A Canadian woman has made it clear that don't bring any gift for her 94th birthday.&nbsp;

She has only one demand.&nbsp;

"I am 94 today! No gifts, just the vaccine please," a handwritten sign placed outside her home in Toronto said.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/canada-secures-over-380-million-doses-of-vaccine-362901/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Nina Rockett's daughter Margot showed her frustration over the government's slow rollout of vaccine by making and hanging the banner outside her mother's house on the birthday on February 24.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-to-provide-covid-swab-tests-at-us-border-365250">Canada to provide Covid swab tests at US border</a>

Canada has secured over 400 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine supplies, but the rollout hit a roadblock due to the shortage and delivery delays by the manufactures in Europe.&nbsp;

Thus far, less than three pent of the Canadian population has received at least one coronavirus vaccine shot.&nbsp;

"It was the night before my mother's birthday and I realized she is turning 94 and she has no vaccine," Margot told news agency AFP.&nbsp;

"What is happening here is terrible, is shameful."&nbsp;

She added that she was "fed up" and thought that since her other is turning 94, she is "worthy" of getting inoculated.&nbsp;

"I was fed up and I thought I just want the world to know that she is 94 and she is worthy of having the vaccine -- and she wants it," Margot said.&nbsp;

Since the message was put up, Margot reveals that there is "horns honking, thumbs up, (passersby) yelling I support you".&nbsp;

"I think everybody should hang a banner like this outside their door or window or balcony", Margot suggested so that people understand the plight of the elderly in the country. &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

A Canadian woman has made it clear that don't bring any gift for her 94th birthday. She has only one demand. "I am 94 today! No gifts, just the vaccine please," a handwritten sign placed outside her home in Toronto said.

A Canadian woman has made it clear that don't bring any gift for her 94th birthday. She has only one demand. "I am 94 today! No gifts, just the vaccine please," a handwritten sign placed outside her home in Toronto said. Watch | Nina Rockett's daughter Margot showed her frustration over the government's slow rollout of vaccine by making and hanging the banner outside her mother's house on the birthday on February 24. Also read | Canada to provide Covid swab tests at US border Canada has secured over 400 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine supplies, but the rollout hit a roadblock due to the shortage and delivery delays by the manufactures in Europe. Thus far, less than three pent of the Canadian population has received at least one coronavirus vaccine shot. "It was the night before my mother's birthday and I realized she is turning 94 and she has no vaccine," Margot told news agency AFP. "What is happening here is terrible, is shameful." She added that she was "fed up" and thought that since her other is turning 94, she is "worthy" of getting inoculated. "I was fed up and I thought I just want the world to know that she is 94 and she is worthy of having the vaccine -- and she wants it," Margot said. Since the message was put up, Margot reveals that there is "horns honking, thumbs up, (passersby) yelling I support you". "I think everybody should hang a banner like this outside their door or window or balcony", Margot suggested so that people understand the plight of the elderly in the country.

'No gifts, just the vaccine please,' Canadian woman's wish for 94th birthday

Brazil's health ministry on Thursday signed a deal with India's Bharat Biotech to purchase 20 million doses of Covaxin, a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine</a>.&nbsp;

The news came a day before Brazil marks one year since the first case of Covid-19 was confirmed in the country after a Sao Paulo businessman returning from a trip to Italy tested positive.

Watch |&nbsp;

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The health ministry in a statement said the 1.6 billion reais ($290,000) contract will assure the country 20 million shots, with the first eight million expected to arrive in March.

Also read | <a href="&lt;div class=&quot;videoWrapper trancodeVideo&quot;&gt;&lt;iframe src=&quot;https://www.wionews.com/world/how-pfizer-tried-to-bully-argentina-and-brazil-in-exchange-for-vaccines-366037/embed&quot; width=&quot;560&quot; height=&quot;350&quot; style=&quot;width:100%;max-width:560px;&quot; class=&quot;includeVideo&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; autoplay=1 allowfullscreen&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;">How Pfizer tried to bully Argentina and Brazil in exchange for vaccines</a>

The next batch of another eight million will likely reach Brazil in April and May.

The deal comes as Brazil on Thursday crossed the grim milestone of 250,000 deaths due to novel coronavirus with 1,541 fatalities in the last 24 hours, the second-highest daily death toll.&nbsp;

This has been the deadliest week so far in the country with a daily average of 1,149 deaths over the last seven days, according to the official data.&nbsp;

So far, Brazil has vaccinated less than four cent of its population of 210 people and certain cities have also stopped immunisation campaigns due to the unavailability of vaccine supplies.&nbsp;

The South American country has seen 10,390,461 Covid-19 infections, the third-highest globally after the United States and India.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Brazil's health ministry on Thursday signed a deal with India's Bharat Biotech to purchase 20 million doses of Covaxin, a coronavirus vaccine. The news came a day before Brazil marks one year since the first case of Covid-19 was confirmed in the country after a Sao Paulo businessman returning from a trip to Italy tested positive.

Brazil's health ministry on Thursday signed a deal with India's Bharat Biotech to purchase 20 million doses of Covaxin, a coronavirus vaccine. The news came a day before Brazil marks one year since the first case of Covid-19 was confirmed in the country after a Sao Paulo businessman returning from a trip to Italy tested positive. Watch | The health ministry in a statement said the 1.6 billion reais ($290,000) contract will assure the country 20 million shots, with the first eight million expected to arrive in March. Also read | How Pfizer tried to bully Argentina and Brazil in exchange for vaccines The next batch of another eight million will likely reach Brazil in April and May. The deal comes as Brazil on Thursday crossed the grim milestone of 250,000 deaths due to novel coronavirus with 1,541 fatalities in the last 24 hours, the second-highest daily death toll. This has been the deadliest week so far in the country with a daily average of 1,149 deaths over the last seven days, according to the official data. So far, Brazil has vaccinated less than four cent of its population of 210 people and certain cities have also stopped immunisation campaigns due to the unavailability of vaccine supplies. The South American country has seen 10,390,461 Covid-19 infections, the third-highest globally after the United States and India.

Brazil signs deal with India's Bharat Biotech for 20 million Covid-19 vaccine doses

Two South Korean billionaires have vowed to give away half of their wealth for social causes.&nbsp;

Kim Beom-su, the founder of the country's biggest messaging app KakaoTalk, said this month he will donate over half his estimated $9.6 billion assets to try solving "social issues".

Watch |&nbsp;Billion Dollar Idea | How did an accounting teacher become a property tycoon? | Niranjan Hiranandani

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After a short while, Kim Bong-jin of food-delivery app Woowa Brothers and his wife, Bomi Sul, signed Giving Pledge which asks billionaires to give away at least 50 per cent of their fortunes.&nbsp;

Kim and his wife are the first South Koreans to sign the Giving Pledge, which was an initiative of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.&nbsp;

The decision by both the Korean billionaires is a rarity in a country where most of the ultra-rich are descendants of the founders whose businesses flourished in the post-war era.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/bumbles-31-year-old-ceo-who-left-tinder-over-sexual-harassment-becomes-billionaire-363116">Bumble's 31-year-old CEO, who left Tinder over sexual harassment becomes billionaire</a>

Both the Kims were also born in working-class families, which is also in contrast as the rich in South Korea mostly inherit wealth.&nbsp;

The parents of Kim of Woowa Brothers ran a small restaurant and he gave away his dream of attending an art high school and instead got enrolled in a cheaper vocational school.&nbsp;

He said that wealth is of value if it was used for "the greatest benefit of the least advantaged members of society".

"We are certain that this pledge is the greatest inheritance that we could provide for our children," Kim and his wife said in their statement.&nbsp;

Two South Korean billionaires have vowed to give away half of their wealth for social causes. Kim Beom-su, the founder of the country's biggest messaging app KakaoTalk, said this month he will donate over half his estimated $9.

Two South Korean billionaires have vowed to give away half of their wealth for social causes. Kim Beom-su, the founder of the country's biggest messaging app KakaoTalk, said this month he will donate over half his estimated $9.6 billion assets to try solving "social issues". Watch | Billion Dollar Idea | How did an accounting teacher become a property tycoon? | Niranjan Hiranandani After a short while, Kim Bong-jin of food-delivery app Woowa Brothers and his wife, Bomi Sul, signed Giving Pledge which asks billionaires to give away at least 50 per cent of their fortunes. Kim and his wife are the first South Koreans to sign the Giving Pledge, which was an initiative of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett. The decision by both the Korean billionaires is a rarity in a country where most of the ultra-rich are descendants of the founders whose businesses flourished in the post-war era. Also read | Bumble's 31-year-old CEO, who left Tinder over sexual harassment becomes billionaire Both the Kims were also born in working-class families, which is also in contrast as the rich in South Korea mostly inherit wealth. The parents of Kim of Woowa Brothers ran a small restaurant and he gave away his dream of attending an art high school and instead got enrolled in a cheaper vocational school. He said that wealth is of value if it was used for "the greatest benefit of the least advantaged members of society". "We are certain that this pledge is the greatest inheritance that we could provide for our children," Kim and his wife said in their statement.

'Greatest inheritance for our children': Two S. Korean billionaires vow donating half of wealth

When assessing a threat, birds cry out loud. But male lyrebirds are using this cry to fool their female counterparts to have sex.&nbsp;

This interesting discovery was made after researchers analysed audio and video of superb lyrebirds, a species known for their ability to mimic over 20 other species.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Sea bird gets lost, lands in Texas desert after winter storm

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In a recording Science Magazine reported that the sound of a mobbing flock can be heard.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/why-are-thousands-of-migratory-birds-dropping-dead-across-north-america-327989">Why are thousands of migratory birds dropping dead across North America?</a>

The researchers said that the males made mobbing noises only during copulation or when female mates decided to "break off" from a conversation early, reports Current Biology.&nbsp;

They found that male lyrebirds can make simultaneously vocal "mobbing" sounds and the beating wings sounds that are made to threaten a predator.&nbsp;

The mimicry is so precise that not just female lyrebirds get fooled, but alerts other small birds also that a threat is nearby.&nbsp;

"Male lyrebirds are capable of doing amazing things and terrible things," Dr Anastasia Dalziell, a behavioural ecologist at the University of Wollongong, who led the research said, as reported by The Guardian.&nbsp;

Dalziell first heard lyrebirds mimic such sounds in 2007 which prompted her to study their ability in detail in two populations: one in Sherbrooke Forest in Victoria, the other in the Blue Mountains in New South Wales.&nbsp;

She realised that the mimicking was related to mating, but was not sure of the reason behind this.

Other researchers highlighted that similar behaviour was found in other animals too.&nbsp;

"Lyrebirds are using the same strategy, but doing it in a really over-the-top way, like lyrebirds seem to do," Dalziell said.

When assessing a threat, birds cry out loud. But male lyrebirds are using this cry to fool their female counterparts to have sex. This interesting discovery was made after researchers analysed audio and video of superb lyrebirds, a species known for their ability to mimic over 20 other species.

When assessing a threat, birds cry out loud. But male lyrebirds are using this cry to fool their female counterparts to have sex. This interesting discovery was made after researchers analysed audio and video of superb lyrebirds, a species known for their ability to mimic over 20 other species. Watch | Sea bird gets lost, lands in Texas desert after winter storm In a recording Science Magazine reported that the sound of a mobbing flock can be heard. Also read | Why are thousands of migratory birds dropping dead across North America? The researchers said that the males made mobbing noises only during copulation or when female mates decided to "break off" from a conversation early, reports Current Biology. They found that male lyrebirds can make simultaneously vocal "mobbing" sounds and the beating wings sounds that are made to threaten a predator. The mimicry is so precise that not just female lyrebirds get fooled, but alerts other small birds also that a threat is nearby. "Male lyrebirds are capable of doing amazing things and terrible things," Dr Anastasia Dalziell, a behavioural ecologist at the University of Wollongong, who led the research said, as reported by The Guardian. Dalziell first heard lyrebirds mimic such sounds in 2007 which prompted her to study their ability in detail in two populations: one in Sherbrooke Forest in Victoria, the other in the Blue Mountains in New South Wales. She realised that the mimicking was related to mating, but was not sure of the reason behind this. Other researchers highlighted that similar behaviour was found in other animals too. "Lyrebirds are using the same strategy, but doing it in a really over-the-top way, like lyrebirds seem to do," Dalziell said.

Liar birds? Male lyrebirds mimic threat call to woo females

Twitter on Thursday announced the launch of a "super follow" feature, which will allow users to charge followers to get&nbsp;exclusive content.

The new feature will let users charge for exclusive, extra material from their followers and can include subscriber-only newsletters, videos, deals and discounts, the social media giant said in an investor presentation on Thursday.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

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A monthly subscription fee would be charged for access to such content.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/twitter-wont-bow-to-pressure-over-abuse-of-premier-league-stars-365005">Twitter won't bow to pressure over abuse of Premier League stars</a>

Users and investors for long have been asking the social media giant to launch a subscription-based model.

Content creators and YouTubers use tools like Patreon, Substack and OnlyFans to collect money from their users.&nbsp;

"Exploring audience funding opportunities like Super Follows will allow creators and publishers to be directly supported by their audience and will incentivize them to continue creating content that their audience loves," Twitter said in a statement.

The feature is yet to be launched, but the company plans to launch it in the coming months.&nbsp;

Twitter will also be launching "Revue" and "Twitter Spaces".

"Twitter Spaces," a feature similar to Clubhouse will allow users to participate in audio conversations.&nbsp;

The feature is in private beta testing, meaning it is yet to be launched for users.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Twitter on Thursday announced the launch of a "super follow" feature, which will allow users to charge followers to get exclusive content. The new feature will let users charge for exclusive, extra material from their followers and can include subscriber-only newsletters, videos, deals and discounts, the social media giant said in an investor presentation on Thursday.

Twitter on Thursday announced the launch of a "super follow" feature, which will allow users to charge followers to get exclusive content. The new feature will let users charge for exclusive, extra material from their followers and can include subscriber-only newsletters, videos, deals and discounts, the social media giant said in an investor presentation on Thursday. Watch | A monthly subscription fee would be charged for access to such content. Also read | Twitter won't bow to pressure over abuse of Premier League stars Users and investors for long have been asking the social media giant to launch a subscription-based model. Content creators and YouTubers use tools like Patreon, Substack and OnlyFans to collect money from their users. "Exploring audience funding opportunities like Super Follows will allow creators and publishers to be directly supported by their audience and will incentivize them to continue creating content that their audience loves," Twitter said in a statement. The feature is yet to be launched, but the company plans to launch it in the coming months. Twitter will also be launching "Revue" and "Twitter Spaces". "Twitter Spaces," a feature similar to Clubhouse will allow users to participate in audio conversations. The feature is in private beta testing, meaning it is yet to be launched for users.

Twitter announces 'Super Follow' feature that will ask users pay for content

US President Joe Biden ordered the US military to launch airstrikes on facilities in eastern Syria in retaliation against rocket attacks on US troop locations in Iraq. Meanwhile, global terror funding watchdog the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on Thursday said it would keep Pakistan on its terrorism financing "grey list".

Click on headlines to read more

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-carries-out-airstrikes-against-iran-backed-militia-in-eastern-syria-366309">US carries out airstrikes against Iran-backed militia in eastern Syria</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2021/02/26/184423-air1.jpg?itok=PoOf-SZ4" />

President Biden directed the US military to carry out airstrikes on facilities in eastern Syria in retaliation against rocket attacks on US troop locations in Iraq.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/in-setback-to-imran-khan-pakistan-stays-in-fatf-grey-list-given-june-deadline-to-implement-action-plan-366290">In setback to Imran Khan, Pakistan stays in FATF ‘grey list’, given June deadline to implement action plan</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2020/10/29/167178-untitled-design.jpg?itok=EqjGGkj_" />

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on Thursday said it would keep Pakistan on its terrorism financing “grey list”.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/president-biden-calls-saudi-king-salman-discuss-irans-destabilizing-activities-366311">President Biden calls Saudi King Salman; discusses Iran's 'destabilizing activities'</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2021/02/26/184424-1.jpg?itok=Dki4L85t" />

US President Joe Biden spoke to Saudi Arabia's King Salman, 85, for the first time after taking office as president on January 20.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/president-biden-calls-saudi-king-salman-discuss-irans-destabilizing-activities-366311">Facebook relents, switches news back on in Australia</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2018/09/12/45658-zuckerberg.JPG?itok=9MhY0ZDy" />

Facebook ended one-week news blackout in Australia on Friday. The popular social media network also announced preliminary agreements with three small local publishers.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/axar-ashwin-bamboozle-england-as-india-win-pink-ball-test-by-10-wickets-take-2-1-lead-in-the-series-366243">Axar-Ashwin bamboozle England as India win pink-ball Test by 10 wickets, take 2-1 lead in the series</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2021/02/25/184384-ind-1.JPG?itok=om7bzNbl" />

India on Thursday took a 2-1 lead in the four-test series after defeating England by 10 wickets at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad. 
 
Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Is Nirav Modi's extradition a done deal?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-is-nirav-modis-extradition-a-done-deal-366307/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

US President Joe Biden ordered the US military to launch airstrikes on facilities in eastern Syria in retaliation against rocket attacks on US troop locations in Iraq.

US President Joe Biden ordered the US military to launch airstrikes on facilities in eastern Syria in retaliation against rocket attacks on US troop locations in Iraq. Meanwhile, global terror funding watchdog the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on Thursday said it would keep Pakistan on its terrorism financing "grey list". Click on headlines to read more US carries out airstrikes against Iran-backed militia in eastern Syria President Biden directed the US military to carry out airstrikes on facilities in eastern Syria in retaliation against rocket attacks on US troop locations in Iraq. In setback to Imran Khan, Pakistan stays in FATF ‘grey list’, given June deadline to implement action plan The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on Thursday said it would keep Pakistan on its terrorism financing “grey list”. President Biden calls Saudi King Salman; discusses Iran's 'destabilizing activities' US President Joe Biden spoke to Saudi Arabia's King Salman, 85, for the first time after taking office as president on January 20. Facebook relents, switches news back on in Australia Facebook ended one-week news blackout in Australia on Friday. The popular social media network also announced preliminary agreements with three small local publishers. Axar-Ashwin bamboozle England as India win pink-ball Test by 10 wickets, take 2-1 lead in the series India on Thursday took a 2-1 lead in the four-test series after defeating England by 10 wickets at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad. Watch | Gravitas: Is Nirav Modi's extradition a done deal?

Morning news brief: US airstrikes, Biden-Saudi king phone call and more

India's coast guard rescued 81 Rohingya refugees from a boat adrift in the Andaman Sea, India's external affairs ministry said on Thursday.&nbsp;

"The engine of the boat failed on February 15 and since then it has been drifting," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in a press briefing.&nbsp;

Watch | Myanmar: Rohingyas condemn ouster of democratically-elected govt

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"Due to the severe conditions, we understand that eight occupants have died and one of the occupants had been missing since February 15."&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/un-refugee-agency-calls-for-rescue-of-rohingya-stranded-at-sea-365485">UN refugee agency calls for rescue of Rohingya stranded at sea</a>

The United Nations on Wednesday raised an alarm of the Rohingya refugees stranded in a boat in the Andaman Sea without food or water.&nbsp;

The boat's engine broke down after four days at sea and the refugees on board had run out of food and water with several people gone ill and facing extreme dehydration at the time they were rescued, the spokesperson added.&nbsp;

Two coast guard ships were sent to rescue the migrants, 23 of whom were children.&nbsp;

"When we learnt of the boat in distress, we immediately dispatched two coast guard ships to provide food, water and medical assistance to the occupants. Seven of them were administered IV fluids," &nbsp;Srivastava said.&nbsp;

About 90 Rohingya refugees started their journey nearly two weeks ago and the UN and rights groups had said that these migrants are suffering from acute dehydration and were ill.

India's coast guard rescued 81 Rohingya refugees from a boat adrift in the Andaman Sea, India's external affairs ministry said on Thursday. "The engine of the boat failed on February 15 and since then it has been drifting," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in a press briefing.

India's coast guard rescued 81 Rohingya refugees from a boat adrift in the Andaman Sea, India's external affairs ministry said on Thursday. "The engine of the boat failed on February 15 and since then it has been drifting," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in a press briefing. Watch | Myanmar: Rohingyas condemn ouster of democratically-elected govt "Due to the severe conditions, we understand that eight occupants have died and one of the occupants had been missing since February 15." Also read | UN refugee agency calls for rescue of Rohingya stranded at sea The United Nations on Wednesday raised an alarm of the Rohingya refugees stranded in a boat in the Andaman Sea without food or water. The boat's engine broke down after four days at sea and the refugees on board had run out of food and water with several people gone ill and facing extreme dehydration at the time they were rescued, the spokesperson added. Two coast guard ships were sent to rescue the migrants, 23 of whom were children. "When we learnt of the boat in distress, we immediately dispatched two coast guard ships to provide food, water and medical assistance to the occupants. Seven of them were administered IV fluids," Srivastava said. About 90 Rohingya refugees started their journey nearly two weeks ago and the UN and rights groups had said that these migrants are suffering from acute dehydration and were ill.

Indian coast guard rescues 81 Rohingya refugees stranded on boat in Andaman Sea

One strike from a female elephant turned out to be deadlier after a zoo worker in Spain lost his life after getting hit.&nbsp;

The female elephant struck the 44-year-old with her trunk on Wednesday at the Cabarceno Natural Park near the northern city of Santander, the zoo in a statement said, reports news agency AFP.

Watch |&nbsp;

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He was rushed to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries hours later, it added.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/satellite-imagery-to-aid-elephant-conservation-from-space-358329">Satellite imagery to aid elephant conservation from space</a>

When the incident happened, the zoo workers were cleaning the elephant stables and the 4,000-kg female elephant was with her calf.&nbsp;

"We're talking about unpredictable animals," Javier Lopez Marcano, the tourism minister in the regional government of Cantabria which runs the zoo, told reporters.

"The force of the strike was tremendous, of a magnitude that one could not survive."&nbsp;

An investigation has been launched over the incident as it is the first in the 31-year-old zoo.&nbsp;

About 120 animal species that include tigers, lions, jaguars and lions live in large enclosures in Cabarceno Natural Park.&nbsp;

Last year, a zookeeper received head and chest injuries with her arms broken after she was mauled by a 200-kilo gorilla at Madrid Zoo Aquarium. &nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

One strike from a female elephant turned out to be deadlier after a zoo worker in Spain lost his life after getting hit. The female elephant struck the 44-year-old with her trunk on Wednesday at the Cabarceno Natural Park near the northern city of Santander, the zoo in a statement said, reports news agency AFP.

One strike from a female elephant turned out to be deadlier after a zoo worker in Spain lost his life after getting hit. The female elephant struck the 44-year-old with her trunk on Wednesday at the Cabarceno Natural Park near the northern city of Santander, the zoo in a statement said, reports news agency AFP. Watch | He was rushed to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries hours later, it added. Also read | Satellite imagery to aid elephant conservation from space When the incident happened, the zoo workers were cleaning the elephant stables and the 4,000-kg female elephant was with her calf. "We're talking about unpredictable animals," Javier Lopez Marcano, the tourism minister in the regional government of Cantabria which runs the zoo, told reporters. "The force of the strike was tremendous, of a magnitude that one could not survive." An investigation has been launched over the incident as it is the first in the 31-year-old zoo. About 120 animal species that include tigers, lions, jaguars and lions live in large enclosures in Cabarceno Natural Park. Last year, a zookeeper received head and chest injuries with her arms broken after she was mauled by a 200-kilo gorilla at Madrid Zoo Aquarium.

4000-kilo female elephant's one hit from trunk kills zookeeper

An Afghan woman is facing arson charges after trying to burn herself to death at a migrants camp on the Greek island of Lesbos this week, officials said Thursday.

The charges are the latest in a series of punishments directed at refugees and asylum-seekers on the island, rights groups say, and reflect the Greek government’s hard line on migrants. The episode is also a stark example of the effect that the dire conditions at Greek reception centers have on refugees’ mental health.

The woman, a 27-year-old who is eight months pregnant, lives at a temporary camp with her husband and three children. She set her tent alight Sunday after being told that her family’s planned relocation to Germany was being postponed, a Greek migration ministry official said, noting that her journey had been delayed because of the advanced state of her pregnancy.

Watch |&nbsp;

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“She tried to commit suicide by setting fire to her tent and sitting inside it,” a Lesbos fire service official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

The woman was hospitalized with non-life-threatening burns after neighbors dragged her from the burning tent, the officer said, adding that no one else was injured.

Thousands of people are living in desperate conditions at Greece’s camps for refugees and migrants dotted along its islands, a situation that human rights groups consistently denounce as inhumane. Groups have long warned of a growing mental health crisis there as the thousands who fled war and economic hardship remain in limbo.

Although the number of migrants crossing the Aegean by boat from Turkey to the Greek islands has dropped sharply this year — by more than 90% in January, according to authorities — the camps remain crowded. Dozens of facilities on the mainland have been closed as part of a government policy to discourage further arrivals.

And although the processing of asylum claims has been accelerated since last year, a significant backlog remains.

In the case of the woman on Lesbos, her asylum application had been approved and refugee status granted, and her desperate act appeared to have been prompted by the delay in her relocation to Germany. The makeshift camp, like other facilities nationwide, remains locked down because of the pandemic.

The woman, whose name was not released by authorities, arrived in Greece in 2019 and had been living in a camp on the island for more than a year, according to the migration ministry. She was due to give a statement to a court official and the prosecutor from her hospital bed Thursday, officials said.

A spokesman for Greek police said that although her treatment may appear harsh, her actions could not go unpunished, because instances of arson are frequent and put other camp residents at risk.

“The law has to be enforced. A message has to be sent,” said the spokesman, Theodoros Chronopoulos. “This could have created a larger fire.”

The incident occurred inside a temporary camp that was set up after a series of fires destroyed the sprawling Moria camp in September. Six Afghan migrants were charged with arson in connection with that fire and are awaiting trial.

Eva Cossé, a Western Europe researcher for Human Rights Watch, said it was hard to overstate the toll that such conditions take on people in the camps.

“The psychological impact of years of conflict, exacerbated by harsh conditions on the Greek islands and the uncertainty of inhumane policies, may not be as visible as physical wounds,” she said. “But as this case shows, it is no less life-threatening.

“The impulse to prosecute her rather than help her,” Cossé added, “is not only emblematic of what is wrong with Europe’s approach to migration, but it also shows Greece’s lack of compassion and humanity.”

In recent months, rights groups have denounced Greek authorities’ increasingly tough actions regarding migrants. In November, an Afghan man was charged with endangering the life of his son after the 6-year-old drowned off the coast of another Aegean island when their boat traveling from Turkey capsized. The man has since been granted asylum but is still awaiting trial, according to his lawyer.

Last week, Notis Mitarachi, Greece’s migration minister, said authorities were pressing forward with efforts to accelerate asylum applications and the return of migrants to Turkey in a bid to ease overcrowding in camps and discourage further arrivals.

He noted that the number of asylum-seekers at facilities nationwide had dropped to just over 60,000 from nearly 100,000 early last year, while 57 facilities on the mainland have been closed entirely.

“We are continuing with the implementation of a tough but fair migration policy so that our country is no longer a gateway to Europe for illegal smuggling rackets,” he said.

 
&nbsp;

An Afghan woman is facing arson charges after trying to burn herself to death at a migrants camp on the Greek island of Lesbos this week, officials said Thursday.

An Afghan woman is facing arson charges after trying to burn herself to death at a migrants camp on the Greek island of Lesbos this week, officials said Thursday. The charges are the latest in a series of punishments directed at refugees and asylum-seekers on the island, rights groups say, and reflect the Greek government’s hard line on migrants. The episode is also a stark example of the effect that the dire conditions at Greek reception centers have on refugees’ mental health. The woman, a 27-year-old who is eight months pregnant, lives at a temporary camp with her husband and three children. She set her tent alight Sunday after being told that her family’s planned relocation to Germany was being postponed, a Greek migration ministry official said, noting that her journey had been delayed because of the advanced state of her pregnancy. Watch | “She tried to commit suicide by setting fire to her tent and sitting inside it,” a Lesbos fire service official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. The woman was hospitalized with non-life-threatening burns after neighbors dragged her from the burning tent, the officer said, adding that no one else was injured. Thousands of people are living in desperate conditions at Greece’s camps for refugees and migrants dotted along its islands, a situation that human rights groups consistently denounce as inhumane. Groups have long warned of a growing mental health crisis there as the thousands who fled war and economic hardship remain in limbo. Although the number of migrants crossing the Aegean by boat from Turkey to the Greek islands has dropped sharply this year — by more than 90% in January, according to authorities — the camps remain crowded. Dozens of facilities on the mainland have been closed as part of a government policy to discourage further arrivals. And although the processing of asylum claims has been accelerated since last year, a significant backlog remains. In the case of the woman on Lesbos, her asylum application had been approved and refugee status granted, and her desperate act appeared to have been prompted by the delay in her relocation to Germany. The makeshift camp, like other facilities nationwide, remains locked down because of the pandemic. The woman, whose name was not released by authorities, arrived in Greece in 2019 and had been living in a camp on the island for more than a year, according to the migration ministry. She was due to give a statement to a court official and the prosecutor from her hospital bed Thursday, officials said. A spokesman for Greek police said that although her treatment may appear harsh, her actions could not go unpunished, because instances of arson are frequent and put other camp residents at risk. “The law has to be enforced. A message has to be sent,” said the spokesman, Theodoros Chronopoulos. “This could have created a larger fire.” The incident occurred inside a temporary camp that was set up after a series of fires destroyed the sprawling Moria camp in September. Six Afghan migrants were charged with arson in connection with that fire and are awaiting trial. Eva Cossé, a Western Europe researcher for Human Rights Watch, said it was hard to overstate the toll that such conditions take on people in the camps. “The psychological impact of years of conflict, exacerbated by harsh conditions on the Greek islands and the uncertainty of inhumane policies, may not be as visible as physical wounds,” she said. “But as this case shows, it is no less life-threatening. “The impulse to prosecute her rather than help her,” Cossé added, “is not only emblematic of what is wrong with Europe’s approach to migration, but it also shows Greece’s lack of compassion and humanity.” In recent months, rights groups have denounced Greek authorities’ increasingly tough actions regarding migrants. In November, an Afghan man was charged with endangering the life of his son after the 6-year-old drowned off the coast of another Aegean island when their boat traveling from Turkey capsized. The man has since been granted asylum but is still awaiting trial, according to his lawyer. Last week, Notis Mitarachi, Greece’s migration minister, said authorities were pressing forward with efforts to accelerate asylum applications and the return of migrants to Turkey in a bid to ease overcrowding in camps and discourage further arrivals. He noted that the number of asylum-seekers at facilities nationwide had dropped to just over 60,000 from nearly 100,000 early last year, while 57 facilities on the mainland have been closed entirely. “We are continuing with the implementation of a tough but fair migration policy so that our country is no longer a gateway to Europe for illegal smuggling rackets,” he said.

Refugee who set herself on fire in Greece is charged with arson

(The New New World)

In China, don’t question the heroes.

At least seven people over the past week have been threatened, detained or arrested after casting doubt over the government’s account of the deaths of Chinese soldiers during a clash last year with Indian troops. Three of them are being detained for between seven and 15 days. The other four face criminal charges, including one man who lives outside China.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-did-china-lie-about-eradicating-poverty-366304/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

&nbsp;

“The internet is not a lawless place,” said the police notices issued in their cases. “Blasphemies of heroes and martyrs will not be tolerated.”

Their punishment might have gone unnoticed if it wasn’t for an online database of speech crimes in China. A simple Google spreadsheet open for all to see, it lists nearly 2,000 times when people were punished by the government for what they said online and offline.

The list — which links directly to publicly issued verdicts, police notices and official news reports over the past eight years — is far from complete. Most punishment takes place behind closed doors.

Still, the list paints a bleak picture of a government that punishes its citizens for the slightest hint of criticism. It shows how random and merciless China’s legal system can be when it punishes its citizens for what they say, even though freedom of speech is written into China’s Constitution.

The list describes dissidents sentenced to long prison terms for attacking the government. It tells of petitioners, those who appeal directly to the government to right the wrongs against them, locked up for making too loud a clamor. It covers nearly 600 people punished for what they said about COVID-19, and too many others who cursed out police, often after receiving parking tickets.

The person behind the list is a bit of a mystery. In an interview, he described himself as a young man surnamed Wang. Of course, if the government found out more about him, he could end up in prison.

Wang said he decided to compile the list after reading about people who were punished for supposedly insulting the country during celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic, in October 2019. Although he is young, he told me, he remembers more freedom of expression before Xi Jinping became the Communist Party’s leader in late 2012.

“I knew that there were speech crimes in China, but I’ve never thought it’s so bad,” Wang posted in August on his Twitter account, where he writes in both English and Chinese. He wrote that he had become depressed after reading more than 1,000 verdicts.

“Big Brother is watching you,” he wrote. “I tried to look for the eyes of Big Brother and ended up finding them everywhere.”

The list, bluntly titled “An Inventory of Speech Crimes in China in Recent Years,” detailed what happened to those who questioned Beijing’s official account of the June clash between Chinese and Indian forces at their disputed border in the Himalayas. The Indian government said then that 20 of its soldiers had died. Last week, the Chinese government finally said four of its troops had died.

State-run media in China called them heroes, but some people had questions. One, a former journalist, asked whether more had died, a question of intense interest both in and out of the country. According to the notice the spreadsheet linked to, the former journalist was charged with picking quarrels and provoking trouble — a common accusation by the authorities against those who speak up — and faces up to five years imprisonment.

Reading the list, it becomes clear how well Xi and his government have tamed the Chinese internet. People once thought the internet was uncontrollable, even in China. But Xi has long seen the internet as both a threat to be contained and a tool for guiding public opinion.

“The internet is the biggest variant we’re facing,” he said in a 2018 speech. “Whether we can win the war over the internet will have a direct impact on national political security.”

Liberal-leaning voices and media were among the first to be silenced. Then internet platforms themselves — the Chinese versions of Twitter and YouTube, among many others — were punished for what they allowed.

Now, Chinese internet companies brag about their ability to control content. Nationalistic online users report speech they deem offensive. Out of the seven people who were accused of insulting the heroes and martyrs, six were reported by other users, according to the police notices. In some ways, the Chinese internet polices itself.

China’s police, who are widely disliked for their broad powers to lock people up indefinitely, are big beneficiaries. According to the spreadsheet, people have been detained for calling the police “dogs,” “bandits” and “bastards.” Most are locked up for only a few days, but one man in Liaoning province was sentenced to 10 months in jail for writing five offensive posts on his WeChat timeline.

Petitioners are among those who suffer the most. In one case on the spreadsheet, a woman in Sichuan province whose son died suddenly at school and whose husband committed suicide was sentenced to three years in prison for charges that included spreading false information. The verdict listed the headlines of 10 articles she posted and the page views they garnered. The most got 1,615 views, while the least got only 18.

Perhaps the most depressing items are those about people who were punished for what they said about the COVID-19 pandemic. On top of the list is Dr. Li Wenliang, who was reprimanded Jan. 1, 2020, along with seven others for trying to warn the country about the coronavirus. He died in early February last year of the virus and is remembered as the whistleblower who tried to warn the world about the coronavirus outbreak. But the spreadsheet lists 587 other cases.

Even cheesy skits by aspiring online influencers can be deemed offensive. Two men in northwestern Shaanxi province livestreamed a funeral they held for a sheep. In the video, one man cried over a photo of the sheep while the other dug the grave. They were detained 10 days for violating social customs.

The spreadsheet also highlights inspiring cases in which people spoke out to challenge authority.

In 2018, a 19-year-old man in the northwestern city of Yinchuan decided to test the newly passed law that prohibits questioning and criticizing heroes and martyrs. He posted on Weibo that two famous martyrs died meaningless deaths and that he wanted to see if he would be arrested, showing a lack of free speech in China. He was detained for 10 days and fined $70.

One man, Feng Zhouguan, criticized Xi and was charged with picking quarrels by the local police in the city of Xiamen. He was detained for five days but appealed after his release, arguing that the police had improperly interfered in a potential libel case between two individuals. The local police, he argued, are “not the military bodyguards or family militia of the national leader.” The court upheld the sentence.

Many people pay a steeper price.

Huang Genbao, 45, was a senior engineer at a state-owned company in the eastern city of Xuzhou. Two years ago he was arrested and sentenced to 16 months in jail for insulting the national leader and harming the national image on platforms like Twitter. He shared a cell with a large group and had to follow a strict routine, including toilet breaks. He and his wife lost their jobs, and he delivers meals to support his family.

“My life in the detention center reminded me of the book ‘1984,’” he said in an interview. “Many of the experiences are probably worse than the plots in the book.” 
&nbsp;

(The New New World) In China, don’t question the heroes. At least seven people over the past week have been threatened, detained or arrested after casting doubt over the government’s account of the deaths of Chinese soldiers during a clash last year with Indian troops.

(The New New World) In China, don’t question the heroes. At least seven people over the past week have been threatened, detained or arrested after casting doubt over the government’s account of the deaths of Chinese soldiers during a clash last year with Indian troops. Three of them are being detained for between seven and 15 days. The other four face criminal charges, including one man who lives outside China. Watch | “The internet is not a lawless place,” said the police notices issued in their cases. “Blasphemies of heroes and martyrs will not be tolerated.” Their punishment might have gone unnoticed if it wasn’t for an online database of speech crimes in China. A simple Google spreadsheet open for all to see, it lists nearly 2,000 times when people were punished by the government for what they said online and offline. The list — which links directly to publicly issued verdicts, police notices and official news reports over the past eight years — is far from complete. Most punishment takes place behind closed doors. Still, the list paints a bleak picture of a government that punishes its citizens for the slightest hint of criticism. It shows how random and merciless China’s legal system can be when it punishes its citizens for what they say, even though freedom of speech is written into China’s Constitution. The list describes dissidents sentenced to long prison terms for attacking the government. It tells of petitioners, those who appeal directly to the government to right the wrongs against them, locked up for making too loud a clamor. It covers nearly 600 people punished for what they said about COVID-19, and too many others who cursed out police, often after receiving parking tickets. The person behind the list is a bit of a mystery. In an interview, he described himself as a young man surnamed Wang. Of course, if the government found out more about him, he could end up in prison. Wang said he decided to compile the list after reading about people who were punished for supposedly insulting the country during celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic, in October 2019. Although he is young, he told me, he remembers more freedom of expression before Xi Jinping became the Communist Party’s leader in late 2012. “I knew that there were speech crimes in China, but I’ve never thought it’s so bad,” Wang posted in August on his Twitter account, where he writes in both English and Chinese. He wrote that he had become depressed after reading more than 1,000 verdicts. “Big Brother is watching you,” he wrote. “I tried to look for the eyes of Big Brother and ended up finding them everywhere.” The list, bluntly titled “An Inventory of Speech Crimes in China in Recent Years,” detailed what happened to those who questioned Beijing’s official account of the June clash between Chinese and Indian forces at their disputed border in the Himalayas. The Indian government said then that 20 of its soldiers had died. Last week, the Chinese government finally said four of its troops had died. State-run media in China called them heroes, but some people had questions. One, a former journalist, asked whether more had died, a question of intense interest both in and out of the country. According to the notice the spreadsheet linked to, the former journalist was charged with picking quarrels and provoking trouble — a common accusation by the authorities against those who speak up — and faces up to five years imprisonment. Reading the list, it becomes clear how well Xi and his government have tamed the Chinese internet. People once thought the internet was uncontrollable, even in China. But Xi has long seen the internet as both a threat to be contained and a tool for guiding public opinion. “The internet is the biggest variant we’re facing,” he said in a 2018 speech. “Whether we can win the war over the internet will have a direct impact on national political security.” Liberal-leaning voices and media were among the first to be silenced. Then internet platforms themselves — the Chinese versions of Twitter and YouTube, among many others — were punished for what they allowed. Now, Chinese internet companies brag about their ability to control content. Nationalistic online users report speech they deem offensive. Out of the seven people who were accused of insulting the heroes and martyrs, six were reported by other users, according to the police notices. In some ways, the Chinese internet polices itself. China’s police, who are widely disliked for their broad powers to lock people up indefinitely, are big beneficiaries. According to the spreadsheet, people have been detained for calling the police “dogs,” “bandits” and “bastards.” Most are locked up for only a few days, but one man in Liaoning province was sentenced to 10 months in jail for writing five offensive posts on his WeChat timeline. Petitioners are among those who suffer the most. In one case on the spreadsheet, a woman in Sichuan province whose son died suddenly at school and whose husband committed suicide was sentenced to three years in prison for charges that included spreading false information. The verdict listed the headlines of 10 articles she posted and the page views they garnered. The most got 1,615 views, while the least got only 18. Perhaps the most depressing items are those about people who were punished for what they said about the COVID-19 pandemic. On top of the list is Dr. Li Wenliang, who was reprimanded Jan. 1, 2020, along with seven others for trying to warn the country about the coronavirus. He died in early February last year of the virus and is remembered as the whistleblower who tried to warn the world about the coronavirus outbreak. But the spreadsheet lists 587 other cases. Even cheesy skits by aspiring online influencers can be deemed offensive. Two men in northwestern Shaanxi province livestreamed a funeral they held for a sheep. In the video, one man cried over a photo of the sheep while the other dug the grave. They were detained 10 days for violating social customs. The spreadsheet also highlights inspiring cases in which people spoke out to challenge authority. In 2018, a 19-year-old man in the northwestern city of Yinchuan decided to test the newly passed law that prohibits questioning and criticizing heroes and martyrs. He posted on Weibo that two famous martyrs died meaningless deaths and that he wanted to see if he would be arrested, showing a lack of free speech in China. He was detained for 10 days and fined $70. One man, Feng Zhouguan, criticized Xi and was charged with picking quarrels by the local police in the city of Xiamen. He was detained for five days but appealed after his release, arguing that the police had improperly interfered in a potential libel case between two individuals. The local police, he argued, are “not the military bodyguards or family militia of the national leader.” The court upheld the sentence. Many people pay a steeper price. Huang Genbao, 45, was a senior engineer at a state-owned company in the eastern city of Xuzhou. Two years ago he was arrested and sentenced to 16 months in jail for insulting the national leader and harming the national image on platforms like Twitter. He shared a cell with a large group and had to follow a strict routine, including toilet breaks. He and his wife lost their jobs, and he delivers meals to support his family. “My life in the detention center reminded me of the book ‘1984,’” he said in an interview. “Many of the experiences are probably worse than the plots in the book.”

China punishes those who question 'martyrs.’ A sleuth keeps track.

Hundreds of German police carried out raids in 26 locations across Berlin and neighbouring Brandenburg state on Thursday following the banning and dissolution of a radical Islamist group in the capital, authorities said.

Berlin's Senate interior department said it had outlawed Jama'atu Berlin, "a young and very radical jihad Salafist" association, also known as Tauhid Berlin, saying the group was advocating terrorist attacks.

Nineteen members of the association were the focus of Thursday's raids and the group had been under surveillance for two years, Berlin Interior Senator Andreas Geisel told a news conference.

A Senate statement said the group had propagated "a martyr cult", supported Islamic State ideology, rejected the German constitution and called for sharia as the sole legitimate law.

"(In the group), there are severe anti-Semites who are calling for the death of Jews," Berlin Interior Secretary Torsten Akmann said in a statement.

Akmann told the news conference he did not know if any arrests were made on Thursday or whether the group had concrete attack plans, but that the investigation was still ongoing.

Male and female members of the unregistered association met regularly in parks and private homes to teach and pray and spread the group's ideology over the internet and by distributing flyers in public spaces, the Senate statement said.

Several members also belonged to another Islamist group banned in 2017 which had contact with Anis Amri, a failed Tunisian asylum seeker with Islamist links who hijacked a truck and drove it into a Christmas market in Berlin in 2016, killing 12 people.

The number of Salafists in Germany rose to a record high of 12,150 in 2019, the domestic intelligence agency said in its annual report last year, more than tripling since 2011.

Hundreds of German police carried out raids in 26 locations across Berlin and neighbouring Brandenburg state on Thursday following the banning and dissolution of a radical Islamist group in the capital, authorities said.

Hundreds of German police carried out raids in 26 locations across Berlin and neighbouring Brandenburg state on Thursday following the banning and dissolution of a radical Islamist group in the capital, authorities said. Berlin's Senate interior department said it had outlawed Jama'atu Berlin, "a young and very radical jihad Salafist" association, also known as Tauhid Berlin, saying the group was advocating terrorist attacks. Nineteen members of the association were the focus of Thursday's raids and the group had been under surveillance for two years, Berlin Interior Senator Andreas Geisel told a news conference. A Senate statement said the group had propagated "a martyr cult", supported Islamic State ideology, rejected the German constitution and called for sharia as the sole legitimate law. "(In the group), there are severe anti-Semites who are calling for the death of Jews," Berlin Interior Secretary Torsten Akmann said in a statement. Akmann told the news conference he did not know if any arrests were made on Thursday or whether the group had concrete attack plans, but that the investigation was still ongoing. Male and female members of the unregistered association met regularly in parks and private homes to teach and pray and spread the group's ideology over the internet and by distributing flyers in public spaces, the Senate statement said. Several members also belonged to another Islamist group banned in 2017 which had contact with Anis Amri, a failed Tunisian asylum seeker with Islamist links who hijacked a truck and drove it into a Christmas market in Berlin in 2016, killing 12 people. The number of Salafists in Germany rose to a record high of 12,150 in 2019, the domestic intelligence agency said in its annual report last year, more than tripling since 2011.

German police raid locations in Berlin after banning radical Islamist group

The world is gearing up this weekend to witness 'Snow Moon' and now researchers from three universities have claimed the moon's connection with sleep deprivation.&nbsp;

A report by the Philadelphia Inquirer's Anthony R. Wood, cited a recent study that found that the sleeping reduces by 46 to 58 minutes as compared to regular sleeping on nights coming just ahead of the full moon. &nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/nasa-reveals-discovery-of-water-molecules-on-moon-338297/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The researchers have found that people went through oscillation in their 29.5-day lunar cycle.

They also said that especially in the period when a full moon is approaching, people tend to sleep more in the evening when they prefer to delay it.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/phases-of-moon-dictate-our-sleep-patterns-study-359785">Phases of moon dictate our sleep patterns: Study</a>

Sleeping patterns and the duration of sleep depend upon the location, Horacio de la Iglesia, a Biology professor from the University of Washington, said.&nbsp;

The study also said that whether a person lives in a rural or urban region also has an impact on his sleep.&nbsp;

Conducted by researchers from the University of Washington, Yale University, and Argentina's National University of Quilmes, the study included 98 people from Formosa, a province in Argentina and 464 college students from Seattle.&nbsp;

The sleeping cycle data of one to two lunar cycles were extracted.&nbsp;

The study noted that the three communities involved in the research slept less during three to five days before a full moon arrives, UW News reported.

It showed that participants slept the least during the nights before the full moon.&nbsp;

The world is gearing up this weekend to witness 'Snow Moon' and now researchers from three universities have claimed the moon's connection with sleep deprivation.

The world is gearing up this weekend to witness 'Snow Moon' and now researchers from three universities have claimed the moon's connection with sleep deprivation. A report by the Philadelphia Inquirer's Anthony R. Wood, cited a recent study that found that the sleeping reduces by 46 to 58 minutes as compared to regular sleeping on nights coming just ahead of the full moon. Watch | The researchers have found that people went through oscillation in their 29.5-day lunar cycle. They also said that especially in the period when a full moon is approaching, people tend to sleep more in the evening when they prefer to delay it. Also read | Phases of moon dictate our sleep patterns: Study Sleeping patterns and the duration of sleep depend upon the location, Horacio de la Iglesia, a Biology professor from the University of Washington, said. The study also said that whether a person lives in a rural or urban region also has an impact on his sleep. Conducted by researchers from the University of Washington, Yale University, and Argentina's National University of Quilmes, the study included 98 people from Formosa, a province in Argentina and 464 college students from Seattle. The sleeping cycle data of one to two lunar cycles were extracted. The study noted that the three communities involved in the research slept less during three to five days before a full moon arrives, UW News reported. It showed that participants slept the least during the nights before the full moon.

Are you sleeping less ahead of Snow Moon? This study tells why

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Abhilash Mahajan

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