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News in brief u Former Mexican defense Mexico says ex-defence minister Salvador Cienfuegos Trump shares joke story on minister arrested in US has been arrested in the United States on undisclosed charges, Mexico’s foreign minister said. Cienfuegos, who was defense chief from 2012-2018, was reportedly on a trip with his family when Biden, in earnest he was detained at Los Angeles airport. A Mexican investigative magazine, quoting unnamed sources at the US Department of tweeted out a fake story from a satirical website attacking Twitter Justice, reported that the arrest was the result of a long-standing investigation into corruption involving drug traffickers. u A journalist Would-be US debate Trump’s commentary tapped to moderate BETTER suggested• he was the second debate moderator suspended over tweet not aware the between President Donald Trump and has been suspended over lying about his Twitter piece was KNOW account being hacked, his news outlet said. C-SPAN journalist Steve Scully, who was to be the moderator AFP | Washington of the debate in Miami -- until it was called off -- was Trump has tweeted ar- suspended indefinitely after news of his actions were revealed, according to the congressional cable channel. S President Donald ticles from the Babylon Trump shared a satirical Bee in the past and the Kyrgyz acting leader moves u Kyrgyzstan’s Prime article yesterday about site told The New York Minister and acting U president Sadyr Japarov Twitter shutting down to slow Times earlier that it was to consolidate power the spread of negative news on “assured” Trump knew it appointed a close ally as national security his election rival Joe Biden, ap- was satire chief, as he consolidated control over the parently unaware that it was Central Asian country rocked by unrest a joke. racist “birtherism” conspiracy following a parliamentary vote. Japarov Trump, who often rails against theory alleging that his prede- appeared in parliament along with outgoing “” while retweeting Donald Trump (L) and Joe Biden exchange arguments during the first cessor Barack Obama was not leader Sooronbay Jeenbekov, who resigned presidential debate (file photo) misinformation to his 87 mil- born in the US. Thursday in a move that cleared a path for lion fol-lowers, tweeted a link to Twitter doing this.” The website’s chief executive Only this week, he shared a Japarov to assume the post of head of state as the tall tale headlined: “Twitter The story Trump shared was officer Seth Dillon offered his bizarre claim originating from well as premier. Jeenbekov became the third Shuts Down Entire Network To from the Babylon Bee, a satirical own lighthearted take soon after the emergent QAnon movement president of the volatile ex-Soviet state to resign since 2005 -- a move he said he Slow Spread Of Negative Biden news site with the motto “Fake at-tracting Trump’s attention, that Biden was involved in a hoped would spare the country further bloodshed. News.” news you can trust” clearly vis- proudly declaring: “The Baby- conspiracy to fake the death of u Thailand’s King “Wow, this has never been ible on its Twitter page. lon Bee is the president’s most Osama bin Laden in 2011. Maha Vajiralongkorn Thai king says people should done in history,” Trump tweet- Trump has tweeted articles trusted news source.” At a televised town hall event said “the country love country and monarchy ed -- correctly, as it turns out, from the Babylon Bee in the past Trump’s propensity for shar- in Miami on Thursday, Trump needs people who love the country and love because Twitter had done no and the site told The New York ing wild, unfounded accusations defended his retweets, saying the monarchy”, in pre-recorded comments such thing. Times earlier in October that it has not been diminished by his “people can decide for them- broadcast on state television yesterday from “This includes his really bad was “assured” Trump knew it politi-cal career, which was selves” if the outlandish theo- an event a day earlier. The king has made no interview last night. Why is was satire. forged in the cauldron of the ries he shares have any merit. direct comment on three months of protests that have called for curbs to his powers as well as for the removal of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a former military ruler. The king was addressing a Saudi’s Deputy Health Minister official affirms safe and innovative Umrah group of ex-communists in northern Thailand. TDT | Manama u Dozens during an interview with CNN, All participants are required Dozens reported killed in clashes of soldiers and said that the authorities will to wear face masks throughout between Somali government, fighters insurgents audi Arabia’s Ministry of ensure strict control over the the performance while main- were killed in two days of fighting SHealth will ensure that pil- number and flow of people en- taining social distance. between Somali government forces grims going for Umrah are care- tering into the harem to perform Alabdulaali said that more and al Shabaab militants northwest fully selected and those in the Umrah. than 230 centres in the King- of the capital Mogadishu, a witness risk groups will be eliminated Saudi Arabia’s Umrah pil - dom, including 21 drive- said. Somalia’s state news agency Sonna from the priority list, an official grimage normally attracts close throughs, are receiving people said the military had killed about 50 said. to 20 million people. This year, with any symptoms where they fighters from the al Qaeda-allied Islamist Deputy Health Minister Dr. only 6,000 will be allowed to can get diagnosis and treatment group. No immediate account of the Mohammed Khalid Alabdulaali, Dr. Mohammed Khalid Alabdulaali take part daily. for COVID-19 free of cost battle was available from the militants.

Global Countries worst affected Sarkozy charged Malaysian police probe Anwar Covid-19 Cases: Country Total New Total New with ‘conspiracy’ over bid to become PM cases cases Deaths deaths over Libyan AFP | Kuala Lumpur 39,474,896 1 USA 8,267,053 +50,738 223,359 +643 2 India 7,429,233 +63,724 113,002 +856 alaysian police ques- Deaths financing 3 Brazil 5,176,524 +5,528 152,641 +128 AFP | Paris Mtioned Anwar Ibrahim yesterday over his push to top- 4 Russia 1,369,313 +15,150 23,723 +232 ple the government and be- 1,106,870 ormer French presi - come prime minister, with the Recovered: 5 Spain 982,723 +12,169 33,775 +222 Fdent Nicolas Sarkozy opposition leader slamming 6 Argentina 949,063 25,342 has been charged over fi- the investigation as “political 936,982 nancing his 2007 election harassment”. 29,542,600 7 Colombia 28,457 campaign with money from The veteran politician an- 8 Peru 859,740 33,577 late Libyan dictator Muam- nounced last month he had New cases 9 Mexico 834,910 +5,514 85,285 +387 mar Gaddafi, according to garnered enough support Anwar Ibrahim prosecutors. from MPs to seize power from 10 France 834,770 +25,086 33,247 +122 The move made Sarkozy, a shaky, seven-month-old coa- the country’s prime minis- +323,457 11 South Africa 698,184 18,309 +168 who ruled from 2007 to 2012 lition led by Muhyiddin Yassin. ter-in-waiting until a reformist and is still an influential be- He met the king, who ap - government, of which he was New deaths 12 UK 689,257 +15,650 43,429 +136 hind-the-scenes player on points the prime minister, a leading member, collapsed in 13 Iran 522,387 +4,552 29,870 +265 the political right, the target this week to make his case, February amid bitter infight- of an inquiry into alleged although Muhyiddin has dis- ing. 14 Chile 488,190 +1,694 13,529 +95 cash handovers and wire missed his challenge and oth- Police called Anwar in for +4,438 transfers between Tripoli ers have raised doubts about questioning following com- Middle East Figures as of closing and Paris in the months be- whether he has the backing. plaints from lawmakers whose fore he won power. Anwar had been seen as names were included in a list Country Total new Total New Total Active Serious, Tot cases/1m pop cases cases deaths Deaths recovered cases Critical It marked a dramatic that circulated online of those acceleration in an inquiry supposedly backing him. that had largely faded in the Anwar said police had asked Egypt 105,033 6,088 98,011 934 41 1,021 news since it was opened him to hand over the list of What is mind- 341,495 +433 5,144 +17 327,795 8,556 835 9,765 five years ago, shortly after MPs but he refused on the Saudi boggling is that they Arabia the 63-year-old left office. want the list. This grounds that only the king has Sarkozy, who has persis- a right to see it. UAE 112,849 +1,412 455 +3 104,943 7,451 11,370 tently denied claims that he is an attempt by the “What is mind-boggling is accepted millions of euros political masters to that they want the list,” the Kuwait 114,744 +729 690 +6 106,495 7,559 136 26,755 from Gaddafi, some of it de- oppress me -- this 73-year-old told reporters. Oman 108,296 1,071 94,229 12,996 216 21,055 livered in cash-stuffed suit- is malicious, it is “This is an attempt by the cases, had vowed to clear political harassment political masters to oppress Qatar 128,992 +189 222 126,006 2,764 54 45,941 his name, even if it takes me -- this is malicious, it is ANWAR IBRAHIM years. political harassment.”