U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday (July 26)the United States would hit France shortly with a "substantial reciprocal action" - and warned a new American tax on French wine was possible - after Paris announced a tax aimed at U.S. technology companies. Trump told reporters the tax decision was wrong and he threatened the key French export. The United States is by far the largest single export market for French wine and spirits, which is France's second-biggest export after aerospace. The United States in 2018 accounted for nearly a quarter of all French wine exports or 3.2 billion euros' ($3.6 billion) worth. Trump also offered a pessimistic view on reaching a trade deal with China, saying Beijing may not sign one before the November 2020 election in hopes a Democrat who will be easier to deal with, will win.

Trump says U.S. to hit France with 'substantial' action for digital tax

Sri Lanka demands UK take back rotting waste. Sri Lanka had found hazardous waste in UK cargo. Western nations send their waste to Asian countries. Sri Lanka says illegal UK waste offloaded to India, Dubai. Watch this video to know more.

Lankan Minister: Garbage shipped to India, Dubai

Thousands of protesters calling for democracy and some chanting "free Hong Kong" converged on the Chinese-ruled city's airport on Friday (July 26) as Singapore advised its travellers to avoid protest areas in the territory. Hong Kong airport authorities said operations at one of Asia's biggest civil aviation hubs would not be affected, but advised passengers to arrive early given the risk of disruption. The former British colony, which returned to China in 1997, is embroiled in its worst political crisis for decades after two months of increasingly violent protests that have posed one of the gravest populist challenges to Communist Party rulers in Beijing. At the airport protesters, many dressed in black and seated on the ground gradually filled the entire arrivals hall. They held up signs calling on the government to withdraw the extradition bill completely, while chants of "Free Hong Kong" reverberated around the cavernous glass and steel hall. Organizers said some 15,000 people took part in the protest over 11 hours, while police put the figure at 4,000 at its peak.

Protest against Extradition Bill, Thousands at airport demand "Free Hong Kong"

Britain has started sending a warship to escort all British-flagged vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial artery for the shipping of oil. It's a reversal in policy by the British government, which announced the change on Thursday (July 25). Previously it said it did not have sufficient resources to do so. HMS Montrose, a British frigate now in the area, carried out the first mission under the new policy on Wednesday evening, escorting two merchant vessels, the Stena Important and the Sea Ploeg. The new use of a Royal Navy vessel comes after the seizure of a British-flagged tanker on July 19 by Iranian commandos. That followed the capture of an Iranian oil tanker near Gibraltar by British forces two weeks ago. It was accused of violating sanctions on Syria by the UK.

Britain begins escorting all UK vessels through Hormuz Strait

The Supreme Court on Friday handed President Trump a major victory by clearing the way for him to divert $2.5 billion from the military’s budget and use it to build an extra 100 miles of border wall in California, Arizona, and New Mexico. The justices, by a vote of 5 to 4, lifted orders by a federal judge in Oakland and the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco that had barred the administration from using the Pentagon’s money to build a border wall. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the court’s four other conservatives joined in ruling for the Trump administration. They questioned whether the Sierra Club and other plaintiffs had standing to challenge the government’s spending policy.

U.S top court rules in Trump's favour in border wall funding dispute

The hot air that smashed European weather records this week, moves towards Greenland and could take the world's second largest ice sheet close to or below the record low seen in 2012, the United Nations said on July 26.

Heatwave threatens Greenland ice sheet

Hong Kong continues to be on the boil. Hong Kong police today began to use tear gas to disperse thousands of people, who were protesting in the Yuen Long. Watch this video to know more.

Hong Kong: 288,000 people protest in Yuen Long

Police fired tear gas to disperse crowds of protesters who had gathered in a rural Hong Kong town on Saturday (July 27) to demonstrate against a recent gang attack.

Police fire tear gas at Hong Kong activists

South Korea on Saturday (July 27) commemorated the 66th anniversary of the Korean War armistice that ceased the 1950-53 Korean War.

South Korea marks the 66th anniversary of the Korean War armistice

Mumbai is once again receiving heavy to very heavy rainfall for the last two days. Several low-lying areas including Gandhi Market in Sion, Santacruz, Panvel, Saki Naka have been inundated due to rains. News agency ANI reported the Mumbai received 150-180 mm rains in the last 24 hours. The IMD has said that Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours. The weather department has issued an orange alert for the next 48 hours. “We have issued an orange alert for Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts. An orange alert is merely a warning for authorities to get prepared, while a red alert directs them to take action as the situation might turn severe. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in Mumbai, Thane, and Raigad districts, while extremely heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in Palghar district,” an IMD official told PTI.

Monsoon mayhem in Mumbai, NDRF rescues stranded passengers

Some two hundred Puerto Ricans lined a San Juan highway Friday evening in a call for peace and unity as a succession battle looms following the resignation of the island's governor. The human chain was organized throughout the Puerto Rican capital as well as in other spots throughout the Caribbean island.

Puerto Ricans form human chain in name of peace

The US Supreme Court has allowed US President Donald Trump to use defence funds to build border wall. Donald Trump says it is a big win for border security. Watch this video to know more.

US Supreme Court allows use of funds for border wall

Ledy Perez clenched her hand, covering her face as she wept, an arm clutching her small 6-year-old son, who glared defiantly at the Mexican National Guard soldier blocking them from crossing into the United States. The plight of this mother and son who had traveled some 1,500 miles (2,410 km) from their home country of Guatemala to the border city of Ciudad Juarez, only to be stopped mere feet from the United States, was captured by Reuters photographer Jose Luis Gonzalez as twilight approached on Monday (July 22). One of several images Reuters published of the scene, it has thrown into the spotlight the role Mexico's militarized National Guard police force is playing in containing migration, mostly from Central America. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador created the National Guard to bring down record homicide rates, but almost a third of its members are now assigned to patrolling the border to placate President Donald Trump's demands of stemming the flow of U.S.-bound migrants. The soldier displayed no overt aggression during the nine-minute encounter with Perez and her son. Still, the power dynamics apparent in the image resonated with criticism of the treatment migrants are receiving during the clampdown by Mexico. Lopez Obrador's spokesman, Jesus Ramirez, said the image was an example of the National Guard doing its job of looking after public security. He said the soldier did not impede Perez from crossing but advised her of the dangers of doing so.

Tearful mother begs Mexican soldiers to let her enter U.S

Pro-democracy protesters assaulted last week. Triad gangsters suspected to be behind the attack. Masked men had occupied a transit railway station. Video emerges of police officers slipping away. Proposed extradition bill has sparked protests. Hong Kong govt used 'dead' word for the extradition bill. Last Sunday, Protesters were attacked by masked men. Watch this video to know more.

Hong Kong protest enters 8th week

Bhutan was once the poster child for green living. In 2000, Bhutan had 19,000 cars, buses & trucks. Thimphu has 40 buses for 1,00,000 people. In decades Bhutan has seen a 500% increase in vehicles. Bhutan is the world's only carbon negative country. Watch this video to know further...

What Worries 'Green & Happy' Bhutan?

WhatsApp, which has over 400 million users of its messaging service in India, plans to roll out its much-awaited payments service in the country later this year, more than a year after it began testing the offering here. The Facebook-owned company has been testing its payments service in the country since last year with about a million users, but could not launch full-fledged services as it has been awaiting regulatory approvals. Speaking at an event here on Thursday, WhatsApp Global Head Will Cathcart said the company's vision is to make sending money as easy as sending messages on the platform.

WhatsApp to roll out payments service in India later this year

In 1999, Pakistani soldiers entered India disguised as intruders. The battlefield was the Kargil district of Jammu & Kashmir. Kargil is one of the world's highest battlegrounds. IAF also provide air support to the ground forces. Indian Navy blocked the routes to Karachi. When India ended the conflict started by Pakistan.

Kargil: A Story of Victory & Sacrifice

Protesters march into Hong Kong international airport. Protest against extradition bill now inside the airport. Protesters hold up banners to highlight their cause. Several nations have issued a travel advisory for Hong Kong. Watch this video to know more.

Hong Kong: Demand for probe against violence, Massive protests at Arrival hall of HK international airport

Nineteen years ago on this day, the Kargil War or the Kargil conflict that took place between May 3 and July 26, 1999, in the Kargil district of Kashmir and along the Line of Control (LOC), officially came to an end. The Indian soldiers successfully reclaimed all the peaks that had been seized by our nuclear-armed neighbor Pakistan. India is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas on Friday, July 26. President Ram Nath Kovind pays tribute to martyrs in Sri Nagar.

President Ram Nath Kovind pays tribute to martyrs in Srinagar

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani agreed that it was time to "accelerate efforts" to end the war in Afghanistan, the State Department said on Thursday. Pompeo and Ghani spoke by phone on Wednesday, the State Department said. Pompeo assured Ghani that the United States remains committed to a conditions-based drawdown of troops, according to the State Department. Violence flared in Kabul on Thursday, with two explosions taking place moments after a bus carrying government employees was hit by a blast, killing five people.

Pompeo, Ghani agree to 'accelerate efforts' to end war in Afghanistan: State Department

In a warning to Pakistan on the 20th Kargil Vijay Diwas, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat asked the neighbouring country not to repeat any such misadventure, saying they will face even worse consequences. Army Chief General Bipin Rawat paid tribute at the war memorial in Dras, where in his message to Pakistan, he said, "Don't do it. Misadventures are normally not repeated. You'll get a bloodier nose next time." This came a day after the Army Chief ruled out Kargil-like misadventure by Pakistan saying the Indian Armed Forces were much more powerful than they were in 1999. "It was a big misadventure undertaken by the Pakistan army in 1999. They did not appreciate the will and the intent of the Indian political establishment and the Indian armed forces that we will never allow them to succeed, General Rawat said as he addressed the media a day ahead of the Kargil Vijay Diwas.

Army Chief warns Pakistan on 20th Kargil Vijay Diwas

A SpaceX rocket successfully launched on Thursday (July 25) en route to the International Space Station with the company's Dragon spacecraft. According to NASA, it was a "great launch" with clear weather. The Dragon will dock at the International Space Station to deliver supplies. The docking is expected on Saturday (July 27). The supplies include scientific equipment and a new docking adapter.

Successful launch for SpaceX rocket en route to International Space Station for resupply mission

President Donald Trump celebrated his new Secretary of Defense with pomp and pagentry at the Pentagon, Thursday. The president, along with Vice President Mike Pence and Pentagon leaders participated in a full honors welcome ceremony, including a 21-gun-salute, for Mark Esper, an Army veteran and former defense industry lobbyist who was confirmed by the Senate 90-8 and sworn in on Tuesday. In remarks at the ceremony, Trump congratulated Esper and expressed confidence he is the right person for the growing challenges of the times.

Trump celebrates new Defense Secretary Mark Esper

Nineteen years ago on this day, the Kargil War or the Kargil conflict that took place between May 3 and July 26, 1999, in the Kargil district of Kashmir and along the Line of Control (LOC), officially came to an end. The Indian soldiers successfully reclaimed all the peaks that had been seized by our nuclear-armed neighbor Pakistan. India is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas on Friday, July 26.

20th Kargil Vijay Diwas: India pays tribute to martyrs, PM Modi shares photos of 1999 visit

On 26 July 2019, India is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the victory of the Indian Armed Forces in Operation Vijay against the infiltrating Pakistani troops. The anniversary is observed each year across the nation to show respect and gratitude to the brave servicemen of the armed forces who laid down their lives to re-capture all positions that had been seized by the Pakistan Army. Know How & Why is India celebrating Kargil Vijay Diwas 20th Anniversary #KargilVijayDiwas #KargilWar

20th Anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas | Know what happened 20 years ago

Is Imran Khan a success or failure as the Prime Minister of Pakistan? The economy is facing deep troubles. There is a balance of payments crisis and the country is surviving on doles from China, Saudi Arabia and IMF. On #WionEdit, Palki tells how Khan has failed to deliver as Prime Minister.

WION Edit: Imran Khan as PM: success or failure?

Today marks the 20th anniversary of Kargil conflict. Today is the wreath-laying ceremony at Dras War Memorial. President Kovind will be in Kargil today. Functions being organized all over India. All three Defence service chiefs to attend celebrations. Watch this video to know more. #KargilVijayDiwas #KargilWar

Today India marks 20th Kargil Vijay Diwas

On 3rd edition of #WIONWorldOrder, watch the discussion on balance of power and global power shift with Gurjit Singh (former Ambassador of India to Germany), Pham Sanh Chau (former Ambassador of India), Sidharto R Suryodipuro (Ambassador of Indonesia to India), Chutintorn Gongsakdi (Ambassador of Thailand to India).

WION World Order: SCO: Decoding the 'Alliance of the East' grand strategy

Rajya Sabha Passes The Controversial RTI Amendment Bill 2019 After Huge Ruckus The last few days saw some serious drama in Indian Parliament. The major bone of contention was the controversial RTI Amendment bill which the government managed to pass in Rajya Sabha today. Opposition parties, activists and even former information commissioners say that the bill will dilute RTI. Here's Palki bringing the wholistic view of the bill and the controversy surrounding it.

Gravitas: RTI Amendment bill 2019: all you need to know

Facebook Has Been Fined $5 Billion For Violating User Privacy In Cambridge Analytica Case. But Will It Really Force Any Change In Facebook? Facebook will have to pay a fine of $5 Billion for violating user privacy in the Cambridge Analytica data scandal case. But will it change anything at the ground at all? After all, Facebook posted strong earnings in Q2FY19. Here's a report

Gravitas: Facebook fined, but does it make a dent?

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