Jihadists aligned with Islamic State ambushed a Nigerian military convoy killing 15 soldiers and four militia fighters, reported AFP quoting military sources. The attack took place in Borno, a state in northeastern region of Nigeria. The convoy came under heavy attack from Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters near Gudumbali in the Lake Chad region on Thursday, the sources said.

Jihadist conflict in Nigeria has killed 36,000 people so far and displaced hundreds of thousands in northeastern Nigeria. The conflict began more than a decade ago.

"We lost 15 soldiers and four civilian JTF (militia) in the terrorists' ambush in the forest near Gudumbali," a military officer, who asked not to be identified, told AFP. 
He said 13 government fighters, including 10 troops, were wounded in the ambush.

The 10-vehicle convoy was on its way to Gudumbali from the town of Kukawa for a military operation against the insurgents when it came under fire, said another military source, who gave the same toll.

On Saturday, ISWAP issued a statement, claiming responsibility for the ambush, according to the SITE jihadist monitoring agency.

ISWAP which split from the jihadist group Boko Haram in 2016, has become a dominant threat in Nigeria, attacking troops and bases while killing and kidnapping passengers at bogus checkpoints.

(With AFP inputs)

Jihadists aligned with Islamic State ambushed a Nigerian military convoy killing 15 soldiers and four militia fighters, reported AFP quoting military sources. The attack took place in Borno, a state in northeastern region of Nigeria.

Jihadists aligned with Islamic State ambushed a Nigerian military convoy killing 15 soldiers and four militia fighters, reported AFP quoting military sources. The attack took place in Borno, a state in northeastern region of Nigeria. The convoy came under heavy attack from Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters near Gudumbali in the Lake Chad region on Thursday, the sources said. Jihadist conflict in Nigeria has killed 36,000 people so far and displaced hundreds of thousands in northeastern Nigeria. The conflict began more than a decade ago. "We lost 15 soldiers and four civilian JTF (militia) in the terrorists' ambush in the forest near Gudumbali," a military officer, who asked not to be identified, told AFP. He said 13 government fighters, including 10 troops, were wounded in the ambush. The 10-vehicle convoy was on its way to Gudumbali from the town of Kukawa for a military operation against the insurgents when it came under fire, said another military source, who gave the same toll. On Saturday, ISWAP issued a statement, claiming responsibility for the ambush, according to the SITE jihadist monitoring agency. ISWAP which split from the jihadist group Boko Haram in 2016, has become a dominant threat in Nigeria, attacking troops and bases while killing and kidnapping passengers at bogus checkpoints. (With AFP inputs)

Nigeria: Jihadist ambush kills 19 troops, says report

Iran on Saturday denounced an attack on Iranian ship as "sabotage". The ship named Shahr-e-Kord was hit with "an explosive device" while it was en route from Iran to Europe on Wednesday, as per spokesperson of Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines group (IRISL) which owns the ship.

Iran "received information confirming that the ship suffered a sabotage attack", foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said in a statement.

Khatibzadeh confirmed that the incident "caused damage to the vessel". He did not elaborate on type and extent of the damage.

He condemned the attack as "a flagrant violation of international law and maritime law".

IRISL&nbsp;called the incident a "terrorist action and an example of maritime piracy".

"A small fire started where the explosion had occurred, but it was quickly extinguished... and none of the crew were hurt," he said.

Khatibzadeh said Tehran was following up on the incident to "identify the perpetrators".

The ship was struck less than two weeks after Israel accused arch nemesis Iran of being behind an attack on an Israeli-owned ship in the Gulf of Oman, charges Tehran has strongly denied.

The United States blacklisted IRISL in mid-2020 over what the State Department described as the transportation of items related to Iran's missile and nuclear programme.

Iran on Saturday denounced an attack on Iranian ship as "sabotage". The ship named Shahr-e-Kord was hit with "an explosive device" while it was en route from Iran to Europe on Wednesday, as per spokesperson of Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines group (IRISL) which owns the ship.

Iran on Saturday denounced an attack on Iranian ship as "sabotage". The ship named Shahr-e-Kord was hit with "an explosive device" while it was en route from Iran to Europe on Wednesday, as per spokesperson of Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines group (IRISL) which owns the ship. Iran "received information confirming that the ship suffered a sabotage attack", foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said in a statement. Khatibzadeh confirmed that the incident "caused damage to the vessel". He did not elaborate on type and extent of the damage. He condemned the attack as "a flagrant violation of international law and maritime law". IRISL called the incident a "terrorist action and an example of maritime piracy". "A small fire started where the explosion had occurred, but it was quickly extinguished... and none of the crew were hurt," he said. Khatibzadeh said Tehran was following up on the incident to "identify the perpetrators". The ship was struck less than two weeks after Israel accused arch nemesis Iran of being behind an attack on an Israeli-owned ship in the Gulf of Oman, charges Tehran has strongly denied. The United States blacklisted IRISL in mid-2020 over what the State Department described as the transportation of items related to Iran's missile and nuclear programme.

Iran condemns 'sabotage' of ship in Mediterranean

European Union is facing fresh shortfall of coronavirus vaccines after Anglo/Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca said production problems and export restrictions would reduce vaccine delivery. Several countries have suspended use of AstraZeneca vaccines over blood clot fears. AstraZeneca's image has taken a hit even after World Health Organisation (WHO) said that there was no reason to stop using it.

The company had previously warned it was facing shortfalls from its European supply chain due to "lower-than-expected output from the production process" and was hoping to compensate in part by sourcing vaccines from its global network.

"Unfortunately, export restrictions will reduce deliveries in the first quarter, and are likely to affect deliveries in the second quarter," it confirmed in a statement sent to AFP on Saturday.

'Unacceptable'

AstraZeneca started delivering vaccines to European Union in February. It aims to deliver 100 million doses in first half of 2021.

AstraZeneca had initially agreed to supply three times as many doses in the first quarter, and 180 million doses in second quarter alone.

The EU on Saturday sidestepped the issue of the number of AstraZeneca doses it was expecting. "We are aware that the company is experiencing supply issues and that discussions are on-going," it said.

Germany has already reported adverse effects due to the delay, the state of Thuringia cancelling appointments and suspending a pilot project for general practitioners to administer the vaccine.

Thuringia had been due to receive 31,200 doses next week, but the number has been reduced to 9,600.

The state's health minister, Heike Werner, called the delay "absolutely unacceptable".&nbsp;

French Prime Minister Jean Castex said his government still expected to exceed a target of 10 million vaccinated by April 15, though he deplored that some labs were not respecting delivery deadlines.

Castex defended the use of the AstraZeneca jab despite precautions taken by other nations.

"I would not allow myself to send poison to my fellow citizens," he said during a visit to a vaccination centre.

(With AFP inputs)

European Union is facing fresh shortfall of coronavirus vaccines after Anglo/Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca said production problems and export restrictions would reduce vaccine delivery.

European Union is facing fresh shortfall of coronavirus vaccines after Anglo/Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca said production problems and export restrictions would reduce vaccine delivery. Several countries have suspended use of AstraZeneca vaccines over blood clot fears. AstraZeneca's image has taken a hit even after World Health Organisation (WHO) said that there was no reason to stop using it. The company had previously warned it was facing shortfalls from its European supply chain due to "lower-than-expected output from the production process" and was hoping to compensate in part by sourcing vaccines from its global network. "Unfortunately, export restrictions will reduce deliveries in the first quarter, and are likely to affect deliveries in the second quarter," it confirmed in a statement sent to AFP on Saturday. 'Unacceptable' AstraZeneca started delivering vaccines to European Union in February. It aims to deliver 100 million doses in first half of 2021. AstraZeneca had initially agreed to supply three times as many doses in the first quarter, and 180 million doses in second quarter alone. The EU on Saturday sidestepped the issue of the number of AstraZeneca doses it was expecting. "We are aware that the company is experiencing supply issues and that discussions are on-going," it said. Germany has already reported adverse effects due to the delay, the state of Thuringia cancelling appointments and suspending a pilot project for general practitioners to administer the vaccine. Thuringia had been due to receive 31,200 doses next week, but the number has been reduced to 9,600. The state's health minister, Heike Werner, called the delay "absolutely unacceptable". French Prime Minister Jean Castex said his government still expected to exceed a target of 10 million vaccinated by April 15, though he deplored that some labs were not respecting delivery deadlines. Castex defended the use of the AstraZeneca jab despite precautions taken by other nations. "I would not allow myself to send poison to my fellow citizens," he said during a visit to a vaccination centre. (With AFP inputs)

EU: Fresh shortfall of AstraZeneca COVID vaccine supplies

Thailand celebrates National Elephant Day

Police in Russia detained 150 independent and opposition leaders from a meeting in Moscow. They have been accused of 'undesirable organisation'. In other news, Bitcoin has hit a new high. Fresh deaths have occurred in Myanmar. Read this and more in top 10 world news.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-detains-around-150-people-including-opposition-figures-370218">Russia detains around 150 people, including opposition figures &nbsp;</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-detains-around-150-people-including-opposition-figures-370218"><img alt="Russia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="90f72335-7293-4436-aa8e-555bbdfff24c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Russia_1.JPG" /></a> 
 
The forum, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, was a gathering of municipal deputies from all over the country, Andrei Pivovarov, the event's organiser and executive director of Open Russia, a British-based group founded by exiled former oil tycoon and Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky, told radio station Echo Moskvy

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-legalises-detention-for-deradicalisation-370228">Sri Lanka legalises detention for 'deradicalisation'</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-legalises-detention-for-deradicalisation-370228"><img alt="Sri Lanka" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9118bf11-bb72-4064-a3c3-123162509df2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Sri%20Lanka.JPG" /></a> 
 
These rules have been set up under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), which has been a topic of debate for a long time from local and international rights groups

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/several-protesters-killed-in-myanmar-capital-in-overnight-protests-370154">Several protesters killed in Myanmar capital in overnight protests</a>

<img alt="Myanmar" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f22f7c63-ff1e-4df2-bf7c-0e0b7be40a3f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Myanmar_1.JPG" />

On Saturday, activists called for more anti-coup protests on the death anniversary of Phone Maw, a student whose killing in 1988 sparked an uprising against the government.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/bitcoin-goes-past-usd-60000-for-first-time-370229">Bitcoin goes past USD 60,000 for first time</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/bitcoin-goes-past-usd-60000-for-first-time-370229"><img alt="Bitcoin" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2ee4bf0c-36a4-48f6-b775-016f548630d7" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Bitcoin.JPG" /></a> 
 
The most popular virtual currency hit the new high with increasing backing from corporate heavyweights

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-no-longer-compliant-with-hong-kong-joint-declaration-uks-raab-says-370225">China no longer 'compliant' with Hong Kong joint declaration, UK's Raab says</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-no-longer-compliant-with-hong-kong-joint-declaration-uks-raab-says-370225"><img alt="China" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1123ebf2-fac5-4b0e-a12c-a9bd1ad39a2e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Hong%20Kong%20China.JPG" /></a> 
 
As per the treaty, Hong Kong is guaranteed the status of a financial hub and should have freedom of speech and autonomy to manage its own affairs, without foreign interference and impositions

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ethiopia-rejects-us-allegations-of-ethnic-cleansing-in-tigray-370232">Ethiopia rejects US allegations of ethnic cleansing in Tigray&nbsp;</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ethiopia-rejects-us-allegations-of-ethnic-cleansing-in-tigray-370232"><img alt="Ethiopia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ea884e4e-029b-4dbe-9c2b-98ac4a08ff71" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Ethiopia_0.JPG" /></a> 
 
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday, he wanted to see Eritrean forces and those from the Amhara region replaced in Tigray by security forces that will respect human rights and not 'commit acts of ethnic cleansing'

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lifting-of-lockdown-may-trigger-anxiety-ptsd-and-more-experts-370231">Lifting of lockdown may trigger anxiety, PTSD and more: Experts</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lifting-of-lockdown-may-trigger-anxiety-ptsd-and-more-experts-370231"><img alt="PTSD" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="777a1170-97dc-4ba3-bea2-349c3a3753dc" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/ptsd.JPG" /></a> 
 
Lifting of lockdown may also be tough for people with mental health conditions as the fear of catching the deadly coronavirus may also be a trigger for their mental health issues

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jordan-hospitals-oxygen-outage-kills-six-patients-sources-370223">Jordan hospital's oxygen outage kills six patients: Sources&nbsp;</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jordan-hospitals-oxygen-outage-kills-six-patients-sources-370223"><img alt="Jordan" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7b5040cc-6ea0-4051-84fc-cfa39b9660e8" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Jordan.JPG" /></a> 
 
Health Minister Nathir Obeidat earlier visited the hospital and was meeting staff as security forces cordoned off the area to prevent trouble among patients' relatives

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/five-eu-states-call-for-summit-after-accusations-of-unfair-vaccine-deliveries-370216">Five EU states call for summit after accusations of 'unfair' vaccine deliveries</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/five-eu-states-call-for-summit-after-accusations-of-unfair-vaccine-deliveries-370216"><img alt="EU" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="87654b19-b42e-46c2-9445-1315157d3768" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/eu_0.JPG" /></a> 
 
Five EU states — namely Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Latvia — have called for an EU summit to discuss 'huge disparities' in distribution of coronavirus vaccines

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/someone-famous-lapd-catches-fake-driving-license-with-photo-of-rodrigo-duterte-370211">Someone famous: LAPD catches fake driving license with photo of Rodrigo Duterte</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/someone-famous-lapd-catches-fake-driving-license-with-photo-of-rodrigo-duterte-370211"><img alt="Duterte" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="115411b5-e289-4bb3-a8f7-c1fd659ae790" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Duterte_0.JPG" /></a> 
 
Internet was left in fits of laughter after the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) tweeted the photo of a fake driver's license featuring a picture of Philippine President

Police in Russia detained 150 independent and opposition leaders from a meeting in Moscow. They have been accused of 'undesirable organisation'. In other news, Bitcoin has hit a new high.

Police in Russia detained 150 independent and opposition leaders from a meeting in Moscow. They have been accused of 'undesirable organisation'. In other news, Bitcoin has hit a new high. Fresh deaths have occurred in Myanmar. Read this and more in top 10 world news. Russia detains around 150 people, including opposition figures The forum, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, was a gathering of municipal deputies from all over the country, Andrei Pivovarov, the event's organiser and executive director of Open Russia, a British-based group founded by exiled former oil tycoon and Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky, told radio station Echo Moskvy Sri Lanka legalises detention for 'deradicalisation' These rules have been set up under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), which has been a topic of debate for a long time from local and international rights groups Several protesters killed in Myanmar capital in overnight protests On Saturday, activists called for more anti-coup protests on the death anniversary of Phone Maw, a student whose killing in 1988 sparked an uprising against the government. Bitcoin goes past USD 60,000 for first time The most popular virtual currency hit the new high with increasing backing from corporate heavyweights China no longer 'compliant' with Hong Kong joint declaration, UK's Raab says As per the treaty, Hong Kong is guaranteed the status of a financial hub and should have freedom of speech and autonomy to manage its own affairs, without foreign interference and impositions Ethiopia rejects US allegations of ethnic cleansing in Tigray US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday, he wanted to see Eritrean forces and those from the Amhara region replaced in Tigray by security forces that will respect human rights and not 'commit acts of ethnic cleansing' Lifting of lockdown may trigger anxiety, PTSD and more: Experts Lifting of lockdown may also be tough for people with mental health conditions as the fear of catching the deadly coronavirus may also be a trigger for their mental health issues Jordan hospital's oxygen outage kills six patients: Sources Health Minister Nathir Obeidat earlier visited the hospital and was meeting staff as security forces cordoned off the area to prevent trouble among patients' relatives Five EU states call for summit after accusations of 'unfair' vaccine deliveries Five EU states — namely Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Latvia — have called for an EU summit to discuss 'huge disparities' in distribution of coronavirus vaccines Someone famous: LAPD catches fake driving license with photo of Rodrigo Duterte Internet was left in fits of laughter after the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) tweeted the photo of a fake driver's license featuring a picture of Philippine President

Top 10 world news: Russia detains opposition, Bitcoin's on new high, and more

It may be just another day for us here on Earth. We may get up and go about as if nothing is going to happen. But ask those Dinosaurs who were out on the day an asteroid struck Earth.

Well, you can't of course because all of them are dead (along with around 75 per cent of life at that time on the planet).

This is what happens when a huge space rock decides that it is tired of travelling through space and wants to 'settle down' on the cosy planet we call Earth.

Asteroids may be small compared to size of the Earth but they can cause massive destruction owing to their very high speeds.

And this is why NASA and other space agencies around the world keep close watch on any rogue rocks that may be coming our way, or at least make a close call.

And one such asteroid has been detected. The asteroid has been named 2020 XU6. And it will reach its closest point from Earth today (February 22).

2020 XU6 is the size of a 'stadium'. For perspective, Statue of Liberty will fall short if it tries to compete with the asteroid to check who was taller. Even Big Ben would not be able to win.

The asteroid in 700 feet across (213 m). It is coming closer to Earth indeed.

But we need not fret about extinction of humans just yet because it will miss the Earth by 4,087,734 km (2,540,000 m)&nbsp;

You can safely go about your day now.

It may be just another day for us here on Earth. We may get up and go about as if nothing is going to happen. But ask those Dinosaurs who were out on the day an asteroid struck Earth.

It may be just another day for us here on Earth. We may get up and go about as if nothing is going to happen. But ask those Dinosaurs who were out on the day an asteroid struck Earth. Well, you can't of course because all of them are dead (along with around 75 per cent of life at that time on the planet). This is what happens when a huge space rock decides that it is tired of travelling through space and wants to 'settle down' on the cosy planet we call Earth. Asteroids may be small compared to size of the Earth but they can cause massive destruction owing to their very high speeds. And this is why NASA and other space agencies around the world keep close watch on any rogue rocks that may be coming our way, or at least make a close call. And one such asteroid has been detected. The asteroid has been named 2020 XU6. And it will reach its closest point from Earth today (February 22). 2020 XU6 is the size of a 'stadium'. For perspective, Statue of Liberty will fall short if it tries to compete with the asteroid to check who was taller. Even Big Ben would not be able to win. The asteroid in 700 feet across (213 m). It is coming closer to Earth indeed. But we need not fret about extinction of humans just yet because it will miss the Earth by 4,087,734 km (2,540,000 m) You can safely go about your day now.

Asteroid alert: A 'stadium sized' space rock is hurtling towards Earth

Sherlock Holmes is a grand affair to start with. The pipe-smoking, mystery-solving, incredibly gifted detective has always been at the center in any movie/ series that features him.

And when another character manages to carry an entire movie on her able shoulders even when he is around, it is quite a feat.

Millie Bobby Brown does just that. Throughout Enola Holmes, she captures your attention and becomes an object of great affection from the very start.

Enola Holmes is Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes' sister. The feisty and as Mycroft Holmes describes, "unbroken" Enola Holmes is not the one to demurely learn embroidery and be ladylike as it was expected of women in older times in England. She fights, she deduces, she gets on top of things and gets them done. But the charm is unmissable. In attitude, she is much like Olenna Tyrrell from Game of Thrones.

Enola has a special bond with her mom (Helena Boham-Carter) who she credits for caring for her and for making her into a tough cooky she is. One fine morning, Enola's mom disappears and her world comes crashing down. Enola's search for her mother forms the basic theme of the movie and there's much more.

Unlike any other female leads in movies, Millie Bobby Brown does not become an object of desire. The movie steers clear of this beaten path maybe, in part, because of Brown's young age (She is 16) but definitely because the movie has a story to tell.

Brown does a fine job. It's hard to dominate a movie and frames when someone like Henry Cavill himself is playing Sherlock Holmes. But Brown does it. Enola Holmes has everything a Sherlock Holmes universe has had including aristocrats, killers, surprises, plot twists, but the focus is on Enola.

Yes, we do get glimpses of Sherlock's genius. The inept Scotland Yard Inspector Lestrade is there as well. For those who have read Sherlock Holmes stories, it's fun to spot nuances only they would get.

It's a delight to observe Henry Cavill get into the shoes of the detective, a role played by greats such as Jeremy Brett, Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Downey Jr to name a few. In Enola Holmes, he takes a backseat but remains a commanding presence in control of things he does. He is outwitted by Enola eventually but doesn't mind losing to his sister.

Sweet execution of it all is what makes Enola Holmes a charming watch. The beauty of each frame brings out the dusty streets of 19th century London as it does the grandeur of aristocratic mansions and English countryside.

Louis Partridge adds a dash of interest to the mix as Lord Viscount Tewkesbury of Meriwether (Enola prefers 'Nincompoop'). The adorable teenage infatuation is unmissable but even here the movie doesn't go all-American way and plays it very very subtly.

Enola Holmes may not get considered the greatest movie featuring Sherlock Holmes. But it doesn't attempt to be in the first place. It surely comes as a sweet surprise and a pleasant watch.

Millie Bobby Brown is an actress to watch out for!

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Sherlock Holmes is a grand affair to start with. The pipe-smoking, mystery-solving, incredibly gifted detective has always been at the center in any movie/ series that features him.

Sherlock Holmes is a grand affair to start with. The pipe-smoking, mystery-solving, incredibly gifted detective has always been at the center in any movie/ series that features him. And when another character manages to carry an entire movie on her able shoulders even when he is around, it is quite a feat. Millie Bobby Brown does just that. Throughout Enola Holmes, she captures your attention and becomes an object of great affection from the very start. Enola Holmes is Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes' sister. The feisty and as Mycroft Holmes describes, "unbroken" Enola Holmes is not the one to demurely learn embroidery and be ladylike as it was expected of women in older times in England. She fights, she deduces, she gets on top of things and gets them done. But the charm is unmissable. In attitude, she is much like Olenna Tyrrell from Game of Thrones. Enola has a special bond with her mom (Helena Boham-Carter) who she credits for caring for her and for making her into a tough cooky she is. One fine morning, Enola's mom disappears and her world comes crashing down. Enola's search for her mother forms the basic theme of the movie and there's much more. Unlike any other female leads in movies, Millie Bobby Brown does not become an object of desire. The movie steers clear of this beaten path maybe, in part, because of Brown's young age (She is 16) but definitely because the movie has a story to tell. Brown does a fine job. It's hard to dominate a movie and frames when someone like Henry Cavill himself is playing Sherlock Holmes. But Brown does it. Enola Holmes has everything a Sherlock Holmes universe has had including aristocrats, killers, surprises, plot twists, but the focus is on Enola. Yes, we do get glimpses of Sherlock's genius. The inept Scotland Yard Inspector Lestrade is there as well. For those who have read Sherlock Holmes stories, it's fun to spot nuances only they would get. It's a delight to observe Henry Cavill get into the shoes of the detective, a role played by greats such as Jeremy Brett, Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Downey Jr to name a few. In Enola Holmes, he takes a backseat but remains a commanding presence in control of things he does. He is outwitted by Enola eventually but doesn't mind losing to his sister. Sweet execution of it all is what makes Enola Holmes a charming watch. The beauty of each frame brings out the dusty streets of 19th century London as it does the grandeur of aristocratic mansions and English countryside. Louis Partridge adds a dash of interest to the mix as Lord Viscount Tewkesbury of Meriwether (Enola prefers 'Nincompoop'). The adorable teenage infatuation is unmissable but even here the movie doesn't go all-American way and plays it very very subtly. Enola Holmes may not get considered the greatest movie featuring Sherlock Holmes. But it doesn't attempt to be in the first place. It surely comes as a sweet surprise and a pleasant watch. Millie Bobby Brown is an actress to watch out for! (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Opinion: Millie Bobby Brown is sunshine personified in Enola Holmes

Bitcoin continued its record-breaking run on Saturday as it briefly rose above USD 60,000 for the first time on Saturday. The most popular virtual currency hit the new high with increasing backing from corporate heavyweights. The cryptocurrency hit an all-time high of $60,012 at 1149 GMT, according to the website CoinMarketCap.

Since March last year, Bitcoin has seen a meteoric rise. At that time, it stood at USD 5000. It's rise has been spurred, in part, by online payments giant PayPal saying it would allow account holders to use cryptocurrency.

Last month Elon Musk's electric carmaker Tesla invested $1.5 billion in the virtual unit, while Twitter chief Jack Dorsey and rap mogul Jay-Z said they are creating a fund aimed at making Bitcoin "the internet's currency".

Others jumping on the bandwagon include Wall Street player BNY Mellon, investment fund giant BlackRock and credit card titan Mastercard.

Bitcoin hit headlines in 2017 after it rose from less than USD 1000 in January to almost USD 20,000 in December that year.

However the last year's rise has been more steady, with investors and Wall Street finance giants wooed by dizzying growth, the opportunity for profit and asset diversification, and a safe store of value to guard against inflation.

Bitcoins are traded via a decentralised registry system known as a blockchain.

The system requires massive computer processing power in order to manage and implement transactions.

That power is provided by "miners", who do so in the hope they will receive new bitcoins for validating transaction data.

(With AFP inputs)

Bitcoin continued its record-breaking run on Saturday as it briefly rose above USD 60,000 for the first time on Saturday. The most popular virtual currency hit the new high with increasing backing from corporate heavyweights.

Bitcoin continued its record-breaking run on Saturday as it briefly rose above USD 60,000 for the first time on Saturday. The most popular virtual currency hit the new high with increasing backing from corporate heavyweights. The cryptocurrency hit an all-time high of $60,012 at 1149 GMT, according to the website CoinMarketCap. Since March last year, Bitcoin has seen a meteoric rise. At that time, it stood at USD 5000. It's rise has been spurred, in part, by online payments giant PayPal saying it would allow account holders to use cryptocurrency. Last month Elon Musk's electric carmaker Tesla invested $1.5 billion in the virtual unit, while Twitter chief Jack Dorsey and rap mogul Jay-Z said they are creating a fund aimed at making Bitcoin "the internet's currency". Others jumping on the bandwagon include Wall Street player BNY Mellon, investment fund giant BlackRock and credit card titan Mastercard. Bitcoin hit headlines in 2017 after it rose from less than USD 1000 in January to almost USD 20,000 in December that year. However the last year's rise has been more steady, with investors and Wall Street finance giants wooed by dizzying growth, the opportunity for profit and asset diversification, and a safe store of value to guard against inflation. Bitcoins are traded via a decentralised registry system known as a blockchain. The system requires massive computer processing power in order to manage and implement transactions. That power is provided by "miners", who do so in the hope they will receive new bitcoins for validating transaction data. (With AFP inputs)

Bitcoin goes past USD 60,000 for first time

The Los Angeles Police Department severely mishandled protests last summer in the wake of George Floyd’s death, illegally detaining protesters, issuing conflicting orders to its rank-and-file officers and striking people who had committed no crimes with rubber bullets, beanbags and batons, according to a scathing report released Thursday.

An ill-prepared department quickly allowed the situation to spiral out of control when some protesters got violent, failing to rein in much of the most destructive behavior while arresting thousands of protesters for minor offenses, according to the 101-page report commissioned by the City Council.

The report was also highly critical of the department’s leadership, saying that high-ranking officers sometimes made chaotic scenes even worse by shifting strategies without communicating clearly. In many cases, officers used “antiquated tactics” that failed to calm the more violent demonstrators, some of whom the report said deliberately threw things at officers from behind a line of peaceful protesters.

The review is the latest to find serious fault with a police department’s response to the wave of protests that swept the country in the wake of Floyd’s death in Minneapolis on May 25.

From New York to Chicago to Dallas, investigations in the past several months have found that police departments nationwide botched their handling of the protests. In city after city, officers, under faulty supervision, ignored protocols and used excessive force on demonstrators. Mass arrests swept up people who were not breaking any laws. And aggressive responses caused gatherings to quickly descend into chaos.

In New York, one highly critical report last year found that the Police Department, the nation’s largest force, badly mishandled the mass demonstrations, in part by sending untrained officers into marches.

“The response really was a failure on many levels,” Margaret Garnett, the commissioner for the New York City Department of Investigation, said at the time.

In Chicago, an inspector general’s report found that officers had failed to wear body cameras as required and underreported how many times they used their batons to strike protesters. Dallas police officers were found to have fired pepper balls at peaceful marchers. And in Philadelphia, a report commissioned by the mayor condemned an unprepared police response in which officers fueled unrest in some predominantly Black areas with excessive force against demonstrators, while allowing white men armed with bats and pipes to confront protesters in other parts of town.

In Los Angeles, undercover officers blended into the protests but then had no way to report criminal behavior directly to supervisors. Sometimes they had to be rescued from the devolving crowd, the report said, adding that the department’s intelligence operations have become less effective as positions in that field were cut in favor of patrol units.

And although officers arrested thousands of people during the protests in late May, there was no clear plan for how to detain and process them, according to the report. Some protesters were injured so severely by “less lethal” munitions — like rubber bullets and pepper balls — that they had to have surgery.

The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement that its chief, Michel Moore, had “taken responsibility for activities over the summer,” and that the department had provided crowd control training to its officers after the summer unrest.

“The opportunity to learn from our mistakes, to grow, and become better servants to our community is something that has been embraced and we look forward to leaning into the challenges and being better,” the statement said.

RJ Dawson, who took part in the protests in Los Angeles as part of an activist group, said he had little hope that the report would lead to significant changes.

“I find that these reports tell us what we already know,” he said. “When you’re out here, you see the civil rights violations.”

The review, one of three investigations into the department’s response to the demonstrations, was completed by a panel of former police commanders and led by Gerald Chaleff, who has served on police oversight panels in Los Angeles dating back to the city’s 1992 riots after four officers were acquitted in the beating of Rodney King.

“There was a lack of preparation, a lack of planning,” Chaleff said of the Los Angeles Police Department in an interview, adding that it “could have minimized” the destruction caused by a small group of people who vandalized the city during last year’s protests.

He said that most demonstrators were peaceful, but that “there were some people there to create chaos and cause problems.”

In interviews, several commanders admitted to the authors of the report that they lacked experience in managing peaceful protests and said they did not receive enough training to maintain order.

Training in crowd control, which became mandatory after the police responded violently in 2007 to demonstrations over immigrant rights, had not occurred for several years leading up to 2020, according to the report. There are “still a few high-level personnel” with expertise in handling large demonstrations, but the report said the Police Department should prioritize the training going forward, as officers retire and are assigned elsewhere.

Officers interviewed for the report said they thought that “good relationships” with residents would keep the demonstrations peaceful, as they had in the recent past, but that their confidence resulted in them failing to plan.

The department formed lines of officers standing shoulder to shoulder to block off a street or keep the protesters from going a certain way. But this technique proved ineffective. As violence erupted, the lines did nothing to help control the crowd.

Across the country, reports have consistently shown similar failures.

In New York, more than 2,000 people were arrested during the city’s first week of demonstrations and enforcement during the height of the protests was overly aggressive and disproportionately affected people of color, according to the highly critical report, which was issued by the state’s attorney general, Letitia James. Her office received more than 1,300 complaints of police misconduct stemming from those first weeks of protest in New York City, she said.

In Portland, Oregon, Justice Department lawyers wrote last month that the city’s police department was out of compliance with a 2014 settlement agreement that focused in part on how officers used force. The Justice Department wrote in court that during protests last year, the Portland Police Bureau used force more than 6,000 times in six months, at times deviating from policy.

In Seattle, the city’s Office of Inspector General has been working on a review of last year’s protests, saying there were more than 120 separate protest events and more than 19,000 complaints about how they were handled.

In Chicago, the city’s inspector general report found that the Police Department’s senior leadership had failed the public and rank-and-file officers in its handling of intense protests. As in Los Angeles, the department failed to properly process mass arrests, the report said, overcharging some people and undercharging others. Officers obscured their badge numbers and name plates, and many did not wear body cameras, making it difficult to hold officers accountable for misconduct.

All this happened as the public’s own footage of questionable tactics by Chicago officers circulated widely, the report said. The city and the Police Department, the report said, may have been set “back significantly in their long-running, deeply challenged effort to foster trust with members of the community.”

The Dallas Police Department also came under close scrutiny for how it handled protests. A Dallas Morning News report found that the police had improperly fired pepper balls at protesters. A federal judge had issued a temporary restraining order preventing officers from using chemical agents, flash-bang grenades and other less-lethal weapons against protesters. The police chief at the time ended up resigning, though she said it was for reasons other than the criticism of the protest response.

Chaleff, who once served as the Los Angeles Police Department’s special assistant for constitutional policing under former Chief William J. Bratton, who later led the New York Police Department, noted that Thursday’s report was primarily concerned with the institutional response, not with any particular incident of police misconduct, a sign that the police had “allowed less violence” than in the past.

“I think there’s been progress,” he said. “But you have to be prepared for what’s coming, and you have to have the elected and appointed leadership that understands what is required and creates a culture for the kinds of responses that are necessary.”

The Los Angeles Police Department severely mishandled protests last summer in the wake of George Floyd’s death, illegally detaining protesters, issuing conflicting orders to its rank-and-file officers and striking people who had committed no crimes with rubber bullets, beanbags and batons, according to a scathing report released Thursday.

The Los Angeles Police Department severely mishandled protests last summer in the wake of George Floyd’s death, illegally detaining protesters, issuing conflicting orders to its rank-and-file officers and striking people who had committed no crimes with rubber bullets, beanbags and batons, according to a scathing report released Thursday. An ill-prepared department quickly allowed the situation to spiral out of control when some protesters got violent, failing to rein in much of the most destructive behavior while arresting thousands of protesters for minor offenses, according to the 101-page report commissioned by the City Council. The report was also highly critical of the department’s leadership, saying that high-ranking officers sometimes made chaotic scenes even worse by shifting strategies without communicating clearly. In many cases, officers used “antiquated tactics” that failed to calm the more violent demonstrators, some of whom the report said deliberately threw things at officers from behind a line of peaceful protesters. The review is the latest to find serious fault with a police department’s response to the wave of protests that swept the country in the wake of Floyd’s death in Minneapolis on May 25. From New York to Chicago to Dallas, investigations in the past several months have found that police departments nationwide botched their handling of the protests. In city after city, officers, under faulty supervision, ignored protocols and used excessive force on demonstrators. Mass arrests swept up people who were not breaking any laws. And aggressive responses caused gatherings to quickly descend into chaos. In New York, one highly critical report last year found that the Police Department, the nation’s largest force, badly mishandled the mass demonstrations, in part by sending untrained officers into marches. “The response really was a failure on many levels,” Margaret Garnett, the commissioner for the New York City Department of Investigation, said at the time. In Chicago, an inspector general’s report found that officers had failed to wear body cameras as required and underreported how many times they used their batons to strike protesters. Dallas police officers were found to have fired pepper balls at peaceful marchers. And in Philadelphia, a report commissioned by the mayor condemned an unprepared police response in which officers fueled unrest in some predominantly Black areas with excessive force against demonstrators, while allowing white men armed with bats and pipes to confront protesters in other parts of town. In Los Angeles, undercover officers blended into the protests but then had no way to report criminal behavior directly to supervisors. Sometimes they had to be rescued from the devolving crowd, the report said, adding that the department’s intelligence operations have become less effective as positions in that field were cut in favor of patrol units. And although officers arrested thousands of people during the protests in late May, there was no clear plan for how to detain and process them, according to the report. Some protesters were injured so severely by “less lethal” munitions — like rubber bullets and pepper balls — that they had to have surgery. The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement that its chief, Michel Moore, had “taken responsibility for activities over the summer,” and that the department had provided crowd control training to its officers after the summer unrest. “The opportunity to learn from our mistakes, to grow, and become better servants to our community is something that has been embraced and we look forward to leaning into the challenges and being better,” the statement said. RJ Dawson, who took part in the protests in Los Angeles as part of an activist group, said he had little hope that the report would lead to significant changes. “I find that these reports tell us what we already know,” he said. “When you’re out here, you see the civil rights violations.” The review, one of three investigations into the department’s response to the demonstrations, was completed by a panel of former police commanders and led by Gerald Chaleff, who has served on police oversight panels in Los Angeles dating back to the city’s 1992 riots after four officers were acquitted in the beating of Rodney King. “There was a lack of preparation, a lack of planning,” Chaleff said of the Los Angeles Police Department in an interview, adding that it “could have minimized” the destruction caused by a small group of people who vandalized the city during last year’s protests. He said that most demonstrators were peaceful, but that “there were some people there to create chaos and cause problems.” In interviews, several commanders admitted to the authors of the report that they lacked experience in managing peaceful protests and said they did not receive enough training to maintain order. Training in crowd control, which became mandatory after the police responded violently in 2007 to demonstrations over immigrant rights, had not occurred for several years leading up to 2020, according to the report. There are “still a few high-level personnel” with expertise in handling large demonstrations, but the report said the Police Department should prioritize the training going forward, as officers retire and are assigned elsewhere. Officers interviewed for the report said they thought that “good relationships” with residents would keep the demonstrations peaceful, as they had in the recent past, but that their confidence resulted in them failing to plan. The department formed lines of officers standing shoulder to shoulder to block off a street or keep the protesters from going a certain way. But this technique proved ineffective. As violence erupted, the lines did nothing to help control the crowd. Across the country, reports have consistently shown similar failures. In New York, more than 2,000 people were arrested during the city’s first week of demonstrations and enforcement during the height of the protests was overly aggressive and disproportionately affected people of color, according to the highly critical report, which was issued by the state’s attorney general, Letitia James. Her office received more than 1,300 complaints of police misconduct stemming from those first weeks of protest in New York City, she said. In Portland, Oregon, Justice Department lawyers wrote last month that the city’s police department was out of compliance with a 2014 settlement agreement that focused in part on how officers used force. The Justice Department wrote in court that during protests last year, the Portland Police Bureau used force more than 6,000 times in six months, at times deviating from policy. In Seattle, the city’s Office of Inspector General has been working on a review of last year’s protests, saying there were more than 120 separate protest events and more than 19,000 complaints about how they were handled. In Chicago, the city’s inspector general report found that the Police Department’s senior leadership had failed the public and rank-and-file officers in its handling of intense protests. As in Los Angeles, the department failed to properly process mass arrests, the report said, overcharging some people and undercharging others. Officers obscured their badge numbers and name plates, and many did not wear body cameras, making it difficult to hold officers accountable for misconduct. All this happened as the public’s own footage of questionable tactics by Chicago officers circulated widely, the report said. The city and the Police Department, the report said, may have been set “back significantly in their long-running, deeply challenged effort to foster trust with members of the community.” The Dallas Police Department also came under close scrutiny for how it handled protests. A Dallas Morning News report found that the police had improperly fired pepper balls at protesters. A federal judge had issued a temporary restraining order preventing officers from using chemical agents, flash-bang grenades and other less-lethal weapons against protesters. The police chief at the time ended up resigning, though she said it was for reasons other than the criticism of the protest response. Chaleff, who once served as the Los Angeles Police Department’s special assistant for constitutional policing under former Chief William J. Bratton, who later led the New York Police Department, noted that Thursday’s report was primarily concerned with the institutional response, not with any particular incident of police misconduct, a sign that the police had “allowed less violence” than in the past. “I think there’s been progress,” he said. “But you have to be prepared for what’s coming, and you have to have the elected and appointed leadership that understands what is required and creates a culture for the kinds of responses that are necessary.”

LAPD severely mishandled George Floyd protests, report finds

While the pandemic battered the economy, tech companies and consumer companies powered by digital technology stood out as islands of growth.

But with coronavirus cases and deaths falling, more than 2 million Americans a day getting vaccinations and the overall economic outlook improving, investors are starting to turn elsewhere.

In the past month, the shares of smaller COVID tech darlings have fallen sharply — Zoom off 22% and Peloton 24%. Zoom’s price is down nearly 50% from its all-time high, reached in October. The largest tech companies have dropped less, but even they have not been immune to the changing mood. Apple, for example, has lost 11% in the last month.

The real turning point goes back to Nov. 9, said David Readerman, a hedge fund portfolio manager. That was when Pfizer became the first company to announce a highly effective COVID-19 vaccine. Pfizer’s chief executive, Dr. Albert Bourla, called it “a great day for science and humanity.”

That announcement, Readerman said, “was the start of what we’re seeing now — visibility on reopening and economic recovery.”

Analysts predict U.S. economic growth this year of 5% or more. With restrictions easing and the economy bouncing back, people increasingly have choices. In-person classes, meals, meetings and shopping start to become options. How much that may slow the growth of the digital utilities, from Amazon to Zoom, is uncertain.

Analysts say investor focus has turned a little more toward old-economy sectors like energy, banking, hotels and airlines. Since Nov. 6, the Friday before Pfizer’s vaccine announcement, shares of the major airlines — Delta, United and American — have climbed more than 50%.

The bond market is also weighing on tech stocks. Yields are rising as investors expect that a recovery will bring inflation and higher interest rates. So they are selling bonds and tech stocks and buying shares of the old-line companies likely to benefit most during an economic upswing.

Tech companies may grow more slowly in a post-pandemic economy, but they remain strong.

Overall, the performance of the tech sector is still extraordinary. The shares of Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet (Google’s parent company) and Facebook are up between 50% and more than 90% over the past year. Apple now has a market value of more than $2 trillion.

Despite the recent decline, the same is true for companies whose products and services were suddenly in great demand for video conferencing (like Zoom), home exercising (Peloton) and takeout meal delivery (Grubhub and DoorDash). Zoom shares have tripled in the past year, while Peloton is up fivefold.

The pullback in recent weeks is “not the death of tech at all,” said Jim Paulsen, chief investment strategist at the Leuthold Group, which advises institutional investors. “It’s just that with the economy as a whole set to grow rapidly, other sectors will have greater profit growth relative to tech.”

A central question for the tech companies — and their investment outlook — is how much the coronavirus year has permanently changed work and consumption patterns.

Once pandemic fears are gone, will people largely return to working in offices but have more flexibility, perhaps working from home a day or two a week? Or will there be a more fundamental shift in the geography of employment, with workers in coastal cities like San Francisco and New York dispersing to “Zoom towns” for lower housing costs and less traffic?

Will the online shopping and entertainment habits forged in confinement continue to accelerate the trends toward e-commerce and video streaming?

No one knows for sure, but the view of Bay Area technologists and investors, not surprisingly, leans toward a long-term COVID bump for tech companies.

Rich Wong, a general partner at Accel, a Silicon Valley venture capital firm, sees “a truly credible case” that the growth of “these digital transformations have actually increased by a major step and, with that, the size of the opportunity in technology and venture investing.”

Stock market gyrations can shelve plans by startups to sell shares to the public. But gaming site Roblox, which is popular among children and tweens and has thrived in the stay-at-home economy, made its stock market debut Wednesday. After its first day of trading, Roblox was valued at $45 billion, up from $4 billion just over a year ago.

At the end of last week, Coursera, the digital learning network, filed the documents necessary to go public in the coming weeks. The company and its venture backers are convinced that adult education and skills training will increasingly be online and that investors will agree. In its filing, Coursera reported that its revenue jumped 59% last year, to $294 million.

So far, there is little evidence of a retreat from online life in general.

SimilarWeb, an online data provider, compared traffic at the top 100 websites in the United States during last March and April, when web use spiked at the start of the pandemic, with the first two months of this year. Total traffic was up more than 12% this year. No “peak web” yet.

Readerman, portfolio manager for Endurance Capital Partners, has been a technology company analyst and investor for 30 years. He is mainly a longer-term investor in companies he views as tech innovators with strong managements.

One of his holdings is Nvidia, a semiconductor company whose specialized chips are well suited for artificial intelligence programs. Nvidia shares took a pounding Monday. After the close of the market that day, from his home office in the Bay Area, Readerman said he was buying in the downturn.

“The market is giving us an opportunity to increase our conviction,” he said, chuckling.

Nvidia shares are up about 12% from the Monday close.

While the pandemic battered the economy, tech companies and consumer companies powered by digital technology stood out as islands of growth. But with coronavirus cases and deaths falling, more than 2 million Americans a day getting vaccinations and the overall economic outlook improving, investors are starting to turn elsewhere.

While the pandemic battered the economy, tech companies and consumer companies powered by digital technology stood out as islands of growth. But with coronavirus cases and deaths falling, more than 2 million Americans a day getting vaccinations and the overall economic outlook improving, investors are starting to turn elsewhere. In the past month, the shares of smaller COVID tech darlings have fallen sharply — Zoom off 22% and Peloton 24%. Zoom’s price is down nearly 50% from its all-time high, reached in October. The largest tech companies have dropped less, but even they have not been immune to the changing mood. Apple, for example, has lost 11% in the last month. The real turning point goes back to Nov. 9, said David Readerman, a hedge fund portfolio manager. That was when Pfizer became the first company to announce a highly effective COVID-19 vaccine. Pfizer’s chief executive, Dr. Albert Bourla, called it “a great day for science and humanity.” That announcement, Readerman said, “was the start of what we’re seeing now — visibility on reopening and economic recovery.” Analysts predict U.S. economic growth this year of 5% or more. With restrictions easing and the economy bouncing back, people increasingly have choices. In-person classes, meals, meetings and shopping start to become options. How much that may slow the growth of the digital utilities, from Amazon to Zoom, is uncertain. Analysts say investor focus has turned a little more toward old-economy sectors like energy, banking, hotels and airlines. Since Nov. 6, the Friday before Pfizer’s vaccine announcement, shares of the major airlines — Delta, United and American — have climbed more than 50%. The bond market is also weighing on tech stocks. Yields are rising as investors expect that a recovery will bring inflation and higher interest rates. So they are selling bonds and tech stocks and buying shares of the old-line companies likely to benefit most during an economic upswing. Tech companies may grow more slowly in a post-pandemic economy, but they remain strong. Overall, the performance of the tech sector is still extraordinary. The shares of Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet (Google’s parent company) and Facebook are up between 50% and more than 90% over the past year. Apple now has a market value of more than $2 trillion. Despite the recent decline, the same is true for companies whose products and services were suddenly in great demand for video conferencing (like Zoom), home exercising (Peloton) and takeout meal delivery (Grubhub and DoorDash). Zoom shares have tripled in the past year, while Peloton is up fivefold. The pullback in recent weeks is “not the death of tech at all,” said Jim Paulsen, chief investment strategist at the Leuthold Group, which advises institutional investors. “It’s just that with the economy as a whole set to grow rapidly, other sectors will have greater profit growth relative to tech.” A central question for the tech companies — and their investment outlook — is how much the coronavirus year has permanently changed work and consumption patterns. Once pandemic fears are gone, will people largely return to working in offices but have more flexibility, perhaps working from home a day or two a week? Or will there be a more fundamental shift in the geography of employment, with workers in coastal cities like San Francisco and New York dispersing to “Zoom towns” for lower housing costs and less traffic? Will the online shopping and entertainment habits forged in confinement continue to accelerate the trends toward e-commerce and video streaming? No one knows for sure, but the view of Bay Area technologists and investors, not surprisingly, leans toward a long-term COVID bump for tech companies. Rich Wong, a general partner at Accel, a Silicon Valley venture capital firm, sees “a truly credible case” that the growth of “these digital transformations have actually increased by a major step and, with that, the size of the opportunity in technology and venture investing.” Stock market gyrations can shelve plans by startups to sell shares to the public. But gaming site Roblox, which is popular among children and tweens and has thrived in the stay-at-home economy, made its stock market debut Wednesday. After its first day of trading, Roblox was valued at $45 billion, up from $4 billion just over a year ago. At the end of last week, Coursera, the digital learning network, filed the documents necessary to go public in the coming weeks. The company and its venture backers are convinced that adult education and skills training will increasingly be online and that investors will agree. In its filing, Coursera reported that its revenue jumped 59% last year, to $294 million. So far, there is little evidence of a retreat from online life in general. SimilarWeb, an online data provider, compared traffic at the top 100 websites in the United States during last March and April, when web use spiked at the start of the pandemic, with the first two months of this year. Total traffic was up more than 12% this year. No “peak web” yet. Readerman, portfolio manager for Endurance Capital Partners, has been a technology company analyst and investor for 30 years. He is mainly a longer-term investor in companies he views as tech innovators with strong managements. One of his holdings is Nvidia, a semiconductor company whose specialized chips are well suited for artificial intelligence programs. Nvidia shares took a pounding Monday. After the close of the market that day, from his home office in the Bay Area, Readerman said he was buying in the downturn. “The market is giving us an opportunity to increase our conviction,” he said, chuckling. Nvidia shares are up about 12% from the Monday close.

Companies that rode pandemic boom get a reality check

Bears are nobody's idea of a pet. The ferocious animal is capable of killing a human being with just one slap of his claw. However, even with all its power, it is helpless before humans and their boundless cruelty.

After war-ravaged Kosovo and Serbia in late 1990s, a strange practice took root in Kosovo.

Bears were caught, chained up and crammed in cages near eateries for people's 'entertainment'. People would heckle the caged animal, even force it to drink alcohol.

The bizarre and cruel idea of 'fun' became widespread in Kosovo.

The bears were underfed, they were often abandoned after restaurant managers shut shop and moved business elsewhere. In such cases, the animals were forced to live in the cage for months, covered in its own excrement.&nbsp;

The horrific practice and sheer torture of these animals was noticed by NATO troops in 2011. These troops were stationed in Kosovo.

They alerted their embassy in 2011, who then urged local authorities to stop the practice.

Eventually, it was agreed that Austrian NGO Four Paws would create a refuge on land provided by the municipality of Pristina.

The harder part turned out to be rescuing the bears from their owners.

The tense operations were carried out under the protection of special police forces supported by KFOR soldiers, recalled Dardan Gashi, who was minister of the environment at the time and a key champion of the project.

"Some of the owners were members of the former (pro-independence) guerrillas, they thought they were invulnerable and imagined we wouldn't dare go there," he told AFP.

In one case, an owner "killed three bears before we arrived", Gashi added.

Just a first step

Rescue was just the first step. Some of these bears had become dependent on alcohol. They needed proper care, nutrition so that they could return to their natural diet.

A sanctuary was created in Pristina, Kosovo's capital, for these bears.

Success at last!

The site's core mission has been achieved -- since 2014, there have been no more cases of detained bears in Kosovo, said director Mahmuti, whose next project is to find a home for a lion and wolves that were held illegally.

The sanctuary employs about 30 people and its operating costs, some 400,000 euros ($480,000) annually, are funded in large part by Four Paws.

The year before the pandemic, the site welcomed some 40,000 visitors, mostly families and students.

"It's a success story," said Milot Kurshumlia, a 39-year-old environmental activist who hopes it "won't be the last."

(With AFP inputs)

Bears are nobody's idea of a pet. The ferocious animal is capable of killing a human being with just one slap of his claw. However, even with all its power, it is helpless before humans and their boundless cruelty.

Bears are nobody's idea of a pet. The ferocious animal is capable of killing a human being with just one slap of his claw. However, even with all its power, it is helpless before humans and their boundless cruelty. After war-ravaged Kosovo and Serbia in late 1990s, a strange practice took root in Kosovo. Bears were caught, chained up and crammed in cages near eateries for people's 'entertainment'. People would heckle the caged animal, even force it to drink alcohol. The bizarre and cruel idea of 'fun' became widespread in Kosovo. The bears were underfed, they were often abandoned after restaurant managers shut shop and moved business elsewhere. In such cases, the animals were forced to live in the cage for months, covered in its own excrement. The horrific practice and sheer torture of these animals was noticed by NATO troops in 2011. These troops were stationed in Kosovo. They alerted their embassy in 2011, who then urged local authorities to stop the practice. Eventually, it was agreed that Austrian NGO Four Paws would create a refuge on land provided by the municipality of Pristina. The harder part turned out to be rescuing the bears from their owners. The tense operations were carried out under the protection of special police forces supported by KFOR soldiers, recalled Dardan Gashi, who was minister of the environment at the time and a key champion of the project. "Some of the owners were members of the former (pro-independence) guerrillas, they thought they were invulnerable and imagined we wouldn't dare go there," he told AFP. In one case, an owner "killed three bears before we arrived", Gashi added. Just a first step Rescue was just the first step. Some of these bears had become dependent on alcohol. They needed proper care, nutrition so that they could return to their natural diet. A sanctuary was created in Pristina, Kosovo's capital, for these bears. Success at last! The site's core mission has been achieved -- since 2014, there have been no more cases of detained bears in Kosovo, said director Mahmuti, whose next project is to find a home for a lion and wolves that were held illegally. The sanctuary employs about 30 people and its operating costs, some 400,000 euros ($480,000) annually, are funded in large part by Four Paws. The year before the pandemic, the site welcomed some 40,000 visitors, mostly families and students. "It's a success story," said Milot Kurshumlia, a 39-year-old environmental activist who hopes it "won't be the last." (With AFP inputs)

How Kosovo's 'restaurant bears' were rescued

A nationwide lockdown will be imposed in Italy over Easter weekend for the second year running, said Reuters citing draft decree law. As per the draft decree law, non-essential shops will be shuttered across the nation from April 3-5. Citizens will only be allowed to leave their homes for work, health or emergency reasons.

However, a number of regions including wealthy Lombardy, which is centred on Italy's financial capital Milan, look certain to be placed under full lockdown from Monday because of the recent jump in infections and hospitalisations.

"I hope that this will be the last sacrifice asked of our citizens," said Lombardy President Attilio Fontana.

Italy has seen rise in infections by 10 per cent this week compared with the week before. The officials have warned that situation is deteriorating. Italy was the first western country that was hit hard at the start of the pandemic.

It was not immediately clear how the decree would affect churchgoers in the Catholic country. However, it was expected to be similar to provisions last Christmas when people were allowed to go to churches in their neighbourhoods.

A Vatican source said Pope Francis' Easter Eve Mass likely would be held a few hours earlier so that faithful could get home in time for Italy's 10 p.m. curfew and that the pontiff's Holy Week activities before Easter would be held in the Vatican with a limited number of participants.

Unlike last year, the new decree, which was expected to be approved by Prime Minister Mario Draghi's cabinet later on Friday, allows for limited visits to friends and relatives over the Easter holiday - for example to see elderly parents.

But the decree also imposes tougher curbs for the country's low-risk "yellow" regions as of Monday, severely limiting movement between towns and closing restaurants and bars.

Italy has reported more than 100,000 deaths from the disease since discovering its first cases 13 months ago, the seventh-highest toll worldwide.

(With Reuters inputs)

A nationwide lockdown will be imposed in Italy over Easter weekend for the second year running, said Reuters citing draft decree law. As per the draft decree law, non-essential shops will be shuttered across the nation from April 3-5.

A nationwide lockdown will be imposed in Italy over Easter weekend for the second year running, said Reuters citing draft decree law. As per the draft decree law, non-essential shops will be shuttered across the nation from April 3-5. Citizens will only be allowed to leave their homes for work, health or emergency reasons. However, a number of regions including wealthy Lombardy, which is centred on Italy's financial capital Milan, look certain to be placed under full lockdown from Monday because of the recent jump in infections and hospitalisations. "I hope that this will be the last sacrifice asked of our citizens," said Lombardy President Attilio Fontana. Italy has seen rise in infections by 10 per cent this week compared with the week before. The officials have warned that situation is deteriorating. Italy was the first western country that was hit hard at the start of the pandemic. It was not immediately clear how the decree would affect churchgoers in the Catholic country. However, it was expected to be similar to provisions last Christmas when people were allowed to go to churches in their neighbourhoods. A Vatican source said Pope Francis' Easter Eve Mass likely would be held a few hours earlier so that faithful could get home in time for Italy's 10 p.m. curfew and that the pontiff's Holy Week activities before Easter would be held in the Vatican with a limited number of participants. Unlike last year, the new decree, which was expected to be approved by Prime Minister Mario Draghi's cabinet later on Friday, allows for limited visits to friends and relatives over the Easter holiday - for example to see elderly parents. But the decree also imposes tougher curbs for the country's low-risk "yellow" regions as of Monday, severely limiting movement between towns and closing restaurants and bars. Italy has reported more than 100,000 deaths from the disease since discovering its first cases 13 months ago, the seventh-highest toll worldwide. (With Reuters inputs)

Italy to impose nationwide COVID lockdown over Easter weekend: Report

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Manas Joshi

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