World

Los Angeles, Sep 7 (IANS) The US has confirmed more than 20,000 monkeypox cases, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

A total of 20,733 known monkeypox cases had been reported nationwide as of Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the CDC data.

California had the most cases with 3,833, followed by New York with 3,526 and Florida with 2,126, the data showed.

So far the US has the world's highest tally of monkeypox cases.

--IANS
int/shs

Los Angeles, Sep 7 (IANS) A wildfire in Southern California that killed two people and injured a third has exploded to over 2,400 acres (9.71 square km) within 24 hours as of Tuesday morning, authorities said.

The Fairview fire started Monday afternoon near the city of Hemet in Riverside County amid a brutal heat wave that has scorched Southern California for days. It was only 5 per cent contained to date and the evacuation order and warning remain in place, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the Riverside County Fire Department.

The department said at least seven structures had been destroyed and several more damaged. officials estimated that thousands of structures in the area remain threatened by the fire.

The two victims of the fire appeared to be attempting to flee before being overcome by the blaze, officials said in a media briefing Tuesday morning.

Due to the blaze, all schools in Hemet Unified School District will be closed on Tuesday.

School district officials said in a statement that the decision "was not made lightly." After considering local authorities' advisement and evacuation orders, transportation impacts, the current level of fire containment, and the possibility of power outages with anticipated high temperatures, they felt that closing schools on Tuesday is necessary to ensure the safety of students, staff, and families.

--IANS
int/shs

Rome, Sep 7 (IANS) The Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) gave its approval to the distribution of two coronavirus vaccines specifically tailored to confront the spread of the Omicron variant of the virus.

The approval from AIFA came on Tuesday after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) last week endorsed the use of the updated Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines and concluded the Comirnaty and Spikevax vaccines were safe for use in individuals over the age of 12, Xinhua news agency reported.

Italy began distributing Covid-19 vaccines in December 2020, but the new boosters represent the first time the country has approved a coronavirus vaccine dose engineered for a specific variant of the virus.

As in the past, priority will be given to those aged over 60 or other residents with health conditions that make them specifically vulnerable to Covid-19.

"The AIFA-continuous booster dose is available to all subjects under the authorised indication and may be administered at least three months after completion of the primary vaccination cycle or any booster dose already received," said the agency in a press release.

The development comes amid a lull in the spread of Covid-19 in Italy. On Tuesday, the country recorded nearly 25,000 new infections and 80 new deaths, a decline from recent peaks surpassing 100,000 daily infections in mid-July.

But health officials have urged prudence going forward amid fears of a new wave of the virus in winter -- a period that has seen spikes in Covid-19 cases and deaths since the virus became widespread in Italy in 2020.

--IANS
int/shs

Peshawar, Sep 6 (IANS) With PTI Chairman Imran Khan to address a rally in Peshawar, reports have emerged that YouTube has been shut down in Pakistan, media reports said.

Ahead of the former Prime Minister's address, multiple users had started complaining on Twitter that the streaming website was not working for them. #YouTubeDown also emerged as a top trend on the microblogging website Twitter, Geo News reported.

The disruption in YouTube service was also confirmed by internet tracker, NetBlocks, in a tweet.

In response to the reported blockage, PTI said that it will air its Chairman's speech on Twitter Space.

The blockage comes after the PTI Chairman, earlier on Tuesday, said he'd had enough of the Pakistan Democratic Movement's (PDM) "cabal of crooks" maligning him, Geo News reported.

PDM — the ruling parties who have formed the government after ousting Khan from the Prime Minister's office in April — severely criticised Khan's recent comments against the military and its top brass.

The armed forces were also livid following the PTI chairman's Faisalabad speech, where he said that if a "patriotic" army chief were appointed, he would not spare the incumbent rulers.

In response, Khan tweeted that he was following the "intense propaganda" launched by the PDM's "cabal of crooks" against him, which stems from them being "petrified of PTI's soaring popularity".

--IANS
san/

New Delhi, Sep 6 (IANS) India and Bangladesh will soon begin discussions on a bilateral economic partnership agreement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday after holding talks with his visiting Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina.

Addressing a joint press conference after the bilateral discussions, Modi in the presence of Hasina, said that through expansion of connectivity infrastructure economies of both the nations will be strengthened.

The Prime Minister further said that India is the biggest development and trade partner of Bangladesh in the region.

For Bangladesh's exports too, India is a significant market, he added.

The Prime Minister further elaborated that in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic and the prevailing geo-political situation, both India and Bangladesh need to further strengthen their economies.

The two leaders also decided to further increase cooperation in the IT, nuclear and space sectors and it was also decided to take further the ongoing efforts to conserve the joint ecological heritage of the Sundarbans.

The inauguration of the first unit of Maitree thermal plant will go a long way in meeting the need for affordable power of Bangladesh, Modi added.

--IANS
anm/ksk/

New Delhi, Sep 6 (IANS) Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was accorded a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Tuesday. Before her ceremonial welcome, she was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan where the duo shook hands and posed for the photograph.

After her welcome, Hasina said, "India is our friend. Whenever I come to India, it is a matter of happiness for me, especially because we always remember India's contribution during our liberation struggle. We have a friendly relationship, we are cooperating with each other."

The leaders of the two countries are expected to hold extensive talks, after which the two sides are likely to unveil measures to boost cooperation in the areas of defence, trade and river-water sharing.

Hasina will also call on President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.

On Thursday, Hasina is scheduled to visit Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Dargah in Ajmer, Rajasthan.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who arrived here on Monday on four-day visit to India, was received by Union Minister Darshan Zardosh at the airport.

Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi said, "PM Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh has been warmly received by Minister of State for Railways and Textiles Darshan Jardosh on her arrival in New Delhi. The visit will further strengthen the multi-faceted ties between the two countries.

Hasina's delegation includes Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, Railway Minister Mohd Nurul Islam Suzanne, Liberation War Minister AKM Mozammel Haque and Economic Affairs Adviser to the Prime Minister Masiur AKM Rahman.

She had last visited New Delhi in October 2019.

India and Bangladesh finalised the text of the agreement on the interim sharing of waters of the Kushiyara river only last month. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is likely to be signed on Tuesday, the text of which was finalised at the 38th ministerial meeting of the India-Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) held in New Delhi on August 25.

In March last year, Prime Minister Modi visited Bangladesh to attend events organised to mark the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 50 years of Bangladesh's liberation struggle.

--IANS
akr/uk

New Delhi, Sep 6 (IANSlife) Multi-platinum singer-songwriter Ananya Birla, is preparing for her debut in the international fashion world. She is well-known for her eclectic sense of style and will be walking the runway for celebrated Indian couturiere, Archana Kochhar.

The designer will be showcasing for the first time at prestigious London Fashion Week.

Ananya Birla states: "I'm looking forward to being a part of the London Fashion Week and supporting the Make In India campaign on the world stage. Archana Kochhar is a talented designer and I can't wait to walk for her."

The show, in collaboration with the British Fashion Council, will take place on September 17, 2022, at the Hyatt Regency, London - The Churchill. Kochhar, who has worked with Bollywood stars, is also the first Indian designer to be designated to propel the Make In India campaign, which was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in 2014 on global territories.

Alongside Kochhar, Elizabeth Emanuel, a British designer best known for designing late Princess Diana's wedding gown, currently on display at Kensington Palace London, will appear during the nightfall slot.

Kochhar's collection 'Le Gehna', focuses on emerging bridal trends from the modern world. The collection will be a vibrant showcase of royal hues, avant-garde cuts, and seamless textures, with a striking medley of artisanal Indian embroidery and western silhouettes. Birla is expected to dazzle in a bespoke emerald saree gown, with an emphasis on promoting Indian heritage on the global stage.

Archana Kochhar states: "Craft and handiwork are at the core of my work and I'm pleased to associate with Ananya Birla who enjoys a distinct cultural and artistic lineage. My collection's overall theme is all about inclusivity and consciousness and to inspire forward-thinking fashion conversations in the bridal fashion circuits."

(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)

--IANS
ianslife/tb/

Chengdu, Sep 6 (IANS) Forty-six people have been killed in a 6.8-magnitude earthquake that jolted Luding County in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Monday, local authorities said at a press briefing.

As of 8:30 p.m. Monday, 16 people were missing and over 50 injured, said Wang Feng, deputy director of the Sichuan provincial emergency management department, Xinhua news agency reported.

Among the dead, 29 were from Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture which administers Luding County, and the other 17 were from Ya'an City.

The earthquake relief headquarters of Ganzi has activated the highest level of emergency response for the earthquake.

The 6.8-magnitude earthquake jolted Luding County at 12:52 p.m. Monday (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).

The epicenter was monitored at 29.59 degrees north latitude and 102.08 degrees east longitude, at a depth of 16 km, the CENC said.

The epicenter is 39 km away from the county seat of Luding and there are several villages within the 5-km range around the epicenter.

--IANS
int/shs

London, Sep 5 (IANS) UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss was on Monday announced the victor of the contest for the Conservative Party leader, defeating former Chancelllor of Exchequer Rishi Sunak, and paving the way for her to become the next Prime Minister.

Truss, who succeeds Boris Johnson, will be the third woman Prime Minister of the United Kingdom after Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May, all of from her Conservative Party.

Announcing the results, 1922 Committee chief, Sir Graham Brady said Truss won 81,326 votes, or over 57 per cent, compared to Sunak's 60,399 votes.

There was a turnout of 82.6 per cent of the over 170,000 registered party voters, he added.

In her brief address on the occasion, Truss thanked the party for "organising one of the longest job interviews in history", as well as her supporters.

She praised her rivals, particularly Sunak, saying that the campaign was "hard-fought" and showed "the depth and breadth of talent" in the party.

Truss pledged to follow through on her promises to voters, saying the Tory party needs to show it can deliver over the next two years, and that she has a "bold plan" to cut taxes and grow the UK economy.

On the rising energy bills, she says she will "deliver" when it comes to crisis by not only dealing with bills but also the long term supply issues.

--IANS
vd

Hong Kong, Sep 5 (IANS) More than 70 Chinese cities have been placed under full or partial Covid lockdowns since late August, impacting more than 300 million people, as local authorities rush to stamp out infections at all cost in the final countdown to leader Xi Jinpings expected third term, media reports said.

Since August 20, at least 74 cities with a combined population of 313 million have imposed lockdowns that cover entire cities, districts or multiple neighborhoods, according to CNN's calculations.

They include 15 provincial capitals and Tianjin, a provincial-level municipality, CNN reported.

Many of the restrictions are still in place. According to Chinese financial magazine Caixin, 33 cities are currently under partial or full lockdowns. Experts say more cities are likely to be added in the coming weeks.

The sweeping restrictions that upend lives and businesses stand in stark contrast with the return to normal life in much of the world, where societies have mostly pivoted to living with the virus, CNN reported.

But China insists that zero-Covid is saving lives. Health officials have cited the relatively low elderly vaccination rate and inadequate rural healthcare as hurdles to relaxing restrictions, but Chinese public health experts say political factors have played an outsized role, too.

Xi Jinping, a staunch advocate for the country's uncompromising zero-Covid strategy, is poised to be anointed as the country's top leader for another five years at the 20th Party Congress, scheduled to start on October 16.

The highly choreographed affair is meant to be a moment of celebration and vindication of the achievements of the Party -- and of Xi personally over his decade in power. And severe outbreak risks are undermining that triumphant image, experts say.

"The Party wants to make sure nothing untoward, such as a major outbreak, could potentially threaten social stability, shadow the leadership transition process – and not to mention tarnish Xi's personal leadership credibility," said Yanzhong Huang, a senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations, CNN reported.

--IANS
san/arm