Kerry meetings in Shanghai. Biden has invited 40 world leaders, including Xi, to an April 22-23 virtual climate summit. The US and other countries are expected to announce more ambitious national targets for cutting emissions and pledge financial help for climate efforts by less wealthy nations. Le said that China would convey a positive message at the meeting, but added that China is responding to climate change on its own initiative, not because others asked it to. On whether Xi would join the summit, Le said, "the Chinese side is actively studying the matter." (With inputs from agencies)

US 'too negative' towards China, says top Beijing diplomat 

New Zealand has announced a number of proposals that intend to outlaw smoking for the next generation and making the nation smoke-free by 2025.&nbsp;

These plans include gradually increasing the legal smoking age, which could lead to a complete ban on the cigarettes and tobacco products sale to people born after 2004, reports The Guardian.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="http://wionews.com/science/obesity-killed-more-than-smoking-did-study-363567">Obesity killed more than smoking did: Study</a>

Considerations are also being made to greatly reduce the level of nicotine allowed in tobacco products, set a minimum price for tobacco, and restrict places where these products are sold.&nbsp;

"We need a new approach," Associate Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall said on Thursday, as she announced the proposals.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="http://wionews.com/world/trying-to-quit-smoking-according-to-a-review-heres-what-works-the-best-335250">Trying to quit smoking? According to a review, here's what works the best</a>

"About 4,500 New Zealanders die every year from tobacco, and we need to make accelerated progress to be able to reach that goal [of Smokefree 2025]. Business-as-usual without a tobacco control program won't get us there."

Several public health organisations praised these proposals. &nbsp;

"This proposal goes beyond assisting people to quit," Cancer Society chief executive Lucy Elwood in a statement said.&nbsp;

She highlighted that the number of tobacco retailers was four times more in low-income communities, where smoking rates were at their maximum.&nbsp;

"These glaring inequities are why we need to protect future generations from the harms of tobacco," Elwood said.&nbsp;

New Zealand has announced a number of proposals that intend to outlaw smoking for the next generation and making the nation smoke-free by 2025. These plans include gradually increasing the legal smoking age, which could lead to a complete ban on the cigarettes and tobacco products sale to people born after 2004, reports The Guardian.

New Zealand has announced a number of proposals that intend to outlaw smoking for the next generation and making the nation smoke-free by 2025. These plans include gradually increasing the legal smoking age, which could lead to a complete ban on the cigarettes and tobacco products sale to people born after 2004, reports The Guardian. Also read | Obesity killed more than smoking did: Study Considerations are also being made to greatly reduce the level of nicotine allowed in tobacco products, set a minimum price for tobacco, and restrict places where these products are sold. "We need a new approach," Associate Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall said on Thursday, as she announced the proposals. Also read | Trying to quit smoking? According to a review, here's what works the best "About 4,500 New Zealanders die every year from tobacco, and we need to make accelerated progress to be able to reach that goal [of Smokefree 2025]. Business-as-usual without a tobacco control program won't get us there." Several public health organisations praised these proposals. "This proposal goes beyond assisting people to quit," Cancer Society chief executive Lucy Elwood in a statement said. She highlighted that the number of tobacco retailers was four times more in low-income communities, where smoking rates were at their maximum. "These glaring inequities are why we need to protect future generations from the harms of tobacco," Elwood said.

No smoking: New Zealand announces proposals to make the nation smoke-free by 2025

In order to put an end to the exploitation of elephants by temples and private owners for joyrides or as beasts of burden, the Madras High Court has sought a uniform policy. It states that all elephants - privately owned or temple owned must come under the care of the Forest Department &nbsp;and that future private ownership of elephants must be completely prohibited.&nbsp;

The First Bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy had passed the order in response to a petition of a devotee, who pointed out ill-treatment of elephants at the Srirangam temple.&nbsp;

Rangarajan Narasimhan, the petitioner had stated the plight of Andal, an elephant that had been separated from its mahout (primary caretaker of captive elephant) of nearly 27 years, as the mahout was removed from service without any notice. It also cites that Section 4(4) of TN Elephant Rules, which mentions that a captive elephant is to be maintained by the same mahout and cavady (mahout’s assistant) for its entire lifespan, was flouted.&nbsp;

According to the petition, the original caretaker was appointed as a watchman in another temple, following which the elephant was handed over to a caretaker who had resorted to inhuman tactics to bring the elephant under his control. “One of the very many ways is to drug the elephant with illegal substances” it states. It is mentioned that though the said elephant is hardly aged 49, it’s condition is like an elephant aged 89, owing to the abuse.&nbsp;

“The government and temple authorities guard the elephant as if she is a convict in jail, not allowing public to have a look, in order to hide the sufferings of the elephant. No CCTV camera is available in a temple that earns over Rs.100Cr every year from devotees’ offerings”. The petition adds that this is done o purpose to enable the cavady to beat up the elephant in order to tame her.&nbsp;

In its order, the first bench said, “Any kind of mistreatment of elephants and other animals must be dealt with promptly and as mercilessly as such persons deal with the animals”. It added that exploitation of animals for all purposes should be stopped except for limited government controlled exercises say, horse-riding or camel-riding on the beach, but even those cannot be privately operated since the treatment of the animals cannot be checked or monitored.&nbsp;

The Court has provided eight weeks time for the Government to come up with a comprehensive policy and guidelines to be framed. It was also stated that experts could be consulted, rehabilitation of elephants lured away from forests maybe taken up and measures be put in place to prevent further exploitation.

In order to put an end to the exploitation of elephants by temples and private owners for joyrides or as beasts of burden, the Madras High Court has sought a uniform policy.

In order to put an end to the exploitation of elephants by temples and private owners for joyrides or as beasts of burden, the Madras High Court has sought a uniform policy. It states that all elephants - privately owned or temple owned must come under the care of the Forest Department and that future private ownership of elephants must be completely prohibited. The First Bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy had passed the order in response to a petition of a devotee, who pointed out ill-treatment of elephants at the Srirangam temple. Rangarajan Narasimhan, the petitioner had stated the plight of Andal, an elephant that had been separated from its mahout (primary caretaker of captive elephant) of nearly 27 years, as the mahout was removed from service without any notice. It also cites that Section 4(4) of TN Elephant Rules, which mentions that a captive elephant is to be maintained by the same mahout and cavady (mahout’s assistant) for its entire lifespan, was flouted. According to the petition, the original caretaker was appointed as a watchman in another temple, following which the elephant was handed over to a caretaker who had resorted to inhuman tactics to bring the elephant under his control. “One of the very many ways is to drug the elephant with illegal substances” it states. It is mentioned that though the said elephant is hardly aged 49, it’s condition is like an elephant aged 89, owing to the abuse. “The government and temple authorities guard the elephant as if she is a convict in jail, not allowing public to have a look, in order to hide the sufferings of the elephant. No CCTV camera is available in a temple that earns over Rs.100Cr every year from devotees’ offerings”. The petition adds that this is done o purpose to enable the cavady to beat up the elephant in order to tame her. In its order, the first bench said, “Any kind of mistreatment of elephants and other animals must be dealt with promptly and as mercilessly as such persons deal with the animals”. It added that exploitation of animals for all purposes should be stopped except for limited government controlled exercises say, horse-riding or camel-riding on the beach, but even those cannot be privately operated since the treatment of the animals cannot be checked or monitored. The Court has provided eight weeks time for the Government to come up with a comprehensive policy and guidelines to be framed. It was also stated that experts could be consulted, rehabilitation of elephants lured away from forests maybe taken up and measures be put in place to prevent further exploitation.

Madras High Court asks Tamil Nadu government to form policy on ownership of elephants

Every Friday for the past two months, Peter Krykant has parked his white van on Parnie Street in central Glasgow, Scotland, around the corner from a games shop and several art galleries, and waited for people to come by and inject illegal drugs.

Inside the van are two seats and two tables, each with a stainless steel tray and hypodermic needles as well as several biohazard trash cans. The van is also equipped with naloxone, the medication used to reverse an opioid overdose, and a defibrillator. (There are COVID-19 safety precautions, too: hand sanitizer and a box of masks.)

Krykant usually opens the van by 10 a.m., and on this particular day three people were already waiting to get inside. This was something of a surprise, since Scottish police had charged him with obstruction the week before when he refused to open the vehicle to officers, knowing several people were inside taking drugs. He wasn’t sure anyone would come back after that scare.

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Scotland is in the midst of its worst drug crisis on record and one of the worst in the world. The country has tallied five straight years of record-setting drug-related deaths and now holds a per capita death rate three times higher than anywhere else in Europe.

Overdoses are more common in Scotland, by some measures, than even the United States. In 2018, Scotland had nearly 20 drug-related deaths per 100,000 people, compared with 18 deaths in the United States and around five in Ireland, Finland and Sweden.

Krykant is adamant that drug consumption rooms will help slow the rate of overdose deaths in Scotland by allowing drug users to inject under supervision and with naloxone on hand.

Krykant chats easily with several men waiting to be let inside. He asks them what type of drug they’ll be injecting, writes it down and then opens the sliding back door.

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In addition to Krykant, at least one other trained volunteer is on duty; they take turns watching for police and checking on the people inside.

Krykant, a former addict himself, said he had “learned very quickly that harm reduction is the most fundamental thing.”

“People don’t get any more opportunities after they’re dead,” he said.

Drug consumption rooms are facilities that legally allow people to take illicit drugs under the supervision of trained professionals in a sterile environment and with clean equipment. They have been shown to reduce overdose deaths and blood-borne viruses like HIV, decrease public injecting and more quickly connect people to treatment services.

“In all recorded injections that have taken place in these spaces across the world, there has not been one recorded death,” said Andrew McAuley, a public health professor at Glasgow Caledonian University.

The first legal facility opened in Switzerland in the mid-1980s, and over the last three decades they have been established across Europe, Canada and Australia — around 200 in all.

Despite their effectiveness and Scotland’s increasingly dire drug problem, they remain illegal throughout Britain.

The Scottish government has expressed its support, but Westminster has not budged. “We have no plans to introduce drug consumption rooms, and anyone running them would be committing a range of offenses,” a spokesperson for the British Home Office said in a statement.

But Krykant thinks blaming Westminster is an easy out.

“All we’ve been hearing is that it’s the U.K. government’s fault,” he said. “We could have drug consumption rooms in Scotland right now if there was political will.”

With Scotland in control of its own health care and policing — a system known as devolution — Krykant and other drug policy advocates argue that the Lord Advocate, Scotland’s chief public prosecutor, could provide legal cover in the form of a “letter of comfort” stating that drug consumption rooms could operate without fear of criminal prosecution. (The Lord Advocate provided similar guidance this spring for naloxone.)

But he has so far declined to do this, saying the facilities require a legal solution that addresses civil liability and the full range of exemptions from criminal law.

To date, police have not shut down the van, nor have they made any arrests. In a statement, they seemed to suggest they would leave well enough alone — for now, at least.

“The establishment of any form of safe consumption location contravenes the U.K. Misuse of Drugs Act 1971,” an assistant chief constable of Police Scotland, Gary Ritchie, said in a statement. “Any attempt to circumvent the law, as it stands, by providing an unregulated and unlicensed facility may expose already vulnerable people to more risk and harm.”

For Krykant, the goal of the van is to challenge drug policy more than to curb Scotland’s soaring drug deaths.

“We may keep people alive, but this has always been about a push for an official establishment,” he said. “We can’t provide a service for hundreds of people from the back of one transit van.”

Krykant grew up in Falkirk, about 20 miles from Glasgow, and said he was taking drugs on a daily basis by the time he was 11 years old. By 17, he was injecting heroin, and a few years later found himself in Birmingham, England, living on the street and begging for money to fuel his drug habit.

He was eventually approached by an outreach team in Birmingham and offered a chance to enter a residential treatment program. “I grabbed my bag and enough drugs to take on the train and got myself there,” he said.

After that, he moved to Brighton in southern England and completed another program, and has been clean now for two decades. He returned to Falkirk in 2013 with his family and started working in drug recovery services.

In February, he attended a conference sponsored by the Scottish government and heard about the promise of drug consumption rooms. He was intrigued. A few weeks later he traveled to Copenhagen and met with the people who opened Denmark’s first mobile site in 2011. Less than a year later, the Danish Parliament legalized supervised injection facilities.

“I took my inspiration from what happened there,” he said. “They quickly got the legal framework and now have the world’s largest safe-consumption facility.”

He traveled back to Scotland and decided to do the same.

He invested 500 pounds, or about $650, of his own money and crowdfunded the remaining 2,400 pounds to purchase the well-traveled van and outfit it with the necessary equipment. On Aug. 31 — International Overdose Awareness Day — he drove it to Parnie Street for the first time.

Krykant chose the van’s parking spot carefully. Within a 30-second walk is an alleyway where drug users publicly inject. It is filled with discarded needles, slivers of foil and small spoons.

James Muir, 34, said that when the van was not there, he usually injected in alleys like the one nearby or in parking lots around Glasgow. He said he had been to the van about three or four times now, adding, “I think it’s really good.”

Asked if he was worried about the possibility of police showing up and arresting him over drug possession, “the guy reassured me he locks the van,” Muir said, referring to Krykant. “I trust him.”

Every Friday for the past two months, Peter Krykant has parked his white van on Parnie Street in central Glasgow, Scotland, around the corner from a games shop and several art galleries, and waited for people to come by and inject illegal drugs.

Every Friday for the past two months, Peter Krykant has parked his white van on Parnie Street in central Glasgow, Scotland, around the corner from a games shop and several art galleries, and waited for people to come by and inject illegal drugs. Inside the van are two seats and two tables, each with a stainless steel tray and hypodermic needles as well as several biohazard trash cans. The van is also equipped with naloxone, the medication used to reverse an opioid overdose, and a defibrillator. (There are COVID-19 safety precautions, too: hand sanitizer and a box of masks.) Krykant usually opens the van by 10 a.m., and on this particular day three people were already waiting to get inside. This was something of a surprise, since Scottish police had charged him with obstruction the week before when he refused to open the vehicle to officers, knowing several people were inside taking drugs. He wasn’t sure anyone would come back after that scare. Also read| Britain hopes for 'normal Christmas' as coronavirus cases surge in Europe Scotland is in the midst of its worst drug crisis on record and one of the worst in the world. The country has tallied five straight years of record-setting drug-related deaths and now holds a per capita death rate three times higher than anywhere else in Europe. Overdoses are more common in Scotland, by some measures, than even the United States. In 2018, Scotland had nearly 20 drug-related deaths per 100,000 people, compared with 18 deaths in the United States and around five in Ireland, Finland and Sweden. Krykant is adamant that drug consumption rooms will help slow the rate of overdose deaths in Scotland by allowing drug users to inject under supervision and with naloxone on hand. Krykant chats easily with several men waiting to be let inside. He asks them what type of drug they’ll be injecting, writes it down and then opens the sliding back door. Also read| UK to unveil 'largest military investment' in three decades In addition to Krykant, at least one other trained volunteer is on duty; they take turns watching for police and checking on the people inside. Krykant, a former addict himself, said he had “learned very quickly that harm reduction is the most fundamental thing.” “People don’t get any more opportunities after they’re dead,” he said. Drug consumption rooms are facilities that legally allow people to take illicit drugs under the supervision of trained professionals in a sterile environment and with clean equipment. They have been shown to reduce overdose deaths and blood-borne viruses like HIV, decrease public injecting and more quickly connect people to treatment services. “In all recorded injections that have taken place in these spaces across the world, there has not been one recorded death,” said Andrew McAuley, a public health professor at Glasgow Caledonian University. The first legal facility opened in Switzerland in the mid-1980s, and over the last three decades they have been established across Europe, Canada and Australia — around 200 in all. Despite their effectiveness and Scotland’s increasingly dire drug problem, they remain illegal throughout Britain. The Scottish government has expressed its support, but Westminster has not budged. “We have no plans to introduce drug consumption rooms, and anyone running them would be committing a range of offenses,” a spokesperson for the British Home Office said in a statement. But Krykant thinks blaming Westminster is an easy out. “All we’ve been hearing is that it’s the U.K. government’s fault,” he said. “We could have drug consumption rooms in Scotland right now if there was political will.” With Scotland in control of its own health care and policing — a system known as devolution — Krykant and other drug policy advocates argue that the Lord Advocate, Scotland’s chief public prosecutor, could provide legal cover in the form of a “letter of comfort” stating that drug consumption rooms could operate without fear of criminal prosecution. (The Lord Advocate provided similar guidance this spring for naloxone.) But he has so far declined to do this, saying the facilities require a legal solution that addresses civil liability and the full range of exemptions from criminal law. To date, police have not shut down the van, nor have they made any arrests. In a statement, they seemed to suggest they would leave well enough alone — for now, at least. “The establishment of any form of safe consumption location contravenes the U.K. Misuse of Drugs Act 1971,” an assistant chief constable of Police Scotland, Gary Ritchie, said in a statement. “Any attempt to circumvent the law, as it stands, by providing an unregulated and unlicensed facility may expose already vulnerable people to more risk and harm.” For Krykant, the goal of the van is to challenge drug policy more than to curb Scotland’s soaring drug deaths. “We may keep people alive, but this has always been about a push for an official establishment,” he said. “We can’t provide a service for hundreds of people from the back of one transit van.” Krykant grew up in Falkirk, about 20 miles from Glasgow, and said he was taking drugs on a daily basis by the time he was 11 years old. By 17, he was injecting heroin, and a few years later found himself in Birmingham, England, living on the street and begging for money to fuel his drug habit. He was eventually approached by an outreach team in Birmingham and offered a chance to enter a residential treatment program. “I grabbed my bag and enough drugs to take on the train and got myself there,” he said. After that, he moved to Brighton in southern England and completed another program, and has been clean now for two decades. He returned to Falkirk in 2013 with his family and started working in drug recovery services. In February, he attended a conference sponsored by the Scottish government and heard about the promise of drug consumption rooms. He was intrigued. A few weeks later he traveled to Copenhagen and met with the people who opened Denmark’s first mobile site in 2011. Less than a year later, the Danish Parliament legalized supervised injection facilities. “I took my inspiration from what happened there,” he said. “They quickly got the legal framework and now have the world’s largest safe-consumption facility.” He traveled back to Scotland and decided to do the same. He invested 500 pounds, or about $650, of his own money and crowdfunded the remaining 2,400 pounds to purchase the well-traveled van and outfit it with the necessary equipment. On Aug. 31 — International Overdose Awareness Day — he drove it to Parnie Street for the first time. Krykant chose the van’s parking spot carefully. Within a 30-second walk is an alleyway where drug users publicly inject. It is filled with discarded needles, slivers of foil and small spoons. James Muir, 34, said that when the van was not there, he usually injected in alleys like the one nearby or in parking lots around Glasgow. He said he had been to the van about three or four times now, adding, “I think it’s really good.” Asked if he was worried about the possibility of police showing up and arresting him over drug possession, “the guy reassured me he locks the van,” Muir said, referring to Krykant. “I trust him.”

How a man with a van is challenging UK drug policy

Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday said that he does not want his country to return to the late Soviet-era practice of having lifelong rulers. Most of these rulers died in power without a proper succession strategy.

Putin made the comments while addressing the veterans of World War Two in St Petersburg.

Recently, he shook up the cabinet which led to the resignation of Dmitry Medvedev as prime minister along with his government.

After this, Mikhail Mishustin, the head of the country's tax service was chosen as the prime minister. More members of the cabinet will be announced shortly.

Putin's recent changes in the Russian polity triggered fears of the president trying to indefinitely extend his power. The constitutional amendment put forth by Putin would create new centres of power outside of the presidency.

<h6><img alt="iii" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="063c6bc3-82b1-4ffb-b139-d80ad5da5d7e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design_48.jpg" /> 
Image:&nbsp;Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) visits a 3D panorama ‘Memory speaks. The road through the war’ in St Petersburg on January 18, 2020, as part of the 75th anniversary since the Leningrad siege was lifted during the World War Two. Putin attended events marking the 77th anniversary of the break of Nazi's siege of Leningrad. The Red Army broke the nearly 900-day blockade of the city on January 19, 1943 after fierce fighting | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

Putin has dominated the Russian political landscape as president or as prime minister for the last two decades. His current term terminates in 2024.

Many critics believe that Putin wants to exercise power over Russia even after his term ends. 
 
The president had also earlier said that he wants to limit the maximum terms of any presidents to two. However, he is himself serving his fourth term.

&nbsp;"As regards (presidential) terms for staying in power I understand ... that (concern over this) is linked for many people with worries about societal, state and domestic and external stability'', Putin said.

"But it would be very worrying to return to the situation we had in the mid-1980s when state leaders stayed in power, one by one, until the end of their days and left office without ensuring the necessary conditions for a transition of power. So thanks, but I think it would be better not to return to that situation", he added.

<h6><img alt="iii" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="13c82de3-9c5a-4b01-ab1e-eeeee6ea051d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29_55.jpg" /> 
Image:&nbsp;Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a wreath laying commemoration ceremony for the 75th anniversary since the Leningrad siege was lifted during the World War Two at the Boundary Stone monument, around 50 kilometers east of Saint Petersburg on January 18, 2020. The Russian city of St. Petersburg, then called Leningrad, marked the 75th anniversary of the end of the devastating WWII siege by Nazi forces, lasted 872 days until the Soviet Army drove the Nazis away on January 27, 1944 | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

Putin was alluding to the late Soviet period whereby senior leaders like Leonid Brezhnev, Yuri Andropov and Konstantin Chernenko all died in office. This was usually followed by attempts to grab power by others.&nbsp;

Could Putin be suggesting that he does not intend to return as president after his term ends?

Many believe that Putin would continue to wield influence behind the scenes.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mikhail-mishustin-tax-service-head-and-hockey-player-picked-by-putin-as-russian-pm-274590">Mikhail Mishustin -&nbsp;Tax Service head and Hockey player picked by Putin as Russian PM</a>

(With inputs from Reuters)

Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday said that he does not want his country to return to the late Soviet-era practice of having lifelong rulers. Most of these rulers died in power without a proper succession strategy.

Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday said that he does not want his country to return to the late Soviet-era practice of having lifelong rulers. Most of these rulers died in power without a proper succession strategy. Putin made the comments while addressing the veterans of World War Two in St Petersburg. Recently, he shook up the cabinet which led to the resignation of Dmitry Medvedev as prime minister along with his government. After this, Mikhail Mishustin, the head of the country's tax service was chosen as the prime minister. More members of the cabinet will be announced shortly. Putin's recent changes in the Russian polity triggered fears of the president trying to indefinitely extend his power. The constitutional amendment put forth by Putin would create new centres of power outside of the presidency. Image: Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) visits a 3D panorama ‘Memory speaks. The road through the war’ in St Petersburg on January 18, 2020, as part of the 75th anniversary since the Leningrad siege was lifted during the World War Two. Putin attended events marking the 77th anniversary of the break of Nazi's siege of Leningrad. The Red Army broke the nearly 900-day blockade of the city on January 19, 1943 after fierce fighting | AFP Putin has dominated the Russian political landscape as president or as prime minister for the last two decades. His current term terminates in 2024. Many critics believe that Putin wants to exercise power over Russia even after his term ends. The president had also earlier said that he wants to limit the maximum terms of any presidents to two. However, he is himself serving his fourth term. "As regards (presidential) terms for staying in power I understand ... that (concern over this) is linked for many people with worries about societal, state and domestic and external stability'', Putin said. "But it would be very worrying to return to the situation we had in the mid-1980s when state leaders stayed in power, one by one, until the end of their days and left office without ensuring the necessary conditions for a transition of power. So thanks, but I think it would be better not to return to that situation", he added. Image: Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a wreath laying commemoration ceremony for the 75th anniversary since the Leningrad siege was lifted during the World War Two at the Boundary Stone monument, around 50 kilometers east of Saint Petersburg on January 18, 2020. The Russian city of St. Petersburg, then called Leningrad, marked the 75th anniversary of the end of the devastating WWII siege by Nazi forces, lasted 872 days until the Soviet Army drove the Nazis away on January 27, 1944 | AFP Putin was alluding to the late Soviet period whereby senior leaders like Leonid Brezhnev, Yuri Andropov and Konstantin Chernenko all died in office. This was usually followed by attempts to grab power by others. Could Putin be suggesting that he does not intend to return as president after his term ends? Many believe that Putin would continue to wield influence behind the scenes. Also read: Mikhail Mishustin - Tax Service head and Hockey player picked by Putin as Russian PM (With inputs from Reuters)

Putin rejects idea of Soviet-style lifelong leaders for Russia while addressing war veterans

National Students' Union of India, the Congress' student wing, on Tuesday held a 'Chhatra Adhikaar Rally' in Delhi against the Central government's education policies. 
 
The rally focused on the condition of educational institutions, fee hike, privatisation of education under the New Education Policy 2019 and the alleged anti-student policies of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA government in the country. 
 
The rally started from the Mandi House and culminated at the Parliamentary Street in Delhi. 
 
Senior Congress leaders including Ahmed Patel, KC Venugopal, Mukul Wasnik and Kirti Azad participated in the rally.

National Students' Union of India, the Congress' student wing, on Tuesday held a 'Chhatra Adhikaar Rally' in Delhi against the Central government's education policies.

National Students' Union of India, the Congress' student wing, on Tuesday held a 'Chhatra Adhikaar Rally' in Delhi against the Central government's education policies. The rally focused on the condition of educational institutions, fee hike, privatisation of education under the New Education Policy 2019 and the alleged anti-student policies of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA government in the country. The rally started from the Mandi House and culminated at the Parliamentary Street in Delhi. Senior Congress leaders including Ahmed Patel, KC Venugopal, Mukul Wasnik and Kirti Azad participated in the rally.

Delhi: NSUI holds rally against government's education policies

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/mahinda-rajapaksa-has-been-sworn-in-as-the-prime-minister-of-sri-lanka-263600">Sri Lanka's presidential election</a> significantly increases policy uncertainty and could prompt loosening that exacerbates fiscal weaknesses and a rollback of reforms, according to Fitch Ratings. 
 
However, whether these risks materialise remains to be seen as a clear policy direction may only start to emerge after parliamentary elections. 
 
Gotabaya Rajapaksa of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) defeated Sajith Premadasa of the ruling United National Party (UNP) in last week's election. He is a former defence secretary and the brother of SLPP leader and ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa. 
 
Mahinda Rajapaksa has been named prime minister following the resignation of the UNP's Ranil Wickremesinghe, and an interim cabinet is likely to be appointed. 
 
The policy environment in Sri Lanka&nbsp;had improved following the resolution of the 2018 political crisis, supporting the resumption of fiscal and economic reforms and of Sri Lanka's IMF programme. However, political tensions could resurface ahead of elections to parliament, where the UNP is the largest party. 
 
These are expected early next year. The new president's constitutional reform plans could resurrect controversial proposals to enhance the executive's powers. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/charges-dropped-against-immune-new-sri-lanka-president-263597">Gotabaya Rajapaksa's economic manifesto</a> targets average growth of 6.5 per cent or higher, compared with 3.2 per cent in 2018 and a Fitch-forecast 2.8 per cent in 2019, by promoting commodity and apparel exports, construction and tourism. "Strengthening growth and exports will be credit positive, but we think there is a risk of a more expansionary fiscal stance after the parliamentary elections." 
 
Under Mahinda Rajapaksa's presidency from 2005-2015, an aggressive infrastructure drive pushed up government debt. Gotabaya Rajapaksa's manifesto targets a budget deficit below 4 per cent of GDP and inflation below 5 per cent. 
 
"Although detailed economic plans are yet to be announced, we think achieving ambitious growth targets could entail stimulus measures that erode fiscal headroom which is limited by high public debt (about 83 per cent of GDP). This could undermine policy credibility, investor confidence, and potentially complicate relations with the IMF," said Fitch. 
 
The new president's manifesto suggests that the undermining of monetary policy credibility that was a feature of Mahinda Rajapaksa's presidency will not recur. 
 
An important measure of this commitment will be the status of a planned amendment to the Monetary Law Act, which would establish price stability as the central bank's primary objective and support the shift towards flexible inflation targeting. 
 
Gotabaya Rajapaksa's commitments on social spending and public-sector wages and pensions could jeopardise deficit reduction unless government revenue (which is low at just over 13 per cent of GDP) increases. 
 
His manifesto includes plans to replace the Inland Revenue Act, a lynchpin of fiscal reforms under the IMF programme, to unify VAT (currently 15 per cent) and the Nation-Building Tax (2 per cent) with a single VAT rate of 8 per cent and cap personal income tax rates at 15 per cent. If these lead to revenue losses, they could put Sri Lanka's medium-term fiscal consolidation plan at risk. 
 
A 4 per cent deficit may, therefore, prove challenging. "We forecast the deficit to stabilise at about 5 per cent of GDP in 2020-2021, as GDP growth recovers from the April bombings in Colombo. 
 
The market reaction to the election has been mildly positive. The Sri Lankan currency has appreciated by about 0.5 per cent against the dollar and the Colombo stock index rose by about 2 per cent. 
 
A row-back on reforms could have implications for Sri Lanka's IMF programme which has been extended to June 2020. The sixth review was completed in September and, coupled with 4.4 billion dollars of sovereign bond issuance this year, has eased near-term external pressures. 
 
But external debt repayments are substantial at 19 billion dollars in 2020-2023 against reserves of 7.8 billion dollars.

Sri Lanka's presidential election significantly increases policy uncertainty and could prompt loosening that exacerbates fiscal weaknesses and a rollback of reforms, according to Fitch Ratings.

Sri Lanka's presidential election significantly increases policy uncertainty and could prompt loosening that exacerbates fiscal weaknesses and a rollback of reforms, according to Fitch Ratings. However, whether these risks materialise remains to be seen as a clear policy direction may only start to emerge after parliamentary elections. Gotabaya Rajapaksa of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) defeated Sajith Premadasa of the ruling United National Party (UNP) in last week's election. He is a former defence secretary and the brother of SLPP leader and ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa. Mahinda Rajapaksa has been named prime minister following the resignation of the UNP's Ranil Wickremesinghe, and an interim cabinet is likely to be appointed. The policy environment in Sri Lanka had improved following the resolution of the 2018 political crisis, supporting the resumption of fiscal and economic reforms and of Sri Lanka's IMF programme. However, political tensions could resurface ahead of elections to parliament, where the UNP is the largest party. These are expected early next year. The new president's constitutional reform plans could resurrect controversial proposals to enhance the executive's powers. Gotabaya Rajapaksa's economic manifesto targets average growth of 6.5 per cent or higher, compared with 3.2 per cent in 2018 and a Fitch-forecast 2.8 per cent in 2019, by promoting commodity and apparel exports, construction and tourism. "Strengthening growth and exports will be credit positive, but we think there is a risk of a more expansionary fiscal stance after the parliamentary elections." Under Mahinda Rajapaksa's presidency from 2005-2015, an aggressive infrastructure drive pushed up government debt. Gotabaya Rajapaksa's manifesto targets a budget deficit below 4 per cent of GDP and inflation below 5 per cent. "Although detailed economic plans are yet to be announced, we think achieving ambitious growth targets could entail stimulus measures that erode fiscal headroom which is limited by high public debt (about 83 per cent of GDP). This could undermine policy credibility, investor confidence, and potentially complicate relations with the IMF," said Fitch. The new president's manifesto suggests that the undermining of monetary policy credibility that was a feature of Mahinda Rajapaksa's presidency will not recur. An important measure of this commitment will be the status of a planned amendment to the Monetary Law Act, which would establish price stability as the central bank's primary objective and support the shift towards flexible inflation targeting. Gotabaya Rajapaksa's commitments on social spending and public-sector wages and pensions could jeopardise deficit reduction unless government revenue (which is low at just over 13 per cent of GDP) increases. His manifesto includes plans to replace the Inland Revenue Act, a lynchpin of fiscal reforms under the IMF programme, to unify VAT (currently 15 per cent) and the Nation-Building Tax (2 per cent) with a single VAT rate of 8 per cent and cap personal income tax rates at 15 per cent. If these lead to revenue losses, they could put Sri Lanka's medium-term fiscal consolidation plan at risk. A 4 per cent deficit may, therefore, prove challenging. "We forecast the deficit to stabilise at about 5 per cent of GDP in 2020-2021, as GDP growth recovers from the April bombings in Colombo. The market reaction to the election has been mildly positive. The Sri Lankan currency has appreciated by about 0.5 per cent against the dollar and the Colombo stock index rose by about 2 per cent. A row-back on reforms could have implications for Sri Lanka's IMF programme which has been extended to June 2020. The sixth review was completed in September and, coupled with 4.4 billion dollars of sovereign bond issuance this year, has eased near-term external pressures. But external debt repayments are substantial at 19 billion dollars in 2020-2023 against reserves of 7.8 billion dollars.

Sri Lanka's election result increases policy uncertainty: Fitch ratings

The growing influence of Think Tanks in public policy-making is a problem because these groups have not covered themselves in glory.

Moreover, should policy making be outsourced? Is that even democratic and lawful?

On WION Edit, we explore these issues that are inherent in the conception and functioning of a modern Think Tank. Corporations are making huge benefits from their association with Think Tanks. The story of Lennar Corporation and Brookings Institution is just a sample.

Powerful Think Tanks like American Enterprise Institute, Centre for Strategic and International Studies get funded by big corporates.

The likes of JP Morgan Chase, KKR, Hitachi, Coca-Cola and Lockheed Martin are all deeply entrenched in this game. As we speak, the democratic State Attorney General is investigating whether Exxon Mobil influenced policy decisions in its favour through prominent Think Tanks.

Be it elections, sugar tax, oil tax, cigarettes, even climate change or defence - Think Tanks have shown that their allegiance lies entirely with their donors. Over the years, they have published research articles which slammed the sugar-tax and rooted for the oil industry. A Think Tank called The Institute of Economic Affairs even said that sugar tax ruins soft drink manufacturers without causing any effect on overall sugar-consumption.

Another institute in South Africa called IRR recently conducted research on the same issue - sugar tax. Guess who funded it? Coca-Cola.

So should we dismiss all Think Tanks?&nbsp;

That would be a knee-jerk reaction. Let's look at the other side of this coin. Government needs outside opinion and independent view on various issues.

The problems are specific. You need domain experts to solve them and you need these experts to conduct independent, unbiased research.

That's the tricky part-independent and unbiased. Plus, democracy does not and should not function on the advice of shadow policy makers, representatives elected by people must debate and take policy decisions. So where do we draw the line?&nbsp;

The government must hire domain experts on a contractual basis to conduct such studies. Or the government could come up with progressive, unobtrusive laws to ensure that Think Tanks are transparent.

Go and check the books. Good audit is the solution. There is another solution that is suggested by politicians like Elizabeth Warren. She is rooting for a tax on lobbying. Though it may help in a modest way, it will not root out biased research with vested interests.

Independent Think Tanks add value to democracy,&nbsp;but reliance on Think Tanks comes with its own constraints. The question is - who is the Think Tank thinking for?

Fix them now. Because misleading information is called information corruption and this is a dangerous problem that could derail democracy. 
 
(Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

The growing influence of Think Tanks in public policy-making is a problem because these groups have not covered themselves in glory. Moreover, should policy making be outsourced?

The growing influence of Think Tanks in public policy-making is a problem because these groups have not covered themselves in glory. Moreover, should policy making be outsourced? Is that even democratic and lawful? On WION Edit, we explore these issues that are inherent in the conception and functioning of a modern Think Tank. Corporations are making huge benefits from their association with Think Tanks. The story of Lennar Corporation and Brookings Institution is just a sample. Powerful Think Tanks like American Enterprise Institute, Centre for Strategic and International Studies get funded by big corporates. The likes of JP Morgan Chase, KKR, Hitachi, Coca-Cola and Lockheed Martin are all deeply entrenched in this game. As we speak, the democratic State Attorney General is investigating whether Exxon Mobil influenced policy decisions in its favour through prominent Think Tanks. Be it elections, sugar tax, oil tax, cigarettes, even climate change or defence - Think Tanks have shown that their allegiance lies entirely with their donors. Over the years, they have published research articles which slammed the sugar-tax and rooted for the oil industry. A Think Tank called The Institute of Economic Affairs even said that sugar tax ruins soft drink manufacturers without causing any effect on overall sugar-consumption. Another institute in South Africa called IRR recently conducted research on the same issue - sugar tax. Guess who funded it? Coca-Cola. So should we dismiss all Think Tanks? That would be a knee-jerk reaction. Let's look at the other side of this coin. Government needs outside opinion and independent view on various issues. The problems are specific. You need domain experts to solve them and you need these experts to conduct independent, unbiased research. That's the tricky part-independent and unbiased. Plus, democracy does not and should not function on the advice of shadow policy makers, representatives elected by people must debate and take policy decisions. So where do we draw the line? The government must hire domain experts on a contractual basis to conduct such studies. Or the government could come up with progressive, unobtrusive laws to ensure that Think Tanks are transparent. Go and check the books. Good audit is the solution. There is another solution that is suggested by politicians like Elizabeth Warren. She is rooting for a tax on lobbying. Though it may help in a modest way, it will not root out biased research with vested interests. Independent Think Tanks add value to democracy, but reliance on Think Tanks comes with its own constraints. The question is - who is the Think Tank thinking for? Fix them now. Because misleading information is called information corruption and this is a dangerous problem that could derail democracy. (Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

WION  Edit: Is it right to outsource policy making?

Iran will never hold one-on-one talks with the United States, but could engage in multilateral discussions if Washington returns to the 2015 nuclear deal, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday, according to state TV.

Iran will never hold one-on-one talks with the United States, but could engage in multilateral discussions if Washington returns to the 2015 nuclear deal, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday, according to state TV. US President Donald Trump has said he could meet Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, possibly at the UN General Assembly in New York later in September. "Iranian officials, at any level, will never talk to American officials ... this is part of their (US) policy to put pressure on Iran ... their policy of maximum pressure will fail," state TV quoted Khamenei as saying. "If America changes its behaviour and returns to (Iran's 2015) nuclear deal, then it can join multilateral talks between Iran and other parties to the deal", Khamenei added, according to the report. Trump has stepped up sanctions against Iran since last year when he withdrew from the nuclear pact between Iran and six world powers. "If we yield to their pressure and hold talks with Americans ... This will show that their maximum pressure on Iran has succeeded. They should know that this policy has no value for us," said Khamenei, who has the last say on all state matters. Tensions between Tehran and Washington have spiked following a weekend attack on major oil sites in Saudi Arabia that the United States said Iran was responsible for. Iran denies the charge.

Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei rejects one-on-one talks with United States

China's population grew at a slower rate last year despite the abolition of the one-child policy, official data showed Monday, raising fears an ageing society will pile further pressure on an already slowing economy.

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/opinions/how-realistic-are-chinas-plans-to-build-a-research-station-on-the-moon-191767&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjlvdiM7v7fAhVIYo8KHZcvAGEQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3Ae1x7eX5Nm_j0d5vnliNq">China</a>'s government raised the limit to two children in 2016 to rejuvenate the world's most populous country, which has nearly 1.4 billion people, and experts say it may remove the cap next year.

But the change does not seem to have inspired couples to have more children, partly due to urbanisation and the higher cost of living in the world's second-biggest economy, according to experts.

"Decades-long social and economic transformations have prepared an entirely new generation in China, for whom marriage and childbearing no longer have the importance as they once did for their parent's generation," said Wang Feng, a sociology professor at the University of California, Irving.

There were 15.23 million live births in 2018, a drop of two million from the year before, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed.

With 9.93 million deaths, this led to a growth rate of 3.81 per thousand in 2018, a dip from 5.32 per thousand the previous year.

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-richest-1-get-richer-by-39-in-2018-just-3-rise-for-bottom-half-oxfam-191688&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiy7Jaf7v7fAhVFpY8KHU4QBDMQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3hh3JTMWIivZYHgi8HzMIR">Population</a> growth is at its second-lowest since the founding of the People's Republic of China, Wang said, adding that the lowest ever growth was in 1960 when the country was going through a famine.

Still, China's total population rose by 5.3 million in 2018 to 1.395 billion people, retaining its title as the world's most populous nation.&nbsp;

NBS commissioner Ning Jize said population growth had peaked but said the country still had huge potential.&nbsp;

"China's labour participation rate is not considered low worldwide, more than 700 million of our 900 million people (of working age) are employed, and there is still room (for growth)," he said.&nbsp;

Workforce decline

China's workforce — those aged between 16 and 59 — was 897.3 million last year, a 4.7 million drop from 2017, NBS data showed.

This is the seventh consecutive year of decline, noted He Yafu, an independent demographer based in the southern Guangdong province.&nbsp;

The workforce is on track to decline by as much as 23 per cent by 2050.

"The low birth rate has led to a seriously ageing population. On one hand, families are getting smaller, reducing support for the elderly; on the other hand, the elderly population to the workforce is growing, which increases the burden on the working population," He said.

Signs of China's falling population growth had emerged when data released by some local authorities indicated a significant drop in births last year.&nbsp;

In Qingdao, a city in eastern Shandong province — one of China's most populous regions — births between January and November decreased by 21 per cent to just over 81,000 compared to the previous year.

Birth limits removed?&nbsp;

Introduced in 1979, the one-child policy was mainly enforced through fines but was also notorious for forced abortions and sterilisations, which caused birth rates to plummet.&nbsp;

Exceptions were made for rural families whose first-born was a female, and for ethnic minorities.&nbsp;

In a draft of China's new sweeping Civil Code, due to be introduced in 2020, all mention of "family planning" has been removed, suggesting that the limit on family sizes could be lifted.&nbsp;

But the rising cost of living has discouraged many of child-bearing age, He said, adding that like with many countries around the world, fertility rates in rural areas are high but less so in the cities.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

China's population grew at a slower rate last year despite the abolition of the one-child policy, official data showed Monday, raising fears an ageing society will pile further pressure on an already slowing economy.

China's population grew at a slower rate last year despite the abolition of the one-child policy, official data showed Monday, raising fears an ageing society will pile further pressure on an already slowing economy. China's government raised the limit to two children in 2016 to rejuvenate the world's most populous country, which has nearly 1.4 billion people, and experts say it may remove the cap next year. But the change does not seem to have inspired couples to have more children, partly due to urbanisation and the higher cost of living in the world's second-biggest economy, according to experts. "Decades-long social and economic transformations have prepared an entirely new generation in China, for whom marriage and childbearing no longer have the importance as they once did for their parent's generation," said Wang Feng, a sociology professor at the University of California, Irving. There were 15.23 million live births in 2018, a drop of two million from the year before, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed. With 9.93 million deaths, this led to a growth rate of 3.81 per thousand in 2018, a dip from 5.32 per thousand the previous year. Population growth is at its second-lowest since the founding of the People's Republic of China, Wang said, adding that the lowest ever growth was in 1960 when the country was going through a famine. Still, China's total population rose by 5.3 million in 2018 to 1.395 billion people, retaining its title as the world's most populous nation. NBS commissioner Ning Jize said population growth had peaked but said the country still had huge potential. "China's labour participation rate is not considered low worldwide, more than 700 million of our 900 million people (of working age) are employed, and there is still room (for growth)," he said. Workforce decline China's workforce — those aged between 16 and 59 — was 897.3 million last year, a 4.7 million drop from 2017, NBS data showed. This is the seventh consecutive year of decline, noted He Yafu, an independent demographer based in the southern Guangdong province. The workforce is on track to decline by as much as 23 per cent by 2050. "The low birth rate has led to a seriously ageing population. On one hand, families are getting smaller, reducing support for the elderly; on the other hand, the elderly population to the workforce is growing, which increases the burden on the working population," He said. Signs of China's falling population growth had emerged when data released by some local authorities indicated a significant drop in births last year. In Qingdao, a city in eastern Shandong province — one of China's most populous regions — births between January and November decreased by 21 per cent to just over 81,000 compared to the previous year. Birth limits removed? Introduced in 1979, the one-child policy was mainly enforced through fines but was also notorious for forced abortions and sterilisations, which caused birth rates to plummet. Exceptions were made for rural families whose first-born was a female, and for ethnic minorities. In a draft of China's new sweeping Civil Code, due to be introduced in 2020, all mention of "family planning" has been removed, suggesting that the limit on family sizes could be lifted. But the rising cost of living has discouraged many of child-bearing age, He said, adding that like with many countries around the world, fertility rates in rural areas are high but less so in the cities.

Despite two-child policy, population growth slows in China

US&nbsp;trade policy towards China over the next few years will become more confrontational, according to a majority of economists in a Reuters poll who remain convinced US&nbsp;growth has peaked and will slow substantially next year.

The same survey showed the Federal Reserve will raise rates three times next year compared with just two in a poll taken only a month ago. That brings the consensus among Fed watchers in line with the central bank`s "dot plot" forecasts.

The economy is currently expanding at a brisk pace, in part from aggressive tax cuts passed into law late last year, and so economists have revised up some of their near-term growth forecasts.

But the latest October 10-18 survey of over 100 economists suggests tightening financial conditions and the trade war with China will soon start to slow growth.

After surging to an annualized 4.2 per cent in the second quarter, growth is forecast to have lost momentum to 3.3 per cent in the quarter just gone by and then to 2.7 per cent in the current period ending in December.

Those are slightly higher than the September poll. But by end-2019, growth will have slowed to 2.1 per cent.

"The fiscal support for the US&nbsp;economy will start to fade through 2019," noted James Knightley, chief international economist at ING. "Moreover, the strong US&nbsp;dollar and gradual increases in interest rates will act as a brake on growth while trade uncertainty and emerging market fragility could also contribute to a gradual slowdown."

That said, the median probability of a recession in the next two years also slipped from the previous poll, to 30 per cent from 35 per cent.

More than half of over 50 economists who answered an additional question said US&nbsp;economic policy towards China in the next few years will become more punitive and confrontational, countering a lingering view that US&nbsp;President Donald Trump`s administration will soften its tone.

"US&nbsp;and China trade disputes are spilling over into other areas of the bilateral relationship between the two countries. The policy differences that are coming to a head today will not be easily or quickly resolved," said Scott Anderson, chief economist at Bank of the West in San Francisco.

Last month, the administration threatened duties on another US $267 billion of Chinese goods, on top of tariffs already levied on US $200 billion and US $50 billion previously. Beijing retaliated.

The trade war "will continue to escalate," said Andrew Hunter, economist at Capital Economics.

"There are potential talks between President Trump and (Chinese President) Xi (Jinping) planned for the G20 summit next month, but at the moment we wouldn`t hold much hope" for a deal, he added.

Just seven respondents in the poll predicted an improvement in US-China trade relations.

Economists polled by Reuters have consistently said putting up trade barriers will do more harm than good.&nbsp;

Economists said they believed that a deteriorating US&nbsp;fiscal position will give Washington fewer policy options to cushion the next downturn. They noted that tax cuts have widened the federal budget deficit to the highest in six years, expected to touch US $1 trillion in the current fiscal year.&nbsp;

Without robust growth, "the deficit could rise sharply," said ING`s Knightley. "Given the polarization of views on Capitol Hill this runs the real threat of government shutdowns, which could add to political, economic and market uncertainty."&nbsp;

Economists also expect the Fed to hike rates once more this year, probably at the December meeting, taking the fed funds rate to 2.25-2.50 per cent.&nbsp;

Despite a tame US&nbsp;inflation outlook, Reuters poll medians show three Fed rate hikes next year, one more than the two predicted in the September poll and in every survey since the complete 2019 Fed outlook was first polled in March.

US trade policy towards China over the next few years will become more confrontational, according to a majority of economists in a Reuters poll who remain convinced US growth has peaked and will slow substantially next year.

US trade policy towards China over the next few years will become more confrontational, according to a majority of economists in a Reuters poll who remain convinced US growth has peaked and will slow substantially next year. The same survey showed the Federal Reserve will raise rates three times next year compared with just two in a poll taken only a month ago. That brings the consensus among Fed watchers in line with the central bank`s "dot plot" forecasts. The economy is currently expanding at a brisk pace, in part from aggressive tax cuts passed into law late last year, and so economists have revised up some of their near-term growth forecasts. But the latest October 10-18 survey of over 100 economists suggests tightening financial conditions and the trade war with China will soon start to slow growth. After surging to an annualized 4.2 per cent in the second quarter, growth is forecast to have lost momentum to 3.3 per cent in the quarter just gone by and then to 2.7 per cent in the current period ending in December. Those are slightly higher than the September poll. But by end-2019, growth will have slowed to 2.1 per cent. "The fiscal support for the US economy will start to fade through 2019," noted James Knightley, chief international economist at ING. "Moreover, the strong US dollar and gradual increases in interest rates will act as a brake on growth while trade uncertainty and emerging market fragility could also contribute to a gradual slowdown." That said, the median probability of a recession in the next two years also slipped from the previous poll, to 30 per cent from 35 per cent. More than half of over 50 economists who answered an additional question said US economic policy towards China in the next few years will become more punitive and confrontational, countering a lingering view that US President Donald Trump`s administration will soften its tone. "US and China trade disputes are spilling over into other areas of the bilateral relationship between the two countries. The policy differences that are coming to a head today will not be easily or quickly resolved," said Scott Anderson, chief economist at Bank of the West in San Francisco. Last month, the administration threatened duties on another US $267 billion of Chinese goods, on top of tariffs already levied on US $200 billion and US $50 billion previously. Beijing retaliated. The trade war "will continue to escalate," said Andrew Hunter, economist at Capital Economics. "There are potential talks between President Trump and (Chinese President) Xi (Jinping) planned for the G20 summit next month, but at the moment we wouldn`t hold much hope" for a deal, he added. Just seven respondents in the poll predicted an improvement in US-China trade relations. Economists polled by Reuters have consistently said putting up trade barriers will do more harm than good. Economists said they believed that a deteriorating US fiscal position will give Washington fewer policy options to cushion the next downturn. They noted that tax cuts have widened the federal budget deficit to the highest in six years, expected to touch US $1 trillion in the current fiscal year. Without robust growth, "the deficit could rise sharply," said ING`s Knightley. "Given the polarization of views on Capitol Hill this runs the real threat of government shutdowns, which could add to political, economic and market uncertainty." Economists also expect the Fed to hike rates once more this year, probably at the December meeting, taking the fed funds rate to 2.25-2.50 per cent. Despite a tame US inflation outlook, Reuters poll medians show three Fed rate hikes next year, one more than the two predicted in the September poll and in every survey since the complete 2019 Fed outlook was first polled in March.

US economic policy toward China to get tougher, say economists: Reuters poll

Alphabet Inc`s Google said on Wednesday it will ban advertisements for cryptocurrencies and related content starting in June.

Under the new policy, the company will ban ads for unregulated or speculative financial products like binary options, cryptocurrency and financial spread betting among others.&nbsp;

In a separate blog post, Google said it took down 3.2 billion ads that violated its advertising policies in 2017, nearly double the number of ads it removed in 2016.

&quot;Improving the ads experience across the web, whether that`s removing harmful ads or intrusive ads, will continue to be a top priority for us,&quot; Scott Spencer, director of sustainable ads, said.&nbsp;

In January, Facebook Inc said it will ban ads promoting financial products and services tied to cryptocurrencies and initial coin offerings.

The policy will be implemented across its platforms, including Facebook, Audience Network and Instagram, the company said.

Google said it took down 3.2 billion ads that violated its advertising policies in 2017

Alphabet Inc`s Google said on Wednesday it will ban advertisements for cryptocurrencies and related content starting in June. Under the new policy, the company will ban ads for unregulated or speculative financial products like binary options, cryptocurrency and financial spread betting among others. In a separate blog post, Google said it took down 3.2 billion ads that violated its advertising policies in 2017, nearly double the number of ads it removed in 2016. "Improving the ads experience across the web, whether that`s removing harmful ads or intrusive ads, will continue to be a top priority for us," Scott Spencer, director of sustainable ads, said. In January, Facebook Inc said it will ban ads promoting financial products and services tied to cryptocurrencies and initial coin offerings. The policy will be implemented across its platforms, including Facebook, Audience Network and Instagram, the company said.

Google to ban ads on cryptocurrencies, related products

Germany appears to have drastically curtailed its open-door policy for migrants in 2016, turning away 13,000 people without valid documentation in the first six months, already 4,000 more than in the whole of 2015, official data showed on Tuesday. 
 
Around 117,500 migrants were admitted in the same period, compared to a record of more than one million migrants entering the country last year, mainly across the border from Austria. 
 
The bulk of the rejections happened at land entry points and Afghans, Syrians, and Iraqis made up the three largest groups of the total, the Interior Ministry data published at the request of the hard-left Die Linke party showed. 
 
Chancellor Angela Merkel last month interrupted her summer break to defend her government&#39;s migration policy after two Islamist attacks by asylum seekers, saying that those fleeing conflicts and persecution have the right to asylum in Germany. 
 
More than 2,500 Afghans, 1,300 Syrians, and 1,000 Iraqis were declined entry at border crossings in the January-June period, the ministry said. Iranians, Moroccans, Nigerians, Pakistanis, Gambians, Somalis and Algerians made up the rest of the top 10. 
 
The number of people seeking asylum in Germany dropped drastically this year as a result of border closures in the Balkans, an EU-Turkey deal to stop sea arrivals in Greece and tougher asylum rules in Germany. 
 
In July, 4,500 migrants arrived in Germany, less than half of the daily arrivals at the peak of the crisis in the fall of last year, German police said earlier this month, bringing the number of arrivals in the first seven months of the year to 122,000. 
 
Migrants who arrive in Germany are first registered at reception centres where they have to wait for months before they can officially file an asylum application, creating a huge backlog and putting a strain on civil servants. 
 
The influx has dented the popularity of Merkel&#39;s ruling conservatives and prompted the rise of an anti-immigration party. 
 
Turkey has threatened to suspend its migrants&#39; agreement with the European Union if there is no deal to grant visa-free travel to Turks. The number of migrants reaches Italy in boats from Libya has also been rising. 
 
(Reuters)

The country has turned away 13,000 people without valid documentation in the first six months, already 4,000 more than in the whole of 2015

Germany appears to have drastically curtailed its open-door policy for migrants in 2016, turning away 13,000 people without valid documentation in the first six months, already 4,000 more than in the whole of 2015, official data showed on Tuesday. Around 117,500 migrants were admitted in the same period, compared to a record of more than one million migrants entering the country last year, mainly across the border from Austria. The bulk of the rejections happened at land entry points and Afghans, Syrians, and Iraqis made up the three largest groups of the total, the Interior Ministry data published at the request of the hard-left Die Linke party showed. Chancellor Angela Merkel last month interrupted her summer break to defend her government's migration policy after two Islamist attacks by asylum seekers, saying that those fleeing conflicts and persecution have the right to asylum in Germany. More than 2,500 Afghans, 1,300 Syrians, and 1,000 Iraqis were declined entry at border crossings in the January-June period, the ministry said. Iranians, Moroccans, Nigerians, Pakistanis, Gambians, Somalis and Algerians made up the rest of the top 10. The number of people seeking asylum in Germany dropped drastically this year as a result of border closures in the Balkans, an EU-Turkey deal to stop sea arrivals in Greece and tougher asylum rules in Germany. In July, 4,500 migrants arrived in Germany, less than half of the daily arrivals at the peak of the crisis in the fall of last year, German police said earlier this month, bringing the number of arrivals in the first seven months of the year to 122,000. Migrants who arrive in Germany are first registered at reception centres where they have to wait for months before they can officially file an asylum application, creating a huge backlog and putting a strain on civil servants. The influx has dented the popularity of Merkel's ruling conservatives and prompted the rise of an anti-immigration party. Turkey has threatened to suspend its migrants' agreement with the European Union if there is no deal to grant visa-free travel to Turks. The number of migrants reaches Italy in boats from Libya has also been rising. (Reuters)

Germany has curbed open-door policy for migrants, government data reveals

Indian manufacturers of finished steel goods are urging New Delhi to end tariffs on cheap imports of the alloy from China, Japan and South Korea, worried the protectionist measures may cost them billions in lost overseas sales.&nbsp; 
 
India put the tariffs in place in February to ensure a minimum import price (MIP) for 173 steel products, mainly to guard against cheap Chinese exports of around 10 million tonnes a month of items such as hot-rolled and cold-rolled steel that have undercut US European and Asian producers.&nbsp; 
 
The gambit to protect India&#39;s domestic steelmakers is threatening export revenues earned by engineering and manufacturing companies as artificially high prices for a primary raw material for everything from home appliances to ships make their products uncompetitive in foreign markets.&nbsp; 
 
The MIP policy has hit engineering firms especially hard. These mostly small- to mid-sized companies together export goods worth $56 billion a year, a fifth of India&#39;s shipped merchandise, made at least partly with steel now priced 15 per cent higher on average than at end-2015 and up to 30 per cent more than Chinese imports.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;My input cost is 40 per cent higher than other nations. How will my finished product compete?&quot; Pankaj Chaddha, CEO of Jyoti Steel Industries, said of the MIP tariffs.&nbsp; 
 
Jyoti Steel, a Mumbai manufacturer of stainless steel wire and carbon steel bright bars, cut 50 of its 300 jobs after MIP was introduced, and its output slumped by 22 per cent in the April-June quarter.&nbsp; 
 
Chaddha said he would have to lay off another 50 contract workers if the policy was extended past its August 5 expiry date. 
 
Also hanging over India&#39;s steel sector is a separate recommendation that the government enact anti-dumping duties on imports of hot-rolled steel products from China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Brazil and Indonesia. 
 
 
Cold-roll steel mills shut down 
 
Indian prices of hot-rolled steel, used to make pipes, rods, cars, ships and industrial machinery, rose by more than 15 per cent to 37,000 rupees ($554) a tonne between December and early May, according to the latest data available. 
 
Chinese prices moved from $270 a tonne in December to $420 a tonne in April, before softening again.&nbsp; 
 
Trade body EEPC India said engineering goods exports would drop 10 per cent this year if MIP is extended. The group has gone before the trade ministry several times to ask that the import policy be allowed to lapse, and members have also met with the steel ministry on the issue.&nbsp; 
 
India&#39;s indebted steel sector, though, struggling with low profit amid a global supply glut, has lobbied hard for it to be kept in place.&nbsp;By making foreign steel too expensive, domestic steelmakers such as Steel Authority of India, Tata Steel and JSW Steel have been able to raise prices.&nbsp; 
 
But higher prices, besides hampering exporters, have pushed steel processing firms such as Adhunik Metaliks, Jayaswal Neco and Sujana Metal Products into losses.&nbsp; 
 
About 20 of 60 mills on his membership list have shut, said SC Mathur, executive director of Cold Rolled Steel Manufacturers Association of India. 
 
&quot;Others are operating at 40-50 per cent of capacity and incurring losses.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
 
Not just India vs China 
 
China, the world&#39;s largest steel manufacturer and consumer, produced 804 million tonnes last year, about half of global supply, using just 70 per cent of its capacity.&nbsp; 
 
India, along with the United States, Europe and others, has said that even as Beijing works to downsize its overblown sector, Chinese mills are exporting their excess supply. 
 
India, the world&#39;s third-largest producer with an estimated output of 90 million tonnes, consumed about 80 million tonnes of finished steel in the year through March 2016.&nbsp;It imported about 11 million tonnes that year, according to the steel ministry&#39;s Joint Plant Committee (JPC), with China supplying around 47 per cent.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)

A price policy to protect Indian markets from cheap imports are affecting cold-roll steel mills

Indian manufacturers of finished steel goods are urging New Delhi to end tariffs on cheap imports of the alloy from China, Japan and South Korea, worried the protectionist measures may cost them billions in lost overseas sales. India put the tariffs in place in February to ensure a minimum import price (MIP) for 173 steel products, mainly to guard against cheap Chinese exports of around 10 million tonnes a month of items such as hot-rolled and cold-rolled steel that have undercut US European and Asian producers. The gambit to protect India's domestic steelmakers is threatening export revenues earned by engineering and manufacturing companies as artificially high prices for a primary raw material for everything from home appliances to ships make their products uncompetitive in foreign markets. The MIP policy has hit engineering firms especially hard. These mostly small- to mid-sized companies together export goods worth $56 billion a year, a fifth of India's shipped merchandise, made at least partly with steel now priced 15 per cent higher on average than at end-2015 and up to 30 per cent more than Chinese imports. "My input cost is 40 per cent higher than other nations. How will my finished product compete?" Pankaj Chaddha, CEO of Jyoti Steel Industries, said of the MIP tariffs. Jyoti Steel, a Mumbai manufacturer of stainless steel wire and carbon steel bright bars, cut 50 of its 300 jobs after MIP was introduced, and its output slumped by 22 per cent in the April-June quarter. Chaddha said he would have to lay off another 50 contract workers if the policy was extended past its August 5 expiry date. Also hanging over India's steel sector is a separate recommendation that the government enact anti-dumping duties on imports of hot-rolled steel products from China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Brazil and Indonesia. Cold-roll steel mills shut down Indian prices of hot-rolled steel, used to make pipes, rods, cars, ships and industrial machinery, rose by more than 15 per cent to 37,000 rupees ($554) a tonne between December and early May, according to the latest data available. Chinese prices moved from $270 a tonne in December to $420 a tonne in April, before softening again. Trade body EEPC India said engineering goods exports would drop 10 per cent this year if MIP is extended. The group has gone before the trade ministry several times to ask that the import policy be allowed to lapse, and members have also met with the steel ministry on the issue. India's indebted steel sector, though, struggling with low profit amid a global supply glut, has lobbied hard for it to be kept in place. By making foreign steel too expensive, domestic steelmakers such as Steel Authority of India, Tata Steel and JSW Steel have been able to raise prices. But higher prices, besides hampering exporters, have pushed steel processing firms such as Adhunik Metaliks, Jayaswal Neco and Sujana Metal Products into losses. About 20 of 60 mills on his membership list have shut, said SC Mathur, executive director of Cold Rolled Steel Manufacturers Association of India. "Others are operating at 40-50 per cent of capacity and incurring losses." Not just India vs China China, the world's largest steel manufacturer and consumer, produced 804 million tonnes last year, about half of global supply, using just 70 per cent of its capacity. India, along with the United States, Europe and others, has said that even as Beijing works to downsize its overblown sector, Chinese mills are exporting their excess supply. India, the world's third-largest producer with an estimated output of 90 million tonnes, consumed about 80 million tonnes of finished steel in the year through March 2016. It imported about 11 million tonnes that year, according to the steel ministry's Joint Plant Committee (JPC), with China supplying around 47 per cent. (Reuters)

India's anti-China steel tariffs harm engineering, manufacturing firms

<div>Reserve Bank of India chief Raghuram Rajan on Monday defended his record in fighting inflation, and made a case for the&nbsp;monetary policy reforms he has championed, in his first public appearance since announcing that&nbsp;he will step down at the end of his tenure in September. 
 
In a speech, the outgoing&nbsp;governor of India&#39;s central bank, Reserve Bank of India,&nbsp;addressed critics who have accused him of keeping interest rates too high, saying they cannot &quot;have it both ways, want lower inflation as well as lower policy rates.&quot; 
 
 
&quot;The fact that inflation is fairly close to the upper bound of our target zone today suggests we have not been overly hawkish&nbsp;and were wise to disregard advice in the past to cut more deeply,&quot; Rajan said.</div>

<div> 
Consumer inflation hit a near two-year high of 5.76 per cent in May, or the upper end of the central bank&#39;s inflation target of 2 per cent to 6 per cent. 
 
Rajan also strongly defended the upcoming introduction of a monetary policy panel to set interest rates,&nbsp;a policy he has championed,&nbsp;saying &quot;the rewards will be many&quot;, including a more stable policy framework. 
 
(Reuters)</div>

Tells critics of his monetary policy reforms they can't have it 'both ways'

Reserve Bank of India chief Raghuram Rajan on Monday defended his record in fighting inflation, and made a case for the monetary policy reforms he has championed, in his first public appearance since announcing that he will step down at the end of his tenure in September. In a speech, the outgoing governor of India's central bank, Reserve Bank of India, addressed critics who have accused him of keeping interest rates too high, saying they cannot "have it both ways, want lower inflation as well as lower policy rates." "The fact that inflation is fairly close to the upper bound of our target zone today suggests we have not been overly hawkish and were wise to disregard advice in the past to cut more deeply," Rajan said. Consumer inflation hit a near two-year high of 5.76 per cent in May, or the upper end of the central bank's inflation target of 2 per cent to 6 per cent. Rajan also strongly defended the upcoming introduction of a monetary policy panel to set interest rates, a policy he has championed, saying "the rewards will be many", including a more stable policy framework. (Reuters)

Out not down: Indian central bank governor Raghuram Rajan defends his record

Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton&#39;s campaign on Wednesday signaled plans for a big assault on Republican Donald Trump, even as she battles to hold off rival Bernie Sanders in California.

Clinton, a former Secretary of State, is to deliver what her campaign described as a major speech today&nbsp;in San Diego to underscore what she feels would be the threat posed by Trump to U.S. national security if he is elected president on Nov. 8.

Her language to describe Trump has grown more aggressive by the day. On Wednesday, she seized on testimony released in a lawsuit against Trump University, in which some former workers said they believed Trump&#39;s for-profit school was fraudulent.

&quot;Trump and his employees took advantage of vulnerable Americans encouraging them to max out their credit cards, empty their retirement savings, destroy their financial futures, all while making promises they knew were false from the beginning,&quot; Clinton told a campaign event in Newark, New Jersey.

&quot;This is just more evidence that Donald Trump himself is a fraud.&quot;

Lawyers for Trump have said most students were satisfied with Trump University, dismissing the former workers&#39; testimony as discredited.

Trump, anticipating Clinton&#39;s foreign policy attacks on him, tried to raise doubts about her leadership skills at a rally in Sacramento, Calif.

&quot;She is a person with absolutely no natural talent,&quot; he said. &quot;All you have to do is watch her speak.&quot;

Repeatedly referring to Clinton as &quot;crooked Hillary,&quot; Trump sharply criticized her handling of foreign policy, including the Sept. 11, 2012, attack by Islamic militants on a U.S. diplomatic facility in Benghazi, Libya, that killed the U.S. ambassador.

&quot;She went to sleep,&quot; Trump added.

Clinton&#39;s effort to define Trump as unfit to be commander-in-chief comes as she faces fierce opposition from Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont who has insisted on staying in the fight for the Democratic presidential nomination despite Clinton&#39;s nearly insurmountable lead.

California&#39;s primary next Tuesday is shaping up to be pivotal in the Democratic contest, with Clinton holding a 13-point advantage over Sanders, 51 percent to 38 percent, according to the Hoover Institution&#39;s Golden State Poll in the state. An NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll gave Clinton a much narrower lead of 49 percent, to 47 percent for Sanders.

Clinton, with 2,312 delegates, needs 71 more delegates to reach the required 2,383 for the Democratic nomination. Sanders has 1,545. At stake in the California primary are 548 delegates who are awarded proportional to the vote. Five other states also vote next Tuesday, including New Jersey, which could also turn the tide for Clinton.

Despite Clinton&#39;s perceived advantage, there are lingering concerns among some Democrats about possible weakness, given the protracted battle with Sanders, a democratic socialist whose calls for free college tuition have energized young voters.

Doug Schoen, a Democratic pollster, wrote in the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday that California voters appeared to be leaning toward Sanders in recent days.

Sanders has been holding events every day this week in the state. Clinton canceled a New Jersey event planned for today&nbsp;to go to California a day earlier than anticipated and is to stay there until Monday.

&quot;The inevitability behind Mrs. Clinton&rsquo;s nomination will be in large measure eviscerated if she loses the June 7 California primary to Bernie Sanders,&quot; Schoen wrote. &quot;That could well happen.&quot;

&nbsp;

&#39;CAN&#39;T IGNORE TRUMP&#39;

Other Democrats expressed confidence in Clinton&#39;s position and her move to assail Trump on foreign policy.

&quot;I think she has to,&quot; said Democratic strategist Jim Manley. &quot;Leaving aside California, I think they can&rsquo;t just ignore Donald Trump in that they should be spending a majority of time focusing on him instead of Sanders at this point, because based on the math Sanders can&rsquo;t win.&quot;

Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, has faced criticism for a variety of positions on foreign policy, such as his willingness to talk to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his idea that Japan and South Korea might need to develop nuclear arsenals.

On the other hand, past Republican presidents and current Democratic President Barack Obama have, like Trump, said NATO nations should pay more for their defense to ease the U.S. burden. Trump, however, has declared NATO obsolete and in need of reconfiguring.

A Clinton aide said &nbsp;Hillary Clinton,&nbsp;would say Trump had not outlined a coherent foreign policy doctrine and had proven himself to be temperamentally unfit to serve as president.

Democratic Presidential front runner Hillary Clinton plans for a big assault on Republican Donald Trump, even as she battles another Democratic rival Bernie Sanders

Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton's campaign on Wednesday signaled plans for a big assault on Republican Donald Trump, even as she battles to hold off rival Bernie Sanders in California. Clinton, a former Secretary of State, is to deliver what her campaign described as a major speech today in San Diego to underscore what she feels would be the threat posed by Trump to U.S. national security if he is elected president on Nov. 8. Her language to describe Trump has grown more aggressive by the day. On Wednesday, she seized on testimony released in a lawsuit against Trump University, in which some former workers said they believed Trump's for-profit school was fraudulent. "Trump and his employees took advantage of vulnerable Americans encouraging them to max out their credit cards, empty their retirement savings, destroy their financial futures, all while making promises they knew were false from the beginning," Clinton told a campaign event in Newark, New Jersey. "This is just more evidence that Donald Trump himself is a fraud." Lawyers for Trump have said most students were satisfied with Trump University, dismissing the former workers' testimony as discredited. Trump, anticipating Clinton's foreign policy attacks on him, tried to raise doubts about her leadership skills at a rally in Sacramento, Calif. "She is a person with absolutely no natural talent," he said. "All you have to do is watch her speak." Repeatedly referring to Clinton as "crooked Hillary," Trump sharply criticized her handling of foreign policy, including the Sept. 11, 2012, attack by Islamic militants on a U.S. diplomatic facility in Benghazi, Libya, that killed the U.S. ambassador. "She went to sleep," Trump added. Clinton's effort to define Trump as unfit to be commander-in-chief comes as she faces fierce opposition from Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont who has insisted on staying in the fight for the Democratic presidential nomination despite Clinton's nearly insurmountable lead. California's primary next Tuesday is shaping up to be pivotal in the Democratic contest, with Clinton holding a 13-point advantage over Sanders, 51 percent to 38 percent, according to the Hoover Institution's Golden State Poll in the state. An NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll gave Clinton a much narrower lead of 49 percent, to 47 percent for Sanders. Clinton, with 2,312 delegates, needs 71 more delegates to reach the required 2,383 for the Democratic nomination. Sanders has 1,545. At stake in the California primary are 548 delegates who are awarded proportional to the vote. Five other states also vote next Tuesday, including New Jersey, which could also turn the tide for Clinton. Despite Clinton's perceived advantage, there are lingering concerns among some Democrats about possible weakness, given the protracted battle with Sanders, a democratic socialist whose calls for free college tuition have energized young voters. Doug Schoen, a Democratic pollster, wrote in the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday that California voters appeared to be leaning toward Sanders in recent days. Sanders has been holding events every day this week in the state. Clinton canceled a New Jersey event planned for today to go to California a day earlier than anticipated and is to stay there until Monday. "The inevitability behind Mrs. Clinton’s nomination will be in large measure eviscerated if she loses the June 7 California primary to Bernie Sanders," Schoen wrote. "That could well happen." 'CAN'T IGNORE TRUMP' Other Democrats expressed confidence in Clinton's position and her move to assail Trump on foreign policy. "I think she has to," said Democratic strategist Jim Manley. "Leaving aside California, I think they can’t just ignore Donald Trump in that they should be spending a majority of time focusing on him instead of Sanders at this point, because based on the math Sanders can’t win." Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, has faced criticism for a variety of positions on foreign policy, such as his willingness to talk to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his idea that Japan and South Korea might need to develop nuclear arsenals. On the other hand, past Republican presidents and current Democratic President Barack Obama have, like Trump, said NATO nations should pay more for their defense to ease the U.S. burden. Trump, however, has declared NATO obsolete and in need of reconfiguring. A Clinton aide said Hillary Clinton, would say Trump had not outlined a coherent foreign policy doctrine and had proven himself to be temperamentally unfit to serve as president.

Battling to hold off Sanders,Clinton to assail Trump on foreign policy

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