European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday slammed plans by member states to impose drastic cuts on the EU budget, which could undermine defence and climate change ambitions.
"I am concerned about the severe cuts that are in this proposal," she said, referring to demands for austerity in a long-term budget plan from Finland, which holds the bloc's rotating presidency.
Von der Leyen's warning came a week before she unveils her Green New Deal, which would require a major spending boost in order to make Europe carbon neutral by 2050.
She said defence, protecting Europe's borders and "efforts to green the economy" would also be affected by the plans.
The EU is currently negotiating the bloc's 2021-2027 long-term budget plan, a process that has been made even more difficult by the exit of Britain, the EU's second-biggest economy and a major net contributor.
Member states have been intensely negotiating since mid-2018 on the basis of a Commission proposal calling for a ...

EU chief slams 'severe' budget cut threat

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International prosecutors and victims of violence in Afghanistan began a "historic" appeal on Wednesday against a decision to block a probe into war crimes that include possible offences by US forces.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) rejected a demand by its chief prosecutor in April to investigate crimes committed in the war-torn nation since 2003.
"This is a historic day for accountability in Afghanistan," said Fergal Gaynor, a lawyer representing 82 victims, as a three-day hearing opened.
The decision to deny prosecutors an investigation in Afghanistan "without exaggeration, denies victims everything", she added.
President Donald Trump's administration has bitterly opposed an Afghan probe, threatening to deny visas to ICC members involved in investigating US troops.
Earlier this year it revoked the visa of the ICC's chief prosecutor, Gambian-born Fatou Bensouda.
Trump's personal lawyer Jay Sekulow will appear before the ICC to "defend the rights of US soldiers", the American .

Victims and prosecutors urge Afghan war crimes probe

The leaders of the NATO military alliance issued a joint statement on Wednesday reaffirming their bond despite fierce disputes over spending and strategy in the run up to their summit.
"To stay secure, we must look to the future together," the statement said, acknowledging the "challenges" presented by a rising China and vowing "stronger action" against terrorism.

NATO members adopt common summit statement

French chef Andre Daguin, credited with inventing the magret de canard dish emblematic of southwestern France and making the rich duck delicacy famous worldwide, has died aged 84, his family told AFP.
He died peacefully on Tuesday at his home in Auch, near Toulouse, after a struggle with cancer, his daughter Ariane Daguin told AFP.
He took over the Hotel de France restaurant in Auch from his father, receiving his first Michelin star in 1960 and another a decade later.
It was there that he dreamt up the magret de canard dish, made from the breast of a duck (or a goose) that has been fattened for foie gras.
The extra fat gives the meat a succulent, melt-in-the-mouth taste that rapidly won over diners in France as well as abroad.
"He was the one who 'invented' the magret de canard, promoting it through his restaurant," said Roland Heguy, the president of France's union of hoteliers UMIH.
"He had a personality and unique charisma. He had a great presence, always with a beret on his head, .

French chef who 'invented' magret de canard dies aged 84

US President Donald Trump held a previously unannounced bilateral meeting with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the NATO summit on Wednesday.
Turkey has faced criticism among the allies at the London meeting and has threatened to impede a stronger defence policy for the Baltic states and the head-to-head was not on Trump's published agenda.
"The presidents discussed the importance of Turkey fulfilling its alliance commitments, further strengthening commerce through boosting bilateral trade by USD 100 billion, regional security challenges, and energy security," a White House official said.
Some of Turkey's western allies, particularly France, have sharply criticised Ankara's operation in northern Syria, which has targeted the Kurdish militia fighters who helped defeat the Islamic State group.
European capitals were as annoyed that Erdogan chose to buy and deploy Russia's S-400 air defence system, in defiance of US sanctions threat and NATO defence procurement 

Trump meets Erdogan one-on-one at NATO summit

Indian paddlers bagged the gold and silver medals in both the men's and women's doubles events of the 13th South Asian Games here on Wednesday.
In an all Indian affair, Harmeet Desai and Anthony Amalraj defeated compatriots Sanil Shetty and Sudhanshu Grover in the men's doubles final to win the gold.
The duo of Harmeet and Amalraj defeated compatriots Sanil and Sudhanshu 8-11 11-7 11-7 11-5 8-11 12-10 in the title clash.
Nepal's Santoo Shrestha and Vinesh Khaniya secured the bronze medal as did the Sri Lankan pair of Chambers Ginige and Rashmika Krishnanand.
In the women's doubles final, Madhurika Patkar and Sreeja Akula beat Sutirtha Mukherjee and Ayhika Mukherjee 2-11 11-8 11-8 11-6 5-11 11-5 to clinch the top honours.
The bronze medals went to the Sri Lankan duo of Vishaka Madhurangi and Hansini Puilima and the pairing of Sonam Soma and Sadi Raman Mou of Bangladesh.
In mixed doubles event, Harmeet combined with Sutirtha Mukherjee to down Amalraj and Ayhika 11-6 9-11 11-6 11-6 11-8 .

SAG: Indian paddlers bag gold in men's and women's doubles

Senator Kamala Harris, a fierce critic of Donald Trump, has told the US president that she will see him at his impeachment trial after he mocked her for abruptly withdrawing from the 2020 presidential race.
The 55-year-old Indian-origin Democratic White House hopeful announced on Tuesday that she is withdrawing from the crowded presidential race, citing financial woes to sustain her campaign.
Harris, once seen as a rising star within the Democratic Party, could not cement her position in the top tier of candidates alongside Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. President Trump, a Republican, has announced that he would seek re-election next year.
Reacting to her abrupt withdrawal, President Trump, now in the UK to attend the NATO Summit, tweeted, "Too bad. We will miss you Kamala!"
Not to be outdone, the California Senator replied, "Don't worry, Mr. President. I'll see you at your trial."
The Opposition Democrats are gunning for President Trump's impeachment and removal from 

Donald Trump, Kamala Harris spar on Twitter over her withdrawal from presidential poll

At least 18 Indians were among 23 people killed and over 130 injured in a horrific LPG tanker blast at a ceramic factory in Sudan, the Indian mission said here on Wednesday.
Sixteen Indians were missing after the incident that happened at Seela Ceramic Factory in Bahri area in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on Tuesday.
"As per latest reports, but so far not confirmed officially, 18 are dead," the Indian Embassy said in a release.
"Some of the missing may be in the list of dead which we are still to receive as identification is not possible because of the bodies being burnt," it added.
Official Sources in New Delhi said 68 Indians were working in the factory.
"Deeply grieved to learn that some Indian workers have lost their lives while some others have been seriously injured," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said.
"The Embassy representative has rushed to the site. A 24-hour emergency hotline +249-921917471 has been set up by @EoI_Khartoum. Embassy is also putting out updates on .

18 Indians among 23 killed in factory fire in Sudan

The men's marathon at the Tokyo Olympics will be held early in the morning of the Games' final day in a Sapporo park on the northern island of Hokkaido in a bid to avoid the heat and humidity of the Japanese capital, the IOC announced Wednesday.
Sapporo's Odori Park, used in the past as a venue for the Hokkaido Marathon, has been fixed as the venue for both the men and women's marathons and race walking events at next year's Games.
"Athletes' health and well-being are always at the heart of our concerns, and the decision to move the marathon and race walk events to Sapporo shows how seriously we take such concerns," said Kirsty Coventry, chair of the International Olympic Committee's Athletes' Commission.
The IOC said the competition schedules had also been revamped to facilitate the support of National Olympic Committee officials and coaches to the athletes, as Sapporo is located 800km to the north of Tokyo.
The marathon and race walk events are now scheduled to be held on four ...

Sapporo venue for Tokyo 2020 marathon, race walks fixed

The French government is creating a national anti-hate crime office following the discovery of anti-Semitic graffiti at a Jewish cemetery in eastern France.
Interior Minister Christophe Castaner made the announcement Wednesday in the town of Westhoffen, where vandals scrawled swastikas and other anti-Semitic inscriptions on 107 tombs the day before.
Speaking alongside Jewish leaders, Castaner condemned the graffiti as a sign that "hate is on our national territory."
"We must respect the right to believe," he said.
A special police unit has begun investigating the incident, Castaner said, and the new national office will seek to fight hate crimes.
The graffiti marked the latest in a string of anti-Semitic acts in the Bas-Rhin region. Anti-Semitic graffiti was also discovered Tuesday in the eastern French village of Schaffhouse-sur-Zorn, authorities said.

France creates anti-hate crime office amid anti-Semitic wave

Priyanka Chopra has been honoured with UNICEF's Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award.
The India star was named the 2019 recipient of the Humanitarian Award by the United Nations Children's Fund in June this year and received the award at the  Snowflake Ball here Tuesday night.
"Giving back is no longer a choice. Giving back has to be a way of life," Priyanka said after accepting the award named after Danny Kaye, an American actor and philanthropist who was UNICEF's first Goodwill Ambassador.
Veteran fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg handed over the award to the 37-year-old actor.
Priyanka, who has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for more than a decade, also opened up about her journey with the organisation.
"I had just become an actor and I was figuring out that I had this platform. I had started associating with causes that I believed were important. I was working with thalassemic children, children's wards and suddenly I realised that there was a theme  that I was working with a lot 

Priyanka Chopra receives UNICEF's Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award

Two pilgrims, including an Indian woman, were killed and 16 others injured on Wednesday when a jeep they were travelling in met with an accident in southern Nepal while they were returning after participating in the animal sacrifice at Gadhimai temple.
Eighteen people were on the jeep when the accident took place in Mahottari district of southern Nepal. They were returning home after participating in the five-yearly Gadhimai Festival, believed to be the world's biggest animal sacrifice at one place, in Bara district, about 160 km south of Kathmandu.
Those who died in the accident have been identified as Bartniya Devi Shah, 65, of Sitahi, Bihar and Sakuntala Devi Shah, 80, a resident of Dhanushadham in Dhanusha district, police said.
The condition of four people who were injured in the accident is said to be critical.
Tens of thousands of people have poured in from different parts of Nepal and India to take part in the festival to honour a Hindu goddess.
Around 70 per cent of the ...

Indian among two pilgrims killed in accident in Nepal

Indian shuttlers continued their dominating show at the 13th South Asian Games with four individuals and as many doubles pairs cruising into the semifinals to assure themselves of medals, here on Wednesday.
Top seed Siril Verma started the day on a winning note for India when he beat Pakistan's Murad Ali 21-12 21-17 in a men's singles quarterfinal match.
In the women's singles, 16-year-old Gayathri Gopichand stunned second seed Mahoor Shahzad of Pakistan with a convincing 21-15 21-16 win.
Joining Gayathri in the semifinals was top seed Ashmita Chaliha, who also thrashed Pakistani opponent, Palwasha Bashir 21-9 21-7.
Aryaman Tandon was another Indian after Verma to reach the men's singles semifinals after registering 21-17 21-17 win over Sri Lanka's Ranthushka Karunathilake.
The Indian women's doubles pairings of Kuhoo Garg-Anoushka Parikh and Meghana Jakkampudi-S Nelakurthi also progressed to the semifinals after beating their Bangladeshi opponents.
While, Garg and Parikh beat Bristi .

Indian shuttlers assure eight medals at South Asian Games

France is getting ready for massive, nationwide transport strikes against government plans to overhaul the state pension system. The strike will disrupt train, buses and airline services.
In Paris, where workers' unions are planning a march on Thursday, police warned Wednesday of possible violence and damages and ordered all businesses, cafes and restaurants along the way to close.
Authorities also issued a ban on protests on the Champs-Elysees avenue, around the presidential palace, parliament and Notre Dame Cathedral.
The SNCF railway company expects nine out of 10 high-speed trains to be canceled. International train lines will be affected, too.
Air France said about 30% of its domestic flights will be cancelled.

France readies for massive transport strike Thursday

Indian-origin Senator Kamala Harris has abruptly dropped out of the 2020 US Democratic presidential race, saying she does not have the financial resources to continue her campaign.
The surprising announcement by Harris, 55, came during a call with her campaign staffers on Tuesday.
Her decision makes the California Senator the most high-profile candidate to date to drop out of the race to challenge President Donald Trump, a Republican.
"To my supporters, it is with deep regret -- but also with deep gratitude -- that I am suspending my campaign today," Harris said in a tweet on Tuesday.
"But I want to be clear with you: I will keep fighting everyday for what this campaign has been about. Justice for the people. All the people," Harris said.
The campaign of the former District Attorney of San Francisco appeared full of promise when it launched in January, but she struggled to make headway in a crowded field alongside Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
Harris, who is of mixed 

Indian-origin Senator Kamala Harris ends 2020 US presidential race

Zalmay Khalilzad, the US envoy leading the push for a deal with the Taliban, arrived in Kabul on Wednesday, an Afghan official said, days after President Donald Trump suggested stalled talks were back on.
"Khalilzad is in Kabul and will meet with the president and other senior Afghan officials later," a senior Afghan official told AFP, adding that the resumption of talks would be on the agenda.
The US embassy in Kabul declined to comment.
In September, the US and the Taliban had appeared on the verge of signing a deal that would have seen Washington begin pulling thousands of troops out of Afghanistan in return for security guarantees.
It was also expected to pave the way towards direct talks between the Taliban and the government in Kabul and, ultimately, a possible peace agreement after more than 18 years of war.
But that month Trump abruptly called the year-long effort "dead", and withdrew an invitation to the insurgents to meet in the United States due to the killing of an ...

US envoy in Kabul amid signs talks with Taliban to resume

Pakistan government has written to the British authorities, seeking return of ailing former prime minister Nawaz Sharif after his medical treatment in the UK, according to a media report.
Sharif, 69, left for London on November 19 in an air ambulance for medical treatment after the Lahore High Court allowed him to travel abroad for four weeks.
The ARY News on Tuesday reported that Islamabad has written a letter to the British government seeking handing over of Sharif to Pakistan after his medical treatment is completed in Britain.
The government's letter gave details of the cases against Sharif.
A two-member bench headed by Justice Ali Baqir Najafi ordered the federal government to remove the former premier and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader's name from the Exit Control List (ECL) without placing any conditions.
The bench, which was hearing the plea filed by PML-N seeking unconditional removal of Sharif's name from ECL, also maintained that the duration of his ...

Pak Govt writes to UK; seeks return of Sharif after treatment

-AsiaNet/ --
Huami Hit New Highs on Black Friday 2019
Huami (NYSE: HMI), one of the world's largest wearables companies*, recorded an outstanding sales performance on 2019 Black Friday in various overseas platforms. Since Huami announced the launch of its smartwatch Amazfit GTS at IFA 2019, Amazfit GTS has become one of the most favored smartwatches by global users and it has been the top performer in terms of sales volume in different countries. According to Amazfit Data, during 2019 Black Friday, the Amazfit GTS has been completely sold out in less than 60 minutes on Fnac.com in Spain. From the data on chollometro.com, Amazfit GTS is the most popular for users under the smartwatch category and it ranked 6th on the list of all categories for Black Friday weekend. Moreover, the Amazfit Bip Lite and Amazfit GTR has been completely sold out within one hour on Worten.com as well.
https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20191202/2657859-1
First debuted at IFA 2019, for global users, Amazfit GTS ..

Huami's Amazfit GTS Takes the Lead During Black Friday 2019

Pakistan government has written a letter to British authorities, seeking return of ailing former prime minister Nawaz Sharif after his medical treatment in the UK, according to a media report.
Sharif, 69, left for London on November 19 in an air ambulance for medical treatment after the Lahore High Court allowed him to travel abroad for four weeks.
The ARY News on Tuesday reported that Islamabad has written a letter to the British government seeking handing over of Sharif to Pakistan after his medical treatment is completed in Britain.
The government's letter gave details of the cases against Sharif.
A two-member bench headed by Justice Ali Baqir Najafi ordered the federal government to remove the former premier and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader's name from the Exit Control List (ECL) without placing any conditions.
The bench, which was hearing the plea filed by PML-N seeking unconditional removal of Sharif's name from ECL, also maintained that the duration of ...

Pak Govt writes letter to UK; seeks return of Sharif after treatment

An Ankara court on Wednesday jailed two men for raping and murdering a colleague in a case which became a rallying cry for in the campaign to end violence against women.
Wealthy businessman Cagatay Aksu was sentenced to life for the murder and sexual assault in May 2018 of 23-year-old Sule Cet, state news agency Anadolu reported.
His colleague Berk Akand was sentenced to 18 years and nine months for assisting in the crimes, the agency said.
The case sparked anger across Turkish society after the men claimed the university student committed suicide by throwing herself from the 20th floor of a building in Ankara.
There was also an attempt to suggest Sule was somehow to blame because she drank alcohol, and there was uproar at a hearing earlier this year when the defence lawyers speculated over Sule's virginity.
At another hearing, Aksu reportedly told Sule's father: "If only you'd looked after your daughter," widely seen as criticism of his parenting.
"Femicides" have become a major ...

Turkey jails businessmen in high-profile 'femicide' case

Atltico Madrid is facing punishment after its fans made threatening chants against former player Antoine Griezmann during last weekend's Spanish league match against Barcelona.
The Spanish league said Wednesday it denounced the club after some fans chanted Die Griezmann early in the match won by Barcelona at Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid.
The Spanish soccer federation's anti-violence committee will analyze the case. The club is mostly likely to be fined if found guilty.
The league said about 2,000 fans from Atltico's ultras section made the chants for about 20 seconds in the seventh minute of the match. The chants were repeated in the second half.
Griezmann left Atltico for Barcelona at the end of last season in a transfer worth more than 120 million euros ($132 million).
The France forward was jeered nearly every time he touched the ball at the Metropolitano on Sunday. It was his first match at Atltico's stadium since leaving the club.
Barcelona won 1-0 with an 86th-minute ...

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