The European Union's top diplomat has called for the bloc to have a more robust strategy toward China amid signs that Asia is replacing the United States as the center of global power.
EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell told a gathering of German ambassadors on Monday that analysts have long talked about the end of an American-led system and the arrival of an Asian century.
This is now happening in front of our eyes," he said.
Borrell said the pandemic could be seen as a turning point in the power shift from West to East, and that for the EU the pressure to choose sides is growing." He said the 27-nation bloc should follow our own interests and values and avoid being instrumentalised by one or the other.
But while China's rise was impressive, Borrell said current relations between the Brussels and Beijing weren't always based on trust, transparency and reciprocity.
Borrell said we only have a chance if we deal with China with collective discipline, noting that an upcoming EU-China 

EU's top diplomat urges 'more robust strategy' toward China

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Second-placed Borussia Dortmund are set to include chief defender Mats Hummels for Tuesday's Bundesliga showdown at home to league leaders Bayern Munich behind closed doors with stars Jadon Sancho and Axel Witsel also poised to return.
"With Mats, it's okay. We have to look at the short term, but he is 99 percent there," said Dortmund coach Lucien Favre in Monday's press conference.
Centre-back Hummels limped out of Saturday's 2-0 win at Wolfsburg after 45 minutes with an aggravated Achilles tendon, but is poised to marshall Dortmund's defence against his former club Bayern.
In the two matches since the league resumed after a two-month hiatus, Dortmund have not conceded a goal after hammering Schalke 4-0 and winning 2-0 at Wolfsburg.
Bayern hold a four-point lead at the top of the table and are eager to again assert their domination over Dortmund, who they trounced 4-0 when the sides met last November in Munich.
Favre said both Belgium midfield enforcer Axel Witsel and England winger .

Hummels '99 percent' ready for Dortmund's showdown with Bayern

Coronavirus has indefinitely postponed the Chinese Super League (CSL) season but it has given the national team time to bond under coach Li Tie, the side's goalkeeper Yan Junling said on Monday.
China are approaching the end of a two-week training camp in Shanghai and on Tuesday will face CSL side Shanghai Shenhua behind closed doors, having defeated former champions Shanghai SIPG 4-1 in another warm-up match.
The CSL is on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic but the national side have been together on and off for several weeks this year, both at home and abroad.
"I think actually for our team, because of the epidemic, we've had a longer time to train together and become more familiar with each other," said Shanghai SIPG stopper Yan.
"We can also get to fully understand what the coach wants and in fact the team has become more united."
China's World Cup hopes hang in the balance.
They are second in their qualifying group, with only the top team guaranteed to reach the next stage .

China's football team 'more united' under coronavirus

Singer-songwriter Boy George says he has utilised his time during the coronavirus-induced lockdown to pen a lot of songs.
The 58-year-old singer said he is looking forward to putting out his new songs under the deal with music company Primary Wave, which allows him to have copyright on his work.
I've written so much music I've got enough for six or seven albums. I'm not saying every single thing is good but I signed a deal just before Christmas with a company called Primary Wave, whose job it is to go out and place your music in movies. I own copyright with them. It's a new experience for me to own music, the singer told Louis Theroux's 'Grounded' podcast: ''
The English musician, whose real name is George Alan O'Dowd, said he doesn't own any of the songs he created in the 80s and the publishers have misused many of his tracks to make money.
''Not only do I not own it, they can change the lyrics, give it to a burger shop. They have done that. They did a version of 'Karma Chameleon' ...

Have written music for six or seven albums during lockdown, says Boy George

New Zealand Tennis said Monday it was set to host the southern hemisphere's first professional tournament since the COVID-19 shutdown.
The men's Premier League tournament in Auckland next month will feature 24 players competing in three teams at spectator-free arenas over three weeks.
Tennis NZ high performance director Christophe Lambert said the tournament, which begins on June 3, would pit ATP veterans against some of New Zealand's rising stars.
"The NZ Premier League offers opportunities for our best players to have a home-base competitive environment so they are ready to jump back in when the pro circuit starts again," he said.
Britain's world number 77 Cameron Norrie, who grew up in New Zealand, and several of New Zealand's Davis Cup players are among those taking part.  The international nature of tennis means the sport has been hit hard by the coronavirus shutdown.
Among the Grand Slams, the French Open has been postponed and the US Open is considering switching venues from ...

Pro tennis bounces back with New Zealand tournament

"Star Trek" actor Zachary Quinto says he is full of gratitude as he celebrated four years of abstinence from alcohol and drugs.
The 42-year-old actor took to Instagram to share the news on Sunday.
"Four years sober sun-kissed selfie. Grateful for today!" Quinto captioned his picture.
The actor is best known for playing the role of Spock in the reboot "Star Trek" film (2009) and its sequels.
He was also nominated for a best supporting actor Emmy for his performance in "American Horror Story: Asylum" in 2013.

Zachary Quinto marks four years of sobriety

Movement-based yoga can significantly reduce depressive symptoms in people during the ongoing coronavirus crisis, according to Australian researchers.
The researchers defined movement-based yoga as any form of yoga where participants are physically active at least 50 per cent of the time, that is forms of yoga that emphasise holding poses and flowing through sequences of poses.
The study, led by the University of South Australia and a medical researcher of the University of New South Wales (UNSW), found that movement-based yoga improves the mental health of people living with depression, post-traumatic stress, schizophrenia, anxiety, alcohol dependence and bipolar disorder.
The mental health improves with more yoga such people practised.
Jacinta Brinsley, the lead researcher of the University of South Australia, said it's a welcome and timely finding given the current strict social distancing measures in place across the world due to the coronavirus crisis.
"As more and more people ...

Movement-based yoga can significantly improve mental health: Aus researchers

A top Pakistani information officer and his two relatives were killed by some unidentified gunmen on Eid in the country's restive northwestern tribal region bordering Afghanistan.
Zabiadullah Dawar, who was posted as the Director of Pakistan Housing Society, was on his way home in North Waziristan after Eid prayers along with his two cousins when the bike-borne assailants struck, district police officer Shafiullah Gandapur said.
The gunmen opened indiscriminate fire at the trio and fled the spot.
The officer, who had come to his village from Islamabad for Eid celebrations, died on the spot. His cousins were also killed in the incident.
The police launched an enquiry but no arrests were made.
Eid was celebrated in the country on Sunday at open places, mosques and Eidgahs in all major cities and towns while following strict standard operating procedures of social distancing and other precautionary measures.

Top Pakistani information officer, 2 relatives killed on Eid

Neve Campbell says she was initially reluctant do another Scream' movie without original helmer Wes Craven, but filmmaker duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillet's desire to honour the late director's vision has motivated her to support the upcoming reboot.
The 46-year-old Canadian actor, who played Sidney Prescott in last four installments of the slasher franchise, said she has seen the work of Ready or Not filmmakers and hopes they can create something great.
I'm not a hundred percent on it, but to be honest, the two directors have made some great work. I've watched their films, and they're really talented. They wrote a letter to me, expressing what great fans of Wes' work they are, and how honoured they are that they're getting the chance to make Scream 5' because the Scream' franchise is the reason that they're directors now. So, that was really sweet.
They really want to honour Wes' style of work and honour the movies. That was a lovely thing to hear. So, we'll see. Hopefully, 

Hopefully we can make something great: Neve Campbell on Scream' reboot

Singapore on Monday reported a lower number of 344 new COVID-19 cases, a majority of them foreign workers living in dormitories, taking the nationwide tally to 31,960 as the country is gearing up to lift the "circuit breaker" imposed to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Out of the new infected cases, 340 are foreign workers residing in dormitories, the health ministry said.
The rest four new cases are Singaporeans or permanent residents (foreigners).
With this, the total number of cases in the country by noon on Monday reached 31,960, it said.
"The lower number of cases today is partly due to fewer tests being conducted," the ministry said.
Meanwhile, Singapore is gearing up for the end of its "circuit breaker" period next week, Channel News Asia reported on Monday.
The strict social distancing measures will be progressively lifted in three phases starting June 2, with the resumption of economic activities that do not pose a high risk of transmission of the virus in the first ...

Singapore reports lower number of 344 new COVID-19 cases

Nepal on Monday registered its highest single-day spike in the coronavirus cases with 72 new infections, taking the total COVID-19 tally to 675 in the country, health officials said.
Nepal, which has extended its nationwide lockdown till June 2 to contain the spread of deadly coronavirus, is among the nations that has the least number of cases of the deadly COVID-19 with four deaths.
The total number of people infected by the novel coronavirus has climbed to 675 in Nepal after 72 cases were reported, the highest number of confirmation of virus transmission in a single-day, according to the Ministry of Health and Population.
Twenty-six people from the Rautahat district, three each from Kathmandu, Dhanusha and Kapilvastu districts were tested positive for the virus, the health ministry said in a statement.
Twenty-three people from Bara district, two from Saptari, and one from Bardiya tested COVID-19 positive, the ministry said, adding that six men and a woman from Dailekh district and ..

Nepal reports highest single-day coronavirus surge; total cases cross 650-mark

Sitcom series "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" will tackle the coronavirus pandemic in its new season, series creator and star Rob McElhenney has said.
The writer-actor said that the FX show, whose 14th season aired last year, will return with more episodes.
Asked what a quarantine-themed episode of "It's Always Sunny..." would look like, McElhenney told NME, "Well, we actually do have an episode called 'The Gang Gets Quarantined' (season nine, episode seven) where we quarantine ourselves in the bar. I think there's a big flu going around Philadelphia or something like that."
"When we come back, don't worry, we will address all this in the way only 'Sunny' can," he added.
McElhenney said he would love the show to go on "forever".
"If people keep watching it and we keep having fun, why would we ever stop? It's my dream job," he added.
"It's Always Sunny..." also stars Glenn Howerton, Kaitlin Olson, Charlie Day, and Danny DeVito.
The 15th season of the series is still in negotiations 

'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' to address coronavirus in next season

Fallen Asian giants Liaoning Hongyun bid farewell to their fans and apologised after they were among 11 clubs disqualified from Chinese football because of financial problems.
Chinese Super League (CSL) club Tianjin Tianhai folded earlier this month and now Liaoning, a traditional powerhouse in China, have similarly dissolved.
Liaoning, based in the northeastern city of Shenyang, were Asian champions in 1990 and dominated Chinese football from the mid-1980s to mid-1990s.
But in an arc that typifies the boom-and-bust nature of Chinese football, not helped by the coronavirus shutdown, Liaoning have fallen on hard times lately and finished one place off the foot of China's second division last season.
The Chinese Football Association (CFA) threw them out of the professional leagues on Saturday, along with 10 other cash-strapped clubs who owed players wages, and in a subsequent statement the club said it would fold.
"The spirit of Liaoning football stands for self-improvement and never ...

Ex-Asian champions among 11 Chinese clubs kicked out over finances

One of China's biggest tech companies has criticised the Trump administration for "politicising business" after it slapped export sanctions on 33 more Chinese enterprises and government entities.
The new measures announced on Friday expanded a US campaign against Chinese companies Washington says might be security threats or involved in human rights abuses.
Beijing criticised curbs imposed earlier on tech giant Huawei and other Chinese companies but has yet to say whether it will retaliate.
The most prominent name on the latest blacklist is Qihoo 360, a major supplier of anti-virus software and a web browser. The decision to add the companies to the Commerce Department's Entity List limits their access to US components and technology by requiring government permission for exports.
Qihoo 360 firmly opposes this irresponsible action and the U.S. Commerce Department's practice of politicizing business and scientific and technological research and development, the company said on its ...

Chinese tech giant criticises US for 'politicising business'

The Memorial Day weekend marking the unofficial start of summer in the U.S. meant big crowds at beaches and warnings from authorities about people disregarding the coronavirus social-distancing rules and risking a resurgence of the scourge that has killed nearly 100,000 Americans.
On the Navajo Nation, which sprawls across the states of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, the number of coronavirus cases rose by 56 on Sunday to 4,689, according to the local health department.
Meanwhile, the White House broadened its travel ban against countries hit hard by the virus, saying it would deny admission to foreigners who have recently been in Brazil.
Japan moved further toward reopening Monday, with Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura saying that experts on a government-commissioned panel approved a plan to end the state of emergency in Tokyo and surrounding areas that has lasted for more than a month and a half.
Japan's state of emergency has been less stringent than in European nations, mainly .

Memorial Day weekend draws crowds and triggers warnings

Greece on Monday restarted regular ferry services to the islands, while restaurants and bars were also back open for business as the country accelerated efforts to salvage its tourism season.
Travel to the islands had been generally off-limits since a lockdown in late March, with only goods suppliers and permanent residents keeping access.
But the country's low infection rate in the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted the government to start the holiday season earlier than expected, on June 15, as other Mediterranean countries - including Italy, Spain, and Turkey - are grappling with more deadly outbreaks.
Distancing regulations and passenger limits have been imposed on ferries and at restaurants, while state-run health services to combat new coronavirus cases are being expanded to the islands, with intensive care space being provided on five islands: Lesbos, Samos, Rhodes, Zakynthos, and Corfu, along with existing facilities on the island of Crete.
Tourism is a vital part of the Greek ...

Greece restarts regular ferry services to the islands in bid to salvage tourism season

Pakistan's coronavirus cases on Monday reached 56,349 with 1,748 new patients while the death toll climbed to 1,167, the health ministry said.
The Ministry of National Health Services reported that 22,491 cases were diagnosed in Sindh, 20,077 in Punjab, 7,905 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 3,407 in Balochistan, 1,641 in Islamabad, 619 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 209 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
So far 1,167 people have died of the COVID-19 including 34 who lost their lives in the last 24 hours. A total of 17,482 patients have recovered from the deadly contagion.
The authorities have conducted 483,656 tests in the country, including 10,049 on Sunday.
The trajectory showed that the number was steadily going up with authorities fearing a rise in cases in the wake of the easing of lockdown before Eid which was observed in the country on Sunday.

Pak's COVID-19 cases steadily go up to 56,349; death toll at 1,167

Tens of thousands of homes and businesses lost power, buildings were battered and trees were uprooted as a vast stretch of the west Australian coast was whipped by a severe storm on Monday for the second straight day.
No casualties were reported from what Acting Assistant Commissioner of Western Australia state's Department of Fire and Emergency Services Jon Broomhall called a a once-in-a-decade-type storm system.
The system that struck an extraordinarily large area was the result of remnants of late-season Cyclone Mangga tracking southeast and colliding in the southern Indian Ocean with a northeast-moving cold front.
The combined weather system lashed a 1,200-kilometer (745-mile) stretch of the west coast from Carnarvon to Cape Leeuwin and including the state capital, Perth, with winds gusting at more than 90 kilometers (56 miles) per hour overnight, Bureau of Meteorology manager Neil Bennett said.
Wind speeds reached 132 kph (82 mph) at Cape Leeuwin, the fastest for the month of May 

Severe storm lashes vast expanse of west Australian coast

Pulitzer Prize-winning Indian-American physician Sid Mukherjee and compatriot higher education leader Satish Tripathi have been named by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo among members of a commission that will focus on plans to jumpstart the state's economy badly hit by the COVID19 pandemic.
Cuomo on Sunday announced that the state's Blue-Ribbon Commission, chaired by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, will also focus on improving telehealth and broadband access using new, innovative technologies.
The 15-member commission will include Mukherjee, Tripathi and other eminent leaders namely Chair of Rockefeller Foundation Richard Parsons, Ford Foundation President Darren Walker and President of Cornell University Martha Pollack and IBM Chair Ginny Rommety.
India-born Mukherjee is a hematologist and oncologist and an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University Medical Center. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 2011 for The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer.'
Tripathi is the ...

COVID19:Pulitzer winning Indian-origin physician, compatriot in NYS commission on economic recovery

Researchers have found evidence of injury in the placentas from 16 women who tested positive for COVID-19 while pregnant, pointing to a new complication associated with the deadly disease.
The type of injury seen in the placentas shows abnormal blood flow between the mothers and their babies in the womb, according to the study published in the American Journal of Clinical Pathology.
The researchers from Northwestern University in the US said the findings, though early, could help inform how pregnant women should be clinically monitored during the pandemic.
"Most of these babies were delivered full-term after otherwise normal pregnancies, so you wouldn't expect to find anything wrong with the placentas, but this virus appears to be inducing some injury in the placenta," said Jeffrey Goldstein, assistant professor of pathology at Northwestern University.
"It doesn't appear to be inducing negative outcomes in live-born infants, based on our limited data, but it does validate the idea ...

Placentas from COVID-19-positive pregnant women show injury: Study

Reality TV star Kim Kardashian and rapper Kanye West are celebrating six years of marriage.
The "Keeping Up With The Kardashian" star marked the occasion on social media on Sunday by sharing a few pictures with West.
"6 years down; forever to go. Until the end," she captioned the photographs.
Kardashian, 39, and West, 42, tied the knot in 2014 at Fort di Belvedere, a 16th century fortress in Florence, Italy.
The couple share four children, North, Saint, Chicago and Psalm.
Kardashian was previously married to NBA player Kris Humphries and music producer Damon Thomas.

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