<p>Former Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti's nomination as US ambassador to India was approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in a 13-8 vote. The nomination will now head to the Senate floor for a full vote.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Todd Young and Bill Hagerty, the two Republican Senators, joined the Democrats and voted in favour of Garcetti as the key senatorial committee passed his name for the second time in as many years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We did see the action on the part of the Senate today. We heartily applaud that. US needs a confirmed Ambassador in India. Our team on the ground, including Charge d' Affaires, who have served in the place of an ambassador, have done extraordinary work," said Ned Price, US State Department spokesperson after the confirmation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With the Democrats gaining an advantage in the Senate after the November midterm elections, hopes have rekindled that Garcetti will earn his confirmation soon. He was renominated by President Joe Biden in January.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/garcetti-renominated-by-biden-will-india-finally-receive-its-us-envoy-after-two-years-549212" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: Garcetti renominated by Biden. Will India finally receive its US envoy after two years?</strong></a></p>

<p>Garcetti's name was first proposed in July 2021, a few months after Biden took office. However, since then, Garcetti has not been able to receive approval from the US Senate, primarily due to a sexual harassment controversy.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Democrat leader had served as Biden's co-chair during the presidential election campaign. He is still one of Biden's most significant political allies and at one time, he was seen as a potential part of the president's cabinet. However, the controversy proved to be a spanner in the job.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-ambassador-designate-to-india-eric-garcetti-will-actively-raise-human-rights-issue-437565"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;US ambassador-designate to India Eric Garcetti: Will actively raise Human Rights issue</strong></a></p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-ambassador-designate-to-india-eric-garcetti-will-actively-raise-human-rights-issue-437565/embed" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>The bilateral relations between the two countries are at a crucial juncture. The absence of a full-time envoy can have a negative impact as the ambassador acts as a bridge between the top hierarchy of the two countries during critical periods.</p>

<p>Usually, the absence of an ambassador is seen as a downgrade in ties. Countries often show displeasure over policy issues to foreign nations by recalling their envoys.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-what-is-the-controversy-surrounding-eric-garcetti-bidens-pick-for-us-envoy-to-india-566836" target="_blank"><strong>EXPLAINED | What is the controversy surrounding Eric Garcetti? Biden's pick for US envoy to India</strong></a></p>

<p>Ever since Kenneth Juster's departure as the US ambassador to India in January 2021, Washington has appointed six interim envoys. Currently,&nbsp;Elizabeth Jones is serving as&nbsp;the charge d'Affaires ad interim at its Embassy in Delhi.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


Former Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti's nomination as US ambassador to India was approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in a 13-8 vote. The nomination will now head to the Senate floor for a full vote.

Former Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti's nomination as US ambassador to India was approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in a 13-8 vote. The nomination will now head to the Senate floor for a full vote. Todd Young and Bill Hagerty, the two Republican Senators, joined the Democrats and voted in favour of Garcetti as the key senatorial committee passed his name for the second time in as many years. "We did see the action on the part of the Senate today. We heartily applaud that. US needs a confirmed Ambassador in India. Our team on the ground, including Charge d' Affaires, who have served in the place of an ambassador, have done extraordinary work," said Ned Price, US State Department spokesperson after the confirmation. With the Democrats gaining an advantage in the Senate after the November midterm elections, hopes have rekindled that Garcetti will earn his confirmation soon. He was renominated by President Joe Biden in January. Read more: Garcetti renominated by Biden. Will India finally receive its US envoy after two years? Garcetti's name was first proposed in July 2021, a few months after Biden took office. However, since then, Garcetti has not been able to receive approval from the US Senate, primarily due to a sexual harassment controversy. The Democrat leader had served as Biden's co-chair during the presidential election campaign. He is still one of Biden's most significant political allies and at one time, he was seen as a potential part of the president's cabinet. However, the controversy proved to be a spanner in the job. WATCH | US ambassador-designate to India Eric Garcetti: Will actively raise Human Rights issue The bilateral relations between the two countries are at a crucial juncture. The absence of a full-time envoy can have a negative impact as the ambassador acts as a bridge between the top hierarchy of the two countries during critical periods. Usually, the absence of an ambassador is seen as a downgrade in ties. Countries often show displeasure over policy issues to foreign nations by recalling their envoys. EXPLAINED | What is the controversy surrounding Eric Garcetti? Biden's pick for US envoy to India Ever since Kenneth Juster's departure as the US ambassador to India in January 2021, Washington has appointed six interim envoys. Currently, Elizabeth Jones is serving as the charge d'Affaires ad interim at its Embassy in Delhi. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Eric Garcetti, Biden's choice for ambassador to India, approved by key Senate committee

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<p>UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has defended the 'Illegal Migration Bill', currently tabled in the parliament saying it was about taking back 'control of our borders'. The Conservative leader was fielding questions from the opposition during the weekly Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) in the House of Commons.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Stopping the boats is not just my priority, it's the people's priority. Our position is clear, if you arrive here illegally you will not be able to claim asylum," argued Sunak.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"People must know that if they come here illegally it will result in their detention and swift removal. Once this happens, and they know it will happen - they will not come, and the boats will stop."&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-announces-law-to-stop-illegal-immigrants-569817"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;UK announces law to stop illegal immigrants</strong></a></p>

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<p>Sunak confirmed that his government will follow the same line of sending illegal immigrants to Rwanda. Notably, former interior minister in April last year had brought the 'Rwanda Asylum Policy' under which immigrants arriving in the UK through 'illegal' means would be sent to the African country of Rwanda to seek asylum.</p>

<p>"We will detain those who come here illegally and then remove them in weeks, either to their own country if it is safe to do so, or to a safe third country like Rwanda," said Sunak.<br />
<br />
"And once you are removed, you will be banned, as you are in America and Australia - from ever re-entering our country. This is how we will break the business model of the people smugglers; this is how we will take back control of our borders."</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-home-secretary-suella-braverman-lays-down-governments-illegal-migration-bill-before-house-of-commons-569591" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman lays down Illegal Migration Bill before House of Commons</strong></a></p>

<p>Home Secretary Suella Braverman earlier this week tabled the 'Illegal Migration Bill' before the House of Commons, to curb the menace of illegal aliens crossing the English Channel into the UK.&nbsp;Braverman said that countries like UK will face "unprecedented pressures" in the coming future if this persists.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Unless we act today, the problem will be worse tomorrow. And the problem is already unsustainable," she added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The immigration crisis reached a peak in 2022 when over 45,000 entered the UK, breaking&nbsp;the record of the previous year with more than 17,000.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has defended the 'Illegal Migration Bill', currently tabled in the parliament saying it was about taking back 'control of our borders'.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has defended the 'Illegal Migration Bill', currently tabled in the parliament saying it was about taking back 'control of our borders'. The Conservative leader was fielding questions from the opposition during the weekly Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) in the House of Commons. "Stopping the boats is not just my priority, it's the people's priority. Our position is clear, if you arrive here illegally you will not be able to claim asylum," argued Sunak. "People must know that if they come here illegally it will result in their detention and swift removal. Once this happens, and they know it will happen - they will not come, and the boats will stop." WATCH | UK announces law to stop illegal immigrants × Sunak confirmed that his government will follow the same line of sending illegal immigrants to Rwanda. Notably, former interior minister in April last year had brought the 'Rwanda Asylum Policy' under which immigrants arriving in the UK through 'illegal' means would be sent to the African country of Rwanda to seek asylum. "We will detain those who come here illegally and then remove them in weeks, either to their own country if it is safe to do so, or to a safe third country like Rwanda," said Sunak. "And once you are removed, you will be banned, as you are in America and Australia - from ever re-entering our country. This is how we will break the business model of the people smugglers; this is how we will take back control of our borders." Read more: UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman lays down Illegal Migration Bill before House of Commons Home Secretary Suella Braverman earlier this week tabled the 'Illegal Migration Bill' before the House of Commons, to curb the menace of illegal aliens crossing the English Channel into the UK. Braverman said that countries like UK will face "unprecedented pressures" in the coming future if this persists. "Unless we act today, the problem will be worse tomorrow. And the problem is already unsustainable," she added. The immigration crisis reached a peak in 2022 when over 45,000 entered the UK, breaking the record of the previous year with more than 17,000. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'We will detain': UK PM Rishi Sunak defends new bill for crackdown on illegal immigrants

<p>Thousands of users of Meta-owned Instagram faced difficulty accessing their accounts late Wednesday as the platform suffered a worldwide outage, according to Downdetector.com, a website that tracks service outages.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Over 27,000 incidents of users facing issues with the social media platform were reported. Over 50 per cent of complaints were regarding server connection outages while 20 per cent were about login issues.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Some 2,000 users were affected in the UK and more than 1,000 reported facing the issue in India and Australia. The outage lasted for hours before the issue was sorted. It is still unclear if the incident was caused by any technical issue or any other factor.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Netizens quickly took to Twitter to report the outage with one noting, "I think Instagram is down. All my other apps are working fine but Insta is saying it "can't refresh my feed" and "something went wrong please try again" but all my apps and shit are working."</p>

<p>Meanwhile, another said, "I got like a decade worth of posts on the gram. Slight fear thinking I got banned somehow."</p>

<p>Another section of netizens had a field day making memes about the outage. <strong>Here's a look at some of the memes:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Me trying to fix Instagram servers by myself <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/instagramdown?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#instagramdown</a> <a href="https://t.co/uMl4M5V91r">pic.twitter.com/uMl4M5V91r</a></p>
— Uncertified Lover Boy 🇭🇹🇯🇲 (@soynonoo) <a href="https://twitter.com/soynonoo/status/1633664759089225729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Me coming to Twitter every single time to see if <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Instagram?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Instagram</a> is down or to see if it’s just me. 🤷🏻‍♀️ <a href="https://t.co/ptPz8dCfAX">pic.twitter.com/ptPz8dCfAX</a></p>
— Courtney Woytko (@cdubbbb) <a href="https://twitter.com/cdubbbb/status/1633665311483351042?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">All of us anytime instagram is down <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/instagramdown?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#instagramdown</a> <a href="https://t.co/gTrHonVZ7l">pic.twitter.com/gTrHonVZ7l</a></p>
— cesar (@jebaiting) <a href="https://twitter.com/jebaiting/status/1633647930421956611?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">me after turning my wifi on and off for 10 minutes when it was actually instagram that's down. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/instagram?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#instagram</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/instagramdown?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#instagramdown</a> <a href="https://t.co/9jXMLFXPLr">pic.twitter.com/9jXMLFXPLr</a></p>
— sheryl (@sherylsethi) <a href="https://twitter.com/sherylsethi/status/1633649300831096833?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">WHY IS INSTAGRAM DOWN RIGHT NOW <a href="https://t.co/OwuOdWGCRu">pic.twitter.com/OwuOdWGCRu</a></p>
— zelda (@niallsburner) <a href="https://twitter.com/niallsburner/status/1633648117190107138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>Meta planning another round of layoffs</strong></p>

<p>The platform going dark comes in the backdrop of&nbsp;Meta planning another round of mass layoffs that could see thousands lose their jobs, according to a report by Bloomberg.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/meta-gears-up-for-fresh-round-of-firings-thousands-could-lose-jobs-report-569405"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;Meta gears up for fresh round of firings, thousands could lose jobs: Report</strong></a></p>

<p>A global slowdown and an impending recession have decreased the profit margins of nearly every tech giant and Meta - the world's largest social networking company - has borne the brunt of it as well.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The new round of firings was foreshadowed by Meta CEO Mark&nbsp;Zuckerberg himself, who hinted that more such layoffs were in the offing, as the company attempted to make itself leaner at the base level.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I obviously can’t sit here and promise you that nothing will happen in the future because it’s a very volatile environment,” said Zuckerberg before adding, “But what I can say is that for where we are right now, that’s what I foresee.”</p>

<p>Meta had slashed&nbsp;its 13 per cent workforce, or roughly 11,000 employees in November last year.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


Thousands of users of Meta-owned Instagram faced difficulty accessing their accounts late Wednesday as the platform suffered a worldwide outage, according to Downdetector.

Thousands of users of Meta-owned Instagram faced difficulty accessing their accounts late Wednesday as the platform suffered a worldwide outage, according to Downdetector.com, a website that tracks service outages. Over 27,000 incidents of users facing issues with the social media platform were reported. Over 50 per cent of complaints were regarding server connection outages while 20 per cent were about login issues. Some 2,000 users were affected in the UK and more than 1,000 reported facing the issue in India and Australia. The outage lasted for hours before the issue was sorted. It is still unclear if the incident was caused by any technical issue or any other factor. Netizens quickly took to Twitter to report the outage with one noting, "I think Instagram is down. All my other apps are working fine but Insta is saying it "can't refresh my feed" and "something went wrong please try again" but all my apps and shit are working." Meanwhile, another said, "I got like a decade worth of posts on the gram. Slight fear thinking I got banned somehow." Another section of netizens had a field day making memes about the outage. Here's a look at some of the memes: Me trying to fix Instagram servers by myself #instagramdown pic.twitter.com/uMl4M5V91r — Uncertified Lover Boy 🇭🇹🇯🇲 (@soynonoo) March 9, 2023 × Me coming to Twitter every single time to see if #Instagram is down or to see if it’s just me. 🤷🏻‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/ptPz8dCfAX — Courtney Woytko (@cdubbbb) March 9, 2023 × All of us anytime instagram is down #instagramdown pic.twitter.com/gTrHonVZ7l — cesar (@jebaiting) March 9, 2023 × me after turning my wifi on and off for 10 minutes when it was actually instagram that's down. #instagram #instagramdown pic.twitter.com/9jXMLFXPLr — sheryl (@sherylsethi) March 9, 2023 × WHY IS INSTAGRAM DOWN RIGHT NOW pic.twitter.com/OwuOdWGCRu — zelda (@niallsburner) March 9, 2023 × Meta planning another round of layoffs The platform going dark comes in the backdrop of Meta planning another round of mass layoffs that could see thousands lose their jobs, according to a report by Bloomberg. Read more: Meta gears up for fresh round of firings, thousands could lose jobs: Report A global slowdown and an impending recession have decreased the profit margins of nearly every tech giant and Meta - the world's largest social networking company - has borne the brunt of it as well. The new round of firings was foreshadowed by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg himself, who hinted that more such layoffs were in the offing, as the company attempted to make itself leaner at the base level. “I obviously can’t sit here and promise you that nothing will happen in the future because it’s a very volatile environment,” said Zuckerberg before adding, “But what I can say is that for where we are right now, that’s what I foresee.” Meta had slashed its 13 per cent workforce, or roughly 11,000 employees in November last year. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'Why is Instagram down?': Netizens confused as platform faces global outage

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<p>Days after opposition parties opened up a front, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that two agencies will probe the allegations of Chinese interference in the country's elections.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to Trudeau, the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) and the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA) will probe the matter. However, he added the caveat that neither of the investigations will be public.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While NSICOP will look into the election interference angle, NSIRA will assess how Canada's security agencies responded to the allegations and handled foreign interference.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Trudeau also announced the appointment of an Independent Special Rapporteur to probe classified reports about Chinese muddling in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I will be appointing an independent special rapporteur, who will have a wide mandate and make expert recommendations on combating interference and strengthening our democracy," Trudeau told reporters in Parliament Hil, Ottawa.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-on-camera-xi-jinping-confronts-justin-trudeau-534862"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas | On Camera: Xi Jinping confronts Justin Trudeau</strong></a></p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-on-camera-xi-jinping-confronts-justin-trudeau-534862/embed" width="560"></iframe></p>

<h2><strong>Opposition parties demand public inquiry&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Notably, last week, Canada's opposition parties pressured the Trudeau government to open a public inquiry into alleged election interference by China.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We want to know exactly what the Chinese authoritarian government did, and whether there were political parties aware of those actions or not,” said Pierre Poilievre, Conservative party leader.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Even after the announcement on Monday, the New Democrats criticised the NSICOP committee probe saying it was no substitute to a 'public inquiry'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The way to stop foreign actors from acting in secret is to refuse to keep their secrets," said Peter Julian, New Democrat MP.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-want-to-know-canadas-opposition-parties-calls-for-inquiry-into-chinese-interference-in-elections-567569" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: 'We want to know': Canada's opposition parties call for inquiry into Chinese interference in elections</strong></a></p>

<p>Meanwhile, the Chinese embassy has refuted all the claims about election interference.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“We are not interested in meddling with Canada’s internal affairs, nor have we ever tried to do so,” it said in an email.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tensions between the two countries reached a tipping point when Trudeau was given a dressing down by Chinese President Xi Jinping in front of cameras at the G20 summit in Indonesia last year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Xi scolded Trudeau for leaking details of a meeting where the Canadian prime minister brought up the issue of China interfering in Canada's affairs.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


Days after opposition parties opened up a front, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that two agencies will probe the allegations of Chinese interference in the country's elections.

Days after opposition parties opened up a front, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that two agencies will probe the allegations of Chinese interference in the country's elections. According to Trudeau, the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) and the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA) will probe the matter. However, he added the caveat that neither of the investigations will be public. While NSICOP will look into the election interference angle, NSIRA will assess how Canada's security agencies responded to the allegations and handled foreign interference. Trudeau also announced the appointment of an Independent Special Rapporteur to probe classified reports about Chinese muddling in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. "I will be appointing an independent special rapporteur, who will have a wide mandate and make expert recommendations on combating interference and strengthening our democracy," Trudeau told reporters in Parliament Hil, Ottawa. WATCH | Gravitas | On Camera: Xi Jinping confronts Justin Trudeau Opposition parties demand public inquiry Notably, last week, Canada's opposition parties pressured the Trudeau government to open a public inquiry into alleged election interference by China. "We want to know exactly what the Chinese authoritarian government did, and whether there were political parties aware of those actions or not,” said Pierre Poilievre, Conservative party leader. Even after the announcement on Monday, the New Democrats criticised the NSICOP committee probe saying it was no substitute to a 'public inquiry'. "The way to stop foreign actors from acting in secret is to refuse to keep their secrets," said Peter Julian, New Democrat MP. Read more: 'We want to know': Canada's opposition parties call for inquiry into Chinese interference in elections Meanwhile, the Chinese embassy has refuted all the claims about election interference. “We are not interested in meddling with Canada’s internal affairs, nor have we ever tried to do so,” it said in an email. Tensions between the two countries reached a tipping point when Trudeau was given a dressing down by Chinese President Xi Jinping in front of cameras at the G20 summit in Indonesia last year. Xi scolded Trudeau for leaking details of a meeting where the Canadian prime minister brought up the issue of China interfering in Canada's affairs. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Trudeau launches probe into Chinese interference in polls after receiving stick from opposition

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<p>Facebook's parent company Meta is planning another round of mass layoffs that could see thousands lose their jobs, according to a report by Bloomberg. The firings are expected to take place as early as next week, with those overseeing the developments looking to get it done before CEO Mark Zuckerberg goes on parental leave for the birth of his third child.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A global slowdown and an impending recession have decreased the profit margins of nearly every tech giant and Meta - the world's largest social networking company - has borne the brunt of it as well. The fresh firings come in the backdrop of Meta slashing its 13 per cent workforce, or roughly 11,000 employees in November last year.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/laid-off-meta-employees-at-loss-of-words-ask-for-work-opportunities-on-social-media-532946">Read more:</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/laid-off-meta-employees-at-loss-of-words-ask-for-work-opportunities-on-social-media-532946">Laid off Meta employees 'at loss of words', ask for work opportunities on social media</a></strong></p>

<p>The new round of firings was foreshadowed by Zuckerberg himself, who hinted that more such layoffs were in the offing, as the company attempted to make itself leaner at the base level.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I obviously can’t sit here and promise you that nothing will happen in the future because it’s a very volatile environment,” said Zuckerberg before adding, “But what I can say is that for where we are right now, that’s what I foresee.”</p>

<p>Zuckerberg has dubbed 2023 as the “year of efficiency” and keeping the motto in mind, the managers have given subpar ratings to the employees in the latest round of performance reviews. Experts believe that it has been done to make sure the layoff process goes on smoothly.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/another-round-of-jobs-cuts-at-meta-thousands-of-workers-could-be-impacted-reports-565005"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Another round of jobs cuts at Meta, thousands of workers could be impacted: Reports</strong></a></p>

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<p>“We’ve always had a goal-based culture of high performance, and our review process is intended to incentivise long-term thinking and high-quality work, while helping employees get actionable feedback,” a Meta spokesperson was quoted as saying by Wall Street Journal.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meta is not the only company to have announced mass layoffs. Amazon has already slashed its workforce by 18,000 while Google and Microsoft have culled their headcount by 12,000 and 10,000 respectively.</p>

<p>Companies like Twitter, HP Goldman Sachs, Phillips, Adobe, Lyft and Coinbase Global have also cumulatively fired over 14,000 employees.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/thousands-of-employees-at-facebook-parent-company-meta-receive-subpar-reviews-signals-more-job-cuts-reports-563268" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: Thousands of employees at Facebook parent company Meta receive subpar reviews, signals more job cuts: Reports</strong></a></p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Facebook's parent company Meta is planning another round of mass layoffs that could see thousands lose their jobs, according to a report by Bloomberg. The firings are expected to take place as early as next week, with those overseeing the developments looking to get it done before CEO Mark Zuckerberg goes on parental leave for the birth of his third child.

Facebook's parent company Meta is planning another round of mass layoffs that could see thousands lose their jobs, according to a report by Bloomberg. The firings are expected to take place as early as next week, with those overseeing the developments looking to get it done before CEO Mark Zuckerberg goes on parental leave for the birth of his third child. A global slowdown and an impending recession have decreased the profit margins of nearly every tech giant and Meta - the world's largest social networking company - has borne the brunt of it as well. The fresh firings come in the backdrop of Meta slashing its 13 per cent workforce, or roughly 11,000 employees in November last year. Read more: Laid off Meta employees 'at loss of words', ask for work opportunities on social media The new round of firings was foreshadowed by Zuckerberg himself, who hinted that more such layoffs were in the offing, as the company attempted to make itself leaner at the base level. “I obviously can’t sit here and promise you that nothing will happen in the future because it’s a very volatile environment,” said Zuckerberg before adding, “But what I can say is that for where we are right now, that’s what I foresee.” Zuckerberg has dubbed 2023 as the “year of efficiency” and keeping the motto in mind, the managers have given subpar ratings to the employees in the latest round of performance reviews. Experts believe that it has been done to make sure the layoff process goes on smoothly. WATCH | Another round of jobs cuts at Meta, thousands of workers could be impacted: Reports × “We’ve always had a goal-based culture of high performance, and our review process is intended to incentivise long-term thinking and high-quality work, while helping employees get actionable feedback,” a Meta spokesperson was quoted as saying by Wall Street Journal. Meta is not the only company to have announced mass layoffs. Amazon has already slashed its workforce by 18,000 while Google and Microsoft have culled their headcount by 12,000 and 10,000 respectively. Companies like Twitter, HP Goldman Sachs, Phillips, Adobe, Lyft and Coinbase Global have also cumulatively fired over 14,000 employees. Read more: Thousands of employees at Facebook parent company Meta receive subpar reviews, signals more job cuts: Reports (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Meta gears up for fresh round of firings, thousands could lose jobs: Report

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<p>China has refuted the claims suggesting it had supplied weapons to Russia in the ongoing war with Ukraine. Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang took a stern stance and said Beijing was being unfairly dragged into the conflict.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“China did not create the crisis. It is not a party to the crisis. And it has not provided weapons to either side of the conflict. Why on earth is there blame and sanctions on China? This is absolutely unacceptable," Qin told reporters on the sidelines of China's annual parliamentary meeting.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“There seems to be an invisible hand pushing for the protraction and escalation of the conflict,” he said before adding, “Ukraine crisis is a tragedy that could have been avoided."</p>

<p>China and Russia have a relatively close working relationship. After Russia suffered setbacks in the war, news reports suggested that China had started delivering weapons to Kremlin - a claim that has not been proven so far.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-tells-united-states-to-not-cross-the-red-line-on-taiwan-question-569441"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;China tells United States to not cross the 'red line' on Taiwan question</strong></a></p>

<p>The Chinese minister added that reason and dialogue were required to solve the situation instead of imposing sanctions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Conflict, sanctions and pressure will not solve the problem. What is needed is calmness, reason and dialogue while respecting the legitimate security concerns of all parties.”</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-releases-12-point-policy-paper-on-russia-ukraine-war-565299"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;China releases 12-point policy paper on Russia-Ukraine war</strong></a></p>

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<p>The US, however, continues to allege that China is supplying arms through clandestine means. In January, the Biden administration imposed sanctions on a Chinese firm named Changsha Tianyi Space Science and Technology Research Institute for allegedly supplying satellite images to Putin's private militia, the Wagner group.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“These images were gathered in order to enable Wagner combat operations in Ukraine,” read a statement released by the treasury department.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/antony-blinken-claims-plans-to-send-lethal-support-to-russia-for-the-ukraine-war-563737" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: China planning to send 'lethal support' to Russia for the Ukraine war, claims Blinken</strong></a></p>

<p>US Secretary of State Antony Blinken last month met top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi at the Munich Security Conference and warned him of consequences if China supplied the arms. Shortly after the meeting, Blinken gave an interview and doubled down on the warning.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"One of the things that I shared with him (Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi) was a growing concern on our part, that China is considering providing lethal support to Russia in its aggression against Ukraine."&nbsp;</p>

<p>While allegations fly left, right and centre, Chinese media is reporting that Xi Jinping might visit Putin after the culmination of the Chinese parliament next week. Putin had previously extended an official invitation to Xi.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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China has refuted the claims suggesting it had supplied weapons to Russia in the ongoing war with Ukraine. Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang took a stern stance and said Beijing was being unfairly dragged into the conflict.

China has refuted the claims suggesting it had supplied weapons to Russia in the ongoing war with Ukraine. Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang took a stern stance and said Beijing was being unfairly dragged into the conflict. “China did not create the crisis. It is not a party to the crisis. And it has not provided weapons to either side of the conflict. Why on earth is there blame and sanctions on China? This is absolutely unacceptable," Qin told reporters on the sidelines of China's annual parliamentary meeting. “There seems to be an invisible hand pushing for the protraction and escalation of the conflict,” he said before adding, “Ukraine crisis is a tragedy that could have been avoided." China and Russia have a relatively close working relationship. After Russia suffered setbacks in the war, news reports suggested that China had started delivering weapons to Kremlin - a claim that has not been proven so far. Read more: China tells United States to not cross the 'red line' on Taiwan question The Chinese minister added that reason and dialogue were required to solve the situation instead of imposing sanctions. “Conflict, sanctions and pressure will not solve the problem. What is needed is calmness, reason and dialogue while respecting the legitimate security concerns of all parties.” WATCH | China releases 12-point policy paper on Russia-Ukraine war × The US, however, continues to allege that China is supplying arms through clandestine means. In January, the Biden administration imposed sanctions on a Chinese firm named Changsha Tianyi Space Science and Technology Research Institute for allegedly supplying satellite images to Putin's private militia, the Wagner group. “These images were gathered in order to enable Wagner combat operations in Ukraine,” read a statement released by the treasury department. Read more: China planning to send 'lethal support' to Russia for the Ukraine war, claims Blinken US Secretary of State Antony Blinken last month met top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi at the Munich Security Conference and warned him of consequences if China supplied the arms. Shortly after the meeting, Blinken gave an interview and doubled down on the warning. "One of the things that I shared with him (Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi) was a growing concern on our part, that China is considering providing lethal support to Russia in its aggression against Ukraine." While allegations fly left, right and centre, Chinese media is reporting that Xi Jinping might visit Putin after the culmination of the Chinese parliament next week. Putin had previously extended an official invitation to Xi. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'Why on earth...': Chinese FM quashes rumours of supplying weapons to Russia

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<p>Canadian siblings Adiah and Adrial Nadarajah have been named by Guinness as the world's most premature twins, born at 22 weeks or 126 days early. The Canadian brother and sister have overtaken the record, previously held by twins Keeley and Kambry Ewoldt, born in 2018 in the US state of Iowa at 125 days.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Usually, pregnancy lasts for 40 weeks but Shakina Rajendram, the mother went into labour after just 21 weeks and five days. Four months early into her pregnancy, the doctors gave a zero per cent chance of survival to the babies.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“When I went into labour, the babies were denied all life-sustaining measures at the hospital I was admitted to and almost left to die,” revealed Rajendram before adding, "We were in shock."</p>

<p>As a rule of thumb, most hospitals do not attempt to save babies born before 24 to 26 weeks. According to a BBC report, Rajendram was told that if her babies were born, even a few minutes before 22 weeks, the doctors would not save them and they will be left to die.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-woman-sets-guinness-world-record-runs-ultramarathon-for-23-consecutive-days-568576"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;US: Woman sets Guinness World Record; runs ultramarathon for 23 consecutive days</strong></a></p>

<p>When all hope was seemingly lost, the couple was accepted by the Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto which had a dedicated&nbsp;neonatal intensive care unit. The situation, however, still remained grim.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Facing a life-and-death situation, Rajendram, on the second day of her labour tried&nbsp;to hold the babies for as long as possible. However, 15 minutes after midnight and less than two hours after entering 22 weeks inside the womb, Rajendram's water broke and the babies were born.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The twins had a combined weight of 750 grams which also made them the ‘lightest twins at birth’.&nbsp;"We watched the babies almost die before our eyes many times,"&nbsp;Rajendram told Guinness.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/dogs-of-chernobyl-scientists-look-for-genetic-effects-of-radiation-in-canines-around-the-nuclear-plant-568528"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;</strong></a><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/dogs-of-chernobyl-scientists-look-for-genetic-effects-of-radiation-in-canines-around-the-nuclear-plant-568528">Dogs of Chernobyl: Scientists look for genetic effects of radiation in canines around the nuclear plant</a></strong></p>

<p>Even after the babies were born, the fight was not over. The little kids had to battle a host of health complications ranging from lung disease to brain bleeding to sepsis to fluid management to breathing issues.</p>

<p>However, after six months in the hospital - the babies managed to hold their own and recently celebrated their first birthday.&nbsp;Guinness released a video documenting the journey of the parents and the kids.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Canadian siblings Adiah and Adrial Nadarajah have been named by Guinness as the world's most premature twins, born at 22 weeks or 126 days early. The Canadian brother and sister have overtaken the record, previously held by twins Keeley and Kambry Ewoldt, born in 2018 in the US state of Iowa at 125 days.

Canadian siblings Adiah and Adrial Nadarajah have been named by Guinness as the world's most premature twins, born at 22 weeks or 126 days early. The Canadian brother and sister have overtaken the record, previously held by twins Keeley and Kambry Ewoldt, born in 2018 in the US state of Iowa at 125 days. Usually, pregnancy lasts for 40 weeks but Shakina Rajendram, the mother went into labour after just 21 weeks and five days. Four months early into her pregnancy, the doctors gave a zero per cent chance of survival to the babies. “When I went into labour, the babies were denied all life-sustaining measures at the hospital I was admitted to and almost left to die,” revealed Rajendram before adding, "We were in shock." As a rule of thumb, most hospitals do not attempt to save babies born before 24 to 26 weeks. According to a BBC report, Rajendram was told that if her babies were born, even a few minutes before 22 weeks, the doctors would not save them and they will be left to die. Read more: US: Woman sets Guinness World Record; runs ultramarathon for 23 consecutive days When all hope was seemingly lost, the couple was accepted by the Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto which had a dedicated neonatal intensive care unit. The situation, however, still remained grim. Facing a life-and-death situation, Rajendram, on the second day of her labour tried to hold the babies for as long as possible. However, 15 minutes after midnight and less than two hours after entering 22 weeks inside the womb, Rajendram's water broke and the babies were born. The twins had a combined weight of 750 grams which also made them the ‘lightest twins at birth’. "We watched the babies almost die before our eyes many times," Rajendram told Guinness. Read more: Dogs of Chernobyl: Scientists look for genetic effects of radiation in canines around the nuclear plant Even after the babies were born, the fight was not over. The little kids had to battle a host of health complications ranging from lung disease to brain bleeding to sepsis to fluid management to breathing issues. However, after six months in the hospital - the babies managed to hold their own and recently celebrated their first birthday. Guinness released a video documenting the journey of the parents and the kids. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Canadian siblings given 0% chance of survival now hold Guinness record for world's most premature twins

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<p>Climate activists against the proposed Willow oil and gas drilling project in the northwest US State of Alaska have started online protests as the Biden administration mulls greenlighting it. A Change.org petition has been started which has already garnered nearly three million signatures.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Last week, environmental activists gathered outside the White House and called on President Joe Biden to abort the project. Proposed by ConocoPhillips’, it will be the largest single oil development project under the Biden administration, if granted the nod.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It is a $6 billion project, located inside the National Petroleum Reserve which is a 23 million-acre area and holds an estimated 600 million barrels of oil. The project aims to pump oil for the next 30 years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Those in favour of the project argue that it could help Alaska get its economy back on track as the drilling industry has shrunk significantly in the last few decades. Experts say the project has the capability to deliver up to $17 billion in revenue for federal and state governments and local Alaska communities.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/biden-going-back-on-promises-to-fight-climate-change-activists-rally-against-alaska-oil-project-569392" target="_blank"><strong>WATCH | Biden going back on promises to fight climate change? Activists rally against Alaska oil project</strong></a></p>

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<p>Alaska's Republican Senator Dan Sullivan urged the Biden administration to fast-track the project. He said ConocoPhillips will be able to start the project immediately after the Department of Interior gave its nod.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, given the warming temperatures in the Arctic region, starting a drilling project could have serious ramifications. Thus, many have dubbed it as the ultimate test of Biden's environmental policies.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Last month, the Biden administration said it would support a scaled-back version of the project. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has already narrowed the scope of the project by reducing the number of drilling pads from five to three. Reducing the count below three would make the project economically unviable.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The project was first approved by the Trump administration but a federal judge put a stay on the decision in 2021, saying the environmental analysis was flawed.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Climate activists against the proposed Willow oil and gas drilling project in the northwest US State of Alaska have started online protests as the Biden administration mulls greenlighting it.

Climate activists against the proposed Willow oil and gas drilling project in the northwest US State of Alaska have started online protests as the Biden administration mulls greenlighting it. A Change.org petition has been started which has already garnered nearly three million signatures. Last week, environmental activists gathered outside the White House and called on President Joe Biden to abort the project. Proposed by ConocoPhillips’, it will be the largest single oil development project under the Biden administration, if granted the nod. It is a $6 billion project, located inside the National Petroleum Reserve which is a 23 million-acre area and holds an estimated 600 million barrels of oil. The project aims to pump oil for the next 30 years. Those in favour of the project argue that it could help Alaska get its economy back on track as the drilling industry has shrunk significantly in the last few decades. Experts say the project has the capability to deliver up to $17 billion in revenue for federal and state governments and local Alaska communities. WATCH | Biden going back on promises to fight climate change? Activists rally against Alaska oil project × Alaska's Republican Senator Dan Sullivan urged the Biden administration to fast-track the project. He said ConocoPhillips will be able to start the project immediately after the Department of Interior gave its nod. However, given the warming temperatures in the Arctic region, starting a drilling project could have serious ramifications. Thus, many have dubbed it as the ultimate test of Biden's environmental policies. Last month, the Biden administration said it would support a scaled-back version of the project. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has already narrowed the scope of the project by reducing the number of drilling pads from five to three. Reducing the count below three would make the project economically unviable. The project was first approved by the Trump administration but a federal judge put a stay on the decision in 2021, saying the environmental analysis was flawed. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Protests mount against Alaska oil project as Biden administration faces dilemma

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<p>The Russia-Ukraine war has come as a blessing in disguise for the South Korean defence industry. The country has earned billions without becoming directly involved in the war or associated in any capacity with the two warring factions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Last year, S Korea's defence exports rose to $17.3 billion, which is an upswing of over 140 per cent, compared to 2021, according to Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade (KIET). The exports included the sale of fighter jets, self-propelled howitzers, tanks and multiple rocket launchers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Despite not directly supplying weapons to Ukraine, so as not to antagonise Moscow, S Korea is doing its part of the bidding by arming allies. It has supplied weapons worth $12.4 billion to Poland which has been against Russia from the beginning. Romania, another NATO nation is also in the middle of a negotiation to buy S Korean K9s.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-south-koreas-arms-sales-explode-536584" target="_blank"><strong>WATCH | Gravitas: South Korea's arms sales explode</strong></a></p>

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<p>The smart play by S Korean government keeping its national and economic interests in mind has gained the appreciation of domain experts. The country is still unwavering in support of its main ally Washington but has also managed to keep Kremline, relatively neutral.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The astronomic rise in export numbers is keeping in line with the vision of S Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol who is determined to make his country the fourth-largest weapons exporter by 2027.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The defence industry is a new future growth engine and the pivot of the high-tech industry. With the intensifying competition for technological supremacy, we need to secure technological competitiveness to develop game-changing weapon systems for future wars," he said in a meeting held at Korea Aerospace Industries last year.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-unveils-kill-web-concept-amid-rising-tensions-with-north-korea-569172"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;South Korea unveils ‘Kill Web’ concept amid rising tensions with North Korea</strong></a></p>

<p>According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, between 2017 and 2021, among the world's top 25 arms exporting countries, S Korea was the fastest-growing export market.&nbsp;</p>

<p>S Korea has started 2023 on a positive note as well. In one of the most lucrative deals ever, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) sealed a $920 million (1.2 trillion won) deal to export 18 FA-50 light-attack aircraft to Malaysia. KAI is S Korea's sole aircraft maker.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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The Russia-Ukraine war has come as a blessing in disguise for the South Korean defence industry. The country has earned billions without becoming directly involved in the war or associated in any capacity with the two warring factions.

The Russia-Ukraine war has come as a blessing in disguise for the South Korean defence industry. The country has earned billions without becoming directly involved in the war or associated in any capacity with the two warring factions. Last year, S Korea's defence exports rose to $17.3 billion, which is an upswing of over 140 per cent, compared to 2021, according to Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade (KIET). The exports included the sale of fighter jets, self-propelled howitzers, tanks and multiple rocket launchers. Despite not directly supplying weapons to Ukraine, so as not to antagonise Moscow, S Korea is doing its part of the bidding by arming allies. It has supplied weapons worth $12.4 billion to Poland which has been against Russia from the beginning. Romania, another NATO nation is also in the middle of a negotiation to buy S Korean K9s. WATCH | Gravitas: South Korea's arms sales explode × The smart play by S Korean government keeping its national and economic interests in mind has gained the appreciation of domain experts. The country is still unwavering in support of its main ally Washington but has also managed to keep Kremline, relatively neutral. The astronomic rise in export numbers is keeping in line with the vision of S Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol who is determined to make his country the fourth-largest weapons exporter by 2027. "The defence industry is a new future growth engine and the pivot of the high-tech industry. With the intensifying competition for technological supremacy, we need to secure technological competitiveness to develop game-changing weapon systems for future wars," he said in a meeting held at Korea Aerospace Industries last year. Read more: South Korea unveils ‘Kill Web’ concept amid rising tensions with North Korea According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, between 2017 and 2021, among the world's top 25 arms exporting countries, S Korea was the fastest-growing export market. S Korea has started 2023 on a positive note as well. In one of the most lucrative deals ever, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) sealed a $920 million (1.2 trillion won) deal to export 18 FA-50 light-attack aircraft to Malaysia. KAI is S Korea's sole aircraft maker. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

South Korea makes merry amid Russia-Ukraine war, records $17.3 billion in arms sales

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidxTftoouoL92I" /><meta charset="utf-8" />Zoox, a subsidiary of Amazon has caught itself on a sticky wicket after a US auto safety regulator opened up an investigation to examine how the company self-certified its robotaxi to meet federal requirements.&nbsp;</p>

<p>National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is suspicious that Zoox's self-certification 'depended upon unilaterally developed test procedures or determinations that certain standards were inapplicable due to the unique configuration of the vehicle', according to a Reuters report.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Notably, to receive the approval, NHTSA sets a requirement that the company attempts to meet b developing its own process. The regulator had asked the company in September last year on what basis it certified its vehicle but the review has been pending since then.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-climate-tracker-electric-vehicle-production-set-to-surge-in-2023-544562"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;WION Climate Tracker: Electric vehicle production set to surge in 2023</strong></a></p>

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<p>After NHTSA launched the probe, Zoox released a statement and said it was confident in its self-certification process.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We are committed to working closely with NHTSA on the questions they have, and we remain confident in our self-certification process and data," said Christopher Nalevanko, Zook's general counsel.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The opening up of the probe comes nearly a month after the company's autonomous car took to the streets of California carrying passengers without any manual control. The electric car, which does not have a steering wheel or pedal, shuttled between Zoox's two main buildings in Foster City.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/amazons-robotaxi-without-steering-wheel-rolls-in-californias-streets-for-the-first-time-561753" target="_blank"><strong>WATCH: Amazon-owned Zoox's robotaxi without steering wheel rolls in California's streets for the first time</strong></a></p>

<p>Unlike other conventional EVs, Zoox is developing a bidirectional vehicle with no steering wheel or discernible front or back end. It allows the car to comfortably travel in either direction. The unique specifications of the car may have allowed Zoox to circumvent a few of the requirements set by the NHTSA, according to experts.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Amazon acquired Zoox in 2020 for an undisclosed amount to foray into the electric vehicles market. While Zoox is yet to disclose how many vehicles it has developed for its test fleet, industry insiders say the Amazon-owned company has dozens, if not 100 cars.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The rollout of the car for public use still seems pretty distant but the company, founded nine years ago is optimistic that it can achieve a breakthrough. However, the NHTSA probe may have thrown a spanner in the works.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Zoox, a subsidiary of Amazon has caught itself on a sticky wicket after a US auto safety regulator opened up an investigation to examine how the company self-certified its robotaxi to meet federal requirements.

Zoox, a subsidiary of Amazon has caught itself on a sticky wicket after a US auto safety regulator opened up an investigation to examine how the company self-certified its robotaxi to meet federal requirements. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is suspicious that Zoox's self-certification 'depended upon unilaterally developed test procedures or determinations that certain standards were inapplicable due to the unique configuration of the vehicle', according to a Reuters report. Notably, to receive the approval, NHTSA sets a requirement that the company attempts to meet b developing its own process. The regulator had asked the company in September last year on what basis it certified its vehicle but the review has been pending since then. WATCH | WION Climate Tracker: Electric vehicle production set to surge in 2023 After NHTSA launched the probe, Zoox released a statement and said it was confident in its self-certification process. "We are committed to working closely with NHTSA on the questions they have, and we remain confident in our self-certification process and data," said Christopher Nalevanko, Zook's general counsel. The opening up of the probe comes nearly a month after the company's autonomous car took to the streets of California carrying passengers without any manual control. The electric car, which does not have a steering wheel or pedal, shuttled between Zoox's two main buildings in Foster City. WATCH: Amazon-owned Zoox's robotaxi without steering wheel rolls in California's streets for the first time Unlike other conventional EVs, Zoox is developing a bidirectional vehicle with no steering wheel or discernible front or back end. It allows the car to comfortably travel in either direction. The unique specifications of the car may have allowed Zoox to circumvent a few of the requirements set by the NHTSA, according to experts. Amazon acquired Zoox in 2020 for an undisclosed amount to foray into the electric vehicles market. While Zoox is yet to disclose how many vehicles it has developed for its test fleet, industry insiders say the Amazon-owned company has dozens, if not 100 cars. The rollout of the car for public use still seems pretty distant but the company, founded nine years ago is optimistic that it can achieve a breakthrough. However, the NHTSA probe may have thrown a spanner in the works. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

US auto regulator opens up a probe into Amazon-owned Zoox's robotaxi self-certification

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<p>In what comes as a first, five pregnant women who were denied abortions despite grave risks to their lives have sued the state of Texas in the US. Center for Reproductive Rights has backed the lawsuit filed and it is the first time that pregnant women have decided to take legal action themselves against the restrictive abortion practices, according to a New York Times report.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The conservative-dominated US Supreme Court in June last year declared that individual states can now legalise or restrict the procedure on their own, overturning the historic "Roe v. Wade" ruling from 1973 that established a woman's right to an abortion.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Since then, Texas, a historically Red state has banned abortions, barring a few exceptions which a physician determines on his sole authority. In the suit, the women have asked the court to clearly clarify what are the exceptions and under what conditions abortion can be granted to one.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/louisiana-woman-carrying-skull-less-foetus-travels-over-2000-km-to-new-york-to-get-abortion-516256"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;</strong></a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/louisiana-woman-carrying-skull-less-foetus-travels-over-2000-km-to-new-york-to-get-abortion-516256" target="_blank"><strong>Louisiana woman carrying skull-less foetus travels over 2,000 km to New York for abortion</strong></a></p>

<p>Two of the women who sought abortion had fetuses with no skull and yet they were not granted abortion despite scurrying across state borders to seek treatment. Amanda Zurawski, one of the plaintiffs added that the back-and-forth caused tremendous damage to her body. She became septic twice and her fallopian tubes have been permanently closed due to scar tissue.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“You don’t think you’re somebody who’s going to need an abortion, let alone an abortion to save my life. If anybody reads my story, I don’t care where they are on the political spectrum, very few people would agree there is anything pro-life about this," Zurawski was quoted as saying by the publication.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-us-supreme-court-strikes-down-abortion-rights-491507"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: US Supreme Court strikes down abortion rights</strong></a></p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-us-supreme-court-strikes-down-abortion-rights-491507/embed" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general, named as a defendant in the suit has been&nbsp;a staunch advocate of no&nbsp;abortion practices in the state.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“We’re not going to allow left-wing bureaucrats in Washington to transform our hospitals and emergency rooms into walk-in abortion clinics," he said last year when the court passed its decision.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After the five women filed the lawsuit, Paxton's office released a statement and reiterated the same position,&nbsp;“Now that the Supreme Court has finally overturned Roe, I will do everything in my power to protect mothers, families, and unborn children, and to uphold the state laws duly enacted by the Texas Legislature.”</p>

<p>The women are not challenging to overturn state ban on abortion, albeit they simply want transparency on the conditions when a physician can deem the woman fit for an abortion - when it is clear the pregnancy poses a danger to her body.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to experts, the US Supreme Court's overturn of Roe v. Wade goes against a global trend that has seen abortion restrictions loosen up, particularly in nations like India, Ireland, Argentina, Mexico, and Colombia where the Catholic Church continues to have significant sway.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


In what comes as a first, five pregnant women who were denied abortions despite grave risks to their lives have sued the state of Texas in the US. Center for Reproductive Rights has backed the lawsuit filed and it is the first time that pregnant women have decided to take legal action themselves against the restrictive abortion practices, according to a New York Times report.

In what comes as a first, five pregnant women who were denied abortions despite grave risks to their lives have sued the state of Texas in the US. Center for Reproductive Rights has backed the lawsuit filed and it is the first time that pregnant women have decided to take legal action themselves against the restrictive abortion practices, according to a New York Times report. The conservative-dominated US Supreme Court in June last year declared that individual states can now legalise or restrict the procedure on their own, overturning the historic "Roe v. Wade" ruling from 1973 that established a woman's right to an abortion. Since then, Texas, a historically Red state has banned abortions, barring a few exceptions which a physician determines on his sole authority. In the suit, the women have asked the court to clearly clarify what are the exceptions and under what conditions abortion can be granted to one. Read more: Louisiana woman carrying skull-less foetus travels over 2,000 km to New York for abortion Two of the women who sought abortion had fetuses with no skull and yet they were not granted abortion despite scurrying across state borders to seek treatment. Amanda Zurawski, one of the plaintiffs added that the back-and-forth caused tremendous damage to her body. She became septic twice and her fallopian tubes have been permanently closed due to scar tissue. “You don’t think you’re somebody who’s going to need an abortion, let alone an abortion to save my life. If anybody reads my story, I don’t care where they are on the political spectrum, very few people would agree there is anything pro-life about this," Zurawski was quoted as saying by the publication. WATCH | Gravitas: US Supreme Court strikes down abortion rights Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general, named as a defendant in the suit has been a staunch advocate of no abortion practices in the state. “We’re not going to allow left-wing bureaucrats in Washington to transform our hospitals and emergency rooms into walk-in abortion clinics," he said last year when the court passed its decision. After the five women filed the lawsuit, Paxton's office released a statement and reiterated the same position, “Now that the Supreme Court has finally overturned Roe, I will do everything in my power to protect mothers, families, and unborn children, and to uphold the state laws duly enacted by the Texas Legislature.” The women are not challenging to overturn state ban on abortion, albeit they simply want transparency on the conditions when a physician can deem the woman fit for an abortion - when it is clear the pregnancy poses a danger to her body. According to experts, the US Supreme Court's overturn of Roe v. Wade goes against a global trend that has seen abortion restrictions loosen up, particularly in nations like India, Ireland, Argentina, Mexico, and Colombia where the Catholic Church continues to have significant sway. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

In a first, five pregnant women sue the state of Texas over abortion ban

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<p>Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed a limestone sphinx-like statue with a smiley face and two dimples, near the Hathor Temple, 500 kilometres south of the capital city of Cairo.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The artefact was found inside a two-level tomb near the temple and could be a stylised representation of an ancient Roman emperor, the antiquities authorities said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The archaeologists believe that the statue may be depicting Roman emperor Claudius who ruled between 41 and 54 AD and extended Rome's empire into North Africa.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“It is a beautifully and accurately carved sphinx. Primary examination of the statue shows that it could belong to the Roman emperor Claudianoius,” said&nbsp;Mamdouh El-Damaty,&nbsp;professor of Egyptology at Ain Shams University.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Apart from the smiling statue, the archaeologists also stumbled upon a Roman-era slab with demotic and hieroglyphic inscriptions.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/trending-on-wion-egypt-discovers-hidden-corridor-in-great-pyramid-of-giza-568256" target="_blank"><strong>WATCH | Trending on WION: Egypt discovers hidden corridor in Great Pyramid of Giza</strong></a></p>

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<p>Though the statue is comparatively much smaller than the widely popular Sphinx in the Pyramids of Giza which stands tall at 20 metres, the archaeologists will continue their research to reveal more information about its identity. Deciphering the slab may shed important information about the statue, the ministry noted.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Notably, the Hathor Temple where the discovery has been made housed the famous Dendera Zodiac - an ancient bas-relief temple ceiling carved with mysterious celestial symbols.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The map was blasted out of the temple by a Frenchman named Sebastien Louis Saulnier and since 1922, it has been on display at the Louvre in Paris. Cairo, on numerous occasions, has demanded that the French government return the property.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The discovery comes days after a hidden corridor was discovered close to the main entrance of the Great Pyramid of Giza.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/egypt-discovers-hidden-corridor-in-great-pyramid-of-giza-567803" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: Egypt discovers hidden corridor in Great Pyramid of Giza</strong></a></p>

<p>The discovery within the pyramid was made under the Scan Pyramids project. The project, kickstarted in 2015, has been using non-invasive technology including infrared thermography, 3D simulations and cosmic-ray imaging to peer inside the structure.</p>

<p>According to Mostafa Waziri, head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, the unfinished corridor was created to redistribute the pyramid's weight around either the main entrance or around another as yet undiscovered chamber or space</p>

<p>The series of announcements in recent weeks, however, has made experts wary about the intentions of the Egyptian government. Some believe that the government is attempting to drive up tourism in the region by making such announcements which are more economically motivated than scientific.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed a limestone sphinx-like statue with a smiley face and two dimples, near the Hathor Temple, 500 kilometres south of the capital city of Cairo.

Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed a limestone sphinx-like statue with a smiley face and two dimples, near the Hathor Temple, 500 kilometres south of the capital city of Cairo. The artefact was found inside a two-level tomb near the temple and could be a stylised representation of an ancient Roman emperor, the antiquities authorities said. The archaeologists believe that the statue may be depicting Roman emperor Claudius who ruled between 41 and 54 AD and extended Rome's empire into North Africa. “It is a beautifully and accurately carved sphinx. Primary examination of the statue shows that it could belong to the Roman emperor Claudianoius,” said Mamdouh El-Damaty, professor of Egyptology at Ain Shams University. Apart from the smiling statue, the archaeologists also stumbled upon a Roman-era slab with demotic and hieroglyphic inscriptions. WATCH | Trending on WION: Egypt discovers hidden corridor in Great Pyramid of Giza × Though the statue is comparatively much smaller than the widely popular Sphinx in the Pyramids of Giza which stands tall at 20 metres, the archaeologists will continue their research to reveal more information about its identity. Deciphering the slab may shed important information about the statue, the ministry noted. Notably, the Hathor Temple where the discovery has been made housed the famous Dendera Zodiac - an ancient bas-relief temple ceiling carved with mysterious celestial symbols. The map was blasted out of the temple by a Frenchman named Sebastien Louis Saulnier and since 1922, it has been on display at the Louvre in Paris. Cairo, on numerous occasions, has demanded that the French government return the property. The discovery comes days after a hidden corridor was discovered close to the main entrance of the Great Pyramid of Giza. Read more: Egypt discovers hidden corridor in Great Pyramid of Giza The discovery within the pyramid was made under the Scan Pyramids project. The project, kickstarted in 2015, has been using non-invasive technology including infrared thermography, 3D simulations and cosmic-ray imaging to peer inside the structure. According to Mostafa Waziri, head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, the unfinished corridor was created to redistribute the pyramid's weight around either the main entrance or around another as yet undiscovered chamber or space The series of announcements in recent weeks, however, has made experts wary about the intentions of the Egyptian government. Some believe that the government is attempting to drive up tourism in the region by making such announcements which are more economically motivated than scientific. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

RARE! Sphinx-like Roman-era statue with dimples and smiley face unearthed in Egypt

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