Melbourne, Australia's&nbsp;second-biggest city, began its first weekend out of the world's longest string of COVID-19 lockdowns with spontaneous street parties, live music and packed pubs, bars and restaurants.

Home to about five million people, Melbourne endured 262 days, or nearly nine months, of restrictions during six lockdowns since March 2020, longer than the 234-day continuous lockdown in Buenos Aires.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/melbourne-reopens-as-worlds-most-locked-down-city-eases-pandemic-restrictions-422949">Melbourne reopens as world's most locked-down city eases pandemic restrictions</a>

Despite rain on Saturday morning, people queued for barbers and breakfast restaurants, all of which are open only to the fully vaccinated.

Late on Friday, people broke into a spontaneous street party in Melbourne's southeast and many rejoiced with their first drink in months in a pub with friends, social media footage showed.

Although the Delta outbreak continues to spread, with 1,750 new cases and nine deaths reported on Saturday in Victoria state, of which Melbourne is the capital, the ease in restrictions came the state`s full-vaccination rate reached 70 per cent.

While most retail outlets remained closed, authorities said further easing will come once 80 per cent of Victorians are fully inoculated, estimated by next weekend.

"Let's not slack off, let's increase the pace as we get to the 80 per cent milestone - but also the 90&nbsp;per cent vaccination milestone," Jeroen Weimar, Victoria's COVID-19 response commander, said on Saturday. 
While small but violent anti-vaccinations protests have taken place in Melbourne and other cities this year, Australians overwhelmingly support vaccinations, with polls showing the percentage decisively opposed in single digits.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mix-and-match-vaccines-highly-effective-against-covid-19-lancet-study-421715">Mix-and-match vaccines highly effective against COVID-19: Lancet study</a>

Nearly 72&nbsp;per cent of adults in Australia are now fully vaccinated and nearly 87 per cent have received one shot. According to a national strategy, lockdowns will be unlikely once 80 per cent&nbsp;of Australians are fully inoculated.&nbsp;

Sydney, Australia's largest city, celebrated its reopening two weeks ago, after reaching the vaccination threshold of 70 per cent. On Saturday, New South Wales state, of which Sydney is the capital, recorded 332 COVID-19 cases and two deaths.

Weekend newspapers were filled with travel advertising for the coming months, as international border restrictions start to ease from November. Flag carrier Qantas Airways&nbsp;is speeding up plans to restart flights to many destinations and upsize some planes amid "massive demand".

Melbourne, Australia's second-biggest city, began its first weekend out of the world's longest string of COVID-19 lockdowns with spontaneous street parties, live music and packed pubs, bars and restaurants.

Melbourne, Australia's second-biggest city, began its first weekend out of the world's longest string of COVID-19 lockdowns with spontaneous street parties, live music and packed pubs, bars and restaurants. Home to about five million people, Melbourne endured 262 days, or nearly nine months, of restrictions during six lockdowns since March 2020, longer than the 234-day continuous lockdown in Buenos Aires. Also Read | Melbourne reopens as world's most locked-down city eases pandemic restrictions Despite rain on Saturday morning, people queued for barbers and breakfast restaurants, all of which are open only to the fully vaccinated. Late on Friday, people broke into a spontaneous street party in Melbourne's southeast and many rejoiced with their first drink in months in a pub with friends, social media footage showed. Although the Delta outbreak continues to spread, with 1,750 new cases and nine deaths reported on Saturday in Victoria state, of which Melbourne is the capital, the ease in restrictions came the state`s full-vaccination rate reached 70 per cent. While most retail outlets remained closed, authorities said further easing will come once 80 per cent of Victorians are fully inoculated, estimated by next weekend. "Let's not slack off, let's increase the pace as we get to the 80 per cent milestone - but also the 90 per cent vaccination milestone," Jeroen Weimar, Victoria's COVID-19 response commander, said on Saturday. While small but violent anti-vaccinations protests have taken place in Melbourne and other cities this year, Australians overwhelmingly support vaccinations, with polls showing the percentage decisively opposed in single digits. Also Read | Mix-and-match vaccines highly effective against COVID-19: Lancet study Nearly 72 per cent of adults in Australia are now fully vaccinated and nearly 87 per cent have received one shot. According to a national strategy, lockdowns will be unlikely once 80 per cent of Australians are fully inoculated. Sydney, Australia's largest city, celebrated its reopening two weeks ago, after reaching the vaccination threshold of 70 per cent. On Saturday, New South Wales state, of which Sydney is the capital, recorded 332 COVID-19 cases and two deaths. Weekend newspapers were filled with travel advertising for the coming months, as international border restrictions start to ease from November. Flag carrier Qantas Airways is speeding up plans to restart flights to many destinations and upsize some planes amid "massive demand".

Australia's Melbourne enjoys weekend of eased Covid curbs after long lockdown

Myanmar authorities have rearrested around 110 political prisoners who were freed earlier this week under the general amnesty announcement by the junta, reported local media.

Family members have said that some of their loved ones were re-arrested "right at the entrance of the prison," while others were taken back within hours of returning home, reported Radio Free Asia [RFA].

Citing sources, the publication said, the detainees are now being held in police custody under Myanmar's anti-terrorism law.

"We are devastated - our mother is 84 and her health is deteriorating," RFA quoted a family member of Lay Lay Naing as saying, on condition of anonymity.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-alarmed-by-myanmar-military-moves-419172">UN alarmed by Myanmar military moves</a>

Naing was arrested on May 21 and sentenced to three years in prison for charges of spreading "false news [or] agitates directly or indirectly a criminal offense against a government employee," "We went to meet her at the prison, hoping that the whole family would be reunited and happy.

We saw her from a distance, and she was taken away. We were not allowed to say anything," the family member added.

According to the publication, the junta on Monday had released 1,316 prisoners from various facilities throughout the country as well as 4,320 detainees who faced ongoing cases for anti-junta activities, including well-known politicians, celebrities, film actors and journalists.

But the re-arrest suggests that the amnesty was only a bid by the junta to appease the international community amid criticism of its rule, observers told RFA.

Earlier in June also, the junta had announced a general amnesty and freed nearly 200 detainees from detention across the country. On February 1, the military seized power in Myanmar, imprisoning the nation's de facto ruler Aung San Suu Kyi and then President Win Myint and prompting mass protests demanding a return to civilian rule.

Myanmar authorities have rearrested around 110 political prisoners who were freed earlier this week under the general amnesty announcement by the junta, reported local media.

Myanmar authorities have rearrested around 110 political prisoners who were freed earlier this week under the general amnesty announcement by the junta, reported local media. Family members have said that some of their loved ones were re-arrested "right at the entrance of the prison," while others were taken back within hours of returning home, reported Radio Free Asia [RFA]. Citing sources, the publication said, the detainees are now being held in police custody under Myanmar's anti-terrorism law. "We are devastated - our mother is 84 and her health is deteriorating," RFA quoted a family member of Lay Lay Naing as saying, on condition of anonymity. Also Read | UN alarmed by Myanmar military moves Naing was arrested on May 21 and sentenced to three years in prison for charges of spreading "false news [or] agitates directly or indirectly a criminal offense against a government employee," "We went to meet her at the prison, hoping that the whole family would be reunited and happy. We saw her from a distance, and she was taken away. We were not allowed to say anything," the family member added. According to the publication, the junta on Monday had released 1,316 prisoners from various facilities throughout the country as well as 4,320 detainees who faced ongoing cases for anti-junta activities, including well-known politicians, celebrities, film actors and journalists. But the re-arrest suggests that the amnesty was only a bid by the junta to appease the international community amid criticism of its rule, observers told RFA. Earlier in June also, the junta had announced a general amnesty and freed nearly 200 detainees from detention across the country. On February 1, the military seized power in Myanmar, imprisoning the nation's de facto ruler Aung San Suu Kyi and then President Win Myint and prompting mass protests demanding a return to civilian rule.

Myanmar authorities re-arrest over 100 political prisoners after amnesty

The Russian Health Ministry has amended the instructions for the use of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, giving green light to administering it simultaneously with a flu shot, according to the ministry statement.

"Russia's Health Ministry has authorised simultaneous vaccination against covid&nbsp;and influenza, as corresponding changes have been made to the instructions for the medical use of the Gam-COVID-Vac (Sputnik V) vaccine," the statement said on Friday.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-reports-record-daily-covid-deaths-422351">Russia reports record daily Covid deaths</a>

Studies have proven that when COVID-19 and flu vaccines are inoculated at the same time, their effectiveness is not reduced, the Russian Health Ministry told.

"The combination of Sputnik V with the influenza vaccine has been studied in preclinical trials, showing no decrease in immunogenicity of both vaccines when they are administered simultaneously.

When covid and flu vaccines are administered simultaneously, the shots are injected to different parts of the body, for example, the left and right shoulders," the press service said in a statement.

On Friday, Russia registered a new single-day record of 37,141 COVID-19 cases, up from the previous record of 36,339 cases confirmed the day before, bringing the cumulative total to 8,168,305, as per the federal response center.

"Over the past day, 37,141 COVID-19 cases were confirmed across 85 Russian regions, including 3,397 cases (9.1 per cent) without clinical symptoms," the center said, adding that the rate of increase grew to 0.46 per cent.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/dcgi-seeks-technical-opinion-to-approve-covaxin-for-kids-421886">DCGI seeks 'technical opinion' to approve Covaxin for kids</a>

Moscow has the highest number of new cases with 8,166 infections, up from 7,897 the day before.

The Russian capital is followed by St Petersburg with 3,233 cases, down from 3,280, and the Moscow region with 2,428 cases, up from 2,318.

The response center reported a new record of 1,064 deaths linked to the coronavirus, up from 1,036 the day before, bringing the country's death toll to 228,453.

In the same 24 hours, 25,453 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals across the country, down from 25,895 the day before, bringing the total to 7,117,060.&nbsp;

The Russian Health Ministry has amended the instructions for the use of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, giving green light to administering it simultaneously with a flu shot, according to the ministry statement.

The Russian Health Ministry has amended the instructions for the use of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, giving green light to administering it simultaneously with a flu shot, according to the ministry statement. "Russia's Health Ministry has authorised simultaneous vaccination against covid and influenza, as corresponding changes have been made to the instructions for the medical use of the Gam-COVID-Vac (Sputnik V) vaccine," the statement said on Friday. Also Read | Russia reports record daily Covid deaths Studies have proven that when COVID-19 and flu vaccines are inoculated at the same time, their effectiveness is not reduced, the Russian Health Ministry told. "The combination of Sputnik V with the influenza vaccine has been studied in preclinical trials, showing no decrease in immunogenicity of both vaccines when they are administered simultaneously. When covid and flu vaccines are administered simultaneously, the shots are injected to different parts of the body, for example, the left and right shoulders," the press service said in a statement. On Friday, Russia registered a new single-day record of 37,141 COVID-19 cases, up from the previous record of 36,339 cases confirmed the day before, bringing the cumulative total to 8,168,305, as per the federal response center. "Over the past day, 37,141 COVID-19 cases were confirmed across 85 Russian regions, including 3,397 cases (9.1 per cent) without clinical symptoms," the center said, adding that the rate of increase grew to 0.46 per cent. Also Read | DCGI seeks 'technical opinion' to approve Covaxin for kids Moscow has the highest number of new cases with 8,166 infections, up from 7,897 the day before. The Russian capital is followed by St Petersburg with 3,233 cases, down from 3,280, and the Moscow region with 2,428 cases, up from 2,318. The response center reported a new record of 1,064 deaths linked to the coronavirus, up from 1,036 the day before, bringing the country's death toll to 228,453. In the same 24 hours, 25,453 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals across the country, down from 25,895 the day before, bringing the total to 7,117,060.

Russian health ministry greenlights joint COVID-19, flu vaccination

The planet, or what’s left of it, is barely recognizable. Once verdant, it’s now a parched wasteland. The rich shelter in air-conditioned bubbles, leaving everyone else to face the storms and sand.

This vision of climate apocalypse is all too familiar today, but in 1963, when Frank Herbert started serializing his science-fiction epic “Dune,” it was deeply strange. The novel’s story of a planet that had become a desert — replete with psychedelic drugs, mystical visions and political assassinations — fit awkwardly with the chart-toppers of its time: “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” “Mary Poppins” and “The Beverly Hillbillies.”

Still, the dark novel gained a cult following and, eventually, millions of devoted readers. Denis Villeneuve’s star-studded film adaptation is being released this week, and it’s receiving not just critical acclaim but also appreciation for the “clear contemporary relevance” of its ecological themes. Mr. Herbert’s tale of climate change no longer seems odd. It is in many ways the story of our time.

How did Mr. Herbert foresee our predicament? The environmentalism of “Dune” had a source close to home. Native communities had suffered some of the worst environmental harms in the midcentury United States, and Mr. Herbert had close contacts among the Quileute and Hoh peoples of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. Indigenous environmentalists alerted him to how much damage industrialism had wrought. They warned him that it could become planetary in scope, a warning that he passed on in his influential novel.

Mr. Herbert was interested in Native American issues from the start. While fishing near his home in Western Washington as a youth, he met a Hoh man he described as “Indian Henry,” who “semi-adopted” him for two years and taught him “the ways of his people,” Mr. Herbert told his son and biographer, Brian Herbert. This was almost certainly Henry Martin, known also as Han-daa-sho, a fisherman who had suffered police harassment while living on the Quileute reservation in La Push, a village on Washington’s Pacific Coast.

What lessons did Mr. Martin teach Frank Herbert? In the 1970s, Mr. Herbert wrote a novel, “Soul Catcher,” seemingly based on their relationship, that offers some clues. It follows an older Hoh man who teaches a white teenager to subsist from the land. He also explains how white people had stolen Hoh lands, harassed Hoh people and logged the forests.

Mr. Herbert’s education continued via his close friendship with the environmentalist Howard Hansen. Mr. Hansen, also called cKulell, was raised in La Push. He wasn’t an enrolled member of the Quileute Nation (his parentage was obscure), but he conducted his life “based on Quileute Indian teachings,” he wrote. A Quileute elder, Lester Payne, helped train him in Quileute lore, making him as a cultural repository for the small tribal nation.

Mr. Hansen was Mr. Herbert’s best friend and godfather to Brian. He was also, like Mr. Herbert, a writer. While Mr. Herbert was developing “Dune,” Mr. Hansen was writing his own book, a memoir called “Twilight on the Thunderbird,” which Mr. Herbert read in manuscript. Mr. Hansen’s book told how white-run logging companies had transformed La Push. It was a “massacre,” Mr. Hansen wrote, in which the dense, damp forest was converted to “mud” and “baked earth.”

Mr. Hansen shared his chronicle of environmental devastation with Mr. Herbert. And he shared with him the contents of an ecology book, which he’d borrowed from a Native friend, warning that a similar fate might await the entire world. “White men are eating the Earth,” he told Mr. Herbert. “They’re going to turn this whole planet into a wasteland, just like North Africa.” Though initially “startled” by that view, Mr. Herbert agreed, responding that the world would become a “big dune,” according to Mr. Herbert’s son Brian.

In Brian Herbert’s understanding, the environmentalism of “Dune” was partly based on conversations between his Mr. Hansen and his father. Mr. Hansen himself felt that he had “contributed many of the ideas” of the novel, his widow, Joanne Hansen, told me. “They explored the idea of Dune, a planet without water,” she said. “They spent a lot of time talking about that.” Ultimately, she continued, her husband felt that “Dune” contained numerous ideas of his that Frank Herbert had “expanded on.”

Mr. Herbert’s fascination with Indigenous societies shines through in his novel. “Dune” follows Paul Atreides, a young man from another planet, as he navigates the desiccated planet of Dune. Paul’s guide is an older native-born man, Stilgar, who teaches him to live off the land, much as Henry Martin taught a young Frank Herbert. Stilgar’s people, the Fremen, shape their society around the giant sandworms that swim through Dune’s desert waves — not unlike the whales that Quileutes were still harpooning in living memory. As he learns Fremen ways, Paul comes to reject the imperial society he was born into and, in a sequel, scorns “believers in Manifest Destiny.”

Native peoples were at the cutting edge of environmentalism in Mr. Herbert’s day, and they still are. And, as Howard Hansen predicted, the scale has enlarged. It’s no longer only wilderness that needs defending, but also the delicate balance of gases in our shared atmosphere. Here, Indigenous activists have been indispensable, leading resistance to fossil fuel extraction, for example at the enormous protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation.

Fossil fuels and the damage they deal matter greatly to Quileutes, who are contending with some of the worst that climate change has to offer. Rising tides, combined with a deforested landscape that no longer holds moisture in place, have left La Push at risk of catastrophic flooding. The Quileute Nation is now soliciting donations for its “Move to Higher Ground” campaign to relocate its coastal school to safety.

There is a painful irony here. Seeing what logging had done to La Push inspired Howard Hansen to warn Frank Herbert that the world might become a “wasteland.” With Mr. Hansen’s input, Mr. Herbert wrote a novel, “Dune,” imagining just that. The novel proved prescient, helping readers think about the environment not just on the level of lakes or forests but whole planets.

Today, as predicted, Earth’s climate is changing. And La Push is drowning.

The planet, or what’s left of it, is barely recognizable. Once verdant, it’s now a parched wasteland. The rich shelter in air-conditioned bubbles, leaving everyone else to face the storms and sand.

The planet, or what’s left of it, is barely recognizable. Once verdant, it’s now a parched wasteland. The rich shelter in air-conditioned bubbles, leaving everyone else to face the storms and sand. This vision of climate apocalypse is all too familiar today, but in 1963, when Frank Herbert started serializing his science-fiction epic “Dune,” it was deeply strange. The novel’s story of a planet that had become a desert — replete with psychedelic drugs, mystical visions and political assassinations — fit awkwardly with the chart-toppers of its time: “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” “Mary Poppins” and “The Beverly Hillbillies.” Still, the dark novel gained a cult following and, eventually, millions of devoted readers. Denis Villeneuve’s star-studded film adaptation is being released this week, and it’s receiving not just critical acclaim but also appreciation for the “clear contemporary relevance” of its ecological themes. Mr. Herbert’s tale of climate change no longer seems odd. It is in many ways the story of our time. How did Mr. Herbert foresee our predicament? The environmentalism of “Dune” had a source close to home. Native communities had suffered some of the worst environmental harms in the midcentury United States, and Mr. Herbert had close contacts among the Quileute and Hoh peoples of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. Indigenous environmentalists alerted him to how much damage industrialism had wrought. They warned him that it could become planetary in scope, a warning that he passed on in his influential novel. Mr. Herbert was interested in Native American issues from the start. While fishing near his home in Western Washington as a youth, he met a Hoh man he described as “Indian Henry,” who “semi-adopted” him for two years and taught him “the ways of his people,” Mr. Herbert told his son and biographer, Brian Herbert. This was almost certainly Henry Martin, known also as Han-daa-sho, a fisherman who had suffered police harassment while living on the Quileute reservation in La Push, a village on Washington’s Pacific Coast. What lessons did Mr. Martin teach Frank Herbert? In the 1970s, Mr. Herbert wrote a novel, “Soul Catcher,” seemingly based on their relationship, that offers some clues. It follows an older Hoh man who teaches a white teenager to subsist from the land. He also explains how white people had stolen Hoh lands, harassed Hoh people and logged the forests. Mr. Herbert’s education continued via his close friendship with the environmentalist Howard Hansen. Mr. Hansen, also called cKulell, was raised in La Push. He wasn’t an enrolled member of the Quileute Nation (his parentage was obscure), but he conducted his life “based on Quileute Indian teachings,” he wrote. A Quileute elder, Lester Payne, helped train him in Quileute lore, making him as a cultural repository for the small tribal nation. Mr. Hansen was Mr. Herbert’s best friend and godfather to Brian. He was also, like Mr. Herbert, a writer. While Mr. Herbert was developing “Dune,” Mr. Hansen was writing his own book, a memoir called “Twilight on the Thunderbird,” which Mr. Herbert read in manuscript. Mr. Hansen’s book told how white-run logging companies had transformed La Push. It was a “massacre,” Mr. Hansen wrote, in which the dense, damp forest was converted to “mud” and “baked earth.” Mr. Hansen shared his chronicle of environmental devastation with Mr. Herbert. And he shared with him the contents of an ecology book, which he’d borrowed from a Native friend, warning that a similar fate might await the entire world. “White men are eating the Earth,” he told Mr. Herbert. “They’re going to turn this whole planet into a wasteland, just like North Africa.” Though initially “startled” by that view, Mr. Herbert agreed, responding that the world would become a “big dune,” according to Mr. Herbert’s son Brian. In Brian Herbert’s understanding, the environmentalism of “Dune” was partly based on conversations between his Mr. Hansen and his father. Mr. Hansen himself felt that he had “contributed many of the ideas” of the novel, his widow, Joanne Hansen, told me. “They explored the idea of Dune, a planet without water,” she said. “They spent a lot of time talking about that.” Ultimately, she continued, her husband felt that “Dune” contained numerous ideas of his that Frank Herbert had “expanded on.” Mr. Herbert’s fascination with Indigenous societies shines through in his novel. “Dune” follows Paul Atreides, a young man from another planet, as he navigates the desiccated planet of Dune. Paul’s guide is an older native-born man, Stilgar, who teaches him to live off the land, much as Henry Martin taught a young Frank Herbert. Stilgar’s people, the Fremen, shape their society around the giant sandworms that swim through Dune’s desert waves — not unlike the whales that Quileutes were still harpooning in living memory. As he learns Fremen ways, Paul comes to reject the imperial society he was born into and, in a sequel, scorns “believers in Manifest Destiny.” Native peoples were at the cutting edge of environmentalism in Mr. Herbert’s day, and they still are. And, as Howard Hansen predicted, the scale has enlarged. It’s no longer only wilderness that needs defending, but also the delicate balance of gases in our shared atmosphere. Here, Indigenous activists have been indispensable, leading resistance to fossil fuel extraction, for example at the enormous protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. Fossil fuels and the damage they deal matter greatly to Quileutes, who are contending with some of the worst that climate change has to offer. Rising tides, combined with a deforested landscape that no longer holds moisture in place, have left La Push at risk of catastrophic flooding. The Quileute Nation is now soliciting donations for its “Move to Higher Ground” campaign to relocate its coastal school to safety. There is a painful irony here. Seeing what logging had done to La Push inspired Howard Hansen to warn Frank Herbert that the world might become a “wasteland.” With Mr. Hansen’s input, Mr. Herbert wrote a novel, “Dune,” imagining just that. The novel proved prescient, helping readers think about the environment not just on the level of lakes or forests but whole planets. Today, as predicted, Earth’s climate is changing. And La Push is drowning.

Before ‘Dune,’ Frank Herbert learned how ‘white men are eating the Earth’

It perhaps is a dream of all of us to find a new planet or a star. If the discovery is vital enough, they even may give the planet our name. But not all of us have the scientific know-how to actually do that and all we can do is dream.

But now in our connected world, anything is possible. And if you really want to help scientists discover a new planet, all you need is a web browser and the internet.

The mission is to observe changes in brightness of stars. If a planet comes between us and the star, the star may dim in a certain way indicating presence of the planet.

There is a lot of data to sift through. The images and data has been captured by NGTS telescopes based at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) Paranal Observatory in Chile.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/jupiter-collides-with-a-space-rock-japanese-skywatchers-observe-event-423312">Jupiter collides with a space rock, collision causes flash in its atmosphere</a>

The NGTS telescope captures images of thousands of stars in the space.

So why don't our softwares find the planets? Astronomers have been quoted in media reports as saying that current softwares do not capture the dimming effectively. They may miss a dimming star or falsely report presence of a planet. That's where volunteers come in.

If you are interested, you can head to Planet Hunters NGST page to get started. And if you think all the exercise is futile, remember that a mechanic in Australia has already found an unusual four-planet solar system.

It perhaps is a dream of all of us to find a new planet or a star. If the discovery is vital enough, they even may give the planet our name. But not all of us have the scientific know-how to actually do that and all we can do is dream.

It perhaps is a dream of all of us to find a new planet or a star. If the discovery is vital enough, they even may give the planet our name. But not all of us have the scientific know-how to actually do that and all we can do is dream. But now in our connected world, anything is possible. And if you really want to help scientists discover a new planet, all you need is a web browser and the internet. The mission is to observe changes in brightness of stars. If a planet comes between us and the star, the star may dim in a certain way indicating presence of the planet. There is a lot of data to sift through. The images and data has been captured by NGTS telescopes based at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) Paranal Observatory in Chile. Also Read | Jupiter collides with a space rock, collision causes flash in its atmosphere The NGTS telescope captures images of thousands of stars in the space. So why don't our softwares find the planets? Astronomers have been quoted in media reports as saying that current softwares do not capture the dimming effectively. They may miss a dimming star or falsely report presence of a planet. That's where volunteers come in. If you are interested, you can head to Planet Hunters NGST page to get started. And if you think all the exercise is futile, remember that a mechanic in Australia has already found an unusual four-planet solar system.

Scientists want you to help them discover new planets, here's how

The Islamic State militant group said on Friday that it was responsible for an explosion that brought down electricity lines and caused a major power outage in Kabul province.

The power outage that took place on Thursday was another blow to Taliban's efforts to stabilise Afghanistan after they captured power in the month of August. Taliban who led the insurgency against US-supported governments for two decades are finding themselves at odds with Islamic State.

In a statement published on its Telegram channels, Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) said "the soldiers of the caliphate detonated a bomb on an electricity pylon in Kabul" to damage the electricity sector.

The explosion that caused the power outage hit a high-voltage line that supplied power to Kabul and other provinces.

Afghanistan is heavily reliant on electricity produced in its northern neighbours Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. This means that electricity has to be distributed in the country via long power lines that are often vulnerable to sabotage. Taliban itself used this tactic as it mounted insurgency against US-backed governments in Kabul.

The Taliban has promised to fight IS-K but the group has continued to carry out devastating atrocities.

Earlier this week, IS-K said it was behind a suicide bombing of a Shiite mosque in the southern city of Kandahar on October 15 that killed 60 people.

The Islamic State militant group said on Friday that it was responsible for an explosion that brought down electricity lines and caused a major power outage in Kabul province.

The Islamic State militant group said on Friday that it was responsible for an explosion that brought down electricity lines and caused a major power outage in Kabul province. The power outage that took place on Thursday was another blow to Taliban's efforts to stabilise Afghanistan after they captured power in the month of August. Taliban who led the insurgency against US-supported governments for two decades are finding themselves at odds with Islamic State. In a statement published on its Telegram channels, Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) said "the soldiers of the caliphate detonated a bomb on an electricity pylon in Kabul" to damage the electricity sector. The explosion that caused the power outage hit a high-voltage line that supplied power to Kabul and other provinces. Afghanistan is heavily reliant on electricity produced in its northern neighbours Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. This means that electricity has to be distributed in the country via long power lines that are often vulnerable to sabotage. Taliban itself used this tactic as it mounted insurgency against US-backed governments in Kabul. The Taliban has promised to fight IS-K but the group has continued to carry out devastating atrocities. Earlier this week, IS-K said it was behind a suicide bombing of a Shiite mosque in the southern city of Kandahar on October 15 that killed 60 people.

Islamic State claims responsibility for causing Kabul power outage

Some readers may remember the time when a legit comet collided with planet Jupiter. The exceptional event that took place in the year 1992 was huge news worldwide as it was first such event taking place inside solar system when human technology was developed enough to observe it in detail. As the comet approached Jupiter, it broke apart and created several bright flashes that were observed by telescopes on Earth and in space.

A similar event has grabbed headlines now. This time the object that hit Jupiter may not be as spectacular as a comet but has generated interest in scientific community nonetheless.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/asteroid-deflecting-nasa-spacecraft-begins-final-preparations-422759">Asteroid-deflecting NASA spacecraft begins final preparations</a>

On October 15, a flash in Jupiter's atmosphere attracted attention of skywatchers in Japan. A Twitter user who photographed the event told news websites that the flash appeared to last long.

The flash was also observed by team of astronomers at Japan's Kyoto University. A space rock had collided with the gas giant.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/china-plans-to-extract-oxygen-from-moons-surface-report-422444">China plans to extract oxygen from Moon's surface: Report</a>

According to Sky &amp; Telescope, the space rock hit Jupiter's northern hemisphere.

Space rocks, asteroids and even comets are attracted to Jupiter due to the planet's enormous gravity. The biggest planet in our solar system has a monstrous pull on objects venturing too close to it. The planet is jokingly called a 'vacuum cleaner' of the solar system but in all seriousness, Jupiter may have been the reason we are alive today because of it eating up a rogue asteroid heading our way in all these years.

Some readers may remember the time when a legit comet collided with planet Jupiter. The exceptional event that took place in the year 1992 was huge news worldwide as it was first such event taking place inside solar system when human technology was developed enough to observe it in detail.

Some readers may remember the time when a legit comet collided with planet Jupiter. The exceptional event that took place in the year 1992 was huge news worldwide as it was first such event taking place inside solar system when human technology was developed enough to observe it in detail. As the comet approached Jupiter, it broke apart and created several bright flashes that were observed by telescopes on Earth and in space. A similar event has grabbed headlines now. This time the object that hit Jupiter may not be as spectacular as a comet but has generated interest in scientific community nonetheless. Also Read | Asteroid-deflecting NASA spacecraft begins final preparations On October 15, a flash in Jupiter's atmosphere attracted attention of skywatchers in Japan. A Twitter user who photographed the event told news websites that the flash appeared to last long. The flash was also observed by team of astronomers at Japan's Kyoto University. A space rock had collided with the gas giant. Also Read | China plans to extract oxygen from Moon's surface: Report According to Sky & Telescope, the space rock hit Jupiter's northern hemisphere. Space rocks, asteroids and even comets are attracted to Jupiter due to the planet's enormous gravity. The biggest planet in our solar system has a monstrous pull on objects venturing too close to it. The planet is jokingly called a 'vacuum cleaner' of the solar system but in all seriousness, Jupiter may have been the reason we are alive today because of it eating up a rogue asteroid heading our way in all these years.

Jupiter collides with a space rock, collision causes flash in its atmosphere

Germany recorded the highest incidence of coronavirus infections since mid-May on Saturday, reaching the threshold of 100 cases per 100,000 in the past seven days that used to be the yardstick for imposing a strict lockdown.

However, Health Minister Jens Spahn noted that Germany could cope much better now due to vaccination, although he said restrictions like mask wearing and limits on indoor activity for unvaccinated people would stay until next spring.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/180000-healthcare-workers-may-have-died-due-to-covid-19-who-422734">180,000 healthcare workers may have died due to COVID-19: WHO</a>

The seven-day incidence rate of cases - which until August was used to decide whether to impose more stringent COVID-19 curbs - rose to 100 on Saturday from 95 on Friday, the Robert Koch Institute responsible for disease control said.

A total of 15,145 new infections were reported on Saturday, 4,196 more than the same time last Saturday, it added, and another 86 people died, to bring the total to 95,077.

The rise comes as the leaders of Germany's 16 states are discussing how to proceed after a nationwide state of emergency is set to lapse on November&nbsp;25, meaning restrictions will automatically expire then unless extended by parliamentary vote.

Spahn said on Saturday that it should be possible to lift the state of emergency while still upholding rules requiring mask-wearing and proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test result to enter most indoor public spaces.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/german-state-allows-businesses-to-turn-back-unvaccinated-people-421260">German state allows businesses to turn back unvaccinated people</a>

"We can obviously deal with higher incidences, higher numbers of infections better, much better without overburdening the health system, because so many are already vaccinated," Spahn said in an interview with Deutschlandfunk radio. 
"This path from a state of emergency to a state of special caution to a state of normality, probably in the spring, if there is no new variant, is, I think, also one that gives confidence."

However, he noted that parts of Germany with lower rates of vaccination - such as Saxony and Thueringen - were already seeing pressure on hospitals from rising infections.

Around 66 per cent&nbsp;of German residents are fully vaccinated, compared with 63.3 pr cent&nbsp;of people across the European Union.

Germany recorded the highest incidence of coronavirus infections since mid-May on Saturday, reaching the threshold of 100 cases per 100,000 in the past seven days that used to be the yardstick for imposing a strict lockdown.

Germany recorded the highest incidence of coronavirus infections since mid-May on Saturday, reaching the threshold of 100 cases per 100,000 in the past seven days that used to be the yardstick for imposing a strict lockdown. However, Health Minister Jens Spahn noted that Germany could cope much better now due to vaccination, although he said restrictions like mask wearing and limits on indoor activity for unvaccinated people would stay until next spring. Also Read | 180,000 healthcare workers may have died due to COVID-19: WHO The seven-day incidence rate of cases - which until August was used to decide whether to impose more stringent COVID-19 curbs - rose to 100 on Saturday from 95 on Friday, the Robert Koch Institute responsible for disease control said. A total of 15,145 new infections were reported on Saturday, 4,196 more than the same time last Saturday, it added, and another 86 people died, to bring the total to 95,077. The rise comes as the leaders of Germany's 16 states are discussing how to proceed after a nationwide state of emergency is set to lapse on November 25, meaning restrictions will automatically expire then unless extended by parliamentary vote. Spahn said on Saturday that it should be possible to lift the state of emergency while still upholding rules requiring mask-wearing and proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test result to enter most indoor public spaces. Also Read | German state allows businesses to turn back unvaccinated people "We can obviously deal with higher incidences, higher numbers of infections better, much better without overburdening the health system, because so many are already vaccinated," Spahn said in an interview with Deutschlandfunk radio. "This path from a state of emergency to a state of special caution to a state of normality, probably in the spring, if there is no new variant, is, I think, also one that gives confidence." However, he noted that parts of Germany with lower rates of vaccination - such as Saxony and Thueringen - were already seeing pressure on hospitals from rising infections. Around 66 per cent of German residents are fully vaccinated, compared with 63.3 pr cent of people across the European Union.

German COVID-19 infections at highest since mid-May

The White House on Friday said that it would delay release of classified documents related to US President John F Kennedy

The files have been classified for long. US President Joe Biden said in statement that the remaining files on JFK killing "shall be withheld from full public disclosure" until December 15 next year. It will nearly be 60 years after assassination of JFK in Dallas, Texas in 1963.

In 2018, former president Donald Trump released several thousand secret files on the assassination, but withheld others on national security grounds.

The White House said the national archivist needs more time for a review into that redaction, which was slowed by the pandemic.

Biden also said the delay was "necessary to protect against identifiable harm to the military defense, intelligence operations, law enforcement, or the conduct of foreign relations" and that this "outweighs the public interest in immediate disclosure."

Biden said in the statement that the JFK assassination was a "profound national tragedy" that "continues to resonate in American history and in the memories of so many Americans who were alive on that terrible day,"&nbsp;

The Kennedy assassination was investigated by then-US Supreme Court chief justice Earl Warren. The conclusion was that Lee Harvey Oswald, a former Marine who had lived in the Soviet Union assassinated Kennedy. It was concluded that he acted alone.

a former Marine who had lived in the Soviet Union, acted alone when he fired on Kennedy's motorcade.

But the Commission's investigation was criticised for being incomplete, with a Congressional committee later concluding that Kennedy was "probably assassinated as a result of a conspiracy."

US law requires that all government records on the assassination be disclosed "to enable the public to become fully informed."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The White House on Friday said that it would delay release of classified documents related to US President John F Kennedy The files have been classified for long.

The White House on Friday said that it would delay release of classified documents related to US President John F Kennedy The files have been classified for long. US President Joe Biden said in statement that the remaining files on JFK killing "shall be withheld from full public disclosure" until December 15 next year. It will nearly be 60 years after assassination of JFK in Dallas, Texas in 1963. In 2018, former president Donald Trump released several thousand secret files on the assassination, but withheld others on national security grounds. The White House said the national archivist needs more time for a review into that redaction, which was slowed by the pandemic. Biden also said the delay was "necessary to protect against identifiable harm to the military defense, intelligence operations, law enforcement, or the conduct of foreign relations" and that this "outweighs the public interest in immediate disclosure." Biden said in the statement that the JFK assassination was a "profound national tragedy" that "continues to resonate in American history and in the memories of so many Americans who were alive on that terrible day," The Kennedy assassination was investigated by then-US Supreme Court chief justice Earl Warren. The conclusion was that Lee Harvey Oswald, a former Marine who had lived in the Soviet Union assassinated Kennedy. It was concluded that he acted alone. a former Marine who had lived in the Soviet Union, acted alone when he fired on Kennedy's motorcade. But the Commission's investigation was criticised for being incomplete, with a Congressional committee later concluding that Kennedy was "probably assassinated as a result of a conspiracy." US law requires that all government records on the assassination be disclosed "to enable the public to become fully informed." (With inputs from agencies)

Joe Biden delays release of files on JFK assassination

Activists, Hindu community leaders, student will go on a token hunger strike in Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh on Saturday (October 23) for the demand of ensuring safety and security of religious minorities, said local media.

Various groups like Bangladesh Hindu-Bouddha-Christian Oikya Parishad and Bangladesh Puja Udjapon Parishad (BPUP) have announced their participation in the protests, said Dhaka Tribune.

The protests will demand quick trial of perpetrators who attacked Hindu temples, Durga Puja venues, and homes in several districts recently.

The BPUP alleged that the administration had failed to act on attacks on Hindus in the country, that were sparked by false allegations of the Holy Quran being desecrated in Comilla. Nirmal Kumar Chatterjee, BPUP General Secretary, said that at the night of the incident, only one guard was present at the temporary Puja venue in Comilla. The power supply to the mandapa area was cut off for a period between 3 am and 4 am that night, according to Dhaka Tribune.

"The question of what caused the power outage remains unresolved. Is the incident being investigated?" the BPUP General Secretary asked.

As per the newspaper, so far, a total of 102 cases have been filed accusing 20,619 people in connection with the recent violence against the Hindu community. Of the accused, police have arrested 583 people and drives are underway to arrest the rest, according to the police`s official data.

On late Thursday, police in Chittagong arrested 10 people, including nine members of former Ducsu VP Nurul Haque Nur-led Bangladesh Students` Rights Council, over their alleged involvement in the recent attack on the Durga Puja pavilion at the JM Sen Hall in the city.

(With inputs from agencies)

Activists, Hindu community leaders, student will go on a token hunger strike in Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh on Saturday (October 23) for the demand of ensuring safety and security of religious minorities, said local media.

Activists, Hindu community leaders, student will go on a token hunger strike in Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh on Saturday (October 23) for the demand of ensuring safety and security of religious minorities, said local media. Various groups like Bangladesh Hindu-Bouddha-Christian Oikya Parishad and Bangladesh Puja Udjapon Parishad (BPUP) have announced their participation in the protests, said Dhaka Tribune. The protests will demand quick trial of perpetrators who attacked Hindu temples, Durga Puja venues, and homes in several districts recently. The BPUP alleged that the administration had failed to act on attacks on Hindus in the country, that were sparked by false allegations of the Holy Quran being desecrated in Comilla. Nirmal Kumar Chatterjee, BPUP General Secretary, said that at the night of the incident, only one guard was present at the temporary Puja venue in Comilla. The power supply to the mandapa area was cut off for a period between 3 am and 4 am that night, according to Dhaka Tribune. "The question of what caused the power outage remains unresolved. Is the incident being investigated?" the BPUP General Secretary asked. As per the newspaper, so far, a total of 102 cases have been filed accusing 20,619 people in connection with the recent violence against the Hindu community. Of the accused, police have arrested 583 people and drives are underway to arrest the rest, according to the police`s official data. On late Thursday, police in Chittagong arrested 10 people, including nine members of former Ducsu VP Nurul Haque Nur-led Bangladesh Students` Rights Council, over their alleged involvement in the recent attack on the Durga Puja pavilion at the JM Sen Hall in the city. (With inputs from agencies)

Dhaka to see hunger strike for demands of safety of minorities

In a stunning admission, USA's National Institute of Health has accepted&nbsp;that US-funded money was used for bat coronavirus gain-of-function research in a lab in Wuhan.

Gain of function refers to a genetically altering animal viruses to make them more transmissible in humans.

A top NIH official has admitted to US funding in a letter written to Congressman James Comer. Lawrence A. Tabak, principal deputy director of the NIH however, has insisted that bat viruses studied under NIH grant could not have become Covid-19.

The admission of funding to gain-of-function research from the NIH is contradictory to stand taken by Dr Anthony Fauci, USA's top disease expert,&nbsp;who has firmly denied such a thing.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/democrats-spending-plan-is-bigger-than-obamacare-says-biden-423022">Democrats' spending plan is 'bigger' than Obamacare, says Biden</a>

Tabak, in his letter, has blamed EcoHealth Alliance — the New York City-based nonprofit which funneled US money to Wuhan lab. Tabak says that the nonprofit was not transparent about what it was doing.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-outbreak-of-bacteria-infection-reported-in-wet-markets-of-hong-kong-423002">New outbreak of bacteria infection reported in wet markets of Hong Kong</a>

Dr Anthony Fauci's denials about gain-of-function research has often put him at odds with American politicians. Republican senator Rand Paul is one of them.

Paul took to Twitter when the NIH letter surfaced.&nbsp;

“I told you so” doesn’t even begin to cover it here" he tweeted

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“I told you so” doesn’t even begin to cover it here: <a href="https://t.co/9JFn85I24i">https://t.co/9JFn85I24i</a>
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) <a href="https://twitter.com/RandPaul/status/1450996489862459394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Lawrence Tabak, NIH principal deputy director, said in his letter that EcoHelath Alliance did not comply with the terms of the grant that was given to it. 
&nbsp;

In a stunning admission, USA's National Institute of Health has accepted that US-funded money was used for bat coronavirus gain-of-function research in a lab in Wuhan.

In a stunning admission, USA's National Institute of Health has accepted that US-funded money was used for bat coronavirus gain-of-function research in a lab in Wuhan. Gain of function refers to a genetically altering animal viruses to make them more transmissible in humans. A top NIH official has admitted to US funding in a letter written to Congressman James Comer. Lawrence A. Tabak, principal deputy director of the NIH however, has insisted that bat viruses studied under NIH grant could not have become Covid-19. The admission of funding to gain-of-function research from the NIH is contradictory to stand taken by Dr Anthony Fauci, USA's top disease expert, who has firmly denied such a thing. Also Read | Democrats' spending plan is 'bigger' than Obamacare, says Biden Tabak, in his letter, has blamed EcoHealth Alliance — the New York City-based nonprofit which funneled US money to Wuhan lab. Tabak says that the nonprofit was not transparent about what it was doing. Also Read | New outbreak of bacteria infection reported in wet markets of Hong Kong Dr Anthony Fauci's denials about gain-of-function research has often put him at odds with American politicians. Republican senator Rand Paul is one of them. Paul took to Twitter when the NIH letter surfaced. “I told you so” doesn’t even begin to cover it here" he tweeted “I told you so” doesn’t even begin to cover it here: https://t.co/9JFn85I24i — Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) October 21, 2021 × Lawrence Tabak, NIH principal deputy director, said in his letter that EcoHelath Alliance did not comply with the terms of the grant that was given to it.

Coronavirus: NIH admits to US funding of gain-of-function research in Wuhan lab

The House Committee on Ethics on Thursday released four reports into separate violations of ethics rules by four congressmen, portraying what investigators suggested was a sweeping array of improper financial conduct.

The allegations against three Republicans and one Democrat center on stock trades and the improper use of campaign funds, according to the Office of Congressional Ethics, which investigated the cases.

Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., is under scrutiny over stock purchases by his wife that investigators say were affected by his actions as a member of Congress. Rep. Tom Malinowski, D-N.J., is facing allegations that he failed to properly disclose hundreds of thousands of dollars in stock trades. Rep. Alex X. Mooney, R-W.Va., is accused of improperly using campaign funds for personal expenses, and Rep. Jim Hagedorn, R-Minn., of improperly awarding contracts to companies owned by his aides’ relatives.

All four cases will continue to be reviewed by the House Ethics Committee, a bipartisan panel of lawmakers charged with enforcing the chamber’s internal rules.

In a particularly scathing report about Kelly and his wife, Victoria Kelly, investigators concluded that there was “substantial reason to believe” that she had bought stock in a steel company with a plant in her husband’s district “based upon confidential information” that he had “learned from his official job duties.”

Kelly’s case involves a frantic effort to aid the steel plant that employs 1,400 people in his district after it was acquired last year by Cleveland-Cliffs. The CEO of Cleveland-Cliffs publicly testified that unless the federal government was able to provide his company with additional trade protections, it would shutter that plant, as well as one in Ohio.

Investigators found that Mike Kelly became personally involved in Cleveland-Cliffs’ efforts to lobby the White House, pressing officials at the Commerce Department, as well as Mark Meadows, then President Donald Trump’s chief of staff, to enact additional protections.

On April 28, 2020, investigators wrote, the Commerce Department informed the chief of Cleveland-Cliffs that it intended to open an investigation that could benefit the company. Relieved, Cleveland-Cliffs executives canceled planned layoffs. The news traveled to Mike Kelly’s office, investigators wrote, citing witness interviews and emails.

The next day, Victoria Kelly bought $15,000 to $50,000 of stock in Cleveland-Cliffs, according to the congressman’s financial disclosures. Investigators deemed that purchase “atypical” because she had not held or purchased individual stocks for nearly a year before then.

When she sold the stock in January, she earned a profit: While she had bought the shares at $4.70, she sold them for approximately $18, investigators said.

Neither Mike Kelly nor his wife cooperated with the investigation, though members of his staff and officials at Cleveland-Cliffs did. Mike Kelly has since maintained that neither he nor his wife committed any wrongdoing, and a lawyer for Mike Kelly called the investigation “fatally flawed.”

A spokesperson for Mike Kelly told The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in September 2020 that Victoria Kelly had made “a small investment to show her support for the workers and management of this 100-year-old bedrock of their hometown.” He did not explain why Victoria Kelly did not publicly disclose the purchase at the time, if her intent was to show solidarity with the company.

In the report on Hagedorn, investigators found that there was substantial reason to believe that his office had steered nearly $500,000 in government funds to contract services from companies owned or controlled by his aides’ relatives, and that it used private office space at a cost far below market rate and tried to mislead the public about it.

Investigators concluded that Hagedorn’s office spent an unusually large sum of government money on official mail to his constituents and that much of it went to two separate printing companies owned by relatives of two of his aides, who charged Hagedorn “significantly more” than the fair market price for such services. While the average congressional office spent less than 1% of its budget on such mail, Hagedorn’s office spent nearly 20%.

Investigators were unable to verify whether one of the companies, owned by the brother of Hagedorn’s former chief of staff, had any clients other than the congressman’s office.

Because Hagedorn did not cooperate with the inquiry, investigators wrote, they were unable to definitively determine whether he was aware of the practices. But they said they had uncovered evidence showing he “knew or should have known” of the irregularities in his mail operation.

Hagedorn hired outside counsel last year to look into the matter and came to many of the same conclusions as the Office of Congressional Ethics investigators. However, that internal review concluded that he was unaware that the contracts were benefiting his aides’ relatives.

In their inquiry of Mooney, investigators faulted him for using campaign funds for what they said were most likely personal purposes. The report found that there was substantial reason to believe that Mooney used campaign contributions during frequent visits to fast-food restaurants such as Chick-fil-A, Panera Bread, Taco Bell and a variety of pizza vendors near his house, when there was no clear campaign purpose to the spending.

Mooney also twice used campaign dollars to pay for trips in West Virginia that he called “site visits” but investigators said were “primarily personal in nature.” He used $2,445 in campaign funds at the Canaan Valley Resort and spent $302 on a private guided fishing tour at the Smoke Hole resort, investigators said.

“While Rep. Mooney’s cooperation greatly facilitated this investigation, and he attempted to remedy violations as they became apparent to him and his counsel during this review, the nature and overall pattern of the violations raised concerns,” the report said.

The investigation into Malinowski’s stock trades found that he did not file required reports for transactions in 2019 and 2020, and he admitted to failing to do so in an interview with investigators. The report is likely to cast a cloud over Malinowski as he faces a difficult reelection race next year.

In the interview, Malinowski blamed “carelessness on my part” for the lack of disclosure and said he regretted and took full responsibility for it.

“This is not a justification or excuse,” he said.

“I have an overwhelmingly busy job, and this was one of the things I knew I needed to do,” he added. “But I did not put enough pressure on myself to do it every 45 days, and that was simply careless.”

The House Committee on Ethics on Thursday released four reports into separate violations of ethics rules by four congressmen, portraying what investigators suggested was a sweeping array of improper financial conduct.

The House Committee on Ethics on Thursday released four reports into separate violations of ethics rules by four congressmen, portraying what investigators suggested was a sweeping array of improper financial conduct. The allegations against three Republicans and one Democrat center on stock trades and the improper use of campaign funds, according to the Office of Congressional Ethics, which investigated the cases. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., is under scrutiny over stock purchases by his wife that investigators say were affected by his actions as a member of Congress. Rep. Tom Malinowski, D-N.J., is facing allegations that he failed to properly disclose hundreds of thousands of dollars in stock trades. Rep. Alex X. Mooney, R-W.Va., is accused of improperly using campaign funds for personal expenses, and Rep. Jim Hagedorn, R-Minn., of improperly awarding contracts to companies owned by his aides’ relatives. All four cases will continue to be reviewed by the House Ethics Committee, a bipartisan panel of lawmakers charged with enforcing the chamber’s internal rules. In a particularly scathing report about Kelly and his wife, Victoria Kelly, investigators concluded that there was “substantial reason to believe” that she had bought stock in a steel company with a plant in her husband’s district “based upon confidential information” that he had “learned from his official job duties.” Kelly’s case involves a frantic effort to aid the steel plant that employs 1,400 people in his district after it was acquired last year by Cleveland-Cliffs. The CEO of Cleveland-Cliffs publicly testified that unless the federal government was able to provide his company with additional trade protections, it would shutter that plant, as well as one in Ohio. Investigators found that Mike Kelly became personally involved in Cleveland-Cliffs’ efforts to lobby the White House, pressing officials at the Commerce Department, as well as Mark Meadows, then President Donald Trump’s chief of staff, to enact additional protections. On April 28, 2020, investigators wrote, the Commerce Department informed the chief of Cleveland-Cliffs that it intended to open an investigation that could benefit the company. Relieved, Cleveland-Cliffs executives canceled planned layoffs. The news traveled to Mike Kelly’s office, investigators wrote, citing witness interviews and emails. The next day, Victoria Kelly bought $15,000 to $50,000 of stock in Cleveland-Cliffs, according to the congressman’s financial disclosures. Investigators deemed that purchase “atypical” because she had not held or purchased individual stocks for nearly a year before then. When she sold the stock in January, she earned a profit: While she had bought the shares at $4.70, she sold them for approximately $18, investigators said. Neither Mike Kelly nor his wife cooperated with the investigation, though members of his staff and officials at Cleveland-Cliffs did. Mike Kelly has since maintained that neither he nor his wife committed any wrongdoing, and a lawyer for Mike Kelly called the investigation “fatally flawed.” A spokesperson for Mike Kelly told The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in September 2020 that Victoria Kelly had made “a small investment to show her support for the workers and management of this 100-year-old bedrock of their hometown.” He did not explain why Victoria Kelly did not publicly disclose the purchase at the time, if her intent was to show solidarity with the company. In the report on Hagedorn, investigators found that there was substantial reason to believe that his office had steered nearly $500,000 in government funds to contract services from companies owned or controlled by his aides’ relatives, and that it used private office space at a cost far below market rate and tried to mislead the public about it. Investigators concluded that Hagedorn’s office spent an unusually large sum of government money on official mail to his constituents and that much of it went to two separate printing companies owned by relatives of two of his aides, who charged Hagedorn “significantly more” than the fair market price for such services. While the average congressional office spent less than 1% of its budget on such mail, Hagedorn’s office spent nearly 20%. Investigators were unable to verify whether one of the companies, owned by the brother of Hagedorn’s former chief of staff, had any clients other than the congressman’s office. Because Hagedorn did not cooperate with the inquiry, investigators wrote, they were unable to definitively determine whether he was aware of the practices. But they said they had uncovered evidence showing he “knew or should have known” of the irregularities in his mail operation. Hagedorn hired outside counsel last year to look into the matter and came to many of the same conclusions as the Office of Congressional Ethics investigators. However, that internal review concluded that he was unaware that the contracts were benefiting his aides’ relatives. In their inquiry of Mooney, investigators faulted him for using campaign funds for what they said were most likely personal purposes. The report found that there was substantial reason to believe that Mooney used campaign contributions during frequent visits to fast-food restaurants such as Chick-fil-A, Panera Bread, Taco Bell and a variety of pizza vendors near his house, when there was no clear campaign purpose to the spending. Mooney also twice used campaign dollars to pay for trips in West Virginia that he called “site visits” but investigators said were “primarily personal in nature.” He used $2,445 in campaign funds at the Canaan Valley Resort and spent $302 on a private guided fishing tour at the Smoke Hole resort, investigators said. “While Rep. Mooney’s cooperation greatly facilitated this investigation, and he attempted to remedy violations as they became apparent to him and his counsel during this review, the nature and overall pattern of the violations raised concerns,” the report said. The investigation into Malinowski’s stock trades found that he did not file required reports for transactions in 2019 and 2020, and he admitted to failing to do so in an interview with investigators. The report is likely to cast a cloud over Malinowski as he faces a difficult reelection race next year. In the interview, Malinowski blamed “carelessness on my part” for the lack of disclosure and said he regretted and took full responsibility for it. “This is not a justification or excuse,” he said. “I have an overwhelmingly busy job, and this was one of the things I knew I needed to do,” he added. “But I did not put enough pressure on myself to do it every 45 days, and that was simply careless.”

House ethics committee details accusations against 4 lawmakers

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