UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Sunday welcomed the announcement by the Taliban and the Afghanistan government of a ceasefire to enable the Afghan people to celebrate Eid al-Fitr in peace, urging all parties concerned to seize this opportunity and embrace an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.
Hours before the three-day festival of Eid al-Fitr was due to begin, Taliban made the declaration that they would attack only if their positions were hit, leading President Ashraf Ghani to welcome the move shortly afterwards, and release a statement saying security and defence forces would comply.
"The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement by the Government of Afghanistan and the Taliban of a ceasefire to enable the Afghan people to celebrate the Eid al-Fitr holiday in peace," a statement issued by Stephane Dujarric, the Spokesman for the Secretary-General, said.
It added that Guterres urges all parties concerned to seize this opportunity and embrace an Afghan-led and ...

UN welcomes three-day ceasefire announcement by Taliban and Afghan govt during Eid

PTI Automatic

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has expressed sadness over the loss of lives and destruction in India and Bangladesh by Cyclone Amphan and commended the governments, first responders and communities for their pre-emptive work to help people and ensure their safety.
The Secretary-General is saddened by the loss of lives and destruction as a result of Cyclone Amphan in India and Bangladesh. He extends his deep condolences to those who have lost their loved ones and wishes those injured and affected by the disaster a speedy recovery, UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement Sunday.
Guterres commended the governments, first responders and communities for their pre-emptive work to make people safe ahead of the storm and to meet their immediate needs afterwards, saying the UN stands ready to support these efforts.
The Secretary-General expressed solidarity with the people of India and Bangladesh as they face the impact of a devastating cyclone while also responding to the 

Cyclone Amphan: UN chief commends India, Bangladesh for life-saving work

Nepalese Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali has said that Nepal has unique and close relations with India and he was confident that the Kalapani issue between the two neighbours will be resolved through talks.
"We have always said that the only way to resolve this issue is by negotiating in good faith. Without impulse or unnecessary excitement, and without prejudice, Nepal wants to resolve the border issues via dialogues, Gyawali told Republica, an English daily, during an interview.
"We are confident that this issue will be resolved via bilateral talks," he added. He, however, did not mention about Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh - the two areas Nepal claimed belonged to it.
The ties between the two countries came under strain after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a 80-KM-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand on May 8.
Nepal reacted sharply to the inauguration of the road claiming that it passed through Nepalese territory. ...

I am confident that Kalapani issue will be resolved through talks: Nepal FM

China on Sunday accused the US of pushing the bilateral ties to the brink of a "new Cold War" by spreading "lies" about the coronavirus and said it was open to international efforts to identify the source of the deadly virus.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi also said the lawsuits filed against China in the US demanding compensation for COVID-19 is an attempt to blackmail a victim with fabricated evidence.
Under constant attack from US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo over the origin of the coronavirus and failure to provide timely information, Wang launched a broadside against Washington in his annual press conference.
He accused American politicians of spreading political virus to smear China.
It is the most regrettable that while the coronavirus is still out there, a 'political virus' is also spreading in the US and jumping at any opportunity to attack and slander China," he said in a video media conference on the sidelines of China's annual session of the National 

China accuses US of pushing bilateral ties to brink of 'new Cold War'

With no congregational prayers or family gatherings, Salsabiel Mujovic has been worried that this year's Eid al-Fitr celebration will pale. Still, she's determined to bring home holiday cheer amid the coronavirus gloom.
Her family can't go to the mosque, but the 29-year-old New Jersey resident bought new outfits for herself and her daughters. They are praying at home and having a family photo session.
The kids are decorating cookies in a virtual gathering, and popping balloons with money or candy inside -- a twist on a tradition of giving children cash gifts for the occasion.
We're used to, just like, easily going and seeing family, but now it's just like there's so much fear and anxiety, she said. Growing up, I always loved Eid. ... It's like a Christmas for a Muslim.
Like Mujovic, many Muslims in America are navigating balancing religious and social rituals with concerns over the virus as they look for ways to capture the Eid spirit this weekend.
Eid al-Fitr -- the feast of breaking 

US Muslims try to balance Eid rituals with virus concerns

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday lashed out at the country's justice system, rejecting the charges against him as "ludicrous", as his long-awaited corruption trial got underway, making him the first sitting premier of the country to go on trial for corruption.
Netanyahu, the country's longest serving prime minister, appeared at the opening hearing at a Jerusalem court to face charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, days after he returned to power following months of political deadlock.
The 70-year-old Israeli leader is accused of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three different cases, dubbed Case 1000 (fraud and breach of trust), Case 2000 (fraud and breach of trust) and Case 4000 (bribery, fraud and breach of trust).
It is the first time in the country's history that a sitting prime minister is facing a criminal trial.
Speaking to the media before entering the Jerusalem District Court, Prime Minister Netanyahu told reporters the investigations .

Israeli PM Netanyahu attacks justice system as court begins corruption trial

Nepal reported 19 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, taking the total number infections in the country to 603.
All the new cases are men. Three people aged 25, 34 and 60 were detected with COVID-19 from Parsa district. One case each from Bara, Morang and Rautahat districts aged 32, 45 and 32 were reported, according to a Ministry of Health and Population statement.
Similarly, six people aged between 23 and 50 were detected from Rupandehi. Three persons from Kapilvastu aged 35, 37 and 52 and one each from Kathmandu and Nuwakot and Gulmi aged 69, 39 and 31 have tested COVID-19 positive.
The ministry said another 17 coronavirus patients have been discharged from hospitals, taking the total number of recovered patients to 87 in the country.
The coronavirus has so far claimed three lives in Nepal, which continues to impose a nation-wide lockdown to contain the spread of the virus.
At present, the total number of COVID-19 active cases stand at 513.
Province five in southwest Nepal has the ...

Nepal reports 19 new coronavirus cases

Britain's Prince William has revealed that becoming a father for the first time six years ago brought back painful emotions he felt following his mother Princess Diana's death over 22 years ago.
The 37-year-old Duke of Cambridge, who has three children with wife Kate Middleton, said feelings from a "traumatic" event can resurface when becoming a parent in a new BBC documentary on mental health to be broadcast next Thursday.
"Having children is the biggest life-changing moment, it really is, says the second in line to the British throne.
"I think when you've been through something traumatic in life  and that is like you say your dad not being around, my mother dying when I was younger  your emotions come back in leaps and bounds because it's a very different phase of life. And there's no one there to, kind of, help you, and I definitely found it very, at times, overwhelming," he said.
Diana, Princess of Wales, died in a car crash in Paris in 1997, when William was 15 years old. He is ..

Prince William opens up about mother Princess Diana in new documentary

The first astronauts launched by SpaceX are breaking new ground for style with hip spacesuits, gull-wing Teslas and a sleek rocketship  all of it white with black trim.
The color coordinating is thanks to Elon Musk, the driving force behind both SpaceX and Tesla, and a big fan of flash and science fiction.
NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken like the fresh new look. They'll catch a ride to the launch pad in a Tesla Model X electric car.
It is really neat, and I think the biggest testament to that is my 10-year-old son telling me how cool I am now, Hurley told The Associated Press.
SpaceX has gone all out" on the capsule's appearance, he said.
"And they've worked equally as hard to make the innards and the displays and everything else in the vehicle work to perfection.
The true test comes Wednesday when Hurley and Behnken climb aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and, equipment and weather permitting, shoot into space.
It will be the first astronaut ...

SpaceX's 1st astronaut launch breaking new ground for style

Toilet experts say urinals may be consigned to history as part of measures to make public conveniences safe for the post-coronavirus world.
Raymond Martin, managing director of the British Toilet Association, says business and governments need to adapt public toilets to make them infection-resistant, adding technology such as foot-operated flushes and sensor-activated taps.
Hospitality industry groups in Britain have also proposed replacing rows of urinals with cubicle-only washrooms for both men and women.
Martin told the Sunday Times that transforming toilets would be expensive, but we want to bring back life to this country, and toilets are a vital part of that.
He said tourist offices all over the country should be telling visitors: 'Come see our castle, come see our beaches, come see our state-of-the-art toilets.

No urinals? Toilets could evolve post-virus

President Donald Trump has a new pitch to voters for this fall: Trust me.
As the economy faces a once-in-a-century recession, with more than 38 million people out of work, Trump is increasingly talking up a future recovery that probably won't materialize until after the November election.
He's asking voters to look past the pain being felt across the nation and give him another four-year term on the promise of an economic comeback in 2021.
It's a transition to greatness, Trump says over and over, predicting a burgeoning economy come the fall. You're going to see some great numbers in the fourth quarter, and you're going to end up doing a great year next year."
His chief economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, echoes the wait-until-next-year sentiment, holding out hope for a big bang 2021. It's a delayed-reward tactic Trump was using long before the global pandemic gut-punched the country. He has turned to it with new urgency as the coronavirus has robbed him of the booming economy that was to 

Trump's pitch to voters: Trust me, economy will soar in 2021

Well-spaced faithful have gathered in St. Peter's Square for the first time in months for the traditional Sunday papal blessing.
They cast their gaze at the window where the pope normally addresses the faithful.
Pope Francis has been delivering the blessing from inside the Apostolic library during the epidemic.
Francis recalled his scheduled visit on Sunday to the Naples area to draw attention to environmental damage caused by toxic-waste dumping by the mob.
The visit - canceled during the pandemic - was timed to mark the fifth anniversary of his ecological manifesto, and the pope announced a year of reflection on his 2015 environmental encyclical, ''Praised Be.''
Francis came to the window and waved to the people in the piazza at the end of the blessing.

Well-spaced faithful gather in St. Peter's Square

Europeans and Americans soaked up the sun where they could, taking advantage of the first holiday weekend since coronavirus restrictions were eased, while European governments grappled with how and when to safely let in foreign travelers to salvage the vital summer tourist season.
Yet even as social distancing rules spread families and friends out Sunday across beaches and parks, the virus remained a constant threat.
The United States was on track to surpass 100,000 coronavirus deaths in the next few days, while Europe has seen over 169,000 dead, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
The New York Times marked the horror by devoting Sunday's entire front page to a long list of names of those who have died in the pandemic in the U.S. under a headline that called it "An Incalculable Loss.
President Donald Trump played golf at one of his courses during the Memorial Day weekend as he urged U.S. states to reopen their coronavirus lockdowns.
However, many Americans were cautious .

Europeans soak up the sun but virus travel rules a mishmash

Hollywood star Nicole Kidman, who recently broke her ankle, has said that she is on the road to recovery.
The "Big Little Lies" actor took to Instagram on Saturday to thank her fans for their best wishes.
"Thank you for all the well wishes and love. I'm back on the right track... and almost back on the right foot," Kidman, 52, captioned the selfie with husband, singer-songwriter Keith Urban.
Last week, Urban, also 52, confirmed that his wife had broken her ankle amid lockdown after photographs of Kidman walking around in a cast at the musician's first drive-in concert surfaced on social media.
The couple has been quarantining in Nashville.

Thank you for well wishes and love: Nicole Kidman updates fans on injury

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday defended Beijing's move to bring about a controversial new security law to firm up its control over Hong Kong and said that the excessive unlawful "foreign meddling" in the former British colony has placed China's national security in serious jeopardy.
Warning against any foreign interference in Hong Kong amid strong statement by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who called the new law "a death knell to city's freedom, Wang said Hong Kong affairs are China's internal matter , and "no external interference will be tolerated."
Noting that excessive unlawful foreign meddling in Hong Kong affairs has placed China's national security in serious jeopardy, Wang said that establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to safeguard national security has become a pressing priority, and must be done without the slightest delay.
A draft bill on establishing and improving the .

China's Wang warns against foreign interference in Hong Kong

About 50,000 homes and businesses were without power across Western Australia state on Sunday as a severe storm hit the the coast and brought wind gusts of more than 100 kilometres per hour, officials said.
Conditions were expected to worsen overnight as the storm progressed.
Jon Broomhall, acting assistant commissioner of Western Australia's department of fire and emergency services, called the storm "a once-in-a-decade-type system."
Normally our storms come from the southwest, and this will come from the northwest, so it will test people's buildings, sheds and all those unsecured items, so we're asking people to secure property and make sure everything loose is tied down, he said, A Bureau of Meteorology official, James Ashley, said the weather formation was dynamic and complex," as a system from Cyclone Mangga in the southern Indian Ocean interacted with a cold front.
In the Perth metropolitan area, electricity supply to about 37,000 homes and businesses was impacted by the storm. .

Western Australia state hit by 'once-in-a-decade' storm

Iconic pop band ABBA will be releasing some new music later this year, says band member Bjorn Ulvaeus.
In 2018, the Swedish quartet, comprising Ulvaeus, Agnetha Faltskog, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, announced that they will put out new material after 35 years.
They were hoping that new music would have emerged by Christmas 2018, but they have yet to materialise.
Asked when fans could expect some new music, Ulvaeus told CNBC, "I think sometime this year. Yes, I think so."
They won't reunite to perform together on stage, the singer-producer added.
His comments follow Andersson's who said in February that ABBA was hoping to release some new music in 2020.
A new song titled "I Still Have Faith In You" was due to premiere on the BBC in December 2018, to be followed up by another fresh track "Don't Shut Me Down", but neither was released.
It is unclear whether the new music Ulvaeus mentioned includes these songs.
The pop band, formed in Sweden in 1972, have sold over 400 ...

ABBA to release new music this year

Tata Motors owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is said to be in talks with the UK government for an estimated one-billion pounds support package to tide through the coronavirus pandemic, according to British media reports.
Britain's largest carmaker has submitted a large bespoke loan package request to ministers in recent weeks, 'Sky News' reports. The request is understood to be for temporary state funding, with the loan request lodged with the UK's Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), which is headed by Indian-origin minister Alok Sharma.
Jaguar Land Rover [is] constantly in discussion with government on a whole range of matters relating to COVID-19 and we will not discuss details which are confidential and private, a JLR spokesperson said.
The Sunday Times' reported last week that the government was exploring plans to become a lender of last resort to key companies, including JLR, which could entail the state extending loans that could convert into shares.
The 

Tata Motors' JLR seeks COVID-19 support package in UK: Reports

An unnamed Bournemouth player has tested positive for COVID-19, the Premier League club announced Sunday, becoming the eighth case involving an English top-flight club.
Bournemouth added the player's identity would not be disclosed due to "medical confidentiality" and that he would self-isolate for seven days.
"Following strict adherence to the Premier League's return to training regulations, the club's training ground remains a safe working environment for players and backroom staff, who will continue to be tested for Covid-19 twice per week," said south coast side Bournemouth in a club statement.
The Premier League announced Saturday that there were positive tests at two clubs out of 996 tests conducted on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
The other positive was at a different club which has not been named.  That followed a first round of testing that produced six positive findings announced on May 19 at three Premier League clubs from a total of 748 players and staff tested, Those ...

Bournemouth player tests positive for COVID-19

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's top aide is facing increasing pressure to resign as further allegations emerged on Sunday of him breaching the coronavirus lockdown rules.
Dominic Cummings, who is Johnson's Chief Strategy Adviser at No. 10 Downing Street, on Saturday defended a 250-mile journey to his parents' home in Durham, north-east England, as reasonable and legal and the UK prime minister has so far stuck by him with Downing Street reiterating the same line.
However, Johnson now faces a revolt from within his own Conservative MPs over his decision not to sack Cummings as fresh allegations emerged of the aide making repeated trips in breach of the government's stay-at-home guidance to curb the spread of the deadly virus.
The Observer'and Sunday Mirror' reported that Cummings was seen in the north east of England on two more occasions, after recovering from his COVID-19 symptoms and returning to work in London. Downing Street has branded the reports as inaccurate.
But ...

Pressure mounts on UK PM aide to quit amid more lockdown breach claims

Actor Hilary Duff has shut down a disgusting conspiracy theory trending on Twitter that claimed she was involved in child trafficking.
On Saturday, Duff started trending on the microblogging site when a number of users made accusations of child trafficking against her, based on an Instagram story she posted containing photographs of her eight-year-old son Luca Cruz Comrie, whom she shares with ex husband Mike Comrie.
Duff responded to the claims stating that the accusations were not only untrue, but also disgusting.
"Everyone bored af right now I know..but this is actually disgusting," she wrote. "Whoever dreamed this one up and put this garbage into the universe should take a break from their damn phone. Maybe get a hobby, she posted on Twitter.
The Lizzie Maguire star also has daughter Banks Violet Bair, born in 2018, with husband Matthew Koma.

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