Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

The Pentagon claimed on Monday that Russia was boosting air and sea military operations in Ukraine as it struggles to turn the tide of war in Ukraine, where the "dexterity" of the defence mounted by Kyiv is stalling the invasion.

A senior US official claimed that the Kremllin was "desperate" to increase its momentum in a war in which its troops have grown "frustrated and flummoxed" by a resistance that has shown durability despite being outmanned and outgunned, AFP reported.

President Vladimir Putin's forces have ramped up their sorties over and near Ukraine, flying more than 300 missions in the past 24 hours, with Kyiv likewise increasing their own air operations in a bid to deny Russia superiority in the skies, the official told reporters.

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Few of the operations are dogfights, as Russia's military tends to fire air-to-ground missiles at Ukrainian targets from Russian or Belarusian skies.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-breakthrough-yet-at-russian-ukraine-peace-talks-says-kremlin-464321">No breakthrough yet at Russia-Ukraine peace talks, says Kremlin</a>

"They're not venturing very far or for very long into Ukrainian airspace, because the Ukrainians have been defending their airspace with great dexterity," the official was quoted by AFP as saying, on condition of anonymity.

The official said that Russia is exhibiting 'increasing naval activity' in northern Black Sea. Russia is using multiple warships that are contributing shelling around port city of Odessa.

"What we're seeing is a near desperate attempt by the Russians to gain some momentum and try to turn the course of this in their favour," the defence official said, noting that on day 26 of the offensive, Russian forces remain pinned down 15 kilometres (nine miles) northwest and 30 km east of Kyiv.

At the weekend Moscow claimed it had fired hypersonic missiles at targets in Ukraine, but the Pentagon on Monday would not confirm or refute that the next-generation weaponry had been used.

The senior defence official did offer that from a military point of view using a hypersonic missile to hit a stationary target made little sense.

"It could be that they're trying to send a message to the West but also to Ukraine, and trying to gain leverage at the negotiating table," he added.

Russia also has been experiencing "a not insignificant number of failures" of its precision-guided munitions, the official said.&nbsp;

But the military's available combat power remains at roughly 90 percent, he added.

Ukraine's combat power is at a similar level in part because of contributions from Washington and other western powers.

(With inputs from agencies)

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. The Pentagon claimed on Monday that Russia was boosting air and sea military operations in Ukraine as it struggles to turn the tide of war in Ukraine, where the "dexterity" of the defence mounted by Kyiv is stalling the invasion. A senior US official claimed that the Kremllin was "desperate" to increase its momentum in a war in which its troops have grown "frustrated and flummoxed" by a resistance that has shown durability despite being outmanned and outgunned, AFP reported. President Vladimir Putin's forces have ramped up their sorties over and near Ukraine, flying more than 300 missions in the past 24 hours, with Kyiv likewise increasing their own air operations in a bid to deny Russia superiority in the skies, the official told reporters. × Few of the operations are dogfights, as Russia's military tends to fire air-to-ground missiles at Ukrainian targets from Russian or Belarusian skies. Also Read | No breakthrough yet at Russia-Ukraine peace talks, says Kremlin "They're not venturing very far or for very long into Ukrainian airspace, because the Ukrainians have been defending their airspace with great dexterity," the official was quoted by AFP as saying, on condition of anonymity. The official said that Russia is exhibiting 'increasing naval activity' in northern Black Sea. Russia is using multiple warships that are contributing shelling around port city of Odessa. "What we're seeing is a near desperate attempt by the Russians to gain some momentum and try to turn the course of this in their favour," the defence official said, noting that on day 26 of the offensive, Russian forces remain pinned down 15 kilometres (nine miles) northwest and 30 km east of Kyiv. At the weekend Moscow claimed it had fired hypersonic missiles at targets in Ukraine, but the Pentagon on Monday would not confirm or refute that the next-generation weaponry had been used. The senior defence official did offer that from a military point of view using a hypersonic missile to hit a stationary target made little sense. "It could be that they're trying to send a message to the West but also to Ukraine, and trying to gain leverage at the negotiating table," he added. Russia also has been experiencing "a not insignificant number of failures" of its precision-guided munitions, the official said. But the military's available combat power remains at roughly 90 percent, he added. Ukraine's combat power is at a similar level in part because of contributions from Washington and other western powers. (With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine conflict: Russia ramping up naval and air activity, says Pentagon 

The most important lesson of the Covid pandemic is that the only constant is change. Variants spread, cases surge and abate, treatments change and knowledge expands. This means that we — the public, elected officials and public health leaders — need to learn constantly and adapt quickly, acting on the insight that no one policy response is likely to stay effective for long.

Now is the moment to put that flexibility into practice. Rising Covid cases in Europe, the toll Omicron is taking particularly on unvaccinated elderly people in Hong Kong and slowing vaccinations are warnings that another wave of infections is likely approaching the United States. But we are by no means helpless. We can prepare better, save lives and reduce disruption.

Although the exact reasons for the rapid increase in cases in Europe aren’t known, it almost certainly results from a combination of the highly infectious BA.2 Omicron subvariant, changing public behavior and waning immunity.

BA.2 is making up an increasing proportion of new cases, and is extending the Omicron surge. At the same time, countries in Europe are lifting Covid-19 restrictions, including mask mandates and indoor capacity limits, and immunity to infection from vaccines and possibly also from prior infections is waning. Thankfully, although protection against infection through vaccination is something of a flash-in-the-pan phenomenon, the protection vaccines provide against severe infection and death is more durable.

We’ve also learned more about the nature of the threat. It has been an open question whether Omicron is a much less severe variant of the Covid virus than earlier strains, or if it has caused much less severe disease because it had run into a wall of immunity from vaccination and prior infection in the United States, Europe and parts of Asia with high vaccination rates. The deadly outbreak in Hong Kong answers that question: Covid remains ferocious, and Omicron is lethal in an immunologically naïve population, particularly among unvaccinated older people. This has caused the devastating surge in deaths there and helps explain why the United States continues to report around 1,000 deaths per day, the vast majority among people not up-to-date with vaccination.

Unfortunately, in the United States and many other high-income countries, vaccination has slowed to a trickle: It’s down in the United States by more than 95 percent from the peak of 4 million vaccinations a day. In some countries of Africa, where competing health risks are substantial and the health care infrastructure is stretched thin, vaccination rates are very low and are likely to remain so for many months.

The risks for the United States are clear. BA.2 is increasing and will likely soon account for most new cases in the country. Masks have come off and approximately 60 percent of Americans, including more than one third of people above age 65 — more than 15 million seniors — are not up-to-date with vaccination. This doesn’t mean that BA.2 will inevitably cause a deadly surge. But it does mean that cases may increase soon, and that unvaccinated and under-vaccinated elderly and medically vulnerable people could face a deadly threat.

Leaders need to redouble efforts to get more Americans, particularly older adults, vaccinated and boosted. Also, people who are older or immunocompromised and those around them should consider masking with a more protective N95 or equivalent mask. Increasing access to rapid testing could blunt the case increase by isolating people faster and linking those who test positive to rapid treatment with medications which drastically reduce the risk of severe illness.

Improving vaccination rates may be harder with the rollback of vaccine mandates, which increased vaccine uptake and saved lives. With vaccine mandates politically or legally infeasible in some places, other strategies become increasing important. These include ensuring that every physician offers Covid-19 vaccination to every patient at every clinical visit. Outreach programs and media campaigns can engage people without a regular doctor or who are otherwise not receiving care. Providers and health systems should reach out to every Medicare patient who may not be up-to-date to schedule vaccination.

Repeated Covid surges have thrown into relief the underlying weaknesses and chronic underfunding of our public health and primary health care systems. Infectious diseases emerge where society fails. Lack of trust limits the ability of governments to protect their people. Weak public health systems mean that new threats are discovered when it’s too late to take action. Sustained funding can help ensure Americans are protected from future pandemic threats by allowing permanent budget-cap exemptions for critical health defense functions rather than relying on transient supplemental funding for each health emergency. Until U.S. primary health care systems are much more robust, diagnosis, treatment and vaccination against Covid and other threats will remain lacking, allowing Covid to spread, and to do so among populations that are far less resilient than they would be if people received good preventive care.

“Follow the science” is a mantra, but science can be painfully slow and decisions inevitably need to be made before perfect information is available. We don’t yet know what’s driving the emergence of variants or what future variants will bring. Nor do we know the optimal vaccination schedule for different groups, whether a fourth dose will be needed, and, if so, for whom and when. And we don’t know whether the highly effective treatments that have been discovered, on which the Biden administration is betting heavily, can reach enough people to greatly reduce hospitalizations and deaths. The struggle to get even half of eligible Americans up to date with vaccination doesn’t bode well for widespread treatment; treatment is generally much more difficult to scale than vaccination.

Even so, we must try. Public health, like politics, is the art of the possible. Rigorous epidemiology, meticulous response management and well-communicated science need to be the foundation of public health action. Increasing vaccination, including boosters, among older and vulnerable people is a life-or-death challenge. Scaling up the linkage of testing to treatment can reduce hospitalizations and deaths substantially and protect health care systems. The United States also needs to support faster detection and response systems nationwide and globally. As a supplement to strengthening other tracking systems, monitoring for Covid in wastewater, as is done for polio and other diseases, may identify disease spread before many people become ill. If public health professionals find outbreaks right as they start, leaders can limit spread.

For now, most of us can enjoy the warm spring sun on our unmasked faces. But we can also do a lot more to control Covid. If we learn quickly and act quickly, we can outmaneuver the virus. As Covid continues to adapt, our response needs to adapt along with it. We could be entering the endgame for Covid. How we play it will determine what happens next.

The most important lesson of the Covid pandemic is that the only constant is change. Variants spread, cases surge and abate, treatments change and knowledge expands.

The most important lesson of the Covid pandemic is that the only constant is change. Variants spread, cases surge and abate, treatments change and knowledge expands. This means that we — the public, elected officials and public health leaders — need to learn constantly and adapt quickly, acting on the insight that no one policy response is likely to stay effective for long. Now is the moment to put that flexibility into practice. Rising Covid cases in Europe, the toll Omicron is taking particularly on unvaccinated elderly people in Hong Kong and slowing vaccinations are warnings that another wave of infections is likely approaching the United States. But we are by no means helpless. We can prepare better, save lives and reduce disruption. Although the exact reasons for the rapid increase in cases in Europe aren’t known, it almost certainly results from a combination of the highly infectious BA.2 Omicron subvariant, changing public behavior and waning immunity. BA.2 is making up an increasing proportion of new cases, and is extending the Omicron surge. At the same time, countries in Europe are lifting Covid-19 restrictions, including mask mandates and indoor capacity limits, and immunity to infection from vaccines and possibly also from prior infections is waning. Thankfully, although protection against infection through vaccination is something of a flash-in-the-pan phenomenon, the protection vaccines provide against severe infection and death is more durable. We’ve also learned more about the nature of the threat. It has been an open question whether Omicron is a much less severe variant of the Covid virus than earlier strains, or if it has caused much less severe disease because it had run into a wall of immunity from vaccination and prior infection in the United States, Europe and parts of Asia with high vaccination rates. The deadly outbreak in Hong Kong answers that question: Covid remains ferocious, and Omicron is lethal in an immunologically naïve population, particularly among unvaccinated older people. This has caused the devastating surge in deaths there and helps explain why the United States continues to report around 1,000 deaths per day, the vast majority among people not up-to-date with vaccination. Unfortunately, in the United States and many other high-income countries, vaccination has slowed to a trickle: It’s down in the United States by more than 95 percent from the peak of 4 million vaccinations a day. In some countries of Africa, where competing health risks are substantial and the health care infrastructure is stretched thin, vaccination rates are very low and are likely to remain so for many months. The risks for the United States are clear. BA.2 is increasing and will likely soon account for most new cases in the country. Masks have come off and approximately 60 percent of Americans, including more than one third of people above age 65 — more than 15 million seniors — are not up-to-date with vaccination. This doesn’t mean that BA.2 will inevitably cause a deadly surge. But it does mean that cases may increase soon, and that unvaccinated and under-vaccinated elderly and medically vulnerable people could face a deadly threat. Leaders need to redouble efforts to get more Americans, particularly older adults, vaccinated and boosted. Also, people who are older or immunocompromised and those around them should consider masking with a more protective N95 or equivalent mask. Increasing access to rapid testing could blunt the case increase by isolating people faster and linking those who test positive to rapid treatment with medications which drastically reduce the risk of severe illness. Improving vaccination rates may be harder with the rollback of vaccine mandates, which increased vaccine uptake and saved lives. With vaccine mandates politically or legally infeasible in some places, other strategies become increasing important. These include ensuring that every physician offers Covid-19 vaccination to every patient at every clinical visit. Outreach programs and media campaigns can engage people without a regular doctor or who are otherwise not receiving care. Providers and health systems should reach out to every Medicare patient who may not be up-to-date to schedule vaccination. Repeated Covid surges have thrown into relief the underlying weaknesses and chronic underfunding of our public health and primary health care systems. Infectious diseases emerge where society fails. Lack of trust limits the ability of governments to protect their people. Weak public health systems mean that new threats are discovered when it’s too late to take action. Sustained funding can help ensure Americans are protected from future pandemic threats by allowing permanent budget-cap exemptions for critical health defense functions rather than relying on transient supplemental funding for each health emergency. Until U.S. primary health care systems are much more robust, diagnosis, treatment and vaccination against Covid and other threats will remain lacking, allowing Covid to spread, and to do so among populations that are far less resilient than they would be if people received good preventive care. “Follow the science” is a mantra, but science can be painfully slow and decisions inevitably need to be made before perfect information is available. We don’t yet know what’s driving the emergence of variants or what future variants will bring. Nor do we know the optimal vaccination schedule for different groups, whether a fourth dose will be needed, and, if so, for whom and when. And we don’t know whether the highly effective treatments that have been discovered, on which the Biden administration is betting heavily, can reach enough people to greatly reduce hospitalizations and deaths. The struggle to get even half of eligible Americans up to date with vaccination doesn’t bode well for widespread treatment; treatment is generally much more difficult to scale than vaccination. Even so, we must try. Public health, like politics, is the art of the possible. Rigorous epidemiology, meticulous response management and well-communicated science need to be the foundation of public health action. Increasing vaccination, including boosters, among older and vulnerable people is a life-or-death challenge. Scaling up the linkage of testing to treatment can reduce hospitalizations and deaths substantially and protect health care systems. The United States also needs to support faster detection and response systems nationwide and globally. As a supplement to strengthening other tracking systems, monitoring for Covid in wastewater, as is done for polio and other diseases, may identify disease spread before many people become ill. If public health professionals find outbreaks right as they start, leaders can limit spread. For now, most of us can enjoy the warm spring sun on our unmasked faces. But we can also do a lot more to control Covid. If we learn quickly and act quickly, we can outmaneuver the virus. As Covid continues to adapt, our response needs to adapt along with it. We could be entering the endgame for Covid. How we play it will determine what happens next.

The next Covid wave is probably already on its way

Lawmakers in the European Union are giving final touches to a new law that would impact big tech companies like Google, Meta, Apple and Amazon.

AFP quoted sources to say that talks between negotiators from the European Parliament and EU member states on Thuesday may result in an agreement on the legislation.

"We really expect that we can reach an agreement on Thursday, that we can endorse the Digital Markets Act," said French MEP Stephanie Yon-Courtin, a key backer of the law.

This is a "a historic text that will clearly change the rules of the game," she added.

Once adopted, it would give regulators in Brussels unparallelled power to take a close and up-to-the-minute look at business decisions by the giants, especially when they acquire promising startups.

The rules would also set a list of do’s and don’ts including forcing Apple to open up its app store to competing payment systems -- a demand the iPhone maker has resisted arduously in courts for years.

The Digital Markets Act (DMA) could also force Google and Meta-owned Facebook to reveal precious information from their world-dominating ad platforms, potentially leaving them vulnerable to new rivals.

In their final push, lawmakers from the European Parliament would also like to impose interoperability between messaging systems such as WhatsApp, Signal or Apple’s iMessage.

Violation of the rules could lead to fines as high as 10 percent of annual global sales with some MEPs calling for even tougher penalties for repeat offenders.

The big tech companies have lobbied hard against the new rules.

(With inputs from agencies)

Lawmakers in the European Union are giving final touches to a new law that would impact big tech companies like Google, Meta, Apple and Amazon. AFP quoted sources to say that talks between negotiators from the European Parliament and EU member states on Thuesday may result in an agreement on the legislation.

Lawmakers in the European Union are giving final touches to a new law that would impact big tech companies like Google, Meta, Apple and Amazon. AFP quoted sources to say that talks between negotiators from the European Parliament and EU member states on Thuesday may result in an agreement on the legislation. "We really expect that we can reach an agreement on Thursday, that we can endorse the Digital Markets Act," said French MEP Stephanie Yon-Courtin, a key backer of the law. This is a "a historic text that will clearly change the rules of the game," she added. Once adopted, it would give regulators in Brussels unparallelled power to take a close and up-to-the-minute look at business decisions by the giants, especially when they acquire promising startups. The rules would also set a list of do’s and don’ts including forcing Apple to open up its app store to competing payment systems -- a demand the iPhone maker has resisted arduously in courts for years. The Digital Markets Act (DMA) could also force Google and Meta-owned Facebook to reveal precious information from their world-dominating ad platforms, potentially leaving them vulnerable to new rivals. In their final push, lawmakers from the European Parliament would also like to impose interoperability between messaging systems such as WhatsApp, Signal or Apple’s iMessage. Violation of the rules could lead to fines as high as 10 percent of annual global sales with some MEPs calling for even tougher penalties for repeat offenders. The big tech companies have lobbied hard against the new rules. (With inputs from agencies)

EU gives final touches to law on Big Tech 

Myanmar military junta on Tuesday said that it "categorically rejects" the US allegation that its armed forces committed genocide against Rohingya Muslims five years ago.&nbsp;

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya fled Buddhist-majority Myanmar following the 2017 crackdown, which is now the subject of a genocide case at the United Nations' highest court in The Hague.

On Monday, the US declared officially that violence against Rohingya community amounted to genocide. The US said that there was clear evidence of an attempt to "destroy" the group.

Myanmar's junta-appointed foreign ministry slammed the declaration as "far from reality" in a statement on Tuesday.

"Myanmar has never engaged in any genocidal actions and does not have any genocidal intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, racial or religious group or any other group," it said, as quoted by AFP

Around 850,000 Rohingya are languishing in camps in neighbouring Bangladesh, recounting mass killings and rape during the crackdown.

Another 600,000 members of the community remain in Myanmar's Rakhine state where they report widespread oppression. 
Since ousting Aung San Suu Kyi's government last year, the junta has doubled down on widespread perceptions that the Rohingya are interlopers from Bangladesh and continues to deny them citizenship, rights and access to services.

Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing -- who was head of the armed forces during the 2017 crackdown -- has dismissed the word Rohingya as "an imaginary term".

(With inputs from agencies)

Myanmar military junta on Tuesday said that it "categorically rejects" the US allegation that its armed forces committed genocide against Rohingya Muslims five years ago.

Myanmar military junta on Tuesday said that it "categorically rejects" the US allegation that its armed forces committed genocide against Rohingya Muslims five years ago. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya fled Buddhist-majority Myanmar following the 2017 crackdown, which is now the subject of a genocide case at the United Nations' highest court in The Hague. On Monday, the US declared officially that violence against Rohingya community amounted to genocide. The US said that there was clear evidence of an attempt to "destroy" the group. Myanmar's junta-appointed foreign ministry slammed the declaration as "far from reality" in a statement on Tuesday. "Myanmar has never engaged in any genocidal actions and does not have any genocidal intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, racial or religious group or any other group," it said, as quoted by AFP Around 850,000 Rohingya are languishing in camps in neighbouring Bangladesh, recounting mass killings and rape during the crackdown. Another 600,000 members of the community remain in Myanmar's Rakhine state where they report widespread oppression. Since ousting Aung San Suu Kyi's government last year, the junta has doubled down on widespread perceptions that the Rohingya are interlopers from Bangladesh and continues to deny them citizenship, rights and access to services. Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing -- who was head of the armed forces during the 2017 crackdown -- has dismissed the word Rohingya as "an imaginary term". (With inputs from agencies)

Myanmar military junta 'categorically rejects' US allegation of Rohingya genocide

Broadsheet LLC, an asset recovery firm hired by former Pakistan army chief General Pervez Musharraf to probe the then ousted PM Nawaz Sharif has apologised saying that "not one rupee" in illegal wealth was found linked with Sharif or any of his family members&nbsp;

CEO of Broadsheet, Kaveh Moussavi, has come out making such a confession.

"We found a lot of plundered wealth linked to others, but I can categorically state after virtually 21 years of investigation that not one rupee was related to Nawaz Sharif or any member of his family. If anyone says otherwise, they are lying," Moussavi said during an interview with a Geo television reporter in London.

"I have no hesitation in issuing an apology to the former Prime Minister for my being party to a scam and scandalous nonsense masquerading as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). NAB is a fraud through and through," he added.

In the past, Moussavi had claimed to have evidence of corruption against Nawaz Sharif and had even claimed that the Sharif family approached him with a bribe offer.

The Nawaz Sharif family had denied the allegations and even secured a payment of 20,000 GBP in litigation costs from the firm after it failed to lay the claims on Avenfield apartments.

It is pertinent to mention that Broadsheet LLC helped Musharraf government and the then established NAB to find foreign assets purchased through alleged illegal means and illegal funds.

The revelations hold massive value in reference to the politics of Pakistan as the ruling government of Prime Minister Imran Khan came to power after the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) and the NAB accountability court found then sitting Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif guilty of maintaining assets beyond means abroad.

With Moussavi calling NAB an institution used to get at political rivals, concerns are being raised over its very existence and the overall process of accountability in Pakistan.

Opposition parties have been stating that NAB is working as a mercenary to Imran Khan and is making false cases against party leaders without any evidence or proof.

"Twenty-two years ago, after Musharraf asked us to investigate Nawaz Sharif, we started the probe and at every turn we found that the investigation was sabotaged, not because we were getting close, but because the intention was a witch hunt," stated Moussavi.

Reacting to Moussavi`s revelation, Opposition party leader and Nawaz Sharif`s brother Shahbaz Sharif said: "Broadsheet CEO revelations exposed politically expired witch hunt of Nawaz Sharif and family in the name of so called accountability... corruption allegations were made to keep him out of public life.". He was quoted in report by news agency IANS.

Broadsheet LLC, an asset recovery firm hired by former Pakistan army chief General Pervez Musharraf to probe the then ousted PM Nawaz Sharif has apologised saying that "not one rupee" in illegal wealth was found linked with Sharif or any of his family members CEO of Broadsheet, Kaveh Moussavi, has come out making such a confession.

Broadsheet LLC, an asset recovery firm hired by former Pakistan army chief General Pervez Musharraf to probe the then ousted PM Nawaz Sharif has apologised saying that "not one rupee" in illegal wealth was found linked with Sharif or any of his family members CEO of Broadsheet, Kaveh Moussavi, has come out making such a confession. "We found a lot of plundered wealth linked to others, but I can categorically state after virtually 21 years of investigation that not one rupee was related to Nawaz Sharif or any member of his family. If anyone says otherwise, they are lying," Moussavi said during an interview with a Geo television reporter in London. "I have no hesitation in issuing an apology to the former Prime Minister for my being party to a scam and scandalous nonsense masquerading as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). NAB is a fraud through and through," he added. In the past, Moussavi had claimed to have evidence of corruption against Nawaz Sharif and had even claimed that the Sharif family approached him with a bribe offer. The Nawaz Sharif family had denied the allegations and even secured a payment of 20,000 GBP in litigation costs from the firm after it failed to lay the claims on Avenfield apartments. It is pertinent to mention that Broadsheet LLC helped Musharraf government and the then established NAB to find foreign assets purchased through alleged illegal means and illegal funds. The revelations hold massive value in reference to the politics of Pakistan as the ruling government of Prime Minister Imran Khan came to power after the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) and the NAB accountability court found then sitting Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif guilty of maintaining assets beyond means abroad. With Moussavi calling NAB an institution used to get at political rivals, concerns are being raised over its very existence and the overall process of accountability in Pakistan. Opposition parties have been stating that NAB is working as a mercenary to Imran Khan and is making false cases against party leaders without any evidence or proof. "Twenty-two years ago, after Musharraf asked us to investigate Nawaz Sharif, we started the probe and at every turn we found that the investigation was sabotaged, not because we were getting close, but because the intention was a witch hunt," stated Moussavi. Reacting to Moussavi`s revelation, Opposition party leader and Nawaz Sharif`s brother Shahbaz Sharif said: "Broadsheet CEO revelations exposed politically expired witch hunt of Nawaz Sharif and family in the name of so called accountability... corruption allegations were made to keep him out of public life.". He was quoted in report by news agency IANS.

Asset recovery firm hired by Musharraf against Nawaz Sharif apologises to latter

Police in Australia has confirmed on Tuesday that Gareth Ward (40), a state MP from Australia's New South Wales (NSW) has been charged with sexually abusing a man and a teenage boy.

Ward has been a former state minister.

According to the police, he has been charged with three counts of assault with an act of indecency and one count of sexual intercourse without consent and common assault.

The crimes were committed between 2013 and 2015 with a 27-year-old man and a 17-year-old being the survivors of sexual assault, as per the charges.

"Police will allege in court that the man indecently assaulted a 17-year-old boy at Meroo Meadow in February 2013, and sexually abused a 27-year-old man in Sydney in September 2015," said New South Wale Police on their website.

The statement further said that Ward had been granted conditional bail and that he was due to appear in court on May 18, 2022.

Ward has denied the allegations.

"I will be instructing my lawyers to seek to bring this matter before the courts as quickly as possible and I look forward to demonstrating my innocence there," he said on Tuesday in a statement as quoted by theh Independent.

“While others have already attempted to prosecute my case in the media rather than the courts, out of respect for our system of justice I will not be doing the same."

“Accordingly, I will be making no further comment at this time.”

Police in Australia has confirmed on Tuesday that Gareth Ward (40), a state MP from Australia's New South Wales (NSW) has been charged with sexually abusing a man and a teenage boy.

Police in Australia has confirmed on Tuesday that Gareth Ward (40), a state MP from Australia's New South Wales (NSW) has been charged with sexually abusing a man and a teenage boy. Ward has been a former state minister. According to the police, he has been charged with three counts of assault with an act of indecency and one count of sexual intercourse without consent and common assault. The crimes were committed between 2013 and 2015 with a 27-year-old man and a 17-year-old being the survivors of sexual assault, as per the charges. "Police will allege in court that the man indecently assaulted a 17-year-old boy at Meroo Meadow in February 2013, and sexually abused a 27-year-old man in Sydney in September 2015," said New South Wale Police on their website. The statement further said that Ward had been granted conditional bail and that he was due to appear in court on May 18, 2022. Ward has denied the allegations. "I will be instructing my lawyers to seek to bring this matter before the courts as quickly as possible and I look forward to demonstrating my innocence there," he said on Tuesday in a statement as quoted by theh Independent. “While others have already attempted to prosecute my case in the media rather than the courts, out of respect for our system of justice I will not be doing the same." “Accordingly, I will be making no further comment at this time.”

Australia: Sexual abuse charges slapped against state MP Gareth Ward 

A school in the US has apologised after a video surfaced in which a teacher was teaching 5-year-olds to raise anti-Biden slogans, reported Associated Press. The video was obtained by ABC News' Rob McMillan and posted on Facebook.

In this video, the teacher asks the students, "Who's our President?". The students say,"Biden!"

The teacher then proceeds to ask "What do we want to do with him?", to which the students respond "We want him OUT!"

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The incident reportedly took place at Turning Point Christian School in Norco, California. The video was first posted on the school's messaging app and was later taken down. But it ultimately found its way on the social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook.

The school has since apologised, and school officials said that the school was “sorry for any misunderstanding”

“Earlier today a video was posted that has since been deleted as it did not share our school and church philosophy of honoring and respecting authority including those in government positions,” the school statement said, as reported by The Associated Press.

The video has drawn anger online which some social media users even calling this "indoctrination".

"Teachers no matter which way they vote should NEVER push their political views onto any of their students. EVER," says a Facebook user.

"This type of activity has no place in a classroom. Given that this is a private school they are within their rights to have their own activities and it behooves parents to carefully check what goes on in their child's classroom. I speak as a retired elementary teacher," says another user

<img alt="Facebook comments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="defe7a87-c0aa-4000-81af-ae36602cfc7b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/school.png" />

 
It is yet unclear whether any sort of action has been initiated against the teacher who was encouraging students to raise the slogans.

A school in the US has apologised after a video surfaced in which a teacher was teaching 5-year-olds to raise anti-Biden slogans, reported Associated Press. The video was obtained by ABC News' Rob McMillan and posted on Facebook.

A school in the US has apologised after a video surfaced in which a teacher was teaching 5-year-olds to raise anti-Biden slogans, reported Associated Press. The video was obtained by ABC News' Rob McMillan and posted on Facebook. In this video, the teacher asks the students, "Who's our President?". The students say,"Biden!" The teacher then proceeds to ask "What do we want to do with him?", to which the students respond "We want him OUT!" × The incident reportedly took place at Turning Point Christian School in Norco, California. The video was first posted on the school's messaging app and was later taken down. But it ultimately found its way on the social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. The school has since apologised, and school officials said that the school was “sorry for any misunderstanding” “Earlier today a video was posted that has since been deleted as it did not share our school and church philosophy of honoring and respecting authority including those in government positions,” the school statement said, as reported by The Associated Press. The video has drawn anger online which some social media users even calling this "indoctrination". "Teachers no matter which way they vote should NEVER push their political views onto any of their students. EVER," says a Facebook user. "This type of activity has no place in a classroom. Given that this is a private school they are within their rights to have their own activities and it behooves parents to carefully check what goes on in their child's classroom. I speak as a retired elementary teacher," says another user It is yet unclear whether any sort of action has been initiated against the teacher who was encouraging students to raise the slogans.

School apologises after teacher tells 5-year-olds to raise anti-Biden slogans: Report

The human body can survive without food for upto&nbsp;3 weeks. But deprive it of water, and it's game over in 3 days. Water not only regulates body temperature but it literally keep our bodily cells alive. Water covers 71 per cent of Earth's surface but only 3 per cent of it is potable. Saving water is thus saving humanity. And United Nations' World Water Day wants to bring this into focus.

Each year, World Water Day is celebrated on March 22. The UN observes such special days and weeks to educate public about issues facing humanity. The effort is also focused on mobilising political will and resources.

What is the theme for this year's World Water Day?

This year the focus is on groundwater. Groundwater is something that is a source for lakes and even rivers. It is found underground in aquifers. Aquifers are geological formations of rocks. Groundwater deposits are recharged when water from rain or snowfall trickles underground.

<img alt="Groundwater" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9fd483fe-f6d3-4e7a-b90b-2afe6acede36" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WWD2022_CARD3_A%20changing%20world_still%20image.jpg" />

(Source: United Nations)

As we know, groundwater can easily be accessed by digging wells. But over-extraction of groundwater from a particular source may spell doom for the deposit and population residing in that area. Careful use of groundwater is hence of great importance.

Since when has World Water Day been celebrated?

The very first World Water Day was observed in the year 1993. The idea for observance of such a day was put forth during United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992.

United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution in the same year to observe March 22 as World Water Day each year.&nbsp;

Focus on water is necessary since as per latest UN data, 2.2 billion people around the world do not have access to safe drinking water.

"A core focus of World Water Day is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030," says the UN.

How can you tell your story to the UN?

The UN has asked everyone to take 'one minute challenge' It has invited one minute videos from everyone.&nbsp;

"Share your groundwater story" says the UN.&nbsp;

"How does groundwater affect your life? Is there enough? Is it safe? What needs to be done to protect groundwater?"

Hashtags #MyGroundwaterStory &amp; #WorldWaterDay can be used and the videos can be uploaded on Youtube or Vimeo.

The link then can be sent to mygroundwaterstory@un-igrac.org by November 20, 2022

The human body can survive without food for upto 3 weeks. But deprive it of water, and it's game over in 3 days. Water not only regulates body temperature but it literally keep our bodily cells alive.

The human body can survive without food for upto 3 weeks. But deprive it of water, and it's game over in 3 days. Water not only regulates body temperature but it literally keep our bodily cells alive. Water covers 71 per cent of Earth's surface but only 3 per cent of it is potable. Saving water is thus saving humanity. And United Nations' World Water Day wants to bring this into focus. Each year, World Water Day is celebrated on March 22. The UN observes such special days and weeks to educate public about issues facing humanity. The effort is also focused on mobilising political will and resources. What is the theme for this year's World Water Day? This year the focus is on groundwater. Groundwater is something that is a source for lakes and even rivers. It is found underground in aquifers. Aquifers are geological formations of rocks. Groundwater deposits are recharged when water from rain or snowfall trickles underground. (Source: United Nations) As we know, groundwater can easily be accessed by digging wells. But over-extraction of groundwater from a particular source may spell doom for the deposit and population residing in that area. Careful use of groundwater is hence of great importance. Since when has World Water Day been celebrated? The very first World Water Day was observed in the year 1993. The idea for observance of such a day was put forth during United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992. United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution in the same year to observe March 22 as World Water Day each year. Focus on water is necessary since as per latest UN data, 2.2 billion people around the world do not have access to safe drinking water. "A core focus of World Water Day is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030," says the UN. How can you tell your story to the UN? The UN has asked everyone to take 'one minute challenge' It has invited one minute videos from everyone. "Share your groundwater story" says the UN. "How does groundwater affect your life? Is there enough? Is it safe? What needs to be done to protect groundwater?" Hashtags #MyGroundwaterStory & #WorldWaterDay can be used and the videos can be uploaded on Youtube or Vimeo. The link then can be sent to mygroundwaterstory@un-igrac.org by November 20, 2022

World Water Day 2022: Know the significance, tell your story to the UN

When the first McDonald’s restaurant appeared in the Soviet Union in 1990, my parents bundled my 9-month-old sister up and waited in line for hours in the brisk Russian winter so that they could get their first taste of a Big Mac and those famed French fries. The line snaked all around Moscow’s iconic Pushkin Square: Reports say that 30,000 people showed up on opening day alone.

It was a very exciting moment, my parents tell me: the first taste of liberty, a glimpse of what eating out could be like beyond the Iron Curtain, a symbol of bigger change to come.

Less than two years later, the USSR&nbsp;ceased to exist, opening the door to all kinds of democratic freedoms. The Russia I grew up in came with dubbed Disney cartoons and Argentine soap operas. Everyone suddenly had a crush on Leonardo DiCaprio. My mom’s new eye-shadow palette encompassed every shade of neon. I went to concerts, bought posters and cassette tapes and, unlike my parents, did not have to wear a five-pointed-star badge with a portrait of Vladimir Lenin on my chest every day at school.

Of course, there was an insidious side. With new freedoms came new challenges: a deep economic crisis and a sharp rise in inequality, an explosion of organized crime. After decades in which the state dictated nearly every decision for its subjects, from housing to place of work to taste in movies and music, the new era also brought with it uncertainty and chaos.

Still, I felt lucky to grow up in a vibrant, thriving society; I certainly didn’t want to go back to Soviet times. The stories my family told me were bleak.

They spoke about prohibited literature (anything perceived to go against Soviet values or written by émigré writers who had fled Soviet Russia), the difficulties of travel (impossible without the party committee’s blessings), the incessant shortages of food and consumer goods. I’m too young to remember, but my parents would line up for hours for the rare furniture supply that appeared at shops every few months. In 1990, when consumer items were still only sporadically available, my mom bought us a pair of tights sized for every age up to 16 because she assumed they would no longer be in supply as we grew older. Films were censored, foreign radio stations jammed.

I was fascinated by these stories but also relieved I never had to experience them. I was eager to unearth the trivial elements of Soviet people’s day-to-day existence, the ones that did not make it into the history books: a long-forgotten home music video, an awkward wedding photo, a leaflet, a questionable fashion choice. I started collecting remnants of the Soviet era, rummaging through old VHS tapes, friends’ photo albums, magazine cutouts and obscure flea markets to gather visual artifacts from a country that was no more.

In 2016, while living in Singapore, I created a Twitter account, @sovietvisuals, to share my makeshift Soviet archive with the world. Others started contributing their own photographs, videos and personal stories, and the project became a repository for our shared past. It also provided an opportunity to reflect critically on the social and cultural norms of the time while acknowledging the brutalities of the U.S.S.R.’s ideological constructs and oppressive practices. I never imagined how prescient it would be.

Vladimir Putin’s cynically named “special military operation” on Ukraine has thrust my country into pariah status — rightly, given the atrocities, human rights violations and brazen disregard for sovereignty that he has unleashed on Ukraine. Impossibly, in the past few weeks it’s felt as if we’d been yanked back to the Soviet era, except this time it’s even more horrifying, more repressive than we could have imagined. Russia is not just losing the comforts that Western capitalism offered, owing to severe sanctions, but Mr. Putin is also doubling down on closing off any expression of dissent.

For Ukrainians, the war has meant hell on earth. Countless lives shattered. I watch in horror as my friends there hide out in bomb shelters. Schools, hospitals, residential buildings destroyed by bombs, innocent people reportedly shot dead in the street as they attempt to escape to safety. It is immeasurably cruel, unfair and devastating.

For Russians, there is the fear and disgust at watching Mr. Putin’s ruthless campaign, which will inevitably raise the civilian death toll. There’s also the feeling of helplessness of not having been able to stop it and the shame of being from the country of the aggressor.

And unsurprisingly, Russia has been catapulted into a dark hole. Many foreign companies — clothing and credit card brands, car manufacturers and tech corporations, fast food and retail chains — have suspended operations, affecting every corner of the economy. The West’s sanctions have mostly cut Russian civilians off from the global economy.

Meanwhile, Mr. Putin has ensured that Russians who express opposition to the invasion face persecution: A new law punishes anyone spreading anything it deems “false information” about the war with up to 15 years in prison. This crackdown on freedom is not new to Russians, but it has reached a peak of absurdity: Standing in the street with a flower or a blank sign now gets you loaded into a police van.

Between arrests for speaking out, censorship, rumors of martial law and relentless propaganda, it’s as though we had landed straight in the Stalin era.

The Russia I knew has been erased. What’s coming next is dark. The U.S.S.R. gives us some clues of what it might be like — but even then, there were some flickers of hope.

As my parents’ stories and my archive show, many Soviet citizens found ways to thrive in what was essentially a giant social experiment. Yes, they had to deal with bread lines, news (and propaganda) supplied by the state-controlled, Orwellian-named Pravda (Truth) newspaper and a persistent fear of nuclear war. But they continued to create art, make scientific discoveries and build families and architectural masterpieces. There was a great deal of humor, beauty and creativity behind the Iron Curtain.

When l learned that McDonald’s had joined the long list of international companies suspending operations in Russia, I couldn’t help but think about my family’s first visit to the burger joint. Could any of the people lining up for their first cheeseburger in 1990 have imagined that modern Russia would find itself sliding all the way back to where it started?

We will remake Russia, of course, slowly and patiently, just like the generation before us. But not before this one crumbles first.

When the first McDonald’s restaurant appeared in the Soviet Union in 1990, my parents bundled my 9-month-old sister up and waited in line for hours in the brisk Russian winter so that they could get their first taste of a Big Mac and those famed French fries.

When the first McDonald’s restaurant appeared in the Soviet Union in 1990, my parents bundled my 9-month-old sister up and waited in line for hours in the brisk Russian winter so that they could get their first taste of a Big Mac and those famed French fries. The line snaked all around Moscow’s iconic Pushkin Square: Reports say that 30,000 people showed up on opening day alone. It was a very exciting moment, my parents tell me: the first taste of liberty, a glimpse of what eating out could be like beyond the Iron Curtain, a symbol of bigger change to come. Less than two years later, the USSR ceased to exist, opening the door to all kinds of democratic freedoms. The Russia I grew up in came with dubbed Disney cartoons and Argentine soap operas. Everyone suddenly had a crush on Leonardo DiCaprio. My mom’s new eye-shadow palette encompassed every shade of neon. I went to concerts, bought posters and cassette tapes and, unlike my parents, did not have to wear a five-pointed-star badge with a portrait of Vladimir Lenin on my chest every day at school. Of course, there was an insidious side. With new freedoms came new challenges: a deep economic crisis and a sharp rise in inequality, an explosion of organized crime. After decades in which the state dictated nearly every decision for its subjects, from housing to place of work to taste in movies and music, the new era also brought with it uncertainty and chaos. Still, I felt lucky to grow up in a vibrant, thriving society; I certainly didn’t want to go back to Soviet times. The stories my family told me were bleak. They spoke about prohibited literature (anything perceived to go against Soviet values or written by émigré writers who had fled Soviet Russia), the difficulties of travel (impossible without the party committee’s blessings), the incessant shortages of food and consumer goods. I’m too young to remember, but my parents would line up for hours for the rare furniture supply that appeared at shops every few months. In 1990, when consumer items were still only sporadically available, my mom bought us a pair of tights sized for every age up to 16 because she assumed they would no longer be in supply as we grew older. Films were censored, foreign radio stations jammed. I was fascinated by these stories but also relieved I never had to experience them. I was eager to unearth the trivial elements of Soviet people’s day-to-day existence, the ones that did not make it into the history books: a long-forgotten home music video, an awkward wedding photo, a leaflet, a questionable fashion choice. I started collecting remnants of the Soviet era, rummaging through old VHS tapes, friends’ photo albums, magazine cutouts and obscure flea markets to gather visual artifacts from a country that was no more. In 2016, while living in Singapore, I created a Twitter account, @sovietvisuals, to share my makeshift Soviet archive with the world. Others started contributing their own photographs, videos and personal stories, and the project became a repository for our shared past. It also provided an opportunity to reflect critically on the social and cultural norms of the time while acknowledging the brutalities of the U.S.S.R.’s ideological constructs and oppressive practices. I never imagined how prescient it would be. Vladimir Putin’s cynically named “special military operation” on Ukraine has thrust my country into pariah status — rightly, given the atrocities, human rights violations and brazen disregard for sovereignty that he has unleashed on Ukraine. Impossibly, in the past few weeks it’s felt as if we’d been yanked back to the Soviet era, except this time it’s even more horrifying, more repressive than we could have imagined. Russia is not just losing the comforts that Western capitalism offered, owing to severe sanctions, but Mr. Putin is also doubling down on closing off any expression of dissent. For Ukrainians, the war has meant hell on earth. Countless lives shattered. I watch in horror as my friends there hide out in bomb shelters. Schools, hospitals, residential buildings destroyed by bombs, innocent people reportedly shot dead in the street as they attempt to escape to safety. It is immeasurably cruel, unfair and devastating. For Russians, there is the fear and disgust at watching Mr. Putin’s ruthless campaign, which will inevitably raise the civilian death toll. There’s also the feeling of helplessness of not having been able to stop it and the shame of being from the country of the aggressor. And unsurprisingly, Russia has been catapulted into a dark hole. Many foreign companies — clothing and credit card brands, car manufacturers and tech corporations, fast food and retail chains — have suspended operations, affecting every corner of the economy. The West’s sanctions have mostly cut Russian civilians off from the global economy. Meanwhile, Mr. Putin has ensured that Russians who express opposition to the invasion face persecution: A new law punishes anyone spreading anything it deems “false information” about the war with up to 15 years in prison. This crackdown on freedom is not new to Russians, but it has reached a peak of absurdity: Standing in the street with a flower or a blank sign now gets you loaded into a police van. Between arrests for speaking out, censorship, rumors of martial law and relentless propaganda, it’s as though we had landed straight in the Stalin era. The Russia I knew has been erased. What’s coming next is dark. The U.S.S.R. gives us some clues of what it might be like — but even then, there were some flickers of hope. As my parents’ stories and my archive show, many Soviet citizens found ways to thrive in what was essentially a giant social experiment. Yes, they had to deal with bread lines, news (and propaganda) supplied by the state-controlled, Orwellian-named Pravda (Truth) newspaper and a persistent fear of nuclear war. But they continued to create art, make scientific discoveries and build families and architectural masterpieces. There was a great deal of humor, beauty and creativity behind the Iron Curtain. When l learned that McDonald’s had joined the long list of international companies suspending operations in Russia, I couldn’t help but think about my family’s first visit to the burger joint. Could any of the people lining up for their first cheeseburger in 1990 have imagined that modern Russia would find itself sliding all the way back to where it started? We will remake Russia, of course, slowly and patiently, just like the generation before us. But not before this one crumbles first.

The Russia I know is being erased. What’s coming next is darker

Space images are mesmerising. There is no doubt about that. Though we know a lot about what's out there, there's lot that is still to be found. But sometimes old images reveal something astoundingly whacky that our eyes go on a different trip altogether.

We know that various wavelengths mean that space looks in a particular way in 'visible' wavelengths of light. But a lot is hidden in wavelengths that are invisible to the naked eye and we have to make use of specialised telescopes to see the other wavelengths.

But its not often that a picture including invisible wavelengths opens a box of colours amazingly distinct from one that includes only visible wavelengths.

For example, check this image taken by Hubble telescope. This image contains wavelengths visible to the naked eye.

<img alt="Hubble" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="acb2abba-0294-4f03-948b-30fb101c3563" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Hubble.png" />

(Image: NASA)

And here's the same galaxy with inclusion of wavelengths that are invisible to the naked eye

<img alt="Galaxy" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8dac84dc-6722-4e24-8ae4-37e8d89edcc5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/galaxy.png" />

(Image: ESO)

It's almost like the galaxy was hiding a personality, like that of a person seemingly introvert but who's a party freak on the inside.

The galaxy in the photo is called GC 4254, or Messier 99. The recent image of this galaxy has been clicked using Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) on European Southern Obervatory's (ESO) Very Large Telescope. The ESO is located in Chile.

The galaxy is 50 lightyears away from us.

Space images are mesmerising. There is no doubt about that. Though we know a lot about what's out there, there's lot that is still to be found. But sometimes old images reveal something astoundingly whacky that our eyes go on a different trip altogether.

Space images are mesmerising. There is no doubt about that. Though we know a lot about what's out there, there's lot that is still to be found. But sometimes old images reveal something astoundingly whacky that our eyes go on a different trip altogether. We know that various wavelengths mean that space looks in a particular way in 'visible' wavelengths of light. But a lot is hidden in wavelengths that are invisible to the naked eye and we have to make use of specialised telescopes to see the other wavelengths. But its not often that a picture including invisible wavelengths opens a box of colours amazingly distinct from one that includes only visible wavelengths. For example, check this image taken by Hubble telescope. This image contains wavelengths visible to the naked eye. (Image: NASA) And here's the same galaxy with inclusion of wavelengths that are invisible to the naked eye (Image: ESO) It's almost like the galaxy was hiding a personality, like that of a person seemingly introvert but who's a party freak on the inside. The galaxy in the photo is called GC 4254, or Messier 99. The recent image of this galaxy has been clicked using Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) on European Southern Obervatory's (ESO) Very Large Telescope. The ESO is located in Chile. The galaxy is 50 lightyears away from us.

A galaxy with split personality? Here's what we mean by this

A court in Moscow banned popular social media platforms Facebook and Instagram calling them "extremist". The Russian authorities have accused US tech giant Meta -- the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp -- of tolerating "Russophobia" since President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine on February 24.

Facebook and Twitter have been inaccessible in Russia since early March and Instagram was blocked in the country a week ago.

Moscow's Tverskoi district court acceded to a request from prosecutors for the two social media platforms to be banned for "carrying out extremist activities".

The court said that &nbsp;Meta's WhatsApp messenger service would not be prohibited because it is not used to post public statements.

There was no immediate comment from Meta.

During Monday's hearing, Russia's FSB security service accused Meta of working against the interests of Moscow and its army during the conflict.

"The activities of the Meta organisation are directed against Russia and its armed forces," FSB representative Igor Kovalevsky told the court in a statement reported by Russian news agencies.

"We ask (the court) to ban Meta's activities and oblige it to implement this ruling immediately," he said.

Meta had announced on March 10 that the platforms would allow statements like "death to Russian invaders" but not credible threats against civilians.&nbsp;

But in what appeared to be damage control, Meta's global affairs president, Nick Clegg, later said the laxer rules would only apply to people posting from inside Ukraine.

(With inputs from agencies)

A court in Moscow banned popular social media platforms Facebook and Instagram calling them "extremist". The Russian authorities have accused US tech giant Meta -- the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp -- of tolerating "Russophobia" since President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine on February 24.

A court in Moscow banned popular social media platforms Facebook and Instagram calling them "extremist". The Russian authorities have accused US tech giant Meta -- the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp -- of tolerating "Russophobia" since President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine on February 24. Facebook and Twitter have been inaccessible in Russia since early March and Instagram was blocked in the country a week ago. Moscow's Tverskoi district court acceded to a request from prosecutors for the two social media platforms to be banned for "carrying out extremist activities". The court said that Meta's WhatsApp messenger service would not be prohibited because it is not used to post public statements. There was no immediate comment from Meta. During Monday's hearing, Russia's FSB security service accused Meta of working against the interests of Moscow and its army during the conflict. "The activities of the Meta organisation are directed against Russia and its armed forces," FSB representative Igor Kovalevsky told the court in a statement reported by Russian news agencies. "We ask (the court) to ban Meta's activities and oblige it to implement this ruling immediately," he said. Meta had announced on March 10 that the platforms would allow statements like "death to Russian invaders" but not credible threats against civilians. But in what appeared to be damage control, Meta's global affairs president, Nick Clegg, later said the laxer rules would only apply to people posting from inside Ukraine. (With inputs from agencies)

Moscow court bans Facebook and Instagram, calls them 'extremist'

Crash of Chinese passenger jet has hit headlines, more than 100 people have perished. Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered probe into the crash. In other news, Kremlin has said that there was no breakthrough yet at Russia-Ukraine peace talks. Read this and more in Top 10 World News.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-passenger-jet-carrying-133-people-crashes-in-guangxi-state-media-464239">Chinese passenger jet carrying 133 people crashes in Guangxi, Xi orders probe</a> 
 
The jet involved in the accident was a Boeing 737 aircraft, and the number of casualties was not immediately known, CCTV said.

<img alt="China" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d209cbeb-ac75-48a2-849b-4483b703374d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/China_0.png" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-final-moments-of-china-plane-caught-on-camera-just-before-crash-464336">Watch: Final moments of China plane caught on camera just before crash</a> 
 
The passenger jet carrying 132 people crashed onto a mountainside shortly after losing contact with air traffic control.

<img alt="China" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8731b8dc-3afb-4382-9daf-c74d61b55fc9" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/China%20crash.png" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-breakthrough-yet-at-russian-ukraine-peace-talks-says-kremlin-464321">No breakthrough yet at Russia-Ukraine peace talks, says Kremlin</a> 
 
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called on countries to exert influence over Ukraine to make them more 'constructive; at the negotiations.

<img alt="Ukraine" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="88bf6515-24c4-4007-ab8a-48adc7f126e8" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Russia%20Kyiv.png" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-8-killed-in-russian-bombing-on-shopping-centre-in-kyiv-reports-464365">Russia bombs shopping centre in Kyiv, at least 8 killed: Reports</a> 
 
In the last few days, Russians have been consistently launching attacks on Kyiv while trying to surround the capital.

<img alt="Russia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="80c3f039-76b6-4d1b-a0a1-77e99d95216e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Russia%20Ukraine.png" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-a-first-hitting-children-gets-banned-in-uks-wales-464297">In a first, hitting children gets banned in UK’s Wales</a> &nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
The new law has come into force on Monday. It has been hailed as “historic” by the Labour-led Welsh government and several child protection campaigners. They are also calling for England to follow suit.

<img alt="Wales" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e747a71a-5b08-4d9b-9366-03b1b7d41c72" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Wales.png" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-delhi-austrian-foreign-minister-says-putin-miscalculated-his-invasion-of-ukraine-464291">In Delhi, Austrian foreign minister says Putin "miscalculated" his invasion of Ukraine</a> 
 
Speaking to our Principal Diplomatic Sidhant Sibal, FM Schallenberg on Austrian Model of neutrality for Ukraine said, " this is something Ukrainians themselves have to decide and we have to respect their own decision".

<img alt="Austria" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="73494cb4-8fbb-4384-b6bc-d3c010f34cb1" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Austria.png" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/pope-francis-reforms-roman-curia-with-launch-of-vatican-constitution-464288">Pope Francis reforms Roman Curia with launch of Vatican constitution</a> 
 
Pope Francis issued the Praedicate Evangelium, a 54-page apostolic constitution, on March 19, 2022. (Latin: Preach the Gospel). The apostolic one, Pastor Bonus (Latin: The Good Shepherd), published by Pope John Paul II on June 28, 1988, has been replaced by the Praedicate Evangelium. The new constitution will be implemented on June 5, 2022.

<img alt="Pope" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="57cc58e5-84d0-4357-80e0-45e506b6cfe6" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Pope_0.png" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-to-ease-strict-covid-curbs-after-business-backlash-464284">Hong Kong to ease strict COVID curbs after business backlash</a> 
 
A ban on flights from Australia, Britain, Canada, France, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines and the United States will be lifted from April 1.

<img alt="Hong Kong" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3584c308-14ac-4966-a20f-4f3f3b1ffbcd" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Hong%20Kong.png" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-to-battle-misinformation-with-new-regulations-for-big-tech-companies-464281">Australia to battle misinformation with new regulations for big tech companies</a> 
 
The laws are somewhat similar to the standards imposed by Europe to curb false online content which will come into effect by the end of 2022.

<img alt="Facebook" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="98223a31-c2e0-4aaa-a353-7c338f610e82" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Facebook.png" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-mcdonalds-employee-19-runs-10-km-each-night-in-hopes-of-joining-indian-army-464351">Watch: McDonald's employee, 19, runs 10 km each night in hopes of joining Indian Army</a> 
 
The video of the running boy, shot by Indian filmmaker Vinod Kapri has struck a chord with millions. People are lauding the sheer tenacity and ease with which Pradeep Mehra, the 19-year-old, is taking life in his stride.

<img alt="McDonald's" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="be17be8c-f02f-4390-a820-c1788e92b658" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/India.png" />

Crash of Chinese passenger jet has hit headlines, more than 100 people have perished. Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered probe into the crash. In other news, Kremlin has said that there was no breakthrough yet at Russia-Ukraine peace talks.

Crash of Chinese passenger jet has hit headlines, more than 100 people have perished. Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered probe into the crash. In other news, Kremlin has said that there was no breakthrough yet at Russia-Ukraine peace talks. Read this and more in Top 10 World News. Chinese passenger jet carrying 133 people crashes in Guangxi, Xi orders probe The jet involved in the accident was a Boeing 737 aircraft, and the number of casualties was not immediately known, CCTV said. Watch: Final moments of China plane caught on camera just before crash The passenger jet carrying 132 people crashed onto a mountainside shortly after losing contact with air traffic control. No breakthrough yet at Russia-Ukraine peace talks, says Kremlin Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called on countries to exert influence over Ukraine to make them more 'constructive; at the negotiations. Russia bombs shopping centre in Kyiv, at least 8 killed: Reports In the last few days, Russians have been consistently launching attacks on Kyiv while trying to surround the capital. In a first, hitting children gets banned in UK’s Wales The new law has come into force on Monday. It has been hailed as “historic” by the Labour-led Welsh government and several child protection campaigners. They are also calling for England to follow suit. In Delhi, Austrian foreign minister says Putin "miscalculated" his invasion of Ukraine Speaking to our Principal Diplomatic Sidhant Sibal, FM Schallenberg on Austrian Model of neutrality for Ukraine said, " this is something Ukrainians themselves have to decide and we have to respect their own decision". Pope Francis reforms Roman Curia with launch of Vatican constitution Pope Francis issued the Praedicate Evangelium, a 54-page apostolic constitution, on March 19, 2022. (Latin: Preach the Gospel). The apostolic one, Pastor Bonus (Latin: The Good Shepherd), published by Pope John Paul II on June 28, 1988, has been replaced by the Praedicate Evangelium. The new constitution will be implemented on June 5, 2022. Hong Kong to ease strict COVID curbs after business backlash A ban on flights from Australia, Britain, Canada, France, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines and the United States will be lifted from April 1. Australia to battle misinformation with new regulations for big tech companies The laws are somewhat similar to the standards imposed by Europe to curb false online content which will come into effect by the end of 2022. Watch: McDonald's employee, 19, runs 10 km each night in hopes of joining Indian Army The video of the running boy, shot by Indian filmmaker Vinod Kapri has struck a chord with millions. People are lauding the sheer tenacity and ease with which Pradeep Mehra, the 19-year-old, is taking life in his stride.

Top 10 world news: Chinese plane crash, Ukraine conflict latest, and more

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