CHINA ENCOURAGES CITIZENS TO UNMASK SPIES AMID NATIONAL SECURITY DRIVE

China's Communist Party is launching a nationwide campaign to involve ordinary citizens in safeguarding the country, leading to a fine line between vigilance and paranoia. This initiative comes at a time when China faces economic challenges and strained relations with Western nations.

President Xi Jinping has urged officials to "enhance real-time monitoring" and prepare for possible conflict, reflecting concerns over potential threats to his leadership.

China uses various methods to engage the public, including warning messages on high-speed trains and posters in government offices. The National Administration of State Secrets Protection offers online courses on secret-keeping.

China is also clamping down on domestic dissent, with universities forming student squads to report individuals using overseas websites.

Critics argue that increased surveillance and public reporting infringe on privacy and individual rights. State media counters that those with nothing to hide should not fear scrutiny.

As China seeks to involve citizens in national security efforts, it raises questions about balancing national security with individual freedoms.

RAMASWAMY: WILL BACK TRUMP FOR GOP NOMINATION, PARDON IF ELECTED

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy stated on Sunday that although he aspires to be the party's nominee for the November 2024 US elections, he would support Donald Trump if Trump secures the nomination. During an appearance on a Sunday talk show, the 38-year-old Indian American entrepreneur told ABC News, "If Donald Trump becomes the nominee, I will indeed endorse him, and if I become the president, I will pardon him because it would contribute to national unity. However, it's not the most crucial task I will undertake as the future president. It is a fundamental requirement for advancing this country."

Ramaswamy has gained considerable popularity after his strong performance in the initial Republican primary presidential debate last month. He is notably the only Republican presidential candidate openly endorsing Trump. He explained, "My primary criterion is to vote for the candidate I believe is best positioned to lead this country forward. I don't believe that candidate is Joe Biden, or any other figure they may put forward, such as Kamala Harris or anyone else, following Joe Biden."

RUSSIA’S 1ST LINE OF DEF IN SOUTH BREACHED: KYIV GEN

Ukraine's General Oleksandr Tarnavskiy, leading the southern counteroffensive, reported that Kyiv's army has made a significant breakthrough by breaching Russian lines in southern Ukraine. Tarnavskiy expects faster progress in the Zaporizhzhia area after Kyiv declared a strategic victory by recapturing the village of Robotyne. He mentioned that Ukrainian forces are now between the first and second defensive lines and have cleared heavily mined territory. Tarnavskiy noted that Russia has redeployed troops to the area but expressed confidence that continued pressure would deplete their best soldiers.

RUSSIA’S ADVANCED ICBM ‘SARMAT’ PUT ON COMBAT DUTY

The head of Roscosmos space agency said Friday that the country has deployed an advanced intercontinental ballistic missile that President Putin once said will make Russia’s enemies “think twice”. Yuri Borisov said Sarmat missiles have been placed on combat duty. The silo-based missile, capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads, is meant to replace R-36 ICBMs, known by the Nato reporting name of Satan.

UKRAINIAN PORT HIT ON EVE OF PUTIN AND ERDOGAN GRAIN TALKS

Two people were hospitalised following a 3½-hour Russian drone barrage on a port in Ukraine’s Odesa region on Sunday, officials said. The attack on the Reni seaport comes a day before Russian President Putin is due to meet with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss the resumption of food shipments from Ukraine under aBlack Sea grain deal that Moscow broke off from in July.

UKRAINE'S DEFENCE MINISTER OLEKSII REZNIKOV DISMISSED

Ukraine's Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov has been relieved of his duties by President Volodymyr Zelensky, who cited the need for "new approaches" in the defense ministry. Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine's State Property Fund, has been nominated as Reznikov's successor. Speculation in Ukrainian media suggests that Reznikov may become Kyiv's ambassador to London, where he has established strong political connections. Reznikov, who played a prominent role in Ukraine's interactions with Western allies during the war, had hinted at exploring other positions with President Zelensky last week.

BIDEN DISAPPOINTED AS XI JINPING DECIDES TO SKIP G20 SUMMIT

US President Joe Biden expressed his disappointment over Chinese President Xi Jinping's decision to skip the upcoming G20 summit in India. Instead, Chinese Premier Li Qiang will represent Beijing at the summit. While Biden expressed his disappointment, he didn't specify when he would meet with Xi. This comes amid worsening relations between China and India, including ongoing border disputes. The possibility of Xi and Biden speaking at a meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation in San Francisco in November remains. The withdrawal of Xi from the G20 summit reflects the continued deterioration of US-China relations.

AGING-OUT INDIANS FACE VISA DILEMMA IN THE US

When Indian children reach the age of 21, they "age out" of their H-4 visa status, which is tied to their parents' H-1B work visas. This situation forces them to either obtain an F-1 student visa, which has limited work opportunities and higher fees, or self-deport to their home country, even if they grew up in the US with little connection to India. The backlog of Indians awaiting employment-based green cards, coupled with country caps and restrictive policies, has created this problem, affecting around 1.34 lakh children. This situation can lead to family separation and extended wait times of up to 134 years for green card processing. Immigration reform bills addressing these issues have not yet been successful.

N KOREA STAGES TACTICAL NUCLEAR ATTACK DRILL

SEOUL: North Korea staged a “simulated tactical nuclear attack” drill at the weekend with mock atomic warheads attached to two long-range cruise missiles that were test-fired into the ocean. State media said the operation on Saturday was a “counteraction drill” in response to the joint military activity by U.S. and South Korean forces.

COURT POSTPONES HEARING OF BAIL PLEA BY IMRAN, QURESHI

Islamabad : A special Pakistani court has postponed the hearing of post-arrest bail applications of former PM Imran Khan and his close aide Shah Mahmood Qureshi in a case related to the alleged disclosure of state secrets till the Islamabad HC decides a plea challenging the court's jurisdiction.Of late, Khan has come under increased scrutiny following the publication of a purported copy of the secret cable by the US media outlet The Intercept, with many in the previous government led by Shehbaz Sharif pointing fingers at the PTI chief for being the source of the leak. Qureshiwas arrested on August 19 under the Official Secrets Act for violating secrecy of the official cable sent by the Pakistani embassy in the US to the foreign office when he was the foreign minister.

PAKISTAN’S INTERIM PM KAKAR TERMS MAY 9 VIOLENCE ‘ATTEMPTED COUP’

Pakistan’scaretaker PM Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has termed the May 9 violence by supporters of former premier Imran Khan “an attempted coup and civil war” that targetted Army chief Gen Asim Munir and his team, a report said. Kakar denied that revenge was a motive behind taking legal action against the perpetrators of the violence.Dozens of military installations and government buildings were attacked during the May 9 violencefollowing the arrest of Khan.

2 WOMEN JOURNOS IN IRAN SENT TO JAIL FOR A MONTH

Tehran : Two female Iranian journalists will spend around a month behind bars as part of a three-year partly suspended prison sentence for “conspiracy” and “collusion”, media reported on Sunday.Under the sentence, Negin Bagheri and Elnaz Mohammadi will serve one-fortieth of the term, or less than a month, in prison, their lawyer told the reformist Ham Mihan daily newspaper, where Mohammadiworks.The report did not detail the allegations against thereporters but Mohammadi’s sisterhas since September 2022 been in prison after reporting on the funeral of Mahsa Amini, 22, who died in police custody. The death of Amini, an Iranian Kurd, came after her arrest for an alleged breach of the Islamic republic’s dress code, triggering protests.

ERITREAN MIGRANTS BEHIND CLASHES SHOULD BE DEPORTED: NETANYAHU

TEL AVIV: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he wants Eritrean migrants involved in Saturday’s violent clash in Tel Aviv to be deported and has ordered a plan to remove all of the country's African migrants. Under international law, Israel cannot forcibly send migrants back to a country where their life may be at risk.

TEACHER SUICIDE EXPOSES PARENT BULLYING IN S KOREA

Lee Min-so, a 23-year-old primary school teacher, tragically took her own life, sparking outrage among teachers in South Korea. She had been overwhelmed by the demands of her job, including dealing with parents' constant complaints and unruly children. Her cousin, Park Du-yong, discovered Min-so's diary entries and messages, revealing the immense pressure she faced.

Min-so's death has led to a wave of anger among South Korean primary school teachers, who claim they are bullied by both parents and students. They've gone on strike, demanding better workplace protection. Teachers say parents frequently harass them with incessant calls and unfair complaints, even accusing them of child abuse for disciplining students.

FRANCE TO BAN DISPOSABLE E-CIGARETTES, SAYS PM

France plans to ban disposable electronic cigarettes, French PM Elisabeth Borne said on Sunday. She said the government is drawing up plans for a national programme to fight tobacco use that she said was responsible for 75,000 deaths a year in France. So-called “puff” devices generate habits among young people that can lead to tobacco addiction, she added. President Macron in 2021 pledged to make all 20-yearolds tobacco-free by 2030.

DRIVERLESS TAXIS DELAY AMBULANCE, LEADING TO PATIENT'S DEATH IN SAN FRANCISCO

In San Francisco, two Cruise autonomous taxis obstructed an ambulance on its way to an accident scene, resulting in the death of a critically injured patient at the hospital. The incident occurred on August 14, where the self-driving vehicles were parked in lanes, delaying the ambulance's passage. The patient, who was hit by a car, died 20 to 30 minutes after arriving at the hospital, approximately 4km away. Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors, claimed it wasn't responsible, citing footage showing one of their vehicles moving away before the ambulance's arrival. Fire department officials expressed concern over such incidents, with over 70 cases reported of autonomous vehicles interfering with emergency responders.