Author: Asian Lite Newsdesk

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Politics USA

Pence delays Indiana trip to vote early

US President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence at Republican National Convention.

According to a report in The Hill news website, Pence was slated to travel to Indianapolis, where he is still registered to vote, to cast his ballot in person along with his wife, Karen…Reports Asian Lite News

US Vice President Mike Pence has postponed a planned trip to the state of Indiana on Friday to vote early for the presidential election.

While the reason for the cancellation was not immediately clear, press secretary Devin O’Malley said on Thursday: “Nobody’s sick. There’s no positive tests. The Vice President is planning on travelling on Saturday and Monday.

“We’ll have more information on the Vice President’s schedule next week soon.”

A White House official also said that Pence will vote in Indiana at a later date.

According to a report in The Hill news website, Pence was slated to travel to Indianapolis, where he is still registered to vote, to cast his ballot in person along with his wife, Karen.

But the trip was called off on Thursday afternoon while Pence was in Arizona campaigning, the report added.

On Saturday, Pence will campaign in Florida and in Ohio on Monday on October 12.

United States Vice President Mike Pence (Photo: White House/IANS)

The Vice President has taken a critical role in the campaigning after President Donald Trump announced on October 2 that he and the First Lady had tested positive for the coroanvris.

Pence and his wife had tested negative following Trump’s announcement and also on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Trump insisted he was feeling well, but acknowledged on Thursday morning that he is still taking dexamethasone, a steroid, for treatment.

Also read:Harris and a fly dominate Pence in first VP debate

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-Top News USA

Biden campaign raises over $12mn after VP debate

Joe Biden.

The former Vice President’s campaign had raised nearly $10 million after the first presidential debate between Biden and Trump on September 29…Reports Asian Lite News

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s campaign announced that it has raised more than $12 million following the debate between the party’s candidate Kamala Harris and US Vice President Mike Pence.

The figure was confirmed by a campaign official to The Hill news website on Thursday, a day after the first Vice Presidential debate which took place in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The former Vice President’s campaign had raised nearly $10 million after the first presidential debate between Biden and President Donald Trump on September 29.

But in August, the Democratic National Committee and joint fundraising efforts shattered a single-month record by raising $364.5 million.

When Harris was announced as Biden’s running mate, the former President’s camp raised $48 million in just 48 hours.

Also read:Biden resumes negative campaign ads against Trump

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-Top News Arab News

Turkish Military Presence In Qatar Fuels Instability: Gargash

Dr. Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, UAE.

The presence of Turkey’s army in Qatar is an “element of instability in the region,” the UAE’s minister of state for foreign affairs said on Saturday, according to Arab News.

“The Turkish military presence in the Arab Gulf is an emergency… It reinforces polarization, and it does not take into account the sovereignty of states and the interests of the Gulf countries and its peoples,” Anwar Gargash tweeted.

Commenting on a statement made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his recent visit to Qatar, Gargash said that Turkey’s army is not working toward stability in the region as the President claimed.

“The statement of the Turkish President during his visit to Qatar, in which he indicates that his army is working toward the stability of all Gulf states, is inconsistent with Turkey’s regional role, and the evidence (for this) is numerous,” the report quoted the minister as saying.

The Turkish President had on Wdnesday visited Qatar and met the country’s Emir Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.

Also Read: Turkey Calls For Urgent Reconciliation With EU

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Cricket Sport

KXIP skipper has no answers for the team’s losing streak

KL Rahul, Kings XI Punjab Skipper.

Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) captain KL Rahul said that he had no answers after the team succumbed to their fifth consecutive loss of this year’s IPL. Chasing a target of 165 set by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium on Saturday, KXIP were cruising for much of the chase before losing their way in the last three overs falling two runs short of KKR’s total of 164/6.

“We got close, started well and… honestly, I have no answers. We just need to keep coming harder in the next seven games,” said Rahul after the match.

“We bowled really well. This was a fresh strip so we didn’t know what were good lines and lengths but the bowlers adapted early and bowled well. This is what we have been asking them to do, try and swing the ball early and get wickets in the powerplay. It is the only way we can stop teams from scoring 180-plus. They were brave at the death too.”

Rahul said that the team lost the match because of the number of wickets that fell in the death overs. KXIP were 136/1 at the start of the 17th over, needing 29 to win from 24 balls and they ended the game on 162/5.

“Don’t think we were satisfied at any stage in the chase. You are satisfied only when you win the game. We started really well. Mayank did well and the partnership was crucial. Towards the end if we keep wickets, it’s hard to get over the line,” he said.

Also Read: Batting is a worry for CSK: Dhoni

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Cricket Sport

Batting is a worry for CSK: Dhoni

CSK Skipper MS Dhoni

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni saw his team sink to their fifth defeat of the ongoing IPL season on Saturday with a 37-run loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Chasing a target of 170, CSK could only manage 132/8 at the end of their 20 overs.

“Too many holes in the ship and when you try to plug one, there is water flowing from another. We need to get our act together. Everything needs to work in the same game to get a result. Once we get a result in our favour, it will be slightly different for us,” Dhoni said during the post-match presentation ceremony.

While CSK did well to restrict RCB to 169/4, their batsmen could hardly get going. And Dhoni admitted that batting has been a problem for the three-time champions this season.

During the RCB innings, however, Dhoni said that the team ended up giving too many runs in the last four overs.

“I think the last four overs when we were bowling (didn’t go to plan), before that the bowlers had done a good job. We needed to close it nicely. Batting has been a bit of worry and today also it was evident. We need to do something about it,” he said.

“It is almost the same thing that is happening, maybe the individuals are different but I think we are better off playing the other way round – play the big shots and even if you get out it is fine because we can’t leave too many after the 15th or 16th over, that just puts too much pressure on the lower order batsmen.

“Our batting has lacked a bit of power from the 6th over onwards, individuals get tentative and no matter how much confidence you are giving them, ultimately they have to have their own plan as to how to play,” he said.

CSK are up against SunRisers Hyderabad next on Tuesday.

Also Read: Dhoni among cricket’s greatest captains: Greg Chappel

Categories
Sport

Teenager Swiatek Clinches French Open

Iga Swiatek of Poland (Xinhua/Han Yan/IANS)

Iga Swiatek on Saturday became the first Polish player to win a Grand Slam as she beat Sofia Kenin 6-4, 6-1. Swiatek, 19, is the youngest French Open champion since Rafael Nadal in 2005, who was also aged 19.

After racing to a 3-0 lead in the first set, Swiatek was reeled back in as Australian Open champion Kenin began to find her range on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

The teenager again secured the break and held a set point on serve, only to be broken at 5-3. She however made up for the missed chance when she broke the American’s serve for the third time to secure the opening set after 50 minutes.

Kenin had fought through four three-set matches from her six matches coming into the final, including twice from a set down, and began the second set with a break.

But it was the only time she would lead all set. Following an off-court injury time-out to have her leg re-strapped, Kenin was unable to break the Pole’s momentum as she powered through the second set in just 31 minutes.

Also Read: Djokovic breaks Sampras’ record as world No. 1

Categories
-Top News UAE News

Abu Dhabi, Japan discuss business ties

The seventh session of the Abu Dhabi-Japan Economic Council (ADJEC) kicked off Thursday on a virtual platform to discuss ways of enhancing economic, commercial, and investment cooperation between Abu Dhabi and Japan in several economic sectors of mutual interest, considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to the global economy.

Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) and Kiyoshi Ejima, Japan’s State Minister, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, co-chaired the Council’s 7th session in the presence of Rashed Abdul Karim Al Balooshi, Undersecretary of ADDED and Nobuyori Kodaira, President, Japan Cooperation Centre for the Middle East (JCCME).

The session is a follow up to the implementation of decisions made during previous sessions that were held alternately in Tokyo and Abu Dhabi, including the implementation of key recommendations aimed at enhancing business cooperation between the two countries. The 7th session is also set to advance the interest of Japanese companies keen to expand their investment and commercial activities in Abu Dhabi and the UAE in general.

The ADJEC 7th session held joint group discussions focused on key sectors, including agri-tech, health services, biomedicine, information and communication technology (ICT), financial services, and tourism.economic development.

Also read:UAE chairs Arab Governors’ meeting within IMF, WBG

Categories
-Top News Arab News

Azerbaijan, Armenia Agree on Ceasefire

Russia announced that Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed today to a ceasefire in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, starting at noon the same day, after long negotiations that took place in Moscow between the foreign ministers of the two countries, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a statement that the ceasefire will take place at 12:00 p.m. (09:00 GMT), on October 10, 2020, for humanitarian purposes.

Categories
-Top News India News

Infiltration incidents down in Kashmir

Soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir. (Photo: IANS)
Army’s 15 Corps General Officer Commanding Lt Gen BS Raju addresses a press conference at the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI) centre in Srinagar (Photo: IANS)

Army’s 15 Corps General Officer Commanding Lt Gen BS Raju on Saturday said that less than 30 infiltrators had managed to enter the Kashmir Valley from across the borders and LoC with Pakistan this year as against 130 during the same period last year.

“This year, we have stopped infiltration to a large extent. Last year, 130 infiltrators entered Kashmir; this year, the number is less than 30,” the GOC told journalists on the sidelines of passing-out parade at the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI) centre here.

He asserted that the decline in the infiltration incidents from across the borders was due to the Army’s effective measures.

Lt Gen Raju said there was no change in the attitude of Pakistan but the Indian Army will deal with the nefarious designs of the neighbouring country. “In all, 250 to 300 terrorists are waiting at the launch pads in Pakistan, but we have been able to stop them despite their attempts,” he said.

Soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir. (Photo: IANS)

He said that the situation on the Line of Control is under control though there have been cases of ceasefire violations.

The GOC said that the Army had, in the latest incident, foiled a bid to smuggle weapons into Kashmir through a tube across the Kishenganga river and seized four AK-47 rifles and ammunition, which was made possible due to the alertness of jawans and help of surveillance devices deployed by the Army.

Categories
-Top News Asia News

Nawaz asked to appear in Pak court by Nov 24

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (File Photo - Xinhua, PID, IANS)
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (File Photo – Xinhua, PID, IANS)

 The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has asked former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to appear before it by November 24 to avoid being declared a proclaimed offender.

The IHC’s Registrar Office on Friday issued a written order in the proceedings on the appeal in Al-Azizia and Avenfield corruption references, reports Dawn news.

A two-member division bench of the IHC issued the order.

On October 7, the court recorded statements of Dildar Ali Abro, the first secretary (consular affairs), and Rao Abdul Hannan, consular attache at the Pakistan High Commission, London, as well as Mohammad Mubashir Khan, director for Europe-I, at the Foreign Ministry.

Khan tendered as evidence various documents to substantiate that efforts were made in compliance with the court orders to effect service of non-bailable warrants of arrest on Sharif.

“The examination of statements of above-mentioned witnesses as well as the documents show that all-out efforts were made for effecting service of non-bailable warrants of arrest on Sharif in the above-mentioned appeals to ensure his attendance in the court as required under the law, the court order said.

“Despite efforts, it is abundantly clear that service of warrants could not be effected. It is not possible to conclude in such circumstances that appellant is unaware about the pendency of appeal or the requirement to appear before the court, especially so as learned principal counsel for appellant, namely Khawaja Haris Ahmed, Senior Advocate of Supreme Court, stopped appearing in the matter after order dated September 15, 2020.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan

“In this view of the matter, we are left with no option but to proceed further under section 87 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, and order issuance of proclamation for effecting service and intimating the appellant to appear before the court on the date fixed,” Dawn news quoted the order as further saying.

The IHC also ordered that proclamation will be published in the Dawn and Jang newspapers and copies of the same will again be served upon the appellant through High Commission of Pakistan in the UK.

Last year, the IHC granted Sharif, who is currently in London, an eight-week bail in the Al-Azizia reference on medical grounds which lapsed in February.