Despite Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani's calls for Afghan peace talks to be moved home, the next roundof negotiations are set to take place in Qatar, said AFP quoting a top official on Sunday. The talks are likely to begin next month. The peace talks began at a luxury hotel in Doha on September 12 but negotiations are currently on a break until January 5.

"The second round of talks will begin on January 5 in Doha," said Faraidoon Khwazoon, spokesman for Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation, which is leading the overall peace process in the country.

"The leadership committee of the council ... decided to hold the talks in Doha," he tweeted, adding that many of the countries that had earlier volunteered to host the talks withdrew their offers because of Covid-19.

The Afghan presidency tweeted in a separate statement that Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah who heads the council, held a meeting on Sunday.

The statement said that both of them discussed the next venue of talks.

Negotiators from both sides decided to take a break in early December after months of discussions that were bogged down by disputes on the basic framework of discussions and religious interpretations.

"It is not appropriate to insist on holding talks in luxurious hotels. It is necessary that the people see how the talks happen, which issues are focused on and why," Ghani said soon after the break in talks was announced.

The Taliban did not comment on Ghani's call, but they have in the past always refused to hold the negotiations in Afghanistan.

The insurgent group has a political office in Doha and its negotiating team resides there.

The talks follow a landmark troop withdrawal deal signed in February by the Taliban and Washington, which will see all foreign soldiers leave the violence-wracked country by May next year.

(With AFP inputs)

Despite Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani's calls for Afghan peace talks to be moved home, the next roundof negotiations are set to take place in Qatar, said AFP quoting a top official on Sunday.

Despite Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani's calls for Afghan peace talks to be moved home, the next roundof negotiations are set to take place in Qatar, said AFP quoting a top official on Sunday. The talks are likely to begin next month. The peace talks began at a luxury hotel in Doha on September 12 but negotiations are currently on a break until January 5. "The second round of talks will begin on January 5 in Doha," said Faraidoon Khwazoon, spokesman for Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation, which is leading the overall peace process in the country. "The leadership committee of the council ... decided to hold the talks in Doha," he tweeted, adding that many of the countries that had earlier volunteered to host the talks withdrew their offers because of Covid-19. The Afghan presidency tweeted in a separate statement that Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah who heads the council, held a meeting on Sunday. The statement said that both of them discussed the next venue of talks. Negotiators from both sides decided to take a break in early December after months of discussions that were bogged down by disputes on the basic framework of discussions and religious interpretations. "It is not appropriate to insist on holding talks in luxurious hotels. It is necessary that the people see how the talks happen, which issues are focused on and why," Ghani said soon after the break in talks was announced. The Taliban did not comment on Ghani's call, but they have in the past always refused to hold the negotiations in Afghanistan. The insurgent group has a political office in Doha and its negotiating team resides there. The talks follow a landmark troop withdrawal deal signed in February by the Taliban and Washington, which will see all foreign soldiers leave the violence-wracked country by May next year. (With AFP inputs)

Afghan peace talks to take place in Doha next month

Turkish parliament on Sunday approved a law that will allow Turkish interior ministers to replace members of organisations being investigated for terrorism charges. The law also empowers the ministry to seek halt to the group's activities via court appeal. The bill has been drafted by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party which holds parliamentary majority with allies.

The law is being criticied for the possibility that it will be used against opponent organisations. Earlier this week, &nbsp;seven civil society organisations, including Human Rights Association and Amnesty said that terrorism charges in Turkey were arbitrary, adding the law violates the presumption of innocence and punishes those whose trials are not finalised.

Investigations based on terrorism charges have been launched against hundreds of thousands of people under a crackdown following a failed coup in 2016. Members of Amnesty and other civil society groups have been investigated and tried, while hundreds of foundations were also shut down with decrees.

Critics say Erdogan’s government has used the coup attempt as a pretext to quash dissent. The government says the measures are necessary given the security threats facing Turkey.

(With Reuters inputs)

Turkish parliament on Sunday approved a law that will allow Turkish interior ministers to replace members of organisations being investigated for terrorism charges.

Turkish parliament on Sunday approved a law that will allow Turkish interior ministers to replace members of organisations being investigated for terrorism charges. The law also empowers the ministry to seek halt to the group's activities via court appeal. The bill has been drafted by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party which holds parliamentary majority with allies. The law is being criticied for the possibility that it will be used against opponent organisations. Earlier this week, seven civil society organisations, including Human Rights Association and Amnesty said that terrorism charges in Turkey were arbitrary, adding the law violates the presumption of innocence and punishes those whose trials are not finalised. Investigations based on terrorism charges have been launched against hundreds of thousands of people under a crackdown following a failed coup in 2016. Members of Amnesty and other civil society groups have been investigated and tried, while hundreds of foundations were also shut down with decrees. Critics say Erdogan’s government has used the coup attempt as a pretext to quash dissent. The government says the measures are necessary given the security threats facing Turkey. (With Reuters inputs)

Turkish parliament passes law that critics say will stifle NGOs

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, reported Saudi state media. Saudi Arabia's Health Minister Dr Tawfiq al-Rabiah extended gratitude to the Crown Prince for "keenness and continuous follow-up" to provide vaccines to citizens.

"Within the framework of Vision 2030, there is a policy of prevention is better than cure, which was represented by intensifying preventive measures, emphasising that human health is first, and providing safe and internationally approved vaccine in record time and providing it to citizens and residents. The Kingdom is one of the best countries in the world in facing the coronavirus pandemic," Al Arabiya news channel quoted al-Rabiah as saying.

Saudi Arabia received shipments of Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine earlier this month.

According to the Health Ministry of the kingdom, there are 3,61,903 COVID-19 cases in the country while 352,815 cases have recovered from the illness. So far, 6,168 have died due to the COVID-19 related complications.

The Saudi crown prince is among the few world leaders to have received the vaccine.

Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was vaccinated on live television. Earlier this week, US President-elect Joe Biden had received the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

"Today, I received the COVID-19 vaccine. To the scientists and researchers who worked tirelessly to make this possible -- thank you. We owe you an awful lot," Biden had said in a tweet.

(With agency inputs)

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, reported Saudi state media. Saudi Arabia's Health Minister Dr Tawfiq al-Rabiah extended gratitude to the Crown Prince for "keenness and continuous follow-up" to provide vaccines to citizens.

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, reported Saudi state media. Saudi Arabia's Health Minister Dr Tawfiq al-Rabiah extended gratitude to the Crown Prince for "keenness and continuous follow-up" to provide vaccines to citizens. "Within the framework of Vision 2030, there is a policy of prevention is better than cure, which was represented by intensifying preventive measures, emphasising that human health is first, and providing safe and internationally approved vaccine in record time and providing it to citizens and residents. The Kingdom is one of the best countries in the world in facing the coronavirus pandemic," Al Arabiya news channel quoted al-Rabiah as saying. Saudi Arabia received shipments of Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine earlier this month. According to the Health Ministry of the kingdom, there are 3,61,903 COVID-19 cases in the country while 352,815 cases have recovered from the illness. So far, 6,168 have died due to the COVID-19 related complications. The Saudi crown prince is among the few world leaders to have received the vaccine. Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was vaccinated on live television. Earlier this week, US President-elect Joe Biden had received the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine. "Today, I received the COVID-19 vaccine. To the scientists and researchers who worked tirelessly to make this possible -- thank you. We owe you an awful lot," Biden had said in a tweet. (With agency inputs)

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman gets coronavirus vaccine

State of emergency declared in Tunisia five years ago has been extended by additional six months. The official statement from Tunisian President Kais Saied made the announcement.

"President Saied decided to extend the state of emergency in the entire territory of the republic for a period of six months, starting from December 26, 2020 until June 23, 2021," an official statement quoted the Tunisian leader as saying on Friday.

The state of emergency was first declared on November 24, 2015, following a deadly bomb attack on a bus of the presidential guards, killing 12 people.

Emergency gives exceptional powers to Tunisia's security forces.

It also allows to "ensure the control of the press" and for strikes and meetings that "create disorder" to be banned.

Few months before emergence was declared in Tunisia in 2015, the country witnessed the deadliest non-state attack in the country`s history when 38 people were killed. A gunman opened fire at tourist resort in Port El Kantaoui.

In March that year, 22 people, mostly tourists, were killed when three terrorists attacked the Bardo National Museum in the Tunisian capital city of Tunis.

All three attacks were claimed by the Islamic State (IS) terror group.

(With agency inputs)

State of emergency declared in Tunisia five years ago has been extended by additional six months. The official statement from Tunisian President Kais Saied made the announcement.

State of emergency declared in Tunisia five years ago has been extended by additional six months. The official statement from Tunisian President Kais Saied made the announcement. "President Saied decided to extend the state of emergency in the entire territory of the republic for a period of six months, starting from December 26, 2020 until June 23, 2021," an official statement quoted the Tunisian leader as saying on Friday. The state of emergency was first declared on November 24, 2015, following a deadly bomb attack on a bus of the presidential guards, killing 12 people. Emergency gives exceptional powers to Tunisia's security forces. It also allows to "ensure the control of the press" and for strikes and meetings that "create disorder" to be banned. Few months before emergence was declared in Tunisia in 2015, the country witnessed the deadliest non-state attack in the country`s history when 38 people were killed. A gunman opened fire at tourist resort in Port El Kantaoui. In March that year, 22 people, mostly tourists, were killed when three terrorists attacked the Bardo National Museum in the Tunisian capital city of Tunis. All three attacks were claimed by the Islamic State (IS) terror group. (With agency inputs)

Tunisia extends emergency by six months

Today in history: Last German warship destroyed, Coffee percolator patent, and more

Japan's deputy defence minister said in an interview that Taiwan's safety was a 'red line' and urged US President-elect Joe Biden to "be strong" in supporting it.

Deputy defence minister Yasuhide Nakayama urged Biden to take a position similar to current president Donald Trump who has significantly boosted military sales to Taiwan. China claims Taiwan as its own and considers it a province.

Japan's engagement with Taiwan has also flourished in recent years on a largely non-governmental basis. Tokyo maintains a "one China" policy, delicately balancing its relationships with neighbouring giant China and its longtime military ally in Washington.

Japan shares strategic interests with Taiwan, which sits in sea lanes through which much of Japan's energy supplies and trade flow.

"So far, I haven't yet seen a clear policy or an announcement on Taiwan from Joe Biden. I would like to hear it quickly, then we can also prepare our response on Taiwan in accordance," Nakayama said.

During the presidential campaign, Biden called for strengthening ties with Taiwan and other "like-minded democracies."

Decades ago as senator, Biden questioned whether the United States had an "obligation" to defend Taiwan. But many in his foreign policy circles acknowledge that U.S. imperatives have changed as a rising, authoritarian China has become more assertive and sought to shape global institutions.

An official in Biden's transition team said the president-elect believes U.S. support for Taiwan "must remain strong, principled, and bipartisan."

Beijing has been angered by increased U.S. support for Taiwan, including arms sales and visits to Taipei by senior U.S. officials, further straining already poor Sino-U.S. ties. China considers democratically run Taiwan one of its provinces and has never renounced the use of force to bring it under Beijing's control.

(With Reuters inputs)

Japan's deputy defence minister said in an interview that Taiwan's safety was a 'red line' and urged US President-elect Joe Biden to "be strong" in supporting it.

Japan's deputy defence minister said in an interview that Taiwan's safety was a 'red line' and urged US President-elect Joe Biden to "be strong" in supporting it. Deputy defence minister Yasuhide Nakayama urged Biden to take a position similar to current president Donald Trump who has significantly boosted military sales to Taiwan. China claims Taiwan as its own and considers it a province. Japan's engagement with Taiwan has also flourished in recent years on a largely non-governmental basis. Tokyo maintains a "one China" policy, delicately balancing its relationships with neighbouring giant China and its longtime military ally in Washington. Japan shares strategic interests with Taiwan, which sits in sea lanes through which much of Japan's energy supplies and trade flow. "So far, I haven't yet seen a clear policy or an announcement on Taiwan from Joe Biden. I would like to hear it quickly, then we can also prepare our response on Taiwan in accordance," Nakayama said. During the presidential campaign, Biden called for strengthening ties with Taiwan and other "like-minded democracies." Decades ago as senator, Biden questioned whether the United States had an "obligation" to defend Taiwan. But many in his foreign policy circles acknowledge that U.S. imperatives have changed as a rising, authoritarian China has become more assertive and sought to shape global institutions. An official in Biden's transition team said the president-elect believes U.S. support for Taiwan "must remain strong, principled, and bipartisan." Beijing has been angered by increased U.S. support for Taiwan, including arms sales and visits to Taipei by senior U.S. officials, further straining already poor Sino-U.S. ties. China considers democratically run Taiwan one of its provinces and has never renounced the use of force to bring it under Beijing's control. (With Reuters inputs)

Support to Taiwan a 'red line', Biden must remain strong: Japanese minister

France&nbsp;has confirmed first case of new coronavirus variant on its soil. The variant, which recently emerged in Britain is considered by experts to be more contagious. The virus has been found in a French citizen living in Britain who arrived from London on December 19. The citizen is asymptomatic and is self-isolating at home in Tours in central France.

Health authorities have carried out contact-tracing for the health professionals taking care of the patient, the ministry said in a statement.

Any of their contacts that were seen as vulnerable would similarly be isolated, it said.&nbsp;

In addition to this first case, several other positive samples that "may suggest the VOC 202012/01 variant are being sequenced" by the specialist laboratories of the national Pasteur Institute, the statement added.

Fears arising from the new variant of the virus have prompted more than 50 countries to impose travel restrictions on UK.

Borders closed&nbsp;

On Monday, France's health minister Olivier Veran had admitted that it was possible the newly discovered strain was already in the country.&nbsp;

Italian authorities have detected the new strain in a patient in Rome, while the World Health Organization reported that nine cases have been detected in Denmark and one each in the Netherlands and Australia.

Following the snap 48-hour ban this week, France had reopened its borders to the UK -- partly to allow French citizens to return home, as well as to relieve the massive build-up of freight goods -- but had instituted a testing policy.

(With AFP inputs)

France has confirmed first case of new coronavirus variant on its soil. The variant, which recently emerged in Britain is considered by experts to be more contagious.

France has confirmed first case of new coronavirus variant on its soil. The variant, which recently emerged in Britain is considered by experts to be more contagious. The virus has been found in a French citizen living in Britain who arrived from London on December 19. The citizen is asymptomatic and is self-isolating at home in Tours in central France. Health authorities have carried out contact-tracing for the health professionals taking care of the patient, the ministry said in a statement. Any of their contacts that were seen as vulnerable would similarly be isolated, it said. In addition to this first case, several other positive samples that "may suggest the VOC 202012/01 variant are being sequenced" by the specialist laboratories of the national Pasteur Institute, the statement added. Fears arising from the new variant of the virus have prompted more than 50 countries to impose travel restrictions on UK. Borders closed On Monday, France's health minister Olivier Veran had admitted that it was possible the newly discovered strain was already in the country. Italian authorities have detected the new strain in a patient in Rome, while the World Health Organization reported that nine cases have been detected in Denmark and one each in the Netherlands and Australia. Following the snap 48-hour ban this week, France had reopened its borders to the UK -- partly to allow French citizens to return home, as well as to relieve the massive build-up of freight goods -- but had instituted a testing policy. (With AFP inputs)

New coronavirus: France confirms first case on its soil

If first half (and probably whatever the hell was left afterward) of year 2020 will be remembered for how coronavirus gripped the world, the list of bizarre things to appear in the latter part will surely have monoliths in them. From claims of local pranks to those of a start to an alien invasion did rounds as these monoliths appeared in various corners of the world.

Although who or what was behind latest monolith is still to be determined, it would be safe to say that aliens surely didn't plant this one. The latest one is made of Gingerbread.&nbsp;

The Gingerbread monolith has been found in Corona Heights Park in San Francisco. The monolith is seven-feet tall. The appearance of this monolith has certainly become talk of the town and people are flocking there to take pictures and videos.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
There was also a rainbow 🌈 <a href="https://t.co/i7GHHGGhQM">pic.twitter.com/i7GHHGGhQM</a>
— Anand Sharma (@aprilzero) <a href="https://twitter.com/aprilzero/status/1342524051739164672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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In some of past instances, the monoliths were removed by local authorities after they were found. The director of Corona Heights Park however said that they will leave the monolith "up until the cookie crumbles"&nbsp;

Monoliths have been much of a rage on social media lately. It was found in the US, Romania, UK and other places. It's appearance in Romania spurred talk of Dracula being still alive. While others were more ascribed to aliens coming to take over the Earth and what's left of our battered sanity post coronavirus pandemic and unending spells of necessary, but painful lockdowns.

Aliens don't celebrate Christmas right? or do they?

If first half (and probably whatever the hell was left afterward) of year 2020 will be remembered for how coronavirus gripped the world, the list of bizarre things to appear in the latter part will surely have monoliths in them.

If first half (and probably whatever the hell was left afterward) of year 2020 will be remembered for how coronavirus gripped the world, the list of bizarre things to appear in the latter part will surely have monoliths in them. From claims of local pranks to those of a start to an alien invasion did rounds as these monoliths appeared in various corners of the world. Although who or what was behind latest monolith is still to be determined, it would be safe to say that aliens surely didn't plant this one. The latest one is made of Gingerbread. The Gingerbread monolith has been found in Corona Heights Park in San Francisco. The monolith is seven-feet tall. The appearance of this monolith has certainly become talk of the town and people are flocking there to take pictures and videos. There was also a rainbow 🌈 pic.twitter.com/i7GHHGGhQM — Anand Sharma (@aprilzero) December 25, 2020 × In some of past instances, the monoliths were removed by local authorities after they were found. The director of Corona Heights Park however said that they will leave the monolith "up until the cookie crumbles" Monoliths have been much of a rage on social media lately. It was found in the US, Romania, UK and other places. It's appearance in Romania spurred talk of Dracula being still alive. While others were more ascribed to aliens coming to take over the Earth and what's left of our battered sanity post coronavirus pandemic and unending spells of necessary, but painful lockdowns. Aliens don't celebrate Christmas right? or do they?

Monolith Christmas edition? Because this one is made of Gingerbread

There have been many claims in India of 'cures' of coronavirus but President of Turkmenistan has, once again, joined list of international leaders who prescribed bizarre medicine for coronavirus pandemic. However, he is well-known for his surprising botanical claims. President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov has now said that Licorice can cure COVID-19 infection. The country is still claiming that there hasn't been a single case of infection there.

"Scientists from every country are looking for effective cures, running various studies, and one of them could be licorice root," the leader of the authoritarian ex-Soviet country told ministers.

Without citing any scientific evidence, former dentist Berdymukhamedov claimed that "licorice stops the coronavirus from developing" and "even a weak concentration of a water-based extract has a neutralising effect."

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/monolith-christmas-edition-because-this-one-is-made-of-gingerbread-352528">Monolith Christmas edition? Because this one is made of Gingerbread</a>

Turkmenistan has "sufficient reserves" of licorice, he added, ordering the national academy of sciences to study the plant's supposed health effects.

Berdymukhamedov had already in March recommended that people "systematically" burn wild rue, a strong-smelling plant believed to have medicinal properties, to combat the coronavirus, sending prices skyrocketing.

The leader has a long history of moves aimed at boosting his country's fauna and flora.

While global health authorities have long recommended wearing masks, social distancing and regular hand-washing to slow the spread of the virus, it took a July visit from a World Health Organization delegation for Turkmenistan to adopt the measures.

There have been many claims in India of 'cures' of coronavirus but President of Turkmenistan has, once again, joined list of international leaders who prescribed bizarre medicine for coronavirus pandemic.

There have been many claims in India of 'cures' of coronavirus but President of Turkmenistan has, once again, joined list of international leaders who prescribed bizarre medicine for coronavirus pandemic. However, he is well-known for his surprising botanical claims. President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov has now said that Licorice can cure COVID-19 infection. The country is still claiming that there hasn't been a single case of infection there. "Scientists from every country are looking for effective cures, running various studies, and one of them could be licorice root," the leader of the authoritarian ex-Soviet country told ministers. Without citing any scientific evidence, former dentist Berdymukhamedov claimed that "licorice stops the coronavirus from developing" and "even a weak concentration of a water-based extract has a neutralising effect." Also Read | Monolith Christmas edition? Because this one is made of Gingerbread Turkmenistan has "sufficient reserves" of licorice, he added, ordering the national academy of sciences to study the plant's supposed health effects. Berdymukhamedov had already in March recommended that people "systematically" burn wild rue, a strong-smelling plant believed to have medicinal properties, to combat the coronavirus, sending prices skyrocketing. The leader has a long history of moves aimed at boosting his country's fauna and flora. While global health authorities have long recommended wearing masks, social distancing and regular hand-washing to slow the spread of the virus, it took a July visit from a World Health Organization delegation for Turkmenistan to adopt the measures.

Turkmenistan president claims Licorice can cure coronavirus

Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and former Bihar health minister Tej Pratap Yadav on Saturday predicted that the Janata Dal (United) will soon disintegrate in the state.

The soon of RJD chief Lalu Prasad said on Saturday: "The decline of JD (U) is now certain. It has begun in Arunachal Pradesh and soon it will disintegrate in Bihar as well. It is breaking into smaller units and its future in Bihar doesn`t look bright either."

It may be recalled that in a big setback to the JD(U), six out of its seven MLAS in Arunachal Pradesh joined the ruling BJP.

Following this, the opposition has been targeting the party since the JD(U) is an ally of the BJP in Bihar. Even leader of opposition Tejashwi Yadav has raised concerns over the possibility of the JD U)`s falling apart.

Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and former Bihar health minister Tej Pratap Yadav on Saturday predicted that the Janata Dal (United) will soon disintegrate in the state.

Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and former Bihar health minister Tej Pratap Yadav on Saturday predicted that the Janata Dal (United) will soon disintegrate in the state. The soon of RJD chief Lalu Prasad said on Saturday: "The decline of JD (U) is now certain. It has begun in Arunachal Pradesh and soon it will disintegrate in Bihar as well. It is breaking into smaller units and its future in Bihar doesn`t look bright either." It may be recalled that in a big setback to the JD(U), six out of its seven MLAS in Arunachal Pradesh joined the ruling BJP. Following this, the opposition has been targeting the party since the JD(U) is an ally of the BJP in Bihar. Even leader of opposition Tejashwi Yadav has raised concerns over the possibility of the JD U)`s falling apart.

After Arunachal, JD(U) will break in Bihar as well: Tej Pratap Yadav

In one video, during the lockdown in Wuhan, China, she filmed a hospital hallway lined with rolling beds, the patients hooked up to blue oxygen tanks. In another, she panned over a community health center, noting that a man said he was charged for a coronavirus test, even though residents believed the tests would be free.

At the time, Zhang Zhan, a 37-year-old former lawyer turned citizen journalist, embodied the Chinese people’s hunger for unfiltered information about the epidemic. Now, she has become a symbol of the government’s efforts to deny its early failings in the crisis and promote a victorious narrative instead.

Zhang abruptly stopped posting in May, after several months of dispatches. Police later revealed that she had been arrested, accused of spreading lies. On Monday, she will go to court, in the first known trial of a chronicler of China’s coronavirus crisis.

Zhang has continued to challenge the authorities from jail. Soon after her arrest, Zhang began a hunger strike, according to her lawyers. She has become gaunt and drained but has refused to eat, the lawyers said, maintaining that her strike is her form of protest against her unjust detention.

“She said she refuses to participate in the trial. She says it’s an insult,” Ren Quanniu, one of the lawyers, said after visiting Zhang in mid-December in Shanghai, where she is being held.

Zhang’s prosecution is part of the Chinese Communist Party’s continuing campaign to recast China’s handling of the outbreak as a succession of wise, triumphant moves by the government. Critics who have pointed to officials’ early missteps have been arrested, censored or threatened by police; three other citizen journalists disappeared from Wuhan before Zhang did, although none of the rest has been publicly charged.

Prosecutors accused Zhang of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” — a frequent charge for government critics — and recommended between four and five years in prison.

“She was shocked,” Ren said. “She didn’t think it would be that heavy.”

Zhang was among of a wave of journalists, professionals and amateurs who flocked to Wuhan after the lockdown was imposed in late January. Authorities were preoccupied with trying to manage the chaos of the outbreak, and for a brief period, China’s strict censorship regime loosened. Reporters seized that window to share residents’ raw accounts of terror and fury.

In her first weeks, Zhang visited a crematory, a crowded hospital hallway and the city’s deserted train station. On March 7, when Wuhan’s top Communist Party official said residents should undergo “gratitude education” to thank the government for its anti-epidemic efforts, Zhang walked through the streets, asking passersby if they felt grateful.

“Is gratitude something you can teach? If you can, it must be a fake gratitude,” she said into the camera afterward. “We’re adults. We don’t need to be taught.”

Zhang’s videos were often shaky and unedited, sometimes lasting just a few seconds. They frequently showed the challenges of independent reporting in China under the party’s tightening grip. Many residents ignored Zhang or told her to leave. If they did talk, they asked her to point the camera at their feet.

While she posted some videos and essays to WeChat, a popular messaging service in China, she often encountered censorship, she said. She largely relied on YouTube and Twitter, which are blocked in China but can be accessed through virtual private networks.

Zhang had never been a citizen journalist before traveling to Wuhan from Shanghai, where she lived, said Li Dawei, a friend who exchanged messages with her often while she was reporting. But she was stubborn and idealistic, he said, to a point that was sometimes difficult to understand.

Zhang appeared to know the risks of her actions. In one of her first videos, on Feb. 7, she mentioned that another citizen journalist, Chen Qiushi, had just disappeared, and another, Fang Bin, was under surveillance. Whistleblower doctors had been silenced, she added.

“But as someone who cares about the truth in this country, we have to say that if we just wallow in our sadness and don’t do something to change this reality, then our emotions are cheap,” Zhang said.

Not long afterward, Fang disappeared. So did Li Zehua, another citizen journalist who had traveled to Wuhan. China’s leader, Xi Jinping, had recently ordered officials to “strengthen the guidance of public opinion,” and hundreds of journalists from state media were deployed to the city.

The crackdown also extended to people who had tried to document the crisis in less direct ways. In April, three volunteers who had created an online archive of censored news articles about the epidemic went missing; two were later charged with picking quarrels and provoking trouble, although their trials have not begun, according to family members.

Despite the scrutiny, Zhang continued moving around Wuhan for several weeks, potentially in part because she had not attracted a large following. Some of her videos were viewed only a few hundred times on YouTube.

Her friend, Li, warned that the authorities would lose patience eventually, especially as Zhang grew increasingly bold. At one point, she went to police stations to inquire after the missing citizen journalists.

“She believed me, but she still just wouldn’t stop,” Li recalled. “She said, ‘I haven’t finished my work in Wuhan.’”

In mid-May, Zhang suddenly stopped responding, Li said. He later learned that she had been arrested and brought to Shanghai. The indictment, reviewed by The New York Times, accused Zhang of “making up lies and spreading false information.” It also noted that she had given interviews to “foreign media” such as Radio Free Asia and The Epoch Times.

Zhang began refusing food not long after her arrest, according to her lawyers. When one of them, Zhang Ke Ke, visited her in jail this month, he saw that her hands had been tied with restraints, according to a post on his WeChat account. Zhang Zhan explained that the guards periodically inserted a feeding tube and had bound her hands so she could not pull it out, Zhang Ke Ke wrote. (The two Zhangs are not related.)

Zhang Zhan said she felt dizzy and had stomachaches, Zhang Ke Ke continued. A Christian, she wished she had a Bible and quoted to him from I Corinthians: “God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able.”

Both Zhang Ke Ke and Ren, who visited separately later, pleaded with Zhang Zhan to eat. But she refused, Ren said.

“She’s much paler than in her videos and photos — deathly pale,” Ren said, adding that Zhang Zhan appeared to have aged several decades. “It’s really hard to believe that she’s the same person as you saw online.”

China’s court system is notoriously opaque, with sensitive cases often heard behind closed doors. In 2019, the conviction rate for Chinese courts was 99.9%, according to government statistics. Zhang’s lawyers recently petitioned for Zhang’s trial to be livestreamed, to ensure transparency, but they have not heard back, Ren said.

Of the other citizen journalists who disappeared, just one, Li, has publicly emerged. In a YouTube video in April, he said he had been forcibly quarantined but not charged. Another, Chen, is reportedly with family but has not spoken publicly; friends say he is under surveillance. There has been no news of Fang.

In her second-to-last video before her own arrest, Zhang walked down a street in a neighborhood where cases had recently been reported. As she filmed the shuttered shops, a man in a neon vest emblazoned with the words “on duty” confronted her, asking her where she lived and whether she was a journalist. When Zhang rebuffed him, he yelled, “If you post this online, you’ll have to take responsibility.”

“I take responsibility for all my actions,” Zhang yelled back. “You have to take responsibility for your actions as law enforcement, too.”

In one video, during the lockdown in Wuhan, China, she filmed a hospital hallway lined with rolling beds, the patients hooked up to blue oxygen tanks. In another, she panned over a community health center, noting that a man said he was charged for a coronavirus test, even though residents believed the tests would be free.

In one video, during the lockdown in Wuhan, China, she filmed a hospital hallway lined with rolling beds, the patients hooked up to blue oxygen tanks. In another, she panned over a community health center, noting that a man said he was charged for a coronavirus test, even though residents believed the tests would be free. At the time, Zhang Zhan, a 37-year-old former lawyer turned citizen journalist, embodied the Chinese people’s hunger for unfiltered information about the epidemic. Now, she has become a symbol of the government’s efforts to deny its early failings in the crisis and promote a victorious narrative instead. Zhang abruptly stopped posting in May, after several months of dispatches. Police later revealed that she had been arrested, accused of spreading lies. On Monday, she will go to court, in the first known trial of a chronicler of China’s coronavirus crisis. Zhang has continued to challenge the authorities from jail. Soon after her arrest, Zhang began a hunger strike, according to her lawyers. She has become gaunt and drained but has refused to eat, the lawyers said, maintaining that her strike is her form of protest against her unjust detention. “She said she refuses to participate in the trial. She says it’s an insult,” Ren Quanniu, one of the lawyers, said after visiting Zhang in mid-December in Shanghai, where she is being held. Zhang’s prosecution is part of the Chinese Communist Party’s continuing campaign to recast China’s handling of the outbreak as a succession of wise, triumphant moves by the government. Critics who have pointed to officials’ early missteps have been arrested, censored or threatened by police; three other citizen journalists disappeared from Wuhan before Zhang did, although none of the rest has been publicly charged. Prosecutors accused Zhang of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” — a frequent charge for government critics — and recommended between four and five years in prison. “She was shocked,” Ren said. “She didn’t think it would be that heavy.” Zhang was among of a wave of journalists, professionals and amateurs who flocked to Wuhan after the lockdown was imposed in late January. Authorities were preoccupied with trying to manage the chaos of the outbreak, and for a brief period, China’s strict censorship regime loosened. Reporters seized that window to share residents’ raw accounts of terror and fury. In her first weeks, Zhang visited a crematory, a crowded hospital hallway and the city’s deserted train station. On March 7, when Wuhan’s top Communist Party official said residents should undergo “gratitude education” to thank the government for its anti-epidemic efforts, Zhang walked through the streets, asking passersby if they felt grateful. “Is gratitude something you can teach? If you can, it must be a fake gratitude,” she said into the camera afterward. “We’re adults. We don’t need to be taught.” Zhang’s videos were often shaky and unedited, sometimes lasting just a few seconds. They frequently showed the challenges of independent reporting in China under the party’s tightening grip. Many residents ignored Zhang or told her to leave. If they did talk, they asked her to point the camera at their feet. While she posted some videos and essays to WeChat, a popular messaging service in China, she often encountered censorship, she said. She largely relied on YouTube and Twitter, which are blocked in China but can be accessed through virtual private networks. Zhang had never been a citizen journalist before traveling to Wuhan from Shanghai, where she lived, said Li Dawei, a friend who exchanged messages with her often while she was reporting. But she was stubborn and idealistic, he said, to a point that was sometimes difficult to understand. Zhang appeared to know the risks of her actions. In one of her first videos, on Feb. 7, she mentioned that another citizen journalist, Chen Qiushi, had just disappeared, and another, Fang Bin, was under surveillance. Whistleblower doctors had been silenced, she added. “But as someone who cares about the truth in this country, we have to say that if we just wallow in our sadness and don’t do something to change this reality, then our emotions are cheap,” Zhang said. Not long afterward, Fang disappeared. So did Li Zehua, another citizen journalist who had traveled to Wuhan. China’s leader, Xi Jinping, had recently ordered officials to “strengthen the guidance of public opinion,” and hundreds of journalists from state media were deployed to the city. The crackdown also extended to people who had tried to document the crisis in less direct ways. In April, three volunteers who had created an online archive of censored news articles about the epidemic went missing; two were later charged with picking quarrels and provoking trouble, although their trials have not begun, according to family members. Despite the scrutiny, Zhang continued moving around Wuhan for several weeks, potentially in part because she had not attracted a large following. Some of her videos were viewed only a few hundred times on YouTube. Her friend, Li, warned that the authorities would lose patience eventually, especially as Zhang grew increasingly bold. At one point, she went to police stations to inquire after the missing citizen journalists. “She believed me, but she still just wouldn’t stop,” Li recalled. “She said, ‘I haven’t finished my work in Wuhan.’” In mid-May, Zhang suddenly stopped responding, Li said. He later learned that she had been arrested and brought to Shanghai. The indictment, reviewed by The New York Times, accused Zhang of “making up lies and spreading false information.” It also noted that she had given interviews to “foreign media” such as Radio Free Asia and The Epoch Times. Zhang began refusing food not long after her arrest, according to her lawyers. When one of them, Zhang Ke Ke, visited her in jail this month, he saw that her hands had been tied with restraints, according to a post on his WeChat account. Zhang Zhan explained that the guards periodically inserted a feeding tube and had bound her hands so she could not pull it out, Zhang Ke Ke wrote. (The two Zhangs are not related.) Zhang Zhan said she felt dizzy and had stomachaches, Zhang Ke Ke continued. A Christian, she wished she had a Bible and quoted to him from I Corinthians: “God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able.” Both Zhang Ke Ke and Ren, who visited separately later, pleaded with Zhang Zhan to eat. But she refused, Ren said. “She’s much paler than in her videos and photos — deathly pale,” Ren said, adding that Zhang Zhan appeared to have aged several decades. “It’s really hard to believe that she’s the same person as you saw online.” China’s court system is notoriously opaque, with sensitive cases often heard behind closed doors. In 2019, the conviction rate for Chinese courts was 99.9%, according to government statistics. Zhang’s lawyers recently petitioned for Zhang’s trial to be livestreamed, to ensure transparency, but they have not heard back, Ren said. Of the other citizen journalists who disappeared, just one, Li, has publicly emerged. In a YouTube video in April, he said he had been forcibly quarantined but not charged. Another, Chen, is reportedly with family but has not spoken publicly; friends say he is under surveillance. There has been no news of Fang. In her second-to-last video before her own arrest, Zhang walked down a street in a neighborhood where cases had recently been reported. As she filmed the shuttered shops, a man in a neon vest emblazoned with the words “on duty” confronted her, asking her where she lived and whether she was a journalist. When Zhang rebuffed him, he yelled, “If you post this online, you’ll have to take responsibility.” “I take responsibility for all my actions,” Zhang yelled back. “You have to take responsibility for your actions as law enforcement, too.”

She chronicled China’s crisis, now she is accused of spreading lies

As the United States comes to grips with a far-reaching Russian cyberattack on federal agencies, private corporations and the nation’s infrastructure, new evidence has emerged that the hackers hunted their victims through multiple channels.

The most significant intrusions discovered so far piggybacked on software from SolarWinds, the Austin, Texas-based company whose updates the Russians compromised. But new evidence from the security firm CrowdStrike suggests that companies that sell software on Microsoft’s behalf were also used to break into customers of Microsoft’s Office 365 software.

Because resellers are often entrusted to set up and maintain clients’ software, they — like SolarWinds — have been an ideal front for Russian hackers and a nightmare for Microsoft’s cloud customers, who are still assessing just how deep into their systems Russia’s hackers have crawled.

“They couldn’t get into Microsoft 365 directly, so they targeted the weakest point in the supply chain: the resellers,” said Glenn Chisholm, a founder of Obsidian, a cybersecurity firm.

CrowdStrike confirmed Wednesday that it was also a target of the attack. In CrowdStrike’s case, the Russians did not use SolarWinds but a Microsoft reseller, and the attack was unsuccessful. A CrowdStrike spokeswoman, Ilina Dimitrova, declined to elaborate beyond a company blog post describing the attempted attack.

The approach is not unlike the 2013 attack on Target in which hackers got in through the retailer’s heating and cooling vendor.

The latest Russian attacks, which are thought to have begun last spring, have exposed a substantial blind spot in the software supply chain. Companies can track phishing attacks and malware all they want, but as long as they are blindly trusting vendors and cloud services like Microsoft, Salesforce Google’s G-Suite, Zoom, Slack, SolarWinds and others — and giving them broad access to employee email and corporate networks — they will never be secure, cybersecurity experts say.

“These cloud services create a web of interconnections and opportunity for the attacker,” Chisholm said. “What we are witnessing now is a new wave of modern attacks against these modern cloud platforms, and we need 2021 defenses.”

Some reports have confused the latest development with a breach of Microsoft itself. But the company said it stood by its statement last week that it was not hacked, nor was it used to attack customers.

But the CrowdStrike discovery shows how the Russian hackers used its resellers to target its customers indirectly. CrowdStrike said in a blog post Wednesday that hackers tried to read the company’s emails from a reseller account but were not able to gain access to its data or systems.

U.S. officials did not detect the attack until recent weeks, and then only when a private cybersecurity firm, FireEye, alerted U.S. intelligence that the hackers had evaded layers of defenses.

It was evident that the Treasury and Commerce departments, the first agencies reported to be breached, were only part of a far larger operation whose sophistication stunned even experts who have been following a quarter-century of Russian hackings on the Pentagon and American civilian agencies.

The National Security Agency — the premier U.S. intelligence organization that both hacks into foreign networks and defends national security agencies from attacks — apparently did not know of the breach in the network-monitoring software made by SolarWinds until it was notified last week by FireEye. The National Security Agency itself uses SolarWinds software.

Two of the most embarrassing breaches came at the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security, whose Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency oversaw the successful defense of the U.S. election system last month.

The Russian hackers behind the attack broke into the email system used by top officials at the Treasury Department in July.

Computers at at least two dozen organizations — including Cisco, Intel, Nvidia, Deloitte and the California Department of State Hospitals — appear to have been hacked, The Wall Street Journal reported. Some of the groups, like Intel and Deloitte, said the attack did not affect their most delicate systems.

As the United States comes to grips with a far-reaching Russian cyberattack on federal agencies, private corporations and the nation’s infrastructure, new evidence has emerged that the hackers hunted their victims through multiple channels.

As the United States comes to grips with a far-reaching Russian cyberattack on federal agencies, private corporations and the nation’s infrastructure, new evidence has emerged that the hackers hunted their victims through multiple channels. The most significant intrusions discovered so far piggybacked on software from SolarWinds, the Austin, Texas-based company whose updates the Russians compromised. But new evidence from the security firm CrowdStrike suggests that companies that sell software on Microsoft’s behalf were also used to break into customers of Microsoft’s Office 365 software. Because resellers are often entrusted to set up and maintain clients’ software, they — like SolarWinds — have been an ideal front for Russian hackers and a nightmare for Microsoft’s cloud customers, who are still assessing just how deep into their systems Russia’s hackers have crawled. “They couldn’t get into Microsoft 365 directly, so they targeted the weakest point in the supply chain: the resellers,” said Glenn Chisholm, a founder of Obsidian, a cybersecurity firm. CrowdStrike confirmed Wednesday that it was also a target of the attack. In CrowdStrike’s case, the Russians did not use SolarWinds but a Microsoft reseller, and the attack was unsuccessful. A CrowdStrike spokeswoman, Ilina Dimitrova, declined to elaborate beyond a company blog post describing the attempted attack. The approach is not unlike the 2013 attack on Target in which hackers got in through the retailer’s heating and cooling vendor. The latest Russian attacks, which are thought to have begun last spring, have exposed a substantial blind spot in the software supply chain. Companies can track phishing attacks and malware all they want, but as long as they are blindly trusting vendors and cloud services like Microsoft, Salesforce Google’s G-Suite, Zoom, Slack, SolarWinds and others — and giving them broad access to employee email and corporate networks — they will never be secure, cybersecurity experts say. “These cloud services create a web of interconnections and opportunity for the attacker,” Chisholm said. “What we are witnessing now is a new wave of modern attacks against these modern cloud platforms, and we need 2021 defenses.” Some reports have confused the latest development with a breach of Microsoft itself. But the company said it stood by its statement last week that it was not hacked, nor was it used to attack customers. But the CrowdStrike discovery shows how the Russian hackers used its resellers to target its customers indirectly. CrowdStrike said in a blog post Wednesday that hackers tried to read the company’s emails from a reseller account but were not able to gain access to its data or systems. U.S. officials did not detect the attack until recent weeks, and then only when a private cybersecurity firm, FireEye, alerted U.S. intelligence that the hackers had evaded layers of defenses. It was evident that the Treasury and Commerce departments, the first agencies reported to be breached, were only part of a far larger operation whose sophistication stunned even experts who have been following a quarter-century of Russian hackings on the Pentagon and American civilian agencies. The National Security Agency — the premier U.S. intelligence organization that both hacks into foreign networks and defends national security agencies from attacks — apparently did not know of the breach in the network-monitoring software made by SolarWinds until it was notified last week by FireEye. The National Security Agency itself uses SolarWinds software. Two of the most embarrassing breaches came at the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security, whose Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency oversaw the successful defense of the U.S. election system last month. The Russian hackers behind the attack broke into the email system used by top officials at the Treasury Department in July. Computers at at least two dozen organizations — including Cisco, Intel, Nvidia, Deloitte and the California Department of State Hospitals — appear to have been hacked, The Wall Street Journal reported. Some of the groups, like Intel and Deloitte, said the attack did not affect their most delicate systems.

Russians are believed to have used Microsoft resellers in cyberattacks

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Manas Joshi

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