The journey of NASA's dauntless Voyager 2 spacecraft through our solar system's farthest reaches has given scientists new insight into a poorly understood distant frontier: the unexpectedly distinct boundary marking where the sun's energetic influence ends and interstellar space begins.

The US&nbsp;space agency previously announced that Voyager 2, the second human-made object ever to depart the solar system following its twin Voyager 1, had zipped into interstellar space on November&nbsp;5, 2018 at a point more than 17.7 billion km&nbsp;from the sun. Several research papers published on Monday provided scientific details of that crossing.

Both Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 were launched in 1977, designed for five-year missions. Voyager 1 left the solar system at a different location in 2012. Both are now traversing the Milky Way galaxy's interstellar medium, a chillier region filling the vast expanses between the galaxy's stars and planetary systems.

The solar wind,&nbsp;the unending flow of charged particles emanating from the outer atmosphere of the sun,&nbsp;creates an immense protective bubble called the heliosphere that envelopes the solar system. The boundary of the solar system - the place where the solar wind ends and interstellar space begins,&nbsp;is called the heliopause.

Voyager 2's scientific instruments detected abrupt differences in plasma density and magnetic particles upon crossing the heliopause, the researchers said. The researchers said the heliopause appeared to be much thinner than expected.

Plasma - the fourth state of matter after solids, liquids and gases - exists in the solar system as a soup of the charged particles beaming continuously outward from the sun and clashing with interstellar plasma that darts inward from other cosmic events like stellar explosions.

"This is a very exciting time for us," California Institute of Technology physicist Edward Stone, project manager of the Voyager program, told reporters. "We will see a transition from the magnetic field inside to a different magnetic field outside, and we continue to have surprises compared to what we had expected."

The electromagnetic junction just outside the heliosphere was thought to be a deeper transitional place of intermingling cosmic weather, but Voyager 2's plasma wave instrument - built by University of Iowa researchers - detected sharp jumps in plasma density, much like two different fluids coming into contact with one another."Think of a cold front that forms when a very cold air mass comes down to the U.S. from Canada," said Don Gurnett, professor of physics at the University of Iowa. "Here we find a very hot plasma mass coming outward from the sun that encounters the cold plasma in the interstellar medium. It does not surprise me that a sharp boundary forms."

Scientists are still trying to understand the nature of interstellar space wind and how much of it can seep through the heliopause to reach planets in our solar system.

"We also have galactic cosmic rays, which are out in the interstellar space trying to flow in," Stone said, referring to the high-energy atomic particles whizzing around the universe faster than the speed of light. "And some of them, only about 30 per cent of what's outside, can actually reach Earth."

Voyager 2 entered the interstellar medium far beyond the orbit of Pluto at a spot about 120 times further from the sun than Earth's orbit.

The research was published in the journal Nature Astronomy.

The journey of NASA's dauntless Voyager 2 spacecraft through our solar system's farthest reaches has given scientists new insight into a poorly understood distant frontier: the unexpectedly distinct boundary marking where the sun's energetic influence ends and interstellar space begins.

The journey of NASA's dauntless Voyager 2 spacecraft through our solar system's farthest reaches has given scientists new insight into a poorly understood distant frontier: the unexpectedly distinct boundary marking where the sun's energetic influence ends and interstellar space begins. The US space agency previously announced that Voyager 2, the second human-made object ever to depart the solar system following its twin Voyager 1, had zipped into interstellar space on November 5, 2018 at a point more than 17.7 billion km from the sun. Several research papers published on Monday provided scientific details of that crossing. Both Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 were launched in 1977, designed for five-year missions. Voyager 1 left the solar system at a different location in 2012. Both are now traversing the Milky Way galaxy's interstellar medium, a chillier region filling the vast expanses between the galaxy's stars and planetary systems. The solar wind, the unending flow of charged particles emanating from the outer atmosphere of the sun, creates an immense protective bubble called the heliosphere that envelopes the solar system. The boundary of the solar system - the place where the solar wind ends and interstellar space begins, is called the heliopause. Voyager 2's scientific instruments detected abrupt differences in plasma density and magnetic particles upon crossing the heliopause, the researchers said. The researchers said the heliopause appeared to be much thinner than expected. Plasma - the fourth state of matter after solids, liquids and gases - exists in the solar system as a soup of the charged particles beaming continuously outward from the sun and clashing with interstellar plasma that darts inward from other cosmic events like stellar explosions. "This is a very exciting time for us," California Institute of Technology physicist Edward Stone, project manager of the Voyager program, told reporters. "We will see a transition from the magnetic field inside to a different magnetic field outside, and we continue to have surprises compared to what we had expected." The electromagnetic junction just outside the heliosphere was thought to be a deeper transitional place of intermingling cosmic weather, but Voyager 2's plasma wave instrument - built by University of Iowa researchers - detected sharp jumps in plasma density, much like two different fluids coming into contact with one another."Think of a cold front that forms when a very cold air mass comes down to the U.S. from Canada," said Don Gurnett, professor of physics at the University of Iowa. "Here we find a very hot plasma mass coming outward from the sun that encounters the cold plasma in the interstellar medium. It does not surprise me that a sharp boundary forms." Scientists are still trying to understand the nature of interstellar space wind and how much of it can seep through the heliopause to reach planets in our solar system. "We also have galactic cosmic rays, which are out in the interstellar space trying to flow in," Stone said, referring to the high-energy atomic particles whizzing around the universe faster than the speed of light. "And some of them, only about 30 per cent of what's outside, can actually reach Earth." Voyager 2 entered the interstellar medium far beyond the orbit of Pluto at a spot about 120 times further from the sun than Earth's orbit. The research was published in the journal Nature Astronomy.

NASA probe provides insight on solar system's border with interstellar space

The Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, PK Mishra on Monday reviewed the measures taken by the States of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi to tackle the air pollution. 
 
The Principal Secretary sought to know the details of additional measures taken to check fresh cases of fire and stubble burning in these states during the last 24 hours. 
 
On Sunday, Mishra held a high-level review meeting with senior officials of the three states through video-conferencing. 
 
The Chief Secretary, Punjab stated that he is personally monitoring the situation with Deputy Commissioners of various districts where hotspots have been identified. He added that FIRs are also being registered for violation of The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. 
 
"The State Government is taking strict action by enforcing the necessary fines for incidents of violation of the said Act," told Chief Secretary, Punjab 
While Chief Secretary, Haryana stated that the Chief Minister has directed all concerned to reduce the cases of stubble burning in the state at the earliest. She mentioned that the teams are in the field round the clock to control the cases of air pollution. 
 
The Chief Secretary, Delhi stated that water sprinkling has been intensified, and identified hotspots and corridors are being focused upon to improve the situation. Open dumping of garbage in the city has been stopped and the maximum fine is being imposed and collected from the violators of these norms. 
 
India Meteorological Department indicated that weather conditions are likely to remain favourable over the next few days. 
 
The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister emphasised the importance of pre-emptive action, as necessary. He said there is a need to establish a mechanism for immediate action. 
 
The Principal Advisor to the Prime Minister P&nbsp;K&nbsp;Sinha, Cabinet Secretary, Secretary, Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Secretary, Agriculture, Chairman, Central Pollution Control Board, Director General of India Meteorological Department and Chief Secretaries of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi along with other senior officials, attended the meeting.

The Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, PK Mishra on Monday reviewed the measures taken by the States of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi to tackle the air pollution.

The Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, PK Mishra on Monday reviewed the measures taken by the States of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi to tackle the air pollution. The Principal Secretary sought to know the details of additional measures taken to check fresh cases of fire and stubble burning in these states during the last 24 hours. On Sunday, Mishra held a high-level review meeting with senior officials of the three states through video-conferencing. The Chief Secretary, Punjab stated that he is personally monitoring the situation with Deputy Commissioners of various districts where hotspots have been identified. He added that FIRs are also being registered for violation of The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. "The State Government is taking strict action by enforcing the necessary fines for incidents of violation of the said Act," told Chief Secretary, Punjab While Chief Secretary, Haryana stated that the Chief Minister has directed all concerned to reduce the cases of stubble burning in the state at the earliest. She mentioned that the teams are in the field round the clock to control the cases of air pollution. The Chief Secretary, Delhi stated that water sprinkling has been intensified, and identified hotspots and corridors are being focused upon to improve the situation. Open dumping of garbage in the city has been stopped and the maximum fine is being imposed and collected from the violators of these norms. India Meteorological Department indicated that weather conditions are likely to remain favourable over the next few days. The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister emphasised the importance of pre-emptive action, as necessary. He said there is a need to establish a mechanism for immediate action. The Principal Advisor to the Prime Minister P K Sinha, Cabinet Secretary, Secretary, Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Secretary, Agriculture, Chairman, Central Pollution Control Board, Director General of India Meteorological Department and Chief Secretaries of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi along with other senior officials, attended the meeting.

Principal Secretary to PM reviews measures taken by North Indian states to curb pollution

Israel and military intelligence: What is unit 8200 based in Negev Desert about?

A roadside mine blast in Afghanistan's northern Baghlan province on Monday killed at least eight people, including four children. 
 
According to police, "Four children, two women and two men were killed and six other civilians,&nbsp;including children,&nbsp;were wounded," as quoted by Tolo News. 
Soon after the blast, the victims were taken to a local hospital. 
 
The blast occurred at the Dand-e-Shahabuddin,&nbsp;the capital area of Baghlan province, officials at the provincial police headquarters confirmed. 
 
No group has so&nbsp;far claimed responsibility for the blast.

A roadside mine blast in Afghanistan's northern Baghlan province on Monday killed at least eight people, including four children. According to police, "Four children, two women and two men were killed and six other civilians, including children, were wounded," as quoted by Tolo News.

A roadside mine blast in Afghanistan's northern Baghlan province on Monday killed at least eight people, including four children. According to police, "Four children, two women and two men were killed and six other civilians, including children, were wounded," as quoted by Tolo News. Soon after the blast, the victims were taken to a local hospital. The blast occurred at the Dand-e-Shahabuddin, the capital area of Baghlan province, officials at the provincial police headquarters confirmed. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the blast.

Roadside mine blast in northern Afghanistan kills eight

Hundreds of Afghans many needing urgent medical treatment&nbsp;gathered near the Pakistani embassy in Kabul on Monday, waiting for word of when the visa section might re-open.

The embassy announced late Sunday it was indefinitely shuttering its consular office in Kabul for security reasons after it said several staff members were harassed by unknown assailants on roads in the Afghan capital.

The visa section's closure comes as there were fresh tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which last week exchanged fire in a border area.

It also highlights the reliance many Afghans have on Pakistan, where they seek the type of medical care that is unavailable or unaffordable in Afghan hospitals.

"I am in a hurry to reach Pakistan, as the mother of my seven children is very ill, and I urgently need to take her to Pakistan for treatment," Abdullah Abded, who had travelled from Parwan province north of Kabul, told AFP.

"I feel desperate. I may have to tell my children that their mother may die because we cannot get the visa."

Pakistan's healthcare system is derided by critics as chaotic, corrupt and vastly under-resourced, yet when coming from Afghanistan, it can be a lifeline.

While the war-torn country has many health facilities, these are concentrated in the cities and access is often determined by wealth.

Specialist treatment in Kabul, for instance, can cost double what it would in Pakistan, people outside the embassy said.

"I have kidney disease and need to go to Pakistan on a regular basis for treatment or my kidneys will fail," said Nabi Yosufzai, a 26-year-old shopkeeper.

The consulate has closed in the past, usually for short periods. A sign on the consular section's door in Pashto on Monday said it had been closed until further notice.

Pakistan's foreign ministry on Sunday summoned the Afghan charge d'affaires to "convey serious concerns over the safety and security of the diplomatic personnel of the embassy of Pakistan, Kabul, and its submissions."

In a statement late Monday, the Afghan foreign ministry said it would "seriously investigate" the claim, but also expressed its "deepest objection" to the summoning of the Afghan envoy in Islamabad.

Selling pomegranates

An embassy spokesman told AFP the consular section gets about 2,000 applications daily, and is usually able to process about 1,500 visas within a 24- or 48-hour timeframe.

Apart from for medical help, Afghans seek Pakistan visas to visit loved ones, buy and sell goods and get university educations.

"I feed my big family by selling Afghan almonds or pomegranates in Pakistan in small amounts," said Kabul trader Nematullah, who only goes by one name.

"The profit is hardly enough for my family, but still better than the money you can make here."

Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan,&nbsp;both Islamic republics,&nbsp;have long been fraught, with Afghans blaming Islamabad for any number of woes including allegedly supporting the Taliban. Pakistan denies it helps the insurgent group.

Tensions soured further last week after new clashes along the border in Afghanistan's eastern province of Kunar. Such incidents happen periodically.

Both sides have accused each other's troops of cross-border shelling.

The Pakistani foreign ministry has said six Pakistani troops were wounded October 27 and 28 in "unprovoked mortar and heavy weapon firing" by Afghan soldiers.

Kunar deputy governor Gul Mohammad Bidar told AFP there had been no new shelling since last week. He said two women were killed and 11 more civilians were injured in Pakistani rocket fire during those exchanges.&nbsp;

Pakistani consular services remained open in Herat, Jalalabad and Mazar-i-Sharif.

Hundreds of Afghans many needing urgent medical treatment gathered near the Pakistani embassy in Kabul on Monday, waiting for word of when the visa section might re-open.

Hundreds of Afghans many needing urgent medical treatment gathered near the Pakistani embassy in Kabul on Monday, waiting for word of when the visa section might re-open. The embassy announced late Sunday it was indefinitely shuttering its consular office in Kabul for security reasons after it said several staff members were harassed by unknown assailants on roads in the Afghan capital. The visa section's closure comes as there were fresh tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which last week exchanged fire in a border area. It also highlights the reliance many Afghans have on Pakistan, where they seek the type of medical care that is unavailable or unaffordable in Afghan hospitals. "I am in a hurry to reach Pakistan, as the mother of my seven children is very ill, and I urgently need to take her to Pakistan for treatment," Abdullah Abded, who had travelled from Parwan province north of Kabul, told AFP. "I feel desperate. I may have to tell my children that their mother may die because we cannot get the visa." Pakistan's healthcare system is derided by critics as chaotic, corrupt and vastly under-resourced, yet when coming from Afghanistan, it can be a lifeline. While the war-torn country has many health facilities, these are concentrated in the cities and access is often determined by wealth. Specialist treatment in Kabul, for instance, can cost double what it would in Pakistan, people outside the embassy said. "I have kidney disease and need to go to Pakistan on a regular basis for treatment or my kidneys will fail," said Nabi Yosufzai, a 26-year-old shopkeeper. The consulate has closed in the past, usually for short periods. A sign on the consular section's door in Pashto on Monday said it had been closed until further notice. Pakistan's foreign ministry on Sunday summoned the Afghan charge d'affaires to "convey serious concerns over the safety and security of the diplomatic personnel of the embassy of Pakistan, Kabul, and its submissions." In a statement late Monday, the Afghan foreign ministry said it would "seriously investigate" the claim, but also expressed its "deepest objection" to the summoning of the Afghan envoy in Islamabad. Selling pomegranates An embassy spokesman told AFP the consular section gets about 2,000 applications daily, and is usually able to process about 1,500 visas within a 24- or 48-hour timeframe. Apart from for medical help, Afghans seek Pakistan visas to visit loved ones, buy and sell goods and get university educations. "I feed my big family by selling Afghan almonds or pomegranates in Pakistan in small amounts," said Kabul trader Nematullah, who only goes by one name. "The profit is hardly enough for my family, but still better than the money you can make here." Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, both Islamic republics, have long been fraught, with Afghans blaming Islamabad for any number of woes including allegedly supporting the Taliban. Pakistan denies it helps the insurgent group. Tensions soured further last week after new clashes along the border in Afghanistan's eastern province of Kunar. Such incidents happen periodically. Both sides have accused each other's troops of cross-border shelling. The Pakistani foreign ministry has said six Pakistani troops were wounded October 27 and 28 in "unprovoked mortar and heavy weapon firing" by Afghan soldiers. Kunar deputy governor Gul Mohammad Bidar told AFP there had been no new shelling since last week. He said two women were killed and 11 more civilians were injured in Pakistani rocket fire during those exchanges. Pakistani consular services remained open in Herat, Jalalabad and Mazar-i-Sharif.

Sick Afghans await Pakistan visas as consular office shuts

Acid attacks on women have declined dramatically in Bangladesh in recent years as tough laws and the closer monitoring of chemical sales have cut down the grisly crime, officials and activists said Monday.

According to Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF), there have been just eight such attacks this year, well down on the 494 cases reported in 2002 when new laws were enacted.

"It is a very good result, but our work hasn't finished yet," said Samanta Lal Sen, a prominent plastic surgeon and ASF trustee.

"We'll celebrate when the number of attacks will come down to zero," he told AFP.

The crime first emerged in the 1990s, with scores of spurned or jilted men throwing sulphuric or nitric&nbsp;acid in the faces of women who rebuffed their advances to "spoil them" for anyone else.

Victims are left with severely disfigured faces, including damaged eyes and skin. In many cases, parts of the face are lost completely.

Survivors also face being made social outcasts,&nbsp;especially in the rural areas of the conservative country that is home to 168 million people.

Officials and experts attributed the declining rate to a coordinated social, legal, and administrative campaign.

"The main reason is that we have enacted tough laws to fight the crime," Bangladesh's home minister Asaduzzaman Khan told AFP.

In 2002 the state enacted a law that threatened the death penalty for anyone convicted of an acid attack.

According to ASF, since then at least 14 people have been sentenced to death, while nearly 700 others have been arrested and 338 jailed.

Minister Khan said a massive public awareness campaign and strict monitoring of the sale of dangerous chemicals also contributed to the decrease.

The government and local charities have also moved to remove the stigma for victims. Since its establishment in 1999, the ASF has worked with nearly 4,000 survivors of acid violence.

In one of the most recent attacks, a man was arrested in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka for throwing acid at his ex-wife and her daughter.

Another survivor, Mosammat Jamila, told AFP she was happy that the number of acid attacks had come down to single digits.

"I never want to hear that the life of another girl is ruined like me. I don't want anyone to go through the nightmares that I suffer," she said through tears.

Acid attacks on women have declined dramatically in Bangladesh in recent years as tough laws and the closer monitoring of chemical sales have cut down the grisly crime, officials and activists said Monday.

Acid attacks on women have declined dramatically in Bangladesh in recent years as tough laws and the closer monitoring of chemical sales have cut down the grisly crime, officials and activists said Monday. According to Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF), there have been just eight such attacks this year, well down on the 494 cases reported in 2002 when new laws were enacted. "It is a very good result, but our work hasn't finished yet," said Samanta Lal Sen, a prominent plastic surgeon and ASF trustee. "We'll celebrate when the number of attacks will come down to zero," he told AFP. The crime first emerged in the 1990s, with scores of spurned or jilted men throwing sulphuric or nitric acid in the faces of women who rebuffed their advances to "spoil them" for anyone else. Victims are left with severely disfigured faces, including damaged eyes and skin. In many cases, parts of the face are lost completely. Survivors also face being made social outcasts, especially in the rural areas of the conservative country that is home to 168 million people. Officials and experts attributed the declining rate to a coordinated social, legal, and administrative campaign. "The main reason is that we have enacted tough laws to fight the crime," Bangladesh's home minister Asaduzzaman Khan told AFP. In 2002 the state enacted a law that threatened the death penalty for anyone convicted of an acid attack. According to ASF, since then at least 14 people have been sentenced to death, while nearly 700 others have been arrested and 338 jailed. Minister Khan said a massive public awareness campaign and strict monitoring of the sale of dangerous chemicals also contributed to the decrease. The government and local charities have also moved to remove the stigma for victims. Since its establishment in 1999, the ASF has worked with nearly 4,000 survivors of acid violence. In one of the most recent attacks, a man was arrested in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka for throwing acid at his ex-wife and her daughter. Another survivor, Mosammat Jamila, told AFP she was happy that the number of acid attacks had come down to single digits. "I never want to hear that the life of another girl is ruined like me. I don't want anyone to go through the nightmares that I suffer," she said through tears.

Tough laws sharply reduce Bangladesh acid attacks on women

Apple said Monday it would commit $2.5 billion over the next two years to help address the shortage of affordable housing in California and reduce homelessness.

The move by Apple follows similar initiatives from Silicon Valley peers Google and Facebook, which each have pledged $1 billion for housing programs.

"Before the world knew the name Silicon Valley, and long before we carried technology in our pockets, Apple called this region home, and we feel a profound civic responsibility to ensure it remains a vibrant place where people can live, have a family and contribute to the community," said Apple chief executive Tim Cook in a statement.

"Affordable housing means stability and dignity, opportunity and pride. When these things fall out of reach for too many, we know the course we are on is unsustainable, and Apple is committed to being part of the solution."

Apple said data showed some 30,000 people left San Francisco between April and June of 2019 and that its efforts are geared to help "community members like teachers, firefighters, first responders and service workers" who cannot find affordable lodging.

Apple said it was working with California Governor Gavin Newsom on several programs to address housing and homelessness.

The iPhone maker said $1 billion will go to the state's affordable housing fund that will extend credit to develop and build additional housing faster and at a lower cost.

Apple also said it would make available land it owns in San Jose worth some $300 million for homes.

The company is committing $200 million to support new lower-income housing in the Bay Area, including $150 for a public-private partnership.

It will also offer $50 million to support the efforts to address homelessness in Silicon Valley with the nonprofit group Destination: Home.

"We have worked closely with leading experts to put together a plan that confronts this challenge on all fronts, from the critical need to increase housing supply, to support for first-time homebuyers and young families, to essential philanthropy to assist those at greatest risk," said Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president&nbsp;for environment and social initiatives.

Apple said Monday it would commit $2.5 billion over the next two years to help address the shortage of affordable housing in California and reduce homelessness. The move by Apple follows similar initiatives from Silicon Valley peers Google and Facebook, which each have pledged $1 billion for housing programs.

Apple said Monday it would commit $2.5 billion over the next two years to help address the shortage of affordable housing in California and reduce homelessness. The move by Apple follows similar initiatives from Silicon Valley peers Google and Facebook, which each have pledged $1 billion for housing programs. "Before the world knew the name Silicon Valley, and long before we carried technology in our pockets, Apple called this region home, and we feel a profound civic responsibility to ensure it remains a vibrant place where people can live, have a family and contribute to the community," said Apple chief executive Tim Cook in a statement. "Affordable housing means stability and dignity, opportunity and pride. When these things fall out of reach for too many, we know the course we are on is unsustainable, and Apple is committed to being part of the solution." Apple said data showed some 30,000 people left San Francisco between April and June of 2019 and that its efforts are geared to help "community members like teachers, firefighters, first responders and service workers" who cannot find affordable lodging. Apple said it was working with California Governor Gavin Newsom on several programs to address housing and homelessness. The iPhone maker said $1 billion will go to the state's affordable housing fund that will extend credit to develop and build additional housing faster and at a lower cost. Apple also said it would make available land it owns in San Jose worth some $300 million for homes. The company is committing $200 million to support new lower-income housing in the Bay Area, including $150 for a public-private partnership. It will also offer $50 million to support the efforts to address homelessness in Silicon Valley with the nonprofit group Destination: Home. "We have worked closely with leading experts to put together a plan that confronts this challenge on all fronts, from the critical need to increase housing supply, to support for first-time homebuyers and young families, to essential philanthropy to assist those at greatest risk," said Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president for environment and social initiatives.

Apple offers $2.5 bn to address California housing crisis

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/protesters-block-roads-to-iraqi-port-demand-end-to-foreign-meddling-259895 ">Iraqi security forces</a> fired live rounds Monday at anti-government protesters in Baghdad, hours after four demonstrators were shot dead outside the Iranian consulate in the holy city of Karbala.

It was the latest bloodshed in a wave of ongoing protests, roadblocks and a campaign of civil disobedience waged by protesters accusing the Iraqi government of rampant corruption and clientelism.

About 12 people were wounded in Baghdad, medical and security sources said when security forces opened fire on protesters massing near the state television headquarters, according to witnesses.

It was the first time live ammunition was fired at demonstrators in Baghdad since protests resumed on October 24, following a period in which riot police had switched to use tear gas amid accusations of "excessive force".

Some 270 people have lost their lives since the anti-government rallies broke out on October 1, according to an AFP count, but officials have stopped providing precise casualty numbers.

'Intent to kill'

Overnight, a crowd of protesters had gathered in Karbala around the consulate of neighbouring Iran, which they accuse of propping up the government they are trying to overthrow.&nbsp;

They scaled the blast walls and aimed fireworks at the building and, as the crowd grew, heavy gunfire and volleys of tear gas rang out.

"They're not firing up in the air. They intend to kill, not disperse," said one young protester wearing a medical mask about Iraqi forces guarding the mission.

The forensic medicine department later confirmed four protesters died after being shot.

"My son went out to protest with the rest of the young Iraqi men and got shot once in the shoulder and a second time in the head. He was 20," said Wissam Shaker.

Another relative of a casualty, who declined to give his name, said the protesters had been unarmed.

"If the governor comes out and says these protesters had grenades or weapons, he's lying! They had nothing but stones while security forces fired bullets," he said.

Civil disobedience

Iraq has close but complicated ties with its eastern neighbour Iran, with whom it fought a deadly war in the 1980s but which now has significant political and economic sway in Iraq.

Tehran has sought to reduce the protests next door, with sources reporting top commander Qassem Soleimani making several visits to "advise" Iraqi authorities on coping with the rallies.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has also slammed the protests in Iraq and Lebanon, labelling them conspiracies by the US and others.

Undeterred by the latest violence, protesters pushed on Monday with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/three-protesters-killed-in-iraqs-karbala-near-iran-consulate-report-259827">civil disobedience</a> tactics they have increasingly adopted over the past week, including sit-ins, road closures and strikes.

The national teachers' syndicate was the first to impose a nationwide strike, shutting down schools across the country, and other trade unions later joined in.&nbsp;

Government offices in more than a half-dozen southern cities have been either stormed or closed for lack of staff, with demonstrators hanging banners reading "Closed by order of the people" in front of the buildings.&nbsp;

Others have erected checkpoints to stop security forces or imposed curfews on officials and police, with roads cut in Samawa and protests in Nasiriyah and Hillah on Monday.

PM's support frays

Protesters have also shut the highway to the Umm Qasr port, one of the main conduits for food, medicine and other imports into Iraq.

In Amara, sit-ins were underway Monday at the Halfaya and Buzurgan oil fields, blocking employees from accessing the site but not interrupting production.

The spreading non-violent actions defied a plea the previous evening by embattled premier Adel Abdel Mahdi for protesters to end their campaign.

"Now is the time for life to go back to normal," Abdel Mahdi, 77, said in a statement, insisting that many of their demands "have already been satisfied".

Abdel Mahdi has announced hiring drives and increased social welfare, while President Barham Saleh has proposed early elections after a new voting law is agreed.

But protesters have demanded an overhaul of the entrenched political class and deep-rooted change to end rampant corruption they charge is holding the country back.

Despite being OPEC's second-largest crude producer, one in five Iraqis live below the poverty line and youth unemployment stands at 25 per cent.

Iraqi security forces fired live rounds Monday at anti-government protesters in Baghdad, hours after four demonstrators were shot dead outside the Iranian consulate in the holy city of Karbala.

Iraqi security forces fired live rounds Monday at anti-government protesters in Baghdad, hours after four demonstrators were shot dead outside the Iranian consulate in the holy city of Karbala. It was the latest bloodshed in a wave of ongoing protests, roadblocks and a campaign of civil disobedience waged by protesters accusing the Iraqi government of rampant corruption and clientelism. About 12 people were wounded in Baghdad, medical and security sources said when security forces opened fire on protesters massing near the state television headquarters, according to witnesses. It was the first time live ammunition was fired at demonstrators in Baghdad since protests resumed on October 24, following a period in which riot police had switched to use tear gas amid accusations of "excessive force". Some 270 people have lost their lives since the anti-government rallies broke out on October 1, according to an AFP count, but officials have stopped providing precise casualty numbers. 'Intent to kill' Overnight, a crowd of protesters had gathered in Karbala around the consulate of neighbouring Iran, which they accuse of propping up the government they are trying to overthrow. They scaled the blast walls and aimed fireworks at the building and, as the crowd grew, heavy gunfire and volleys of tear gas rang out. "They're not firing up in the air. They intend to kill, not disperse," said one young protester wearing a medical mask about Iraqi forces guarding the mission. The forensic medicine department later confirmed four protesters died after being shot. "My son went out to protest with the rest of the young Iraqi men and got shot once in the shoulder and a second time in the head. He was 20," said Wissam Shaker. Another relative of a casualty, who declined to give his name, said the protesters had been unarmed. "If the governor comes out and says these protesters had grenades or weapons, he's lying! They had nothing but stones while security forces fired bullets," he said. Civil disobedience Iraq has close but complicated ties with its eastern neighbour Iran, with whom it fought a deadly war in the 1980s but which now has significant political and economic sway in Iraq. Tehran has sought to reduce the protests next door, with sources reporting top commander Qassem Soleimani making several visits to "advise" Iraqi authorities on coping with the rallies. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has also slammed the protests in Iraq and Lebanon, labelling them conspiracies by the US and others. Undeterred by the latest violence, protesters pushed on Monday with civil disobedience tactics they have increasingly adopted over the past week, including sit-ins, road closures and strikes. The national teachers' syndicate was the first to impose a nationwide strike, shutting down schools across the country, and other trade unions later joined in. Government offices in more than a half-dozen southern cities have been either stormed or closed for lack of staff, with demonstrators hanging banners reading "Closed by order of the people" in front of the buildings. Others have erected checkpoints to stop security forces or imposed curfews on officials and police, with roads cut in Samawa and protests in Nasiriyah and Hillah on Monday. PM's support frays Protesters have also shut the highway to the Umm Qasr port, one of the main conduits for food, medicine and other imports into Iraq. In Amara, sit-ins were underway Monday at the Halfaya and Buzurgan oil fields, blocking employees from accessing the site but not interrupting production. The spreading non-violent actions defied a plea the previous evening by embattled premier Adel Abdel Mahdi for protesters to end their campaign. "Now is the time for life to go back to normal," Abdel Mahdi, 77, said in a statement, insisting that many of their demands "have already been satisfied". Abdel Mahdi has announced hiring drives and increased social welfare, while President Barham Saleh has proposed early elections after a new voting law is agreed. But protesters have demanded an overhaul of the entrenched political class and deep-rooted change to end rampant corruption they charge is holding the country back. Despite being OPEC's second-largest crude producer, one in five Iraqis live below the poverty line and youth unemployment stands at 25 per cent.

Iraq forces fire on Baghdad protesters after four killed in Karbala

Forty-one migrants were found alive in a refrigerated truck in northern Greece on Monday, said police, who arrested the driver.

The migrants, of apparent Afghan origin, were mostly in good condition but seven received first aid in hospital, the police said.

"The truck contained men and boys. Identifying their nationality will require a couple of days," a police source told AFP.

The truck was stopped by police on the Egnatia motorway between the towns of Xanthi and Komotini.

The driver, a man from Georgia, was arrested.

Local media reported that police were also seeking a second man from Turkey in connection with the incident.

The discovery came after 39 people, all believed to be Vietnamese nationals, were found dead in a refrigerated truck in Britain last month, highlighting the risks of illegal migrant routes to Europe, even for those avoiding perilous travel by sea.

Greece is experiencing its highest asylum-seeker arrival figures since 2016 when a controversial deal between the EU and Turkey stemmed previous flows of nearly a million people.

Scores arrive daily, overwhelming camps on Greek islands facing Turkey where over 34,000 people are staying, most of them in deplorable living conditions.

A two-year-old girl from Iraq died Monday when she was hit by a car on the island of Chios, state agency ANA said.

Forty-one migrants were found alive in a refrigerated truck in northern Greece on Monday, said police, who arrested the driver. The migrants, of apparent Afghan origin, were mostly in good condition but seven received first aid in hospital, the police said.

Forty-one migrants were found alive in a refrigerated truck in northern Greece on Monday, said police, who arrested the driver. The migrants, of apparent Afghan origin, were mostly in good condition but seven received first aid in hospital, the police said. "The truck contained men and boys. Identifying their nationality will require a couple of days," a police source told AFP. The truck was stopped by police on the Egnatia motorway between the towns of Xanthi and Komotini. The driver, a man from Georgia, was arrested. Local media reported that police were also seeking a second man from Turkey in connection with the incident. The discovery came after 39 people, all believed to be Vietnamese nationals, were found dead in a refrigerated truck in Britain last month, highlighting the risks of illegal migrant routes to Europe, even for those avoiding perilous travel by sea. Greece is experiencing its highest asylum-seeker arrival figures since 2016 when a controversial deal between the EU and Turkey stemmed previous flows of nearly a million people. Scores arrive daily, overwhelming camps on Greek islands facing Turkey where over 34,000 people are staying, most of them in deplorable living conditions. A two-year-old girl from Iraq died Monday when she was hit by a car on the island of Chios, state agency ANA said.

41 migrants found alive in refrigerated truck in Greece

New Delhi banned half the Indian capital's private cars from its roads on Monday as the megacity's 20 million people spluttered with stinging eyes in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/diplomatic-corps-expresses-concern-over-delhi-pollution-says-we-suffer-like-rest-of-delhi-259764">worst pollution in three years</a>.

As smog levels exceeded those of Beijing by more than three times, authorities also parked a van with an air purifier near the Taj Mahal,&nbsp;the iconic 17th-century marble mausoleum 250 kilometers (150 miles) south of Delhi,&nbsp;in a bid to clean the air in its surrounds.

With the pollution causing a rush of respiratory complaints at hospitals and the diversion of 37 flights on Sunday, a new law came into effect restricting cars from the capital's roads to alternative days, depending on if their number plate ends in an odd or even number.&nbsp;

More than 600 police teams were deployed at road intersections in the capital with the power to hand out fines of 4,000 rupees (nearly $60) to transgressors

Exempt from the restrictions were Delhi's seven million motorbikes and scooters, public transport and cars carrying only women, stoking criticism that the measures were ineffective.

"There is smoke everywhere and people, including youngsters, kids, elderly are finding it difficult to breathe," Delhi's chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said in a Twitter video. "Eyes are burning. Pollution is that bad."

Watch Video:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/an-apocalypse-in-new-delhi-air-quality-index-in-hazardous-category-259741/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Construction was banned temporarily late last week in the world's most polluted capital city, while schools have been closed until Wednesday, with the city government handing out free pollution masks to children.

"I have a headache every day I wake up. It's suffocating to breathe sometimes. And inflammation in the nostrils and all. And eyes also. Like it kind of burns," Ankusha Kushi, a student, told AFP.

As Delhiites woke up on Monday, levels of particulates measuring less than 2.5 microns -- so tiny they enter deep into the respiratory tract,&nbsp;were at 613 micrograms per cubic metre of air, according to the US embassy in Delhi.

Deadly over long term

The World Health Organisation's recommended safe daily maximum is a reading of 25.

In central Delhi, the state air quality institute rated levels of the tiny particulates,&nbsp;which can be deadly over the long term,&nbsp;as "severe".

Bollywood megastar Priyanka Chopra Jonas posted a selfie in pollution mask on Instagram and said it was "hard to shoot" in Delhi.

"I can’t even imagine what it must be like to live here under these conditions. We r blessed with air purifiers and masks. Pray for the homeless," she posted.

Fourteen Indian cities including the capital are among the world's top 15 most polluted cities, according to the World Health Organization.&nbsp;

One study last year said that a million Indians died prematurely every year as a result.

With local elections due in Delhi in early 2020, the crisis has also become a casualty of political bickering, with each side blaming the other.&nbsp;

Kejriwal, who likened Delhi to a "gas chamber" on Friday, said the city had done its part to curb pollution and that the burning of wheat stubble residue on farms outside the capital had to be stopped.

India's supreme court too stepped-in, slamming the authorities for failing to curb pollution and asked them to tighten rules against violators.&nbsp;

Car rule 'a stunt'&nbsp;

But national environment minister Prakash Javadekar accused Kejriwal of politicising the issue, while an MP from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) violated the odd-even car rule as a "symbolic protest" by driving a car that was barred under the scheme.

Experts warned that both state and national governments needed to go beyond short-term remedies.

Stop-gap solutions "can't be a substitute for addressing the major long-term chronic sources of air pollution", Daniel Cass, from global non-profit Vital Strategies, told AFP.

Changing agricultural practices, switching electricity generation sources and accelerating the conversion of home heating from charcoal to natural gas were also key measures in the pollution fight, Cass said.

Siddharth Singh, a climate policy expert, said the traffic restrictions are "ineffective".

"If air pollution was solely due to the vehicular traffic, then this would be a solution. Right now it cannot be a solution because motorised private transport has a very small share in the whole pie," Singh told AFP.

New Delhi banned half the Indian capital's private cars from its roads on Monday as the megacity's 20 million people spluttered with stinging eyes in the worst pollution in three years.

New Delhi banned half the Indian capital's private cars from its roads on Monday as the megacity's 20 million people spluttered with stinging eyes in the worst pollution in three years. As smog levels exceeded those of Beijing by more than three times, authorities also parked a van with an air purifier near the Taj Mahal, the iconic 17th-century marble mausoleum 250 kilometers (150 miles) south of Delhi, in a bid to clean the air in its surrounds. With the pollution causing a rush of respiratory complaints at hospitals and the diversion of 37 flights on Sunday, a new law came into effect restricting cars from the capital's roads to alternative days, depending on if their number plate ends in an odd or even number. More than 600 police teams were deployed at road intersections in the capital with the power to hand out fines of 4,000 rupees (nearly $60) to transgressors Exempt from the restrictions were Delhi's seven million motorbikes and scooters, public transport and cars carrying only women, stoking criticism that the measures were ineffective. "There is smoke everywhere and people, including youngsters, kids, elderly are finding it difficult to breathe," Delhi's chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said in a Twitter video. "Eyes are burning. Pollution is that bad." Watch Video: Construction was banned temporarily late last week in the world's most polluted capital city, while schools have been closed until Wednesday, with the city government handing out free pollution masks to children. "I have a headache every day I wake up. It's suffocating to breathe sometimes. And inflammation in the nostrils and all. And eyes also. Like it kind of burns," Ankusha Kushi, a student, told AFP. As Delhiites woke up on Monday, levels of particulates measuring less than 2.5 microns -- so tiny they enter deep into the respiratory tract, were at 613 micrograms per cubic metre of air, according to the US embassy in Delhi. Deadly over long term The World Health Organisation's recommended safe daily maximum is a reading of 25. In central Delhi, the state air quality institute rated levels of the tiny particulates, which can be deadly over the long term, as "severe". Bollywood megastar Priyanka Chopra Jonas posted a selfie in pollution mask on Instagram and said it was "hard to shoot" in Delhi. "I can’t even imagine what it must be like to live here under these conditions. We r blessed with air purifiers and masks. Pray for the homeless," she posted. Fourteen Indian cities including the capital are among the world's top 15 most polluted cities, according to the World Health Organization. One study last year said that a million Indians died prematurely every year as a result. With local elections due in Delhi in early 2020, the crisis has also become a casualty of political bickering, with each side blaming the other. Kejriwal, who likened Delhi to a "gas chamber" on Friday, said the city had done its part to curb pollution and that the burning of wheat stubble residue on farms outside the capital had to be stopped. India's supreme court too stepped-in, slamming the authorities for failing to curb pollution and asked them to tighten rules against violators. Car rule 'a stunt' But national environment minister Prakash Javadekar accused Kejriwal of politicising the issue, while an MP from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) violated the odd-even car rule as a "symbolic protest" by driving a car that was barred under the scheme. Experts warned that both state and national governments needed to go beyond short-term remedies. Stop-gap solutions "can't be a substitute for addressing the major long-term chronic sources of air pollution", Daniel Cass, from global non-profit Vital Strategies, told AFP. Changing agricultural practices, switching electricity generation sources and accelerating the conversion of home heating from charcoal to natural gas were also key measures in the pollution fight, Cass said. Siddharth Singh, a climate policy expert, said the traffic restrictions are "ineffective". "If air pollution was solely due to the vehicular traffic, then this would be a solution. Right now it cannot be a solution because motorised private transport has a very small share in the whole pie," Singh told AFP.

Taj Mahal gets air purifier as Delhi breathes toxic air

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said that it is not possible to make laws to circumvent the Supreme Court's order permitting entry of women of all age into the Sabarimala temple. 
 
"Supreme Court's verdict on women entry in Sabarimala temple is related to fundamental rights. Making law to circumvent the apex court's verdict is not possible. The state government is bound to implement it," Vijayan said in the legislative assembly. 
 
The Chief Minister's statement came in response to a question raised by United Democratic Front (UDF) MLAs in the matter. 
 
Vijayan said that the state government's stand is to implement the court's order. 
 
"This is the government's policy in the case of the review petition. One section tried to create problems last year and attacked police and devotees. Devotees do not need to worry. All arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful 'Darshan'. 
 
The Supreme Court had on September 28 last year permitted the entry of women of all age groups into the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple. 
 
The temple is being opened for a three-month-long annual pilgrimage later this month.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said that it is not possible to make laws to circumvent the Supreme Court's order permitting entry of women of all age into the Sabarimala temple.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said that it is not possible to make laws to circumvent the Supreme Court's order permitting entry of women of all age into the Sabarimala temple. "Supreme Court's verdict on women entry in Sabarimala temple is related to fundamental rights. Making law to circumvent the apex court's verdict is not possible. The state government is bound to implement it," Vijayan said in the legislative assembly. The Chief Minister's statement came in response to a question raised by United Democratic Front (UDF) MLAs in the matter. Vijayan said that the state government's stand is to implement the court's order. "This is the government's policy in the case of the review petition. One section tried to create problems last year and attacked police and devotees. Devotees do not need to worry. All arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful 'Darshan'. The Supreme Court had on September 28 last year permitted the entry of women of all age groups into the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple. The temple is being opened for a three-month-long annual pilgrimage later this month.

Not possible to circumvent Sabrimala SC verdict through legislation: Kerala CM Vijayan

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Monday chaired a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) to take stock of the cyclone 'Maha' situation over Gujarat, Maharashtra and Daman and Diu and the preparedness for rescue and relief operations. 
 
Gauba directed that immediate assistance, as required, should be provided. 
 
"IMD informed that the Cyclone, currently over east-central Arabian Sea is moving west and north-westwards and is likely to intensify further till 5th November morning. It will thereafter weaken and cross the Gujarat and Maharashtra coast by midnight of 6th November and early morning of 7th November 2019," a government statement read. 
 
It further stated that heavy rainfall, accompanied by winds reaching upto 90 to 100 kmph and tidal waves up to 1.5 metres, are expected in several areas. 
 
The meeting was attended by senior officials of the Ministries of Home, Defence, IMD, NDMA and NDRF. Chief Secretaries of Gujarat and Maharashtra along with officers from the UT Administration participated in the meeting. 
 
According to the government, the Chief Secretaries of Gujarat and Maharashtra have informed that necessary preparations have been made by them. NDRF and SDRF teams along with Coast Guard and Naval ships have already been positioned to withstand the onset of the cyclone. 
 
"The district authorities have been put on alert and all fishing activities have been suspended in the area. Daman and Diu Administration also apprised of their preparedness and evacuation plans," the statement read. 
 
Earlier, Maharashtra government issued heavy rain and thundershower warning for north Konkan and north-central part of the state from November 6-8 due to cyclone

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Monday chaired a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) to take stock of the cyclone 'Maha' situation over Gujarat, Maharashtra and Daman and Diu and the preparedness for rescue and relief operations.

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Monday chaired a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) to take stock of the cyclone 'Maha' situation over Gujarat, Maharashtra and Daman and Diu and the preparedness for rescue and relief operations. Gauba directed that immediate assistance, as required, should be provided. "IMD informed that the Cyclone, currently over east-central Arabian Sea is moving west and north-westwards and is likely to intensify further till 5th November morning. It will thereafter weaken and cross the Gujarat and Maharashtra coast by midnight of 6th November and early morning of 7th November 2019," a government statement read. It further stated that heavy rainfall, accompanied by winds reaching upto 90 to 100 kmph and tidal waves up to 1.5 metres, are expected in several areas. The meeting was attended by senior officials of the Ministries of Home, Defence, IMD, NDMA and NDRF. Chief Secretaries of Gujarat and Maharashtra along with officers from the UT Administration participated in the meeting. According to the government, the Chief Secretaries of Gujarat and Maharashtra have informed that necessary preparations have been made by them. NDRF and SDRF teams along with Coast Guard and Naval ships have already been positioned to withstand the onset of the cyclone. "The district authorities have been put on alert and all fishing activities have been suspended in the area. Daman and Diu Administration also apprised of their preparedness and evacuation plans," the statement read. Earlier, Maharashtra government issued heavy rain and thundershower warning for north Konkan and north-central part of the state from November 6-8 due to cyclone

Cabinet Secretary chairs NCMC meeting to review preparedness for Cyclone Maha

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