5 Facts about Black Holes We Bet You Didn't Know

Black Hole week started on May 6 and will go on till May 10. During this period, scientists and astronomy enthusiasts across the world have been sharing news, videos, and social media posts about black holes. According to NASA, a black hole is the most mysterious cosmic object which has been vastly studied but never fully understood. Here are five facts about black holes that will blow your mind.

Fact 1: Millions, Quintillions of Black Holes

There are millions of black holes in our Milky Way galaxy and around 40 quintillion in the entire universe. Till now, scientists have only discovered a few black holes. These objects are millions, perhaps billions of light years away from us. The closest known black hole to Earth is Gaia BH1- around 1,600 light years away. But this is still a humongous distance.

Black holes have extreme gravity and nothing can escape them, not even light.

Fact 3: What Happens if You Fall into a Black Hole?

This scenario is not realistic and only happens in space movies or shows. But if it were to happen, you would get sucked into a black hole and never escape it.

Black holes are categorised into four types - Primordial, Stellar-mass, Intermediate-mass, and Supermassive black holes.

Scientists have said that TON-618 is the biggest black hole in the universe with a mass of 66 billion solar masses. However, unverified claims by astronomy enthusiasts suggest that Phoenix-A is the largest black hole with a mass of 100 billion suns.

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<p>On January 16, American entrepreneur and Republican&nbsp;Vivek Ramaswamy dropped out of the upcoming United States (US) presidential elections, endorsing Donald Trump for the top post.&nbsp;Ramaswamy, 38, had been one of the surprises of the Republican race.&nbsp;In recent times, he has&nbsp;secured himself a spot in the&nbsp;party's&nbsp;politics with his youthful demeanour, deep pockets, and fast-talking pugnacious campaigning.</p>

<p>In a recent episode of his podcast,&nbsp;"Truth with Vivek Ramaswamy,"&nbsp;American author Ann Coulter told Ramaswamy why she would not have voted for him if he was contesting the presidential elections.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vivek-ramaswamy-quits-2024-us-presidential-race-who-is-the-republican-680422">Who is Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican who exited 2024 US presidential race?</a></strong></p>

<p>“I&nbsp;agreed with many, many things you said.. in fact probably more than most other candidates when you were running for president.. but I still would not have voted for you because&nbsp;you’re&nbsp;an Indian...,”&nbsp;Coulter told&nbsp;Ramswamy,&nbsp;while she called the 38-year-old bright and articulate.</p>

<h2><strong>Ramaswamy reacts to&nbsp;author's&nbsp;remark</strong></h2>

<p>In a post on X, Ramaswamy said on Wednesday (May 8) that he disagreed with&nbsp;Coulter's&nbsp;"...because&nbsp;you're&nbsp;an Indian...,"&nbsp;remark but respected the fact that she had the guts to speak her mind.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Vivek’s response to Coulter here:<a href="https://t.co/ykPMKyPFkj">https://t.co/ykPMKyPFkj</a></p>
— News Nomad 🗞 (@The_Nomad_News) <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Nomad_News/status/1788274144687349934?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>"Ann Coulter&nbsp;told me flat-out to my face that she&nbsp;couldn’t&nbsp;vote for me 'because&nbsp;you’re&nbsp;an Indian,'&nbsp;even though she agreed with me more than most other candidates. I disagree with her but respect she had the guts to speak her mind. It was a riveting hour. The TRUTH podcast is back,"&nbsp;the 38-year-old said.</p>

<h2><strong>Social media praises&nbsp;Ramaswamy</strong></h2>

<p>Several users on X were all praise for Ramaswamy.<strong>&nbsp;"</strong>Vivek maintained composure and worked to find any common ground with Coulter. Masterclass on how to be unoffendable,"&nbsp;X user News Nomad wrote on the microblogging site.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Donald Trump campaigns with Vivek Ramaswamy, praises him for 'good job'</strong></p>

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<p>"We all support you&nbsp;Vivek&nbsp;and&nbsp;hope to see you as Vice President or in some other position,"&nbsp;user Philip Anderson said.&nbsp;"I mean,&nbsp;she's&nbsp;being honest.&nbsp;I'll&nbsp;give her that. But I&nbsp;don't&nbsp;respect racism, Vivek,"&nbsp;another user said in a post.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Some users also supported the idea of Ramaswamy becoming the vice president if the Republicans won the presidential elections.&nbsp;</p>


On January 16, American entrepreneur and Republican Vivek Ramaswamy dropped out of the upcoming United States (US) presidential elections, endorsing Donald Trump for the top post.

On January 16, American entrepreneur and Republican Vivek Ramaswamy dropped out of the upcoming United States (US) presidential elections, endorsing Donald Trump for the top post. Ramaswamy, 38, had been one of the surprises of the Republican race. In recent times, he has secured himself a spot in the party's politics with his youthful demeanour, deep pockets, and fast-talking pugnacious campaigning. In a recent episode of his podcast, "Truth with Vivek Ramaswamy," American author Ann Coulter told Ramaswamy why she would not have voted for him if he was contesting the presidential elections. Also read | Who is Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican who exited 2024 US presidential race? “I agreed with many, many things you said.. in fact probably more than most other candidates when you were running for president.. but I still would not have voted for you because you’re an Indian...,” Coulter told Ramswamy, while she called the 38-year-old bright and articulate. Ramaswamy reacts to author's remark In a post on X, Ramaswamy said on Wednesday (May 8) that he disagreed with Coulter's "...because you're an Indian...," remark but respected the fact that she had the guts to speak her mind. Vivek’s response to Coulter here:https://t.co/ykPMKyPFkj — News Nomad 🗞 (@The_Nomad_News) May 8, 2024 × "Ann Coulter told me flat-out to my face that she couldn’t vote for me 'because you’re an Indian,' even though she agreed with me more than most other candidates. I disagree with her but respect she had the guts to speak her mind. It was a riveting hour. The TRUTH podcast is back," the 38-year-old said. Social media praises Ramaswamy Several users on X were all praise for Ramaswamy. "Vivek maintained composure and worked to find any common ground with Coulter. Masterclass on how to be unoffendable," X user News Nomad wrote on the microblogging site. Also watch | Donald Trump campaigns with Vivek Ramaswamy, praises him for 'good job' × "We all support you Vivek and hope to see you as Vice President or in some other position," user Philip Anderson said. "I mean, she's being honest. I'll give her that. But I don't respect racism, Vivek," another user said in a post. Some users also supported the idea of Ramaswamy becoming the vice president if the Republicans won the presidential elections.

Support pours out for Vivek Ramaswamy after US author's 'you're Indian' comment

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<p>Russian President Vladimir Putin, who began his fifth term as president on Tuesday (May 7), has proposed&nbsp;reappointing Mikhail&nbsp;Mishustin as the country's prime minister. On Friday (May 10),&nbsp;the speaker of the Duma (the lower house of parliament), Vyacheslav Volodin, said in a post on Telegram that Putin "submitted to the State Duma a proposal on the candidacy of Mikhail Vladimirovich&nbsp;Mishustin&nbsp;for the post of Chairman of the Government."</p>

<p>"Today, deputies will make a responsible decision on behalf of their constituents on this issue," Volodin said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Mishutin, 58, was appointed&nbsp;as&nbsp;prime minister in January 2020 and has been&nbsp;serving&nbsp;in the top position since then.&nbsp;A report by the news agency Reuters said that along with other members of the Russian elite,&nbsp;Mishustin has&nbsp;been targeted&nbsp;by Western sanctions over Russia's war in Ukraine.</p>

<h2><strong>Who is&nbsp;Mikhail </strong>Mishustin<strong>?</strong></h2>

<p>Mikhail Mishustin was born on March 3, 1966. The 58-year-old comes across&nbsp;as a confident communicator, often seen on television fielding pointed questions from Putin on government tasks and deadlines.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vladimir-putin-begins-fifth-term-as-russian-president-after-grand-inauguration-ceremony-718932">Vladimir Putin begins fifth term as Russian president after grand inauguration ceremony</a></strong></p>

<p>He was appointed by Putin&nbsp;as PM in January 2020,&nbsp;replacing Dmitry Medvedev.&nbsp;Before becoming the prime minister, Mishustin headed Russia's federal tax service,&nbsp;where he&nbsp;was credited&nbsp;with more than doubling revenues&nbsp;during his decade in charge.</p>

<p>His tenure as PM has been dominated by the Covid pandemic and the Ukraine war.&nbsp;Reuters reported that the 58-year-old was&nbsp;named the head of a new Coordination Council in October 2022 to work with regional leaders and industry&nbsp;to better supply the armed forces&nbsp;and improve medical and logistical support.</p>

<p>Having no background in security services, Mishustin is not part of the so-called siloviki (strongmen) faction of intelligence veterans&nbsp;who are&nbsp;close to Putin.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>'My govt faced very complicated conditions'</strong></h2>

<p>In his annual report to Parliament last month, Mishustin said that his government faced&nbsp;"very complicated" conditions but succeeded in adapting Russia's economy to Western sanctions and delivering on targets set by President Putin.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Putin announces he will visit China next month</strong></p>

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<p>Duma Speaker&nbsp;Volodin also said on Friday that&nbsp;Mishustin, who would speak in the Duma before the vote,&nbsp;must answer how he will solve many tasks set by Putin for the government, including increasing the defence capability of Russia.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Russian President Vladimir Putin, who began his fifth term as president on Tuesday (May 7), has proposed reappointing Mikhail Mishustin as the country's prime minister.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who began his fifth term as president on Tuesday (May 7), has proposed reappointing Mikhail Mishustin as the country's prime minister. On Friday (May 10), the speaker of the Duma (the lower house of parliament), Vyacheslav Volodin, said in a post on Telegram that Putin "submitted to the State Duma a proposal on the candidacy of Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin for the post of Chairman of the Government." "Today, deputies will make a responsible decision on behalf of their constituents on this issue," Volodin said. Mishutin, 58, was appointed as prime minister in January 2020 and has been serving in the top position since then. A report by the news agency Reuters said that along with other members of the Russian elite, Mishustin has been targeted by Western sanctions over Russia's war in Ukraine. Who is Mikhail Mishustin? Mikhail Mishustin was born on March 3, 1966. The 58-year-old comes across as a confident communicator, often seen on television fielding pointed questions from Putin on government tasks and deadlines. Also read | Vladimir Putin begins fifth term as Russian president after grand inauguration ceremony He was appointed by Putin as PM in January 2020, replacing Dmitry Medvedev. Before becoming the prime minister, Mishustin headed Russia's federal tax service, where he was credited with more than doubling revenues during his decade in charge. His tenure as PM has been dominated by the Covid pandemic and the Ukraine war. Reuters reported that the 58-year-old was named the head of a new Coordination Council in October 2022 to work with regional leaders and industry to better supply the armed forces and improve medical and logistical support. Having no background in security services, Mishustin is not part of the so-called siloviki (strongmen) faction of intelligence veterans who are close to Putin. 'My govt faced very complicated conditions' In his annual report to Parliament last month, Mishustin said that his government faced "very complicated" conditions but succeeded in adapting Russia's economy to Western sanctions and delivering on targets set by President Putin. Also watch | Putin announces he will visit China next month × Duma Speaker Volodin also said on Friday that Mishustin, who would speak in the Duma before the vote, must answer how he will solve many tasks set by Putin for the government, including increasing the defence capability of Russia. (With inputs from agencies)

Putin proposes reappointing Mikhail Mishustin as Russian PM. Who is he?

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuid5TcbXwFNtZHy" />A homeless woman in the US state of Michigan was living inside the rooftop sign of a store&nbsp;with enough space for a computer, printer and coffee maker, according to police.</p>

<p>The woman, 34, has not been identified yet, the news agency Associated Press reported late Thursday (May 9). The report said that contractors curious about an extension cord on the roof of the Family Fare store in Midland made the startling discovery of the woman living inside the rooftop sign on April 23.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Officer Brennon Warren of the Midland Police Department said on Thursday,&nbsp;"She was homeless.&nbsp;It’s&nbsp;a story that makes you scratch your head, just somebody living up in a sign."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/thieves-stole-35000-pokemon-cards-but-didnt-catchem-all-686331">Thieves stole 35,000 Pokemon cards from store but didn't quite 'catch'em all'</a></strong></p>

<p>According to Warren, the woman told the police that she had a job elsewhere but had been living inside&nbsp;the Family Fare sign for roughly a year.</p>

<h2><strong>A look at the rooftop sign</strong></h2>

<p>The triangle-shaped rooftop sign is probably&nbsp;1.5 metres&nbsp;wide and 2.4 metres&nbsp;high, has a door and is accessible from the roof,&nbsp;Warren said.</p>

<p>"There was some flooring that&nbsp;was laid down. A mini desk.&nbsp;Her&nbsp;clothing. A Keurig coffee maker. A printer and a computer — things&nbsp;you’d&nbsp;have in your home,"&nbsp;the officer said,&nbsp;adding that&nbsp;the woman was able to get electricity through a power cord&nbsp;plugged into an outlet on the roof.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch | Rat remains found in Japanese bread, over 100,000 packets of bread recalled</strong></p>

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<p>It is unknown how the 34-year-old&nbsp;made her way&nbsp;to the roof, as there was no sign of a ladder.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Warren said&nbsp;it&nbsp;was possible the woman made her way to the roof by climbing up elsewhere behind the store or other retail businesses.</p>

<p>“I&nbsp;honestly&nbsp;don’t&nbsp;know how she was getting up there. She&nbsp;didn’t&nbsp;indicate, either,”&nbsp;the officer said.</p>

<p>He also pointed out that the woman was&nbsp;cooperative,&nbsp;and&nbsp;quickly agreed to leave, and&nbsp;no charges were pressed.</p>

<h2><strong>Store reacts to discovery on&nbsp;rooftop</strong></h2>

<p>SpartanNash, the parent company of Family Fare, reacted to the startling discovery. A spokesperson from SpartanNash said that store employees&nbsp;responded&nbsp;“with the utmost compassion and professionalism.”</p>

<p>“Ensuring&nbsp;there is&nbsp;ample safe, affordable housing continues to be a widespread issue nationwide that our community needs to partner in solving,”&nbsp;the spokesperson added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A homeless woman in the US state of Michigan was living inside the rooftop sign of a store with enough space for a computer, printer and coffee maker, according to police.

A homeless woman in the US state of Michigan was living inside the rooftop sign of a store with enough space for a computer, printer and coffee maker, according to police. The woman, 34, has not been identified yet, the news agency Associated Press reported late Thursday (May 9). The report said that contractors curious about an extension cord on the roof of the Family Fare store in Midland made the startling discovery of the woman living inside the rooftop sign on April 23. Officer Brennon Warren of the Midland Police Department said on Thursday, "She was homeless. It’s a story that makes you scratch your head, just somebody living up in a sign." Also read | Thieves stole 35,000 Pokemon cards from store but didn't quite 'catch'em all' According to Warren, the woman told the police that she had a job elsewhere but had been living inside the Family Fare sign for roughly a year. A look at the rooftop sign The triangle-shaped rooftop sign is probably 1.5 metres wide and 2.4 metres high, has a door and is accessible from the roof, Warren said. "There was some flooring that was laid down. A mini desk. Her clothing. A Keurig coffee maker. A printer and a computer — things you’d have in your home," the officer said, adding that the woman was able to get electricity through a power cord plugged into an outlet on the roof. Also watch | Rat remains found in Japanese bread, over 100,000 packets of bread recalled × It is unknown how the 34-year-old made her way to the roof, as there was no sign of a ladder. Warren said it was possible the woman made her way to the roof by climbing up elsewhere behind the store or other retail businesses. “I honestly don’t know how she was getting up there. She didn’t indicate, either,” the officer said. He also pointed out that the woman was cooperative, and quickly agreed to leave, and no charges were pressed. Store reacts to discovery on rooftop SpartanNash, the parent company of Family Fare, reacted to the startling discovery. A spokesperson from SpartanNash said that store employees responded “with the utmost compassion and professionalism.” “Ensuring there is ample safe, affordable housing continues to be a widespread issue nationwide that our community needs to partner in solving,” the spokesperson added. (With inputs from agencies)

Startling discovery: Homeless US woman lived inside rooftop store sign with computer, printer

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<p>Iran on Thursday (May 9) released five Indian sailors on board an Israeli-linked vessel which Tehran had seized on April 13. The ship, MSC Aries, was seized by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps&nbsp;near the Strait of Hormuz. The crew (onboard the&nbsp;ship) included 17 Indians. One of the members safely returned to India&nbsp;and&nbsp;the other five would&nbsp;be back&nbsp;home soon. The Indian foreign ministry said&nbsp;that the&nbsp;remaining crew would be released once&nbsp;their contractual obligations were accomplished.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Israel on Thursday&nbsp;bombarded areas of the Gaza Strip's Rafah. This development came as United States (US) President Joe Biden&nbsp;issued his starkest warning yet against a full ground invasion of Rafah.</p>

<p>In other news from around the world, police fatally shot a US Air Force airman outside his home in&nbsp;Florida. Senior Airman&nbsp;Roger Fortson was shot dead on May 3.&nbsp;The&nbsp;body camera footage from a deputy sheriff who shot the airman was publicly released by the police.</p>

<p><strong>Click on the headlines to read more:</strong></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-releases-5-indian-sailors-from-seized-ship-719905"><strong>Iran releases 5 Indian sailors from seized ship</strong></a></p>

<p><img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/05/10/430492-untitled-design-8.png?imwidth=400" /></p>

<p>Five Indian sailors on board an Israeli-linked vessel which was seized by Tehran were released on Thursday (May 9) and have departed from Iran, said the Indian embassy in Iran. While sharing the details of their release, the Indian Embassy thanked the Iranian authorities for their coordination with the Embassy and Indian Consulate in Bandar Abbas.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/despite-bidens-warning-israel-continues-its-invasion-of-rafah-kills-over-15-in-airstrikes-719878"><strong>Despite Biden's warning, Israel continues its invasion of Rafah, kills over 15 in airstrikes</strong></a></p>

<p><img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/05/10/430475-new-wion-2024-05-10t054003175.jpg?imwidth=400" /></p>

<p>Just a day after US President Joe Biden issued his starkest warning yet against a full ground invasion in Rafah, Israel on Thursday (May 9) bombarded areas of the populous city.&nbsp;This comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed Biden's threat to withhold weapons from his country if it assaults the Southern Gaza City.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-airman-fatally-shot-by-police-in-florida-719888"><strong>US Airman fatally shot by police in Florida</strong></a></p>

<p><img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/05/10/430481-untitled-design-7.png?imwidth=400" /></p>

<p>The body camera footage from a deputy sheriff who fatally shot a US Air Force member at his home has been publically released by the Florida police. Twenty-three-year-old&nbsp;&nbsp;Senior Airman Roger Fortson was taken to a hospital where he died, according to the officials.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/elon-musks-neuralink-human-trial-hits-snag-as-brain-chip-begins-to-detach-719880"><strong>Human trial of Elon Musk's Neuralink hits snag as brain chip begins to detach</strong></a></p>

<p><img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/05/10/430476-new-wion-2024-05-10t054702431.jpg?imwidth=400" /></p>

<p>Elon Musk's Neuralink has faced a significant challenge with its first attempt to implant a chip in the&nbsp;human brain. On Wednesday (May 8) the company revealed that its device had started detaching from the patient's brain.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Human trial of Elon Musk's Neuralink hits snag as brain chip begins to detach</strong></p>

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Iran on Thursday (May 9) released five Indian sailors on board an Israeli-linked vessel which Tehran had seized on April 13. The ship, MSC Aries, was seized by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps near the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran on Thursday (May 9) released five Indian sailors on board an Israeli-linked vessel which Tehran had seized on April 13. The ship, MSC Aries, was seized by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps near the Strait of Hormuz. The crew (onboard the ship) included 17 Indians. One of the members safely returned to India and the other five would be back home soon. The Indian foreign ministry said that the remaining crew would be released once their contractual obligations were accomplished. Israel on Thursday bombarded areas of the Gaza Strip's Rafah. This development came as United States (US) President Joe Biden issued his starkest warning yet against a full ground invasion of Rafah. In other news from around the world, police fatally shot a US Air Force airman outside his home in Florida. Senior Airman Roger Fortson was shot dead on May 3. The body camera footage from a deputy sheriff who shot the airman was publicly released by the police. Click on the headlines to read more: Iran releases 5 Indian sailors from seized ship Five Indian sailors on board an Israeli-linked vessel which was seized by Tehran were released on Thursday (May 9) and have departed from Iran, said the Indian embassy in Iran. While sharing the details of their release, the Indian Embassy thanked the Iranian authorities for their coordination with the Embassy and Indian Consulate in Bandar Abbas. Despite Biden's warning, Israel continues its invasion of Rafah, kills over 15 in airstrikes Just a day after US President Joe Biden issued his starkest warning yet against a full ground invasion in Rafah, Israel on Thursday (May 9) bombarded areas of the populous city. This comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed Biden's threat to withhold weapons from his country if it assaults the Southern Gaza City. US Airman fatally shot by police in Florida The body camera footage from a deputy sheriff who fatally shot a US Air Force member at his home has been publically released by the Florida police. Twenty-three-year-old Senior Airman Roger Fortson was taken to a hospital where he died, according to the officials. Human trial of Elon Musk's Neuralink hits snag as brain chip begins to detach Elon Musk's Neuralink has faced a significant challenge with its first attempt to implant a chip in the human brain. On Wednesday (May 8) the company revealed that its device had started detaching from the patient's brain. Watch | Human trial of Elon Musk's Neuralink hits snag as brain chip begins to detach ×

Morning brief: Iran releases 5 Indian sailors from Israeli-linked ship it seized; Gaza war updates; and more

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<p>Chinese billionaire&nbsp;Hui Qin, who&nbsp;pleaded guilty&nbsp;to funnelling illegal straw donations to&nbsp;politicians’&nbsp;campaigns in the United States,&nbsp;was sentenced to prison for seven months and quickly left the country as part of his deal with prosecutors to forfeit his green card.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Qin, 56, a Chinese film magnate, appeared in a federal court in&nbsp;Central Islip, New York, and was awarded the prison sentence.</p>

<p>Qin's&nbsp;lawyer&nbsp;Henry&nbsp;Mazurek&nbsp;said&nbsp;that his client&nbsp;later was&nbsp;taken to an airport and boarded a plane to an undisclosed location.&nbsp;“I have no doubts that he will soon regain prominence in international business, and he has a good future ahead of him,”&nbsp;Mazurek told the Associated Press news agency.</p>

<p>Qin had been in a jail in Brooklyn since his arrest in October last year.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>The crimes</strong></h2>

<p>In March, Qin pleaded guilty to&nbsp;illegally making campaign contributions in the names of others, immigration fraud and production of a false identification document. The Chinese billionaire&nbsp;admitted using his fortune to recruit and reimburse people who made political donations on his behalf.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vietnamese-billionaire-sentenced-to-death-in-in-12-billion-fraud-case-710131">Female billionaire sentenced to death for multi-billion dollar fraud in Vietnam</a></strong></p>

<p>Federal prosecutors never named the politicians whose campaigns received the straw donations. They pointed out that the straw donors contributed about $11,600 to the campaigns on&nbsp;Qin’s&nbsp;behalf without the&nbsp;campaigns’&nbsp;knowledge.</p>

<p>In a statement, US attorney Breon&nbsp;Peace's&nbsp;office said,&nbsp;"Qin’s&nbsp;brazen flouting of our political and immigration systems, and his defrauding government agencies resulted in a felony conviction, prison sentence and today, his removal from the United States."</p>

<h2><strong>Qin&nbsp;was included&nbsp;on the Forbes list of&nbsp;billionaires</strong></h2>

<p>The 56-year-old&nbsp;was previously included&nbsp;on the&nbsp;Forbes list of billionaires, with an estimated net worth of&nbsp;$1.8 billion from his stake in film and entertainment companies.&nbsp;Citing campaign finance records, the Associated Press report said that&nbsp;Qin donated $2,000 to the campaign of Eric&nbsp;Adams, the current New York mayor, in March 2021.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Under the&nbsp;city’s&nbsp;campaign finance rules, green card holders can contribute to races and participate in the&nbsp;city’s&nbsp;generous matching funds programme, which caps donations at $2,100.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Wealth tax gains traction as billionaires' fortunes soar</strong></p>

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<p>A lawyer for the mayor said his client had no knowledge of the scheme.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Nine months after the donation to Adams, federal prosecutors said Qin began working&nbsp;“to find individuals to make more than $10,000 in straw donor contributions”&nbsp;to a New York City candidate who&nbsp;was not identified.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prosecutors added that at least one person&nbsp;donated $1,000 on&nbsp;Qin’s&nbsp;behalf on December&nbsp;9.&nbsp;The following day, the billionaire spoke with an unnamed co-conspirator, who told him they expected to be able to obtain up to $20,000 in straw donor contributions for the candidate.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Chinese billionaire Hui Qin, who pleaded guilty to funnelling illegal straw donations to politicians’ campaigns in the United States, was sentenced to prison for seven months and quickly left the country as part of his deal with prosecutors to forfeit his green card.

Chinese billionaire Hui Qin, who pleaded guilty to funnelling illegal straw donations to politicians’ campaigns in the United States, was sentenced to prison for seven months and quickly left the country as part of his deal with prosecutors to forfeit his green card. Qin, 56, a Chinese film magnate, appeared in a federal court in Central Islip, New York, and was awarded the prison sentence. Qin's lawyer Henry Mazurek said that his client later was taken to an airport and boarded a plane to an undisclosed location. “I have no doubts that he will soon regain prominence in international business, and he has a good future ahead of him,” Mazurek told the Associated Press news agency. Qin had been in a jail in Brooklyn since his arrest in October last year. The crimes In March, Qin pleaded guilty to illegally making campaign contributions in the names of others, immigration fraud and production of a false identification document. The Chinese billionaire admitted using his fortune to recruit and reimburse people who made political donations on his behalf. Also read | Female billionaire sentenced to death for multi-billion dollar fraud in Vietnam Federal prosecutors never named the politicians whose campaigns received the straw donations. They pointed out that the straw donors contributed about $11,600 to the campaigns on Qin’s behalf without the campaigns’ knowledge. In a statement, US attorney Breon Peace's office said, "Qin’s brazen flouting of our political and immigration systems, and his defrauding government agencies resulted in a felony conviction, prison sentence and today, his removal from the United States." Qin was included on the Forbes list of billionaires The 56-year-old was previously included on the Forbes list of billionaires, with an estimated net worth of $1.8 billion from his stake in film and entertainment companies. Citing campaign finance records, the Associated Press report said that Qin donated $2,000 to the campaign of Eric Adams, the current New York mayor, in March 2021. Under the city’s campaign finance rules, green card holders can contribute to races and participate in the city’s generous matching funds programme, which caps donations at $2,100. Also watch | Wealth tax gains traction as billionaires' fortunes soar × A lawyer for the mayor said his client had no knowledge of the scheme. Nine months after the donation to Adams, federal prosecutors said Qin began working “to find individuals to make more than $10,000 in straw donor contributions” to a New York City candidate who was not identified. Prosecutors added that at least one person donated $1,000 on Qin’s behalf on December 9. The following day, the billionaire spoke with an unnamed co-conspirator, who told him they expected to be able to obtain up to $20,000 in straw donor contributions for the candidate. (With inputs from agencies)

Chinese billionaire Hui Qin sentenced to jail by US court, taken to undisclosed location

<p>The death toll from severe flooding in southern&nbsp;Brazil&nbsp;has risen to 107, civil defense said on Thursday, as rescue operations continued and authorities began to see the cost of recovering from the devastation in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.</p>

<p>In a dramatic symbol of the disaster, rescuers saved a horsethat had been trapped precariously for two days on a rooftop in a badly flooded town.</p>

<p>More rains are forecast in the coming days, raising fears that water levels will rise further in the inundated state capital of Porto Alegre and nearby town where streets have turned into rivers.</p>

<p>At least 136 people are still missing and more than 165,000 have been displaced from flooded homes and rescued by boats and helicopters.</p>

<p>Television images showed the horse straddling the roof of a farmhouse on the outskirts of Canoas, a town north of Porto Alegre. The animal was secured by firemen and loaded into a Zodiac inflatable boat to take it to safety.</p>

<p>The floods have destroyed infrastructure and bridges, blocking access to Porto Alegre, where supermarket shelves are empty and looting has been reported at night.</p>

<p>Governor Eduardo Leite said initial calculations indicate that Rio Grande do Sul will need at least 19 billion reais ($3.68 billion) to rebuild from the damage, which has extended into farm areas around the capital.</p>

<p>"The effect of the floods and the extent of the tragedy are devastating," he said on social media.</p>

<p>In Brasilia, the federal government estimated the fiscal impact of the flooding at 7.7 billion reais ($1.49 billion), mostly due to the injection of funds into a support program for small businesses hit by the floods.</p>

<p>"This doesn't end here," President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said at an event announcing steps to help the stricken state. Lula said the full extent of Rio Grande do Sul's needs would be known only when the water recedes.</p>


The death toll from severe flooding in southern Brazil has risen to 107, civil defense said on Thursday, as rescue operations continued and authorities began to see the cost of recovering from the devastation in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.

The death toll from severe flooding in southern Brazil has risen to 107, civil defense said on Thursday, as rescue operations continued and authorities began to see the cost of recovering from the devastation in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. In a dramatic symbol of the disaster, rescuers saved a horsethat had been trapped precariously for two days on a rooftop in a badly flooded town. More rains are forecast in the coming days, raising fears that water levels will rise further in the inundated state capital of Porto Alegre and nearby town where streets have turned into rivers. At least 136 people are still missing and more than 165,000 have been displaced from flooded homes and rescued by boats and helicopters. Television images showed the horse straddling the roof of a farmhouse on the outskirts of Canoas, a town north of Porto Alegre. The animal was secured by firemen and loaded into a Zodiac inflatable boat to take it to safety. The floods have destroyed infrastructure and bridges, blocking access to Porto Alegre, where supermarket shelves are empty and looting has been reported at night. Governor Eduardo Leite said initial calculations indicate that Rio Grande do Sul will need at least 19 billion reais ($3.68 billion) to rebuild from the damage, which has extended into farm areas around the capital. "The effect of the floods and the extent of the tragedy are devastating," he said on social media. In Brasilia, the federal government estimated the fiscal impact of the flooding at 7.7 billion reais ($1.49 billion), mostly due to the injection of funds into a support program for small businesses hit by the floods. "This doesn't end here," President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said at an event announcing steps to help the stricken state. Lula said the full extent of Rio Grande do Sul's needs would be known only when the water recedes.

Deaths in Brazil floods rise to 107, horse rescued from rooftop

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<p>Authorities in Russia's&nbsp;Bashkortostan said on Thursday (May 9) that a drone attacked an oil refinery in Bashkortostan, the first such reported case&nbsp;in the region since the Ukraine war began in late February 2022.</p>

<p>According to a report by The Moscow Times,&nbsp;Bashkortostan's head&nbsp;Radiy&nbsp;Khabirov&nbsp;said&nbsp;that the drone attacked the industrial zone of&nbsp;Salavat city at 1 pm local time, following which there was smoke at one of the installations of&nbsp;Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat (the oil refinery).</p>

<p>Khabirov said that&nbsp;Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat was operating as&nbsp;normal&nbsp;despite the attack,&nbsp;adding&nbsp;that&nbsp;emergency services and law enforcement agencies were at the scene. Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat is Russia's 10th largest oil refinery&nbsp;with&nbsp;a capacity of 10 million metric tonnes of oil per year.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-war-zelensky-sacks-security-chief-after-failed-assassination-plot-719960">Ukraine war: Zelensky sacks security chief after failed assassination plot</a></strong></p>

<p>It&nbsp;is not yet known&nbsp;where&nbsp;the drone came from, the report said.</p>

<h2><strong>Was Ukraine behind the attack?</strong></h2>

<p>However, an official from Ukraine’s special services&nbsp;told The New York Times on Thursday that Kyiv was behind the attack. The official, who chose to remain anonymous, added that Ukraine was also behind&nbsp;two other drone strikes overnight that hit oil depots in Russia’s Krasnodar region.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Bashkortostan&nbsp;is located&nbsp;around&nbsp;1,500 kilometres from the border with Ukraine.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">/4. The distance of 1300km from the frontline makes an attack on Salavat oil refinery the farthest Ukrainian drone attack on Russian targets. The previous record holder was an attack on Nizhnekamsk oil refinery and Shahed factory, 1100-1150km <a href="https://t.co/eCmTvh8pa8">https://t.co/eCmTvh8pa8</a></p>
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) <a href="https://twitter.com/bayraktar_1love/status/1788497336173289528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Thursday's attack came as drone&nbsp;attacks on energy facilities inside Russia's territory have become more frequent in the past few months. Ukraine has said that while its attacks do not target civilians, destroying Russia's military, transport and energy infrastructure undermines Moscow's overall war efforts.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;EU proposes first sanctions on Russian LNG amid Ukraine war</strong></p>

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<p>Meanwhile, on Friday, a&nbsp;Ukraine&nbsp;drone&nbsp;attack set an oil refinery in Russia's Kaluga region on fire, RIA state news agency reported on Friday&nbsp;citing&nbsp;emergency services. As per the report,&nbsp;three containers with diesel fuel and one with fuel oil&nbsp;were consumed&nbsp;by the fire at the Pervyi Zavod refinery.</p>

<p>Kaluga's Governor&nbsp;Vladislav Shapsha said&nbsp;that&nbsp;there were no casualties in the attack,&nbsp;adding,&nbsp;the fire was promptly extinguished.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Authorities in Russia's Bashkortostan said on Thursday (May 9) that a drone attacked an oil refinery in Bashkortostan, the first such reported case in the region since the Ukraine war began in late February 2022.

Authorities in Russia's Bashkortostan said on Thursday (May 9) that a drone attacked an oil refinery in Bashkortostan, the first such reported case in the region since the Ukraine war began in late February 2022. According to a report by The Moscow Times, Bashkortostan's head Radiy Khabirov said that the drone attacked the industrial zone of Salavat city at 1 pm local time, following which there was smoke at one of the installations of Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat (the oil refinery). Khabirov said that Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat was operating as normal despite the attack, adding that emergency services and law enforcement agencies were at the scene. Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat is Russia's 10th largest oil refinery with a capacity of 10 million metric tonnes of oil per year. Also watch | Ukraine war: Zelensky sacks security chief after failed assassination plot It is not yet known where the drone came from, the report said. Was Ukraine behind the attack? However, an official from Ukraine’s special services told The New York Times on Thursday that Kyiv was behind the attack. The official, who chose to remain anonymous, added that Ukraine was also behind two other drone strikes overnight that hit oil depots in Russia’s Krasnodar region. Bashkortostan is located around 1,500 kilometres from the border with Ukraine. /4. The distance of 1300km from the frontline makes an attack on Salavat oil refinery the farthest Ukrainian drone attack on Russian targets. The previous record holder was an attack on Nizhnekamsk oil refinery and Shahed factory, 1100-1150km https://t.co/eCmTvh8pa8 — Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) May 9, 2024 × Thursday's attack came as drone attacks on energy facilities inside Russia's territory have become more frequent in the past few months. Ukraine has said that while its attacks do not target civilians, destroying Russia's military, transport and energy infrastructure undermines Moscow's overall war efforts. Also watch | EU proposes first sanctions on Russian LNG amid Ukraine war × Meanwhile, on Friday, a Ukraine drone attack set an oil refinery in Russia's Kaluga region on fire, RIA state news agency reported on Friday citing emergency services. As per the report, three containers with diesel fuel and one with fuel oil were consumed by the fire at the Pervyi Zavod refinery. Kaluga's Governor Vladislav Shapsha said that there were no casualties in the attack, adding, the fire was promptly extinguished. (With inputs from agencies)

Drone sets oil refinery on fire in Russia’s Bashkortostan in first such case

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<p>India&nbsp;on&nbsp;Tuesday (May 7)&nbsp;began voting in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections.&nbsp;A total of&nbsp;93 constituencies across 11 states and Union Territories (UT) are witnessing elections.</p>

<p>The war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip rages on&nbsp;with&nbsp;the Israeli army carrying out "targeted strikes" against Hamas militants in eastern Rafah after appealing to civilians to evacuate.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In other news from around the world, the US and most European Union nations are boycotting the Kremlin ceremony to swear in Vladimir Putin for a new six-year term as president.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Click on the headlines to read</strong></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-elections-2024-phase-3-india-in-middle-of-its-poll-summer-as-voting-begins-across-93-seats-718744"><strong>Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase 3: India in middle of its poll summer as voting begins across 93 seats</strong></a></p>

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<p>India is almost exactly in the middle of its seven-phase general election. With the completion of phase-3 voting by the end of Tuesday (May 7) in which 93 constituencies across 11 states and Union Territories are going to polls, a total of 283 of 543 Lok Sabha seats would have completed polling.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-conducts-targeted-strikes-against-hamas-as-ceasefire-deal-remains-uncertain-718708"><strong>Israel conducts 'targeted strikes' in Gaza as ceasefire deal remains uncertain</strong></a></p>

<p><img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/05/07/429751-wion-banners-prisha-65.jpg?imwidth=400" /></p>

<p>The&nbsp;Israeli army carried out&nbsp;"targeted strikes" against Hamas militants in eastern Rafah after appealing to civilians to evacuate. Thousands of people moved to what Israel termed as the "humanitarian area"&nbsp;to the north of Rafah.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-and-majority-of-eu-nations-to-skip-putins-inauguration-ceremony-718693"><strong>US and majority of EU nations to skip Putin's inauguration ceremony</strong></a></p>

<p><img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/05/07/429738-untitled-design-2024-05-07t075543500.png?imwidth=400" /></p>

<p>The US and most European Union nations are boycotting the Kremlin ceremony to swear in Vladimir Putin for a new six-year term as president on Tuesday (May 7). However, some other EU states and France were expected to send an envoy despite a plea by Kyiv.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/from-countdown-to-letdown-boeings-starliner-launch-postponed-what-went-wrong-718703"><strong>From countdown to letdown: Sunita Williams' third trip to space delayed as Starliner launch is scrubbed</strong></a></p>

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<p>Just two hours before blast off, the long-awaited test flight of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft was called off over a technical glitch with the Atlas V rocket.&nbsp;The launch has been postponed for at least 24 hours because of an issue with the Atlas V rocket that was being readied to launch the new astronaut capsule into orbit on Monday&nbsp;(May 6)&nbsp;night.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;India, Ghana agree to operationalise UPI link within 6 months</strong></p>

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India on Tuesday (May 7) began voting in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections. A total of 93 constituencies across 11 states and Union Territories (UT) are witnessing elections.

India on Tuesday (May 7) began voting in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections. A total of 93 constituencies across 11 states and Union Territories (UT) are witnessing elections. The war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip rages on with the Israeli army carrying out "targeted strikes" against Hamas militants in eastern Rafah after appealing to civilians to evacuate. In other news from around the world, the US and most European Union nations are boycotting the Kremlin ceremony to swear in Vladimir Putin for a new six-year term as president. Click on the headlines to read Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase 3: India in middle of its poll summer as voting begins across 93 seats India is almost exactly in the middle of its seven-phase general election. With the completion of phase-3 voting by the end of Tuesday (May 7) in which 93 constituencies across 11 states and Union Territories are going to polls, a total of 283 of 543 Lok Sabha seats would have completed polling. Israel conducts 'targeted strikes' in Gaza as ceasefire deal remains uncertain The Israeli army carried out "targeted strikes" against Hamas militants in eastern Rafah after appealing to civilians to evacuate. Thousands of people moved to what Israel termed as the "humanitarian area" to the north of Rafah. US and majority of EU nations to skip Putin's inauguration ceremony The US and most European Union nations are boycotting the Kremlin ceremony to swear in Vladimir Putin for a new six-year term as president on Tuesday (May 7). However, some other EU states and France were expected to send an envoy despite a plea by Kyiv. From countdown to letdown: Sunita Williams' third trip to space delayed as Starliner launch is scrubbed Just two hours before blast off, the long-awaited test flight of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft was called off over a technical glitch with the Atlas V rocket. The launch has been postponed for at least 24 hours because of an issue with the Atlas V rocket that was being readied to launch the new astronaut capsule into orbit on Monday (May 6) night. Watch | India, Ghana agree to operationalise UPI link within 6 months ×

Morning brief: India votes in phase 3 of Lok Sabha polls; Gaza war updates, and more

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<p>A 49-year-old woman in&nbsp;Australia,&nbsp;who allegedly killed three of her former family members with a poisonous mushroom&nbsp;lunch,&nbsp;pleaded not guilty, according to media reports on Tuesday (May 7).&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australian-police-charge-woman-with-murder-in-deadly-mushroom-poisoning-654306">Erin Patterson's trial would&nbsp;now&nbsp;be fast-tracked</a></strong> after she pleaded not guilty to eight charges. A report by 9News on Tuesday said that Patterson&nbsp;is accused&nbsp;of killing&nbsp;her former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson.</p>

<p>The Pattersons and Wilkinson died in a hospital days after they had lunch at Erin's residence in&nbsp;Leongatha last year. The report said&nbsp;that Erin&nbsp;faced the&nbsp;Latrobe Valley Magistrates Court via video link from prison, wearing a blue jumper and glasses.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>A poisonous mushroom lunch</strong></h2>

<p>On July 29, 2023, Erin hosted a lunch at her home. The guests were&nbsp;Don and Gail Patterson (both aged 70), Heather (aged 66) and her husband Ian (aged 68), a report by BBC said. Police said that Erin's estranged husband&nbsp;Simon&nbsp;was also invited&nbsp;but&nbsp;he&nbsp;could not make it at the last minute.</p>

<p>Hours after eating the mushroom&nbsp;which&nbsp;police believe was the death cap mushroom, all four guests fell ill with what they initially thought was food poisoning. Within days, Don, Gail, and Heather died. Ian survived after spending almost three months in the hospital, the BBC report said.</p>

<p>Death cap mushrooms are&nbsp;extremely&nbsp;poisonous, and eating them&nbsp;may lead to liver and kidney damage as well as death.</p>

<p>Erin was named as a suspect by police since she appeared unharmed after the lunch.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Following months of investigation, detectives allegedly uncovered another three murder attempts the 49-year-old made against Simon&nbsp;between 2021 and 2022. She was arrested in November last year and charged with eight offences -&nbsp;three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder.</p>

<h2><strong>'Not guilty, Your Honour'</strong></h2>

<p>On Tuesday, Erin told the court she was not guilty as&nbsp;the charges against her were read. The woman elected&nbsp;not to have a committal, fast-tracking her court process to face trial at the Supreme Court of Victoria.</p>

<p>Erin&nbsp;was remanded&nbsp;in custody&nbsp;with her case listed for a directions hearing at the Supreme Court on May 23.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A 49-year-old woman in Australia, who allegedly killed three of her former family members with a poisonous mushroom lunch, pleaded not guilty, according to media reports on Tuesday (May 7).

A 49-year-old woman in Australia, who allegedly killed three of her former family members with a poisonous mushroom lunch, pleaded not guilty, according to media reports on Tuesday (May 7). Erin Patterson's trial would now be fast-tracked after she pleaded not guilty to eight charges. A report by 9News on Tuesday said that Patterson is accused of killing her former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson. The Pattersons and Wilkinson died in a hospital days after they had lunch at Erin's residence in Leongatha last year. The report said that Erin faced the Latrobe Valley Magistrates Court via video link from prison, wearing a blue jumper and glasses. A poisonous mushroom lunch On July 29, 2023, Erin hosted a lunch at her home. The guests were Don and Gail Patterson (both aged 70), Heather (aged 66) and her husband Ian (aged 68), a report by BBC said. Police said that Erin's estranged husband Simon was also invited but he could not make it at the last minute. Hours after eating the mushroom which police believe was the death cap mushroom, all four guests fell ill with what they initially thought was food poisoning. Within days, Don, Gail, and Heather died. Ian survived after spending almost three months in the hospital, the BBC report said. Death cap mushrooms are extremely poisonous, and eating them may lead to liver and kidney damage as well as death. Erin was named as a suspect by police since she appeared unharmed after the lunch. Following months of investigation, detectives allegedly uncovered another three murder attempts the 49-year-old made against Simon between 2021 and 2022. She was arrested in November last year and charged with eight offences - three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder. 'Not guilty, Your Honour' On Tuesday, Erin told the court she was not guilty as the charges against her were read. The woman elected not to have a committal, fast-tracking her court process to face trial at the Supreme Court of Victoria. Erin was remanded in custody with her case listed for a directions hearing at the Supreme Court on May 23. (With inputs from agencies)

Australian woman who allegedly killed in-laws with mushroom lunch pleads not guilty

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<p>A ceasefire deal in the intensifying war between Israel and Hamas in the&nbsp;Gaza Strip hangs on a loose thread, with a fresh round of negotiations taking place in the Egyptian&nbsp;capital city of Cairo on Tuesday (May 7) after&nbsp;ceasefire talks in&nbsp;Doha&nbsp;failed&nbsp;to produce an agreement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Cairo is hosting delegates from Qatar, the United States, and the Palestinian militant group, Hamas to try and reach a comprehensive truce in Gaza, reported Egypt's state-affiliated Al-Qahera News TV, citing a high-ranking source.</p>

<p>Qatar had previously&nbsp;said that it would send a delegation to Cairo to resume negotiations and hope&nbsp;that "talks will culminate in reaching an agreement for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.</p>

<p>The statement comes hours after Hamas said it informed&nbsp;mediators Egypt and Qatar of its "approval of their proposal regarding a ceasefire" in the war, which has been going on for seven months.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-forces-take-control-of-gaza-side-of-rafah-crossing-aid-flow-impacted-719023">Humanitarian aid flow impacted as Israeli forces take control of Gaza side of Rafah crossing</a></strong></p>

<p>A team of&nbsp;mid-ranking Israeli officials arrives in Cairo to see&nbsp;whether Hamas can be persuaded to shift on its latest ceasefire offer.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This comes after the Israeli government said that the proposal was far from Israel's "essential demands", but the government would send negotiators for talks "to exhaust the potential for arriving at an agreement."</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Israel has seemingly intensified operations after United Nations agencies, on Tuesday reported&nbsp;that the two main crossings into the southern Gaza Strip are closed, which has&nbsp;virtually cut off any outside aid from entering the enclave.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The two main arteries for getting aid into Gaza are currently choked off," said a UN official referring to the&nbsp;Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings, which Israel has closed&nbsp;for aid and people. He added, that the&nbsp;enclave has just a one-day buffer of fuel stocks.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"If no fuel comes in for a prolonged period of time it would be a very effective way of putting the humanitarian operation in its grave," said UN agency&nbsp;humanitarian office spokesperson Jens Laerke.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Here's a look at the latest updates on the Gaza&nbsp;war,&nbsp;and the upcoming truce talks:</strong></h2>

<p><strong>1)</strong>&nbsp;A senior&nbsp;Hamas official told AFP&nbsp;that a delegation from the Palestinian group&nbsp;was due to&nbsp;leave for truce talks in Cairo and warned: "This will be the last chance for (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and the families of the Zionist prisoners to return their children".&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>2)</strong> Netanyahu, in his speech on Tuesday evening, said the Rafah operation is&nbsp;meant to bring back the hostages and to eliminate Hamas and the latest&nbsp;ceasefire deal was "meant to sabotage the entry of our forces into Rafah."</p>

<p><strong>3)</strong> The Israeli PM&nbsp;also said that Hamas' latest offer is "very far from Israel’s vital demands" and "cannot&nbsp;accept a proposal that endangers the safety of our citizens and the future of our country." He has&nbsp;instructed the Israeli negotiating team currently in Cairo to "stand firmly".&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>4)&nbsp;</strong>On Tuesday, the Israeli military said that&nbsp;it had captured the Gazan side of the Rafah crossing. Addressing a press conference, an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson said, "We have operational control of the area and the crossing."</p>

<p><strong>5)&nbsp;</strong>Israeli government calls&nbsp;on international organisations to evacuate Rafah. UN&nbsp;humanitarian office spokesperson,&nbsp;Laerke said "panic and despair" were gripping the people in Rafah.</p>

<p><strong>6)</strong>&nbsp;UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Israel to "immediately" re-open the&nbsp;Rafah and Karem Shalom crossings and&nbsp;urged the Jewish state to&nbsp;"stop any escalation".&nbsp;He also said that a "full-scale assault" on Rafah would be a "human catastrophe."<strong>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><strong>7)</strong>&nbsp;Palestinian and Egyptian officials said that Israeli tanks had entered Rafah.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pro-palestinian-protesters-storm-streets-near-the-met-gala-nabbed-by-nypd-youre-enjoying-met-gala-718746">Pro-Palestinian protesters barred from reaching Met Gala; burn American flag, vandalise WWI memorial</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>8)</strong>&nbsp;The US&nbsp;in its first response to Israel's Rafah operation told Reuters,&nbsp;"We continue to believe that a hostage deal is in the best interest of the Israeli and the Palestinian people; it would bring an immediate ceasefire and allow increased humanitarian assistance into Gaza."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>9)</strong>&nbsp;Israeli operation in Gaza’s Rafah city marks another war crime by Israel, said Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, on Tuesday.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>10)&nbsp;</strong>The Palestinian Authority called on the United States to "intervene immediately" to prevent Israel from invading Rafah, reported the Palestinian news agency WAFA.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong><em>Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.</em></strong></p>


A ceasefire deal in the intensifying war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip hangs on a loose thread, with a fresh round of negotiations taking place in the Egyptian capital city of Cairo on Tuesday (May 7) after ceasefire talks in Doha failed to produce an agreement.

A ceasefire deal in the intensifying war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip hangs on a loose thread, with a fresh round of negotiations taking place in the Egyptian capital city of Cairo on Tuesday (May 7) after ceasefire talks in Doha failed to produce an agreement. Cairo is hosting delegates from Qatar, the United States, and the Palestinian militant group, Hamas to try and reach a comprehensive truce in Gaza, reported Egypt's state-affiliated Al-Qahera News TV, citing a high-ranking source. Qatar had previously said that it would send a delegation to Cairo to resume negotiations and hope that "talks will culminate in reaching an agreement for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The statement comes hours after Hamas said it informed mediators Egypt and Qatar of its "approval of their proposal regarding a ceasefire" in the war, which has been going on for seven months. Also Read | Humanitarian aid flow impacted as Israeli forces take control of Gaza side of Rafah crossing A team of mid-ranking Israeli officials arrives in Cairo to see whether Hamas can be persuaded to shift on its latest ceasefire offer. This comes after the Israeli government said that the proposal was far from Israel's "essential demands", but the government would send negotiators for talks "to exhaust the potential for arriving at an agreement." Meanwhile, Israel has seemingly intensified operations after United Nations agencies, on Tuesday reported that the two main crossings into the southern Gaza Strip are closed, which has virtually cut off any outside aid from entering the enclave. "The two main arteries for getting aid into Gaza are currently choked off," said a UN official referring to the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings, which Israel has closed for aid and people. He added, that the enclave has just a one-day buffer of fuel stocks. "If no fuel comes in for a prolonged period of time it would be a very effective way of putting the humanitarian operation in its grave," said UN agency humanitarian office spokesperson Jens Laerke. Here's a look at the latest updates on the Gaza war, and the upcoming truce talks: 1) A senior Hamas official told AFP that a delegation from the Palestinian group was due to leave for truce talks in Cairo and warned: "This will be the last chance for (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and the families of the Zionist prisoners to return their children". 2) Netanyahu, in his speech on Tuesday evening, said the Rafah operation is meant to bring back the hostages and to eliminate Hamas and the latest ceasefire deal was "meant to sabotage the entry of our forces into Rafah." 3) The Israeli PM also said that Hamas' latest offer is "very far from Israel’s vital demands" and "cannot accept a proposal that endangers the safety of our citizens and the future of our country." He has instructed the Israeli negotiating team currently in Cairo to "stand firmly". 4) On Tuesday, the Israeli military said that it had captured the Gazan side of the Rafah crossing. Addressing a press conference, an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson said, "We have operational control of the area and the crossing." 5) Israeli government calls on international organisations to evacuate Rafah. UN humanitarian office spokesperson, Laerke said "panic and despair" were gripping the people in Rafah. 6) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Israel to "immediately" re-open the Rafah and Karem Shalom crossings and urged the Jewish state to "stop any escalation". He also said that a "full-scale assault" on Rafah would be a "human catastrophe." 7) Palestinian and Egyptian officials said that Israeli tanks had entered Rafah. Also Read | Pro-Palestinian protesters barred from reaching Met Gala; burn American flag, vandalise WWI memorial 8) The US in its first response to Israel's Rafah operation told Reuters, "We continue to believe that a hostage deal is in the best interest of the Israeli and the Palestinian people; it would bring an immediate ceasefire and allow increased humanitarian assistance into Gaza." 9) Israeli operation in Gaza’s Rafah city marks another war crime by Israel, said Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, on Tuesday. 10) The Palestinian Authority called on the United States to "intervene immediately" to prevent Israel from invading Rafah, reported the Palestinian news agency WAFA. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Gaza War: Hamas truce offer is ‘very far’ from Israeli demands, says Netanyahu

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<p>A 20-year old man from Bulandshahr city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh died of a snakebite on&nbsp;26 April&nbsp;while he was walking in a park. Though, a few such incidents are reported every, what's surprising here is that the family which believes in superstitions submerged the man's body in the Ganga River to remove the poison after a private hospital refused to admit him.</p>

<p>Speaking to NDTV, a relative of the victim said that villagers had put&nbsp;tight knots around the wound to stop the blood flow. The family took him to a hospital (reportedly private hospital)&nbsp;in&nbsp;Bulandshahr&nbsp;where doctors refused to admit him and said the man should&nbsp;be taken&nbsp;to a government&nbsp;hospital&nbsp;where he was declared dead.</p>

<p>The relative added that the family also took him to&nbsp;seers who treat snakebites, but they&nbsp;too&nbsp;declared&nbsp;him dead. "There's a saying that poison gets removed if you put the body in the Ganga river&nbsp;and&nbsp;we did the same," the relative added.</p>

<p>The incident (of submerging the man in Ganga)&nbsp;was caught&nbsp;on camera&nbsp;and&nbsp;the video went viral on social media, leading to outrage over superstitious practices existing in the Indian society.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The victim's family tied his body with a harness and rope and let it float in the&nbsp;water,&nbsp;not far from the river bank but no miracle happened. Later the man&nbsp;was cremated.&nbsp;</p>

<p>State authorities are yet to comment on the incident.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A 20-year old man from Bulandshahr city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh died of a snakebite on 26 April while he was walking in a park. Though, a few such incidents are reported every, what's surprising here is that the family which believes in superstitions submerged the man's body in the Ganga River to remove the poison after a private hospital refused to admit him.

A 20-year old man from Bulandshahr city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh died of a snakebite on 26 April while he was walking in a park. Though, a few such incidents are reported every, what's surprising here is that the family which believes in superstitions submerged the man's body in the Ganga River to remove the poison after a private hospital refused to admit him. Speaking to NDTV, a relative of the victim said that villagers had put tight knots around the wound to stop the blood flow. The family took him to a hospital (reportedly private hospital) in Bulandshahr where doctors refused to admit him and said the man should be taken to a government hospital where he was declared dead. The relative added that the family also took him to seers who treat snakebites, but they too declared him dead. "There's a saying that poison gets removed if you put the body in the Ganga river and we did the same," the relative added. The incident (of submerging the man in Ganga) was caught on camera and the video went viral on social media, leading to outrage over superstitious practices existing in the Indian society. The victim's family tied his body with a harness and rope and let it float in the water, not far from the river bank but no miracle happened. Later the man was cremated. State authorities are yet to comment on the incident. (With inputs from agencies)

Indian man dies of snakebite, his family submerges him in Ganga river hoping for miracle

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Zee News Rajasthan

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