Maui County Emergency Management chief Herman Andaya resigned from his position on Thursday (August 17), after being denounced by locals over the island's response to the deadly wildfires that tore through the Hawaiian town of Lahaina and claimed the lives of at least 111 people.

"Given the gravity of the crisis we are facing, my team and I will be placing someone in this key position as quickly as possible and I look forward to making that announcement soon," a statement from Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen said.

"Today Mayor Richard Bissen accepted the resignation of Maui Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) Administrator Herman Andaya," a Maui County release said.

"Citing health reasons, Andaya submitted his resignation effective immediately."

<h2>Andaya&nbsp;defends decision not to sound sirens</h2>

On Wednesday, Andaya had come under fire for stating in a news conference that he was not remorseful of his decision to not activate an island-wide network of 121-decibel sirens as the deadly wildfire weighed upon Lahaina and its over 12,000 residents.&nbsp;

"The sirens are used primarily for tsunamis. The public is trained to seek higher ground in the event that the siren is sounded," Andaya had told a news conference on Wednesday.

"Had we sounded the siren that night, we're afraid that people would have gone (into the hills)... into the fire."

"A lot of people who are indoors, air conditioning on whatever the case may be, they're not going to hear the siren," he said.

"Plus the winds were very gusty (that day)... it was very loud, so they wouldn't have heard the sirens."

On being asked if he regretted the decision not to activate the system, he replied: "I do not."

Some locals were upset with management's decision, saying that some lives could have been saved, had Andaya's agency sounded the emergency sirens.

<h2>Hawaii's attorney general&nbsp;Anne Lopez to appoint independent body to carry out inquiry</h2>

After complaints from the residents about the government's slow response in the recovery efforts to restore normalcy after the deadly wildfires caused destruction on the island, Hawaii's Governor Josh Green ordered an investigation into preparations and response to the tragedy.

On Thursday (August 17), Anne Lopez,&nbsp;Hawaii's attorney general, said she would appoint an independent body to carry out the inquiry.

"Having a third party conduct the review will ensure accountability and transparency and reassure the people of Hawaii that all of the facts will be uncovered," she said.

<h2>Bidens to visit the crisis-hit region&nbsp;</h2>

Biden and his wife Jill Biden will visit Hawaii next week, the White House said Wednesday (August 16).&nbsp;

A White House press release read: Biden and the first lady on Monday will "meet with first responders, survivors, as well as federal, state, and local officials" on Maui.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

 
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Maui County Emergency Management chief Herman Andaya resigned from his position on Thursday (August 17), after being denounced by locals over the island's response to the deadly wildfires that tore through the Hawaiian town of Lahaina and claimed the lives of at least 111 people.

Maui County Emergency Management chief Herman Andaya resigned from his position on Thursday (August 17), after being denounced by locals over the island's response to the deadly wildfires that tore through the Hawaiian town of Lahaina and claimed the lives of at least 111 people. "Given the gravity of the crisis we are facing, my team and I will be placing someone in this key position as quickly as possible and I look forward to making that announcement soon," a statement from Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen said. "Today Mayor Richard Bissen accepted the resignation of Maui Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) Administrator Herman Andaya," a Maui County release said. "Citing health reasons, Andaya submitted his resignation effective immediately." Andaya defends decision not to sound sirens On Wednesday, Andaya had come under fire for stating in a news conference that he was not remorseful of his decision to not activate an island-wide network of 121-decibel sirens as the deadly wildfire weighed upon Lahaina and its over 12,000 residents. "The sirens are used primarily for tsunamis. The public is trained to seek higher ground in the event that the siren is sounded," Andaya had told a news conference on Wednesday. "Had we sounded the siren that night, we're afraid that people would have gone (into the hills)... into the fire." "A lot of people who are indoors, air conditioning on whatever the case may be, they're not going to hear the siren," he said. "Plus the winds were very gusty (that day)... it was very loud, so they wouldn't have heard the sirens." On being asked if he regretted the decision not to activate the system, he replied: "I do not." Some locals were upset with management's decision, saying that some lives could have been saved, had Andaya's agency sounded the emergency sirens. Hawaii's attorney general Anne Lopez to appoint independent body to carry out inquiry After complaints from the residents about the government's slow response in the recovery efforts to restore normalcy after the deadly wildfires caused destruction on the island, Hawaii's Governor Josh Green ordered an investigation into preparations and response to the tragedy. On Thursday (August 17), Anne Lopez, Hawaii's attorney general, said she would appoint an independent body to carry out the inquiry. "Having a third party conduct the review will ensure accountability and transparency and reassure the people of Hawaii that all of the facts will be uncovered," she said. Bidens to visit the crisis-hit region Biden and his wife Jill Biden will visit Hawaii next week, the White House said Wednesday (August 16). A White House press release read: Biden and the first lady on Monday will "meet with first responders, survivors, as well as federal, state, and local officials" on Maui. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Maui's emergency management agency chief resigns amid criticism

Social media application TweetDeck, which has now been changed to X Pro, on Wednesday (August 16) transformed into a paid service that would now be available to users via yearly or a monthly subscription charge.

On Tuesday (August 15), some users, who attempted to access X Pro, were being diverted to a paid-subscription sign-up page that asked them to pay an annual fee of $84.

In the month of July, X announced that TweetDeck, which is a popular application that allows users to access and monitor multiple accounts at a single time, would be available to only "verified" account holders from the month of August.

The popular social media firm, which was taken over by billionaire Elon Musk in the year 2022, has been announcing new ways to make profits. After he bought Twitter, now known as X, Musk went on a massive layoff spree to cut down expenses and also increased its paid subscription fee.

Last week, the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Linda Yaccarino said that the organisation was "close" to breaking even and would strengthen staffing that had been slashed by Musk.

The verified users of platform X are mostly the ones that have paid to receive the blue checkmark, though Musk has gifted the verification symbol to some.

TweetDeck, which was launched over a decade ago, shows messages in columns and its search and posting functions operate differently from the website or the application.

Twitter bought London-based TweetDeck in the year 2011, at a price tag of&nbsp;$40 million at the time.

<h2>X may soon add ID verification to tackle bots</h2>

Meanwhile, social media giant X, formerly known as Twitter, may soon add ID verification features for preventing impersonation. According to a report by Engadget on Thursday (August 17), app researcher Nima Owji shared a screenshot on X which showed that the platform is working on an additional verification feature that requires users to upload a copy of their government-issued ID and snap a selfie.

"X keeps working on the ID verification. You should upload a photo of your ID and take a live selfie," Owji said late Thursday. He had first spotted an “ID-verified” badge on Musk’s profile earlier in August. “Verify your account by providing government-issued ID,” the X description reads. “This usually takes about 5 minutes,” it adds.

<h2>X to address shadowbanning soon: Musk</h2>

X owner Elon Musk says that the social media giant will address shadowbanning soon. Shadowbanning would not outrightly ban users, but make changes that ensure their content is no longer circulated and kept out of public view.

After taking over Twitter last year, Musk attempted to prove that shadowbanning was a common practice on the social media network. He insisted that users should have the right to know if they’ve been shadowbanned.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
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Social media application TweetDeck, which has now been changed to X Pro, on Wednesday (August 16) transformed into a paid service that would now be available to users via yearly or a monthly subscription charge.

Social media application TweetDeck, which has now been changed to X Pro, on Wednesday (August 16) transformed into a paid service that would now be available to users via yearly or a monthly subscription charge. On Tuesday (August 15), some users, who attempted to access X Pro, were being diverted to a paid-subscription sign-up page that asked them to pay an annual fee of $84. In the month of July, X announced that TweetDeck, which is a popular application that allows users to access and monitor multiple accounts at a single time, would be available to only "verified" account holders from the month of August. The popular social media firm, which was taken over by billionaire Elon Musk in the year 2022, has been announcing new ways to make profits. After he bought Twitter, now known as X, Musk went on a massive layoff spree to cut down expenses and also increased its paid subscription fee. Last week, the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Linda Yaccarino said that the organisation was "close" to breaking even and would strengthen staffing that had been slashed by Musk. The verified users of platform X are mostly the ones that have paid to receive the blue checkmark, though Musk has gifted the verification symbol to some. TweetDeck, which was launched over a decade ago, shows messages in columns and its search and posting functions operate differently from the website or the application. Twitter bought London-based TweetDeck in the year 2011, at a price tag of $40 million at the time. X may soon add ID verification to tackle bots Meanwhile, social media giant X, formerly known as Twitter, may soon add ID verification features for preventing impersonation. According to a report by Engadget on Thursday (August 17), app researcher Nima Owji shared a screenshot on X which showed that the platform is working on an additional verification feature that requires users to upload a copy of their government-issued ID and snap a selfie. "X keeps working on the ID verification. You should upload a photo of your ID and take a live selfie," Owji said late Thursday. He had first spotted an “ID-verified” badge on Musk’s profile earlier in August. “Verify your account by providing government-issued ID,” the X description reads. “This usually takes about 5 minutes,” it adds. X to address shadowbanning soon: Musk X owner Elon Musk says that the social media giant will address shadowbanning soon. Shadowbanning would not outrightly ban users, but make changes that ensure their content is no longer circulated and kept out of public view. After taking over Twitter last year, Musk attempted to prove that shadowbanning was a common practice on the social media network. He insisted that users should have the right to know if they’ve been shadowbanned. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

X puts social media application X Pro, formerly known as TweetDeck, behind paywall

E-learning platform Unacademy fired its educator Karan Sangwan after he&nbsp;appealed to the students to vote for a literate person in the upcoming elections and not put the ones who are only "changing names” in positions of power.&nbsp;

Apparently, Sangwan, L.L.M Criminal Laws, was having a discussion on the latest bill that was tabled in Lok Sabha by the Centre government to replace IPC, CrPC and Indian Evidence Act.

He was reportedly complaining that all the notes that he had prepared during his course of education had gone to waste.

He then said, “Even I don't know whether to laugh or cry because I also have a lot of bare acts, caseloads, and notes that I had prepared. It is hard work for everyone. You also got a job at your hand.”

“But keep in mind one thing. Next time vote for someone who is well-educated so you don't have to go through this (ordeal) again. Ok,” he added.

He then specified to his students to not elect someone who only knows how to change&nbsp;names.

<h2>Unacademy co-founder Roman Saini issues statement</h2>

Unacademy co-founder Roman Saini released a statement on his official X handle saying that Sangwan was sacked because he had violated the Code of Conduct.

"We are an education platform that is deeply committed to imparting quality education. To do this we have in place a strict Code of Conduct for all our educators with the intention of ensuring that our learners have access to unbiased knowledge," he wrote.

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We are an education platform that is deeply committed to imparting quality education. To do this we have in place a strict Code of Conduct for all our educators with the intention of ensuring that our learners have access to unbiased knowledge. 
 
Our learners are at the centre of…
— Roman Saini (@RomanSaini) <a href="https://twitter.com/RomanSaini/status/1692214935168925849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

"Our learners are at the centre of everything we do. The classroom is not a place to share personal opinions and views as they can wrongly influence them. In the current situation, we were forced to part ways with Karan Sangwan as he was in breach of the Code of Conduct," he added.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/man-jumps-off-the-eiffel-tower-with-parachute-gets-arrested-626620">Man jumps off the Eiffel Tower with parachute, gets arrested</a>

<h2>AAP, Congress react</h2>

Aam Aadmi Party supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal reacted to the sacking of Sangwan by the Edtech company questioning if it was such a big offence for someone to ask people to vote for literate people.

"Is it a crime to appeal to educated people to vote? If someone is illiterate, personally I respect him. But people's representatives cannot be illiterate. This is the era of science and technology. Illiterate public representatives can never build the modern India of the 21st century," he wrote on X.

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क्या पढ़े लिखे लोगों को वोट देने की अपील करना अपराध है? यदि कोई अनपढ़ है, व्यक्तिगत तौर पर मैं उसका सम्मान करता हूँ। लेकिन जनप्रतिनिधि अनपढ़ नहीं हो सकते। ये साइंस और टेक्नोलॉजी का ज़माना है। 21वीं सदी के आधुनिक भारत का निर्माण अनपढ़ जनप्रतिनिधि कभी नहीं कर सकते। <a href="https://t.co/YPX4OCoRoZ">https://t.co/YPX4OCoRoZ</a>
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArvindKejriwal/status/1692156877206086067?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate also slammed Unacademy for its decision.

“Those who cower under pressure and get bullied can never help nurture citizens who stand up against all odds to take on this world. Sad to see such spineless and weak people run an education platform,” Shrinate wrote on X.

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Those who cower under pressure and get bullied can never help nurture citizens who stand up against all odds to take on this world. 
 
Sad to see such spineless and weak people run an education platform. 
 
Care to explain this though <a href="https://twitter.com/RomanSaini?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RomanSaini</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/gauravmunjal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@gauravmunjal</a> <a href="https://t.co/XFUdI5YJ8m">pic.twitter.com/XFUdI5YJ8m</a>
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) <a href="https://twitter.com/SupriyaShrinate/status/1692243794027053144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Sangwan said that he would post a video on his official YouTube channel sharing details about the controversy on Saturday (August 19).&nbsp;

"From the past few days, a video has been going viral due to which I am in controversy and because of that controversy my several students who are preparing for judicial services examinations are facing a lot of consequences. Along with them, I have to also face consequences," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

 
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E-learning platform Unacademy fired its educator Karan Sangwan after he appealed to the students to vote for a literate person in the upcoming elections and not put the ones who are only "changing names” in positions of power.

E-learning platform Unacademy fired its educator Karan Sangwan after he appealed to the students to vote for a literate person in the upcoming elections and not put the ones who are only "changing names” in positions of power. Apparently, Sangwan, L.L.M Criminal Laws, was having a discussion on the latest bill that was tabled in Lok Sabha by the Centre government to replace IPC, CrPC and Indian Evidence Act. He was reportedly complaining that all the notes that he had prepared during his course of education had gone to waste. He then said, “Even I don't know whether to laugh or cry because I also have a lot of bare acts, caseloads, and notes that I had prepared. It is hard work for everyone. You also got a job at your hand.” “But keep in mind one thing. Next time vote for someone who is well-educated so you don't have to go through this (ordeal) again. Ok,” he added. He then specified to his students to not elect someone who only knows how to change names. Unacademy co-founder Roman Saini issues statement Unacademy co-founder Roman Saini released a statement on his official X handle saying that Sangwan was sacked because he had violated the Code of Conduct. "We are an education platform that is deeply committed to imparting quality education. To do this we have in place a strict Code of Conduct for all our educators with the intention of ensuring that our learners have access to unbiased knowledge," he wrote. We are an education platform that is deeply committed to imparting quality education. To do this we have in place a strict Code of Conduct for all our educators with the intention of ensuring that our learners have access to unbiased knowledge. Our learners are at the centre of… — Roman Saini (@RomanSaini) August 17, 2023 × "Our learners are at the centre of everything we do. The classroom is not a place to share personal opinions and views as they can wrongly influence them. In the current situation, we were forced to part ways with Karan Sangwan as he was in breach of the Code of Conduct," he added. Also read: Man jumps off the Eiffel Tower with parachute, gets arrested AAP, Congress react Aam Aadmi Party supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal reacted to the sacking of Sangwan by the Edtech company questioning if it was such a big offence for someone to ask people to vote for literate people. "Is it a crime to appeal to educated people to vote? If someone is illiterate, personally I respect him. But people's representatives cannot be illiterate. This is the era of science and technology. Illiterate public representatives can never build the modern India of the 21st century," he wrote on X. क्या पढ़े लिखे लोगों को वोट देने की अपील करना अपराध है? यदि कोई अनपढ़ है, व्यक्तिगत तौर पर मैं उसका सम्मान करता हूँ। लेकिन जनप्रतिनिधि अनपढ़ नहीं हो सकते। ये साइंस और टेक्नोलॉजी का ज़माना है। 21वीं सदी के आधुनिक भारत का निर्माण अनपढ़ जनप्रतिनिधि कभी नहीं कर सकते। https://t.co/YPX4OCoRoZ — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 17, 2023 × Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate also slammed Unacademy for its decision. “Those who cower under pressure and get bullied can never help nurture citizens who stand up against all odds to take on this world. Sad to see such spineless and weak people run an education platform,” Shrinate wrote on X. Those who cower under pressure and get bullied can never help nurture citizens who stand up against all odds to take on this world. Sad to see such spineless and weak people run an education platform. Care to explain this though @RomanSaini @gauravmunjal pic.twitter.com/XFUdI5YJ8m — Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) August 17, 2023 × Meanwhile, Sangwan said that he would post a video on his official YouTube channel sharing details about the controversy on Saturday (August 19). "From the past few days, a video has been going viral due to which I am in controversy and because of that controversy my several students who are preparing for judicial services examinations are facing a lot of consequences. Along with them, I have to also face consequences," he said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Unacademy founder issues clarification after sacking tutor over video asking students to 'vote for educated'

Russian and Chinese navy ships have been jointly conducting maritime patrols in the Pacific Ocean involving naval exercises in order to counter air strikes, Russia's defence ministry said on Friday (August 18).

"A detachment of ships of the Russian Navy and the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy is currently operating in the waters of the East China Sea and has travelled more than 6,400 nautical miles since the start of patrolling," the ministry said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app.

Russian state news agency TASS released a video that showed nine large vessels sailing in a diamond formation as crew members stood to attention on deck.

The defence ministry further said that the drills also included practicing the "replenishment of fuel reserves by ships and the transfer of cargo on the go", adding that the joint detachment of ships had covered more than 6,400 nautical miles since the start of the exercises.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-claims-it-destroyed-ukrainian-drone-that-smashed-into-building-in-moscow-626609">Russia claims it destroyed Ukrainian drone that later smashed into a building in Moscow</a>

"During this period, the sailors of the two countries conducted anti-submarine exercises, repulsed an air strike by a mock enemy, conducted rescue training at sea, and perfected the skills of taking off and landing helicopters on the decks of warships," the ministry statement read.

<h2>Moscow-Beijing ties</h2>

In recent years, the ties between Russia and China have strengthened, as the war with Ukraine has ravaged Russia's relationship with Western governments.

On Monday (August 14), a Chinese defence ministry spokesperson said that naval fleets were conducting maritime patrols in the western and northern regions of the Pacific Ocean.

"These actions are not aimed at a third party and are not related to the current international and regional situation," the spokesperson added.

Earlier this week, Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu visited Russia where he attended the 11th Moscow Conference on International Security and called for closer military cooperation.

Recently, Moscow and Beijing have increased their bilateral defence collaboration as they carried out a joint air patrol over the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea in the month of July.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Russian and Chinese navy ships have been jointly conducting maritime patrols in the Pacific Ocean involving naval exercises in order to counter air strikes, Russia's defence ministry said on Friday (August 18).

Russian and Chinese navy ships have been jointly conducting maritime patrols in the Pacific Ocean involving naval exercises in order to counter air strikes, Russia's defence ministry said on Friday (August 18). "A detachment of ships of the Russian Navy and the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy is currently operating in the waters of the East China Sea and has travelled more than 6,400 nautical miles since the start of patrolling," the ministry said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app. Russian state news agency TASS released a video that showed nine large vessels sailing in a diamond formation as crew members stood to attention on deck. The defence ministry further said that the drills also included practicing the "replenishment of fuel reserves by ships and the transfer of cargo on the go", adding that the joint detachment of ships had covered more than 6,400 nautical miles since the start of the exercises. Also read: Russia claims it destroyed Ukrainian drone that later smashed into a building in Moscow "During this period, the sailors of the two countries conducted anti-submarine exercises, repulsed an air strike by a mock enemy, conducted rescue training at sea, and perfected the skills of taking off and landing helicopters on the decks of warships," the ministry statement read. Moscow-Beijing ties In recent years, the ties between Russia and China have strengthened, as the war with Ukraine has ravaged Russia's relationship with Western governments. On Monday (August 14), a Chinese defence ministry spokesperson said that naval fleets were conducting maritime patrols in the western and northern regions of the Pacific Ocean. "These actions are not aimed at a third party and are not related to the current international and regional situation," the spokesperson added. Earlier this week, Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu visited Russia where he attended the 11th Moscow Conference on International Security and called for closer military cooperation. Recently, Moscow and Beijing have increased their bilateral defence collaboration as they carried out a joint air patrol over the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea in the month of July. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russia, China conduct joint maritime patrols in Pacific Ocean

Russian forces shot down a Ukrainian drone that was targeted at Moscow and its Black Sea Fleet as per the officials. The drone according to the reports, disrupted air traffic at all the civilian airports of the Russian capital.

The Russian defence ministry and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that there were no casualties after air defences destroyed the drone which&nbsp;plummeted over a non-residential building in the capital city's Expo Center complex on Friday.

"The UAV, after being exposed to air defence weapons, changed its flight path and fell on a non-residential building in the Krasnopresnenskaya embankment area of Moscow," the ministry said on Telegram.

Moscow's mayor said emergency services were on the scene.

"The wreckage of the UAV fell in the area of the Expo Centre, and did not cause significant damage to the building," Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram.

As per the state-run news agency TASS, one of the walls of the venue's pavilion had partially collapsed.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-approves-sending-f-16-jets-to-ukraine-from-denmark-and-netherlands-626571">US approves sending F-16 jets to Ukraine from Denmark and Netherlands</a>

"The area of the collapse is about 30 square meters (323 square feet)," emergency services told TASS.

Citing aviation services, TASS reported that the airspace&nbsp;near&nbsp;the international airport of Vnukovo was briefly closed, delaying departures and arrivals.

According to the website, the expo centre on the Krasnopresnenskaya embankment of the Moskva River hosts regular exhibitions and trade shows.

Last week, Russia shot down a Ukrainian drone over Moscow's west, with its debris landing in a park on the Karamyshevskaya embankment.

In May, drones were shot down near the Kremlin, less than five kilometres from the Expo Centre.

As per news agency AFP reports, Russia thwarted a Ukrainian marine drone attack in the Black Sea on its warships hours before the drone smashed into a building in Moscow.

Russia's defence ministry said that the drone was destroyed late on Thursday night by navy patrol ships, 237 km (147 miles) southwest of Sevastopol.

<h2>Drone strikes hit two non-residential buildings in Moscow, Russia calls it a 'terrorist act'</h2>

Late last month, "drone strikes" hit two "non-residential buildings" in the Russian capital, which was termed by the defence ministry as a "terrorist act" on the Russian capital by Kyiv.&nbsp;

"A Kyiv regime attempt to carry out a terrorist act using two drones on objects on the territory of the city of Moscow was stopped," Russia's defence ministry said. "Two Ukrainian drones were suppressed and crashed. There are no casualties."

"We regard these actions as a planned terrorist act and an attempt on the life of the president of the Russian Federation, carried out on the eve of Victory Day, the May 9 parade," it added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on Ukraine-Russia war on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos

 
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Russian forces shot down a Ukrainian drone that was targeted at Moscow and its Black Sea Fleet as per the officials. The drone according to the reports, disrupted air traffic at all the civilian airports of the Russian capital.

Russian forces shot down a Ukrainian drone that was targeted at Moscow and its Black Sea Fleet as per the officials. The drone according to the reports, disrupted air traffic at all the civilian airports of the Russian capital. The Russian defence ministry and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that there were no casualties after air defences destroyed the drone which plummeted over a non-residential building in the capital city's Expo Center complex on Friday. "The UAV, after being exposed to air defence weapons, changed its flight path and fell on a non-residential building in the Krasnopresnenskaya embankment area of Moscow," the ministry said on Telegram. Moscow's mayor said emergency services were on the scene. "The wreckage of the UAV fell in the area of the Expo Centre, and did not cause significant damage to the building," Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram. As per the state-run news agency TASS, one of the walls of the venue's pavilion had partially collapsed. Also read: US approves sending F-16 jets to Ukraine from Denmark and Netherlands "The area of the collapse is about 30 square meters (323 square feet)," emergency services told TASS. Citing aviation services, TASS reported that the airspace near the international airport of Vnukovo was briefly closed, delaying departures and arrivals. According to the website, the expo centre on the Krasnopresnenskaya embankment of the Moskva River hosts regular exhibitions and trade shows. Last week, Russia shot down a Ukrainian drone over Moscow's west, with its debris landing in a park on the Karamyshevskaya embankment. In May, drones were shot down near the Kremlin, less than five kilometres from the Expo Centre. As per news agency AFP reports, Russia thwarted a Ukrainian marine drone attack in the Black Sea on its warships hours before the drone smashed into a building in Moscow. Russia's defence ministry said that the drone was destroyed late on Thursday night by navy patrol ships, 237 km (147 miles) southwest of Sevastopol. Drone strikes hit two non-residential buildings in Moscow, Russia calls it a 'terrorist act' Late last month, "drone strikes" hit two "non-residential buildings" in the Russian capital, which was termed by the defence ministry as a "terrorist act" on the Russian capital by Kyiv. "A Kyiv regime attempt to carry out a terrorist act using two drones on objects on the territory of the city of Moscow was stopped," Russia's defence ministry said. "Two Ukrainian drones were suppressed and crashed. There are no casualties." "We regard these actions as a planned terrorist act and an attempt on the life of the president of the Russian Federation, carried out on the eve of Victory Day, the May 9 parade," it added. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on Ukraine-Russia war on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russia claims it destroyed Ukrainian drone that later smashed into a building in Moscow

A man was arrested on Thursday (August 17) after he jumped off Paris' iconic Eiffel Tower with a parachute on, said the monument's operator and the police.

The man, who as per news agency AFP was an experienced climber, entered the monument's perimeter shortly after 5.00 am (0300 GMT), well before its official opening.

According to the site's operator Sete, even though the guards immediately noticed the man, he was quick enough to get to the top of the tower before anyone could catch hold of him, carrying the parachute in a backpack.

The moment he got around the top of the 330-metre-high structure, he jumped.

Police said that the man landed in a nearby stadium where he was arrested for putting the lives of others in danger.

"This kind of irresponsible action puts people working at or below the tower in danger," Sete said in a statement.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-woman-climbs-into-romes-historic-trevi-fountain-to-fill-water-bottle-626300">Woman climbs into Rome’s historic Trevi Fountain to fill water bottle</a>

The tower, which usually opens at 9:00 am, was slightly delayed due to the incident, said the operator Sete, further adding that it had filed criminal charges against the man.

<h2>Drunk American tourists found sleeping atop Eiffel Tower after dodging security</h2>

Two drunken tourists from the United States were on Monday (Aug 13) discovered sleeping atop the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris after evading security the night before, said the monument's operator on Tuesday.

Security guards awakened the men "early morning" at the time they were making their routine rounds before the famous tourist spot's opening time at 9:00 am, news agency AFP cited publicly-owned Eiffel Tower operator Sete as saying.

They "appear to have got stuck because of how drunk they were," as per a Paris prosecutor.

The drunk American men had spent their outlawed night under the stars in an area which is generally not open to the public between the tower's second and third levels, but "did not pose any apparent threat," Sete further said.

As per a police source, the tourists jumped security barriers while climbing down the stairs from the tower's top after paying for the entry ticket around 10:40 pm on Sunday.

Firefighters, including a specialist unit for recovering people from dangerous heights, were sent to recover the intruders, the police source further added.

Both men were brought to the police station in Paris' seventh district for interrogation, while Sete said that they would file a criminal complaint against the interlopers.

The incident delayed the famous site's opening to the public for around an hour on Monday morning.

Last week, the Eiffel Tower was evacuated twice on the same day following hoax bomb alerts.

(With inputs from agencies)

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A man was arrested on Thursday (August 17) after he jumped off Paris' iconic Eiffel Tower with a parachute on, said the monument's operator and the police. The man, who as per news agency AFP was an experienced climber, entered the monument's perimeter shortly after 5.

A man was arrested on Thursday (August 17) after he jumped off Paris' iconic Eiffel Tower with a parachute on, said the monument's operator and the police. The man, who as per news agency AFP was an experienced climber, entered the monument's perimeter shortly after 5.00 am (0300 GMT), well before its official opening. According to the site's operator Sete, even though the guards immediately noticed the man, he was quick enough to get to the top of the tower before anyone could catch hold of him, carrying the parachute in a backpack. The moment he got around the top of the 330-metre-high structure, he jumped. Police said that the man landed in a nearby stadium where he was arrested for putting the lives of others in danger. "This kind of irresponsible action puts people working at or below the tower in danger," Sete said in a statement. Also read: Woman climbs into Rome’s historic Trevi Fountain to fill water bottle The tower, which usually opens at 9:00 am, was slightly delayed due to the incident, said the operator Sete, further adding that it had filed criminal charges against the man. Drunk American tourists found sleeping atop Eiffel Tower after dodging security Two drunken tourists from the United States were on Monday (Aug 13) discovered sleeping atop the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris after evading security the night before, said the monument's operator on Tuesday. Security guards awakened the men "early morning" at the time they were making their routine rounds before the famous tourist spot's opening time at 9:00 am, news agency AFP cited publicly-owned Eiffel Tower operator Sete as saying. They "appear to have got stuck because of how drunk they were," as per a Paris prosecutor. The drunk American men had spent their outlawed night under the stars in an area which is generally not open to the public between the tower's second and third levels, but "did not pose any apparent threat," Sete further said. As per a police source, the tourists jumped security barriers while climbing down the stairs from the tower's top after paying for the entry ticket around 10:40 pm on Sunday. Firefighters, including a specialist unit for recovering people from dangerous heights, were sent to recover the intruders, the police source further added. Both men were brought to the police station in Paris' seventh district for interrogation, while Sete said that they would file a criminal complaint against the interlopers. The incident delayed the famous site's opening to the public for around an hour on Monday morning. Last week, the Eiffel Tower was evacuated twice on the same day following hoax bomb alerts. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Man jumps off the Eiffel Tower with parachute, gets arrested

The Republican-led General Assembly on Wednesday (August 16) overrode the North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's vetoes of the trio of bills targetted at LGBTQ+ youth barring gender-affirming health care for minors, limiting their participation in school sports events and also restricting classroom instructions about gender identity and sexuality.

GOP supermajorities in the House and Senate passed, over Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's opposition, a bill banning medical experts from giving hormone therapy, puberty-blocking drugs and surgical gender-transition procedures to anyone under the age of 18, with restricted exceptions.

The law that has been passed, will take effect immediately.&nbsp;However,&nbsp;minors who started their treatments before &nbsp;August 1 will be allowed to receive medical care if doctors deem it necessary with parental consent.

After this move, North Carolina, United States has become the 22nd state to pass the legislation that restricts, and bars gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-state-department-expresses-concern-over-attacks-on-christian-community-in-pakistan-626235">US State Department expresses concern over attacks on Christian community in Pakistan</a>

However, local LGBTQ+ rights advocates warn of taking the ban to court.&nbsp;

The Senate voted 27-18 to complete the veto override after the House voted 74-45 earlier, as per news agency AP reports.

Democratic Sen. Lisa Grafstein, North Carolina’s only out LGBTQ+ state senator, said the gender-affirming care bill “may be the most heartbreaking bill in a truly heartbreaking session.”

<h2>State's duty to protect kids from&nbsp;irreversible procedures</h2>

The bill’s primary backer, Republican Sen. Joyce Krawiec, claimed that the state has a responsibility to safeguard kids from receiving potentially irreversible procedures before they are old enough to make an informed medical decision.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association and the Endocrine Society consider gender-affirming medical care as safe and medically necessary. Trans minors are generally prescribed drugs to slow puberty and sometimes start taking hormones before they reach adulthood.

19-year-old Nathaniel Dibble and other LGBTQ+ youth who rallied outside the Legislative Building expressed concern over the bill stating that it would make schools a treacherous place for transgender kids who could be banished by teachers or by parents that are not supportive.

Sen. Amy Galey, an Alamance County Republican, argued that parents have the right to know about the details of their children's education.&nbsp;

“Parents need to be brought into the conversation from the very beginning, not treated with suspicion or as the source of that anguish,” she was quoted as saying by AP.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The Republican-led General Assembly on Wednesday (August 16) overrode the North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's vetoes of the trio of bills targetted at LGBTQ+ youth barring gender-affirming health care for minors, limiting their participation in school sports events and also restricting classroom instructions about gender identity and sexuality.

The Republican-led General Assembly on Wednesday (August 16) overrode the North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's vetoes of the trio of bills targetted at LGBTQ+ youth barring gender-affirming health care for minors, limiting their participation in school sports events and also restricting classroom instructions about gender identity and sexuality. GOP supermajorities in the House and Senate passed, over Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's opposition, a bill banning medical experts from giving hormone therapy, puberty-blocking drugs and surgical gender-transition procedures to anyone under the age of 18, with restricted exceptions. The law that has been passed, will take effect immediately. However, minors who started their treatments before August 1 will be allowed to receive medical care if doctors deem it necessary with parental consent. After this move, North Carolina, United States has become the 22nd state to pass the legislation that restricts, and bars gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors. Also read: US State Department expresses concern over attacks on Christian community in Pakistan However, local LGBTQ+ rights advocates warn of taking the ban to court. The Senate voted 27-18 to complete the veto override after the House voted 74-45 earlier, as per news agency AP reports. Democratic Sen. Lisa Grafstein, North Carolina’s only out LGBTQ+ state senator, said the gender-affirming care bill “may be the most heartbreaking bill in a truly heartbreaking session.” State's duty to protect kids from irreversible procedures The bill’s primary backer, Republican Sen. Joyce Krawiec, claimed that the state has a responsibility to safeguard kids from receiving potentially irreversible procedures before they are old enough to make an informed medical decision. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association and the Endocrine Society consider gender-affirming medical care as safe and medically necessary. Trans minors are generally prescribed drugs to slow puberty and sometimes start taking hormones before they reach adulthood. 19-year-old Nathaniel Dibble and other LGBTQ+ youth who rallied outside the Legislative Building expressed concern over the bill stating that it would make schools a treacherous place for transgender kids who could be banished by teachers or by parents that are not supportive. Sen. Amy Galey, an Alamance County Republican, argued that parents have the right to know about the details of their children's education. “Parents need to be brought into the conversation from the very beginning, not treated with suspicion or as the source of that anguish,” she was quoted as saying by AP. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

United States: North Carolina bans gender-affirming care for minors

The US State Department called on the authorities in Pakistan, seeking to restore calm, after a charged mob of around 7,000 people stormed a Christian colony in the Jaranwala Tehsil of Faisalabad district on Wednesday morning.

The United States, while expressing concern over the targeted attacks on churches, reportedly in response to the desecration of the Quran, asserted that violence or the threat of violence is never 'an acceptable form of expression', further urging Pakistani authorities to conduct a full investigation into the matter.

“So we are deeply concerned that churches and homes were targeted in response to reported Quran desecration in Pakistan. We support peaceful freedom of expression and the right to freedom of religion and belief for everybody. And as we have previously said, we are always concerned about incidents of religiously motivated violence,” US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said at the state briefing.

He added, “Violence or the threat of violence is never an acceptable form of expression, and we urge Pakistani authorities to conduct a full investigation into these allegations and call for calm for all of those involved."

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-mob-of-thousands-burns-churches-attacks-christian-colonies-sequence-of-events-626139">Pakistan: Mob of thousands burns churches, attacks Christian colonies | Sequence of events</a>

<h2>Police remained mute spectators</h2>

The Christian leaders in Pakistan claimed that during the incident, the police remained mute spectators and did not take any action.

As per Dawn reports, President Bishop of the Church of Pakistan Azad Marshall said Christians were being tortured and harassed.

He stated that he was seeking justice, further urging the authorities to take strict action against those&nbsp;behind the attack. Demanding the safety of the Christian community, he asked them to ensure that the lives of minorities are valued&nbsp;in their own homeland that has just celebrated independence and freedom.

Reportedly, over the past years, the minority communities in Pakistan have been a victim of a series of persecution and targeted attacks.

Last month, Naveed Walter, the President of Human Rights Focus Pakistan said that since the independence of the country in the year 1947, the population of minorities in Pakistan has plummeted from 23 per cent to 3 per cent.

In the month of June, a local court in Bahawalpur drew widespread criticism for sentencing a 22-year-old Christian youth, Noman Masih, to death on blasphemy charges, BNN Network reported.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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The US State Department called on the authorities in Pakistan, seeking to restore calm, after a charged mob of around 7,000 people stormed a Christian colony in the Jaranwala Tehsil of Faisalabad district on Wednesday morning.

The US State Department called on the authorities in Pakistan, seeking to restore calm, after a charged mob of around 7,000 people stormed a Christian colony in the Jaranwala Tehsil of Faisalabad district on Wednesday morning. The United States, while expressing concern over the targeted attacks on churches, reportedly in response to the desecration of the Quran, asserted that violence or the threat of violence is never 'an acceptable form of expression', further urging Pakistani authorities to conduct a full investigation into the matter. “So we are deeply concerned that churches and homes were targeted in response to reported Quran desecration in Pakistan. We support peaceful freedom of expression and the right to freedom of religion and belief for everybody. And as we have previously said, we are always concerned about incidents of religiously motivated violence,” US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said at the state briefing. He added, “Violence or the threat of violence is never an acceptable form of expression, and we urge Pakistani authorities to conduct a full investigation into these allegations and call for calm for all of those involved." Also read: Pakistan: Mob of thousands burns churches, attacks Christian colonies | Sequence of events Police remained mute spectators The Christian leaders in Pakistan claimed that during the incident, the police remained mute spectators and did not take any action. As per Dawn reports, President Bishop of the Church of Pakistan Azad Marshall said Christians were being tortured and harassed. He stated that he was seeking justice, further urging the authorities to take strict action against those behind the attack. Demanding the safety of the Christian community, he asked them to ensure that the lives of minorities are valued in their own homeland that has just celebrated independence and freedom. Reportedly, over the past years, the minority communities in Pakistan have been a victim of a series of persecution and targeted attacks. Last month, Naveed Walter, the President of Human Rights Focus Pakistan said that since the independence of the country in the year 1947, the population of minorities in Pakistan has plummeted from 23 per cent to 3 per cent. In the month of June, a local court in Bahawalpur drew widespread criticism for sentencing a 22-year-old Christian youth, Noman Masih, to death on blasphemy charges, BNN Network reported. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US State Department expresses concern over attacks on Christian community in Pakistan

Three policemen in Karachi, Pakistan were wounded after unidentified men hurled a hand grenade at a police vehicle, reported ARY News on Thursday (August 17).

As per the report, the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Karachi said that a hand grenade cracker was allegedly hurled at a police vehicle in Sachal, leaving three police personnel with wounds.

Meanwhile, a similar incident was reported in the Balochistan province's Naseerabad where unidentified men hurled a hand grenade at SSP's squad in Dera Murad Jamali.

As per police officials, SSP Naseerabad Hussain Lehri was coming back from a routine patrol along with his squad when the hand grenade exploded. No one was wounded in the incident.

After the blast, the police, Counter Terrorism Department, and the&nbsp;bomb disposal squad rushed to the site and sealed the area.

As per ARY News reports, another grenade incident was reported earlier which&nbsp;claimed the lives of two policemen and injured two others after a hand grenade went off at Karachi police headquarters in the Garden area.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-state-department-expresses-concern-over-attacks-on-christian-community-in-pakistan-626235">US State Department expresses concern over attacks on Christian community in Pakistan</a>

“Two police personnel are being treated for serious wounds,” the hospital sources said.

“The incident occurred at Garden police headquarters,” the police said, adding that the deceased police personnel were identified as Shahzad and Sabir. The injured were identified as sub-inspectors Saeed and Gohar.

Earlier this month, five people, including two policemen, were wounded in a grenade attack on Quetta's Joint Road, as per Dawn.

As per SSP's Operations Captain (retired) Zohaib Mohsin, first, an exchange of fire was reported between policemen and unknown assailants. Later on, the attackers tossed a hand grenade and escaped from the spot.

Dr Waseem Baig, a spokesperson for the Quetta Civil Hospital, said that the wounded, including a woman and two policemen, were brought to the hospital.

Baig said the wounded were being given medical attention, adding that they were "out of danger."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Three policemen in Karachi, Pakistan were wounded after unidentified men hurled a hand grenade at a police vehicle, reported ARY News on Thursday (August 17). As per the report, the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Karachi said that a hand grenade cracker was allegedly hurled at a police vehicle in Sachal, leaving three police personnel with wounds.

Three policemen in Karachi, Pakistan were wounded after unidentified men hurled a hand grenade at a police vehicle, reported ARY News on Thursday (August 17). As per the report, the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Karachi said that a hand grenade cracker was allegedly hurled at a police vehicle in Sachal, leaving three police personnel with wounds. Meanwhile, a similar incident was reported in the Balochistan province's Naseerabad where unidentified men hurled a hand grenade at SSP's squad in Dera Murad Jamali. As per police officials, SSP Naseerabad Hussain Lehri was coming back from a routine patrol along with his squad when the hand grenade exploded. No one was wounded in the incident. After the blast, the police, Counter Terrorism Department, and the bomb disposal squad rushed to the site and sealed the area. As per ARY News reports, another grenade incident was reported earlier which claimed the lives of two policemen and injured two others after a hand grenade went off at Karachi police headquarters in the Garden area. Also read: US State Department expresses concern over attacks on Christian community in Pakistan “Two police personnel are being treated for serious wounds,” the hospital sources said. “The incident occurred at Garden police headquarters,” the police said, adding that the deceased police personnel were identified as Shahzad and Sabir. The injured were identified as sub-inspectors Saeed and Gohar. Earlier this month, five people, including two policemen, were wounded in a grenade attack on Quetta's Joint Road, as per Dawn. As per SSP's Operations Captain (retired) Zohaib Mohsin, first, an exchange of fire was reported between policemen and unknown assailants. Later on, the attackers tossed a hand grenade and escaped from the spot. Dr Waseem Baig, a spokesperson for the Quetta Civil Hospital, said that the wounded, including a woman and two policemen, were brought to the hospital. Baig said the wounded were being given medical attention, adding that they were "out of danger." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Pakistan: Unidentified attackers hurl hand grenade at police vehicle in Karachi

For the very first time since the 2008 financial crisis, global household wealth plunged as the interest rates ascended and inflation remained tenaciously elevated.

However, the numbers project a slightly hopeful narrative.&nbsp;

According to the annual Credit Suisse and UBS global wealth report, the grand total of all the personal wealth all over the globe dropped 2.4% to $454.4 trillion.

Considerably that was because of losses in stock and bond markets, which disproportionately impact more affluent people.

However, global median wealth, which is a more significant indicator that depicts how a typical person is progressing, actually ascended 3 per&nbsp;cent in the year 2022.&nbsp;

The exhaustion of wealth faced by the wealthier made the world lose about 3.5 million millionaires.

As per the UBS annual wealth report, that came out on Tuesday (August 15), the number of adults, who were in possession of assets worth more than $1 million descended from 62.9 million at the end of 2021 to 59.4 million at the end of 2022.

According to the Swiss bank, global wealth was affected by high inflation and the descent of numerous currencies against the dollar.

In the United States, the number of millionaires fell by 1.8 million to 22.7 million. However, there still are more millionaires in the United States than in any other country.

China is second on the list with 6.2 million millionaires.

In spite of the drop, the report revealed that there were four times as many dollar millionaires as there were at the turn of the century.

In the United Kingdom, the number of millionaires dropped by 440,000 to 2.6 million, which is the third largest fall after Japan.

In Japan, it dropped from 3.2 million to 2.6 million. Australia witnessed the fourth largest decline, with 360,000 people losing the status of millionaires, bringing down the total to 1.8 million.

Paul Donovan, the chief economist at UBS, said: “The global economy is experiencing a period of astonishing economic alteration. The sweeping changes of the fourth industrial revolution represent the most dramatic structural upheaval in 250 years. Revolutions, it turns out, are revolutionary, social as well as economic relationships will be challenged by this process.”

As per another research for the Bloomberg billionaires index, the most affluent 500 people in the world lost a combined wealth of $1.4 trillion in 2022.

(With inputs from the agencies) 
 
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For the very first time since the 2008 financial crisis, global household wealth plunged as the interest rates ascended and inflation remained tenaciously elevated.

For the very first time since the 2008 financial crisis, global household wealth plunged as the interest rates ascended and inflation remained tenaciously elevated. However, the numbers project a slightly hopeful narrative. According to the annual Credit Suisse and UBS global wealth report, the grand total of all the personal wealth all over the globe dropped 2.4% to $454.4 trillion. Considerably that was because of losses in stock and bond markets, which disproportionately impact more affluent people. However, global median wealth, which is a more significant indicator that depicts how a typical person is progressing, actually ascended 3 per cent in the year 2022. The exhaustion of wealth faced by the wealthier made the world lose about 3.5 million millionaires. As per the UBS annual wealth report, that came out on Tuesday (August 15), the number of adults, who were in possession of assets worth more than $1 million descended from 62.9 million at the end of 2021 to 59.4 million at the end of 2022. According to the Swiss bank, global wealth was affected by high inflation and the descent of numerous currencies against the dollar. In the United States, the number of millionaires fell by 1.8 million to 22.7 million. However, there still are more millionaires in the United States than in any other country. China is second on the list with 6.2 million millionaires. In spite of the drop, the report revealed that there were four times as many dollar millionaires as there were at the turn of the century. In the United Kingdom, the number of millionaires dropped by 440,000 to 2.6 million, which is the third largest fall after Japan. In Japan, it dropped from 3.2 million to 2.6 million. Australia witnessed the fourth largest decline, with 360,000 people losing the status of millionaires, bringing down the total to 1.8 million. Paul Donovan, the chief economist at UBS, said: “The global economy is experiencing a period of astonishing economic alteration. The sweeping changes of the fourth industrial revolution represent the most dramatic structural upheaval in 250 years. Revolutions, it turns out, are revolutionary, social as well as economic relationships will be challenged by this process.” As per another research for the Bloomberg billionaires index, the most affluent 500 people in the world lost a combined wealth of $1.4 trillion in 2022. (With inputs from the agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Over 3.5 million people lost 'dollar millionaire' status last year: Report

In Pictures | Heavy rains wreak havoc in Himachal, claim lives of 72

Bank of Ireland released a statement on Wednesday (August 16) saying that it had fixed the technical glitch that made it possible for some customers to withdraw and transfer more money than what was in their accounts.

The news spread like wildfire on social media after which people gathered in long queues outside ATMs on Tuesday. The crowd at the cash machines prompted police to be called in.

As per local media reports, some customers with no money in their bank accounts were able to withdraw up to 1,000 euros ($1,100). The bank's online application had allowed customers with low balance or no balance to transfer money into a linked account with a digital banking app, such as Revolut, that could further be withdrawn via an ATM.

"There was a huge queue - the first time I have ever seen it there, at the moment, so there must have been something wrong. I don't know what it is," Reuters quoted Newbridge resident John Lawlor as saying.

"These things happen you know, blunders, stitches... It is what this world is all about, I think. We are luckier than most," he added.

Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-woman-climbs-into-romes-historic-trevi-fountain-to-fill-water-bottle-626300"> </a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-woman-climbs-into-romes-historic-trevi-fountain-to-fill-water-bottle-626300">WATCH | Woman climbs into Rome’s historic Trevi Fountain to fill water bottle</a>

The bank cautioned customers that withdrawals and transfers, including the ones above the normal limit, would be debited from their respective accounts, potentially tipping them into expensive overdrafts.

<h2>Bank apologizes for disruption</h2>

The bank also apologized for the glitch saying, "Overnight payments to accounts may appear throughout the day. We sincerely apologise for the disruption this outage caused.

"We know it fell far below the standards our customers expect from us."

Founder of the website AskAboutMoney.com, Brendan Burgess, in a conversation with broadcaster RTE, said that the bank needed to work on its "clunky" IT systems.

But he added: "If you withdrew 1,000 euros... then queued up outside the ATM machine to withdraw that money I don't think you deserve any leeway at all.

"Fraud is fraud. If you know you have no money and you take 1,000 euros out of a bank account and you know it's not there that's fraud. Let's not say this is a problem with Bank of Ireland systems."

Previously, the Central Bank of Ireland fined Bank of Ireland for shortcomings in its IT systems, and said it was observing the implications of the outage.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Bank of Ireland released a statement on Wednesday (August 16) saying that it had fixed the technical glitch that made it possible for some customers to withdraw and transfer more money than what was in their accounts.

Bank of Ireland released a statement on Wednesday (August 16) saying that it had fixed the technical glitch that made it possible for some customers to withdraw and transfer more money than what was in their accounts. The news spread like wildfire on social media after which people gathered in long queues outside ATMs on Tuesday. The crowd at the cash machines prompted police to be called in. As per local media reports, some customers with no money in their bank accounts were able to withdraw up to 1,000 euros ($1,100). The bank's online application had allowed customers with low balance or no balance to transfer money into a linked account with a digital banking app, such as Revolut, that could further be withdrawn via an ATM. "There was a huge queue - the first time I have ever seen it there, at the moment, so there must have been something wrong. I don't know what it is," Reuters quoted Newbridge resident John Lawlor as saying. "These things happen you know, blunders, stitches... It is what this world is all about, I think. We are luckier than most," he added. Also read: WATCH | Woman climbs into Rome’s historic Trevi Fountain to fill water bottle The bank cautioned customers that withdrawals and transfers, including the ones above the normal limit, would be debited from their respective accounts, potentially tipping them into expensive overdrafts. Bank apologizes for disruption The bank also apologized for the glitch saying, "Overnight payments to accounts may appear throughout the day. We sincerely apologise for the disruption this outage caused. "We know it fell far below the standards our customers expect from us." Founder of the website AskAboutMoney.com, Brendan Burgess, in a conversation with broadcaster RTE, said that the bank needed to work on its "clunky" IT systems. But he added: "If you withdrew 1,000 euros... then queued up outside the ATM machine to withdraw that money I don't think you deserve any leeway at all. "Fraud is fraud. If you know you have no money and you take 1,000 euros out of a bank account and you know it's not there that's fraud. Let's not say this is a problem with Bank of Ireland systems." Previously, the Central Bank of Ireland fined Bank of Ireland for shortcomings in its IT systems, and said it was observing the implications of the outage. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Bank of Ireland glitch allows people with no money in accounts to withdraw upto $1,100

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