Danish and German officials said on Friday that they carried out a series of arrests in two nations that foiled a possible Islamist attack.&nbsp;

Components and chemicals required to make explosives and firearms were confiscated in raids, Danish intelligence agency PET's operations chief Flemming Dryer was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-warns-neighbours-of-border-closures-on-virus-fears-362963">Germany warns neighbours of border closures on virus fears</a>

"We found the ingredients needed to make a bomb," he said.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

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Dryer added, however, that these parts were not assembled, but hinted of an attack.&nbsp;

"We believe there was no immediate threat, nothing was assembled or mixed. But we're not naive, and we're not excluding anything," the PET official said.&nbsp;

A hunting rifle, an Islamic State flag, and ignition devices were among the items seized by the investigators.&nbsp;

The plot appeared to aim towards Denmark or Germany, officials briefing reporters at PET's headquarters near Copenhagen said.&nbsp;

Three Syrian brothers, two in Denmark and in one in Germany's Hesse were among those arrested, according to the German officials.&nbsp;

"Our security services once again prevented an Islamist terror attack," Germany's Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said.&nbsp;

He added that the three people arrested were "probably preparing an attack in Europe."

PET on Thursday said 13 people have been arrested at the weekend in a suburb outside Copenhagen, and one suspect was arrested in Germany. &nbsp;

Danish and German officials said on Friday that they carried out a series of arrests in two nations that foiled a possible Islamist attack. Components and chemicals required to make explosives and firearms were confiscated in raids, Danish intelligence agency PET's operations chief Flemming Dryer was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.

Danish and German officials said on Friday that they carried out a series of arrests in two nations that foiled a possible Islamist attack. Components and chemicals required to make explosives and firearms were confiscated in raids, Danish intelligence agency PET's operations chief Flemming Dryer was quoted as saying by news agency AFP. Also read | Germany warns neighbours of border closures on virus fears "We found the ingredients needed to make a bomb," he said. Watch | Dryer added, however, that these parts were not assembled, but hinted of an attack. "We believe there was no immediate threat, nothing was assembled or mixed. But we're not naive, and we're not excluding anything," the PET official said. A hunting rifle, an Islamic State flag, and ignition devices were among the items seized by the investigators. The plot appeared to aim towards Denmark or Germany, officials briefing reporters at PET's headquarters near Copenhagen said. Three Syrian brothers, two in Denmark and in one in Germany's Hesse were among those arrested, according to the German officials. "Our security services once again prevented an Islamist terror attack," Germany's Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said. He added that the three people arrested were "probably preparing an attack in Europe." PET on Thursday said 13 people have been arrested at the weekend in a suburb outside Copenhagen, and one suspect was arrested in Germany.

Germany, Danish authorities say possible Islamist attack thwarted after series of arrests

A new technique has not only helped astronomers find a super-Earth at a neighbouring star but may also have imaged it.&nbsp;

Earlier, it was thought ultra-powerful telescopes currently being developed would be required to image exoplanets.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/space-object-named-farfarout-is-the-most-distant-thing-in-solar-system-362874">Space object named 'FarFarOut' is the most distant thing in solar system</a>

However, a team of researchers, have used a new technique which they say have imaged a possible sub-Neptune/super-Earth-sized planet orbiting Alpha Centauri A, reports&nbsp;ScienceAlert.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/life-on-mars-study-gives-fresh-evidence-to-back-the-claim-362767">Life on Mars? Study gives fresh evidence to back the claim</a>

Alpha Centauri A is one of the Earth's closest neighbours.&nbsp;

The researchers published their findings in Nature Communications titled: "Imaging low-mass planets within the habitable zone of α Centauri."

Exoplanets have been discovered earlier, but astronomers have never sensed their light.&nbsp;

This time, though, the researchers have used infrared.&nbsp;

A major challenge with infrared is to discern the light appearing from an exoplanet.&nbsp;

Exoplanets before this use to rely on wavelengths, where the background infrared doesn't exist, but the problem was in finding temperate Earth-like planets.&nbsp;

In this research, an instrument known as NEAR (New Earths in the AlphaCen Region), mounted on the ESO (European Southern Observatory's) Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile was used.&nbsp;

The instrument works with the VISIR instrument, also on the VLT.&nbsp;

So, the researchers' results came after 100 hours of cumulative observations with the VLT and NEAR.

The findings, authors say "demonstrate the feasibility of imaging rocky habitable-zone exoplanets with current and upcoming telescopes."

A new technique has not only helped astronomers find a super-Earth at a neighbouring star but may also have imaged it. Earlier, it was thought ultra-powerful telescopes currently being developed would be required to image exoplanets.

A new technique has not only helped astronomers find a super-Earth at a neighbouring star but may also have imaged it. Earlier, it was thought ultra-powerful telescopes currently being developed would be required to image exoplanets. Also read | Space object named 'FarFarOut' is the most distant thing in solar system However, a team of researchers, have used a new technique which they say have imaged a possible sub-Neptune/super-Earth-sized planet orbiting Alpha Centauri A, reports ScienceAlert. Also read | Life on Mars? Study gives fresh evidence to back the claim Alpha Centauri A is one of the Earth's closest neighbours. The researchers published their findings in Nature Communications titled: "Imaging low-mass planets within the habitable zone of α Centauri." Exoplanets have been discovered earlier, but astronomers have never sensed their light. This time, though, the researchers have used infrared. A major challenge with infrared is to discern the light appearing from an exoplanet. Exoplanets before this use to rely on wavelengths, where the background infrared doesn't exist, but the problem was in finding temperate Earth-like planets. In this research, an instrument known as NEAR (New Earths in the AlphaCen Region), mounted on the ESO (European Southern Observatory's) Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile was used. The instrument works with the VISIR instrument, also on the VLT. So, the researchers' results came after 100 hours of cumulative observations with the VLT and NEAR. The findings, authors say "demonstrate the feasibility of imaging rocky habitable-zone exoplanets with current and upcoming telescopes."

Researchers spot possible Super-Earth using new technique

Scientists in the Antarctic are close to finalising a location to start drilling that could reveal the continuous record of Earth's climate dating back 1.5 million years.&nbsp;

After about 10 years of work, scientists at the Australian Antarctic Division are close to finding a place to drill an ice core as deep as almost 3,000 metres, reports The Guardian.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

If the mission succeeds, scientists would able to get a reliable record of the Earth's climate records that could be older than half a million years.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/international-lawyers-propose-ecocide-to-criminalise-environmental-destruction-363340">International lawyers propose 'ecocide' to criminalise environmental destruction</a>

The location, known as Little Dome C, has an average temperature of -51 degrees C on a daily basis.

The area around Little Dome C is nearly 40 kms far from Dome C, the site of the longest continuous ice core record thus far, going back about 800,000 years.

A Europe-backed effort that has operated closely with the Australian researchers has already suggested a drill site in the Little Dome C region.

Ice cores hold significance the climate scientists to assess what happened to the Blue Planet's climate in the past and what could happen in the future with the rise in greenhouse levels due to burning of the fossil fuels.

Scientists in the Antarctic are close to finalising a location to start drilling that could reveal the continuous record of Earth's climate dating back 1.5 million years.

Scientists in the Antarctic are close to finalising a location to start drilling that could reveal the continuous record of Earth's climate dating back 1.5 million years. After about 10 years of work, scientists at the Australian Antarctic Division are close to finding a place to drill an ice core as deep as almost 3,000 metres, reports The Guardian. Watch | If the mission succeeds, scientists would able to get a reliable record of the Earth's climate records that could be older than half a million years. Also read | International lawyers propose 'ecocide' to criminalise environmental destruction The location, known as Little Dome C, has an average temperature of -51 degrees C on a daily basis. The area around Little Dome C is nearly 40 kms far from Dome C, the site of the longest continuous ice core record thus far, going back about 800,000 years. A Europe-backed effort that has operated closely with the Australian researchers has already suggested a drill site in the Little Dome C region. Ice cores hold significance the climate scientists to assess what happened to the Blue Planet's climate in the past and what could happen in the future with the rise in greenhouse levels due to burning of the fossil fuels.

Researchers close in to find drilling spot of Antarctic ice core 1.5 mn years old

An image of at least 200 homeless people standing in a queue in extremely cold weather conditions for a soup kitchen in Glasgow has drawn angry reactions from netizens.&nbsp;

The temperature dropped as low as - 6 degrees C on Monday and in such harsh weather, people stood in line to receive a hot meal.

In pics | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/white-paradise-snowfall-in-jks-gulmarg-360085">White Paradise: Snowfall in J&amp;K's Gulmarg</a>

"This has to end," a volunteer from the Kindness Homeless Street Team said as reported by Sky News.&nbsp;

In pics | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/dal-lake-covered-in-snow-as-cold-wave-hits-jk-359283">Dal lake covered in snow as cold wave hits J&amp;K</a>

This was one of the busiest nights for the group.&nbsp;

Graeme Weir, who works for this project, compared the image with scenes earlier seen in an Eastern European country "decimated by years of Communist rule".

"This makes me so angry. This has to end," he wrote on Facebook as he shared the image.&nbsp;

"I know some of these people personally and most of them are good people who have just hit a wee bump in the road.

"We as a civilised and caring nation need to step up."

The group founded by Laura McSorley in 2019 saw a great rise in demand for food when the UK saw its first lockdown, leading to a shift to large-scale operations.&nbsp;

In the lockdown, Kindness Homeless Street Team was providing hot food on the street four times a week at night.

An image of at least 200 homeless people standing in a queue in extremely cold weather conditions for a soup kitchen in Glasgow has drawn angry reactions from netizens.

An image of at least 200 homeless people standing in a queue in extremely cold weather conditions for a soup kitchen in Glasgow has drawn angry reactions from netizens. The temperature dropped as low as - 6 degrees C on Monday and in such harsh weather, people stood in line to receive a hot meal. In pics | White Paradise: Snowfall in J&K's Gulmarg "This has to end," a volunteer from the Kindness Homeless Street Team said as reported by Sky News. In pics | Dal lake covered in snow as cold wave hits J&K This was one of the busiest nights for the group. Graeme Weir, who works for this project, compared the image with scenes earlier seen in an Eastern European country "decimated by years of Communist rule". "This makes me so angry. This has to end," he wrote on Facebook as he shared the image. "I know some of these people personally and most of them are good people who have just hit a wee bump in the road. "We as a civilised and caring nation need to step up." The group founded by Laura McSorley in 2019 saw a great rise in demand for food when the UK saw its first lockdown, leading to a shift to large-scale operations. In the lockdown, Kindness Homeless Street Team was providing hot food on the street four times a week at night.

Glasgow: Image of 200 homeless people in queue in extreme winter sparks anger

Several international law experts are seeking to approve a new crime, "ecocide", which will allow authorities to take action against environmental destruction.&nbsp;

These experts plan to submit a draft report of their law to the International Criminal Court's governing body, reports ABC News.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

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If approved, environmental crimes will become ICC's fifth jurisdictional responsibility, some of the others being, genocide, crimes against humanity, aggression crimes and war&nbsp;crimes.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/restoring-environmental-rules-rolled-back-by-trump-could-take-years-358684">Restoring environmental rules rolled back by Trump could take years</a>

The group says that climate change has no border and damage to local ecosystems can have massive global consequences.&nbsp;

"In this day and age, it's no longer possible to say that one is destroying large swathes of nature without realising what one is doing," Jojo Mehta, a member of this group, says.&nbsp;

She and an expert panel assembled by her, want governments, companies and individuals should be held accountable for the damage to the environment done under their nose.&nbsp;

Teen climate activist Greta Thunberg has supported the implementation of the law and French President Emmanuel Macron have also hinted at incorporating ecocide into&nbsp;the domestic law of the country.&nbsp;

Calling the environmental damages "sins of ecology", Pope Francis has said that his understanding of ecocide is the "massive contamination of air, land and water resources, the&nbsp;large-scale destruction of flora and fauna, and any action capable of producing an ecological disaster or destroying an ecosystem." 
&nbsp;

Several international law experts are seeking to approve a new crime, "ecocide", which will allow authorities to take action against environmental destruction. These experts plan to submit a draft report of their law to the International Criminal Court's governing body, reports ABC News.

Several international law experts are seeking to approve a new crime, "ecocide", which will allow authorities to take action against environmental destruction. These experts plan to submit a draft report of their law to the International Criminal Court's governing body, reports ABC News. Watch | If approved, environmental crimes will become ICC's fifth jurisdictional responsibility, some of the others being, genocide, crimes against humanity, aggression crimes and war crimes. Also read | Restoring environmental rules rolled back by Trump could take years The group says that climate change has no border and damage to local ecosystems can have massive global consequences. "In this day and age, it's no longer possible to say that one is destroying large swathes of nature without realising what one is doing," Jojo Mehta, a member of this group, says. She and an expert panel assembled by her, want governments, companies and individuals should be held accountable for the damage to the environment done under their nose. Teen climate activist Greta Thunberg has supported the implementation of the law and French President Emmanuel Macron have also hinted at incorporating ecocide into the domestic law of the country. Calling the environmental damages "sins of ecology", Pope Francis has said that his understanding of ecocide is the "massive contamination of air, land and water resources, the large-scale destruction of flora and fauna, and any action capable of producing an ecological disaster or destroying an ecosystem."

International lawyers propose 'ecocide' to criminalise environmental destruction

At least five people lost their lives and dozens wounded on Thursday when some 130 cars crashed in a pileup on a highway in Texas in the United States.&nbsp;

Authorities said the accident took place on a busy interstate road north of downtown Fort Worth when about 130 vehicles collided with each other. \

Watch |&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
GRAPHIC VIDEO of the +100 car pileup in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FortWorth?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FortWorth</a> Texas this morning. Dozens of people were injured &amp; several killed. This ice storm is expected to impact millions of people in the coming days. Please be careful out there! Video via Cristal Floran Alonzo on FaceBook <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TXwx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TXwx</a> <a href="https://t.co/NjMd71mcJo">pic.twitter.com/NjMd71mcJo</a>
— MyRadar Weather (@MyRadarWX) <a href="https://twitter.com/MyRadarWX/status/1359958513653604355?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Preliminary investigation has revealed that ice could be the factor behind the incident.&nbsp;

Fort Worth Fire Department spokesman Michael Drivdahl said at least five people had died and 36 were hospitalised.&nbsp;

The toll could increase as the rescue workers are continuing to run a check on the vehicles, the spokesperson added.&nbsp;

Aerial images from the place of the incident showed several damaged large tractor-trailers standing on top of one another.

A number of vehicles were also seen badly crashed in the site, which a local official says stretched to about 0.8 km, reports news agency Reuters.

Jason McLaughlin, a professional storm chaser, put out a video on Twitter he shot which showed several damaged cars and trucks

Jason McLaughlin, a professional storm chaser, posted a video on Twitter he'd filmed at the scene showing dozens of mangled cars and trucks.

"It's still chaos," McLaughlin told The Weather Channel.&nbsp;

"It looks like a couple of vehicles lost control and when that happened, everything just piled up behind them."

The severe winter conditions in the coasts on Thursday have greatly affected driving and the National Weather Service warned of persistent freezing rain and sleet in Texas.&nbsp;

At least five people lost their lives and dozens wounded on Thursday when some 130 cars crashed in a pileup on a highway in Texas in the United States. Authorities said the accident took place on a busy interstate road north of downtown Fort Worth when about 130 vehicles collided with each other.

At least five people lost their lives and dozens wounded on Thursday when some 130 cars crashed in a pileup on a highway in Texas in the United States. Authorities said the accident took place on a busy interstate road north of downtown Fort Worth when about 130 vehicles collided with each other. \ Watch | GRAPHIC VIDEO of the +100 car pileup in #FortWorth Texas this morning. Dozens of people were injured & several killed. This ice storm is expected to impact millions of people in the coming days. Please be careful out there! Video via Cristal Floran Alonzo on FaceBook #TXwx pic.twitter.com/NjMd71mcJo — MyRadar Weather (@MyRadarWX) February 11, 2021 Preliminary investigation has revealed that ice could be the factor behind the incident. Fort Worth Fire Department spokesman Michael Drivdahl said at least five people had died and 36 were hospitalised. The toll could increase as the rescue workers are continuing to run a check on the vehicles, the spokesperson added. Aerial images from the place of the incident showed several damaged large tractor-trailers standing on top of one another. A number of vehicles were also seen badly crashed in the site, which a local official says stretched to about 0.8 km, reports news agency Reuters. Jason McLaughlin, a professional storm chaser, put out a video on Twitter he shot which showed several damaged cars and trucks Jason McLaughlin, a professional storm chaser, posted a video on Twitter he'd filmed at the scene showing dozens of mangled cars and trucks. "It's still chaos," McLaughlin told The Weather Channel. "It looks like a couple of vehicles lost control and when that happened, everything just piled up behind them." The severe winter conditions in the coasts on Thursday have greatly affected driving and the National Weather Service warned of persistent freezing rain and sleet in Texas.

Over 130 cars collide with each other in Texas; at least 5 dead

A day after presenting video evidence of the extent of the terror on the day US Capitol was attacked, US House prosecutors on Thursday urged the Senate to convict former president Donald Trump for inciting the deadly January 6 assault. Meanwhile, citing coronavirus fears, Myanmar's military chief urged protesters to end their demonstrations across the country against the military coup.&nbsp;

Click on headlines to read more

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/convict-trump-as-he-is-overwhelmingly-guilty-prosecutors-urge-us-senate-over-capitol-attack-363025">Convict Trump as he is overwhelmingly guilty: Prosecutors urge US Senate over Capitol attack</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2020/11/05/168611-untitled-design-1.jpg?itok=yJdwZu8T" /> 
US House prosecutors wrapped up their impeachment case against Donald Trump on Thursday urging the Senate to convict the former president for inciting the deadly January 6 attack on the US Capitol.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-military-warns-protesters-to-return-to-work-amid-nationwide-demonstrations-363028">Myanmar military warns protesters to return to work amid nationwide demonstrations</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2021/02/12/182410-far11.jpg?itok=ph7YiWrU" />

Myanmar's military chief Min Aung Hlaing urged demonstrators to end their protest citing coronavirus fears on Thursday as people from all walks of life continued their protest across the country demanding the restoration of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi's government.

<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>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2020/01/29/126481-bbc111.jpg?itok=XmgwkLPC" />

The National Radio and Television Administration of China has banned British television channel BBC World News from airing in Chinese mainland.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/melbourne-orders-snap-coronavirus-lockdown-during-australian-open-tennis-363038">Melbourne orders snap coronavirus lockdown during Australian Open tennis</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2021/02/12/182414-manas111.jpg?itok=aK7lqnU7" />

Melbourne authorities imposed a snap five-day lockdown in Australia's second-biggest city to contain the outbreak of "hyper-infectious" UK strain on Thursday casting doubt on the fate of the Australian Open grand slam tennis tournament which began this week.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-government-reiterates-farmers-protests-indias-internal-matter-363034">British government reiterates farmers' protests India's 'internal matter'</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2019/12/13/119806-cxjwhgc8.jpg?itok=rMLscrEj" /> 
The United Kingdom government in the House of Commons said that farmers protest is India's internal matter.

Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-wuhan-virus-origins-probe-is-the-who-team-divided-over-the-results-363024">Gravitas: Wuhan virus origins probe: Is the WHO team divided over the results?</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-wuhan-virus-origins-probe-is-the-who-team-divided-over-the-results-363024/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

&nbsp;

A day after presenting video evidence of the extent of the terror on the day US Capitol was attacked, US House prosecutors on Thursday urged the Senate to convict former president Donald Trump for inciting the deadly January 6 assault.

A day after presenting video evidence of the extent of the terror on the day US Capitol was attacked, US House prosecutors on Thursday urged the Senate to convict former president Donald Trump for inciting the deadly January 6 assault. Meanwhile, citing coronavirus fears, Myanmar's military chief urged protesters to end their demonstrations across the country against the military coup. Click on headlines to read more Convict Trump as he is overwhelmingly guilty: Prosecutors urge US Senate over Capitol attack US House prosecutors wrapped up their impeachment case against Donald Trump on Thursday urging the Senate to convict the former president for inciting the deadly January 6 attack on the US Capitol. Myanmar military warns protesters to return to work amid nationwide demonstrations Myanmar's military chief Min Aung Hlaing urged demonstrators to end their protest citing coronavirus fears on Thursday as people from all walks of life continued their protest across the country demanding the restoration of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi's government. China bans BBC World News for its reporting on Uighur genocide, Covid-19 The National Radio and Television Administration of China has banned British television channel BBC World News from airing in Chinese mainland. Melbourne orders snap coronavirus lockdown during Australian Open tennis Melbourne authorities imposed a snap five-day lockdown in Australia's second-biggest city to contain the outbreak of "hyper-infectious" UK strain on Thursday casting doubt on the fate of the Australian Open grand slam tennis tournament which began this week. British government reiterates farmers' protests India's 'internal matter' The United Kingdom government in the House of Commons said that farmers protest is India's internal matter. Watch | Gravitas: Wuhan virus origins probe: Is the WHO team divided over the results?

Morning news brief: Myanmar protesters warned, Trump impeachment trial, and more

The United Kingdom government in the House of Commons said that farmers protest is India's internal matter.

Addressing lawmakers, House of Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg said that India is a "very proud democracy with which the UK has the strongest possible relations".&nbsp;

"I happen to think that over the next century our relationship with India may well be our most important relationship with any country in the world. And as India is our friend it is only right that we make representations when we think things are not happening that are not in the interests of the reputation of the country of which we are a friend," Rees-Mogg added.&nbsp;

Also read | &nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/agricultural-reform-is-indias-domestic-policy-issue-british-government-says-361775">Agricultural reform is India's domestic policy issue, British government says</a>

He added that respecting agricultural reform is a domestic policy for India.&nbsp;

"The UK govt will continue to follow the farmers protest closely, respecting agricultural reform is a domestic policy issue for India," the leader added.&nbsp;

Earlier, Indian origin British MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi demanded a discussion in the House of Commons over the farmers' protest in India.&nbsp;

This is the second time when the UK has called the matter India's internal matter and refrain from interfering in it.&nbsp;

"Agricultural reform is a domestic policy issue for the Indian authorities to address," Nigel Adams, Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office), had said, adding that "handling of protests" is also an "internal matter" for Indian authorities.

The United Kingdom government in the House of Commons said that farmers protest is India's internal matter. Addressing lawmakers, House of Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg said that India is a "very proud democracy with which the UK has the strongest possible relations".

The United Kingdom government in the House of Commons said that farmers protest is India's internal matter. Addressing lawmakers, House of Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg said that India is a "very proud democracy with which the UK has the strongest possible relations". "I happen to think that over the next century our relationship with India may well be our most important relationship with any country in the world. And as India is our friend it is only right that we make representations when we think things are not happening that are not in the interests of the reputation of the country of which we are a friend," Rees-Mogg added. Also read | Agricultural reform is India's domestic policy issue, British government says He added that respecting agricultural reform is a domestic policy for India. "The UK govt will continue to follow the farmers protest closely, respecting agricultural reform is a domestic policy issue for India," the leader added. Earlier, Indian origin British MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi demanded a discussion in the House of Commons over the farmers' protest in India. This is the second time when the UK has called the matter India's internal matter and refrain from interfering in it. "Agricultural reform is a domestic policy issue for the Indian authorities to address," Nigel Adams, Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office), had said, adding that "handling of protests" is also an "internal matter" for Indian authorities.

British government reiterates farmers' protests India's 'internal matter'

After "scrambling" from police in his youth days, Bocar Ba, an economist from the University of California, used to think about cops behaviour and its impact on civilians.&nbsp;

In 2015, he decided to study an important social question: Does the race of a police officer matter when he uses force or take a decision to stop someone on suspicion?

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/video-reveals-nine-year-old-girl-cries-for-help-as-cops-pepper-sprayed-on-her-363082">US: Video reveals nine-year-old girl pleading as cops pepper sprayed on her</a>

Ba and his colleagues checked police records from 2012 to 2015 to analyse their actions, the race of the civilian, among other things.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-watchdog-says-one-year-old-killed-in-police-firing-363089">Canada: Watchdog says one-year-old killed in police firing</a>

The research noted that Black, Hispanic, and female police officers in Chicago made fewer stops and arrests as compared to their white male counterparts, particularly for petty crimes, reports Sciencemag.&nbsp;

"A lot of other studies out there have tried to use officer race as a benchmark test for discrimination … (but this one) got much more precise estimates of what the police workplace actually looks like," said Jeffrey Fagan, a professor of law at Columbia University.&nbsp;

The data found that on average Black officers in Chicago made 29 per cent fewer stops and 21 per cent fewer arrests than their white counterparts. The Black cops also use 32 per cent force less frequently.&nbsp;

Overall, Black officers stopped 17 per cent fewer white civilians and 39 per cent fewer Blacks.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

After "scrambling" from police in his youth days, Bocar Ba, an economist from the University of California, used to think about cops behaviour and its impact on civilians.

After "scrambling" from police in his youth days, Bocar Ba, an economist from the University of California, used to think about cops behaviour and its impact on civilians. In 2015, he decided to study an important social question: Does the race of a police officer matter when he uses force or take a decision to stop someone on suspicion? Also read | US: Video reveals nine-year-old girl pleading as cops pepper sprayed on her Ba and his colleagues checked police records from 2012 to 2015 to analyse their actions, the race of the civilian, among other things. Also read | Canada: Watchdog says one-year-old killed in police firing The research noted that Black, Hispanic, and female police officers in Chicago made fewer stops and arrests as compared to their white male counterparts, particularly for petty crimes, reports Sciencemag. "A lot of other studies out there have tried to use officer race as a benchmark test for discrimination … (but this one) got much more precise estimates of what the police workplace actually looks like," said Jeffrey Fagan, a professor of law at Columbia University. The data found that on average Black officers in Chicago made 29 per cent fewer stops and 21 per cent fewer arrests than their white counterparts. The Black cops also use 32 per cent force less frequently. Overall, Black officers stopped 17 per cent fewer white civilians and 39 per cent fewer Blacks.

Study finds non-white Chicago officers made fewer arrests, lesser use of force

As it reaches out to allies rattled by four years of erratic U.S. diplomacy, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Biden administration </a>wants to enlist Congress in advancing foreign policies that will withstand the whims of any single president.

An early test lies in the fate of what is known as the Mexico City policy.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-the-modi-biden-phone-call-362523/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Enacted in 1984 by Ronald Reagan, the policy bans U.S. taxpayer funds for health providers overseas that, as part of their medical care for women, offer abortion services. It has been rescinded by every Democratic president since, only to be put back into place by every Republican.

Even when the ban is rescinded — as President Joe Biden did Jan. 28 — the money cannot be used to pay for abortions.

Instead, and by law, it is used to pay for other health care for women and girls in some of the world’s poorest nations, allowing providers to cover abortion costs with other resources. But whenever the ban is restored, humanitarian groups that are backed by the United Nations and the U.S. Agency for International Development must scramble for other support to cover health care costs.

The constant churn has thrown medical budgets into disarray and forced the shuttering of some clinics.

Crucially, it also has reinforced the notion among some foreign allies of America as an unreliable partner on global needs.

Charles Michel, the European Council president, said Wednesday that he hoped the Biden administration will work more closely with international partners on a range of issues, in contrast with what he described as a “difference with the last years.”

“We want more fairness, more predictability; we want more stability,” Michel told an Atlantic Council forum.

Under President Donald Trump, the Mexico City policy was not only enforced but expanded, denying aid to additional groups that also provide HIV medicine and tuberculosis treatment. That served as further injury to the insult of American retrenchment from global alliances under Trump’s watch, on everything from military conflicts to diplomatic accords, which the Biden administration now wants to reverse.

Last month, on his first full day in office, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said the Biden administration would turn to Congress to help cement a host of major foreign policy decisions to provide continuity from president to president.

“It is hard to have a sustainable foreign policy absent the informed consent of the American people,” Blinken told reporters Jan. 27. “The place that, in our system, that informed consent is vitally important, is with Congress.”

Biden lifted the Mexico City policy a day later, releasing access to hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to health clinics that had been denied the funding, and pleasing diplomats around the world.

“Norway is looking forward to work closely with the USA again in the global effort” to protect the reproductive health of women and girls, Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide said on Twitter.

“Looking forward to strengthening ties with Biden/Harris administration on sexual and reproductive health and rights,” echoed Flemming Moller Mortensen, Denmark’s minister for development cooperation.

Experts said members of Congress who oppose the Mexico City policy — mostly Democrats and abortion rights activists — have a narrow but rare opportunity to abolish it.

The Democratic House previously approved a measure to block the policy, also known by critics as the global gag rule, but it was stalled under Republicans in the Senate.

This month, Democrats reclaimed control of the Senate for the first time since 2015 by the slimmest of margins, with a 50-50 split and Vice President Kamala Harris able to break tie votes.

However, at least two Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, also support legislation to permanently end the Mexico City policy, meaning “there might be a newer window to make something happen,” said Jen Kates, the director of global health and HIV policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation.

“I think everyone will agree, whatever side they’re on, on the issue, is that the ping ponging is a very challenging way to have this policy operate,” Kates said, discussing the work of non-governmental organizations. “It provides no stability or predictability for NGOs, and it’s disruptive.”

Opponents of abortion rights also want to see the matter become settled law, but in a way that enshrines the Mexico City policy to immediately prevent Biden and future presidents from supporting abortion providers abroad.

Last month, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, revived a plan he had introduced in previous congressional terms to make the funding ban permanent. In a Feb. 3 speech on the Senate floor, he said it was necessary to prevent the policy from being “rescinded and reinstated again and again between changing administrations.”

“The lives of babies and the dignity of women are not political footballs,” Lee said. “Women and unborn children everywhere have immeasurable dignity and worth, regardless of where they are from. And they ought to be entitled to the right to life and protection from harm — regardless of who is in office.”

His remarks drew an exasperated response from Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., who reminded officials that overseas health providers can use U.S. funds only for other medical needs — not to pay for abortion services, including counseling.

So far, she said, 47 senators have committed to a proposal that would rescind the funding ban for good. Other Democrats are expected to join the effort.

“We need a renewed commitment to comprehensive family planning,” Shaheen said, one that “would ensure that care is not limited, based on the president in the White House.”

Kates noted that whatever Congress approves as law when it is controlled by Democrats could, in theory, be reversed when Republicans again take over.

“This is contested space,” she said.

But she also predicted that Shaheen’s legislation, if enacted, would have “more of a protective frame around it” because it would change a 60-year-old law that governs how the United States provides foreign assistance, as opposed to amending a spending bill that is debated every year.

No other country in the world withholds health care support from U.N. programs over opposition to abortions.

In 2016, before Trump cut the funds, the United States provided $69 million to the U.N. Population Fund, the world body’s leading provider of family-planning services. With the money restored, the agency projects it could provide family planning and health care to 4.2 million women and girls within one year, potentially preventing 1.4 million unintended pregnancies and 640,000 transmissions of sexually transmitted diseases.

Natalia Kanem, the U.N. agency’s executive director, described a mix of joy and relief among member nations upon hearing this month that the United States would restore funding to foreign providers. In an interview, she was careful not to discuss the internal political debate over whether Congress should put the seesawing U.S. policy to rest.

But she said the coronavirus pandemic and poverty and strife in some of the world’s most unstable countries underscored that “we don’t just need to get back to where we were four years ago, or 20 years ago.”

Given the unpredictability of international support that has led to dwindling health services for women and girls, American officials should pursue “something with ambition, rather than just tinkering around the edges,” Kanem said.

“Funding stable partnerships saves lives,” she said.

 
&nbsp;

As it reaches out to allies rattled by four years of erratic U.S. diplomacy, the Biden administration wants to enlist Congress in advancing foreign policies that will withstand the whims of any single president.

As it reaches out to allies rattled by four years of erratic U.S. diplomacy, the Biden administration wants to enlist Congress in advancing foreign policies that will withstand the whims of any single president. An early test lies in the fate of what is known as the Mexico City policy. Watch | Enacted in 1984 by Ronald Reagan, the policy bans U.S. taxpayer funds for health providers overseas that, as part of their medical care for women, offer abortion services. It has been rescinded by every Democratic president since, only to be put back into place by every Republican. Even when the ban is rescinded — as President Joe Biden did Jan. 28 — the money cannot be used to pay for abortions. Instead, and by law, it is used to pay for other health care for women and girls in some of the world’s poorest nations, allowing providers to cover abortion costs with other resources. But whenever the ban is restored, humanitarian groups that are backed by the United Nations and the U.S. Agency for International Development must scramble for other support to cover health care costs. The constant churn has thrown medical budgets into disarray and forced the shuttering of some clinics. Crucially, it also has reinforced the notion among some foreign allies of America as an unreliable partner on global needs. Charles Michel, the European Council president, said Wednesday that he hoped the Biden administration will work more closely with international partners on a range of issues, in contrast with what he described as a “difference with the last years.” “We want more fairness, more predictability; we want more stability,” Michel told an Atlantic Council forum. Under President Donald Trump, the Mexico City policy was not only enforced but expanded, denying aid to additional groups that also provide HIV medicine and tuberculosis treatment. That served as further injury to the insult of American retrenchment from global alliances under Trump’s watch, on everything from military conflicts to diplomatic accords, which the Biden administration now wants to reverse. Last month, on his first full day in office, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said the Biden administration would turn to Congress to help cement a host of major foreign policy decisions to provide continuity from president to president. “It is hard to have a sustainable foreign policy absent the informed consent of the American people,” Blinken told reporters Jan. 27. “The place that, in our system, that informed consent is vitally important, is with Congress.” Biden lifted the Mexico City policy a day later, releasing access to hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to health clinics that had been denied the funding, and pleasing diplomats around the world. “Norway is looking forward to work closely with the USA again in the global effort” to protect the reproductive health of women and girls, Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide said on Twitter. “Looking forward to strengthening ties with Biden/Harris administration on sexual and reproductive health and rights,” echoed Flemming Moller Mortensen, Denmark’s minister for development cooperation. Experts said members of Congress who oppose the Mexico City policy — mostly Democrats and abortion rights activists — have a narrow but rare opportunity to abolish it. The Democratic House previously approved a measure to block the policy, also known by critics as the global gag rule, but it was stalled under Republicans in the Senate. This month, Democrats reclaimed control of the Senate for the first time since 2015 by the slimmest of margins, with a 50-50 split and Vice President Kamala Harris able to break tie votes. However, at least two Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, also support legislation to permanently end the Mexico City policy, meaning “there might be a newer window to make something happen,” said Jen Kates, the director of global health and HIV policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation. “I think everyone will agree, whatever side they’re on, on the issue, is that the ping ponging is a very challenging way to have this policy operate,” Kates said, discussing the work of non-governmental organizations. “It provides no stability or predictability for NGOs, and it’s disruptive.” Opponents of abortion rights also want to see the matter become settled law, but in a way that enshrines the Mexico City policy to immediately prevent Biden and future presidents from supporting abortion providers abroad. Last month, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, revived a plan he had introduced in previous congressional terms to make the funding ban permanent. In a Feb. 3 speech on the Senate floor, he said it was necessary to prevent the policy from being “rescinded and reinstated again and again between changing administrations.” “The lives of babies and the dignity of women are not political footballs,” Lee said. “Women and unborn children everywhere have immeasurable dignity and worth, regardless of where they are from. And they ought to be entitled to the right to life and protection from harm — regardless of who is in office.” His remarks drew an exasperated response from Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., who reminded officials that overseas health providers can use U.S. funds only for other medical needs — not to pay for abortion services, including counseling. So far, she said, 47 senators have committed to a proposal that would rescind the funding ban for good. Other Democrats are expected to join the effort. “We need a renewed commitment to comprehensive family planning,” Shaheen said, one that “would ensure that care is not limited, based on the president in the White House.” Kates noted that whatever Congress approves as law when it is controlled by Democrats could, in theory, be reversed when Republicans again take over. “This is contested space,” she said. But she also predicted that Shaheen’s legislation, if enacted, would have “more of a protective frame around it” because it would change a 60-year-old law that governs how the United States provides foreign assistance, as opposed to amending a spending bill that is debated every year. No other country in the world withholds health care support from U.N. programs over opposition to abortions. In 2016, before Trump cut the funds, the United States provided $69 million to the U.N. Population Fund, the world body’s leading provider of family-planning services. With the money restored, the agency projects it could provide family planning and health care to 4.2 million women and girls within one year, potentially preventing 1.4 million unintended pregnancies and 640,000 transmissions of sexually transmitted diseases. Natalia Kanem, the U.N. agency’s executive director, described a mix of joy and relief among member nations upon hearing this month that the United States would restore funding to foreign providers. In an interview, she was careful not to discuss the internal political debate over whether Congress should put the seesawing U.S. policy to rest. But she said the coronavirus pandemic and poverty and strife in some of the world’s most unstable countries underscored that “we don’t just need to get back to where we were four years ago, or 20 years ago.” Given the unpredictability of international support that has led to dwindling health services for women and girls, American officials should pursue “something with ambition, rather than just tinkering around the edges,” Kanem said. “Funding stable partnerships saves lives,” she said.

Biden wants more stable diplomacy. An abortion fight is a test.

More broadly, cities will have to address new desires about connecting with nature and “reconnecting with life,” said Philipp Rode, executive director of LSE Cities, a research center at the London School of Economics.

A similar urban exodus has been seen in the United States during the pandemic, with affluent New Yorkers retreating to second homes and Silicon Valley techies scattering across the country. The phenomenon might be even more pronounced in the United States than in Europe.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-records-lowest-temperature-in-the-decade-as-snowstorm-hits-europe-362730/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

“Broadly speaking, place loyalty in Europe is significantly higher than in the U.S.,” Rode said, pointing to past studies showing that even among cities in economic decline, those in Europe suffered relatively less population loss. “A lot of these places have very deep histories, very deep culture.”

Nevertheless, many European cities are introducing features like pedestrian and cycle-friendly commuting options and expanded green spaces. Milan, hit hard by the first wave of the virus, has designated more than 20 miles of cycling lanes as well as “parklets” in former parking lots.

London officials began a “Streetspace” project last year, creating temporary bike lanes and widening pedestrian zones as commuters tried to avoid the dangers of crowded subways and buses. Paris and Barcelona have taken similar steps.

Changes like these, which typically would take years, are being made practically overnight, British engineering firm Arup found. (And the pace of London’s program has prompted legal battles.)

But Léan Doody, who leads the integrated cities and planning network for Europe for Arup, is optimistic about the changes. He said that although the pandemic had highlighted some of the deeper problems with urban life, it could actually prompt a push for improvement.

“There is an opportunity” as the pandemic fades from view, to “introduce new behaviors,” she said.

“Perhaps city authorities, transport authorities and employers could think about policies to make a vision of the future that actually works for everyone,” she said.

Quantifying precisely how many people have left Europe’s cities is difficult, because the pandemic has complicated data collection. But a study published earlier this month estimated that nearly 700,000 people left London in the last year, mostly foreign-born workers who may also have been reacting to Brexit.

However, London could be an outlier. A survey from Arup found that some 41% of Londoners had moved out of the city at some point in the pandemic, compared to around 10% in Madrid, Milan and Berlin and 20% in Paris. Real estate company Century 21 said over the summer that it had recorded a spike in interest in leaving Paris, but no “mass exodus.”

Property reports revealed tech workers left Dublin en masse last year as remote work became widespread.

Unaffordable housing was a pain point in many European cities even before the pandemic, which has both exposed and deepened inequality. But remote working is “loosening the link” between housing and employment, Doody said.

Property prices in Dublin have exploded in recent years after a housing-market collapse in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis; a steep drop in supply has met with overwhelming demand, worsened by a rise in short-term rentals.

Doody said plans by the Irish government to create a legal right for employees to request remote work could make strides toward easing the housing strains on Dublin while distributing high-earning workers elsewhere.

Brendan McLoughlin, 29, a business analyst for Ireland’s national postal service, is among many whose job will remain at least partially remote; he plans to relocate from shared accommodation in Dublin to his own house in a port town north of the city this summer.

“I think it’s forced this reevaluation of what matters in your setting and your home life,” he said.

There is a strong view among social scientists and economists that the pandemic has only accelerated changes already underway in cities, deepening a “doughnut effect” in which high prices drive residents to the outskirts and turbocharging a formerly meandering trend toward remote work.

But the more rapid shifts have focused the attention of urban authorities, who are increasingly addressing long-standing complaints about noise, air pollution, cramped apartments and stratospheric rents.

In Paris, which was losing residents even before the pandemic, Mayor Anne Hidalgo had already been advocating the idea of the “15-minute city” — a vision of a future for neighborhoods that would assure all necessary amenities existed a short walk from people’s front doors. She made strides to cut car traffic in the city center and promote more green space.

When the pandemic created a new urgency, Paris quickly turned the Rue de Rivoli, a main thoroughfare, into a multilane biking highway, cut traffic near schools to improve air quality and turned parking spaces into extended cafe seating. The city is now vowing to make some of its pandemic designs permanent.

But finding the political will for lasting change will be a challenge, Rode said, and would depend to a great extent on the level of public engagement and acceptance.

Malcolm Smith, an urban design fellow with Arup, argued in a recent report that the pandemic had already brought cities closer to the vision of the 15-minute city, and that there was now the potential to make less traffic, cleaner air and more time with family into more permanent features of urban life.

“It has shone a light on the importance of developing cities in smaller modules, with essential services concentrated around community hubs,” he wrote. “In the 19th century, the response to cholera in London brought big infrastructure, the sewer network. I hope COVID-19 will lead to lots of smaller scale but widespread interventions.” 
&nbsp;

More broadly, cities will have to address new desires about connecting with nature and “reconnecting with life,” said Philipp Rode, executive director of LSE Cities, a research center at the London School of Economics.

More broadly, cities will have to address new desires about connecting with nature and “reconnecting with life,” said Philipp Rode, executive director of LSE Cities, a research center at the London School of Economics. A similar urban exodus has been seen in the United States during the pandemic, with affluent New Yorkers retreating to second homes and Silicon Valley techies scattering across the country. The phenomenon might be even more pronounced in the United States than in Europe. Watch | “Broadly speaking, place loyalty in Europe is significantly higher than in the U.S.,” Rode said, pointing to past studies showing that even among cities in economic decline, those in Europe suffered relatively less population loss. “A lot of these places have very deep histories, very deep culture.” Nevertheless, many European cities are introducing features like pedestrian and cycle-friendly commuting options and expanded green spaces. Milan, hit hard by the first wave of the virus, has designated more than 20 miles of cycling lanes as well as “parklets” in former parking lots. London officials began a “Streetspace” project last year, creating temporary bike lanes and widening pedestrian zones as commuters tried to avoid the dangers of crowded subways and buses. Paris and Barcelona have taken similar steps. Changes like these, which typically would take years, are being made practically overnight, British engineering firm Arup found. (And the pace of London’s program has prompted legal battles.) But Léan Doody, who leads the integrated cities and planning network for Europe for Arup, is optimistic about the changes. He said that although the pandemic had highlighted some of the deeper problems with urban life, it could actually prompt a push for improvement. “There is an opportunity” as the pandemic fades from view, to “introduce new behaviors,” she said. “Perhaps city authorities, transport authorities and employers could think about policies to make a vision of the future that actually works for everyone,” she said. Quantifying precisely how many people have left Europe’s cities is difficult, because the pandemic has complicated data collection. But a study published earlier this month estimated that nearly 700,000 people left London in the last year, mostly foreign-born workers who may also have been reacting to Brexit. However, London could be an outlier. A survey from Arup found that some 41% of Londoners had moved out of the city at some point in the pandemic, compared to around 10% in Madrid, Milan and Berlin and 20% in Paris. Real estate company Century 21 said over the summer that it had recorded a spike in interest in leaving Paris, but no “mass exodus.” Property reports revealed tech workers left Dublin en masse last year as remote work became widespread. Unaffordable housing was a pain point in many European cities even before the pandemic, which has both exposed and deepened inequality. But remote working is “loosening the link” between housing and employment, Doody said. Property prices in Dublin have exploded in recent years after a housing-market collapse in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis; a steep drop in supply has met with overwhelming demand, worsened by a rise in short-term rentals. Doody said plans by the Irish government to create a legal right for employees to request remote work could make strides toward easing the housing strains on Dublin while distributing high-earning workers elsewhere. Brendan McLoughlin, 29, a business analyst for Ireland’s national postal service, is among many whose job will remain at least partially remote; he plans to relocate from shared accommodation in Dublin to his own house in a port town north of the city this summer. “I think it’s forced this reevaluation of what matters in your setting and your home life,” he said. There is a strong view among social scientists and economists that the pandemic has only accelerated changes already underway in cities, deepening a “doughnut effect” in which high prices drive residents to the outskirts and turbocharging a formerly meandering trend toward remote work. But the more rapid shifts have focused the attention of urban authorities, who are increasingly addressing long-standing complaints about noise, air pollution, cramped apartments and stratospheric rents. In Paris, which was losing residents even before the pandemic, Mayor Anne Hidalgo had already been advocating the idea of the “15-minute city” — a vision of a future for neighborhoods that would assure all necessary amenities existed a short walk from people’s front doors. She made strides to cut car traffic in the city center and promote more green space. When the pandemic created a new urgency, Paris quickly turned the Rue de Rivoli, a main thoroughfare, into a multilane biking highway, cut traffic near schools to improve air quality and turned parking spaces into extended cafe seating. The city is now vowing to make some of its pandemic designs permanent. But finding the political will for lasting change will be a challenge, Rode said, and would depend to a great extent on the level of public engagement and acceptance. Malcolm Smith, an urban design fellow with Arup, argued in a recent report that the pandemic had already brought cities closer to the vision of the 15-minute city, and that there was now the potential to make less traffic, cleaner air and more time with family into more permanent features of urban life. “It has shone a light on the importance of developing cities in smaller modules, with essential services concentrated around community hubs,” he wrote. “In the 19th century, the response to cholera in London brought big infrastructure, the sewer network. I hope COVID-19 will lead to lots of smaller scale but widespread interventions.”

The pandemic emptied Europe's cities. What will bring people back?

Whitney Wolfe Herd, at 31 has become a billionaire after her dating company Bumble's market debut saw a 67 per cent jump in shares on Thursday,&nbsp;

On Thursday at 01:03 pm in New York, the dating app's shares soared 67 per cent to debut at USD 72 on the Nasdaq, taking Herd's stake at USD 1.6 billion.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/dating-app-bumble-to-remove-body-shamers-off-the-platform-359847">Dating app Bumble to remove body-shamers off the platform</a>

"Hopefully this will not be a rare headline," the CEO told Bloomberg after stamping her name in the high-profile list.&nbsp;

The dating app which gives a woman the upper hand earlier raised USD 2.2 billion in an initial public offering.&nbsp;

"It's the right thing to do, it's a priority for us and it should be a priority for everyone else," she said on company's unique women-led management.&nbsp;

Bumble is among a number of Silicon Valley tech startups, which are seeking to capitalise on record-breaking demand for new shares on US markets.

The company was founded in 2014 by Herd, who is also the co-founder of rival app Tinder.

She left Tinder 2014 and sued the co-founders of the company over sexual harassment.&nbsp;

Match Group Inc, Tinder's parent ground, denied the allegations but paid nearly USD 1 million to settle the issue.&nbsp;

Whitney Wolfe Herd, at 31 has become a billionaire after her dating company Bumble's market debut saw a 67 per cent jump in shares on Thursday, On Thursday at 01:03 pm in New York, the dating app's shares soared 67 per cent to debut at USD 72 on the Nasdaq, taking Herd's stake at USD 1.

Whitney Wolfe Herd, at 31 has become a billionaire after her dating company Bumble's market debut saw a 67 per cent jump in shares on Thursday, On Thursday at 01:03 pm in New York, the dating app's shares soared 67 per cent to debut at USD 72 on the Nasdaq, taking Herd's stake at USD 1.6 billion. Also read | Dating app Bumble to remove body-shamers off the platform "Hopefully this will not be a rare headline," the CEO told Bloomberg after stamping her name in the high-profile list. The dating app which gives a woman the upper hand earlier raised USD 2.2 billion in an initial public offering. "It's the right thing to do, it's a priority for us and it should be a priority for everyone else," she said on company's unique women-led management. Bumble is among a number of Silicon Valley tech startups, which are seeking to capitalise on record-breaking demand for new shares on US markets. The company was founded in 2014 by Herd, who is also the co-founder of rival app Tinder. She left Tinder 2014 and sued the co-founders of the company over sexual harassment. Match Group Inc, Tinder's parent ground, denied the allegations but paid nearly USD 1 million to settle the issue.

Bumble's 31-year-old CEO, who left Tinder over sexual harassment becomes billionaire

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