Russian ISIS women urge to Putin to bring them home

Russian women who were held in Kurdish-controlled camps in Syria as Daesh (ISIS) supporters have recorded emotional appeals to President Vladimir Putin to help them return home.The audio recordings released by RBK news website late Saturday were provided by Chechen rights ombudswoman Kheda Saratova, who has been involved in repatriating Daesh widows and children. It was not clear when they were made. Thousands of Russians joined ISIS forces in Syria and Iraq. Russia has repatriated some of the women and children."My request is to help me return home. I don't want to go back to the ISIS," says one woman, who gives her name as Yulia Kryukova from the city of Saint Petersburg, her voice breaking as she starts crying. One woman says she fears she could be beaten up by other women in the camp who still support ISIS. "I appeal to President Vladimir Putin, Kheda Saratova and Natalya Moskalkova," she says, misnaming Russia's rights ombudswoman Tatiana Moskalkova. The women referred to two different camps holding alleged IS family members Al-Hol in northeastern Syria and Ain Issa near the Turkish border.

Ferry with 55 people on board disappears from radaes off Yemen`s Eastern coast

A ferry from the Yemeni port of Mahrah towards to the island of Socotra disappeared today on sunday. The ferry with at least 55 people went missing and a search and rescue operation was launched an official as said. It is disappeared from the radars off the eastern coast of Yemen, media reported. The poorest nation in  Middle East Yemen has been engulfed in an armed conflict between the government forces, led by President Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi, and the rebel Houthi movement for several years now. The Saudi-led coalition has been carrying out airstrikes against the Houthis at Hadi's request since March 2015. Some military units of the Saudi-led Arab coalition have a presence in the Yemen's eastern provinces in an attempt to enhance local security and combat smuggling.The United Nations has repeatedly observed that the Yemeni conflict the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with an estimated 24 million people - nearly 80 percent of the country’s population - currently in need of aid and protection.

Ceasefire violation:15 residential houses destroyed in pak shelling in gurez

Pakistani troops violated ceasefire and resorted to shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in the border town of Gurez in north Kashmir district of Bandipora. In this provocative pak action as many as 15 residential houses were damaged Bagrang area in the Gurez sector. ‘A residential house caught fire after a Pak shell landed on it. Official sources on Saturday told Press.They said before the fire was doused, 15 houses were completely damaged. ‘The Pak shelling was retaliated effectively by Indian troops,’ they added.They said the affected families were evacuated to safer areas.Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner of Bandipora said, ‘One month ration, besides aid from Red Cross have been given to the affected families. Expressing concern over the escalation in tension along the LoC, he said it is the civilians who die on the both sides during ceasefire violation. ‘I request both the countries to come on a table and talk so that people living in borders can live peacefully,’ he added.

Daniel Craig 'Bond 25' production underway in London

First seen in a Bond film in 'The Living Daylights` the shooting of "Bond 25" is officially underway in London. The currently untitled movie was previously filming in Jamaica. The official James Bond Twitter account on Sunday shared an image of a clapperboard in front of The Queen's Horse Guards.The makers of the film announced set to the 'Boom Shot Dis' track by Kully B and Gussy G, was shared last week, with director Cary Fukunaga and Daniel Craig at work from the sets in Jamaica, where the "Spectre" star was injured. At present James Bond 007 star Daniel Craig, director Cary Fukunaga and the #Bond25 crew were out in the sunshine today shooting across a number of London locations, including Whitehall, where Daniel filmed a scene with a classic @astonmartin V8.The tweet was captioned: "#Bond25 on location in London." Another post followed which was a 13 second-long clip of Daniel Craig's Bond in an Aston Martin V8 car. The post accompanied Craig's photo dressed as Agent 007 for the fifth and final time.Production on the film has been hit by issues in recent weeks, with a "controlled explosion" causing damage to the filming stage at iconic Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, which also left one crew member injured. Reports of delays also surfaced which were denied by both the director and film's antagonist Rami Malek.

kargil war:iaf recreates tiger hill attack in gwalior As part of the commemorative event ‘Operation Vijay’

As part of the commemorative event ‘Operation Vijay’ at Gwalior, several activities have been planned. There will be symbolic recreation of the Tiger Hill attack that took place during the Kargil War in 1999. And, there would be a static display of Mirage-2000 and other aerial assets used during the war," a senior IAF official had said on Sunday.The event was attended by several gallantry award winners, both serving and retired, who had participated in ‘Operation Vijay’.The chief guest for the event is Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa. The IAF has planned several activities at the air base to commemorate the 20 years of the war and the symbolic recreation of the Tiger Hill attack was one of them. Five Mirage 2000, two MiG 21s and one Sukoi 30 MKI were on static display at the base.

One of the Mirage 2000 aircraft showcased the Spice bomb carrier. The bomb was used in the Balakot airstrike in February. The aircraft is undergoing upgrade which will extend its life by another 20 years, said Air Marshal Rajesh Kumar, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Air Command (CAC) of the IAF. Three squadrons of Mirage are based at the Gwalior Air Force Station. "The Kargil conflict offers an exemplary experience in the use of air power in warfare in high mountains conditions and is key to full understanding of India's emerging posture," a senior IAF official said.

Low trust in vaccines global crisis

The biggest global study into attitudes on immunisation suggests confidence is low in some regions. Experts warn Public mistrust of vaccines means the world is taking a step backwards in the fight against deadly yet preventable infectious diseases.The World Health Organization (WHO) lists vaccine hesitancy as one of the top 10 threats to global health. Medical Scientists said it's a numbers game... if some people are not vaccinated, it can cause a big problem for us all. The first Welcome Global Monitor survey, which canvassed attitudes among 1,40,000 people worldwide, shows clear links between people’s trust in doctors, nurses and scientists and their confidence in vaccines. It also shows that mistrust in government institutions goes hand in hand with doubts about vaccines’ safety. Only 59% of people in western Europe agree that vaccines are safe, while 95% of people in south Asia agree compared with 79% worldwide.Larson said social media had become an amplifier of doubt. “Social media is highly volatile. It has totally changed the landscape.” She said it was hard for scientists to combat the spread of misinformation because often it was not public. Much of it had shifted into private Facebook groups and other similarly inaccessible forums.Bangladesh and Rwanda have the highest confidence in vaccines in the world, the Global Monitor shows. Rwanda also has the highest trust in its healthcare, at 97%, against a global average of 76%.“In developing countries, where deadly diseases like diphtheria, measles or whooping cough are more common, I’ve seen mothers queue for hours to make sure their child is vaccinated,” said Seth Berkley, the chief executive of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.The Global Monitor found mixed feelings about science around the world. Half the world’s population said they knew little about science and 20% said they felt excluded from its benefits. Fifty-five per cent of people in France said they believed science and technology would lead to job losses in their area, as did 37% of people in the UK.

Argentina, Uruguay restore power after massive blackout

A massive power outage plunged tens of millions of people in Argentina, Uruguay and parts of Paraguay into the dark on Sunday, in what government officials called an "extraordinary" and unprecedented blackout, the cause of which is not yet known.The blackout struck at 7:07am local time (10:07 GMT), triggered by what Argentine government officials called a failure in a coastal grid that serves a number of countries, and a "total disconnection".Authorities were working frantically to restore power, but by mid-afternoon nearly half of Argentina’s 44 million people were still in the dark.Voters cast ballots by the light of cell phones in gubernatorial elections in Argentina. Public transportation halted, shops closed and patients dependent on home medical equipment were urged to go to hospitals with generators.“I was just on my way to eat with a friend, but we had to cancel everything. There’s no subway, nothing is working,” said Lucas Acosta, a 24-year-old Buenos Aires resident. “What’s worse, today is Father’s Day. I’ve just talked to a neighbor and he told me his sons won’t be able to meet him.”By mid-afternoon, power had been restored to most of Uruguay’s 3 million people. But in Argentina, only 56% of the nation’s grid was back up and running as of 3:30 p.m. local time, Energy Minister Gustavo Lopetegui told a news conference.The government is not ruling anything out, including a cyberattack, although Lopetegui said it is not among the primary potential causes being considered.Carlos Garcia Pereira, head of Transener, Argentina's largest power-transmission operator, said the failure in the system could be caused by something as simple as humidity during a day of heavy rainfall.Lopetegui stressed that Argentina's power system is "very robust" and is generating more than it requires.An investigation is under way to determine who is responsible, and if sanctions are necessary.

5G technology jeopardises forecasting

5G signal could jam satellites that help with weather forecasting i.e. is the stark warning of meteorologists around the world, who say the next-generation wireless system now being rolled out across the globe is likely to disrupt the delicate satellite instruments they use to monitor changes in the atmosphere.The result will be impaired forecasts, poorer warnings about major storms, and loss of life, they say.“The way 5G is being introduced could seriously compromise our ability to forecast major storms,” said Tony McNally of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts in Reading. “In the end it could make the difference between life and death. We are very concerned about this.”The crisis facing the world’s meteorologists stems from the fact that the radio frequencies the new 5G networks will use could contaminate critical Earth observations made by weather satellites. One example is the 23.8 gigahertz (GHz) frequency. Water vapour emits a faint signal at this specific natural wavelength, and this data is monitored and measured by weather satellites. Forecasters then use this information to work out how a storm or weather system is likely to develop.Instruments on board the satellites peer down into the atmosphere and study variables such as water vapour, rain, snow, cloud cover and ice content – all crucial factors that influence our weather.The urgency of the problem is underlined by the fact that US Federal Communications Commission and similar agencies in other countries have already started to auction off frequencies close to the 23.8 GHz frequency to future 5G network providers. In addition, other bands that are used to probe our weather include the 36-37 GHz band, which is used to study rain and snow; the 50 GHz band, which is used to measure atmospheric temperature; and the 86-92 Ghz band, which helps to analyse cloud and ice.They accuse phone operators of ransacking the radio spectrum for wavelengths to exploit, and regulators of failing to protect the natural frequencies vital for Earth observation from space.

Social media has become unhealthy: Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez the 26-year-old singer finds social media "unhealthy". She used to spend much of her time engaging with her fans on social media, but has now said she's limited the time she spends on apps such as Twitter and Instagram, because they began to make her feel "depressed". She said during an appearance on 'Live! With Kelly and Ryan': "I have it on someone else's phone. And when I feel like I want to share something with my fans or just mess around with it, I do it then."The star's comments come after she said it was "impossible" to make social media a safe place whilst speaking at a press conference at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival.Speaking about her decision to stop replying to comments, the 'Wolves' hitmaker said: "I used to a lot, but I think it's just become really unhealthy, I think, personally, for young people, including myself, to spend all of their time fixating on all these comments and letting this stuff in. It was affecting me. It would make me depressed. It would make me feel not good about myself and look at my body differently and all kinds of stuff."

Wreckage of AN 32 aircraft found in Arunachal

Afer huge search operations the Indian Air Force confirmed that the wreckage of  missing Indian Air Force (IAF) AN-32 was spotted Tuesday. 16 kms North of Lipo, North East of Tato at an approximate elevation of 12000 ft by the IAF Mi-17 helicopter undertaking search in the expanded search zone. The AN-32 is a twin-engine turboprop transport aircraft and the IAF currently operates a sizeable number of it. Here's everything you need to know.The aircraft carrying six officers, five airmen and two non-combatants (enrolled) took off from Jorhat, Assam at 12.27 hours for the Mechuka Advance Landing Ground in Arunachal Pradesh, where it was supposed to reach Mechuka at 13.30 hours. More than a week after the Indian Air Force’s An-32 with 13 people on board went missing near Arunachal Pradesh, the wreckage of the transport aircraft has been found. The IAF launched a massive operation to trace the missing aircraft but the search was badly hit by poor weather conditions. The assets deployed for the operation included Sukhoi-30 aircraft in addition to a fleet of C-130J and AN-32 planes and Mi-17 and ALH helicopters. The ground forces included troops from the Army, Indo Tibetan Border Police and state policeISRO's Cartosat and RISAT satellites were also used to take images of the area around Menchuka. IAF also stated that On Twitter efforts are underway to establish the status of occupants and establish survivors. “Further details will be communicated as the recovery actions progress,” IAF tweeted.

Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger are married

Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger got married yesterday at San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, California. Defying reports earlier this year that the two were too busy to plan anything earlier than a winter wedding. A source confirmed to Entertainment Tonight that the two tied the knot with an intimate ceremony. "The couple wanted to keep it simple, but have the most important people in their lives there," the source said.People also confirmed the wedding with its own details. "The venue is beautiful. Lots of flowers and greenery everywhere. It’s a very romantic setting for a wedding,” a source told the outlet. "The whole family took wedding photos, including her parents Maria (Shriver) and Arnold (Schwarzenegger). Everyone just looked so happy.”After the ceremony, the group enjoyed cocktails on the lawn with a live band playing. They had a very healthy and "vibrant" menu, a source detailed to People. “They are using only local food. It’s a lot of fresh vegetables. They didn’t want the menu to be too heavy, or rich. It’s more of a light summer menu. For dessert, there are lighter options as well like raspberries, blue berries and red currant.” Paparazzi got some photos of them two with varying quality. You can see the clearest shot teasing Schwarzenegger's long white gown and its train here on Entertainment Tonight.Pratt made a speech thanking guests for joining them.

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Japan plans carbon emission cuts, more nuclear energy

Land of the rising sun nation Japan is calling for further efforts to cut carbon emissions by promoting renewables but also nuclear energy despite the 2011 Fukushima reactors meltdowns.The energy white paper, adopted by the Cabinet Friday, says Japan faces an “urgent task” of reducing carbon emissions coming from utilities that have relied heavily on fossil fuels to make up for shortages of cleaner nuclear energy. The call comes as the Fukushima nuclear reactors are slowly being restarted amid lingering anti-nuclear sentiments since the 2011 crisis.Japan wants further development of renewable energy and has set a 22% to 24% target while maintaining nuclear energy at around the same level. It also pledges to reduce carbon emissions by 26% from 2013 levels by 2030. So far it has so far achieved a 7% reduction.While the renewables account for 16% of Japan’s energy supply, nuclear energy remained at just 3% in 2017, compared to the target of 20% to 22%, according to the paper. Coal and natural gas accounted for 74%.Before the 2011 quake and tsunami that destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant’s cooling systems and sent three of its reactors into meltdowns, nuclear energy made up about one-third of Japan’s energy supply.Despite the government’s nuclear energy ambitions, reactor restarts are coming slowly as nuclear regulators spend more time on inspections under stricter post-Fukushima standards, while utility companies have opted to scrap aged reactors instead of investing in additional safety measures.The slow reactor resumptions have added to Japan’s large plutonium stockpile problem that has become an issue of international concern. Japan, which is stuck with 47 tons of plutonium stockpile from spent fuel, has resorted to burning it in conventional reactors to reduce the amount after the country’s fuel recycling program has stalled.But the amount is not decreasing, and experts are now calling for more drastic steps to get rid of it amid criticism that Japan’s plutonium makes Tokyo’s calls for nuclear non-proliferation less credible. About 37 tons of spent fuel is kept in France and Britain where it has been reprocessed since Japan lacks the capability to do it at home.

D-Day 75th anniversary commemorations

World leaders, including US President Donald Trump, have joined the Queen in Portsmouth to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings.The countries represented at the event have agreed to make a joint statement pledging to ensure the "unimaginable horror" of World War Two is not repeated.Theresa May is hosting 15 world leaders to honour the largest combined land, air and naval operation in history.Figures from every country that fought alongside the UK are attending.Coming to the end of a three-day state visit to the UK, Mr Trump said he was looking forward to marking what "may have been the greatest battle ever".

D-Day: The military term for the first day of the Normandy landings was the largest amphibious invasion ever undertaken and laid the foundations for the Allied defeat of Germany in World War II.It paved the way for Allied success on the Western Front in World War II, turning the tide of the war against the beleaguered Axis powers.The invasion took place on June 6, 1944, and saw of tens of thousands of troops from the United States, the UK, France, Australia and Canada landing on five stretches of the Normandy coastline codenamed Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword beaches.

trilateral meet US may sugest recognizing assad as Syrian president

The rare tripartite meeting is expected to deal mostly with Syria, specifically Iran’s efforts to entrench itself militarily near Israel’s borders, and the planned withdrawal of US troops from the war-torn country. Arabic newspaper quotes Western diplomats on proposal regarding Syrian leader at upcoming meeting in Jerusalem of US, Israeli, Russian national security advisers. The White House announced last week that the meeting between Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev as well as the US and Israeli national security advisers, John Bolton and Meir Ben-Shabbat, would be held in Jerusalem in June.The offer would be made in the framework of a road map for the peaceful settlement in Syria that Washington and its allies were going to propose at the meeting. Israel and the US will offer incentives to Russia later this month in a bid to curb Iran’s influence in Syria, which could include legitimizing the continued leadership of Syrian leader Bashar Assad, a London-based Arabic newspaper reported Sunday.The incentives will be raised at an unprecedented trilateral meeting of national security advisers scheduled for later this month in Jerusalem, according to a report in Asharq al-Awsat that quoted Western diplomats and was cited by Israel’s Kan public broadcaster. The report did not clarify what the other proposals could be.US National Security Adviser John Bolton, Israeli National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat and Russian Secretary of the Security Council Nikolai Patrushev will meet in Jerusalem later this month, according to an announcement made by the White House on Wednesday, just minutes before the Knesset voted to disband and to set new elections for September 17.

China says trade war 'has not made America great again'

Washington's escalating trade war with Beijing has not "made America great again" and has instead damaged the American economy, China said Sunday (Jun 2), stressing that while it wants resolution through talks there will be no compromise on core principles.Beijing's broadside is the latest act in a bruising conflict between the world's top two economies that has spooked markets and sparked fears about the global economy. China said, stressing that while it wants resolution through talks it will not compromise on core principles.The Chinese white paper came just days after Beijing imposed retaliatory tariffs on US goods. Beijing on Friday said it would create a blacklist of "unreliable" foreign firms and individuals, marking a new escalation in the increasingly acrimonious trade dispute between the US and China.The move is seen as a response to the US government's recent decision to blacklist Chinese technology giant Huawei, denying it access to domestic markets and restricting US sales to the company, though a 90-day reprieve was issued.

South Korea urges restraint after North's missile test

South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo is fending off calls to step up pressure on North Korea after it test-fired missiles last month.Jeong told an annual security conference in Singapore Saturday that the tests are being investigated and a conclusion is within reach.North Korea itself has defended the launches, saying it was exercising its right to self-defense.Jeong was responding to a question on whether the tests were a violation of a military agreement between South and North Korea last September to halt acts of aggression against each other.He said the North was "in fact acting within the boundaries" of the agreement and tensions between their militaries "have been lowered to a significant extent."The U.S. and Japan say North Korea tested short-range ballistic missiles on May 4 and 9, ending a pause that began in late 2017. Both countries called it a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.Jeong says Pyongyang has shown it intends to work toward peace and urged the international community to “assure North Korea that the decision to denuclearize is indeed the right decision.”Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya, who spoke at the same session on Korean security, stressed that a strict implementation of sanctions against North Korea was necessary.He specifically directed his comments at South Korea, China and Russia.

spelling bee record eight children win scripps national in the us

Record eight children win Scripps National in the US On Thursday night. The finalists, aged 12 to 14, spelled their way through 20 tough rounds of the competition.2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee at National Harbor on Oxon Hill, Maryland.Organisers eventually announced that it was a tie, as they had run out of words that were challenging enough.With six of the winners being Indian-American, it is the 12th year in a row that the bee has been won by children of Indian descent.The Scripps National Spelling Bee has seen an increasingly competitive field in its 94-year history but organisers were stunned when several hours of spelling tests were unable to break the final eight competitors. All successfully navigated 20 rounds of increasingly obscure words to be crowned co-champions in one of America's oldest competitions. The Scripps National Spelling Bee has seen an increasingly competitive field in its 94-year history but organisers were stunned when several hours of spelling tests were unable to break the final eight competitors.As the hours ran on, Jacques Bailly, the competition's pronouncer, told the finalists: "We're throwing the dictionary at you, and, so far, you are showing the dictionary who's boss".Rishik Gandharsi, 13; Erin Howard, 14; Saketh Sundar, 13; Shruthika Padhy, 13; Sohum Sukhantankar, 13; Abhijay Kodali, 12; Christopher Serrao, 13 and Rohan Raja, 13, were eventually crowned co-champions after spelling 47 consecutive words correctly.  Some 562 super-spellers under the age of 15, from across the US, US territories and six other countries, took part.Each will now receive a prize of $50,000 (£39,700), a $2,500 savings bond and reference books.Among the words they spelled correctly were omphalopsychite, a person who stares at their navel to induce a mystical trance, and auftaktigkeit, a musical principle where all musical phrases begin on an upbeat.There were quite a few tough medical terms in there too - including erysipelas, an infection that causes red rashes on the skin, and geeldikkop, a type of plant poisoning that can affect sheep.

Afghanistan gov`t forces free 28 from taliban prison,kill 2 militants

Twenty-eight people, including 16 civilians, were freed after Afghan security forces launched a special operation in restive southern province of Zabul overnight, the country's Ministry of Interior Affairs said Thursday. The special operation was launched in Naw Bahar district, Zabul province. A clash took place following the raid and two armed militants were killed, the ministry said in a statement. The freed people received medical treatment after they were shifted to an army camp, according to the statement.They will join their families soon, the statement added.Taliban insurgents frequently detain civilians and off-duty soldiers from across villages and highways and charge civilians for spying for government security forces.The Taliban militant group has not made a comment on the report so far.

International group asks Pakistan to release journalist

The Committee to Protect Journalists, a New York-based group that advocates for the rights of journalists has urged Pakistan to immediately release a reporter who was arrested for his coverage of this week's violent clash between minority Pashtuns and troops in a northwestern region near the Afghan border.The international organization group, in Tuesday's statement says Gohar Wazir, a reporter working for the private TV station Khyber News, was detained in the town of Bannu after reporting on the demonstration of the Pashtun Protection Movement, a group campaigning against the perceived high-handedness by security forces.The arrest came days after the group led by two lawmakers clashed with troops at an army post in the North Waziristan district, setting off a shootout that wounded five troops and killed three activists. Wazir's arrest came days after the group led by two lawmakers clashed with troops at an army post in the North Waziristan district, setting off a shootout that wounded five troops and killed three activists."Gohar Wazir should not have to face arrest merely for doing the job of reporting the news, even reporting on controversial events such as protests by the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement," Steven Butler, CPJ Asia program coordinator, said.

Ex president nasheed nominated as speaker of maldives

The former President of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed has been nominated as speaker of new parliament or Majlis which will hold its first sitting today. Nasheed, who leads the  Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) was unanimously elected speaker by its newly elected MPs last night. MDP had won a record 65 out of 87 seats in parliamentary elections held last month.  Nasheed after his nomination said that the 19th parliament proceedings will be lawful and that the public will see a difference. The former President said that he accepted his nomination after considering the difficult situation within the party and out of respect to the wishes of party MPs. His comments came as there were reports that party was headed for a split as five MPs including two strong contenders had shown interest for the post of speaker. However, both of them proposed the name of Mr. Nasheed during the MDP meeting. President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih congratulated both saying that he looks forward to work with the new Majlis on behalf of all Maldivians. Meanwhile, the newly elected MPs will take the oath of office today. As per the constitution, the new MPs are supposed to elect a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker from its members by secret ballot.Another MDP MP Eva Abdulla has been nominated for the post of deputy speaker.

Taliban attacks kill 10 Afghan troops, 4 police Officials

One of the roadside bombings claimed by the Taliban killed 10 Afghan soldiers in the country's west while insurgent attacks on security checkpoints in northern Afghanistan killed four policemen, local officials said Monday.The soldiers were driving back to base after picking up their salaries in the country's western Farah province. They were travelling in a Humvee when the explosion took place on Sunday afternoon in the Bala Buluk district, said Shah Mahmmod Nahimi, a provincial councilman."The blast was so intense that no one in the Humvee survived," he added.Elsewhere, the Taliban targeted several checkpoints in northern Sari Pul province on Sunday night, killing four members of the security forces and wounding 22, said Zabiullah Amani, the provincial governor's spokesman.The attacks took place on the outskirts of the provincial capital of Sari Pul and triggered gunbattles that lasted for hours, he said, adding that 15 Taliban fighters were also killed.The Taliban claimed responsibility for the Farah attack in a statement on their website but did not make any announcements about the Sari Pul attack.

Wickremesinghe vows to stop Islamic State terrorism raising its head again in Lanka

Sri Lankan Premier Ranil Wickreme singhe has vowed to take security measures to prevent the Islamic State terrorism raising its head again in the country as he appealed to people not to support extremism or religious fanaticism. The premier after meeting with a group of representatives of civil societies and trade union collective at Temple Trees on Saturday said the security forces and police have been able to apprehend everyone involved in the Easter Sunday attacks that killed 258 people, the Colombo Page reported. But this doesn't mean that this is the end of this type of terrorism. We now have to take certain measures of counterterrorism to ensure that the country will not face terrorism again, he cautioned. He said the government is discussing the counterterrorism measures that are being taken, with the country still on edge after the attacks on three hotels and three churches that were blamed on a local jihadi group, the National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ). The Islamic State group has also claimed a role in the attacks. He pointed out that the attacks in Sri Lanka is one instance that the ISIS did not have the support of the local Muslim community for their actions and that should be maintained. Prime Minister Wickreme singhe requested not to drive people to extremism by supporting religious fanaticism and racism."We have also had the help of the Muslim community in bringing about many changes and suggestions - Madrasa education bill not allowing sharia universities, ensuring name boards in only the three national languages," the premier said. The premier responded, saying the parliamentary select committee (PSC) has been appointed to investigate the issue. "We must maintain it that way and not allow extremism to come in, racial and religious hatred to come in, whereby driving some people to the other side," he said. Christians make up 7.6 per cent and Muslims 10 per cent of mainly Buddhist Sri Lanka. 

At least 29 inmates killed in clashes at Venezuela jail

The bloodshed incident occured at the police station jail in the town of Acarigua, in Portuguesa state, occurred when police special forces (FAES) tried to stop a "massive prison break" which resulted in the deaths of 29 inmates, according to Portuguesa public security secretary Oscar Valero.The prisoners received the officers with "a hail of gunfire" while detonating three grenades, which injured 19 police, Valero told reporters.The Una Ventana a la Libertad NGO, which defends prisoner rights, director Carlos Nieto said the clashes broke out when the FAES attempted to rescue visitors who had been taken hostage Thursday by the "pran" – the leader of the inmates – at the jail."This morning (authorities) sent the FAES and there was a clash. The detainees had weapons, they shot at the police. Apparently they also detonated two grenades," Nieto told press.The inmates’ leader, Wilfredo. The prisons ministry did not comment on the incident, saying police station jails are not under its control.A video shared on social media shows an inmate – believed to be Ramos – with his face partly covered while brandishing a pistol and what appears to be grenades, and threatening two women."It’s our lives (on the line) and those of the visitors here," he says, as a woman pleads for help, while warning the police to stay out because "I’m prepared to die."There are around 500 of them in the country, holding 55,000 people even though their total capacity is just 8,000, the NGO added.The Acarigua jail has capacity for 60 inmates but was holding 500, according to the police report.Venezuela has one of the worst records for prison violence in the region.In March 2018, 68 inmates died in a fire at a police jail in the northern city of Valencia.And in August 2017, a riot at a facility in the southern Amazonas state left 37 prisoners dead.More than 400 people are believed to have been killed in Venezuelan jails since 2011, while human rights organizations also say they face a lack of food and medicines – like much of the country – while the facilities are beset by corruption.

UK set for new PM as Theresa may to quit

United Kingdom’s (Britain) Theresa May announced her resignation as prime minister on Friday morning, drawing her turbulent three-year premiership to an abrupt end. She will step down as Conservative Party leader on June 7. In an emotional speech outside 10 Downing Street, May said she had “done everything” she could to convince members of Parliament to back the Brexit withdrawal agreement she had negotiated with the European Union. “I believe it was right to persevere even when the odds against success seemed high, but it is now clear to me that it is in the best interests of the country for a new prime minister to lead that effort,” May said at a hastily arranged press conference.“I will shortly leave the job that it has been the honor of my life to hold. The second female prime minister but certainly not the last.”“I do so with no ill will but with enormous and enduring gratitude to have had the opportunity to serve the country I love,” May said, her voice shaking. Sterling briefly rose 0.5% to climb above $1.27 shortly after May’s statement, before paring gains as investors digested the news. But, she says it was with “deep regret” that she had ultimately failed to reach a consensus among lawmakers.

Hope I get to work with Leonardo DiCaprio again: Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio both are comes to share silver screen again. It may mean fans will get to see the duo on screen together a lot more in the future.The 55-year-old actor opened up about working with his Once Upon a Time in Hollywood costar, 44, during a press conference for their film at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday.“I had a great laugh with him,” Pitt told reporters via The Playlist. “It’s that thing knowing you have the best of the best on the opposite side of the table holding up the scene with you. There is a great relief in that.”He added, “We have the same reference points. We have been going through this at the same time. Similar experiences to laugh about it. I hope we do it again, it was great fun.”Pitt and DiCaprio have taken Cannes by storm since their Quentin Tarantino film premiered on Tuesday. DiCaprio said there was “incredible ease and comfort getting to work alongside Brad.” Incredibly easy working with Brad and I think we forged a great cinematic bond in a film about our industry together, he said.

ISRO successfully launches earth observation satellite RISAT-2B

The ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) Wednesday successfully launched earth observation satellite RISAT-2B that would enhance the country’s surveillance capabilities. The radar imaging satellite is equipped with a synthetic aperture radar that can capture images even under cloudy conditions during night time, according to officials. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman K Sivan had earlier described the mission as a “very, very important” one for the country.“This is a very, very important mission for India. It is an excellent satellite with hi-fi earth observation (capabilities),” he had said.With a mission life of five years, the satellite would also be used for military surveillance, ISRO sources told PTI. It would replace the RISAT-2 that has been in use since 2009 to monitor activities in camps in Pakistan and thwart infiltration bids by terrorists from across the border. The Polar satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C46) was used in the pre-dawn launch at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre to carry the 615-kg indigenously developed satellite. It was the 14th flight of the PSLV in its core-alone configuration sans the use of the solid strap-on motors. It was also the 72nd launch vehicle mission from Sriharikota and also marked the 36th launch from the first launch pad.The RISAT-2B (Radar Imaging Satellite-2B), meant for application in fields such as surveillance, agriculture, forestry and disaster management support, was released into the orbit around 15 minutes after the lift-off. ISRO had launched RISAT-1, a microwave remote sensing satellite, on April 26, 2012 from Sriharikota. Wednesday’s launch of the PSLV also marked the third launch in 2019. The other two were the PSLV-C45/EMISAT mission, which successfully injected the EMISAT and 29 international customer satellites into their orbits on April 1, and the PSLV-C44, which successfully placed the Microsat-R and the Kalamsat-V2 satellites in designated orbits on January 24.

Saudis say they will defend themselves, as Trump warns Iran

“The kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not want war in the region and does not strive for that… but at the same time, if the other side chooses war, the kingdom will fight this with all force and determination and it will defend itself, its citizens and its interests,” al-Jubeir told reporters.Saudi Arabia does not want war but will not hesitate to defend itself against Iran, a top Saudi diplomat said Sunday after the kingdom’s energy sector was targeted this past week amid heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf. US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, warned Iran that it will face destruction if it seeks a fight, while Iranian officials said their country isn’t looking for war. Trump spoke after a rocket hit near the US Embassy in Baghdad. Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs, spoke a week after four oil tankers— two of them Saudi — were targeted in an alleged act of sabotage off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and days after Iran-allied Yemeni rebels claimed a drone attack on a Saudi oil pipeline.On Sunday night, the US military command that oversees the Mideast confirmed an explosion outside the US Embassy compound in Baghdad and said there were no US or coalition casualties. A State Department spokesman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that “a low-grade rocket did land within the International Zone near the US Embassy.” The spokesman said that “attacks on US personnel and facilities will not be tolerated and will be responded to in a decisive manner” and added that the US will hold “Iran responsible if any such attacks are conducted by its proxy militia forces or elements of such forces.” Earlier, after initial reports of the attack, Trump tweeted a warning to Iranian leaders: “If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!” Trump tweeted.

Five killed in Honduras plane crash, no survivors all died

Five of them foreigners including the pilot died on Saturday when their private plane crashed into the sea shortly after taking off from Roatán island, a tourist destination on the Atlantic coast of Honduras, local authorities said. Officials gave conflicting accounts of the victims’ nationalities. Armed forces spokesman Jose Domingo Meza said four of the victims were from the United States and the fifth victim’s nationality had yet to be determined. Local emergency services initially said the victims included four Canadians and another victim of unknown nationality.Local authorities did not immediately offer a cause for the accident.The Piper PA-32-260 plane was headed to the tourist port city of Trujillo, about 80 kilometers (49.71 miles) from Roatan, a picturesque island frequented by tourists from the United States, Canada and Europe, authorities said.

US approves missile sales to South Korea Japan

The United States said Friday it had approved more than USD 600 million in sales of air defense missiles to South Korea and Japan as tensions return with North Korea. It had approved 94 SM-2 missiles used by ships against air threats, along with 12 guidance systems for a total cost of $313.9 million. It separately gave the green light to sell 160 anti-air AMRAAM missiles and related guidance equipment to Japan for $317 million. It came in the wake of talks with the United States and South Korea stalling in February, and raised alarms in both countries, which have been seeking to entice the North into abandoning its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. The sales "will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States" by assisting key allies and "will not alter the basic military balance in the region," a State Department statement said. The tests come amid a standstill in negotiations between North Korea and the United States, where President Donald Trump had boasted of ending Pyongyang's missile tests. A second summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ended in deadlock in February, with the US side refusing demands to ease sanctions until Pyongyang takes major steps to end its nuclear program.

washington says possible ankara will reject russian missiles

United States of America believes it is a chance Turkey will decide against buying a Russian air defense system whose proposed purchase has strained relations between the NATO allies, official sources said on Thursday.Washington has warned for months that Turkey's adoption of the Russian S-400 missile system would endanger Western defense and jeopardize Ankara's planned purchase of 100 of the US's F-35 stealth fighter jets.Asked if Turkey may ultimately change its mind on the S-400, deputy US defense secretary Heather Wilson replied "it's possible.""The diplomats are continuing the work on that," she said, reiterating that the S-400 is "incompatible with having the F-35."The US in April placed a freeze on a joint F-35 manufacturing program with Turkey, and US law furthermore provides for sanctions on any country concluding arms deals with Russian companies.Two of the planes were delivered to Turkey in June 2018 but remain at a US Air Force base near Phoenix, Arizona, officially so Turkish pilots can train on them."We're continuing to train the Turkish pilots at Luke Air Force Base but we don't think that we can deliver those aircraft into a country that has the S-400," Wilson said. But Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said last month that Turkey is aware of the US's concerns.Ankara says it won't reconsider purchasing the S-400 air defense system and that delivery of the first of the equipment may come as soon as June or July.

hidden world of doctors cuba sends overseas

Fidel Castro described the medics as Cuba's `army of white coats`. Absolutely it was proved in many ongoing occasions. Cuba has long been renowned for its medical diplomacy- thousands of its doctors work in health care missions around the world, earning the country billions of dollars in cash. But according to a new report, some of the doctors themselves say conditions can be nightmarish - controlled by minders, subject to a curfew and posted to extremely dangerous places said press reports. Dayli, now 31 years old, wanted to be an intensive care specialist. She says that after graduating, she was told that if she went on a medical mission to Venezuela, she would gain experience in her chosen field and that it would count as her three years of obligatory social service, which all graduates have to complete in Cuba before gaining full-status posts.`I studied medicine out of vocation. I used to sleep between three and four hours because I studied so hard. I worked hard in my first year of practice, I took on a lot of extra shifts. And now here I am. I cannot be a doctor in Cuba. It's very frustrating.` In October 2011, the young doctor was posted to a clinic in the Venezuelan town of El Sombrero. `There were many criminal gangs,` says Dayli. `When they fought, they brought their injured to us, because the local Venezuelan hospital had a police presence, and we didn't. These kids would bring in a patient with 12 or 15 bullets in his body, point their guns at you and say you had to save him. If he died, you would die. That kind of thing happened on a daily basis. It was routine.` The wages on offer were another strong incentive for Dayli, who is originally from the small Cuban city of Camagüey, to join up. Going from a doctor's salary on the island of just $15 a month in 2011, she says she was paid $125 monthly for the first six months in Venezuela, a figure that rose to $250 after six months and $325 during her third year. Her family in Cuba also received a bonus of $50 a month. According to a report by Prisoners Defenders, a Spain-based NGO that campaigns for human rights in Cuba and is linked to the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) opposition group, doctors on average receive between 10% and 25% of the salary paid by the host countries, with the rest being kept by Cuba's authorities.With more than 30,000 Cuban doctors currently active in 67 countries - many in Latin America and Africa, but also European nations including Portugal and Italy. Cuba's authorities draw up strict rules in an attempt to prevent citizens defecting once abroad.

chinese dad trains pet dog to watch his daughter do homework

A good dog is now going viral in China after being taught by the family’s father to watch over his daughter as she does her homework. The dog was trained by the girl’s father, surnamed Xu, to put its front paws up on the table and watch over her so that she doesn’t get distracted when she does her homework every night, according to press reports. Xu decided to train the dog when he noticed that his daughter often played on her smartphone instead of doing her homework.In this particular video that’s been circulating on Chinese social media, the good dog can be seen patiently watching over the girl. `I trained it to guard food from the cat when it was young," says Xu Liang of southwestern China's Guizhou province. "Then one day, I found my daughter was naughty when she was doing her homework. I came up with an idea to let Fantuan watch over its sister, supervise her to do her homework.`

UN chief meets NZ mosque victims, decries online hate

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres visited the Al Noor mosque, one of two Muslim centers in the New Zealand city where a self-described white supremacist killed 51 people in a March 15 shooting that the attacker live-streamed on Facebook. He warned hate speech was spreading online `like wildfire` at a meeting with victims of the Christchurch mosque shootings Tuesday, vowing the world body will lead efforts to extinguish the problem.Guterres The UN chief is traveling the South Pacific to highlight the impact of climate change but said he also wanted to show his support for Christchurch’s Muslim community during Ramadan.`I know there are no words to relieve the hurt and sorrow and pain, but I wanted to come here personally to transmit love, support and total and complete admiration,` he said.He told victims of the worst mass shooting in modern New Zealand history that there had been `a dangerous upsurge in hatred` as social media was exploited to promote bigotry.`Hate speech is spreading like wildfire in social media. We must extinguish it,` the Portuguese diplomat said.`There is no room for hate speech — online or offline.`He highlighted a previously announced plan for his special adviser on genocide prevention Adama Dieng to combat online extremism.He said Dieng’s mission was to `bring together a United Nations team to scale up our response to hate speech and present a global plan of action.`His remarks come as New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who hosted Guterres when he arrived in Auckland on Sunday, embarks on her own quest to tame social media in Paris this week. She has been highly critical of social media giants in the wake of the Christchurch killings, saying they should be `taking ownership and responsibility over their platforms.`Ardern will co-host a meeting of world leaders and tech firms to promote a `Christchurch call` aimed at curbing online extremism.

argentine lawmaker olivares dies from injuries after mafia style shooting

Argentine lawmaker Hector Olivares died on Sunday after he was shot in what authorities called a `mafia-style` attack outside Congress in downtown Buenos Aires on Thursday, according to state-run news agency Telam. Olivares underwent surgery after being shot and had been listed in “serious condition,” officials said. But he died at Ramos Mejia hospital in Buenos Aires, Telam reported, citing police and judicial sources. Argentine lawmaker Héctor Olivares and his adviser and friend Miguel Marcelo Yadón, were walking side-by-side on a sidewalk near Argentina’s National Congress in Buenos Aires on Thursday morning when gunmen ambushed them.Government aide Miguel Yadon was also shot in the attack and died at the scene.Argentine authorities announced the arrests of members of a mafia gang on Friday. Security Minister Patricia Bullrich said that all members of the group had been detained, including one who had fled across the border to Uruguay.Local officials and media have indicated the motive was personal, rather than political, and that the gang had targeted Yadon specifically.