Danish toymaker Lego on Wednesday won the backing of Europe's second-highest court in its fight to secure design rights for its colourful snap-together plastic building bricks familiar to millions of children worldwide.&nbsp;

The Luxembourg-based General Court threw out a 2019 decision by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) that sided with German toy and hardware maker Delta Sport Handelskontor, which had sought to declare Lego's design invalid.&nbsp;

Lego challenged that ruling at the court, which on Wednesday disagreed with the trademark agency's assessment.&nbsp;

"EUIPO erroneously declared invalid a design of a brick of a LEGO toy building set," judges said.&nbsp;

"EUIPO failed to examine the relevance of the application of the exception relied on by Lego and failed to take into consideration all the features of appearance of the brick," they said.&nbsp;

The trademark agency in its decision two years ago said the design of Lego bricks were solely dictated by their technical function, which is to allow assembly with, and disassembly from, the rest of the bricks of the set.&nbsp;

The court's decision can be appealed to the EU Court of Justice, Europe's highest. The case is T-515/19 Lego A/S v EUIPO and Delta Sport Handelskontor GmbH.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Danish toymaker Lego on Wednesday won the backing of Europe's second-highest court in its fight to secure design rights for its colourful snap-together plastic building bricks familiar to millions of children worldwide.

Danish toymaker Lego on Wednesday won the backing of Europe's second-highest court in its fight to secure design rights for its colourful snap-together plastic building bricks familiar to millions of children worldwide. The Luxembourg-based General Court threw out a 2019 decision by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) that sided with German toy and hardware maker Delta Sport Handelskontor, which had sought to declare Lego's design invalid. Lego challenged that ruling at the court, which on Wednesday disagreed with the trademark agency's assessment. "EUIPO erroneously declared invalid a design of a brick of a LEGO toy building set," judges said. "EUIPO failed to examine the relevance of the application of the exception relied on by Lego and failed to take into consideration all the features of appearance of the brick," they said. The trademark agency in its decision two years ago said the design of Lego bricks were solely dictated by their technical function, which is to allow assembly with, and disassembly from, the rest of the bricks of the set. The court's decision can be appealed to the EU Court of Justice, Europe's highest. The case is T-515/19 Lego A/S v EUIPO and Delta Sport Handelskontor GmbH. (With inputs from agencies)

EU court backs Lego in German design rights case 

Congo Republic President Denis Sassou Nguesso has been re-elected with more than 88% of the vote, official results showed on Tuesday, extending his 36 years leading the Central African oil producer despite a prolonged economic crisis.&nbsp;

His closest rival, Guy Brice Parfait Kolelas, who died hours after the polls closed, received less than 8%. Kolelas was being evacuated to France to be treated for Covid-19 when he died.&nbsp;

Diplomats and political analysts had expected an easy victory for Sassou, 77, who has a firm grip on state institutions in the country of 5.4 million.&nbsp;

The main opposition party boycotted the vote and two of his other main rivals were convicted of crimes after the last election in 2016.&nbsp;

"It's a feeling of great responsibility, especially toward young people," Sassou, wearing a white button-down shirt emblasoned with his own face, told supporters in a victory speech.&nbsp;

Sassou is a former paratrooper, who took power in 1979. He lost Congo's first multi-party elections in 1992 but returned to office in 1997 after a civil war.&nbsp;

He changed the constitution in 2015 to extend term limits that would have barred him from standing for re-election the following year.&nbsp;

Congo's economy has been in crisis since 2014 when oil prices collapsed. That caused the country's external debt, much of it owed to private oil traders like Glencore, to soar to over 100% of gross domestic product.&nbsp;

The coronavirus pandemic and resulting drop in oil prices last year have made matters worse. The economy contracted by more than 8% last year and is expected to grow by less than 1% this year.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Congo Republic President Denis Sassou Nguesso has been re-elected with more than 88% of the vote, official results showed on Tuesday, extending his 36 years leading the Central African oil producer despite a prolonged economic crisis.

Congo Republic President Denis Sassou Nguesso has been re-elected with more than 88% of the vote, official results showed on Tuesday, extending his 36 years leading the Central African oil producer despite a prolonged economic crisis. His closest rival, Guy Brice Parfait Kolelas, who died hours after the polls closed, received less than 8%. Kolelas was being evacuated to France to be treated for Covid-19 when he died. Diplomats and political analysts had expected an easy victory for Sassou, 77, who has a firm grip on state institutions in the country of 5.4 million. The main opposition party boycotted the vote and two of his other main rivals were convicted of crimes after the last election in 2016. "It's a feeling of great responsibility, especially toward young people," Sassou, wearing a white button-down shirt emblasoned with his own face, told supporters in a victory speech. Sassou is a former paratrooper, who took power in 1979. He lost Congo's first multi-party elections in 1992 but returned to office in 1997 after a civil war. He changed the constitution in 2015 to extend term limits that would have barred him from standing for re-election the following year. Congo's economy has been in crisis since 2014 when oil prices collapsed. That caused the country's external debt, much of it owed to private oil traders like Glencore, to soar to over 100% of gross domestic product. The coronavirus pandemic and resulting drop in oil prices last year have made matters worse. The economy contracted by more than 8% last year and is expected to grow by less than 1% this year. (With inputs from agencies)

Congo Republic's Sassou gets re-elected with 88% vote 

Pope Francis has ordered cardinals to take a 10% pay cut and reduced the salaries of most other clerics working in the Vatican in order to save jobs of employees as the coronavirus pandemic has hit the Holy See's income.&nbsp;

The Vatican said on Wednesday that Francis issued a decree introducing proportional cuts starting on April 1. A spokesman said most lay employees would not be affected by the cuts.&nbsp;

A senior Vatican prelate said it was believed to be the first time in living memory that a pope had taken such action.&nbsp;

Francis, 84, and from a working-class family, has often insisted he does not want to fire people in difficult economic times, even as the Vatican continues to run up deficits.&nbsp;

Cardinals, who work at the Vatican and live there or in Rome, are believed to get salaries of about 4,000 to 5,000 euros ($4,730 to $5,915) a month, and many live in large apartments at well below market rents.&nbsp;

Most priests and nuns, who work in Vatican departments, live in religious communities in Rome, such as seminaries, convents, parishes, universities and schools - giving them greater protection from economic downturns.&nbsp;

They have much lower living expenses than lay employees, such as police, ushers, firefighters, cleaners, art restorers and maintenance personnel, who live in Rome and many of whom have families.&nbsp;

It is these lay workers, who the pope appeared to want to protect, as most of their employment levels were not listed in the papal decree. Vatican pay grades go from levels 1-10 for most employees. Senior positions have four grades, from C to C-3.&nbsp;

Apart from the cardinals, other clerics will see their salaries reduced by between 3% and 8%. Programmed pay rises for all but the three lowest pay grades will be suspended until March 2023.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Pope Francis has ordered cardinals to take a 10% pay cut and reduced the salaries of most other clerics working in the Vatican in order to save jobs of employees as the coronavirus pandemic has hit the Holy See's income.

Pope Francis has ordered cardinals to take a 10% pay cut and reduced the salaries of most other clerics working in the Vatican in order to save jobs of employees as the coronavirus pandemic has hit the Holy See's income. The Vatican said on Wednesday that Francis issued a decree introducing proportional cuts starting on April 1. A spokesman said most lay employees would not be affected by the cuts. A senior Vatican prelate said it was believed to be the first time in living memory that a pope had taken such action. Francis, 84, and from a working-class family, has often insisted he does not want to fire people in difficult economic times, even as the Vatican continues to run up deficits. Cardinals, who work at the Vatican and live there or in Rome, are believed to get salaries of about 4,000 to 5,000 euros ($4,730 to $5,915) a month, and many live in large apartments at well below market rents. Most priests and nuns, who work in Vatican departments, live in religious communities in Rome, such as seminaries, convents, parishes, universities and schools - giving them greater protection from economic downturns. They have much lower living expenses than lay employees, such as police, ushers, firefighters, cleaners, art restorers and maintenance personnel, who live in Rome and many of whom have families. It is these lay workers, who the pope appeared to want to protect, as most of their employment levels were not listed in the papal decree. Vatican pay grades go from levels 1-10 for most employees. Senior positions have four grades, from C to C-3. Apart from the cardinals, other clerics will see their salaries reduced by between 3% and 8%. Programmed pay rises for all but the three lowest pay grades will be suspended until March 2023. (With inputs from agencies)

In a first, Pope orders salary cuts for cardinals, to save jobs of employees

A US Senate panel on Wednesday confirmed Brenda Mallory to head the White House Council on Environmental Quality, a key role that will coordinate President Joe Biden's climate change and environmental justice policies.&nbsp;

The Senate Environment and Public Works committee voted 11-9 to approve Mallory, who previously served as general counsel of the council and until recently was head of regulatory affairs at the green advocacy group Southern Environmental Law Centre.&nbsp;

The Council on Environmental Quality coordinates White House energy and environmental policies across federal agencies, and can have broad influence on the outlook for big infrastructure projects from pipelines to industrial facilities.&nbsp;

In an interview ahead of her nomination last December, Mallory said she hoped the council would reverse changes made by the Trump administration to the National Environmental Policy Act, a major environmental permitting law, that sought to ease and speed up approval of big energy infrastructure projects.&nbsp;

The Trump-era changes eased requirements to weigh climate change impacts of a project and limited the amount of public comment, a move seen as diminishing the voice of low-income and minority communities that are often in the way of these projects.&nbsp;

“I am hoping at top of the priority list for CEQ is addressing changes Trump made to how CEQ implements NEPA,” she said.&nbsp;

The Senate panel also voted 11-9 to advance the nomination of Janet McCabe to be deputy Environmental Protection Agency administrator, another key environmental regulatory role.&nbsp;

McCabe previously served as the top air and water regulator at the EPA under then-President Barack Obama and played a key role drafting regulations like the Clean Power Plan and vehicle emission standards.&nbsp;

The nominations will now face a full Senate vote. The timing of the vote has not yet been announced.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A US Senate panel on Wednesday confirmed Brenda Mallory to head the White House Council on Environmental Quality, a key role that will coordinate President Joe Biden's climate change and environmental justice policies.

A US Senate panel on Wednesday confirmed Brenda Mallory to head the White House Council on Environmental Quality, a key role that will coordinate President Joe Biden's climate change and environmental justice policies. The Senate Environment and Public Works committee voted 11-9 to approve Mallory, who previously served as general counsel of the council and until recently was head of regulatory affairs at the green advocacy group Southern Environmental Law Centre. The Council on Environmental Quality coordinates White House energy and environmental policies across federal agencies, and can have broad influence on the outlook for big infrastructure projects from pipelines to industrial facilities. In an interview ahead of her nomination last December, Mallory said she hoped the council would reverse changes made by the Trump administration to the National Environmental Policy Act, a major environmental permitting law, that sought to ease and speed up approval of big energy infrastructure projects. The Trump-era changes eased requirements to weigh climate change impacts of a project and limited the amount of public comment, a move seen as diminishing the voice of low-income and minority communities that are often in the way of these projects. “I am hoping at top of the priority list for CEQ is addressing changes Trump made to how CEQ implements NEPA,” she said. The Senate panel also voted 11-9 to advance the nomination of Janet McCabe to be deputy Environmental Protection Agency administrator, another key environmental regulatory role. McCabe previously served as the top air and water regulator at the EPA under then-President Barack Obama and played a key role drafting regulations like the Clean Power Plan and vehicle emission standards. The nominations will now face a full Senate vote. The timing of the vote has not yet been announced. (With inputs from agencies)

US Senate panel confirms Mallory to lead White House environmental council 

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will testify as a witness before a long-running corruption inquiry for four days late next month, the presidency said on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Ramaphosa will give evidence to the inquiry, chaired by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo and established to test allegations that former President Jacob Zuma allowed three businessmen,&nbsp;who were close to him to plunder state resources and influence government appointments while he was in power.&nbsp;

Zuma was ousted by the governing African National Congress (ANC) in February 2018, and his successor Ramaphosa has been battling to revive investor confidence dented by widespread corruption implicating senior politicians.&nbsp;

"The presidency wishes to confirm that president Cyril Ramaphosa will appear ... on April 22, 23, 28 and 29," a statement from his office said.&nbsp;

Ramaphosa is expected to give evidence in his capacity as president and former deputy president of the country, and as president and former deputy president of the ANC. In both instances, Ramaphosa served as deputy under Zuma's leadership.&nbsp;

Ramaphosa has repeatedly spoken out on the need to respect the constitution and rule of law.&nbsp;

Zuma faces possible arrest after refusing to obey a court order to appear at the same inquiry.&nbsp;

Zuma, who denies any wrongdoing, failed to have Zondo recuse himself from the corruption inquiry and chose not to&nbsp;recognise&nbsp;its authority, saying Zondo is biased against him.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will testify as a witness before a long-running corruption inquiry for four days late next month, the presidency said on Wednesday.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will testify as a witness before a long-running corruption inquiry for four days late next month, the presidency said on Wednesday. Ramaphosa will give evidence to the inquiry, chaired by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo and established to test allegations that former President Jacob Zuma allowed three businessmen, who were close to him to plunder state resources and influence government appointments while he was in power. Zuma was ousted by the governing African National Congress (ANC) in February 2018, and his successor Ramaphosa has been battling to revive investor confidence dented by widespread corruption implicating senior politicians. "The presidency wishes to confirm that president Cyril Ramaphosa will appear ... on April 22, 23, 28 and 29," a statement from his office said. Ramaphosa is expected to give evidence in his capacity as president and former deputy president of the country, and as president and former deputy president of the ANC. In both instances, Ramaphosa served as deputy under Zuma's leadership. Ramaphosa has repeatedly spoken out on the need to respect the constitution and rule of law. Zuma faces possible arrest after refusing to obey a court order to appear at the same inquiry. Zuma, who denies any wrongdoing, failed to have Zondo recuse himself from the corruption inquiry and chose not to recognise its authority, saying Zondo is biased against him. (With inputs from agencies)

South African president to testify at corruption inquiry

Malaysia decided on Wednesday to postpone planned deportations to Myanmar until after a proposed emergency regional summit to discuss the crisis there brought on by a military coup, sources familiar with the matter said.&nbsp;

Right groups raised concerns over the safety of deportees when Malaysia sent back 1,086 Myanmar nationals on Myanmar navy ships last month, just weeks after the military had seized power in a February&nbsp;1 coup.&nbsp;

Detained in Malaysia for immigration offences, they were deported despite a court order halting the plan. Rights groups had told the court that children and asylum-seekers fleeing persecution in Myanmar were among those being deported.&nbsp;

Three Malaysian sources familiar with the matter said the decision to delay a plan to deport a second batch until after a proposed meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to discuss the Myanmar crisis was taken at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.&nbsp;

The sources requested anonymity as they were not&nbsp;authorised&nbsp;to speak to media.&nbsp;

Myanmar this month had offered to send three more navy ships to pick up its people detained in Malaysia, one of the sources said.&nbsp;

Malaysia's foreign ministry directed queries to the home affairs ministry and immigration department, neither of which responded to requests for comment.&nbsp;

Indonesia last week called on Brunei, the current chair of ASEAN, to convene an urgent meeting to discuss the situation in Myanmar, amid a violent crackdown on anti-coup protesters. Malaysia backed Indonesia's call, but it is unclear whether, or when, that meeting would be held.&nbsp;

Malaysia came under international pressure after sending back the Myanmar nationals last month, with diplomats saying Kuala Lumpur was&nbsp;legitimising&nbsp;the coup by accepting the junta's proposal to take back the detainees.&nbsp;

Malaysia said the people deported last month were undocumented migrants and did not include ethnic Rohingya refugees or asylum-seekers.&nbsp;

But concerns have persisted as the UN refugee agency has been denied access to detainees for more than a year to verify their status.&nbsp;

(With&nbsp;inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Malaysia decided on Wednesday to postpone planned deportations to Myanmar until after a proposed emergency regional summit to discuss the crisis there brought on by a military coup, sources familiar with the matter said.

Malaysia decided on Wednesday to postpone planned deportations to Myanmar until after a proposed emergency regional summit to discuss the crisis there brought on by a military coup, sources familiar with the matter said. Right groups raised concerns over the safety of deportees when Malaysia sent back 1,086 Myanmar nationals on Myanmar navy ships last month, just weeks after the military had seized power in a February 1 coup. Detained in Malaysia for immigration offences, they were deported despite a court order halting the plan. Rights groups had told the court that children and asylum-seekers fleeing persecution in Myanmar were among those being deported. Three Malaysian sources familiar with the matter said the decision to delay a plan to deport a second batch until after a proposed meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to discuss the Myanmar crisis was taken at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday. The sources requested anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to media. Myanmar this month had offered to send three more navy ships to pick up its people detained in Malaysia, one of the sources said. Malaysia's foreign ministry directed queries to the home affairs ministry and immigration department, neither of which responded to requests for comment. Indonesia last week called on Brunei, the current chair of ASEAN, to convene an urgent meeting to discuss the situation in Myanmar, amid a violent crackdown on anti-coup protesters. Malaysia backed Indonesia's call, but it is unclear whether, or when, that meeting would be held. Malaysia came under international pressure after sending back the Myanmar nationals last month, with diplomats saying Kuala Lumpur was legitimising the coup by accepting the junta's proposal to take back the detainees. Malaysia said the people deported last month were undocumented migrants and did not include ethnic Rohingya refugees or asylum-seekers. But concerns have persisted as the UN refugee agency has been denied access to detainees for more than a year to verify their status. (With inputs from agencies)

Malaysia puts deportations to Myanmar on hold till after ASEAN meets: Sources

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed confirmed for the first time on Tuesday that troops from neighbouring Eritrea entered the northern Tigray region during the five-month-old conflict, the first such acknowledgement after months of denials.&nbsp;

In a parliamentary address, he also acknowledged for the first time that atrocities like rape had been committed during the fighting, and promised perpetrators would be punished.&nbsp;

Fighting erupted in Tigray after forces loyal to the then-governing party there - the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) - attacked army bases across the region overnight and in the early hours of November 4.&nbsp;

The attacks initially overwhelmed the federal military, which later launched a counter-offensive alongside Eritrean soldiers and forces from the neighbouring region of Amhara.&nbsp;

The TPLF, which dominated Ethiopia's government for nearly three decades until Abiy came to power in 2018, has long been an archenemy of Eritrea.&nbsp;

Abiy said Eritrean troops had crossed the border because they were concerned they would be attacked by TPLF forces, but the Eritreans had promised to leave when Ethiopia's military was able to control the border. The TPLF repeatedly fired rockets at Eritrea after the conflict began.&nbsp;

The governments of both Eritrea and Ethiopia repeatedly denied Eritrea's involvement in the war, despite reports from rights groups like Human Rights Watch and Annesty International, which documented the killings of hundreds of civilians by Eritrean soldiers in the holy city of Axum.&nbsp;

The journalists on a trip to Tigray last week saw hundreds of men wearing Eritrean uniforms in buses with Eritrean plates on the main road between the regional capital Mekelle and Shire, and on the main streets of Shire.&nbsp;

Abiy quoted the Eritreans as saying to Ethiopian authorities: "You left the trenches while searching for the enemy in central Tigray. So, while you attacked them, they might come to us. We controlled areas along the border because we have our national security concerns. But if your army can control the trenches, we will leave the next day."&nbsp;

He said the Ethiopian government had also raised accusations of widespread looting and rights abuses by Eritrean soldiers in Tigray.&nbsp;

"The Eritrean government has highly condemned it and said they will be accountable if any of their army participated in this," he said.&nbsp;

Dozens of witnesses in Tigray said that Eritrean soldiers routinely killed civilians, gang-raped and tortured women and looted civilian households and crops. Some provided images of Eritrean trucks loaded with household goods.&nbsp;

Eritrea's minister of information was not immediately available for comment.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed confirmed for the first time on Tuesday that troops from neighbouring Eritrea entered the northern Tigray region during the five-month-old conflict, the first such acknowledgement after months of denials.

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed confirmed for the first time on Tuesday that troops from neighbouring Eritrea entered the northern Tigray region during the five-month-old conflict, the first such acknowledgement after months of denials. In a parliamentary address, he also acknowledged for the first time that atrocities like rape had been committed during the fighting, and promised perpetrators would be punished. Fighting erupted in Tigray after forces loyal to the then-governing party there - the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) - attacked army bases across the region overnight and in the early hours of November 4. The attacks initially overwhelmed the federal military, which later launched a counter-offensive alongside Eritrean soldiers and forces from the neighbouring region of Amhara. The TPLF, which dominated Ethiopia's government for nearly three decades until Abiy came to power in 2018, has long been an archenemy of Eritrea. Abiy said Eritrean troops had crossed the border because they were concerned they would be attacked by TPLF forces, but the Eritreans had promised to leave when Ethiopia's military was able to control the border. The TPLF repeatedly fired rockets at Eritrea after the conflict began. The governments of both Eritrea and Ethiopia repeatedly denied Eritrea's involvement in the war, despite reports from rights groups like Human Rights Watch and Annesty International, which documented the killings of hundreds of civilians by Eritrean soldiers in the holy city of Axum. The journalists on a trip to Tigray last week saw hundreds of men wearing Eritrean uniforms in buses with Eritrean plates on the main road between the regional capital Mekelle and Shire, and on the main streets of Shire. Abiy quoted the Eritreans as saying to Ethiopian authorities: "You left the trenches while searching for the enemy in central Tigray. So, while you attacked them, they might come to us. We controlled areas along the border because we have our national security concerns. But if your army can control the trenches, we will leave the next day." He said the Ethiopian government had also raised accusations of widespread looting and rights abuses by Eritrean soldiers in Tigray. "The Eritrean government has highly condemned it and said they will be accountable if any of their army participated in this," he said. Dozens of witnesses in Tigray said that Eritrean soldiers routinely killed civilians, gang-raped and tortured women and looted civilian households and crops. Some provided images of Eritrean trucks loaded with household goods. Eritrea's minister of information was not immediately available for comment. (With inputs from agencies)

Ethiopian PM confirms Eritrean troops entered Tigray during recent conflict 

US President Joe Biden will join a video conference of European Union leaders on Thursday, a top EU official said, as both sides try to repair ties after four difficult years with former president Donald Trump.&nbsp;

"Looking forward to welcome @POTUS at this week's European Council meeting," European Council President Charles Michel, who chairs summits, said on Twitter. "I have invited the President of the US to join our meeting for him to share his views on our future cooperation. Time to rebuild our transatlantic alliance."&nbsp;

EU leaders will meet via video conference on Thursday and Friday to discuss vaccines, Russia, Turkey and industrial policy. Biden is expected to join at 1945 GMT, an EU spokesman said.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday pledged to rebuild and revitalise the transatlantic military alliance after a bruising four years when Washington portrayed NATO as outdated, divided and in crisis. &nbsp;

The first top US official to visit NATO since President Joe Biden took office in January, Blinken said the alliance was at a pivotal moment but could emerge stronger after internal disputes over Turkey and Russian gas. &nbsp;

"I've come here to express the United States' steadfast commitment (to NATO)," Blinken told reporters as he met NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. "The United States wants to rebuild our partnerships, first and foremost with our NATO allies, we want to revitalise the alliance." &nbsp;

After four years of friction with Washington under the presidency of Donald Trump, who said the alliance was obsolete and harangued allies over defence spending targets, NATO's European members have welcomed the change in tone, saying they are once again being consulted on strategy.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

US President Joe Biden will join a video conference of European Union leaders on Thursday, a top EU official said, as both sides try to repair ties after four difficult years with former president Donald Trump.

US President Joe Biden will join a video conference of European Union leaders on Thursday, a top EU official said, as both sides try to repair ties after four difficult years with former president Donald Trump. "Looking forward to welcome @POTUS at this week's European Council meeting," European Council President Charles Michel, who chairs summits, said on Twitter. "I have invited the President of the US to join our meeting for him to share his views on our future cooperation. Time to rebuild our transatlantic alliance." EU leaders will meet via video conference on Thursday and Friday to discuss vaccines, Russia, Turkey and industrial policy. Biden is expected to join at 1945 GMT, an EU spokesman said. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday pledged to rebuild and revitalise the transatlantic military alliance after a bruising four years when Washington portrayed NATO as outdated, divided and in crisis. The first top US official to visit NATO since President Joe Biden took office in January, Blinken said the alliance was at a pivotal moment but could emerge stronger after internal disputes over Turkey and Russian gas. "I've come here to express the United States' steadfast commitment (to NATO)," Blinken told reporters as he met NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. "The United States wants to rebuild our partnerships, first and foremost with our NATO allies, we want to revitalise the alliance." After four years of friction with Washington under the presidency of Donald Trump, who said the alliance was obsolete and harangued allies over defence spending targets, NATO's European members have welcomed the change in tone, saying they are once again being consulted on strategy. (With inputs from agencies)

Biden to join EU leaders' video conference on Thursday

For 60 years, Myanmar has been ruled by the military. Six decades marked by crackdowns and suppression of dissent, the military has been responsible for Myanmar's woes in the past.&nbsp;

Take the Rohingya crisis, for instance, the United Nations has described them as the world's most persecuted minority. More Than 740,000 Rohingya have fled the country since 2017. Their persecutors were the military, the same military that has now grabbed power in Myanmar.&nbsp;

The allegations against them are serious. The Myanmar military burned down villages, massacred thousands and raped hundreds of Rohingya women.&nbsp;

All of this has been recorded in testimonies by survivors. They describe the soldiers as ruthless plunderers. It is easy to blame the foot soldiers for these crimes but it was the senior commanders, who gave the orders. Brigadiers and generals have wanted villages burnt and mass graves dug. The army has sanctioned a genocide. This is the power of the Myanmar army that even the civilian government backed them. Remember, Aung Saan Su Kyi's defence at the international court.&nbsp;

It was her effort to defend the military to earn their goodwill but the army seems unwilling to reciprocate. They have ousted Suu Kyi and charged her with multiple crimes. It is a lesson for leaders around the world, military regimes have their own interests and public interest rarely features in it.&nbsp;

The military transferred power to civilians in 2011 but they never actually gave up their powers. The Myanmar military is the second largest standing army in the region after Vietnam. The constitution grants them seats in the parliament and a quarter of the budget is dedicated to their expenses. &nbsp;

Politically and economically, they're a force to reckon with and we're seeing evidence of it right now. Massive protests and anti-coup demonstrations but the military is unmoved. The protests continue and so does the crackdown. The military's brutal clamp down has triggered another exodus. This time, across the border to India. Protesters are fleeing the ruthless security forces.&nbsp;

They are escaping illegal detention. This includes cops, who are unwilling to carry out the junta's orders. They say, they were asked to beat, arrest and torture the anti-coup protesters. This has put neighbouring countries including India in a spot. They are being forced to welcome refugees in the middle of a pandemic. The world response has been limited to statements and sanctions. Both of which have proven ineffective so far.&nbsp;

The United States and the European Union have imposed sanctions. They are targeting the junta leader and his family but sanctions aren't new for Myanmar's military. Most of their leaders were sanctioned during the Rohingya crackdown. This may have nudged them towards partial reforms but they continued to hold an iron grip over the country. &nbsp;

So, what are the army's motives? Why do they continue to sabotage civilian governments? Here's the first thing you need to know about Myanmar's military. They have strong views on religion, politics and economy.&nbsp;

The army is dominated by Burmese speaking Buddhists. They advocate majoritarian nationalism. This explains the ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims and senior officers double up as businessmen.&nbsp;

They own stakes in lucrative ventures and have used their political power to fill their pockets. A civilian government could possibly investigate these discrepancies. So, the army never let go of control. There's a reason most countries opt for division of powers. There's a reason, they keep armies under civilian control. At the end of the day, it's about culture. &nbsp;

Once the army gets a taste of political and economic power, they refuse to let go. We've seen this in Pakistan over the years, Myanmar is no different. As they say, a thinking soldier is an asset and a plotting soldier is a threat.&nbsp;

For 60 years, Myanmar has been ruled by the military. Six decades marked by crackdowns and suppression of dissent, the military has been responsible for Myanmar's woes in the past.

For 60 years, Myanmar has been ruled by the military. Six decades marked by crackdowns and suppression of dissent, the military has been responsible for Myanmar's woes in the past. Take the Rohingya crisis, for instance, the United Nations has described them as the world's most persecuted minority. More Than 740,000 Rohingya have fled the country since 2017. Their persecutors were the military, the same military that has now grabbed power in Myanmar. The allegations against them are serious. The Myanmar military burned down villages, massacred thousands and raped hundreds of Rohingya women. All of this has been recorded in testimonies by survivors. They describe the soldiers as ruthless plunderers. It is easy to blame the foot soldiers for these crimes but it was the senior commanders, who gave the orders. Brigadiers and generals have wanted villages burnt and mass graves dug. The army has sanctioned a genocide. This is the power of the Myanmar army that even the civilian government backed them. Remember, Aung Saan Su Kyi's defence at the international court. It was her effort to defend the military to earn their goodwill but the army seems unwilling to reciprocate. They have ousted Suu Kyi and charged her with multiple crimes. It is a lesson for leaders around the world, military regimes have their own interests and public interest rarely features in it. The military transferred power to civilians in 2011 but they never actually gave up their powers. The Myanmar military is the second largest standing army in the region after Vietnam. The constitution grants them seats in the parliament and a quarter of the budget is dedicated to their expenses. Politically and economically, they're a force to reckon with and we're seeing evidence of it right now. Massive protests and anti-coup demonstrations but the military is unmoved. The protests continue and so does the crackdown. The military's brutal clamp down has triggered another exodus. This time, across the border to India. Protesters are fleeing the ruthless security forces. They are escaping illegal detention. This includes cops, who are unwilling to carry out the junta's orders. They say, they were asked to beat, arrest and torture the anti-coup protesters. This has put neighbouring countries including India in a spot. They are being forced to welcome refugees in the middle of a pandemic. The world response has been limited to statements and sanctions. Both of which have proven ineffective so far. The United States and the European Union have imposed sanctions. They are targeting the junta leader and his family but sanctions aren't new for Myanmar's military. Most of their leaders were sanctioned during the Rohingya crackdown. This may have nudged them towards partial reforms but they continued to hold an iron grip over the country. So, what are the army's motives? Why do they continue to sabotage civilian governments? Here's the first thing you need to know about Myanmar's military. They have strong views on religion, politics and economy. The army is dominated by Burmese speaking Buddhists. They advocate majoritarian nationalism. This explains the ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims and senior officers double up as businessmen. They own stakes in lucrative ventures and have used their political power to fill their pockets. A civilian government could possibly investigate these discrepancies. So, the army never let go of control. There's a reason most countries opt for division of powers. There's a reason, they keep armies under civilian control. At the end of the day, it's about culture. Once the army gets a taste of political and economic power, they refuse to let go. We've seen this in Pakistan over the years, Myanmar is no different. As they say, a thinking soldier is an asset and a plotting soldier is a threat.

Myanmar military and its love for power 

The crackdown on the pro-democracy movement is turning ugly. Two teenagers have been shot dead. They are the youngest civilians to get killed since the coup unfolded but the protests continue unabated.&nbsp;

At the same time, the junta has aired new allegations of bribery against Aung San Suu Kyi and it is investigating an Australian citizen for breaching Myanmar's Official Secrets Act.&nbsp;

14-year-old Tun Tun Ang went out to fetch some water for his family but he was shot dead in indiscriminate firing by security forces. His mother weeped uncontrollably and collapsed as an open-casket funeral was held.&nbsp;

Mother of deceased 14-year-old civilian Tun Tun Aung, said, "I said to him 'my son, you are so young. If you want to follow (the protest), I will accompany you and cheer you on', but now, this breaks my heart."&nbsp;

In a nearby township, another funeral was held as another teenager had died, 15-year-old Zaw Myo Htet, who was shot in the head at a tea shop. His mother is heart-broken and helpless. Mother of 15-year-old civilian Zaw Myo Htet, said, "It was known that my son had died from a gunshot at about 12 o'clock midnight on March 21. He said he will give his salary to me. He was supposed to come back to our village in April but now, he left me. I feel heartbroken by this military, as they brutally murdered my son. I want to kill them, as they killed my son. I want them to lose their lives like my own son did."&nbsp;

These two teenagers have become the youngest civilians to get killed since the February 1 coup. Their deaths have only strengthened the resolve of the protesters. &nbsp;

Meanwhile in Yangon, protesters released dozens of red balloons in defiance of the brutal crackdown.&nbsp;

In the city of Dawei, thousands of university students marched on the streets with one slogan 'our fight must prevail' and in Mandalay, the protesters are using slingshots to deal with bullets.&nbsp;

The determination of these protesters is catching the world's attention. The European Union has decided to sanction 11 more people involved in the coup.&nbsp;

Josep Borrell, European Union Minister for Foreign Affairs, said, "On Myanmar, we took stock of the situation in the country which sadly continues to deteriorate dramatically following the military coup. There are more than 250 people killed by the army using arms of war against the demonstrators. We have imposed sanctions against 11 individuals responsible for the ongoing repression."&nbsp;

Germany has decided to sanction those involved in the crackdown. German Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas, said, "Today, we will discuss Myanmar. What we are witnessing there in terms of violent excesses is absolutely unacceptable. The amount of murders has reached an unbearable level and that's why we won't be getting around imposing sanctions, but aimed at those in charge of what is happening on the streets."&nbsp;

But the sanctions might do little to stop the crackdown from targeting the people of Myanmar. The junta is now going after foreign citizens. It is investigating Australian Economist Sean Turnell for breaching the country's Official Secrets Act.&nbsp;

Turnell was once an advisor to the Myanmar govt. He is now under detention. So is the ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi. It's been seven weeks since anybody saw her. As concerns over Suu Kyi's health rise, the army has filed fresh charges of corruption against her.&nbsp;

At a press conference in Naypyitaw, the army aired a video testimony of Yangon's former chief minister, who claimed to have bribed Suu Kyi several times. Whether the video was shot under duress is anybody's guess.&nbsp;

Former Yangon chief minister, Phyo Min Thein, said, "I went into Aung San Suu Kyi's house carrying silk and food in shopping bags that also included 20 packs of 100 sheets of $100 notes per pack, which were $200,000 in total, and 25 gold bars, each of them 160 grams (0.35 lbs) of academy-branded gold bars totalling 4 kilograms (8.8 lbs) of gold by myself and I handed them to her own hands, telling her to use them for personal needs or for her party's victory or for the Daw Khin Kyi foundation or wherever needed."&nbsp;

51 days since the military coup, the turmoil in Myanmar is yet to end. The death toll has breached the 250 mark and the world needs to do more than just imposing sanctions.&nbsp;

The crackdown on the pro-democracy movement is turning ugly. Two teenagers have been shot dead. They are the youngest civilians to get killed since the coup unfolded but the protests continue unabated.

The crackdown on the pro-democracy movement is turning ugly. Two teenagers have been shot dead. They are the youngest civilians to get killed since the coup unfolded but the protests continue unabated. At the same time, the junta has aired new allegations of bribery against Aung San Suu Kyi and it is investigating an Australian citizen for breaching Myanmar's Official Secrets Act. 14-year-old Tun Tun Ang went out to fetch some water for his family but he was shot dead in indiscriminate firing by security forces. His mother weeped uncontrollably and collapsed as an open-casket funeral was held. Mother of deceased 14-year-old civilian Tun Tun Aung, said, "I said to him 'my son, you are so young. If you want to follow (the protest), I will accompany you and cheer you on', but now, this breaks my heart." In a nearby township, another funeral was held as another teenager had died, 15-year-old Zaw Myo Htet, who was shot in the head at a tea shop. His mother is heart-broken and helpless. Mother of 15-year-old civilian Zaw Myo Htet, said, "It was known that my son had died from a gunshot at about 12 o'clock midnight on March 21. He said he will give his salary to me. He was supposed to come back to our village in April but now, he left me. I feel heartbroken by this military, as they brutally murdered my son. I want to kill them, as they killed my son. I want them to lose their lives like my own son did." These two teenagers have become the youngest civilians to get killed since the February 1 coup. Their deaths have only strengthened the resolve of the protesters. Meanwhile in Yangon, protesters released dozens of red balloons in defiance of the brutal crackdown. In the city of Dawei, thousands of university students marched on the streets with one slogan 'our fight must prevail' and in Mandalay, the protesters are using slingshots to deal with bullets. The determination of these protesters is catching the world's attention. The European Union has decided to sanction 11 more people involved in the coup. Josep Borrell, European Union Minister for Foreign Affairs, said, "On Myanmar, we took stock of the situation in the country which sadly continues to deteriorate dramatically following the military coup. There are more than 250 people killed by the army using arms of war against the demonstrators. We have imposed sanctions against 11 individuals responsible for the ongoing repression." Germany has decided to sanction those involved in the crackdown. German Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas, said, "Today, we will discuss Myanmar. What we are witnessing there in terms of violent excesses is absolutely unacceptable. The amount of murders has reached an unbearable level and that's why we won't be getting around imposing sanctions, but aimed at those in charge of what is happening on the streets." But the sanctions might do little to stop the crackdown from targeting the people of Myanmar. The junta is now going after foreign citizens. It is investigating Australian Economist Sean Turnell for breaching the country's Official Secrets Act. Turnell was once an advisor to the Myanmar govt. He is now under detention. So is the ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi. It's been seven weeks since anybody saw her. As concerns over Suu Kyi's health rise, the army has filed fresh charges of corruption against her. At a press conference in Naypyitaw, the army aired a video testimony of Yangon's former chief minister, who claimed to have bribed Suu Kyi several times. Whether the video was shot under duress is anybody's guess. Former Yangon chief minister, Phyo Min Thein, said, "I went into Aung San Suu Kyi's house carrying silk and food in shopping bags that also included 20 packs of 100 sheets of $100 notes per pack, which were $200,000 in total, and 25 gold bars, each of them 160 grams (0.35 lbs) of academy-branded gold bars totalling 4 kilograms (8.8 lbs) of gold by myself and I handed them to her own hands, telling her to use them for personal needs or for her party's victory or for the Daw Khin Kyi foundation or wherever needed." 51 days since the military coup, the turmoil in Myanmar is yet to end. The death toll has breached the 250 mark and the world needs to do more than just imposing sanctions.

Myanmar crisis deepens with latest developments 

Italy's Neosperience has developed a way to detect Covid-19 infections by analysing a person's speech or cough, the software company said, sending its shares up more than 13% on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Neosperience President Dario Melpignano said the system, which detects sounds characteristic of the respiratory disease, was more than 80% accurate.&nbsp;

The project was developed with partners and by using artificial intelligence embedded in a cloud platform called Neosperience Health Cloud, which has already been used to analyse chest X-rays, the company said in a statement.&nbsp;

Neosperience's shares, listed on the Aim section of the Milan Bourse, were automatically suspended after rising 13.5% to 6.50 euros per share.&nbsp;

"It's just the beginning of a project that has incredible potential because the processing of this sort of data can be effectively used as a screening test," said Alessandro Nizardo Chailly, the chief executive of Neosperience's partner Capsula.&nbsp;

The recording and analysis model could help to detect and diagnose a wide range of pathogens, added Capsula's scientific adviser Giuseppe Andreoni.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Italy's Neosperience has developed a way to detect Covid-19 infections by analysing a person's speech or cough, the software company said, sending its shares up more than 13% on Tuesday.

Italy's Neosperience has developed a way to detect Covid-19 infections by analysing a person's speech or cough, the software company said, sending its shares up more than 13% on Tuesday. Neosperience President Dario Melpignano said the system, which detects sounds characteristic of the respiratory disease, was more than 80% accurate. The project was developed with partners and by using artificial intelligence embedded in a cloud platform called Neosperience Health Cloud, which has already been used to analyse chest X-rays, the company said in a statement. Neosperience's shares, listed on the Aim section of the Milan Bourse, were automatically suspended after rising 13.5% to 6.50 euros per share. "It's just the beginning of a project that has incredible potential because the processing of this sort of data can be effectively used as a screening test," said Alessandro Nizardo Chailly, the chief executive of Neosperience's partner Capsula. The recording and analysis model could help to detect and diagnose a wide range of pathogens, added Capsula's scientific adviser Giuseppe Andreoni. (With inputs from agencies)

Italy's software company finds way to detect Covid-19 from sound 

Pakistan will receive its first purchase of over&nbsp;one&nbsp;million doses of Chinese Sinopharm and&nbsp;CanSino&nbsp;Covid-19 vaccines by the end of March, the minister in charge of pandemic operations&nbsp;said&nbsp;on Tuesday.&nbsp;

This will be the first consignment of Covid-19 vaccines the Pakistani government has purchased from any manufacturer for its 220 million people. Pakistan has previously relied on donations and on allocations from the World Health&nbsp;Organisation-backed COVAX scheme for poorer nations.&nbsp;

"We have purchased one million and 60,000 doses of Sinopharm and&nbsp;CanSino&nbsp;vaccines," Asad Umar said. "We will be receiving the consignment before the end of March."&nbsp;

He said the government was in talks with the same companies to purchase a further seven million doses of the vaccines.&nbsp;

"We want them to deliver that seven million by the end of April, but they have not confirmed this yet. They might have some supply issues," Umar added.&nbsp;

Pakistan is currently vaccinating frontline healthcare workers and citizens over the age of 60 free of charge using Sinopharm doses donated by China.&nbsp;

The South Asian country has recently experienced a sharp rise in Covid-19 infections.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Pakistan will receive its first purchase of over one million doses of Chinese Sinopharm and CanSino Covid-19 vaccines by the end of March, the minister in charge of pandemic operations said on Tuesday.

Pakistan will receive its first purchase of over one million doses of Chinese Sinopharm and CanSino Covid-19 vaccines by the end of March, the minister in charge of pandemic operations said on Tuesday. This will be the first consignment of Covid-19 vaccines the Pakistani government has purchased from any manufacturer for its 220 million people. Pakistan has previously relied on donations and on allocations from the World Health Organisation-backed COVAX scheme for poorer nations. "We have purchased one million and 60,000 doses of Sinopharm and CanSino vaccines," Asad Umar said. "We will be receiving the consignment before the end of March." He said the government was in talks with the same companies to purchase a further seven million doses of the vaccines. "We want them to deliver that seven million by the end of April, but they have not confirmed this yet. They might have some supply issues," Umar added. Pakistan is currently vaccinating frontline healthcare workers and citizens over the age of 60 free of charge using Sinopharm doses donated by China. The South Asian country has recently experienced a sharp rise in Covid-19 infections. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan to receive first purchase of over 1 mn doses of Chinese vaccines

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Gandharv Walia

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