In a bleak assessment of the situation following the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, the UN envoy to the war-torn country on Wednesday said that an affiliate of the Islamic State group has grown manifolds and looks to appear in almost all 34 provinces. &nbsp;

Deborah Lyons, UN Special Representative told the UN Security Council that the Taliban's response to Islamic State-Khorasan Province's (ISKP) expansion "appears to rely heavily on extrajudicial detentions and killings" of suspected ISKP fighters. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-arrest-11-is-suspects-in-central-daikundi-province-429877" hreflang="en">Taliban arrest 11 IS suspects in central Daikundi province</a>

"This is an area deserving more attention from the international community," Lyons said. &nbsp;

These remarks came after the ISKP group, which is an ideological foe of the Taliban, claimed responsibility for two blasts. &nbsp; &nbsp;

The Taliban has been unable to check growth of the ISKP, said the envoy. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/afghan-college-students-find-a-new-life-and-safety-in-iraq-429575" hreflang="en">Afghan college students find a new life, and safety, in Iraq</a>

Lyons said, "Once limited to a few provinces and the capital, ISKP now seems to be present in nearly all provinces, and increasingly active." The envoy added that the number of the attacks by the group have increased from 60 strikes in 2020 to 334 this year. &nbsp;

The UN mission has been regularly receiving credible reports of house searches and the "extrajudicial killings" of former security personnel and officials, Lyons added. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In a bleak assessment of the situation following the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, the UN envoy to the war-torn country on Wednesday said that an affiliate of the Islamic State group has grown manifolds and looks to appear in almost all 34 provinces.

In a bleak assessment of the situation following the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, the UN envoy to the war-torn country on Wednesday said that an affiliate of the Islamic State group has grown manifolds and looks to appear in almost all 34 provinces. Deborah Lyons, UN Special Representative told the UN Security Council that the Taliban's response to Islamic State-Khorasan Province's (ISKP) expansion "appears to rely heavily on extrajudicial detentions and killings" of suspected ISKP fighters. Also Read: Taliban arrest 11 IS suspects in central Daikundi province "This is an area deserving more attention from the international community," Lyons said. These remarks came after the ISKP group, which is an ideological foe of the Taliban, claimed responsibility for two blasts. The Taliban has been unable to check growth of the ISKP, said the envoy. Also Read: Afghan college students find a new life, and safety, in Iraq Lyons said, "Once limited to a few provinces and the capital, ISKP now seems to be present in nearly all provinces, and increasingly active." The envoy added that the number of the attacks by the group have increased from 60 strikes in 2020 to 334 this year. The UN mission has been regularly receiving credible reports of house searches and the "extrajudicial killings" of former security personnel and officials, Lyons added. (With inputs from agencies)

Islamic State militants now present in all 34 Afghan provinces, says UN envoy

In a shocking incident, a transgender woman was left with a broken jaw after being viciously attacked on being put in a cell with three men by police, claimed a lawsuit filed by the victim. &nbsp;

After being booked in San Diego Central Jail in the US last November, Kristina Frost was initially held in a cell alone, claim federal court documents. &nbsp;

Frost says that she was remanded "without any reasonable justification" and against her will into a "minimally monitored cell" with three male inmates. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/for-posting-violent-anime-video-us-house-censures-republican-paul-gosar-with-223-207-vote-430213" hreflang="en">For posting violent anime video, US House censures Republican Paul Gosar with 223-207 vote</a>

The men in the cell hit her with "closed fists" until her jaw was broken. She suffered severe injuries and situation was such that her mouth had to be wired shut for long periods of time. She was left needing two separate surgeries, claims the victim. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The victim had told jailers that her identifying documents show that she is a woman, reveal the papers filed at the US District Court in Southern District of California. &nbsp;&nbsp;

She was also wearing high-cut shorts and bra at the time of arrest, which were described as "feminine" in the papers. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/judge-sentences-us-capitol-rioter-qanon-shaman-to-over-three-years-in-prison-430240" hreflang="en">Judge sentences US Capitol rioter 'QAnon Shaman' to over three years in prison</a>

This incident has brought to light the plight of the transgenders as they have been facing indifferent attitude in the jails of the country. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In an investigation last year, it was also revealed that the transgender detainees are very rarely housed as per their gender identity. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In a shocking incident, a transgender woman was left with a broken jaw after being viciously attacked on being put in a cell with three men by police, claimed a lawsuit filed by the victim.

In a shocking incident, a transgender woman was left with a broken jaw after being viciously attacked on being put in a cell with three men by police, claimed a lawsuit filed by the victim. After being booked in San Diego Central Jail in the US last November, Kristina Frost was initially held in a cell alone, claim federal court documents. Frost says that she was remanded "without any reasonable justification" and against her will into a "minimally monitored cell" with three male inmates. Also Read: For posting violent anime video, US House censures Republican Paul Gosar with 223-207 vote The men in the cell hit her with "closed fists" until her jaw was broken. She suffered severe injuries and situation was such that her mouth had to be wired shut for long periods of time. She was left needing two separate surgeries, claims the victim. The victim had told jailers that her identifying documents show that she is a woman, reveal the papers filed at the US District Court in Southern District of California. She was also wearing high-cut shorts and bra at the time of arrest, which were described as "feminine" in the papers. Also Read: Judge sentences US Capitol rioter 'QAnon Shaman' to over three years in prison This incident has brought to light the plight of the transgenders as they have been facing indifferent attitude in the jails of the country. In an investigation last year, it was also revealed that the transgender detainees are very rarely housed as per their gender identity. (With inputs from agencies)

US transgender woman put with three men in jail cell, gets beaten, suffers broken jaw

For the first time in over a decade, the US House of Representatives have censured a member on Wednesday. &nbsp;

The House criticised the Republican lawmaker over an anime video. In the clip, Representative Paul Gosar was depicted killing progressive Democrat Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and swinging two swords at US President Joe Biden. &nbsp;

In the Democratic-controlled House, Gosar was called to the stand in the well of the chamber to hear his censure. He was also stripped of two committee assignments after the 223-207 largely party-line vote.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/days-after-promising-to-fight-climate-change-us-auctions-off-oil-and-gas-drilling-lease-in-gulf-of-mexico-430125" hreflang="en">Days after promising to fight climate change, US auctions off oil and gas drilling lease in Gulf of Mexico</a>&nbsp;

This move got only two votes of support from Republicans. The party largely decried the action by the Democrats as partisan politics.&nbsp;This month, Gosar had posted the anime video. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In debate before the vote, Ocasio-Cortez asked, "What is so hard about saying this is wrong? Will we live up to the promises that we make our children, that this is a place where we will defend one another regardless of belief, that our core human dignity matters?" &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-will-soon-be-capable-of-launching-a-surprise-nuke-attack-on-us-warns-top-military-official-430166" hreflang="en">China will soon be capable of launching a surprise nuke attack on US, warns top military official</a>

Gosar, who is a staunch Trump ally and hardline conservative, rejected the accusations that the video was "dangerous or threatening." &nbsp;

"There is no threat in the cartoon other than the threat that immigration poses to our country," Gosar said, while adding that he did not also advocate violence towards anyone. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

For the first time in over a decade, the US House of Representatives have censured a member on Wednesday. The House criticised the Republican lawmaker over an anime video.

For the first time in over a decade, the US House of Representatives have censured a member on Wednesday. The House criticised the Republican lawmaker over an anime video. In the clip, Representative Paul Gosar was depicted killing progressive Democrat Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and swinging two swords at US President Joe Biden. In the Democratic-controlled House, Gosar was called to the stand in the well of the chamber to hear his censure. He was also stripped of two committee assignments after the 223-207 largely party-line vote. Also Read: Days after promising to fight climate change, US auctions off oil and gas drilling lease in Gulf of Mexico This move got only two votes of support from Republicans. The party largely decried the action by the Democrats as partisan politics. This month, Gosar had posted the anime video. In debate before the vote, Ocasio-Cortez asked, "What is so hard about saying this is wrong? Will we live up to the promises that we make our children, that this is a place where we will defend one another regardless of belief, that our core human dignity matters?" Also Read: China will soon be capable of launching a surprise nuke attack on US, warns top military official Gosar, who is a staunch Trump ally and hardline conservative, rejected the accusations that the video was "dangerous or threatening." "There is no threat in the cartoon other than the threat that immigration poses to our country," Gosar said, while adding that he did not also advocate violence towards anyone. (With inputs from agencies)

US House censures Republican Paul Gosar for posting violent anime video of killing Democrat

In a video, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg looks to feel the objects in virtual reality with the help of a “haptic glove” and VR headset.&nbsp;Zuckerberg tried to experience the new world in the clip posted on Tuesday. &nbsp;

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The company seems to be on the path for developing the new VR-powered metaverse. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jp-morgan-sues-tesla-ceo-elon-musk-for-his-flagrantly-ignorant-tweets-430032" hreflang="en">JP Morgan sues Tesla CEO Elon Musk for his 'flagrantly' ignorant tweets</a>

Zuckerberg played roll dice, Jenga and Chess, shook&nbsp;hands and tried fist-bump. “To enable this experience and bring touch to the metaverse, the team is developing haptic gloves: comfortable and customisable gloves that can reproduce a range of sensations in virtual worlds, including texture, pressure and vibration,” said a news release from Meta. &nbsp;

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With hundreds of tiny motors, the glove has been designed to deliver a simulated sensation of touch. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/apple-finally-gives-in-to-right-to-repair-movement-allows-users-to-self-repair-iphones-macs-430137" hreflang="en">Apple finally gives in to ‘right to repair’ movement, allows users to self-repair iPhones, Macs</a>

Not just this, the glove can also help to lock the hand in a certain position so that it can simulate activities, such as holding a ball in the virtual world. &nbsp;

The gloves give a sensation, such as texture, pressure and vibration to recreate the object that the person visualises through the virtual reality, as per Meta. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In a video, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg looks to feel the objects in virtual reality with the help of a “haptic glove” and VR headset. Zuckerberg tried to experience the new world in the clip posted on Tuesday.

In a video, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg looks to feel the objects in virtual reality with the help of a “haptic glove” and VR headset. Zuckerberg tried to experience the new world in the clip posted on Tuesday. × The company seems to be on the path for developing the new VR-powered metaverse. Also Read: JP Morgan sues Tesla CEO Elon Musk for his 'flagrantly' ignorant tweets Zuckerberg played roll dice, Jenga and Chess, shook hands and tried fist-bump. “To enable this experience and bring touch to the metaverse, the team is developing haptic gloves: comfortable and customisable gloves that can reproduce a range of sensations in virtual worlds, including texture, pressure and vibration,” said a news release from Meta. × With hundreds of tiny motors, the glove has been designed to deliver a simulated sensation of touch. Also Read: Apple finally gives in to ‘right to repair’ movement, allows users to self-repair iPhones, Macs Not just this, the glove can also help to lock the hand in a certain position so that it can simulate activities, such as holding a ball in the virtual world. The gloves give a sensation, such as texture, pressure and vibration to recreate the object that the person visualises through the virtual reality, as per Meta. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Facebook founder Zuckerberg tries to feel objects in virtual reality with haptic glove, VR headset  

In a latest development in the restive South China Sea, Chinese coastguard vessels used water cannon and blocked two Philippine supply boats heading towards a disputed shoal, which has been occupied by Filipino marines in the region. The action has drawn an angry protest from Manila. &nbsp;

On Thursday, the Philippines’ foreign secretary warned that its vessels are covered under a mutual defence treaty with the United States. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/new-satellite-images-expose-chinas-latest-land-grabbing-attempts-in-bhutan-4-new-villages-in-one-year-430168" hreflang="en">New satellite images expose China’s latest land grabbing attempts in Bhutan</a>

South China Sea seems to have been a bone of contention for a long time. Several nations, such as China, Philippines, etc, have been at loggerheads due to overlapping claims in the region. &nbsp;

In the incident, no one was hurt in the disputed waters on Tuesday, said Teodoro Locsin Jr. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-will-soon-be-capable-of-launching-a-surprise-nuke-attack-on-us-warns-top-military-official-430166" hreflang="en">China will soon be capable of launching a surprise nuke attack on US, warns top military official</a>

The secretary added that the two supply ships had to abort their mission to provide food supplies to Filipino forces, who have been occupying the Second Thomas Shoal, which lies off western Palawan province in the internationally recognised exclusive economic zone of Philippines. &nbsp;

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[1] The Western Command in Palawan reports that on 16 November 2021, three (3) Chinese Coast Guard vessels blocked and water cannoned two (2) Philippine supply boats en route to transport food supplies to Philippine military personnel in Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal).
— DFA Philippines (@DFAPHL) <a href="https://twitter.com/DFAPHL/status/1461064811731566592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
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In a tweet, Locsin said that the actions of three Chinese coastguard ships were illegal. The secretary asked them “to take heed and back off”. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;&nbsp;

In a latest development in the restive South China Sea, Chinese coastguard vessels used water cannon and blocked two Philippine supply boats heading towards a disputed shoal, which has been occupied by Filipino marines in the region.

In a latest development in the restive South China Sea, Chinese coastguard vessels used water cannon and blocked two Philippine supply boats heading towards a disputed shoal, which has been occupied by Filipino marines in the region. The action has drawn an angry protest from Manila. On Thursday, the Philippines’ foreign secretary warned that its vessels are covered under a mutual defence treaty with the United States. Also Read: New satellite images expose China’s latest land grabbing attempts in Bhutan South China Sea seems to have been a bone of contention for a long time. Several nations, such as China, Philippines, etc, have been at loggerheads due to overlapping claims in the region. In the incident, no one was hurt in the disputed waters on Tuesday, said Teodoro Locsin Jr. Also Read: China will soon be capable of launching a surprise nuke attack on US, warns top military official The secretary added that the two supply ships had to abort their mission to provide food supplies to Filipino forces, who have been occupying the Second Thomas Shoal, which lies off western Palawan province in the internationally recognised exclusive economic zone of Philippines. [1] The Western Command in Palawan reports that on 16 November 2021, three (3) Chinese Coast Guard vessels blocked and water cannoned two (2) Philippine supply boats en route to transport food supplies to Philippine military personnel in Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal). — DFA Philippines (@DFAPHL) November 17, 2021 × In a tweet, Locsin said that the actions of three Chinese coastguard ships were illegal. The secretary asked them “to take heed and back off”. (With inputs from agencies)

Chinese coastguard use water cannon, block Filipino vessels from reaching disputed shoal in South China Sea

Scientists seem&nbsp;to have finally fixed a fossil mix-up and analysed new bones excavated from the long-necked dinosaur Supersaurus' final resting spot. &nbsp;

Supersaurus, who is the longest dinosaur of the world, is a diplodocid. This long-necked sauropod has whip-like tail, which is too long. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/500-people-feel-sting-as-rare-storm-brings-scorpions-flood-in-egypt-429692" hreflang="en">500 people feel sting as rare storm brings scorpions’ flood in Egypt</a>

Earlier, Supersaurus was considered as one of longest dinosaurs. But now, the research shows that "this is the longest dinosaur based on a decent skeleton." It is because other dinosaurs’ remains are fragmentary, and it's challenging to accurately estimate their lengths, Brian Curtice, a paleontologist at the Arizona Museum of Natural History, who is spearheading the research, told ‘Live Science’. &nbsp;

About 150 million years ago, when Supersaurus was alive during the Jurassic period, it exceeded 128 feet (39 meters) and even reached 137 feet (42 m) from snout to tail, found the new research. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/hell-heron-new-species-of-dinosaur-with-extremely-large-nose-discovered-428545" hreflang="en">'Hell heron': New species of dinosaur with extremely large nose discovered</a>

The research, which is not yet published in a peer-reviewed journal, was presented online recently at the annual conference of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. &nbsp;

According to a study of a specimen known as Seismosaurus in the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin in 2006, the dinosaur, even at its "shorter" size of 128 feet, is record-breaking and would have been longer than another contender, Diplodocus, which could reach lengths of 108 feet (33 m). &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Scientists seem to have finally fixed a fossil mix-up and analysed new bones excavated from the long-necked dinosaur Supersaurus' final resting spot. Supersaurus, who is the longest dinosaur of the world, is a diplodocid.

Scientists seem to have finally fixed a fossil mix-up and analysed new bones excavated from the long-necked dinosaur Supersaurus' final resting spot. Supersaurus, who is the longest dinosaur of the world, is a diplodocid. This long-necked sauropod has whip-like tail, which is too long. Also Read: 500 people feel sting as rare storm brings scorpions’ flood in Egypt Earlier, Supersaurus was considered as one of longest dinosaurs. But now, the research shows that "this is the longest dinosaur based on a decent skeleton." It is because other dinosaurs’ remains are fragmentary, and it's challenging to accurately estimate their lengths, Brian Curtice, a paleontologist at the Arizona Museum of Natural History, who is spearheading the research, told ‘Live Science’. About 150 million years ago, when Supersaurus was alive during the Jurassic period, it exceeded 128 feet (39 meters) and even reached 137 feet (42 m) from snout to tail, found the new research. Also Read: 'Hell heron': New species of dinosaur with extremely large nose discovered The research, which is not yet published in a peer-reviewed journal, was presented online recently at the annual conference of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. According to a study of a specimen known as Seismosaurus in the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin in 2006, the dinosaur, even at its "shorter" size of 128 feet, is record-breaking and would have been longer than another contender, Diplodocus, which could reach lengths of 108 feet (33 m). (With inputs from agencies)

Fixing fossil mix-up, scientists unearth longest dinosaur that ever lived on Earth

Storms generally bring in heavy rains, but this time, it also resulted in a flood of scorpions in Egypt. &nbsp;

Over the weekend, the city of Aswan, which is located along the Nile River in the country, experienced a heavy rainstorm. It only lasted for an hour but brought a flurry of water and scorpions, a media report said. &nbsp;&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Egypt?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Egypt</a>🇪🇬 : Health official in Aswan has told <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BBC</a> that the heavy thunder &amp; hail storm there washed scorpions into the streets &amp; people’s homes - causing 400 people to be stung - in the rains scorpions seek refuge anywhere they can. 
Seems like <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Biblical?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Biblical</a> 🤔 
<a href="https://t.co/ulQfPYXtrv">pic.twitter.com/ulQfPYXtrv</a>
— Watchman (@Judmir3) <a href="https://twitter.com/Judmir3/status/1459582057055670277?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Over 500 people were stung by scorpions forcing a huge rush at hospitals for anti-venom injections. Not just this, more than 100 homes were damaged. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/now-three-snow-leopards-fall-prey-to-covid-at-childrens-zoo-in-us-429548" hreflang="en">Now, three snow leopards fall prey to Covid at children’s zoo in US</a>

During the flooding, three people also died from electrocution after a wire collapsed. But there were no casualties due to the scorpion attacks. &nbsp;

In Aswan, scorpions are common during the summer when it's warm. The number of stings reported over the weekend was huge. Usually, dozens of stings are reported each year. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ultra-rare-cotton-candy-coloured-lobster-found-in-casco-bay-us-429444" hreflang="en">Ultra-rare cotton candy-coloured lobster found in Casco Bay, US</a>

All the victims were discharged from the hospital after being given the anti-venom injection, the report said. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Storms generally bring in heavy rains, but this time, it also resulted in a flood of scorpions in Egypt. Over the weekend, the city of Aswan, which is located along the Nile River in the country, experienced a heavy rainstorm.

Storms generally bring in heavy rains, but this time, it also resulted in a flood of scorpions in Egypt. Over the weekend, the city of Aswan, which is located along the Nile River in the country, experienced a heavy rainstorm. It only lasted for an hour but brought a flurry of water and scorpions, a media report said. #Egypt🇪🇬 : Health official in Aswan has told #BBC that the heavy thunder & hail storm there washed scorpions into the streets & people’s homes - causing 400 people to be stung - in the rains scorpions seek refuge anywhere they can. Seems like #Biblical 🤔 pic.twitter.com/ulQfPYXtrv — Watchman (@Judmir3) November 13, 2021 × Over 500 people were stung by scorpions forcing a huge rush at hospitals for anti-venom injections. Not just this, more than 100 homes were damaged. Also Read: Now, three snow leopards fall prey to Covid at children’s zoo in US During the flooding, three people also died from electrocution after a wire collapsed. But there were no casualties due to the scorpion attacks. In Aswan, scorpions are common during the summer when it's warm. The number of stings reported over the weekend was huge. Usually, dozens of stings are reported each year. Also Read: Ultra-rare cotton candy-coloured lobster found in Casco Bay, US All the victims were discharged from the hospital after being given the anti-venom injection, the report said. (With inputs from agencies)

500 people feel sting as rare storm brings scorpions’ flood in Egypt

We bring you the biggest stories of the day so far. From&nbsp;Biden urging for 'guardrails' against conflict and Xi calling for better communication as&nbsp;US-China virtual summit begins to&nbsp;achieving what Trump couldn't, US president celebrating rare win with infrastructure bill signing,&nbsp;we have it all.

You can also read about&nbsp;Europe and Asia going on alert after reporting ‘severe’ avian influenza outbreak and&nbsp;high school in US removing washroom doors&nbsp;for ‘safety concerns’.

Please click on the headline to read the full story.

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-china-virtual-summit-biden-urges-for-guardrails-against-conflict-xi-calls-for-better-communication-429645">US-China virtual summit: Biden urges for 'guardrails' against conflict, Xi calls for better communication</a>

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On Monday, US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping opened a virtual summit calling for more communication between the superpowers and "guardrails" to prevent a conflict.

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/achieving-what-trump-couldnt-biden-celebrates-rare-win-with-us-infrastructure-bill-signing-429648">Achieving what Trump couldn't, Biden celebrates rare win with US infrastructure bill signing</a>

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Amid heavy criticism and a bleak outlook from opinion polls, President Joe Biden signed into law the largest US infrastructure overhaul in more than half a century on Monday at a rare bipartisan celebration in the White House.

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/europe-asia-on-alert-after-reporting-severe-avian-influenza-outbreak-429651">Europe, Asia on alert after reporting ‘severe’ avian influenza outbreak</a>

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Recently, several outbreaks of severe bird flu have been reported in Europe and Asia to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), triggering fears of human transmission.

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/for-safety-concerns-high-school-in-us-removes-washroom-doors-report-429656">For ‘safety concerns’, high school in US removes washroom doors: Report</a>

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In a bizarre move, a high school in the United States has removed washroom doors citing safety concerns. But the development has in turn led to privacy issues. It is located in Austin, Texas.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Watch | Pomegranate Festival: Iranians celebrate annual harvesting season in Tehran

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We bring you the biggest stories of the day so far. From Biden urging for 'guardrails' against conflict and Xi calling for better communication as US-China virtual summit begins to achieving what Trump couldn't, US president celebrating rare win with infrastructure bill signing, we have it all.

We bring you the biggest stories of the day so far. From Biden urging for 'guardrails' against conflict and Xi calling for better communication as US-China virtual summit begins to achieving what Trump couldn't, US president celebrating rare win with infrastructure bill signing, we have it all. You can also read about Europe and Asia going on alert after reporting ‘severe’ avian influenza outbreak and high school in US removing washroom doors for ‘safety concerns’. Please click on the headline to read the full story. US-China virtual summit: Biden urges for 'guardrails' against conflict, Xi calls for better communication On Monday, US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping opened a virtual summit calling for more communication between the superpowers and "guardrails" to prevent a conflict. Achieving what Trump couldn't, Biden celebrates rare win with US infrastructure bill signing Amid heavy criticism and a bleak outlook from opinion polls, President Joe Biden signed into law the largest US infrastructure overhaul in more than half a century on Monday at a rare bipartisan celebration in the White House. Europe, Asia on alert after reporting ‘severe’ avian influenza outbreak Recently, several outbreaks of severe bird flu have been reported in Europe and Asia to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), triggering fears of human transmission. For ‘safety concerns’, high school in US removes washroom doors: Report In a bizarre move, a high school in the United States has removed washroom doors citing safety concerns. But the development has in turn led to privacy issues. It is located in Austin, Texas. Watch | Pomegranate Festival: Iranians celebrate annual harvesting season in Tehran ×

Morning news brief: US-China virtual summit, school removes washroom doors and more

In a bizarre move, a high school in the United States has removed washroom doors citing safety concerns. But the development has in turn led to privacy issues. &nbsp;

The high school is located in Austin, Texas. The principal of the educational institution decided to remove restroom doors to check drug use and other "significant behavioural events" that occurred this year, said a report. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/majority-of-americans-are-cutting-ties-with-anti-vaxxer-family-members-survey-429470" hreflang="en">Majority of Americans are cutting ties with anti-vaxxer family members: Survey</a>

In a letter to parents explaining her decision, Christina Steele Hantgin, principal, Austin ISD’s Travis Early College High School, admitted that she could have done a better job by communicating about her plans, said a CBS Austin report. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In the letter, Hantgin said that there have been behavioural events and "conduct violations" inside restrooms, which include around 90% of drug offenses. &nbsp;&nbsp;

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In Austin, Texas there have been doors in the bathroom removed. This happened due to drug offenses. The incidents have decreased, but is this the right way to go? Where does the privacy go? How do we stop drug offenses in schools? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SWO332?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SWO332</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/2021SWO332?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#2021SWO332</a>
— SWO332 (@swo332sophomore) <a href="https://twitter.com/swo332sophomore/status/1460277646709997575?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Since the removal of the doors, there have been no incidents, added Hantgin.&nbsp;Another report said that no stall in the washroom can be viewed from the hallway outside. &nbsp;

The move has not gone down well with several netizens, who raised privacy issues.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/huge-catch-44-million-worth-cocaine-found-in-onion-ring-cargo-at-uk-border-429524" hreflang="en">Huge catch: $44 million worth cocaine found in onion ring cargo at UK border</a>

As per KXAN.com, the school seems to have exhausted other methods in dealing with the safety issues. &nbsp;

Another strategy could have been locking bathroom doors, which could not be monitored. But as per the report, the process was taking up a lot of time. &nbsp;

"My number one priority is safety. Removing the doors is one of many strategies we are planning or implementing to keep our campus a safe learning environment," added Hantgin, in the letter, as per the report. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In a bizarre move, a high school in the United States has removed washroom doors citing safety concerns. But the development has in turn led to privacy issues. The high school is located in Austin, Texas.

In a bizarre move, a high school in the United States has removed washroom doors citing safety concerns. But the development has in turn led to privacy issues. The high school is located in Austin, Texas. The principal of the educational institution decided to remove restroom doors to check drug use and other "significant behavioural events" that occurred this year, said a report. Also Read | Majority of Americans are cutting ties with anti-vaxxer family members: Survey In a letter to parents explaining her decision, Christina Steele Hantgin, principal, Austin ISD’s Travis Early College High School, admitted that she could have done a better job by communicating about her plans, said a CBS Austin report. In the letter, Hantgin said that there have been behavioural events and "conduct violations" inside restrooms, which include around 90% of drug offenses. In Austin, Texas there have been doors in the bathroom removed. This happened due to drug offenses. The incidents have decreased, but is this the right way to go? Where does the privacy go? How do we stop drug offenses in schools? #SWO332 #2021SWO332 — SWO332 (@swo332sophomore) November 15, 2021 × Since the removal of the doors, there have been no incidents, added Hantgin. Another report said that no stall in the washroom can be viewed from the hallway outside. The move has not gone down well with several netizens, who raised privacy issues. Also Read | Huge catch: $44 million worth cocaine found in onion ring cargo at UK border As per KXAN.com, the school seems to have exhausted other methods in dealing with the safety issues. Another strategy could have been locking bathroom doors, which could not be monitored. But as per the report, the process was taking up a lot of time. "My number one priority is safety. Removing the doors is one of many strategies we are planning or implementing to keep our campus a safe learning environment," added Hantgin, in the letter, as per the report. (With inputs from agencies)

For ‘safety concerns’, high school in US removes washroom doors: Report

Artillery shells fired by Russian-backed separatists shrieked into this small town deep in the flatlands of eastern Ukraine, shearing branches from trees, scooping out craters, blowing up six houses and killing one Ukrainian soldier.

It was an all-too-common response to the smallest of provocations — a dispute over grocery shopping for 100 or so people living in the buffer zone between the separatists and Ukrainian government forces. But in the hair-trigger state of the Ukraine war, minor episodes can grow into full-fledged battles.

Hunkered down in a bunker, the Ukrainian commander, Maj. Oleksandr Sak, requested a counterstrike from a sophisticated new weapon in Ukraine’s arsenal, a Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 armed drone.

Deployed for the first time in combat by Ukraine and provided by a country that is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the drone hit a howitzer operated by the separatists. Things quickly escalated.

Across the border, Russia scrambled jets. The next day, Russian tanks mounted on rail cars rumbled toward the Ukrainian border. Diplomacy in Berlin, Moscow and Washington went into high gear.

The sudden spike in hostilities last month underscored the tenuous nature of the cease-fire that exists along the 279-mile front in the Ukraine war. It set off a new round of ominous warnings from Moscow, and highlighted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s willingness to escalate what is known as hybrid conflict, a blend of military and other means for creating disruption — including exploiting humanitarian crises like the current one on the Polish-Belarusian border.

The drone strike in Hranitne also raised fears in Western capitals that Russia would use the fighting as a pretext for a new intervention in Ukraine, potentially drawing the United States and Europe into a new phase of the conflict.

“Our concern is that Russia may make the serious mistake of attempting to rehash what it undertook back in 2014 when it amassed forces along the border, crossed into sovereign Ukrainian territory, and did so claiming falsely that it was provoked,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken told journalists in Washington last week.

The battle came at an increasingly volatile moment in the conflict. This fall, commercial satellite photos and videos posted on social media have shown that Russian armored vehicles had massed near the Ukrainian border; Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has estimated the buildup at 100,000 troops. And Russian rhetoric toward Ukraine has hardened.

Amid this heightened tension, the drone strike in particular became a flash point for the Kremlin. Alarmed that Ukraine possessed this highly effective new military capability, Russia called the strike a destabilizing act that violated the cease-fire agreement reached in 2015.

Putin has twice in the past week pointed to the drone attack as a Ukrainian escalation, justifying a potential Russian response. He raised the issue in a phone call with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany.

Asked on Saturday about accusations from Washington that Russia was massing troops on the Ukraine border, Putin responded by criticizing the United States for supporting the drone strike, as well as for conducting a naval drill in the Black Sea, which he called a “serious challenge” for Russia.

“A sense is created that they just aren’t letting us relax,” he said. “Well, let them know we are not relaxing.”

Putin has long made clear that he views Ukraine as inseparable from Russia. In July he published an article outlining that doctrine, describing Russia and Ukraine as “essentially” one country divided by Western interference in the post-Soviet period, an apparent justification for Russian-Ukrainian unification. Russia has already annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula.

“We will never allow our historical territories and people close to us living there to be used against Russia,” he wrote.

Hacking, electoral meddling, energy politics and a recent migrant crisis on the border of Belarus and Poland have all strained ties between the West and Russia. But nowhere are the tensions more overt than in this conflict zone that cuts through villages and farmland, where opposing soldiers — one side backed by the United States, the other by Russia — face off.

Russia intervened militarily in Ukraine after street protesters deposed a pro-Russian Ukrainian president in 2014. Moscow sent soldiers wearing ski masks and unmarked uniforms to the Crimean Peninsula, whipping up the rebellion in the east in two separatist enclaves, the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics.

The front line in the war is sometimes called a new Berlin Wall, a dividing line in today’s geopolitics. It is an eerie realm of half-abandoned towns, fields and forests.

It is also a tinderbox that requires only a match to spark new hostilities. In late October, the buffer zone near Hranitne provided one.

In most places along the front, a scant few hundred yards separate two trench lines. But in some areas, including Hranitne, the gap widens to a few miles, and people live in between the two armies, in a no man’s land known in Ukraine as the “gray zone.” Residents must cross the Ukrainian trench line to shop and send their children to school, protected by an uneasy truce. Residents are aware of the danger, but are too poor to move.

“It’s scary,” said Oleksandr Petukhov, a retiree as he cleared the last checkpoint one recent day carrying a bag of cheese and eggs. “This is a ridiculous situation.”

In Hranitne, the access point for shopping on the Ukrainian side is a footbridge over the Kalmius River, a slow-moving flow of inky green water. Ukrainian soldiers peek out from above sandbag parapets as shoppers trickle across the bridge.

The troubles began about a month ago when separatists closed a checkpoint on their side — where local residents also traveled for shopping — for unclear reasons, possibly as a coronavirus precaution.

In response, on Oct. 25, Volodymyr Vesyolkin, the administrator of Hranitne, a position akin to mayor, led a contingent of about a dozen soldiers across the footbridge. The same day, the military laid concrete blocks for a new bridge about 700 yards away that would be accessible for vehicles.

His motive, Vesyolkin said, was humanitarian: to assure locals of access for shopping and deliveries of coal for winter heating.

“How can it violate anything?” Vesyolkin said in an interview. “This is our village. These are our people. They walk several kilometers to buy groceries.”

The separatists interpreted it otherwise — as a land grab — and soon their artillery shells filled the air.

Even Ukrainian military officers concede a misperception was possible. “They maybe thought we would send heavy weapons” across the new bridge, Sak said.

Through the night and into the next morning, a separatist unit with 122-millimeter artillery guns fired toward Ukrainian forces in what is known as a shoot-and-scoot maneuver intended to skirt counterattacks by the enemy.

In total, the separatists fired about 120 rounds at the unfinished new bridge, but every shot missed. They hit nearby houses instead, destroying one with such force that it appeared turned inside out, with a pile of cinder blocks covering the street.

Sak said he requested the drone strike because it was the only weapon that could hit the maneuvering enemy artillery and because civilians were in danger, though none were hit.

“Only modern weapons allow us to halt Russia’s aggression,” he said.

Most military analysts say flare-ups in Ukraine are more a pretext for strategic saber-rattling than a cause. But they are sparks in an already dangerous world, and the West remains on high alert this week as Russia takes an increasingly bellicose stance toward Ukraine.

When the fighting in Hranitne subsided, the villagers emerged with at least one small victory: They finally got their groceries.

Two days after the drone strike, separatists opened their checkpoint, allowing the Red Cross to deliver 50-pound boxes of food to each house. The boxes held rice, sugar, sunflower oil, macaroni, flour and cans of meat and fish.

Tatyana Yefesko, an elementary schoolteacher, said she appreciated the delivery. But it was hardly a long-term solution.

“Any small flare-up could turn into a big war,” she said. “Everybody asks, ‘Why did this happen? Who needs this?’ I don’t know. But history shows us every big war started with something small.”

Artillery shells fired by Russian-backed separatists shrieked into this small town deep in the flatlands of eastern Ukraine, shearing branches from trees, scooping out craters, blowing up six houses and killing one Ukrainian soldier.

Artillery shells fired by Russian-backed separatists shrieked into this small town deep in the flatlands of eastern Ukraine, shearing branches from trees, scooping out craters, blowing up six houses and killing one Ukrainian soldier. It was an all-too-common response to the smallest of provocations — a dispute over grocery shopping for 100 or so people living in the buffer zone between the separatists and Ukrainian government forces. But in the hair-trigger state of the Ukraine war, minor episodes can grow into full-fledged battles. Hunkered down in a bunker, the Ukrainian commander, Maj. Oleksandr Sak, requested a counterstrike from a sophisticated new weapon in Ukraine’s arsenal, a Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 armed drone. Deployed for the first time in combat by Ukraine and provided by a country that is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the drone hit a howitzer operated by the separatists. Things quickly escalated. Across the border, Russia scrambled jets. The next day, Russian tanks mounted on rail cars rumbled toward the Ukrainian border. Diplomacy in Berlin, Moscow and Washington went into high gear. The sudden spike in hostilities last month underscored the tenuous nature of the cease-fire that exists along the 279-mile front in the Ukraine war. It set off a new round of ominous warnings from Moscow, and highlighted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s willingness to escalate what is known as hybrid conflict, a blend of military and other means for creating disruption — including exploiting humanitarian crises like the current one on the Polish-Belarusian border. The drone strike in Hranitne also raised fears in Western capitals that Russia would use the fighting as a pretext for a new intervention in Ukraine, potentially drawing the United States and Europe into a new phase of the conflict. “Our concern is that Russia may make the serious mistake of attempting to rehash what it undertook back in 2014 when it amassed forces along the border, crossed into sovereign Ukrainian territory, and did so claiming falsely that it was provoked,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken told journalists in Washington last week. The battle came at an increasingly volatile moment in the conflict. This fall, commercial satellite photos and videos posted on social media have shown that Russian armored vehicles had massed near the Ukrainian border; Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has estimated the buildup at 100,000 troops. And Russian rhetoric toward Ukraine has hardened. Amid this heightened tension, the drone strike in particular became a flash point for the Kremlin. Alarmed that Ukraine possessed this highly effective new military capability, Russia called the strike a destabilizing act that violated the cease-fire agreement reached in 2015. Putin has twice in the past week pointed to the drone attack as a Ukrainian escalation, justifying a potential Russian response. He raised the issue in a phone call with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany. Asked on Saturday about accusations from Washington that Russia was massing troops on the Ukraine border, Putin responded by criticizing the United States for supporting the drone strike, as well as for conducting a naval drill in the Black Sea, which he called a “serious challenge” for Russia. “A sense is created that they just aren’t letting us relax,” he said. “Well, let them know we are not relaxing.” Putin has long made clear that he views Ukraine as inseparable from Russia. In July he published an article outlining that doctrine, describing Russia and Ukraine as “essentially” one country divided by Western interference in the post-Soviet period, an apparent justification for Russian-Ukrainian unification. Russia has already annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula. “We will never allow our historical territories and people close to us living there to be used against Russia,” he wrote. Hacking, electoral meddling, energy politics and a recent migrant crisis on the border of Belarus and Poland have all strained ties between the West and Russia. But nowhere are the tensions more overt than in this conflict zone that cuts through villages and farmland, where opposing soldiers — one side backed by the United States, the other by Russia — face off. Russia intervened militarily in Ukraine after street protesters deposed a pro-Russian Ukrainian president in 2014. Moscow sent soldiers wearing ski masks and unmarked uniforms to the Crimean Peninsula, whipping up the rebellion in the east in two separatist enclaves, the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics. The front line in the war is sometimes called a new Berlin Wall, a dividing line in today’s geopolitics. It is an eerie realm of half-abandoned towns, fields and forests. It is also a tinderbox that requires only a match to spark new hostilities. In late October, the buffer zone near Hranitne provided one. In most places along the front, a scant few hundred yards separate two trench lines. But in some areas, including Hranitne, the gap widens to a few miles, and people live in between the two armies, in a no man’s land known in Ukraine as the “gray zone.” Residents must cross the Ukrainian trench line to shop and send their children to school, protected by an uneasy truce. Residents are aware of the danger, but are too poor to move. “It’s scary,” said Oleksandr Petukhov, a retiree as he cleared the last checkpoint one recent day carrying a bag of cheese and eggs. “This is a ridiculous situation.” In Hranitne, the access point for shopping on the Ukrainian side is a footbridge over the Kalmius River, a slow-moving flow of inky green water. Ukrainian soldiers peek out from above sandbag parapets as shoppers trickle across the bridge. The troubles began about a month ago when separatists closed a checkpoint on their side — where local residents also traveled for shopping — for unclear reasons, possibly as a coronavirus precaution. In response, on Oct. 25, Volodymyr Vesyolkin, the administrator of Hranitne, a position akin to mayor, led a contingent of about a dozen soldiers across the footbridge. The same day, the military laid concrete blocks for a new bridge about 700 yards away that would be accessible for vehicles. His motive, Vesyolkin said, was humanitarian: to assure locals of access for shopping and deliveries of coal for winter heating. “How can it violate anything?” Vesyolkin said in an interview. “This is our village. These are our people. They walk several kilometers to buy groceries.” The separatists interpreted it otherwise — as a land grab — and soon their artillery shells filled the air. Even Ukrainian military officers concede a misperception was possible. “They maybe thought we would send heavy weapons” across the new bridge, Sak said. Through the night and into the next morning, a separatist unit with 122-millimeter artillery guns fired toward Ukrainian forces in what is known as a shoot-and-scoot maneuver intended to skirt counterattacks by the enemy. In total, the separatists fired about 120 rounds at the unfinished new bridge, but every shot missed. They hit nearby houses instead, destroying one with such force that it appeared turned inside out, with a pile of cinder blocks covering the street. Sak said he requested the drone strike because it was the only weapon that could hit the maneuvering enemy artillery and because civilians were in danger, though none were hit. “Only modern weapons allow us to halt Russia’s aggression,” he said. Most military analysts say flare-ups in Ukraine are more a pretext for strategic saber-rattling than a cause. But they are sparks in an already dangerous world, and the West remains on high alert this week as Russia takes an increasingly bellicose stance toward Ukraine. When the fighting in Hranitne subsided, the villagers emerged with at least one small victory: They finally got their groceries. Two days after the drone strike, separatists opened their checkpoint, allowing the Red Cross to deliver 50-pound boxes of food to each house. The boxes held rice, sugar, sunflower oil, macaroni, flour and cans of meat and fish. Tatyana Yefesko, an elementary schoolteacher, said she appreciated the delivery. But it was hardly a long-term solution. “Any small flare-up could turn into a big war,” she said. “Everybody asks, ‘Why did this happen? Who needs this?’ I don’t know. But history shows us every big war started with something small.”

How a dispute over groceries led to artillery strikes in Ukraine

Bill Ackman, a billionaire hedge fund manager, will look to convince New York’s powerful Landmarks Preservation Commission to allow him to build a “flying saucer” penthouse. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The billionaire is trying to come up with it on top of a historic apartment building in the Upper West Side, which overlooks Central Park. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-keep-forgetting-youre-still-alive-elon-musk-takes-a-dig-at-bernie-sanders-offers-to-sell-more-stock-429392" hreflang="en">'I keep forgetting you're still alive': Elon Musk takes a dig at Bernie Sanders, offers to sell more stock</a>

The Harvard-educated activist investor Ackman has been engaged in a years-long public relations battle with his merely millionaire neighbours to garner support for his planned Norman Foster-designed two-storey penthouse. It has been described as a “temple to a titan”. &nbsp;

Earlier, Ackman had famously made $2.6bn (£2.2bn) profit in a single day by betting on the financial impact of coronavirus in the early days of the pandemic. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-iceland-tourism-mocks-metaverse-in-funny-ad-mark-zuckerberg-responds-429552" hreflang="en">Watch: Iceland Tourism mocks metaverse in funny ad, Mark Zuckerberg responds</a>

Last week, the billionaire had successfully won the backing of Manhattan Community Board 7 (CB7) for the plan atop the 120-year-old building. Now, he is going to seek the approval of the Landmarks Preservation Commission. &nbsp;

The penthouse at 6-16 West 77th Street has been designed by Foster + Partners. It would replace a pink stucco 17th-floor penthouse that Ackman and his partner scientist Neri Oxman bought for $22.5m in 2017. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Bill Ackman, a billionaire hedge fund manager, will look to convince New York’s powerful Landmarks Preservation Commission to allow him to build a “flying saucer” penthouse.

Bill Ackman, a billionaire hedge fund manager, will look to convince New York’s powerful Landmarks Preservation Commission to allow him to build a “flying saucer” penthouse. The billionaire is trying to come up with it on top of a historic apartment building in the Upper West Side, which overlooks Central Park. Also Read | 'I keep forgetting you're still alive': Elon Musk takes a dig at Bernie Sanders, offers to sell more stock The Harvard-educated activist investor Ackman has been engaged in a years-long public relations battle with his merely millionaire neighbours to garner support for his planned Norman Foster-designed two-storey penthouse. It has been described as a “temple to a titan”. Earlier, Ackman had famously made $2.6bn (£2.2bn) profit in a single day by betting on the financial impact of coronavirus in the early days of the pandemic. Also Read | Watch: Iceland Tourism mocks metaverse in funny ad, Mark Zuckerberg responds Last week, the billionaire had successfully won the backing of Manhattan Community Board 7 (CB7) for the plan atop the 120-year-old building. Now, he is going to seek the approval of the Landmarks Preservation Commission. The penthouse at 6-16 West 77th Street has been designed by Foster + Partners. It would replace a pink stucco 17th-floor penthouse that Ackman and his partner scientist Neri Oxman bought for $22.5m in 2017. (With inputs from agencies)

Billionaire Ackman looks to convince panel to build 'flying saucer' penthouse

Snoopy, the iconic character from creator Charles M Schulz’s comic strip 'Peanuts', seems to be flying aboard National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Artemis mission to visit moon early next year. &nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AstronautSnoopy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AstronautSnoopy</a> is no stranger to space. The Peanuts character skimmed the lunar surface as the name of the Apollo 10 lunar module &amp; even caught a ride on the space shuttle. 
 
Now Snoopy is going to the Moon as a zero gravity indicator aboard <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Artemis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Artemis</a> I: <a href="https://t.co/wUHfUgYWYm">https://t.co/wUHfUgYWYm</a> <a href="https://t.co/t8DFQq6gHi">pic.twitter.com/t8DFQq6gHi</a>
— NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1459181106016698373?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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In a tweet, NASA said, “AstronautSnoopy is no stranger to space. The Peanuts character skimmed the lunar surface as the name of the Apollo 10 lunar module &amp; even caught a ride on the space shuttle. Now Snoopy is going to the Moon as a zero-gravity indicator aboard Artemis.” &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/astronomers-identify-moons-small-chunk-tracking-earths-orbit-around-sun-428748" hreflang="en">Astronomers identify moon’s small chunk tracking Earth’s orbit around Sun</a>

The Snoopy’s iconic form will be flying aboard the shuttle in NASA’s first lunar mission in several decades as a micro-gravity indicator. &nbsp;

When the spacecraft leaves Earth’s gravitational field and enters the microgravity of space, the Snoopy plush dressed in NASA's Orion Crew Survival System pressure suit will begin to float aboard Artemis 1 Orion. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-releases-breathtaking-video-of-davinci-mission-to-venus-428811" hreflang="en">NASA releases breathtaking video of DAVINCI mission to Venus</a>

For future manned missions, there will be a manikin and two "phantom" human torsos along with Snoopy, who will collect data for the flight to the moon. &nbsp;

“Zero gravity indicators are small items carried aboard spacecraft that provide a visual indicator when a spacecraft has reached the weightlessness of microgravity. Without astronauts aboard Orion, Snoopy will help share the journey with the world as he rides along in the cabin with a manikin and two other “passengers,” NASA added. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Snoopy, the iconic character from creator Charles M Schulz’s comic strip 'Peanuts', seems to be flying aboard National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Artemis mission to visit moon early next year.

Snoopy, the iconic character from creator Charles M Schulz’s comic strip 'Peanuts', seems to be flying aboard National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Artemis mission to visit moon early next year. #AstronautSnoopy is no stranger to space. The Peanuts character skimmed the lunar surface as the name of the Apollo 10 lunar module & even caught a ride on the space shuttle. Now Snoopy is going to the Moon as a zero gravity indicator aboard #Artemis I: https://t.co/wUHfUgYWYm pic.twitter.com/t8DFQq6gHi — NASA (@NASA) November 12, 2021 × In a tweet, NASA said, “AstronautSnoopy is no stranger to space. The Peanuts character skimmed the lunar surface as the name of the Apollo 10 lunar module & even caught a ride on the space shuttle. Now Snoopy is going to the Moon as a zero-gravity indicator aboard Artemis.” Also Read: Astronomers identify moon’s small chunk tracking Earth’s orbit around Sun The Snoopy’s iconic form will be flying aboard the shuttle in NASA’s first lunar mission in several decades as a micro-gravity indicator. When the spacecraft leaves Earth’s gravitational field and enters the microgravity of space, the Snoopy plush dressed in NASA's Orion Crew Survival System pressure suit will begin to float aboard Artemis 1 Orion. Also Read: NASA releases breathtaking video of DAVINCI mission to Venus For future manned missions, there will be a manikin and two "phantom" human torsos along with Snoopy, who will collect data for the flight to the moon. “Zero gravity indicators are small items carried aboard spacecraft that provide a visual indicator when a spacecraft has reached the weightlessness of microgravity. Without astronauts aboard Orion, Snoopy will help share the journey with the world as he rides along in the cabin with a manikin and two other “passengers,” NASA added. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Astronaut’ Snoopy to visit moon aboard NASA’s Artemis mission as zero-gravity indicator in 2022

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