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Saudi Arabia said it rejected completely "the negative, false and unacceptable" assessment of the U.S. intelligence report released on Friday that found Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had approved the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler approved an operation to capture or kill the Washington Post columnist in 2018, the U.S. report said, as the United States sanctioned some of those involved but not the crown prince himself. "The government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia completely rejects the .... assessment in the report pertaining to the Kingdom’s leadership, and notes that the report contained inaccurate information and conclusions," the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement carried by state news agency SPA. "The crime was committed by a group of individuals that have transgressed all pertinent regulations... and the kingdom's leadership took the necessary steps to ensure that such a tragedy never takes place again," the foreign ... » Learn More about Saudi Arabia rejects U.S. intelligence report on Khashoggi’s killing

The Biden administration’s decision to end U.S. support for Saudi Arabia’s Yemen war is a signal to Riyadh that the Trump-era open support it had enjoyed is a matter of the past. The U.S. offered support to Saudi Arabia’s campaign against the Houthi rebels in Yemen when Barack Obama was the President. Donald Trump continued that policy, overlooking the disastrous effects of the war that has turned Yemen, one of the poorest Arab countries, into a humanitarian catastrophe. In its last hours, the Trump State Department designated the Houthis, who are backed by Iran, as a terrorist organisation. Rights groups have condemned the move, saying that the designation would complicate aid efforts as the Houthis control a sizeable part of Yemen, including the capital. Mr. Biden has now taken a different line, initiating steps to remove the Houthis from the terror list , among other actions. This is part of his larger attempts to rewrite the U.S.’s West Asia policy which, under Mr. Trump, was ... » Learn More about Endless war: On why Saudi Arabia should end its Yemen blockade

New Delhi: Indian Railways has yet again started its facility that allows passengers to book Unreserved General tickets through UTS ON MOBILE app. Indian Railways has said that places where unreserved train services are introduced on any zonal Railway, the zonal Railway concerned may accordingly enable UTS ON MOBILE app for issuing unreserved tickets. In addition to UTS ON MOBILE App facility on suburban sections, the same may also be reintroduced on non-suburban sections of zonal Railways. Meanwhile, the Railways has started almost 65 percent of its mail trains and over 90 percent of its suburban services as compared to the pre-lockdown levels. The UTS ON MOBILE app works on both Android and iPhone. To use this app, you have to activate GPS. You can book general tickets within 5 km radius of any railway station. You will be given a PNR number after booking the general ticket from the UTS ON MOBILE app. You can book 4 tickets on one PNR number. Payment of ticket ... » Learn More about Good news for train passengers! Unreserved General ticket booking via mobile App again available, know how to use the facility

Myanmar police fired rubber bullets to disperse protesters in Yangon on Saturday, after the country's ambassador to the United Nations broke ranks to make an emotional plea for action against the military junta. Worldview with Suhasini Haidar | The military coup in Myanmar and its repercussions The country has been shaken by a wave of protests since a coup toppled civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1 . Authorities have ramped up the use of force to suppress dissent, deploying tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets to disperse some protests. Live rounds have been used in isolated cases. In Myanmar's biggest city Yangon on Saturday, police used rubber bullets to disperse a demonstration at Myaynigone junction, the site of an hours-long standoff the day before. Also read: Explainer | Why did the Myanmar military stage a coup? "What are the police doing? They are protecting a crazy dictator," the protesters chanted as they were chased away by the ... » Learn More about Myanmar police fire rubber bullets on protesters as U.N. envoy breaks ranks

With one foot in Bollywood and the other in Hollywood, Ali Fazal has been having the best of both worlds. After making his debut in Rajkumar Hirani’s ‘3 Idiots’, there has been no looking back for the actor. Ahead of his next big Hollywood release, ‘Death on the Nile’ co-starring Gal Gadot, ETimes caught hold of the actor for an exclusive interview. In a freewheeling chat, Ali spilled the beans on how his mother prepped him up for the big screen unintentionally, his stint in Hollywood, and his journey in films back home in Bollywood. Excerpts… Would it be wrong to say that the year 2020 has been bittersweet for you? You incurred a loss on the personal front, but professionally you were on a roll... I suppose that could be the go-to word. It has been introspective. I mean we all are dealing with the larger problem; the world has also hurt a lot. How did your journey in showbiz begin? It happened purely by accident; I didn’t plan it this way. My life was normal; I was a ... » Learn More about #BigInterview! Ali Fazal on facing racial discrimination in Hollywood: There is systematic racism; it is something we are used to

During a virtual session on Evolving Narratives: The Digital Dreamscape at the Jaipur Literature Festival , filmmakers Sudhir Mishra and Vikramaditya Motwane , author Vikram Chandra, Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) member Vani Tripathi Tikoo and Vice President, Content of an OTT platform Monika Shergill discussed how more books are being adapted into films and series now. Due to the flexibility of digital platforms, directors have an option to tell the story in the format (films/series/shorts) they think better suits the book. It is not as much about directors as it is about writers and actors Discussing how writers are finally getting their due with books being adapted into series, films or short films, and how streaming platforms are allowing creators to tell these stories, Vikramaditya Motwane said, “If Sacred Games had to be made into a two-hour film (instead of a series) we would have lost so many lovely characters, who became fan favourites. I think ... » Learn More about Vikramditya Motwane, Sudhir Mishra discuss book-to-screen adaptations at Jaipur Lit Fest

A ‘tent city’ that had come up at a petrol pump near the Singhu border protest site in December last year, is being shifted to a vacant ground a few metres away to offer some respite from the soaring heat in the city. Around 50 tents were pitched on the ground by Wednesday. Trenches have also been dug up along the perimeter to avoid waterlogging during heavy rain. Around 150 insulated tents were pitched at the petrol pump when the mercury had dipped and the city received record rainfall. However, with the temperatures now soaring, volunteers at the tent city said that it had become inconvenient for protesters to continue living inside the tents under direct sunlight. (Left) A group of people from Haryana arrive at the Singhu border; (above) Tents erected under trees at the protest site on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar Protesting farmers had recently cleared the ground of shrubbery and bushes. Jatin Singh, one of the managing team members, ... » Learn More about To beat the heat, ‘tent city’ in Singhu shifts to vacant land

A 25-year-old woman was stabbed to death while resisting a chain-snatching bid in northwest Delhi's Adarsh Nagar area, police said on Sunday. IMAGE: Father of Simran Kaur is consoled by relatives as he wails outside Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital in New Delhi, on Sunday. Photograph: PTI Photo A senior police officer said the woman, Simran Kaur, was returning home from the market along with her two-year-old daughter and mother when the incident occurred around 9.30 pm on Saturday. Police said they have apprehended two persons in connection with the incident. The incident took place hardly 20 metres from the victim's house. There is a police post around 100 metres from the spot. The accused stabbed the victim and fled, police said, adding that she was taken to a hospital where she was declared brought dead. A CCTV footage of the incident went viral on social media. In the video, the two women can be seen walking when a man chases them and tries to snatch the ... » Learn More about Woman stabbed to death during robbery bid in Delhi

(Subscribe to Science For All, our weekly newsletter, where we aim to take the jargon out of science and put the fun in. Click here .) Air-powered robot Published in Science Robotics If you thought all robots need electronics to function, meet this cute four-legged soft robot that uses pressurised air to function. The authors write that these robots can find applications in places where electronics cannot function, such as MRI machines and mine shafts. The team is now working to improve the robot’s gait to help it walk on uneven surfaces and navigate over obstacles. Massive black hole Published in Science Cygnus X-1, one of the closest black holes to Earth discovered in 1964, has now been found to have a mass of over 20 times the mass of our Sun. Co-author Professor Ilya Mandel said in a release that the black hole is so massive it’s actually challenging how astronomers thought they formed. “The black hole in the Cygnus X-1 system began life as a star ... » Learn More about Best from science journals: A robot without electronics

PCB chairman Ehsan Mani said the ICC has assured them it will get a written assurance from the BCCI by next month that all its players, officials, fans and journalists will be issued visas for the World T20 Cup to be held in India. On Sunday, Mani also said that the Asia Cup scheduled to be held in June this year in Sri Lanka will need to be postponed if India qualifies for the World Test Championships final. “I have informed the board that the BCCI was supposed to give us visa assurances by 31st December but that didn’t happen because their President, Saurav Ganguly was twice hospitalised,” he said at a media conference here. “But I have now again taken up this matter with the ICC and am in touch with them. I also have another virtual conference with them tomorrow on this issue. The ICC has told us that we will get our written confirmation by the end of next month.” The PCB chief said it was their right to demand this assurance and no one can keep Pakistan out of the World Cup. ... » Learn More about ICC will get written assurance from BCCI by March regarding issuance of visas for our players, says Ehsan Mani