Most nights since a coup returned Myanmar to military rule on Feb. 1, a spectral symbol of protest has glowed on a mildewed side of a building.

Where the next illumination will appear in Yangon, the country’s biggest city, is a mystery. But, suddenly, a projected image appears in the dark. Three fingers raised in a rebellious pose. A dove of peace. The smiling face of Aung San Suu Kyi, whose government was ousted in the army putsch.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-17-days-of-military-rule-in-myanmar-364393/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The projections are the brainchild of a filmmaker who wishes to remain anonymous as the military hunts down those who dare to defy it.

Armed with paintbrushes, poems and protest anthems, the creative classes are providing Myanmar’s mass uprising with an imaginative verve and rebellious spirit that has caught the military generals off guard.

During daily street rallies in the country’s major cities, the atmosphere often has the feel of a cultural carnival. Graffiti artists have spray-painted messages mocking Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the army chief who staged the coup. Poets have declaimed in angry verse. A cartoonists’ union marched holding hand-drawn figures. Street dancers twirled with abandon.

On Wednesday, in the biggest single rally since street protests began in Yangon, hundreds of thousands of people gathered in a central district, holding up posters and signs designed for the Instagram generation.

“If we look at the history of resistance in Myanmar, we were quite aggressive and confrontational, with this history of bloodshed,” said Ko Kyaw Nanda, a graphic designer whose protest art contrasts green pig heads (the army) with ruby red heels (Suu Kyi). “With this new approach, it can be less risky for people, and more people can join.”

Myanmar’s military, which has ruled the nation for most of the past six decades, has locked up more than 450 people since the coup, according to a group that tracks political prisoners. The new regime has drastically diminished civil liberties, and its long history of violently suppressing dissent lingers. Security forces have shot and beaten anti-coup protesters. On Wednesday evening in the city of Mandalay, soldiers swept through an area housing railway workers who were boycotting work, shooting multiple rounds. At least one person was confirmed injured.

But the weapons of dictatorship have not deterred peaceful demonstrators, who have depended on humorous memes and protest art to carry them through. “If the young people are out on the street then why can’t I be?” said Nu Nu Win, a retired civil servant who at the rally Wednesday carried a laminated sign with the face of Suu Kyi. “I want the whole nation to be out from under dictatorship.”

Online art collectives have made their designs free so that protesters can print them out for signs, stickers or T-shirts. One of the most popular pieces shows a collection of hands arranged in the three-finger salute from “The Hunger Games” films. Each hand was drawn by a different artist, a mosaic of defiance.

As she watched the protests grow, a freelance graphic designer who goes by the artistic name Kuecool decided she wanted to contribute. Although she had illustrated a book on feminism, she had not considered herself overtly political during her years of working at a public relations agency.

The overthrow of the elected government by the military, which she had grown up disliking, shocked her. She began drawing into the night.

One of her images is now used often in the protest movement: a young woman in a traditional sarong brandishing a wok and a spatula. The background is crimson, the signature hue of the National League for Democracy, which was ejected from government despite winning two landslide electoral victories.

Every night at 8 p.m., cities across Myanmar have clanged with the din of people banging pots, pans, woks and anything else that makes a ruckus. The aim is to ward off the devil, and the projection art appears at this time, too, adding visuals to the clamor of discontent.

Myanmar’s military rulers have long seen menace in the arts, imprisoning poets, actors, painters and rappers. Among the dozens of people nabbed alongside Suu Kyi in the coup’s initial pre-dawn raids were a filmmaker, two writers and a reggae singer. A graffiti artist whose protest tags have enlivened Yangon over the past two weeks said he was on the run from the police. So were two poets. On Wednesday, arrest warrants were issued for actors, directors and a singer.

Zayar Thaw was a member of Generation Wave, a hip-hop collective that challenged the former ruling junta through sly lyrics. After serving five years in prison for his activism, he joined the National League for Democracy when it contested a by-election in 2012. Zayar Thaw won a parliamentary seat in a district once thought of as a military stronghold, settled down with reams of parliamentary paperwork and thought he had left his days of artistic protest behind him.

“Hip-hop artists already have a culture of revolution, so in our generation we protested through songs,” he said. “Now all kinds of artists are involved because they don’t want to lose the value of democracy.”

The artistic ferment in Myanmar today has drawn from other regional protest movements. During their months of sustained dissent in Hong Kong, young protesters enlivened their rallies with cute cartoons and colorful walls of sticky notes that evoked the so-called Lennon Wall in Prague, where art and messages of dissent against communism proliferated. Motivated by an earlier incarnation of opposition, the Hong Kong protesters popularized the use of the yellow umbrella against water cannons and turned it into a powerful meme.

In turn, the Hong Kong democracy movement galvanized pro-democracy demonstrators in Thailand, who staged months of mass rallies last year. Encouraged by the power of whimsy in Hong Kong, the Thai protesters, who have been standing up to a prime minister who led a 2014 military coup, deployed inflatable rubber duck rafts to ward off water cannons. They popularized the use of “The Hunger Games” salute, which Thailand’s former junta initially tried to ban with their state of emergency powers. (Nobody really listened.)

A couple days after the putsch in Myanmar, doctors, who launched a civil disobedience movement that has now compelled about 750,000 people to stop going to work, flashed their three fingers in protest. The salute is now the leitmotif of the Myanmar rallies, along with signs in English — all the better to attract international attention — denouncing the military takeover.

“I got inspired by how Hong Kong and Thai protesters used creativity and humor in their protests,” said Kyaw Nanda, the graphic designer.

The crosscurrents of protest are flowing both ways. Last week, a Thai youth group adopted the pots and pans campaign from Myanmar for a protest in Bangkok.

“In the region, there is a fight for democracy, human rights and justice,” said Aye Ko, a painter in Myanmar whose art has long expressed political yearnings. “The movement is beyond one nation’s issue. We have all joined together in the resistance against oppression.”

 
&nbsp;

Most nights since a coup returned Myanmar to military rule on Feb. 1, a spectral symbol of protest has glowed on a mildewed side of a building. Where the next illumination will appear in Yangon, the country’s biggest city, is a mystery.

Most nights since a coup returned Myanmar to military rule on Feb. 1, a spectral symbol of protest has glowed on a mildewed side of a building. Where the next illumination will appear in Yangon, the country’s biggest city, is a mystery. But, suddenly, a projected image appears in the dark. Three fingers raised in a rebellious pose. A dove of peace. The smiling face of Aung San Suu Kyi, whose government was ousted in the army putsch. Watch | The projections are the brainchild of a filmmaker who wishes to remain anonymous as the military hunts down those who dare to defy it. Armed with paintbrushes, poems and protest anthems, the creative classes are providing Myanmar’s mass uprising with an imaginative verve and rebellious spirit that has caught the military generals off guard. During daily street rallies in the country’s major cities, the atmosphere often has the feel of a cultural carnival. Graffiti artists have spray-painted messages mocking Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the army chief who staged the coup. Poets have declaimed in angry verse. A cartoonists’ union marched holding hand-drawn figures. Street dancers twirled with abandon. On Wednesday, in the biggest single rally since street protests began in Yangon, hundreds of thousands of people gathered in a central district, holding up posters and signs designed for the Instagram generation. “If we look at the history of resistance in Myanmar, we were quite aggressive and confrontational, with this history of bloodshed,” said Ko Kyaw Nanda, a graphic designer whose protest art contrasts green pig heads (the army) with ruby red heels (Suu Kyi). “With this new approach, it can be less risky for people, and more people can join.” Myanmar’s military, which has ruled the nation for most of the past six decades, has locked up more than 450 people since the coup, according to a group that tracks political prisoners. The new regime has drastically diminished civil liberties, and its long history of violently suppressing dissent lingers. Security forces have shot and beaten anti-coup protesters. On Wednesday evening in the city of Mandalay, soldiers swept through an area housing railway workers who were boycotting work, shooting multiple rounds. At least one person was confirmed injured. But the weapons of dictatorship have not deterred peaceful demonstrators, who have depended on humorous memes and protest art to carry them through. “If the young people are out on the street then why can’t I be?” said Nu Nu Win, a retired civil servant who at the rally Wednesday carried a laminated sign with the face of Suu Kyi. “I want the whole nation to be out from under dictatorship.” Online art collectives have made their designs free so that protesters can print them out for signs, stickers or T-shirts. One of the most popular pieces shows a collection of hands arranged in the three-finger salute from “The Hunger Games” films. Each hand was drawn by a different artist, a mosaic of defiance. As she watched the protests grow, a freelance graphic designer who goes by the artistic name Kuecool decided she wanted to contribute. Although she had illustrated a book on feminism, she had not considered herself overtly political during her years of working at a public relations agency. The overthrow of the elected government by the military, which she had grown up disliking, shocked her. She began drawing into the night. One of her images is now used often in the protest movement: a young woman in a traditional sarong brandishing a wok and a spatula. The background is crimson, the signature hue of the National League for Democracy, which was ejected from government despite winning two landslide electoral victories. Every night at 8 p.m., cities across Myanmar have clanged with the din of people banging pots, pans, woks and anything else that makes a ruckus. The aim is to ward off the devil, and the projection art appears at this time, too, adding visuals to the clamor of discontent. Myanmar’s military rulers have long seen menace in the arts, imprisoning poets, actors, painters and rappers. Among the dozens of people nabbed alongside Suu Kyi in the coup’s initial pre-dawn raids were a filmmaker, two writers and a reggae singer. A graffiti artist whose protest tags have enlivened Yangon over the past two weeks said he was on the run from the police. So were two poets. On Wednesday, arrest warrants were issued for actors, directors and a singer. Zayar Thaw was a member of Generation Wave, a hip-hop collective that challenged the former ruling junta through sly lyrics. After serving five years in prison for his activism, he joined the National League for Democracy when it contested a by-election in 2012. Zayar Thaw won a parliamentary seat in a district once thought of as a military stronghold, settled down with reams of parliamentary paperwork and thought he had left his days of artistic protest behind him. “Hip-hop artists already have a culture of revolution, so in our generation we protested through songs,” he said. “Now all kinds of artists are involved because they don’t want to lose the value of democracy.” The artistic ferment in Myanmar today has drawn from other regional protest movements. During their months of sustained dissent in Hong Kong, young protesters enlivened their rallies with cute cartoons and colorful walls of sticky notes that evoked the so-called Lennon Wall in Prague, where art and messages of dissent against communism proliferated. Motivated by an earlier incarnation of opposition, the Hong Kong protesters popularized the use of the yellow umbrella against water cannons and turned it into a powerful meme. In turn, the Hong Kong democracy movement galvanized pro-democracy demonstrators in Thailand, who staged months of mass rallies last year. Encouraged by the power of whimsy in Hong Kong, the Thai protesters, who have been standing up to a prime minister who led a 2014 military coup, deployed inflatable rubber duck rafts to ward off water cannons. They popularized the use of “The Hunger Games” salute, which Thailand’s former junta initially tried to ban with their state of emergency powers. (Nobody really listened.) A couple days after the putsch in Myanmar, doctors, who launched a civil disobedience movement that has now compelled about 750,000 people to stop going to work, flashed their three fingers in protest. The salute is now the leitmotif of the Myanmar rallies, along with signs in English — all the better to attract international attention — denouncing the military takeover. “I got inspired by how Hong Kong and Thai protesters used creativity and humor in their protests,” said Kyaw Nanda, the graphic designer. The crosscurrents of protest are flowing both ways. Last week, a Thai youth group adopted the pots and pans campaign from Myanmar for a protest in Bangkok. “In the region, there is a fight for democracy, human rights and justice,” said Aye Ko, a painter in Myanmar whose art has long expressed political yearnings. “The movement is beyond one nation’s issue. We have all joined together in the resistance against oppression.”

Paint, poems and protest anthems: Myanmar's coup inspires the art of defiance

The United States on Wednesday announced talks with Australia, Japan and India to further boost the "Quad" alliance despite warnings from China.&nbsp;

The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will speak with the foreign ministers of the three countries with coronavirus pandemic and climate change being on the agenda, the State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters on Wednesday.

Watch |

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-secretary-of-state-antony-blinken-to-hold-quad-meet-with-members-364460/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"These discussions with the Quad foreign ministers is critical to advancing our shared goals of a free and open Indo-Pacific and rising to the defining challenges of our times," Price said.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/quad-potential-bulwark-against-chinas-increasing-activity-in-the-indo-pacific-364376">Quad: Potential bulwark against China's increasing activity in the Indo-Pacific</a>

The Quadrilateral alliance, commonly known as "Quad", was launched in 2007 to balance China's rise in the region.&nbsp;

Despite the initial caution, Quad in recent years, particularly in the last year has grown, something that has angered Beijing.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, China's state-run Global Times warned US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden </a>that renewing Quad would be a "serious strategic blunder" and may spark "a severe strategic confrontation" with Beijing.&nbsp;

The newspaper in an expert's commentary also tried to put a lot of pressure on India, saying India has the power to end the alliance and asked the country to not "completely tie itself to the US' anti-China chariot."

Recently Indian Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/narendra-modi">Narendra Modi </a>and Biden talked in a phone call in which the two leaders agreed to strengthen the security in the Indo-Pacific region.&nbsp;

The United States on Wednesday announced talks with Australia, Japan and India to further boost the "Quad" alliance despite warnings from China. The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will speak with the foreign ministers of the three countries with coronavirus pandemic and climate change being on the agenda, the State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters on Wednesday.

The United States on Wednesday announced talks with Australia, Japan and India to further boost the "Quad" alliance despite warnings from China. The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will speak with the foreign ministers of the three countries with coronavirus pandemic and climate change being on the agenda, the State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters on Wednesday. Watch | "These discussions with the Quad foreign ministers is critical to advancing our shared goals of a free and open Indo-Pacific and rising to the defining challenges of our times," Price said. Also read | Quad: Potential bulwark against China's increasing activity in the Indo-Pacific The Quadrilateral alliance, commonly known as "Quad", was launched in 2007 to balance China's rise in the region. Despite the initial caution, Quad in recent years, particularly in the last year has grown, something that has angered Beijing. Earlier this month, China's state-run Global Times warned US President Joe Biden that renewing Quad would be a "serious strategic blunder" and may spark "a severe strategic confrontation" with Beijing. The newspaper in an expert's commentary also tried to put a lot of pressure on India, saying India has the power to end the alliance and asked the country to not "completely tie itself to the US' anti-China chariot." Recently Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Biden talked in a phone call in which the two leaders agreed to strengthen the security in the Indo-Pacific region.

US to hold talks with 'Quad' partners despite China pressure

February 18 in History: Pluto's discovery, Samjhauta Express blast, and more

A study published on Wednesday claims that teeth from mammoths buried in the Siberian permafrost have revealed the world's oldest DNA ever sequenced.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/mammoths-oldest-dna-found-in-eastern-siberia-364475/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Researchers said the three specimens, one about 800,000 years old and the other two more than a million year old, sheds light on the giant Ice Age mammals, reports news agency AFP.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/where-did-the-asteroid-which-wiped-out-dinosaurs-came-from-scientists-answer-363987">Where did the asteroid which wiped out dinosaurs came from? Scientists answer</a>

These far exceed the previously oldest sequenced DNA that of a horse dating between 780,000 to 560,000 years ago.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-discover-life-where-it-shouldnt-exist-in-antarctica-363842">Scientists discover life where it shouldn't exist in Antarctica</a>

"This DNA is incredibly old. The samples are a thousand times older than Viking remains, and even pre-date the existence of humans and Neanderthals," said Love Dalen, senior author of the study.&nbsp;

The study was published in the science journal Nature.&nbsp;

The mammoths were first found in the 1970s in Siberia and were kept at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow.&nbsp;

Scientists first dated the specimens geologically, with comparisons to species like small rodents, which suggested that the two mammals were more than a million years old.&nbsp;

The youngest of the three specimens is one of the earliest woolly mammoths found so far.&nbsp;

Genetic data from tiny samples of powder from each mammoth tooth was also discovered which was "essentially like a pinch of salt you would put on your dinner plate," Dalen, who is also a professor of evolutionary genetics at the Centre for Palaeogenetics in Stockholm, told a press briefing.&nbsp;

From these tooth samples, researchers sequenced tens of millions of chemical base pairs, which make up the strands of DNA, and were able to find age estimates.

This method revealed that the oldest mammoth, named Krestovka, is even older at about 1.65 million years old.

The second-oldest Adycha is approximately 1.34 million years old, and the Chukochya is 870,000 years old.

 
&nbsp;

A study published on Wednesday claims that teeth from mammoths buried in the Siberian permafrost have revealed the world's oldest DNA ever sequenced. Watch | Researchers said the three specimens, one about 800,000 years old and the other two more than a million year old, sheds light on the giant Ice Age mammals, reports news agency AFP.

A study published on Wednesday claims that teeth from mammoths buried in the Siberian permafrost have revealed the world's oldest DNA ever sequenced. Watch | Researchers said the three specimens, one about 800,000 years old and the other two more than a million year old, sheds light on the giant Ice Age mammals, reports news agency AFP. Also read | Where did the asteroid which wiped out dinosaurs came from? Scientists answer These far exceed the previously oldest sequenced DNA that of a horse dating between 780,000 to 560,000 years ago. Also read | Scientists discover life where it shouldn't exist in Antarctica "This DNA is incredibly old. The samples are a thousand times older than Viking remains, and even pre-date the existence of humans and Neanderthals," said Love Dalen, senior author of the study. The study was published in the science journal Nature. The mammoths were first found in the 1970s in Siberia and were kept at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow. Scientists first dated the specimens geologically, with comparisons to species like small rodents, which suggested that the two mammals were more than a million years old. The youngest of the three specimens is one of the earliest woolly mammoths found so far. Genetic data from tiny samples of powder from each mammoth tooth was also discovered which was "essentially like a pinch of salt you would put on your dinner plate," Dalen, who is also a professor of evolutionary genetics at the Centre for Palaeogenetics in Stockholm, told a press briefing. From these tooth samples, researchers sequenced tens of millions of chemical base pairs, which make up the strands of DNA, and were able to find age estimates. This method revealed that the oldest mammoth, named Krestovka, is even older at about 1.65 million years old. The second-oldest Adycha is approximately 1.34 million years old, and the Chukochya is 870,000 years old.

Million-year-old mammoths teeth reveal world's oldest DNA ever sequenced

A state minister seriously got injured after perpetrators hurled a crude bomb at him in a railway station in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal late on Wednesday.

Jakir Hossain and two other leaders of ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) were injured in the bomb attack at Nimtita railway station in Murshidabad district.&nbsp;

The minister is hospitalised in the SSKM Hospital's Trauma Care Unit, state minister Firhad Hakim said.

He also said that a medical board has been constituted to look into the health condition of Hossain.&nbsp;

A senior police officer confirmed that the probe has been handed over to CID, reports news agency PTI. &nbsp;&nbsp;

"The investigation has been handed over to the CID. A team of forensic experts have visited the spot this morning," the police officer said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after visiting his party's leader at the hospital alleged that the attack was "pre-planned" and was a "conspiracy".

She also said that Hossain was being pressurised in the last few months to join another party.&nbsp;

"It was a preplanned attack on minister Jakir Hossain. Some people have claimed the blast was remote controlled. It is a conspiracy. Some people (party) were pressuring Jakir Hossian to join them for the last few months. I don't want to disclose anything more as investigation is on," the West Bengal CM told reporters.

She also announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh (about USD 6,870) for those seriously injured in the explosion and Rs 1 lakh (about USD 1,374) who received minor injuries.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

A state minister seriously got injured after perpetrators hurled a crude bomb at him in a railway station in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal late on Wednesday.

A state minister seriously got injured after perpetrators hurled a crude bomb at him in a railway station in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal late on Wednesday. Jakir Hossain and two other leaders of ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) were injured in the bomb attack at Nimtita railway station in Murshidabad district. The minister is hospitalised in the SSKM Hospital's Trauma Care Unit, state minister Firhad Hakim said. He also said that a medical board has been constituted to look into the health condition of Hossain. A senior police officer confirmed that the probe has been handed over to CID, reports news agency PTI. "The investigation has been handed over to the CID. A team of forensic experts have visited the spot this morning," the police officer said. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after visiting his party's leader at the hospital alleged that the attack was "pre-planned" and was a "conspiracy". She also said that Hossain was being pressurised in the last few months to join another party. "It was a preplanned attack on minister Jakir Hossain. Some people have claimed the blast was remote controlled. It is a conspiracy. Some people (party) were pressuring Jakir Hossian to join them for the last few months. I don't want to disclose anything more as investigation is on," the West Bengal CM told reporters. She also announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh (about USD 6,870) for those seriously injured in the explosion and Rs 1 lakh (about USD 1,374) who received minor injuries.

West Bengal minister seriously injured in bomb blast, CM says attack 'pre-planned'

The founder of a controversial dating website "sugar daddy" has been arrested by Malaysian arrest under anti-prostitution laws, officials confirmed on Thursday.&nbsp;

Police said the 34-year-old founder of the website has been arrested, but did not name Darren Chan, whose social media profile describes him as the founder and CEO of Sugarbook, reports news agency AFP.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/despite-coup-malaysia-to-deport-1200-myanmar-migrants-next-week-364090">Despite coup, Malaysia to deport 1,200 Myanmar migrants next week</a>

The website claims itself as a platform "where romance meets finance" and targets to link up older men with younger women, with the male expected to give financial help to their female partner.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dozens-of-rohingya-refugees-caught-arriving-in-malaysia-361601">Dozens of Rohingya refugees caught arriving in Malaysia</a>

However, a huge uproar erupted last week after statistics revealed that thousands of students were using the website to make money in the socially conservative country.&nbsp;

Local media has reported that the site had been banned and regulators had warned people to not use Sugarbook.

Still, the website can be accessed in Malaysia via some internet providers and can be downloaded on Android devices.

Following the action, Chan in a statement said: "our Malaysian government knows what's best for the people".

However, he also added that the site was taking measures to ensure that the ban does not get enforced in other nations.

 
&nbsp;

The founder of a controversial dating website "sugar daddy" has been arrested by Malaysian arrest under anti-prostitution laws, officials confirmed on Thursday. Police said the 34-year-old founder of the website has been arrested, but did not name Darren Chan, whose social media profile describes him as the founder and CEO of Sugarbook, reports news agency AFP.

The founder of a controversial dating website "sugar daddy" has been arrested by Malaysian arrest under anti-prostitution laws, officials confirmed on Thursday. Police said the 34-year-old founder of the website has been arrested, but did not name Darren Chan, whose social media profile describes him as the founder and CEO of Sugarbook, reports news agency AFP. Also read | Despite coup, Malaysia to deport 1,200 Myanmar migrants next week The website claims itself as a platform "where romance meets finance" and targets to link up older men with younger women, with the male expected to give financial help to their female partner. Also read | Dozens of Rohingya refugees caught arriving in Malaysia However, a huge uproar erupted last week after statistics revealed that thousands of students were using the website to make money in the socially conservative country. Local media has reported that the site had been banned and regulators had warned people to not use Sugarbook. Still, the website can be accessed in Malaysia via some internet providers and can be downloaded on Android devices. Following the action, Chan in a statement said: "our Malaysian government knows what's best for the people". However, he also added that the site was taking measures to ensure that the ban does not get enforced in other nations.

Sugar daddy arrested? Malaysian Police arrest founder of controversial dating site

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's wife made her first public appearance in more than a year, state media reported on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Ri Sol Ju, was seen with the North Korean leader at a concert commemorating the birthday of his father and predecessor Kim Jong II.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/inside-assassins-a-documentary-that-talks-about-the-strange-murder-of-kim-jong-uns-half-brother-360088">Inside 'Assassins': A documentary that talks about the strange murder of Kim Jong Un's half-brother</a>

The birthday of former North Korean dictator is known as the Day of the Shining Star and is one of the nation's most important public holidays.&nbsp;

Kim Jong Un and his wife were seen smiling and praising the performers at the concert in Pyongyang in the photos published by North Korea's official Rodong Sinmun newspaper.&nbsp;

"As the General Secretary came to the auditorium of the theatre together with his wife Ri Sol Ju amid the welcome music, all the participants burst into thunderous cheers of 'Hurrah!'" the official KCNA news agency said.

Ri was last seen publicly in January 2020 at an event marking the Lunar New Year holiday and speculations were high that either she wants to avoid coronavirus infection or is pregnant.&nbsp;

The photos and report came a day after South Korea's National Intelligence Service told lawmakers that Ki was "playing well with her kids" and avoiding public events due to the pandemic.&nbsp;

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's wife made her first public appearance in more than a year, state media reported on Wednesday. Ri Sol Ju, was seen with the North Korean leader at a concert commemorating the birthday of his father and predecessor Kim Jong II.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's wife made her first public appearance in more than a year, state media reported on Wednesday. Ri Sol Ju, was seen with the North Korean leader at a concert commemorating the birthday of his father and predecessor Kim Jong II. Also read | Inside 'Assassins': A documentary that talks about the strange murder of Kim Jong Un's half-brother The birthday of former North Korean dictator is known as the Day of the Shining Star and is one of the nation's most important public holidays. Kim Jong Un and his wife were seen smiling and praising the performers at the concert in Pyongyang in the photos published by North Korea's official Rodong Sinmun newspaper. "As the General Secretary came to the auditorium of the theatre together with his wife Ri Sol Ju amid the welcome music, all the participants burst into thunderous cheers of 'Hurrah!'" the official KCNA news agency said. Ri was last seen publicly in January 2020 at an event marking the Lunar New Year holiday and speculations were high that either she wants to avoid coronavirus infection or is pregnant. The photos and report came a day after South Korea's National Intelligence Service told lawmakers that Ki was "playing well with her kids" and avoiding public events due to the pandemic.

Kim Jong Un's wife makes first public appearance after one year

Gaza's top Islamic judge agreed on Tuesday to redraft a court ruling that prohibits women from travel without the permission of a male guardian like a father or husband.&nbsp;

Higher Sharia Council in Islamist Hamas-run Gaza on Sunday imposed restrictions that brought severe criticism from rights group for violating Palestinian laws against gender-based discrimination.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/the-west-asia-post-is-saudi-arabias-support-for-palestine-eroding-336246/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Protests were also held outside the office of Hassan Jojo, the council's Hamas-appointed chairman, who had signed the edict into law.&nbsp;

"We have agreed to redraft this ruling," Jojo was quoted as saying on Tuesday by news agency Reuters.&nbsp;

However, he did not comment on whether the language banning women to travel in the law would be struck off.&nbsp;

Hamas leaders have repeatedly rejected claims of imposing Islamic law on the Gaza strip.

The Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) also denounced Sundaý's ruling, calling it violating "women's dignity and rights" and putting them at an "inferior level".&nbsp;

It also underscored that Palestinian laws bar discrimination "on the basis of race, gender, colour, religion, political opinion or disability".

Reham Owda, a Palestinian political analyst and women's&nbsp;rights expert, said the Sunday's ruling could have intended to target a recent increase in the number of women travelling outside the territory for studying or employment opportunities.&nbsp;

"The government in Gaza wanted to limit (travel) and restrict the movement of women who are ambitious from leaving in search of study or jobs, and escape the Israeli blockade," Owda said.

 
&nbsp;

Gaza's top Islamic judge agreed on Tuesday to redraft a court ruling that prohibits women from travel without the permission of a male guardian like a father or husband.

Gaza's top Islamic judge agreed on Tuesday to redraft a court ruling that prohibits women from travel without the permission of a male guardian like a father or husband. Higher Sharia Council in Islamist Hamas-run Gaza on Sunday imposed restrictions that brought severe criticism from rights group for violating Palestinian laws against gender-based discrimination. Watch | Protests were also held outside the office of Hassan Jojo, the council's Hamas-appointed chairman, who had signed the edict into law. "We have agreed to redraft this ruling," Jojo was quoted as saying on Tuesday by news agency Reuters. However, he did not comment on whether the language banning women to travel in the law would be struck off. Hamas leaders have repeatedly rejected claims of imposing Islamic law on the Gaza strip. The Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) also denounced Sundaý's ruling, calling it violating "women's dignity and rights" and putting them at an "inferior level". It also underscored that Palestinian laws bar discrimination "on the basis of race, gender, colour, religion, political opinion or disability". Reham Owda, a Palestinian political analyst and women's rights expert, said the Sunday's ruling could have intended to target a recent increase in the number of women travelling outside the territory for studying or employment opportunities. "The government in Gaza wanted to limit (travel) and restrict the movement of women who are ambitious from leaving in search of study or jobs, and escape the Israeli blockade," Owda said.

Gaza judge revises ruling that bars women to travel without male permit

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Tuesday that Canada and other countries are mulling labelling China's treatment of Uighurs a genocide.&nbsp;

The comments come after former US president Donald Trump last month called the treatment of Uighurs living in China's Xinjiang genocide and crimes against humanity.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-bans-british-broadcaster-bbc-post-report-on-rape-of-uighur-women-363066/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"It's a word that is extremely loaded and is certainly something that we should be looking at in the case of the Uighurs," Trudeau was quoted as saying by news agency AFP in a news conference.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-bans-bbc-world-news-for-its-reporting-on-uighur-genocide-covid-19-363002">China bans BBC World News for its reporting on Uighur genocide, Covid-19</a>

"I know the international community is looking very carefully at that and we are certainly among them, and we will not hesitate from being part of the determinations around these sorts of things."

Trudeau also said there was "no question" of the immense human rights violations reported happening in Xinjiang.&nbsp;

"We are extremely concerned about that and have highlighted our concerns many times. But when it comes to the application of the very specific word 'genocide,' we simply need to ensure that all the I's are dotted and the T's are crossed in the processes before a determination like that is made," the Canadian CM said.&nbsp;

Human rights groups say at least a million Uighurs and Turkic-speaking Muslims are held in detention camps in Xinjiang.&nbsp;

Recently, media reports quoted Uighur women who said they were raped by Chinese authorities in these camps.&nbsp;

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Tuesday that Canada and other countries are mulling labelling China's treatment of Uighurs a genocide. The comments come after former US president Donald Trump last month called the treatment of Uighurs living in China's Xinjiang genocide and crimes against humanity.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Tuesday that Canada and other countries are mulling labelling China's treatment of Uighurs a genocide. The comments come after former US president Donald Trump last month called the treatment of Uighurs living in China's Xinjiang genocide and crimes against humanity. Watch | "It's a word that is extremely loaded and is certainly something that we should be looking at in the case of the Uighurs," Trudeau was quoted as saying by news agency AFP in a news conference. Also read | China bans BBC World News for its reporting on Uighur genocide, Covid-19 "I know the international community is looking very carefully at that and we are certainly among them, and we will not hesitate from being part of the determinations around these sorts of things." Trudeau also said there was "no question" of the immense human rights violations reported happening in Xinjiang. "We are extremely concerned about that and have highlighted our concerns many times. But when it comes to the application of the very specific word 'genocide,' we simply need to ensure that all the I's are dotted and the T's are crossed in the processes before a determination like that is made," the Canadian CM said. Human rights groups say at least a million Uighurs and Turkic-speaking Muslims are held in detention camps in Xinjiang. Recently, media reports quoted Uighur women who said they were raped by Chinese authorities in these camps.

Canada, other nations considering labeling Uighur treatment 'genocide': Trudeau

A third consecutive night of internet blackout was seen in Myanmar as protests continued against the military coup in the country. Meanwhile, Donald Trump, who has recently been acquitted from impeachment, slammed Republican Mitch McConnell calling him a "dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack".

Click on headlines to read more

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-military-blocks-internet-for-third-consecutive-night-amid-protests-364140">Myanmar military blocks internet for third consecutive night amid protests</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2021/02/17/183071-myanmar1.jpg?itok=D50nZHYU" />

Myanmar experienced another night of internet blackout as the net continued to be shut for the third consecutive day on Wednesday as protests continued against the military junta's coup.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unsmiling-political-hack-trump-lashes-out-at-mitch-mcconnell-after-impeachment-trial-364141">'Unsmiling political hack': Trump lashes out at Mitch McConnell after impeachment trial</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2018/09/12/13562-donaldtrump-20161114045351.jpg?itok=aEPu_9ZI" />

The former US President Donald Trump, who has recently been acquitted in his second impeachment trial, has turned against the Senate minority leader, Mitch McConnell.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nearly-4000-amazon-employees-given-wrong-covid-test-result-364146">Nearly 4,000 Amazon employees given wrong COVID test result</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2021/02/17/183074-covid-19-test-results-amazon.jpg?itok=A_Qea1qO" />

Nearly 4,000 Amazon employees were given fake positive results for the deadly coronavirus and were asked to self-isolate in the UK.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ghislaine-maxwell-physically-abused-in-jail-lawyer-364157">Ghislaine Maxwell 'physically abused' in jail: Lawyer</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2020/07/31/152425-untitled-design-46.jpg?itok=HSbLcsqJ" />

Ghislaine Maxwell, accused of sex trafficking, was "physically abused" by a correctional officer in a routine check in jail, her lawyer claimed on Tuesday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-lawmakers-approve-bill-to-battle-islamist-extremism-364127">French lawmakers approve bill to battle Islamist extremism</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2021/02/16/183060-french-president-emmanuel-macron.jpg?itok=2uFoYXfg" />

&nbsp;

A third consecutive night of internet blackout was seen in Myanmar as protests continued against the military coup in the country. Meanwhile, Donald Trump, who has recently been acquitted from impeachment, slammed Republican Mitch McConnell calling him a "dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack".

A third consecutive night of internet blackout was seen in Myanmar as protests continued against the military coup in the country. Meanwhile, Donald Trump, who has recently been acquitted from impeachment, slammed Republican Mitch McConnell calling him a "dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack". Click on headlines to read more Myanmar military blocks internet for third consecutive night amid protests Myanmar experienced another night of internet blackout as the net continued to be shut for the third consecutive day on Wednesday as protests continued against the military junta's coup. 'Unsmiling political hack': Trump lashes out at Mitch McConnell after impeachment trial The former US President Donald Trump, who has recently been acquitted in his second impeachment trial, has turned against the Senate minority leader, Mitch McConnell. Nearly 4,000 Amazon employees given wrong COVID test result Nearly 4,000 Amazon employees were given fake positive results for the deadly coronavirus and were asked to self-isolate in the UK. Ghislaine Maxwell 'physically abused' in jail: Lawyer Ghislaine Maxwell, accused of sex trafficking, was "physically abused" by a correctional officer in a routine check in jail, her lawyer claimed on Tuesday. French lawmakers approve bill to battle Islamist extremism

Morning news brief: Myanmar coup updates, latest on Trump, and more

Ghislaine Maxwell, accused of sex trafficking, was "physically abused" by a correctional officer in a routine check in jail, her lawyer claimed on Tuesday.&nbsp;

"Recently, out of view of the security camera, Ms. Maxwell was placed in her isolation cell and physically abused during a pat down search," Bobbi Sternheim, wrote in a letter to New York judge Alison Nathan complaining about Maxwell's conditions at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/jeffrey-epstein-case-updates-ghislaine-maxwell-deposition-released-337513/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The attorney also said that Maxwell, the former associate of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein was warned of retaliation if she reported the incident.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ghislaine-maxwell-denies-witnessing-underage-sex-in-epstein-deposition-337388">Ghislaine Maxwell denies witnessing underage sex in Epstein deposition</a>

Maxwell's lawyers have continually complained about her conditions in the jail in hope of authorities sanctioning a bail for her.&nbsp;

Recently in December, she was denied bail by the New York judge, citing flight risk.&nbsp;

Her attorneys say Maxwell is kept under excessive surveillance, which includes a flashlight aimed at her every 15 minutes from 9:30 pm to 6:30 am.

She is accused of bringing underage girls for Epstein, a convicted sex offender who committed suicide in jail in 2019.

The 59-year-old is due to go on trial this summer, however, the pandemic delayed the proceedings.&nbsp;

If convicted, she could face a jail sentence of 35 years for alleged crimes committed from 1994 to 1997.&nbsp;

Ghislaine Maxwell, accused of sex trafficking, was "physically abused" by a correctional officer in a routine check in jail, her lawyer claimed on Tuesday. "Recently, out of view of the security camera, Ms.

Ghislaine Maxwell, accused of sex trafficking, was "physically abused" by a correctional officer in a routine check in jail, her lawyer claimed on Tuesday. "Recently, out of view of the security camera, Ms. Maxwell was placed in her isolation cell and physically abused during a pat down search," Bobbi Sternheim, wrote in a letter to New York judge Alison Nathan complaining about Maxwell's conditions at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. Watch | The attorney also said that Maxwell, the former associate of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein was warned of retaliation if she reported the incident. Also read | Ghislaine Maxwell denies witnessing underage sex in Epstein deposition Maxwell's lawyers have continually complained about her conditions in the jail in hope of authorities sanctioning a bail for her. Recently in December, she was denied bail by the New York judge, citing flight risk. Her attorneys say Maxwell is kept under excessive surveillance, which includes a flashlight aimed at her every 15 minutes from 9:30 pm to 6:30 am. She is accused of bringing underage girls for Epstein, a convicted sex offender who committed suicide in jail in 2019. The 59-year-old is due to go on trial this summer, however, the pandemic delayed the proceedings. If convicted, she could face a jail sentence of 35 years for alleged crimes committed from 1994 to 1997.

Ghislaine Maxwell 'physically abused' in jail: Lawyer

A child has been born for the first time in France after a uterus transplant, the hospital who carried on the procedure said on Wednesday.&nbsp;

The baby girl weighed 1.845 kgs (4.059 pounds) during birth and was born on Friday, according to the team at the Foch hospital outside Paris.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/9000-baby-deaths-at-church-run-homes-irish-pm-sorry-for-profound-wrong-356523">9000 baby deaths at church-run homes: Irish PM sorry for 'profound wrong'</a>

"Mother and baby are doing well," Jean-Marc Ayoubi, head of gynaecology, obstetrics and reproductive medicine at the hospital, told news agency AFP.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/woman-in-singapore-gives-birth-to-baby-with-covid-19-antibodies-346195">Woman in Singapore gives birth to baby with COVID-19 antibodies</a>

A cutting-edge procedure is used to transplant a healthy uterus into a woman whose own is damaged or missing.

Births following a uterus transplant are rare.&nbsp;

Deborah, the 36-year-old mother, was born without a uterus as she suffered from Rokitansky Syndrome, a rare condition which one in about 4,500 women faces.&nbsp;

The same team that delivered her baby also carried on her uterus transplant in March 2019 after her then 57-year-old mother decided to donate her own.&nbsp;

The first-ever birth following a uterus transplant happened in 2014 in Sweden.&nbsp;

Such rare births have been recorded in the US and Brazil too, but remain a rarity.&nbsp;

These cases offer hope to women who suffer from reproductive diseases and are forced to choose adoption or surrogacy.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

A child has been born for the first time in France after a uterus transplant, the hospital who carried on the procedure said on Wednesday. The baby girl weighed 1.

A child has been born for the first time in France after a uterus transplant, the hospital who carried on the procedure said on Wednesday. The baby girl weighed 1.845 kgs (4.059 pounds) during birth and was born on Friday, according to the team at the Foch hospital outside Paris. Also read | 9000 baby deaths at church-run homes: Irish PM sorry for 'profound wrong' "Mother and baby are doing well," Jean-Marc Ayoubi, head of gynaecology, obstetrics and reproductive medicine at the hospital, told news agency AFP. Also read | Woman in Singapore gives birth to baby with COVID-19 antibodies A cutting-edge procedure is used to transplant a healthy uterus into a woman whose own is damaged or missing. Births following a uterus transplant are rare. Deborah, the 36-year-old mother, was born without a uterus as she suffered from Rokitansky Syndrome, a rare condition which one in about 4,500 women faces. The same team that delivered her baby also carried on her uterus transplant in March 2019 after her then 57-year-old mother decided to donate her own. The first-ever birth following a uterus transplant happened in 2014 in Sweden. Such rare births have been recorded in the US and Brazil too, but remain a rarity. These cases offer hope to women who suffer from reproductive diseases and are forced to choose adoption or surrogacy.

First-ever child born in France following mother's uterus transplant

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