The war of words between China and the United States has intensified with Beijing now warning of strong countermeasures against any move that damages China's interests. Watch the WION ground report from Hong Kong.

China slams US: US drafting sanctions on Chinese firms

The &nbsp;‘Boone City bargain’ and the ‘ Emerald City consensus’- allegorical and metaphorical references to post-Cold War frameworks or bargains- &nbsp;were the defining features of American political life, according to the American scholar of scholars and the writer of writers, &nbsp;Professor Andrew Bacevich in his lucid, eminently readable and very engaging book, ‘ The Age of Illusions: How America &nbsp;Squandered its Post-Cold War Victory’. The former, emerging out of the context of the Second World War, defined by certain sobriety, was where freedom had a moral foundation and the latter, incubated in the post-Cold War context was characterized by four intersecting ideas: neoliberal globalization and its spread and advancement, a militarized quest for leadership or hegemony, akin to a post-colonial form of an empire, a presidency that was quasi monarchical and a conception of ‘freedom, an ancient word now drastically revised. The new conception of freedom emphasized autonomy, with traditional moral prohibitions declared obsolete and the removal of constraints maximizing choice. Order and abundance together would underwrite freedom relieving Americans of existential concerns about safety and survival’.

This American idea and conception of modernity was to be transplanted across the world in the service of American interests, holds Professor Bacevich. Each of the elements undergirding the ‘Emerald City Consensus’ was encouraged by academics and journalists – aka Francis Fukuyamas and Thomas Friedman’s of the world- connected to Washington, the former by way of ‘boosterism’- that is intellectual and philosophical gloss referred to as ‘The End of History’, where American inspired democracy and capitalism were the only game in town- and the latter by giving the ‘Emerald City Consensus’ the simulated sheen and framework of coherence. This consensus was validated and reinforced by each of the Post-Cold War presidents, ranging from Bill Clinton, to George Bush Jr and finally Barack Obama, in varying contexts, permutations ad combinations.

While these bargains were riven by contradictions, which inhered in them, and the subsurface anxieties that these generated were pointed out by intellectuals and writers but because they lacked clout, these alarm bells were ignored. Incubating under the cover or patina of the post-Cold War ‘ Emerald City Consensus’ was massive inequality and an assault to democracy, whose early portents were insurgent presidential candidates, Pat Buchanan, Ross Perot and even Hillary Clinton( not a presidential candidate then but an aspirant to power through her husband, Bill Clinton). These inchoate trends were obscured by the seeming transfer of the baton of power to a younger, new generation of politicians.

Beneath the surface, America was changing and had changed, a fact that became painfully evident in 2016 and emblematized by-elections that year. This had to do with the paradoxes of privilege and inequality that undercut democracy. As Professor Bacevich posits, ‘ in a nation that had once prided itself on being immune to class distinctions- simply being American sufficed as identity-such distinctions were becoming omnipresent. ‘On a daily basis, tens of millions of Americans were enduring what one writer called “financial impotence” according to Professor Bacevich. ‘ In the 2016 election, financial impotence was to turn into political outrage , bringing the post-Cold war era to an abrupt end’.

The implication here is that the elements undergirding the Emerald city consensus created conditions propitious for Donald Trump’s rise to US presidency who turned the election into a plebiscite.&nbsp;

Trump’ ascendancy, a metaphor for the malaises identified by Professor Bacevich, was greeted with howls of protest and continues to be done so by mainstream American media. But, according to the good professor, ‘obsessing about Trump, impeded efforts to understand what his election actually signified, diverting attention from matters of far greater relevance to the wellbeing of the United States and the planet as a whole. It was Obama mania turned inside out and magnified’. ‘ What the president’s most prominent opponents have yet to appreciate, according to Professor Bacevich, is that the Emerald City consensus is as defunct as the Boone City consensus that preceded it. They confuse cause for effect. They charge him with dividing America when, in fact, it was a pervasive division that vaulted him to the centre of American politics in the first place’. &nbsp;Assessing this in a grim tone, Professor Bacevich adds, ‘Trump did not create this cleavage. He merely turned it to his advantage. So regardless of the date or terms of Trump’s departure from office, the schism that allowed him to become president is likely to persist after he is gone. It’s that schism […] that merits more attention than it has received’. All in all, asserts Professor Bacevich, ‘Trump’s America did not differ appreciably from pre-Trump America. While a noxious and venal die-hard, the president turned out not to be the disruptive force that his critics have charged him with being’.

Amidst all this, the hat has accrued, according to Professor Bacevich, is that that the West has lost its claim to primacy and, ‘no less important is the fact that belief in the inherent superiority of Western civilization has now become politically and morally unacceptable’.

Calling attention to the American political establishment’s aversion or inability to brook dissent, Professor Bacevich points out to the need of enlarging the discussion now and developing a new consensus and even social contact around issues like Climate change. ‘Around this’ new conception of citizenship can emerge and also an enlightened notion of leadership’. Implying that this potential change will not be top-down, Professor Bacevich leaves the proverbial ball for this to crystallize in the court of the American people. The alternative, too bleak to countenance, can lead to ‘ even something worse than Trump’

All in all, Professor Andrew Bacevich’s book is a lucid and brilliant exposition of what ails America and the deeper, underlying sources of Trump’s ascent to power. &nbsp;The good professor articulates a trenchant critique of the post-war American establishment and what in his schema are and have been its warped preferences-conceptually and in policy terms. While his overall assessment is suggestive or reflective of his political preference-that of conservativism, laced with religious beliefs, these instead of detracting from his core arguments add weight to his overall thesis. But the analysis is more or less monofocal, at times, devolving into mere polemic. Moreover, Professor Bacevich, while delineating the core elements of the ‘ Emerald City consensus’ elides over the context of some foreign policy goals of the United States. For example, the bombings in Yugoslavia were not motivated by some fetish over militarism by the grid lock at the UN Security council and other structural and contextual factors. Similarly, globalization, in its pure form may not be an unalloyed good but surely it has lifted millions out of poverty worldwide.

The rise of China, in some senses, accrues from globalization. Last but not the least, while rallying around climate change is a laudable and noble objective, and a clarion but it implies the United States retreating into itself. The world of states is a ruthless one defined by the quest for power and its maximization. Where would a retreat leave the United States and its allies? While professor Bacevich alludes to ‘enlightened leadership’, he is curiously silent on its nature and content. However, &nbsp;by its very nature, ‘The Age of Illusions: How America Squandered its Cold War Victory’ constitutes essential reading for all those who seek to understand the trajectory of this peculiar nation after the second world war, during and after the Cold War. While it should be of immense interest to policymakers, policy intellectuals, and anyone interested in a fairer, just world, its ultimate readership should be the American people, upon who may rest the future of their nation and by extension that of the world. It is then time a real and robust conversation inspired by the eminent Professor Bacevich should begin!

&nbsp;(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) .&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The ‘Boone City bargain’ and the ‘ Emerald City consensus’- allegorical and metaphorical references to post-Cold War frameworks or bargains- were the defining features of American political life, according to the American scholar of scholars and the writer of writers, Professor Andrew Bacevich in his lucid, eminently readable and very engaging book, ‘ The Age of Illusions: How America Squandered its Post-Cold War Victory’.

The ‘Boone City bargain’ and the ‘ Emerald City consensus’- allegorical and metaphorical references to post-Cold War frameworks or bargains- were the defining features of American political life, according to the American scholar of scholars and the writer of writers, Professor Andrew Bacevich in his lucid, eminently readable and very engaging book, ‘ The Age of Illusions: How America Squandered its Post-Cold War Victory’. The former, emerging out of the context of the Second World War, defined by certain sobriety, was where freedom had a moral foundation and the latter, incubated in the post-Cold War context was characterized by four intersecting ideas: neoliberal globalization and its spread and advancement, a militarized quest for leadership or hegemony, akin to a post-colonial form of an empire, a presidency that was quasi monarchical and a conception of ‘freedom, an ancient word now drastically revised. The new conception of freedom emphasized autonomy, with traditional moral prohibitions declared obsolete and the removal of constraints maximizing choice. Order and abundance together would underwrite freedom relieving Americans of existential concerns about safety and survival’. This American idea and conception of modernity was to be transplanted across the world in the service of American interests, holds Professor Bacevich. Each of the elements undergirding the ‘Emerald City Consensus’ was encouraged by academics and journalists – aka Francis Fukuyamas and Thomas Friedman’s of the world- connected to Washington, the former by way of ‘boosterism’- that is intellectual and philosophical gloss referred to as ‘The End of History’, where American inspired democracy and capitalism were the only game in town- and the latter by giving the ‘Emerald City Consensus’ the simulated sheen and framework of coherence. This consensus was validated and reinforced by each of the Post-Cold War presidents, ranging from Bill Clinton, to George Bush Jr and finally Barack Obama, in varying contexts, permutations ad combinations. While these bargains were riven by contradictions, which inhered in them, and the subsurface anxieties that these generated were pointed out by intellectuals and writers but because they lacked clout, these alarm bells were ignored. Incubating under the cover or patina of the post-Cold War ‘ Emerald City Consensus’ was massive inequality and an assault to democracy, whose early portents were insurgent presidential candidates, Pat Buchanan, Ross Perot and even Hillary Clinton( not a presidential candidate then but an aspirant to power through her husband, Bill Clinton). These inchoate trends were obscured by the seeming transfer of the baton of power to a younger, new generation of politicians. Beneath the surface, America was changing and had changed, a fact that became painfully evident in 2016 and emblematized by-elections that year. This had to do with the paradoxes of privilege and inequality that undercut democracy. As Professor Bacevich posits, ‘ in a nation that had once prided itself on being immune to class distinctions- simply being American sufficed as identity-such distinctions were becoming omnipresent. ‘On a daily basis, tens of millions of Americans were enduring what one writer called “financial impotence” according to Professor Bacevich. ‘ In the 2016 election, financial impotence was to turn into political outrage , bringing the post-Cold war era to an abrupt end’. The implication here is that the elements undergirding the Emerald city consensus created conditions propitious for Donald Trump’s rise to US presidency who turned the election into a plebiscite. Trump’ ascendancy, a metaphor for the malaises identified by Professor Bacevich, was greeted with howls of protest and continues to be done so by mainstream American media. But, according to the good professor, ‘obsessing about Trump, impeded efforts to understand what his election actually signified, diverting attention from matters of far greater relevance to the wellbeing of the United States and the planet as a whole. It was Obama mania turned inside out and magnified’. ‘ What the president’s most prominent opponents have yet to appreciate, according to Professor Bacevich, is that the Emerald City consensus is as defunct as the Boone City consensus that preceded it. They confuse cause for effect. They charge him with dividing America when, in fact, it was a pervasive division that vaulted him to the centre of American politics in the first place’. Assessing this in a grim tone, Professor Bacevich adds, ‘Trump did not create this cleavage. He merely turned it to his advantage. So regardless of the date or terms of Trump’s departure from office, the schism that allowed him to become president is likely to persist after he is gone. It’s that schism […] that merits more attention than it has received’. All in all, asserts Professor Bacevich, ‘Trump’s America did not differ appreciably from pre-Trump America. While a noxious and venal die-hard, the president turned out not to be the disruptive force that his critics have charged him with being’. Amidst all this, the hat has accrued, according to Professor Bacevich, is that that the West has lost its claim to primacy and, ‘no less important is the fact that belief in the inherent superiority of Western civilization has now become politically and morally unacceptable’. Calling attention to the American political establishment’s aversion or inability to brook dissent, Professor Bacevich points out to the need of enlarging the discussion now and developing a new consensus and even social contact around issues like Climate change. ‘Around this’ new conception of citizenship can emerge and also an enlightened notion of leadership’. Implying that this potential change will not be top-down, Professor Bacevich leaves the proverbial ball for this to crystallize in the court of the American people. The alternative, too bleak to countenance, can lead to ‘ even something worse than Trump’ All in all, Professor Andrew Bacevich’s book is a lucid and brilliant exposition of what ails America and the deeper, underlying sources of Trump’s ascent to power. The good professor articulates a trenchant critique of the post-war American establishment and what in his schema are and have been its warped preferences-conceptually and in policy terms. While his overall assessment is suggestive or reflective of his political preference-that of conservativism, laced with religious beliefs, these instead of detracting from his core arguments add weight to his overall thesis. But the analysis is more or less monofocal, at times, devolving into mere polemic. Moreover, Professor Bacevich, while delineating the core elements of the ‘ Emerald City consensus’ elides over the context of some foreign policy goals of the United States. For example, the bombings in Yugoslavia were not motivated by some fetish over militarism by the grid lock at the UN Security council and other structural and contextual factors. Similarly, globalization, in its pure form may not be an unalloyed good but surely it has lifted millions out of poverty worldwide. The rise of China, in some senses, accrues from globalization. Last but not the least, while rallying around climate change is a laudable and noble objective, and a clarion but it implies the United States retreating into itself. The world of states is a ruthless one defined by the quest for power and its maximization. Where would a retreat leave the United States and its allies? While professor Bacevich alludes to ‘enlightened leadership’, he is curiously silent on its nature and content. However, by its very nature, ‘The Age of Illusions: How America Squandered its Cold War Victory’ constitutes essential reading for all those who seek to understand the trajectory of this peculiar nation after the second world war, during and after the Cold War. While it should be of immense interest to policymakers, policy intellectuals, and anyone interested in a fairer, just world, its ultimate readership should be the American people, upon who may rest the future of their nation and by extension that of the world. It is then time a real and robust conversation inspired by the eminent Professor Bacevich should begin! (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) .

The Age of illusions: How America squandered its cold war victory

Any incident in the US, particularly adverse incident, whether big or small, gets world-wide publicity almost instantaneously. This is mainly due to the fact that the US is recognised as a rich country with superpower status and known for significant advancement in a variety of fields. Such news is followed by debates and discussions in the world media, with some pledged critics stating that such adverse incidents clearly show that the US&nbsp;is a troubled society. Is that really so?

Shoot-out incidents&nbsp;

In recent years, many shoot-outs have taken place in the US&nbsp;in universities, malls and other public places, when a number of innocent lives have been lost. Shoot-outs have been carried out by individuals for one reason or other and even due to psychic problems. &nbsp;

It is generally said that the liberal gun policy and the prevailing gun culture in the US&nbsp;is the primary reason for such shoot outs and violence.

Most of the Americans possess guns and rarely anyone amongst them indulges in such practices. If the violent prone person would not have a gun, he can use a knife or any other weapon.&nbsp;

No evidence of widespread racial conflict :

Now, the case of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white officer pressed his knee into his neck has caused widespread anger across the country. Obviously, the police officer should be punished severely.

Even while President Trump has condemned the incident, protestors burned businesses in Minneapolis. &nbsp;They smashed police cars and windows in Atlanta, broke into police headquarters in Portland and chanted curses at Donald Trump outside the White House.

This sad incident should not be misinterpreted as a result of racial conflict. 
 
While some protestors turned violent, there have been a number of other protestors who conducted themselves peacefully and with dignity, holding placards and demanding justice for George Floyd. Of these protestors, many of them are white, brown or black Americans.

Certainly, there is no racial conflict issue involved in the George Floyd murder but only the stupidity of a violent prone police officer was seen.

A tolerant country :

George Floyd incident has created an impression all over the world that the US&nbsp;is a country under the boil. This certainly is not so.

There are many civilized and sane voices in the US, who rarely get adequate coverage in the media and their civilized thoughts are not adequately publicised for the benefit of the country.

Today, one cannot but deny the fact that the US&nbsp;is the most tolerant country in the world. People from countries with various background seek migration to the US&nbsp;and think that they would be privileged to get US citizenship. This is mainly due to their confidence that they would get a fair deal in the US&nbsp;and the law would protect their interests.

Today, the US&nbsp;is essentially described as a migrant country with people visiting the US as students, job seekers or immigrants and most of them seeking to stay in the US&nbsp;life long by getting citizenship.

Any attempt to describe the US&nbsp;as a country under boil after the George Floyd issue is a mischievous and motivated attempt to discredit the US.&nbsp; 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) .

Any incident in the US, particularly adverse incident, whether big or small, gets world-wide publicity almost instantaneously. This is mainly due to the fact that the US is recognised as a rich country with superpower status and known for significant advancement in a variety of fields.

Any incident in the US, particularly adverse incident, whether big or small, gets world-wide publicity almost instantaneously. This is mainly due to the fact that the US is recognised as a rich country with superpower status and known for significant advancement in a variety of fields. Such news is followed by debates and discussions in the world media, with some pledged critics stating that such adverse incidents clearly show that the US is a troubled society. Is that really so? Shoot-out incidents In recent years, many shoot-outs have taken place in the US in universities, malls and other public places, when a number of innocent lives have been lost. Shoot-outs have been carried out by individuals for one reason or other and even due to psychic problems. It is generally said that the liberal gun policy and the prevailing gun culture in the US is the primary reason for such shoot outs and violence. Most of the Americans possess guns and rarely anyone amongst them indulges in such practices. If the violent prone person would not have a gun, he can use a knife or any other weapon. No evidence of widespread racial conflict : Now, the case of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white officer pressed his knee into his neck has caused widespread anger across the country. Obviously, the police officer should be punished severely. Even while President Trump has condemned the incident, protestors burned businesses in Minneapolis. They smashed police cars and windows in Atlanta, broke into police headquarters in Portland and chanted curses at Donald Trump outside the White House. This sad incident should not be misinterpreted as a result of racial conflict. While some protestors turned violent, there have been a number of other protestors who conducted themselves peacefully and with dignity, holding placards and demanding justice for George Floyd. Of these protestors, many of them are white, brown or black Americans. Certainly, there is no racial conflict issue involved in the George Floyd murder but only the stupidity of a violent prone police officer was seen. A tolerant country : George Floyd incident has created an impression all over the world that the US is a country under the boil. This certainly is not so. There are many civilized and sane voices in the US, who rarely get adequate coverage in the media and their civilized thoughts are not adequately publicised for the benefit of the country. Today, one cannot but deny the fact that the US is the most tolerant country in the world. People from countries with various background seek migration to the US and think that they would be privileged to get US citizenship. This is mainly due to their confidence that they would get a fair deal in the US and the law would protect their interests. Today, the US is essentially described as a migrant country with people visiting the US as students, job seekers or immigrants and most of them seeking to stay in the US life long by getting citizenship. Any attempt to describe the US as a country under boil after the George Floyd issue is a mischievous and motivated attempt to discredit the US. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) .

Does recent violence in US indicate a basic flaw in American society?

From London to New Zealand, people join in on 'Black Lives Matter' protests

In 2014, Russian space agency chief Dmitry Rogozin took a dig at NASA for the lack of US manned flight programme and said, they will "deliver its astronauts to the ISS by using a trampoline".

After six years, Elon Musk and NASA launched two Americans into orbit from Florida on Saturday in a landmark mission. To which Musk responded, "The trampoline is working." SpaceX CEO made this statement alongside NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine. Both men laughed after that. "It's an inside joke," Musk added.

After this launch, Musk's SpaceX became the first private rocket company to send humans into orbit. &nbsp;

Netizens began trolling Dmitry Rogozin for his remarks he made years ago and they compared it to the situation after launch.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Dmitry Rogozin in 2014: "US should use a trampoline to get into space" <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a> 2020: "The trampoline is working 🤣" <a href="https://t.co/OKu4JF5i0M">pic.twitter.com/OKu4JF5i0M</a>
— Pranay Pathole (@PPathole) <a href="https://twitter.com/PPathole/status/1267000614002683906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“The trampoline is working” <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a> joking about a 2014 zing from Roscosmos’ Dmitry Rogozin, “After analyzing the sanctions against our space industry, I suggest to the USA to bring their astronauts to the International Space Station using a trampoline” 😂
— Everyday Astronaut (@Erdayastronaut) <a href="https://twitter.com/Erdayastronaut/status/1266866641704534021?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
How do you like it, Dmitry Rogozin?
— Донна Роза де Альвадорец (@deAlvadorec) <a href="https://twitter.com/deAlvadorec/status/1266653331080036352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
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After the launch of Falcon 9, Rogozin remained conspicuously silent but his spokesman was forced to react.

"We don't really understand the hysteria sparked by the successful launch of a Crew Dragon spacecraft," spokesman Vladimir Ustimenko said on Twitter.&nbsp;

"What should have happened a long time ago happened," he added.

While Sergey Krikalev,&nbsp;&nbsp;Roscosmos executive director for crewed space programmes, congratulated US for the launch.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Roscosmos Executive Director on Crewed Space Programs Sergey Krikalev address on the successful Falcon 9 carrier rocket launch with Crew Dragon crewed spacecraft <a href="https://t.co/25pDIdIXLe">pic.twitter.com/25pDIdIXLe</a>
— РОСКОСМОС (@roscosmos) <a href="https://twitter.com/roscosmos/status/1266821703478411265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In 2014, Russian space agency chief Dmitry Rogozin took a dig at NASA for the lack of US manned flight programme and said, they will "deliver its astronauts to the ISS by using a trampoline".

In 2014, Russian space agency chief Dmitry Rogozin took a dig at NASA for the lack of US manned flight programme and said, they will "deliver its astronauts to the ISS by using a trampoline". After six years, Elon Musk and NASA launched two Americans into orbit from Florida on Saturday in a landmark mission. To which Musk responded, "The trampoline is working." SpaceX CEO made this statement alongside NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine. Both men laughed after that. "It's an inside joke," Musk added. After this launch, Musk's SpaceX became the first private rocket company to send humans into orbit. Netizens began trolling Dmitry Rogozin for his remarks he made years ago and they compared it to the situation after launch. Dmitry Rogozin in 2014: "US should use a trampoline to get into space" @elonmusk 2020: "The trampoline is working 🤣" pic.twitter.com/OKu4JF5i0M — Pranay Pathole (@PPathole) May 31, 2020 × “The trampoline is working” @elonmusk joking about a 2014 zing from Roscosmos’ Dmitry Rogozin, “After analyzing the sanctions against our space industry, I suggest to the USA to bring their astronauts to the International Space Station using a trampoline” 😂 — Everyday Astronaut (@Erdayastronaut) May 30, 2020 × How do you like it, Dmitry Rogozin? — Донна Роза де Альвадорец (@deAlvadorec) May 30, 2020 × After the launch of Falcon 9, Rogozin remained conspicuously silent but his spokesman was forced to react. "We don't really understand the hysteria sparked by the successful launch of a Crew Dragon spacecraft," spokesman Vladimir Ustimenko said on Twitter. "What should have happened a long time ago happened," he added. While Sergey Krikalev, Roscosmos executive director for crewed space programmes, congratulated US for the launch. Roscosmos Executive Director on Crewed Space Programs Sergey Krikalev address on the successful Falcon 9 carrier rocket launch with Crew Dragon crewed spacecraft pic.twitter.com/25pDIdIXLe — РОСКОСМОС (@roscosmos) May 30, 2020 ×

'Trampoline is working': Musk taunts Russian space agency chief

The United States is terminating its relationship with the World Health Organization over the body's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, US President Donald Trump said on Friday, accusing the UN agency of becoming a puppet of China.

Trump: US is terminating its relationship with the WHO

US President Donald Trump on Friday said that he has directed his administration to begin the process of eliminating policy exemptions that give Hong Kong different and special treatment, in response to a new security law pushed by Beijing.

Donald Trump orders elimination of special treatment for Hong Kong

The white former Minneapolis police officer shown in video footage using his knee to pin an unarmed black man’s neck to the street was charged with murder on Friday in the man’s death, an incident that has unleashed four nights of violent protests.

Derek Chauvin, who was dismissed from the police department with three fellow officers the day after the fatal encounter, was arrested on third-degree murder and manslaughter charges for his role in Monday’s death of 46-year-old George Floyd.

The charges brought by Hennepin County prosecutors came after a third night of arson, looting and vandalism in Minnesota’s largest city that saw protesters set fire to a police station and the National Guard deployed to help restore order.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/violence-grips-minneapolis-for-the-third-consecutive-night-301846">Also read:&nbsp;Violence grips Minneapolis for the third consecutive night</a>

Mayor Jacob Frey said he ordered police late on Thursday to retreat from the precinct station to prevent an escalation of violence. But on Friday night, law enforcement officers were out in force again.

Authorities had hoped Chauvin’s arrest would allay public anger and avert continued unrest. But defying an 8 p.m. curfew imposed by the mayor, about 500 demonstrators clashed anew Friday evening with riot police outside the battered Third Precinct building.

Police, who created a two-block buffer area around the precinct house, opened fire with tear gas, plastic bullets and concussion grenades, sending the crowd scattering.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/smokes-flames-and-destruction-protests-intensify-over-killing-in-minneapolis-us-301569">Have a look:&nbsp;Smokes, flames, and destruction: Protests intensify over killing in Minneapolis, US</a>

There were also sympathy protests on Friday in several cities across the country, including New York, Denver, Houston, Atlanta, Detroit and Louisville, Kentucky.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, announcing Chauvin’s arrest earlier in the day, said a key piece of evidence in the case was the widely seen video footage, taken with an onlooker’s cellphone, showing Floyd lying face down in the street, with Chauvin kneeling on the back of Floyd’s neck.

The graphic footage shows Floyd gasping for air and pleading for help as he repeatedly groaned, “please, I can’t breathe,” while a crowd of anguished bystanders shouted at police to let the man up.

After several minutes, Floyd gradually grows unresponsive and ceases to move. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital a short time later.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/minneapolis-in-flames-after-the-death-of-black-man-george-floyd-protests-turn-violent-301818">Also watch:&nbsp;Minneapolis in flames after the death of black man George Floyd, protests turn violent</a>

“We have evidence, we have the citizen’s camera’s video, the horrible, horrific, terrible thing we have all seen over and over again,” Freeman said. “We have the officer’s body-worn camera, we have statements from some witnesses.”

Chauvin had his knee on Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, according to an autopsy report. Medical examiners found the combined impact of being restrained by police, underlying health conditions and any potential intoxicants in his system likely contributed to his death.

Floyd, a Houston native who had worked security for a nightclub, was arrested for allegedly using counterfeit money at a store to buy cigarettes on Monday evening. An employee who called police described the suspect as possibly drunk, according to an official transcript of the call.

Freeman said the investigation into Chauvin, who faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted, was ongoing and he anticipated also charging the three other officers, identified by the city as Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J Alexander Kueng.

The prosecutor said it was appropriate to charge “the most dangerous perpetrator” first.

Harrowing 
U.S. Attorney General William Barr called the video “harrowing and deeply disturbing” in a written statement and said a parallel federal investigation would determine if the officers violated civil rights laws.

Floyd’s death recalled the 2014 killing of Eric Garner, an unarmed black man in New York City, who died after being put in a police chokehold and telling the officers, “I can’t breathe.”

Mike Griffin, a community organizer in Minneapolis, said the protests reflected years of frustration over economic inequalities and the feeling that black lives were not valued as highly by police.

He said anger has been building since the 2015 fatal shooting by Minneapolis police of 24-year-old Jamar Clark, and the 2016 killing of Philando Castile, a 32-year old black man shot by Minnesota police during a traffic stop.

“George’s murder was just the last straw,” Griffin told Reuters, calling the charges against Chauvin a step in the right direction, but adding there needed to be systemic changes.

The protests were driven in part by the initial lack of arrests in the case.

But Freeman stressed that charges in similar cases typically take nine months to a year, adding, “This is by far the fastest we’ve ever charged a police officer.”

Earlier on Friday, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said he understood why people had “lost faith” in the police but argued Floyd’s plight had become “lost in 48 hours of anarchy” and called for an end to destruction of property. He has declared a state of emergency and called in the state’s National Guard.

The governor also apologized to CNN after police arrested three members of its TV crew during an early morning sweep.

Separately, CNN’s headquarters in Atlanta came under violent attack by protesters who smashed windows in the lobby of that building as riot police stood guard.

The white former Minneapolis police officer shown in video footage using his knee to pin an unarmed black man’s neck to the street was charged with murder on Friday in the man’s death, an incident that has unleashed four nights of violent protests.

The white former Minneapolis police officer shown in video footage using his knee to pin an unarmed black man’s neck to the street was charged with murder on Friday in the man’s death, an incident that has unleashed four nights of violent protests. Derek Chauvin, who was dismissed from the police department with three fellow officers the day after the fatal encounter, was arrested on third-degree murder and manslaughter charges for his role in Monday’s death of 46-year-old George Floyd. The charges brought by Hennepin County prosecutors came after a third night of arson, looting and vandalism in Minnesota’s largest city that saw protesters set fire to a police station and the National Guard deployed to help restore order. Also read: Violence grips Minneapolis for the third consecutive night Mayor Jacob Frey said he ordered police late on Thursday to retreat from the precinct station to prevent an escalation of violence. But on Friday night, law enforcement officers were out in force again. Authorities had hoped Chauvin’s arrest would allay public anger and avert continued unrest. But defying an 8 p.m. curfew imposed by the mayor, about 500 demonstrators clashed anew Friday evening with riot police outside the battered Third Precinct building. Police, who created a two-block buffer area around the precinct house, opened fire with tear gas, plastic bullets and concussion grenades, sending the crowd scattering. Have a look: Smokes, flames, and destruction: Protests intensify over killing in Minneapolis, US There were also sympathy protests on Friday in several cities across the country, including New York, Denver, Houston, Atlanta, Detroit and Louisville, Kentucky. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, announcing Chauvin’s arrest earlier in the day, said a key piece of evidence in the case was the widely seen video footage, taken with an onlooker’s cellphone, showing Floyd lying face down in the street, with Chauvin kneeling on the back of Floyd’s neck. The graphic footage shows Floyd gasping for air and pleading for help as he repeatedly groaned, “please, I can’t breathe,” while a crowd of anguished bystanders shouted at police to let the man up. After several minutes, Floyd gradually grows unresponsive and ceases to move. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital a short time later. Also watch: Minneapolis in flames after the death of black man George Floyd, protests turn violent “We have evidence, we have the citizen’s camera’s video, the horrible, horrific, terrible thing we have all seen over and over again,” Freeman said. “We have the officer’s body-worn camera, we have statements from some witnesses.” Chauvin had his knee on Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, according to an autopsy report. Medical examiners found the combined impact of being restrained by police, underlying health conditions and any potential intoxicants in his system likely contributed to his death. Floyd, a Houston native who had worked security for a nightclub, was arrested for allegedly using counterfeit money at a store to buy cigarettes on Monday evening. An employee who called police described the suspect as possibly drunk, according to an official transcript of the call. Freeman said the investigation into Chauvin, who faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted, was ongoing and he anticipated also charging the three other officers, identified by the city as Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J Alexander Kueng. The prosecutor said it was appropriate to charge “the most dangerous perpetrator” first. Harrowing U.S. Attorney General William Barr called the video “harrowing and deeply disturbing” in a written statement and said a parallel federal investigation would determine if the officers violated civil rights laws. Floyd’s death recalled the 2014 killing of Eric Garner, an unarmed black man in New York City, who died after being put in a police chokehold and telling the officers, “I can’t breathe.” Mike Griffin, a community organizer in Minneapolis, said the protests reflected years of frustration over economic inequalities and the feeling that black lives were not valued as highly by police. He said anger has been building since the 2015 fatal shooting by Minneapolis police of 24-year-old Jamar Clark, and the 2016 killing of Philando Castile, a 32-year old black man shot by Minnesota police during a traffic stop. “George’s murder was just the last straw,” Griffin told Reuters, calling the charges against Chauvin a step in the right direction, but adding there needed to be systemic changes. The protests were driven in part by the initial lack of arrests in the case. But Freeman stressed that charges in similar cases typically take nine months to a year, adding, “This is by far the fastest we’ve ever charged a police officer.” Earlier on Friday, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said he understood why people had “lost faith” in the police but argued Floyd’s plight had become “lost in 48 hours of anarchy” and called for an end to destruction of property. He has declared a state of emergency and called in the state’s National Guard. The governor also apologized to CNN after police arrested three members of its TV crew during an early morning sweep. Separately, CNN’s headquarters in Atlanta came under violent attack by protesters who smashed windows in the lobby of that building as riot police stood guard.

Arrest of Minneapolis police officer fails to restore peace; people demand justice

Trump says, "China violated Hong Kong's autonomy," China blocks US & UK's bid to raise HK at UN

A day after tweeting 'looting leads to shooting',&nbsp;US President Donald Trump is walking back a threat to respond to the critical and violent riots that have occurred during the protests in Minneapolis.

The protests were against the killing of an unarmed black man by the Minneapolis Police Department.

&nbsp;Trump, on May 29, tweeted that the "thugs" were dishonouring the victim.

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....These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1266231100780744704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2020</a></blockquote>
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However, Twitter flagged the tweet as an encouragement of violence.

<img alt="Twitter flagged Trump's tweet" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8454551f-ed83-4a39-8b8f-82ec4923a03b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled.jpg" />

After this warning from the Twitter, and a lot of criticism from Twitterati and other locals, he said he understands the reason behind the protest and feels the pain, but will not allow this to turn into a lawless anarchy.

"The looters should not be allowed to drown out the voices of so many peaceful protesters," Mr Trump said.

"I understand the hurt, I understand the pain," he added.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/twitter-flags-donald-trumps-tweet-twitter-says-post-glorified-violence-301937">Also watch:&nbsp;Twitter flags Donald Trump's tweet, Twitter says post 'Glorified Violence'</a>

Trump blamed both sides&nbsp;for the violence that erupted out of the protests, and said he will not let the country burn this way.

"This is no time for incendiary tweets. It's no time to encourage violence. This is a national crisis and we need real leadership right now. Leadership that will bring everyone to the table so that we can take measures to root out systemic racism,"&nbsp;said former vice-president Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

A day after tweeting 'looting leads to shooting', US President Donald Trump is walking back a threat to respond to the critical and violent riots that have occurred during the protests in Minneapolis.

A day after tweeting 'looting leads to shooting', US President Donald Trump is walking back a threat to respond to the critical and violent riots that have occurred during the protests in Minneapolis. The protests were against the killing of an unarmed black man by the Minneapolis Police Department. Trump, on May 29, tweeted that the "thugs" were dishonouring the victim. ....These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020 × However, Twitter flagged the tweet as an encouragement of violence. After this warning from the Twitter, and a lot of criticism from Twitterati and other locals, he said he understands the reason behind the protest and feels the pain, but will not allow this to turn into a lawless anarchy. "The looters should not be allowed to drown out the voices of so many peaceful protesters," Mr Trump said. "I understand the hurt, I understand the pain," he added. Also watch: Twitter flags Donald Trump's tweet, Twitter says post 'Glorified Violence' Trump blamed both sides for the violence that erupted out of the protests, and said he will not let the country burn this way. "This is no time for incendiary tweets. It's no time to encourage violence. This is a national crisis and we need real leadership right now. Leadership that will bring everyone to the table so that we can take measures to root out systemic racism," said former vice-president Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

'I understand the hurt and pain': Trump backtracks on his tweets

Twitter has now flagged another post from The White House's official account. Twitter says post 'Glorified Violence'. Watch this video to know more.

Twitter flags Donald Trump's tweet, Twitter says post 'Glorified Violence'

New York was titled as the epicenter of coronavirus in the US, which has been one of the worst hit countries with the highest death toll due to coronavirus in the world.

However, New York has been making significant improvements, according to reports. Following this, New York Mayor&nbsp;Bill de Blasio, on Thursday, said “We're now actually in a position to start talking about opening things up step by step, phase by phase."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/100000-deaths-very-sad-milestone-says-trump-on-coronavirus-fatalities-301661">Also read:&nbsp;100,000 deaths very sad milestone, says Trump on coronavirus fatalities</a>

As stated by the Mayor, the city should must stay below a certain number of hospitalizations, intensive care unit (ICU) patients, and percentage of people testing positive for COVID-19, which it has. Therefore, the NYC government is considering to move to Phase one of reopening the economy.

Phase one will allow activities related to&nbsp;means construction, manufacturing, wholesale and non essential retail businesses to reopen.

However, social distancing rules along with other rules such as compulsory face mask, employers keeping a check on employees' health, no dine-in etc. will be maintained.

“We do not have a specific date. I think I've given people plenty of warning multiple times now for days and days you can expect it to be in the first or second week of June if the numbers continue to hold in most cases or progress,” the Mayor said.

The New York government is also currently trying to finalize a draft of the new budget that will help the city resume the economy without much losses.

New York was titled as the epicenter of coronavirus in the US, which has been one of the worst hit countries with the highest death toll due to coronavirus in the world.

New York was titled as the epicenter of coronavirus in the US, which has been one of the worst hit countries with the highest death toll due to coronavirus in the world. However, New York has been making significant improvements, according to reports. Following this, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, on Thursday, said “We're now actually in a position to start talking about opening things up step by step, phase by phase." Also read: 100,000 deaths very sad milestone, says Trump on coronavirus fatalities As stated by the Mayor, the city should must stay below a certain number of hospitalizations, intensive care unit (ICU) patients, and percentage of people testing positive for COVID-19, which it has. Therefore, the NYC government is considering to move to Phase one of reopening the economy. Phase one will allow activities related to means construction, manufacturing, wholesale and non essential retail businesses to reopen. However, social distancing rules along with other rules such as compulsory face mask, employers keeping a check on employees' health, no dine-in etc. will be maintained. “We do not have a specific date. I think I've given people plenty of warning multiple times now for days and days you can expect it to be in the first or second week of June if the numbers continue to hold in most cases or progress,” the Mayor said. The New York government is also currently trying to finalize a draft of the new budget that will help the city resume the economy without much losses.

The day is fast approaching: NYC Mayor talks about lifting lockdown

Government sources have been telling WION that there has been no call between US President Donald Trump and PM Modi. The last call between the two leaders was on April 4 and the issue of the hydroxychloroquine was discussed. Watch report.

India-china face off: No conversation between PM Modi-Trump, Govt clarifies after US Prez says spoke to PM

US President Donald Trump has yet again blamed China for spreading coronavirus in the world. In a tweet in the late hours of Thursday, eh tweeted about how China has given a bad gift to the world but has continued to march on.

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All over the World the CoronaVirus, a very bad “gift” from China, marches on. Not good!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1266014911127306240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The tweet came after he announced on Twitter that the US has recorded 100,000 deaths, one of the highest total death counts in the world caused due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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We have just reached a very sad milestone with the coronavirus pandemic deaths reaching 100,000. To all of the families &amp; friends of those who have passed, I want to extend my heartfelt sympathy &amp; love for everything that these great people stood for &amp; represent. God be with you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1266000762057953284?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-feeling-absolutely-great-after-taking-hydroxychloroquine-white-house-official-301702">Also read| Donald Trump feeling 'absolutely great' after taking hydroxychloroquine: White House official</a>

The President has been blaming China for spreading coronavirus onto the world since the start of the pandemic. He has also accused China of hiding important information and stealing vaccine-related research of the US.

According to reports, this death count is the highest since the Korean War, and&nbsp;matches the toll in the US of the 1968 flu pandemic, and it is approaching the 116,000 killed in another flu outbreak a decade before that, it said.

While the world has crossed the 5.6 million mark for positive cases around the around, US alone has more than 1.7 million coronavirus positive cases.

US President Donald Trump has yet again blamed China for spreading coronavirus in the world. In a tweet in the late hours of Thursday, eh tweeted about how China has given a bad gift to the world but has continued to march on.

US President Donald Trump has yet again blamed China for spreading coronavirus in the world. In a tweet in the late hours of Thursday, eh tweeted about how China has given a bad gift to the world but has continued to march on. All over the World the CoronaVirus, a very bad “gift” from China, marches on. Not good! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 28, 2020 × The tweet came after he announced on Twitter that the US has recorded 100,000 deaths, one of the highest total death counts in the world caused due to the coronavirus pandemic. We have just reached a very sad milestone with the coronavirus pandemic deaths reaching 100,000. To all of the families & friends of those who have passed, I want to extend my heartfelt sympathy & love for everything that these great people stood for & represent. God be with you! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 28, 2020 × Also read| Donald Trump feeling 'absolutely great' after taking hydroxychloroquine: White House official The President has been blaming China for spreading coronavirus onto the world since the start of the pandemic. He has also accused China of hiding important information and stealing vaccine-related research of the US. According to reports, this death count is the highest since the Korean War, and matches the toll in the US of the 1968 flu pandemic, and it is approaching the 116,000 killed in another flu outbreak a decade before that, it said. While the world has crossed the 5.6 million mark for positive cases around the around, US alone has more than 1.7 million coronavirus positive cases.

Bad gift from China: Trump tweets as COVID 19 deaths cross 100,000 in US

US President Donald Trump has his reiterated offer to mediate on the border dispute between India and China. Trump spoke to PM Modi over the phone on this issue.

Trump reiterates mediation offer: 'Modi not in good mood over border row'

US Congress has now passed a bill calling for sanctions on Chinese officials over the oppression of Muslims. The bill is now pending for the approval of President Donald Trump.

US Congress passes Uighur bill: Bill over the persecution of Uighurs

The US Congress on Wednesday authorized sanctions against Chinese officials over the mass incarceration of Muslim Uighurs, ramping up pressure on another front in the troubled relationship between the Pacific powers. 
 
The House of Representatives voted with just one dissent in favor of the Uighur Human Rights Act, hours of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo took a major step to press China on another major issue -- the autonomy of Hong Kong.

Rights groups say at least one million Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims in China's northwestern Xinjiang region have been incarcerated in camps in a massive brainwashing campaign with few modern parallels.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/in-bid-of-global-dominion-trump-offers-to-negotiate-between-india-china-standoff-301402">Also read:&nbsp;In bid of global dominion, Trump offers to negotiate between India-China standoff</a>

"If America does not speak out against human rights (violations) in China because of some commercial interest, then we lose all moral authority to speak out on human rights violations any place in the world," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.

The message was bipartisan with Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, accusing China of "state-sponsored cultural genocide."

Beijing is out to "completely eradicate an entire culture simply because it doesn't fit within what the Chinese Communist Party deems 'Chinese,'" McCaul said.

"We can't sit idly by and allow this to continue," he said. "Our silence will be complicit, and our inaction will be our appeasement."

The legislation requires the US administration to determine which Chinese officials are responsible for the "arbitrary detention, torture and harassment" of Uighurs and other minorities.

The United States would then freeze any assets the officials hold in the world's largest economy and ban their entry into the country.

The law specifically mentions Chen Quanguo, the Communist Party chief in Xinjiang. Previously posted in Tibet, Chen has built a reputation for clamping down on restive minorities.

China denounces 'smears'

China initially denied the mass incarceration but has since described the camps as vocational training centers aimed at discouraging Islamic radicalism.

After an earlier version of the law passed in December, the Chinese foreign ministry accused the United States of hypocrisy in its own "counter-terrorism" efforts.

"This bill deliberately smears the human rights condition in Xinjiang, slanders China's efforts in de-radicalization and counter-terrorism and viciously attacks the Chinese government's Xinjiang policy," said foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, urging the United States to stop the law.

Trump can veto the legislation. But Congress could easily override his veto.

Trump last year hesitated at signing another law that angered China that sought to safeguard Hong Kong's autonomy but went ahead in the face of overwhelming support in Congress.

The House of Representatives passed a tougher version of the law that would restrict exports of technology involved in the mass surveillance of Uighurs, as critics fear a new dystopian model with Beijing tracking minorities' every move.

The Republican-led Senate stripped out the export provision to ensure unanimous passage, letting Trump handle technology issues as part of his long-running trade war with the Asian power.

The Commerce Department last week imposed sanctions on eight Chinese companies and an institute seen as complicit in the persecution of Uighurs and other minorities, including through surveillance.

The final version of the bill also requires a classified report by US intelligence on Xinjiang as well as a study led by the FBI on alleged efforts by China to target US citizens and residents of Uighur heritage.

Rubio and a Democrat, Representative James McGovern, have introduced separate legislation that would ban all exports from Xinjiang, a major supplier of cotton.

The lawmakers say forced labor is so prevalent in Xinjiang that it is impossible to ensure that products from the region are free of slavery.

The US Congress on Wednesday authorized sanctions against Chinese officials over the mass incarceration of Muslim Uighurs, ramping up pressure on another front in the troubled relationship between the Pacific powers.

The US Congress on Wednesday authorized sanctions against Chinese officials over the mass incarceration of Muslim Uighurs, ramping up pressure on another front in the troubled relationship between the Pacific powers. The House of Representatives voted with just one dissent in favor of the Uighur Human Rights Act, hours of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo took a major step to press China on another major issue -- the autonomy of Hong Kong. Rights groups say at least one million Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims in China's northwestern Xinjiang region have been incarcerated in camps in a massive brainwashing campaign with few modern parallels. Also read: In bid of global dominion, Trump offers to negotiate between India-China standoff "If America does not speak out against human rights (violations) in China because of some commercial interest, then we lose all moral authority to speak out on human rights violations any place in the world," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. The message was bipartisan with Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, accusing China of "state-sponsored cultural genocide." Beijing is out to "completely eradicate an entire culture simply because it doesn't fit within what the Chinese Communist Party deems 'Chinese,'" McCaul said. "We can't sit idly by and allow this to continue," he said. "Our silence will be complicit, and our inaction will be our appeasement." The legislation requires the US administration to determine which Chinese officials are responsible for the "arbitrary detention, torture and harassment" of Uighurs and other minorities. The United States would then freeze any assets the officials hold in the world's largest economy and ban their entry into the country. The law specifically mentions Chen Quanguo, the Communist Party chief in Xinjiang. Previously posted in Tibet, Chen has built a reputation for clamping down on restive minorities. China denounces 'smears' China initially denied the mass incarceration but has since described the camps as vocational training centers aimed at discouraging Islamic radicalism. After an earlier version of the law passed in December, the Chinese foreign ministry accused the United States of hypocrisy in its own "counter-terrorism" efforts. "This bill deliberately smears the human rights condition in Xinjiang, slanders China's efforts in de-radicalization and counter-terrorism and viciously attacks the Chinese government's Xinjiang policy," said foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, urging the United States to stop the law. Trump can veto the legislation. But Congress could easily override his veto. Trump last year hesitated at signing another law that angered China that sought to safeguard Hong Kong's autonomy but went ahead in the face of overwhelming support in Congress. The House of Representatives passed a tougher version of the law that would restrict exports of technology involved in the mass surveillance of Uighurs, as critics fear a new dystopian model with Beijing tracking minorities' every move. The Republican-led Senate stripped out the export provision to ensure unanimous passage, letting Trump handle technology issues as part of his long-running trade war with the Asian power. The Commerce Department last week imposed sanctions on eight Chinese companies and an institute seen as complicit in the persecution of Uighurs and other minorities, including through surveillance. The final version of the bill also requires a classified report by US intelligence on Xinjiang as well as a study led by the FBI on alleged efforts by China to target US citizens and residents of Uighur heritage. Rubio and a Democrat, Representative James McGovern, have introduced separate legislation that would ban all exports from Xinjiang, a major supplier of cotton. The lawmakers say forced labor is so prevalent in Xinjiang that it is impossible to ensure that products from the region are free of slavery.

US Congress passes Uighur human rights bill, prodding Trump to punish China

After US President Donald Trump ordered to shut down websites that he feels stifle conservative voices, White House has said Donald Trump will sign an executive order on social media companies on Thursday.

No other details were provided by the White House officials. It is still unclear as to how will the President follow on the threat of shutting down private social media giants.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/comedian-kathy-griffin-picks-up-a-beef-with-donald-trump-yet-again-301393">Also read: Comedian Kathy Griffin picks up a beef with Donald Trump, yet again!</a>

Trump was upset as Twitter, for the first time, tagged his tweets about unsubstantiated claims of fraud in mail-in voting with a warning prompting readers to fact check the posts. This warning upset Trump to a limit that he threatened the private companies.

On a similar issue, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington on Wednesday upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit by a conservative group and right-wing YouTube personality against Google, Facebook, Twitter and Apple accusing them of conspiring to suppress conservative political views.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, on the other hand, feels that censoring social media platforms is not the right reflex for a government which is constantly worried about censorship.&nbsp;

Following this threat by Trump, shares of Facebook and Twitter saw a steep decline on Wednesday.

General Counsel Sean Edgett on Wednesday said, "We have a group and committee of folks who take a look at these things and make decisions on what`s getting a lot of visibility and traction."

The issue of censorship has been a topic of debate in the White House for few years now, as the President feels "Republicans feel that Social Media Platforms totally silence conservatives voices. We will strongly regulate, or close them down, before we can ever allow this to happen."

Republican and Democratic lawmakers, along with the U.S. Justice Department, have been considering changes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a federal law largely exempting online platforms from legal liability for the material their users post.

(With inputs from Reuters)

After US President Donald Trump ordered to shut down websites that he feels stifle conservative voices, White House has said Donald Trump will sign an executive order on social media companies on Thursday.

After US President Donald Trump ordered to shut down websites that he feels stifle conservative voices, White House has said Donald Trump will sign an executive order on social media companies on Thursday. No other details were provided by the White House officials. It is still unclear as to how will the President follow on the threat of shutting down private social media giants. Also read: Comedian Kathy Griffin picks up a beef with Donald Trump, yet again! Trump was upset as Twitter, for the first time, tagged his tweets about unsubstantiated claims of fraud in mail-in voting with a warning prompting readers to fact check the posts. This warning upset Trump to a limit that he threatened the private companies. On a similar issue, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington on Wednesday upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit by a conservative group and right-wing YouTube personality against Google, Facebook, Twitter and Apple accusing them of conspiring to suppress conservative political views. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, on the other hand, feels that censoring social media platforms is not the right reflex for a government which is constantly worried about censorship. Following this threat by Trump, shares of Facebook and Twitter saw a steep decline on Wednesday. General Counsel Sean Edgett on Wednesday said, "We have a group and committee of folks who take a look at these things and make decisions on what`s getting a lot of visibility and traction." The issue of censorship has been a topic of debate in the White House for few years now, as the President feels "Republicans feel that Social Media Platforms totally silence conservatives voices. We will strongly regulate, or close them down, before we can ever allow this to happen." Republican and Democratic lawmakers, along with the U.S. Justice Department, have been considering changes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a federal law largely exempting online platforms from legal liability for the material their users post. (With inputs from Reuters)

Donald Trump  to sign executive order on social media on Thursday

Lawmakers in China on May 28 passed legislation that will extend the country's national security law to Hong Kong, an expected move that has prompted large demonstrations in the city and a warning from Washington.

US may cut special trade ties with HK

US President Donald Trump and ultra-conservative Pakistani religious scholars may have more in common than either would want to admit: a belief that the congregation is an essential pillar of prayer irrespective of public health concerns.

Trump, however, may wish that he had the kind of less polarised and/or more compliant audience that Pakistani clerics address.

Scores of religious leaders and groups in the United States have sought to protect their communities by advocating virtual rather than physical congregation at the time of a pandemic in which the coronavirus has yet to be brought under control.

Religious authorities in much of the Muslim world, Pakistan being the exception that proves the rule, have heeded government instructions and medical and public health advice.

That advice ranged from the closure of mosques to bans on social gatherings that precluded traditional iftar meals breaking the Ramadan fast and celebrations of this week’s end of the holy month to Saudi Arabia’s suspension of the umrah, the lesser pilgrimage to Mecca and possibly the haj too.

Leaving aside the question, whether he has the legal power to do so, Trump vowed to overrule governors who refused to open houses of worship, noting that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) had issued guidelines that included physical distancing.

The move designed to play to Trump’s Evangelist voter base received a mixed reception among American faith communities.

It appealed to those segments of the community with an unqualified belief in God’s ability and will to protect and that often are steeped in notions of Christian manhood that have deep roots in American Evangelism and were boosted by the 9/11 attacks on New York’s World Trade Towers and the Pentagon in Washington.

Trump’s recognition of prayer as an “essential” societal activity further drew a line intended to give houses of worship autonomy in an environment in which state intrusion into people’s lives has expanded greatly in a bid to fight the pandemic.

In that sense, the president was fighting a battle similar to that of Pakistani Sunni and Shia Muslim leaders who rejected a total closure of mosques but were willing to accept guidance on issues such as physical distancing.

The leaders see mosques “as spaces where you cultivate and express a communal religious identity that is very central to…their vision of the Pakistani state,” said a Pakistani Islamic scholar.

The clerics’ determination to retain control of religious spaces was reinforced by Prime Minister Imran Khan’s flip flops that resembled Trump’s zig-zags.

Khan initially sought to appeal to religious circles by meeting in the early days of the pandemic with Maulana Tariq Jameel, a leader of Tablighi Jamaat, who initially denied the contagious aspect of the virus.

Jameel reversed course and embraced physical distancing after his movement’s mass gatherings in Pakistan, Malaysia, India, and Indonesia turned into super-spreaders of the coronavirus.&nbsp;

Khan’s government further complicated issues by initially agreeing with religious leaders on a division of labour that would have empowered the clerics to advise their followers to stay at home, avoid congregational prayer and maintain physical distancing and then jumping the gun to announce the measures without coordination.

Mosques in major Pakistani cities were packed in recent days, despite religious leaders paying lip service to physical distancing, in a reflection of the degree to which ultra-conservatism has woven itself into the fabric of Pakistani society and in stark contrast to Saudi Arabia’s pre-emptive response to the health crisis.

Pakistan’s Supreme Court ruled against government lockdowns, suggesting that the coronavirus was not a pandemic. Religious leaders have since backed away from their acceptance of physical distancing, demanding that the advice be abandoned.

Trump’s recognition of prayer as essential aligned itself with notions of concepts of religious freedom promoted by his administration, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in the lead, that in effect serves to legitimize discrimination against minorities of various stripes.

Few doubt that Trump made his move with an eye on the US presidential election in November. Trump was embarking on a road on which mainstream ultra-conservative Pakistani clerics were also travelling.

The clerics remained silent when Ahmadis, a sect viewed as a heretic by mainstream Muslims, were excluded from a national commission created by the government earlier this month to promote religious tolerance and counter persecution of minorities.

Pakistan’s religious affairs ministry barred the inclusion of Ahmadis, who are among Pakistan’s most discriminated minorities, on grounds that they did not qualify as a minority and refuse to recognize the country’s constitution.

A 1974 amendment of the constitution bars Ahmadis from identifying themselves as Muslims because they do not recognize Mohammed as the last prophet.

Compared to the polarising environment that Trump operates in and likes to entrench, Pakistani clerics have it a lot easier. Except for liberals and human rights activists, few in Pakistan are willing to stand up for Ahmadi rights.

Moreover, the government shied away from imposing its will on the religious establishment during the pandemic as did the military, which built quarantine centres in various cities and helped local authorities implement a lockdown.

Pakistan lacks truly influential, more liberal religious voices in the mould of for example Reverend Curtiss DeYoung, CEO of the Minnesota Council of Churches that groups African-American denominations, the mainline church and the Greek Orthodox Church.

“We listen to communities of colour, and many of our congregations’ people are engaged in representing refugees and immigrants, African-Americans, Latinos, even seniors, they're saying, why the urgency?” DeYoung said in response to Trump’s push.

“They're…directly affected. They're actually afraid in many cases to go into group gatherings...We feel that we need to make our decisions based on good science and the recommendations of our health department,” the reverend added.

DeYoung was joined by his Muslim counterparts in contrast to their Pakistani brethren.

"American Muslim scholars and community leaders have already determined that mosques will not be open in the near future because of the health concerns brought on by the pandemic. That's a determination for them to make not for the president to make,” said Ibrahim Hooper, communications director of the Council on American–Islamic Relations, the largest US Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization.

To be sure, the United States and Pakistan are vastly different countries. Pakistan has been hard hit by the pandemic with 55,657 cases of infection to date and 1,155 deaths. Yet, that is a far cry from the United States’ 1,613,324 cases and 96,659 deaths.

Pakistan, nonetheless, saw its number of cases quadruple during the month of Ramadan and the rate of new infections jump by 30 per cent in the last week as the holy month neared its end.

Yet, when it comes to employing religion to entrench power at the cost of striking a balance between faith and science, Trump and Pakistani religious scholars share the kind of opportunism and worldview that serve their short-term interests irrespective of the cost to human life and potentially to already battered economies.

(The article is co-authored by Tehmina Qureshi. Tehmina is a multi-platform journalist and editorial writer at Dawn, Pakistan’s leading English-language newspaper)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump and ultra-conservative Pakistani religious scholars may have more in common than either would want to admit: a belief that the congregation is an essential pillar of prayer irrespective of public health concerns.

US President Donald Trump and ultra-conservative Pakistani religious scholars may have more in common than either would want to admit: a belief that the congregation is an essential pillar of prayer irrespective of public health concerns. Trump, however, may wish that he had the kind of less polarised and/or more compliant audience that Pakistani clerics address. Scores of religious leaders and groups in the United States have sought to protect their communities by advocating virtual rather than physical congregation at the time of a pandemic in which the coronavirus has yet to be brought under control. Religious authorities in much of the Muslim world, Pakistan being the exception that proves the rule, have heeded government instructions and medical and public health advice. That advice ranged from the closure of mosques to bans on social gatherings that precluded traditional iftar meals breaking the Ramadan fast and celebrations of this week’s end of the holy month to Saudi Arabia’s suspension of the umrah, the lesser pilgrimage to Mecca and possibly the haj too. Leaving aside the question, whether he has the legal power to do so, Trump vowed to overrule governors who refused to open houses of worship, noting that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) had issued guidelines that included physical distancing. The move designed to play to Trump’s Evangelist voter base received a mixed reception among American faith communities. It appealed to those segments of the community with an unqualified belief in God’s ability and will to protect and that often are steeped in notions of Christian manhood that have deep roots in American Evangelism and were boosted by the 9/11 attacks on New York’s World Trade Towers and the Pentagon in Washington. Trump’s recognition of prayer as an “essential” societal activity further drew a line intended to give houses of worship autonomy in an environment in which state intrusion into people’s lives has expanded greatly in a bid to fight the pandemic. In that sense, the president was fighting a battle similar to that of Pakistani Sunni and Shia Muslim leaders who rejected a total closure of mosques but were willing to accept guidance on issues such as physical distancing. The leaders see mosques “as spaces where you cultivate and express a communal religious identity that is very central to…their vision of the Pakistani state,” said a Pakistani Islamic scholar. The clerics’ determination to retain control of religious spaces was reinforced by Prime Minister Imran Khan’s flip flops that resembled Trump’s zig-zags. Khan initially sought to appeal to religious circles by meeting in the early days of the pandemic with Maulana Tariq Jameel, a leader of Tablighi Jamaat, who initially denied the contagious aspect of the virus. Jameel reversed course and embraced physical distancing after his movement’s mass gatherings in Pakistan, Malaysia, India, and Indonesia turned into super-spreaders of the coronavirus. Khan’s government further complicated issues by initially agreeing with religious leaders on a division of labour that would have empowered the clerics to advise their followers to stay at home, avoid congregational prayer and maintain physical distancing and then jumping the gun to announce the measures without coordination. Mosques in major Pakistani cities were packed in recent days, despite religious leaders paying lip service to physical distancing, in a reflection of the degree to which ultra-conservatism has woven itself into the fabric of Pakistani society and in stark contrast to Saudi Arabia’s pre-emptive response to the health crisis. Pakistan’s Supreme Court ruled against government lockdowns, suggesting that the coronavirus was not a pandemic. Religious leaders have since backed away from their acceptance of physical distancing, demanding that the advice be abandoned. Trump’s recognition of prayer as essential aligned itself with notions of concepts of religious freedom promoted by his administration, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in the lead, that in effect serves to legitimize discrimination against minorities of various stripes. Few doubt that Trump made his move with an eye on the US presidential election in November. Trump was embarking on a road on which mainstream ultra-conservative Pakistani clerics were also travelling. The clerics remained silent when Ahmadis, a sect viewed as a heretic by mainstream Muslims, were excluded from a national commission created by the government earlier this month to promote religious tolerance and counter persecution of minorities. Pakistan’s religious affairs ministry barred the inclusion of Ahmadis, who are among Pakistan’s most discriminated minorities, on grounds that they did not qualify as a minority and refuse to recognize the country’s constitution. A 1974 amendment of the constitution bars Ahmadis from identifying themselves as Muslims because they do not recognize Mohammed as the last prophet. Compared to the polarising environment that Trump operates in and likes to entrench, Pakistani clerics have it a lot easier. Except for liberals and human rights activists, few in Pakistan are willing to stand up for Ahmadi rights. Moreover, the government shied away from imposing its will on the religious establishment during the pandemic as did the military, which built quarantine centres in various cities and helped local authorities implement a lockdown. Pakistan lacks truly influential, more liberal religious voices in the mould of for example Reverend Curtiss DeYoung, CEO of the Minnesota Council of Churches that groups African-American denominations, the mainline church and the Greek Orthodox Church. “We listen to communities of colour, and many of our congregations’ people are engaged in representing refugees and immigrants, African-Americans, Latinos, even seniors, they're saying, why the urgency?” DeYoung said in response to Trump’s push. “They're…directly affected. They're actually afraid in many cases to go into group gatherings...We feel that we need to make our decisions based on good science and the recommendations of our health department,” the reverend added. DeYoung was joined by his Muslim counterparts in contrast to their Pakistani brethren. "American Muslim scholars and community leaders have already determined that mosques will not be open in the near future because of the health concerns brought on by the pandemic. That's a determination for them to make not for the president to make,” said Ibrahim Hooper, communications director of the Council on American–Islamic Relations, the largest US Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization. To be sure, the United States and Pakistan are vastly different countries. Pakistan has been hard hit by the pandemic with 55,657 cases of infection to date and 1,155 deaths. Yet, that is a far cry from the United States’ 1,613,324 cases and 96,659 deaths. Pakistan, nonetheless, saw its number of cases quadruple during the month of Ramadan and the rate of new infections jump by 30 per cent in the last week as the holy month neared its end. Yet, when it comes to employing religion to entrench power at the cost of striking a balance between faith and science, Trump and Pakistani religious scholars share the kind of opportunism and worldview that serve their short-term interests irrespective of the cost to human life and potentially to already battered economies. (The article is co-authored by Tehmina Qureshi. Tehmina is a multi-platform journalist and editorial writer at Dawn, Pakistan’s leading English-language newspaper) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

What do Donald Trump and ultra-conservative Pakistani clerics have in common?

The Chinese government has not left anybody in doubt about its ambitious target of dominating the world at any cost. Chinese government has been suppressing freedom of speech, taking away the rights of citizens of Hong Kong in an authoritarian manner and aggressively occupying the territory of neighbours.

China is now aggressively claiming a territorial right in the South China Sea and Senkaku island. The Chinese government says that Taiwan is part of its territory and objects to any recognition given to Taiwan by any other country.

Further, China is trying to enforce its dominance over small and weak countries such as Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and others, by extending loans, which these countries cannot afford to repay in the foreseeable future.

Viewing China’s methods and targets, one does not find much of difference between today’s Chinese government and Hitler’s Germany. Several countries in the world are gradually realizing that checking China’s ambition is as necessary, as checking Hitler’s ambition that caused World War II.

However, the supporters of China claim that US government too should be accused of trying to dominate the world and it has sent troops to several countries such as Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and others to enforce its domination. There is an element of truth in this as the American government seem to think that it has the duty to police the world.

In any case, on careful analysis of the scenario and judiciously comparing the domination desire of China and the US, one cannot but see a subtle difference between both these countries.

While China believes in ruthless elimination of opponents both inside and outside and wants to occupy territories of other countries by coercion or force, the US does not indulge in such acts of suppression of human rights or occupying territory of other countries.

The US has not concealed its desire that freedom of speech and democratic procedures should prevail in all regions in the world. On many occasions, the US has fought against totalitarian regimes, religious extremists, and terrorist groups and has paid a high price by losing American lives.

The US may have the ambition to dominate the world and ensure its authority as a superpower, but it has no ambition of territorial expansions that China has.

All said and done, if the world were to choose between US&nbsp;and China, it would inevitably come to the conclusion that world domination by the US&nbsp;is a lesser evil than the world domination by China.

Unlike China, the citizens of US&nbsp;have the right to criticise the decisions of the government, launch protests against human rights violation, if any and exercise their franchise once in four years to change the party in power, if it would act against the wishes of the people. By such a process, the conscience of the US&nbsp;largely remains intact and the US government is vulnerable to the pressure of public opinion.

On the other hand, China has a totalitarian regime and no citizen can survive in China if he would criticise the Chinese President or question the decision of the Chinese government. To this extent, it is a dictatorial regime in China which can be termed as an uncivilized form of governance.

The fact is that the USA holds the superpower status for several decades now.&nbsp;Of course, there has been criticism against the US government by some section of world opinion, but most of such critics belong to religious extremist groups and motivated communist&nbsp;forces, whose economic and administrative policies have totally failed to deliver the goods.

China achieving superpower status and establishing its authority across the world with the least consideration for value systems and sentiments of people, is the worst thing that can happen to the civilisation.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

The Chinese government has not left anybody in doubt about its ambitious target of dominating the world at any cost. Chinese government has been suppressing freedom of speech, taking away the rights of citizens of Hong Kong in an authoritarian manner and aggressively occupying the territory of neighbours.

The Chinese government has not left anybody in doubt about its ambitious target of dominating the world at any cost. Chinese government has been suppressing freedom of speech, taking away the rights of citizens of Hong Kong in an authoritarian manner and aggressively occupying the territory of neighbours. China is now aggressively claiming a territorial right in the South China Sea and Senkaku island. The Chinese government says that Taiwan is part of its territory and objects to any recognition given to Taiwan by any other country. Further, China is trying to enforce its dominance over small and weak countries such as Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and others, by extending loans, which these countries cannot afford to repay in the foreseeable future. Viewing China’s methods and targets, one does not find much of difference between today’s Chinese government and Hitler’s Germany. Several countries in the world are gradually realizing that checking China’s ambition is as necessary, as checking Hitler’s ambition that caused World War II. However, the supporters of China claim that US government too should be accused of trying to dominate the world and it has sent troops to several countries such as Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and others to enforce its domination. There is an element of truth in this as the American government seem to think that it has the duty to police the world. In any case, on careful analysis of the scenario and judiciously comparing the domination desire of China and the US, one cannot but see a subtle difference between both these countries. While China believes in ruthless elimination of opponents both inside and outside and wants to occupy territories of other countries by coercion or force, the US does not indulge in such acts of suppression of human rights or occupying territory of other countries. The US has not concealed its desire that freedom of speech and democratic procedures should prevail in all regions in the world. On many occasions, the US has fought against totalitarian regimes, religious extremists, and terrorist groups and has paid a high price by losing American lives. The US may have the ambition to dominate the world and ensure its authority as a superpower, but it has no ambition of territorial expansions that China has. All said and done, if the world were to choose between US and China, it would inevitably come to the conclusion that world domination by the US is a lesser evil than the world domination by China. Unlike China, the citizens of US have the right to criticise the decisions of the government, launch protests against human rights violation, if any and exercise their franchise once in four years to change the party in power, if it would act against the wishes of the people. By such a process, the conscience of the US largely remains intact and the US government is vulnerable to the pressure of public opinion. On the other hand, China has a totalitarian regime and no citizen can survive in China if he would criticise the Chinese President or question the decision of the Chinese government. To this extent, it is a dictatorial regime in China which can be termed as an uncivilized form of governance. The fact is that the USA holds the superpower status for several decades now. Of course, there has been criticism against the US government by some section of world opinion, but most of such critics belong to religious extremist groups and motivated communist forces, whose economic and administrative policies have totally failed to deliver the goods. China achieving superpower status and establishing its authority across the world with the least consideration for value systems and sentiments of people, is the worst thing that can happen to the civilisation. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Superpower marathon: Here's how China's strategy is different from the US

The United States' daily death toll due to coronavirus is&nbsp;showing a decrease as 532 deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours, according to Johns Hopkins University tracker.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-brazil-surpasses-the-united-states-in-terms-of-daily-death-toll-301046">Coronavirus: Brazil surpasses the United States in terms of daily death toll</a>

Death toll in the US now stands at 98,218, whereas, cases of infection in the country have surged to 1,662,375.

The United States continues to remain the worst-hit country in terms of the coronavirus.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-company-novavax-to-conduct-human-trials-of-recombinant-vaccine-in-australia-301043">Novavax to conduct human trials of 'recombinant vaccine' in Australia</a>

Uverall number of global coronavirus cases has surpassed the 5.4 million mark, while the deaths increased to 345,064.

The total number of cases stood at 5,408,301, the Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update.&nbsp;

In terms of cases, Brazil accounted for the second-highest number of infections at 363,211.

This was followed by Russia (344,481), the UK (260,916), Spain (235,772), Italy (229,858), France (182,709), Germany (180,328), Turkey (156,827), India (156,827), Iran (135,701), and Peru (119,959), the CSSE figures showed.

The United States' daily death toll due to coronavirus is showing a decrease as 532 deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours, according to Johns Hopkins University tracker.

The United States' daily death toll due to coronavirus is showing a decrease as 532 deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours, according to Johns Hopkins University tracker. Also read: Coronavirus: Brazil surpasses the United States in terms of daily death toll Death toll in the US now stands at 98,218, whereas, cases of infection in the country have surged to 1,662,375. The United States continues to remain the worst-hit country in terms of the coronavirus. Also read: Novavax to conduct human trials of 'recombinant vaccine' in Australia Uverall number of global coronavirus cases has surpassed the 5.4 million mark, while the deaths increased to 345,064. The total number of cases stood at 5,408,301, the Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update. In terms of cases, Brazil accounted for the second-highest number of infections at 363,211. This was followed by Russia (344,481), the UK (260,916), Spain (235,772), Italy (229,858), France (182,709), Germany (180,328), Turkey (156,827), India (156,827), Iran (135,701), and Peru (119,959), the CSSE figures showed.

Coronavirus: US records 532 deaths in last 24 hours, toll now stands at 98,218

An American biotechnology company has decided to begin their human trials of coronavirus vaccine in Australia. They announced on Tuesday and hoped that they could release a vaccine by the end of the year.&nbsp;

According to biotechnology company's research chief Dr Gregory Glenn, Novavax has commenced the first phase of the trial in which 131 volunteers will be tested. These volunteers will be from the cities of Melbourne and Brisbane and the test will look for early signs of the vaccine’s effectiveness.&nbsp;

“We are in parallel making doses, making vaccine in anticipation that we’ll be able to show it’s working and be able to start deploying it by the end of this year,” Glenn told a virtual press conference in Melbourne from Novavax’ headquarters in Maryland.

Many experimental vaccines are in early stages of testing or will begin testing across China, US, Europe. Vaccines are being created with different technologies, and work in different ways, which gives a possibility of at least one to succeed.&nbsp;

Most of the 'tested' vaccines aim to train the immunity system so that it recognizes the spike in the protein that studs the coronavirus' outer surface, instructing the body to react if it ever encountered the real infection. While other companies are making vaccines that are made using just the genetic code for that protein, and others use a harmless virus to deliver the protein-producing information. Still, other vaccine candidates are more old-fashioned, made with the killed whole virus.

Novavax has made another addition to the list of 'types of vaccines'. They have introduced the 'recombinant vaccine'. In these vaccines, Novavax has used genetic engineering to grow harmless copies of the coronavirus spike protein in giant vats of insect cells in a laboratory. Scientists extracted and purified the protein, and packaged it into virus-sized nanoparticles.

An American biotechnology company has decided to begin their human trials of coronavirus vaccine in Australia. They announced on Tuesday and hoped that they could release a vaccine by the end of the year.

An American biotechnology company has decided to begin their human trials of coronavirus vaccine in Australia. They announced on Tuesday and hoped that they could release a vaccine by the end of the year. According to biotechnology company's research chief Dr Gregory Glenn, Novavax has commenced the first phase of the trial in which 131 volunteers will be tested. These volunteers will be from the cities of Melbourne and Brisbane and the test will look for early signs of the vaccine’s effectiveness. “We are in parallel making doses, making vaccine in anticipation that we’ll be able to show it’s working and be able to start deploying it by the end of this year,” Glenn told a virtual press conference in Melbourne from Novavax’ headquarters in Maryland. Many experimental vaccines are in early stages of testing or will begin testing across China, US, Europe. Vaccines are being created with different technologies, and work in different ways, which gives a possibility of at least one to succeed. Most of the 'tested' vaccines aim to train the immunity system so that it recognizes the spike in the protein that studs the coronavirus' outer surface, instructing the body to react if it ever encountered the real infection. While other companies are making vaccines that are made using just the genetic code for that protein, and others use a harmless virus to deliver the protein-producing information. Still, other vaccine candidates are more old-fashioned, made with the killed whole virus. Novavax has made another addition to the list of 'types of vaccines'. They have introduced the 'recombinant vaccine'. In these vaccines, Novavax has used genetic engineering to grow harmless copies of the coronavirus spike protein in giant vats of insect cells in a laboratory. Scientists extracted and purified the protein, and packaged it into virus-sized nanoparticles.

US company Novavax to conduct human trials of 'recombinant vaccine' in Australia

A bill has passed in the US Senate, that could force state owned Chinese companies to delist from American stock exchanges. WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay tells you how the US is escalating its fight with China.

Gravitas: Will the US force Chinese companies to delist from its exchanges?

Coronavirus cases in the US are growing. More than 93,000 Americans have died. But, President Donald Trump says US topping the world in Coronavirus cases is a 'badge of honour'. WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay tells you how protests against the Trump administration are growing.

Gravitas: Trump is 'proud' of the high number of Covid cases in US

The U.S. govt has criticised China for crippling Pakistan's economy. The flashpoint is the corruption shrouded in the China-Pakistan economic corridor. WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay tells you more.

Gravitas: U.S-China clash over Pak's debt crisis

Massive crowds gathered at beaches over Memorial Day weekend, drawing warnings from authorities on Sunday about people disregarding the coronavirus social-distancing rules

COVID-19 rules flouted on US Memorial Day

Millions of cicadas are set to emerge in the United States after spending 17 years underground.

Cicadas, which come out periodically will start showing up across the southwestern parts of the United States like Virginia, North Carolina, and West Virginia.

This was witnessed earlier in 2003 and 2004, with some areas witnessing the recurrence in 2013, the BBC reported.

The projected number of insects per acre of land is currently 1.5 million, which could fluctuate.

<h6><img alt="p" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5b1e3cb4-469b-40e4-abeb-0e66b439a075" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-3_6.jpg" /> 
A child holds up a cicada in Alexandria, Virginia 14 May 2004&nbsp;| AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

Living most of their lives underground as “nymphs”, cicadas are the longest-living insects in the world.

Cicadas survive underground by feeding on the roots of trees for over 12 to 17 years, which varies according to the species.

Classified as 15 “broods”, the current brood (Brood IX) is showing up this year as part of their 17-year cycle.

The nymphs grow out to create mud tubes “cicada huts” and through this permeate out of the soil, after which they mate.

<h6><img alt="p" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2c42333b-66e7-428f-ad6a-d3e48e6babaa" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-4_3.jpg" /> 
5 year old Chase Harrison holds up a cicada he caught near his home in Alexandria, Virginia 14 May 2004 | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

The cicadas do not harm humans and are consumed by animals and birds as food.

However, the cicadas are capable of causing damage to trees. In their short lifespan of two to four weeks, adult cicadas attack trees like apple, peach, cherry, and pear.

The females lay eggs on vines.&nbsp;The male cicadas sing by vibrating their membranes on their stomach in a bid to attract females.

Millions of cicadas are set to emerge in the United States after spending 17 years underground. Cicadas, which come out periodically will start showing up across the southwestern parts of the United States like Virginia, North Carolina, and West Virginia.

Millions of cicadas are set to emerge in the United States after spending 17 years underground. Cicadas, which come out periodically will start showing up across the southwestern parts of the United States like Virginia, North Carolina, and West Virginia. This was witnessed earlier in 2003 and 2004, with some areas witnessing the recurrence in 2013, the BBC reported. The projected number of insects per acre of land is currently 1.5 million, which could fluctuate. A child holds up a cicada in Alexandria, Virginia 14 May 2004 | AFP Living most of their lives underground as “nymphs”, cicadas are the longest-living insects in the world. Cicadas survive underground by feeding on the roots of trees for over 12 to 17 years, which varies according to the species. Classified as 15 “broods”, the current brood (Brood IX) is showing up this year as part of their 17-year cycle. The nymphs grow out to create mud tubes “cicada huts” and through this permeate out of the soil, after which they mate. 5 year old Chase Harrison holds up a cicada he caught near his home in Alexandria, Virginia 14 May 2004 | AFP The cicadas do not harm humans and are consumed by animals and birds as food. However, the cicadas are capable of causing damage to trees. In their short lifespan of two to four weeks, adult cicadas attack trees like apple, peach, cherry, and pear. The females lay eggs on vines. The male cicadas sing by vibrating their membranes on their stomach in a bid to attract females.

Cicadas to swarm southwestern US after 17 years

Donald Trump has declared churches, mosques and synagogues “essential services” and threatened to override governors who refuse to reopen them this weekend

Donald Trump calls for governors to reopen churches

As coronavirus continues to grip the United States taking the death toll near 100,000, the New York Times has decided to pay homage to the human loss due to pandemic. Sunday's newspaper will feature names of 1,000 people who died from COVID-19.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-records-1127-coronavirus-deaths-in-24-hours-johns-hopkins-300667">US records 1,127 coronavirus deaths in 24 hours: Johns Hopkins</a>&nbsp;

According to Josh Crutchmer, who is the print planning editor of the New York-based newspaper, shared an image of Sunday's newspaper and described the death toll as "An Incalculable Loss."

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The front page of The New York Times for May 24, 2020 <a href="https://t.co/Mp4figjnQe">pic.twitter.com/Mp4figjnQe</a>
— The New York Times (@nytimes) <a href="https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1264312206914719745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The newspaper will name 1,000 deaths, that is equal to 1 per cent of total casualties in the United States.&nbsp;

The New York Times assistant editor of the Graphics desk, Simone Landon came up with this way of paying homage, because she wanted to convey both the vastness and the variety of lives lost.

She said: "We knew we were approaching this milestone." 
&nbsp; 
"We knew that there should be some way to try to reckon with that number," she added.

She chose to name people than putting 100,000 dots because that will not tell anyone about who these people were and how valuable were they for the country.&nbsp;

According to Johns Hopkins University, the United States recorded 1,127 deaths in 24 hours from COVID-19 on Saturday, bringing its total to 97,048. The country has also crossed 1.5 million mark in terms of cases. The total number of confirmed cases stands at 1,621,658, &nbsp;according to the tracker kept by the Baltimore-based university showed at 8:30 pm (0030 GMT Sunday).

As coronavirus continues to grip the United States taking the death toll near 100,000, the New York Times has decided to pay homage to the human loss due to pandemic.

As coronavirus continues to grip the United States taking the death toll near 100,000, the New York Times has decided to pay homage to the human loss due to pandemic. Sunday's newspaper will feature names of 1,000 people who died from COVID-19. Also read: US records 1,127 coronavirus deaths in 24 hours: Johns Hopkins According to Josh Crutchmer, who is the print planning editor of the New York-based newspaper, shared an image of Sunday's newspaper and described the death toll as "An Incalculable Loss." The front page of The New York Times for May 24, 2020 pic.twitter.com/Mp4figjnQe — The New York Times (@nytimes) May 23, 2020 × The newspaper will name 1,000 deaths, that is equal to 1 per cent of total casualties in the United States. The New York Times assistant editor of the Graphics desk, Simone Landon came up with this way of paying homage, because she wanted to convey both the vastness and the variety of lives lost. She said: "We knew we were approaching this milestone." "We knew that there should be some way to try to reckon with that number," she added. She chose to name people than putting 100,000 dots because that will not tell anyone about who these people were and how valuable were they for the country. According to Johns Hopkins University, the United States recorded 1,127 deaths in 24 hours from COVID-19 on Saturday, bringing its total to 97,048. The country has also crossed 1.5 million mark in terms of cases. The total number of confirmed cases stands at 1,621,658, according to the tracker kept by the Baltimore-based university showed at 8:30 pm (0030 GMT Sunday).

The New York Times pays homage by filling entire front page with names of coronavirus victims

President Donald Trump played golf Saturday for the first time since he declared the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency more than two months ago

Trump plays golf for 1st time since the coronavirus pandemic

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