Vice President Kamala Harris told reporters Wednesday that she intends to visit Mexico and Guatemala soon — several weeks after President Biden tapped her to lead the administration's efforts to address migration at the southern border by focusing on the Northern Triangle countries and Mexico. Harris has been on the receiving end of criticism from Republicans for having not yet traveled to the border or Central American nations contributing to the increased flow of migrants. The number of migrants trying to cross the border has in recent months, and some facilities holding migrants are...…Vice President Kamala Harris told reporters Wednesday that she intends to visit Mexico and Guatemala soon — several weeks after President Biden tapped her to lead the administration's efforts to address migration at the southern border by focusing on the Northern Triangle countries and Mexico. Harris has been on the receiving end of criticism from Republicans for having not yet traveled to the border or Central American nations contributing to the increased flow of migrants. The number of migrants trying to cross the border has in recent months, and some facilities holding migrants are...WW…

France's highest court on Wednesday ruled that the suspected murderer of Jewish woman Sarah Halimi was not criminally responsible and could not go on trial, provoking anger from anti-racism groups who say the verdict puts Jews at risk. Halimi, an Orthodox Jewish woman in her sixties, died in 2017 after being pushed out of the window of her Paris flat by neighbour Kobili Traoré, who shouted "Allahu Akbar" ("God is great" in Arabic).The verdict by the Court of Cassation, means Traoré will not face any trial. It confirmed past rulings from lower courts. Traoré, a heavy pot smoker, has been in...…France's highest court on Wednesday ruled that the suspected murderer of Jewish woman Sarah Halimi was not criminally responsible and could not go on trial, provoking anger from anti-racism groups who say the verdict puts Jews at risk. Halimi, an Orthodox Jewish woman in her sixties, died in 2017 after being pushed out of the window of her Paris flat by neighbour Kobili Traoré, who shouted "Allahu Akbar" ("God is great" in Arabic).The verdict by the Court of Cassation, means Traoré will not face any trial. It confirmed past rulings from lower courts. Traoré, a heavy pot smoker, has been in...WW…

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Fadi Elsalameen. Photo via FacebookThe U.S. has raised concerns with the Palestinian Authority over death threats made against a prominent Palestinian American critic of President Mahmoud Abbas, two sources familiar with the issue tell me.Why it matters: Fadi Elsalameen, an activist who writes to an audience of more than a million followers on Facebook and other social media platforms, has become a major irritant to Abbas and other senior Palestinian officials due to his criticism of corruption in the Palestinian Authority."My life is in danger and the Palestinian Authority’s refusal to...…Fadi Elsalameen. Photo via FacebookThe U.S. has raised concerns with the Palestinian Authority over death threats made against a prominent Palestinian American critic of President Mahmoud Abbas, two sources familiar with the issue tell me.Why it matters: Fadi Elsalameen, an activist who writes to an audience of more than a million followers on Facebook and other social media platforms, has become a major irritant to Abbas and other senior Palestinian officials due to his criticism of corruption in the Palestinian Authority."My life is in danger and the Palestinian Authority’s refusal to...WW…

Iran has “almost completed preparations” to launch 60 percent uranium enrichment, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog has said.The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Wednesday said Iran had said it will activate 1,024 more IR-1 centrifuges, its older first generation of the machines at the Natanz nuclear plant.Iran told the agency “the necessary pipework was being finalised and … centrifuges would start soon thereafter” at Natanz, the IAEA said in a statement.Iran on Tuesday announced it would increase uranium enrichment up to 60 percent, its highest level ever, in response to a...…Iran has “almost completed preparations” to launch 60 percent uranium enrichment, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog has said.The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Wednesday said Iran had said it will activate 1,024 more IR-1 centrifuges, its older first generation of the machines at the Natanz nuclear plant.Iran told the agency “the necessary pipework was being finalised and … centrifuges would start soon thereafter” at Natanz, the IAEA said in a statement.Iran on Tuesday announced it would increase uranium enrichment up to 60 percent, its highest level ever, in response to a...WW…

Turkey’s foreign minister has said a new period was beginning with Egypt as Ankara pushes ahead with normalising relations with Cairo, local media reported.Turkey and Egypt broke off relations after the 2013 overthrow of the country’s first democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi, who was supported by Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.That year, Turkey and Egypt expelled each others’ ambassadors and froze their relations.Turkish officials said last month Ankara had established the first diplomatic contacts with Cairo since 2013 as part of wider efforts to fix ties with other...…Turkey’s foreign minister has said a new period was beginning with Egypt as Ankara pushes ahead with normalising relations with Cairo, local media reported.Turkey and Egypt broke off relations after the 2013 overthrow of the country’s first democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi, who was supported by Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.That year, Turkey and Egypt expelled each others’ ambassadors and froze their relations.Turkish officials said last month Ankara had established the first diplomatic contacts with Cairo since 2013 as part of wider efforts to fix ties with other...WW…

SEOUL: South Korean President Moon Jae-in ordered officials on Wednesday (Apr 14) to explore petitioning an international court over Japan's decision to release water from its Fukushima nuclear plant, his spokesman said, amid protests by fisheries and environmental groups.Japan unveiled plans on Tuesday to release more than 1 million tonnes of contaminated water into the sea from the plant crippled by a 2011 earthquake and tsunami, starting in about two years after filtering it to remove harmful isotopes.South Korea strongly protested against the decision, summoning Koichi Aiboshi, Tokyo's...…SEOUL: South Korean President Moon Jae-in ordered officials on Wednesday (Apr 14) to explore petitioning an international court over Japan's decision to release water from its Fukushima nuclear plant, his spokesman said, amid protests by fisheries and environmental groups.Japan unveiled plans on Tuesday to release more than 1 million tonnes of contaminated water into the sea from the plant crippled by a 2011 earthquake and tsunami, starting in about two years after filtering it to remove harmful isotopes.South Korea strongly protested against the decision, summoning Koichi Aiboshi, Tokyo's...WW…

The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser.BEIJING (Kyodo) -- China on Wednesday asked Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso to drink treated radioactive water accumulated at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, after he said it is safe to drink it."A Japanese official said it is okay if we drink this water, so then please drink it," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters, adding Japan's ignorance of the ecological environment is "totally unjustifiable."On Tuesday, the Japanese government decided to release...…The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser.BEIJING (Kyodo) -- China on Wednesday asked Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso to drink treated radioactive water accumulated at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, after he said it is safe to drink it."A Japanese official said it is okay if we drink this water, so then please drink it," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters, adding Japan's ignorance of the ecological environment is "totally unjustifiable."On Tuesday, the Japanese government decided to release...WW…

Read full articleJohan AhlanderBy Johan AhlanderSTOCKHOLM (Reuters) -The rate of new COVID-19 infections in Sweden has jumped to the second-highest in Europe after land-locked San Marino, data showed on Tuesday, as the Scandinavian country which has shunned lockdowns throughout the pandemic faced a third wave of cases.The number of patients treated at Swedish intensive care units has now risen past the peak of the second wave around the turn of the year. The country has registered 19,105 new cases since Friday, health agency statistics showed.Sweden had 625 daily new cases per million...…Read full articleJohan AhlanderBy Johan AhlanderSTOCKHOLM (Reuters) -The rate of new COVID-19 infections in Sweden has jumped to the second-highest in Europe after land-locked San Marino, data showed on Tuesday, as the Scandinavian country which has shunned lockdowns throughout the pandemic faced a third wave of cases.The number of patients treated at Swedish intensive care units has now risen past the peak of the second wave around the turn of the year. The country has registered 19,105 new cases since Friday, health agency statistics showed.Sweden had 625 daily new cases per million...WW…

By , ISLAMABAD (Reuters) -Pakistan is to outlaw a hardline Islamist group that railed agaisnt blasphemy to rise to prominence, the interior minister said on Wednesday, the third day of violent protests that killed two police officers and wounded 340.The government said it has also arrested 1,400 workers of the group, that is agitating against the arrest of its chief ahead of countrywide rallies to denounce publication of cartoons in France depicting the Prophet Mohammad.Paramilitary troops were deployed overnight to clear the protests by the Tehrik-i-Labaik Pakistan (TLP), which has blocked...…By , ISLAMABAD (Reuters) -Pakistan is to outlaw a hardline Islamist group that railed agaisnt blasphemy to rise to prominence, the interior minister said on Wednesday, the third day of violent protests that killed two police officers and wounded 340.The government said it has also arrested 1,400 workers of the group, that is agitating against the arrest of its chief ahead of countrywide rallies to denounce publication of cartoons in France depicting the Prophet Mohammad.Paramilitary troops were deployed overnight to clear the protests by the Tehrik-i-Labaik Pakistan (TLP), which has blocked...WW…

April 14, 2021by Children's Cancer Institute AustraliaResearch by Australian scientists could pave the way to a new treatment for a currently incurable brain cancer in children called Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, or DIPG. Affecting about 20 children in Australia each year, DIPG is a devastating disease with an average survival time of just nine months after diagnosis.The research, led by scientists at Children's Cancer Institute and published this week in the international journal, Cell Reports, offers an exciting new therapeutic approach for the treatment of DIPG by using a new...…April 14, 2021by Children's Cancer Institute AustraliaResearch by Australian scientists could pave the way to a new treatment for a currently incurable brain cancer in children called Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, or DIPG. Affecting about 20 children in Australia each year, DIPG is a devastating disease with an average survival time of just nine months after diagnosis.The research, led by scientists at Children's Cancer Institute and published this week in the international journal, Cell Reports, offers an exciting new therapeutic approach for the treatment of DIPG by using a new...WW…

TRENDING:Follow UsQuestion of the DayDenmark this week became the first European country to completely ban the Oxford- COVID-19 vaccine due to blood clot concerns.Although the blood clots are rare but serious, Denmark’s vaccination campaign will move forward without the vaccine, Health Authority director Soren Brostrom said at a news conference, CBS News reported Wednesday.The decision made by the country goes against recommendations by the World Health Organization and European Medicines Agency (EMA) to continue using the jab, who say the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks.TOP...…TRENDING:Follow UsQuestion of the DayDenmark this week became the first European country to completely ban the Oxford- COVID-19 vaccine due to blood clot concerns.Although the blood clots are rare but serious, Denmark’s vaccination campaign will move forward without the vaccine, Health Authority director Soren Brostrom said at a news conference, CBS News reported Wednesday.The decision made by the country goes against recommendations by the World Health Organization and European Medicines Agency (EMA) to continue using the jab, who say the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks.TOP...WW…

Activists in Myanmar have splashed red paint and dye on roads and buildings to represent the blood of the hundreds of people who were killed while protesting against the military’s February 1 power grab.The display on Wednesday, the second day of the traditional New Year holiday, came as a military-run newspaper reported that at least 19 doctors were charged with incitement for participating in the civil disobedience protests.Myanmar has been in chaos since the coup, with daily protests and various campaigns of defiance, including strikes by workers in many sectors. Activists have cancelled...…Activists in Myanmar have splashed red paint and dye on roads and buildings to represent the blood of the hundreds of people who were killed while protesting against the military’s February 1 power grab.The display on Wednesday, the second day of the traditional New Year holiday, came as a military-run newspaper reported that at least 19 doctors were charged with incitement for participating in the civil disobedience protests.Myanmar has been in chaos since the coup, with daily protests and various campaigns of defiance, including strikes by workers in many sectors. Activists have cancelled...WW…

By RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Brazil’s P1 coronavirus variant, behind a deadly COVID-19 surge in the Latin American country that has raised international alarm, is mutating in ways that could make it better able to evade antibodies, according to scientists studying the virus.Research conducted by the public health institute Fiocruz into the variants circulating in Brazil found mutations in the spike region of the virus that is used to enter and infect cells.Those changes, the scientists said, could make the virus more resistant to vaccines - which target the spike protein - with potentially...…By RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Brazil’s P1 coronavirus variant, behind a deadly COVID-19 surge in the Latin American country that has raised international alarm, is mutating in ways that could make it better able to evade antibodies, according to scientists studying the virus.Research conducted by the public health institute Fiocruz into the variants circulating in Brazil found mutations in the spike region of the virus that is used to enter and infect cells.Those changes, the scientists said, could make the virus more resistant to vaccines - which target the spike protein - with potentially...WW…

By VIENNA (Reuters) -Iran is almost ready to start enriching uranium to 60% purity at an above-ground plant at Natanz and plans to add 1,024 first-generation IR-1 centrifuges to an underground plant Tehran says was hit by sabotage, the U.N. atomic watchdog said on Wednesday.Iran has said it will enrich uranium to 60% - a big step closer to the 90% that is weapons-grade from the 20% maximum it has reached so far - in response to what it says was an act of sabotage by Israel against the underground plant.“The Agency today verified that Iran had almost completed preparations to start producing...…By VIENNA (Reuters) -Iran is almost ready to start enriching uranium to 60% purity at an above-ground plant at Natanz and plans to add 1,024 first-generation IR-1 centrifuges to an underground plant Tehran says was hit by sabotage, the U.N. atomic watchdog said on Wednesday.Iran has said it will enrich uranium to 60% - a big step closer to the 90% that is weapons-grade from the 20% maximum it has reached so far - in response to what it says was an act of sabotage by Israel against the underground plant.“The Agency today verified that Iran had almost completed preparations to start producing...WW…

Model and actress Entesar Al-Hammadi. (Supplied)https://arab.news/vw57vAL-MUKALLA: Iran-backed Houthis plan to launch a criminal investigation against Entesar Al-Hammadi, a young Yemeni model and actress, who was abducted from a Sanaa street on Feb. 20, the model’s lawyer Khaled Mohammed Al-Kamal said on Wednesday.The kidnapping of Al-Hammadi and two of her friends is the latest in a string of attacks by the Houthis on dissidents and liberal women in areas under the group’s control.Al-Kamal told Arab News that a prosecutor from the rebel-controlled West Sanaa court will question Entesar on...…Model and actress Entesar Al-Hammadi. (Supplied)https://arab.news/vw57vAL-MUKALLA: Iran-backed Houthis plan to launch a criminal investigation against Entesar Al-Hammadi, a young Yemeni model and actress, who was abducted from a Sanaa street on Feb. 20, the model’s lawyer Khaled Mohammed Al-Kamal said on Wednesday.The kidnapping of Al-Hammadi and two of her friends is the latest in a string of attacks by the Houthis on dissidents and liberal women in areas under the group’s control.Al-Kamal told Arab News that a prosecutor from the rebel-controlled West Sanaa court will question Entesar on...WW…

Istanbul (AFP)A top Turkish court on Wednesday ordered the release of journalist and novelist Ahmet Altan, who was jailed for his alleged involvement in a failed 2016 coup attempt.The Court of Cassation ruling came a day after the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) demanded the release of Altan, who has spent more than four years behind bars after writing articles critical of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.The 71-year-old was arrested shortly after the putsch attempt as part of a purge of media organisations and accused of supporting the uprising by "disseminating subliminal messages to...…Istanbul (AFP)A top Turkish court on Wednesday ordered the release of journalist and novelist Ahmet Altan, who was jailed for his alleged involvement in a failed 2016 coup attempt.The Court of Cassation ruling came a day after the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) demanded the release of Altan, who has spent more than four years behind bars after writing articles critical of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.The 71-year-old was arrested shortly after the putsch attempt as part of a purge of media organisations and accused of supporting the uprising by "disseminating subliminal messages to...WW…

Hundreds of devotees, including nine top saints, have tested positive for Covid-19 in India's Haridwar city where huge crowds have gathered to participate in the Kumbh Mela festival.More than three million Hindu devotees bathed in the Ganges river on Tuesday to mark one of the most auspicious days of the two-month-long festival.Millions are expected to repeat the ritual on Wednesday.India reported 184,372 new cases on Tuesday - its highest-daily spike yet.Many have criticised the government for allowing the festival to go ahead amid a raging pandemic.Officials said that nearly 900,000...…Hundreds of devotees, including nine top saints, have tested positive for Covid-19 in India's Haridwar city where huge crowds have gathered to participate in the Kumbh Mela festival.More than three million Hindu devotees bathed in the Ganges river on Tuesday to mark one of the most auspicious days of the two-month-long festival.Millions are expected to repeat the ritual on Wednesday.India reported 184,372 new cases on Tuesday - its highest-daily spike yet.Many have criticised the government for allowing the festival to go ahead amid a raging pandemic.Officials said that nearly 900,000...WW…

AP NEWSADVERTISEMENThttps://apnews.com/article/world-news-legislature-beijing-hong-kong-china-1862eb327120aab867f32d93c2fc5b33Click to copyhttps://apnews.com/article/world-news-legislature-beijing-hong-kong-china-1862eb327120aab867f32d93c2fc5b33Click to copyRelated topicsHONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s electoral reform bill was introduced in the city’s legislature on Wednesday, setting in motion changes that will give Beijing greater control over the process while reducing the number of directly elected representatives. The bill is part of efforts to rein in political protests and opposition...…AP NEWSADVERTISEMENThttps://apnews.com/article/world-news-legislature-beijing-hong-kong-china-1862eb327120aab867f32d93c2fc5b33Click to copyhttps://apnews.com/article/world-news-legislature-beijing-hong-kong-china-1862eb327120aab867f32d93c2fc5b33Click to copyRelated topicsHONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s electoral reform bill was introduced in the city’s legislature on Wednesday, setting in motion changes that will give Beijing greater control over the process while reducing the number of directly elected representatives. The bill is part of efforts to rein in political protests and opposition...WW…

By , PARIS/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and the European countries party to the Iran nuclear deal pushed back on Wednesday against Tehran’s decision to enrich uranium at 60% purity, with the top U.S. diplomat calling the move “provocative” and questioning Iran’s seriousness about talks.Iran has said it will enrich uranium to 60% - a big step closer to the 90% that is weapons-grade material - in response to what it says was an act of sabotage by Israel against its key nuclear facility last week.U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tehran’s intent raised questions about its...…By , PARIS/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and the European countries party to the Iran nuclear deal pushed back on Wednesday against Tehran’s decision to enrich uranium at 60% purity, with the top U.S. diplomat calling the move “provocative” and questioning Iran’s seriousness about talks.Iran has said it will enrich uranium to 60% - a big step closer to the 90% that is weapons-grade material - in response to what it says was an act of sabotage by Israel against its key nuclear facility last week.U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tehran’s intent raised questions about its...WW…

 Wednesday, Apr 14th 2021| 736 A group of stunned officials didn't know where to look as a group of scantily clad dancers twerked toward them during celebrations to mark the official launch of a new $2billion navy ship. The commissioning of the HMAS Supply in Woolloomooloo, Sydney was attended by Navy top brass including chief Michael Joseph Noonan and the Governor-General David Hurley.Defence Force chief Angus Campbell was also part of the audience.But the risqué dance moves marking the ship's launch were not enjoyed by everyone. A Liberal MP slammed the decision to commission the unusual...… Wednesday, Apr 14th 2021| 736 A group of stunned officials didn't know where to look as a group of scantily clad dancers twerked toward them during celebrations to mark the official launch of a new $2billion navy ship. The commissioning of the HMAS Supply in Woolloomooloo, Sydney was attended by Navy top brass including chief Michael Joseph Noonan and the Governor-General David Hurley.Defence Force chief Angus Campbell was also part of the audience.But the risqué dance moves marking the ship's launch were not enjoyed by everyone. A Liberal MP slammed the decision to commission the unusual...WW…

 “Prevention is the best and only cure” to stem the multiple, devastating and enduring consequences faced by survivors of sexual violence in conflict, especially as a brutal tactic of war, a senior UN official told the Security Council on Wednesday.  "We meet at a moment when this crime, which should have been consigned to a closed chapter of history, is once again in the headlines”, Pramila Patten, Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, affirming that now was the time to “take stock of both the persistent and entrenched, as well as new and emerging, challenges…to eradicate...… “Prevention is the best and only cure” to stem the multiple, devastating and enduring consequences faced by survivors of sexual violence in conflict, especially as a brutal tactic of war, a senior UN official told the Security Council on Wednesday.  "We meet at a moment when this crime, which should have been consigned to a closed chapter of history, is once again in the headlines”, Pramila Patten, Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, affirming that now was the time to “take stock of both the persistent and entrenched, as well as new and emerging, challenges…to eradicate...WW…

AHMEDABAD, India: India's new coronavirus infections hit a record level on Wednesday (Apr 14) with Mumbai set to be locked down at midnight, but hundreds of thousands of pilgrims still thronged to a religious festival in the north of the country.The country reported 184,372 cases in the last 24 hours, health ministry data showed, taking total infections to 13.9 million. Deaths rose by 1,027, for a toll of 172,085.After reporting less than 10,000 cases per day earlier this year, India has been since Apr 2. The government blames a widespread failure to heed curbs on movement and social...…AHMEDABAD, India: India's new coronavirus infections hit a record level on Wednesday (Apr 14) with Mumbai set to be locked down at midnight, but hundreds of thousands of pilgrims still thronged to a religious festival in the north of the country.The country reported 184,372 cases in the last 24 hours, health ministry data showed, taking total infections to 13.9 million. Deaths rose by 1,027, for a toll of 172,085.After reporting less than 10,000 cases per day earlier this year, India has been since Apr 2. The government blames a widespread failure to heed curbs on movement and social...WW…

By KINGSTOWN, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Reuters) - The Caribbean Saint Vincent island was hit by another explosive event from the La Soufriere volcano early on Sunday, triggering power cuts and water outages in some areas, while ash clouds began to blanket parts of the island of Barbados.After decades of inactivity, the volcano erupted on Friday, spewing dark clouds of ash some 10 km (6 miles) into the air and prompting an evacuation of thousands of people on the island. The volcano has continued to rumble and vent ash since then.On Sunday morning, Saint Vincent’s National Emergency...…By KINGSTOWN, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Reuters) - The Caribbean Saint Vincent island was hit by another explosive event from the La Soufriere volcano early on Sunday, triggering power cuts and water outages in some areas, while ash clouds began to blanket parts of the island of Barbados.After decades of inactivity, the volcano erupted on Friday, spewing dark clouds of ash some 10 km (6 miles) into the air and prompting an evacuation of thousands of people on the island. The volcano has continued to rumble and vent ash since then.On Sunday morning, Saint Vincent’s National Emergency...WW…

OTTAWA --A Liberal MP was caught wearing his birthday suit in the virtual House of Commons.William Amos, who has represented the Quebec riding of Pontiac since 2015, appeared on the screens of his fellow members of Parliament completely naked Wednesday.A screenshot obtained by The Canadian Press shows him standing behind a desk between the Quebec and Canadian flags, his private parts hidden by what appears to be a mobile phone in one hand."This was an unfortunate error," Amos said in a statement sent by email Wednesday."My video was accidentally turned on as I was changing into my work...…OTTAWA --A Liberal MP was caught wearing his birthday suit in the virtual House of Commons.William Amos, who has represented the Quebec riding of Pontiac since 2015, appeared on the screens of his fellow members of Parliament completely naked Wednesday.A screenshot obtained by The Canadian Press shows him standing behind a desk between the Quebec and Canadian flags, his private parts hidden by what appears to be a mobile phone in one hand."This was an unfortunate error," Amos said in a statement sent by email Wednesday."My video was accidentally turned on as I was changing into my work...WW…