Search for alien life is a favourite topic of scientists and commoners alike. For a long time, we have been trying to find answer to the question of whether life exists elsewhere.

Water is an important indication of presence of alien life. Now, an exoplanet with oceans deeper than those on Earth has been found.

The planet has been designated as TOI-1452 b. It is 100 light years away from our planet. The planet is 70 per cent larger than Earth. It also five times more massive.

Interesting fact about the planet is that it revolves around two stars as opposed to Earth which revolves around a single star —&nbsp;the Sun.

The planet is reportedly located in the 'Goldilocks Zone' in the star system in which it is present.

The planet was discovered by a team led by University of Montreal researcher Dr. Charles Cadieux. The findings were reported in the Astronomical Journal.

The researchers found the exoplanet using NASA's TESS space telescope which surveys the entire sky in search of planets similar to Earth. The signal obtained from TESS showed slight decrease in brightness every 11 days. Based on this, the astronomers predicted that the planet is 70 per cent larger than Earth.&nbsp;

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Search for alien life is a favourite topic of scientists and commoners alike. For a long time, we have been trying to find answer to the question of whether life exists elsewhere.

Search for alien life is a favourite topic of scientists and commoners alike. For a long time, we have been trying to find answer to the question of whether life exists elsewhere. Water is an important indication of presence of alien life. Now, an exoplanet with oceans deeper than those on Earth has been found. The planet has been designated as TOI-1452 b. It is 100 light years away from our planet. The planet is 70 per cent larger than Earth. It also five times more massive. Interesting fact about the planet is that it revolves around two stars as opposed to Earth which revolves around a single star — the Sun. The planet is reportedly located in the 'Goldilocks Zone' in the star system in which it is present. The planet was discovered by a team led by University of Montreal researcher Dr. Charles Cadieux. The findings were reported in the Astronomical Journal. The researchers found the exoplanet using NASA's TESS space telescope which surveys the entire sky in search of planets similar to Earth. The signal obtained from TESS showed slight decrease in brightness every 11 days. Based on this, the astronomers predicted that the planet is 70 per cent larger than Earth. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Astronomers have found exoplanet with oceans deeper than Earth's

Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant&nbsp;in Ukraine, currently under Russian control, has resumed electricity supply a day after it was cut-off. In other news, a US Senator has referred Taiwan as a 'country'. The Senator has also vowed support to help Taiwan become an 'indpendent nation'. Read this and more in our 'Top 10 world news'

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-held-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-plant-reconnected-to-ukrainian-grid-after-concerns-over-radiation-crisis-510406">Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant reconnected to Ukrainian grid after concerns over radiation crisis</a> 
 
Russia-Ukraine war: Energoatom said, "Nuclear workers of Zaporizhzhia NPP are real heroes! They tirelessly and firmly hold the nuclear and radiation safety of Ukraine and the whole of Europe on their shoulders and work selflessly so that their native country has life-giving electricity."

<img alt="Russia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d47a1db3-aa4b-462d-9d14-8f013acdd776" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Russia_5.jpg" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-senator-refers-to-taiwan-as-country-vows-to-support-it-to-become-independent-nation-510358">US Senator refers to Taiwan as 'country', vows support to help it become an 'independent nation'</a> 
 
"I just landed in Taiwan to send a message to Beijing — we will not be bullied. The United States remains steadfast in preserving freedom around the globe, and will not tolerate efforts to undermine our nation and our allies," tweeted Senator Marsha Blackburn.

<img alt="Taiwan" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1d76fbac-e919-41fb-8269-90ceaf79eea3" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Taiwan_1.jpg" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/moderna-sues-pfizer-and-biontech-for-covid-19-vaccine-patent-infringement-510448">Moderna sues Pfizer and BioNTech for COVID-19 vaccine patent infringement</a> 
 
Moderna alleged that Pfizer and BioNTech copied technology that it had developed years before the pandemic.&nbsp;

<img alt="Moderna" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1894a3d5-71a2-452c-ad40-6121e40387bc" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Moderna_0.jpg" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indian-students-race-past-china-bag-more-uk-visas-than-any-other-country-510426">Indian students race past China, bag more UK visas than any other country</a> 
 
With more than 258,000 Indians getting visitor visas in the year ending June 2022, the country accounted for the highest proportion at 28%. This was also a 630% increase over the same period last year when COVID-19 restrictions were still in place.

<img alt="UK" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="278de076-a005-471a-960b-182dc6c7eac7" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/UK_4.jpg" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indian-students-race-past-china-bag-more-uk-visas-than-any-other-country-510426">Reports of heavy drone activity in parts of Afghanistan. What does it signify?</a> 
 
With more than 258,000 Indians getting visitor visas in the year ending June 2022, the country accounted for the highest proportion at 28%. This was also a 630% increase over the same period last year when COVID-19 restrictions were still in place.

<img alt="Afghanistan" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5ee95d9b-d096-4165-bf23-a74febc3a803" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Afghanistani.jpg" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-zealand-police-identifies-remains-of-two-children-found-in-suitcases-510454">New Zealand: Police identifies remains of two children found in suitcases</a> 
 
A homicide inquiry was initiated into the matter on August 11 after the remains of the children were found by the family that had bought the suitcases at an online auction, unaware of its contents.

<img alt="New Zealand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d335311f-4157-4474-aeea-74696e48ef73" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/New%20Zealand_0.jpg" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-suspends-26-chinese-flights-in-tit-for-tat-move-over-covid-510395">US suspends 26 Chinese flights in tit-for-tat move over Covid cases action</a> 
 
The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) cited the recent cancellation of 26 American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines flights over COVID-19 cases

<img alt="US China" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c780cb8c-00a5-4c5a-85f2-070ac30e7262" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/US%20China.jpg" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/largest-art-auction-will-sell-microsoft-co-founder-paul-allens-art-collection-worth-1billion-510407">Largest art auction will sell Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen's collection worth $1 billion</a> 
 
Art was "both analytical and emotional" to Mr Allen, Christie's CEO Guillaume Cerutti said. Paul Allen's sister, Jody Allen, who is the executor of the estate, said that the collection "reflects the diversity of his interests, with their own mystique and beauty".

<img alt="Allen" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c7d63c7b-d6c8-47ba-a9f2-a84a3e42c1c5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Paul%20Allen.jpg" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-failed-to-curb-monkeypox-hate-speech-aimed-at-lgbtq-community-says-study-510379">Twitter failed to curb monkeypox hate speech aimed at LGBTQ community, says study</a> 
 
According to the research done by ISD, anti-LGBTQ comments were used to specifically demonise gay men on Twitter and to spread false information about them being the source of the monkeypox outbreak.

<img alt="Twitter" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="95777c51-0503-4a09-9771-de0b47ec85fa" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Twitter.jpg" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-energy-regulator-blames-russia-for-80-per-cent-price-hike-510373">British energy regulator blames Russia for 80 per cent price hike</a> 
 
It is expected that worse of the price hike in the UK is still to come in the month of January, when Ofgem updates its cap further. The average bills are predicted to top GBP 5,000 or more

<img alt="Britain" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="269e9289-c189-4d89-a016-69cd2e23b6bf" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Britain_0.jpg" /> 
&nbsp;

Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, currently under Russian control, has resumed electricity supply a day after it was cut-off. In other news, a US Senator has referred Taiwan as a 'country'.

Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, currently under Russian control, has resumed electricity supply a day after it was cut-off. In other news, a US Senator has referred Taiwan as a 'country'. The Senator has also vowed support to help Taiwan become an 'indpendent nation'. Read this and more in our 'Top 10 world news' Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant reconnected to Ukrainian grid after concerns over radiation crisis Russia-Ukraine war: Energoatom said, "Nuclear workers of Zaporizhzhia NPP are real heroes! They tirelessly and firmly hold the nuclear and radiation safety of Ukraine and the whole of Europe on their shoulders and work selflessly so that their native country has life-giving electricity." US Senator refers to Taiwan as 'country', vows support to help it become an 'independent nation' "I just landed in Taiwan to send a message to Beijing — we will not be bullied. The United States remains steadfast in preserving freedom around the globe, and will not tolerate efforts to undermine our nation and our allies," tweeted Senator Marsha Blackburn. Moderna sues Pfizer and BioNTech for COVID-19 vaccine patent infringement Moderna alleged that Pfizer and BioNTech copied technology that it had developed years before the pandemic. Indian students race past China, bag more UK visas than any other country With more than 258,000 Indians getting visitor visas in the year ending June 2022, the country accounted for the highest proportion at 28%. This was also a 630% increase over the same period last year when COVID-19 restrictions were still in place. Reports of heavy drone activity in parts of Afghanistan. What does it signify? With more than 258,000 Indians getting visitor visas in the year ending June 2022, the country accounted for the highest proportion at 28%. This was also a 630% increase over the same period last year when COVID-19 restrictions were still in place. New Zealand: Police identifies remains of two children found in suitcases A homicide inquiry was initiated into the matter on August 11 after the remains of the children were found by the family that had bought the suitcases at an online auction, unaware of its contents. US suspends 26 Chinese flights in tit-for-tat move over Covid cases action The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) cited the recent cancellation of 26 American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines flights over COVID-19 cases Largest art auction will sell Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen's collection worth $1 billion Art was "both analytical and emotional" to Mr Allen, Christie's CEO Guillaume Cerutti said. Paul Allen's sister, Jody Allen, who is the executor of the estate, said that the collection "reflects the diversity of his interests, with their own mystique and beauty". Twitter failed to curb monkeypox hate speech aimed at LGBTQ community, says study According to the research done by ISD, anti-LGBTQ comments were used to specifically demonise gay men on Twitter and to spread false information about them being the source of the monkeypox outbreak. British energy regulator blames Russia for 80 per cent price hike It is expected that worse of the price hike in the UK is still to come in the month of January, when Ofgem updates its cap further. The average bills are predicted to top GBP 5,000 or more

Top 10 world news: Zaporizhzhia plant reconnected, US Senator on Taiwan, more news

Planet Mars has been or great curiosity to humankind for centuries. The red planet not only makes for a unique sight in the night sky, but also is subject of immense facination with respect to posible alien life. Type 'martians' and you would get thousands of hits on Google.

Now, scientists have got&nbsp;a fascinating proof of rocks having been altered due to water on the martian surface.

NASA's Perseverance rover has found these rocks in Jezero Crater on Mars. Jezero Crater is where scientists think there was a lake millions of years ago.

Researchers who studied these Igneous rocks have published their findings in the scientific journal Science and Science Advances.&nbsp;

The scientists had expected to find sedimentary rocks in the Jezero Crater as it is the chief type of rocks found as a result of solidification of sediments brought in by the water.&nbsp;

“Before landing, there was quite a debate whether the crater floor was igneous or sedimentary,” Roger Wiens from the Los Alamos National Laboratory told Down To Earth. Wiens studied Mars’s under-surface features.

“The Perseverance rover collected rock samples, representing diverse rock types present on the crater floor,” said Amy Williams, assistant professor of geology at the University of Florida. She was quoted by Down To Earth.

The volcanic rocks showed presence of carbonates, which is a proof that they had interaction with carbon dioxide-rich water in the past.

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Planet Mars has been or great curiosity to humankind for centuries. The red planet not only makes for a unique sight in the night sky, but also is subject of immense facination with respect to posible alien life.

Planet Mars has been or great curiosity to humankind for centuries. The red planet not only makes for a unique sight in the night sky, but also is subject of immense facination with respect to posible alien life. Type 'martians' and you would get thousands of hits on Google. Now, scientists have got a fascinating proof of rocks having been altered due to water on the martian surface. NASA's Perseverance rover has found these rocks in Jezero Crater on Mars. Jezero Crater is where scientists think there was a lake millions of years ago. Researchers who studied these Igneous rocks have published their findings in the scientific journal Science and Science Advances. The scientists had expected to find sedimentary rocks in the Jezero Crater as it is the chief type of rocks found as a result of solidification of sediments brought in by the water. “Before landing, there was quite a debate whether the crater floor was igneous or sedimentary,” Roger Wiens from the Los Alamos National Laboratory told Down To Earth. Wiens studied Mars’s under-surface features. “The Perseverance rover collected rock samples, representing diverse rock types present on the crater floor,” said Amy Williams, assistant professor of geology at the University of Florida. She was quoted by Down To Earth. The volcanic rocks showed presence of carbonates, which is a proof that they had interaction with carbon dioxide-rich water in the past. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Scientists find water-modified volcanic rocks on Mars

Prehistoric waters were a dangerous place to have your Sunday swim. Not only there were predators, but there&nbsp;were huge predators. Before an asteroid wiped most of them off the face of the planet, dinosaurs were ruling almost every food chain and food web. Land, air and water, nothing could help you escape from these huge killing machines.

Now another, enormous 'saur' has been found in Morocco. Perhaps in a acknowledgement to the predator, its fossil has been found alongside that of its last meal.

The mosasaur, or the animal that has been found, lived 66 million years ago during the Cretaceous period. The announcement of discovery of the fossil has been made in the journal Cretaceous Research on August 24.

The mosasaur, or Thalassotitan atrox, was an apex predator in the oceans. It grew up to 40 feet in length

"Thalassotitan was an amazing, terrifying animal," said Dr. Nick Longrich, lead author of the study and senior lecturer from the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath in a statement.

"Imagine a komodo dragon crossed with a great white shark crossed with a T. rex crossed with a killer whale," said Longrich as quoted by the Newsweek.

"They were wiped out by the asteroid impact, just like the dinosaurs," Longrich added.&nbsp;

"They seem to have been active, even warm-blooded animals, and this and their large size meant they needed a lot of food. When the debris from the asteroid blocked out the sun, photosynthesis shut down, plankton stopped growing, and the food chain just sort of fell apart. The marine ecosystem was hit extremely hard; a few sea turtles survived and sharks survived pretty well; most marine reptiles and big fish went extinct."

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Prehistoric waters were a dangerous place to have your Sunday swim. Not only there were predators, but there were huge predators. Before an asteroid wiped most of them off the face of the planet, dinosaurs were ruling almost every food chain and food web.

Prehistoric waters were a dangerous place to have your Sunday swim. Not only there were predators, but there were huge predators. Before an asteroid wiped most of them off the face of the planet, dinosaurs were ruling almost every food chain and food web. Land, air and water, nothing could help you escape from these huge killing machines. Now another, enormous 'saur' has been found in Morocco. Perhaps in a acknowledgement to the predator, its fossil has been found alongside that of its last meal. The mosasaur, or the animal that has been found, lived 66 million years ago during the Cretaceous period. The announcement of discovery of the fossil has been made in the journal Cretaceous Research on August 24. The mosasaur, or Thalassotitan atrox, was an apex predator in the oceans. It grew up to 40 feet in length "Thalassotitan was an amazing, terrifying animal," said Dr. Nick Longrich, lead author of the study and senior lecturer from the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath in a statement. "Imagine a komodo dragon crossed with a great white shark crossed with a T. rex crossed with a killer whale," said Longrich as quoted by the Newsweek. "They were wiped out by the asteroid impact, just like the dinosaurs," Longrich added. "They seem to have been active, even warm-blooded animals, and this and their large size meant they needed a lot of food. When the debris from the asteroid blocked out the sun, photosynthesis shut down, plankton stopped growing, and the food chain just sort of fell apart. The marine ecosystem was hit extremely hard; a few sea turtles survived and sharks survived pretty well; most marine reptiles and big fish went extinct." You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Scientists find fossil of giant sea monster Mosasaur next to its victim

The US said on Thursday (August 26) that it will suspend 26 flights to China, operated by Chinese carriers. The measure has been taken in response to China's decision to suspend some US carriers over COVID-19 cases. The US decision will see suspension of flights by Xiamen, Air China, China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines. The suspension will be in effect from September 5 through September 28.

The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) cited the recent cancellation of 26 American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines flights over COVID-19 cases.

The suspensions include 19 flights from Los Angeles and 7 China Eastern flights from New York.

There was no immediate comment from the Chinese Embassy in Washington.

USDOT said as of Aug. 7 Chinese authorities revised their policies so if the number of passengers testing positive for COVID-19 reached 4% of the total number of passengers on a flight to China, one flight would be suspended and two flights if it reached 8%.

USDOT said the U.S. government has repeatedly raised objections with the government of China saying the rules place "undue culpability on carriers" when travelers test negative before boarding their flight from the United States only to "test positive for COVID-19 after their arrival in China."

China and the US have been at loggerheads over air services. In August 2021, US put limitation on four flights from &nbsp;Chinese carriers to 40% passenger capacity for four weeks. The step was taken after China imposed similar limits on four American carriers.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The US said on Thursday (August 26) that it will suspend 26 flights to China, operated by Chinese carriers. The measure has been taken in response to China's decision to suspend some US carriers over COVID-19 cases.

The US said on Thursday (August 26) that it will suspend 26 flights to China, operated by Chinese carriers. The measure has been taken in response to China's decision to suspend some US carriers over COVID-19 cases. The US decision will see suspension of flights by Xiamen, Air China, China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines. The suspension will be in effect from September 5 through September 28. The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) cited the recent cancellation of 26 American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines flights over COVID-19 cases. The suspensions include 19 flights from Los Angeles and 7 China Eastern flights from New York. There was no immediate comment from the Chinese Embassy in Washington. USDOT said as of Aug. 7 Chinese authorities revised their policies so if the number of passengers testing positive for COVID-19 reached 4% of the total number of passengers on a flight to China, one flight would be suspended and two flights if it reached 8%. USDOT said the U.S. government has repeatedly raised objections with the government of China saying the rules place "undue culpability on carriers" when travelers test negative before boarding their flight from the United States only to "test positive for COVID-19 after their arrival in China." China and the US have been at loggerheads over air services. In August 2021, US put limitation on four flights from Chinese carriers to 40% passenger capacity for four weeks. The step was taken after China imposed similar limits on four American carriers. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

US suspends 26 Chinese flights in tit-for-tat move over Covid cases action

Chief of Ofgem, Britain's energy regulator, has blamed Russia-fuelled&nbsp;Ukraine conflict for a huge, 80 per cent hike in electricity and gas bills. This dramatic rise is sure to worsen cost-of-living crisis before winter. Ofgem has said that its energy price cap will increase from October 1 to an average of £3,549 ($4,197) per year from the current £1,971. The energy cap sets prices for consumers who are not on a fixed deal with their supplier.

In an interview to BBC, Jonathan Brearley, the chief executive of Ofgem linked the massive hike to Ukraine conflict.

"It is possible that there may be peace between Russia and Ukraine, that things may change and indeed prices may stabilise or come down, but it is more likely that prices continue to rise," he said as quoted by the BBC.

It is expected that worse is still to come in the month of January, when Ofgem updates its cap further. The average bills are predicted to top GBP 5,000 or more.

Inflation in the UK is already in double digits. There is a forecast that it would reach 13 per cent in coming months. Energy bills are sure to add to the woes of British public.

The chief executive of Marie Curie cancer care charity, Matthew Reed, said terminally ill people it helps need specialist medical equipment and warned they "could freeze to death this winter without further support".

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-signs-decree-to-boost-the-size-of-russian-forces-510230">Putin signs decree to boost the size of Russian forces</a>

The near-doubling in the energy cap will likely tip millions into fuel poverty, forcing them to choose between heating or eating, anti-poverty experts say.

"Some parents are coming to us in tears, terrified about how they are going to feed their children," said Rossanna Trudgian, head of campaigns and public affairs at Action for Children charity.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Chief of Ofgem, Britain's energy regulator, has blamed Russia-fuelled Ukraine conflict for a huge, 80 per cent hike in electricity and gas bills. This dramatic rise is sure to worsen cost-of-living crisis before winter.

Chief of Ofgem, Britain's energy regulator, has blamed Russia-fuelled Ukraine conflict for a huge, 80 per cent hike in electricity and gas bills. This dramatic rise is sure to worsen cost-of-living crisis before winter. Ofgem has said that its energy price cap will increase from October 1 to an average of £3,549 ($4,197) per year from the current £1,971. The energy cap sets prices for consumers who are not on a fixed deal with their supplier. In an interview to BBC, Jonathan Brearley, the chief executive of Ofgem linked the massive hike to Ukraine conflict. "It is possible that there may be peace between Russia and Ukraine, that things may change and indeed prices may stabilise or come down, but it is more likely that prices continue to rise," he said as quoted by the BBC. It is expected that worse is still to come in the month of January, when Ofgem updates its cap further. The average bills are predicted to top GBP 5,000 or more. Inflation in the UK is already in double digits. There is a forecast that it would reach 13 per cent in coming months. Energy bills are sure to add to the woes of British public. The chief executive of Marie Curie cancer care charity, Matthew Reed, said terminally ill people it helps need specialist medical equipment and warned they "could freeze to death this winter without further support". Also Read | Putin signs decree to boost the size of Russian forces The near-doubling in the energy cap will likely tip millions into fuel poverty, forcing them to choose between heating or eating, anti-poverty experts say. "Some parents are coming to us in tears, terrified about how they are going to feed their children," said Rossanna Trudgian, head of campaigns and public affairs at Action for Children charity. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

British energy regulator blames Russia for 80 per cent price hike

A US official said on Tuesday (August 23) that Iran was dropping demands to block some nuclear inspections. These are the latest concessions the Islamic Republic will be making towards revival of 2015 nuclear deal.

The nuclear deal was struck between Iran and world powers including the US in 2015. However, former US president Donald Trump unilaterally took the country out of the pact in 2018. Negotiations have been going on to restore the deal which was hailed as landmark deal when it was inked.

Iran is also relaxing its insistence that Washington remove the powerful Revolutionary Guards from a terrorism blacklist, a key dispute in indirect negotiations that had stalled after a year and a half.

Iran has been combative recently over the issue of inspection of some of its nuclear plants.

In June, Iran disconnected a number of IAEA cameras after the UN body's board censured Tehran for not adequately explaining previous traces of uranium.

A senior official in President Joe Biden's administration said Iran has "made concessions on critical issues" and that reports of new US compromises were "categorically false."

"In addition to the nuclear constraints Iran would have to implement, the IAEA would again be able to implement the most comprehensive inspections regime ever negotiated, allowing it to detect any Iranian effort to pursue a nuclear weapon covertly," the official said on condition of anonymity.

"Much of that international monitoring would remain in place for an unlimited amount of time."

US President Joe Biden took office vowing to restore the agreement, but faced insistence from Iran on lifting all sanctions imposed by Trump

(With inputs from agencies)

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A US official said on Tuesday (August 23) that Iran was dropping demands to block some nuclear inspections. These are the latest concessions the Islamic Republic will be making towards revival of 2015 nuclear deal.

A US official said on Tuesday (August 23) that Iran was dropping demands to block some nuclear inspections. These are the latest concessions the Islamic Republic will be making towards revival of 2015 nuclear deal. The nuclear deal was struck between Iran and world powers including the US in 2015. However, former US president Donald Trump unilaterally took the country out of the pact in 2018. Negotiations have been going on to restore the deal which was hailed as landmark deal when it was inked. Iran is also relaxing its insistence that Washington remove the powerful Revolutionary Guards from a terrorism blacklist, a key dispute in indirect negotiations that had stalled after a year and a half. Iran has been combative recently over the issue of inspection of some of its nuclear plants. In June, Iran disconnected a number of IAEA cameras after the UN body's board censured Tehran for not adequately explaining previous traces of uranium. A senior official in President Joe Biden's administration said Iran has "made concessions on critical issues" and that reports of new US compromises were "categorically false." "In addition to the nuclear constraints Iran would have to implement, the IAEA would again be able to implement the most comprehensive inspections regime ever negotiated, allowing it to detect any Iranian effort to pursue a nuclear weapon covertly," the official said on condition of anonymity. "Much of that international monitoring would remain in place for an unlimited amount of time." US President Joe Biden took office vowing to restore the agreement, but faced insistence from Iran on lifting all sanctions imposed by Trump (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Iran eased demands for nuclear deal, says US official

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday (August 23) said&nbsp;that Germany planned to send more arms worth USD 498.55 million to Ukraine, reports Reuters quoting sources. The report has come on the eve of Ukraine's Independence Day. Ukraine will celebrate its 31st Independence Day on August 24.

Scholz made the announcement as he participated in an online conference on Ukraine which took place in Toronto. Germany plans to supply three additional Iris-T air defence systems, a dozen armoured recovery vehicles, 20 rocket launchers, precision ammunition and anti-drone systems.

These weapons will be delivered in 2023, some of them possibly sooner. A source quoted by Reuters said that Germany's parliamentary budget committee must still approve the supplies which Scholz described as a contribution to the modernization of Ukraine's armed forces.

Ukraine is on high alert as it celebrates its Independence Day. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has already said that Russia might do something 'ugly' on Ukraine's Independence Day. Yuriy Sak, adviser to Ukraine's defence minister, confirmed the high-alert status of Ukraine.&nbsp;

The celebrations will be muted this year and large gatherings have been banned in the capital Kyiv.

There is also a mounting concern after Russia accused Ukrainian intelligence of being behind the assassination of the daughter of a prominent ultranationalist intellectual in Moscow on Saturday.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday (August 23) said that Germany planned to send more arms worth USD 498.55 million to Ukraine, reports Reuters quoting sources.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday (August 23) said that Germany planned to send more arms worth USD 498.55 million to Ukraine, reports Reuters quoting sources. The report has come on the eve of Ukraine's Independence Day. Ukraine will celebrate its 31st Independence Day on August 24. Scholz made the announcement as he participated in an online conference on Ukraine which took place in Toronto. Germany plans to supply three additional Iris-T air defence systems, a dozen armoured recovery vehicles, 20 rocket launchers, precision ammunition and anti-drone systems. These weapons will be delivered in 2023, some of them possibly sooner. A source quoted by Reuters said that Germany's parliamentary budget committee must still approve the supplies which Scholz described as a contribution to the modernization of Ukraine's armed forces. Ukraine is on high alert as it celebrates its Independence Day. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has already said that Russia might do something 'ugly' on Ukraine's Independence Day. Yuriy Sak, adviser to Ukraine's defence minister, confirmed the high-alert status of Ukraine. The celebrations will be muted this year and large gatherings have been banned in the capital Kyiv. There is also a mounting concern after Russia accused Ukrainian intelligence of being behind the assassination of the daughter of a prominent ultranationalist intellectual in Moscow on Saturday.

Germany to send more weapons worth USD 500 million to Ukraine

We all know how dinosaurs perished. A huge asteroid zoomed through space and slammed into Earth in what is now Mexico. The huge tsunamis followed by massive amount of dust obscuring even the Sun had devastating impact on life on Earth and among the major species to perish were dinosaurs.

Almost everyone who has slightest interest in history of life knows this. But a latest observation points at the possibility of the killer asteroid (named Chicxulub) may have been accompanied by a smaller asteroid. If the observation and the hypothesis is accepted, it will update our&nbsp;knowledge of pre-history.

The scientific study has been published in scientific journal Science Advances.

“The idea that [Chicxulub] had help — for want of a better phrase — would have really added insult to serious injury,” says study coauthor Veronica Bray. She is a planetary scientist at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

The impact crater due to this asteroid is 8 km wide and has been buried hundreds of metres below the sea off the coast of west Africa.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/listen-in-nasa-reshares-the-eerie-and-haunting-sound-of-a-black-hole-509528">Listen in! NASA reshares the eerie and haunting sound of a black hole</a>

The crater was found by Geologist Uisdean Nicholson of Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. He stumbled upon the crater as he was analysing seismic waves. He observed a bowl-shaped structure that had a broken-up, terraced floor and a central peak that was pronounced. These are features of a large impact.&nbsp;

Unlike Chicxulub, scientist think that this particular asteroid did not have a huge global impact. Chicxulub asteroid caused tsunamis measuring hundreds of metres in height and kicked up massive amount of dust. This second asteroid is not considered to have caused such a catastrophic effect.

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We all know how dinosaurs perished. A huge asteroid zoomed through space and slammed into Earth in what is now Mexico. The huge tsunamis followed by massive amount of dust obscuring even the Sun had devastating impact on life on Earth and among the major species to perish were dinosaurs.

We all know how dinosaurs perished. A huge asteroid zoomed through space and slammed into Earth in what is now Mexico. The huge tsunamis followed by massive amount of dust obscuring even the Sun had devastating impact on life on Earth and among the major species to perish were dinosaurs. Almost everyone who has slightest interest in history of life knows this. But a latest observation points at the possibility of the killer asteroid (named Chicxulub) may have been accompanied by a smaller asteroid. If the observation and the hypothesis is accepted, it will update our knowledge of pre-history. The scientific study has been published in scientific journal Science Advances. “The idea that [Chicxulub] had help — for want of a better phrase — would have really added insult to serious injury,” says study coauthor Veronica Bray. She is a planetary scientist at the University of Arizona in Tucson. The impact crater due to this asteroid is 8 km wide and has been buried hundreds of metres below the sea off the coast of west Africa. Listen in! NASA reshares the eerie and haunting sound of a black hole The crater was found by Geologist Uisdean Nicholson of Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. He stumbled upon the crater as he was analysing seismic waves. He observed a bowl-shaped structure that had a broken-up, terraced floor and a central peak that was pronounced. These are features of a large impact. Unlike Chicxulub, scientist think that this particular asteroid did not have a huge global impact. Chicxulub asteroid caused tsunamis measuring hundreds of metres in height and kicked up massive amount of dust. This second asteroid is not considered to have caused such a catastrophic effect. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Did dinosaurs perish due to two asteroids strikes? Scientists think so

As Ukraine's independence day from Russia approaches (August 24), all eyes are on the Ukraine war again. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has already said that Russia might try to do something to reduce the symbolic and morale-boosting value of Ukrainian independence day. On the eve of the important day for Ukraine, WION's Mohammed Saleh spoke with Yuriy Sak, advisor to Ukraine's defence minister.

WION: Mr Sak this a crucial moment in terms of what is happening in the war. Tomorrow marks exactly six months since Russia invaded Ukraine. Also tomorrow is your 31st independence anniversary from the former Soviet Union. And in keeping with this, Ukraine has said that it has received intelligence that Russia may try to do something reallu ugly. What is the threat you perceive from Russia tomorrow?

Yuriy Sak: Hello and thank you for inviting me. Indeed tomorrow is a great national celebration for our country. It's our independence day and this is a celebration that we take very seriously. This will also be the day when we will have six months of aggressive war against Ukraine. And I want to stress that this is a war Russian aggressor was hoping to conduct in three days. They were planning to conquer the whole of Ukraine in maximum of seven days. And our Minister of Defence Oleksiy Reznikov, he personally saw, in the Russian tanks which were left by the occupiers in Kyiv, parade uniforms. They were planning to conduct this war very quickly, to destroy Ukrainian leadership, and to occupy our territory completely. Instead of that what we have now is parade of destroyed Russian tanks on Kyiv central street.&nbsp;

We as a nation have been very very heroically defending our country and European freedom from the Russian aggressor. Ahead of tomorrow's celebrations, we are of course now on high-alert because Russia in addition to being a war criminal and terrorist state has a very strange way of treating certain dates. Ukraine's independence is something that Russia wants to destroy. It wants to destroy Ukrainian people. This is why we are referring to this as genocide. And this is why we are calling on the international community to recognise Russia officially as state sponsor of terrorism.

So tomorrow is a big day. But I want to also stress that we have been living in an atmosphere of missile terror from Russia for last six months. Every day, Russia conducts missile strikes on Ukrainian cities. Every day, peaceful Ukrainian citizens are dying in these missile strikes. So in a sense, tomorrow will be, unfortunately, an ordinary day in the new normal we've been living in since February 24. But we hope that our fears will not come true. And we hope that tomorrow's celebrations will not be spoilt by another atrocity on the part of Russia.

Watch | August 24 marks Ukraine's 31st Independence Day; fear of fresh Russian strikes looms

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WION: This is the issue that a lot of people are talking about around the world, especially in the aftermath of what has happened to Darya Dugina, the daughter of Alexander Dugin, the philosopher and the far-right thinker, someone who is considered to be the brain of Vladimir Putin. Russia has unequivocally accused Ukraine of carrying out her assassination. What does Ukraine have to say for it?

Yuriy Sak: Our official position is very simple. We are not Russians. We are not terrorists. We do not fight with civillian population. We even don't fight with civillians who are hateful towards Ukraine. Because as you probably know, Mr Dugin used to say that Ukrainians must be killed and killed. And his late daughter who was killed in that accident, we are prone to believe that this was a false flag terrorist operation. Our intelligence agencies say that this most probably was an insider job. It was a provocation by the Russians. We do not carry killings of those people because we are a civilized democracy. We fight our enemy on the battlefield. And we value their human life very highly.

WION: I need to ask you about what has happened in Crimea over the course of last 10-12 days. Because your President Volodymyr Zelensky has been saying that Ukraine will stage a counter-attack, that Ukraine will re-conquer Crimea which has been occupied by Russia. What we've seen over the course of last 10-15 days, that there has been a series of mysterious and unexplained explosions which have targetted Russian military installations. Ukraine hasn't directly claimed responsibility for a lot of these attacks that have taken place in Crimea. But is Ukraine behind these explosions?

Yuriy Sak: Let's be clear. Crimea is a sovereign territory of Ukraine. It is an internationally recognised territory of Ukraine which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014. This is an internationally recognised fact. Point number 2, we have two things to say to Russian occupiers, and this has been our position all the while. Since Crimea is part of Ukraine, we will liberate it sooner or later. It just depends on how quickly we receive interational assistance and high-precision weaponry.

Third point, all we have to say to Russian occupiers who are in Crimea as well as other temporarily occupied parts of Ukraine, they have to get out from our country.

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As Ukraine's independence day from Russia approaches (August 24), all eyes are on the Ukraine war again. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has already said that Russia might try to do something to reduce the symbolic and morale-boosting value of Ukrainian independence day.

As Ukraine's independence day from Russia approaches (August 24), all eyes are on the Ukraine war again. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has already said that Russia might try to do something to reduce the symbolic and morale-boosting value of Ukrainian independence day. On the eve of the important day for Ukraine, WION's Mohammed Saleh spoke with Yuriy Sak, advisor to Ukraine's defence minister. WION: Mr Sak this a crucial moment in terms of what is happening in the war. Tomorrow marks exactly six months since Russia invaded Ukraine. Also tomorrow is your 31st independence anniversary from the former Soviet Union. And in keeping with this, Ukraine has said that it has received intelligence that Russia may try to do something reallu ugly. What is the threat you perceive from Russia tomorrow? Yuriy Sak: Hello and thank you for inviting me. Indeed tomorrow is a great national celebration for our country. It's our independence day and this is a celebration that we take very seriously. This will also be the day when we will have six months of aggressive war against Ukraine. And I want to stress that this is a war Russian aggressor was hoping to conduct in three days. They were planning to conquer the whole of Ukraine in maximum of seven days. And our Minister of Defence Oleksiy Reznikov, he personally saw, in the Russian tanks which were left by the occupiers in Kyiv, parade uniforms. They were planning to conduct this war very quickly, to destroy Ukrainian leadership, and to occupy our territory completely. Instead of that what we have now is parade of destroyed Russian tanks on Kyiv central street. We as a nation have been very very heroically defending our country and European freedom from the Russian aggressor. Ahead of tomorrow's celebrations, we are of course now on high-alert because Russia in addition to being a war criminal and terrorist state has a very strange way of treating certain dates. Ukraine's independence is something that Russia wants to destroy. It wants to destroy Ukrainian people. This is why we are referring to this as genocide. And this is why we are calling on the international community to recognise Russia officially as state sponsor of terrorism. So tomorrow is a big day. But I want to also stress that we have been living in an atmosphere of missile terror from Russia for last six months. Every day, Russia conducts missile strikes on Ukrainian cities. Every day, peaceful Ukrainian citizens are dying in these missile strikes. So in a sense, tomorrow will be, unfortunately, an ordinary day in the new normal we've been living in since February 24. But we hope that our fears will not come true. And we hope that tomorrow's celebrations will not be spoilt by another atrocity on the part of Russia. Watch | August 24 marks Ukraine's 31st Independence Day; fear of fresh Russian strikes looms × WION: This is the issue that a lot of people are talking about around the world, especially in the aftermath of what has happened to Darya Dugina, the daughter of Alexander Dugin, the philosopher and the far-right thinker, someone who is considered to be the brain of Vladimir Putin. Russia has unequivocally accused Ukraine of carrying out her assassination. What does Ukraine have to say for it? Yuriy Sak: Our official position is very simple. We are not Russians. We are not terrorists. We do not fight with civillian population. We even don't fight with civillians who are hateful towards Ukraine. Because as you probably know, Mr Dugin used to say that Ukrainians must be killed and killed. And his late daughter who was killed in that accident, we are prone to believe that this was a false flag terrorist operation. Our intelligence agencies say that this most probably was an insider job. It was a provocation by the Russians. We do not carry killings of those people because we are a civilized democracy. We fight our enemy on the battlefield. And we value their human life very highly. WION: I need to ask you about what has happened in Crimea over the course of last 10-12 days. Because your President Volodymyr Zelensky has been saying that Ukraine will stage a counter-attack, that Ukraine will re-conquer Crimea which has been occupied by Russia. What we've seen over the course of last 10-15 days, that there has been a series of mysterious and unexplained explosions which have targetted Russian military installations. Ukraine hasn't directly claimed responsibility for a lot of these attacks that have taken place in Crimea. But is Ukraine behind these explosions? Yuriy Sak: Let's be clear. Crimea is a sovereign territory of Ukraine. It is an internationally recognised territory of Ukraine which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014. This is an internationally recognised fact. Point number 2, we have two things to say to Russian occupiers, and this has been our position all the while. Since Crimea is part of Ukraine, we will liberate it sooner or later. It just depends on how quickly we receive interational assistance and high-precision weaponry. Third point, all we have to say to Russian occupiers who are in Crimea as well as other temporarily occupied parts of Ukraine, they have to get out from our country. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Ukraine is on high alert as I-day approaches, top Ukrainian official tells WION

Iran saw protests and an online outrage last week in support of a woman who was allegedly made to apologise on TV for removig her Hijab. Sewpideh Rashno (28) was arrested in the month of July after a video of her being harassed on a bus went viral online. She had had an altercation with a woman who accused her of removing her hijab while on the bus.

Activists said that when Rashno was arrested, she disappeared without a trace and that there were no information over her whereabouts. An hastag attracted lot of tweets. It was #sepideh_kojast (where is Sepideh?)

Human Rights Activists News Agency (Hrana) a group based outside of Iran has alleged that Rashno was tortured while she was in custody. The confession was allegedly forced.&nbsp;

Last week, several women staged a flash mobs in Iranian capital Tehran. The images of the flash mob were shared on social media. The women had covered their faces with placards that they were holding to guard their identity.

As per Hrana, forced confessions are on the rise in Iran.

Hijab for women in public places has been mandatory since 1979. However, the rule has been hardened recently. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi signed an order on August 15 that toughened the rule with new restrictions.

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Iran saw protests and an online outrage last week in support of a woman who was allegedly made to apologise on TV for removig her Hijab. Sewpideh Rashno (28) was arrested in the month of July after a video of her being harassed on a bus went viral online.

Iran saw protests and an online outrage last week in support of a woman who was allegedly made to apologise on TV for removig her Hijab. Sewpideh Rashno (28) was arrested in the month of July after a video of her being harassed on a bus went viral online. She had had an altercation with a woman who accused her of removing her hijab while on the bus. Activists said that when Rashno was arrested, she disappeared without a trace and that there were no information over her whereabouts. An hastag attracted lot of tweets. It was #sepideh_kojast (where is Sepideh?) Human Rights Activists News Agency (Hrana) a group based outside of Iran has alleged that Rashno was tortured while she was in custody. The confession was allegedly forced. Last week, several women staged a flash mobs in Iranian capital Tehran. The images of the flash mob were shared on social media. The women had covered their faces with placards that they were holding to guard their identity. As per Hrana, forced confessions are on the rise in Iran. Hijab for women in public places has been mandatory since 1979. However, the rule has been hardened recently. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi signed an order on August 15 that toughened the rule with new restrictions. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Protests in Iran after woman arrested for 'improper clothing'

Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong media tycoon who owned now shut pro-democracy publication Apple Daily will face a no-jury court. This is the latest deviation from city's 177-year-old tradition of jury-trial. Lai is under arrest China's controversial national security law. Hong Kong Secretary for Justice Paul Lam has ordered that Jimmy Lai's trial will be heard three judges handpicked by the government.

AFP reported that the copy of the order cited, "involvement of foreign elements" in the case, the "personal safety of jurors and their family members" and the "risk of perverting the course of justice if the trial is conducted with a jury".

So far authorities have rejected jury trials for all three major cases that have made it to the High Court, where defendants can face up to life in prison. Lai, 74, is one of Hong Kong's best-known democracy activists and is openly loathed by Beijing.

Lai's Apple Daily newspaper had been very vocal in its criticism of China's Communist Party. The newspaper openly supported democracy. The tabloid shut down last year when China froze its funds. Many of the senior staff of the newspaper &nbsp;were charged with "collusion with foreign forces", one of the new national security crimes.

On Monday, prosecutor Anthony Chau informed the court that six Apple Daily executives have indicated that they plan to plead guilty. 
A guilty plea usually entitles defendants to a sentence reduction.&nbsp;

Lai, who is currently serving a protest-related sentence, plans to plead not guilty, meaning a full trial is expected towards the end of the year or early next year, the court heard.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong media tycoon who owned now shut pro-democracy publication Apple Daily will face a no-jury court. This is the latest deviation from city's 177-year-old tradition of jury-trial.

Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong media tycoon who owned now shut pro-democracy publication Apple Daily will face a no-jury court. This is the latest deviation from city's 177-year-old tradition of jury-trial. Lai is under arrest China's controversial national security law. Hong Kong Secretary for Justice Paul Lam has ordered that Jimmy Lai's trial will be heard three judges handpicked by the government. AFP reported that the copy of the order cited, "involvement of foreign elements" in the case, the "personal safety of jurors and their family members" and the "risk of perverting the course of justice if the trial is conducted with a jury". So far authorities have rejected jury trials for all three major cases that have made it to the High Court, where defendants can face up to life in prison. Lai, 74, is one of Hong Kong's best-known democracy activists and is openly loathed by Beijing. Lai's Apple Daily newspaper had been very vocal in its criticism of China's Communist Party. The newspaper openly supported democracy. The tabloid shut down last year when China froze its funds. Many of the senior staff of the newspaper were charged with "collusion with foreign forces", one of the new national security crimes. On Monday, prosecutor Anthony Chau informed the court that six Apple Daily executives have indicated that they plan to plead guilty. A guilty plea usually entitles defendants to a sentence reduction. Lai, who is currently serving a protest-related sentence, plans to plead not guilty, meaning a full trial is expected towards the end of the year or early next year, the court heard. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Hong Kong's pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai to be tried without jury

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