Trump remains upbeat on N. Korea's denuclearisation: Pompeo
United Nations, July 21 : US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said that President Donald Trump remains optimistic about the prospects of denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula.
Pompeo briefed reporters at the UN headquarters on Friday following his meeting with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and members of the Security Council.
"President Trump remains upbeat about the prospects of denuclearization of North Korea (DPRK). So do I, as progress is happening," said the top US diplomat.
"It is the Trump administration's hope that one day the DPRK could be in our midst here at the UN," he was cited as saying by Xinhua news agency.
"The countries of the Security Council are united on the need for final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea, as agreed to by Chairman Kim Jong-un. Strict enforcement of sanctions is critical to our achieving this goal," said Pompeo, who was accompanied by US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley.
During their historic summit in June, Trump and Kim agreed to work towards the "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula.
Despite progress made with Trump and Kim's historic meeting in Singapore, uncertainties remain regarding the Korean Peninsula. Washington is still exerting great pressure on Pyongyang even after the latter dismantled some of its nuclear facilities.
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Himachal’s Sammoo village does not celebrate Diwali due to centuries-old 'curse’; Here’s why
Hamirpur: The residents of Sammoo village in Hamirpur district located in Himachal Pradesh are continuing a centuries-old tradition of not celebrating Diwali. No houses are lit during the festival, no special dishes are prepared, and no sounds of crackers are heard.
This is an ancient custom that people have been following for ages due to the fear of a curse from a woman who committed Sati on Diwali, according to a PTI report.
The legend goes that, many years ago, the woman who had left for her parent's home to celebrate Diwali received news that her husband, a soldier in the king's court, had died. The woman, who was pregnant, was devastated and burnt herself on her husband's pyre. It is believed she cursed the villagers, declaring that they would never again be able to celebrate Diwali.
As a result, the village has not celebrated the festival since, with elders reportedly warning younger generations that celebrations would invite misfortune, disaster, and deaths.
Bhoranj panchayat pradhan Pooja Devi stated that since she got married and moved to this village, she has never witnessed Diwali being celebrated. “Even if the villagers settle outside, the curse of the women won’t leave them. Some years ago, a family from the village settled far away were preparing some local dishes for Diwali when their house caught fire. The people of the village only worship Sati and light diyas in front of her,” Pooja Devi was quoted as saying by the news agency.
The report also cited another village elder, who has lived through more than 70 Diwalis without celebration, mentioning that whenever someone attempts to celebrate, tragedy strikes the village.
“For hundreds of years, people have refrained from celebrating Diwali. On the day of Diwali, if a family, even by mistake, bursts crackers and makes dishes at home, then disaster is sure to happen,” the report quoted another villager.
The people in the village have tried a lot of measures, such as havans and yagyas, to get rid of the curse. However, nothing has reportedly worked.
