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-Top News USA

TikTok gets 15-day extension to reach deal with buyers

On August 6, Trump had issued an executive order banning US transactions with TikTok and ByteDance after 45 days, citing national security concerns…..reports Asian Lite News

The US government has granted Chinese short-video making app TikTok a 15-day extension to reach a deal with American buyers, according to a federal court filing.

This means that the deadline for ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to reach a deal with Oracle and Walmart has been extended from November 12 to November 27, Xinhua news agency quoted the US District Court for the District of Columbia as saying in the filing on Friday.

Treasury Department cpokesperson Monica Crowley said in a statement that this extension will give the parties and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS) additional time to resolve this case in a manner that complies with President Donald Trump’s order.

On August 6, Trump had issued an executive order banning US transactions with TikTok and ByteDance after 45 days, citing national security concerns.

On August 14, Trump signed another executive order that forces ByteDance to sell or spin off its US TikTok business within 90 days, setting the deadline of November 12.

In September, Trump gave a preliminary approval for ByteDance to sell the app to US buyers, and then a potential deal among ByteDance, Oracle and Walmart emerged.

  • Washington, Oct. 2, 2020 (Xinhua) — File photo taken on Sept. 3, 2020 shows U.S. President Donald Trump participating in a campaign rally in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, the United States. Trump said early Friday morning that he and his wife, Melania, have tested positive for COVID-19, after a close aide had contracted the virus. (Xinhua/Liu Jie/IANS)

However, the US administration offered no feedback in nearly two months.

TikTok said in a statement earlier that it had asked the US government for a 30-day extension because it was “facing continual new requests and no clarity on whether our proposed solutions would be accepted”.

On Thursday, the US Commerce Department said it will not enforce an order to ban TikTok “pending further legal developments”, citing a recent ruling by the District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Judge Wendy Beetlestone ruled on October 30 that she found the US government’s “own descriptions of the national security threat posed by the TikTok app are phrased in the hypothetical”, and therefore she could not find that “the risk presented by the government outweighs the public interest in enjoining” the ban.

Also read:TikTok calls for review as deadline to expire

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-Top News EU News

EU to reform Schengen system to strengthen security

The Schengen Area comprises 26 European countries that allow passport-free travel between them…reports Asian Lite News

The European Union (EU) will revamp the Schengen system, with a new strategy to be tabled in months, as part of a wider effort to fight terrorism, a top official of the bloc announced.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said a first Schengen Forum will take place at the end of this month for the exchange of views that will lead to the publication of a new Schengen strategy in May 2021, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Schengen Area comprises 26 European countries that allow passport-free travel between them.

It is made up of 22 of the 27 EU states plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

She said the issue of a well-functioning Schengen area was at the top of the agenda at the home affairs ministers’ virtual meeting on Friday, with many ministers mentioning the importance of the protection of the EU’s external borders.

The meeting was held against the backdrop of the recent terrorist attacks in France and Austria and on the fifth anniversary of the attacks in Paris.



On November 13, 2015, a series of terrorist attacks took place in Paris and the city’s northern suburb, during which some 130 people were killed in several mass shootings and suicide bombings.

“These are attacks on our common European values and our fundamental rights. We stand against these attacks as we did five years ago, as a single society,” she said.

Johansson said the existing proposals and security initiatives developed over the years have to pass through the European Parliament and the Council of the EU with urgency, especially the proposals for a regulation on preventing the dissemination of terrorist content online.

Besides, border guards and police must be able to cross-check identity documents against all relevant information systems.

Achieving inter-operability of the systems by 2023 will be a priority at all levels, she said.

The commissioner mentioned that in a study that Frontex carried out last year, 22 per cent of those entering the Schengen area were not checked towards the Schengen information system.

“So here is clearly room for improvement,” she added.

Also read:EU contributes more $118 million to COVAX

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Politics World News

Libya to hold national elections in December 2021

Representatives of the six-day forum have reached a preliminary agreement on a roadmap for the preparatory phase towards the national elections, said William special representative of the UN…reports Asian Lite News

Representatives across the Libyan social and political spectrum have agreed to hold national elections in December 2021, the UN Mission in the country has announced.

The 75 representatives reached the agreement at the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum, an inclusive intra-Libyan political dialogue platform, Xinhua news agency quoted Stephanie Williams, head of the UN Support in Libya, as saying at a virtual press conference on Friday.

The forum was launched under the auspices of the UN shortly after the Libyan parties signed a UN-sponsored permanent ceasefire agreement in Geneva on October 23 with an aim to discuss a political roadmap to end their year-long conflict and achieve lasting peace.

Representatives of the six-day forum have reached a preliminary agreement on a roadmap for the preparatory phase towards the national elections, said William, who is also the acting special representative of the UN Secretary General in Libya.

She said that the representatives have started outlining the competencies of a reformed presidency council and a government of national unity.

Participants of the talks “are taking steps to ensure that the candidates for the selection process are asked to adhere to the principles of inclusivity, transparency, efficiency, pluralism, collegiality, and patriotism”, Williams said.

The east-based army and the UN-backed government had been engaged in a deadly armed conflict for more than a year in and around Tripoli, which ended in early June with the UN-backed government announcing takeover of all western Libya after withdrawal of the east-based army.

The fighting has killed and injured hundreds of civilians and displaced more than 150,000 others.

Also read:EU hails Libyan political dialogue forum

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-Top News Arab News Asia News USA

Palestine knocks Pompeo’s plan to visit Israeli settlement

“The visit is dangerous and violates international law and the United Nations resolutions,” Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye said…reports Asian Lite News

Palestinian officials have slammed US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s decision to visit Israeli settlement in the West Bank, calling the planned trip “a challenge to the international consensus”.

“The visit will be a challenge to the positions of all previous US administrations that emphasized the illegality of settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories,” Xinhua news agency quoted Palestinian Minister of Civil Affairs Hussein al-Sheikh as saying in a statement on Friday.

Earlier in the day, Israeli media earlier reported that Pompeo would make an exceptional visit to a winery at Psagot settlement in the West Bank and the Golan Heights during a visit to Israel next week.

“The visit is dangerous and violates international law and the United Nations resolutions,” Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye said.

Such a visit to a settlement built on lands belonging to Palestinian owners “represents the legitimization of settlements and a blow to international legitimacy”, Ishtaye added.

Israel occupied the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem in 1967, and has since built dozens of settlements on the occupied territories, all regarded by the Palestinians as illegal.

In 2019, Pompeo announced that Washington no longer considered Israeli settlements built on the Palestinian territories as inconsistent with international law.

The Palestinians want to establish an independent state on the territories occupied by Israel in 1967 with Jerusalem as its capital by way of peace talks with the Jewish state.

The last round of peace negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis, sponsored by the US, broke down in 2014 because of their deep divisions on issues related to Israeli settlements and the Palestinian statehood.

The Palestinian Authority severed its diplomatic ties with the administration of US President Donald Trump after he declared Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2017.

Also read:UAE, Israel Ministers hold talks on defence

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-Top News Asia News

Russia sets up centre for humanitarian issues in Nagorno-Karabakh

Photo taken on Sept. 29, 2020 shows a man walking by a house damaged during clashes in the Tartar district bordering the Nagorno-Karabakh region. (Photo by Tofik Babayev/Xinhua)

Putin also asked the centre to help state bodies of Azerbaijan and Armenia to restore civil infrastructure in Nagorno-Karabakh and create proper conditions for its people to live a normal life….reports Asian Lite News

  • Photo taken on Sept. 29, 2020 shows a man walking by a house damaged during clashes in the Tartar district bordering the Nagorno-Karabakh region. (Photo by Tofik Babayev/Xinhua)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed an order to set up an inter-departmental humanitarian response centre to resolve humanitarian issues and rebuild civil infrastructure in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

According to the order published by the Kremlin on Friday, the centre is tasked with facilitating the return of displaced people to their home in the conflict-ridden Nagorno-Karabakh, reports Xinhua news agency.

Putin also asked the centre to help state bodies of Azerbaijan and Armenia to restore civil infrastructure in Nagorno-Karabakh and create proper conditions for its people to live a normal life.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have been at loggerheads over the mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh since 1988. The latest round of armed conflict broke out in the region in September, causing heavy casualties and property losses.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Putin signed a joint statement on Monday, agreeing on a complete ceasefire in the region.

  • A man shows a house damaged during the new round of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Fuzuli district of Azerbaijan, Sept. 30, 2020. (Photo by Tofik Babayev/Xinhua/IANS)

As agreed, Russia will deploy a peacekeeping contingent consisting of 1,960 servicemen with small arms, 90 armoured personnel carriers, and 380 vehicles to the region.

This is the fourth ceasefire since last month.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday welcomed the new ceasefire, adding that he was “grateful to the Russian Federation for its effort is bringing about this agreement”.

Earlier, the three other ceasefires — two brokered by Russia (October 10, 17) and one by the US (October 26) — collapsed after Armenia and Azerbaijan traded accusations and attacks.

  • (160405) — NAGORNO-KARABAKH, April 5, 2016 (Xinhua) — Houses damaged in recent conflicts are seen in Azerbaijan’s Gapanli village bordering Nagorno-Karabakh region, on April 5, 2016. The Armenian and Azerbaijani Defense Ministries both confirmed Tuesday that a ceasefire agreement in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region is currently being prepared. (Xinhua/Tofik Babayev)(dh)

A new round of armed conflict broke out on September 27 along the contact line of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but mostly governed by the Republic of Artsakh, a de facto independent state with an Armenian ethnic majority.

The area experienced flare-ups of violence in the summer of 2014, April 2016 and in July this year.

Armenia and Azerbaijan went to war over the region in 1988-94, eventually declaring a ceasefire.

However, a settlement was never reached.

Also read:US snubs Russia-backed conference on Syrian refugees

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-Top News Asia News

Turkey dispatches second drill ship to Black Sea

The ship will begin drilling in the first months of 2021, according to the Minister…reports Asian Lite News

Turkey’s drill ship Kanuni has set sail from Istanbul to the Black Sea to start its first mission, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez announced.

Kanuni will carry out drilling activities at the Sakarya Gas Field off the northern province of Zonguldak after having some maintenance at the Port of Filyos at the province, Xinhua news agency quoted Donmez said at a ceremony on Friday at Istanbul’s Haydarpasa Port before the vessel’s departure.

The ship will begin drilling in the first months of 2021, according to the Minister.

To be able to pass under the three bridges of the Bosphorus Strait, the ship towers had been dismantled at Haydarpasa Port.

Turkey’s Fatih drillship, which has recently discovered 405 billion cubic meters of natural gas reserves, is currently conducting drilling activities in the Turkali-1 well in the same gas field.

Friday’s development comes weeks after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Turkey had found more gas reserves in the Black Sea.

Meanwhile, the Turkish seismic survey vessel, the Oruc Reis, also sailed to the Eastern Mediterranean Sea to resume its activities earlier last month.

The vessel has so far collected a total of 3,525 km seismic data in the Mediterranean Sea.

The developments come amid heightened tensions in the region as Greece has disputed Turkey’s rights to energy exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

Ankara sent out drill ships to explore for energy on its continental shelf, asserting its rights in the region as well as those of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

European Union countries have been trying to mediate between Turkey and Greece over their conflicting demands.

Turkey says that Greece’s maritime territory claims in the region, based on small islands near the Turkish coast, are in defiance of the international law.

Greece and Turkey are both Nato members, but have a history of border disputes and competing claims over maritime rights.

Also read:SPECIAL: Medical Tourism in Turkey

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-Top News Politics USA

Senate races in Georgia head to a runoff

Combo photo shows U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden (L) and U.S. President Donald Trump attend their respective events on different occasions. (Xinhua/IANS)

Along with the runoff race between Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler and Democratic challenger Raphael Warnock, the race will determine control of the Senate….reports Asian Lite News

A second US Senate race in the state of Georgia is now headed for a runoff on January 5, 2021, forging a showdown for the Senate majority between Republicans and Democrats, according to NBC News projection.

Republican Senator David Perdue will not break the 50 per cent threshold needed to win outright in general elections and will again face Democrat Jon Ossoff in the runoff, Xinhua news agency quoted NBC News as saying on Friday.

Along with the runoff race between Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler and Democratic challenger Raphael Warnock, the race will determine control of the Senate.

During the campaign, Perdue, a first-term senator and former business executive, was criticized for his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, including federal probes into his stock trading around the start of the pandemic in the country.

Meanwhile, Ossoff, a former journalist who lost a tight, high-profile US House special election in 2017, was accused by his Republican rival of pursuing a “radical socialist agenda”, according to media reports.

Both Republicans and Democrats are focusing their attention and money on Georgia as it became apparent two runoffs would determine Senate control, said the reports.

Republicans have won 50 U.S. Senate seats so far, multiple US media outlets projected. Democrats have flipped one net seat for a total of 48.

Therefore, if Democrats win both runoffs in Georgia, there will be an even split between the two parties in the 100-seat upper chamber of the next Congress.

Moreover, given that Democrat Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris declared victory for the US presidential election, Harris would hold a tiebreaking vote in the Senate.

According to tallies by major US media outlets, Democrats have held onto their majority in the House of Representatives by capturing at least 218 seats in the 435-member chamber as of Tuesday.

Biden is currently projected to win the Electoral College by a margin of 306 to 232.

Sitting President Donald Trump hasn’t conceded and is mounting challenges in court over allegations of voter fraud and counting misconduct.

Also read:Georgia to decide control of senate

Categories
-Top News Politics USA

Republicans undermine democracy with fraud claims: Obama

The development comes as US poll officials have claimed that the recently-concluded 2020 presidential election was the “most secure in American history”, and rejected President Donald Trump’s ballot fraud allegations…reports Asian Lite News

Former US President Barack Obama has said senior US Republicans are undermining democracy by going along with President Donald Trump’s refusal to admit that he lost last week’s election and his unsubstantiated claims of election fraud. BBC reports

The development comes as US poll officials have claimed that the recently-concluded 2020 presidential election was the “most secure in American history”, and rejected President Donald Trump’s ballot fraud allegations, the media reported on Friday.

The remarks were part of a joint statement released on Thursday by the Election Infrastructure Government Co-ordinating Council, comprising senior officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the US Election Assistance Commission and also state-level officials, the BBC reported.

  • U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters in Washington D.C (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua/IANS)

“The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history. Right now, across the country, election officials are reviewing and double checking the entire election process prior to finalizing the result.

“While we know there are many unfounded claims and opportunities for misinformation about the process of our elections, we can assure you we have the utmost confidence in the security and integrity of our elections, and you should too.

“When you have questions, turn to elections officials as trusted voices as they administer elections,” the statement added.

The statement was posted posted to the website of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (Cisa), which is part of the DHS.

Just hours before it was released, Trump tweeted that voting software used in 28 states had deleted millions of votes for him.

The President did not provide any evidence and the tweet was later flagged, reports the BBC.

Also read:Obama to be next guest on Apple TV+’s The Oprah Conversation

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Dubai UAE News

Dubai sets Covid-19 safety guidelines for Diwali

In the wake of the ongoing pandemic, the official said that “every effort has been made to ensure that venues hosting Diwali celebrations are cleaned and sanitised and that reduced capacity rules are strictly followed”…reports Asian Lite News

A top Dubai city officials have urged Indian expats, as well as all residents, to follow Covid-19 safety guidelines while celebrating Diwali on Saturday.

Speaking to Gulf News in an exclusive interview published on Friday, Mohammed Feras Arayqat, director retail registration, retail and strategic alliances, Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), said: “Every member of Dubai’s diverse community of nationalities is invited to join in with the celebrations for the annual ‘Festival of Lights’ and experience the wide range of entertainment on offer while following all of the social distancing rules, wearing a mask and taking all safety and precautionary measures.

“As well as enjoying the outdoor entertainment and the perfect winter weather, revellers can also explore Dubai’s malls, which are offering lots of great retail deals on a wide range of traditional Diwali gifts as well as big name brands and much more.”

In the wake of the ongoing pandemic, the official said that “every effort has been made to ensure that venues hosting Diwali celebrations are cleaned and sanitised and that reduced capacity rules are strictly followed”.

“It is important that face masks are worn at all times and social distancing rules are observed in order to keep everyone safe and well during this special time of the year.”

According to Arayqat, there were a number of celebrations, entertainment and activities across the Dubai, which include traditional fireworks displays at The Pointe on Friday at 9 p.m., and also a special performance at The Palm Fountain.

Also on Friday and Saturday, there will be fireworks shows at the Global Village, along with a fun-packed carnival of Diwali-themed entertainment, he told Gulf News.

Also read:Dubai, Israel discuss bolstering economic ties

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-Top News Australia COVID-19

Australian vaccine ready for clinical trials

Phase 1 clinical trials had shown the vaccine to be safe and effective at eliciting an antibody response.said UQ vaccine project Co-leader Professor Paul Young ..reports Asian Lite News

A Covid-19 vaccine in development by Australia’s University of Queensland (UQ) was declared ready to progress to later-stage clinical trials ahead of schedule on Friday, following promising Phase 1 results.

Regulatory approval was being sought for the vaccine to progress to Phase 3 clinical trials before the end of the year, with a timeline for widespread distribution to occur in late 2021, reports Xinhua news agency.

Co-leader of the UQ vaccine project and leading Australian virologist, Professor Paul Young said that Phase 1 clinical trials had shown the vaccine to be safe and effective at eliciting an antibody response.

“Early data out of Phase 1 clinical trial says that the vaccine is safe and well-tolerated when given, there’s very little in the way of adverse events on injection of the vaccine,” Young said.

“And it also induces a strong immune response, particularly a neutralizing antibody response, that is equivalent to or in excess of what is seen in patients who have recovered from live virus infection.”

Additionally Young said that lower doses of the vaccine had proved equally effective at inducing the immune response, meaning the manufacturing of the vaccine will be more efficient in terms of dosage numbers.

The university was partnered with local biotech firm CSL, to undertake manufacturing of the vaccine, with the capacity to rapidly produce tens of millions of doses at the company’s Australian facilities.

“Our national goal is to ensure that all Australians who seek to be vaccinated, are vaccinated by the end of 2021,” said Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt.

Also read:Australia to reinitiate ‘trans-Tasman’ travel bubble plans