The trial of patrol robots has sparked privacy concerns in Singapore. These robots are designed to blast warnings at people who are seen engaging in "undesirable social behaviour". &nbsp;

Singapore is seeing an explosion of tools to track inhabitants. These include CCTV cameras to lampposts kitted out with facial recognition tech.

Officials have long pushed for a vision of a hyper-efficient, tech-driven "smart nation". But this approach has drawn criticism from activists who say that privacy is being sacrificed&nbsp;and people have little control over what happens to their data.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/cosmic-music-check-out-nasa-post-on-heavenly-sounds-from-galaxys-centre-418128">'Cosmic Music': Check out NASA post on 'heavenly' sounds from galaxy's centre</a>

Singapore is frequently criticised for curbing civil liberties and people are accustomed to tight controls, but there is still growing unease at intrusive tech.

The government's latest surveillance devices are robots on wheels, with seven cameras, that issue warnings to the public and detect "undesirable social behaviour".

This includes smoking in prohibited areas, improperly parking bicycles, and breaching coronavirus social-distancing rules.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/before-chickens-early-humans-reared-one-of-the-most-dangerous-birds-study-417744">Before chickens, early humans reared one of the most dangerous birds: Study</a>

During a recent patrol, one of the "Xavier" robots wove its way through a housing estate and stopped in front of a group of elderly residents watching a chess match.

"Please keep one-metre distancing, please keep to five persons per group," a robotic voice blared out, as a camera on top of the machine trained its gaze on them.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-has-captured-image-of-eye-in-the-sky-418294">NASA has captured image of 'eye in the sky'</a>

During a three-week trial in September, two robots were deployed to patrol the housing estate and a shopping centre.

"It reminds me of Robocop," said Frannie Teo, a 34-year-old research assistant, who was walking through the mall.

It brings to mind a "dystopian world of robots... I'm just a bit hesitant about that kind of concept", she added.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

The trial of patrol robots has sparked privacy concerns in Singapore. These robots are designed to blast warnings at people who are seen engaging in "undesirable social behaviour".

The trial of patrol robots has sparked privacy concerns in Singapore. These robots are designed to blast warnings at people who are seen engaging in "undesirable social behaviour". Singapore is seeing an explosion of tools to track inhabitants. These include CCTV cameras to lampposts kitted out with facial recognition tech. Officials have long pushed for a vision of a hyper-efficient, tech-driven "smart nation". But this approach has drawn criticism from activists who say that privacy is being sacrificed and people have little control over what happens to their data. Also Read | 'Cosmic Music': Check out NASA post on 'heavenly' sounds from galaxy's centre Singapore is frequently criticised for curbing civil liberties and people are accustomed to tight controls, but there is still growing unease at intrusive tech. The government's latest surveillance devices are robots on wheels, with seven cameras, that issue warnings to the public and detect "undesirable social behaviour". This includes smoking in prohibited areas, improperly parking bicycles, and breaching coronavirus social-distancing rules. Also Read | Before chickens, early humans reared one of the most dangerous birds: Study During a recent patrol, one of the "Xavier" robots wove its way through a housing estate and stopped in front of a group of elderly residents watching a chess match. "Please keep one-metre distancing, please keep to five persons per group," a robotic voice blared out, as a camera on top of the machine trained its gaze on them. Also Read | NASA has captured image of 'eye in the sky' During a three-week trial in September, two robots were deployed to patrol the housing estate and a shopping centre. "It reminds me of Robocop," said Frannie Teo, a 34-year-old research assistant, who was walking through the mall. It brings to mind a "dystopian world of robots... I'm just a bit hesitant about that kind of concept", she added. (With inputs from agencies)

Singapore: Patrol robots seeking 'undesirable social behaviour' spark privacy concerns

Mega-merger of ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) and Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has created a media behemoth that is sure to redefine entertainment in India. However, soon after the mega-deal,&nbsp;investment firm Invesco appears to have started acting at someone's behest. The shockwaves of the mega-merger have been felt even in China.

Some mediahouses are also publishing baseless and hollow reports to make a vain attempt at battling ZEEL and its Chief Executive Officer Punit Goenka.&nbsp;

Invesco's moves in past few days have raised questions about whether it is a puppet of China acting against ZEEL-Sony mega-merger.

Some media reports are falsely citing Invesco's version to take on ZEEL MD &amp; CEO Punit Goenka but in vain. These reports have failed terribly in their mala fide attempt to malign the image of esteemed organisation - ZEEL and its MD &amp; CEO Punit Goenka.&nbsp;

On Tuesday, the reports lacking truth have fallen flat on the face of their publishers as Dr Subhash Chandra - Founder, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited, himself came forward to clear the air on Invesco, ZEEL and Punit Goenka. The facts-laden statement by Dr Subhash Chandra has now left no room for any confusion and will leave publishers of false and baseless reports red-faced.

Watch | ZEEL-Sony merger: Dr Subhash Chandra questions Invesco's 'real intent'

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"No matter who runs ZEEL but the company, to which I've and many of my friends have given their blood and sweat for the past 30 years, should be in the hands of someone under whose leadership the organisation should prosper and shareholders should be benefitted since I don't have any profit or loss associated with this," said Dr Subhash Chandra.

Vested interests of someone

"I wanted to give an interview to my friends at CNBC and Moneycontrol but they won't take it neither run it because it seems although he is a friend of mine but has a vested interest in the entire matter; I don't know whatever it is but I wish God give him good sense and wisdom," Dr Chandra added.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/on-whose-directions-invesco-is-acting-dr-subhash-chandra-asks-tough-questions-making-invesco-uncomfortable-418507">‘On whose directions Invesco is acting?’ Dr Subhash Chandra asks tough questions making Invesco uncomfortable</a>

Dr Subhash Chandra's questions to Invesco

"Invesco is a good investor but in this case of ZEEL they are not revealing that what they will do after taking ZEEL, and in whose hands management will go?" asked Dr Chandra.

"You want to remove Punit Goenka? Okay, fine but what next? Have you done any deal with someone? The 6 directors given by them - what's their background? Do they have any relation with any particular company that wants to take over? Hence, Invesco should come out transparently and openly, and let the shareholders decide - whether they want to take the deal of Invesco or want to go with Sony's deal," Dr Chandra said posing some really tough questions to Invesco.

Questions to regulators

On regulators, Dr Chandra said, "The first and prime responsibility of the regulators is to protect the interest minority shareholders. So, they should ask Invesco that it should come out transparently. And, regulators should make sure that minority shareholders have both the things in hand to decide whether to vote for Invesco or Sony's deal with ZEEL."

Mega-merger of ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) and Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has created a media behemoth that is sure to redefine entertainment in India.

Mega-merger of ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) and Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has created a media behemoth that is sure to redefine entertainment in India. However, soon after the mega-deal, investment firm Invesco appears to have started acting at someone's behest. The shockwaves of the mega-merger have been felt even in China. Some mediahouses are also publishing baseless and hollow reports to make a vain attempt at battling ZEEL and its Chief Executive Officer Punit Goenka. Invesco's moves in past few days have raised questions about whether it is a puppet of China acting against ZEEL-Sony mega-merger. Some media reports are falsely citing Invesco's version to take on ZEEL MD & CEO Punit Goenka but in vain. These reports have failed terribly in their mala fide attempt to malign the image of esteemed organisation - ZEEL and its MD & CEO Punit Goenka. On Tuesday, the reports lacking truth have fallen flat on the face of their publishers as Dr Subhash Chandra - Founder, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited, himself came forward to clear the air on Invesco, ZEEL and Punit Goenka. The facts-laden statement by Dr Subhash Chandra has now left no room for any confusion and will leave publishers of false and baseless reports red-faced. Watch | ZEEL-Sony merger: Dr Subhash Chandra questions Invesco's 'real intent' × "No matter who runs ZEEL but the company, to which I've and many of my friends have given their blood and sweat for the past 30 years, should be in the hands of someone under whose leadership the organisation should prosper and shareholders should be benefitted since I don't have any profit or loss associated with this," said Dr Subhash Chandra. Vested interests of someone "I wanted to give an interview to my friends at CNBC and Moneycontrol but they won't take it neither run it because it seems although he is a friend of mine but has a vested interest in the entire matter; I don't know whatever it is but I wish God give him good sense and wisdom," Dr Chandra added. Also Read | ‘On whose directions Invesco is acting?’ Dr Subhash Chandra asks tough questions making Invesco uncomfortable Dr Subhash Chandra's questions to Invesco "Invesco is a good investor but in this case of ZEEL they are not revealing that what they will do after taking ZEEL, and in whose hands management will go?" asked Dr Chandra. "You want to remove Punit Goenka? Okay, fine but what next? Have you done any deal with someone? The 6 directors given by them - what's their background? Do they have any relation with any particular company that wants to take over? Hence, Invesco should come out transparently and openly, and let the shareholders decide - whether they want to take the deal of Invesco or want to go with Sony's deal," Dr Chandra said posing some really tough questions to Invesco. Questions to regulators On regulators, Dr Chandra said, "The first and prime responsibility of the regulators is to protect the interest minority shareholders. So, they should ask Invesco that it should come out transparently. And, regulators should make sure that minority shareholders have both the things in hand to decide whether to vote for Invesco or Sony's deal with ZEEL."

ZEEL-Sony mega-merger: Is Invesco a puppet of Chinese interests?

Your dog may affectionately follow you everywhere and respond to variety of your commands to up the aww factor. But we don't take them to understand human language beyond a point. But a new study has revealed that dogs may be more intelligent than we think they are

The study involved six 'genius dogs' from across the world. Researchers from Hungary spent two years searching for dogs who could remember names of their toys.

If you are rubbishing this just because your dog remembers a few toys, hold your horses.

These genius dogs could remember names of at least 28 toys. Some of them could even remember 100!

They were then made part of Genius Dog Challenge, a live-streamed event in which the dogs took part in variety of experiments.

The dogs, Max (Hungary), Gaia (Brazil), Nalani (Netherlands), Squall (US), Whisky (Norway), and Rico (Spain) were part of the experiments.

A researcher who led the study has been quoted by The Guardian as saying that the dogs could sometimes remember name of a toy after hearing it just four times.

All the dogs who took part in the study were border collies, a breed that is known for its sheep herding skills. These dogs are known to be more attuned to cues from humans.

Your dog may affectionately follow you everywhere and respond to variety of your commands to up the aww factor. But we don't take them to understand human language beyond a point.

Your dog may affectionately follow you everywhere and respond to variety of your commands to up the aww factor. But we don't take them to understand human language beyond a point. But a new study has revealed that dogs may be more intelligent than we think they are The study involved six 'genius dogs' from across the world. Researchers from Hungary spent two years searching for dogs who could remember names of their toys. If you are rubbishing this just because your dog remembers a few toys, hold your horses. These genius dogs could remember names of at least 28 toys. Some of them could even remember 100! They were then made part of Genius Dog Challenge, a live-streamed event in which the dogs took part in variety of experiments. The dogs, Max (Hungary), Gaia (Brazil), Nalani (Netherlands), Squall (US), Whisky (Norway), and Rico (Spain) were part of the experiments. A researcher who led the study has been quoted by The Guardian as saying that the dogs could sometimes remember name of a toy after hearing it just four times. All the dogs who took part in the study were border collies, a breed that is known for its sheep herding skills. These dogs are known to be more attuned to cues from humans.

These 'genius dogs' could remember names of 100 of their toys

Facebook said on Tuesday (Indian time) that the major outage of its main social media app along with WhatsApp and Instagram was caused due to&nbsp;configuration changes it made to routers that coordinate network traffic between its data centers.

Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp started working again late on Monday after an outage that lasted nearly six-hours. This prevented the company`s 3.5 billion users from accessing its social media and messaging services.

Facebook apologized but did not immediately explain what caused the failure, the largest ever tracked by web monitoring group Downdetector. Facebook claimed that there was no evidence that user data was compromised.

The outage was a second blow to social media giant Facebook after a whistleblower on Sunday alleged that Facebook had repeatedly prioritise profit over clamping down on hate speech and misinformation.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/facebook-instagram-whatsapp-services-down-for-users-418225">Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp services down for users</a>

As the world flocked to competing apps such as Twitter and TikTok, shares of Facebook fell 4.9%, their biggest daily drop since last November, amid a broader selloff in technology stocks on Monday. Shares rose about half a percent in after-hours trade following resumption of service.

"To every small and large business, family, and individual who depends on us, I`m sorry," Facebook Chief Technology Officer Mike Schroepfer tweeted, adding that it "may take some time to get to 100%."

Several Facebook employees who declined to be named said that they believed that the outage was caused by an internal mistake in how internet traffic is routed to its systems. The failures of internal communication tools and other resources that depend on that same network in order to work compounded the error, the employees said.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hate-speech-for-profit-facebook-whistleblower-reveals-identity-418061">Hate speech for profit: Facebook whistleblower reveals identity</a>

Security experts said an inadvertent mistake or sabotage by an insider were both plausible.

"Facebook basically locked its keys in its car," tweeted Jonathan Zittrain, director of Harvard`s Berkman Klein Center for Internet &amp; Society.

Twitter on Monday reported higher-than-normal usage, which led to some issues in people accessing posts and direct messages.

In one of the day`s most popular tweets, video streaming company Netflix shared a meme from its new hit show "Squid Game" captioned "When Instagram &amp; Facebook are down," that showed a person labeled "Twitter" holding up a character on the verge of falling labeled "everyone."

(With inputs from agencies)

Facebook said on Tuesday (Indian time) that the major outage of its main social media app along with WhatsApp and Instagram was caused due to configuration changes it made to routers that coordinate network traffic between its data centers.

Facebook said on Tuesday (Indian time) that the major outage of its main social media app along with WhatsApp and Instagram was caused due to configuration changes it made to routers that coordinate network traffic between its data centers. Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp started working again late on Monday after an outage that lasted nearly six-hours. This prevented the company`s 3.5 billion users from accessing its social media and messaging services. Facebook apologized but did not immediately explain what caused the failure, the largest ever tracked by web monitoring group Downdetector. Facebook claimed that there was no evidence that user data was compromised. The outage was a second blow to social media giant Facebook after a whistleblower on Sunday alleged that Facebook had repeatedly prioritise profit over clamping down on hate speech and misinformation. Also Read | Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp services down for users As the world flocked to competing apps such as Twitter and TikTok, shares of Facebook fell 4.9%, their biggest daily drop since last November, amid a broader selloff in technology stocks on Monday. Shares rose about half a percent in after-hours trade following resumption of service. "To every small and large business, family, and individual who depends on us, I`m sorry," Facebook Chief Technology Officer Mike Schroepfer tweeted, adding that it "may take some time to get to 100%." Several Facebook employees who declined to be named said that they believed that the outage was caused by an internal mistake in how internet traffic is routed to its systems. The failures of internal communication tools and other resources that depend on that same network in order to work compounded the error, the employees said. Also Read | Hate speech for profit: Facebook whistleblower reveals identity Security experts said an inadvertent mistake or sabotage by an insider were both plausible. "Facebook basically locked its keys in its car," tweeted Jonathan Zittrain, director of Harvard`s Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society. Twitter on Monday reported higher-than-normal usage, which led to some issues in people accessing posts and direct messages. In one of the day`s most popular tweets, video streaming company Netflix shared a meme from its new hit show "Squid Game" captioned "When Instagram & Facebook are down," that showed a person labeled "Twitter" holding up a character on the verge of falling labeled "everyone." (With inputs from agencies)

Router was bad, says Facebook after FB, Instagram, WhatsApp go down

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Tuesday apologised for the six-hour outage of social media apps Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram.&nbsp;

In a post on Facebook, Zuckerberg said the social media platforms were coming back to normal. "Sorry for the disruption today -- I know how much you rely on our services to stay connected with the people you care about," he wrote.

Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram went dark around 1600 GMT on Monday (October 4). Website monitoring group Downdetector said that it was largest such failure it had ever seen.

Some users began to regain access around 0045 GMT.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/router-was-bad-says-facebook-after-fb-instagram-whatsapp-go-down-418265">Router was bad, says Facebook after FB, Instagram, WhatsApp go down</a>

Though Zuckerberg's post was met with general sigh of relief. There were many who were not happy about how things went down. And Zuckerberg's post was flooded with comments that were angry as well as humourous.

"I was wondering why I could not use WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram yesterday afternoon. I even went to the extent of taking my phone for repair whereby the ICT guy charged me 500 dollar for repair just to have learn later that all social media’s platforms were shut down the whole world yesterday afternoon for almost five hours.... " wrote a user in comment

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hate-speech-for-profit-facebook-whistleblower-reveals-identity-418061">Hate speech for profit: Facebook whistleblower reveals identity</a>

"I feel sad for those who didn't receive birthday wishes today due to server issue!" wrote another user

Some of them even thanked Mark Zuckerberg as they said they could sleep peacefully with Facebook not working.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-lawmakers-grill-facebook-over-teen-mental-health-417319">US lawmakers grill Facebook over teen mental health</a>

"Last Night I slept peacefully because Facebook was off. Thanks Mark Zuckerberg," wrote GK Tahmid

Some users poured creativity into memes that described the situation aptly.

<img alt="Gollum" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="73275b01-6a7e-44c9-8bc5-2acefd1d40ce" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/FB%20meme.JPG" />

Some users had a warning for Mark

<img alt="Facebook" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a042e875-e663-4ce5-aa51-76c4017e8015" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/FB%20MEME%202.JPG" />

&nbsp;

A world without Facebook is a world without modern civilisation

<img alt="Facebook" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="88cfbe80-d0d5-4d28-a292-7775c245d31a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/fb%20meme%203.JPG" />

Several Facebook employees who declined to be named said that they believed that the outage was caused by an internal routing mistake to an internet domain that was compounded by the failures of internal communication tools and other resources that depend on that same domain in order to work.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Tuesday apologised for the six-hour outage of social media apps Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram. In a post on Facebook, Zuckerberg said the social media platforms were coming back to normal.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Tuesday apologised for the six-hour outage of social media apps Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram. In a post on Facebook, Zuckerberg said the social media platforms were coming back to normal. "Sorry for the disruption today -- I know how much you rely on our services to stay connected with the people you care about," he wrote. Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram went dark around 1600 GMT on Monday (October 4). Website monitoring group Downdetector said that it was largest such failure it had ever seen. Some users began to regain access around 0045 GMT. Also Read | Router was bad, says Facebook after FB, Instagram, WhatsApp go down Though Zuckerberg's post was met with general sigh of relief. There were many who were not happy about how things went down. And Zuckerberg's post was flooded with comments that were angry as well as humourous. "I was wondering why I could not use WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram yesterday afternoon. I even went to the extent of taking my phone for repair whereby the ICT guy charged me 500 dollar for repair just to have learn later that all social media’s platforms were shut down the whole world yesterday afternoon for almost five hours.... " wrote a user in comment Also Read | Hate speech for profit: Facebook whistleblower reveals identity "I feel sad for those who didn't receive birthday wishes today due to server issue!" wrote another user Some of them even thanked Mark Zuckerberg as they said they could sleep peacefully with Facebook not working. Also Read | US lawmakers grill Facebook over teen mental health "Last Night I slept peacefully because Facebook was off. Thanks Mark Zuckerberg," wrote GK Tahmid Some users poured creativity into memes that described the situation aptly. Some users had a warning for Mark A world without Facebook is a world without modern civilisation Several Facebook employees who declined to be named said that they believed that the outage was caused by an internal routing mistake to an internet domain that was compounded by the failures of internal communication tools and other resources that depend on that same domain in order to work.

Facebook outage: Mark Zuckerberg apologises, users have fun commenting

Pandora papers data dump that named rich and powerful across the world and mentioned their offshore finances has elicited denials from the power circles of any wrongdoing.

The Kremlin said it had seen no evidence in the leak of hidden wealth among Russian President Vladimir Putin's entourage, after the Washington Post said the documents showed Putin's mistress had used offshore funds to buy a flat in Monaco.

Jordan's King Abdullah, a close U.S. ally, was reported to have used offshore accounts to spend more than $100 million on luxury homes in the United Kingdom and the United States.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pandora-papers-leak-at-least-eight-countries-announce-investigations-418197">Pandora Papers leak: At least eight countries announce investigations</a>

The royal palace said in a statement it was "no secret that His Majesty owns a number of apartments and residences in the United States and the United Kingdom. This is not unusual nor improper."

In his first comments on the matter, Abdullah told tribal leaders: "The cost of these properties and all related expenditures have been personally funded by His Majesty. None of these expenses have been funded by the state budget or treasury."

"There is nothing I have to hide from anyone but we are stronger than this and this is not the first time people target Jordan," the monarch told the gathering.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-sees-nothing-special-in-pandora-papers-leak-and-dismisses-unsubstantiated-claims-418189">Russia sees nothing special in Pandora Papers leak and dismisses ‘unsubstantiated claims’</a>

The Kremlin said it had seen no evidence in the leak of hidden wealth among Russian President Vladimir Putin's entourage, after the Washington Post said the documents showed Putin's mistress had used offshore funds to buy a flat in Monaco.

Days ahead of the Czech Republic's Oct. 8-9 parliamentary election, the documents reportedly tied prime minister Andrej Babis to a $22 million estate near Cannes, France.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pandora-papers-leak-pak-opposition-seeks-pms-resignation-tainted-ministers-removal-418239">Pandora Papers leak: Pak Opposition seeks PM's resignation, tainted ministers' removal</a>

Speaking in a television debate, Babis, who was a billionaire before he entered politics, denied any wrongdoing.

"The money left a Czech bank, was taxed, it was my money, and returned to a Czech bank," Babis said.

Lebanon's former prime minister Hassan Diab said he had given up shares in a company he was linked to in the leak, and denied wrongdoing. A statement by his office said he had taken part in founding the company in 2015 and owned 17 shares, but that the firm had no activity since then and he had resigned and sold his stake.

The dump of more than 11.9 million records, amounting to about 2.94 terabytes of data, was five years after the leak known as the "Panama Papers" exposed how money was hidden by the wealthy in ways that law enforcement agencies could not detect.

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), a Washington-based network of reporters and media organizations, said the files are linked to about 35 current and former national leaders, and more than 330 politicians and public officials in 91 countries and territories.

(With inputs from agencies)

Pandora papers data dump that named rich and powerful across the world and mentioned their offshore finances has elicited denials from the power circles of any wrongdoing.

Pandora papers data dump that named rich and powerful across the world and mentioned their offshore finances has elicited denials from the power circles of any wrongdoing. The Kremlin said it had seen no evidence in the leak of hidden wealth among Russian President Vladimir Putin's entourage, after the Washington Post said the documents showed Putin's mistress had used offshore funds to buy a flat in Monaco. Jordan's King Abdullah, a close U.S. ally, was reported to have used offshore accounts to spend more than $100 million on luxury homes in the United Kingdom and the United States. Also Read | Pandora Papers leak: At least eight countries announce investigations The royal palace said in a statement it was "no secret that His Majesty owns a number of apartments and residences in the United States and the United Kingdom. This is not unusual nor improper." In his first comments on the matter, Abdullah told tribal leaders: "The cost of these properties and all related expenditures have been personally funded by His Majesty. None of these expenses have been funded by the state budget or treasury." "There is nothing I have to hide from anyone but we are stronger than this and this is not the first time people target Jordan," the monarch told the gathering. Also Read | Russia sees nothing special in Pandora Papers leak and dismisses ‘unsubstantiated claims’ The Kremlin said it had seen no evidence in the leak of hidden wealth among Russian President Vladimir Putin's entourage, after the Washington Post said the documents showed Putin's mistress had used offshore funds to buy a flat in Monaco. Days ahead of the Czech Republic's Oct. 8-9 parliamentary election, the documents reportedly tied prime minister Andrej Babis to a $22 million estate near Cannes, France. Also Read | Pandora Papers leak: Pak Opposition seeks PM's resignation, tainted ministers' removal Speaking in a television debate, Babis, who was a billionaire before he entered politics, denied any wrongdoing. "The money left a Czech bank, was taxed, it was my money, and returned to a Czech bank," Babis said. Lebanon's former prime minister Hassan Diab said he had given up shares in a company he was linked to in the leak, and denied wrongdoing. A statement by his office said he had taken part in founding the company in 2015 and owned 17 shares, but that the firm had no activity since then and he had resigned and sold his stake. The dump of more than 11.9 million records, amounting to about 2.94 terabytes of data, was five years after the leak known as the "Panama Papers" exposed how money was hidden by the wealthy in ways that law enforcement agencies could not detect. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), a Washington-based network of reporters and media organizations, said the files are linked to about 35 current and former national leaders, and more than 330 politicians and public officials in 91 countries and territories. (With inputs from agencies)

Pandora papers: Denials from rich and powerful follow after document leak

Another Chinese homebuilder has hit financial trouble after it missed payments on debt obligations, adding to worries over the country's property sector as embattled giant China Evergrande teeters on the brink of collapse.

Fears of contagion through the Chinese economy have grown as Evergrande, the most indebted of the country's private homebuilders, struggles with more than $300 billion in liabilities and heads towards a massive restructuring.

Fantasia Holdings failed to repay a $205.7 million note Monday, the Shenzhen-based company said in a statement.

This came as property management firm Country Garden Services Holdings added that a unit of Fantasia had missed repayment on a 700 million yuan ($108 million) loan, saying it was likely Fantasia would default.

The news comes as investors await news from Evergrande after it suspended trading of its shares Monday pending an announcement on a "major transaction", with reports saying Hong Kong real estate firm Hopson Development Holdings planned to buy a 51 percent stake in its property services arm.

While Fantasia is a smaller player in the market than Evergrande, its struggles highlight investor concerns over companies' financial disclosures.

Fitch Ratings downgraded Fantasia to "CCC-" on Monday, a move that points to default as a possibility.

The ratings agency added in a statement that although media reports said Fantasia missed an earlier payment to bondholders, the bond "does not appear to have been disclosed in the company's financial reports".

"We believe the existence of these bonds means that the company's liquidity situation could be tighter than we previously expected.

"Furthermore, this incident casts doubt on the transparency of the company's financial disclosures," Fitch added.

Separately, S&amp;P Global Ratings has downgraded another Chinese property firm -- Sinic Holdings -- saying its "debt-servicing ability has almost been depleted".

Sinic has been unable to service interest repayments, which could result in "accelerating repayments on Sinic's other debt obligations", S&amp;P said on Monday.

Fitch downgraded Sinic from "CCC" to "C" on Tuesday, reflecting its view that "a default-like process has begun" for the company.

The boss of Shanghai-based Sinic hit the headlines last month when he lost more than a billion dollars in a market meltdown linked to fears about Evergrande.

Zhang Yuanlin saw his net worth drop from $1.3 billion to $250.7 million on September 20, according to Forbes, when his firm was forced to halt trading in Hong Kong following an 87 percent slump in its share price.

China's real-estate sector has been under tightened scrutiny in recent months, with regulators announcing caps for three different debt ratios in a scheme dubbed "three red lines" last year.

Beijing has stayed silent on the travails of Evergrande, but state media has trailed various responses in a nod to the mood towards a private company that grew on a debt binge in the boom years of Chinese real estate.

Another Chinese homebuilder has hit financial trouble after it missed payments on debt obligations, adding to worries over the country's property sector as embattled giant China Evergrande teeters on the brink of collapse.

Another Chinese homebuilder has hit financial trouble after it missed payments on debt obligations, adding to worries over the country's property sector as embattled giant China Evergrande teeters on the brink of collapse. Fears of contagion through the Chinese economy have grown as Evergrande, the most indebted of the country's private homebuilders, struggles with more than $300 billion in liabilities and heads towards a massive restructuring. Fantasia Holdings failed to repay a $205.7 million note Monday, the Shenzhen-based company said in a statement. This came as property management firm Country Garden Services Holdings added that a unit of Fantasia had missed repayment on a 700 million yuan ($108 million) loan, saying it was likely Fantasia would default. The news comes as investors await news from Evergrande after it suspended trading of its shares Monday pending an announcement on a "major transaction", with reports saying Hong Kong real estate firm Hopson Development Holdings planned to buy a 51 percent stake in its property services arm. While Fantasia is a smaller player in the market than Evergrande, its struggles highlight investor concerns over companies' financial disclosures. Fitch Ratings downgraded Fantasia to "CCC-" on Monday, a move that points to default as a possibility. The ratings agency added in a statement that although media reports said Fantasia missed an earlier payment to bondholders, the bond "does not appear to have been disclosed in the company's financial reports". "We believe the existence of these bonds means that the company's liquidity situation could be tighter than we previously expected. "Furthermore, this incident casts doubt on the transparency of the company's financial disclosures," Fitch added. Separately, S&P Global Ratings has downgraded another Chinese property firm -- Sinic Holdings -- saying its "debt-servicing ability has almost been depleted". Sinic has been unable to service interest repayments, which could result in "accelerating repayments on Sinic's other debt obligations", S&P said on Monday. Fitch downgraded Sinic from "CCC" to "C" on Tuesday, reflecting its view that "a default-like process has begun" for the company. The boss of Shanghai-based Sinic hit the headlines last month when he lost more than a billion dollars in a market meltdown linked to fears about Evergrande. Zhang Yuanlin saw his net worth drop from $1.3 billion to $250.7 million on September 20, according to Forbes, when his firm was forced to halt trading in Hong Kong following an 87 percent slump in its share price. China's real-estate sector has been under tightened scrutiny in recent months, with regulators announcing caps for three different debt ratios in a scheme dubbed "three red lines" last year. Beijing has stayed silent on the travails of Evergrande, but state media has trailed various responses in a nod to the mood towards a private company that grew on a debt binge in the boom years of Chinese real estate.

Chinese developer Fantasia fails to make debt payments

As centrist Democrats in Congress have worked to block or strip out major provisions of President Joe Biden’s $3.5 trillion social safety net and climate plan, a string of online ads has popped up in their states and districts, lavishing praise on them.

One calls Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who has emerged as a leading holdout on the measure, an “independent voice” and a “bipartisan leader.” Another says Rep. Kurt Schrader of Oregon is pushing for the “Biden-Schrader” agenda, though he clearly opposes key portions of the president’s package. A third praises Rep. Kathleen Rice of New York for “fighting for our health care and our economy,” even as she undercuts elements of Biden’s plan.

There is one thing the ads do not say as prominently: They are paid for by groups funded by the pharmaceutical industry and business interests that are lobbying hard to kill or reshape crucial pieces of the president’s plan.

As Democrats labor to keep Biden’s proposal on track in Congress amid deep internal divisions, a robust influence campaign is meeting it at every turn. Business groups are working in overdrive to fight large swaths of it, such as raising taxes on the wealthy and corporations; expanding Medicare to cover dental, hearing and vision services; and proposed taxes and fees to cut down on carbon emissions.

The effort is unfolding less conspicuously than previous lobbying pushes; pandemic restrictions have limited large gatherings of lobbyists at the Capitol, so the corridor outside the Senate Finance Committee’s office, which has long been known as “Gucci Gulch,” is no longer overrun with shiny Italian shoes. But the campaign is proceeding as intensely as ever, via individual meetings, Zoom calls, fundraisers and the airwaves.

More than 4,000 lobbyists are working on budget and spending issues, according to Open Secrets, a nonprofit watchdog group that tracks money in politics. Ten major industries have spent nearly $700 million this year on lobbying, the group said.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which is lobbying to kill the bill because of its tax increases, has already spent about $30 million this year on lobbyists. The pharmaceutical industry, which is trying to defeat a proposal in the measure to bring down drug costs, has spent more than $15 million.

“Every group is reaching out and they want a meeting,” says Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., one of the chief champions of using the far-reaching budget bill to raise taxes on the wealthy. “If they don’t get a commitment in the first meeting, they want a second meeting — and then a third, and then a fourth. They are paying very close attention.”

The influence campaigns cut both ways. Several political action committees and other groups are spending freely to broaden the bill even further and push for its enactment.

Building Back Together, a group formed to support the proposals, is part of a coalition that has committed to spending $150 million on advertising to build support for Biden’s plan. The League of Conservation Voters has spent nearly $6.7 million this month on advertising, according to the analytics firm AdImpact. It is urging Congress to cut carbon pollution in half by 2030 — an element of the package — and has threatened to withhold campaign donations from Democrats who do not support it.

Perhaps no aspect of the package has generated more lobbying activity than a proposal to lower the cost of prescription drugs by empowering Medicare to negotiate their cost. The pharmaceutical lobby is spending more than $1 million on television ads to oppose it. And there are now nearly 1,500 registered pharmaceutical or health care lobbyists working lawmakers in Congress, nearly three for every member, according to Open Secrets.

Ken Frazier, the executive chairman of Merck, which is helping fund the ads, conceded in a recent call with reporters that the companies are fighting the proposal so hard because they believe it will slash their revenue. But he also portrayed the lobbying push as altruistic, arguing that a decline in profit would lead to less money for research and development into new treatments and cures for diseases.

“We have looked at what this would be,” Frazier said. “We have modeled it, and our ability to fund R&amp;D inside Merck will be reduced by almost half.”

PhRMA, the trade group representing pharmaceutical companies, began its first ad against the package last month. In it, a woman named Sue looks into the camera, a tinge of melancholy in her voice, and says the Democrats’ plan would “make it harder for people on Medicare to get the medicines we need.” The ad airs frequently during political news shows watched by policymakers.

The association followed up with another ad accusing politicians of wanting to decide “which medicines you can and can’t get, regardless of what your doctor prescribes.” That was followed with a print advertising campaign, and then an open letter from 30 pharmaceutical companies.

At the same time, a group called Center Forward is running targeted digital ads supporting centrist Democrats who are working to whittle down the bill. The group receives nearly $1.5 million per year from PhRMA, according to tax records.

“Thank Kyrsten Sinema and tell her to keep fighting as an independent voice for Arizona,” one of the ads stated, as Sinema was engaged in discussions with the White House about cutting items out of the president’s package.

Another, aimed at voters in Rep. Scott Peters’ California district, said: “We can always count on Scott Peters to deliver.”

Pharmaceutical companies have showered donations on members of Congress, but none more than Peters, who has received more than $88,000 this year alone. He was one of three Democrats to oppose Biden’s plan to reduce the cost of prescription drugs in the Energy and Commerce Committee.

PhRMA insists its influence campaign is not trying to kill Biden’s multitrillion-dollar bill — they propose an alternative plan that would be less costly for the industry — but the package’s demise is the goal of some other groups.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has condemned the legislation, with its chief executive, Suzanne Clark, arguing it would “dramatically expand the size and scope of government through record levels of inflationary spending and impose massive tax increases that will halt America’s fragile economic recovery.”

“The chamber will do everything we can to prevent this tax-raising, job-killing reconciliation bill from becoming law,” Clark pledged.

No Labels, an organization funded by businesses that has close ties to centrist lawmakers including Sen. Joe Manchin III, D-W.Va., is working to pass Biden’s $1 trillion infrastructure plan, but agitating to kill the broader social policy plan.

When Manchin called for a “pause” to Biden’s $3.5 trillion social policy plan, No Labels quickly put out an ad endorsing his position as “common sense.”

Andrew Bates, a deputy White House press secretary, said Biden’s plan would improve the lives of middle-class Americans and strengthen U.S. competitiveness in the global economy.

The lobbying has angered liberals who blame corporate influence campaigns for standing in the way of their party’s highest priorities.

“We see it on TV every day,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., the chairwoman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. “It’s really sad, because this is the president’s agenda.”

No Labels did not respond to a request for comment.

The American Dental Association is mobilizing its members to oppose the expansion of Medicare to cover dental, hearing and vision benefits, arguing it would be too costly for dentists. The Independent Petroleum Association of America is fighting new fees or taxes on energy companies, which they say will raise costs for customers. Likewise, the American Petroleum Institute has lobbied against a fee on methane emissions.

Manchin, a key swing vote on the social safety net package, has close ties to the fossil fuel industry, earning half a million dollars last year from coal production. Asked about those ties last week, Manchin told reporters a “blind trust” manages those financial affairs. But in a memo laying out his demands for the bill, he said he wanted control over any climate change provisions and sought to limit any tax increases on fossil fuel producers.

The American Banker’s Association has taken particular issue with a proposal that would establish tax information reporting requirements designed to cut down on high-income tax cheats.

“While the stated goal of this vast data collection is to uncover tax dodging by the wealthy, this proposal is not remotely targeted to that purpose or that population,” the organization wrote to key lawmakers recently. The association said it had “significant privacy concerns” about the provision, which it said would “create tremendous liability for all affected parties.”

Supporters of Biden’s agenda have gone on the offensive as well.

The Working Families Party recently began targeting critical ads at Sinema, who has received campaign contributions from business interests opposed to the package.

“She’d rather protect wealthy donors,” one of the group’s ads says of Sinema, encouraging supporters to let their opposition to her be known.

As centrist Democrats in Congress have worked to block or strip out major provisions of President Joe Biden’s $3.5 trillion social safety net and climate plan, a string of online ads has popped up in their states and districts, lavishing praise on them.

As centrist Democrats in Congress have worked to block or strip out major provisions of President Joe Biden’s $3.5 trillion social safety net and climate plan, a string of online ads has popped up in their states and districts, lavishing praise on them. One calls Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who has emerged as a leading holdout on the measure, an “independent voice” and a “bipartisan leader.” Another says Rep. Kurt Schrader of Oregon is pushing for the “Biden-Schrader” agenda, though he clearly opposes key portions of the president’s package. A third praises Rep. Kathleen Rice of New York for “fighting for our health care and our economy,” even as she undercuts elements of Biden’s plan. There is one thing the ads do not say as prominently: They are paid for by groups funded by the pharmaceutical industry and business interests that are lobbying hard to kill or reshape crucial pieces of the president’s plan. As Democrats labor to keep Biden’s proposal on track in Congress amid deep internal divisions, a robust influence campaign is meeting it at every turn. Business groups are working in overdrive to fight large swaths of it, such as raising taxes on the wealthy and corporations; expanding Medicare to cover dental, hearing and vision services; and proposed taxes and fees to cut down on carbon emissions. The effort is unfolding less conspicuously than previous lobbying pushes; pandemic restrictions have limited large gatherings of lobbyists at the Capitol, so the corridor outside the Senate Finance Committee’s office, which has long been known as “Gucci Gulch,” is no longer overrun with shiny Italian shoes. But the campaign is proceeding as intensely as ever, via individual meetings, Zoom calls, fundraisers and the airwaves. More than 4,000 lobbyists are working on budget and spending issues, according to Open Secrets, a nonprofit watchdog group that tracks money in politics. Ten major industries have spent nearly $700 million this year on lobbying, the group said. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which is lobbying to kill the bill because of its tax increases, has already spent about $30 million this year on lobbyists. The pharmaceutical industry, which is trying to defeat a proposal in the measure to bring down drug costs, has spent more than $15 million. “Every group is reaching out and they want a meeting,” says Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., one of the chief champions of using the far-reaching budget bill to raise taxes on the wealthy. “If they don’t get a commitment in the first meeting, they want a second meeting — and then a third, and then a fourth. They are paying very close attention.” The influence campaigns cut both ways. Several political action committees and other groups are spending freely to broaden the bill even further and push for its enactment. Building Back Together, a group formed to support the proposals, is part of a coalition that has committed to spending $150 million on advertising to build support for Biden’s plan. The League of Conservation Voters has spent nearly $6.7 million this month on advertising, according to the analytics firm AdImpact. It is urging Congress to cut carbon pollution in half by 2030 — an element of the package — and has threatened to withhold campaign donations from Democrats who do not support it. Perhaps no aspect of the package has generated more lobbying activity than a proposal to lower the cost of prescription drugs by empowering Medicare to negotiate their cost. The pharmaceutical lobby is spending more than $1 million on television ads to oppose it. And there are now nearly 1,500 registered pharmaceutical or health care lobbyists working lawmakers in Congress, nearly three for every member, according to Open Secrets. Ken Frazier, the executive chairman of Merck, which is helping fund the ads, conceded in a recent call with reporters that the companies are fighting the proposal so hard because they believe it will slash their revenue. But he also portrayed the lobbying push as altruistic, arguing that a decline in profit would lead to less money for research and development into new treatments and cures for diseases. “We have looked at what this would be,” Frazier said. “We have modeled it, and our ability to fund R&D inside Merck will be reduced by almost half.” PhRMA, the trade group representing pharmaceutical companies, began its first ad against the package last month. In it, a woman named Sue looks into the camera, a tinge of melancholy in her voice, and says the Democrats’ plan would “make it harder for people on Medicare to get the medicines we need.” The ad airs frequently during political news shows watched by policymakers. The association followed up with another ad accusing politicians of wanting to decide “which medicines you can and can’t get, regardless of what your doctor prescribes.” That was followed with a print advertising campaign, and then an open letter from 30 pharmaceutical companies. At the same time, a group called Center Forward is running targeted digital ads supporting centrist Democrats who are working to whittle down the bill. The group receives nearly $1.5 million per year from PhRMA, according to tax records. “Thank Kyrsten Sinema and tell her to keep fighting as an independent voice for Arizona,” one of the ads stated, as Sinema was engaged in discussions with the White House about cutting items out of the president’s package. Another, aimed at voters in Rep. Scott Peters’ California district, said: “We can always count on Scott Peters to deliver.” Pharmaceutical companies have showered donations on members of Congress, but none more than Peters, who has received more than $88,000 this year alone. He was one of three Democrats to oppose Biden’s plan to reduce the cost of prescription drugs in the Energy and Commerce Committee. PhRMA insists its influence campaign is not trying to kill Biden’s multitrillion-dollar bill — they propose an alternative plan that would be less costly for the industry — but the package’s demise is the goal of some other groups. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has condemned the legislation, with its chief executive, Suzanne Clark, arguing it would “dramatically expand the size and scope of government through record levels of inflationary spending and impose massive tax increases that will halt America’s fragile economic recovery.” “The chamber will do everything we can to prevent this tax-raising, job-killing reconciliation bill from becoming law,” Clark pledged. No Labels, an organization funded by businesses that has close ties to centrist lawmakers including Sen. Joe Manchin III, D-W.Va., is working to pass Biden’s $1 trillion infrastructure plan, but agitating to kill the broader social policy plan. When Manchin called for a “pause” to Biden’s $3.5 trillion social policy plan, No Labels quickly put out an ad endorsing his position as “common sense.” Andrew Bates, a deputy White House press secretary, said Biden’s plan would improve the lives of middle-class Americans and strengthen U.S. competitiveness in the global economy. The lobbying has angered liberals who blame corporate influence campaigns for standing in the way of their party’s highest priorities. “We see it on TV every day,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., the chairwoman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. “It’s really sad, because this is the president’s agenda.” No Labels did not respond to a request for comment. The American Dental Association is mobilizing its members to oppose the expansion of Medicare to cover dental, hearing and vision benefits, arguing it would be too costly for dentists. The Independent Petroleum Association of America is fighting new fees or taxes on energy companies, which they say will raise costs for customers. Likewise, the American Petroleum Institute has lobbied against a fee on methane emissions. Manchin, a key swing vote on the social safety net package, has close ties to the fossil fuel industry, earning half a million dollars last year from coal production. Asked about those ties last week, Manchin told reporters a “blind trust” manages those financial affairs. But in a memo laying out his demands for the bill, he said he wanted control over any climate change provisions and sought to limit any tax increases on fossil fuel producers. The American Banker’s Association has taken particular issue with a proposal that would establish tax information reporting requirements designed to cut down on high-income tax cheats. “While the stated goal of this vast data collection is to uncover tax dodging by the wealthy, this proposal is not remotely targeted to that purpose or that population,” the organization wrote to key lawmakers recently. The association said it had “significant privacy concerns” about the provision, which it said would “create tremendous liability for all affected parties.” Supporters of Biden’s agenda have gone on the offensive as well. The Working Families Party recently began targeting critical ads at Sinema, who has received campaign contributions from business interests opposed to the package. “She’d rather protect wealthy donors,” one of the group’s ads says of Sinema, encouraging supporters to let their opposition to her be known.

With Biden’s agenda in the balance, lobbying kicks into high gear

The EU's drug watchdog on Monday approved booster doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine for all people aged 18 and over, amid concerns that protection dips after initial jabs.

Extra doses of both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines were also approved for people with severely weakened immune systems by the Amsterdam-based European Medicines Agency (EMA).

"Comirnaty booster doses may be considered for people aged 18 years and older, at least six months after the second dose," the EMA said in a statement, referring to the brand name for the Pfizer vaccine.

"Decisions for boosters will be taken by public health bodies at national level."

The EMA's medicines experts had "evaluated data for Comirnaty showing a rise in antibody levels when a booster dose is given," it said.

"The risk of inflammatory heart conditions or other very rare side effects after a booster is not known and is being carefully monitored," the EMA added.

Rare cases of myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, have been reported in people who have taken the Pfizer vaccine, especially in young men.

Separately the EMA gave the green light for people with "severely weakened immune systems" to get extra doses of Moderna and Pfizer at least 28 days after their second dose.

Two doses are sometimes not enough to produce sufficient antibodies in immunocompromised people, such as organ transplant recipients.

"Although there is no direct evidence that the ability to produce antibodies in these patients protected against Covid-19, it is expected that the extra dose would increase protection at least in some patients," the EMA said.

The EU's drug watchdog on Monday approved booster doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine for all people aged 18 and over, amid concerns that protection dips after initial jabs.

The EU's drug watchdog on Monday approved booster doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine for all people aged 18 and over, amid concerns that protection dips after initial jabs. Extra doses of both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines were also approved for people with severely weakened immune systems by the Amsterdam-based European Medicines Agency (EMA). "Comirnaty booster doses may be considered for people aged 18 years and older, at least six months after the second dose," the EMA said in a statement, referring to the brand name for the Pfizer vaccine. "Decisions for boosters will be taken by public health bodies at national level." The EMA's medicines experts had "evaluated data for Comirnaty showing a rise in antibody levels when a booster dose is given," it said. "The risk of inflammatory heart conditions or other very rare side effects after a booster is not known and is being carefully monitored," the EMA added. Rare cases of myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, have been reported in people who have taken the Pfizer vaccine, especially in young men. Separately the EMA gave the green light for people with "severely weakened immune systems" to get extra doses of Moderna and Pfizer at least 28 days after their second dose. Two doses are sometimes not enough to produce sufficient antibodies in immunocompromised people, such as organ transplant recipients. "Although there is no direct evidence that the ability to produce antibodies in these patients protected against Covid-19, it is expected that the extra dose would increase protection at least in some patients," the EMA said.

EU watchdog backs Pfizer booster for over-18s

Can you imagine a cat-sized dinosaur? The answer is most likely a 'no'. When someone says dinosaurs, all we can imagine is a scary creature the size of a building eyeing for round two of its brunch. Movies haven't helped change this perception.

Dinosaurs ruled the pre-historic world but their beginnings were very humble. They were literally the size of a cat. But they gradually grew in size and reached scary proportions within 2 million years. And a super long rainy spell in this period helped.

And what caused this rain? Scientists say continued volcanic activity.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-unearth-bones-of-two-new-species-of-dinosaurs-417380">Scientists unearth bones of two new species of dinosaurs</a>

Researchers who carried out the study have published their findings in journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The scientists studied sediments at the bottom of an ancient lake crater in China (Jiyuan basin) and concluded that between 234 and 232 million years ago, earth experienced what are called 'pulses' of volcanic activity. This increased amount of carbon dioxide in the air. This increased temperature and intensified hydrologic cycle.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/before-chickens-early-humans-reared-one-of-the-most-dangerous-birds-study-417744">Before chickens, early humans reared one of the most dangerous birds: Study</a>

This resulted in long spell of rain and made the atmosphere humid. This environment created favourable conditions for large amphibians and reptiles (dinosaurs) to thrive and for the latter, increase in size immensely.

Can you imagine a cat-sized dinosaur? The answer is most likely a 'no'. When someone says dinosaurs, all we can imagine is a scary creature the size of a building eyeing for round two of its brunch.

Can you imagine a cat-sized dinosaur? The answer is most likely a 'no'. When someone says dinosaurs, all we can imagine is a scary creature the size of a building eyeing for round two of its brunch. Movies haven't helped change this perception. Dinosaurs ruled the pre-historic world but their beginnings were very humble. They were literally the size of a cat. But they gradually grew in size and reached scary proportions within 2 million years. And a super long rainy spell in this period helped. And what caused this rain? Scientists say continued volcanic activity. Also Read | Scientists unearth bones of two new species of dinosaurs Researchers who carried out the study have published their findings in journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The scientists studied sediments at the bottom of an ancient lake crater in China (Jiyuan basin) and concluded that between 234 and 232 million years ago, earth experienced what are called 'pulses' of volcanic activity. This increased amount of carbon dioxide in the air. This increased temperature and intensified hydrologic cycle. Also Read | Before chickens, early humans reared one of the most dangerous birds: Study This resulted in long spell of rain and made the atmosphere humid. This environment created favourable conditions for large amphibians and reptiles (dinosaurs) to thrive and for the latter, increase in size immensely.

A long rainy spell induced by volcanism helped dinosaurs become huge

October 5 in history: Massive cyclone kills thousands in Calcutta, Dr No releases, more

Microsoft on Tuesday started rolling out its new operating system Windows 11. The OS is now available as a free upgrade on eligible Windows 10 PCs as well as on new PCs that come pre-installed with windows 11 worldwide.

New pre-installed Windows 11 devices have begun rolling out from partners including ASUS, HP, and Lenovo with more coming soon from partners like Acer and Dell.

"With Windows 11, we reimagined the entire user experience to bring you closer to what you love, empower you to produce, and inspire you to create. Windows 11 will provide users a sense of calm and openness while keeping everything that they do secure. We are pleased to bring the new Windows 11 to India," said Rajiv Sodhi, Chief Operating Officer, Microsoft India. He was quoted by IANS.

The company says Windows 11 features powerful new experiences whether users are working on a school project, collaborating on a presentation for work, building a new app or creating your next big idea.

The OS comes with redesigned Taskbar icons and Start menu It also adds rounded corners for all program windows and built-in Teams chat.

Windows 11 also includes support for DirectStorage, a feature first introduced on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles.

Introduced in July, Windows 11 comes with a sleeker look and layouts for snapping applications to the screen, more detailed widgets, a revamped Microsoft Store, and support for Android apps.

Microsoft has already revealed basic requirements for running Windows 11 on a PC. It will need a processor that has two or more cores and a clock speed of 1GHz or higher along with 4GB RAM and at least 64GB storage.

The firm recently announced Windows 11 will officially support Intel Core X-series, Xeon W-series, and the Intel Core 7820HQ.

(With inputs from agencies)

Microsoft on Tuesday started rolling out its new operating system Windows 11. The OS is now available as a free upgrade on eligible Windows 10 PCs as well as on new PCs that come pre-installed with windows 11 worldwide.

Microsoft on Tuesday started rolling out its new operating system Windows 11. The OS is now available as a free upgrade on eligible Windows 10 PCs as well as on new PCs that come pre-installed with windows 11 worldwide. New pre-installed Windows 11 devices have begun rolling out from partners including ASUS, HP, and Lenovo with more coming soon from partners like Acer and Dell. "With Windows 11, we reimagined the entire user experience to bring you closer to what you love, empower you to produce, and inspire you to create. Windows 11 will provide users a sense of calm and openness while keeping everything that they do secure. We are pleased to bring the new Windows 11 to India," said Rajiv Sodhi, Chief Operating Officer, Microsoft India. He was quoted by IANS. The company says Windows 11 features powerful new experiences whether users are working on a school project, collaborating on a presentation for work, building a new app or creating your next big idea. The OS comes with redesigned Taskbar icons and Start menu It also adds rounded corners for all program windows and built-in Teams chat. Windows 11 also includes support for DirectStorage, a feature first introduced on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles. Introduced in July, Windows 11 comes with a sleeker look and layouts for snapping applications to the screen, more detailed widgets, a revamped Microsoft Store, and support for Android apps. Microsoft has already revealed basic requirements for running Windows 11 on a PC. It will need a processor that has two or more cores and a clock speed of 1GHz or higher along with 4GB RAM and at least 64GB storage. The firm recently announced Windows 11 will officially support Intel Core X-series, Xeon W-series, and the Intel Core 7820HQ. (With inputs from agencies)

Microsoft starts rolling out Windows 11 to PCs across the world

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