In an unfortunate incident, six people,&nbsp;including two pilots were killed in a helicopter crash in North India's Uttarakhand on Tuesday. The helicopter was carrying pilgrims from the holy Hindu site of Kedarnath to&nbsp;Guptkashi.

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA),&nbsp;the regulatory body for civil aviation in India said the accident might have occurred due to bad weather.&nbsp;

“A Bell 407 helicopter VT-RPN belonging to a Delhi based NSOP holder M/s Aryan Aviation has crashed on way from Kedarnath to Guptkashi, possibly due to bad weather. Total number of passengers six and one Pilot were on board," said DGCA, based on preliminary info.&nbsp;

Prime Minister's Office released a statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi where he paid his condolences.&nbsp;

"Anguished by the helicopter crash in Uttarakhand. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the bereaved families: PM @narendramodi"

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Anguished by the helicopter crash in Uttarakhand. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the bereaved families: PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a>
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/1582279921959043073?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M. Scindia took to Twitter to state the centre was in touch with the Uttarakhand government regarding the crash.&nbsp;

"The helicopter crash in Kedarnath is extremely unfortunate. We are in touch with the State government to ascertain the magnitude of the loss and are constantly monitoring the situation," tweeted&nbsp;Scindia.&nbsp;

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The helicopter crash in Kedarnath is extremely unfortunate. We are in touch with the State government to ascertain the magnitude of the loss, and are constantly monitoring the situation.
— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) <a href="https://twitter.com/JM_Scindia/status/1582261985676169217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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"Received the tragic news&nbsp;of some casualties in an unfortunate helicopter crash at Garuda Garud Chatti near Kedarnath. SDRF and district administration teams have reached the spot for relief and rescue work. A detailed inquiry has been ordered into this tragic incident," tweeted Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.&nbsp;

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केदारनाथ के समीप गरुड़ चट्टी में दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण हेलीकॉप्टर क्रैश में कुछ लोगों के हताहत होने का अत्यंत दु:खद समाचार प्राप्त हुआ है। राहत और बचाव कार्य हेतु SDRF और जिला प्रशासन की टीम घटनास्थल पर पहुंच चुकी है। इस दु:खद घटना के विस्तृत जांच के आदेश दे दिए गए है।
— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) <a href="https://twitter.com/pushkardhami/status/1582271074741682177?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Notably, Kedarnath is part of the 'Char Dham' yatra that is undertaken by Hindus. Apart from Kedarnath, the circuit has Yamunotri, Gangotri and Badrinath as other sites.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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In an unfortunate incident, six people, including two pilots were killed in a helicopter crash in North India's Uttarakhand on Tuesday. The helicopter was carrying pilgrims from the holy Hindu site of Kedarnath to Guptkashi.

In an unfortunate incident, six people, including two pilots were killed in a helicopter crash in North India's Uttarakhand on Tuesday. The helicopter was carrying pilgrims from the holy Hindu site of Kedarnath to Guptkashi. Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the regulatory body for civil aviation in India said the accident might have occurred due to bad weather. “A Bell 407 helicopter VT-RPN belonging to a Delhi based NSOP holder M/s Aryan Aviation has crashed on way from Kedarnath to Guptkashi, possibly due to bad weather. Total number of passengers six and one Pilot were on board," said DGCA, based on preliminary info. Prime Minister's Office released a statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi where he paid his condolences. "Anguished by the helicopter crash in Uttarakhand. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the bereaved families: PM @narendramodi" Anguished by the helicopter crash in Uttarakhand. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the bereaved families: PM @narendramodi — PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 18, 2022 × Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M. Scindia took to Twitter to state the centre was in touch with the Uttarakhand government regarding the crash. "The helicopter crash in Kedarnath is extremely unfortunate. We are in touch with the State government to ascertain the magnitude of the loss and are constantly monitoring the situation," tweeted Scindia. The helicopter crash in Kedarnath is extremely unfortunate. We are in touch with the State government to ascertain the magnitude of the loss, and are constantly monitoring the situation. — Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) October 18, 2022 × "Received the tragic news of some casualties in an unfortunate helicopter crash at Garuda Garud Chatti near Kedarnath. SDRF and district administration teams have reached the spot for relief and rescue work. A detailed inquiry has been ordered into this tragic incident," tweeted Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. केदारनाथ के समीप गरुड़ चट्टी में दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण हेलीकॉप्टर क्रैश में कुछ लोगों के हताहत होने का अत्यंत दु:खद समाचार प्राप्त हुआ है। राहत और बचाव कार्य हेतु SDRF और जिला प्रशासन की टीम घटनास्थल पर पहुंच चुकी है। इस दु:खद घटना के विस्तृत जांच के आदेश दे दिए गए है। — Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) October 18, 2022 × Notably, Kedarnath is part of the 'Char Dham' yatra that is undertaken by Hindus. Apart from Kedarnath, the circuit has Yamunotri, Gangotri and Badrinath as other sites. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

India: Six people, including two pilots die in a helicopter crash in Kedarnath

A Japanese man tasked with preserving cultural heritage accidentally ploughed his car into the country's oldest toilet in a centuries-old Buddhist temple, partially destroying it, police said Tuesday.

Tofukuji Temple in the western Kyoto region houses a toilet said to date back to the 15th century, earning it the designation of an important cultural asset.

But the original wooden door leading to the site was "ruined" after the driver, a 30-year-old man from the Kyoto Heritage Preservation Association, accidentally backed his car into it on Monday morning, police told AFP.

Having parked in front of the toilet, the man hit the gas to restart the car without realising he was still in reverse, police said.

"We've been told it's going to require a lot of work to restore," a Kyoto police official said. 
Walls inside also sustained minor damage, but the actual latrines, two rows of pits, survived intact, Norihiko Murata, a Kyoto official in charge of cultural heritage preservation, told AFP.

The toilet was traditionally used by monks as part of their ascetic training, although it is no longer in use.

"It is of course disappointing that part of this important cultural property has been damaged like this," Murata said.

"We will discuss how to restore it in a way that will retain as much of its cultural value as possible."

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A Japanese man tasked with preserving cultural heritage accidentally ploughed his car into the country's oldest toilet in a centuries-old Buddhist temple, partially destroying it, police said Tuesday.

A Japanese man tasked with preserving cultural heritage accidentally ploughed his car into the country's oldest toilet in a centuries-old Buddhist temple, partially destroying it, police said Tuesday. Tofukuji Temple in the western Kyoto region houses a toilet said to date back to the 15th century, earning it the designation of an important cultural asset. But the original wooden door leading to the site was "ruined" after the driver, a 30-year-old man from the Kyoto Heritage Preservation Association, accidentally backed his car into it on Monday morning, police told AFP. Having parked in front of the toilet, the man hit the gas to restart the car without realising he was still in reverse, police said. "We've been told it's going to require a lot of work to restore," a Kyoto police official said. Walls inside also sustained minor damage, but the actual latrines, two rows of pits, survived intact, Norihiko Murata, a Kyoto official in charge of cultural heritage preservation, told AFP. The toilet was traditionally used by monks as part of their ascetic training, although it is no longer in use. "It is of course disappointing that part of this important cultural property has been damaged like this," Murata said. "We will discuss how to restore it in a way that will retain as much of its cultural value as possible." WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Japan's oldest toilet damaged after a car driver backs up into it

Meta, more colloquially known as Facebook has been ordered by the UK&nbsp;antitrust watchdog&nbsp;Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to sell GIPHY Inc. This is the second instance when Meta has been ordered to sell the popular gif library.&nbsp;

Meta conceded the defeat and said it was disappointed by the decision.&nbsp;

“We are disappointed by the CMA’s decision but accept today’s ruling as the final word on the matter.&nbsp;We are grateful to the Giphy team during this uncertain time for their business, and wish them every success,” said a Meta spokesperson.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;Stuart McIntosh, chair of the independent inquiry into the buyout said,&nbsp;“This deal would significantly reduce competition in two markets. It has already resulted in the removal of a potential challenger in the UK display ad market, while also giving Meta the ability to further increase its substantial market power in social media."

“The only way this can be addressed is by the sale of Giphy. This will promote innovation in digital advertising, and also ensure UK social media users continue to benefit from access to Giphy.”

As reported by WION, the watchdog, in November last year issued the first order to Meta citing the deal could harm the competitors. Reportedly, Meta bought GIPHY in 2020 for an estimated $400 million to integrate it with its other platforms viz. Instagram and WhatsApp.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/facebook-owner-meta-asked-to-sell-giphy-by-british-regulator-432991">Read more:&nbsp;Facebook-owner Meta asked to sell Giphy by British regulator</a>

However, CMA feared that the deal could limit other social media platforms' access to GIFs, which, in turn, would have made those sites less attractive to users.&nbsp;

"Without action, it will also allow Facebook to increase its significant market power in social media even further, through controlling competitors' access to Giphy GIFs," said Stuart McIntosh, who headed an inquiry into the buyout.&nbsp;

However, after the order, Meta decided to appeal the decision and went to&nbsp;Competition Appeal Tribunal in January, earlier this year.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/meta-appeals-british-regulators-ruling-that-asked-facebook-to-sell-giphy-442512">Read more:&nbsp;Meta appeals British regulator's ruling that asked Facebook to sell Giphy</a>

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
WATCH&nbsp;WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

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Meta, more colloquially known as Facebook has been ordered by the UK antitrust watchdog Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to sell GIPHY Inc. This is the second instance when Meta has been ordered to sell the popular gif library.

Meta, more colloquially known as Facebook has been ordered by the UK antitrust watchdog Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to sell GIPHY Inc. This is the second instance when Meta has been ordered to sell the popular gif library. Meta conceded the defeat and said it was disappointed by the decision. “We are disappointed by the CMA’s decision but accept today’s ruling as the final word on the matter. We are grateful to the Giphy team during this uncertain time for their business, and wish them every success,” said a Meta spokesperson. Meanwhile, Stuart McIntosh, chair of the independent inquiry into the buyout said, “This deal would significantly reduce competition in two markets. It has already resulted in the removal of a potential challenger in the UK display ad market, while also giving Meta the ability to further increase its substantial market power in social media." “The only way this can be addressed is by the sale of Giphy. This will promote innovation in digital advertising, and also ensure UK social media users continue to benefit from access to Giphy.” As reported by WION, the watchdog, in November last year issued the first order to Meta citing the deal could harm the competitors. Reportedly, Meta bought GIPHY in 2020 for an estimated $400 million to integrate it with its other platforms viz. Instagram and WhatsApp. Read more: Facebook-owner Meta asked to sell Giphy by British regulator However, CMA feared that the deal could limit other social media platforms' access to GIFs, which, in turn, would have made those sites less attractive to users. "Without action, it will also allow Facebook to increase its significant market power in social media even further, through controlling competitors' access to Giphy GIFs," said Stuart McIntosh, who headed an inquiry into the buyout. However, after the order, Meta decided to appeal the decision and went to Competition Appeal Tribunal in January, earlier this year. Read more: Meta appeals British regulator's ruling that asked Facebook to sell Giphy (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Meta ordered to sell GIPHY for the second time by UK antitrust watchdog

Weeks after annexing&nbsp;the Ukrainian territories, Russia on Tuesday said all&nbsp;four annexed&nbsp;regions are under the protection of its nuclear arsenal.&nbsp;

"All these territories are inalienable parts of the Russian Federation and they are all protected. Their security is provided for at the same level as [it is for] the rest of Russia's territory,"&nbsp;Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the reporters.

When pressed if Moscow was also planning to conduct nuclear drills, Peskov attempted to deflect the question.&nbsp;"There is an established system of notifications to inform about the conduct of exercises, and this is carried out through the channels of the Ministry of Defence," he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/a-cornered-putin-is-more-dangerous-than-ever-518530">Read more:&nbsp;A cornered Putin is more dangerous than ever</a>

As reported by WION, Russia annexed Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, earlier this month after conducting a referendum.&nbsp;In his speech, Putin told the West that the annexation was irreversible and called on Ukraine's army to give up and negotiate a surrender.

"We call on the Kyiv regime to immediately stop fighting and stop all hostilities... and return to the negotiating table," the Russian leader said.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's allies, especially the US rejected the referendum. President Joe Biden&nbsp;called Russia's annexation declaration "fraudulent" and said Moscow was contravening international law.

"The United States condemns&nbsp;Russia's&nbsp;fraudulent attempt today to annex sovereign Ukrainian territory. Russia is violating international law, trampling on the United Nations Charter, and showing its contempt for peaceful nations everywhere,"&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;said in a statement.&nbsp;

Prior to the referendum, Putin had issued a veiled warning that Moscow will be willing to use any means (most certainly hinting at nuclear bombs) to defend the country.&nbsp;

“If the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will of course use all means at our disposal to defend Russia and our people,” said Putin.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

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Weeks after annexing the Ukrainian territories, Russia on Tuesday said all four annexed regions are under the protection of its nuclear arsenal. "All these territories are inalienable parts of the Russian Federation and they are all protected.

Weeks after annexing the Ukrainian territories, Russia on Tuesday said all four annexed regions are under the protection of its nuclear arsenal. "All these territories are inalienable parts of the Russian Federation and they are all protected. Their security is provided for at the same level as [it is for] the rest of Russia's territory," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the reporters. When pressed if Moscow was also planning to conduct nuclear drills, Peskov attempted to deflect the question. "There is an established system of notifications to inform about the conduct of exercises, and this is carried out through the channels of the Ministry of Defence," he said. Read more: A cornered Putin is more dangerous than ever As reported by WION, Russia annexed Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, earlier this month after conducting a referendum. In his speech, Putin told the West that the annexation was irreversible and called on Ukraine's army to give up and negotiate a surrender. "We call on the Kyiv regime to immediately stop fighting and stop all hostilities... and return to the negotiating table," the Russian leader said. Meanwhile, Ukraine's allies, especially the US rejected the referendum. President Joe Biden called Russia's annexation declaration "fraudulent" and said Moscow was contravening international law. "The United States condemns Russia's fraudulent attempt today to annex sovereign Ukrainian territory. Russia is violating international law, trampling on the United Nations Charter, and showing its contempt for peaceful nations everywhere," Biden said in a statement. Prior to the referendum, Putin had issued a veiled warning that Moscow will be willing to use any means (most certainly hinting at nuclear bombs) to defend the country. “If the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will of course use all means at our disposal to defend Russia and our people,” said Putin. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Annexed Ukrainian regions under nuclear protection as rest of Russia, says Kremlin

A day after Chinese President Xi Jinping headlined the opening of the 20th CPC congress and made rather aggressive remarks on Taiwan, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that China is on a “much faster timeline” in its plan to annex Taiwan.&nbsp;

“Instead of sticking with the status quo that was established in a positive way, [Beijing has made] a fundamental decision that the status quo is no longer acceptable, and Beijing is determined to pursue reunification on a much faster timeline,” said Blinken while in a conversation with&nbsp;Condoleezza Rice, former secretary of state at Stanford University.&nbsp;

“If peaceful means didn’t work then would employ coercive means, and possibly if coercive means don’t work then maybe forceful means to achieve its objective. That is what is profoundly disrupting the status quo and creating tremendous tensions.”

As reported by WION, Xi Jinping on Sunday, in his&nbsp;once-in-a-five-year addresses at the congress said the Taiwan matter was for the Chinese people only to decide.

“The resolution of the Taiwan issue is a matter for the Chinese people themselves, to be decided by the Chinese people," said Xi.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-never-renounce-force-says-xi-jinping-on-taiwan-during-the-party-congress-525795">Read more:&nbsp;'Will never renounce option to use force in Taiwan', says Xi Jinping during the CPC's 20th congress</a>

The CCP leader added that China reserves the option of “taking all measures necessary” against separatist forces.

“We will continue to strive for peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and the utmost effort. But, we will never promise to renounce the use of force. And we reserve the option of taking all measures necessary.”

Xi also lauded his government's approach despite Taiwan's secessionist forces attempting to break away from China.&nbsp;

"In the face of serious provocations by the Taiwan independence separatists and the interference of external force, we resolutely carried out major struggles against separatism and interference, demonstrating our firm determination and strong ability to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity and oppose Taiwan independence force."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xis-third-term-to-strengthen-authoritarian-regime-in-china-report-525781" target="_blank">Read more: Xi’s third term to strengthen authoritarian regime in China: Report</a>

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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A day after Chinese President Xi Jinping headlined the opening of the 20th CPC congress and made rather aggressive remarks on Taiwan, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that China is on a “much faster timeline” in its plan to annex Taiwan.

A day after Chinese President Xi Jinping headlined the opening of the 20th CPC congress and made rather aggressive remarks on Taiwan, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that China is on a “much faster timeline” in its plan to annex Taiwan. “Instead of sticking with the status quo that was established in a positive way, [Beijing has made] a fundamental decision that the status quo is no longer acceptable, and Beijing is determined to pursue reunification on a much faster timeline,” said Blinken while in a conversation with Condoleezza Rice, former secretary of state at Stanford University. “If peaceful means didn’t work then would employ coercive means, and possibly if coercive means don’t work then maybe forceful means to achieve its objective. That is what is profoundly disrupting the status quo and creating tremendous tensions.” As reported by WION, Xi Jinping on Sunday, in his once-in-a-five-year addresses at the congress said the Taiwan matter was for the Chinese people only to decide. “The resolution of the Taiwan issue is a matter for the Chinese people themselves, to be decided by the Chinese people," said Xi. Read more: 'Will never renounce option to use force in Taiwan', says Xi Jinping during the CPC's 20th congress The CCP leader added that China reserves the option of “taking all measures necessary” against separatist forces. “We will continue to strive for peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and the utmost effort. But, we will never promise to renounce the use of force. And we reserve the option of taking all measures necessary.” Xi also lauded his government's approach despite Taiwan's secessionist forces attempting to break away from China. "In the face of serious provocations by the Taiwan independence separatists and the interference of external force, we resolutely carried out major struggles against separatism and interference, demonstrating our firm determination and strong ability to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity and oppose Taiwan independence force." Read more: Xi’s third term to strengthen authoritarian regime in China: Report (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

A day after CPC congress, US says China moving 'much faster' to annex Taiwan

Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Monday said Starlink had withdrawn the funding request that his company made to Pentagon, seeking funds for providing satellite broadband service in the war-ravaged country of Ukraine.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Monday said Starlink had withdrawn the funding request that his company made to Pentagon, seeking funds for providing satellite broadband service in the war-ravaged country of Ukraine. Taking to Twitter, Musk officially announced the withdrawal by stating, "SpaceX has already withdrawn its request for funding." "To be precise, 25,300 terminals were sent to Ukraine, but, at present, only 10,630 are paying for service," he added. SpaceX has already withdrawn its request for funding — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 17, 2022 × The Starlink founder was responding to a tweet that stated Pentagon was mulling paying Musk and Starlink for its services. As reported by WION, hours before the withdrawal, several big media houses had carried the story, saying Pentagon had finally come around the decision of paying Musk. Read more: Pentagon considering funding Starlink network in Ukraine: Report Not too long ago, Musk said that SpaceX, the company which operates Starlink could not fund the internet network in Ukraine indefinitely. "SpaceX is not asking to recoup past expenses, but also cannot fund the existing system indefinitely *and* send several thousand more terminals that have data usage up to 100X greater than typical households. This is unreasonable," Musk tweeted last week. Read more: Musk says 'unreasonable' to expect Starlink to fund services in Ukraine indefinitely At the time, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh also informed that the US Department of Defense was in contact with Musk on the matter. "We can confirm the department received correspondence from SpaceX about the funding of... their satellite communications product in Ukraine. We remain in communication with SpaceX about this and other topics," Singh said in a statement. SpaceX is not asking to recoup past expenses, but also cannot fund the existing system indefinitely *and* send several thousand more terminals that have data usage up to 100X greater than typical households. This is unreasonable. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 14, 2022 × Thus, the sudden withdrawal of the proposal, which was submitted in September has confused the experts. Notably, Starlink has helped Ukraine's civilians and military stay online during the war, with Ukraine's Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov last week saying Starlink's services helped restore energy and communications infrastructure in critical areas. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Elon Musk withdraws proposal to Pentagon seeking funds for Starlink

More than a decade ago Xi Jinping embarked upon a dream to make China a footballing giant. For the next few years, China became this incredible destination where famous footballers, at the fag end of their career, travelled for one last paycheque. The result? Neither did the footballing landscape of China&nbsp;improve, nor did Xi's dream come true. However, what did come out was a strategy of poaching talent from abroad.

Using a similar modus-operandi, China is now luring retired British military pilots to its shores by handing them handsome sums of money. The main aim is to use their expertise to level up the military which lacks the required experience.

"It is a lucrative package that is being offered to people. Money is a strong motivator.&nbsp;Some of the packages are thought to be as much as $270,000," a western official was quoted as saying by&nbsp;BBC.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/the-united-front-chinas-magic-weapon-305239">Read more:&nbsp;The United Front: China's magic weapon</a>

Reportedly, China is attempting to learn the ways of the western militaries, in case a conflict with Taiwan comes to heed. Most of the pilots are being recruited through headhunters, with a flying academy based in South Africa.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/taiwans-air-force-flexes-its-muscles-taiwanese-fear-chinese-aggression-508709">WATCH |&nbsp;Taiwan's air force flexes its muscles | Taiwanese fear Chinese aggression</a>

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According to the British Ministry of Defence (MoD), the pilots lured by China appear to have flown Typhoons, Jaguars, Harriers and Tornados

The sources say that the British military first became aware of the issue, back in 2019 when a small batch of former military pilots was hired. After the pandemic struck, the movement was stopped as air travel became next to possible. However, since then, China has quietly ramped up its hiring process yet again.&nbsp;

"We've seen it ramp up significantly. Current serving personnel are being targeted but none are thought to have accepted," said the official.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/chinas-air-force-decoded-how-plaaf-is-evolving-its-tactical-strategy-425500">Read more:&nbsp;China's Air Force decoded: How PLAAF is evolving its tactical strategy</a>

However, the MoD maintains there is no evidence that the pilots have leaked some sensitive information to Beijing.&nbsp;

"All serving and former personnel are already subject to the Official Secrets Act, and we are reviewing the use of confidentiality contracts and non-disclosure agreements across Defence, while the new National Security Bill will create additional tools to tackle contemporary security challenges - including this one."

China is infamous for reverse engineering Western tech for its military. Similarly, its United Font workers routinely steal IPs which makes the hiring of ex-military pilots a dangerous precedent.

(With inputs from&nbsp;agencies) 
 
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&nbsp;

More than a decade ago Xi Jinping embarked upon a dream to make China a footballing giant. For the next few years, China became this incredible destination where famous footballers, at the fag end of their career, travelled for one last paycheque.

More than a decade ago Xi Jinping embarked upon a dream to make China a footballing giant. For the next few years, China became this incredible destination where famous footballers, at the fag end of their career, travelled for one last paycheque. The result? Neither did the footballing landscape of China improve, nor did Xi's dream come true. However, what did come out was a strategy of poaching talent from abroad. Using a similar modus-operandi, China is now luring retired British military pilots to its shores by handing them handsome sums of money. The main aim is to use their expertise to level up the military which lacks the required experience. "It is a lucrative package that is being offered to people. Money is a strong motivator. Some of the packages are thought to be as much as $270,000," a western official was quoted as saying by BBC. Read more: The United Front: China's magic weapon Reportedly, China is attempting to learn the ways of the western militaries, in case a conflict with Taiwan comes to heed. Most of the pilots are being recruited through headhunters, with a flying academy based in South Africa. WATCH | Taiwan's air force flexes its muscles | Taiwanese fear Chinese aggression × According to the British Ministry of Defence (MoD), the pilots lured by China appear to have flown Typhoons, Jaguars, Harriers and Tornados The sources say that the British military first became aware of the issue, back in 2019 when a small batch of former military pilots was hired. After the pandemic struck, the movement was stopped as air travel became next to possible. However, since then, China has quietly ramped up its hiring process yet again. "We've seen it ramp up significantly. Current serving personnel are being targeted but none are thought to have accepted," said the official. Read more: China's Air Force decoded: How PLAAF is evolving its tactical strategy However, the MoD maintains there is no evidence that the pilots have leaked some sensitive information to Beijing. "All serving and former personnel are already subject to the Official Secrets Act, and we are reviewing the use of confidentiality contracts and non-disclosure agreements across Defence, while the new National Security Bill will create additional tools to tackle contemporary security challenges - including this one." China is infamous for reverse engineering Western tech for its military. Similarly, its United Font workers routinely steal IPs which makes the hiring of ex-military pilots a dangerous precedent. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

China luring former British pilots with hefty paycheques to help its military: Report

By any account, $1 trillion seems huge. That's the scale of budget shortfalls facing Chinese provinces, reducing their fiscal firepower to fund infrastructure spending and tax cuts, and raising risks for the world's second-biggest economy in 2023.

By any account, $1 trillion seems huge. That's the scale of budget shortfalls facing Chinese provinces, reducing their fiscal firepower to fund infrastructure spending and tax cuts, and raising risks for the world's second-biggest economy in 2023. The timing couldn't be worse for policymakers in Beijing, as the economy wobbles under the weight of global recession risks, surging commodity costs, rising geopolitical tension and widespread COVID-19 lockdowns at home, spoiling the backdrop of a once-in-five-years congress of the ruling Communist Party that got underway on Sunday. Local governments have long been a pump-primer of China's growth, but declining state land sales revenue in the wake of an ongoing crackdown on debt in the sector has severely eroded their financial power; a situation exacerbated this year by China's feeble growth, weak tax income and crippling COVID restrictions. Local governments must also make debt payments in coming months, portending more financial pain and limiting their ability to meet Beijing's requests to boost spending. Already, many of them have resorted to cutting salaries, reducing headcounts, lowering subsidies and even imposing disproportionately hefty fines to meet budget shortfalls. In the first eight months, China's 31 provincial-level regions reported a gap between general public revenue and expenditure totalling 6.74 trillion yuan ($948 billion). That's the widest for the period since at least 2012, Reuters calculations from local government data in the past decade showed, with the populous provinces of Sichuan, Henan, Hunan and Guangdong suffering the largest shortfalls. In the same period, government land sales, counted separately, tumbled 28.5 per cent year-on-year to $467 billion (3.37 trillion yuan), adding urgency to the need to restore the financial health of indebted real estate firms. "With the slower growth this year, we expect fiscal deficits for regional and local governments will remain substantial, reflecting the property slowdown and lingering effects of the coronavirus shock," said Jennifer A. Wong, an analyst at Moody's, which expects 2022 economic growth to slow to 3.5 per cent from 8.1 per cent in 2021. In the past, shortfalls were largely offset by transfer payments from the central government and carryover funds from previous years, but analysts say cooling economic growth may limit any such help this time around. Policymakers will also be wary of picking up the fiscal slack with large-scale monetary stimulus as a wave of global interest rate hikes to rein in red-hot inflation has sent US bond yields soaring, widening the yield gap between US and Chinese debt. Debt stress Treasury bond quotas could be increased so that some of them could be transferred to local governments to ease their fiscal stress, said Luo Zhiheng, chief macroeconomic analyst at Yuekai Securities. However, they face a squeeze on their already tight cash flows as maturing local government debts peak in 2023 for the 2021-2025 period, Luo warned. Combined with some maturing debts of local government financing vehicles (LGFVs) - investment companies that build infrastructure projects - this year and the next will be most stressful for local governments, he said. Around $52 billion (380 billion yuan) of onshore LGFV bonds from economically weaker provinces are due for repayment in the next 12 months, according to a Moody's report in August. Such fiscal constraints, together with weakening exports, doubts over a consumption revival and external uncertainties including the Ukraine war, would add pressure on policymakers to shore up the economy in 2023, said Nie Wen, a Shanghai-based economist at Hwabao Trust. Nie is forecasting GDP growth of 5.5 per cent next year, assuming few or no COVID-19 disruptions, better than the broad 3.2 per cent consensus for this year but still lagging behind the pre-pandemic 6 per cent pace in 2019. 'Heavy burden' Highlighting the pressure on finances, the provinces of Shandong, Shanxi, Henan, Zhejiang as well as the municipality of Tianjin said they had all shed budgeted headcounts at government agencies in recent months. Moreover, some grass-roots market regulators have even imposed excessively high fines on small businesses to boost revenue. According to financial media outlet Yicai, local governments' revenue from fines and confiscations jumped 10.4 per cent in January-July year-on-year. Additional spending on containing COVID outbreaks has also strained local government finances. The fiscal stress is cutting into some households' income, a red flag for consumption and broader growth. "My annual income was slashed by 27 per cent to around 80,000 yuan last year, due to the very heavy local fiscal burden," an employee surnamed Gao at a government agency in Chongqing told Reuters. "Our leaders were very anxious these days as they said the current fiscal allocation is not enough at all. As there is no way out, they have had to ask the local government fiscal department for money." WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

China faces a shortfall of $1 trillion to fund infrastructure & growth projects

A combination of sheer arrogance and negligence&nbsp;has led to the death of four people on the Purvanchal Expressway in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.&nbsp;

Reportedly, the four friends were travelling in a BMW car at speeds as high as 230 km/hr to Delhi when they rammed into a container truck. One of the co-passenger in the car started a Facebook Live where he showed the&nbsp;car racing through the highway with others excitedly saying that the speedometer may next breach the 300 km/hr mark.

The friends constantly egged the driver to chase the 300&nbsp;km/hr mark and told him to not brake and keep at it.&nbsp;

However, in what can be termed as a prophecy coming true, moments before the disaster, one of the friends can he heard saying "charo marenge (all four of us will die)". Soon enough, tragedy strikes and the four men die on the spot.

After the news of the accident was communicated, the police and&nbsp;Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) officials reached the spot, only to find the&nbsp;pummeled car in a heap and the blood-smeared bodies of the passengers and driver, squished beyond range for a naked-eye identification.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/4-killed-as-truck-bmw-collide-on-purvanchal-expressway-526069">WATCH |&nbsp;4 killed as truck, BMW collide on Purvanchal Expressway</a>

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So far, the authorities have identified three of the four people. The car was reportedly being driven by 35-year-old Dr Anand Prakash who was a professor in a medical college in the Eastern Indian state of Bihar and resided in the city of Dehri. Akhilesh Singh (35), and Deepak Kumar (37) are the other two deceased while the identity of the fourth is yet to be confirmed.&nbsp;

According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report, deaths by road accidents in India have increased by almost 17 per cent in 2021 compared to 2020.&nbsp;

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-ncrb-report-terms-delhi-as-the-most-unsafe-metropolitan-city-for-women-511482">India: NCRB report terms Delhi as the most unsafe metropolitan city for women</a>

In 2021, 155,000&nbsp;died in accidents on Indian roads, up from 133,000 in 2020, when much of the year saw a nationwide lockdown. Total&nbsp;road accidents reported were 403,000 in 2021, up from 354,000 the year before.

The highest number of road accidents every year is attributed to negligent driving and speeding.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

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A combination of sheer arrogance and negligence has led to the death of four people on the Purvanchal Expressway in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Reportedly, the four friends were travelling in a BMW car at speeds as high as 230 km/hr to Delhi when they rammed into a container truck.

A combination of sheer arrogance and negligence has led to the death of four people on the Purvanchal Expressway in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Reportedly, the four friends were travelling in a BMW car at speeds as high as 230 km/hr to Delhi when they rammed into a container truck. One of the co-passenger in the car started a Facebook Live where he showed the car racing through the highway with others excitedly saying that the speedometer may next breach the 300 km/hr mark. The friends constantly egged the driver to chase the 300 km/hr mark and told him to not brake and keep at it. However, in what can be termed as a prophecy coming true, moments before the disaster, one of the friends can he heard saying "charo marenge (all four of us will die)". Soon enough, tragedy strikes and the four men die on the spot. After the news of the accident was communicated, the police and Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) officials reached the spot, only to find the pummeled car in a heap and the blood-smeared bodies of the passengers and driver, squished beyond range for a naked-eye identification. WATCH | 4 killed as truck, BMW collide on Purvanchal Expressway × So far, the authorities have identified three of the four people. The car was reportedly being driven by 35-year-old Dr Anand Prakash who was a professor in a medical college in the Eastern Indian state of Bihar and resided in the city of Dehri. Akhilesh Singh (35), and Deepak Kumar (37) are the other two deceased while the identity of the fourth is yet to be confirmed. According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report, deaths by road accidents in India have increased by almost 17 per cent in 2021 compared to 2020. Read more: India: NCRB report terms Delhi as the most unsafe metropolitan city for women In 2021, 155,000 died in accidents on Indian roads, up from 133,000 in 2020, when much of the year saw a nationwide lockdown. Total road accidents reported were 403,000 in 2021, up from 354,000 the year before. The highest number of road accidents every year is attributed to negligent driving and speeding. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

India: Four die in a car accident trying to breach the 300 kmph speed barrier

The US Department of Justice (DoJ) on Monday in a new court filing asked a federal judge to sentence Steve Bannon, the former aide of Donald Trump, to six months in prison in addition to a fine of $200,000 for being convicted on two counts of contempt of Congress.

The US Department of Justice (DoJ) on Monday in a new court filing asked a federal judge to sentence Steve Bannon, the former aide of Donald Trump, to six months in prison in addition to a fine of $200,000 for being convicted on two counts of contempt of Congress. The Justice Department said that since the case began, Bannon had attempted a strategy of defiance and contempt while adding that he ignored the prosecution's subpoena's demands repeatedly. "From the moment that the Defendant, Stephen K. Bannon, accepted service of a subpoena from the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol, he has pursued a bad-faith strategy of defiance and contempt." "The Committee sought documents and testimony from the Defendant relevant to a matter of national importance: the circumstances that led to a violent attack on the Capitol and disruption of the peaceful transfer of power. In response, the Defendant flouted the Committee's authority and ignored the subpoena's demands," it added. The court will announce the sentencing on Friday. After the prosecution's filing, Banon's lawyers are also expected to submit their sentencing memo. Read more: Ex-Trump aide Steve Bannon found guilty of contempt of Congress As reported by WION, Bannon, in July was found guilty of contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena to testify before lawmakers investigating the assault on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. However, even after being found guilty, Bannon's rhetoric remained on the same lines, prior to the judgement. "I want to start by thanking the jury. We respect their jury decision today," said Bannon after the hearing adding, "the prosecutor missed one very important phrase. I stand with Trump and the Constitution and I will never back off that, ever." Read more: Former US president Donald Trump's top strategist Steve Bannon indicted for fraud The jury deliberated for less than three hours before finding Bannon guilty of both misdemeanour charges. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Steve Bannon: US Justice Department seeks six-month prison term for former Trump aide

One of life's staggering mysteries is how every other book or novel ends up on some kind of best seller's list. Now it looks like Donald Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner have certainly solved that mystery, per a report by Forbes.

One of life's staggering mysteries is how every other book or novel ends up on some kind of best seller's list. Now it looks like Donald Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner have certainly solved that mystery, per a report by Forbes. Kushner released his memoir titled “Breaking History: A White House Memoir” on August 23. The book was received moderately well but it didn't exactly break any new frontiers, both collection-wise and in terms of making it to any bestsellers list. However, two weeks later, Save America Joint Fundraising Committee, one of Donald Trump's political committees that raises money for him, surreptitiously bought $131,000 worth of books, according to a filing made with the Federal Election Commission. Read more: Russia-Ukraine war would not have taken place had Trump still been president, claims Jared Kushner However, this wasn't to be the end of the situation as the same committee, on September 11, ordered another bulk purchase of books worth $27,000 - taking the total to $158,000. And like clockwork, four days later, Kushner's tome appeared in the New York Bestseller list, amongst several other books. It went on to stay on the list for the next five weeks before, presumably, the sales of the book, which may have been artificially inflated, nosedived and was forced off the list. The committee did not explicitly say if books it bought were indeed Kushner's. The purchases were mentioned simply as 'collateral: books' in the election filing. But the doubt is reinforced, as the committee is currently selling Kushner's work in exchange for donations of $75 or more, according to Forbes, thereby making sure that the book continues to do business on paper. Read more: Jared Kushner was treated for thyroid cancer during his time in White House The 500-page book was panned by critics for glossing over the true secrets of White House and focusing on making Kushner look as the ultimate protagonist to tun the show while being in trump's close circle. "The biggest problem (although there are many) with Kushner’s book whether by omission, contradiction, or a self-serving recasting — is the way it glosses over the subtext that came to define and complicate Kushner’s wide-ranging White House portfolio: money," read a review by Vicky Ward, author of 'Kushner Inc'. Read more: 'Confidence Man' : Maggie Haberman's book on Donald Trump has some shocking revelations (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Did Trump's political committee artificially inflate sales of Kushner's 'bestseller' book?

As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its eighth month, the former is looking for supplies to fill its depleted arsenal. To fill the gap, Iran has reportedly entered the fray and is expected to deliver short-range ballistic missiles viz.

As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its eighth month, the former is looking for supplies to fill its depleted arsenal. To fill the gap, Iran has reportedly entered the fray and is expected to deliver short-range ballistic missiles viz. Fateh-110 and its advanced version such as Zolfaghar to Kremlin, per a report by the Washington Post. The report quoted US and allied security officials as its source and added that not only will Iran be sending the missiles, but it will also be delivering attack drones. While the report claims that Russia will be receiving the secret delivery, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian couple of days ago made it clear that it will not be sending any weapons. "We believe that the arming of each side of the crisis will prolong the war. We have not considered and do not consider war to be the right path either in Ukraine or in Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen," said Amir-Abdollahian "We have defence cooperation with Russia, but our policy regarding the war in Ukraine is not sending weapons to the conflicting parties, but stopping the war and ending the displacement of people." Read more: Russia-Ukraine war: German foreign minister warns Moscow could use 'people as weapons' What is Fateh missile? Fateh or Fateh-110 missile is a road-mobile, solid-propellant, short-range ballistic missile that weighs almost 3,450 kilogrammes. It is known for its extreme precision and has a range of 300 kilometres which makes it all the more suitable for Russian operations. Some reports state that the missile is a modified version of the unguided Zelzal-2 but with better control and guidance systems. The Fateh missile has two variants, designated Fateh 2 (A-11A) and Fateh 3 (A-110B) Iran reportedly started developing the missile in 1995. However, the first flight took place six years later in 2001. A year later, the missile entered into production and reached operating capability in 2004. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards successfully tested the missile in 2007 and according to some rumours, it is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead as well. Iran has used the missile in its military operation since 2017, targeting Iraq on multiple occasions. Read more: Multiple blasts rock Ukrainian cities, Zelensky says Russia 'wants to wipe us from face of Earth' (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

What is the Fateh missile that Iran is rumored to deliver to Russia?

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