Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday addressed the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and apart from his Kashmir rhetoric, he drew the attention of the global body to the climate disaster his country is facing.

Stating that&nbsp;climate disasters will not remain confined to his country, Sharif took a subtle dig at western nations who blame developing nations for global warming.

"What happened in Pakistan will not stay in Pakistan. Pakistan has never seen a more stark and devastating example of the impact of global warming. Life in Pakistan has changed forever," said Sharif.

"Why are my people paying such high price of global warming through no fault of their own? Nature has unleashed her fury on Pakistan without looking at our carbon footprint, which is next to nothing," he added.

Read more:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-sharif-bangladesh-pm-sheikh-hasina-calls-out-rich-developed-nations-on-climate-change-519178">&nbsp;After Sharif, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina calls out 'rich' &amp; 'developed' nations on climate change</a>

Sharif further lamented about the people who had died in the devastating floods.&nbsp;

“For 40 days and 40 nights, biblical flood poured on us. Even today, huge swathes of the country are still under water. 33 million people including women, and children are at high risk of health hazards. More than 1,500 of my people, including 400 children, have gone from the world. Far more are in peril," said the PM.

Before shifting to his anti-India tirade, Sharif signed off on his climate change speech by&nbsp;urging global action.

"It is high time we took a pause from the preoccupations of the 20th century to return to the challenges of the 21st. The entire definition of national security has changed today, and unless the leaders of the world come together to act now behind minimum agreed agenda, there will be no earth to fight wars over. Nature will be fighting back, and for that humanity is no match," said Sharif.

Pakistan demands reparations

As reported by WION, earlier this month, Pakistan's federal climate minister Sherry Rehman argued that the western nations owe developing nations reparations for accelerating climate change.&nbsp;

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/western-countries-owe-reparations-to-developing-countries-facing-climate-change-says-pakistan-minister-512869" target="_blank">Western countries owe reparations to developing nations facing climate change, says Pakistan minister</a>

“There is so much loss and damage with so little reparations to countries that contributed so little to the world’s carbon footprint that obviously the bargain made between the global north and global south is not working," said Rehman.&nbsp;

Rehman in clear terms batted for a reset of targets and asserted that “richer countries must do more”.

“Historic injustices have to be heard and there must be some level of climate equation so that the brunt of the irresponsible carbon consumption is not being laid on nations near the equator which are obviously unable to create resilient infrastructure on their own," she added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

<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;

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Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday addressed the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and apart from his Kashmir rhetoric, he drew the attention of the global body to the climate disaster his country is facing.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday addressed the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and apart from his Kashmir rhetoric, he drew the attention of the global body to the climate disaster his country is facing. Stating that climate disasters will not remain confined to his country, Sharif took a subtle dig at western nations who blame developing nations for global warming. "What happened in Pakistan will not stay in Pakistan. Pakistan has never seen a more stark and devastating example of the impact of global warming. Life in Pakistan has changed forever," said Sharif. "Why are my people paying such high price of global warming through no fault of their own? Nature has unleashed her fury on Pakistan without looking at our carbon footprint, which is next to nothing," he added. Read more: After Sharif, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina calls out 'rich' & 'developed' nations on climate change Sharif further lamented about the people who had died in the devastating floods. “For 40 days and 40 nights, biblical flood poured on us. Even today, huge swathes of the country are still under water. 33 million people including women, and children are at high risk of health hazards. More than 1,500 of my people, including 400 children, have gone from the world. Far more are in peril," said the PM. Before shifting to his anti-India tirade, Sharif signed off on his climate change speech by urging global action. "It is high time we took a pause from the preoccupations of the 20th century to return to the challenges of the 21st. The entire definition of national security has changed today, and unless the leaders of the world come together to act now behind minimum agreed agenda, there will be no earth to fight wars over. Nature will be fighting back, and for that humanity is no match," said Sharif. Pakistan demands reparations As reported by WION, earlier this month, Pakistan's federal climate minister Sherry Rehman argued that the western nations owe developing nations reparations for accelerating climate change. Read more: Western countries owe reparations to developing nations facing climate change, says Pakistan minister “There is so much loss and damage with so little reparations to countries that contributed so little to the world’s carbon footprint that obviously the bargain made between the global north and global south is not working," said Rehman. Rehman in clear terms batted for a reset of targets and asserted that “richer countries must do more”. “Historic injustices have to be heard and there must be some level of climate equation so that the brunt of the irresponsible carbon consumption is not being laid on nations near the equator which are obviously unable to create resilient infrastructure on their own," she added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'Why are my people paying the price?', Pakistan PM questions West on climate change

Russian soldiers, wearing balaclavas and wielding guns, flanked election workers. Ukrainians were forced to vote while Russian officials or their proxies stood guard. Some residents even hid in their homes, terrified that voting against Russia’s annexation would lead to their being abducted, or worse.

As Russia began orchestrating staged voting in referendums across Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine on Friday, Ukrainians in those areas expressed a mix of anger, defiance and fear that their homeland was being usurped by force in what they called a sham vote.

The aim of the hastily called referendums, supported by pro-Russian residents and their proxies was apparent; to give President Vladimir Putin of Russia a legally bogus pretext to gobble up their country. And they brought back memories of staged votes in 2014 in Crimea that were swiftly followed by Russia’s annexation of the peninsula.

Tina, 27, a freelance journalist who was visiting her fiancé’s parents in Beryslav, in Russian-occupied southern Ukraine, said that she drove through the streets on Friday morning and saw Russian officials standing in a neighbor’s yard, waiting for him to fill the ballot before passing it on to someone in a nearby vehicle.

Russian officials were going door to door, she said, to deliver ballots, peering into the windows of homes that did not answer their call.

“We are against these occupiers,” Tina said, “but we do not have a right to say no. We cannot refuse.”

Tina, who said she has participated in protests against the Russian occupation, said that her fiancé’s relatives had locked their gates and doors and turned off their lights, as Ukrainian authorities had advised. But she was worried that their address would be noted and there would be negative repercussions if they refused to answer the door.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-says-residents-coerced-into-russian-annexation-vote-519102">Ukraine says residents of captured regions coerced into Russian annexation vote</a>

“After living side by side with them for more than six months now, we have learned that any refusal could result in a direct ticket to the basement,” she said, using a phrase Ukrainians under occupation in Kherson, a port city in the country’s south, have started using to describe abductions by occupying forces.

Olha, a Ukrainian who spoke on Thursday night to friends in Enerhodar, a Russian-controlled city in southeastern Ukraine near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, said men aged 18 to 35 were being prevented from leaving the city.

Echoing the concerns of many Ukrainians, she said she was nervous that Russian annexation would force young men to join the Russian military and fight against fellow Ukrainians. That has already happened in parts of Luhansk and Donetsk occupied by Russia since 2014.

“They want to conscript them to the Russian armed forces,” Olha said. “And Ukrainians will have to fight against Ukrainians,” she said, stopping as she broke into tears. Like others interviewed for this article, she did not want to use her full name out of concern for her safety.

Andriy, 44, who has friends and relatives in Kherson, said he had spoken to them in recent days and they had told him that it wasn’t possible to leave the city because of the referendum.

“You know, those who are smart, they sit at home and don’t go anywhere,” he said by phone from Kyiv.

In Russian-occupied Melitopol, in southeastern Ukraine, Natalia, 73, a pensioner, said that the referendums had shocked her. 
“The scariest thing is that after the referendum, if Ukraine tries to liberate my city, it will be considered as an attack on Russia,” she said.

She said the Russians had set up information booths about the referendum across Melitopol, and had hung banners with pro-Russian slogans. The city, she said, was covered with Russian flags, and patriotic Russian music played.

On Friday, she said, she looked out the window of her apartment and saw two pro-Russian referendum workers entering the building. She remained inside, far from the window, to avoid being seen. But she managed to spot two soldiers, each wearing a balaclava and clutching a gun, escorting three referendum workers.

She said that a polling station had been set up in the gym of a school. “I will not go to vote,” Natalia said. “Only if they point a gun at me, and even then I will vote for Ukraine.”

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

<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;

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Russian soldiers, wearing balaclavas and wielding guns, flanked election workers. Ukrainians were forced to vote while Russian officials or their proxies stood guard.

Russian soldiers, wearing balaclavas and wielding guns, flanked election workers. Ukrainians were forced to vote while Russian officials or their proxies stood guard. Some residents even hid in their homes, terrified that voting against Russia’s annexation would lead to their being abducted, or worse. As Russia began orchestrating staged voting in referendums across Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine on Friday, Ukrainians in those areas expressed a mix of anger, defiance and fear that their homeland was being usurped by force in what they called a sham vote. The aim of the hastily called referendums, supported by pro-Russian residents and their proxies was apparent; to give President Vladimir Putin of Russia a legally bogus pretext to gobble up their country. And they brought back memories of staged votes in 2014 in Crimea that were swiftly followed by Russia’s annexation of the peninsula. Tina, 27, a freelance journalist who was visiting her fiancé’s parents in Beryslav, in Russian-occupied southern Ukraine, said that she drove through the streets on Friday morning and saw Russian officials standing in a neighbor’s yard, waiting for him to fill the ballot before passing it on to someone in a nearby vehicle. Russian officials were going door to door, she said, to deliver ballots, peering into the windows of homes that did not answer their call. “We are against these occupiers,” Tina said, “but we do not have a right to say no. We cannot refuse.” Tina, who said she has participated in protests against the Russian occupation, said that her fiancé’s relatives had locked their gates and doors and turned off their lights, as Ukrainian authorities had advised. But she was worried that their address would be noted and there would be negative repercussions if they refused to answer the door. Read more: Ukraine says residents of captured regions coerced into Russian annexation vote “After living side by side with them for more than six months now, we have learned that any refusal could result in a direct ticket to the basement,” she said, using a phrase Ukrainians under occupation in Kherson, a port city in the country’s south, have started using to describe abductions by occupying forces. Olha, a Ukrainian who spoke on Thursday night to friends in Enerhodar, a Russian-controlled city in southeastern Ukraine near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, said men aged 18 to 35 were being prevented from leaving the city. Echoing the concerns of many Ukrainians, she said she was nervous that Russian annexation would force young men to join the Russian military and fight against fellow Ukrainians. That has already happened in parts of Luhansk and Donetsk occupied by Russia since 2014. “They want to conscript them to the Russian armed forces,” Olha said. “And Ukrainians will have to fight against Ukrainians,” she said, stopping as she broke into tears. Like others interviewed for this article, she did not want to use her full name out of concern for her safety. Andriy, 44, who has friends and relatives in Kherson, said he had spoken to them in recent days and they had told him that it wasn’t possible to leave the city because of the referendum. “You know, those who are smart, they sit at home and don’t go anywhere,” he said by phone from Kyiv. In Russian-occupied Melitopol, in southeastern Ukraine, Natalia, 73, a pensioner, said that the referendums had shocked her. “The scariest thing is that after the referendum, if Ukraine tries to liberate my city, it will be considered as an attack on Russia,” she said. She said the Russians had set up information booths about the referendum across Melitopol, and had hung banners with pro-Russian slogans. The city, she said, was covered with Russian flags, and patriotic Russian music played. On Friday, she said, she looked out the window of her apartment and saw two pro-Russian referendum workers entering the building. She remained inside, far from the window, to avoid being seen. But she managed to spot two soldiers, each wearing a balaclava and clutching a gun, escorting three referendum workers. She said that a polling station had been set up in the gym of a school. “I will not go to vote,” Natalia said. “Only if they point a gun at me, and even then I will vote for Ukraine.” WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Russian referendum voting evokes feeling of anger, trepidation and defiance

A global slowdown and impending fears of recession have prompted companies across the board to trim their headcount. According to GlobalData's news database, over 60 top companies announced layoffs in the month of August 2022 alone.

A global slowdown and impending fears of recession have prompted companies across the board to trim their headcount. According to GlobalData's news database, over 60 top companies announced layoffs in the month of August 2022 alone. From Microsoft to Apple to Tencent to Xiaomi to Snap, the big tech behemoths fired employees as uncertain macroeconomic conditions threatened to hurt the financial books of the companies. However, experts believe that the worst is yet to come. Sherla Sriprada, business fundamentals analyst at GlobalData, which published the report, cited the example of Microsoft and how the company was planning future cuts as well. "Of particular interest is Microsoft, which laid off 1% of its total workforce due to the economic slowdown, and has plans to terminate a further 200 employees from its consumer research and development (R&D) team as a part of its realignment. The company’s job postings fell by 47 per cent in August 2022 over January 2022,” said Sriprada. As reported by WION, there has been no dearth of big names taking the rather cold call of laying off their employees in recent times. China's Alibaba reportedly fired 10,000 employees as part of cost-cutting measures and due to slowing sales growth and rising prices. Tencent, the crown jewel of China's booming tech sector, reported a slowdown in sales for the first time this year and instantly laid off over 5,500 employees. Meanwhile, Coinbase Global Inc stated it will extend its hiring freeze for the foreseeable future and rescind a number of accepted offers in order to deal with current macroeconomic conditions. Similarly, Meta (formerly Facebook) has paused hiring for several verticals, like shopping and Messenger Kids, which has triggered the fear of layoffs among employees. "I can't sit here and make a permanent ongoing promise that as things shift that we won't have to reconsider that (job cuts)," Zuckerberg told the staff during a meeting. Read more: From Tesla to Peloton, companies slow hiring as US economy sputters Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai earlier this month stated that he wants to make his company 20 per cent efficient while hinting at possible job cuts. “We want to make sure as a company, when you have fewer resources than before, you are prioritizing all the right things to be working on and your employees are really productive that they can actually have impact on the things they’re working on so that’s what we are spending our time on,” said Pichai. Read more: Sundar Pichai hints at slashing Google workforce, wants company 20% more efficient Similarly, banking major Goldman Sachs is planning to fire hundreds of its employees by resuming its annual practice which was halted the last two years due to the pandemic. Experts believe that Goldman Sachs could clip as many as one to five per cent of its low-performance employees. This will mean losing anywhere between 500 to 2,400 employees. Read more: Goldman Sachs to start firing employees from next week amid an economic slowdown (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Signs of global slowdown? 60 top companies fired employees in August

A day&nbsp;after Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid addressed the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at UN headquarters in New York and batted for 'two-state solution' for the Israel-Palestine issue.

However, former Prime Minister and current opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu referring to the ultra-conservatives and Jewish religious lawmakers stated that they will never allow Lapid to implement his plans.&nbsp;

"Today he (Lapid) wants to give the Palestinians a terrorist state in the heart of Israel and that state is going to threaten us. But let me tell you this Mr. Lapid: My partners and I will not let you," said Netanyahu.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israeli-pm-yair-lapid-to-back-two-state-solution-at-unga-518867">WATCH |&nbsp;Israeli PM Yair Lapid to back two-state solution at UNGA</a>

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Not only did Lapid face heat in his own backyard, but even the Palestinians did not seem too enthused by his idea. According to an AFP report, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas charged that Israel, "through its current premeditated and deliberated policies" was "destroying" any prospect of a two-state solution.

Terming Lapid's comments 'positive', Abbas added a caveat saying, "...the real test of the seriousness and credibility of (his) position is the Israeli government sitting at the negotiating table immediately, to implement the two-state solution."

As reported by WION, during his speech on Thursday,&nbsp;Lapid sought to highlight that Israeli Arabs were not 'enemies'. He underlined that his coalition government has an Arab party and that there are Arab judges in Israel's supreme court. There were Arab doctors in Israel saving lives, he said.&nbsp;

Read more:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-pm-yair-lapid-supports-two-state-solution-in-unga-speech-518839">&nbsp;Israel PM Yair Lapid supports 'two-state solution' in UNGA speech</a>

"An agreement with the Palestinians, based on two states for two peoples, is the right thing for Israel's security, for Israel's economy and for the future of our children," Lapid said, adding that any agreement would be conditional on a peaceful Palestinian state that would not threaten Israel.

It is pertinent to note that Israel is headed for elections in November. Poll surveys show that Netanyahu might be in for a comeback. Thus, experts are of the view that Lapid's speech was meant to win over the Israeli left, Arabs and the centre-right.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

<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;

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A day after Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid addressed the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at UN headquarters in New York and batted for 'two-state solution' for the Israel-Palestine issue.

A day after Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid addressed the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at UN headquarters in New York and batted for 'two-state solution' for the Israel-Palestine issue. However, former Prime Minister and current opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu referring to the ultra-conservatives and Jewish religious lawmakers stated that they will never allow Lapid to implement his plans. "Today he (Lapid) wants to give the Palestinians a terrorist state in the heart of Israel and that state is going to threaten us. But let me tell you this Mr. Lapid: My partners and I will not let you," said Netanyahu. WATCH | Israeli PM Yair Lapid to back two-state solution at UNGA × Not only did Lapid face heat in his own backyard, but even the Palestinians did not seem too enthused by his idea. According to an AFP report, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas charged that Israel, "through its current premeditated and deliberated policies" was "destroying" any prospect of a two-state solution. Terming Lapid's comments 'positive', Abbas added a caveat saying, "...the real test of the seriousness and credibility of (his) position is the Israeli government sitting at the negotiating table immediately, to implement the two-state solution." As reported by WION, during his speech on Thursday, Lapid sought to highlight that Israeli Arabs were not 'enemies'. He underlined that his coalition government has an Arab party and that there are Arab judges in Israel's supreme court. There were Arab doctors in Israel saving lives, he said. Read more: Israel PM Yair Lapid supports 'two-state solution' in UNGA speech "An agreement with the Palestinians, based on two states for two peoples, is the right thing for Israel's security, for Israel's economy and for the future of our children," Lapid said, adding that any agreement would be conditional on a peaceful Palestinian state that would not threaten Israel. It is pertinent to note that Israel is headed for elections in November. Poll surveys show that Netanyahu might be in for a comeback. Thus, experts are of the view that Lapid's speech was meant to win over the Israeli left, Arabs and the centre-right. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Israel PM Lapid draws flak from countrymen over his 'two-state solution' speech at UNGA

Cost-cutting, efficiency, and macroeconomics seem to be the keywords that Google CEO Sundar Pichai has been using rather frequently in front of his employees for the majority of this quarter.

Cost-cutting, efficiency, and macroeconomics seem to be the keywords that Google CEO Sundar Pichai has been using rather frequently in front of his employees for the majority of this quarter. Now, at a companywide meeting this week, Pichai told employees not to 'equate fun with money'. Reportedly, during the meeting, which turned heated at times according to sources, Pichai was asked by an employee as to why the company, despite recording profits and high cash reserves was slashing travel budgets, allowances, and other perks. “I remember when Google was small and scrappy. Fun didn’t always...we shouldn’t always equate fun with money. I think you can walk into a hard-working startup and people may be having fun and it shouldn’t always equate to money,” said Pichai in response. Talking about the uncertainty in macroeconomics, the Google boss further added, “How do I say it? Look, I hope all of you are reading the news, externally. The fact that you know, we are being a bit more responsible through one of the toughest macroeconomic conditions underway in the past decade, I think it’s important that as a company, we pull together to get through moments like this.” It is pertinent to note that Pichai's statements come in the backdrop of Alphabet Inc., Google's parent company, reporting a second successive quarter of weaker-than-expected earnings and revenue in July. As reported by WION, earlier this month as well, Pichai talked about the company taking a more conservative approach when it came to hiring and simultaneously increasing the efficiency of the employees as the macroeconomics remained uncertain. Read more: Sundar Pichai hints at slashing Google workforce, wants company 20% more efficient “We want to make sure as a company, when you have fewer resources than before, you are prioritizing all the right things to be working on and your employees are really productive that they can actually have impact on the things they’re working on, so that’s what we are spending our time on.” The Google boss further added that as a company they were looking to get 20 per cent more productive, “Across everything we do, we can be slower to make decisions. You look at it end-to-end and figure out how to make the company 20 per cent more productive.” Read more: Google to slow down hiring, says Sundar Pichai in a memo to staff (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'Don't equate fun with money', millionaire Google CEO Sundar Pichai's advice to employees

After Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif took a rather subtle dig at western nations for climate change affecting his country in his address at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina took a similar approach and targeted the rich countries.

After Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif took a rather subtle dig at western nations for climate change affecting his country in his address at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina took a similar approach and targeted the rich countries. "They don't act. They can talk but they don't act. The rich countries, the developed countries, this is their responsibility. They should come forward. But we are not getting that much response from them. That is the tragedy," the Bangladesh PM told AFP. Stating that rich countries do not bother, Hasina added, "I know the rich countries, they want to become more rich and rich. They don't bother for others." Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries lying in a region which puts it in the most vulnerable category of nations expected to be affected by climate change. Hasina also called out the western nations for not coming through on raising $100 billion a year for developing nations to cope with climate change, as enshrined in the Paris accord. "We want that fund to be raised. Unfortunately, we didn't get a good response from the developed countries. Because they are the responsible ones for these damages, they should come forward," she further added. Earlier, the Pakistan PM, in an outburst talked about the climate catastrophe his country was facing and how the emissions from western countries were primarily the reason for it. "What happened in Pakistan will not stay in Pakistan. Pakistan has never seen a more stark and devastating example of the impact of global warming. Life in Pakistan has changed forever," said Sharif. Read more: Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif launches anti-India tirade at UNGA, yet claims he wants 'peace' "Why are my people paying the price of such high global warming through no fault of their own? Nature has unleashed her fury on Pakistan without looking at our carbon footprint, which is next to nothing," added Sharif. The UNGA has become a platform for the South Asian countries to show the mirror to the western nations on their hypocrisy on climate change. There have been growing demands from countries in the developing world to hold the rich and developed nations accountable for their flawed plans to tackle climate change. The voices are now asking for reparations from the rich and developed countries as well. As reported by WION, earlier this month, Pakistan's federal climate minister Sherry Rehman argued that the western nations owe developing nations reparations for accelerating climate change. Read more: Western countries owe reparations to developing nations facing climate change, says Pakistan minister “There is so much loss and damage with so little reparations to countries that contributed so little to the world’s carbon footprint that obviously the bargain made between the global north and global south is not working," said Rehman. Rehman in clear terms batted for a reset of targets and asserted that “richer countries must do more”. “Historic injustices have to be heard and there must be some level of climate equation so that the brunt of the irresponsible carbon consumption is not being laid on nations near the equator which are obviously unable to create resilient infrastructure on their own," added Rehman. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

After Sharif, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina calls out 'rich' & 'developed' nations on climate change

A week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and advised him that 'today's era is not of war', Moscow has reacted to the comments and how the US and West have latched on to it to target Russia.

A week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and advised him that 'today's era is not of war', Moscow has reacted to the comments and how the US and West have latched on to it to target Russia. Reportedly, Russia's Ambassador to India Denis Alipov, while addressing a press conference was asked about PM Modi's comment to which he stated that the West was misconstruing the statement and selectively picking and overplaying a part. "The West uses only those quotes that suit them while ignoring other parts," said the Russian ambassador. The Russian envoy also added that New Delhi's version was consistent with its position on the issue since the beginning. As reported extensively by WION, during a meeting with Putin in Samarkand, PM Modi, in quite frank terms conveyed his position to the Russian leader. “I know that today’s era is not an era of war, and I have spoken to you on the phone about this,” said PM Modi while adding that democracy, diplomacy and dialogue have kept the world together. WATCH | 'This is not as era of war': Indian PM Modi tells Russian President Putin on sidelines of SCO summit × In reply, Putin said, “I know your position on the conflict in Ukraine, your concerns that you constantly express.” “We will do our best to stop this as soon as possible. However, unfortunately, the opposing side, the leadership of Ukraine, announced its refusal to continue negotiations and declared that they wanted to achieve their goals by military means, as they say ‘on the battlefield’. But nevertheless, we will always keep you informed of what is happening there,” added the Russian President. Since then, the western countries have lauded PM Modi's statement and tried to use it as a point to pressure Moscow. "I think what you heard in Uzbekistan by the leaders of both China and in India are indicative of the fact that Putin doesn't have a whole lot of sympathetic ears out there to what he's been doing in Ukraine," said John Kirby, coordinator for strategic communications at the National Security Council in the White House. Read more: 'Putin is isolating himself', says White House stressing on PM Modi's message to Russian President Furthermore, US secretary of state Antony Blinken stated that what India and China communicated to Russia reflected the concerns of the world. “What you're hearing from China, from India, is reflective of concerns around the world about the effects of Russia's aggression on Ukraine,” said Blinken. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Russia: West misquoting, selectively picking PM Modi's 'not an era of war' remark

Nearly 200 whales have died after becoming stranded on a beach on Tasmania's west coast. As per rescuers, some 35 whales are alive and warned of difficult rescue efforts.

Nearly 200 whales have died after becoming stranded on a beach on Tasmania's west coast. As per rescuers, some 35 whales are alive and warned of difficult rescue efforts. Brendon Clark, the operating manager said, "We have got about 35 surviving animals out on the beach and the primary focus this morning will be on the rescue and release of these animals," AFP reported. According to the department of natural resources, the whales were stuck near the harbour entrance, more popularly known as Hells gates. "A pod of approximately 230 whales is stranded near Macquarie Harbour. It appears about half of the animals are alive," the department earlier said in a statement. Read more: Sperm whales found dead en masse on Australian island It further said that Environment Tasmania Marine Conservation Programme (MCP) was working on assembling the whale rescue gear and heading to the location which is far from the mainland. Remarking that whales are a protected species, the department added that 'even once deceased, it is an offence to interfere with a carcass'. The locals in an effort to keep the whales alive until professional assistance came, covered some with blankets and soaked them with buckets of seawater. However, despite these efforts, over 300 whales have died in Tasmania so far. Various aerial images of numerous glossy black mammals were captured who were stranded on the end of the beach. An unfortunate coincidence It is pertinent to note that two years ago on September 21, the same date as today, one of Australia's worst mass whale stranding incidents was recorded. At the time, over 470 pilot whales were stranded in the region. An elaborate rescue operation was launched at the time as well. And while 111 whales were saved, 350 lost their lives, leaving the humongous task of disposing of their carcasses. A beluga whale died in France As reported by WION, in August, a beluga whale strayed into the polluted Seine river in France, away from its natural habitat of the frigid cold waters of the Arctic. Read more: France: Beluga whale stranded in Seine river dies during rescue attempt The protected species animal was stuck in the river which flows through Paris to the channel. Despite the authorities attempting to guide the whale, it wasn't able to find its way Eventually, the white mammal died after a week, having starved and become excessively thin. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Australia: Nearly 200 pilot whales die on Tasmania's west coast after being stranded

Shedding light on the importance of mental health, a US-government-backed medical expert panel has recommended that adults under the age of 65 in the US get routinely screened for anxiety disorders.

Shedding light on the importance of mental health, a US-government-backed medical expert panel has recommended that adults under the age of 65 in the US get routinely screened for anxiety disorders. The recommendation has been given by an influential advisory group called US Preventive Services Task Force which has added that all adults should be checked for prevailing mental ailments such as depression. Reportedly, the guidance, currently in draft form will be finalised in the coming months after receiving comments from the public. Lori Pbert, a member of the panel and professor at the University of Massachusetts stated that the study could not have come at a more critical time. "When you go to your primary care provider, you get screened for many, many preventive conditions, blood pressure, heart rate, all kinds of things. Mental health conditions are just important as other physical conditions, and we really need to be treating mental health conditions with the same urgency that we do other conditions." Read more: Women's mental health deteriorated more in Covid pandemic: Study It is pertinent to note that the findings of the panel are from the pre-pandemic period. After the pandemic, mental health ailments have increased staggeringly across the planet. However, the study cited a report saying that the percentage of adults having symptoms of anxiety or depressive order had increased to 41.4 per cent from 36.4 per cent between August 20 to February 2021. “Covid has taken a tremendous toll on the mental health of Americans. This is a topic prioritised for its public health importance, but clearly, there’s an increased focus on mental health in this country over the past few years,” added Pbert. Earlier, the panel had recommended anxiety screening for children and teenagers aged between eight and 18. While the recommendations of the panel are not binding or mandatory, the influence it wields can certainly change the way doctors practice medicine in the US. Asn reported by WION, the World Health Organisation (WHO) in a report earlier this year said that cases of anxiety and depression have surged by over 25 per cent globally. Moreover, there was a 27.6 per cent increase in cases of major depressive disorder in the year 2020. Read more: Anxiety and depression cases surged by over 25% due to Covid: WHO "In terms of scale, this is a very large increase. It shows that Covid-19 has had a large impact on people's mental health and wellbeing." said an official at WHO's mental health and substance use department. While the screening recommendation is laudable, the reality is that there is a huge dearth of workforce to put emphasis on mental health well-being. Experts believe that until the number of mental health professionals is not increased, there will not be a major change on the ground. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Adults under 65 should get routinely screened for anxiety, recommends a US study panel

Imagine the morale of employees who were handed a little extra money as a bonus, only for the company to ask for it back a few weeks later. Well, one does not need to imagine as such an incident has transpired in Ohio, USA, involving a multinational auto giant.

Imagine the morale of employees who were handed a little extra money as a bonus, only for the company to ask for it back a few weeks later. Well, one does not need to imagine as such an incident has transpired in Ohio, USA, involving a multinational auto giant. Reportedly, Japanese automaker Honda, according to a statement overpaid the bonus to its workers at the Marysville, Ohio plant. 3,900 employees currently work at the plant and it is unclear how many of them received the extra bonus. “Earlier this month Honda provided bonus payments to its associates, some of whom received overpayments," said Chris Abbruzzese, a Honda spokesperson. Honda added it was a sensitive matter and that they were moving quickly to sort the problem, "Issues related to compensation are a sensitive matter...we are working quickly on this item to minimize any potential impact to our associates.” The company, in a memo, addressed to the employees is now asking them to return the bonus, latest by September 22, or have it deducted from future paychecks or future bonuses. According to media reports, some employees have been asked to return as much as eight per cent of their bonus, despite having spent the money on mortgages and groceries already. It is pertinent to note that the particular Ohio factory produces cars such as Accord, CR-V, TLX, NSX, and Integra. If the employees decide to not pay back the money, experts believe that Honda might sue them as there has been a precedent in such cases. Honda overpaying bonus comes in the backdrop of the company facing supply chain, chip shortage, and logistical issues. Last month, Honda announced that it would slash production by up to 40 per cent in Japan in September. WATCH | Japan: Honda to slash output by up to 40% × Moreover, the Japanese car major is mulling discontinuing its diesel cars in India as it cannot make its model work as the Indian government introduces stricter emission norms. “We are now not thinking too much about diesel. It’s very hard to clear RDE with the diesel. Even in Europe, most of the brands could not continue with diesel.” the company said in a statement. Read more: Honda might discontinue its diesel cars in India as new emission norms come in place (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Honda overpaid employee bonuses and now wants it all back

Six people in India's national capital were mauled in their sleep by a speeding truck in the wee hours of Wednesday. Reportedly, the incident took place in the Seemapuri area of New Delhi which killed four while critically injuring&nbsp;the remaining two.&nbsp;

According to police, the truck driver fled the scene after running over the persons and is yet to be arrested. As per local news reports, the accident took place at 1:51 AM when the truck was crossing the DTC Bus Depot red light and the six persons were sleeping on the road divider.&nbsp;

The visuals of the accident spot show the bodies of the victims lying lifeless near the divider while an electric pole lies toppled over them. The ferocity of the accident can be gauged by the fact that the pole came off the surface.&nbsp;

Read more<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-426-die-each-day-in-road-accidents-18-per-hour-513143">:&nbsp;India: 426 die each day in road accidents; 18 per hour</a>

The four deceased persons have been identified as 52-year-old Kareem, 25-year-old Chotte Khans, 38-year-old Shah Alam, and 45-year-old Rahul. 16-year-old Manish and 30-year-old Pradeep are the injured ones.

It is pertinent to note that despite being the country's capital, the majority of daily-wage labourers and street vendors sleep on the road footpaths and dividers of the busy intersections of the city.&nbsp;

Pair such a condition with the negligent driving pattern of Indian drivers and such incidents become a rather common phenomenon.&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, 1.55 lakh people died in accidents on Indian roads, up from 1.33 lakh in 2020, when much of the year saw a nationwide lockdown. Total road accidents reported was 4.03 lakh in 2021, up from 3.54 lakh 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;

<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;

Six people in India's national capital were mauled in their sleep by a speeding truck in the wee hours of Wednesday. Reportedly, the incident took place in the Seemapuri area of New Delhi which killed four while critically injuring the remaining two.

Six people in India's national capital were mauled in their sleep by a speeding truck in the wee hours of Wednesday. Reportedly, the incident took place in the Seemapuri area of New Delhi which killed four while critically injuring the remaining two. According to police, the truck driver fled the scene after running over the persons and is yet to be arrested. As per local news reports, the accident took place at 1:51 AM when the truck was crossing the DTC Bus Depot red light and the six persons were sleeping on the road divider. The visuals of the accident spot show the bodies of the victims lying lifeless near the divider while an electric pole lies toppled over them. The ferocity of the accident can be gauged by the fact that the pole came off the surface. Read more: India: 426 die each day in road accidents; 18 per hour The four deceased persons have been identified as 52-year-old Kareem, 25-year-old Chotte Khans, 38-year-old Shah Alam, and 45-year-old Rahul. 16-year-old Manish and 30-year-old Pradeep are the injured ones. It is pertinent to note that despite being the country's capital, the majority of daily-wage labourers and street vendors sleep on the road footpaths and dividers of the busy intersections of the city. Pair such a condition with the negligent driving pattern of Indian drivers and such incidents become a rather common phenomenon. 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, 1.55 lakh people died in accidents on Indian roads, up from 1.33 lakh in 2020, when much of the year saw a nationwide lockdown. Total road accidents reported was 4.03 lakh in 2021, up from 3.54 lakh 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: Speeding truck mauls four people to death in Delhi, two injured

A man in Pakistan has been arrested for setting his minor son on fire for not doing homework. The shocking incident took place in Karachi's Amrohvi Colony last week and only came to light recently.

A man in Pakistan has been arrested for setting his minor son on fire for not doing homework. The shocking incident took place in Karachi's Amrohvi Colony last week and only came to light recently. According to Pakistani news channels, the father named Nazeer poured kerosene on his 12-year-old son named Shaheer and set him ablaze. Shaheer suffered critical wounds and was taken to the nearby Sindh Government Qatar Hospital. However, seeing the severity of his condition, he was transferred to the Burns Centre of Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK). Read more: Pakistan: Mob charges at Hindu man's house over fake blasphemy case But the injuries turned out to be fatal and Shaheer died during the treatment. Upon the mother's complaint, Nazeer was arrested by the police and presented before the judicial magistrate where he was remanded in police custody till September 24. During interrogation, Nazeer stated that he had not intended to kill his son. He said he only poured the kerosene oil on Shaheer to frighten him because he was not doing the homework. Nazeer further said he lit the matchstick to keep up with the ruse. However, the kerosene oil quickly caught the matchstick's spark, which started combusting quickly. And within no time, little Shaheer was caught in the blaze where he got burnt badly. Read more: Crime against women in Pakistan: Horrific violence against 257 women in Sindh The police, however, have remarked that they are further investigating the case. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

12-year-old boy in Pakistan burnt to death by his father for not doing homework

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