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<p>In a major crackdown, China on Monday banned the sale of flavoured e-cigarettes across the country. The ban is an attempt by the Chinese government to keep underage vaping in check which had been growing steadily.</p>

<p>Reportedly, the ban will only affect the flavoured vaping devices as the tobacco variants will continue to be produced. However, a survey has shown that tobacco e-cigarettes account for a tiny percentage of the total sales figure. Meaning, the move has the potential to end the vaping culture in China for good.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Under the sweeping ban which came into effect on October 1, no sale of e-cigarettes will be allowed on online platforms.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Additionally, the companies will have to add a warning label to devices citing they are harmful and must not be consumed, especially by school children.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Relx, a company that commanded the Chinese vaping market with a 70 per cent share has lost over 95 per cent of its stock value after the government started mulling the proposal. The ban effectively is like a death knell for companies like Relx.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-may-roll-out-e-cigarette-rules-amid-global-vaping-backlash-251748"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;China may roll out e-cigarette rules amid global vaping backlash</strong></a></p>

<p>While China is banning the sale of such devices domestically, it will continue to export them to countries globally. The total exports from China stood at $19 billion in 2021 which was a whopping 180 per cent increase year-on-year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to a Reuters report, flavoured disposable vaping devices account for one-third of US e-cigarette sales, up from less than two per cent three years ago. The majority of these devices are exported by China.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-juul-e-cigarettes-americans-rally-behind-candy-flavoured-disposable-e-cigs-507554" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: After Juul e-cigarettes, Americans rally behind 'candy' flavoured disposable e-cigs</strong></a></p>

<p>While initially vaping products were dubbed a 'valuable aid to quit tobacco', their apparent ill health effects have forced governments across the globe to set guidelines and some sort of restrictions on their sale.</p>

<p>As reported by WION, in June, the European Union proposed to ban the use of flavoured heated tobacco products.</p>

<p>"With nine out of ten lung cancers caused by tobacco, we want to make smoking as unattractive as possible to protect the health of our citizens and save lives," said EU health commissioner Stella Kyriakides in a statement.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in January 2020 banned all flavours except tobacco and menthol in Juul and other cartridge-based e-cigarettes.</p>

<p><strong>Read more</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/european-union-proposed-to-ban-the-use-of-flavoured-heated-tobacco-products-492990" target="_blank"><strong>: European Union proposed to ban use of flavoured heated tobacco products</strong></a></p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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In a major crackdown, China on Monday banned the sale of flavoured e-cigarettes across the country. The ban is an attempt by the Chinese government to keep underage vaping in check which had been growing steadily.

In a major crackdown, China on Monday banned the sale of flavoured e-cigarettes across the country. The ban is an attempt by the Chinese government to keep underage vaping in check which had been growing steadily. Reportedly, the ban will only affect the flavoured vaping devices as the tobacco variants will continue to be produced. However, a survey has shown that tobacco e-cigarettes account for a tiny percentage of the total sales figure. Meaning, the move has the potential to end the vaping culture in China for good. Under the sweeping ban which came into effect on October 1, no sale of e-cigarettes will be allowed on online platforms. Additionally, the companies will have to add a warning label to devices citing they are harmful and must not be consumed, especially by school children. Relx, a company that commanded the Chinese vaping market with a 70 per cent share has lost over 95 per cent of its stock value after the government started mulling the proposal. The ban effectively is like a death knell for companies like Relx. Read more: China may roll out e-cigarette rules amid global vaping backlash While China is banning the sale of such devices domestically, it will continue to export them to countries globally. The total exports from China stood at $19 billion in 2021 which was a whopping 180 per cent increase year-on-year. According to a Reuters report, flavoured disposable vaping devices account for one-third of US e-cigarette sales, up from less than two per cent three years ago. The majority of these devices are exported by China. Read more: After Juul e-cigarettes, Americans rally behind 'candy' flavoured disposable e-cigs While initially vaping products were dubbed a 'valuable aid to quit tobacco', their apparent ill health effects have forced governments across the globe to set guidelines and some sort of restrictions on their sale. As reported by WION, in June, the European Union proposed to ban the use of flavoured heated tobacco products. "With nine out of ten lung cancers caused by tobacco, we want to make smoking as unattractive as possible to protect the health of our citizens and save lives," said EU health commissioner Stella Kyriakides in a statement. Meanwhile, the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in January 2020 banned all flavours except tobacco and menthol in Juul and other cartridge-based e-cigarettes. Read more: European Union proposed to ban use of flavoured heated tobacco products (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

China imposes blanket ban on sale of flavoured e-cigarettes but exports will continue

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<p>A local Baton Rouge resident in Louisana recently unearthed a historical artefact when traversing through the shallow waters of the Mississippi river.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reportedly, the resident named&nbsp;Patrick Ford found a wreck of a 19th-century ship lying at the seabed of the river which has shrunk to record levels due to severe drought across the US Midwest.</p>

<p>According to local media reports, Ford was observing the river's receding water for weeks when he made&nbsp;the discovery, which according to him, still was a 'surprise'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“This past Sunday I was out here looking and realized the rest of the shore had washed away and there was an entire ship there. I immediately texted friends and was like, 'holy moly, I think I found a ship, a sunken ship!'" said Ford.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/human-induced-climate-change-made-summer-drought-at-least-20-times-more-likely-study-finds-523077">Read more:&nbsp;Human-induced climate change made summer drought ‘at least 20 times’ more likely, study finds</a></strong></p>

<p>After finding the boat, Ford approached experts to determine the exact history of the boat. The news soon reached&nbsp;Mississippi’s state archaeologist Chip McGimsey who said the existence of the boat has been known for some time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We believe this is a ship that was manufactured in 1896 in Indiana for trade here," said&nbsp;McGimsey who added,&nbsp;“In 1992, it was exposed, an archeological firm did some work. At that time, it was not nearly as exposed as it is now."</p>

<p>“For the most part, there are not good documents on boat building, especially once you get back into the area of wooden ships. They have a lot of individuality in these boats, and there are so few of them remaining. This is a rare example of one from around 1900.”</p>

<p>Climate change has caused severe droughts across the planet. The drying of rivers has revealed some long-forgotten or never-before-discovered artefacts and in some cases, entire cities.</p>

<p>As reported by WION, in June, the ruins of an ancient city, determined to be around 3,400 years old were discovered by archaeologists in Iraq.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-ruins-of-hidden-3400-year-old-city-found-after-severe-drought-in-iraq-485639" target="_blank"><strong>In pics - Ruins of hidden 3,400-year-old city found after severe drought in Iraq</strong></a></p>

<p>The discovery was made by a team of German and Kurdish researchers who were able to find the lost city due to the drawing down of the Mosul reservoir in the aftermath of severe droughts in Iraq in the recent past.</p>

<p>The team also came across five ceramic jars containing over 100 cuneiform tablets. The ancient scripts date back to the Middle Assyrian period, a time shortly before the earthquake that destroyed the city, according to the archaeologists.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
<br />
<strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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A local Baton Rouge resident in Louisana recently unearthed a historical artefact when traversing through the shallow waters of the Mississippi river. Reportedly, the resident named Patrick Ford found a wreck of a 19th-century ship lying at the seabed of the river which has shrunk to record levels due to severe drought across the US Midwest.

A local Baton Rouge resident in Louisana recently unearthed a historical artefact when traversing through the shallow waters of the Mississippi river. Reportedly, the resident named Patrick Ford found a wreck of a 19th-century ship lying at the seabed of the river which has shrunk to record levels due to severe drought across the US Midwest. According to local media reports, Ford was observing the river's receding water for weeks when he made the discovery, which according to him, still was a 'surprise'. “This past Sunday I was out here looking and realized the rest of the shore had washed away and there was an entire ship there. I immediately texted friends and was like, 'holy moly, I think I found a ship, a sunken ship!'" said Ford. Read more: Human-induced climate change made summer drought ‘at least 20 times’ more likely, study finds After finding the boat, Ford approached experts to determine the exact history of the boat. The news soon reached Mississippi’s state archaeologist Chip McGimsey who said the existence of the boat has been known for some time. "We believe this is a ship that was manufactured in 1896 in Indiana for trade here," said McGimsey who added, “In 1992, it was exposed, an archeological firm did some work. At that time, it was not nearly as exposed as it is now." “For the most part, there are not good documents on boat building, especially once you get back into the area of wooden ships. They have a lot of individuality in these boats, and there are so few of them remaining. This is a rare example of one from around 1900.” Climate change has caused severe droughts across the planet. The drying of rivers has revealed some long-forgotten or never-before-discovered artefacts and in some cases, entire cities. As reported by WION, in June, the ruins of an ancient city, determined to be around 3,400 years old were discovered by archaeologists in Iraq. In pics - Ruins of hidden 3,400-year-old city found after severe drought in Iraq The discovery was made by a team of German and Kurdish researchers who were able to find the lost city due to the drawing down of the Mosul reservoir in the aftermath of severe droughts in Iraq in the recent past. The team also came across five ceramic jars containing over 100 cuneiform tablets. The ancient scripts date back to the Middle Assyrian period, a time shortly before the earthquake that destroyed the city, according to the archaeologists. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Louisiana man discovers a 19th-century boat as Mississippi river runs dry

<p>A fire at a suburban data centre south of Seoul damaged servers of South Korea's major tech companies, Kakao Corp. and Naver Corp. on Saturday, causing extensive disruption to the country's dominant messenger service and internet portal.</p>

<p>The fire at SK C&amp;C on Saturday afternoon affected the operations of companies including Kakao and Naver housed at the data centre in Pangyo, on Seoul's southern periphery, an SK official said.</p>

<p>Kakao messenger and some affiliated services remained down for more than eight hours after the fire broke out. Various services offered by Naver also went down partially for several hours.</p>

<p>There were no reports of injuries but the companies involved apologised to customers for the service disruptions. Safety precautions were preventing Kakao from resuming power supplies to its data centre, the Yonhap news agency reported.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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A fire at a suburban data centre south of Seoul damaged servers of South Korea's major tech companies, Kakao Corp. and Naver Corp. on Saturday, causing extensive disruption to the country's dominant messenger service and internet portal.

A fire at a suburban data centre south of Seoul damaged servers of South Korea's major tech companies, Kakao Corp. and Naver Corp. on Saturday, causing extensive disruption to the country's dominant messenger service and internet portal. The fire at SK C&C on Saturday afternoon affected the operations of companies including Kakao and Naver housed at the data centre in Pangyo, on Seoul's southern periphery, an SK official said. Kakao messenger and some affiliated services remained down for more than eight hours after the fire broke out. Various services offered by Naver also went down partially for several hours. There were no reports of injuries but the companies involved apologised to customers for the service disruptions. Safety precautions were preventing Kakao from resuming power supplies to its data centre, the Yonhap news agency reported. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Fire at data centre disrupts services of South Korean tech giants Kakao and Naver

<p>Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday addressed the once-in-five years party Congress. The speech lasted&nbsp;one hour and 45 minutes which was significantly less than his three-and-a-half hour address delivered five years ago. He signed off by calling for unity to achieve China’s national rejuvenation. In other news,&nbsp;A 'terrorist' attack on a Russian military training ground in Russia left at least 11 dead and 15 wounded.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Click on headlines to read more:</strong></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-20th-communist-party-congress-live-updates-national-congress-opens-in-beijing-525761"><strong>China's 20th Communist Party Congress LIVE updates | Xi opposes Taiwan independence</strong></a></p>

<p>Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday morning addressed the 20th CCP Congress and touched numerous issues ranging from Taiwan to Hong Kong to his rather controversial 'zero-Covid' policy.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2022/10/16/304034-copy-of-untitled.png" /></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/terrorist-attack-on-russian-military-site-in-russia-kills-11-525750"><strong>'Terrorist' attack on Russian military site close to Ukraine border kills 11, says defence ministry</strong></a></p>

<p>A 'terrorist' attack on a Russian military training ground in Russia left at least 11 dead and 15 wounded, said Russian defence ministry as quoted by Russian news agencies. The attack took place in Belgorod, a Russian region near Ukrainian border. Russian defence ministry said that two citizens from a former Soviet state carried out the attack.</p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2022/10/10/302626-putin-2.jpg" /></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/metaverse-fails-to-take-off-as-user-numbers-tumble-report-525769"><strong>Metaverse fails to take off as user numbers tumble: Report</strong></a></p>

<p>Facebook, rechristened as Meta is struggling with numbers, nearly a year after the rebranding, per a report by Wall Street Journal.&nbsp;Horizon Worlds, a flagship product of Meta which attempted to provide a comprehensive Metaverse experience to the users has faltered to take off.</p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2022/09/20/297305-0001lo590.jpg" /></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japanese-pm-mulls-launching-investigation-into-unification-church-525778"><strong>Japanese PM mulls launching investigation into Unification Church</strong></a></p>

<p>Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is mulling launching an investigation into the Unification Church which has come under fire, ever since the assassination of former PM Shinzo Abe.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2022/08/24/290103-untitled-design-2022-08-24t142706248.png" /></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/turkiye-mine-blast-president-tayyip-erdogan-visits-blast-site-41-killed-525747"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Turkiye Mine Blast: President Tayyip Erdogan visits blast site; 41 killed</strong></a></p>

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Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday addressed the once-in-five years party Congress. The speech lasted one hour and 45 minutes which was significantly less than his three-and-a-half hour address delivered five years ago.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday addressed the once-in-five years party Congress. The speech lasted one hour and 45 minutes which was significantly less than his three-and-a-half hour address delivered five years ago. He signed off by calling for unity to achieve China’s national rejuvenation. In other news, A 'terrorist' attack on a Russian military training ground in Russia left at least 11 dead and 15 wounded. Click on headlines to read more: China's 20th Communist Party Congress LIVE updates | Xi opposes Taiwan independence Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday morning addressed the 20th CCP Congress and touched numerous issues ranging from Taiwan to Hong Kong to his rather controversial 'zero-Covid' policy. 'Terrorist' attack on Russian military site close to Ukraine border kills 11, says defence ministry A 'terrorist' attack on a Russian military training ground in Russia left at least 11 dead and 15 wounded, said Russian defence ministry as quoted by Russian news agencies. The attack took place in Belgorod, a Russian region near Ukrainian border. Russian defence ministry said that two citizens from a former Soviet state carried out the attack. Metaverse fails to take off as user numbers tumble: Report Facebook, rechristened as Meta is struggling with numbers, nearly a year after the rebranding, per a report by Wall Street Journal. Horizon Worlds, a flagship product of Meta which attempted to provide a comprehensive Metaverse experience to the users has faltered to take off. Japanese PM mulls launching investigation into Unification Church Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is mulling launching an investigation into the Unification Church which has come under fire, ever since the assassination of former PM Shinzo Abe. WATCH | Turkiye Mine Blast: President Tayyip Erdogan visits blast site; 41 killed ×

Morning news brief: Xi Jinping addresses CCP Congress, Russian military site attacked & more

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<p>Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is mulling launching an investigation into the Unification Church which has come under fire, ever since the assassination of former PM Shinzo Abe.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reportedly, Kisida is expected to table the proposal on Monday during a session of the House of Representatives Budget Committee. Notably, the change in attitude from Kishida comes in the backdrop of his approval rating taking a deep dive in recent months for failing to address the issue.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As reported by WION, in September, Kishida's support fell to 32.3 per cent from 44.3 per cent a month before, according to the survey by Jiji news agency conducted at the weekend&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 'Unification Church' has become Kishida's Achilles heel and it only became more grave when a man set himself on fire in protest of the state funeral.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Critics in Japan have called the church a cult that exercises tremendous sway over politicians especially the&nbsp;Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).&nbsp;</p>

<p>A recent survey found that half of LDP lawmakers have ties with the group in terms of receiving political support or donations, or attending events.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/unification-church-in-japan-accepts-it-took-huge-donation-from-shinzo-abe-shooting-suspects-mother-518986" target="_blank"><strong>WATCH | Unification Church in Japan accepts it took huge donation from Shinzo Abe shooting suspect's mother</strong></a></p>

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<p>Abe's assassin is believed to have resented the sect over massive donations his mother made to the church, leaving the family bankrupt.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The organisation, which was started in South Korea in the 1950s by self-declared messiah Sun Myung Moon and is well-known for its mass weddings, has come under fire for its fundraising practises and other problems. Such ideas are rejected by the church, which asserts that it is a valid religious movement.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unification-church-in-japan-pledges-reforms-after-shinzo-abes-killing-518944" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: Unification Church in Japan pledges donation reforms after Shinzo Abe’s assassination</strong></a></p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
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<strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is mulling launching an investigation into the Unification Church which has come under fire, ever since the assassination of former PM Shinzo Abe.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is mulling launching an investigation into the Unification Church which has come under fire, ever since the assassination of former PM Shinzo Abe. Reportedly, Kisida is expected to table the proposal on Monday during a session of the House of Representatives Budget Committee. Notably, the change in attitude from Kishida comes in the backdrop of his approval rating taking a deep dive in recent months for failing to address the issue. As reported by WION, in September, Kishida's support fell to 32.3 per cent from 44.3 per cent a month before, according to the survey by Jiji news agency conducted at the weekend The 'Unification Church' has become Kishida's Achilles heel and it only became more grave when a man set himself on fire in protest of the state funeral. Critics in Japan have called the church a cult that exercises tremendous sway over politicians especially the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). A recent survey found that half of LDP lawmakers have ties with the group in terms of receiving political support or donations, or attending events. WATCH | Unification Church in Japan accepts it took huge donation from Shinzo Abe shooting suspect's mother × Abe's assassin is believed to have resented the sect over massive donations his mother made to the church, leaving the family bankrupt. The organisation, which was started in South Korea in the 1950s by self-declared messiah Sun Myung Moon and is well-known for its mass weddings, has come under fire for its fundraising practises and other problems. Such ideas are rejected by the church, which asserts that it is a valid religious movement. Read more: Unification Church in Japan pledges donation reforms after Shinzo Abe’s assassination (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Japanese PM mulls launching investigation into Unification Church

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidTL6zYudQwMmV" /><meta charset="utf-8" />Convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for trafficking teenage girls. However, in a first-ever interview since being incarcerated, Maxwell has called disgraced Prince Andrew her 'dear friend'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I feel so bad for him. Yes, I follow what is happening to him. He is paying such a price for the association (with Jeffrey Epstein). I consider him a dear friend...I care about him,” said Maxwell in a rare interview with Daily Mail.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When reminded that Prince Andrew and his lawyers rejected the claims that he was friends with her, Maxwell says, "I accept that this friendship could not survive my conviction."</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/timeline-ghislaine-maxwell-sex-trafficking-scandal-492925" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: Timeline: Ghislaine Maxwell sex-trafficking scandal</strong></a></p>

<p>While Maxwell remains in prison, Prince Andrew has been able to avoid facing the judicial music, primarily due to the family he belongs to. However, in recent times, even that family has started distancing itself from the&nbsp;&nbsp;Duke of York.</p>

<p>As reported by WION, in the aftermath of Queen Elizabeth II's demise, the royal family website had demoted Prince Andrew to the bottom of the royals' list.</p>

<p>As for Maxwell, she continues to maintain that meeting Epstein was the biggest mistake of her life.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I said in my court statement that meeting Epstein was the greatest mistake of my life. And obviously, if I could go back today, I would avoid meeting him, and I would make different choices.”</p>

<p>Epstein was accused of sexually exploiting dozens of underage girls, some as young as 14, at his homes in Manhattan and Palm Beach, Florida between 2002 and 2005.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ghislaine-maxwell-becomes-bffs-with-notorious-double-murderer-in-jail-511763"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;Ghislaine Maxwell becomes 'bffs' with notorious double-murderer in jail</strong></a></p>

<p>After Epstein's alleged suicide, Maxwell was arrested in the United States and charged with sex trafficking minors for him on July 2, 2020.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After a very public trial where Maxwell became the face of Epstein's sex-fuelled empire, she was handed a 20-year prison sentence by a court in New York in June, earlier this year.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ghislaine-maxwell-sentenced-to-20-years-of-prison-492968" target="_blank"><strong>WATCH | Ghislaine Maxwell sentenced to 20 years of prison</strong></a></p>

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<p>Although her lawyers asked the court for leniency due to trauma, judge Alison Nathan decided to hand out the sentence that was suggested by the US Probation Office. Earlier, the prosecutors in the case asked the court for a sentence between 30 and 55 years</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for trafficking teenage girls. However, in a first-ever interview since being incarcerated, Maxwell has called disgraced Prince Andrew her 'dear friend'.

Convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for trafficking teenage girls. However, in a first-ever interview since being incarcerated, Maxwell has called disgraced Prince Andrew her 'dear friend'. “I feel so bad for him. Yes, I follow what is happening to him. He is paying such a price for the association (with Jeffrey Epstein). I consider him a dear friend...I care about him,” said Maxwell in a rare interview with Daily Mail. When reminded that Prince Andrew and his lawyers rejected the claims that he was friends with her, Maxwell says, "I accept that this friendship could not survive my conviction." Read more: Timeline: Ghislaine Maxwell sex-trafficking scandal While Maxwell remains in prison, Prince Andrew has been able to avoid facing the judicial music, primarily due to the family he belongs to. However, in recent times, even that family has started distancing itself from the Duke of York. As reported by WION, in the aftermath of Queen Elizabeth II's demise, the royal family website had demoted Prince Andrew to the bottom of the royals' list. As for Maxwell, she continues to maintain that meeting Epstein was the biggest mistake of her life. “I said in my court statement that meeting Epstein was the greatest mistake of my life. And obviously, if I could go back today, I would avoid meeting him, and I would make different choices.” Epstein was accused of sexually exploiting dozens of underage girls, some as young as 14, at his homes in Manhattan and Palm Beach, Florida between 2002 and 2005. Read more: Ghislaine Maxwell becomes 'bffs' with notorious double-murderer in jail After Epstein's alleged suicide, Maxwell was arrested in the United States and charged with sex trafficking minors for him on July 2, 2020. After a very public trial where Maxwell became the face of Epstein's sex-fuelled empire, she was handed a 20-year prison sentence by a court in New York in June, earlier this year. WATCH | Ghislaine Maxwell sentenced to 20 years of prison × Although her lawyers asked the court for leniency due to trauma, judge Alison Nathan decided to hand out the sentence that was suggested by the US Probation Office. Earlier, the prosecutors in the case asked the court for a sentence between 30 and 55 years (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'He's a dear friend', says Ghislaine Maxwell about Prince Andrew in a rare prison interview

<p>A towering blaze at a notorious prison housing political prisoners and anti-government activists in Iran’s capital injured at least nine people but was extinguished after several hours. However, according to&nbsp;state news agency IRNA&nbsp;four prisoners died due to smoke inhalation caused by the fire and 61 others were injured, with 51 of these treated on an outpatient basis.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Flames and smoke rising from Tehran’s Evin Prison had been widely visible Saturday evening, as nationwide anti-government protests triggered by the death of a young woman in police custody entered the fifth week. In online videos, gunshots and explosions could be heard in the area of the prison.</p>

<p>State media said the fire broke out after a fight between prisoners, in an apparent attempt to distance the events there from the ongoing protests. Hundreds are being held at Evin, where human rights groups have reported repeated abuse of prisoners.</p>

<p>State TV on Sunday aired a video of the fire’s aftermath, showing scorched walls and ceilings in a room it said was the upper floor of a sewing workshop at the prison.</p>

<p>“This fire was caused by a fight between some prisoners in a sewing workshop,” said Tehran Governor&nbsp;Mohsen Mansouri. “The workshop was set up to create jobs” for prisoners, he said.</p>

<p>IRNA&nbsp;reported Saturday that there were clashes between prisoners in one ward and prison personnel, citing a senior security official.</p>

<p>The official said prisoners set fire to a warehouse full of prison uniforms, which caused the blaze. He said the “rioters” were separated from the other prisoners to de-escalate the conflict. The official said the “situation is completely under control” and that firefighters were extinguishing the flames.</p>

<p>Later, Tehran prosecutor Ali Salehi said that calm had returned to the prison and that the unrest was not related to the protests which have swept the country for four weeks.</p>

<p>IRNA later reported nine people had been injured, without elaborating. It published video showing burnt debris scattered around a building, with firefighters spraying down the blaze’s embers.</p>

<p>Families of inmates gathered Sunday near the prison for news of the well-being of their loved ones inside.</p>

<p>Masoumeh, 49, who only gave her first name, said his 19-year-old son was taken to prison two weeks ago after taking part in the street protests. “I cannot trust news about his health, I need to see him closely,” she said.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-rising-smoke-seen-from-evin-prison-videos-posted-online-525752"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;Iran: Rising smoke seen from Evin prison videos posted online</strong></a></p>

<p>Another man, Reza, who also gave only his first name, said his brother has been in Evin prison since last year after he was involved in a violent quarrel. “He did not call us in recent days and following last night’s fire I am here to learn what happened to him,” he said.</p>

<p>The US-based Center for Human Rights in Iran reported that an “armed conflict” broke out within the prison walls. It said shots were first heard in Ward 7 of the prison. This account could not immediately be corroborated.</p>

<p>Footage of the fire circulated online. Videos showed shots ringing out as plumes of smoke rose into the sky amid the sound of an alarm. A protest broke out on the street soon after, with many chanting “Death to the Dictator!”,&nbsp;a reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and burning tires, the videos showed.</p>

<p>The semiofficial Fars news agency, believed to be close to the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard, said Sunday that some prisoners who tried to escape entered a minefield situated in the northern part of the prison. “It is said the sound of explosions was related to the case,” the report said, offering no additional details.</p>

<p>Witnesses said that police blocked roads and highways to Evin and that at least three strong explosions were heard from the prison area. Traffic was heavy along major freeways near the prison, which is in the north of the capital, and many people honked to show their solidarity with protests.</p>

<p>Riot police were seen riding on motorbikes toward the facility, as were ambulances and firetrucks. Witnesses reported that the internet was blocked in the area.</p>

<p>The prison fire occurred as protesters intensified anti-government demonstrations along main streets and at universities in some cities across Iran on Saturday. Human rights monitors reported hundreds dead, including children, as the movement concluded its fourth week.</p>

<p>The protests erupted after public outrage over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody. She was arrested by Iran’s morality police in Tehran for violating the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code. Iran’s government insists Amini was not mistreated in police custody, but her family says her body showed bruises and other signs of beating after she was detained.</p>

<p>On Sunday, Iran’s parliament published a statement claiming that Amini did not die from any physical blow but that she fell and police waited too long to get treatment for her. It urged police to offer an apology and provide more training to its staff. It suggested police wear cameras on their uniforms and install them in cars used to transfer detainees.</p>

<p>President Joe Biden, on a trip to Oregon, said the Iranian “government is so oppressive” and that he had an “enormous amount of respect for people marching in the streets.”</p>

<p>Evin Prison, which holds detainees facing security-related charges and includes dual citizens, has been charged by rights groups with abusing inmates. The facility has long been known for holding political prisoners as well as those with ties to the West who have been used by Iran as bargaining chips in international negotiations.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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A towering blaze at a notorious prison housing political prisoners and anti-government activists in Iran’s capital injured at least nine people but was extinguished after several hours.

A towering blaze at a notorious prison housing political prisoners and anti-government activists in Iran’s capital injured at least nine people but was extinguished after several hours. However, according to state news agency IRNA four prisoners died due to smoke inhalation caused by the fire and 61 others were injured, with 51 of these treated on an outpatient basis. Flames and smoke rising from Tehran’s Evin Prison had been widely visible Saturday evening, as nationwide anti-government protests triggered by the death of a young woman in police custody entered the fifth week. In online videos, gunshots and explosions could be heard in the area of the prison. State media said the fire broke out after a fight between prisoners, in an apparent attempt to distance the events there from the ongoing protests. Hundreds are being held at Evin, where human rights groups have reported repeated abuse of prisoners. State TV on Sunday aired a video of the fire’s aftermath, showing scorched walls and ceilings in a room it said was the upper floor of a sewing workshop at the prison. “This fire was caused by a fight between some prisoners in a sewing workshop,” said Tehran Governor Mohsen Mansouri. “The workshop was set up to create jobs” for prisoners, he said. IRNA reported Saturday that there were clashes between prisoners in one ward and prison personnel, citing a senior security official. The official said prisoners set fire to a warehouse full of prison uniforms, which caused the blaze. He said the “rioters” were separated from the other prisoners to de-escalate the conflict. The official said the “situation is completely under control” and that firefighters were extinguishing the flames. Later, Tehran prosecutor Ali Salehi said that calm had returned to the prison and that the unrest was not related to the protests which have swept the country for four weeks. IRNA later reported nine people had been injured, without elaborating. It published video showing burnt debris scattered around a building, with firefighters spraying down the blaze’s embers. Families of inmates gathered Sunday near the prison for news of the well-being of their loved ones inside. Masoumeh, 49, who only gave her first name, said his 19-year-old son was taken to prison two weeks ago after taking part in the street protests. “I cannot trust news about his health, I need to see him closely,” she said. Read more: Iran: Rising smoke seen from Evin prison videos posted online Another man, Reza, who also gave only his first name, said his brother has been in Evin prison since last year after he was involved in a violent quarrel. “He did not call us in recent days and following last night’s fire I am here to learn what happened to him,” he said. The US-based Center for Human Rights in Iran reported that an “armed conflict” broke out within the prison walls. It said shots were first heard in Ward 7 of the prison. This account could not immediately be corroborated. Footage of the fire circulated online. Videos showed shots ringing out as plumes of smoke rose into the sky amid the sound of an alarm. A protest broke out on the street soon after, with many chanting “Death to the Dictator!”, a reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and burning tires, the videos showed. The semiofficial Fars news agency, believed to be close to the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard, said Sunday that some prisoners who tried to escape entered a minefield situated in the northern part of the prison. “It is said the sound of explosions was related to the case,” the report said, offering no additional details. Witnesses said that police blocked roads and highways to Evin and that at least three strong explosions were heard from the prison area. Traffic was heavy along major freeways near the prison, which is in the north of the capital, and many people honked to show their solidarity with protests. Riot police were seen riding on motorbikes toward the facility, as were ambulances and firetrucks. Witnesses reported that the internet was blocked in the area. The prison fire occurred as protesters intensified anti-government demonstrations along main streets and at universities in some cities across Iran on Saturday. Human rights monitors reported hundreds dead, including children, as the movement concluded its fourth week. The protests erupted after public outrage over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody. She was arrested by Iran’s morality police in Tehran for violating the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code. Iran’s government insists Amini was not mistreated in police custody, but her family says her body showed bruises and other signs of beating after she was detained. On Sunday, Iran’s parliament published a statement claiming that Amini did not die from any physical blow but that she fell and police waited too long to get treatment for her. It urged police to offer an apology and provide more training to its staff. It suggested police wear cameras on their uniforms and install them in cars used to transfer detainees. President Joe Biden, on a trip to Oregon, said the Iranian “government is so oppressive” and that he had an “enormous amount of respect for people marching in the streets.” Evin Prison, which holds detainees facing security-related charges and includes dual citizens, has been charged by rights groups with abusing inmates. The facility has long been known for holding political prisoners as well as those with ties to the West who have been used by Iran as bargaining chips in international negotiations. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Fire at Iran's infamous Evin Prison extinguished. Four dead, 61 injured

<p>The internet had been abuzz with posts and memes the last few days ever since the news of Cartoon Network's merger with Warner Bros came to light. While it was a merger, a significant chunk of the online population thought it was the end of Cartoon Network as most of us knew and thus a barrage of tribute posts started pouring in as well.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, the studio has now taken to Twitter to clear the air that it is not going anywhere. On Saturday, the official Twitter handle of Cartoon Network came up with a cheeky reply to the rumours swirling around.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Y’all we're not dead, we're just turning 30 😂 To our fans: We're not going anywhere. We have been and will always be your home for beloved, innovative cartoons ⬛️⬜️ More to come soon!" read the tweet.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Y’all we're not dead, we're just turning 30 😂<br />
<br />
To our fans: We're not going anywhere. We have been and will always be your home for beloved, innovative cartoons ⬛️⬜️ More to come soon!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CartoonNetwork?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CartoonNetwork</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CN30?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CN30</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/30andthriving?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#30andthriving</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CartoonNetworkStudios?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CartoonNetworkStudios</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FridayFeeling?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FridayFeeling</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FridayVibes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FridayVibes</a></p>
— Cartoon Network (@cartoonnetwork) <a href="https://twitter.com/cartoonnetwork/status/1581019585478037504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>As soon as the studio cleared the air, overjoyed netizens expressed their happiness. One tweeted, "Relieved to know. Please, never let your pure sense of creativity and furious passion be infiltrated and corrupted by greedy, corporate sell outs just looking for a pay day. Also, fire Zazlav."</p>

<p>Meanwhile, another added, "The fact that people in animation were trying to say this but panic mongering tweets were going viral instead."</p>

<p>As reported by WION, Warner Bros. on Tuesday announced that they were officially eliminating 125 jobs, or 26 per cent of their workforce, across scripted, non-scripted, and ongoing programmes.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/ripcartoonnetwork-warner-bros-declares-official-merge-netizens-pay-tribute-to-its-fantastic-30-years-525489"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;#RIPCartoonNetwork: Warner Bros declares official merge, netizens pay tribute to fantastic 30 years</strong></a></p>

<p>Meanwhile, studio CEO Channing Dungey said that the merger between Cartoon Network and Warner Bros might have more effects than their initial planning.</p>

<p>In nutshell, the brand Cartoon Network still exists but within the Warner Bros. banner. However, whether the brand survives in the future is a question that only Warner Bros. executives can answer.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong><br />
<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> &nbsp;</p>


The internet had been abuzz with posts and memes the last few days ever since the news of Cartoon Network's merger with Warner Bros came to light. While it was a merger, a significant chunk of the online population thought it was the end of Cartoon Network as most of us knew and thus a barrage of tribute posts started pouring in as well.

The internet had been abuzz with posts and memes the last few days ever since the news of Cartoon Network's merger with Warner Bros came to light. While it was a merger, a significant chunk of the online population thought it was the end of Cartoon Network as most of us knew and thus a barrage of tribute posts started pouring in as well. However, the studio has now taken to Twitter to clear the air that it is not going anywhere. On Saturday, the official Twitter handle of Cartoon Network came up with a cheeky reply to the rumours swirling around. "Y’all we're not dead, we're just turning 30 😂 To our fans: We're not going anywhere. We have been and will always be your home for beloved, innovative cartoons ⬛️⬜️ More to come soon!" read the tweet. Y’all we're not dead, we're just turning 30 😂 To our fans: We're not going anywhere. We have been and will always be your home for beloved, innovative cartoons ⬛️⬜️ More to come soon!#CartoonNetwork #CN30 #30andthriving #CartoonNetworkStudios #FridayFeeling #FridayVibes — Cartoon Network (@cartoonnetwork) October 14, 2022 × As soon as the studio cleared the air, overjoyed netizens expressed their happiness. One tweeted, "Relieved to know. Please, never let your pure sense of creativity and furious passion be infiltrated and corrupted by greedy, corporate sell outs just looking for a pay day. Also, fire Zazlav." Meanwhile, another added, "The fact that people in animation were trying to say this but panic mongering tweets were going viral instead." As reported by WION, Warner Bros. on Tuesday announced that they were officially eliminating 125 jobs, or 26 per cent of their workforce, across scripted, non-scripted, and ongoing programmes. Read more: #RIPCartoonNetwork: Warner Bros declares official merge, netizens pay tribute to fantastic 30 years Meanwhile, studio CEO Channing Dungey said that the merger between Cartoon Network and Warner Bros might have more effects than their initial planning. In nutshell, the brand Cartoon Network still exists but within the Warner Bros. banner. However, whether the brand survives in the future is a question that only Warner Bros. executives can answer. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'We're not dead,' Cartoon Network responds after a flurry of tribute posts

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<p>Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has jumped in to defend his country after US President Joe Biden termed Pakistan as 'one of the most dangerous nations'.</p>

<p>Sharif took to Twitter and stated that Pakistan's nuclear programme is not a threat to any country.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Pakistan is a responsible nuclear state that is perfectly capable of safeguarding its national interest whilst respecting international law and practices. Our nuclear program&nbsp;is in no way a threat to any country," tweeted Sharif.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Like all independent states, Pakistan reserves the right to protect its autonomy, sovereign statehood and territorial integrity," he added.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Pakistan is a responsible nuclear state that is perfectly capable of safeguarding its national interest whilst respecting international law and practices. Our nuclear program is in no way a threat to any country. Like all independent states,<br />
<br />
…1/2</p>
— Nawaz Sharif (@NawazSharifMNS) <a href="https://twitter.com/NawazSharifMNS/status/1581216198515392513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>Reportedly, Sharif was responding to a statement made by Biden at a Democratic party event on Friday. The US President was talking about US foreign policy with regard to China and Russia. However, he concluded his point by saying that Pakistan is "one of the most dangerous nations" in the world.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-president-speaks-on-pakistan-calls-it-one-of-the-most-dangerous-nations-in-the-world-525651"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;US President speaks on Pakistan, calls it one of the most dangerous nations in the world</strong></a></p>

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<p>"This is a guy (Xi Jinping) who understands what he wants but has an enormous, enormous array of problems. How do we handle that? How do we handle that relative to what's going on in Russia? And what I think is maybe one of the most dangerous nations in the world: Pakistan. Nuclear weapons without any cohesion," said Biden, as quoted in a White House press release of his remarks at the Democratic party event.</p>

<p>Reportedly miffed by the statement, Islamabad on Saturday evening summoned the US ambassador and issued a demarche.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Pakistan's minister of foreign affairs Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that due to the "failure of Imran Khan's policy - we are hurt in all front - we are trying to rectify and strengthen relationship".&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-calls-pak-one-of-the-most-dangerous-nations-then-explains-why-525600" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: Pakistan summons US envoy over Biden's 'one of most dangerous nations' remark</strong></a></p>

<p>Bilawal said Biden's remark was apparently in a private event as it was not an address to the nation or any official event. "We have summoned the US Ambassador to know and to get an explanation," he said.&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>


Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has jumped in to defend his country after US President Joe Biden termed Pakistan as 'one of the most dangerous nations'.

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has jumped in to defend his country after US President Joe Biden termed Pakistan as 'one of the most dangerous nations'. Sharif took to Twitter and stated that Pakistan's nuclear programme is not a threat to any country. "Pakistan is a responsible nuclear state that is perfectly capable of safeguarding its national interest whilst respecting international law and practices. Our nuclear program is in no way a threat to any country," tweeted Sharif. "Like all independent states, Pakistan reserves the right to protect its autonomy, sovereign statehood and territorial integrity," he added. Pakistan is a responsible nuclear state that is perfectly capable of safeguarding its national interest whilst respecting international law and practices. Our nuclear program is in no way a threat to any country. Like all independent states, …1/2 — Nawaz Sharif (@NawazSharifMNS) October 15, 2022 × Reportedly, Sharif was responding to a statement made by Biden at a Democratic party event on Friday. The US President was talking about US foreign policy with regard to China and Russia. However, he concluded his point by saying that Pakistan is "one of the most dangerous nations" in the world. WATCH | US President speaks on Pakistan, calls it one of the most dangerous nations in the world × "This is a guy (Xi Jinping) who understands what he wants but has an enormous, enormous array of problems. How do we handle that? How do we handle that relative to what's going on in Russia? And what I think is maybe one of the most dangerous nations in the world: Pakistan. Nuclear weapons without any cohesion," said Biden, as quoted in a White House press release of his remarks at the Democratic party event. Reportedly miffed by the statement, Islamabad on Saturday evening summoned the US ambassador and issued a demarche. Meanwhile, Pakistan's minister of foreign affairs Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that due to the "failure of Imran Khan's policy - we are hurt in all front - we are trying to rectify and strengthen relationship". Read more: Pakistan summons US envoy over Biden's 'one of most dangerous nations' remark Bilawal said Biden's remark was apparently in a private event as it was not an address to the nation or any official event. "We have summoned the US Ambassador to know and to get an explanation," he said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Former PM Nawaz Sharif comes to Pakistan's defence after Biden's 'dangerous nation' remark

<p>The year 2024 started for Florida with a bizarre rumour spreading like wildfire on social media: A 10-foot-tall alien was roaming in a Miami shopping mall, inviting a huge police presence in the vicinity. The speculation market turned red hot after a video went viral on social media showing a massive figure strolling outside Bayside Marketplace. The video showed the ‘alien’ shadow surrounded by dozens of police officers, and cruisers with their lights flashing.</p>

<h2><strong>Rumours on the internet</strong></h2>

<p>As soon as the video went viral, the speculations and murmurs came flooding as well. "I don't know if the rumours about the aliens at the Miami Mall are real but I do know I never seen this many police in one place," one X user posted. &nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">MIAMI MALL ALIEN INCIDENT -<br />
<br />
A Miami mall was shut down by POLICE &amp; rumors are being spread around about “8-10ft tall shadow aliens” 👽 ‼️<br />
<br />
Reports are saying that it was 'kids fighting'. <a href="https://t.co/PXsoaufWiD">pic.twitter.com/PXsoaufWiD</a></p>
— DramaAlert (@DramaAlert) <a href="https://twitter.com/DramaAlert/status/1743343632650813572?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I’m not a conspiracy theorist but when this many cops show up to shut down a Miami mall, and not one single person took a video from inside or driving by? Something is off. Rumors are there were “8-10 foot shadow aliens”<br />
<br />
Also, Epstein didn’t kill himself <a href="https://t.co/0B3AFQV7yU">pic.twitter.com/0B3AFQV7yU</a></p>
— Louis KC (@notlouisck) <a href="https://twitter.com/notlouisck/status/1743375314917716286?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A Miami mall was shut down by POLICE &amp; rumors are being spread around about “8-10ft tall shadow aliens”<br />
<br />
News outlets are reporting it was a teen riot but first hand accounts are saying otherwise. <a href="https://t.co/2DOLQWEIVP">pic.twitter.com/2DOLQWEIVP</a></p>
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyLoud/status/1743366728199852437?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Another X user claimed that there were '10ft Aliens/Creatures' which were 'fired at inside and outside Miami Mall' in supposed footage.<br />
<br />
Some posts claimed people in the vicinity lost WiFi for some hours while some alleged that the nearby airports had also been shut down.</p>

<h2><strong>Police issue statement</strong></h2>

<p>Miami police on Friday (Jan 5) however debunked all these statements, calling them ‘false.’ In a statement, the department confirmed: "There were no aliens, UFOs, or ETs."</p>

<p>Speaking of the viral videos, officer Michael Vega added: "It’s a shadow of a person walking. If you look at the beginning of the clip, you can see the person at the bottom of the shadow. "If there was any creature, myself and other officers would have our handgun, rifle, and shotgun out while we hide behind our cars," he added.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Gravitas | A Culture of violence in the US</strong></p>

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<p>"There were no aliens. No airports were closed. Nothing is being withheld from the public. LOL.”</p>

<h2><strong>What happened inside the mall?</strong></h2>

<p>The large police presence outside the Miami mall was caused by a large brawl between teenagers on Monday night. Some of them also set off fireworks inside the mall, leading many people to believe that a shooting had taken place.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/its-about-interests-indians-rip-into-ex-us-ambassador-after-he-questioned-jaishankars-visit-to-russia-675189"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;`It`s about interests,` Indians rip into ex-US ambassador after he questions Jaishankar`s visit to Russia</strong></a></p>

<p>Later, the police arrested at least four juveniles for causing the massive distress. “The juveniles were causing chaos,” Vega said.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The year 2024 started for Florida with a bizarre rumour spreading like wildfire on social media: A 10-foot-tall alien was roaming in a Miami shopping mall, inviting a huge police presence in the vicinity.

The year 2024 started for Florida with a bizarre rumour spreading like wildfire on social media: A 10-foot-tall alien was roaming in a Miami shopping mall, inviting a huge police presence in the vicinity. The speculation market turned red hot after a video went viral on social media showing a massive figure strolling outside Bayside Marketplace. The video showed the ‘alien’ shadow surrounded by dozens of police officers, and cruisers with their lights flashing. Rumours on the internet As soon as the video went viral, the speculations and murmurs came flooding as well. "I don't know if the rumours about the aliens at the Miami Mall are real but I do know I never seen this many police in one place," one X user posted. MIAMI MALL ALIEN INCIDENT - A Miami mall was shut down by POLICE & rumors are being spread around about “8-10ft tall shadow aliens” 👽 ‼️ Reports are saying that it was 'kids fighting'. pic.twitter.com/PXsoaufWiD — DramaAlert (@DramaAlert) January 5, 2024 × I’m not a conspiracy theorist but when this many cops show up to shut down a Miami mall, and not one single person took a video from inside or driving by? Something is off. Rumors are there were “8-10 foot shadow aliens” Also, Epstein didn’t kill himself pic.twitter.com/0B3AFQV7yU — Louis KC (@notlouisck) January 5, 2024 × A Miami mall was shut down by POLICE & rumors are being spread around about “8-10ft tall shadow aliens” News outlets are reporting it was a teen riot but first hand accounts are saying otherwise. pic.twitter.com/2DOLQWEIVP — Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) January 5, 2024 × Another X user claimed that there were '10ft Aliens/Creatures' which were 'fired at inside and outside Miami Mall' in supposed footage. Some posts claimed people in the vicinity lost WiFi for some hours while some alleged that the nearby airports had also been shut down. Police issue statement Miami police on Friday (Jan 5) however debunked all these statements, calling them ‘false.’ In a statement, the department confirmed: "There were no aliens, UFOs, or ETs." Speaking of the viral videos, officer Michael Vega added: "It’s a shadow of a person walking. If you look at the beginning of the clip, you can see the person at the bottom of the shadow. "If there was any creature, myself and other officers would have our handgun, rifle, and shotgun out while we hide behind our cars," he added. Watch: Gravitas | A Culture of violence in the US × "There were no aliens. No airports were closed. Nothing is being withheld from the public. LOL.” What happened inside the mall? The large police presence outside the Miami mall was caused by a large brawl between teenagers on Monday night. Some of them also set off fireworks inside the mall, leading many people to believe that a shooting had taken place. Also read: `It`s about interests,` Indians rip into ex-US ambassador after he questions Jaishankar`s visit to Russia Later, the police arrested at least four juveniles for causing the massive distress. “The juveniles were causing chaos,” Vega said. (With inputs from agencies)

'Will never renounce option to use force in Taiwan', says Xi Jinping during the CPC's 20th congress

<p>Senior Conservatives are hatching a plan to swiftly remove Truss as the leader and bring a unity pairing of Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt, claimed a Guardian report.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reportedly, a 'dinner of grown-ups' has&nbsp;been called by supporters of Rishi Sunak with invitations sent to 15-20 former ministers and senior Tory MPs to plan on how and when to remove Truss.</p>

<p>Sunak, during the election canvassing trail, had repeatedly called out Truss for her rather 'utopian' financial plans, citing them as untenable and not agreeing with the current economic climate.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Firstly, I will never get taxes down in a way that just puts inflation up. Secondly, I will never make promises I can’t pay for. And thirdly, I will always be honest about the challenges we face," Sunak had said at the time.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-can-liz-truss-stay-on-as-prime-minister-525529"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: Can Liz Truss stay on as Prime Minister?</strong></a></p>

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<p>However, the Conservatives got swayed by the populist measure and voted in numbers for her. As predicted by Sunak, Truss' mini-budget started the domino effect and the situation quickly turned pear-shaped for her.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Consequently, Truss was forced to take a U-turn on most of her decisions and the latest straw came in the form of sacking chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng. Some other senior Tories, however, are hopeful that Truss will smell the coffee and walk&nbsp;out on her own.</p>

<p>"She [Truss] is in the departure lounge now, and she knows that. It is a case now of whether she takes part in the process and goes to some extent on her own terms, or whether she tries to resist and is forced out,” a senior former minister was quoted as saying by the publication.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“She has to find the courage to walk away from this, to do it in an orderly fashion – and be thanked for having done so.”</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/liz-truss-declares-she-will-increase-corporation-tax-just-hours-after-sacking-her-finance-minister-525494"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;After sacking her finance minister, UK PM Liz Truss declares she will hike corporation tax</strong></a></p>

<p>There's no denying the fact that Prime Minister Liz Truss and her cabinet are running on borrowed time after unloading a brain fade of an economic policy on Britons. However, another change in 10, Downing Street will dent the credibility of Conservatives who have already changed two PMs and have been trailing the Labour Party in surveys for quite some time.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
<br />
<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>


Senior Conservatives are hatching a plan to swiftly remove Truss as the leader and bring a unity pairing of Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt, claimed a Guardian report.

Senior Conservatives are hatching a plan to swiftly remove Truss as the leader and bring a unity pairing of Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt, claimed a Guardian report. Reportedly, a 'dinner of grown-ups' has been called by supporters of Rishi Sunak with invitations sent to 15-20 former ministers and senior Tory MPs to plan on how and when to remove Truss. Sunak, during the election canvassing trail, had repeatedly called out Truss for her rather 'utopian' financial plans, citing them as untenable and not agreeing with the current economic climate. "Firstly, I will never get taxes down in a way that just puts inflation up. Secondly, I will never make promises I can’t pay for. And thirdly, I will always be honest about the challenges we face," Sunak had said at the time. WATCH | Gravitas: Can Liz Truss stay on as Prime Minister? × However, the Conservatives got swayed by the populist measure and voted in numbers for her. As predicted by Sunak, Truss' mini-budget started the domino effect and the situation quickly turned pear-shaped for her. Consequently, Truss was forced to take a U-turn on most of her decisions and the latest straw came in the form of sacking chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng. Some other senior Tories, however, are hopeful that Truss will smell the coffee and walk out on her own. "She [Truss] is in the departure lounge now, and she knows that. It is a case now of whether she takes part in the process and goes to some extent on her own terms, or whether she tries to resist and is forced out,” a senior former minister was quoted as saying by the publication. “She has to find the courage to walk away from this, to do it in an orderly fashion – and be thanked for having done so.” Read more: After sacking her finance minister, UK PM Liz Truss declares she will hike corporation tax There's no denying the fact that Prime Minister Liz Truss and her cabinet are running on borrowed time after unloading a brain fade of an economic policy on Britons. However, another change in 10, Downing Street will dent the credibility of Conservatives who have already changed two PMs and have been trailing the Labour Party in surveys for quite some time. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Senior Tory leaders making moves to oust Truss, replace her with unity pairing of Sunak-Mordaunt

<p>A day before the Communist Party Congress where Xi Jinping is expected to install himself in the power corridors of China for another five years, Beijing has extended an olive branch to the US, its arch rival.</p>

<p>Reportedly, in a press conference on the eve of the Congress, China's deputy propaganda chief Sun Yeli said that US and China must get along.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“China-US ties concern the world’s future, and whether we can handle relations with each other is the question of the century that both countries need to answer well,” said&nbsp;Sun.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-us-should-create-conditions-for-dialogue-with-north-korea-523792"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;China: US should create conducive conditions for dialogue with North Korea</strong></a></p>

<p>“We have never believed in the so-called Thucydides Trap.&nbsp;We also oppose the idea that ‘a strong country must seek hegemony’ and the mindset of zero-sum game thinking," added Sun.</p>

<p>The Chinese leader was referring to the popular theory coined by&nbsp;American political scientist Graham T. Allison which states that the rise of a new power inadvertently leads to an escalation of tensions with an existing superpower.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added that the two countries are expected to play a leading role to promote global cooperation. Thus, a partnership between Washington and Beijing was necessary.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“There are many challenges in today’s world that require cooperation between the two countries. The international community generally expects China and the United States to play a leading role, assume the responsibilities of major powers, stabilise bilateral relations, and promote global cooperation.”</p>

<p>It is a rather welcome move from Beijing that it wants to mend ties. However, the timing is bit suspicious as it comes in the backdrop of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi undertaking a rather provocative trip to Taiwan just a few months back. Similarly,&nbsp;Washington, earlier this month imposed&nbsp;sweeping export controls on advanced, high-performance computing chips, much to the chagrin of Beijing.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-responds-angrily-after-us-announces-chip-export-restrictions-523659"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;China responds angrily after US announces chip export restrictions</strong></a></p>

<p>While some experts believe that Xi is a changed man, others suggest that the Chinese President is simply making sure that his coronation as the biggest leader of China after Mao Zedong goes without any conflict, as he wears the cloak of a statesman, albeit momentarily.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
<br />
<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>


A day before the Communist Party Congress where Xi Jinping is expected to install himself in the power corridors of China for another five years, Beijing has extended an olive branch to the US, its arch rival.

A day before the Communist Party Congress where Xi Jinping is expected to install himself in the power corridors of China for another five years, Beijing has extended an olive branch to the US, its arch rival. Reportedly, in a press conference on the eve of the Congress, China's deputy propaganda chief Sun Yeli said that US and China must get along. “China-US ties concern the world’s future, and whether we can handle relations with each other is the question of the century that both countries need to answer well,” said Sun. Read more: China: US should create conducive conditions for dialogue with North Korea “We have never believed in the so-called Thucydides Trap. We also oppose the idea that ‘a strong country must seek hegemony’ and the mindset of zero-sum game thinking," added Sun. The Chinese leader was referring to the popular theory coined by American political scientist Graham T. Allison which states that the rise of a new power inadvertently leads to an escalation of tensions with an existing superpower. He added that the two countries are expected to play a leading role to promote global cooperation. Thus, a partnership between Washington and Beijing was necessary. “There are many challenges in today’s world that require cooperation between the two countries. The international community generally expects China and the United States to play a leading role, assume the responsibilities of major powers, stabilise bilateral relations, and promote global cooperation.” It is a rather welcome move from Beijing that it wants to mend ties. However, the timing is bit suspicious as it comes in the backdrop of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi undertaking a rather provocative trip to Taiwan just a few months back. Similarly, Washington, earlier this month imposed sweeping export controls on advanced, high-performance computing chips, much to the chagrin of Beijing. Read more: China responds angrily after US announces chip export restrictions While some experts believe that Xi is a changed man, others suggest that the Chinese President is simply making sure that his coronation as the biggest leader of China after Mao Zedong goes without any conflict, as he wears the cloak of a statesman, albeit momentarily. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Ahead of the CCP Congress, Beijing offers an olive branch to the US

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