A news report citing preliminary findings by American officials notes that Black box data of a Chinese airliner that crashed on March 21 killing all 132 people on board indicates indicates that someone in the cockpit intentionally crashed the plane.
China Eastern flight MU5735 went into a near vertical nosedive less than an hour before it was meant to arrive at Guangzhou, with flight tracking showing the plane plummeting to the ground at an almost 90-degree angle.
The Wall Street Journal cited unnamed officials as saying that the flight information recorded in the black box suggested inputs were made to cockpit controls that put the plane in a fatal plunge.The Boeing 737-800 jet, data recorded by flight tracking service FlightRadar showed, dropped from 29,000 feet to the ground in less than two minutes.
A preliminary report by China’s aviation regulator released on April 20 found no problems with the aircraft or the cargo. The Chinese report did not establish a cause for the crash.
The WSJ cited its sources as saying that there is also a possibility that someone else on the plane could have broken into the cockpit and deliberately caused the crash. 

Someone in cockpit intentionally crashed Chinese plane: WSJ report

Chinese investigation revealed that there was no problem with the aircraft or the cargo&nbsp;

A news report citing preliminary findings by American officials notes that&nbsp;Black box data of a&nbsp;Chinese airliner that crashed on March 21 killing all 132 people on board indicates that someone in the cockpit intentionally crashed the plane.
China Eastern flight MU5735 went into a near vertical nosedive less than an hour before it was meant to arrive at Guangzhou, with flight tracking showing the plane plummeting to the ground at an almost 90-degree angle.
The Wall Street Journal cited unnamed officials as saying that the flight information recorded in the black box suggested inputs were made to cockpit controls that put the plane in a fatal plunge. The Boeing 737-800 jet, data recorded by flight tracking service FlightRadar showed, dropped from 29,000 feet to the ground in less than two minutes.
A preliminary report by China&rsquo;s aviation regulator released on April 20 found no problems with the aircraft or the cargo. The Chinese report did not establish a cause for the crash.
The WSJ cited its sources as saying that there is also a possibility that someone else on the plane could have broken into the cockpit and deliberately caused the crash.&nbsp;
Also Watch|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/china-crash-boeing-in-trouble-again-after-earlier-737-max-controversy-1647943773140" target="_blank">China crash: Boeing in trouble again after earlier 737 MAX controversy?</a>

A seven-year-old Ukrainian figure skater has returned to the ice in the UK after fleeing the war in his country.
Gosha Mandziuk, who now lives in Bristol with his mother Iryna, has competed nationally and was also part of an ice hockey team in Ukraine.
Gosha's mother Iryna told British broadcaster Sky News that skating is Gosha's "biggest passion" and that he wants to keep up his training regime while he's in Britain.
But the cost of coaching and having somewhere to train is considerably higher in the UK, she said.
"Now it is minimum five times more expensive and it's not affordable at the moment," she told Sky.
Gosha and his mother arrived in the UK last month and have been staying with host Caroline Drugan and her family.
Drugan said the "perilous journey" Gosha's father made back to Kyiv just to get his skating equipment showed how important it was to them as a family.

Watch: 7-year-old Ukrainian skater creates magic as he returns to the ice in UK

Gosha&nbsp;Mandziuk&nbsp;has participated in national competitions in Ukraine&nbsp;

A seven-year-old Ukrainian figure skater has returned to the ice in the UK after fleeing the war in his country.
Gosha Mandziuk, who now lives in Bristol with his mother Iryna, has competed nationally and was also part of an ice hockey team in Ukraine.
Gosha's mother Iryna told British broadcaster Sky News that skating is Gosha's "biggest passion" and that he wants to keep up his training regime while he's in Britain.
But the cost of coaching and having somewhere to train is considerably higher in the UK, she said.
"Now it is minimum five times more expensive and it's not affordable at the moment," she told Sky.
Gosha and his mother arrived in the UK last month and have been staying with host Caroline Drugan and her family.
Drugan said the "perilous journey" Gosha's father made back to Kyiv just to get his skating equipment showed how important it was to them as a family.
Also Watch|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/ukrainian-grandma-bakes-cake-for-orthodox-easter-amid-rubble-1650788293819" target="_blank">Ukrainian grandma bakes cake for Orthodox Easter amid rubble</a>

The 75th Cannes Film Festival kicked off Tuesday with an eye turned to Russia's war in Ukraine and a live satellite video address from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who called on a new generation of filmmakers to confront dictators as Charlie Chaplin satirised Adolf Hitler.
After tributes and musical numbers, Zelenskyy was streamed live for the formally attired audience who had gathered for the premiere of Michel Hazanavicius' zombie comedy “Final Cut." Zelenskyy, dressed in his signature olive green shirt, drew a thunderous standing ovation and spoke at length about the connection between cinema and reality. He referenced films like Francis Ford Coppola's “Apocalypse Now” and Charlie Chaplin's “The Great Dictator” as not unlike Ukraine's present circumstances.
Zelenskyy quoted Chaplin's final speech in “The Great Dictator,” which was released in 1940, in the early days of World War II: “The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people.” “We need a new Chaplin who will demonstrate that the cinema of our time is not silent,” implored Zelenskyy.
The Ukrainian president pushed filmmakers not to “stay silent” while hundreds continue to die in Ukraine, the largest war in Europe since WWII, and show that cinema “is always on the side of freedom.” The war is to be a regular presence in Cannes, where the festival has barred Russians with ties to the government from attending this year.
Set to screen are several films from prominent Ukrainian filmmakers, including Sergei Loznitsa's documentary “The Natural History of Destruction.” Footage shot by Lithuanian filmmaker Mantas Kvedaravicius before he was killed in Mariupol in April will also be shown by his fiancée, Hanna Bilobrova.
Even “Final Cut," the latest film from “The Artist” filmmaker Hazanavicius, was renamed from its original title, “Z,” after Ukrainian protesters noted that the letter Z to some symbolizes support for Russia's war in Ukraine.
Formally attired stars including Eva Longoria, Julianne Moore, Bérénice Bejo and “No Time to Die” star Lashana Lynch were among those who streamed down Cannes' famous red carpet Tuesday.
More star-studded premieres — “Top Gun: Maverick!" “Elvis!" — await over the next 12 days, during which 21 films will vie for the festival's prestigious top award, the Palme d'Or.
But Tuesday's opening and the carefully choreographed red-carpet parade leading up the steps to the Grand Théâtre Lumiére again restored one of the movies' grandest pageants after two years of pandemic that have challenged the exalted stature Cannes annually showers on cinema.
“Dear friends, let's come out of this dark together,” said opening ceremony host Virginie Efira.
After last year requiring regular COVID-19 testing and masks in theatres — and no kisses on the red carpet — Cannes has largely done away with pandemic protocols. Masks are recommended inside but are rarely worn.
Cannes presented an honorary Palme d'Or to Forest Whitaker, who received a standing ovation. Whitaker, who won best actor at Cannes 34 years ago for his performance as Charlie Parker in Clint Eastwood's “Bird,” said that while ascending the steps to the Palais des Festivals on Tuesday, he could still hear chants of “Clint! Clint!” ringing in his ears.
Eastwood is one of few others who have been awarded an honorary Palme.
On Tuesday, Cannes also unveiled the jury that will award the Palme d'Or. French actor Vincent Lindon is leading a jury that includes Deepika Padukone, Rebecca Hall, Asghar Farhadi, Trinca, Ladj Ly, Noomi Rapace, Jeff Nichols, and Joachim Trier.
Questions of gender equality have long surrounded the Cannes Film Festival, where no more than five female filmmakers have ever been a part of the Palme competition lineup and only two women directors have won it.
On Monday, Fremaux defended the festival, arguing that it selects films purely on the basis of quality. Hall, who last year made her directorial debut with the film “Passing,” was asked about her opinion on Cannes' record.
“I believe that it is a work in progress. I mean for the whole film industry, not just the Cannes Film Festival," replied Hall. “The way of dealing with these things needs to be addressed on a grassroots level as well. It's not just the festivals or public-facing situations. It's about all the minutiae of what goes into the industry at large." Farhadi, the Oscar-winning Iranian director, also spoke for the first time about an ongoing plagiarism suit regarding his previous film, “A Hero,” which won the Grand Prix in Cannes last year. A former film student of Farhadi's, Azadeh Masihzadeh, has accused him of stealing the idea of the film from a 2018 documentary she made in a workshop taught by Farhadi.
Speaking at length, Farhadi said “A Hero” was not based on the documentary.
“It was based on a current event so this documentary and this film are based on an event that happened two years prior to the workshop,” said Farhadi. "When an event takes place and is covered by the press, then it becomes public knowledge and you can do what you like about the event. You can write a story or make a film about the event. You can look up the information on this event. A Hero' is just one interpretation of this event.”

Cannes 2022: Zelenskyy opens film festival, invokes Charlie Chaplin to slam Putin

Zelenskyy, dressed in his signature olive green shirt, drew a thunderous standing ovation and spoke at length about the connection between cinema and reality. (PAL)

Zelenskyy quoted Chaplin's final speech in &ldquo;The Great Dictator,&rdquo; which was released in 1940, in the early days of World War II.

The 75th Cannes Film Festival kicked off Tuesday with an eye turned to Russia's war in Ukraine and a live satellite video address from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who called on a new generation of filmmakers to confront dictators as Charlie Chaplin satirised Adolf Hitler.
After tributes and musical numbers, Zelenskyy was streamed live for the formally attired audience who had gathered for the premiere of Michel Hazanavicius' zombie comedy &ldquo;Final Cut." Zelenskyy, dressed in his signature olive green shirt, drew a thunderous standing ovation and spoke at length about the connection between cinema and reality. He referenced films like Francis Ford Coppola's &ldquo;Apocalypse Now&rdquo; and Charlie Chaplin's &ldquo;The Great Dictator&rdquo; as not unlike Ukraine's present circumstances.
Watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/underground-city-to-escape-nuclear-attack-finland-s-swanky-bunkers-in-news-amid-nato-move-russia-war-1652793700533">Underground city to escape nuclear attack: Finland's swanky bunkers in news amid NATO move | Russia war</a>
Zelenskyy quoted Chaplin's final speech in &ldquo;The Great Dictator,&rdquo; which was released in 1940, in the early days of World War II: &ldquo;The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people.&rdquo; &ldquo;We need a new Chaplin who will demonstrate that the cinema of our time is not silent,&rdquo; implored Zelenskyy.
The Ukrainian president pushed filmmakers not to &ldquo;stay silent&rdquo; while hundreds continue to die in Ukraine, the largest war in Europe since WWII, and show that cinema &ldquo;is always on the side of freedom.&rdquo; The war is to be a regular presence in Cannes, where the festival has barred Russians with ties to the government from attending this year.
Set to screen are several films from prominent Ukrainian filmmakers, including Sergei Loznitsa's documentary &ldquo;The Natural History of Destruction.&rdquo; Footage shot by Lithuanian filmmaker Mantas Kvedaravicius before he was killed in Mariupol in April will also be shown by his fianc&eacute;e, Hanna Bilobrova.
Even &ldquo;Final Cut," the latest film from &ldquo;The Artist&rdquo; filmmaker Hazanavicius, was renamed from its original title, &ldquo;Z,&rdquo; after Ukrainian protesters noted that the letter Z to some symbolizes support for Russia's war in Ukraine.
Formally attired stars including Eva Longoria, Julianne Moore, B&eacute;r&eacute;nice Bejo and &ldquo;No Time to Die&rdquo; star Lashana Lynch were among those who streamed down Cannes' famous red carpet Tuesday.
More star-studded premieres &mdash; &ldquo;Top Gun: Maverick!" &ldquo;Elvis!" &mdash; await over the next 12 days, during which 21 films will vie for the festival's prestigious top award, the Palme d'Or.
But Tuesday's opening and the carefully choreographed red-carpet parade leading up the steps to the Grand Th&eacute;&acirc;tre Lumi&eacute;re again restored one of the movies' grandest pageants after two years of pandemic that have challenged the exalted stature Cannes annually showers on cinema.
&ldquo;Dear friends, let's come out of this dark together,&rdquo; said opening ceremony host Virginie Efira.
After last year requiring regular COVID-19 testing and masks in theatres &mdash; and no kisses on the red carpet &mdash; Cannes has largely done away with pandemic protocols. Masks are recommended inside but are rarely worn.
Cannes presented an honorary Palme d'Or to Forest Whitaker, who received a standing ovation. Whitaker, who won best actor at Cannes 34 years ago for his performance as Charlie Parker in Clint Eastwood's &ldquo;Bird,&rdquo; said that while ascending the steps to the Palais des Festivals on Tuesday, he could still hear chants of &ldquo;Clint! Clint!&rdquo; ringing in his ears.
Eastwood is one of few others who have been awarded an honorary Palme.
On Tuesday, Cannes also unveiled the jury that will award the Palme d'Or. French actor Vincent Lindon is leading a jury that includes Deepika Padukone, Rebecca Hall, Asghar Farhadi, Trinca, Ladj Ly, Noomi Rapace, Jeff Nichols, and Joachim Trier.
Questions of gender equality have long surrounded the Cannes Film Festival, where no more than five female filmmakers have ever been a part of the Palme competition lineup and only two women directors have won it.
On Monday, Fremaux defended the festival, arguing that it selects films purely on the basis of quality. Hall, who last year made her directorial debut with the film &ldquo;Passing,&rdquo; was asked about her opinion on Cannes' record.
&ldquo;I believe that it is a work in progress. I mean for the whole film industry, not just the Cannes Film Festival," replied Hall. &ldquo;The way of dealing with these things needs to be addressed on a grassroots level as well. It's not just the festivals or public-facing situations. It's about all the minutiae of what goes into the industry at large." Farhadi, the Oscar-winning Iranian director, also spoke for the first time about an ongoing plagiarism suit regarding his previous film, &ldquo;A Hero,&rdquo; which won the Grand Prix in Cannes last year. A former film student of Farhadi's, Azadeh Masihzadeh, has accused him of stealing the idea of the film from a 2018 documentary she made in a workshop taught by Farhadi.
Speaking at length, Farhadi said &ldquo;A Hero&rdquo; was not based on the documentary.
&ldquo;It was based on a current event so this documentary and this film are based on an event that happened two years prior to the workshop,&rdquo; said Farhadi. "When an event takes place and is covered by the press, then it becomes public knowledge and you can do what you like about the event. You can write a story or make a film about the event. You can look up the information on this event. A Hero' is just one interpretation of this event.&rdquo;

A disturbing video has emerged from an American school. In the video spreading widely on social media, an Indian-American teenager is seen getting assaulted by an American student. Twitter users suggested that the name of the victim was Shaan Pritmani.
In the video, the assailant is seen abusing and asking Shaan to vacate the seat he is occupying. Shaan refuses, and the assailant proceeds to first press his elbow on Shaan's neck, and then choke him. Then the bully drags Shaan off the seat and onto the ground. He then tries to keep the victim sprawled on the floor.
Coppell Middle School North issued a statement, saying, "Bullying, both verbal and physical, as well as physical acts of aggression are never acceptable and do not align with who we are at CISD and our core values."
However, news reports suggested that Shaan had been suspended for 3 days as punishment, while his assailant was only suspended for one day. Shaan's parents were reportedly considering legal action, while waiting for the school investigation to conclude.

Watch: Indian-American teen beaten up at US school, then punished by staff, claim outraged netizens

Watch: Indian-American teen beaten up in school, then punished by staff. Outrage on social media


Indian-American teen bullied faced a harsher punishment than his bully, according to social media users&nbsp;

A disturbing video has emerged from an American school. In the video spreading widely on social media, an Indian-American teenager is seen getting assaulted by an American student. Twitter users suggested that the name of the victim was Shaan Pritmani.
In the video, the assailant is seen abusing and asking Shaan to vacate the seat he is occupying. Shaan refuses, and the assailant proceeds to first press his elbow on Shaan's neck, and then choke him. Then the bully drags Shaan off the seat and onto the ground. He then tries to keep the victim sprawled on the floor.
Coppell Middle School North issued a statement, saying, "Bullying, both verbal and physical, as well as physical acts of aggression are never acceptable and do not align with who we are at CISD and our core values."
However, news reports suggested that Shaan had been suspended for 3 days as punishment, while his assailant was only suspended for one day. Shaan's parents were reportedly considering legal action, while waiting for the school investigation to conclude.
Also Watch|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/suspect-it-was-a-hate-crime-family-of-21-year-old-who-was-killed-in-canada-1649519312906" target="_blank">'Suspect it was a hate crime': family of 21-year-old who was killed in Canada</a>

Pope Francis, head of the Roman Catholic Church, had an entertaining interaction with some followers recently. The pope was riding in his vehicle, informally called the 'popemobile', in St Peter's Square, when some priests from Mexico hailed him.
The Mexican seminarians from the Legion of Christ asked the Pope about his knee. The Pope has been suffering from strained ligaments in his right knee for many months.
In the viral video, a seminarian is heard saying, "Thank you for your smile, your happiness, for being here despite the discomfort. You are an example for us, as future priests."
To this, Francis replied, "You know what I need for my leg? A little tequila."
A seminarian said that if he ever visits Casa Santa Marta - the Pope's residence - he would get him a bottle of tequila.
The Pope has been advised to use a wheelchair, cane, and undergo physical therapy to help his knee heal.
Francis recently cancelled a 2-day trip to Lebanon due to his knee issue. But he will be visiting Congo, South Sudan, and Canada in July.

Pope Francis wants tequila to deal with knee pain: watch funny viral video from St Peter's Square

Pope Francis was asked about his knee pain by some Mexican seminarians in St Peter's Square. The Pope replied that he would like tequila to deal with the pain.

Pope Francis, head of the Roman Catholic Church, had an entertaining interaction with some followers recently. The pope was riding in his vehicle, informally called the 'popemobile', in St Peter's Square, when some priests from Mexico hailed him.
The Mexican seminarians from the Legion of Christ asked the Pope about his knee. The Pope has been suffering from strained ligaments in his right knee for many months.
In the viral video, a seminarian is heard saying, "Thank you for your smile, your happiness, for being here despite the discomfort. You are an example for us, as future priests."
To this, Francis replied, "You know what I need for my leg? A little tequila."
A seminarian said that if he ever visits Casa Santa Marta - the Pope's residence - he would get him a bottle of tequila.
The Pope has been advised to use a wheelchair, cane, and undergo physical therapy to help his knee heal.
Francis recently cancelled a 2-day trip to Lebanon due to his knee issue. But he will be visiting Congo, South Sudan, and Canada in July.

An underground city, to withstand nuclear attacks. The massive underground tunnel and chamber network in Russia's neighbour Finland is in news again amid the Ukraine war, and fears of the conflict escalating and spreading.
This subterranean city is claimed to be blast-proof, gas-proof, and impervious to radiation and dangerous chemicals. Construction began in the 1980s, but the bunkers are in news again because of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Feeling threatened by Moscow's recent actions, Finland has decided to join the US-led NATO military alliance.
Meanwhile, Russia's nuclear sabre-rattling is continuing to grow. After repeated warnings of nuclear action by Russian President Vladimir Putin, other elements in the country have started dangling this threat.
Commenting on Finland and Sweden seeking NATO membership, a presenter on a Russian state-owned media outlet reportedly said that Moscow will deploy "tactical nuclear weapons" to "neutralise the imbalance" posed by the Nordic nations joining NATO.
So, what's special about Finland's underground bunkers? They are situated around 60 feet beneath the surface. The entire network can reportedly house 7 lakh to 9 lakh people, which is more than Helsinki's population.
What is interesting is the large number of facilities meant to make stay inside the shelters as comfortable as possible. These include football pitches, children's playgrounds, cafeteria, and car parks.
Some of these facilities like sports areas and car parks are also used in peace time. But these can be converted into defence shelters within 72 hours, as per officials.

Underground city to escape nuclear attack: Finland's swanky bunkers in news amid NATO move | Russia war

The subterranean city beneath Helsinki is claimed to be blast-proof, gas-proof, and impervious to radiation and dangerous chemicals.

An underground city, to withstand nuclear attacks. The massive underground tunnel and chamber network in Russia's neighbour Finland is in news again amid the Ukraine war, and fears of the conflict escalating and spreading.
This subterranean city is claimed to be blast-proof, gas-proof, and impervious to radiation and dangerous chemicals. Construction began in the 1980s, but the bunkers are in news again because of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Feeling threatened by Moscow's recent actions, Finland has decided to join the US-led NATO military alliance.
Meanwhile, Russia's nuclear sabre-rattling is continuing to grow. After repeated warnings of nuclear action by Russian President Vladimir Putin, other elements in the country have started dangling this threat.
Commenting on Finland and Sweden seeking NATO membership, a presenter on a Russian state-owned media outlet reportedly said that Moscow will deploy "tactical nuclear weapons" to "neutralise the imbalance" posed by the Nordic nations joining NATO.
So, what's special about Finland's underground bunkers? They are situated around 60 feet beneath the surface. The entire network can reportedly house 7 lakh to 9 lakh people, which is more than Helsinki's population.
Also watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/ukraine-forces-claim-to-have-reached-russia-border-see-this-video-1652677508903" target="_blank">Ukraine forces claim to have reached Russia border</a>
What is interesting is the large number of facilities meant to make stay inside the shelters as comfortable as possible. These include football pitches, children's playgrounds, cafeteria, and car parks.
Some of these facilities like sports areas and car parks are also used in peace time. But these can be converted into defence shelters within 72 hours, as per officials.

A video allegedly showing a senior Twitter engineer making startling claims about the micro-blogging site has been released by an American far-right group called Project Veritas. The group described the video as undercover footage on its website. The video comes amid reports of Twitter employees being scared for their jobs if Elon Musk takes over the company.

On cam: engineer claims Twitter doesn't believe in free speech in alleged video

A video allegedly showing a senior Twitter engineer making startling claims about the micro-blogging site has been released by an American far-right group called Project Veritas.

Far-right group Project Veritas described the video as undercover footage on its website.

A video allegedly showing a senior Twitter engineer making startling claims about the micro-blogging site has been released by an American far-right group called Project Veritas. The group described the video as undercover footage on its website.
Project Veritas&nbsp;identified the man shown in the video as senior Twitter engineer Siru&nbsp;Murugesan.&nbsp;
Murugesan&nbsp;is shown saying that Twitter does not believe in free speech and has a strong left bias. He goes on to claim that the right-wing supporters are openly&nbsp;censored in the company.&nbsp;
The Project Veritas&nbsp;video seems to have been made from footage filmed on different days in different locations.&nbsp;
The video also shows Murugesan&nbsp;speaking about Elon&nbsp;Musk's plan to take over Twitter and how no one in the company is happy about the deal.&nbsp;
The video comes amid reports of Twitter employees being scared for their jobs if Elon Musk takes over the company.
Also Watch|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/business-news/watch-elon-musk-candid-about-negativity-and-what-next-for-twitter-1652071634929" target="_blank">Watch! Elon Musk candid about negativity and what next for Twitter</a>

North Korea on Tuesday reported another large jump in illnesses believed to be COVID-19 as a mass outbreak spreads through its unvaccinated population and military medical officers were deployed to distribute medicine.
State media said the North's anti-virus headquarters reported another 269,510 people were found with fevers and six people died.
That raises North Korea's deaths to 56 after more than 1.48 million people became ill with fever since late April.
North Korea lacks testing supplies to confirm coronavirus infections in large numbers and the report didn't say how many of the fever cases were COVID-19.
The outbreak is almost certainly greater than the fever tally, considering the lack of tests and resources to monitor and treat the people who are sick.
North Korea's virus response is mostly isolating people with symptoms at shelters, and as of Tuesday, at least 663,910 people were in quarantine.
In addition to lacking vaccines for its 26 million people, North Korea also grapples with malnourishment and other conditions of poverty and lacks public health tools, including antiviral drugs or intensive care units, which suppressed hospitalisations and deaths in other countries.
Some experts suspect North Korea is underreporting deaths to soften the blow for authoritarian leader Kim Jong Un, who already was navigating the toughest moment of his decade in power, with the pandemic further damaging an economy already broken by mismanagement and US-led sanctions over his nuclear ambitions.

Watch | North Korean capital Pyongyang amid surge in 'fevers'

Visuals emerge of Noth&nbsp;Korea battling the first Covid&nbsp;outbreak since the pandemic. 56 reportedly dead, while some experts say the number may be higher

North Korea on Tuesday reported another large jump in illnesses believed to be COVID-19 as a mass outbreak spreads through its unvaccinated population and military medical officers were deployed to distribute medicine.
State media said the North's anti-virus headquarters reported another 269,510 people were found with fevers and six people died.
That raises North Korea's deaths to 56 after more than 1.48 million people became ill with fever since late April.
North Korea lacks testing supplies to confirm coronavirus infections in large numbers and the report didn't say how many of the fever cases were COVID-19.
The outbreak is almost certainly greater than the fever tally, considering the lack of tests and resources to monitor and treat the people who are sick.
North Korea's virus response is mostly isolating people with symptoms at shelters, and as of Tuesday, at least 663,910 people were in quarantine.
In addition to lacking vaccines for its 26 million people, North Korea also grapples with malnourishment and other conditions of poverty and lacks public health tools, including antiviral drugs or intensive care units, which suppressed hospitalisations and deaths in other countries.
Also watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/8-covid-19-deaths-in-north-korea-kim-jong-un-blasts-officials-1652671822927" target="_blank">8 Covid-19 deaths in North Korea, Kim Jong Un blasts officials</a>
Some experts suspect North Korea is underreporting deaths to soften the blow for authoritarian leader Kim Jong Un, who already was navigating the toughest moment of his decade in power, with the pandemic further damaging an economy already broken by mismanagement and US-led sanctions over his nuclear ambitions.

Nearly one in 25 people in a county in the Uyghur heartland of China has been sentenced to prison on terrorism-related charges, in what is the highest known imprisonment rate in the world, an Associated Press review of leaked data shows.
A list obtained and partially verified by the AP cites the names of more than 10,000 Uyghurs sent to prison in just Konasheher county alone, one of dozens in southern Xinjiang. In recent years, China has waged a brutal crackdown on the Uyghurs, a largely Muslim minority, which it has described as a war on terror.
The list is by far the biggest to emerge to date with the names of imprisoned Uyghurs, reflecting the sheer size of a Chinese government campaign that swept an estimated million or more people into internment camps and prisons. It also confirms what families and rights groups have said for years: China is relying on a system of long-term incarceration to keep the Uyghurs in check, wielding the law as a weapon of repression.
Under searing international criticism, Chinese officials announced the closure in 2019 of short-term, extrajudicial internment camps where Uyghurs were thrown in without charges. However, although attention focused on the camps, thousands of Uyghurs still languish for years or even decades in prison on what experts say are trumped-up charges of terrorism.
Uyghur farmer Rozikari Tohti was known as a soft-spoken, family-loving man with three children and not the slightest interest in religion. So his cousin, Mihrigul Musa, was shocked to discover Tohti had been thrown into prison for five years for “religious extremism.” “Never did I think he would be arrested,” said Musa, who now lives in exile in Norway. “If you saw him, you would feel the same way. He is so earnest.” From the list, Musa found out Tohti's younger brother Ablikim Tohti also was sentenced to seven years on charges of “gathering the public to disturb social order.” Tohti's next-door neighbor, a farmer called Nurmemet Dawut, was sentenced to 11 years on the same charges as well as “picking quarrels and provoking troubles.” Konasheher county is typical of rural southern Xinjiang, and more than 267,000 people live there. The prison sentences across the county were for two to 25 years, with an average of nine years, the list shows. While the people on the list were mostly arrested in 2017, according to Uyghurs in exile, their sentences are so long that the vast majority would still be in prison.
Those swept up came from all walks of life, and included men, women, young people and the elderly. They had only one thing in common: They were all Uyghurs.
Experts say it clearly shows people were targeted simply for being Uyghur – a conclusion vehemently denied by Chinese authorities. Xinjiang spokesman Elijan Anayat said sentences were carried out in accordance with the law.
“We will never specifically target specific regions, ethnic groups, religions, much less the Uyghurs,” Anayat said. “We will never wrong the good, nor release the bad.” The list was obtained by Xinjiang scholar Gene Bunin from an anonymous source who described themselves as a member of China's Han Chinese majority “opposed to the Chinese government's policies in Xinjiang.” It was passed to the AP by Abduweli Ayup, an exiled Uyghur linguist in Norway. The AP authenticated it through interviews with eight Uyghurs who recognized 194 people on the list, as well as legal notices, recordings of phone calls with Chinese officials and checks of address, birthdays and identity numbers.
The list does not include people with typical criminal charges such as homicide or theft. Rather, it focuses on offenses related to terrorism, religious extremism or vague charges traditionally used against political dissidents, such as “picking quarrels and provoking troubles.” This means the true number of people imprisoned is almost certainly higher.
But even at a conservative estimate, Konasheher county's imprisonment rate is more than 10 times higher than that of the United States, one of the world's leading jailers, according to Department of Justice statistics. It's also more than 30 times higher than for China as a whole, according to state statistics from 2013, the last time such figures were released.
Darren Byler, an expert on Xinjiang's mass incarceration system, said most arrests were arbitrary and outside the law, with people detained for having relatives abroad or downloading certain cell phone applications.
“It is really remarkable,” Byler said. “In no other location have we seen entire populations of people be described as terrorists or seen as terrorists." The crackdown kicked into high gear in 2017, after a string of knifings and bombings by a small handful of Uyghur militants. The Chinese government defended the mass detentions as both lawful and necessary to combat terrorism.
In December 2019, Xinjiang officials said that all of whom they described as “trainees” at the “centers” had “graduated.” Visits by Associated Press journalists to four former camp sites confirm that they were shuttered or converted into other facilities.
But the prisons remain. Xinjiang went on a prison-building spree in tandem with the crackdown, and even as the camps closed, the prisons expanded. At least a few camp sites were converted into centers for incarceration.
China is using the law “as a fig leaf of legality” in part to try and deflect international criticism about holding Uyghurs, said Jeremy Daum, a criminal law expert at Yale University's Paul Tsai China Center.
The secretive nature of the charges against those imprisoned is a red flag, experts say. Although China makes legal records easily accessible otherwise, almost 90% of criminal records in Xinjiang are not public. The handful which have leaked show that people are being charged with “terrorism” for acts such as warning colleagues against watching porn and swearing, or praying in prison.
Abduweli Ayup, the Uyghur exile who passed the list to the AP, has closely documented the ongoing repression of his community. But this list in particular floored him: On it were neighbors, a cousin, a high school teacher.
“I had collapsed,” Ayup said. “I had told other people's stories …. and now this is me telling my own story from my childhood.” The widely-admired teacher, Adil Tursun, was the only one in the high school in Toquzaq who could teach Uyghur students in Chinese. He was a Communist Party member, and every year his students had the best chemistry test scores in the town.
The names of Tursun and others on the list made no sense to Ayup because they were considered model Uyghurs.
“The names of the crimes, spreading extremist thoughts, separatism … these charges are absurd,” he said.

Uyghur county Konasheher in China has highest prison rate in the world: AP

In recent years, China has waged a brutal crackdown on the Uyghurs, a largely Muslim minority, which it has described as a war on terror.

A list obtained and partially verified by the AP cites the names of more than 10,000 Uyghurs sent to prison in just Konasheher county alone, which is one of dozens in southern Xinjiang.

Nearly one in 25 people in a county in the Uyghur heartland of China has been sentenced to prison on terrorism-related charges, in what is the highest known imprisonment rate in the world, an Associated Press review of leaked data shows.
A list obtained and partially verified by the AP cites the names of more than 10,000 Uyghurs sent to prison in just Konasheher county alone, one of dozens in southern Xinjiang. In recent years, China has waged a brutal crackdown on the Uyghurs, a largely Muslim minority, which it has described as a war on terror. Also Watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/us-house-passes-bill-to-punish-china-over-uyghurs-muslims-oppression-1639022195486">US House passes bill to punish China over Uyghur Muslims' oppression</a>
The list is by far the biggest to emerge to date with the names of imprisoned Uyghurs, reflecting the sheer size of a Chinese government campaign that swept an estimated million or more people into internment camps and prisons. It also confirms what families and rights groups have said for years: China is relying on a system of long-term incarceration to keep the Uyghurs in check, wielding the law as a weapon of repression.
Under searing international criticism, Chinese officials announced the closure in 2019 of short-term, extrajudicial internment camps where Uyghurs were thrown in without charges. However, although attention focused on the camps, thousands of Uyghurs still languish for years or even decades in prison on what experts say are trumped-up charges of terrorism.
Uyghur farmer Rozikari Tohti was known as a soft-spoken, family-loving man with three children and not the slightest interest in religion. So his cousin, Mihrigul Musa, was shocked to discover Tohti had been thrown into prison for five years for &ldquo;religious extremism.&rdquo; &ldquo;Never did I think he would be arrested,&rdquo; said Musa, who now lives in exile in Norway. &ldquo;If you saw him, you would feel the same way. He is so earnest.&rdquo; From the list, Musa found out Tohti's younger brother Ablikim Tohti also was sentenced to seven years on charges of &ldquo;gathering the public to disturb social order.&rdquo; Tohti's next-door neighbor, a farmer called Nurmemet Dawut, was sentenced to 11 years on the same charges as well as &ldquo;picking quarrels and provoking troubles.&rdquo; Konasheher county is typical of rural southern Xinjiang, and more than 267,000 people live there. The prison sentences across the county were for two to 25 years, with an average of nine years, the list shows. While the people on the list were mostly arrested in 2017, according to Uyghurs in exile, their sentences are so long that the vast majority would still be in prison.
Those swept up came from all walks of life, and included men, women, young people and the elderly. They had only one thing in common: They were all Uyghurs.
Experts say it clearly shows people were targeted simply for being Uyghur &ndash; a conclusion vehemently denied by Chinese authorities. Xinjiang spokesman Elijan Anayat said sentences were carried out in accordance with the law.
&ldquo;We will never specifically target specific regions, ethnic groups, religions, much less the Uyghurs,&rdquo; Anayat said. &ldquo;We will never wrong the good, nor release the bad.&rdquo; The list was obtained by Xinjiang scholar Gene Bunin from an anonymous source who described themselves as a member of China's Han Chinese majority &ldquo;opposed to the Chinese government's policies in Xinjiang.&rdquo; It was passed to the AP by Abduweli Ayup, an exiled Uyghur linguist in Norway. The AP authenticated it through interviews with eight Uyghurs who recognized 194 people on the list, as well as legal notices, recordings of phone calls with Chinese officials and checks of address, birthdays and identity numbers.
The list does not include people with typical criminal charges such as homicide or theft. Rather, it focuses on offenses related to terrorism, religious extremism or vague charges traditionally used against political dissidents, such as &ldquo;picking quarrels and provoking troubles.&rdquo; This means the true number of people imprisoned is almost certainly higher.
But even at a conservative estimate, Konasheher county's imprisonment rate is more than 10 times higher than that of the United States, one of the world's leading jailers, according to Department of Justice statistics. It's also more than 30 times higher than for China as a whole, according to state statistics from 2013, the last time such figures were released.
Darren Byler, an expert on Xinjiang's mass incarceration system, said most arrests were arbitrary and outside the law, with people detained for having relatives abroad or downloading certain cell phone applications.
&ldquo;It is really remarkable,&rdquo; Byler said. &ldquo;In no other location have we seen entire populations of people be described as terrorists or seen as terrorists." The crackdown kicked into high gear in 2017, after a string of knifings and bombings by a small handful of Uyghur militants. The Chinese government defended the mass detentions as both lawful and necessary to combat terrorism.
In December 2019, Xinjiang officials said that all of whom they described as &ldquo;trainees&rdquo; at the &ldquo;centers&rdquo; had &ldquo;graduated.&rdquo; Visits by Associated Press journalists to four former camp sites confirm that they were shuttered or converted into other facilities.
But the prisons remain. Xinjiang went on a prison-building spree in tandem with the crackdown, and even as the camps closed, the prisons expanded. At least a few camp sites were converted into centers for incarceration.
China is using the law &ldquo;as a fig leaf of legality&rdquo; in part to try and deflect international criticism about holding Uyghurs, said Jeremy Daum, a criminal law expert at Yale University's Paul Tsai China Center.
The secretive nature of the charges against those imprisoned is a red flag, experts say. Although China makes legal records easily accessible otherwise, almost 90% of criminal records in Xinjiang are not public. The handful which have leaked show that people are being charged with &ldquo;terrorism&rdquo; for acts such as warning colleagues against watching porn and swearing, or praying in prison.
Abduweli Ayup, the Uyghur exile who passed the list to the AP, has closely documented the ongoing repression of his community. But this list in particular floored him: On it were neighbors, a cousin, a high school teacher.
&ldquo;I had collapsed,&rdquo; Ayup said. &ldquo;I had told other people's stories &hellip;. and now this is me telling my own story from my childhood.&rdquo; The widely-admired teacher, Adil Tursun, was the only one in the high school in Toquzaq who could teach Uyghur students in Chinese. He was a Communist Party member, and every year his students had the best chemistry test scores in the town.
The names of Tursun and others on the list made no sense to Ayup because they were considered model Uyghurs.
&ldquo;The names of the crimes, spreading extremist thoughts, separatism &hellip; these charges are absurd,&rdquo; he said.

A gunman in a deadly attack at a Southern California church was a Chinese immigrant motivated by hate for Taiwanese people, US authorities said.
The shooter killed Dr. John Cheng, 52, and wounded five others during a lunch held by Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church, which worships at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, authorities said at a Monday news conference.
Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes said the motive of the shooting was a grievance between the shooter, identified as a Chinese immigrant and US citizen, and the Taiwanese community.
China claims Taiwan is a part of its national territory and has not ruled out force to bring the island under its rule.
Barnes said the suspect drove to the Orange County church, where he was not a regular attendee, secured the doors and started shooting.
The gunman had placed four Molotov cocktail-like devices inside the church, the sheriff said.
Barnes said Cheng, survived by a wife and two children, heroically charged at the shooter and attempted to disarm him, allowing others to intervene.
Cheng probably saved the lives "of upwards of dozens of people," the sheriff said.
A pastor hit the gunman on the head with a chair and parishioners hog-tied him with electrical cords.
But Cheng was hit by gunshots.
The Orange County Sheriff's Department tweeted that David Chou, 68, of Las Vegas has been booked on one count of murder and five counts of attempted murder.
The suspect lawfully purchased the two 9mm pistols in Las Vegas, said Stephen Galloway, ATF Los Angeles assistant special agent in charge.
The suspect made brief comments when he was taken into custody and then asked for an attorney, Barnes said.
Four of the five people wounded suffered critical gunshot injuries.

Chinese immigrant's 'hate' for Taiwanese behind US church attack

1 attendee lost his life trying to disarm David Chou. The suspect drove to the Orange County church secured the doors and started shooting.

A gunman in a deadly attack at a Southern California church was a Chinese immigrant motivated by hate for Taiwanese people, US authorities said.
The shooter killed Dr. John Cheng, 52, and wounded five others during a lunch held by Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church, which worships at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, authorities said at a Monday news conference.
Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes said the motive of the shooting was a grievance between the shooter, identified as a Chinese immigrant and US citizen, and the Taiwanese community.
China claims Taiwan is a part of its national territory and has not ruled out force to bring the island under its rule.
Barnes said the suspect drove to the Orange County church, where he was not a regular attendee, secured the doors and started shooting.
The gunman had placed four Molotov cocktail-like devices inside the church, the sheriff said.
Barnes said Cheng, survived by a wife and two children, heroically charged at the shooter and attempted to disarm him, allowing others to intervene.
Cheng probably saved the lives "of upwards of dozens of people," the sheriff said.
A pastor hit the gunman on the head with a chair and parishioners hog-tied him with electrical cords.
Also Watch|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/10-dead-in-racially-motivated-mass-shooting-in-new-york-supermarket-suspect-arrested-1652588593234" target="_blank">10 dead in 'racially motivated' mass shooting in New York supermarket; suspect arrested</a>
But Cheng was hit by gunshots.
The Orange County Sheriff's Department tweeted that David Chou, 68, of Las Vegas has been booked on one count of murder and five counts of attempted murder.
The suspect lawfully purchased the two 9mm pistols in Las Vegas, said Stephen Galloway, ATF Los Angeles assistant special agent in charge.
The suspect made brief comments when he was taken into custody and then asked for an attorney, Barnes said.
Four of the five people wounded suffered critical gunshot injuries.

Editorji is your personalised video news platform, we learn about your interests in order to show the news that matters to you! Watch it on your phone, tablet or TV.

ABOUT US

about us editorji

Latest Video News: Editorji provides the latest news video headlines, latest videos clip from India and the World. Get all breaking news videos on Entertainment, Business, Coronavirus, Elections, Politics and more.

Latest Video News, Breaking News, Bollywood, Political, Sports, Business News | Editorji

+91 11 4035 6666 / info@editorji.com
3rd floor, Plot B, Khasara no 360, Sultanpur, New Delhi, Delhi 110030
<a title="mail to us" href="mailto:info@editorji.com">Send Feedback</a>

REACH US

Contact for any questions, suggestions, comments, feedback or advertisement on Editorji.com, we are always looking forward to hearing from you.

Contact Us for Feedback, Suggestions and Advertising 

Cryptocurrency News

Russia Ukraine War

IPL 2022 Live Updates

IPL 2022 Point Table

Elon Musk - Twitter 

LIC IPO

Andrew Symonds Death News

Thomas Cup 2022 Final

Assam floods

Cannes Film Festival 2022

Wheat Export Ban

Pope Francis concluded his extraordinary 4-day summit on preventing sex abuse by members of the clergy, promising concrete action by the Church. The pontiff even equated child sex abuse to human sacrifices in ancient pagan rites. He said anger towards the church shows 'the wrath of God' and those guilty were 'tools of Satan'. Pope said the church would no more cover up crimes of priests and put victims first.

9 months after the Taliban captured power in Afghanistan, the group has made a major diplomatic outreach to India. The timing is interesting given that relations between Taliban and its long-time patron Pakistan have been souring.
In an interview to news outlet Wion, Afghan foreign ministry's spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi said that Taliban has open communication channels with India. India had also sent wheat as food aid to Afghanistan amid the political turmoil after Taliban's takeover. Balkhi appreciated the move, saying, "We will always remember those that helped Afghanistan in times of our need."
Amid reports that India might reopen low-level diplomatic offices in Afghanistan, the Taliban leader supported the idea. Balkhi said that Delhi should restart consular services in Afghanistan.
He also said that Indian projects in Afghanistan are being maintained. India had invested heavily in development work in Afghanistan when elected governments were in power. These included building of the Afghan parliament building.
Meanwhile, ties between Taliban and Islamabad has going through a rough patch, with Pakistan accusing Kabul of not doing enough to control terrorism from Afghan soil. Islamabad claims that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, which carries out attacks in Pakistan, has been aided by the Afghan Taliban.

Taliban praises India amid tension with Pakistan, invites Delhi to reopen diplomatic offices

Amid reports that India might reopen low-level diplomatic offices in Afghanistan, a Taliban leader supported the idea.

9 months after the Taliban captured power in Afghanistan, the group has made a major diplomatic outreach to India. The timing is interesting given that relations between Taliban and its long-time patron Pakistan have been souring.
In an interview to news outlet Wion, Afghan foreign ministry's spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi said that Taliban has open communication channels with India. India had also sent wheat as food aid to Afghanistan amid the political turmoil after Taliban's takeover. Balkhi appreciated the move, saying, "We will always remember those that helped Afghanistan in times of our need."
Amid reports that India might reopen low-level diplomatic offices in Afghanistan, the Taliban leader supported the idea. Balkhi said that Delhi should restart consular services in Afghanistan.
He also said that Indian projects in Afghanistan are being maintained. India had invested heavily in development work in Afghanistan when elected governments were in power. These included building of the Afghan parliament building.
Also watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/is-modi-govt-planning-to-reopen-embassy-in-kabul-1652764505058" target="_blank">Is Modi govt planning to reopen embassy in Kabul?</a>
Meanwhile, ties between Taliban and Islamabad has going through a rough patch, with Pakistan accusing Kabul of not doing enough to control terrorism from Afghan soil. Islamabad claims that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, which carries out attacks in Pakistan, has been aided by the Afghan Taliban.

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Lucknow recently, he gave the example of one of America's founding fathers Benjamin Franklin to UP ministers. PM Modi was advising UP ministers on the importance of time management, and also pointed out that 'karya' or work should come before 'karyakram', or events, according to an Indian Express report.
While telling the lawmakers about time management, PM Modi suggested that they read about Benjamin Franklin. Franklin, whose face adorns the US $100 note, was an author, inventor, philosopher, diplomat, and a journalist and publisher. One of the most famous aspects of his life is his strict daily routine which he mentioned in his autobiography.
Here is what it was.
5 to 7 AM: Rise, wash, and address Powerful Goodness! Contrive day&rsquo;s business, and take the resolution of the day: prosecute the present study, and breakfast. Ask the morning question - what good shall I do this day?
8 to 11 AM: Work.
12 to1 PM: Read, or overlook my accounts, and dine.
2 to 5 PM: Work.
6 to 9 PM: Put things in their places. Supper. Music or diversion, or conversation. Examination of the day. Ask the evening question - what good have I done today?
10 PM to 4 AM: Sleep.

PM Modi recommends US founding father Benjamin Franklin's daily timetable to UP ministers: see what it is

PM Modi is an admirer of Benjamin Franklin, whose face adorns the US $100 note. He was was an author, inventor, philosopher, diplomat, and a journalist and publisher.

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Lucknow recently, he gave the example of one of America's founding fathers Benjamin Franklin to UP ministers. PM Modi was advising UP ministers on the importance of time management, and also pointed out that 'karya' or work should come before 'karyakram', or events, according to an Indian Express report.
While telling the lawmakers about time management, PM Modi suggested that they read about Benjamin Franklin. Franklin, whose face adorns the US $100 note, was an author, inventor, philosopher, diplomat, and a journalist and publisher. One of the most famous aspects of his life is his strict daily routine which he mentioned in his autobiography.
Here is what it was.
5 to 7 AM: Rise, wash, and address Powerful Goodness! Contrive day&rsquo;s business, and take the resolution of the day: prosecute the present study, and breakfast. Ask the morning question - what good shall I do this day?
8 to 11 AM: Work.
12 to1 PM: Read, or overlook my accounts, and dine.
2 to 5 PM: Work.
6 to 9 PM: Put things in their places. Supper. Music or diversion, or conversation. Examination of the day. Ask the evening question - what good have I done today?
10 PM to 4 AM: Sleep.

American intelligence officials showed videos of UFOs or unidentified flying objects during a Congressional hearing on such inexplicable phenomena. At the hearing, Pentagon officials did not disclose new information about what they have labelled "unidentified aerial phenomena" or UAPs.
However, some videos were presented to show the limited amount of information that authorities possess. In one of the videos, triangular shapes were witnessed by personnel from a Navy ship.
Scott Bray of US Naval Intelligence said that the shapes were drones which appeared as triangles because the recording was done through night-vision devices. However, the intelligence official could not explain the other video recorded from an aircraft.
US authorities had also released some UFO videos in 2020. Fleeting glimpses of objects with no apparent propulsion systems have baffled experts and spawned various conspiracy theories. But there's still no conclusive proof of alien life.

US spies show UFO videos at Congressional hearing on increasing encounters. Watch what Pentagon revealed

A US Congressional committee held an open hearing on unidentified aerial phenomena where intelligence officials showed UAV videos to explain the challenge of understanding such objects.

American intelligence officials showed videos of UFOs or unidentified flying objects during a Congressional hearing on such inexplicable phenomena. At the hearing, Pentagon officials did not disclose new information about what they have labelled "unidentified aerial phenomena" or UAPs.
However, some videos were presented to show the limited amount of information that authorities possess. In one of the videos, triangular shapes were witnessed by personnel from a Navy ship.
Scott Bray of US Naval Intelligence said that the shapes were drones which appeared as triangles because the recording was done through night-vision devices. However, the intelligence official could not explain the other video recorded from an aircraft.
US authorities had also released some UFO videos in 2020. Fleeting glimpses of objects with no apparent propulsion systems have baffled experts and spawned various conspiracy theories. But there's still no conclusive proof of alien life.

India intends to deploy the Russian-made S-400 missile defence system by next month to defend itself from Pakistani and Chinese threats as it is pursuing an extensive military modernisation effort encompassing air, ground, naval and strategic nuclear forces, Pentagon's top intelligence official has said during a Congressional hearing.
India started receiving the delivery of the S-400 missile defence system from Russia in December last year, Lieutenant General Scott Berrier, Director of Defence Intelligence Agency, told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee during a recent Congressional hearing.
As of October 2021, India’s military was seeking to procure advanced surveillance systems to strengthen its land and sea borders and boost its offensive and defensive cyber capabilities.
“In December, India received its initial delivery of the Russian S-400 air defence system, and it intends to operate the system to defend against Pakistani and Chinese threats by June 2022,” Berrier said.
“India continued to develop its own hypersonic, ballistic, cruise and air defence missile capabilities, conducting multiple tests in 2021. India has a growing number of satellites in orbit, and is expanding its use of space assets, likely pursuing offensive space capabilities,” he said.
Berrier told the lawmakers that New Delhi is pursuing an extensive military modernisation effort encompassing air, ground, naval and strategic nuclear forces with an emphasis on domestic defence production.
India is taking steps to establish Integrated Theatre Commands that will improve its joint capability among its three military services.
Since 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given priority to strengthen India’s economy by expanding its domestic defence industry and establishing a negative import list to curtail defence purchases from foreign suppliers.
“India’s long-standing defence relationship with Russia remains strong, holding their first ‘2+2’ format talks in December — a joint foreign and defence ministerial that India previously only held with the United States, Japan and Australia.
“India has maintained a neutral stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and continues to call for peace,” Berrier told the lawmakers.
According to Berrier, throughout 2021, New Delhi continued to implement a foreign policy aimed at demonstrating India’s role as a leading power and net provider of security in the Indian Ocean region.
India seeks to promote prosperity and ensure stability in the Indo-Pacific region by seeking strategic partnerships to build influence through bilateral and multilateral mechanisms such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), he said.
“New Delhi seeks to deepen intelligence and operational cooperation on cybersecurity, protect critical information infrastructure, prevent adversary manipulation of public opinion, and to create standards and norms that protect and secure data governance,” Berrier said.
Following the collapse of the Afghan government, New Delhi is increasingly concerned about potential attacks against India by Pakistan-based terrorist groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed - empowered by a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, he said.
The evacuation of Indian personnel from Afghanistan degraded its resources to monitor potential threats and cultivate influence over regional stability, he said.
Despite recommitting to the 2003 ceasefire, India remains postured to respond to perceived militant threats, and has continued counterterrorism operations in Kashmir, Berrier said.
“Occasional skirmishes between Indian and Pakistani troops will continue, and a high-profile attack in India by Pakistan-based terrorists risks an Indian military response,” he said.
Berrier said that Chinese-Indian relations remain strained following the fatal clashes in summer 2020 between their respective forces along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
During 2021, both sides held multiple rounds of high-level diplomatic and military talks that resulted in a mutual pullback of forces from several standoff points.
However, both sides maintain close to 50,000 troops along with artillery, tanks and multiple rocket launchers, and both are building infrastructure along the LAC, Berrier added.

Will India deploy Russian S-400 missile defence next month: here's what US intelligence thinks

According to Berrier, throughout 2021, New Delhi continued to implement a foreign policy aimed at demonstrating India’s role as a leading power (PAL)

S-400 missile defence

According to Berrier, throughout 2021, New Delhi continued to implement a foreign policy aimed at demonstrating India&rsquo;s role as a leading power

India intends to deploy the Russian-made S-400 missile defence system by next month to defend itself from Pakistani and Chinese threats as it is pursuing an extensive military modernisation effort encompassing air, ground, naval and strategic nuclear forces, Pentagon's top intelligence official has said during a Congressional hearing.
India started receiving the delivery of the S-400 missile defence system from Russia in December last year, Lieutenant General Scott Berrier, Director of Defence Intelligence Agency, told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee during a recent Congressional hearing.
As of October 2021, India&rsquo;s military was seeking to procure advanced surveillance systems to strengthen its land and sea borders and boost its offensive and defensive cyber capabilities.
&ldquo;In December, India received its initial delivery of the Russian S-400 air defence system, and it intends to operate the system to defend against Pakistani and Chinese threats by June 2022,&rdquo; Berrier said.
&ldquo;India continued to develop its own hypersonic, ballistic, cruise and air defence missile capabilities, conducting multiple tests in 2021. India has a growing number of satellites in orbit, and is expanding its use of space assets, likely pursuing offensive space capabilities,&rdquo; he said.
Berrier told the lawmakers that New Delhi is pursuing an extensive military modernisation effort encompassing air, ground, naval and strategic nuclear forces with an emphasis on domestic defence production.
India is taking steps to establish Integrated Theatre Commands that will improve its joint capability among its three military services.
Since 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given priority to strengthen India&rsquo;s economy by expanding its domestic defence industry and establishing a negative import list to curtail defence purchases from foreign suppliers.
&ldquo;India&rsquo;s long-standing defence relationship with Russia remains strong, holding their first &lsquo;2+2&rsquo; format talks in December &mdash; a joint foreign and defence ministerial that India previously only held with the United States, Japan and Australia.
&ldquo;India has maintained a neutral stance on Russia&rsquo;s invasion of Ukraine and continues to call for peace,&rdquo; Berrier told the lawmakers.
According to Berrier, throughout 2021, New Delhi continued to implement a foreign policy aimed at demonstrating India&rsquo;s role as a leading power and net provider of security in the Indian Ocean region.
India seeks to promote prosperity and ensure stability in the Indo-Pacific region by seeking strategic partnerships to build influence through bilateral and multilateral mechanisms such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), he said.
&ldquo;New Delhi seeks to deepen intelligence and operational cooperation on cybersecurity, protect critical information infrastructure, prevent adversary manipulation of public opinion, and to create standards and norms that protect and secure data governance,&rdquo; Berrier said.
Following the collapse of the Afghan government, New Delhi is increasingly concerned about potential attacks against India by Pakistan-based terrorist groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed - empowered by a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, he said.
The evacuation of Indian personnel from Afghanistan degraded its resources to monitor potential threats and cultivate influence over regional stability, he said.
Despite recommitting to the 2003 ceasefire, India remains postured to respond to perceived militant threats, and has continued counterterrorism operations in Kashmir, Berrier said.
&ldquo;Occasional skirmishes between Indian and Pakistani troops will continue, and a high-profile attack in India by Pakistan-based terrorists risks an Indian military response,&rdquo; he said.
Berrier said that Chinese-Indian relations remain strained following the fatal clashes in summer 2020 between their respective forces along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
During 2021, both sides held multiple rounds of high-level diplomatic and military talks that resulted in a mutual pullback of forces from several standoff points.
However, both sides maintain close to 50,000 troops along with artillery, tanks and multiple rocket launchers, and both are building infrastructure along the LAC, Berrier added.

''It will be bad without McDonald's. I celebrated all of my birthdays here during the 1990s'', that's what a Moscow resident had to say ahead of McDonald's nationwide exit. More than three decades after it became the first American fast food restaurant to open in the Soviet Union, McDonald's is selling its business to a Russian fast-food chain called Uncle Vanya, another symbol of the country’s increasing isolation over its war in Ukraine.
The Chicago burger giant confirmed that it is selling its 850 restaurants in Russia. McDonald's said it will seek a buyer who will employ its 62,000 workers in Russia, and will continue to pay those workers until the deal closes.
McDonald's said in early March that it was temporarily closing its stores in Russia but would continue to pay its employees. It was a costly decision. Late last month, the company said it was losing $55 million each month due to the restaurant closures. It also lost $100 million worth of inventory.Western companies have wrestled with extricating themselves from Russia, enduring the hit to their bottom lines from pausing or closing operations in the face of sanctions. 

Watch: Russians queue up at McDonald's outlets as it exits the country

More than three decades after it became the first American fast food restaurant to open in the Soviet Union, McDonald's exits Russia 

Maharaja Mc exits Russia! 

Western companies have wrestled with extricating themselves from Russia, enduring the hit to their bottom lines from pausing or closing operations in the face of sanctions

''It will be bad without McDonald's. I celebrated all of my birthdays here during the 1990s'', that's what a&nbsp;Moscow resident had to say&nbsp;ahead of&nbsp;McDonald's nationwide exit.&nbsp; More than three decades after it became the first American fast food restaurant to open in the Soviet Union, McDonald's is selling its business to a Russian fast-food chain called Uncle Vanya, another symbol of the country&rsquo;s increasing isolation over its war in Ukraine.
Also read/watch|&nbsp;<a title="Biometric payments are here! Mastercard will soon let you pay with your face" href="https://www.editorji.com/business-news/biotmeric-payments-are-here-mastercard-will-soon-let-you-pay-with-your-face-1652843304815">Biometric payments are here! Mastercard will soon let you pay with your face</a>
The Chicago burger giant confirmed that it is selling its 850 restaurants in Russia. McDonald's said it will seek a buyer who will employ its 62,000 workers in Russia, and will continue to pay those workers until the deal closes.
McDonald's said in early March that it was temporarily closing its stores in Russia but would continue to pay its employees. It was a costly decision. Late last month, the company said it was losing $55 million each month due to the restaurant closures. It also lost $100 million worth of inventory. Western companies have wrestled with extricating themselves from Russia, enduring the hit to their bottom lines from pausing or closing operations in the face of sanctions.&nbsp;

Latest news

Pope Francis: child sex abuse equal to human sacrifice

Up Next

More videos

Categories

Trending topics