Even as the world is in shock after a mob lynched a Sri Lankan national in a horrific vigilante attack in Sialkot, a makeshift memorial has been erected outside Sialkot Chamber of Commerce in Pakistan to honour the factory manager. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The foreign national Priyantha Kumara, who was beaten to death and burnt by the mob, was accused of committing blasphemy. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lankan-parliament-pm-rajapaksa-condemn-brutal-lynching-of-lankan-man-over-blasphemy-in-pakistan-434175" hreflang="en">Sri Lankan Parliament, PM condemn brutal lynching of Lankan man in Pakistan</a>

Umair Amin, member, Sialkot Chamber of Commerce, said, "Sri Lanka is our friend and we share its pain in this sad incident." A candlelight vigil was also conducted near factory where&nbsp;Kumara used to work.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The human remains of Kumara will be despatched to Sri Lanka on December 6 through Sri Lankan Airlines at state cost. The human remains will be received by the next-of-kin at the BIA.&nbsp;

The foreign ministry is coordinating the matter. The Sri Lanka High Commission in Islamabad has requested an investigation report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pakistan regarding the death of Kumara.

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Another vigil in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sialkot?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Sialkot</a> for Sri Lankan manager killed by mob <a href="https://t.co/FJHETFhhsI">pic.twitter.com/FJHETFhhsI</a>
— Mubashir Zaidi (@Xadeejournalist) <a href="https://twitter.com/Xadeejournalist/status/1467356095584907272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
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In the case, over 200 raids have been conducted in less than 24 hours. Around 118 persons have been taken into custody so far. It also includes the 13 main culprits. Mobile data or calls analysis, video footage analysis and forensic analysis is also being done, the FIR said. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nearly-800-people-arrested-for-killing-sri-lankan-man-in-pakistan-reports-434120" hreflang="en">Nearly 800 people arrested for killing Sri Lankan man in Pakistan: Reports</a>

The crime was committed on December 3 at Rajco Industries, Sialkot. The case has been registered under sections 302, 297, 201, 427, 431, 147, 149 of PPC and 7-ATA, 11-WW-ATA. &nbsp;

Nearly 800 people were booked under the Anti-Terrorism Act on Saturday. Farhan Idrees has been detained as the key suspect for killing the Sri Lankan national. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Even as the world is in shock after a mob lynched a Sri Lankan national in a horrific vigilante attack in Sialkot, a makeshift memorial has been erected outside Sialkot Chamber of Commerce in Pakistan to honour the factory manager.

Even as the world is in shock after a mob lynched a Sri Lankan national in a horrific vigilante attack in Sialkot, a makeshift memorial has been erected outside Sialkot Chamber of Commerce in Pakistan to honour the factory manager. The foreign national Priyantha Kumara, who was beaten to death and burnt by the mob, was accused of committing blasphemy. Also Read: Sri Lankan Parliament, PM condemn brutal lynching of Lankan man in Pakistan Umair Amin, member, Sialkot Chamber of Commerce, said, "Sri Lanka is our friend and we share its pain in this sad incident." A candlelight vigil was also conducted near factory where Kumara used to work. The human remains of Kumara will be despatched to Sri Lanka on December 6 through Sri Lankan Airlines at state cost. The human remains will be received by the next-of-kin at the BIA. The foreign ministry is coordinating the matter. The Sri Lanka High Commission in Islamabad has requested an investigation report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pakistan regarding the death of Kumara. Another vigil in #Sialkot for Sri Lankan manager killed by mob pic.twitter.com/FJHETFhhsI — Mubashir Zaidi (@Xadeejournalist) December 5, 2021 × In the case, over 200 raids have been conducted in less than 24 hours. Around 118 persons have been taken into custody so far. It also includes the 13 main culprits. Mobile data or calls analysis, video footage analysis and forensic analysis is also being done, the FIR said. Also Read: Nearly 800 people arrested for killing Sri Lankan man in Pakistan: Reports The crime was committed on December 3 at Rajco Industries, Sialkot. The case has been registered under sections 302, 297, 201, 427, 431, 147, 149 of PPC and 7-ATA, 11-WW-ATA. Nearly 800 people were booked under the Anti-Terrorism Act on Saturday. Farhan Idrees has been detained as the key suspect for killing the Sri Lankan national. (With inputs from agencies)

Makeshift memorial honours slain Lankan factory manager in Pakistan

After offering a ride to teens, whose parents are against inoculation, to site, vaccine&nbsp;advocates in Canada seem to have sparked a row. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Along with facing backlash, the people, who support vaccination, are reportedly receiving threats. &nbsp;

On Friday, the controversy began when a community organiser in Saskatchewan named Julian Wotherspoon, in a Twitter message, offered to help any 13- to 17-year-olds, who want to get inoculated despite opposition from parents. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-capital-reports-first-case-of-omicron-variant-taking-countrys-total-to-5-434252">Indian capital reports first case of Omicron, taking country's total to 5</a>

“I’m your ride to the clinic. If anyone asks, I’m taking you and my kids to a movie. Let’s do this,” she said. &nbsp;

As per the Health Authority of Saskatchewan, children aged 13 and older, “who are able to understand the benefits and possible reactions” of a vaccine, do not need parent’s permission to get inoculated. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The teens can also refuse inoculation by giving “mature minor” consent to health provider. &nbsp;

The tweet of Wotherspoon has caused stir as it attracted both praise and outrage. Since then, she has made her account private. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/britain-introduces-new-travel-measures-as-omicron-cases-rise-to-160-434232" hreflang="en">Britain introduces new travel measures as Omicron cases rise to 160</a>

A “mommy blogger”, Tenille Lafontaine, called the offer “amazing.” Lafontaine, who also belongs to Saskatchewan, said, “I’ve heard of a few teens getting the vaccine on their own because their parents are insane in the membrane. The kids are gonna be alright. Side note: I’m available to drive anytime.” &nbsp;

“We don’t want to ever give the perception we’re giving Covid vaccine behind parents’ backs,” Health Minister Paul Merriman told CBC News. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

After offering a ride to teens, whose parents are against inoculation, to site, vaccine advocates in Canada seem to have sparked a row. Along with facing backlash, the people, who support vaccination, are reportedly receiving threats.

After offering a ride to teens, whose parents are against inoculation, to site, vaccine advocates in Canada seem to have sparked a row. Along with facing backlash, the people, who support vaccination, are reportedly receiving threats. On Friday, the controversy began when a community organiser in Saskatchewan named Julian Wotherspoon, in a Twitter message, offered to help any 13- to 17-year-olds, who want to get inoculated despite opposition from parents. Also Read: Indian capital reports first case of Omicron, taking country's total to 5 “I’m your ride to the clinic. If anyone asks, I’m taking you and my kids to a movie. Let’s do this,” she said. As per the Health Authority of Saskatchewan, children aged 13 and older, “who are able to understand the benefits and possible reactions” of a vaccine, do not need parent’s permission to get inoculated. The teens can also refuse inoculation by giving “mature minor” consent to health provider. The tweet of Wotherspoon has caused stir as it attracted both praise and outrage. Since then, she has made her account private. Also Read: Britain introduces new travel measures as Omicron cases rise to 160 A “mommy blogger”, Tenille Lafontaine, called the offer “amazing.” Lafontaine, who also belongs to Saskatchewan, said, “I’ve heard of a few teens getting the vaccine on their own because their parents are insane in the membrane. The kids are gonna be alright. Side note: I’m available to drive anytime.” “We don’t want to ever give the perception we’re giving Covid vaccine behind parents’ backs,” Health Minister Paul Merriman told CBC News. (With inputs from agencies)

Vaccine advocates offer rides to teens to inoculation site, spark controversy

Gun violence seems to have become an everyday affair in the United States. The situation is grim to an extent that just days after four teenagers died in a shooting at a high school in Michigan, a US congressman posted a picture for Christmas on Saturday with him and his family, what it appears to be, smiling while holding several guns. &nbsp;

Along with the picture, US Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, tweeted, "Merry Christmas! ps Santa, please bring ammo." &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-us-president-donald-trumps-social-media-company-gets-agreements-for-1-billion-in-capital-434233">Trump's social media company gets agreements for $1 billion in capital</a>

In the photo, Massie and six others can be seen posing while holding firearms, which resemble an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, M60 machine gun and Thompson submachine gun. &nbsp;

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Merry Christmas! 🎄 
ps. Santa, please bring ammo. 🎁 <a href="https://t.co/NVawULhCNr">pic.twitter.com/NVawULhCNr</a>
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepThomasMassie/status/1467197523127422979?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The country has already been marred by a long slew of deadly shooting incidents. They have prompted fierce debates over gun control, gun rights and school safety. &nbsp;&nbsp;

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And once again, wishing all your loved ones (who haven't been shot) a VERY Merry Christmas from the Massies!<a href="https://twitter.com/RepThomasMassie?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepThomasMassie</a> <a href="https://t.co/WtC1tNZbUc">pic.twitter.com/WtC1tNZbUc</a>
— Paul Lee Teeks (@PaulLeeTeeks) <a href="https://twitter.com/PaulLeeTeeks/status/1467338854789042177?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The posing of the family with an assortment of guns has not been well received in the country. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cnn-prime-time-anchor-chris-cuomo-terminated-for-helping-his-brother-in-sexual-harassment-scandal-434238" hreflang="en">CNN prime time anchor Chris Cuomo terminated for helping his brother in sexual harassment scandal</a>

Democratic US Representative John Yarmuth, who also chairs the US House of Representatives Budget Committee, has criticised Massie’s post. &nbsp;

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Thomas Massie, U.S. congressman posts family Christmas picture with guns, days after school shooting where 4 Students DIED! Merry Christmas to the families of the deceased. <a href="https://t.co/qvP00AgseE">pic.twitter.com/qvP00AgseE</a>
— Jason (@Politics4ever1) <a href="https://twitter.com/Politics4ever1/status/1467404523748487175?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Under US law, weapons, such as machine guns, can be used by only law enforcement, military and civilians, who have special licenses for weapons made before May 1986. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Gun violence seems to have become an everyday affair in the United States. The situation is grim to an extent that just days after four teenagers died in a shooting at a high school in Michigan, a US congressman posted a picture for Christmas on Saturday with him and his family, what it appears to be, smiling while holding several guns.

Gun violence seems to have become an everyday affair in the United States. The situation is grim to an extent that just days after four teenagers died in a shooting at a high school in Michigan, a US congressman posted a picture for Christmas on Saturday with him and his family, what it appears to be, smiling while holding several guns. Along with the picture, US Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, tweeted, "Merry Christmas! ps Santa, please bring ammo." Also Read: Trump's social media company gets agreements for $1 billion in capital In the photo, Massie and six others can be seen posing while holding firearms, which resemble an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, M60 machine gun and Thompson submachine gun. Merry Christmas! 🎄 ps. Santa, please bring ammo. 🎁 pic.twitter.com/NVawULhCNr — Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) December 4, 2021 × The country has already been marred by a long slew of deadly shooting incidents. They have prompted fierce debates over gun control, gun rights and school safety. And once again, wishing all your loved ones (who haven't been shot) a VERY Merry Christmas from the Massies!@RepThomasMassie pic.twitter.com/WtC1tNZbUc — Paul Lee Teeks (@PaulLeeTeeks) December 5, 2021 × The posing of the family with an assortment of guns has not been well received in the country. Also Read: CNN prime time anchor Chris Cuomo terminated for helping his brother in sexual harassment scandal Democratic US Representative John Yarmuth, who also chairs the US House of Representatives Budget Committee, has criticised Massie’s post. Thomas Massie, U.S. congressman posts family Christmas picture with guns, days after school shooting where 4 Students DIED! Merry Christmas to the families of the deceased. pic.twitter.com/qvP00AgseE — Jason (@Politics4ever1) December 5, 2021 × Under US law, weapons, such as machine guns, can be used by only law enforcement, military and civilians, who have special licenses for weapons made before May 1986. (With inputs from agencies)

US lawmaker posts family picture with several guns, faces backlash

In an inspirational story of sorts, an islander helped a woman get her wedding ring back, which was lost over 50 years ago, after three days of search at the location with the help of a metal detector. &nbsp;

The woman had lost the wedding ring in a potato patch in the Western Isles. After learning about the loss during a chat, a fellow islander Donald MacPhee, who is also a metal detectorist, made it a mission to find the ring. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/gamechanger-scientists-reveal-cruelty-free-mushroom-leather-433875" hreflang="en">Gamechanger? Scientists reveal cruelty-free 'mushroom leather'</a>

The ring had slipped off finger of Peggy MacSween, who is now 86, while gathering potatoes at her home on Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides. She thought it was lost forever but soon she was about to get the good news. &nbsp;

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My Precious 
 
Peggy MacSween, now 86, believed she had lost the golden band forever, lost gathering potatoes at her home on Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides. Fellow islander-metal detectorist Donald MacPhee made it his mission to find the treasure. 
 
Now ring and finger are united. <a href="https://t.co/EuHcKMGujy">pic.twitter.com/EuHcKMGujy</a>
— Grouse Beater (@Grouse_Beater) <a href="https://twitter.com/Grouse_Beater/status/1466921257497239561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
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With the help of a metal detector, MacPhee spent three days in searching the ring at Liniclate Machair, the sandy coastal meadow where the potato patch once was. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-county-school-admin-charges-36000-from-woman-to-give-info-on-sexual-assault-rape-433995">US county school admin charges $36,000 from woman to give info on ‘rape’</a>

MacPhee, who runs Benbecula’s Nunton House hostel, said, “For three days, I searched and dug 90 holes. The trouble is gold rings make the same sound (on the detector) as ring pulls and I got a lot of those – as well as many other things, such as horseshoes and cans. But on the third day, I found the ring.” &nbsp;

“I was absolutely flabbergasted. I had searched an area of 5,000 square metres. It was a one in a 100,000 chance and certainly my best find. It was a fluke. There was technique involved, but I just got lucky,” added MacPhee. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In an inspirational story of sorts, an islander helped a woman get her wedding ring back, which was lost over 50 years ago, after three days of search at the location with the help of a metal detector.

In an inspirational story of sorts, an islander helped a woman get her wedding ring back, which was lost over 50 years ago, after three days of search at the location with the help of a metal detector. The woman had lost the wedding ring in a potato patch in the Western Isles. After learning about the loss during a chat, a fellow islander Donald MacPhee, who is also a metal detectorist, made it a mission to find the ring. Also Read: Gamechanger? Scientists reveal cruelty-free 'mushroom leather' The ring had slipped off finger of Peggy MacSween, who is now 86, while gathering potatoes at her home on Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides. She thought it was lost forever but soon she was about to get the good news. My Precious Peggy MacSween, now 86, believed she had lost the golden band forever, lost gathering potatoes at her home on Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides. Fellow islander-metal detectorist Donald MacPhee made it his mission to find the treasure. Now ring and finger are united. pic.twitter.com/EuHcKMGujy — Grouse Beater (@Grouse_Beater) December 4, 2021 × With the help of a metal detector, MacPhee spent three days in searching the ring at Liniclate Machair, the sandy coastal meadow where the potato patch once was. Also Read: US county school admin charges $36,000 from woman to give info on ‘rape’ MacPhee, who runs Benbecula’s Nunton House hostel, said, “For three days, I searched and dug 90 holes. The trouble is gold rings make the same sound (on the detector) as ring pulls and I got a lot of those – as well as many other things, such as horseshoes and cans. But on the third day, I found the ring.” “I was absolutely flabbergasted. I had searched an area of 5,000 square metres. It was a one in a 100,000 chance and certainly my best find. It was a fluke. There was technique involved, but I just got lucky,” added MacPhee. (With inputs from agencies)

Fellow islander reunites woman with wedding ring lost 50 years ago after three-day search  

We bring you the biggest stories of the day so far. From&nbsp;Blinken warning China over increasing incursions in Taiwan to&nbsp;reports saying&nbsp;11 US govt employees’ phones were hacked using NSO Group’s spyware,&nbsp;we have it all.

You can also read about&nbsp;WHO's top scientist saying&nbsp;Omicron is highly transmissible and could become dominant,&nbsp;Europe surpassing 75 million Covid cases&nbsp;as fears of new variant looms and&nbsp;US county school admin charging $36,000 from woman to give info on ‘rape’.

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/11-us-govt-employees-phones-hacked-using-nso-groups-spyware-say-reports-434000">11 US govt employees’ phones hacked using NSO Group’s spyware, say reports</a>

<img alt="Brief 2" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f0b2e68f-f0a1-466f-aeee-f8062d500ebd" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/EQ1.JPG" />

If reports are to be believed, the phones of around 11 employees of US State Department were hacked with the help of NSO Group’s technology. The spyware was used against employees located in Uganda.&nbsp;The iPhones of the employees were hacked.

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/omicron-variant-highly-transmissible-could-become-dominant-says-whos-top-scientist-433999">Omicron highly transmissible, could become dominant, says WHO's top scientist</a>

<img alt="Brief 3" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e2729081-b0b0-4375-a661-83057bb45a90" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/EQ2.JPG" />

While the world struggles to battle with the delta variant, another variant of Covid has already emerged. The World Health Organization's chief scientist, Soumya Swaminathan, has said that the Omicron variant could become dominant because it is highly transmissible.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-fears-of-new-covid-variant-looms-europe-surpasses-75-million-covid-cases-433994">As fears of new&nbsp;variant looms, Europe surpasses 75 million Covid cases</a>

<img alt="Brief 3" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="59de5045-4440-4423-894f-ef9415937db0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/EQ3.JPG" />

As fear of a new variant has taken over the region, a Reuters tally state that Europe has surpassed 75 million coronavirus cases. The European Union's public health agency has warned that within a few months, the new Covid variant could be responsible for more than half of all the cases.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-should-be-prepared-of-terrible-consequences-if-it-precipitates-crisis-in-taiwan-says-blinken-433986">Blinken warns China over increasing incursions in Taiwan</a>

<img alt="Brief 4" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4911bfd4-d6e6-473e-bfed-2f99ea8f84b8" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/EQ4.JPG" />

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned China against its increasing incursions in Taiwan saying that it should be prepared of 'terrible consequences' if it precipitates a crisis in Taipei.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-county-school-admin-charges-36000-from-woman-to-give-info-on-sexual-assault-rape-433995">US county school admin charges $36,000 from woman to give info on ‘rape’</a>

<img alt="Brief 6" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b6c5dfa2-a46d-4c07-90b5-c955250bd282" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/EQ5.JPG" />

A US county school admin seems to have charged an exorbitant fee of $36,000 from a woman to provide information on sexual assault and rape.&nbsp;Now, the parent, Michelle Mege, has filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the Loudon County Public School District.&nbsp;

We bring you the biggest stories of the day so far. From Blinken warning China over increasing incursions in Taiwan to reports saying 11 US govt employees’ phones were hacked using NSO Group’s spyware, we have it all.

We bring you the biggest stories of the day so far. From Blinken warning China over increasing incursions in Taiwan to reports saying 11 US govt employees’ phones were hacked using NSO Group’s spyware, we have it all. You can also read about WHO's top scientist saying Omicron is highly transmissible and could become dominant, Europe surpassing 75 million Covid cases as fears of new variant looms and US county school admin charging $36,000 from woman to give info on ‘rape’. 11 US govt employees’ phones hacked using NSO Group’s spyware, say reports If reports are to be believed, the phones of around 11 employees of US State Department were hacked with the help of NSO Group’s technology. The spyware was used against employees located in Uganda. The iPhones of the employees were hacked. Omicron highly transmissible, could become dominant, says WHO's top scientist While the world struggles to battle with the delta variant, another variant of Covid has already emerged. The World Health Organization's chief scientist, Soumya Swaminathan, has said that the Omicron variant could become dominant because it is highly transmissible. As fears of new variant looms, Europe surpasses 75 million Covid cases As fear of a new variant has taken over the region, a Reuters tally state that Europe has surpassed 75 million coronavirus cases. The European Union's public health agency has warned that within a few months, the new Covid variant could be responsible for more than half of all the cases. Blinken warns China over increasing incursions in Taiwan US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned China against its increasing incursions in Taiwan saying that it should be prepared of 'terrible consequences' if it precipitates a crisis in Taipei. US county school admin charges $36,000 from woman to give info on ‘rape’ A US county school admin seems to have charged an exorbitant fee of $36,000 from a woman to provide information on sexual assault and rape. Now, the parent, Michelle Mege, has filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the Loudon County Public School District.

Morning news brief: US employees’ phones hacked, Blinken warns China and more

If reports are to be believed, the phones of around 11 employees of US State Department were hacked with the help of NSO Group’s technology. &nbsp; &nbsp;

The spyware of the Israel's most infamous hacker-for-hire company was used against employees, who are located in Uganda. These include some foreign service officers, said reports, citing a person familiar with the matter on Friday. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-should-be-prepared-of-terrible-consequences-if-it-precipitates-crisis-in-taiwan-says-blinken-433986">Blinken warns China over increasing incursions in Taiwan</a>

The disclosure was made by the person, who was not authorised to speak about an ongoing investigation. &nbsp;&nbsp;

This is the first time the spyware, which is called Pegasus, seems to have been used against US government personnel. &nbsp;

The iPhones of US State Department employees were hacked, the reports said. &nbsp;

At a briefing on Friday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki, said, "We have been acutely concerned that commercial spyware like NSO Group software poses a serious counterintelligence and security risk to US personnel." &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-county-school-admin-charges-36000-from-woman-to-give-info-on-sexual-assault-rape-433995">US county school admin charges $36,000 from woman to give info on ‘rape’</a>

The identity of the individuals or the information sought was not disclosed. &nbsp;&nbsp;

This development comes a month after the US Commerce Department blacklisted NSO Group. It barred US technology from being used by the company in any form. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

If reports are to be believed, the phones of around 11 employees of US State Department were hacked with the help of NSO Group’s technology. The spyware of the Israel's most infamous hacker-for-hire company was used against employees, who are located in Uganda.

If reports are to be believed, the phones of around 11 employees of US State Department were hacked with the help of NSO Group’s technology. The spyware of the Israel's most infamous hacker-for-hire company was used against employees, who are located in Uganda. These include some foreign service officers, said reports, citing a person familiar with the matter on Friday. Also Read: Blinken warns China over increasing incursions in Taiwan The disclosure was made by the person, who was not authorised to speak about an ongoing investigation. This is the first time the spyware, which is called Pegasus, seems to have been used against US government personnel. The iPhones of US State Department employees were hacked, the reports said. At a briefing on Friday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki, said, "We have been acutely concerned that commercial spyware like NSO Group software poses a serious counterintelligence and security risk to US personnel." Also Read: US county school admin charges $36,000 from woman to give info on ‘rape’ The identity of the individuals or the information sought was not disclosed. This development comes a month after the US Commerce Department blacklisted NSO Group. It barred US technology from being used by the company in any form. (With inputs from agencies)

11 US govt employees’ phones hacked using NSO Group’s spyware, say reports

In a bizarre move, a US county school admin seems to have charged an exorbitant fee of $36,000 from a woman to provide information on sexual assault and rape. &nbsp;

Now, the parent, Michelle Mege, has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the Loudon County Public School District. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/changing-with-times-us-creditors-can-now-dm-loan-defaulters-433925" hreflang="en">Changing with times: US creditors can now DM loan defaulters</a>

In the district, the mother wanted to search for any kind of communication, such as press releases, statements or emails, that used the words "sexual assault" or "rape" from May 1 to October 18 this year. &nbsp;

According to an official of the school, the exorbitant fee needed to review documents derived from the hourly rate of around $72.15. &nbsp;

In an email reviewed by the ‘Daily Caller', Loudoun County Public Schools public information officer Wayde Byard, said, "Retrieving these documents would take a half hour’s work by the supervisor of information technology at a cost of $36.08. Review of these documents – at the rate of 200 per hour – is estimated to take 500 hours." &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/michigan-shooting-suspects-parents-charged-with-involuntary-manslaughter-433972" hreflang="en">Michigan shooting suspect’s parents charged with involuntary manslaughter</a>

"This work would be performed by the public information officer at the rate of $72.15 per hour. Loudoun County Public Schools estimates it would cost $36,111.68 to fulfill this request," he explained. &nbsp;

There may be a little over 100,000 documents, which could possibly relate to the request, claimed Byard. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In a bizarre move, a US county school admin seems to have charged an exorbitant fee of $36,000 from a woman to provide information on sexual assault and rape. Now, the parent, Michelle Mege, has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the Loudon County Public School District.

In a bizarre move, a US county school admin seems to have charged an exorbitant fee of $36,000 from a woman to provide information on sexual assault and rape. Now, the parent, Michelle Mege, has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the Loudon County Public School District. Also Read | Changing with times: US creditors can now DM loan defaulters In the district, the mother wanted to search for any kind of communication, such as press releases, statements or emails, that used the words "sexual assault" or "rape" from May 1 to October 18 this year. According to an official of the school, the exorbitant fee needed to review documents derived from the hourly rate of around $72.15. In an email reviewed by the ‘Daily Caller', Loudoun County Public Schools public information officer Wayde Byard, said, "Retrieving these documents would take a half hour’s work by the supervisor of information technology at a cost of $36.08. Review of these documents – at the rate of 200 per hour – is estimated to take 500 hours." Also Read: Michigan shooting suspect’s parents charged with involuntary manslaughter "This work would be performed by the public information officer at the rate of $72.15 per hour. Loudoun County Public Schools estimates it would cost $36,111.68 to fulfill this request," he explained. There may be a little over 100,000 documents, which could possibly relate to the request, claimed Byard. (With inputs from agencies)

US county school admin charges $36,000 from woman to give info on ‘sexual assault,’ ‘rape’

If the researchers are to be believed, at least one mutation in Omicron variant of COVID-19 seems to have been acquired from the common cold virus. &nbsp;

The genetic sequence in question doesn’t appear in earlier versions of the virus called SARS-CoV-2. It is, however, present in common cold virus and in human genome, said researchers. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/is-covid-variants-origin-linked-to-immunocompromised-people-434103" hreflang="en">Is Covid variants' origin linked to immunocompromised people?</a>

By adopting this snippet into itself, the new variant seems to be making it look itself "more human" to help it evade attack by human immune system, said Venky Soundararajan, who belongs to Cambridge, Massachusetts-based data analytics firm ‘nference’. Soundararajan led the study, which was posted on the website ‘OSF Preprints’ on Thursday. &nbsp;

It means the virus may transmit easily but may cause only mild or asymptomatic disease. &nbsp;&nbsp;

As per earlier studies, the cells in the lungs and gastrointestinal system can harbour coronavirus and common cold virus simultaneously. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/omicron-variant-spreads-in-australia-as-authorities-look-to-reopen-economy-434065" hreflang="en">Omicron variant spreads in Australia as authorities look to reopen economy</a>

This co-infection can lead to viral recombination, where two different viruses in the same host cell interact to make copies. The new copies have genetic material of both "parents." &nbsp;

In the study, which has not been peer-reviewed yet, Soundararajan and colleagues said that the new mutation may have first occurred in a person, who was infected with both pathogens. It helped the version of SARS-CoV-2 pick up the genetic sequence from the other virus. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

If the researchers are to be believed, at least one mutation in Omicron variant of COVID-19 seems to have been acquired from the common cold virus. The genetic sequence in question doesn’t appear in earlier versions of the virus called SARS-CoV-2.

If the researchers are to be believed, at least one mutation in Omicron variant of COVID-19 seems to have been acquired from the common cold virus. The genetic sequence in question doesn’t appear in earlier versions of the virus called SARS-CoV-2. It is, however, present in common cold virus and in human genome, said researchers. Also Read: Is Covid variants' origin linked to immunocompromised people? By adopting this snippet into itself, the new variant seems to be making it look itself "more human" to help it evade attack by human immune system, said Venky Soundararajan, who belongs to Cambridge, Massachusetts-based data analytics firm ‘nference’. Soundararajan led the study, which was posted on the website ‘OSF Preprints’ on Thursday. It means the virus may transmit easily but may cause only mild or asymptomatic disease. As per earlier studies, the cells in the lungs and gastrointestinal system can harbour coronavirus and common cold virus simultaneously. Also Read: Omicron variant spreads in Australia as authorities look to reopen economy This co-infection can lead to viral recombination, where two different viruses in the same host cell interact to make copies. The new copies have genetic material of both "parents." In the study, which has not been peer-reviewed yet, Soundararajan and colleagues said that the new mutation may have first occurred in a person, who was infected with both pathogens. It helped the version of SARS-CoV-2 pick up the genetic sequence from the other virus. (With inputs from agencies)

Omicron may have acquired a mutation from common cold virus, say researchers

With the continuous emergence of new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, scientists are looking to understand the role of people with compromised immune systems in the origin of these tormenting mutations of the virus. &nbsp;

To find the reason for origin of variants, the researchers are looking at mutations, which appear in an infected patient with a compromised immune system. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/omicron-variant-highly-transmissible-could-become-dominant-says-whos-top-scientist-433999" hreflang="en">Omicron highly transmissible, could become dominant, says WHO's top scientist</a>

"When a patient is immune-compromised, the virus will remain in their system for a long time, sometimes several months, compared to just a few days in an average person. His immune defence system is too weak and he can't manage to rid himself of the virus," Morgane Bomsel, a virologist at the CNRS and the Cochin Institute in Paris, told FRANCE 24. &nbsp;&nbsp;

As per a study published last month in ‘Nature Communications’ journal, a 58-year-old man, who had a history of kidney disease, remained Covid positive for over six months. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/omicron-how-well-prepared-is-india-to-tackle-a-possible-spread-of-new-covid-variant-434064" hreflang="en">Omicron: How well-prepared is India to tackle a spread of new Covid variant?</a>

"Among immunocompromised patients, the immune system will not manage to beat the virus, but it will still fight against it. That will provoke what we call selection pressure," Vincent Maréchal, professor, virology, Sorbonne University, told FRANCE 24. &nbsp;

In the battle between immune system and virus, the latter evolves and retains only the mutations to allow it to continue to reproduce and survive. This virus, which has mutations, can be passed on if the patient infects anyone. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

With the continuous emergence of new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, scientists are looking to understand the role of people with compromised immune systems in the origin of these tormenting mutations of the virus.

With the continuous emergence of new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, scientists are looking to understand the role of people with compromised immune systems in the origin of these tormenting mutations of the virus. To find the reason for origin of variants, the researchers are looking at mutations, which appear in an infected patient with a compromised immune system. Also Read: Omicron highly transmissible, could become dominant, says WHO's top scientist "When a patient is immune-compromised, the virus will remain in their system for a long time, sometimes several months, compared to just a few days in an average person. His immune defence system is too weak and he can't manage to rid himself of the virus," Morgane Bomsel, a virologist at the CNRS and the Cochin Institute in Paris, told FRANCE 24. As per a study published last month in ‘Nature Communications’ journal, a 58-year-old man, who had a history of kidney disease, remained Covid positive for over six months. Also Read: Omicron: How well-prepared is India to tackle a spread of new Covid variant? "Among immunocompromised patients, the immune system will not manage to beat the virus, but it will still fight against it. That will provoke what we call selection pressure," Vincent Maréchal, professor, virology, Sorbonne University, told FRANCE 24. In the battle between immune system and virus, the latter evolves and retains only the mutations to allow it to continue to reproduce and survive. This virus, which has mutations, can be passed on if the patient infects anyone. (With inputs from agencies)

Is Covid variants' origin linked to immunocompromised people?

Researchers in Nebraska had just finished sequencing six samples of the omicron variant, the most discovered anywhere in the United States. They just didn’t know it yet.

In a closet-size room with two chairs and no windows, the scientists had extracted the genetic information from 64 new coronavirus samples, as they do every day, to determine whether any of those patients might have the worrisome new variant. Hours later, Dr. Baha Abdalhamid opened an email and saw the results.

“This batch, I was waiting for it,” said Abdalhamid, assistant director of the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory. “Once I downloaded the results as an Excel sheet, I screened the 64 samples right away, and sure enough, six of them were omicron.”

Nebraska officials announced the six cases, the state’s first, on Friday.

Around the world, scientists are racing to understand how widespread omicron is and how severe a threat it may pose. That has placed labs such as Abdalhamid’s on the front lines of the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Underscoring growing concerns about omicron, scientists in South Africa said Friday that the variant appeared to spread more than twice as quickly as delta, until now the most contagious version of the virus. It is still unclear whether or to what degree omicron may evade protection from the current vaccines.

In the United States, a hunt for the variant began last week when South African researchers announced omicron’s array of worrisome mutations. The search has intensified in recent days, with at least 12 states identifying cases. Researchers are combing through wastewater samples for any sign of the variant. Contact tracers are ramping up efforts in places where cases have emerged.

And at sequencing labs such as the one in Nebraska, a state where case rates are already high and hospitals are already strained, scientists have sped up the screening of samples from international travelers to see if omicron has arrived.

Local health officials in rural southeastern Nebraska said that among the cases Abdalhamid found, one person had recently traveled to Nigeria and was believed to have passed the virus on to the five others in the same household after returning to Nebraska. None of the patients has had severe symptoms; only one had been vaccinated.

“The concern is what might start showing up if it starts coming in here,” Peter Iwen, director of the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory, said Thursday before the local cases had been found. “Are we going to see the same wave? Or where this one falls out and this other one starts to take off?”

As word spread on Thanksgiving about the discovery of omicron in Africa, scientists in the United States diverted from their holiday weekends and began searching for clues about whether the variant was here, too. They looked back through old virus samples to see if omicron had been spreading quietly. They took a closer look at recent positive tests. They began studying omicron’s mutations so they could detect it manually in the genetic code if their sequencing software did not.

Experts say knowing where and how extensively omicron is circulating is the best way to understand and respond to the level of threat it poses. Scientists have expressed concern about omicron’s mutations and the impact they could have on transmissibility, disease severity and the ability to dodge prior immunity.

So far, there is limited real-world data to confirm those concerns, but it is increasingly clear that omicron is already present in much of the United States. On Wednesday, scientists in California announced a case. Then on Thursday came an announcement in Minnesota about a person who tested positive after attending an anime convention in New York. Within hours, five cases had been found in New York, as well as one in Colorado and another in Hawaii.

On Friday, more cases emerged, including one each in Louisiana, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Utah and three in Maryland. Many, but not all, of the cases had been linked to travel.

All that adds urgency to the work in the Omaha lab, situated behind locked doors in a research building at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Each day, researchers there extract RNA from 64 nasal swabs sent in from across the state and run that material through two machines that, after about 18 hours, produce a genetic sequence for each infection.

They focus on the highest-risk cases: those involving large outbreaks or children or international travelers. The results, which are uploaded into a global database, show them which variants are present in the state and whether individual cases are linked to one another. When a New York Times reporter and photographer visited the lab Thursday, the scientists had just finished sequencing the samples that included the six omicron cases but had not yet examined the results.

“If we have a cluster of people, like 10, 15, 20 people — one of them is detected with omicron. The others, do they have omicron or not? If they have omicron, how related are those omicron viruses to each other? Are they the same?” Abdalhamid said, explaining some of the questions he would try to answer when the variant turned up in his lab. “Are they one clone, one cluster? Or more than one cluster?”

That level of detail, largely unavailable before this pandemic, can then inform the response of public health officials.

“It’s amazing that we’re able to do that because it used to be really all you had to go on was asking questions,” said Dr. Lindsay Huse, health director in Douglas County, which includes Omaha. “It just helps us be a lot more targeted in the recommendations and the mitigation efforts that we’re putting in.”

At the beginning of this year, American researchers were publishing the sequences of a few thousand virus samples each week, leaving the United States far behind other countries in its ability to identify and respond to variants. Since then, sequencing capacity has ramped up considerably, to about 80,000 virus samples a week and 14% of all positive PCR tests.

For the past few months, almost every sample that researchers have examined has shown the highly transmissible delta variant, which drove up case totals in the South over the summer and is fueling ongoing surges in much of the Midwest and Northeast.

“It was kind of getting boring, quite honestly, because it was 100% delta,” said Richard Michelmore, a researcher at the University of California, Davis, who examines the lineage of coronavirus samples in his area.

In recent days, as word of omicron spread, Michelmore said his lab revived a program to acquire and examine samples from underserved populations. Although it is too early to know just how dangerous omicron is, Michelmore has little doubt that it will soon turn up in his lab.

“It’s a matter of when,” Michelmore said. “My prediction: We will have seen it probably by Christmas.”

The introduction of omicron comes at a precarious moment in the country’s virus fight. Although infection and hospitalization levels remain far lower nationally than they were a year ago, before vaccines were available, some states in the Upper Midwest and Northeast are overrun with the delta variant and are enduring their worst case surges of the pandemic.

Federal medical teams have been sent to bolster staffing at hospitals in Minnesota and Michigan. Case rates have soared to record levels in Vermont and New Hampshire. And in Nebraska, hospital officials have held news conferences this week to issue warnings about limited capacity and pleas to get vaccinated.

“It’s serious: Our hospitals, they’re out of resources at this point in terms of beds,” said Huse, the Douglas County health director.

It has been almost two years since the virus began to emerge in the United States — including in overseas travelers who quarantined on the same Omaha campus where the six omicron cases were detected this week. Unlike then, omicron has so far not brought a push to impose lockdowns or sweeping restrictions on everyday life. Instead, as Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts put it in a statement Friday after the state’s new cases were announced, there is a sense that “coronavirus will be with us forever.”

“Nebraska has maintained one of the lowest coronavirus death rates and protected our hospital capacity all without lockdowns, without mask mandates and without vaccine mandates,” Ricketts, a Republican, said in a statement.

He pledged that those policies would continue.

Researchers in Nebraska had just finished sequencing six samples of the omicron variant, the most discovered anywhere in the United States. They just didn’t know it yet.

Researchers in Nebraska had just finished sequencing six samples of the omicron variant, the most discovered anywhere in the United States. They just didn’t know it yet. In a closet-size room with two chairs and no windows, the scientists had extracted the genetic information from 64 new coronavirus samples, as they do every day, to determine whether any of those patients might have the worrisome new variant. Hours later, Dr. Baha Abdalhamid opened an email and saw the results. “This batch, I was waiting for it,” said Abdalhamid, assistant director of the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory. “Once I downloaded the results as an Excel sheet, I screened the 64 samples right away, and sure enough, six of them were omicron.” Nebraska officials announced the six cases, the state’s first, on Friday. Around the world, scientists are racing to understand how widespread omicron is and how severe a threat it may pose. That has placed labs such as Abdalhamid’s on the front lines of the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Underscoring growing concerns about omicron, scientists in South Africa said Friday that the variant appeared to spread more than twice as quickly as delta, until now the most contagious version of the virus. It is still unclear whether or to what degree omicron may evade protection from the current vaccines. In the United States, a hunt for the variant began last week when South African researchers announced omicron’s array of worrisome mutations. The search has intensified in recent days, with at least 12 states identifying cases. Researchers are combing through wastewater samples for any sign of the variant. Contact tracers are ramping up efforts in places where cases have emerged. And at sequencing labs such as the one in Nebraska, a state where case rates are already high and hospitals are already strained, scientists have sped up the screening of samples from international travelers to see if omicron has arrived. Local health officials in rural southeastern Nebraska said that among the cases Abdalhamid found, one person had recently traveled to Nigeria and was believed to have passed the virus on to the five others in the same household after returning to Nebraska. None of the patients has had severe symptoms; only one had been vaccinated. “The concern is what might start showing up if it starts coming in here,” Peter Iwen, director of the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory, said Thursday before the local cases had been found. “Are we going to see the same wave? Or where this one falls out and this other one starts to take off?” As word spread on Thanksgiving about the discovery of omicron in Africa, scientists in the United States diverted from their holiday weekends and began searching for clues about whether the variant was here, too. They looked back through old virus samples to see if omicron had been spreading quietly. They took a closer look at recent positive tests. They began studying omicron’s mutations so they could detect it manually in the genetic code if their sequencing software did not. Experts say knowing where and how extensively omicron is circulating is the best way to understand and respond to the level of threat it poses. Scientists have expressed concern about omicron’s mutations and the impact they could have on transmissibility, disease severity and the ability to dodge prior immunity. So far, there is limited real-world data to confirm those concerns, but it is increasingly clear that omicron is already present in much of the United States. On Wednesday, scientists in California announced a case. Then on Thursday came an announcement in Minnesota about a person who tested positive after attending an anime convention in New York. Within hours, five cases had been found in New York, as well as one in Colorado and another in Hawaii. On Friday, more cases emerged, including one each in Louisiana, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Utah and three in Maryland. Many, but not all, of the cases had been linked to travel. All that adds urgency to the work in the Omaha lab, situated behind locked doors in a research building at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Each day, researchers there extract RNA from 64 nasal swabs sent in from across the state and run that material through two machines that, after about 18 hours, produce a genetic sequence for each infection. They focus on the highest-risk cases: those involving large outbreaks or children or international travelers. The results, which are uploaded into a global database, show them which variants are present in the state and whether individual cases are linked to one another. When a New York Times reporter and photographer visited the lab Thursday, the scientists had just finished sequencing the samples that included the six omicron cases but had not yet examined the results. “If we have a cluster of people, like 10, 15, 20 people — one of them is detected with omicron. The others, do they have omicron or not? If they have omicron, how related are those omicron viruses to each other? Are they the same?” Abdalhamid said, explaining some of the questions he would try to answer when the variant turned up in his lab. “Are they one clone, one cluster? Or more than one cluster?” That level of detail, largely unavailable before this pandemic, can then inform the response of public health officials. “It’s amazing that we’re able to do that because it used to be really all you had to go on was asking questions,” said Dr. Lindsay Huse, health director in Douglas County, which includes Omaha. “It just helps us be a lot more targeted in the recommendations and the mitigation efforts that we’re putting in.” At the beginning of this year, American researchers were publishing the sequences of a few thousand virus samples each week, leaving the United States far behind other countries in its ability to identify and respond to variants. Since then, sequencing capacity has ramped up considerably, to about 80,000 virus samples a week and 14% of all positive PCR tests. For the past few months, almost every sample that researchers have examined has shown the highly transmissible delta variant, which drove up case totals in the South over the summer and is fueling ongoing surges in much of the Midwest and Northeast. “It was kind of getting boring, quite honestly, because it was 100% delta,” said Richard Michelmore, a researcher at the University of California, Davis, who examines the lineage of coronavirus samples in his area. In recent days, as word of omicron spread, Michelmore said his lab revived a program to acquire and examine samples from underserved populations. Although it is too early to know just how dangerous omicron is, Michelmore has little doubt that it will soon turn up in his lab. “It’s a matter of when,” Michelmore said. “My prediction: We will have seen it probably by Christmas.” The introduction of omicron comes at a precarious moment in the country’s virus fight. Although infection and hospitalization levels remain far lower nationally than they were a year ago, before vaccines were available, some states in the Upper Midwest and Northeast are overrun with the delta variant and are enduring their worst case surges of the pandemic. Federal medical teams have been sent to bolster staffing at hospitals in Minnesota and Michigan. Case rates have soared to record levels in Vermont and New Hampshire. And in Nebraska, hospital officials have held news conferences this week to issue warnings about limited capacity and pleas to get vaccinated. “It’s serious: Our hospitals, they’re out of resources at this point in terms of beds,” said Huse, the Douglas County health director. It has been almost two years since the virus began to emerge in the United States — including in overseas travelers who quarantined on the same Omaha campus where the six omicron cases were detected this week. Unlike then, omicron has so far not brought a push to impose lockdowns or sweeping restrictions on everyday life. Instead, as Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts put it in a statement Friday after the state’s new cases were announced, there is a sense that “coronavirus will be with us forever.” “Nebraska has maintained one of the lowest coronavirus death rates and protected our hospital capacity all without lockdowns, without mask mandates and without vaccine mandates,” Ricketts, a Republican, said in a statement. He pledged that those policies would continue.

Inside a sequencing lab on the front lines of America’s search for Omicron

The new coronavirus variant, Omicron, is spreading in Australia. A cluster in Sydney has already grown to 13 cases. An infection was also suspected to have reached the state of Queensland. &nbsp;

The recent developments will test the plans of the authorities to reopen the economy. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-fears-of-new-variant-looms-europe-surpasses-75-million-covid-cases-433994" hreflang="en">As fears of new variant looms, Europe surpasses 75 million Covid cases</a>

On Friday, Australia reported its first community transmission of the new variant at a school in Sydney. As the authorities are probing the source, the number of cases is expected to rise. &nbsp;

On the hope that Omicron may be milder than previous strains, federal authorities seem to be sticking to the plan to reopen the economy. It comes as some state and territory governments are looking to tighten domestic border controls.&nbsp;

"The public health unit have ruled out that it is Delta but we haven't been able to confirm if it is Omicron. But it is being treated as if it is," state Health Minister Yvette D'Ath. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/omicron-variant-highly-transmissible-could-become-dominant-says-whos-top-scientist-433999" hreflang="en">Omicron highly transmissible, could become dominant, says WHO's top scientist</a>

Authorities in Queensland suspect its first case of Omicron to be a person, who travelled from South Africa. The genome sequencing is still being done. &nbsp;

On Saturday, authorities in South Australia said that arrivals from Victoria, New South Wales and the capital territory will be tested. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The new coronavirus variant, Omicron, is spreading in Australia. A cluster in Sydney has already grown to 13 cases. An infection was also suspected to have reached the state of Queensland.

The new coronavirus variant, Omicron, is spreading in Australia. A cluster in Sydney has already grown to 13 cases. An infection was also suspected to have reached the state of Queensland. The recent developments will test the plans of the authorities to reopen the economy. Also Read: As fears of new variant looms, Europe surpasses 75 million Covid cases On Friday, Australia reported its first community transmission of the new variant at a school in Sydney. As the authorities are probing the source, the number of cases is expected to rise. On the hope that Omicron may be milder than previous strains, federal authorities seem to be sticking to the plan to reopen the economy. It comes as some state and territory governments are looking to tighten domestic border controls. "The public health unit have ruled out that it is Delta but we haven't been able to confirm if it is Omicron. But it is being treated as if it is," state Health Minister Yvette D'Ath. Also Read: Omicron highly transmissible, could become dominant, says WHO's top scientist Authorities in Queensland suspect its first case of Omicron to be a person, who travelled from South Africa. The genome sequencing is still being done. On Saturday, authorities in South Australia said that arrivals from Victoria, New South Wales and the capital territory will be tested. (With inputs from agencies)

Omicron variant spreads in Australia as authorities look to reopen economy

If reports are to be believed, a US billionaire has recently bought a small town in Texas. The town, which is named Mustang, has a population of just about two dozen people. &nbsp;

Although the estimated price for the town is unclear, it was put up for sale in 2017 for $4 million. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/11-us-govt-employees-phones-hacked-using-nso-groups-spyware-say-reports-434000">11 US govt employees’ phones hacked using NSO Group’s spyware, say reports</a>

US billionaire Mark Cuban, who is also Dallas Mavericks owner, said he has bought the town to help a friend. &nbsp;

“I don’t know what, if anything, I will do with it,” the billionaire told the Dallas Morning News. &nbsp;

The town is roughly spread in 77 acres and is about an hour’s distance away from Dallas. &nbsp;

Mustang features several amenities like a closed down strip club. It also has a neighbourhood alligator, which resides in a pond. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-county-school-admin-charges-36000-from-woman-to-give-info-on-sexual-assault-rape-433995">US county school admin charges $36,000 from woman to give info on ‘rape’</a>

In 2008, someone was killed at the strip club, which is known as Whispers. Since then, the club has been closed, as per the Houston Chronicle. &nbsp;

In a nutshell, Mustang is actually a ghost town. The town was founded in 1970s and used to thrive by selling alcohol while most of Navarro County, Texas, had restricted its sale. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

If reports are to be believed, a US billionaire has recently bought a small town in Texas. The town, which is named Mustang, has a population of just about two dozen people.

If reports are to be believed, a US billionaire has recently bought a small town in Texas. The town, which is named Mustang, has a population of just about two dozen people. Although the estimated price for the town is unclear, it was put up for sale in 2017 for $4 million. Also Read: 11 US govt employees’ phones hacked using NSO Group’s spyware, say reports US billionaire Mark Cuban, who is also Dallas Mavericks owner, said he has bought the town to help a friend. “I don’t know what, if anything, I will do with it,” the billionaire told the Dallas Morning News. The town is roughly spread in 77 acres and is about an hour’s distance away from Dallas. Mustang features several amenities like a closed down strip club. It also has a neighbourhood alligator, which resides in a pond. Also Read: US county school admin charges $36,000 from woman to give info on ‘rape’ In 2008, someone was killed at the strip club, which is known as Whispers. Since then, the club has been closed, as per the Houston Chronicle. In a nutshell, Mustang is actually a ghost town. The town was founded in 1970s and used to thrive by selling alcohol while most of Navarro County, Texas, had restricted its sale. (With inputs from agencies)

US billionaire Mark Cuban buys small town named Mustang in Texas

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