United States Vice President Kamala Harris, on Tuesday (June 6) called for “an independent judiciary,” in Israel, while speaking about the contentious proposed judicial overhaul which has led to weeks of mass protests across the country.&nbsp;The next day, the comments prompted criticism from the&nbsp;Israeli foreign minister who said that “she may not be able to cite even one clause that bothers her” about the judicial reform.&nbsp;

<h2>Israel needs ‘an independent judiciary’: US VP</h2>

Harris’ comments were made at a reception celebrating the 75th anniversary of Israel’s founding which was hosted by the Israeli Embassy in Washington.&nbsp;

The US VP said, “America will continue to stand for the values that have been the bedrock of the US-Israel relationship, which includes continuing to strengthen our democracies, which as the (Israeli) ambassador has said, are both built on strong institutions, checks and balances.”

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israels-netanyahu-meets-sunak-at-downing-street-amid-protests-uk-pm-stresses-democratic-values-575412">Israel’s Netanyahu meets Sunak at Downing Street amid protests; UK PM stresses on ‘democratic values’</a>

“I'll add: an independent judiciary,” said the US VP,&nbsp;on Tuesday, as her comments drew applause from some present at the event in Washington. Meanwhile,&nbsp;Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, in an interview, said Harris was perhaps not fully informed about the judicial reform which was proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.&nbsp;

Israel’s Ambassador to the US Michael Herzog, in a speech before her also mentioned the proposed judicial overhaul. “Israel is an imperfect democracy, and we like you have our own set of internal challenges. As a young nation only 75 years old, we are still grappling with important questions relating to our democratic system,” said Herzog.&nbsp;

He added, “But let me assure you, I am confident that Israel will remain a vibrant democracy.” Notably, US President Joe Biden’s administration has faced mounting pressure over the proposed judicial reform and has called on Netanyahu to drop the judicial overhaul plan over the past few months.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/middle-east/explained-israel-can-tens-of-thousands-of-protesters-stop-netanyahus-judicial-overhaul-plan-576345">Explained | Israel: Netanyahu agrees to pause proposed judicial overhaul for now. Here's what happened</a>

However, that pressure has reportedly eased after the proposed plan was suspended, in late March after weeks of unprecedented protests across Israel and Netanyahu agreeing to hit pause and compromise negotiations with the opposition.&nbsp;

<h2>Israel's foreign minister slams Harris</h2>

In an interview with Israel’s Kan news, Cohen said, “If we were to ask Kamala Harris what bothers her about the reform, she wouldn’t be able to name a single clause,” reported Times of Israel. He added, “I don’t know whether she read the bill…I imagine she has not.”&nbsp;

This was followed by the US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides saying that Harris’ presence at the event was about the strength of the relations between the two nations. Nides told Channel 12 news that while he has “respect” for Cohen, “the VP said things the administration says (at) every opportunity regarding the shared values and policies. Harris is a strong supporter of Israel.”&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/joe-biden-and-benjamin-netanyahu-lock-horns-over-israel-judicial-overhaul-576906">Joe Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu lock horns over Israel judicial overhaul</a>

The Israeli foreign minister’s comments had prompted a supposed diplomatic storm between the two allies&nbsp;and hours later Cohen issued a statement where he said he had “deep respect” for their ally the US and Harris who he then called “a true friend of Israel.”&nbsp;

He added, “Israel’s legal reform is an internal issue that is currently in the process of consolidation and dialogue. The State of Israel will continue to be democratic and liberal, as it has always been.”

Earlier this year, Netanyahu’s government unveiled a legal reform plan which has repeatedly been criticised by the opposition and critics who have said that it would threaten the democracy and freedom of Israel as it supposedly plans to weaken the country’s Supreme Court.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

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United States Vice President Kamala Harris, on Tuesday (June 6) called for “an independent judiciary,” in Israel, while speaking about the contentious proposed judicial overhaul which has led to weeks of mass protests across the country.

United States Vice President Kamala Harris, on Tuesday (June 6) called for “an independent judiciary,” in Israel, while speaking about the contentious proposed judicial overhaul which has led to weeks of mass protests across the country. The next day, the comments prompted criticism from the Israeli foreign minister who said that “she may not be able to cite even one clause that bothers her” about the judicial reform. Israel needs ‘an independent judiciary’: US VP Harris’ comments were made at a reception celebrating the 75th anniversary of Israel’s founding which was hosted by the Israeli Embassy in Washington. The US VP said, “America will continue to stand for the values that have been the bedrock of the US-Israel relationship, which includes continuing to strengthen our democracies, which as the (Israeli) ambassador has said, are both built on strong institutions, checks and balances.” ALSO READ | Israel’s Netanyahu meets Sunak at Downing Street amid protests; UK PM stresses on ‘democratic values’ “I'll add: an independent judiciary,” said the US VP, on Tuesday, as her comments drew applause from some present at the event in Washington. Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, in an interview, said Harris was perhaps not fully informed about the judicial reform which was proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Israel’s Ambassador to the US Michael Herzog, in a speech before her also mentioned the proposed judicial overhaul. “Israel is an imperfect democracy, and we like you have our own set of internal challenges. As a young nation only 75 years old, we are still grappling with important questions relating to our democratic system,” said Herzog. He added, “But let me assure you, I am confident that Israel will remain a vibrant democracy.” Notably, US President Joe Biden’s administration has faced mounting pressure over the proposed judicial reform and has called on Netanyahu to drop the judicial overhaul plan over the past few months. ALSO READ | Explained | Israel: Netanyahu agrees to pause proposed judicial overhaul for now. Here's what happened However, that pressure has reportedly eased after the proposed plan was suspended, in late March after weeks of unprecedented protests across Israel and Netanyahu agreeing to hit pause and compromise negotiations with the opposition. Israel's foreign minister slams Harris In an interview with Israel’s Kan news, Cohen said, “If we were to ask Kamala Harris what bothers her about the reform, she wouldn’t be able to name a single clause,” reported Times of Israel. He added, “I don’t know whether she read the bill…I imagine she has not.” This was followed by the US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides saying that Harris’ presence at the event was about the strength of the relations between the two nations. Nides told Channel 12 news that while he has “respect” for Cohen, “the VP said things the administration says (at) every opportunity regarding the shared values and policies. Harris is a strong supporter of Israel.” ALSO WATCH | Joe Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu lock horns over Israel judicial overhaul The Israeli foreign minister’s comments had prompted a supposed diplomatic storm between the two allies and hours later Cohen issued a statement where he said he had “deep respect” for their ally the US and Harris who he then called “a true friend of Israel.” He added, “Israel’s legal reform is an internal issue that is currently in the process of consolidation and dialogue. The State of Israel will continue to be democratic and liberal, as it has always been.” Earlier this year, Netanyahu’s government unveiled a legal reform plan which has repeatedly been criticised by the opposition and critics who have said that it would threaten the democracy and freedom of Israel as it supposedly plans to weaken the country’s Supreme Court. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Israeli foreign minister slams US VP Kamala Harris over call for ‘independent judiciary’

The British prime minister Rishi Sunak is in Washington DC. This is his first visit since becoming the United Kingdom's Prime Minister. The analysts are expecting his meeting with US President Joe Biden will include discussions on support for Ukraine and the United Kingdom's role in regulating artificial intelligence and also the US-UK military alliance.

UK PM Rishi Sunak to host first Global Summit on AI safety in US, meets Senate leaders

Here we bring you a quick round-up of all the latest news and top headlines from all across the globe - Zelensky meets UK Foreign Secretary in Kyiv, US President meets Danish PM in Washington, Antony Blinken heads to Saudi for three-day visit.

Zelensky meets UK Foreign Secy in Kyiv | US Pres meets Danish PM in Washington | WION Speed News

A sonic boom was heard in Washington after military planes chased a private jet that had entered the restricted airspace over the White House. The private jet was later found wrecked in Virginia. Molly Gambhir brings you a report.

Gravitas | Sonic boom: American F-16s chase a private jet over Washington

A sonic boom rattled Washington on Sunday (June 4) as two F-16 fighter jets were scrambling to intercept an unresponsive aircraft that later crashed in Virginia.

A sonic boom rattled Washington on Sunday (June 4) as two F-16 fighter jets were scrambling to intercept an unresponsive aircraft that later crashed in Virginia. The F-16s responded to an unresponsive Cessna 560 Citation V aircraft over Washington, DC, and northern Virginia, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said in a statement. Speaking to the news agency Reuters, a person familiar with developments said that four people were on board the Cessna. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the aircraft took off from the Elizabethton Municipal Airport in Elizabethton, Tennessee, and was bound for Long Island MacArthur Airport in New York, about 80 kilometres east of Manhattan. The aircraft appeared to reach the New York area and made nearly a 180-degree turn, with the flight ending in Virginia. The police said they were searching for the wreckage but were yet to find it. 'We know nothing about the crash' Public records showed the Cessna was registered to Florida-based company Encore Motors of Melbourne. John Rumpel, the company's owner, told The Washington Post his "entire family" was onboard, including his daughter, a grandchild, and her nanny. "We know nothing about the crash," he said. "We are talking to the FAA now... I've got to keep the line clear." 🚨🇺🇸 Breaking News Footage of the Washington DC sonic boom is slowly coming in.#Biden #US #Trump #Washington #WashingtonDCpic.twitter.com/rRaceIUMFb — Eren 𝕮🇹🇷 (@Eren50855570) June 4, 2023 × NORAD said the aircraft crashed near the George Washington National Forest in Virginia, though the FAA earlier said it crashed into mountainous terrain in a sparsely populated area of southwest Virginia. It added the US military tried to establish contact with the pilot until the aircraft crashed. "The NORAD aircraft were authorized to travel at supersonic speeds and a sonic boom may have been heard by residents of the region," it added. The condition of those onboard was not known yet. Rumpel, who is also a pilot, said that his family members were returning home to East Hampton, N.Y., after a four-day visit to his home in North Carolina. Speaking to The New York Times, Rumple, his voice breaking, said if the aircraft lost pressurisation, “they all just would have gone to sleep and never woke up.” “It descended at 20,000 feet a minute, and nobody could survive a crash from that speed,” he added. Aircraft appeared to be flying on autopilot; Biden briefed on incident Another person familiar with developments told Reuters on Sunday that the Cessna appeared to be flying on autopilot, and a US official said that the F-16s did not cause the crash. US President Joe Biden, who was at the White House and also played golf Sunday, was briefed on the incident, another official said without specifying whether any emergency precautions were implemented due to the incident. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US: Sonic boom echoes over Washington as fighter jets chase small aircraft before it crashes

The Monday morning in Asia was blued out by an unprecedented development from across the Atlantic as newsrooms worldwide aired the news of sonic boom which echoed over Washington, following which an F-16 fighter jet chased an aircraft. In Moscow, scores of supporters of the Kremlin critic Alexie Navalny were arrested sending shockwaves across multiple global capitals.

Click on the headlines to read more:

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-sonic-boom-echoes-over-washington-as-fighter-jets-chase-cessna-600620">US: Sonic boom echoes over Washington as fighter jets chase small aircraft before it crashes</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/06/05/356900-2023-06-04t232856z4lynxmpej530a1rtroptp4washington.JPG?imwidth=1920" />A sonic boom rattled Washington on Sunday (June 4) as two F-16 fighter jets were scrambling to intercept an unresponsive aircraft that later crashed in Virginia. The F-16s responded to an unresponsive Cessna 560 Citation V aircraft over Washington, DC, and northern Virginia, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said in a statement. Speaking to the news agency Reuters, a person familiar with developments said that four people were on board the Cessna.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/109-navalny-supporters-including-underage-child-arrested-by-russian-police-600624">Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's 109 supporters, including underage child arrested by Russian police</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/06/05/356902-new-wion-41.png?imwidth=1920" />As the Ukraine war shows no signs of abetting and nears 500 days of conflict, the situation inside Russia remains stifling. In the latest move to stifle opposition, Russia arrested more than 100 supporters of opposition leader and Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on Sunday. The people, as per a protest monitoring group, had taken to the streets to mark the 47th birthday of their jailed leader.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/office-or-a-prison-did-an-indian-ed-tech-firm-lock-its-staff-down-heres-what-we-know-600576">'Office or a prison': Did an Indian ed-tech firm lock its staff down? Here's what we know</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/06/05/356898-untitled-design-2023-06-05t071426453.png?imwidth=1920" />A video doing round on social media shows a security guard locking down the office door of a Gurugram-based startup near New Delhi allegedly with employees still inside.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/protesting-indian-wrestlers-met-home-minister-amit-shah-pressed-for-action-against-wfi-chief-report-600643">Protesting Indian wrestlers met Home Minister Amit Shah, pressed for action against WFI chief: Report</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/06/05/356914-amit.png?imwidth=1920" />Indian Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly met the protesting wrestlers at his official residence in the New Delhi capital city late Saturday night.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/serie-a-napoli-celebrate-title-zlatan-ibrahimovic-announces-retirement-600638">Serie A: Napoli celebrate title, Zlatan Ibrahimovic announces retirement</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/06/05/356911-untitled-design-2023-06-05t093126930.png?imwidth=1920" />Napoli fans watched their heroes finally lift the Serie A trophy on Sunday as coach Luciano Spalletti walked away from Naples, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic announced his retirement from football.

The Monday morning in Asia was blued out by an unprecedented development from across the Atlantic as newsrooms worldwide aired the news of sonic boom which echoed over Washington, following which an F-16 fighter jet chased an aircraft.

The Monday morning in Asia was blued out by an unprecedented development from across the Atlantic as newsrooms worldwide aired the news of sonic boom which echoed over Washington, following which an F-16 fighter jet chased an aircraft. In Moscow, scores of supporters of the Kremlin critic Alexie Navalny were arrested sending shockwaves across multiple global capitals. Click on the headlines to read more: US: Sonic boom echoes over Washington as fighter jets chase small aircraft before it crashes A sonic boom rattled Washington on Sunday (June 4) as two F-16 fighter jets were scrambling to intercept an unresponsive aircraft that later crashed in Virginia. The F-16s responded to an unresponsive Cessna 560 Citation V aircraft over Washington, DC, and northern Virginia, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said in a statement. Speaking to the news agency Reuters, a person familiar with developments said that four people were on board the Cessna. Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's 109 supporters, including underage child arrested by Russian police As the Ukraine war shows no signs of abetting and nears 500 days of conflict, the situation inside Russia remains stifling. In the latest move to stifle opposition, Russia arrested more than 100 supporters of opposition leader and Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on Sunday. The people, as per a protest monitoring group, had taken to the streets to mark the 47th birthday of their jailed leader. 'Office or a prison': Did an Indian ed-tech firm lock its staff down? Here's what we know A video doing round on social media shows a security guard locking down the office door of a Gurugram-based startup near New Delhi allegedly with employees still inside. Protesting Indian wrestlers met Home Minister Amit Shah, pressed for action against WFI chief: Report Indian Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly met the protesting wrestlers at his official residence in the New Delhi capital city late Saturday night. Serie A: Napoli celebrate title, Zlatan Ibrahimovic announces retirement Napoli fans watched their heroes finally lift the Serie A trophy on Sunday as coach Luciano Spalletti walked away from Naples, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic announced his retirement from football.

Morning brief: Sonic boom rocks Washington, Moscow arrests scores of Navalny supporters, and more

The United States Secret Service has&nbsp;arrested a 19-year-old they believe might have “intentionally” crashed a U-Haul truck into a security barrier at a park across from the White House&nbsp;on Monday night (May 22). No injuries were reported following the incident.&nbsp;

<h2>What we know about the incident</h2>

According to the Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi, the incident occurred at around 10:00 pm (local time). The suspect was later identified as Sai Varshith Kandula from Chesterfield,&nbsp;a city in St. Louis County in the US state of Missouri, by the US Park Police, on Tuesday morning. He is of Indian origin.

"There were no injuries to any Secret Service or White House personnel and the cause and manner of the crash remain under investigation," said&nbsp;Guglielmi.&nbsp;

The U-Haul truck’s driver crashed into a security barrier near the north side of Lafayette Square, said the Secret Service spokesperson. Images from the scene showed multiple police personnel, both from the Secret Service and the Metropolitan Police Department. The officials also searched the truck after the crash.&nbsp;

A Reuters witness said investigators found a Nazi flag which supposedly came from inside the truck. Media reports citing footage from WUSA-TV reported that police officers retrieved several items from the truck, including the flag, which were placed in evidence bags.&nbsp;

The footage also showed a box-type, U-Haul truck stopping alongside the steel barricades with multiple officers and a dog approaching the vehicle following the crash, reported Reuters.&nbsp; 
 
A witness to the crash, Chris Zaboji, told Reuters, who also posted a clip of the incident, that the truck drove into the barricades. He also told the news agency that after crashing once, the driver hit the barriers a second time. &nbsp;

“I was walking home from my run on the mall and went through the barricade maybe 20 seconds before they hit the first time. After they rammed it the second time I decided it was time to get the hell out of there,” said Zaboji, on Twitter after posting the clip.&nbsp;

<h2>Charges against the suspect</h2>

As per the preliminary investigation, the driver “may have intentionally struck the security barriers at Lafayette Square,” said Guglielmi.&nbsp;

Earlier, Guglielmi had also said that the US Park Police would file charges with investigative support from the Secret Service. According to Park Police, the suspect has been arrested on multiple charges – threatening to kill, kidnap or inflict harm on a president, vice president or member of their family; assault with a dangerous weapon; reckless driving; destruction of federal property; and trespassing.&nbsp;

It was not immediately clear where US President Joe Biden was at the time of the incident, but he had met with the Speaker of the US House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy at the White House earlier in the day to discuss the matter of the US debt ceiling.&nbsp; 
 
The suspect was also interviewed by the&nbsp;Secret Service&nbsp;on Monday night, said a&nbsp;representative, adding that the ongoing probe is being coordinated by the FBI, Secret Service, and US Capitol Police.&nbsp; 
 
An official also told&nbsp;NBC News that the suspect made threatening statements about the White House and was quickly detained following the crash. As per media reports, a nearby hotel was also evacuated after the incident.&nbsp; 
 
(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

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The United States Secret Service has arrested a 19-year-old they believe might have “intentionally” crashed a U-Haul truck into a security barrier at a park across from the White House on Monday night (May 22).

The United States Secret Service has arrested a 19-year-old they believe might have “intentionally” crashed a U-Haul truck into a security barrier at a park across from the White House on Monday night (May 22). No injuries were reported following the incident. What we know about the incident According to the Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi, the incident occurred at around 10:00 pm (local time). The suspect was later identified as Sai Varshith Kandula from Chesterfield, a city in St. Louis County in the US state of Missouri, by the US Park Police, on Tuesday morning. He is of Indian origin. "There were no injuries to any Secret Service or White House personnel and the cause and manner of the crash remain under investigation," said Guglielmi. The U-Haul truck’s driver crashed into a security barrier near the north side of Lafayette Square, said the Secret Service spokesperson. Images from the scene showed multiple police personnel, both from the Secret Service and the Metropolitan Police Department. The officials also searched the truck after the crash. A Reuters witness said investigators found a Nazi flag which supposedly came from inside the truck. Media reports citing footage from WUSA-TV reported that police officers retrieved several items from the truck, including the flag, which were placed in evidence bags. The footage also showed a box-type, U-Haul truck stopping alongside the steel barricades with multiple officers and a dog approaching the vehicle following the crash, reported Reuters. A witness to the crash, Chris Zaboji, told Reuters, who also posted a clip of the incident, that the truck drove into the barricades. He also told the news agency that after crashing once, the driver hit the barriers a second time. “I was walking home from my run on the mall and went through the barricade maybe 20 seconds before they hit the first time. After they rammed it the second time I decided it was time to get the hell out of there,” said Zaboji, on Twitter after posting the clip. Charges against the suspect As per the preliminary investigation, the driver “may have intentionally struck the security barriers at Lafayette Square,” said Guglielmi. Earlier, Guglielmi had also said that the US Park Police would file charges with investigative support from the Secret Service. According to Park Police, the suspect has been arrested on multiple charges – threatening to kill, kidnap or inflict harm on a president, vice president or member of their family; assault with a dangerous weapon; reckless driving; destruction of federal property; and trespassing. It was not immediately clear where US President Joe Biden was at the time of the incident, but he had met with the Speaker of the US House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy at the White House earlier in the day to discuss the matter of the US debt ceiling. The suspect was also interviewed by the Secret Service on Monday night, said a representative, adding that the ongoing probe is being coordinated by the FBI, Secret Service, and US Capitol Police. An official also told NBC News that the suspect made threatening statements about the White House and was quickly detained following the crash. As per media reports, a nearby hotel was also evacuated after the incident. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Indian-origin teen crashes into White House barriers, 'wanted to kill' Biden

US is seeing more indications that Russia & Iran are expanding an unprecedented defence partnership. As per Washington, the cooperation is helping Moscow prolong its war in Ukraine & poses a threat to Iran's neighbours. Drones are the primary military help Iran is providing to Russia, which is seeking to acquire advanced-level types.

Russia & Iran team up: Focus on drones, missiles, electronics & air defence | Details

A year after launching the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET), the two countries will conduct the inaugural meeting of Strategic Trade Dialogue next month to implement the outcomes of the initiative.

A year after launching the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET), the two countries will conduct the inaugural meeting of Strategic Trade Dialogue next month to implement the outcomes of the initiative. The meeting, expected to take place on June 4-5, will attempt to streamline export controls, enhance high-tech commerce and facilitate tech transfer between the two countries. It was in May last year during the Quad Summit that the initiative was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden. The main aim of the initiative was to elevate and expand strategic technology partnership and defence-industrial cooperation between the governments. In January this year, the National Security Advisers (NSAs) of the two countries met and led the inaugural dialogue of the iCET in Washington, DC. "The two sides discussed opportunities for greater cooperation in critical and emerging technologies, co-development and coproduction, and ways to deepen connectivity across our innovation ecosystems," read a statement released by the White House at the time. Later in March, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo visited India and met his counterpart Piyush Goyal as the duo announced relaunching the bilateral commercial dialogue. "Minister Goyal and Secretary Raimondo noted the importance of coordinating with the standing mechanism established by the two governments under iCET, which aims to address regulatory barriers and other issues that impede smooth economic and commercial ties," read the joint statement. Biden to host Modi The announcement of the meeting comes in the backdrop of the White House announcing that President Biden will be hosting PM Modi on June 22. "President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will host Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the Republic of India for an Official State Visit to the United States, which will include a state dinner, on June 22, 2023. The upcoming visit will affirm the deep and close partnership between the United States and India and the warm bonds of family and friendship that link Americans and Indians together, " announced Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in a statement. ALSO READ | US President Biden to host India's PM Modi on June 22: White House The relations between the two nations have been on an upswing in recent times, despite the odd hiccup. Prior to his US visit, PM Modi will be meeting Biden during the May 19-21 G-7 summit in Japan, then during the QUAD summit on May 24 in Australia. They will cross paths in Paua New Guinea on May 22 as part of critical engagement of the Far Pacific nations. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

India, US to hold inaugural Strategic Trade Dialogue next month with focus on iCET

Race between Washington and Beijing will have an impact on the Pacific. Later this month, US President Joe Biden is scheduled to travel to Papua New Guinea. According to the White House, Biden will stop there on his way from the G7 leaders summit in Hiroshima to the QUAD leaders summit in Sydney. He will be the first sitting US president to visit the Pacific nation.

Washington and Beijing race for influence across the Pacific

North Carolina Democratic Governor Roy Cooper on Saturday vetoed a bill that would ban most abortions after 12 weeks, a move the Republican supermajority in the state legislature is expected to quickly override, allowing the bill to become law.

North Carolina governor vetoes abortion limits, launches override showdown

2023 is a big year for both India and the US, we are not saying this but Washington's Secretary of State for South and Central Asia. Speaking to an Indian media organisation, Donald Liu said, "this is going to be a big year - India's hosting G20, the US is hosting APEC and Japan is hosting the G7."

A big year for India-US ties: US Pres Joe Biden to visit India in Sept for G20 summit

In the Indo-Pacific region, the great competition between the United States and China is only intensifying especially after a Chinese coast guard ship blocked a Philippine patrol vessel in the South China sea. The Unites States has now warned that any attack on the Philippine vessel would trigger a US response.

Why is South China Sea contentious? US counters China's quest for global influence?

Hello and Welcome. This is The Capitals. Your weekly recap of some of the biggest stories from capitals around the world.

In New Delhi and rest of India, Olympic athletes are often associated with one defining moment. When the country's flag goes up, the national anthem is heard and the world stands up in the honour of two. All this happens amid spontaneous welling up of eyes of the patriots, including the one standing on the podium.

<img alt="Sakshi Malik" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8efcfffc-e7e8-4363-8537-bf49ef2ff2df" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2866%29.png" />

Indian wrestler Sakshi Malik got emotional after winning Gold medal in Women's 62kg freestyle wrestling in Commonwealth Games, Birmingham in August 2022 | Twitter

This week, the capital of the world's most populous nation saw some of its top athletes welling up, for the second time in the last four months as they relaunched their protest against alleged sexual abuse within India's wrestling federation.

<img alt="Indian wrestlers" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="93494279-d08c-417c-bbb0-e9542e8f3b70" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2867%29_2.png" />

Indian wrestlers Vinesh Phogat (L) and Sakshi Malik (R) break down while speaking to the reporters in New Delhi earlier this week | PTI

Read this, and more, in The Capitals this week.

<h2>Khartoum, Sudan</h2>

<img alt="Sudan conflict" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aae3f924-6521-4c96-800c-6211a05503d6" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2859%29_0.png" />

An aerial view of black smoke rising over Khartoum | AFP

The fighting between Sudanese army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) entered third week, as the two warring sides failed to honour the 72-hour truce that was agreed upon earlier this week. Reports of prison break amid the conflict have gripped the country, stoking speculations related to the revival of Sudan's political Islamic movement.&nbsp;

So far, neither side has gained the control of capital Khartoum.

Meanwhile, thousands of foreign nationals, including nearly 3000 Indians, have been evacuated from conflict-ridden Sudan so far.&nbsp;

<h2>Washington D.C., United States of America</h2>

<img alt="Joe Biden and Yoon Suk-Yeol" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8ee30318-7408-46aa-bbe2-33d4157851e1" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2860%29_0.png" />

US President Joe Biden hosted South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol in the White House this week | Twitter/@JoeBiden

US President Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. aka Joe Biden, 80, announced his presidential bid for 2024.&nbsp;

But Biden's ageing profile and a prospective presidential contest against former US President Donald Trump was not the biggest story from the US capital this week.&nbsp;

Instead, the state visit of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol became the geopolitical event with most consequential optics in the power corridors of the United States.

Yoon and Biden signed a landmark deal to deter nuclear belligerence in the Korean peninsula.&nbsp;

With that the two leaders, for now, have managed to limit the nuclear proliferation as South Korea reiterated its commitment to the Nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

Dubbed 'Washington declaration', the deal assured Seoul that the United States will regularly deploy its strategic assets in the region. The declaration also called for the advancement of achieving the 'complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.'

South Korean president's visit's high was a state dinner hosted by Biden. President Yoon Suk Yeol belted out his own <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-i-had-no-damn-idea-you-could-biden-stunned-as-s-korean-prez-sings-american-pie-at-white-house-586628">rendition</a> of Don McClean’s classic song, 'American Pie'. The impromptu performance went viral, and became a diplomatic highlight of Seoul-Washington ties on social media.&nbsp;

<h2>Asunción, Paraguay</h2>

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A municipal worker removes a political advertising in Asunción on April 29, 2023 | AFP

Paraguay went to polls this Sunday as 4.8 million eligible voters in the South American nation geographically triangulated between Brazil, Bolivia and Argentina began stamping their ballets.&nbsp;

But a new president in Asunción may mean geopolitical consequences two oceans away in the Taiwanese capital of Taipei, the self-ruled island which China claims as its own.

Paraguay is one of the only 13 countries that recognises Taipei over Beijing.

Lawyer Efrain Alegre, 60, of the Concertacion center-left coalition is leading narrowly in opinion polls against the ruling Colorado Party's Santiago Pena.&nbsp;

Alegre has vowed to reconsider country's diplomatic positioning of choosing Taipei over Beijing. &nbsp;

"Relations with Taiwan mean the loss of one of the largest markets, which is China," Alegre told news agency AFP.&nbsp;

"Paraguay makes a very big effort, a very big sacrifice to have relations with Taiwan, but we are not seeing from Taiwan the same effort."

<h2>Baku, Azerbaijan-Yerevan, Armenia</h2>

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French foreign minister Catherine Colonna and Armenian foreign minister Ararat Mirzoyan hold a press conference following their talks in Yerevan on April 28, 2023 | AFP

French foreign minister Catherine Colonna visited the capitals of Azerbaijan and Armenia this week in an effort to cool down the reignited tensions between two West Asian rivals. Colonna's visit ensured that the two nations sit across each other in Washington on Sunday, when the Azeri and Armenian foreign ministers are scheduled to discuss the "agreement on normalisation of relations."

Both the countries went to war over disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region in 2020 in which Baku emerged overwhelmingly victorious. The mountain region is now internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but populated mainly by ethnic Armenians.

The tensions reignited after Azerbaijan set up a new checkpoint last Sunday on the road to Karabakh, the Lachin corridor, in a move that Armenia that called a gross violation of a 2020 ceasefire.

<h2>Tokyo, Japan</h2>

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Employees of 'ispace'&nbsp;bow their heads after the company announced they lost signal from the lander in HAKUTO-R lunar exploration program | Reuters

World's first private moon landing failed this week. Japan's commercial space startup ispace lost contact with its Hakuto-R Mission 1 (M1), and said that it probably crashed on the lunar surface. &nbsp;

The M1 lander was launched on December 11, 2023 from Cape Canaveral, Florida on a SpaceX rocket.

Soon after ispace lost contact with its L1 lander, its employees at a venue in Tokyo bowed their heads in respect of the lost lander.&nbsp;

The Japanese government expressed disappointment at the failure of ispace mission. But said that the country wants ispace to "keep trying" as its efforts were significant to the development of a domestic space industry.

<h2>New Delhi, India</h2>

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Indian wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, left, Bajrang Punia, centre, and Sakshi Malik take part in a sit-in New Delhi demanding the arrest of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief | Reuters

In New Delhi, thirty Indian wrestlers, including country's Olympic medalists, relaunched their sit-in protest against Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, also a lawmaker of ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Led by Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Anshu Malik and Bajrang Punia, the protesting athletes have accused Singh of sexual abuse of vulnerable female wrestlers for years.&nbsp;

After the grapplers approached India's Supreme Court this week, the police in New Delhi filed two First Information Reports (FIRs) against the wrestling federation boss. One of the incidence reports have been filed under the charges related to India's Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, meaning the supposed victim was less than 18 when the sexual abuse allegedly took place.&nbsp;

The wrestlers had first launched their protest earlier this year on January 18. Back then, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government quickly sprung into action, formed an investigation body led by some of India's most decorated athletes, and sought a report in four weeks.&nbsp;

While the findings of the investigation into sexual assault accusations have not been made public, soon after wrestlers relaunched their protest this week, the government released its "major findings". One of them point to the absence of a duly constituted Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) in the federation mandated within India's sexual harassment prevention law.

Amid the second round of protest in over three months, Singh continues to be the chief of India's Wrestling federation.

The wrestlers have vowed they will continue to protest until Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is arrested and a host of reforms are brought within the wrestling federation.

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Hello and Welcome. This is The Capitals. Your weekly recap of some of the biggest stories from capitals around the world. In New Delhi and rest of India, Olympic athletes are often associated with one defining moment.

Hello and Welcome. This is The Capitals. Your weekly recap of some of the biggest stories from capitals around the world. In New Delhi and rest of India, Olympic athletes are often associated with one defining moment. When the country's flag goes up, the national anthem is heard and the world stands up in the honour of two. All this happens amid spontaneous welling up of eyes of the patriots, including the one standing on the podium. Indian wrestler Sakshi Malik got emotional after winning Gold medal in Women's 62kg freestyle wrestling in Commonwealth Games, Birmingham in August 2022 | Twitter This week, the capital of the world's most populous nation saw some of its top athletes welling up, for the second time in the last four months as they relaunched their protest against alleged sexual abuse within India's wrestling federation. Indian wrestlers Vinesh Phogat (L) and Sakshi Malik (R) break down while speaking to the reporters in New Delhi earlier this week | PTI Read this, and more, in The Capitals this week. Khartoum, Sudan An aerial view of black smoke rising over Khartoum | AFP The fighting between Sudanese army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) entered third week, as the two warring sides failed to honour the 72-hour truce that was agreed upon earlier this week. Reports of prison break amid the conflict have gripped the country, stoking speculations related to the revival of Sudan's political Islamic movement. So far, neither side has gained the control of capital Khartoum. Meanwhile, thousands of foreign nationals, including nearly 3000 Indians, have been evacuated from conflict-ridden Sudan so far. Washington D.C., United States of America US President Joe Biden hosted South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol in the White House this week | Twitter/@JoeBiden US President Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. aka Joe Biden, 80, announced his presidential bid for 2024. But Biden's ageing profile and a prospective presidential contest against former US President Donald Trump was not the biggest story from the US capital this week. Instead, the state visit of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol became the geopolitical event with most consequential optics in the power corridors of the United States. Yoon and Biden signed a landmark deal to deter nuclear belligerence in the Korean peninsula. With that the two leaders, for now, have managed to limit the nuclear proliferation as South Korea reiterated its commitment to the Nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Dubbed 'Washington declaration', the deal assured Seoul that the United States will regularly deploy its strategic assets in the region. The declaration also called for the advancement of achieving the 'complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.' South Korean president's visit's high was a state dinner hosted by Biden. President Yoon Suk Yeol belted out his own rendition of Don McClean’s classic song, 'American Pie'. The impromptu performance went viral, and became a diplomatic highlight of Seoul-Washington ties on social media. Asunción, Paraguay A municipal worker removes a political advertising in Asunción on April 29, 2023 | AFP Paraguay went to polls this Sunday as 4.8 million eligible voters in the South American nation geographically triangulated between Brazil, Bolivia and Argentina began stamping their ballets. But a new president in Asunción may mean geopolitical consequences two oceans away in the Taiwanese capital of Taipei, the self-ruled island which China claims as its own. Paraguay is one of the only 13 countries that recognises Taipei over Beijing. Lawyer Efrain Alegre, 60, of the Concertacion center-left coalition is leading narrowly in opinion polls against the ruling Colorado Party's Santiago Pena. Alegre has vowed to reconsider country's diplomatic positioning of choosing Taipei over Beijing. "Relations with Taiwan mean the loss of one of the largest markets, which is China," Alegre told news agency AFP. "Paraguay makes a very big effort, a very big sacrifice to have relations with Taiwan, but we are not seeing from Taiwan the same effort." Baku, Azerbaijan-Yerevan, Armenia French foreign minister Catherine Colonna and Armenian foreign minister Ararat Mirzoyan hold a press conference following their talks in Yerevan on April 28, 2023 | AFP French foreign minister Catherine Colonna visited the capitals of Azerbaijan and Armenia this week in an effort to cool down the reignited tensions between two West Asian rivals. Colonna's visit ensured that the two nations sit across each other in Washington on Sunday, when the Azeri and Armenian foreign ministers are scheduled to discuss the "agreement on normalisation of relations." Both the countries went to war over disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region in 2020 in which Baku emerged overwhelmingly victorious. The mountain region is now internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but populated mainly by ethnic Armenians. The tensions reignited after Azerbaijan set up a new checkpoint last Sunday on the road to Karabakh, the Lachin corridor, in a move that Armenia that called a gross violation of a 2020 ceasefire. Tokyo, Japan Employees of 'ispace' bow their heads after the company announced they lost signal from the lander in HAKUTO-R lunar exploration program | Reuters World's first private moon landing failed this week. Japan's commercial space startup ispace lost contact with its Hakuto-R Mission 1 (M1), and said that it probably crashed on the lunar surface. The M1 lander was launched on December 11, 2023 from Cape Canaveral, Florida on a SpaceX rocket. Soon after ispace lost contact with its L1 lander, its employees at a venue in Tokyo bowed their heads in respect of the lost lander. The Japanese government expressed disappointment at the failure of ispace mission. But said that the country wants ispace to "keep trying" as its efforts were significant to the development of a domestic space industry. New Delhi, India Indian wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, left, Bajrang Punia, centre, and Sakshi Malik take part in a sit-in New Delhi demanding the arrest of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief | Reuters In New Delhi, thirty Indian wrestlers, including country's Olympic medalists, relaunched their sit-in protest against Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, also a lawmaker of ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Led by Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Anshu Malik and Bajrang Punia, the protesting athletes have accused Singh of sexual abuse of vulnerable female wrestlers for years. After the grapplers approached India's Supreme Court this week, the police in New Delhi filed two First Information Reports (FIRs) against the wrestling federation boss. One of the incidence reports have been filed under the charges related to India's Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, meaning the supposed victim was less than 18 when the sexual abuse allegedly took place. The wrestlers had first launched their protest earlier this year on January 18. Back then, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government quickly sprung into action, formed an investigation body led by some of India's most decorated athletes, and sought a report in four weeks. While the findings of the investigation into sexual assault accusations have not been made public, soon after wrestlers relaunched their protest this week, the government released its "major findings". One of them point to the absence of a duly constituted Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) in the federation mandated within India's sexual harassment prevention law. Amid the second round of protest in over three months, Singh continues to be the chief of India's Wrestling federation. The wrestlers have vowed they will continue to protest until Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is arrested and a host of reforms are brought within the wrestling federation. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

The Capitals: Sudan's capital on boil, Washington's 'American Pie' for Seoul, and more

Currently on a six-day state visit to the US,&nbsp;South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol left everyone stunned after he belted out his own rendition of&nbsp;Don McClean’s classic song, “American Pie" during a White House state dinner on Wednesday. The impromptu performance has now gone viral on social media and shows US President Joe Biden expressing his utmost amazement at Yoon's talent.&nbsp;

The event was staged at the&nbsp;state dining room where the Broadway stars&nbsp;Norm Lewis, Lea Salonga and Jessia Vosk sang songs, including the hits from&nbsp;"Les Miserables" and "Funny Girl".

After the culmination of their performances, Biden pulled Yoon to the stage and said, "We know this is one of your favorite songs, 'American Pie.'" To which Yoon replied, "Yes, that's true," adding that he had loved the McLean song, released way back in 1971 when he was at school.&nbsp;

Being the cheerful host, Biden egged on his counterpart to sing the song.&nbsp;"We want to hear you sing it."

Offering a token resistance, Yoon said, "It's been a while but..." and took the microphone in his hands, preparing to sing.&nbsp;

As soon as Yoon hit the first note, the audience gathered in the hall erupted in rapturous applause and the 62-year-old continued&nbsp;the song. Apart from Biden, first lady Jill Biden also appeared mesmerised by Yoon's singing as she applauded heartily.&nbsp;

After a minute of singing with only a piano accompanying his voice, Yoon stepped away as the crowd gave him a standing ovation.&nbsp;

“The next state dinner we’re going to have, you’re looking at the entertainment,” Biden told the crowd, referring to Yoon.

“I had no damn idea you could sing,” a surprised Biden told Yoon after the performance, adding, "Don’t expect me to sing it!"

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Unexpected moment at the state dinner when the president of South Korea sings “American Pie.” <a href="https://t.co/Dus6BiBU9E">pic.twitter.com/Dus6BiBU9E</a>
— Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) <a href="https://twitter.com/jeffmason1/status/1651418886447693824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Netizens loved Yoon's performance, with one saying, "This was awesome, and, of course our president had the grace to stand back and give South Korea’s president the floor to sing. What a beautiful moment!", while another added, "Well this is absolutely awesome."

<h2>From nuclear war to chartbuster songs&nbsp;</h2>

Earlier in the day, the two leaders signed the Washington Declaration under which&nbsp;South Korea will not develop its own nuclear weapons but the US will aid in the use of them in any potential conflict with North Korea.&nbsp;

As part of the agreement, the US will also deploy nuclear-armed submarines to South Korea. Additionally, there will be a routine visit of aircraft carriers and bombers to the region to send a message to the enemy, informed officials.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-nuclear-weapons-for-south-korea-yoon-and-biden-set-to-ink-landmark-agreement-586416">ALSO READ |&nbsp;US nuclear weapons for S Korea? Yoon, Biden ink landmark agreement</a>

The two leaders also asserted it would be the end of any North Korean regime if it used nuclear weapons against the allies.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Currently on a six-day state visit to the US, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol left everyone stunned after he belted out his own rendition of Don McClean’s classic song, “American Pie" during a White House state dinner on Wednesday.

Currently on a six-day state visit to the US, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol left everyone stunned after he belted out his own rendition of Don McClean’s classic song, “American Pie" during a White House state dinner on Wednesday. The impromptu performance has now gone viral on social media and shows US President Joe Biden expressing his utmost amazement at Yoon's talent. The event was staged at the state dining room where the Broadway stars Norm Lewis, Lea Salonga and Jessia Vosk sang songs, including the hits from "Les Miserables" and "Funny Girl". After the culmination of their performances, Biden pulled Yoon to the stage and said, "We know this is one of your favorite songs, 'American Pie.'" To which Yoon replied, "Yes, that's true," adding that he had loved the McLean song, released way back in 1971 when he was at school. Being the cheerful host, Biden egged on his counterpart to sing the song. "We want to hear you sing it." Offering a token resistance, Yoon said, "It's been a while but..." and took the microphone in his hands, preparing to sing. As soon as Yoon hit the first note, the audience gathered in the hall erupted in rapturous applause and the 62-year-old continued the song. Apart from Biden, first lady Jill Biden also appeared mesmerised by Yoon's singing as she applauded heartily. After a minute of singing with only a piano accompanying his voice, Yoon stepped away as the crowd gave him a standing ovation. “The next state dinner we’re going to have, you’re looking at the entertainment,” Biden told the crowd, referring to Yoon. “I had no damn idea you could sing,” a surprised Biden told Yoon after the performance, adding, "Don’t expect me to sing it!" Unexpected moment at the state dinner when the president of South Korea sings “American Pie.” pic.twitter.com/Dus6BiBU9E — Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) April 27, 2023 × Netizens loved Yoon's performance, with one saying, "This was awesome, and, of course our president had the grace to stand back and give South Korea’s president the floor to sing. What a beautiful moment!", while another added, "Well this is absolutely awesome." From nuclear war to chartbuster songs Earlier in the day, the two leaders signed the Washington Declaration under which South Korea will not develop its own nuclear weapons but the US will aid in the use of them in any potential conflict with North Korea. As part of the agreement, the US will also deploy nuclear-armed submarines to South Korea. Additionally, there will be a routine visit of aircraft carriers and bombers to the region to send a message to the enemy, informed officials. ALSO READ | US nuclear weapons for S Korea? Yoon, Biden ink landmark agreement The two leaders also asserted it would be the end of any North Korean regime if it used nuclear weapons against the allies. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

WATCH | 'I had no damn idea you could...': Biden stunned as S Korean prez sings ‘American Pie’ at White House

Nearly a week after Pakistan announced it had placed its first order for discounted Russian crude oil, the USA has said it has no problem and will not oppose the deal.

Nearly a week after Pakistan announced it had placed its first order for discounted Russian crude oil, the USA has said it has no problem and will not oppose the deal. US State Department’s Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said the White House had left the door open for such purchases even though it had placed restrictions on Russian oil after the Ukraine invasion last year. “Look, each country is going to make its own sovereign decisions as it relates to its energy supply,” said Patel. “One of the reasons that the United States, through the G7, has been a big proponent of the price cap is to ensure that steps are not being taken to keep Russian energy off the market because we understand that there is a demand for supply." In December last year, the G7 and EU countries set a price cap of $60 per barrel on Russian oil. Even then, US stated Pakistan can purchase oil from Russia despite not signing the Washington-backed price cap. “But we also need to take steps to ensure that Russian energy markets are not turning out to be a windfall for [President] Putin’s war machine,” Mr Patel warned. “And so, again, countries will make their own sovereign decisions. We have never tried to keep Russian energy off the market," he added. WATCH | Is Pakistan's economic crisis getting worse? × While the West, especially the US imposes heavy sanctions on Moscow, President Vladimir Putin has been selling oil at discounted prices to countries such as India and China. Pakistan places the order With Pakistan reeling under a severe economic crisis, the leaders in Islamabad finally decided to take the plunge to order Russian oil earlier this week. Under the deal, Pakistan will buy only crude, not refined fuels, informed Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik. Imports are expected to reach 100,000 barrels per day (bpd ALSO READ | Pakistan purchases first cargo of discounted Russian oil The 100,000 bpd from Russia should significantly reduce Pakistan's dependence on fuel from the Middle East. Currently, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are the main suppliers of crude to Islamabad. According to statistics from analytics company Kpler, Islamabad bought 154,000 bpd of oil in 2022, roughly maintaining the level from the previous year. Notably, Pakistan has been negotiating the release of $1.1 billion tranche of a $6.5 billion bailout package from International Monetary Fund (IMF) to avoid defaulting. Despite securing financing from UAE and Saudi Arabia to meet the pre-conditions laid down by the monetary body, it will take some time for the money to roll in. Until then, Russia's discounted oil may allow Islamabad to breathe a little bit easy. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

White House responds to Pakistan purchasing discounted Russian oil

A Washington State middle school is under investigation for organising an objectionable and inappropriate game which some parents say has a sexual theme to it and is harmful to students and can promote unhealthy behaviour.

A video has gone viral on social media where the Desert Hills Middle School's staff members and students can be seen participating in a contest which involved licking marshmallow cream off a transparent plexiglass. The video from the contest was posted on the Wake Up WA State Facebook page.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-diplomats-families-evacuated-from-sudan-rsf-585218">US diplomats, families evacuated from Sudan: RSF&nbsp;</a>

In the video, it can be seen that staff and students come one by one in pairs, stand on opposite sides of the glass and lick up the four lines of cream off the glass in a haste in an apparent race to win the perplexing and very bizarre contest which some students and parents have termed as “gross” and “highly sexualized.”

After protest lodged by several students and parents, Kennewick School District is now conducting an investigation into the matter.&nbsp;

They are trying to find out the reason behind organising this disgusting event which was held a couple of weeks ago right before spring break.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zelenskyy-signs-law-banning-russian-place-names-in-ukraine-aims-to-restore-national-identity-585227">Zelensky signs law banning Russian place names in Ukraine, aims to restore national identity</a>

“This activity does not reflect the high standards we hold for our staff members as outlined in district policy,” Superintendent Traci Pierce said in a letter to the school community last Wednesday, according to Tri-City Herald.

“The content of a video being shared on social media is highly concerning, and the situation is currently being investigated by the district.”

Many parents have displayed disgust and anger over the matter saying that school officials should have been careful in considering the games that are played in schools to ensure that they are appropriate for students.

In the video, some of the people can be seen enjoying the awful contest in mirth while others seem to be absolutely baffled and horrified by the event as they watched the game unfold in utter confusion.

Loud noises can be heard in the video with students reacting to the game. One student can be heard saying “That’s actually so gross."

Another student in the video screamed, “ewww.”

“What the heck,” a student exclaimed.

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One time the glass was about to topple but a faculty member quickly rushed to the scene and held on to the dividing glass to keep it upright, as per the video.

Watch | 'India's high population not a problem,' says Manish Sabharwal, VC Teamlease Services | India Story

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“If you are just looking at it, not necessarily knowing what’s going on, to me it kind of reminds me of like a bachelorette party game,” a parent April Jordan told KNDU, reported New York Post.&nbsp;

“I don’t really know, how even once you have said it out loud, it seems like a good idea.”

Another parent Megan Sa told Fox News the staff behavior was “highly sexualized.”

“In my opinion, we do not send our children to school to be exposed to highly sexualized behavior by adults,” Sa said adding, “We send them to school to learn and for them to socialize with other people their ages."

“They shouldn’t have to sit in a gym for a school assembly and wonder ‘What is going on?’ Schools should be a safe place for children to go and this despicable display of adult behavior was hard to watch.”

After an investigation, the school chief Pierce said it was “not appropriate activity."&nbsp;“During the activity, some students felt very uncomfortable, and the activity was highly disturbing for some students, parents, families, and community members to watch on video,” she said. “This activity does not have district approval and will never be repeated in the future.”

However, she also stated that the intent behind the game was “innocent and not ill-intended.”

“There is zero evidence to suggest or support that this was in any way ‘grooming’ activity on the part of organizers or participants,” she added. “That being said, the fact that the activity was planned, occurred, and not stopped, shows a lack of sound discernment and good judgment, and the activity is not aligned with district expectations.”

An apology was issued by the school’s principal Casey Grant. “I am committed to the safety of our students and staff and will ensure that all future activities meet the highest professional standards and adhere to district policy,” he said.

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A Washington State middle school is under investigation for organising an objectionable and inappropriate game which some parents say has a sexual theme to it and is harmful to students and can promote unhealthy behaviour.

A Washington State middle school is under investigation for organising an objectionable and inappropriate game which some parents say has a sexual theme to it and is harmful to students and can promote unhealthy behaviour. A video has gone viral on social media where the Desert Hills Middle School's staff members and students can be seen participating in a contest which involved licking marshmallow cream off a transparent plexiglass. The video from the contest was posted on the Wake Up WA State Facebook page. Also Read | US diplomats, families evacuated from Sudan: RSF In the video, it can be seen that staff and students come one by one in pairs, stand on opposite sides of the glass and lick up the four lines of cream off the glass in a haste in an apparent race to win the perplexing and very bizarre contest which some students and parents have termed as “gross” and “highly sexualized.” After protest lodged by several students and parents, Kennewick School District is now conducting an investigation into the matter. They are trying to find out the reason behind organising this disgusting event which was held a couple of weeks ago right before spring break. Also Read | Zelensky signs law banning Russian place names in Ukraine, aims to restore national identity “This activity does not reflect the high standards we hold for our staff members as outlined in district policy,” Superintendent Traci Pierce said in a letter to the school community last Wednesday, according to Tri-City Herald. “The content of a video being shared on social media is highly concerning, and the situation is currently being investigated by the district.” Many parents have displayed disgust and anger over the matter saying that school officials should have been careful in considering the games that are played in schools to ensure that they are appropriate for students. In the video, some of the people can be seen enjoying the awful contest in mirth while others seem to be absolutely baffled and horrified by the event as they watched the game unfold in utter confusion. Loud noises can be heard in the video with students reacting to the game. One student can be heard saying “That’s actually so gross." Another student in the video screamed, “ewww.” “What the heck,” a student exclaimed. × One time the glass was about to topple but a faculty member quickly rushed to the scene and held on to the dividing glass to keep it upright, as per the video. Watch | 'India's high population not a problem,' says Manish Sabharwal, VC Teamlease Services | India Story × “If you are just looking at it, not necessarily knowing what’s going on, to me it kind of reminds me of like a bachelorette party game,” a parent April Jordan told KNDU, reported New York Post. “I don’t really know, how even once you have said it out loud, it seems like a good idea.” Another parent Megan Sa told Fox News the staff behavior was “highly sexualized.” “In my opinion, we do not send our children to school to be exposed to highly sexualized behavior by adults,” Sa said adding, “We send them to school to learn and for them to socialize with other people their ages." “They shouldn’t have to sit in a gym for a school assembly and wonder ‘What is going on?’ Schools should be a safe place for children to go and this despicable display of adult behavior was hard to watch.” After an investigation, the school chief Pierce said it was “not appropriate activity." “During the activity, some students felt very uncomfortable, and the activity was highly disturbing for some students, parents, families, and community members to watch on video,” she said. “This activity does not have district approval and will never be repeated in the future.” However, she also stated that the intent behind the game was “innocent and not ill-intended.” “There is zero evidence to suggest or support that this was in any way ‘grooming’ activity on the part of organizers or participants,” she added. “That being said, the fact that the activity was planned, occurred, and not stopped, shows a lack of sound discernment and good judgment, and the activity is not aligned with district expectations.” An apology was issued by the school’s principal Casey Grant. “I am committed to the safety of our students and staff and will ensure that all future activities meet the highest professional standards and adhere to district policy,” he said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

VIDEO | Gross 'licking' contest in Washington school draws scrutiny

Russian officials, on Sunday (April 23) said visas were never issued for their country’s media representatives who were supposed to accompany the foreign minister for the upcoming United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting in New York, United States. This comes as Moscow has taken over the presidency of the UNSC&nbsp;in April which Kyiv has said was a “slap in the face”.&nbsp;

Russia fumes over US’ move

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, on Sunday, took to the messaging app, Telegram and said, “Speaking about the US real treatment of journalists. There are 40 minutes left before their departure. They (journalists) are all at the airport. They have no visas. The US Embassy replied to a our relevant request that ‘they work on it’”.&nbsp;

She added, “It’s an obvious manipulation of the freedom of speech and infringement on the rights of journalists.” Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, “We won't forget, we will not forgive this,” referring to Washington’s supposed move. He also denounced it as a “stupid” failure of the US to give visas to Russian journalists.&nbsp;

“A country that calls itself the strongest, smartest, freest and fairest, chickened out,” said the Russian foreign minister, as per AFP, adding that this shows “the worth of their solemn assurances on freedom of speech.” This comes as Moscow has strongly tightened conditions to obtain the accreditations needed to get journalist visas in Russia.&nbsp;

Washington is yet to respond to these allegations.&nbsp;

The Russian foreign minister is said to chair several UNSC meetings in New York. However, Moscow’s UNSC presidency has drawn criticism from Kyiv which has previously called it a “slap in the face”.&nbsp;

Russia warns of retaliatory steps

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said, “We will find formats to respond to this so that the Americans remember for a long time that such things must not be done,” he was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.&nbsp;

Citing a Russian diplomatic source, TASS reported that the US should not doubt that American journalists will feel maximally uncomfortable after Washington’s non-issuance of visas to Russian journalists.&nbsp;

Russian journalists also told news agency TASS that the US embassy in Moscow has not yet returned their passports and claimed they were invited to the embassy on visa-related matters on April 22 before the minister’s departure.&nbsp;

No plans for Lavrov-Blinken meeting&nbsp;

“There are no such plans. As a matter of fact, we have no agenda to be discussed by the ministers at this point,” said Ryabkov, on Sunday, ahead of the Russian delegation’s departure to New York, when asked about a possible meeting between the Russian foreign minister and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
&nbsp;

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Russian officials, on Sunday (April 23) said visas were never issued for their country’s media representatives who were supposed to accompany the foreign minister for the upcoming United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting in New York, United States.

Russian officials, on Sunday (April 23) said visas were never issued for their country’s media representatives who were supposed to accompany the foreign minister for the upcoming United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting in New York, United States. This comes as Moscow has taken over the presidency of the UNSC in April which Kyiv has said was a “slap in the face”. Russia fumes over US’ move Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, on Sunday, took to the messaging app, Telegram and said, “Speaking about the US real treatment of journalists. There are 40 minutes left before their departure. They (journalists) are all at the airport. They have no visas. The US Embassy replied to a our relevant request that ‘they work on it’”. She added, “It’s an obvious manipulation of the freedom of speech and infringement on the rights of journalists.” Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, “We won't forget, we will not forgive this,” referring to Washington’s supposed move. He also denounced it as a “stupid” failure of the US to give visas to Russian journalists. “A country that calls itself the strongest, smartest, freest and fairest, chickened out,” said the Russian foreign minister, as per AFP, adding that this shows “the worth of their solemn assurances on freedom of speech.” This comes as Moscow has strongly tightened conditions to obtain the accreditations needed to get journalist visas in Russia. Washington is yet to respond to these allegations. The Russian foreign minister is said to chair several UNSC meetings in New York. However, Moscow’s UNSC presidency has drawn criticism from Kyiv which has previously called it a “slap in the face”. Russia warns of retaliatory steps Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said, “We will find formats to respond to this so that the Americans remember for a long time that such things must not be done,” he was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies. Citing a Russian diplomatic source, TASS reported that the US should not doubt that American journalists will feel maximally uncomfortable after Washington’s non-issuance of visas to Russian journalists. Russian journalists also told news agency TASS that the US embassy in Moscow has not yet returned their passports and claimed they were invited to the embassy on visa-related matters on April 22 before the minister’s departure. No plans for Lavrov-Blinken meeting “There are no such plans. As a matter of fact, we have no agenda to be discussed by the ministers at this point,” said Ryabkov, on Sunday, ahead of the Russian delegation’s departure to New York, when asked about a possible meeting between the Russian foreign minister and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

‘We will not forgive’: Moscow fumes after US allegedly denied visas to Russian journalists for UN visit

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina claims that the United States is meddling in Bangladesh's general elections. She blamed Washington of supporting a military dictator and hence trying to topple the government. Hasina further said that the US has the power to overthrow any government.

US meddling in Bangladesh's general elections? Sheikh Hasina accuses US of trying to topple govt

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a bill that would ban most abortions in the state after six weeks, according to a release from the governor's office late Thursday night. The six-week ban would not go into effect until the state Supreme Court overturns its previous precedent on abortion.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signs six-week abortion ban into law

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday gave a befitting reply to the negative Western "perception" at an event in Washington when she was asked about the alleged "violence against Muslims" in India. She said that the Muslims in India are doing much better than the Muslims living in the neighbouring nation Pakistan.&nbsp;

Sitharaman discussed the resilience and growth of the Indian economy at the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) where she responded to PIIE president Adam S Posen on perceptions affecting investment in India or capital flows.&nbsp;

Sitharaman said, "I would only say, come have a look at what's happening in India, rather than listen to perceptions being built by people who have not even visited on the ground and who produce reports." The finance minister said that she would think the "answer for that lies with those investors who are coming to India, and they've been coming".&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-fm-nirmala-sitharaman-arrives-in-us-for-week-long-visit-will-attend-spring-meetings-of-world-bank-imf-581040">Indian FM Nirmala Sitharaman arrives in US for week-long visit; will attend Spring Meetings of World Bank, IMF</a>&nbsp;

Watch the video:

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Posen then asked Sitharaman about Western media's narrative and its reporting about Muslim minorities in India being subjected to violence, etc. To which the finance minister replied: "India has the second-largest Muslim population in the world, and that population is only growing in numbers."&nbsp;

She added, "If there is a perception, or if there's in reality, their lives are difficult or made difficult with the support of the state, which is what is implied in most of these write-ups, I would ask, will this happen in India in the sense, will the Muslim population be growing than what it was in 1947?”&nbsp;

She said that the contrast can be sharper as opposed to Pakistan, which was formed at the same time. While slamming Islamabad, she highlighted that violence prevails against Muhajirs, Shias and other minority groups in Pakistan. Meanwhile, every strand of the Muslim community is doing its business in India.&nbsp;

She said, "India was divided into two Pakistans. Pakistan declared itself an Islamic country but said minorities will be protected. Every minority has been dwindling in number, or decimated in Pakistan. Even some of the Muslim sects have also been decimated?"&nbsp;

While responding to the claims and counterclaims over law and order, she said that people have elected government in each state that takes care of the law and order situation.&nbsp;

The finance minister further stated that the notion that violence is happening in India against Muslims is a fallacy. She said: "It cannot be so. Each province and its police are different. They are run by the elected governments in those provinces. So, that itself tells you how these reports have no clue of the law and order systems in India?"&nbsp;

"To say it's all the blame of the government of India. I would like to say then, between 2014 and today, has the population dwindled, has the debts been disproportionately high in any one particular community," she added.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;&nbsp; 
She further said: "I would rather invite these people who write these reports to come to India. I'll host them, let them come and travel alone to India and prove their point?"&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday gave a befitting reply to the negative Western "perception" at an event in Washington when she was asked about the alleged "violence against Muslims" in India.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday gave a befitting reply to the negative Western "perception" at an event in Washington when she was asked about the alleged "violence against Muslims" in India. She said that the Muslims in India are doing much better than the Muslims living in the neighbouring nation Pakistan. Sitharaman discussed the resilience and growth of the Indian economy at the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) where she responded to PIIE president Adam S Posen on perceptions affecting investment in India or capital flows. Sitharaman said, "I would only say, come have a look at what's happening in India, rather than listen to perceptions being built by people who have not even visited on the ground and who produce reports." The finance minister said that she would think the "answer for that lies with those investors who are coming to India, and they've been coming". ALSO READ | Indian FM Nirmala Sitharaman arrives in US for week-long visit; will attend Spring Meetings of World Bank, IMF Watch the video: #WATCH | "Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman responds to a question on 'violence against Muslims' in India and on ‘negative Western perceptions' of India pic.twitter.com/KIT9dF9hZC — ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2023 × #WATCH | US: "Come have a look at what's happening in India rather than listen to perceptions being built by people who have not even visited at the ground and produce reports...": Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman responds to negative Western ‘perception’ of India pic.twitter.com/47JybaNeys — ANI (@ANI) April 10, 2023 × Posen then asked Sitharaman about Western media's narrative and its reporting about Muslim minorities in India being subjected to violence, etc. To which the finance minister replied: "India has the second-largest Muslim population in the world, and that population is only growing in numbers." She added, "If there is a perception, or if there's in reality, their lives are difficult or made difficult with the support of the state, which is what is implied in most of these write-ups, I would ask, will this happen in India in the sense, will the Muslim population be growing than what it was in 1947?” She said that the contrast can be sharper as opposed to Pakistan, which was formed at the same time. While slamming Islamabad, she highlighted that violence prevails against Muhajirs, Shias and other minority groups in Pakistan. Meanwhile, every strand of the Muslim community is doing its business in India. She said, "India was divided into two Pakistans. Pakistan declared itself an Islamic country but said minorities will be protected. Every minority has been dwindling in number, or decimated in Pakistan. Even some of the Muslim sects have also been decimated?" While responding to the claims and counterclaims over law and order, she said that people have elected government in each state that takes care of the law and order situation. The finance minister further stated that the notion that violence is happening in India against Muslims is a fallacy. She said: "It cannot be so. Each province and its police are different. They are run by the elected governments in those provinces. So, that itself tells you how these reports have no clue of the law and order systems in India?" "To say it's all the blame of the government of India. I would like to say then, between 2014 and today, has the population dwindled, has the debts been disproportionately high in any one particular community," she added. She further said: "I would rather invite these people who write these reports to come to India. I'll host them, let them come and travel alone to India and prove their point?" (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Nirmala Sitharaman gives befitting reply on negative Western 'perception' of Muslims in India

Cyberspace Administration of China said on Friday (March 31) that it will carry out a cybersecurity review of products by US memory chip manufacturer Micron Technology Inc. The move from the regulator has come amid spat between China and the US over chip technology. The Chinese regulator said that the review is aimed at protecting the security of the supply chain for critical information infrastructure, prevent hidden risks and safeguard national security.

No other details were made public including which products of Micron were under review.

The United States has imposed a series of export controls on chipmaking technology to China for fear it could be used to produce chips for applications such as artificial intelligence which could be used by China's military, and blacklisted a number of China's largest chip firms, including Micron rival Yangtze Memory Technologies Co Ltd.

Micron is one of the world's largest memory chip makers. Reuters said that Micron did not immediately respond to a comment.

"Punitive actions against Micron could suggest a broader shift in Chinese policy with other U.S. vendors with large Chinese exposure now potentially at risk of similar actions," Wedbush Securities analyst Matthew Bryson said.

On Friday, Japan announced it would align its technology trade controls with a U.S. push to curb China's ability to make advanced chips. The Netherlands, which makes advanced lithography equipment critical for the manufacture of advanced chips, made a similar announcement earlier this month.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Cyberspace Administration of China said on Friday (March 31) that it will carry out a cybersecurity review of products by US memory chip manufacturer Micron Technology Inc.

Cyberspace Administration of China said on Friday (March 31) that it will carry out a cybersecurity review of products by US memory chip manufacturer Micron Technology Inc. The move from the regulator has come amid spat between China and the US over chip technology. The Chinese regulator said that the review is aimed at protecting the security of the supply chain for critical information infrastructure, prevent hidden risks and safeguard national security. No other details were made public including which products of Micron were under review. The United States has imposed a series of export controls on chipmaking technology to China for fear it could be used to produce chips for applications such as artificial intelligence which could be used by China's military, and blacklisted a number of China's largest chip firms, including Micron rival Yangtze Memory Technologies Co Ltd. Micron is one of the world's largest memory chip makers. Reuters said that Micron did not immediately respond to a comment. "Punitive actions against Micron could suggest a broader shift in Chinese policy with other U.S. vendors with large Chinese exposure now potentially at risk of similar actions," Wedbush Securities analyst Matthew Bryson said. On Friday, Japan announced it would align its technology trade controls with a U.S. push to curb China's ability to make advanced chips. The Netherlands, which makes advanced lithography equipment critical for the manufacture of advanced chips, made a similar announcement earlier this month. (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 ×

China to test US chipmaker Micron’s products for ‘risks’ amid spat with Washington

Pentagon leaders have defended the highest-ever military budget sighting China and other eventualities as a form of preparedness. The Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, made their case for higher military expenditure during their testimony.

Pentagon: Military budget readies US for more competition with China

Russia has said the the risk of a Nuclear clash was at its highest level in decades. Sergei Ryabkov, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister, said this and warned that Moscow was in a de-facto war with Washington over the Ukraine crisis. The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister further said that Russia is committed to keeping the world "safe and free" from the threat of a nuclear war.

Russia-Ukraine War: Risk of Nuclear clash is at highest level in decades

US secretary of state Antony Blinken has warned that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has a “profound impact” on Asia, saying that China is watching “very carefully” how Washington and the world respond to Vladimir Putin’s war.

Ukraine war has ‘profound impact’ on Asia, says US secretary of state Antony Blinken

The United States on Wednesday expressed concerns about Uganda's law criminalising identification as LGBTQ and said that it represents one of the most extreme actions taken against the LGBTQ community in the world. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby warned Uganda that imposing the controversial law could invite possible economic "repercussions." Speaking to the press, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said that if the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA) is enacted, it would threaten Uganda's fight against HIV-AIDS, and deter tourism, and investment in Uganda.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Uganda outlaws identifying as LGBTQ, imposes death penalty for gay sex

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Financial repercussions "would be really unfortunate because so much of the economic assistance that we provide is health assistance," remarked Kirby. He added that Washington was closely watching "real closely" the Uganda LGBT law and that implementation of the law remains a "big if."

Uganda on Tuesday passed legislation making it illegal to identify as LGBTQ. The legislation's implementation&nbsp;is pending final approval by the country's President Yoweri Museveni.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uganda-to-criminalise-identification-as-lgbtq-introduces-strict-punishments-for-violations-574498">Identifying as LGBTQ in Uganda can lead to life in jail and even death sentence</a>

"The bill is one of the most extreme anti-LGBTQI+ laws in the world. Human rights are universal. No one should be attacked, imprisoned, or killed simply because of who they are or whom they love," said White House spokesperson Jean-Pierre.

The new law targets gay Ugandans who already face legal discrimination and mob violence.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/laws-criminalising-lgbt-people-are-sin-pope-francis-559004">Laws criminalising LGBT people are 'sin': Pope Francis</a>

In more than 30 African nations, including Uganda, there exists a ban on same-sex relations. However, as per Human Rights Watch, the Ugandan law appears to be the first to outlaw merely identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ).&nbsp;

Those in violation of the so-called Anti-Homosexuality Act risk severe punishments, including death penalty and life in prison.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The United States on Wednesday expressed concerns about Uganda's law criminalising identification as LGBTQ and said that it represents one of the most extreme actions taken against the LGBTQ community in the world.

The United States on Wednesday expressed concerns about Uganda's law criminalising identification as LGBTQ and said that it represents one of the most extreme actions taken against the LGBTQ community in the world. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby warned Uganda that imposing the controversial law could invite possible economic "repercussions." Speaking to the press, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said that if the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA) is enacted, it would threaten Uganda's fight against HIV-AIDS, and deter tourism, and investment in Uganda. Watch | Uganda outlaws identifying as LGBTQ, imposes death penalty for gay sex Financial repercussions "would be really unfortunate because so much of the economic assistance that we provide is health assistance," remarked Kirby. He added that Washington was closely watching "real closely" the Uganda LGBT law and that implementation of the law remains a "big if." Uganda on Tuesday passed legislation making it illegal to identify as LGBTQ. The legislation's implementation is pending final approval by the country's President Yoweri Museveni. Also read | Identifying as LGBTQ in Uganda can lead to life in jail and even death sentence "The bill is one of the most extreme anti-LGBTQI+ laws in the world. Human rights are universal. No one should be attacked, imprisoned, or killed simply because of who they are or whom they love," said White House spokesperson Jean-Pierre. The new law targets gay Ugandans who already face legal discrimination and mob violence. Also read | Laws criminalising LGBT people are 'sin': Pope Francis In more than 30 African nations, including Uganda, there exists a ban on same-sex relations. However, as per Human Rights Watch, the Ugandan law appears to be the first to outlaw merely identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ). Those in violation of the so-called Anti-Homosexuality Act risk severe punishments, including death penalty and life in prison. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US expresses concern over Uganda's anti-homosexuality law, warns African nation of 'repercussions'

According to North Korea's state media, Kim Jong-un has decided to take important practical war deterrence measures and this comes just a day before Seoul and Washington are said to begin their largest joint military drills in five years.

North Korea adopts war deterrent measures; U.S., South Korea to kick off freedom shield

After a U.S. court ruled that victims of 9/11 terror attacks cannot seize the $ 3.5 billion in in frozen funds belonging to the Afghanistan Central Bank, Taliban have demanded that Washington should return the assets to the company.

U.S. court ruling on frozen Afghan bank assets, Taliban demands U.S. to return them

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Turkey to show support to the earthquake-hit country. Blinken announced further aid to Turkey and said Washington would provide longer term help to Ankara as it seeks to rebuild following this month's earthquake.

Antony Blinken tours Turkey's earthquake zone, says U.S. is here with aid

Scientists at the United States-based NASA have found “one of the most elongated asteroids” ever pictured by their planetary radar. The space agency said that the asteroid flew past Earth at a safe distance, earlier this month, but what caught their attention was the odd shape which they described as oblong. The asteroid was being closely tracked by the scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, US who made “invaluable observations to help determine its size, rotation, surface details, and, most notably, shape,” said the space agency in a press release.&nbsp;

The asteroid in question is called 2011 AG5 whose close approach on February 3 gave scientists the opportunity to get a detailed look at the celestial object first discovered in 2011. The asteroid is said to be 1600 feet long and about 500 feet wide and its dimensions are comparable to the Empire State Building. The celestial object was seen by the powerful 230-foot (70-metre) Goldstone Solar System Radar antenna dish at the Deep Space Network's facility near Barstow, California, revealing the dimensions of this extremely elongated asteroid, said NASA.&nbsp;

The principal scientist at JPL who helped lead the observations, Lance Benner noted that there have been 1,040 near-Earth objects observed by planetary radar out of which 2011 AG5 has been “one of the most elongated we’ve seen”. The observations which took place at the end of last month and ended on February 4 also noted other details like a large, broad concavity in one of the asteroid’s two hemispheres and would appear as dark as charcoal if it were to be viewed by the human eye.&nbsp;

“The observations also confirmed 2011 AG5 has a slow rotation rate, taking nine hours to fully rotate,” said NASA. The space agency also confirmed that since the radar provides precise distance measurements, they believe that asteroid 2011 AG5 orbits the Sun once every 621 days. Earth will not have a close encounter with it until 2040 and even then it will pass at a distance of about 670,000 miles (1.1 million kilometres), it added.&nbsp;

“Interestingly, shortly after its discovery, 2011 AG5 became a poster-child asteroid when our analysis showed it had a small chance of a future impact,” said Paul Chodas, the director of NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) at JPL. He added, “Continued observations of this object ruled out any chance of impact, and these new ranging measurements by the planetary radar team will further refine exactly where it will be far into the future.” 
&nbsp;

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Scientists at the United States-based NASA have found “one of the most elongated asteroids” ever pictured by their planetary radar. The space agency said that the asteroid flew past Earth at a safe distance, earlier this month, but what caught their attention was the odd shape which they described as oblong.

Scientists at the United States-based NASA have found “one of the most elongated asteroids” ever pictured by their planetary radar. The space agency said that the asteroid flew past Earth at a safe distance, earlier this month, but what caught their attention was the odd shape which they described as oblong. The asteroid was being closely tracked by the scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, US who made “invaluable observations to help determine its size, rotation, surface details, and, most notably, shape,” said the space agency in a press release. The asteroid in question is called 2011 AG5 whose close approach on February 3 gave scientists the opportunity to get a detailed look at the celestial object first discovered in 2011. The asteroid is said to be 1600 feet long and about 500 feet wide and its dimensions are comparable to the Empire State Building. The celestial object was seen by the powerful 230-foot (70-metre) Goldstone Solar System Radar antenna dish at the Deep Space Network's facility near Barstow, California, revealing the dimensions of this extremely elongated asteroid, said NASA. The principal scientist at JPL who helped lead the observations, Lance Benner noted that there have been 1,040 near-Earth objects observed by planetary radar out of which 2011 AG5 has been “one of the most elongated we’ve seen”. The observations which took place at the end of last month and ended on February 4 also noted other details like a large, broad concavity in one of the asteroid’s two hemispheres and would appear as dark as charcoal if it were to be viewed by the human eye. “The observations also confirmed 2011 AG5 has a slow rotation rate, taking nine hours to fully rotate,” said NASA. The space agency also confirmed that since the radar provides precise distance measurements, they believe that asteroid 2011 AG5 orbits the Sun once every 621 days. Earth will not have a close encounter with it until 2040 and even then it will pass at a distance of about 670,000 miles (1.1 million kilometres), it added. “Interestingly, shortly after its discovery, 2011 AG5 became a poster-child asteroid when our analysis showed it had a small chance of a future impact,” said Paul Chodas, the director of NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) at JPL. He added, “Continued observations of this object ruled out any chance of impact, and these new ranging measurements by the planetary radar team will further refine exactly where it will be far into the future.” WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NASA team spots a 1600-foot oddly shaped asteroid as big as Empire State Building

US Army General Mark Milley on Tuesday said that one of the two missiles fired from the US F-16 jet at an unidentified object missed its mark and landed over Lake Huron.

"On the fourth one, over Lake Huron, the first shot missed, second shot hit," Milley told reporters after the ninth meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels, Belgium.

"The most important thing for the American military is to protect the American people."

Milley added the missile "landed harmlessly" on Huron waters and was tracked "all the way down."

"We're very, very careful to make sure that those shots are, in fact, safe, and that's the guidance from the president: shoot it down but make sure we minimize collateral damage and we preserve the safety of the American people," he said.

Over the past three days (from Friday to Sunday), US spotted three mysterious aerial objects over Michigan skies and tried to shoot them down.

On Monday, Reuters reported that the first of the two missiles had missed the object over US and Canadian airspace.

Recovery efforts are underway to identify them, and Milley cautioned that those will take some time.\

Even though the Pentagon has been unable to determine whether the flying object was a UFO, a memo issued by them revealed that it was a “small, metallic balloon”, reports Daily Mail.

Military officials later described the object as an “octagonal structure”, which was shot out of the sky because it was “a safety flight hazard and a threat due to its potential surveillance capabilities.”

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US Army General Mark Milley on Tuesday said that one of the two missiles fired from the US F-16 jet at an unidentified object missed its mark and landed over Lake Huron.

US Army General Mark Milley on Tuesday said that one of the two missiles fired from the US F-16 jet at an unidentified object missed its mark and landed over Lake Huron. "On the fourth one, over Lake Huron, the first shot missed, second shot hit," Milley told reporters after the ninth meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels, Belgium. "The most important thing for the American military is to protect the American people." Milley added the missile "landed harmlessly" on Huron waters and was tracked "all the way down." "We're very, very careful to make sure that those shots are, in fact, safe, and that's the guidance from the president: shoot it down but make sure we minimize collateral damage and we preserve the safety of the American people," he said. Over the past three days (from Friday to Sunday), US spotted three mysterious aerial objects over Michigan skies and tried to shoot them down. On Monday, Reuters reported that the first of the two missiles had missed the object over US and Canadian airspace. Recovery efforts are underway to identify them, and Milley cautioned that those will take some time.\ Even though the Pentagon has been unable to determine whether the flying object was a UFO, a memo issued by them revealed that it was a “small, metallic balloon”, reports Daily Mail. Military officials later described the object as an “octagonal structure”, which was shot out of the sky because it was “a safety flight hazard and a threat due to its potential surveillance capabilities.” WATCH WION LIVE HERE

One of the missiles fired at unidentified aerial object missed target, says US Army chief

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