Traditional white-gloved traffic police returned to Italy's Rome as Cristina Corbucci becomes the first female traffic cop to stand on a podium to direct vehicles approaching from three directions.&nbsp;

Giuliana Cazzarolli who saw officers change shifts on Thursday said the return of traffic officers, is "a reminder of the beautiful times", reports The Guardian.&nbsp;

The podium was first introduced in the late 1920s in a bid to make the traffic controllers more visible while managing the traffic.&nbsp;

Corbucci said that the job now has "the female touch" as quoted by Il Messaggero newspaper. &nbsp;

"Up there you really feel as if you are in the centre-of-the-centre of Rome," the female cop said.&nbsp;

"The truly intelligent traffic light is this one."&nbsp;

Fabio Grillo, known as the "maestro" trains the officers for the job as since 2004 he has been on and off the podium.&nbsp;

"It's a wonderful job," Grillo said.&nbsp;

"I mean look – we're in the middle of this fantastic square which is a crossroads for Romans, tourists, everyone. You see everything."

Cazzarolli and her husband, Romalo, who were both born in Rome and are in their 80s are delighted with the return of traditional traffic cops. &nbsp;

"It gives us joy to see this and reminds me of how it used to be," said Romalo.

 
&nbsp;

Traditional white-gloved traffic police returned to Italy's Rome as Cristina Corbucci becomes the first female traffic cop to stand on a podium to direct vehicles approaching from three directions.

Traditional white-gloved traffic police returned to Italy's Rome as Cristina Corbucci becomes the first female traffic cop to stand on a podium to direct vehicles approaching from three directions. Giuliana Cazzarolli who saw officers change shifts on Thursday said the return of traffic officers, is "a reminder of the beautiful times", reports The Guardian. The podium was first introduced in the late 1920s in a bid to make the traffic controllers more visible while managing the traffic. Corbucci said that the job now has "the female touch" as quoted by Il Messaggero newspaper. "Up there you really feel as if you are in the centre-of-the-centre of Rome," the female cop said. "The truly intelligent traffic light is this one." Fabio Grillo, known as the "maestro" trains the officers for the job as since 2004 he has been on and off the podium. "It's a wonderful job," Grillo said. "I mean look – we're in the middle of this fantastic square which is a crossroads for Romans, tourists, everyone. You see everything." Cazzarolli and her husband, Romalo, who were both born in Rome and are in their 80s are delighted with the return of traditional traffic cops. "It gives us joy to see this and reminds me of how it used to be," said Romalo.

'Reminder of beautiful times': Rome witnesses first female traffic cop to work atop podium

The civil disobedience movement that is continuing to put pressure on the Myanmar junta to give up power has been nominated for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize, a Norwegian academic said on Friday.&nbsp;

Calling it an important "mass mobilisation for democracy", Kristian Stokke, professor of sociology at the University of Oslo told news agency AFP that if the movement turns out to be successful, it would "inspire other non-violent pro-democracy" causes elsewhere.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/myanmar-coup-uk-sanctions-military-owned-myanmar-conglomerate-373219/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"The civil disobedience movement is an important mass mobilisation for democracy in Myanmar that is taking place, so far, with non-violent means," the professor said.&nbsp;

"This pro-democracy movement, especially if successful, can also have consequences outside Myanmar and inspire other non-violent pro-democracy movements elsewhere at a time when democracy is under pressure from authoritarian forces."&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
As many as 320 people have been killed and about 3,000 detained since the coup ousted the democratically-elected government in Myanmar, according to the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners (AAPP).&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-activists-call-for-anti-coup-protest-as-junta-marks-armed-forces-day-373467">Myanmar activists call for anti-coup protest as junta marks Armed Forces Day</a>

"What is important and gives a glimmer of hope is that what started as a response to a military coup has become a broader alliance across the many differences, especially ethnic ones, within Burmese society," Stokke added.&nbsp;

The Nobel committee only considers January 31 deadline for this year's awards and so the nomination by Stokke will be taken next year.&nbsp;

The civil disobedience movement that is continuing to put pressure on the Myanmar junta to give up power has been nominated for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize, a Norwegian academic said on Friday.

The civil disobedience movement that is continuing to put pressure on the Myanmar junta to give up power has been nominated for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize, a Norwegian academic said on Friday. Calling it an important "mass mobilisation for democracy", Kristian Stokke, professor of sociology at the University of Oslo told news agency AFP that if the movement turns out to be successful, it would "inspire other non-violent pro-democracy" causes elsewhere. Watch | "The civil disobedience movement is an important mass mobilisation for democracy in Myanmar that is taking place, so far, with non-violent means," the professor said. "This pro-democracy movement, especially if successful, can also have consequences outside Myanmar and inspire other non-violent pro-democracy movements elsewhere at a time when democracy is under pressure from authoritarian forces." As many as 320 people have been killed and about 3,000 detained since the coup ousted the democratically-elected government in Myanmar, according to the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners (AAPP). Also read | Myanmar activists call for anti-coup protest as junta marks Armed Forces Day "What is important and gives a glimmer of hope is that what started as a response to a military coup has become a broader alliance across the many differences, especially ethnic ones, within Burmese society," Stokke added. The Nobel committee only considers January 31 deadline for this year's awards and so the nomination by Stokke will be taken next year.

Myanmar protesters nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

At least 32 people died and 66 injured after two trains collided in southern Egypt, the health ministry said on Thursday.&nbsp;

Three carriages derailed as a result of the accident in the province of Sohag, the health ministry and a local official confirmed.&nbsp;

The statement by the health ministry said "32 people were killed and 66 injured" and sent to the hospital.&nbsp;

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Friday called for "deterrent punishment" for those responsible for the collision of two passenger trains.&nbsp;

"Anyone who caused this painful accident through negligence or corruption, or anything similar, must receive a deterrent punishment without exception or delay," he said in a tweet.

Several people were seen gathered around an overturned carriage of one of the trains.&nbsp;

News agency AFP reported springs and twisted metal jutted out from another carriage.&nbsp;

Egypt's rail authority said that some passengers had "activated emergency brakes in several carriages" which led to the accident.&nbsp;

In recent years, several train accidents have occurred in Egypt, something that tells about the nation's poor railway infrastructure.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

At least 32 people died and 66 injured after two trains collided in southern Egypt, the health ministry said on Thursday. Three carriages derailed as a result of the accident in the province of Sohag, the health ministry and a local official confirmed.

At least 32 people died and 66 injured after two trains collided in southern Egypt, the health ministry said on Thursday. Three carriages derailed as a result of the accident in the province of Sohag, the health ministry and a local official confirmed. The statement by the health ministry said "32 people were killed and 66 injured" and sent to the hospital. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Friday called for "deterrent punishment" for those responsible for the collision of two passenger trains. "Anyone who caused this painful accident through negligence or corruption, or anything similar, must receive a deterrent punishment without exception or delay," he said in a tweet. Several people were seen gathered around an overturned carriage of one of the trains. News agency AFP reported springs and twisted metal jutted out from another carriage. Egypt's rail authority said that some passengers had "activated emergency brakes in several carriages" which led to the accident. In recent years, several train accidents have occurred in Egypt, something that tells about the nation's poor railway infrastructure.

At least 32 killed, 66 wounded in Egypt train collision

Environmentalists on Thursday rang alarm bells on the declining elephant populations across Africa, warning that one species was on the brink of extinction.&nbsp;

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in its updated "Red List" of threatened species said that forest elephants in Africa are the worst-affected as their numbers have fallen more than 86 per cent in three decades.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/african-elephants-face-growing-risk-of-extinction-red-list-373420/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

It said that these elephants are now designated as "critically endangered", meaning they face the most risk of getting extinct.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, there has been a 60 per cent reduction in the population of African savanna elephants in the last 50 years, IUCN said, adding the species to the "endangered" list.&nbsp;

The development is big as earlier elephants from the continent, taken as a single species was regarded as vulnerable, but not endangered.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/4000-kilo-female-elephants-one-hit-from-trunk-kills-zookeeper-366411">4000-kilo female elephant's one hit from trunk kills zookeeper</a>

"Today's new IUCN Red List assessments of both African elephant species underline the persistent pressures faced by these iconic animals," IUCN chief Bruno Oberle in a statement said.

News agency AFP reported that 50 years ago, there were nearly 1.5 million elephants in Africa, but poaching and shrinking habitats have resulted in only about 415,000 left.&nbsp;

"It is a wake-up call to the entire globe that we are going down a steep terrain, when it comes to... the viability of these elephants," Benson Okita-Ouma of Save the Elephants and the co-chair of the IUCN African Elephant Specialist Group said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Environmentalists on Thursday rang alarm bells on the declining elephant populations across Africa, warning that one species was on the brink of extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in its updated "Red List" of threatened species said that forest elephants in Africa are the worst-affected as their numbers have fallen more than 86 per cent in three decades.

Environmentalists on Thursday rang alarm bells on the declining elephant populations across Africa, warning that one species was on the brink of extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in its updated "Red List" of threatened species said that forest elephants in Africa are the worst-affected as their numbers have fallen more than 86 per cent in three decades. Watch | It said that these elephants are now designated as "critically endangered", meaning they face the most risk of getting extinct. Meanwhile, there has been a 60 per cent reduction in the population of African savanna elephants in the last 50 years, IUCN said, adding the species to the "endangered" list. The development is big as earlier elephants from the continent, taken as a single species was regarded as vulnerable, but not endangered. Also read | 4000-kilo female elephant's one hit from trunk kills zookeeper "Today's new IUCN Red List assessments of both African elephant species underline the persistent pressures faced by these iconic animals," IUCN chief Bruno Oberle in a statement said. News agency AFP reported that 50 years ago, there were nearly 1.5 million elephants in Africa, but poaching and shrinking habitats have resulted in only about 415,000 left. "It is a wake-up call to the entire globe that we are going down a steep terrain, when it comes to... the viability of these elephants," Benson Okita-Ouma of Save the Elephants and the co-chair of the IUCN African Elephant Specialist Group said.

Environmentalists raise concern as African elephants see massive decline

Lawmakers grilled the leaders of Facebook, Google and Twitter on Thursday about the connection between online disinformation and the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, causing Twitter’s CEO to publicly admit for the first time that his product had played a role in the events that left five people dead.

When a Democratic lawmaker asked the executives to answer with a “yes” or a “no” whether the platforms bore some responsibility for the misinformation that had contributed to the riot, Jack Dorsey of Twitter said “yes.” Neither Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook nor Sundar Pichai of Google would answer the question directly.

The roughly five-hour hearing before a House committee marked the first time lawmakers directly questioned the CEOs regarding social media’s role in the January riot. The tech bosses were also peppered with questions about how their companies helped spread falsehoods around COVID-19 vaccines, enable racism and hurt children’s mental health.

It was also the first time the executives had testified since President Joe Biden’s inauguration. Tough questioning from lawmakers signaled that scrutiny of Silicon Valley’s business practices would not let up, and could even intensify, with Democrats in the White House and leading both chambers of Congress.

The CEOs have become Capitol Hill regulars in recent years. Zuckerberg has testified seven times since 2018. Dorsey has appeared five times and Pichai has testified four times since then. But these hearings, regarding disinformation, antitrust and data privacy, have not led to regulations. Though there is bipartisan animus toward the companies, there is still little agreement on how specifically to hold the internet giants to account. Dozens of privacy, speech and antitrust bills have gone nowhere in the past few years.

“It will be very challenging to translate these concerns into legislation,” said Alexandra Givens, CEO of the Center for Democracy and Technology, a tech think tank.

At the heart of the hearing were questions about whether the companies had a financial incentive to keep users engaged — and clicking on ads — by feeding them divisive, extreme and hateful content. Lawmakers from both parties said Congress should reconsider a law that shields the platforms from lawsuits over content posted by their users.

“You’re not passive bystanders,” said Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “You’re making money.”

Lawmakers, who compared the business practices of social media companies to tobacco and alcohol companies, grew frustrated at times with what they said was the executives’ evasiveness.

Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa., asked the tech CEOs to answer yes or no: Did their platforms contribute to the spread of misinformation before the riot?

Zuckerberg and Pichai dodged the question. Dorsey was more direct.

“Yes,” he said. “But you also have to take into consideration the broader ecosystem. It’s not just about the technology platforms we use.”

Doyle pressed the other executives.

“How is it possible for you not to at least admit that Facebook played a leading role in facilitating the recruitment, planning and execution of the attack on the Capitol?” he asked Zuckerberg.

“I think that the responsibility here lies with the people who took the actions to break the law and do the insurrection,” Zuckerberg said. He added that people who spread the misinformation bore responsibility as well.

“But your platforms supercharged that,” Doyle said.

Later, while still participating in the videoconference hearing, Dorsey tweeted a single question mark with a poll that had two options: “Yes” or “No.” When asked about his tweet by a lawmaker, he said “yes” was winning.

The January riot at the Capitol has made the issue of disinformation deeply personal for lawmakers. The riot was fueled by false claims from President Donald Trump and others that the election had been stolen, which were rampant on social media.

Some of the participants had connections to QAnon and other online conspiracy theories. And prosecutors have said that groups involved in the riot, including the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys, coordinated some of their actions on social media.

Lawmakers also criticized the platforms for the way they have enabled the spread of misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic and the vaccines for COVID-19. Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., who represents part of Silicon Valley, told Dorsey that Twitter should “eliminate all COVID misinformation — and not label or reduce its spread, but remove it.”

Republicans criticized the companies for the amplification of toxic content that particularly harmed children. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., said social media was her “greatest fear” as a parent. “I’ve monitored where your algorithms lead them. It’s frightening. I know I’m not alone,” Rodgers said.

The Republican members also focused on decisions by the social media platforms to ban Trump and his associates after the Jan. 6 riots. The bans hardened views by conservatives that the companies are left-leaning and are inclined to squelch conservative voices.

“We’re all aware of Big Tech’s ever-increasing censorship of conservative voices and their commitment to serve the radical progressive agenda,” said Rep. Bob Latta of Ohio, the ranking Republican on the panel’s technology subcommittee.

The company leaders defended their businesses, saying they had invested heavily in hiring content moderators and in technology like artificial intelligence, used to identify and fight disinformation.

Zuckerberg argued against the notion that his company had a financial incentive to juice its users’ attention by driving them toward more extreme content. He said Facebook didn’t design “algorithms in order to just kind of try to tweak and optimize and get people to spend every last minute on our service.”

He added later in the hearing that elections disinformation was spread in messaging apps, where amplification and algorithms don’t aid in spread of false content. He also blamed television and other traditional media for spreading election lies.

The companies showed fissures in their view on regulations. Facebook has vocally supported internet regulations in a major advertising blitz on television and in newspapers. In the hearing, Zuckerberg suggested specific regulatory reforms to a key legal shield, known as Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, that has helped Facebook and other Silicon Valley internet giants thrive.

The legal shield protects companies that host and moderate third-party content, and says companies like Google and Twitter are simply intermediaries of their user-generated content. Democrats have argued that with that protection, companies aren’t motivated to remove disinformation. Republicans accuse the companies of using the shield to moderate too much and to take down content that doesn’t represent their political viewpoints.

“I believe that Section 230 would benefit from thoughtful changes to make it work better for people,” Zuckerberg said in the statement.

He proposed that liability protection for companies be conditional on their ability to fight the spread of certain types of unlawful content. He said platforms should be required to demonstrate that they have systems in place for identifying unlawful content and removing it. Reforms, he said, should be different for smaller social networks, which wouldn’t have the same resources like Facebook to meet new requirements.

Pichai and Dorsey said they supported requirements of transparency in content moderation but fell short of agreeing with Zuckerberg’s other ideas. Dorsey said that it would be very difficult to distinguish a large platform from a smaller one.

Lawmakers did not appear to be won over.

“There’s a lot of smugness among you,” said Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio. “There’s this air of untouchable-ness in your responses to many of the tough questions that you’re being asked.” 
&nbsp;

Lawmakers grilled the leaders of Facebook, Google and Twitter on Thursday about the connection between online disinformation and the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, causing Twitter’s CEO to publicly admit for the first time that his product had played a role in the events that left five people dead.

Lawmakers grilled the leaders of Facebook, Google and Twitter on Thursday about the connection between online disinformation and the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, causing Twitter’s CEO to publicly admit for the first time that his product had played a role in the events that left five people dead. When a Democratic lawmaker asked the executives to answer with a “yes” or a “no” whether the platforms bore some responsibility for the misinformation that had contributed to the riot, Jack Dorsey of Twitter said “yes.” Neither Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook nor Sundar Pichai of Google would answer the question directly. The roughly five-hour hearing before a House committee marked the first time lawmakers directly questioned the CEOs regarding social media’s role in the January riot. The tech bosses were also peppered with questions about how their companies helped spread falsehoods around COVID-19 vaccines, enable racism and hurt children’s mental health. It was also the first time the executives had testified since President Joe Biden’s inauguration. Tough questioning from lawmakers signaled that scrutiny of Silicon Valley’s business practices would not let up, and could even intensify, with Democrats in the White House and leading both chambers of Congress. The CEOs have become Capitol Hill regulars in recent years. Zuckerberg has testified seven times since 2018. Dorsey has appeared five times and Pichai has testified four times since then. But these hearings, regarding disinformation, antitrust and data privacy, have not led to regulations. Though there is bipartisan animus toward the companies, there is still little agreement on how specifically to hold the internet giants to account. Dozens of privacy, speech and antitrust bills have gone nowhere in the past few years. “It will be very challenging to translate these concerns into legislation,” said Alexandra Givens, CEO of the Center for Democracy and Technology, a tech think tank. At the heart of the hearing were questions about whether the companies had a financial incentive to keep users engaged — and clicking on ads — by feeding them divisive, extreme and hateful content. Lawmakers from both parties said Congress should reconsider a law that shields the platforms from lawsuits over content posted by their users. “You’re not passive bystanders,” said Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “You’re making money.” Lawmakers, who compared the business practices of social media companies to tobacco and alcohol companies, grew frustrated at times with what they said was the executives’ evasiveness. Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa., asked the tech CEOs to answer yes or no: Did their platforms contribute to the spread of misinformation before the riot? Zuckerberg and Pichai dodged the question. Dorsey was more direct. “Yes,” he said. “But you also have to take into consideration the broader ecosystem. It’s not just about the technology platforms we use.” Doyle pressed the other executives. “How is it possible for you not to at least admit that Facebook played a leading role in facilitating the recruitment, planning and execution of the attack on the Capitol?” he asked Zuckerberg. “I think that the responsibility here lies with the people who took the actions to break the law and do the insurrection,” Zuckerberg said. He added that people who spread the misinformation bore responsibility as well. “But your platforms supercharged that,” Doyle said. Later, while still participating in the videoconference hearing, Dorsey tweeted a single question mark with a poll that had two options: “Yes” or “No.” When asked about his tweet by a lawmaker, he said “yes” was winning. The January riot at the Capitol has made the issue of disinformation deeply personal for lawmakers. The riot was fueled by false claims from President Donald Trump and others that the election had been stolen, which were rampant on social media. Some of the participants had connections to QAnon and other online conspiracy theories. And prosecutors have said that groups involved in the riot, including the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys, coordinated some of their actions on social media. Lawmakers also criticized the platforms for the way they have enabled the spread of misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic and the vaccines for COVID-19. Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., who represents part of Silicon Valley, told Dorsey that Twitter should “eliminate all COVID misinformation — and not label or reduce its spread, but remove it.” Republicans criticized the companies for the amplification of toxic content that particularly harmed children. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., said social media was her “greatest fear” as a parent. “I’ve monitored where your algorithms lead them. It’s frightening. I know I’m not alone,” Rodgers said. The Republican members also focused on decisions by the social media platforms to ban Trump and his associates after the Jan. 6 riots. The bans hardened views by conservatives that the companies are left-leaning and are inclined to squelch conservative voices. “We’re all aware of Big Tech’s ever-increasing censorship of conservative voices and their commitment to serve the radical progressive agenda,” said Rep. Bob Latta of Ohio, the ranking Republican on the panel’s technology subcommittee. The company leaders defended their businesses, saying they had invested heavily in hiring content moderators and in technology like artificial intelligence, used to identify and fight disinformation. Zuckerberg argued against the notion that his company had a financial incentive to juice its users’ attention by driving them toward more extreme content. He said Facebook didn’t design “algorithms in order to just kind of try to tweak and optimize and get people to spend every last minute on our service.” He added later in the hearing that elections disinformation was spread in messaging apps, where amplification and algorithms don’t aid in spread of false content. He also blamed television and other traditional media for spreading election lies. The companies showed fissures in their view on regulations. Facebook has vocally supported internet regulations in a major advertising blitz on television and in newspapers. In the hearing, Zuckerberg suggested specific regulatory reforms to a key legal shield, known as Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, that has helped Facebook and other Silicon Valley internet giants thrive. The legal shield protects companies that host and moderate third-party content, and says companies like Google and Twitter are simply intermediaries of their user-generated content. Democrats have argued that with that protection, companies aren’t motivated to remove disinformation. Republicans accuse the companies of using the shield to moderate too much and to take down content that doesn’t represent their political viewpoints. “I believe that Section 230 would benefit from thoughtful changes to make it work better for people,” Zuckerberg said in the statement. He proposed that liability protection for companies be conditional on their ability to fight the spread of certain types of unlawful content. He said platforms should be required to demonstrate that they have systems in place for identifying unlawful content and removing it. Reforms, he said, should be different for smaller social networks, which wouldn’t have the same resources like Facebook to meet new requirements. Pichai and Dorsey said they supported requirements of transparency in content moderation but fell short of agreeing with Zuckerberg’s other ideas. Dorsey said that it would be very difficult to distinguish a large platform from a smaller one. Lawmakers did not appear to be won over. “There’s a lot of smugness among you,” said Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio. “There’s this air of untouchable-ness in your responses to many of the tough questions that you’re being asked.”

US lawmakers grill tech CEOs on Capitol riot, getting few direct answers

France's foreign minister on Friday accused the United Kingdom of blackmailing the European Union over <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine </a>deliveries.&nbsp;

"The United Kingdom has taken great pride in vaccinating well with the first dose except they have a problem with the second dose," Jean-Yves Le Drian told France Info radio, as reported by news agency AFP.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-pm-johnson-suggests-pubs-might-require-customers-to-produce-vaccine-certificate-373216/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"You are vaccinated when you have had both doses. Today there are as many people vaccinated with both in France as the United Kingdom," he said.

He added that Britain is "handicapped" now because it hurried to vaccinate people with the first dose, but now faces a shortage of the second one, thereby using "blackmail" tactics.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-accuses-russia-of-using-its-sputnik-v-covid-19-vaccine-as-propaganda-tool-373370">France accuses Russia of using its Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine as 'propaganda' tool</a>

"You can't be playing like this, a bit of blackmail, just because you hurried to get people vaccinated with a first shot, and now you're a bit handicapped because you don't have the second one," the foreign minister said.&nbsp;

The comments came in the backdrop of EU-UK row on an AstraZeneca plant in the Netherlands, which Prime Minister Boris Johnson argues is part of the British supply chain.

Reacting to this, the EU warned the UK on Thursday that it would ban coronavirus vaccines export to the country and other nations with plenty of drugs if they don't commit their deliveries to the bloc.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

France's foreign minister on Friday accused the United Kingdom of blackmailing the European Union over coronavirus vaccine deliveries. "The United Kingdom has taken great pride in vaccinating well with the first dose except they have a problem with the second dose," Jean-Yves Le Drian told France Info radio, as reported by news agency AFP.

France's foreign minister on Friday accused the United Kingdom of blackmailing the European Union over coronavirus vaccine deliveries. "The United Kingdom has taken great pride in vaccinating well with the first dose except they have a problem with the second dose," Jean-Yves Le Drian told France Info radio, as reported by news agency AFP. Watch | "You are vaccinated when you have had both doses. Today there are as many people vaccinated with both in France as the United Kingdom," he said. He added that Britain is "handicapped" now because it hurried to vaccinate people with the first dose, but now faces a shortage of the second one, thereby using "blackmail" tactics. Also read | France accuses Russia of using its Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine as 'propaganda' tool "You can't be playing like this, a bit of blackmail, just because you hurried to get people vaccinated with a first shot, and now you're a bit handicapped because you don't have the second one," the foreign minister said. The comments came in the backdrop of EU-UK row on an AstraZeneca plant in the Netherlands, which Prime Minister Boris Johnson argues is part of the British supply chain. Reacting to this, the EU warned the UK on Thursday that it would ban coronavirus vaccines export to the country and other nations with plenty of drugs if they don't commit their deliveries to the bloc.

France hits out at UK over 'blackmail' of coronavirus vaccine deliveries

Massive ship with all-Indian crew blocks Suez Canal; oil supply hit

Top US diplomat Antony Blinken on Wednesday pressed Turkey's foreign minister over a Russian air defence system and Ankara's withdrawal from a treaty on violence against women.&nbsp;

"Secretary Blinken urged Turkey not to retain the Russian S-400 air defence system," the State Department said, after talks on the sidelines of a NATO meeting in Brussels.

Blinken "expressed concern over Turkey's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, and emphasised the importance of democratic institutions and respect for human rights".&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/antony-blinken-pushes-turkey-over-russian-s-400-at-nato-373120/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Washington has long criticised NATO ally Turkey's purchase of the advanced S-400 air defence system from rival Russia, arguing it threatens the alliance's defences.&nbsp;

Former US leader Donald Trump in December imposed sanctions on Ankara's military procurement agency over the acquisition.

Turkey has also drawn widespread criticism for its decision, announced Saturday, to pull out of the Istanbul Convention, the latest victory for conservatives in President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's nationalist party.&nbsp;

The administration of President Joe Biden is still formulating its overall policy on Turkey -- but insists that it sees the country as a key ally.&nbsp;

"It's no secret that we have differences with Turkey," Blinken said at the two-day NATO meeting on Tuesday.

"It's also no secret that Turkey is a long-standing and valued ally, and one that I believe we have a strong interest in keeping anchored to NATO."

Top US diplomat Antony Blinken on Wednesday pressed Turkey's foreign minister over a Russian air defence system and Ankara's withdrawal from a treaty on violence against women.

Top US diplomat Antony Blinken on Wednesday pressed Turkey's foreign minister over a Russian air defence system and Ankara's withdrawal from a treaty on violence against women. "Secretary Blinken urged Turkey not to retain the Russian S-400 air defence system," the State Department said, after talks on the sidelines of a NATO meeting in Brussels. Blinken "expressed concern over Turkey's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, and emphasised the importance of democratic institutions and respect for human rights". Watch | Washington has long criticised NATO ally Turkey's purchase of the advanced S-400 air defence system from rival Russia, arguing it threatens the alliance's defences. Former US leader Donald Trump in December imposed sanctions on Ankara's military procurement agency over the acquisition. Turkey has also drawn widespread criticism for its decision, announced Saturday, to pull out of the Istanbul Convention, the latest victory for conservatives in President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's nationalist party. The administration of President Joe Biden is still formulating its overall policy on Turkey -- but insists that it sees the country as a key ally. "It's no secret that we have differences with Turkey," Blinken said at the two-day NATO meeting on Tuesday. "It's also no secret that Turkey is a long-standing and valued ally, and one that I believe we have a strong interest in keeping anchored to NATO."

Blinken pushes Turkey over Russian missiles

Talks on forming a new Dutch government were put on hold on Thursday when one of the chief negotiators unwittingly revealed a sensitive document to a news photographer while rushing out of parliament after learning she had tested positive for COVID-19.

Interior Minister Kajsa Ollongren, tasked with mapping out possibilities to form a coalition government following last week's national election, was photographed carrying documents as she walked to her car on Thursday morning.

Close-ups of the photo revealed information about the negotiation stance of various parties and on the possible future of Pieter Omtzigt, one of the most prominent parliament members of the Christian Democrats (CDA).

Also read | <a href="http://wionews.com/world/clashes-erupt-in-netherlands-over-coronavirus-restrictions-370482">Clashes erupt in Netherlands over coronavirus restrictions</a>

This sparked outrage among party leaders, who quickly tried to debunk the information as premature conclusions.

"Bizarre, this peek in the notes of Ollongren. Subjects which have not been discussed with me and are none of their business," Wopke Hoekstra, Finance minister and CDA leader, tweeted shortly after the photo was published.

Ollongren, a representative of the pro-European Union D66 party, and her fellow coalition explorer from Prime Minister Mark Rutte's party handed in their resignation a few hours after the photo appeared online.

It was not immediately clear when and how the government formation talks could resume.

Ollongren had left parliament in a hurry, after being notified of her positive coronavirus test.

She had held talks with the leaders of all parties in the Dutch parliament in the days before her test, including Rutte and the leader of her own party, Sigrid Kaag.

According to Dutch health regulations, Rutte and the other party leaders will have to take a COVID-19 test five days after their meeting with Ollongren to see whether they were infected.

Rutte tested negative for the coronavirus on Wednesday, his office said on Thursday, following an infection of one of his cabinet members late last week.

Rutte's conservative VVD party remains the largest in the Dutch parliament following the March 15-17 election, while D66 placed second.

Both parties are widely expected to form a new government together with up to three junior partners, in a process that could take months.

Talks on forming a new Dutch government were put on hold on Thursday when one of the chief negotiators unwittingly revealed a sensitive document to a news photographer while rushing out of parliament after learning she had tested positive for COVID-19.

Talks on forming a new Dutch government were put on hold on Thursday when one of the chief negotiators unwittingly revealed a sensitive document to a news photographer while rushing out of parliament after learning she had tested positive for COVID-19. Interior Minister Kajsa Ollongren, tasked with mapping out possibilities to form a coalition government following last week's national election, was photographed carrying documents as she walked to her car on Thursday morning. Close-ups of the photo revealed information about the negotiation stance of various parties and on the possible future of Pieter Omtzigt, one of the most prominent parliament members of the Christian Democrats (CDA). Also read | Clashes erupt in Netherlands over coronavirus restrictions This sparked outrage among party leaders, who quickly tried to debunk the information as premature conclusions. "Bizarre, this peek in the notes of Ollongren. Subjects which have not been discussed with me and are none of their business," Wopke Hoekstra, Finance minister and CDA leader, tweeted shortly after the photo was published. Ollongren, a representative of the pro-European Union D66 party, and her fellow coalition explorer from Prime Minister Mark Rutte's party handed in their resignation a few hours after the photo appeared online. It was not immediately clear when and how the government formation talks could resume. Ollongren had left parliament in a hurry, after being notified of her positive coronavirus test. She had held talks with the leaders of all parties in the Dutch parliament in the days before her test, including Rutte and the leader of her own party, Sigrid Kaag. According to Dutch health regulations, Rutte and the other party leaders will have to take a COVID-19 test five days after their meeting with Ollongren to see whether they were infected. Rutte tested negative for the coronavirus on Wednesday, his office said on Thursday, following an infection of one of his cabinet members late last week. Rutte's conservative VVD party remains the largest in the Dutch parliament following the March 15-17 election, while D66 placed second. Both parties are widely expected to form a new government together with up to three junior partners, in a process that could take months.

Dutch government formation talks on ice as document leaks

Archaeologists have identified a 3,200-year-old mural painted on the side of an ancient adobe temple in northern Peru.&nbsp;

The mural discovered last year in the Virú province of the country's La Libertad region after much of the site was demolished by farmers in an attempt to increase their area for avocado and sugarcane plantations.

This artwork is on a white background and the designs of the figures are in colours ochre, yellow, grey and white.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="http://wionews.com/world/egypt-4200-year-old-funerary-temple-for-a-queen-discovered-358625">Egypt: 4,200-year-old funerary temple for a queen discovered</a>

It is believed that the temple depicts a spider god related to rain and fertility.&nbsp;

Experts claim the shrine was constructed by the pre-Columbian Cupisnique culture, which developed along Peru's northern coast over 3,000 years ago.

Its location, says archaeologist Régulo Franco Jordán, has led to archaeologists believe that it was built in honour of water deities.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="http://wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-1300-year-old-ancient-hindu-temple-discovered-in-swat-district-344484">Pakistan: 1300 year old ancient Hindu temple discovered in Swat district</a>

"What we have here is a shrine that would have been a ceremonial centre thousands of years ago," Jordán told La República newspaper.

"The spider on the shrine is associated with water and was an incredibly important animal in pre-Hispanic cultures, which lived according to a ceremonial calendar. It's likely that there was a special, sacred water ceremony held between January and March when the rains came down from the higher areas."

Archaeologists have identified a 3,200-year-old mural painted on the side of an ancient adobe temple in northern Peru. The mural discovered last year in the Virú province of the country's La Libertad region after much of the site was demolished by farmers in an attempt to increase their area for avocado and sugarcane plantations.

Archaeologists have identified a 3,200-year-old mural painted on the side of an ancient adobe temple in northern Peru. The mural discovered last year in the Virú province of the country's La Libertad region after much of the site was demolished by farmers in an attempt to increase their area for avocado and sugarcane plantations. This artwork is on a white background and the designs of the figures are in colours ochre, yellow, grey and white. Also read | Egypt: 4,200-year-old funerary temple for a queen discovered It is believed that the temple depicts a spider god related to rain and fertility. Experts claim the shrine was constructed by the pre-Columbian Cupisnique culture, which developed along Peru's northern coast over 3,000 years ago. Its location, says archaeologist Régulo Franco Jordán, has led to archaeologists believe that it was built in honour of water deities. Also read | Pakistan: 1300 year old ancient Hindu temple discovered in Swat district "What we have here is a shrine that would have been a ceremonial centre thousands of years ago," Jordán told La República newspaper. "The spider on the shrine is associated with water and was an incredibly important animal in pre-Hispanic cultures, which lived according to a ceremonial calendar. It's likely that there was a special, sacred water ceremony held between January and March when the rains came down from the higher areas."

3,200-year-old temple mural of spider god in Peru identified

The United Kingdom and the United States on Thursday sanctioned Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd (MEHL), a military-owned conglomerate as a measure to target the junta that ousted the civilian government.&nbsp;

"Today's sanctions target the military's financial interests to help drain the sources of finance for their campaigns of repression against civilians," British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab in a statement said.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="http://wionews.com/videos/myanmar-coup-united-states-plans-to-impose-sanctions-on-two-conglomerates-373040/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Britain alleged that MEHL was sanctioned as it backed Myanmar's military in its efforts "on ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya in 2017".

Shortly After the announcement by the UK, the US said it was sanctioning MEHL and also the Myanmar Economic Corporation Limited (MEC). &nbsp;

Myanmar's military "controls significant segments of the country's economy through these holding firms," a statement from the US treasury department said.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-blacklist-myanmar-military-companies-after-coup-crackdown-372962">US to blacklist Myanmar military companies after coup, crackdown</a>

The organisations are dominant in many sectors of Myanmar's economy, including natural resources, consumer goods, trading, and alcohol.&nbsp;

"These sanctions specifically target the economic resources of Burma's military regime, which is responsible for the overthrow of Burma's democratically elected government and the ongoing repression of the Burmese people," the US said.

Washington also said that the sanctions were not "directed" towards Myanmar people.&nbsp;

The latest measures follow sanctions by the EU and the US on Myanmar individuals and groups on Monday who were responsible to overthrow the nation's democratically elected government.&nbsp;

The United Kingdom and the United States on Thursday sanctioned Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd (MEHL), a military-owned conglomerate as a measure to target the junta that ousted the civilian government.

The United Kingdom and the United States on Thursday sanctioned Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd (MEHL), a military-owned conglomerate as a measure to target the junta that ousted the civilian government. "Today's sanctions target the military's financial interests to help drain the sources of finance for their campaigns of repression against civilians," British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab in a statement said. Watch | Britain alleged that MEHL was sanctioned as it backed Myanmar's military in its efforts "on ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya in 2017". Shortly After the announcement by the UK, the US said it was sanctioning MEHL and also the Myanmar Economic Corporation Limited (MEC). Myanmar's military "controls significant segments of the country's economy through these holding firms," a statement from the US treasury department said. Also read | US to blacklist Myanmar military companies after coup, crackdown The organisations are dominant in many sectors of Myanmar's economy, including natural resources, consumer goods, trading, and alcohol. "These sanctions specifically target the economic resources of Burma's military regime, which is responsible for the overthrow of Burma's democratically elected government and the ongoing repression of the Burmese people," the US said. Washington also said that the sanctions were not "directed" towards Myanmar people. The latest measures follow sanctions by the EU and the US on Myanmar individuals and groups on Monday who were responsible to overthrow the nation's democratically elected government.

US, UK sanction Myanmar military-owned company

Israel's health ministry said on Thursday that over 50 per cent of its population of 9.2 million have received both doses of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine</a>, a milestone that has continued to put the country much ahead of other nations in the vaccination drive.&nbsp;

The country's stellar fight to curb <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">Covid-19 </a>has also been rewarded in this week's general election in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party won the most seats, but failed to get a majority.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-election-netanyahu-falls-short-of-majority-amid-vote-count-373093/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Health Minister Yuli Edelstein in a statement announced the milestone and a continuous drop in new cases and asked people "to follow (health) guidelines so that the coronavirus does not return".

Israel, which faced three lockdowns, has a Covid-19 death toll of 6,157 and the positivity rate on Thursday stood at 1.1 per cent, a drop of about 6 per cent a month ago.&nbsp;

As many as 482 patients were in serious condition as of Thursday compared to more than 800 in late February.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="http://wionews.com/world/israel-opts-for-drive-thru-voting-for-covid-positive-people-372507">Israel opts for drive-thru voting for COVID positive people</a>

Israel has faced a lot of international criticism for not sharing enough of Pfizer-BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine to Palestine, for which the Jewish country claims that Palestinians are responsible for such health measures.&nbsp;

Over 100,000 Palestinian workers with permits to enter Israel or Jewish areas in the West Bank have been inoculated by Israel.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Israel's health ministry said on Thursday that over 50 per cent of its population of 9.2 million have received both doses of the coronavirus vaccine, a milestone that has continued to put the country much ahead of other nations in the vaccination drive.

Israel's health ministry said on Thursday that over 50 per cent of its population of 9.2 million have received both doses of the coronavirus vaccine, a milestone that has continued to put the country much ahead of other nations in the vaccination drive. The country's stellar fight to curb Covid-19 has also been rewarded in this week's general election in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party won the most seats, but failed to get a majority. Watch | Health Minister Yuli Edelstein in a statement announced the milestone and a continuous drop in new cases and asked people "to follow (health) guidelines so that the coronavirus does not return". Israel, which faced three lockdowns, has a Covid-19 death toll of 6,157 and the positivity rate on Thursday stood at 1.1 per cent, a drop of about 6 per cent a month ago. As many as 482 patients were in serious condition as of Thursday compared to more than 800 in late February. Also read | Israel opts for drive-thru voting for COVID positive people Israel has faced a lot of international criticism for not sharing enough of Pfizer-BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine to Palestine, for which the Jewish country claims that Palestinians are responsible for such health measures. Over 100,000 Palestinian workers with permits to enter Israel or Jewish areas in the West Bank have been inoculated by Israel.

Israel continues to march ahead in vaccination drive as over 50% of population inoculated

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