Police officers in Australia's Sydney rushed into action after they received emergency calls over a man walking the streets carrying what appeared to be an AK-47 assault rifle. However, the officers soon discovered the weapon was in fact a bong made to look like an AK-47. A bong is filtration device which is used for smoking cannabis, tobacco, etc.&nbsp;A statement released by the New South Wales (NSW) police said that the man, aged 50, was arrested and charged with possessing an unauthorised firearm and intimidation.

"About 5.30 pm (Wednesday 29 March 2023), officers attached to The Hills Police Area Command responded to numerous 000 calls of a male seen allegedly carrying a large firearm on Windsor Road in Rouse Hill," the statement said.&nbsp;

The police commenced a search of the area and conducted a review of the CCTV footage from surrounding businesses, which led officers to an unlocked and unattended vehicle in a nearby church car park.

"With the assistance of Polair, officers found a man in nearby grassland. He was arrested and taken to Castle Hill Police Station where he was charged with possessing an unauthorised firearm and intimidation," the statement added.&nbsp;

The NSW police further said the man was refused bail to appear before the Parramatta Local Court on Thursday.&nbsp; 
 
(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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Police officers in Australia's Sydney rushed into action after they received emergency calls over a man walking the streets carrying what appeared to be an AK-47 assault rifle.

Police officers in Australia's Sydney rushed into action after they received emergency calls over a man walking the streets carrying what appeared to be an AK-47 assault rifle. However, the officers soon discovered the weapon was in fact a bong made to look like an AK-47. A bong is filtration device which is used for smoking cannabis, tobacco, etc. A statement released by the New South Wales (NSW) police said that the man, aged 50, was arrested and charged with possessing an unauthorised firearm and intimidation. "About 5.30 pm (Wednesday 29 March 2023), officers attached to The Hills Police Area Command responded to numerous 000 calls of a male seen allegedly carrying a large firearm on Windsor Road in Rouse Hill," the statement said. The police commenced a search of the area and conducted a review of the CCTV footage from surrounding businesses, which led officers to an unlocked and unattended vehicle in a nearby church car park. "With the assistance of Polair, officers found a man in nearby grassland. He was arrested and taken to Castle Hill Police Station where he was charged with possessing an unauthorised firearm and intimidation," the statement added. The NSW police further said the man was refused bail to appear before the Parramatta Local Court on Thursday. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Australia: Cops arrest 50-year-old man carrying an AK-47-shaped bong after emergency calls

The United States (US), the United Kingdom (UK), Japan, and Australia on Wednesday (March 29) expressed their concerns over the dissolution of deposed Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party, the news agency Reuters reported. A day earlier, the junta disbanded the NLD and 39 other political parties over their failure to meet a deadline to register for an election that is set to extend the army's grip on power.

In January, the junta had given political parties two months to re-register under a strict new electoral law ahead of the election. According to state broadcaster MRTV, only 50 out of the 90 existing parties applied to re-register under the new rules.&nbsp;

In separate statements, the governments of the US, UK, Japan, and Australia condemned the junta's decision.&nbsp;

Speaking to reporters, US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said, "Any election without the participation of all stakeholders in Burma (Myanmar's former name) would not be and can not be considered free or fair."

Criticising the dissolution of the NLD, a spokesperson from Britain's foreign office said, "We condemn the military regime's politically motivated actions and their use of increasingly brutal tactics to sow fear and repress opposition."

"We are seriously concerned that the exclusion of the NLD from the political process will make it even more difficult to improve the situation," Japan's foreign ministry said in a statement. The ministry added that Japan strongly urged Myanmar to immediately release NLD officials, including Suu Kyi, and to show a path toward a peaceful resolution of the issue in a manner that includes all parties concerned.&nbsp;

Australia, meanwhile, said it was seriously concerned about a further narrowing of political space in Myanmar because of tough election registration requirements. In a statement, Australia's Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade said all stakeholders should be allowed to participate in the political process and warned their exclusion could lead to further violence and instability.

"We will continue to closely monitor the regime's actions, and call for the restoration of democracy including credible elections," the statement added.&nbsp;

Myanmar has been in turmoil since a military coup two years back&nbsp;that upended a decade of tentative democracy, and a bloody crackdown on protests giving rise&nbsp;to an armed struggle against the junta.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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The United States (US), the United Kingdom (UK), Japan, and Australia on Wednesday (March 29) expressed their concerns over the dissolution of deposed Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party, the news agency Reuters reported.

The United States (US), the United Kingdom (UK), Japan, and Australia on Wednesday (March 29) expressed their concerns over the dissolution of deposed Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party, the news agency Reuters reported. A day earlier, the junta disbanded the NLD and 39 other political parties over their failure to meet a deadline to register for an election that is set to extend the army's grip on power. In January, the junta had given political parties two months to re-register under a strict new electoral law ahead of the election. According to state broadcaster MRTV, only 50 out of the 90 existing parties applied to re-register under the new rules. In separate statements, the governments of the US, UK, Japan, and Australia condemned the junta's decision. Speaking to reporters, US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said, "Any election without the participation of all stakeholders in Burma (Myanmar's former name) would not be and can not be considered free or fair." Criticising the dissolution of the NLD, a spokesperson from Britain's foreign office said, "We condemn the military regime's politically motivated actions and their use of increasingly brutal tactics to sow fear and repress opposition." "We are seriously concerned that the exclusion of the NLD from the political process will make it even more difficult to improve the situation," Japan's foreign ministry said in a statement. The ministry added that Japan strongly urged Myanmar to immediately release NLD officials, including Suu Kyi, and to show a path toward a peaceful resolution of the issue in a manner that includes all parties concerned. Australia, meanwhile, said it was seriously concerned about a further narrowing of political space in Myanmar because of tough election registration requirements. In a statement, Australia's Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade said all stakeholders should be allowed to participate in the political process and warned their exclusion could lead to further violence and instability. "We will continue to closely monitor the regime's actions, and call for the restoration of democracy including credible elections," the statement added. Myanmar has been in turmoil since a military coup two years back that upended a decade of tentative democracy, and a bloody crackdown on protests giving rise to an armed struggle against the junta. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US, 3 other nations express concerns over dissolution of Myanmar's NLD party

A journalist from a leading newspaper in Bangladesh was charged on Wednesday (March 29) for producing false news after a story on high food prices went viral. According to a report by the news agency AFP, the journalist Shamsuzzaman Shams has been charged under the draconian Digital Security Act.

A journalist from a leading newspaper in Bangladesh was charged on Wednesday (March 29) for producing false news after a story on high food prices went viral. According to a report by the news agency AFP, the journalist Shamsuzzaman Shams has been charged under the draconian Digital Security Act. Shams's newspaper Prothom Alo said that he was picked up from his residence in Savar town at around 4:00 am (2200 GMT) by the police. Citing a copy of the case file, AFP reported that Shams was charged with smearing the image of the government with false news, and for raising questions about the achievements of Bangladesh. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan confirmed that Shams was questioned by the police for a false story published during the weekend. Khan said a case has been filed against him, adding he would be released from custody but could be arrested again over the charges. The story in Prothom Alo was published last Sunday (March 26) and included quotes from ordinary people talking about their lives on the occasion of Bangladesh's Independence Day. "What is the use of this freedom if we can't afford rice," one labourer was quoted as saying. AFP reported on Wednesday that food prices have soared in Bangladesh since the middle of 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The currency taka has fallen sharply against the US dollar. 280 journalists charged under Digital Security Act: Think tank A local think tank said that nearly 3,000 people, including 280 journalists, have been charged under the Digital Security Act since it was enacted in 2018. This data has stoked concerns under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh is becoming increasingly authoritarian, the news agency further reported. Reporters Without Borders in its 2022 World Press Freedom Index, ranked Bangladesh 162 among 180 countries. In recent months, the dwindling number of independent journalists in Bangladesh has come under increasing attacks by the government. In February, authorities shut down the lone opposition mouthpiece by saying it violated the country's press laws. At least 10 journalists were beaten up by police while covering a disputed election of Supreme Court lawyers in Dhaka. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Bangladesh: Journalist charged under draconian law for story on high food prices

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the hottest topics now, and perhaps this technology could one day outsmart human beings. Some of the major technology companies in the world including Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are dedicating resources to breakthroughs in AI.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the hottest topics now, and perhaps this technology could one day outsmart human beings. Some of the major technology companies in the world including Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are dedicating resources to breakthroughs in AI. The meteoric rise of ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI and incorporated by Microsoft in its Bing search engine, opened the eyes of the world towards both the mind-boggling possibilities and pitfalls of AI. Now the question arises: are these companies moving too fast in rolling out AI? In an open letter on Wednesday (March 29), a group of prominent scientists and other tech industry notables, including Tesla and Twitter owner Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, are calling for a six-month pause on training systems more powerful than OpenAI's newly launched model GPT-4 to consider the risks. The letter, which has been signed by more than 1,000 people, is a response to OpenAI’s recent release of GPT-4, a more advanced successor to its widely-used AI chatbot ChatGPT. What does the letter say and why the pause? The letter has warned that AI systems with “human-competitive intelligence can pose profound risks to society and humanity” — from flooding the internet with disinformation and automating away jobs, to more catastrophic future risks out of the realms of science fiction." The letter added that recent months have seen AI labs locked in an out-of-control race to develop and deploy ever more powerful digital minds that no one – not even their creators – can understand, predict, or reliably control. The letter also said that powerful AI systems should be developed only once people are confident that their effects will be positive and their risks will be manageable. ALSO READ | Explained | Artificial Intelligence and screening of breast cancer "Should we let machines flood our information channels with propaganda and untruth? ... Should we develop nonhuman minds that might eventually outnumber, outsmart, obsolete and replace us?," the letter asked and said that such decisions must not be delegated to unelected tech leaders. The letter further called on AI labs to immediately pause for at least six months the training of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4. “This pause should be public and verifiable and include all key actors. If such a pause cannot be enacted quickly, governments should step in and institute a moratorium,” it added. Who has signed the letter? The letter was issued by the Future of Life Institute and signed by more than 1,000 people including Elon Musk. The co-signatories included Stability AI's Chief Executive Officer Emad Mostaque, researchers at Alphabet-owned DeepMind, and AI heavyweights Yoshua Bengio. According to a report by the news agency Reuters on Thursday, the letter was not signed by OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Elon Musk, who also runs Tesla and SpaceX and was an OpenAI co-founder and early investor, has long expressed concerns about AI’s existential risks. Earlier this month, Musk said, "AI stresses me out." What has been the response to the letter? Gary Marcus, a professor at New York University who signed the letter, said that the letter isn't perfect but the spirit is right — "We need to slow down until we better understand the ramifications." Marcus added the big players are becoming increasingly sensitive about what they are doing which makes it hard for society to defend against whatever harms may materialise, Reuters reported. In a blog post, Marcus said that he disagrees with others who are worried about the near-term prospect of intelligent machines so smart that they could self-improve beyond humanity’s control. Marcus said he was more worried about “mediocre AI” that is widely deployed, including by criminals or terrorists to trick people or spread dangerous misinformation. "Current technology already poses enormous risks that we are ill-prepared for. With future technology, things could well get worse," the New York University professor wrote. James Grimmelmann, a Cornell University professor of digital and information law, said the pause on the AI race is a good idea but the letter is vague and it does not take the regulatory problems seriously. “It is also deeply hypocritical for Elon Musk to sign on given how hard Tesla has fought against accountability for the defective AI in its self-driving cars,” Grimmelmann added. What is GPT-4? Earlier this month, OpenAI released GPT-4 which it says exhibits human-level performance. "We’ve created GPT-4, the latest milestone in OpenAI’s effort in scaling up deep learning. GPT-4 is a large multimodal model (accepting image and text inputs, emitting text outputs) that, while less capable than humans in many real-world scenarios, exhibits human-level performance on various professional and academic benchmarks," Open AI's website said. In an online demo on March 14, OpenAI President Greg Brockman ran through some scenarios that showed off GPT-4′s capabilities. Brockman demonstrated how the system could quickly come up with the proper income tax deduction after being fed reams of tax code — something he couldn’t figure out himself, according to a report by the news agency Associated Press. “It’s not perfect, but neither are you. And together it’s this amplifying tool that lets you just reach new heights,” Brockman added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Explained | Why Musk, Apple co-founder Wozniak, others seek six-month-pause to AI race

E-commerce giant Amazon is warning consumers about frequently returned products on its platform. Citing a report by The Information on Monday (March 27), The Verge said in a report on Tuesday that Amazon is rolling out a warning label on frequently returned products that will encourage consumers to check an item's details and reviews before buying, helping customers avoid misleading or low-quality products and reducing unnecessary returns.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amazons-most-productive-delivery-persons-of-colour-face-poor-customer-feedback-due-to-racial-bias-report-574494">Amazon's 'most productive' delivery-persons of colour face poor customer feedback due to racial bias: Report</a>

The report added that having a visible warning that such items are usually returned not only deters customers from buying them but also could encourage retailers to be honest about their listings or improve on issues that lead to higher product returns in the first place. According to The Information, the returns warning has already appeared on few-third party listings fulfilled by the e-commerce giant.&nbsp;

To see the warning, users must be logged into their Amazon account.&nbsp;

At present, Amazon's return policy allows customers to return new and unused items up to 30 days after purchase- usually free of cost unless the item is deemed non-returnable. However, customers have had bad experiences while returning a product.&nbsp;

During the Covid pandemic, online retailers had reported a surge in return rates and returns remained above the pre-pandemic levels- which also resulted in higher costs for sellers facilitating storage and disposal.

Speaking to The Information, Amazon spokesperson Betsy Harden said that the company is showing return rate information on some product detail pages to help customers make more informed purchase decisions. The warning label comes days after Amazon made approximate sales for each product public on its website and app. According to the Marketplace Pulse on March 17, the e-commerce giant was testing a new product label that highlighted how many sales it had recently.&nbsp;

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E-commerce giant Amazon is warning consumers about frequently returned products on its platform. Citing a report by The Information on Monday (March 27), The Verge said in a report on Tuesday that Amazon is rolling out a warning label on frequently returned products that will encourage consumers to check an item's details and reviews before buying, helping customers avoid misleading or low-quality products and reducing unnecessary returns.

E-commerce giant Amazon is warning consumers about frequently returned products on its platform. Citing a report by The Information on Monday (March 27), The Verge said in a report on Tuesday that Amazon is rolling out a warning label on frequently returned products that will encourage consumers to check an item's details and reviews before buying, helping customers avoid misleading or low-quality products and reducing unnecessary returns. ALSO READ | Amazon's 'most productive' delivery-persons of colour face poor customer feedback due to racial bias: Report The report added that having a visible warning that such items are usually returned not only deters customers from buying them but also could encourage retailers to be honest about their listings or improve on issues that lead to higher product returns in the first place. According to The Information, the returns warning has already appeared on few-third party listings fulfilled by the e-commerce giant. To see the warning, users must be logged into their Amazon account. At present, Amazon's return policy allows customers to return new and unused items up to 30 days after purchase- usually free of cost unless the item is deemed non-returnable. However, customers have had bad experiences while returning a product. During the Covid pandemic, online retailers had reported a surge in return rates and returns remained above the pre-pandemic levels- which also resulted in higher costs for sellers facilitating storage and disposal. Speaking to The Information, Amazon spokesperson Betsy Harden said that the company is showing return rate information on some product detail pages to help customers make more informed purchase decisions. The warning label comes days after Amazon made approximate sales for each product public on its website and app. According to the Marketplace Pulse on March 17, the e-commerce giant was testing a new product label that highlighted how many sales it had recently. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Amazon warns customers about frequently returned products: Reports

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) is hearing climate cases against the governments of France and Switzerland over the alleged failings to protect the environment. On Wednesday, the ECHR said the case against Switzerland is based on a complaint by the Club of Climate Seniors (an association of elderly people) concerned with the consequences of global warming on their living conditions and health, the news agency AFP reported.&nbsp;

The association, backed by Greenpeace Switzerland, has accused Swiss authorities of various climate change failings which they say amount to the violation of the government's obligation to protect life and homes and families of the citizens.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-what-is-climate-change-what-are-its-consequences-a-lowdown-574727">Explained: What is climate change? What are its consequences? | A lowdown</a>

Jessica Simor, the plaintiffs' lawyer, said that her clients were already suffering the effects of climate change that Switzerland was not doing enough to stop. Simor added that temperatures were rising twice as quickly in the country as the global average.&nbsp;

Alain Chablais, representing the Swiss government, told the ECHR that it was baseless to claim or suggest that the government was doing nothing. Chablais added that the ECHR had no business becoming the place where national climate protection policy is decided, AFP reported.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the case against France was brought by Damien Careme, the former mayor of Grande-Synthe, who argued that the government failed to meet its obligation to protect life by taking insufficient steps to prevent climate change.&nbsp;

When Careme was serving as the mayor, he brought the case to the French judiciary not only on behalf of his town but also on his own behalf, saying climate change was raising the risk of his home being flooded. In 2021, the country's highest administrative court ruled in favour of Grande-Synthe against the central government.&nbsp;

However, the court threw out the individual case brought by Careme, which he then took to the ECHR.

Speaking to the news agency on Wednesday, Corinne Lepag, one of Careme's lawyers, said the stakes were extremely high. Lepag, the former ecology minister of France, said, "European court recognises that climate failings violate the rights of individuals to life and a normal family life, then that becomes precedent in all of the council's member states and potentially in the whole world."

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) is hearing climate cases against the governments of France and Switzerland over the alleged failings to protect the environment.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) is hearing climate cases against the governments of France and Switzerland over the alleged failings to protect the environment. On Wednesday, the ECHR said the case against Switzerland is based on a complaint by the Club of Climate Seniors (an association of elderly people) concerned with the consequences of global warming on their living conditions and health, the news agency AFP reported. The association, backed by Greenpeace Switzerland, has accused Swiss authorities of various climate change failings which they say amount to the violation of the government's obligation to protect life and homes and families of the citizens. ALSO READ | Explained: What is climate change? What are its consequences? | A lowdown Jessica Simor, the plaintiffs' lawyer, said that her clients were already suffering the effects of climate change that Switzerland was not doing enough to stop. Simor added that temperatures were rising twice as quickly in the country as the global average. Alain Chablais, representing the Swiss government, told the ECHR that it was baseless to claim or suggest that the government was doing nothing. Chablais added that the ECHR had no business becoming the place where national climate protection policy is decided, AFP reported. Meanwhile, the case against France was brought by Damien Careme, the former mayor of Grande-Synthe, who argued that the government failed to meet its obligation to protect life by taking insufficient steps to prevent climate change. When Careme was serving as the mayor, he brought the case to the French judiciary not only on behalf of his town but also on his own behalf, saying climate change was raising the risk of his home being flooded. In 2021, the country's highest administrative court ruled in favour of Grande-Synthe against the central government. However, the court threw out the individual case brought by Careme, which he then took to the ECHR. Speaking to the news agency on Wednesday, Corinne Lepag, one of Careme's lawyers, said the stakes were extremely high. Lepag, the former ecology minister of France, said, "European court recognises that climate failings violate the rights of individuals to life and a normal family life, then that becomes precedent in all of the council's member states and potentially in the whole world." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

European human rights court hears climate cases against France, Switzerland

Scientists in Australia have uncovered evidence of a previously unknown ancient marsupial which roamed the country around 25 million years ago munching on fruit and nuts. The team of scientists from Flinders University pieced together fossils uncovered in the country's remote Northern Territory to reveal the long-extinct marsupial named Mukupirna fortidentata.

According to a report by the news agency AFP, Mukupirna fortidentata was thought to weigh up to 50 kg, making it one of the largest marsupials alive at the time. The wombat-like creature boasted a powerful bite and likely ate tough fruits and nuts. The report added that the creature is linked to Mukupirna nambensis.&nbsp;

Professor Gavin Prideaux, the director of the university's palaeontology lab, said on Wednesday (March 29) that although it was unclear what drove the beast extinct, it disappeared during a period of changing climate as ancient forest regions in Australia's centre became increasingly arid.&nbsp;

Professor Prideaux added that while wombats were very successful over the succeeding period, the mukupirnids seemed to have gone extinct sometime before the end of the late Oligocene (25-23 million years ago).

The scientists also identified an ancient possum Chunia pledgei, which they said had &nbsp;"bizarre nut-cracker teeth".

Arthur Crichton, also from the university's palaeontology lab, said, "These curious beasts are members of marsupial lineages that went extinct long ago, leaving no modern descendants."&nbsp;

Crichton added that learning about these animals helped put the wombat and possum groups which survived today "in a broader evolutionary context."

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
&nbsp;

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Scientists in Australia have uncovered evidence of a previously unknown ancient marsupial which roamed the country around 25 million years ago munching on fruit and nuts.

Scientists in Australia have uncovered evidence of a previously unknown ancient marsupial which roamed the country around 25 million years ago munching on fruit and nuts. The team of scientists from Flinders University pieced together fossils uncovered in the country's remote Northern Territory to reveal the long-extinct marsupial named Mukupirna fortidentata. According to a report by the news agency AFP, Mukupirna fortidentata was thought to weigh up to 50 kg, making it one of the largest marsupials alive at the time. The wombat-like creature boasted a powerful bite and likely ate tough fruits and nuts. The report added that the creature is linked to Mukupirna nambensis. Professor Gavin Prideaux, the director of the university's palaeontology lab, said on Wednesday (March 29) that although it was unclear what drove the beast extinct, it disappeared during a period of changing climate as ancient forest regions in Australia's centre became increasingly arid. Professor Prideaux added that while wombats were very successful over the succeeding period, the mukupirnids seemed to have gone extinct sometime before the end of the late Oligocene (25-23 million years ago). The scientists also identified an ancient possum Chunia pledgei, which they said had "bizarre nut-cracker teeth". Arthur Crichton, also from the university's palaeontology lab, said, "These curious beasts are members of marsupial lineages that went extinct long ago, leaving no modern descendants." Crichton added that learning about these animals helped put the wombat and possum groups which survived today "in a broader evolutionary context." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Australia: Scientists uncover evidence of previously unknown ancient marsupial, says report

China on Wednesday (March 29) threatened to retaliate if United States House Speaker Kevin McCarthy meets Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen during her planned transit of the US next month, by saying any such move would be a provocation.

China on Wednesday (March 29) threatened to retaliate if United States House Speaker Kevin McCarthy meets Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen during her planned transit of the US next month, by saying any such move would be a provocation. Taiwanese President Tsai is due to depart on Wednesday for a trip to Guatemala and Belize that will see her transit through New York and Los Angeles. According to a report by the news agency Reuters, while it is not officially confirmed, Tsai is expected to meet US House Speaker McCarthy in California, at the end of her trip. Speaking to reporters in Beijing, China's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Zhu Fenglian said that Tsai's transits to the US were not just her waiting at the airport or hotel, but for her to meet American officials and lawmakers. ALSO READ | In big blow to Taiwan, decades-old ally Honduras establishes diplomatic ties with China Fenglian said that if Tsai has contact with McCarthy, it would be another provocation that seriously violates the one-China principle, harms China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and destroys peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. "We firmly oppose this and will definitely take measures to resolutely fight back," the spokesperson added. The Taiwanese president's transits come at a time when US relations with China are at their worst level since Washington normalised ties with Beijing in 1979 and switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei. And President Tsai's trip also comes after Honduras said that it was switching recognition to China. Only 13 countries, including Guatemala and Belize, officially recognise Taiwan over China. Beijing has repeatedly warned US officials not to meet Tsai, viewing it as support for Taiwan's desire to be seen as a separate country. In August last year, China staged war games around Taiwan when then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei. China should not 'overreact' to stopover: Washington A senior US official said early Wednesday that China should not "overreact" to Taiwanese President Tsai's stopover in the US, the news agency AFP reported. "There's absolutely no reason for China to use that as a pretext to overreact or to engage in further coercion directed at Taiwan," the official, who did not wish to be identified, told reporters. ALSO READ | 'We are all Chinese', says former Taiwan president while visiting China The official added that the US would carry out a transit that is fully consistent with that policy and decades' worth of practice. The official also pointed out that Beijing would not pressurise Washington "to alter our longstanding practice" on such visits. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

China threatens to retaliate if US House Speaker meets Taiwan president; Washington says this

Singaporean multinational bank DBS said on Wednesday (March 29) that access to its digital banking services became intermittent after an outage earlier in the day left customers unable to use its web and mobile banking platforms. Taking to Facebook, DBS said that clients using its digital services- — digibank Online and Mobile, PayLah! - might experience some slowness during login.&nbsp;

"Please be assured that your deposits and monies are safe and secure. We are sorry for the inconvenience caused," the Facebook post added.&nbsp;

According to Downdetector, the access disruption at the Singaporean bank started around 7 am local time on Wednesday.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/alibaba-undergoes-transformation-will-split-into-six-individual-units-576785">Alibaba undergoes 'transformation,' will split into six individual units</a>

Earlier in the day, DBS said on Facebook that access to its digital services was unavailable, adding that the bank was resolving the issue and would update as soon as services were recovered.&nbsp;

"Customers can continue to use their DBS/POSB cards for transactions. Please be assured that our systems remain secure and uncompromised," the bank added.

According to a report by the news agency Bloomberg, Wednesday's incident was reminiscent of an outage DBS suffered in 2021 — one of its worst digital disruptions in the last decade.&nbsp;

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) ordered the bank to set aside more capital after that&nbsp;earlier outage left thousands of customers unable to log on to its digital platforms for at least two days. Those issues stemmed from the bank’s access control services.&nbsp;

Earlier this week, DBS had said that the MAS asked the bank to validate the bank’s remedial actions about the 2021 event by July this year, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Under the MAS regulations, financial institutions need to ensure that the maximum unscheduled downtime for each critical system doesn’t exceed four hours within any period of 12 months.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Singaporean multinational bank DBS said on Wednesday (March 29) that access to its digital banking services became intermittent after an outage earlier in the day left customers unable to use its web and mobile banking platforms.

Singaporean multinational bank DBS said on Wednesday (March 29) that access to its digital banking services became intermittent after an outage earlier in the day left customers unable to use its web and mobile banking platforms. Taking to Facebook, DBS said that clients using its digital services- — digibank Online and Mobile, PayLah! - might experience some slowness during login. "Please be assured that your deposits and monies are safe and secure. We are sorry for the inconvenience caused," the Facebook post added. According to Downdetector, the access disruption at the Singaporean bank started around 7 am local time on Wednesday. ALSO READ | Alibaba undergoes 'transformation,' will split into six individual units Earlier in the day, DBS said on Facebook that access to its digital services was unavailable, adding that the bank was resolving the issue and would update as soon as services were recovered. "Customers can continue to use their DBS/POSB cards for transactions. Please be assured that our systems remain secure and uncompromised," the bank added. According to a report by the news agency Bloomberg, Wednesday's incident was reminiscent of an outage DBS suffered in 2021 — one of its worst digital disruptions in the last decade. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) ordered the bank to set aside more capital after that earlier outage left thousands of customers unable to log on to its digital platforms for at least two days. Those issues stemmed from the bank’s access control services. Earlier this week, DBS had said that the MAS asked the bank to validate the bank’s remedial actions about the 2021 event by July this year, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. Under the MAS regulations, financial institutions need to ensure that the maximum unscheduled downtime for each critical system doesn’t exceed four hours within any period of 12 months. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Singapore banking giant DBS says digital services 'intermittent' after outage

Binance- the world's biggest crypto exchange and its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and founder Changpeng Zhao were sued by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Monday (March 27) for operating an allegedly ''illegal" exchange.

Binance- the world's biggest crypto exchange and its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and founder Changpeng Zhao were sued by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Monday (March 27) for operating an allegedly ''illegal" exchange. According to a statement, the CFTC sued Binance, Zhao and its former top compliance executive with "willful evasion" of American law while engaging in a calculated strategy of regulatory arbitrage to their commercial benefit. The lawsuit comes amid a broader and increasingly high-profile crackdown on crypto companies. On Monday, the CFTC said in its complaint that from at least July 2019 till now, Binance "offered and executed commodity derivatives transactions on behalf of US persons" in violation of American laws. Changpeng Zhao,46, meanwhile, has called the regulator's complaint "unexpected and disappointing." Who is Changpeng Zhao? Changpeng Zhao was born in China in 1977 and moved to Canada in 1989 when he was 12 years old. Zhao moved to Canada just after China's Tiananmen Square crackdown on pro-democracy protesters. As a child, Zhao expressed an interest in computer programming courses and later went on to study computer science at McGill University in Montreal. After university, Zhao interned for a subcontractor at the Tokyo Stock Exchange, according to a report by Forbes. He then worked for Bloomberg Tradebook in New York for several years, where he developed software to match trade orders. In 2005, he moved to China and tried his hand at several different tech startups before he got involved in crypto. 2017: Zhao founded Binance In 2017, Changpeng Zhao founded Binance- which became the world's biggest crypto exchange within six months. According to research firm CryptoCompare, Binance at present accounts for about 60% of global crypto trading volumes. In October last year, a report by the news agency Reuters said that Zhao has kept a tight grip on Binance from its earliest days as a powerful leader committed to secrecy and focused on market domination. Even in 2017 when the crypto exchange was founded, Zhao had towering ambitions. "We want to take over the entire market!" he told staff in a company chat group. And this year, the 46-year-old felt that a major goal was almost within his grasp: a seat at the top table of finance. "The idea that a five-year-old start-up could mature and operate at the same level as a financial institution that has been around for 200 years was once impossible to fathom," he wrote in January in a review of the previous year. The Reuters report added that Zhao installed a tight circle of associates, many of whom had worked or studied in China into top jobs. Though Binance has hired widely from the traditional financial and regulatory worlds in recent years, Zhao's tight control over his company continues. Zhao closely guards details about company's finances Changpeng Zhao has closely guarded details about Binance's finances. A Reuters analysis of Binance's corporate filings done last year showed that the core of the business- the Binance.com exchange had processed trades worth more than $22 trillion last year. This was mostly hidden from public view. The extent of Zhao's wealth is also unclear. The US regulator's complaint The CFTC's complaint on Monday detailed Binance's efforts to retain American customers even after the company, in partnership with a purportedly independent American firm, launched a US exchange in 2019 to serve American customers in compliance with US regulations. This American firm- BAM Trading- was in fact controlled by Zhao and managed by Binance as a de-facto subsidiary, the news agency previously reported. The CFTC said that under Zhao's orders, Binance from at least July 2019 till now told employees and customers to swerve compliance checks. It also alleged that the crypto exchange grew and concealed the US user base and failed to establish the money-laundering checks required of financial institutions. Speaking to CNBC on Tuesday, CFTC Chairman Rostin Behnam said, "This seemed to be a pretty clear case of evasion and something that we needed to step in aggressively with and do it as quickly as possible because this was an ongoing fraud." The US regulator has also accused Binance's former Chief Compliance Officer Samuel Lim of "aiding and abetting" the crypto exchange's violations. Zhao responds to allegations In a blog post on Monday, Changpeng Zhao said that the CFTC's complaint appeared to contain an incomplete recitation of facts "Upon an initial review, the complaint appears to contain an incomplete recitation of facts, and we do not agree with the characterization of many of the issues alleged in the complaint. While we will only be able to give full responses in due time, we will address a few key points below," Zhao said in the post. "Binance is committed to transparency and cooperation with regulators and law enforcement — in the US and globally," Zhao said, adding, the crypto exchange intends to continue to respect and collaborate with the US and other regulators around the world. A spokesperson for Binance said the company would continue to collaborate with regulators, Reuters reported. The spokesperson added that Binance made significant investments to ensure it does not have US users on its platform. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Explained: Who is Changpeng Zhao, Binance billionaire sued by US regulator?

The Netherlands' capital city Amsterdam launched a campaign on Tuesday (March 28) to discourage tourists from planning drug- and alcohol-fuelled parties -- starting with young British men. The campaign, called- "Stay Away", would involve people searching online for some getaways in Amsterdam and receiving special warnings, a report by the news agency AFP said. According to a statement by the Amsterdam City Council, "The campaign will commence in Great Britain, aimed at males in the age category of 18 to 35 years."

The council said that the campaign is aimed at nuisance tourists who want to visit the Netherlands' capital to 'go wild', with all the ensuing consequences. The council added the campaign would be expanded to potential nuisance-causing visitors from the Netherlands and other EU countries in the coming year.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amsterdam-makes-smoking-cannabis-illegal-in-citys-red-light-district-560541">Amsterdam makes smoking cannabis illegal in city's red light district</a>

For a long time, Amsterdam has been trying to curb rowdy behaviour such as stag parties, especially near the famed red light area where sex workers operate. The city council also said on Tuesday that people searching for terms such as "stag party Amsterdam" or "pub crawl Amsterdam" will be shown warning advertisements.&nbsp;

These advertisements would show the risks and consequences of anti-social behaviour and excessive drug and alcohol abuse including fines, arrest, criminal records, hospitalisation and health issues.

Last month, Amsterdam announced a ban on smoking cannabis in the red light district, coupled with further restrictions on alcohol consumption and earlier closures for cafes, bars and sex clubs.

The city has been wanting to move legal prostitution outside its famed red light district over complaints from residents about crime and often rowdy behaviour. AFP earlier reported that two of three proposed locations for the huge new brothel are near the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) purpose-built headquarters in a business district on the southern outskirts of Amsterdam.

Earlier in March, the EMA said that it was extremely concerned about this proposal.&nbsp;

"EMA is very concerned that this will create safety, security and nuisance issues" for staff and for visiting delegates, who often have to leave late in the evening. The change of the location of the red light district is motivated by concerns of nuisance, drug-dealing, drunkenness and disorderly behaviour," the regulator said in a statement.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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The Netherlands' capital city Amsterdam launched a campaign on Tuesday (March 28) to discourage tourists from planning drug- and alcohol-fuelled parties -- starting with young British men.

The Netherlands' capital city Amsterdam launched a campaign on Tuesday (March 28) to discourage tourists from planning drug- and alcohol-fuelled parties -- starting with young British men. The campaign, called- "Stay Away", would involve people searching online for some getaways in Amsterdam and receiving special warnings, a report by the news agency AFP said. According to a statement by the Amsterdam City Council, "The campaign will commence in Great Britain, aimed at males in the age category of 18 to 35 years." The council said that the campaign is aimed at nuisance tourists who want to visit the Netherlands' capital to 'go wild', with all the ensuing consequences. The council added the campaign would be expanded to potential nuisance-causing visitors from the Netherlands and other EU countries in the coming year. ALSO READ | Amsterdam makes smoking cannabis illegal in city's red light district For a long time, Amsterdam has been trying to curb rowdy behaviour such as stag parties, especially near the famed red light area where sex workers operate. The city council also said on Tuesday that people searching for terms such as "stag party Amsterdam" or "pub crawl Amsterdam" will be shown warning advertisements. These advertisements would show the risks and consequences of anti-social behaviour and excessive drug and alcohol abuse including fines, arrest, criminal records, hospitalisation and health issues. Last month, Amsterdam announced a ban on smoking cannabis in the red light district, coupled with further restrictions on alcohol consumption and earlier closures for cafes, bars and sex clubs. The city has been wanting to move legal prostitution outside its famed red light district over complaints from residents about crime and often rowdy behaviour. AFP earlier reported that two of three proposed locations for the huge new brothel are near the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) purpose-built headquarters in a business district on the southern outskirts of Amsterdam. Earlier in March, the EMA said that it was extremely concerned about this proposal. "EMA is very concerned that this will create safety, security and nuisance issues" for staff and for visiting delegates, who often have to leave late in the evening. The change of the location of the red light district is motivated by concerns of nuisance, drug-dealing, drunkenness and disorderly behaviour," the regulator said in a statement. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Amsterdam launches campaign to discourage young British men planning drug & alcohol-fuelled parties

UFC Fight Night: Cory "The Sandman" Sandhagen (United States)- (50-45, 49-46) defeated Marlon "Chito" Vera (Ecuador)- (48-47) by a split decision on Sunday (March 26) at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas.

UFC Fight Night: Cory "The Sandman" Sandhagen (United States)- (50-45, 49-46) defeated Marlon "Chito" Vera (Ecuador)- (48-47) by a split decision on Sunday (March 26) at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. This fight in the Bantamweight division was the main event of UFC Fight Night. In the co-main event in the women's Bantamweight division, former champion Holly Holm (United States) defeated Yana Santos (Russia) by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27). Main event: Cory Sandhagen vs Marlon Vera (Bantamweight division) Cory Sandhagen, the number 5 contender, used all five rounds of the fight to punch and swarm Marlon Vera en route to a thrilling victory. Sandhagen dominated the first two rounds by putting Vera on the canvas and roughing him up from the top position. Vera seemed frustrated with the American's constant stance-switching and ability to attack without resetting. The Ecuadorian had trouble finding his tempo, and Sandhagen took advantage of it with combinations and takedowns. At the end of the fight, the judges gave the decision to Sandhagen. Talk about a complete performance for @CorySandhagen 🙌 #UFCSanAntonio pic.twitter.com/VKoNHJIyG2 — UFC (@ufc) March 26, 2023 × In the post-fight interview, the American called out the number 1 contender Merab Dvalishvili. "I'm super grateful. It was a blast fighting in front of a crowd again. I'm sorry it wasn't a KO like you were expecting, but the dude's hard to hit. That's how you beat Chito; Chito's a good fighter. [Calling out] Merab, you're hungry, I've got something for you to eat... and it doesn't taste good!" Sandhagen said. Co-main event: Holly Holm vs Yana Santos (Bantamweight division) Holly Holm, the former women’s bantamweight champion and current number 3 contender in the division, defeated Yana Santos by unanimous decision. Both fighters ran level for the opening half of the first round before Holm started to find her range and land cleaner blows on Santos. In the second round of this bout, Holm capitalised on a Santos slip to trap the Russian on the canvas, where she briefly worked from the mounted crucifix position and nearly found a finish. In the third round, Holm returned the fight to the floor, continuing to dominate through to the final horn. Considered to be one of the best female boxers of all time, Holm's control throughout the fight earned her a unanimous decision on the scorecards. "You never know, I'm always trying to come up with something new. I'm happy to be back! I want to be able to adapt wherever the fight goes. I wanted to strike more, but she was holding so tight, so I went to wrestling. [To return to champion] I've got to keep working hard," Holm said in the post-fight interview. Here are the results of the other fights in UFC Fight Night on Sunday Main Card > Daniel Pineda defeats Tucker Lutz by submission (guillotine choke) at 2.50 of round 2. > Albert Duraev (29-28, 29-28) defeats Chidi Njokuani (29-28) by a split decision. > Maycee Barber (29-28, 30-27) defeats Andrea Lee (29-28) by a split decision. > Nate Landwehr defeats Austin Lingo by submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:11 of round 2. Prelims > Victor Altamirano defeats Vinicius Salvador by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). > CJ Vergara defeats Daniel Lacerda by TKO (strikes) at 4.04 of round 2. > Trevin Giles (29-28, 29-28) defeats Preston Parsons by a split decision (29-28). > Lucas Alexander defeats Steven Peterson by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

UFC Fight Night: Cory Sandhagen defeats Marlon Vera by spilt decision

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