Four men who went missing in the Okmulgee area of Oklahoma in the USA last week have been found dead. The investigation which started off as a missing person case has now turned into a full-blown murder probe as the four middle-aged men have been found dismembered in a local river.&nbsp;

Okmulgee Police Chief Joe Prentice&nbsp;said he hadn't seen a case involving such a level of violence in his career so far.

"I've worked over 80 murders in my career. I have worked murders involving multiple victims. I have worked dismemberments, but this case involves the highest number of victims, and it's a very violent event."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-teen-trafficking-victim-sentenced-5-years-in-prison-and-ordered-to-pay-150000-after-killing-rapist-516155">Read more:&nbsp;US teen who killed her rapist sentenced to 5 years in prison, ordered to pay $150,000 fine</a>

Prentice added that all four men, identified as&nbsp;Mark Chastain (32), Billy Chastain (30)&nbsp;Mike Sparks (32)&nbsp;and Alex Stevens (29) were shot. A bystander who saw something unusual in the river alerted the police about it. After the officials arrived, they discovered the bodies with remnants spread in and around the river bank.&nbsp;

Prior to the incident, the men had gathered at Billy Chastain's home before leaving from there on bicycles at around 9 pm. The families lodged a missing person complaint on Monday night or early Tuesday.&nbsp;

According to the police, the males&nbsp;were planning to commit a crime before they left. However, what adds more mystery to the case is the fact that a person whom police spoke to in connection with the cases has gone missing since Saturday night.&nbsp;

Prentice added the said person might be suicidal and that no charges had been brought against him&nbsp;up until now.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-jury-recommends-death-sentence-to-parkland-high-school-shooter-525176">Read more:&nbsp;US jury spares death penalty to Parkland high school shooter, recommends life imprisonment</a>

(With inputs from agencies)

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Four men who went missing in the Okmulgee area of Oklahoma in the USA last week have been found dead. The investigation which started off as a missing person case has now turned into a full-blown murder probe as the four middle-aged men have been found dismembered in a local river.

Four men who went missing in the Okmulgee area of Oklahoma in the USA last week have been found dead. The investigation which started off as a missing person case has now turned into a full-blown murder probe as the four middle-aged men have been found dismembered in a local river. Okmulgee Police Chief Joe Prentice said he hadn't seen a case involving such a level of violence in his career so far. "I've worked over 80 murders in my career. I have worked murders involving multiple victims. I have worked dismemberments, but this case involves the highest number of victims, and it's a very violent event." Read more: US teen who killed her rapist sentenced to 5 years in prison, ordered to pay $150,000 fine Prentice added that all four men, identified as Mark Chastain (32), Billy Chastain (30) Mike Sparks (32) and Alex Stevens (29) were shot. A bystander who saw something unusual in the river alerted the police about it. After the officials arrived, they discovered the bodies with remnants spread in and around the river bank. Prior to the incident, the men had gathered at Billy Chastain's home before leaving from there on bicycles at around 9 pm. The families lodged a missing person complaint on Monday night or early Tuesday. According to the police, the males were planning to commit a crime before they left. However, what adds more mystery to the case is the fact that a person whom police spoke to in connection with the cases has gone missing since Saturday night. Prentice added the said person might be suicidal and that no charges had been brought against him up until now. Read more: US jury spares death penalty to Parkland high school shooter, recommends life imprisonment (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'Never seen such violence,' say Oklahoma police after discovering dismembered bodies of four men

Elizabeth Holmes, who made billions through her sham of a&nbsp;blood-testing startup, is set for a hearing as a US court evaluates her request of a new trial after a key witness said he regretted his role in the Theranos founder's conviction.

The request for a new trial by Holmes' lawyers comes days before the court was expected to announce her sentencing. Reportedly,&nbsp;Adam Rosendorff, former lab director at Theranos appeared at Holmes' home in August and apologised for his role in the entire incident.

Consequently, together with some new evidence and&nbsp;Rosendorff's apology, Holmes approached the court and requested a hearing to assess her new trial request.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-this-entrepreneur-made-billions-from-an-invention-that-didnt-exist-442281">WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: This Entrepreneur made billions from an invention that didn't exist</a>

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The judge hearing the case was also amused by the apology of&nbsp;Rosendorff and said,“I will say I haven’t seen a case where this happened before."

"What the court wants to know is, 'Dr. Rosendorff, do you feel that the government manipulated you in their preparation or in any way in regards to their testimony, notwithstanding the outcome of the case?&nbsp;Really what I want to know is, did you tell the truth?". the judge added.&nbsp;

According to&nbsp;Holmes' partner, Billy Evans,&nbsp;Rosendorff was forced by the prosecutors to make everyone look bad in the company.&nbsp;

Who is Elizabeth Holmes?

Elizabeth Holmes was the founder and CEO of Theranos, a now-defunct health technology company that soared in valuation after the company falsely claimed to have revolutionised blood testing by developing testing methods that could use surprisingly small volumes of blood, such as from a fingerprick. She was found guilty of fraud in 2022.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-a-three-month-trial-jury-finds-ex-theranos-ceo-elizabeth-holmes-guilty-of-fraud-442109">Read more:&nbsp;After a three-month trial, jury finds ex-Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes guilty of fraud</a>

Theranos' fraud business strategy was built on the premise of performing blood tests with proprietary technology that just required a pinprick in your finger and a tiny bit of blood.

Holmes was found guilty of investor fraud and conspiracy, but was found not guilty of three charges of cheating patients who paid for Theranos tests, as well as a related conspiracy allegation.

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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&nbsp;

Elizabeth Holmes, who made billions through her sham of a blood-testing startup, is set for a hearing as a US court evaluates her request of a new trial after a key witness said he regretted his role in the Theranos founder's conviction.

Elizabeth Holmes, who made billions through her sham of a blood-testing startup, is set for a hearing as a US court evaluates her request of a new trial after a key witness said he regretted his role in the Theranos founder's conviction. The request for a new trial by Holmes' lawyers comes days before the court was expected to announce her sentencing. Reportedly, Adam Rosendorff, former lab director at Theranos appeared at Holmes' home in August and apologised for his role in the entire incident. Consequently, together with some new evidence and Rosendorff's apology, Holmes approached the court and requested a hearing to assess her new trial request. WATCH | Gravitas: This Entrepreneur made billions from an invention that didn't exist × The judge hearing the case was also amused by the apology of Rosendorff and said,“I will say I haven’t seen a case where this happened before." "What the court wants to know is, 'Dr. Rosendorff, do you feel that the government manipulated you in their preparation or in any way in regards to their testimony, notwithstanding the outcome of the case? Really what I want to know is, did you tell the truth?". the judge added. According to Holmes' partner, Billy Evans, Rosendorff was forced by the prosecutors to make everyone look bad in the company. Who is Elizabeth Holmes? Elizabeth Holmes was the founder and CEO of Theranos, a now-defunct health technology company that soared in valuation after the company falsely claimed to have revolutionised blood testing by developing testing methods that could use surprisingly small volumes of blood, such as from a fingerprick. She was found guilty of fraud in 2022. Read more: After a three-month trial, jury finds ex-Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes guilty of fraud Theranos' fraud business strategy was built on the premise of performing blood tests with proprietary technology that just required a pinprick in your finger and a tiny bit of blood. Holmes was found guilty of investor fraud and conspiracy, but was found not guilty of three charges of cheating patients who paid for Theranos tests, as well as a related conspiracy allegation. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Ex-Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes faces hearing for new trial request after key witnesss apologises

In what comes as another incident of racism from the USA, the Milwaukee police have reportedly opened an investigation into a viral social media clip where a white man can be seen grabbing the throat of a Black man.

In what comes as another incident of racism from the USA, the Milwaukee police have reportedly opened an investigation into a viral social media clip where a white man can be seen grabbing the throat of a Black man. According to the official police version, the incident took place at the 2100 block of South 25th Street, in the Layton Park neighbourhood. The man, who the police refused to name, is 62 years old while the Black man is 24 years old. The less-than-10-minute video posted on October 10 and shared across social media platforms, garnering thousands of views in the process, shows a white man grabbing a Black man's throat with a hand. The white man can be heard calling 911 and reporting about a bicycle that he alleged was stolen by the Black man. Read More: Why has US failed to fight racism? Full video of original incident. Luckily this black man was there to intervene, these situations have historically ended badly for black people in Milwaukee and Wisconsin in general. 1st says HE stole it, then says his friend stole it. His name is Robert Walczykowski. CHARGE HIM! pic.twitter.com/DmgXP6MpY0 — VaunMayesMKE (@VaunMayesMKE) October 12, 2022 × "I'm recording. Let go of his neck. He's not going anywhere," the man who recorded the video can be heard saying, to which the white man says “Go ahead, record,” before releasing the hand and promptly giving the middle finger to the camera. Over the call, the man remarks, “This kid over here...one of his friends stole a bike right out of a friend of mine’s yard.” Such incidents of racial profiling and vigilantism have unfortunately become far too common in the US in recent times. As reported by WION, in July, a black family based in Baltimore filed a $25 million class action lawsuit for racial discrimination after multiple costumed characters purportedly refused to shake hands with a five-year-old black girl. WATCH: A US theme park character ignores two black kids; family files a $25 million class lawsuit (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

White man grabs black man's throat in a viral video from Milwaukee, police launch an investigation

A day after Chinese President Xi Jinping headlined the opening of the 20th CPC congress and made rather aggressive remarks on Taiwan, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that China is on a “much faster timeline” in its plan to annex Taiwan.&nbsp;

“Instead of sticking with the status quo that was established in a positive way, [Beijing has made] a fundamental decision that the status quo is no longer acceptable, and Beijing is determined to pursue reunification on a much faster timeline,” said Blinken while in a conversation with&nbsp;Condoleezza Rice, former secretary of state at Stanford University.&nbsp;

“If peaceful means didn’t work then would employ coercive means, and possibly if coercive means don’t work then maybe forceful means to achieve its objective. That is what is profoundly disrupting the status quo and creating tremendous tensions.”

As reported by WION, Xi Jinping on Sunday, in his&nbsp;once-in-a-five-year addresses at the congress said the Taiwan matter was for the Chinese people only to decide.

“The resolution of the Taiwan issue is a matter for the Chinese people themselves, to be decided by the Chinese people," said Xi.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-never-renounce-force-says-xi-jinping-on-taiwan-during-the-party-congress-525795">Read more:&nbsp;'Will never renounce option to use force in Taiwan', says Xi Jinping during the CPC's 20th congress</a>

The CCP leader added that China reserves the option of “taking all measures necessary” against separatist forces.

“We will continue to strive for peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and the utmost effort. But, we will never promise to renounce the use of force. And we reserve the option of taking all measures necessary.”

Xi also lauded his government's approach despite Taiwan's secessionist forces attempting to break away from China.&nbsp;

"In the face of serious provocations by the Taiwan independence separatists and the interference of external force, we resolutely carried out major struggles against separatism and interference, demonstrating our firm determination and strong ability to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity and oppose Taiwan independence force."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xis-third-term-to-strengthen-authoritarian-regime-in-china-report-525781" target="_blank">Read more: Xi’s third term to strengthen authoritarian regime in China: Report</a>

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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A day after Chinese President Xi Jinping headlined the opening of the 20th CPC congress and made rather aggressive remarks on Taiwan, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that China is on a “much faster timeline” in its plan to annex Taiwan.

A day after Chinese President Xi Jinping headlined the opening of the 20th CPC congress and made rather aggressive remarks on Taiwan, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that China is on a “much faster timeline” in its plan to annex Taiwan. “Instead of sticking with the status quo that was established in a positive way, [Beijing has made] a fundamental decision that the status quo is no longer acceptable, and Beijing is determined to pursue reunification on a much faster timeline,” said Blinken while in a conversation with Condoleezza Rice, former secretary of state at Stanford University. “If peaceful means didn’t work then would employ coercive means, and possibly if coercive means don’t work then maybe forceful means to achieve its objective. That is what is profoundly disrupting the status quo and creating tremendous tensions.” As reported by WION, Xi Jinping on Sunday, in his once-in-a-five-year addresses at the congress said the Taiwan matter was for the Chinese people only to decide. “The resolution of the Taiwan issue is a matter for the Chinese people themselves, to be decided by the Chinese people," said Xi. Read more: 'Will never renounce option to use force in Taiwan', says Xi Jinping during the CPC's 20th congress The CCP leader added that China reserves the option of “taking all measures necessary” against separatist forces. “We will continue to strive for peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and the utmost effort. But, we will never promise to renounce the use of force. And we reserve the option of taking all measures necessary.” Xi also lauded his government's approach despite Taiwan's secessionist forces attempting to break away from China. "In the face of serious provocations by the Taiwan independence separatists and the interference of external force, we resolutely carried out major struggles against separatism and interference, demonstrating our firm determination and strong ability to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity and oppose Taiwan independence force." Read more: Xi’s third term to strengthen authoritarian regime in China: Report (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

A day after CPC congress, US says China moving 'much faster' to annex Taiwan

Just hours after Russia attacked Ukrainian cities with drones, the White House, on Monday, said that US will hold Russia accountable for "war crimes". One of these drone attacks killed at least four people in an apartment building in Kyiv.&nbsp;

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in his Monday evening video address, said there had been more attacks. "Right now, there is a new Russian drone attack. There are (drones) that have been shot down."

According to Interfax Ukraine news agency, blasts were reported in Fastiv, a town just outside Kyiv. Blasts were also reported in southern port of Odesa.

In its second wave of air strikes in a week, Russian forces have also targetted infrastructure across Ukraine.

Ukrainian soldiers fired into the air trying to shoot down the drones after blasts rocked the capital Kyiv on Monday morning. An anti-aircraft rocket could be seen streaking into the morning sky, followed by an explosion and orange flames, as residents raced for shelter.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-opens-criminal-case-into-fighter-plane-crash-526266">Russia opens criminal case into fighter plane crash</a>

US President Joe Biden's press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that the White House "strongly condemns Russia’s missile strikes today" and said the attack "continues to demonstrate (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s brutality".

She mentioned a new, USD 725 million military aid package for Ukraine which was announced last Friday

&nbsp;“We will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes," she said.

“... We will continue to impose costs on Russia, hold them accountable for its war crimes."

(With inputs from agencies)

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

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Just hours after Russia attacked Ukrainian cities with drones, the White House, on Monday, said that US will hold Russia accountable for "war crimes". One of these drone attacks killed at least four people in an apartment building in Kyiv.

Just hours after Russia attacked Ukrainian cities with drones, the White House, on Monday, said that US will hold Russia accountable for "war crimes". One of these drone attacks killed at least four people in an apartment building in Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in his Monday evening video address, said there had been more attacks. "Right now, there is a new Russian drone attack. There are (drones) that have been shot down." According to Interfax Ukraine news agency, blasts were reported in Fastiv, a town just outside Kyiv. Blasts were also reported in southern port of Odesa. In its second wave of air strikes in a week, Russian forces have also targetted infrastructure across Ukraine. Ukrainian soldiers fired into the air trying to shoot down the drones after blasts rocked the capital Kyiv on Monday morning. An anti-aircraft rocket could be seen streaking into the morning sky, followed by an explosion and orange flames, as residents raced for shelter. Also Read | Russia opens criminal case into fighter plane crash US President Joe Biden's press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that the White House "strongly condemns Russia’s missile strikes today" and said the attack "continues to demonstrate (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s brutality". She mentioned a new, USD 725 million military aid package for Ukraine which was announced last Friday “We will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes," she said. “... We will continue to impose costs on Russia, hold them accountable for its war crimes." (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Will hold Russia accountable for 'war crimes,' says White House

A local Baton Rouge resident in Louisana recently unearthed a historical artefact when traversing through the shallow waters of the Mississippi river. Reportedly, the resident named Patrick Ford found a wreck of a 19th-century ship lying at the seabed of the river which has shrunk to record levels due to severe drought across the US Midwest.

A local Baton Rouge resident in Louisana recently unearthed a historical artefact when traversing through the shallow waters of the Mississippi river. Reportedly, the resident named Patrick Ford found a wreck of a 19th-century ship lying at the seabed of the river which has shrunk to record levels due to severe drought across the US Midwest. According to local media reports, Ford was observing the river's receding water for weeks when he made the discovery, which according to him, still was a 'surprise'. “This past Sunday I was out here looking and realized the rest of the shore had washed away and there was an entire ship there. I immediately texted friends and was like, 'holy moly, I think I found a ship, a sunken ship!'" said Ford. Read more: Human-induced climate change made summer drought ‘at least 20 times’ more likely, study finds After finding the boat, Ford approached experts to determine the exact history of the boat. The news soon reached Mississippi’s state archaeologist Chip McGimsey who said the existence of the boat has been known for some time. "We believe this is a ship that was manufactured in 1896 in Indiana for trade here," said McGimsey who added, “In 1992, it was exposed, an archeological firm did some work. At that time, it was not nearly as exposed as it is now." “For the most part, there are not good documents on boat building, especially once you get back into the area of wooden ships. They have a lot of individuality in these boats, and there are so few of them remaining. This is a rare example of one from around 1900.” Climate change has caused severe droughts across the planet. The drying of rivers has revealed some long-forgotten or never-before-discovered artefacts and in some cases, entire cities. As reported by WION, in June, the ruins of an ancient city, determined to be around 3,400 years old were discovered by archaeologists in Iraq. In pics - Ruins of hidden 3,400-year-old city found after severe drought in Iraq The discovery was made by a team of German and Kurdish researchers who were able to find the lost city due to the drawing down of the Mosul reservoir in the aftermath of severe droughts in Iraq in the recent past. The team also came across five ceramic jars containing over 100 cuneiform tablets. The ancient scripts date back to the Middle Assyrian period, a time shortly before the earthquake that destroyed the city, according to the archaeologists. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Louisiana man discovers a 19th-century boat as Mississippi river runs dry

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has jumped in to defend his country after US President Joe Biden termed Pakistan as 'one of the most dangerous nations'.

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has jumped in to defend his country after US President Joe Biden termed Pakistan as 'one of the most dangerous nations'. Sharif took to Twitter and stated that Pakistan's nuclear programme is not a threat to any country. "Pakistan is a responsible nuclear state that is perfectly capable of safeguarding its national interest whilst respecting international law and practices. Our nuclear program is in no way a threat to any country," tweeted Sharif. "Like all independent states, Pakistan reserves the right to protect its autonomy, sovereign statehood and territorial integrity," he added. Pakistan is a responsible nuclear state that is perfectly capable of safeguarding its national interest whilst respecting international law and practices. Our nuclear program is in no way a threat to any country. Like all independent states, …1/2 — Nawaz Sharif (@NawazSharifMNS) October 15, 2022 × Reportedly, Sharif was responding to a statement made by Biden at a Democratic party event on Friday. The US President was talking about US foreign policy with regard to China and Russia. However, he concluded his point by saying that Pakistan is "one of the most dangerous nations" in the world. WATCH | US President speaks on Pakistan, calls it one of the most dangerous nations in the world × "This is a guy (Xi Jinping) who understands what he wants but has an enormous, enormous array of problems. How do we handle that? How do we handle that relative to what's going on in Russia? And what I think is maybe one of the most dangerous nations in the world: Pakistan. Nuclear weapons without any cohesion," said Biden, as quoted in a White House press release of his remarks at the Democratic party event. Reportedly miffed by the statement, Islamabad on Saturday evening summoned the US ambassador and issued a demarche. Meanwhile, Pakistan's minister of foreign affairs Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that due to the "failure of Imran Khan's policy - we are hurt in all front - we are trying to rectify and strengthen relationship". Read more: Pakistan summons US envoy over Biden's 'one of most dangerous nations' remark Bilawal said Biden's remark was apparently in a private event as it was not an address to the nation or any official event. "We have summoned the US Ambassador to know and to get an explanation," he said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Former PM Nawaz Sharif comes to Pakistan's defence after Biden's 'dangerous nation' remark

A day before the Communist Party Congress where Xi Jinping is expected to install himself in the power corridors of China for another five years, Beijing has extended an olive branch to the US, its arch rival.

Reportedly, in a press conference on the eve of the Congress, China's deputy propaganda chief Sun Yeli said that US and China must get along.&nbsp;

“China-US ties concern the world’s future, and whether we can handle relations with each other is the question of the century that both countries need to answer well,” said&nbsp;Sun.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-us-should-create-conditions-for-dialogue-with-north-korea-523792">Read more:&nbsp;China: US should create conducive conditions for dialogue with North Korea</a>

“We have never believed in the so-called Thucydides Trap.&nbsp;We also oppose the idea that ‘a strong country must seek hegemony’ and the mindset of zero-sum game thinking," added Sun.

The Chinese leader was referring to the popular theory coined by&nbsp;American political scientist Graham T. Allison which states that the rise of a new power inadvertently leads to an escalation of tensions with an existing superpower.&nbsp;

He added that the two countries are expected to play a leading role to promote global cooperation. Thus, a partnership between Washington and Beijing was necessary.&nbsp;

“There are many challenges in today’s world that require cooperation between the two countries. The international community generally expects China and the United States to play a leading role, assume the responsibilities of major powers, stabilise bilateral relations, and promote global cooperation.”

It is a rather welcome move from Beijing that it wants to mend ties. However, the timing is bit suspicious as it comes in the backdrop of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi undertaking a rather provocative trip to Taiwan just a few months back. Similarly,&nbsp;Washington, earlier this month imposed&nbsp;sweeping export controls on advanced, high-performance computing chips, much to the chagrin of Beijing.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-responds-angrily-after-us-announces-chip-export-restrictions-523659">Read more:&nbsp;China responds angrily after US announces chip export restrictions</a>

While some experts believe that Xi is a changed man, others suggest that the Chinese President is simply making sure that his coronation as the biggest leader of China after Mao Zedong goes without any conflict, as he wears the cloak of a statesman, albeit momentarily.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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A day before the Communist Party Congress where Xi Jinping is expected to install himself in the power corridors of China for another five years, Beijing has extended an olive branch to the US, its arch rival.

A day before the Communist Party Congress where Xi Jinping is expected to install himself in the power corridors of China for another five years, Beijing has extended an olive branch to the US, its arch rival. Reportedly, in a press conference on the eve of the Congress, China's deputy propaganda chief Sun Yeli said that US and China must get along. “China-US ties concern the world’s future, and whether we can handle relations with each other is the question of the century that both countries need to answer well,” said Sun. Read more: China: US should create conducive conditions for dialogue with North Korea “We have never believed in the so-called Thucydides Trap. We also oppose the idea that ‘a strong country must seek hegemony’ and the mindset of zero-sum game thinking," added Sun. The Chinese leader was referring to the popular theory coined by American political scientist Graham T. Allison which states that the rise of a new power inadvertently leads to an escalation of tensions with an existing superpower. He added that the two countries are expected to play a leading role to promote global cooperation. Thus, a partnership between Washington and Beijing was necessary. “There are many challenges in today’s world that require cooperation between the two countries. The international community generally expects China and the United States to play a leading role, assume the responsibilities of major powers, stabilise bilateral relations, and promote global cooperation.” It is a rather welcome move from Beijing that it wants to mend ties. However, the timing is bit suspicious as it comes in the backdrop of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi undertaking a rather provocative trip to Taiwan just a few months back. Similarly, Washington, earlier this month imposed sweeping export controls on advanced, high-performance computing chips, much to the chagrin of Beijing. Read more: China responds angrily after US announces chip export restrictions While some experts believe that Xi is a changed man, others suggest that the Chinese President is simply making sure that his coronation as the biggest leader of China after Mao Zedong goes without any conflict, as he wears the cloak of a statesman, albeit momentarily. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Ahead of the CCP Congress, Beijing offers an olive branch to the US

During the election canvassing trail, most politicians appear to support a cause for the optics, only to later back out of it. However, an independent&nbsp;Manhattan candidate, running for&nbsp;New York's 12th District took a rather unconventional approach to show his support for a particular cause.

Reportedly,&nbsp;Mike Itkis, an independent candidate has a poll plank of 'sex positivity' where he is gunning to legalise sex work and protect sexual rights. While most politicians would have released a statement or done a couple of interviews, explaining their position, Mike didn't do any of it.

Instead, he starred and acted in a 13-minute long pornographic movie with an adult star to show his support towards the idea of 'sex positivity'.

"If I would just talk about it, it wouldn’t demonstrate my commitment to the issue. And the fact I actually did it was a huge learning experience, and it actually influenced items on my platform," Itkis told City &amp; State after the release of the video.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-mel-gibson-can-testify-against-harvey-weinstein-in-rape-sexual-assault-trial-says-judge-525568">Read more:&nbsp;Mel Gibson can testify against Harvey Weinstein in rape, sexual assault trial, says judge</a>

Calling himself an introvert who wanted to start a 'conversation' on the issue,&nbsp;Itkis said the video was his first time having coitus on camera.&nbsp;

“I’m very much an introvert.&nbsp;I’m kind of a nerd who doesn’t like to be the centre of attention if I can avoid it. But I thought the issues I’m trying to address are so important...I wanted to have my issues talked about in some way.”

Itkis, reportedly, paired up with porn star&nbsp;Nicole Sage and titled the video&nbsp;“Bucket List Bonanza" before publishing it on a popular adult video platform.&nbsp;

Itkis on his election website&nbsp;also laid down his 'sex positive approach'&nbsp;policy by stating, "Actively oppose the conservative idea that sex should only happen between a man and a woman who are married to each other."

Notably,&nbsp;Itkis&nbsp;through his rather 'offbeat' campaign is attempting to unseat longtime Democrat&nbsp;Rep. Jerrold Nadler. The extent of competition Mike is facing can be gauged by the fact that Nadler won the June primary against New York city heavyweight&nbsp;Carolyn Maloney in her own bastion.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-tokyo-opens-applications-for-same-sex-partnership-system-524403">Read more:&nbsp;Japan: Tokyo opens applications for same-sex partnership system</a>

Most poll pundits believe that&nbsp;Itkis will be blown away in the election race. However, his peculiar election campaign has certainly brought eyeballs and made him an overnight celebrity amongst several online chatrooms.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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During the election canvassing trail, most politicians appear to support a cause for the optics, only to later back out of it. However, an independent Manhattan candidate, running for New York's 12th District took a rather unconventional approach to show his support for a particular cause.

During the election canvassing trail, most politicians appear to support a cause for the optics, only to later back out of it. However, an independent Manhattan candidate, running for New York's 12th District took a rather unconventional approach to show his support for a particular cause. Reportedly, Mike Itkis, an independent candidate has a poll plank of 'sex positivity' where he is gunning to legalise sex work and protect sexual rights. While most politicians would have released a statement or done a couple of interviews, explaining their position, Mike didn't do any of it. Instead, he starred and acted in a 13-minute long pornographic movie with an adult star to show his support towards the idea of 'sex positivity'. "If I would just talk about it, it wouldn’t demonstrate my commitment to the issue. And the fact I actually did it was a huge learning experience, and it actually influenced items on my platform," Itkis told City & State after the release of the video. Read more: Mel Gibson can testify against Harvey Weinstein in rape, sexual assault trial, says judge Calling himself an introvert who wanted to start a 'conversation' on the issue, Itkis said the video was his first time having coitus on camera. “I’m very much an introvert. I’m kind of a nerd who doesn’t like to be the centre of attention if I can avoid it. But I thought the issues I’m trying to address are so important...I wanted to have my issues talked about in some way.” Itkis, reportedly, paired up with porn star Nicole Sage and titled the video “Bucket List Bonanza" before publishing it on a popular adult video platform. Itkis on his election website also laid down his 'sex positive approach' policy by stating, "Actively oppose the conservative idea that sex should only happen between a man and a woman who are married to each other." Notably, Itkis through his rather 'offbeat' campaign is attempting to unseat longtime Democrat Rep. Jerrold Nadler. The extent of competition Mike is facing can be gauged by the fact that Nadler won the June primary against New York city heavyweight Carolyn Maloney in her own bastion. Read more: Japan: Tokyo opens applications for same-sex partnership system Most poll pundits believe that Itkis will be blown away in the election race. However, his peculiar election campaign has certainly brought eyeballs and made him an overnight celebrity amongst several online chatrooms. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

New York congressional candidate releases sex tape to show his 'sex positive' stance

In just 2 years, India may be home to second biggest user base for online shopping and is well poised to surpass the United States. The pandemic caused a boom in online retail in India. And now, it has the third-largest shopper base globally. Watch this explainer to understand the boom in India's retail market.

Explained | India's growing e-retail market and online shopping user base

Saudi Arabia on Thursday (October 13) rejected accusations that decision taken by OPEC (Organisation of Oil Producing Countries) and its allies to cut oil production was aimed against the United States. The kingdom said that such accusations were baseless. The decision to cut output was taken despite US pressure to increase it. US is trying to isolate Russia whose main exports are energy products. Cutting oil production may send prices surging which in turn would help Russia fill. at least in theory, its coffers to fund its war efforts in Ukraine.

The decision to cut production by two million barrels a day from November infuriated the White House, with President Joe Biden promising "consequences" for OPEC's top producer Saudi Arabia.

"Saudi Arabia has viewed the statements... which have described the decision as the kingdom taking sides in international conflicts and that it was politically motivated against the United States," the Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement.

Watch | Ukraine PM: Ukraine receives additional emergency aid from IMF

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Saudi Arabia would "like to express its total rejection of these statements that are not based on facts and which are based on portraying the OPEC+ decision out of its economic context," it added.

The kingdom insisted that decisions by OPEC+ were taken with only economic considerations in mind.

"The government of the kingdom clarified through its continuous consultation with the US administration that all economic analyses indicate that postponing the OPEC+ decision for a month... would have had negative economic consequences," the ministry said.

"Resolving economic challenges requires the establishment of a non-politicised constructive dialogue and to wisely and rationally consider what serves the interests of all countries."

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vladimir-putin-offers-to-redirect-nord-stream-gas-flows-through-hub-in-turkiye-525126">Vladimir Putin offers to redirect Nord Stream gas flows through 'hub' in Türkiye</a>

In the immediate aftermath of the output cut, US had alleged that OPEC+ was siding with Russia. Saudi Arabia denied this and said that on Ukraine war, the kingdom has maintained a "principled position" in support of international law.

(With inputs from agencies)

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

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Saudi Arabia on Thursday (October 13) rejected accusations that decision taken by OPEC (Organisation of Oil Producing Countries) and its allies to cut oil production was aimed against the United States.

Saudi Arabia on Thursday (October 13) rejected accusations that decision taken by OPEC (Organisation of Oil Producing Countries) and its allies to cut oil production was aimed against the United States. The kingdom said that such accusations were baseless. The decision to cut output was taken despite US pressure to increase it. US is trying to isolate Russia whose main exports are energy products. Cutting oil production may send prices surging which in turn would help Russia fill. at least in theory, its coffers to fund its war efforts in Ukraine. The decision to cut production by two million barrels a day from November infuriated the White House, with President Joe Biden promising "consequences" for OPEC's top producer Saudi Arabia. "Saudi Arabia has viewed the statements... which have described the decision as the kingdom taking sides in international conflicts and that it was politically motivated against the United States," the Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement. Watch | Ukraine PM: Ukraine receives additional emergency aid from IMF × Saudi Arabia would "like to express its total rejection of these statements that are not based on facts and which are based on portraying the OPEC+ decision out of its economic context," it added. The kingdom insisted that decisions by OPEC+ were taken with only economic considerations in mind. "The government of the kingdom clarified through its continuous consultation with the US administration that all economic analyses indicate that postponing the OPEC+ decision for a month... would have had negative economic consequences," the ministry said. "Resolving economic challenges requires the establishment of a non-politicised constructive dialogue and to wisely and rationally consider what serves the interests of all countries." Also Read | Vladimir Putin offers to redirect Nord Stream gas flows through 'hub' in Türkiye In the immediate aftermath of the output cut, US had alleged that OPEC+ was siding with Russia. Saudi Arabia denied this and said that on Ukraine war, the kingdom has maintained a "principled position" in support of international law. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

OPEC decision of output cut not aimed against US, says Saudi Arabia

Former Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez has resigned from her council seat, a day after stepping down as the president of the council over racist comments caught on tape.

Former Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez has resigned from her council seat, a day after stepping down as the president of the council over racist comments caught on tape. Martinez informed her decision via a press release on Wednesday after an audiotape went viral where she could be heard making racist remarks to belittle her council colleagues and their children. “It is with a broken heart that I resign my seat for Council district 6, the community I grew up in and my home,” said Martinez in the statement. As reported by WION, Martinez resigned from the top council post on Monday and took a holiday on Tuesday but the incessant pressure from all quarters forced her to give up the council seat on Wednesday Read more: LA City Council president resigns after her racist audiotape goes viral Reportedly, apart from the public, the top Democrats including President Joe Biden called on her and other two council members to resign altogether from the council. Taking responsibility for her actions, Martinez on Monday said there were no excuses for her actions. “I sincerely apologize to the people I hurt with my words: to my colleagues, their families, especially to Mike, Sean, and your son," she said in a statement released by her office. In the leaked tape, which was recorded more than a year ago and remained private until Sunday, Martinez referred to Councilman Mike Bonin’s son as “Parece changuito,” or “like a monkey.” “They’re raising him like a little white kid which I was like, this kid needs a beatdown. Let me take him around the corner and then I’ll bring him back," she could be heard saying. Read more: Thousands hit the streets across US states for abortion rights ahead of midterm election Additionally, in a conversation with Council members Gil Cedillo, Kevin de León and Los Angeles County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera, the former LA Council chief referred to Bonin as a “little b***h”. Up until reports came in last, Cedillo and de León remained on the council. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

LA City Council ex-president resigns from her seat after pressure over racist remarks

Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez resigned from her post on Monday following the leak of an audio tape where she could be heard making racist remarks and belittling her council colleagues and their children.&nbsp;

Taking responsibility for her actions, Martinez said there were no excuses for her action.&nbsp;

“I sincerely apologize to the people I hurt with my words: to my colleagues, their families, especially to Mike, Sean, and your son,"&nbsp; she said in a statement released by her office.&nbsp;

“As a mother, I know better and I am sorry. I am truly ashamed. I know this is the result of my own actions. I’m sorry to your entire family for putting you through this.”

“As someone who believes deeply in the empowerment of communities of color, I recognize my comments undercut that goal,” Martinez continued. “Going forward, reconciliation will be my priority. I have already reached out to many of my Black colleagues and other Black leaders to express my regret in order for us to heal.”

In the leaked tape, which was recorded more than a year ago and remained private until Sunday, Martinez referred to Councilman&nbsp;Mike Bonin’s son as “Parece changuito,” or “like a monkey.”

“They’re raising him like a little white kid which I was like, this kid needs a beatdown. Let me take him around the corner and then I’ll bring him back," she could be heard saying.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/harvey-weinstein-back-on-trial-five-years-after-metoo-movement-shook-up-the-world-523770">Read more:&nbsp;Harvey Weinstein back on trial, five years after #MeToo movement shook the world</a>

Additionally, in a conversation with&nbsp;Councilmembers Gil Cedillo, Kevin de León and Los Angeles County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera, the former LA Council chief referred to Bonin as a “little bitch”.&nbsp;

Martinez's verbal tirade continued as she mocked Oaxacans by saying,&nbsp;“F*** that guy...He’s with the Blacks”&nbsp;

“I was like, I don’t know where these people are from, I don’t know what village they came [from], how they got here."

Herrera, who was present in the room when Martinez made the awful statements apologised and asked for forgivenes.

On Sunday night, Herrera apologized and asked for forgiveness, saying there is “no justification and no excuse for the vile remarks made in that room.”

“And I didn’t step up to stop them and I will have to bear the burden of that cross moving forward,” he added.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-take-to-streets-across-us-states-for-abortion-rights-protests-ahead-of-midterm-election-523668">Read more:&nbsp;Thousands hit the streets across US states for abortion rights ahead of midterm election</a>

While Martinez has resigned as the chief she remains on the council seat with more of her colleagues demanding that she resign from that post as well.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez resigned from her post on Monday following the leak of an audio tape where she could be heard making racist remarks and belittling her council colleagues and their children.

Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez resigned from her post on Monday following the leak of an audio tape where she could be heard making racist remarks and belittling her council colleagues and their children. Taking responsibility for her actions, Martinez said there were no excuses for her action. “I sincerely apologize to the people I hurt with my words: to my colleagues, their families, especially to Mike, Sean, and your son," she said in a statement released by her office. “As a mother, I know better and I am sorry. I am truly ashamed. I know this is the result of my own actions. I’m sorry to your entire family for putting you through this.” “As someone who believes deeply in the empowerment of communities of color, I recognize my comments undercut that goal,” Martinez continued. “Going forward, reconciliation will be my priority. I have already reached out to many of my Black colleagues and other Black leaders to express my regret in order for us to heal.” In the leaked tape, which was recorded more than a year ago and remained private until Sunday, Martinez referred to Councilman Mike Bonin’s son as “Parece changuito,” or “like a monkey.” “They’re raising him like a little white kid which I was like, this kid needs a beatdown. Let me take him around the corner and then I’ll bring him back," she could be heard saying. Read more: Harvey Weinstein back on trial, five years after #MeToo movement shook the world Additionally, in a conversation with Councilmembers Gil Cedillo, Kevin de León and Los Angeles County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera, the former LA Council chief referred to Bonin as a “little bitch”. Martinez's verbal tirade continued as she mocked Oaxacans by saying, “F*** that guy...He’s with the Blacks” “I was like, I don’t know where these people are from, I don’t know what village they came [from], how they got here." Herrera, who was present in the room when Martinez made the awful statements apologised and asked for forgivenes. On Sunday night, Herrera apologized and asked for forgiveness, saying there is “no justification and no excuse for the vile remarks made in that room.” “And I didn’t step up to stop them and I will have to bear the burden of that cross moving forward,” he added. Read more: Thousands hit the streets across US states for abortion rights ahead of midterm election While Martinez has resigned as the chief she remains on the council seat with more of her colleagues demanding that she resign from that post as well. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

LA City Council president resigns after her racist audiotape goes viral

In the aftermath of an explosion that damaged the bridge linking Russia and Crimea, the former has mounted aggressive missile attacks on Ukraine. Consequently, allies US and Germany have stepped up and promised to rush air defence systems to Kyiv's rescue.

In the aftermath of an explosion that damaged the bridge linking Russia and Crimea, the former has mounted aggressive missile attacks on Ukraine. Consequently, allies US and Germany have stepped up and promised to rush air defence systems to Kyiv's rescue. Reportedly, US President Joe Biden on Monday talked to his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky and pledged to continue providing support, including advanced air defence systems. Read more: Ukraine war LIVE | Zelensky holds 'productive' talks with Biden Zelensky took to Telegram after the conversation and informed that 'air defence systems' remained priority number one. "Had a productive conversation with US President Joe Biden. The main topic of discussion was air defense. Currently, this is the number 1 priority in our defense cooperation. America's leadership with the G7's tough stance and with support for our UN GA resolution is very important for Ukraine," he wrote on his social media feed. Productive conversation with @POTUS. Air defense is currently the number 1 priority in our defense cooperation. We also need US leadership with the G7's tough stance and with support for our UN GA resolution. — Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 10, 2022 × Read more: US President Biden condemns ‘the utter brutality of Putin’s illegal war’ Meanwhile, Germany also said it will make do on its promise of providing air defence systems which have the capability to defend entire cities. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock took to Twitter and informed that the government was rushing the defence systems. "Residents of Kyiv in fear of death in the morning traffic. An impact crater next to a playground. It is vile & unjustifiable that Putin is firing rockets at cities and civilians. We are doing everything we can to quickly reinforce Ukraine's air defences," tweeted Baerbock. Bewohner*innen von Kiew in Todesangst im Morgenverkehr. Ein Einschlagskrater neben einem Spielplatz. Es ist niederträchtig & durch nichts zu rechtfertigen, dass Putin Großstädte und Zivilisten mit Raketen beschießt. Wir tun alles, um die 🇺🇦 Luftverteidigung schnell zu verstärken. — Außenministerin Annalena Baerbock (@ABaerbock) October 10, 2022 × Berlin is expected to send its Iris-T system which has a shield range spanning a height of 20 kilometres and a breadth of 40 kilometres. As reported by WION, Russian President Vladimir Putin has already threatened more 'severe' attacks on Ukraine. Putin issued the warning in televised comments addressed to his security council. Read more: Putin warns of more 'severe' attacks as Russian missiles pound Ukraine "Let there be no doubt," Putin said, "if attempts at terrorist attacks continue, the response from Russia will be severe." Russia's missile strikes across Ukraine on Monday were the first major military response from Russia after the explosion on the Kerch bridge. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

US, Germany promise to rush air defence systems to Ukraine as Russia pounds missiles

In what comes as a bizarre incident, a California resident in the USA has sued a hot sauce company with Texas in its name after learning the sauce wasn't made in the state of Texas.

In what comes as a bizarre incident, a California resident in the USA has sued a hot sauce company with Texas in its name after learning the sauce wasn't made in the state of Texas. Reportedly, a man named Philip White bought a bottle of Texas Pete hot sauce for about $3 at a local supermarket in California in September 2021, thinking the product was made in the Lone Star state. However, upon learning that the sauce was made in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, an angry White filed a class action lawsuit last month. Under the lawsuit filed at the Los Angeles federal court, White is demanding that the company pay for the damages and simultaneously, change its name and branding. According to local reports, Texas Pete has time till November 10 to respond to the complaint. Read more: US city to sue Kia and Hyundai for making cars easier to steal in the viral TikTok challenge Claiming the company was using false advertising to sell its product, White said he would have not bought the product if he knew where it was produced. "By way of its false marketing and labeling, [Texas Pete] knowingly and intentionally capitalizes on consumers’ desire to partake in the culture and authentic cuisine of one of the most prideful states in America," alleged White in the complaint. White also argued that despite the back label stating the product is manufactured in North Caolina, a consumer would most likely not notice it. "If a consumer conducted an extremely close review of the Products’ back labels, nothing would overcome the reasonable impression given by the front label that the Products are indeed made in Texas," alleged White. While White alleges that the company misled him by the name, Texas Pete Sauce company on its website, in a rather transparent manner has laid down the history of why the sauce made in North Carolina was named Texas Pete. "Legend has it that, when Sam Garner and his three sons, Thad, Ralph and Harold, were trying to come up with a brand name for this spicy new sauce they had created, a marketing advisor suggested the name “Mexican Joe” to connote the piquant flavor reminiscent of the favorite foods of our neighbors to the south," reads the about section of the website. Read more: Two unidentified men shot outside Republican leader's home with teenage daughters inside It adds that Garner refused to name the sauce 'Mexican Joe' as he wanted an American name and thus settled on Texas which "also had a reputation for spicy cuisine". "Then he glanced at son Harold, whose nickname was “Pete” and the Texas Pete cowboy was born," added the company. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Man sues Texas Pete hot sauce company after learning it is not made in Texas

North Korea's state media said on Monday that the recent missile tests, including "tactical nuclear" exercises, were in retaliation for United States-led joint military operations in the region.&nbsp;

KCNA reported that the exercises were directed by leader Kim Jong Un over the previous two weeks and were carried out to send a clear message of war deterrent.&nbsp;

The state media also reported that the tests simulated striking military command facilities, main ports, and airports in the South.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-believes-world-war-iii-is-a-possibility-blames-stupid-people-for-russia-ukraine-conflict-escalation-523884">Trump believes 'World War III' is a possibility, blames 'stupid people' for Russia-Ukraine conflict escalation</a>&nbsp;

KCNA said: "The effectiveness and practical combat capability of our nuclear combat force were fully demonstrated as it stands completely ready to hit and destroy targets at any time from any location."&nbsp;

As quoted, Kim said, "Even though the enemy continues to talk about dialogue and negotiations, we do not have anything to talk about nor do we feel the need to do so."&nbsp;

North Korea's ruling Workers' Party decided to hold the drills as an unavoidable reaction to the massive mobilisation of South Korean and American naval assets, including an aircraft carrier and a nuclear-powered submarine.&nbsp;

Watch this report:&nbsp;

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As quoted by news agencies, Ankit Panda of the US-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said: "The statement they've released is crystal clear that this recent spate of tests was their way of signalling resolve to the United States and South Korea as they carried out military activities of their own."&nbsp;

The American carrier Ronald Reagan and its strike group took part in the naval drills. Before that, joint drills between the naval forces of the United States, Japan, and South Korea were also held.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-president-vladimir-putin-blames-ukraine-for-crimea-bridge-blast-523857">Russian President Vladimir Putin blames Ukraine for Crimea bridge blast</a>&nbsp;

President Yoon Suk-yeol of South Korea's office responded to the North Korean announcement on Monday by saying that "it is vital to accurately identify the gravity of security challenges in the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia to prepare appropriately."&nbsp;

Since the Korean War, which lasted from 1950 to 1953, was ended by an armistice rather than a peace treaty, the U.S.-led UN forces are still formally at war with North Korea.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

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North Korea's state media said on Monday that the recent missile tests, including "tactical nuclear" exercises, were in retaliation for United States-led joint military operations in the region.

North Korea's state media said on Monday that the recent missile tests, including "tactical nuclear" exercises, were in retaliation for United States-led joint military operations in the region. KCNA reported that the exercises were directed by leader Kim Jong Un over the previous two weeks and were carried out to send a clear message of war deterrent. The state media also reported that the tests simulated striking military command facilities, main ports, and airports in the South. ALSO READ | Trump believes 'World War III' is a possibility, blames 'stupid people' for Russia-Ukraine conflict escalation KCNA said: "The effectiveness and practical combat capability of our nuclear combat force were fully demonstrated as it stands completely ready to hit and destroy targets at any time from any location." As quoted, Kim said, "Even though the enemy continues to talk about dialogue and negotiations, we do not have anything to talk about nor do we feel the need to do so." North Korea's ruling Workers' Party decided to hold the drills as an unavoidable reaction to the massive mobilisation of South Korean and American naval assets, including an aircraft carrier and a nuclear-powered submarine. Watch this report: × As quoted by news agencies, Ankit Panda of the US-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said: "The statement they've released is crystal clear that this recent spate of tests was their way of signalling resolve to the United States and South Korea as they carried out military activities of their own." The American carrier Ronald Reagan and its strike group took part in the naval drills. Before that, joint drills between the naval forces of the United States, Japan, and South Korea were also held. ALSO READ | Russian President Vladimir Putin blames Ukraine for Crimea bridge blast President Yoon Suk-yeol of South Korea's office responded to the North Korean announcement on Monday by saying that "it is vital to accurately identify the gravity of security challenges in the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia to prepare appropriately." Since the Korean War, which lasted from 1950 to 1953, was ended by an armistice rather than a peace treaty, the U.S.-led UN forces are still formally at war with North Korea. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

North Korea's recent missile tests include 'tactical nuclear' drills, overseen by Kim

A little more than a month after a dangerous TikTok trend led to indiscriminate stealing of cars in the US, particularly of the Hyundai and Kia car models, the city of St Louis in Missouri is planning to sue the carmakers for it.

A little more than a month after a dangerous TikTok trend led to indiscriminate stealing of cars in the US, particularly of the Hyundai and Kia car models, the city of St Louis in Missouri is planning to sue the carmakers for it. Reportedly, the city has seen a huge uptick in car thefts in the past few months and the city leadership is now threatening lawsuits against the two companies for making cars that have certain defects which make it easier to steal them than other cars. "With this letter, the city demands that Kia and Hyundai mitigate the defective conditions providing thieves, including teenagers as young as 13 – the instrumentalities by which they are destroying property, endangering city drivers and themselves, and, in some cases, committing violent felonies," read a letter written by City Counselor Sheena Hamilton. "Kia and Hyundai’s defective vehicles have caused a public safety crisis in the city, endangering the health, safety, and peace of all those who live, work or visit the city. Your companies bear the responsibility to mitigate the public nuisance your negligence has created for the city and its residents," read the letter further. Up until last month, 2,409 Hyundais and Kias had been reported stolen compared to just 205 at the same time last year which is an increase of 1,075 per cent. Notably, Hyundai is the parent company of Kia but the two companies operate separately. WATCH | WION Pitstop: Kia Carens review: A premium 6/7-seater × As reported by WION, the main target of the TikTok challenge are 2010-2021 Kia and Hyundai cars which still use mechanical keys and not electronic systems. It makes the cars more vulnerable to theft and the challenge asks the users on the app to take advantage of that and steal it using minimal tools. Read more: TikTok challenge sparks huge spurt in number of car thefts in the United States The thieves are taking videos of their acts and posting them on TikTok using the hashtag “Kia Boys”. It has become a major trend over time and the videos are generating inexplicable interest amongst the netizens. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

US city to sue Kia and Hyundai for making cars easier to steal in the viral TikTok challenge

India's tech behemoth Infosys is currently embroiled in a legal tussle in the USA. Reportedly, the Bengaluru-based company has been accused of discrimination in its hiring process based on age, gender and nationality.

India's tech behemoth Infosys is currently embroiled in a legal tussle in the USA. Reportedly, the Bengaluru-based company has been accused of discrimination in its hiring process based on age, gender and nationality. A US court rejected the motion brought by Infosys to quash the complaint of former employee Jill Prejean who claimed that the company asked her to avoid hiring candidates of Indian origin, women with children and those above 50 years old. Prejan was a former Vice President of Talent Acquisition with Infosys and she made the claims before the United States District Court for the southern district of New York. In her complaint, she pointed to former senior VP and head of consulting Mark Livingston, and former partners Dan Albright and Jerry Kurtz as the ones who created a hostile work environment and enforced discriminatory hiring policies. Read more: After Wipro, Infosys warns employees of consequences if found to be moonlighting "Prejan tried to change this culture within the first two months of her employment but was met with resistance from Infosys partners - Jerry Kurtz and Dan Albright - who became hostile in the face of her objections and tried to circumvent her authority to evade compliance with the law," read the complaint according to media reports. She had filed the lawsuit against Infosys last year in September and the court rejecting the company's plea comes as a minuscule victory for her. WATCH | Indian tech majors Wipro, Infosys, Mahindra reject graduates after giving offer letters: Reports × The court has reportedly directed the defendants aka Infosys to file an answer within three weeks, after the judgement came out on September 30. Notably, this is not the first time Infosys has found itself in a quandary over such discriminatory charges by employees. In 2021, four employees filed a complaint with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and argued that the Bengaluru-based company favoured Indian male workers. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Indian IT giant Infosys facing a discrimination suit in the US for hiring bias

A day after the US announced sweeping export controls on advanced, high-performance computing chips, China has lashed out and criticised Washington for its malicious block.

A day after the US announced sweeping export controls on advanced, high-performance computing chips, China has lashed out and criticised Washington for its malicious block. “Out of the need to maintain its sci-tech hegemony, the US abuses export control measures to maliciously block and suppress Chinese companies,” said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning. “It will not only damage the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies, but also affect American companies’ interests,” she added. As reported by WION, the US on Friday tightened export controls to cut off China from specific chips produced anywhere in the globe using American machinery, greatly extending its reach in an effort to halt Beijing's scientific and military advancements. WATCH | US-China battle over semiconductors × In a statement, commerce department official Alan Estevez said that the move aims to prevent 'sensitive technologies with military applications' from being acquired by China's intelligence and security services. Read more: US enforces export controls to restrict China's chip supply for hi-tech military applications After imposing the restrictions, Taiwan, the global hub of semiconductors also signalled compliance with the new US export controls. Taiwan's economy ministry stated in a statement in reaction to the U.S. declaration that Taiwanese businesses adhered to the law. "Taiwan's semiconductor industry has long served global customers and attaches great importance to compliance with laws," it said. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the largest contract chipmaker in the world and a significant supplier to businesses like Apple Inc., is based in Taiwan, a country that produces a lot of chips. Read more: Taiwan signals compliance with new US export controls to hobble China's chip industry Notably, this is not the first time the US has moved to choke off Chinese firms' supply of chips. In 2020, former president Donald Trump's administration banned suppliers from selling chips made using US technology to tech giant Huawei without a special license. As reported by WION, the US officials in early September told NVIDIA to stop exporting two top computing chips for artificial intelligence work to China Read more: US officials order Nvidia to halt sales of top AI chips to China (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

China responds angrily after US announces chip export restrictions

In what comes as a minuscule victory for pro-abortion activists, courts in the US states of Ohio and Arizona on Friday halted abortion bans. Judge Peter J. Eckerstrom, heading a three-judge bench in Arizona, stated that the lower court may have erred in resurrecting the Civil War-era law.

In what comes as a minuscule victory for pro-abortion activists, courts in the US states of Ohio and Arizona on Friday halted abortion bans. Judge Peter J. Eckerstrom, heading a three-judge bench in Arizona, stated that the lower court may have erred in resurrecting the Civil War-era law. The judge was referring to the decision by a lower court last month overturning a long-standing injunction that had prevented Arizona from enforcing the ban on abortions. “Arizona courts have a responsibility to attempt to harmonise all of this state’s relevant statutes,” wrote Judge Eckerstrom in the judgement whilst adding that 'acute need of healthcare providers' had prompted the order. Read more: Arizona can enforce near-total abortion ban as court lifts decades-old injunction Meanwhile, in Ohio, Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Christian Jenkins also halted a bill that enforces a total ban on abortion from the moment a fetal heartbeat can be detected. "Abortion is health care to which Ohioans have a right," Judge Jenkins said in his judgement. “Today’s decision provides a desperately needed sense of security for both our patients and providers," said McGill Johnson, president, and CEO of Planned Parenthood, a nonprofit that provides sexual health care in the US and globally. “We can now breathe a sigh of relief and serve patients. While the fight isn’t over, for now, Arizonans will once again be able to make their own decisions about their bodies, health care decisions, and futures," he added. Read more: Planned Parenthood to launch mobile abortion clinic: A 37-foot RV As reported by WION, the conservative-dominated court in June, earlier this year declared that individual states can now legalise or restrict the procedure on their own, overturning the historic "Roe v. Wade" ruling from 1973 that established a woman's right to an abortion. WATCH | Gravitas: US Supreme Court strikes down abortion rights × The court's decision goes against a global trend that has seen abortion restrictions loosen up, particularly in nations like India, Ireland, Argentina, Mexico, and Colombia. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

USA: Courts halt ban on abortions in Ohio and Arizona

After announcing a policy change under which users might have been fined $2500 for spreading misinformation, PayPal on Saturday backtracked on its decision, citing clerical error.

After announcing a policy change under which users might have been fined $2500 for spreading misinformation, PayPal on Saturday backtracked on its decision, citing clerical error. The fintech company said the policy update that went out to users was an 'error' and that the company apologised for creating any confusion. “An AUP notice recently went out in error that included incorrect information. PayPal is not fining people for misinformation and this language was never intended to be inserted in our policy. Our teams are working to correct our policy pages. We’re sorry for the confusion this has caused,” it said. Earlier, in the updated acceptable use policy, which has since been deleted, PayPal asserted that the new policy will kick in from November 3. The company added that it was expanded its existing list of prohibited activities to include the “sending, posting, or publication of messages, content, or materials that meet certain criteria.” "You may not use the PayPal service for activities that involve the sending, posting, or publication of any messages, content, or materials that, in PayPal’s sole discretion promote misinformation," read the notification. Read more: Anti-Hindu quotes, hate speech and Hinduphobia: US report finds rise in anti-Hindu disinformation "Acceptable Use Policy violations of the PayPal User Agreement...may subject you to damages, including liquidated damages of $2,500.00 US," it read further. After the news of the updated policy and fine went viral, David Marcus, the former president of PayPal took to Twitter and slammed the move. “It’s hard for me to openly criticize a company I used to love and gave so much to. But @PayPal’s new AUP goes against everything I believe in. A private company now gets to decide to take your money if you say something they disagree with. Insanity,” tweeted Marcus. It’s hard for me to openly criticize a company I used to love and gave so much to. But @PayPal’s new AUP goes against everything I believe in. A private company now gets to decide to take your money if you say something they disagree with. Insanity. https://t.co/Gzf8faChUb — David Marcus (@davidmarcus) October 8, 2022 × Elon Musk, who co-founded what is now known as PayPal commented and agreed with David. Musk was a co-founder of X.com which merged with Confinity in 2000 to form the new entity which goes by the name of PayPal today. Read more: After Ukraine-Russia, Elon Musk now has a suggestion on how to end China-Taiwan tensions (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

PayPal backtracks on its decision of penalising users $2500 for misinformation after backlash

Thousands marched in cities across the United States on Saturday to protest the Supreme Court's overturning of the federal right to abortion and to urge voters to turn out in a Democratic "blue wave" in next month's key midterm elections.

In Washington, a crowd of mostly women chanted "We won't go back" as they marched. They carried posters calling for a "feminist tsunami" and urging people to "vote to save women's rights."

"I don't want to have to go back to a different time," Emily Bobal, an 18-year-old student, told AFP. "It's kind of ridiculous that we still have to do this in 2022," she said, adding that she is concerned that the conservative-dominated high court might next target same-sex marriage.

"The majority of us are ready to get out and fight for democracy and fight for people's bodily autonomy, women and men," said Kimberly Allen, 70.

With Democrats battling to maintain their narrow control of Congress, the midterm elections could have a decisive impact on the future of such rights, she said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/usa-abortion-ban-halted-in-ohio-and-arizona-523663">Read more:&nbsp;USA: Abortion ban halted in Ohio and Arizona</a>

Several marchers wore armbands or scarves of green, a colour symbolizing abortion rights. Others wore blue, the colour of the Democratic Party and carried huge flags and banners calling for a symbolic "blue wave" of voters to go to the polls on November 8.

A few counter-protesters made their presence known, some of them urging the crowd to "find Jesus Christ," while others shouted that "abortion is murder." They were met with boos.

Similar rallies took place in cities including New York and Denver, Colorado.

"The #WomensWave is coming for EVERY anti-abortion politician, no matter where they live," Rachel O'Leary Carmona, executive director of the nonprofit Women's March organization, <a href="https://twitter.com/RachCarmona/status/1578745814364528640">said </a>on Twitter. She urged people to elect "more women" as well as male candidates who support abortion rights.

Polls show Democrats only have a slim possibility of maintaining control of the House of Representatives, but their chances are better in the evenly-divided Senate, where Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris is the tie-breaking vote.

While Republicans have been campaigning largely on soaring prices, immigration concerns and urban crime, Democrats led by President Joe Biden want to shift the debate to abortion rights and the defence of American democracy.

The Supreme Court in June ended the decades-long federal protection of abortion rights, leaving it to individual states to set their own rules. Since then, several Republican-led states have banned or severely curtailed access to the procedure, provoking a series of legal challenges.

In the latest development, an appeals court in the southwestern state of Arizona on Friday blocked at least for now, a near-total ban on abortions.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Thousands marched in cities across the United States on Saturday to protest the Supreme Court's overturning of the federal right to abortion and to urge voters to turn out in a Democratic "blue wave" in next month's key midterm elections.

Thousands marched in cities across the United States on Saturday to protest the Supreme Court's overturning of the federal right to abortion and to urge voters to turn out in a Democratic "blue wave" in next month's key midterm elections. In Washington, a crowd of mostly women chanted "We won't go back" as they marched. They carried posters calling for a "feminist tsunami" and urging people to "vote to save women's rights." "I don't want to have to go back to a different time," Emily Bobal, an 18-year-old student, told AFP. "It's kind of ridiculous that we still have to do this in 2022," she said, adding that she is concerned that the conservative-dominated high court might next target same-sex marriage. "The majority of us are ready to get out and fight for democracy and fight for people's bodily autonomy, women and men," said Kimberly Allen, 70. With Democrats battling to maintain their narrow control of Congress, the midterm elections could have a decisive impact on the future of such rights, she said. Read more: USA: Abortion ban halted in Ohio and Arizona Several marchers wore armbands or scarves of green, a colour symbolizing abortion rights. Others wore blue, the colour of the Democratic Party and carried huge flags and banners calling for a symbolic "blue wave" of voters to go to the polls on November 8. A few counter-protesters made their presence known, some of them urging the crowd to "find Jesus Christ," while others shouted that "abortion is murder." They were met with boos. Similar rallies took place in cities including New York and Denver, Colorado. "The #WomensWave is coming for EVERY anti-abortion politician, no matter where they live," Rachel O'Leary Carmona, executive director of the nonprofit Women's March organization, said on Twitter. She urged people to elect "more women" as well as male candidates who support abortion rights. Polls show Democrats only have a slim possibility of maintaining control of the House of Representatives, but their chances are better in the evenly-divided Senate, where Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris is the tie-breaking vote. While Republicans have been campaigning largely on soaring prices, immigration concerns and urban crime, Democrats led by President Joe Biden want to shift the debate to abortion rights and the defence of American democracy. The Supreme Court in June ended the decades-long federal protection of abortion rights, leaving it to individual states to set their own rules. Since then, several Republican-led states have banned or severely curtailed access to the procedure, provoking a series of legal challenges. In the latest development, an appeals court in the southwestern state of Arizona on Friday blocked at least for now, a near-total ban on abortions. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Thousands hit the streets across US states for abortion rights ahead of midterm election

In what comes as a victory for labour rights organisations and regulators,&nbsp;a National Labor Relations Board judge on Friday ruled that Starbucks illegally fired an&nbsp;employee at&nbsp;its Ann Arbor, Michigan store.

The judge ruled that Starbucks “acted with animus” when it fired the employee and ordered the multinational coffee chain to reinstate the fired worker with back pay.

Moreover, the company will have to hold a meeting with the employees, management as well as government representatives where a notice about workers' rights will be read and Starbucks will have to&nbsp;reassert the agency's&nbsp;filing that it broke the law.&nbsp;

Hannah Whitbeck, the employee in question was fired because she helped build support for unionising the Ann Arbor store.&nbsp;

“I would hope that they learn their lesson, that firing people because they want to start a union is not going to solve their problems. In fact, it’s only going to make it worse.”&nbsp;Whitbeck was quoted as saying by Bloomberg.&nbsp;

This is not the first time that Starbucks has been ordered by a court to re-hire its illegally fired employees.

As reported by WION, in August,&nbsp;a&nbsp;US federal court ordered the company to reinstate its seven&nbsp;employees who were also fired for unionising.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-court-orders-starbucks-to-rehire-employees-it-fired-for-unionising-508252">Read more:&nbsp;US court orders Starbucks to rehire employees it fired for 'unionising'</a>

Judge Sheryl H. Lipman at the US District Court of the Western District of Tennessee passed the judgement, terming the&nbsp;rehiring as&nbsp;"just and proper".

Last month, the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, a New York City agency sued Starbucks for wrongfully terminating a longtime worker and union organiser.&nbsp;

According to the agency, the case marks its first lawsuit for a violation of New York City’s “just cause” protections, a 2017 law meant to safeguard the interests of fast-food workers.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-york-city-agency-sues-starbucks-for-wrongfully-terminating-union-organiser-employee-512636">Read more:&nbsp;New York City agency sues Starbucks for wrongfully terminating union organiser employee</a>

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is currently investigating hundreds of allegations of misconduct by Starbucks related to the union campaign, including claims of closing stores to dismantle unions, firing employees, and intimidating and threatening workers to prevent them from unionising.&nbsp;

While there is already a huge backlog of complaints, NLRB officials suggest that more cases will come to light in the coming year.&nbsp;

“Given the spike in case intake we are seeing in the field, we can expect even more cases to come before the board in fiscal year 2023,” said&nbsp;Lauren McFerran,&nbsp;NLRB chairperson.&nbsp;

Starbucks, on multiple occasions, has cleared that it is against any kind of unionising efforts.&nbsp;

“From the beginning, we’ve been clear in our belief that we do not want a union between us as partners, and that conviction has not changed,”&nbsp;Rossann Williams,&nbsp;Starbucks’ executive vice president stated last year.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

In what comes as a victory for labour rights organisations and regulators, a National Labor Relations Board judge on Friday ruled that Starbucks illegally fired an employee at its Ann Arbor, Michigan store.

In what comes as a victory for labour rights organisations and regulators, a National Labor Relations Board judge on Friday ruled that Starbucks illegally fired an employee at its Ann Arbor, Michigan store. The judge ruled that Starbucks “acted with animus” when it fired the employee and ordered the multinational coffee chain to reinstate the fired worker with back pay. Moreover, the company will have to hold a meeting with the employees, management as well as government representatives where a notice about workers' rights will be read and Starbucks will have to reassert the agency's filing that it broke the law. Hannah Whitbeck, the employee in question was fired because she helped build support for unionising the Ann Arbor store. “I would hope that they learn their lesson, that firing people because they want to start a union is not going to solve their problems. In fact, it’s only going to make it worse.” Whitbeck was quoted as saying by Bloomberg. This is not the first time that Starbucks has been ordered by a court to re-hire its illegally fired employees. As reported by WION, in August, a US federal court ordered the company to reinstate its seven employees who were also fired for unionising. Read more: US court orders Starbucks to rehire employees it fired for 'unionising' Judge Sheryl H. Lipman at the US District Court of the Western District of Tennessee passed the judgement, terming the rehiring as "just and proper". Last month, the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, a New York City agency sued Starbucks for wrongfully terminating a longtime worker and union organiser. According to the agency, the case marks its first lawsuit for a violation of New York City’s “just cause” protections, a 2017 law meant to safeguard the interests of fast-food workers. Read more: New York City agency sues Starbucks for wrongfully terminating union organiser employee The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is currently investigating hundreds of allegations of misconduct by Starbucks related to the union campaign, including claims of closing stores to dismantle unions, firing employees, and intimidating and threatening workers to prevent them from unionising. While there is already a huge backlog of complaints, NLRB officials suggest that more cases will come to light in the coming year. “Given the spike in case intake we are seeing in the field, we can expect even more cases to come before the board in fiscal year 2023,” said Lauren McFerran, NLRB chairperson. Starbucks, on multiple occasions, has cleared that it is against any kind of unionising efforts. “From the beginning, we’ve been clear in our belief that we do not want a union between us as partners, and that conviction has not changed,” Rossann Williams, Starbucks’ executive vice president stated last year. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Starbucks ordered to rehire employee it fired for 'unionising' with back pay

As arguments over politics in America’s two-party system grow hostile, political scientists have produced a string of studies and surveys to probe the potential of widespread political violence or even civil war. Such fears are understandable in a country that has more guns than people (332 million inhabitants, 434 million guns). Concern grew after the January 6 storming of the US&nbsp;Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump who believed Democrats had rigged the elections and stolen victory from their leader.

One survey, in particular, stood out for me. It was conducted by the research firm Ipsos for the Violence Prevention Research Program of the University of California, Davis, which described it as the first of its kind to explore the 8,620 participants’ “personal willingness to engage in specific political violence scenarios.”

Key results

50.1 per cent agreed that “in the next several years there will be civil war in the United States.” 67.2 per cent saw a serious threat to American democracy. 42.4 per cent agreed that having a strong leader for America is more important than having a democracy. A similar percentage thought that native-born white people are being replaced by immigrants. And one in five thought that political violence is sometimes justifiable.

The survey was conducted four months before America’s midterm elections which will decide whether the Democratic Party can maintain its narrow majorities in the House of Representatives and the Senate. 435 seats in the House and 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate will be contested.

As the elections, scheduled on November 8 draws&nbsp;closer, rhetoric on both sides of the political divide has become ever more heated. President Joe Biden described the most vocal strain of the Republican Party as “semi-fascism.” Majorities in both parties, according to the Pew Research Center, a Washington-based think tank, view members of the other party as immoral, dishonest, and closed-minded.

This ranks relatively low on the toxic insult score. A study published in the Journal of Democracy by Rachel Kleinfeld, an expert on troubled democracies, found that both Democrats and Republicans harboured high levels of “dehumanising thought”.&nbsp;39 per cent of Democrats and 41 per cent of Republicans saw the other side as “downright evil". 16 per cent of Democrats and 20 per cent of Republicans said their opponents were “like animals.”

A history of political violence

Such feelings, she said, can point to psychological levels of violence, although this is a politely phrased understatement. The 1994 genocide in Rwanda was partly driven by radio broadcasts calling for the extermination of Tutsi “cockroaches.” During the holocaust, Nazis referred to Jews as “rats” and "subhuman".

Kleinfeld points out that political violence has a long history in the United States. In the late 1960s and 1970s, far-left groups carried out bombings and kidnappings. From the late 1970s, political violence began shifting to the right in the form of white supremacists, anti-abortion and militia groups.

In the past few years, government efforts to suppress and counter right-wing violence have primarily&nbsp;focused on groups such as the Oath Keepers and the Patriot Front. Drawing from the Global Terrorism Database and FBI statistics, Kleinfeld found that people committing right-wing violence often differ from the image of the typical terrorist.

“They often hold jobs, are married and have children, “ she found. “Those who attend church or belong to community groups are more likely to hold violent, conspiratorial beliefs. These are not isolated ‘lone wolves’, they are part of a broad community that echoes their ideas.”

Talks of civil war become mainstream

Only a few years ago, talk of widespread political violence or a second civil war was confined to the darkest corners of the Internet. No longer. It has become mainstream since followers of Donald Trump, many wearing sweatshirts saying MAGA CIVIL WAR January 6, 2021, stormed the Capitol to stop, for the first time in American history, the peaceful transfer of power.

In late August, Biden added to the steadily heating rhetoric in advance of the elections by singling out ”MAGA Republicans,” essentially Trump’s base, as followers of a philosophy “like semi-fascism.” (MAGA stands for Make America Great Again, the slogan that helped Trump win the 2016 elections).

Though Biden referred to just a part of the Republican Party, establishment party leaders promptly declared he had besmirched the entire party and more than 70 million Americans who voted for Trump. The temperature in America’s toxic political environment promptly became even hotter.

One of the most discussed contributions to the debate over the prospect of political violence has been a book titled 'How civil wars start and How to stop them'. The author, Barbara F. Walters, is a professor of International Relations at the University of California, San Diego, and serves on an advisory council run by the Central Intelligence Agency called the Political Instability Task Force.

In her book, which made it onto the New York Times bestseller list earlier this year, she cites examples from Iraq, Syria, Yugoslavia, Ireland, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Rwanda, South Africa and the Philippines.

The task force looked at a wide range of variables, including poverty, ethnic diversity, population size, inequality and corruption to help researchers make predictions. To their surprise, the best predictors of instability were not poverty and income but a political system in the middle.

How does the United States fare in this way of looking at instability?

Walters comes to a sobering conclusion, “We are closer to civil war than any of us would like to believe.”

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

&nbsp;

As arguments over politics in America’s two-party system grow hostile, political scientists have produced a string of studies and surveys to probe the potential of widespread political violence or even civil war.

As arguments over politics in America’s two-party system grow hostile, political scientists have produced a string of studies and surveys to probe the potential of widespread political violence or even civil war. Such fears are understandable in a country that has more guns than people (332 million inhabitants, 434 million guns). Concern grew after the January 6 storming of the US Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump who believed Democrats had rigged the elections and stolen victory from their leader. One survey, in particular, stood out for me. It was conducted by the research firm Ipsos for the Violence Prevention Research Program of the University of California, Davis, which described it as the first of its kind to explore the 8,620 participants’ “personal willingness to engage in specific political violence scenarios.” Key results 50.1 per cent agreed that “in the next several years there will be civil war in the United States.” 67.2 per cent saw a serious threat to American democracy. 42.4 per cent agreed that having a strong leader for America is more important than having a democracy. A similar percentage thought that native-born white people are being replaced by immigrants. And one in five thought that political violence is sometimes justifiable. The survey was conducted four months before America’s midterm elections which will decide whether the Democratic Party can maintain its narrow majorities in the House of Representatives and the Senate. 435 seats in the House and 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate will be contested. As the elections, scheduled on November 8 draws closer, rhetoric on both sides of the political divide has become ever more heated. President Joe Biden described the most vocal strain of the Republican Party as “semi-fascism.” Majorities in both parties, according to the Pew Research Center, a Washington-based think tank, view members of the other party as immoral, dishonest, and closed-minded. This ranks relatively low on the toxic insult score. A study published in the Journal of Democracy by Rachel Kleinfeld, an expert on troubled democracies, found that both Democrats and Republicans harboured high levels of “dehumanising thought”. 39 per cent of Democrats and 41 per cent of Republicans saw the other side as “downright evil". 16 per cent of Democrats and 20 per cent of Republicans said their opponents were “like animals.” A history of political violence Such feelings, she said, can point to psychological levels of violence, although this is a politely phrased understatement. The 1994 genocide in Rwanda was partly driven by radio broadcasts calling for the extermination of Tutsi “cockroaches.” During the holocaust, Nazis referred to Jews as “rats” and "subhuman". Kleinfeld points out that political violence has a long history in the United States. In the late 1960s and 1970s, far-left groups carried out bombings and kidnappings. From the late 1970s, political violence began shifting to the right in the form of white supremacists, anti-abortion and militia groups. In the past few years, government efforts to suppress and counter right-wing violence have primarily focused on groups such as the Oath Keepers and the Patriot Front. Drawing from the Global Terrorism Database and FBI statistics, Kleinfeld found that people committing right-wing violence often differ from the image of the typical terrorist. “They often hold jobs, are married and have children, “ she found. “Those who attend church or belong to community groups are more likely to hold violent, conspiratorial beliefs. These are not isolated ‘lone wolves’, they are part of a broad community that echoes their ideas.” Talks of civil war become mainstream Only a few years ago, talk of widespread political violence or a second civil war was confined to the darkest corners of the Internet. No longer. It has become mainstream since followers of Donald Trump, many wearing sweatshirts saying MAGA CIVIL WAR January 6, 2021, stormed the Capitol to stop, for the first time in American history, the peaceful transfer of power. In late August, Biden added to the steadily heating rhetoric in advance of the elections by singling out ”MAGA Republicans,” essentially Trump’s base, as followers of a philosophy “like semi-fascism.” (MAGA stands for Make America Great Again, the slogan that helped Trump win the 2016 elections). Though Biden referred to just a part of the Republican Party, establishment party leaders promptly declared he had besmirched the entire party and more than 70 million Americans who voted for Trump. The temperature in America’s toxic political environment promptly became even hotter. One of the most discussed contributions to the debate over the prospect of political violence has been a book titled 'How civil wars start and How to stop them'. The author, Barbara F. Walters, is a professor of International Relations at the University of California, San Diego, and serves on an advisory council run by the Central Intelligence Agency called the Political Instability Task Force. In her book, which made it onto the New York Times bestseller list earlier this year, she cites examples from Iraq, Syria, Yugoslavia, Ireland, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Rwanda, South Africa and the Philippines. The task force looked at a wide range of variables, including poverty, ethnic diversity, population size, inequality and corruption to help researchers make predictions. To their surprise, the best predictors of instability were not poverty and income but a political system in the middle. How does the United States fare in this way of looking at instability? Walters comes to a sobering conclusion, “We are closer to civil war than any of us would like to believe.” (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Dark days ahead for America? Is a civil war brewing?

In what can be the strongest accusation that has come after OPEC+ oil production cut, the White House on Wednesday (October 5) said that the Organisation of Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC+) grouping is "aligning with Russia". OPEC+ decided on Wednesday to cut oil production despite US pressure to increase the production. The&nbsp;production cut&nbsp;has&nbsp;the potential to drive up fuel prices in Western nations who are already facing the heat.

"It's clear that OPEC+ is aligning with Russia with today's announcement," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said aboard Air Force One.

The White House has also said that US President Joe Biden was 'disappointed' by&nbsp;the&nbsp;decision to cut production.

The Western bloc, led by the US, has been trying to isolate Russian economy, especially after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February this year. Through sanctions, the US and the EU have tried to hurt Russia's income through its energy exports.

"Higher oil prices, if driven by sizeable production cuts, would likely irritate the Biden administration ahead of U.S. mid-term elections," Citi analysts said in a note, as quoted by Reuters.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/opec-decides-to-reduce-oil-production-despite-us-pressure-522751">OPEC+ decides to reduce oil production despite US pressure</a>

"There could be further political reactions from the U.S., including additional releases of strategic stocks, along with some wildcards including further fostering of a NOPEC bill," Citi said, referring to a US antitrust bill against OPEC.

The OPEC+ decision has already started to show its effect. Benchmark Brent crude rose towards $93 per barrel on Wednesday, after climbing on Tuesday.

(With inputs from agencies)

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In what can be the strongest accusation that has come after OPEC+ oil production cut, the White House on Wednesday (October 5) said that the Organisation of Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC+) grouping is "aligning with Russia".

In what can be the strongest accusation that has come after OPEC+ oil production cut, the White House on Wednesday (October 5) said that the Organisation of Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC+) grouping is "aligning with Russia". OPEC+ decided on Wednesday to cut oil production despite US pressure to increase the production. The production cut has the potential to drive up fuel prices in Western nations who are already facing the heat. "It's clear that OPEC+ is aligning with Russia with today's announcement," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said aboard Air Force One. The White House has also said that US President Joe Biden was 'disappointed' by the decision to cut production. The Western bloc, led by the US, has been trying to isolate Russian economy, especially after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February this year. Through sanctions, the US and the EU have tried to hurt Russia's income through its energy exports. "Higher oil prices, if driven by sizeable production cuts, would likely irritate the Biden administration ahead of U.S. mid-term elections," Citi analysts said in a note, as quoted by Reuters. Also Read | OPEC+ decides to reduce oil production despite US pressure "There could be further political reactions from the U.S., including additional releases of strategic stocks, along with some wildcards including further fostering of a NOPEC bill," Citi said, referring to a US antitrust bill against OPEC. The OPEC+ decision has already started to show its effect. Benchmark Brent crude rose towards $93 per barrel on Wednesday, after climbing on Tuesday. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

OPEC+ is 'aligning with Russia' by slashing oil production heavily: White House

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. If some media reports are to be believed, Russia is transporting equipment for its nuclear weapons programme. Multiple reports have claimed that President Vladimir Putin may be attempting to send a message to the West by conducting a nuclear test, amid the Ukraine war. The footage of the convoy, shot at an undisclosed location in central Russia and carried by several Western news outlets shows a locomotive, linked to the 12th main directorate of the Russian ministry of defence carrying upgraded armoured personnel carriers and other equipment while heading towards the front line of the battlefield. "This is actually a kit belonging to the 12th Main Directorate of the Russian MoD. The directorate is responsible for nuclear munitions, their storage, maintenance, transport, and issuance to units," Konrad Muzyka, a defence analyst specialising in Ukraine was quoted as saying by The Telegraph. NATO sends 'nuclear' warning to allies As reported by WION, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has already warned its members that Putin may have deployed Poseidon, a nuclear weapon that is also known as the "weapon of the Apocalypse". NATO issued the warning note over the weekend which was leaked to Italian media. As per the note, the doomsday weapon is on its way from its base in the Arctic circle to the Kara Sea. Read more: NATO warns Russia may have deployed its 'weapon of the Apocalypse' Poseidon. Here's all you need to know According to data exchanged earlier this year under the New START arms reduction treaty between Moscow and Washington, Russia has 5,977 nuclear warheads for its strategic forces and the US has 5,428. Each warhead is much more powerful than the bombs dropped by the US on two Japanese cities at the end of World War II, the only time atomic weapons were used. We will use anything to protect Russia: Putin The threat of Moscow using a nuclear bomb has grown exponentially ever since the Russian troops were forced to stand down as Ukraine quickly regained ground. Putin raised the stakes further by mobilisation of reservists for the war, aiming to call up at least 300,000. But the effort is proving widely unpopular, with tens of thousands fleeing Russia and fueling protests and violence that threaten to destabilize the country. WATCH | Russia's nuclear Gambit: How real are Putin's nuclear threats in Ukraine? × Facing heat, Putin, in a televised speech said he was prepared to use any available means to defend his country, hinting at using the nuclear arsenal he has at his disposal. "If the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will without doubt use all available means to protect Russia and our people - this is not a bluff," Putin had said at the time. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Footage shows Russia's nuclear 'armageddon' convoy on the move: Report

Defending champions USA beat China 83-61 to win a record-extending 11th Women's World Cup title in Sydney on Saturday, while Australia's Lauren Jackson brought the curtain down on her glittering career with a bronze medal. A'ja Wilson, who plays for the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces, led tournament favourites Team USA with 19 points and was named MVP of the tournament.

The United States earned a hard-fought early lead of 18-13 at the end of the first quarter and were made to work by China as they extended it to 43-33 at the halfway mark. The game looked poised for a close finish at the break, but China faded quickly in the third quarter, going 21 points behind as Jewell Loyd and Kelsey Plum scored a combined 15 points.

The United States weathered a late surge from China in the final quarter to secure their fourth straight World Cup title in front of close to 16,000 fans at the Sydney Superdome. Li Yueru led the scoring for China with 19 points, as they earned their second World Cup silver medal in women's basketball.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/usa-thrash-canada-to-qualify-for-womens-basketball-world-cup-final-521166">USA thrash Canada to qualify for women's basketball World Cup final</a>

JACKSON BOWS OUT WITH BRONZE

Earlier on Saturday, Jackson capped off her career in spectacular fashion, leading the scoring with 30 points as hosts Australia posted a 95-65 victory over Canada to take bronze. The 41-year-old, who announced her retirement on social media before the match, also equalled the record for most appearances at the Women's World Cup with her 43rd game in the competition. "They're the best group of the girls, I've had the best time, and it's the best journey I've had in the sport," said Jackson, who returned to the Australia squad in August following a lengthy absence after first retiring in 2016.

Kia Nurse scored 19 points to keep Canada within touching distance of Australia for the first half of the game, but Jackson's 12-point rampage in the third quarter gave the hosts a 17-point lead heading into the final 10 minutes. Jackson was then substituted off to a standing ovation with 2:22 remaining, as Australia closed out the win.

Defending champions USA beat China 83-61 to win a record-extending 11th Women's World Cup title in Sydney on Saturday, while Australia's Lauren Jackson brought the curtain down on her glittering career with a bronze medal.

Defending champions USA beat China 83-61 to win a record-extending 11th Women's World Cup title in Sydney on Saturday, while Australia's Lauren Jackson brought the curtain down on her glittering career with a bronze medal. A'ja Wilson, who plays for the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces, led tournament favourites Team USA with 19 points and was named MVP of the tournament. The United States earned a hard-fought early lead of 18-13 at the end of the first quarter and were made to work by China as they extended it to 43-33 at the halfway mark. The game looked poised for a close finish at the break, but China faded quickly in the third quarter, going 21 points behind as Jewell Loyd and Kelsey Plum scored a combined 15 points. The United States weathered a late surge from China in the final quarter to secure their fourth straight World Cup title in front of close to 16,000 fans at the Sydney Superdome. Li Yueru led the scoring for China with 19 points, as they earned their second World Cup silver medal in women's basketball. ALSO READ | USA thrash Canada to qualify for women's basketball World Cup final JACKSON BOWS OUT WITH BRONZE Earlier on Saturday, Jackson capped off her career in spectacular fashion, leading the scoring with 30 points as hosts Australia posted a 95-65 victory over Canada to take bronze. The 41-year-old, who announced her retirement on social media before the match, also equalled the record for most appearances at the Women's World Cup with her 43rd game in the competition. "They're the best group of the girls, I've had the best time, and it's the best journey I've had in the sport," said Jackson, who returned to the Australia squad in August following a lengthy absence after first retiring in 2016. Kia Nurse scored 19 points to keep Canada within touching distance of Australia for the first half of the game, but Jackson's 12-point rampage in the third quarter gave the hosts a 17-point lead heading into the final 10 minutes. Jackson was then substituted off to a standing ovation with 2:22 remaining, as Australia closed out the win.

USA clinch record-extending 11th Women's World Cup title, beat China 83-61

Less than a month after threatening to take action, United Airlines on Friday announced that it will halt its services in late October to New York's John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) airport.

Less than a month after threatening to take action, United Airlines on Friday announced that it will halt its services in late October to New York's John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) airport. "Given our current, too-small-to-be-competitive schedule out of JFK, coupled with the start of the Winter season where more airlines will operate their slots as they resume JFK flying, United has made the difficult decision to temporarily suspend service at JFK," the company said in a memo. The company added that its discussion with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had been constructive but it will take time to receive the additional slots. Thus, it could not give a timeline regarding when it will resume the services again. As reported by WION, United Airlines, one of the largest airline companies in the USA, in early September issued a warning to FAA saying it will suspend services at JFK if it did not receive permits for additional flights. "If we are not able to get additional allocations for multiple seasons, we will need to suspend service at JFK, effective at the end of October," said United Chief Executive Scott Kirby in a letter to FAA. Read more: United Airlines to stop operations at JFK if flight allocation not increased "That would obviously be a tough and frustrating step to take and one that we have worked really hard to prevent," he added. Ever since the JFK airport reopened after a COVID-19-induced hiatus in 2021, United Airlines is only flying twice daily to San Francisco and Los Angeles from the airport. According to data, JFK is the busiest New York airport and a major airline only operating a small percentage of flights at the airport is not good for the business. However, FAA took a measured stance in response to the letter and asserted that it "must consider airspace capacity and runway capacity to assess how changes would affect flights at nearby airports. Any additional slots at JFK would follow the FAA's well-established process of awarding them fairly and to increase competition." Read more: Prepare for a bumpy ride, airplane turbulence to double or triple in coming decades Despite making infrastructure improvements such as widening the runways, and multi-entrance taxiways, FAA and Port Authority have not increased the airport's total flight capacity. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

United Airlines to suspend operations at JFK airport later this month

As Europe continues to play the blame game regarding the Nord Stream pipeline leaks, China has also called for an investigation into the matter. Geng Shuang, China’s deputy permanent representative to the UN on Friday in a speech at UN Security Council stated that the damage to the two pipelines was most likely deliberate and called for an 'impartial' and 'objective' investigation into the matter.

As Europe continues to play the blame game regarding the Nord Stream pipeline leaks, China has also called for an investigation into the matter. Geng Shuang, China’s deputy permanent representative to the UN on Friday in a speech at UN Security Council stated that the damage to the two pipelines was most likely deliberate and called for an 'impartial' and 'objective' investigation into the matter. “We note that current information indicates that the leak was not an accident, but likely to be sabotage. If true, it would constitute an attack on multinational civilian facilities and undersea pipelines in violation of international law,” said the Chinese envoy. "We also note that all relevant parties consider it necessary to conduct an objective, impartial and professional investigation into the leak," he further added, Beijing also threw its hat in the ring and said it was willing to work with all the stakeholders to reach a possible solution. “The leak highlights the fragility of cross-border infrastructure. We are willing to work with all parties to maintain their security,” said Geng. Read more: Russia launches 'international terrorism' probe after Nord Stream leaks: Report As reported extensively by WION, the two explosions on the Nord Stream pipelines on Monday were followed by unexplained gas leaks. According to a Danish-Swedish investigation released on Friday, the four breaches impacting the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea were brought on by underwater explosions equivalent to hundreds of kilogrammes of explosives. Germany, Denmark and Sweden have clearly mentioned that they were attacks which caused gas from the two Russian-owned gas pipelines to pour into the sea. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has called it a ploy by the West after its sanctions did not affect Moscow. "Sanctions are not enough for the West, they have switched to sabotage. Unbelievable, but it is a fact!," Putin stated during a live speech at a Kremlin ceremony to annex four areas of Ukraine that are now under Russian control. Read more: Putin blames West for Nord Stream blasts measuring 2.3 and 2.1 on Richter scale "By organising explosions on the Nord Stream international gas pipelines that run along the bottom of the Baltic Sea they actually started destroying European energy infrastructure," Putin added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

China calls for 'impartial' investigation into the Nord Stream pipeline leaks

The US treasury department earlier this week imposed sanctions on companies suspected of involvement in Iran's petrochemical and petroleum trade. One of the companies to have been sanctioned is reportedly based in India.

The US treasury department earlier this week imposed sanctions on companies suspected of involvement in Iran's petrochemical and petroleum trade. One of the companies to have been sanctioned is reportedly based in India. In what can be described as the first such move against an oil shipment company in India, Washington sanctioned Mumbai-based Tibalaji Petrichem Private Limited. Reportedly, the company is suspected of 'purchasing millions of dollars worth' petrochemical products from Iran, bound for China. “Today’s action targets Iranian brokers and several front companies in the UAE, Hong Kong, and India that have facilitated financial transfers and shipping of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products,” read the department's statement. “India-based petrochemical company Tibalaji Petrochem Private Limited has purchased millions of dollars’ worth of Triliance-brokered petrochemical products, including methanol and base oil, for onward shipment to China," the statement added. Read more: US imposes fresh sanctions on export of Iran oil Notably, after former President Donald Trump started his maximum pressure tactic, Iran was subjected to harsh sanctions. New Delhi, meanwhile, refused to endorse the sanctions but keeping the bilateral relations in mind, ceased oil imports from Iran in 2019. The timing of the sanction on Tibalaji is rather interesting. It comes days after external affairs minister S Jaishankar wrapped up his whirlwind tour of the US. Sources close to the matter, however, believe that the sanctions on the Indian company could be revoked if Iran returns to the table and signs the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). WATCH | US targets companies for violating Iran oil sanctions × As reported by WION, Washington and Tehran's indirect talks to revive the 2015 nuclear pact or JCPOA have broken down. "As Iran continues to accelerate its nuclear programme in violation of the JCPOA, we will continue to accelerate our enforcement of sanctions on Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical sales under authorities that would be removed under the JCPOA," US secretary of state Anthony Blinken said in a statement. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Indian company sanctioned by the US for import of Iranian oil bound for China

As the Russia-Ukraine conflict becomes tenser in the backdrop of Putin's fiery speech and Zelensky signing the NATO application form, the US has approved a $12.3 billion aid package for Kyiv.

As the Russia-Ukraine conflict becomes tenser in the backdrop of Putin's fiery speech and Zelensky signing the NATO application form, the US has approved a $12.3 billion aid package for Kyiv. Reportedly, the US Congress on Friday approved the sum as part of the stopgap spending bill to ensure that critical infrastructure in Ukraine remains running. It was passed by 230 votes to 201 with 10 Republicans favouring the spending. Of the $12.3 billion, $3 billion will be for arms, supplies, and salaries for Ukraine's military. Meanwhile, $4.5 billion will keep Kyiv's finances stable and the government functioning. The bill summary added that the legislation would appropriate $35 million "to prepare for and respond to potential nuclear and radiological incidents in Ukraine." "This new grant assistance is a further demonstration of US confidence in Ukraine and will support critical government operations and provide relief to Ukrainian people suffering under Russia's brutal war," said Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. "Critically, this funding will also help bolster Ukraine's valiant resistance to Putin's illegal war of aggression. We call on fellow donors to not only speed up their existing disbursements to Ukraine, but also to increase their scale of assistance," she added. Almost $54 billion in aid money to Ukraine has been approved un until now by Washington this year. As reported by WION, in August, the US sent $4.5 billion tranche of payment, thereby completing the $7.5 billion aid package signed by President Joe Biden in May. Read more: USA to provide additional $4.5 billion to Ukraine However, with the war guzzling out the funds quickly and the US reaching its saturation point, experts have cast worries over Ukraine's inability to raise funds or access financing from external markets. If the current trend continues, Ukraine's annual deficit could rise to 25 per cent of GDP, which only stood at 3.5 per cent prior to the war. Meanwhile, the naysayers back in the US have critiqued the Biden government saying that his own people are undergoing an economic crisis, only exacerbated by hurricane Ian. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

US Congress approves $12.3 billion aid package for Ukraine

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