German parliament's upper house on Thursday approved the Infection Protection Act that has given rise to a controversy. The last hurdle before the passage of the law is the president's signature.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's government had asked parliament for temporary powers to enforce a nationwide coronavirus lockdown after several regions failed to impose agreed curbs to bring a third wave of the pandemic under control.

As per the draft law presented to the cabinet, a compulsory national "emergency-brake" will be introduced if the number of new infections per 100,000 residents in a district or city exceeds 100 for three consecutive days within a week.

The measures include curfews between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., as well as limiting private gatherings to one household plus one other person.

No shops barring the essential ones will remain open. Opening of cultural and recreational facilities such as theatres, museums and zoos will be prohibited.

Schools will have to return to distance learning if the virus incidence rises above 165 per 100,000 for three consecutive days.

The change to the law will apply until June 30.

Police clashed with protesters in Berlin on Wednesday as they tried to disperse a rally against the coronavirus lockdown while parliament debated the law to give the national government more powers to fight a third wave of the pandemic.

Germany reported a rise of 24,884 coronavirus cases on Wednesday, bringing the total to nearly 3.19 million. Some 80,634 people have died and doctors have warned that unless action is taken, intensive-care units may struggle to cope.

(With inputs from agencies)

German parliament's upper house on Thursday approved the Infection Protection Act that has given rise to a controversy. The last hurdle before the passage of the law is the president's signature.

German parliament's upper house on Thursday approved the Infection Protection Act that has given rise to a controversy. The last hurdle before the passage of the law is the president's signature. Chancellor Angela Merkel's government had asked parliament for temporary powers to enforce a nationwide coronavirus lockdown after several regions failed to impose agreed curbs to bring a third wave of the pandemic under control. As per the draft law presented to the cabinet, a compulsory national "emergency-brake" will be introduced if the number of new infections per 100,000 residents in a district or city exceeds 100 for three consecutive days within a week. The measures include curfews between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., as well as limiting private gatherings to one household plus one other person. No shops barring the essential ones will remain open. Opening of cultural and recreational facilities such as theatres, museums and zoos will be prohibited. Schools will have to return to distance learning if the virus incidence rises above 165 per 100,000 for three consecutive days. The change to the law will apply until June 30. Police clashed with protesters in Berlin on Wednesday as they tried to disperse a rally against the coronavirus lockdown while parliament debated the law to give the national government more powers to fight a third wave of the pandemic. Germany reported a rise of 24,884 coronavirus cases on Wednesday, bringing the total to nearly 3.19 million. Some 80,634 people have died and doctors have warned that unless action is taken, intensive-care units may struggle to cope. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID-19: German parliament's upper house approves law to give government emergency powers

Japan's auto industry group said on Thursday that this year's Tokyo Motor Show has been cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic. The motor show is being cancelled for the first time in its history.

The biennial car show -- one of Japan's biggest industrial events -- had been scheduled for the autumn, after the Tokyo Olympics take place this summer.

The last Tokyo Motor Show in 2019 drew around 1.3 million people, according to the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA).

This year's event was cancelled because ""it is difficult to offer our main programme in a safe and secure environment", said JAMA chairman Akio Toyoda, also head of Toyota.

A surge in Covid-19 cases driven by more infectious variants is being witnessed. It is expected that a state of emergency will be imposed in major cities.

The pandemic is also playing havoc with the postponed 2020 Olympics, which are set to begin on July 23.

Sections of the public torch relay have been scrapped and several test events and qualifiers cancelled or postponed.

(With inputs from agencies)

Japan's auto industry group said on Thursday that this year's Tokyo Motor Show has been cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic. The motor show is being cancelled for the first time in its history.

Japan's auto industry group said on Thursday that this year's Tokyo Motor Show has been cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic. The motor show is being cancelled for the first time in its history. The biennial car show -- one of Japan's biggest industrial events -- had been scheduled for the autumn, after the Tokyo Olympics take place this summer. The last Tokyo Motor Show in 2019 drew around 1.3 million people, according to the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA). This year's event was cancelled because ""it is difficult to offer our main programme in a safe and secure environment", said JAMA chairman Akio Toyoda, also head of Toyota. A surge in Covid-19 cases driven by more infectious variants is being witnessed. It is expected that a state of emergency will be imposed in major cities. The pandemic is also playing havoc with the postponed 2020 Olympics, which are set to begin on July 23. Sections of the public torch relay have been scrapped and several test events and qualifiers cancelled or postponed. (With inputs from agencies)

Tokyo Motor Show cancelled because of coronavirus pandemic

NASA and commercial rocket company SpaceX were due to launch a new four-astronaut team to the International Space Station early on Friday in what would be the first crew propelled into orbit by a rocket booster recycled from a previous spaceflight.

The company's Crew Dragon capsule, the Endeavour, was set for liftoff atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 5:49 a.m. Eastern time (0949 GMT) from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

The nearly 24-hour ride to the space station, which orbits some 250 miles (400 km) above Earth, had been set to begin on Thursday but was delayed for a day by unfavorable weather forecasts along the rocket's flight path.

For the rescheduled launch window on Friday, meteorologists predicted a 90% chance of favorable weather at the launch site, with improving conditions along the flight path.

The mission marks the second "operational" space station team to be launched by NASA aboard a Dragon Crew capsule since the United States resumed flying astronauts into space from U.S. soil last year, following a nine-year hiatus at the end of the U.S. space shuttle program in 2011.

It is also the third crewed flight launched to into orbit under NASA's fledgling public-private partnership with SpaceX, the rocket company founded and owned by billionaire high-tech entrepreneur Elon Musk. The first was an out-and-back test mission carrying just two astronauts into orbit last May.

Friday's four-member Crew 2 team consists of two NASA astronauts - mission commander Shane Kimbrough, 53, and pilot Megan McArthur, 49, - along with Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, 52, and fellow mission specialist Thomas Pesquet, 43, a French engineer of the European Space Agency.

"There's nothing like it when you look out the window and see a spaceship getting prepared and realize that you're going to be riding on it in a few days," McArthur said at a news briefing just after arriving at Kennedy Space Center last week.

LONG-DURATION MISSION

They are expected to spend about six months aboard the orbiting research platform conducting science experiments and maintenance before returning to Earth in the fall.

The four members of Crew 1, sent to the space station in November, are slated to fly home on April 28.

The Crew 2 mission also is special in that its Falcon 9 launch vehicle will fly using the same first-stage booster that lofted Crew 1 into orbit, marking the first time a flight-proven booster will be re-used in a crewed launch.

Reusable booster vehicles, designed to fly themselves back to Earth and land safely once they separate from the rest of the rocket minutes after launch, are at the heart of a re-usable rocket strategy that SpaceX helped pioneer to make spaceflight more economical.

SpaceX has to date logged more than 45 successful Falcon 9 booster return landings, and the company has refurbished and re-used most of them, some for multiple flights, according to National Geographic. But all of those flights, until Friday's mission, carried cargo only, rather than humans into space.

Crew 2's pilot, McArthur, will make a bit of history herself as the first female pilot of the Crew Dragon and the second person from her family to ride aboard a capsule. She is married to NASA astronaut Bob Behnken, who flew the SpaceX demonstration flight with fellow astronaut Doug Hurley last year. The same Crew Dragon was used for that flight as well.

Arriving at the space station if all goes according to plan on Saturday, McArthur and her three crewmates will be welcomed by the four Crew 1 astronauts - three from NASA and one from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency JAXA. Two Russian cosmonauts and a U.S. astronaut who shared a Soyuz flight to the space station also are aboard. 
&nbsp;

NASA and commercial rocket company SpaceX were due to launch a new four-astronaut team to the International Space Station early on Friday in what would be the first crew propelled into orbit by a rocket booster recycled from a previous spaceflight.

NASA and commercial rocket company SpaceX were due to launch a new four-astronaut team to the International Space Station early on Friday in what would be the first crew propelled into orbit by a rocket booster recycled from a previous spaceflight. The company's Crew Dragon capsule, the Endeavour, was set for liftoff atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 5:49 a.m. Eastern time (0949 GMT) from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The nearly 24-hour ride to the space station, which orbits some 250 miles (400 km) above Earth, had been set to begin on Thursday but was delayed for a day by unfavorable weather forecasts along the rocket's flight path. For the rescheduled launch window on Friday, meteorologists predicted a 90% chance of favorable weather at the launch site, with improving conditions along the flight path. The mission marks the second "operational" space station team to be launched by NASA aboard a Dragon Crew capsule since the United States resumed flying astronauts into space from U.S. soil last year, following a nine-year hiatus at the end of the U.S. space shuttle program in 2011. It is also the third crewed flight launched to into orbit under NASA's fledgling public-private partnership with SpaceX, the rocket company founded and owned by billionaire high-tech entrepreneur Elon Musk. The first was an out-and-back test mission carrying just two astronauts into orbit last May. Friday's four-member Crew 2 team consists of two NASA astronauts - mission commander Shane Kimbrough, 53, and pilot Megan McArthur, 49, - along with Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, 52, and fellow mission specialist Thomas Pesquet, 43, a French engineer of the European Space Agency. "There's nothing like it when you look out the window and see a spaceship getting prepared and realize that you're going to be riding on it in a few days," McArthur said at a news briefing just after arriving at Kennedy Space Center last week. LONG-DURATION MISSION They are expected to spend about six months aboard the orbiting research platform conducting science experiments and maintenance before returning to Earth in the fall. The four members of Crew 1, sent to the space station in November, are slated to fly home on April 28. The Crew 2 mission also is special in that its Falcon 9 launch vehicle will fly using the same first-stage booster that lofted Crew 1 into orbit, marking the first time a flight-proven booster will be re-used in a crewed launch. Reusable booster vehicles, designed to fly themselves back to Earth and land safely once they separate from the rest of the rocket minutes after launch, are at the heart of a re-usable rocket strategy that SpaceX helped pioneer to make spaceflight more economical. SpaceX has to date logged more than 45 successful Falcon 9 booster return landings, and the company has refurbished and re-used most of them, some for multiple flights, according to National Geographic. But all of those flights, until Friday's mission, carried cargo only, rather than humans into space. Crew 2's pilot, McArthur, will make a bit of history herself as the first female pilot of the Crew Dragon and the second person from her family to ride aboard a capsule. She is married to NASA astronaut Bob Behnken, who flew the SpaceX demonstration flight with fellow astronaut Doug Hurley last year. The same Crew Dragon was used for that flight as well. Arriving at the space station if all goes according to plan on Saturday, McArthur and her three crewmates will be welcomed by the four Crew 1 astronauts - three from NASA and one from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency JAXA. Two Russian cosmonauts and a U.S. astronaut who shared a Soyuz flight to the space station also are aboard.

NASA-SpaceX set to launch next 4-member crew to International Space Station

Russia announced on Thursday that it was ordering its troop to return to base from the Ukraine border. The troop build-up had strained relations between the two countries that have been uneasy since Russian annexation of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula.

The relief among the investors was apparent as the currencies of both, Russia and Ukraine rose sharply after the announcement. Russia also ended the war games in Crimea.

A confirmed pullout of the troops brought in on top of the permanent contingent will likely be welcomed by Western countries that had been expressing alarm at the prospect of further Russian intervention in eastern Ukraine. Russian-backed separatists have been fighting the Ukrainian government in the region since 2014.

Ukrainian president's spokeswoman said earlier this month that Russia had amassed more than 40,000 troops deployed om Ukraine's eastern border and over 40,000 in Crimea. Around 50,000 of them were new deployments, she said.

Moscow did not provide the exact number of troops but had insisted that the movement of Russian troops was defensive in nature.

In a tweet, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine "welcomes any steps to decrease the military presence &amp; deescalate the situation in Donbas (eastern Ukraine)", adding "Grateful to international partners for their support".

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said he had ordered troops involved in exercises to return to their bases by May 1, as they had completed what he called an "inspection" in the border area.

"I believe the objectives of the snap inspection have been fully achieved. The troops have demonstrated their ability to provide a credible defence for the country," Shoigu said.

EQUIPMENT LEFT

Military hardware was to be left at a training ground near the city of Voronezh, about six hours' drive from Ukraine, so that it could be used again later this year in another big scheduled exercise.

Hours earlier, Shoigu had attended manoeuvres in Crimea, which Moscow said involved 10,000 troops and more than 40 warships. Russia also announced it had arrested a Ukrainian man in Crimea as a spy.

(With agency inputs)

Russia announced on Thursday that it was ordering its troop to return to base from the Ukraine border. The troop build-up had strained relations between the two countries that have been uneasy since Russian annexation of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula.

Russia announced on Thursday that it was ordering its troop to return to base from the Ukraine border. The troop build-up had strained relations between the two countries that have been uneasy since Russian annexation of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula. The relief among the investors was apparent as the currencies of both, Russia and Ukraine rose sharply after the announcement. Russia also ended the war games in Crimea. A confirmed pullout of the troops brought in on top of the permanent contingent will likely be welcomed by Western countries that had been expressing alarm at the prospect of further Russian intervention in eastern Ukraine. Russian-backed separatists have been fighting the Ukrainian government in the region since 2014. Ukrainian president's spokeswoman said earlier this month that Russia had amassed more than 40,000 troops deployed om Ukraine's eastern border and over 40,000 in Crimea. Around 50,000 of them were new deployments, she said. Moscow did not provide the exact number of troops but had insisted that the movement of Russian troops was defensive in nature. In a tweet, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine "welcomes any steps to decrease the military presence & deescalate the situation in Donbas (eastern Ukraine)", adding "Grateful to international partners for their support". Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said he had ordered troops involved in exercises to return to their bases by May 1, as they had completed what he called an "inspection" in the border area. "I believe the objectives of the snap inspection have been fully achieved. The troops have demonstrated their ability to provide a credible defence for the country," Shoigu said. EQUIPMENT LEFT Military hardware was to be left at a training ground near the city of Voronezh, about six hours' drive from Ukraine, so that it could be used again later this year in another big scheduled exercise. Hours earlier, Shoigu had attended manoeuvres in Crimea, which Moscow said involved 10,000 troops and more than 40 warships. Russia also announced it had arrested a Ukrainian man in Crimea as a spy. (With agency inputs)

Russia orders its troops back from areas near Ukraine border

Chernobyl nuclear disaster is worst of its kind in human history. The explosion in the fourth reactor at the nuclear power plant on April, 26, 1986 left swathes of Ukraine and neighbouring Belarus badly contaminated with radiation. This led to the formation of a no man's land within a 30-kilometre (19-mile) radius of the station. Towns, villages were evacuated and the exclusion zone was considered uninhabitable for humans for the next 24,000 years.

But a particular breed of wild horses is flourishing in the exclusion zone.

"It's really a symbol of the reserve and even the exclusion zone in general," said Denys Vyshnevsky, head of the scientific department of the Chernobyl nature reserve created in the area five years ago.

Since the disaster, the area has become a haven for elk, wolves -- and the stocky endangered breed of wild horse native to Asia, Przewalski's horse.

The breed, named after Russian scientist Nikolai Przewalski who discovered it in the Asia expansive Gobi desert, became all but extinct by the middle of the 20th century, partially due to overhunting.

It was reintroduced by scientists to areas of Mongolia, China and Russia as part of preservation efforts. 
In a different program, 30 of the horses were released into the Chernobyl zone in 1998, replacing an extinct horse native to the region, the Tarpan.

The experiment in Ukraine was soon halted but the horses remained and now number around 150 in parts of the exclusion zone. There are another 60 near the border with Belarus.

"Paradoxically, this is a unique opportunity to preserve biodiversity," Vyshnevsky said.

Under the right conditions, the Ukrainian herd could eventually increase to 300 or even 500 animals, said Sergiy Zhyla, Senior Researcher, Chernobyl Biosphere Reserve.

Researchers at the Prague zoo participating in the conservation efforts now say the global population of Przewalski's horses has grown to some 2,700.

Following the success in Chernobyl, there is discussion over introducing other endangered species to Ukraine's zone.

(With inputs from agencies)

Chernobyl nuclear disaster is worst of its kind in human history. The explosion in the fourth reactor at the nuclear power plant on April, 26, 1986 left swathes of Ukraine and neighbouring Belarus badly contaminated with radiation.

Chernobyl nuclear disaster is worst of its kind in human history. The explosion in the fourth reactor at the nuclear power plant on April, 26, 1986 left swathes of Ukraine and neighbouring Belarus badly contaminated with radiation. This led to the formation of a no man's land within a 30-kilometre (19-mile) radius of the station. Towns, villages were evacuated and the exclusion zone was considered uninhabitable for humans for the next 24,000 years. But a particular breed of wild horses is flourishing in the exclusion zone. "It's really a symbol of the reserve and even the exclusion zone in general," said Denys Vyshnevsky, head of the scientific department of the Chernobyl nature reserve created in the area five years ago. Since the disaster, the area has become a haven for elk, wolves -- and the stocky endangered breed of wild horse native to Asia, Przewalski's horse. The breed, named after Russian scientist Nikolai Przewalski who discovered it in the Asia expansive Gobi desert, became all but extinct by the middle of the 20th century, partially due to overhunting. It was reintroduced by scientists to areas of Mongolia, China and Russia as part of preservation efforts. In a different program, 30 of the horses were released into the Chernobyl zone in 1998, replacing an extinct horse native to the region, the Tarpan. The experiment in Ukraine was soon halted but the horses remained and now number around 150 in parts of the exclusion zone. There are another 60 near the border with Belarus. "Paradoxically, this is a unique opportunity to preserve biodiversity," Vyshnevsky said. Under the right conditions, the Ukrainian herd could eventually increase to 300 or even 500 animals, said Sergiy Zhyla, Senior Researcher, Chernobyl Biosphere Reserve. Researchers at the Prague zoo participating in the conservation efforts now say the global population of Przewalski's horses has grown to some 2,700. Following the success in Chernobyl, there is discussion over introducing other endangered species to Ukraine's zone. (With inputs from agencies)

Wild horses thrive in Chernobyl's radiation-hit exclusion zone

NASA successfully carried out a second flight on Mars on Thursday of its mini helicopter Ingenuity, a 52-second sortie that saw it climb to a height of 16 feet (five metres).

"So far, the engineering telemetry we have received and analyzed tell us that the flight met expectations," said Bob Balaram, Ingenuity's chief engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in southern California.

"We have two flights of Mars under our belts, which means that there is still a lot to learn during this month of Ingenuity," Balaram said in a statement.

The US space agency conducted the first flight of the four-pound (1.8 kilogramme) rotorcraft on Monday, the first powered flight ever on another planet.

That time Ingenuity rose to a height of 10 feet and then touched down after 39.1 seconds.

For the second flight, which lasted 51.9 seconds, Ingenuity climbed to 16 feet, hovered briefly, tilted and then accelerated sideways for seven feet.

"The helicopter came to a stop, hovered in place, and made turns to point its camera in different directions," said Havard Grip, Ingenuity's chief pilot. "Then it headed back to the center of the airfield to land.

"It sounds simple, but there are many unknowns regarding how to fly a helicopter on Mars."

Data and images from the flights are transmitted 173 million miles (278 million kilometres) back to Earth where they are received by NASA's array of ground antennas and processed.&nbsp;

Ingenuity traveled to Mars tucked under the belly of the Perseverance rover, which landed on the Red Planet on February 18 on a mission to search for signs of past microbial life.

Ingenuity's goal, by contrast, is to prove its technology works.

Ingenuity's flights are challenging because of conditions vastly different from Earth's -- foremost among them a rarefied atmosphere that has less than one percent the density of our own.

This means that Ingenuity's rotors, which span four feet, have to spin at 2,400 revolutions per minute to achieve lift -- about five times more than a helicopter on Earth.

Because of the distance from Earth, it can't be piloted by a human. While its main maneuvers are pre-programmed, Ingenuity needs to make some real time decisions using data from its sensors and camera.

It also needs to run a heater to survive nighttime temperatures that plunge to minus 130 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 90 degrees Celsius).

NASA is already preparing to send Dragonfly, a much larger rotorcraft-lander, to Saturn's icy moon Titan where it will fly multiple sorties in search of extraterrestrial life when it reaches there in 2034.

NASA successfully carried out a second flight on Mars on Thursday of its mini helicopter Ingenuity, a 52-second sortie that saw it climb to a height of 16 feet (five metres).

NASA successfully carried out a second flight on Mars on Thursday of its mini helicopter Ingenuity, a 52-second sortie that saw it climb to a height of 16 feet (five metres). "So far, the engineering telemetry we have received and analyzed tell us that the flight met expectations," said Bob Balaram, Ingenuity's chief engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in southern California. "We have two flights of Mars under our belts, which means that there is still a lot to learn during this month of Ingenuity," Balaram said in a statement. The US space agency conducted the first flight of the four-pound (1.8 kilogramme) rotorcraft on Monday, the first powered flight ever on another planet. That time Ingenuity rose to a height of 10 feet and then touched down after 39.1 seconds. For the second flight, which lasted 51.9 seconds, Ingenuity climbed to 16 feet, hovered briefly, tilted and then accelerated sideways for seven feet. "The helicopter came to a stop, hovered in place, and made turns to point its camera in different directions," said Havard Grip, Ingenuity's chief pilot. "Then it headed back to the center of the airfield to land. "It sounds simple, but there are many unknowns regarding how to fly a helicopter on Mars." Data and images from the flights are transmitted 173 million miles (278 million kilometres) back to Earth where they are received by NASA's array of ground antennas and processed. Ingenuity traveled to Mars tucked under the belly of the Perseverance rover, which landed on the Red Planet on February 18 on a mission to search for signs of past microbial life. Ingenuity's goal, by contrast, is to prove its technology works. Ingenuity's flights are challenging because of conditions vastly different from Earth's -- foremost among them a rarefied atmosphere that has less than one percent the density of our own. This means that Ingenuity's rotors, which span four feet, have to spin at 2,400 revolutions per minute to achieve lift -- about five times more than a helicopter on Earth. Because of the distance from Earth, it can't be piloted by a human. While its main maneuvers are pre-programmed, Ingenuity needs to make some real time decisions using data from its sensors and camera. It also needs to run a heater to survive nighttime temperatures that plunge to minus 130 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 90 degrees Celsius). NASA is already preparing to send Dragonfly, a much larger rotorcraft-lander, to Saturn's icy moon Titan where it will fly multiple sorties in search of extraterrestrial life when it reaches there in 2034.

NASA's Mars helicopter makes second flight

Russia on Friday began the drawdown of troops that were running drills near Ukraine borders, said the Russian defence ministry. This is likely to calm heightened tensions between Russia and the West over Moscow's troop buildup on Russia-Ukraine border.

"Military units and formations are currently marching to railway loading stations and airfields, and loading onto landing ships, railway platforms and military transport aircraft," the ministry said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Thursday that tens of thousands of Russian troops deployed to southern and western Russia for exercise would be returning to their bases.

The Russian buildup came as fighting between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russia eastern separatists increased in last few months.

Both NATO and Kiev welcomed Russia's announcement of the drawdown, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky saying "the reduction of troops on our border proportionally reduces tension".

A NATO official said any "de-escalation by Russia" would be important, adding: "NATO remains vigilant and we will continue to closely monitor Russia's unjustified military buildup in and around Ukraine."

The United States had said it was "looking for action" on the troop withdrawal.

Uptick in separatist conflict

Hours after the end to the exercises was announced, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Zelensky was welcome in Moscow anytime to discuss bilateral relations, but that the Ukrainian leader should discuss the surge in fighting with separatist leaders.

Russia said it had sent tens of thousands of troops to the country's south and west and to Crimea, which Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014, for a series of military drills.

It also ramped up military exercises in the Black Sea earlier this week, with more than 20 Russian warships participating in joint drills with air force fighter jets.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Russia on Friday began the drawdown of troops that were running drills near Ukraine borders, said the Russian defence ministry. This is likely to calm heightened tensions between Russia and the West over Moscow's troop buildup on Russia-Ukraine border.

Russia on Friday began the drawdown of troops that were running drills near Ukraine borders, said the Russian defence ministry. This is likely to calm heightened tensions between Russia and the West over Moscow's troop buildup on Russia-Ukraine border. "Military units and formations are currently marching to railway loading stations and airfields, and loading onto landing ships, railway platforms and military transport aircraft," the ministry said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Thursday that tens of thousands of Russian troops deployed to southern and western Russia for exercise would be returning to their bases. The Russian buildup came as fighting between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russia eastern separatists increased in last few months. Both NATO and Kiev welcomed Russia's announcement of the drawdown, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky saying "the reduction of troops on our border proportionally reduces tension". A NATO official said any "de-escalation by Russia" would be important, adding: "NATO remains vigilant and we will continue to closely monitor Russia's unjustified military buildup in and around Ukraine." The United States had said it was "looking for action" on the troop withdrawal. Uptick in separatist conflict Hours after the end to the exercises was announced, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Zelensky was welcome in Moscow anytime to discuss bilateral relations, but that the Ukrainian leader should discuss the surge in fighting with separatist leaders. Russia said it had sent tens of thousands of troops to the country's south and west and to Crimea, which Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014, for a series of military drills. It also ramped up military exercises in the Black Sea earlier this week, with more than 20 Russian warships participating in joint drills with air force fighter jets. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia begins withdrawing troops from Ukraine borders

A Pakistani court has granted opposition leader and Pakistani Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) chief Shehbaz Sharif post-arrest bail in money laundering case.

The Lahore High Court on Thursday granted Shehbaz's bail. The three-judge bench, headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, gave a unanimous verdict, Dawn reported.

According to the short court order, the PML-N leader was required to furnish two bail bonds worth Pakistani Rs 5 million each.

Shehbaz, the brother of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, was arrested on September 28, 2020, in the money laundering reference after the LHC refused to further extend his pre-arrest bail.

He was first granted interim pre-arrest bail last year on June 3. After his arrest, he remained in the bureau's custody for 23 days till the trial court sent him on judicial remand on October 20, 2020.

Shehbaz Sharif, the former Punjab Chief Minister, is accused of accumulating assets worth Pakistani Rs7,328 million in connivance with his co-accused family members, benamidars, front persons and close associations and for developing an organized system of money laundering.

The anti-graft watchdog has nominated a total of 20 individuals in the reference - Shahbaz's wife Nusrat, his sons Hamza and Suleman, and daughters Rabia Imran and Javeria Ali.

Previously, Shehbaz was also arrested by NAB on October 5, 2018 in Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme and later in the Ramzan Sugar Mills case. The LHC had released him on bail in both cases on February 17, 2019.

A Pakistani court has granted opposition leader and Pakistani Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) chief Shehbaz Sharif post-arrest bail in money laundering case. The Lahore High Court on Thursday granted Shehbaz's bail.

A Pakistani court has granted opposition leader and Pakistani Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) chief Shehbaz Sharif post-arrest bail in money laundering case. The Lahore High Court on Thursday granted Shehbaz's bail. The three-judge bench, headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, gave a unanimous verdict, Dawn reported. According to the short court order, the PML-N leader was required to furnish two bail bonds worth Pakistani Rs 5 million each. Shehbaz, the brother of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, was arrested on September 28, 2020, in the money laundering reference after the LHC refused to further extend his pre-arrest bail. He was first granted interim pre-arrest bail last year on June 3. After his arrest, he remained in the bureau's custody for 23 days till the trial court sent him on judicial remand on October 20, 2020. Shehbaz Sharif, the former Punjab Chief Minister, is accused of accumulating assets worth Pakistani Rs7,328 million in connivance with his co-accused family members, benamidars, front persons and close associations and for developing an organized system of money laundering. The anti-graft watchdog has nominated a total of 20 individuals in the reference - Shahbaz's wife Nusrat, his sons Hamza and Suleman, and daughters Rabia Imran and Javeria Ali. Previously, Shehbaz was also arrested by NAB on October 5, 2018 in Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme and later in the Ramzan Sugar Mills case. The LHC had released him on bail in both cases on February 17, 2019.

Pakistan opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif granted bail in money laundering case

Apple may be the influential tech company that is at the forefront of innovation but when it comes top sophisticated cyberattack, Apple's interests are as vulnerable as our tech-challenged friend's computer.

The company is now facing a 'ransomware attack'. For those who don't know what this is, a ransomware attack involves cybercriminals encrypting your valuable data. After the data becomes inaccessible to you, the hackers ask ransom money to provide the key to break the encryption.

Apple has been on the receiving end because of&nbsp;an attack on one of its suppliers.

The group of hackers calls themselves 'Sodin' and the ransomware is called 'REvil'. The hackers stole Apple's data from Quanta Computer, a Taiwanese company that assembles some of Apple's laptops.

The hackers claim that the stolen information has to do with Apple's upcoming products. These, they say, include Apple laptops and a new Apple Watch

Quanta Computer has refused to pay the ransom and hackers are now threatening that they will make information about Apple's next launches public.

Well, well. What will Apple do next? They aren't saying anything for now that's for sure!

Apple may be the influential tech company that is at the forefront of innovation but when it comes top sophisticated cyberattack, Apple's interests are as vulnerable as our tech-challenged friend's computer.

Apple may be the influential tech company that is at the forefront of innovation but when it comes top sophisticated cyberattack, Apple's interests are as vulnerable as our tech-challenged friend's computer. The company is now facing a 'ransomware attack'. For those who don't know what this is, a ransomware attack involves cybercriminals encrypting your valuable data. After the data becomes inaccessible to you, the hackers ask ransom money to provide the key to break the encryption. Apple has been on the receiving end because of an attack on one of its suppliers. The group of hackers calls themselves 'Sodin' and the ransomware is called 'REvil'. The hackers stole Apple's data from Quanta Computer, a Taiwanese company that assembles some of Apple's laptops. The hackers claim that the stolen information has to do with Apple's upcoming products. These, they say, include Apple laptops and a new Apple Watch Quanta Computer has refused to pay the ransom and hackers are now threatening that they will make information about Apple's next launches public. Well, well. What will Apple do next? They aren't saying anything for now that's for sure!

Apple faces ransomware demand from cybercriminals

US government led by President Joe Biden is mulling over options it has to decide whether to support waiver of intellectual property protections on Covid vaccines. A group of progressive Democrats met Biden and urged him to support the waiver.

In case the waiver is granted by World Trade Organisation with support from US and other countries, the rules regarding production and export of Covid vaccines and other medical goods to fight the pandemic would be eased. This may have potential to help make Covid vaccines available to all.

The waiver includes patents, copyrights and trade secrets.

The proposal for the waiver has support of India, South Africa and more than 50 other countries. Under former President Donald Trump, the US had opposed the waiver.&nbsp;

The waiver was also opposed by the European Union, UK, Japan, Switzerland, Brazil and Norway. However, it is being seen that if the US supports the waiver, opposition from the other camps would not be as fierce.

There is a growing clamour for the support of the waiver. Medical charity Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has urged all the countries to support the waiver&nbsp;

"In this COVID-19 pandemic, we are once again faced with issues of scarcity, which can be addressed through diversification of manufacturing and supply capacity and ensuring the temporary waiver of relevant intellectual property,” said Dr Maria Guevara, MSF’s International Medical Secretary.

“We urge all countries in opposition to this, including the US and the EU, to stand on the right side of history and join hands with those in support. It is about saving lives at the end, not protecting systems.”&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

US government led by President Joe Biden is mulling over options it has to decide whether to support waiver of intellectual property protections on Covid vaccines.

US government led by President Joe Biden is mulling over options it has to decide whether to support waiver of intellectual property protections on Covid vaccines. A group of progressive Democrats met Biden and urged him to support the waiver. In case the waiver is granted by World Trade Organisation with support from US and other countries, the rules regarding production and export of Covid vaccines and other medical goods to fight the pandemic would be eased. This may have potential to help make Covid vaccines available to all. The waiver includes patents, copyrights and trade secrets. The proposal for the waiver has support of India, South Africa and more than 50 other countries. Under former President Donald Trump, the US had opposed the waiver. The waiver was also opposed by the European Union, UK, Japan, Switzerland, Brazil and Norway. However, it is being seen that if the US supports the waiver, opposition from the other camps would not be as fierce. There is a growing clamour for the support of the waiver. Medical charity Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has urged all the countries to support the waiver "In this COVID-19 pandemic, we are once again faced with issues of scarcity, which can be addressed through diversification of manufacturing and supply capacity and ensuring the temporary waiver of relevant intellectual property,” said Dr Maria Guevara, MSF’s International Medical Secretary. “We urge all countries in opposition to this, including the US and the EU, to stand on the right side of history and join hands with those in support. It is about saving lives at the end, not protecting systems.” (With inputs from agencies)

US mulls over options on Covid vaccine patent waiver

A Bangladeshi immigrant was handed a life sentence for trying to carry out a bomb attack in a crowded New York subway passage in the name of the Islamic State group.

On December 11, 2017 Akayed Ullah wounded himself and three other people in a botched blast in a tunnel below the Port Authority bus terminal near Times Square.

The bomb, which he strapped to his body with zip wires, failed to detonate as planned, and Ullah was left with burns to his torso and hands. His victims suffered minor complaints such as ringing in their ears and headaches.

There was panic after the explosion and Monday morning commute during the busy Christmas season was disrupted.

Ullah, who migrated to the United States in 2011, was found guilty on all six counts by a Manhattan jury on November 6, 2018.

The 31-year-old's convictions include supporting a foreign terrorist organisation, using a weapon of mass destruction and bombing a public place.

Judge Richard Sullivan said that although Ullah "ultimately failed" in the execution of the attack, it didn't make him "less culpable."

"Your conduct was truly heinous. This is about as bad a crime as there is," he said, handing down the life sentence.

Ullah's defense counsel had called for the mandatory minimum sentence of 35 years.

Ullah said what he had done was "wrong."

"I can tell you from the bottom of my heart I am deeply sorry for what I did," he told the sentencing hearing.

Ullah was caught on CCTV walking through the subway terminal and detonating the bomb strapped to his body.&nbsp; 
After his arrest, he allegedly told authorities: "I did it for the Islamic State."

Ullah is a lawful permanent resident of the US. He built the bomb in his apartment. packing the device with metal screws and Christmas tree lights, having planned the attack for several weeks.

On the morning of the bombing, Ullah posted a statement on Facebook referring to the US president saying: "Trump you failed to protect your nation."

(With inputs from agencies)

A Bangladeshi immigrant was handed a life sentence for trying to carry out a bomb attack in a crowded New York subway passage in the name of the Islamic State group.

A Bangladeshi immigrant was handed a life sentence for trying to carry out a bomb attack in a crowded New York subway passage in the name of the Islamic State group. On December 11, 2017 Akayed Ullah wounded himself and three other people in a botched blast in a tunnel below the Port Authority bus terminal near Times Square. The bomb, which he strapped to his body with zip wires, failed to detonate as planned, and Ullah was left with burns to his torso and hands. His victims suffered minor complaints such as ringing in their ears and headaches. There was panic after the explosion and Monday morning commute during the busy Christmas season was disrupted. Ullah, who migrated to the United States in 2011, was found guilty on all six counts by a Manhattan jury on November 6, 2018. The 31-year-old's convictions include supporting a foreign terrorist organisation, using a weapon of mass destruction and bombing a public place. Judge Richard Sullivan said that although Ullah "ultimately failed" in the execution of the attack, it didn't make him "less culpable." "Your conduct was truly heinous. This is about as bad a crime as there is," he said, handing down the life sentence. Ullah's defense counsel had called for the mandatory minimum sentence of 35 years. Ullah said what he had done was "wrong." "I can tell you from the bottom of my heart I am deeply sorry for what I did," he told the sentencing hearing. Ullah was caught on CCTV walking through the subway terminal and detonating the bomb strapped to his body. After his arrest, he allegedly told authorities: "I did it for the Islamic State." Ullah is a lawful permanent resident of the US. He built the bomb in his apartment. packing the device with metal screws and Christmas tree lights, having planned the attack for several weeks. On the morning of the bombing, Ullah posted a statement on Facebook referring to the US president saying: "Trump you failed to protect your nation." (With inputs from agencies)

New York subway bomber gets life in prison

At least 13 patients died on Friday after a fire broke out at an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a Covid hospital in the Virar area of Maharashtra`s Palghar district.The incident took place around 3:30 am on the second floor of the facility, the Corona Control Room, Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation informed.&nbsp;

Three fire tenders of the Virar Fire Brigade reached the spot to douse the fire. It was extinguished by 5:20 am.&nbsp;

Other COVID-19 patients are being shifted to nearby hospitals.

This tragic incident comes just days after 24 COVID-19 patients lost their lives after an oxygen tanker leaked outside Dr Zakir Hussain Hospital in Nashik, Maharashtra.

At least 13 patients died on Friday after a fire broke out at an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a Covid hospital in the Virar area of Maharashtra`s Palghar district.

At least 13 patients died on Friday after a fire broke out at an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a Covid hospital in the Virar area of Maharashtra`s Palghar district.The incident took place around 3:30 am on the second floor of the facility, the Corona Control Room, Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation informed. Three fire tenders of the Virar Fire Brigade reached the spot to douse the fire. It was extinguished by 5:20 am. Other COVID-19 patients are being shifted to nearby hospitals. This tragic incident comes just days after 24 COVID-19 patients lost their lives after an oxygen tanker leaked outside Dr Zakir Hussain Hospital in Nashik, Maharashtra.

13 patients dead in fire at Covid hospital in Maharashtra's Palghar

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Manas Joshi

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