<p>Czech Republic President Petr Pavel attended a mass on Saturday (Dec 23) to remember the victims of Prague shooting on Thursday (Dec 21) which shook the entire nation.<br />
<br />
A day of national mourning is being observed by the entire country for those who lost their lives in the mass shooting that took place at a university in Prague. The bells tolled across the country and flags were flown at half-mast on the official buildings and a minute's silence was observed at midday.<br />
<br />
Candles and flowers were brought by the mourners to makeshift memorials which were outside the Faculty of Arts as well as the headquarters of Charles University.<br />
<br />
Thirteen people were killed at the Charles University's Faculty of Arts building in the capital by a student, who later took his life.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/prague-shootout-people-hide-on-building-ledge-to-escape-gunman-on-camera-672530">Prague university shootout: Video shows people hiding on building ledge to escape gunman</a></p>

<p>The police have been working to find the motive behind the attack. This is one of the deadliest assaults carried out by a lone gunman in Europe this century. Those who lost their lives in the attacks included the head of the Institute of Musicology at the university Lenka Hlavkova.<br />
<br />
Other victims of the attack were translator and Finnish literature expert Jan Dlask and student Lucie Spindlerova.<br />
<br />
The shooting took place at the Faculty of Arts building of Charles University around 15:00 local time (14:00 GMT) on Thursday (Dec 21). The university is near Jan Palach Square, which is located at the heart of the Czech capital.<br />
<br />
After entering the building, the gunman started to open fire in classrooms and corridors, as the students and staff used furniture to barricade themselves into rooms.</p>

<h2><strong>Witness recalls horror</strong></h2>

<p>Speaking to the BBC, US tourist Hannah Mallicoat said that she and her family were present on Jan Palach Square when the attack took place.<br />
<br />
"A crowd of people were crossing the street when the first shot hit. I thought it was something like a firecracker or a car backfire until I heard the second shot and people started running," she said.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Prague Mass Shooting: At least 14 killed, 25 injured in Charles University</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/prague-mass-shooting-at-least-14-killed-25-injured-in-charles-university-672363/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>"I saw a bullet hit the ground on the other side of the square about 30ft [9m] away before ducking into a store. The whole area was blocked off and dozens of police cars and ambulances were going towards the university,” she added.<br />
<br />
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, in a statement, said that the country was shocked by this "horrendous act".<br />
<br />
"It is hard to find the words to express condemnation on the one hand and, on the other, the pain and sorrow that our entire society is feeling in these days before Christmas,” he added.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


Czech Republic President Petr Pavel attended a mass on Saturday (Dec 23) to remember the victims of Prague shooting on Thursday (Dec 21) which shook the entire nation.

Czech Republic President Petr Pavel attended a mass on Saturday (Dec 23) to remember the victims of Prague shooting on Thursday (Dec 21) which shook the entire nation. A day of national mourning is being observed by the entire country for those who lost their lives in the mass shooting that took place at a university in Prague. The bells tolled across the country and flags were flown at half-mast on the official buildings and a minute's silence was observed at midday. Candles and flowers were brought by the mourners to makeshift memorials which were outside the Faculty of Arts as well as the headquarters of Charles University. Thirteen people were killed at the Charles University's Faculty of Arts building in the capital by a student, who later took his life. Also read: Prague university shootout: Video shows people hiding on building ledge to escape gunman The police have been working to find the motive behind the attack. This is one of the deadliest assaults carried out by a lone gunman in Europe this century. Those who lost their lives in the attacks included the head of the Institute of Musicology at the university Lenka Hlavkova. Other victims of the attack were translator and Finnish literature expert Jan Dlask and student Lucie Spindlerova. The shooting took place at the Faculty of Arts building of Charles University around 15:00 local time (14:00 GMT) on Thursday (Dec 21). The university is near Jan Palach Square, which is located at the heart of the Czech capital. After entering the building, the gunman started to open fire in classrooms and corridors, as the students and staff used furniture to barricade themselves into rooms. Witness recalls horror Speaking to the BBC, US tourist Hannah Mallicoat said that she and her family were present on Jan Palach Square when the attack took place. "A crowd of people were crossing the street when the first shot hit. I thought it was something like a firecracker or a car backfire until I heard the second shot and people started running," she said. Watch: Prague Mass Shooting: At least 14 killed, 25 injured in Charles University "I saw a bullet hit the ground on the other side of the square about 30ft [9m] away before ducking into a store. The whole area was blocked off and dozens of police cars and ambulances were going towards the university,” she added. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, in a statement, said that the country was shocked by this "horrendous act". "It is hard to find the words to express condemnation on the one hand and, on the other, the pain and sorrow that our entire society is feeling in these days before Christmas,” he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Czech president attends mass for Prague shooting victims as country holds national mourning

<p>India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday (Dec 23), while reacting to the vandalism at a Hindu temple in the United States, said that no space should be given to extremists.<br />
<br />
"I have seen it. Extremists, separatists and such forces (against India) should not be given space in foreign lands. Our Consulate there complained to the government and the police and an inquiry is underway," news agency ANI quoted Jaishankar as saying.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | On Swami Narayan temple in Newark, US defaced with pro-Khalistani slogans, EAM Dr S Jaishankar says, "I have seen it. Extremists, separatists and such forces should not be given space. Our Consulate there complained to the government and the police and an inquiry is… <a href="https://t.co/dfEzsfeeT8">pic.twitter.com/dfEzsfeeT8</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1738462243736764463?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>The statement of Jaishankar came after the walls of the Swaminarayan temple were defaced with anti-India graffiti in California, United States and an investigation into the incident was started by the Indian Embassy in San Francisco.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hindu-temple-in-us-becomes-target-of-hate-crime-with-anti-india-slogans-672694">Hindu temple in US becomes target of 'hate crime' with anti-India slogans</a></p>

<p>In the images shared on social media, the spray-painted word ‘Khalistan’ was seen on a signpost outside the temple which was accompanied by other objectionable graffiti, reported news agency PTI.<br />
<br />
“The mention of the Khalistan terrorist kingpin #Bhindranwale, who targeted Hindus for murder, is specifically meant to traumatise temple goers and create a fear of violence—meeting the CA definition of a hate crime,” wrote the Hindu American Foundation&nbsp;on X.</p>

<h2><strong>Indian community's sentiments hurt: Indian Consulate</strong></h2>

<p>Meanwhile, on Saturday (Dec 23), the Indian Consulate in San Francisco said that the Indian community's sentiments were hurt by the incident.<br />
<br />
In a statement, the Consulate General said, “We strongly condemn the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California with anti-India graffiti. This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in this matter.”<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, the Newark police stated that any threats or acts of violence, harassment, property damage, intimidation, or other crimes which are motivated by hate or bias will be considered very serious and prioritised.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;US: Hindu temple defaced with pro-Khalistani slogans</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-hindu-temple-defaced-with-pro-khalistani-slogans-672773/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>“Based on the content of the graffiti it is believed that the defacement was a targeted act, and the vandalism is being investigated as a possible hate crime,” said the City of Newark Police Department, in an emailed statement to news agency PTI.</p>

<h2><strong>Consular assistance to Nikhil Gupta: EAM</strong></h2>

<p>Minister Jaishankar further spoke about providing consular assistance to Indian national Nikhil Gupta, who has been detained in the Czech Republic and is facing charges of taking part in conspiring&nbsp;to kill a Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil.<br />
<br />
“He (Nikhil Gupta) needed consular access, our embassy provided that. He has been provided consular access thrice,” said Jaishankar.</p>

<p>The United States levied charges against Gupta in which he was accused of working with an Indian government employee to plot the killing of Pannun, who has dual citizenship of the US and Canada.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday (Dec 23), while reacting to the vandalism at a Hindu temple in the United States, said that no space should be given to extremists.

India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday (Dec 23), while reacting to the vandalism at a Hindu temple in the United States, said that no space should be given to extremists. "I have seen it. Extremists, separatists and such forces (against India) should not be given space in foreign lands. Our Consulate there complained to the government and the police and an inquiry is underway," news agency ANI quoted Jaishankar as saying. #WATCH | On Swami Narayan temple in Newark, US defaced with pro-Khalistani slogans, EAM Dr S Jaishankar says, "I have seen it. Extremists, separatists and such forces should not be given space. Our Consulate there complained to the government and the police and an inquiry is… pic.twitter.com/dfEzsfeeT8 — ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2023 × The statement of Jaishankar came after the walls of the Swaminarayan temple were defaced with anti-India graffiti in California, United States and an investigation into the incident was started by the Indian Embassy in San Francisco. Also read: Hindu temple in US becomes target of 'hate crime' with anti-India slogans In the images shared on social media, the spray-painted word ‘Khalistan’ was seen on a signpost outside the temple which was accompanied by other objectionable graffiti, reported news agency PTI. “The mention of the Khalistan terrorist kingpin #Bhindranwale, who targeted Hindus for murder, is specifically meant to traumatise temple goers and create a fear of violence—meeting the CA definition of a hate crime,” wrote the Hindu American Foundation on X. Indian community's sentiments hurt: Indian Consulate Meanwhile, on Saturday (Dec 23), the Indian Consulate in San Francisco said that the Indian community's sentiments were hurt by the incident. In a statement, the Consulate General said, “We strongly condemn the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California with anti-India graffiti. This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in this matter.” Meanwhile, the Newark police stated that any threats or acts of violence, harassment, property damage, intimidation, or other crimes which are motivated by hate or bias will be considered very serious and prioritised. Watch: US: Hindu temple defaced with pro-Khalistani slogans “Based on the content of the graffiti it is believed that the defacement was a targeted act, and the vandalism is being investigated as a possible hate crime,” said the City of Newark Police Department, in an emailed statement to news agency PTI. Consular assistance to Nikhil Gupta: EAM Minister Jaishankar further spoke about providing consular assistance to Indian national Nikhil Gupta, who has been detained in the Czech Republic and is facing charges of taking part in conspiring to kill a Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil. “He (Nikhil Gupta) needed consular access, our embassy provided that. He has been provided consular access thrice,” said Jaishankar. The United States levied charges against Gupta in which he was accused of working with an Indian government employee to plot the killing of Pannun, who has dual citizenship of the US and Canada. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Extremists should not be given space’: India’s Jaishankar reacts to vandalism at Hindu temple in US

<p>After a student opened fire in a university in central Prague, killing 13&nbsp;and wounding 25 others, Czech police are now trying to find the motive behind the worst-ever mass shooting witnessed by the country.<br />
<br />
Czech President Petr Pavel has called for unity and said that people should not use such killings for spreading misinformation or launching political attacks. The victims, whose identities have not been disclosed yet, included the father of the gunman.<br />
<br />
The government declared Saturday as a national day of mourning. Speaking over the incident, Pavel expressed his "great sadness" and "helpless anger at the totally unnecessary" loss of lives.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/prague-university-shooting-police-report-people-dead-wounded-672231">Prague university shooting: Police say more than 15 killed, shooter 'eliminated'</a></p>

<p>The shootout took place at the Faculty of Arts building of Charles University around 15:00 local time (14:00 GMT) on Thursday (Dec 21). The university is near Jan Palach Square, which is located at the heart of the Czech capital.<br />
<br />
After entering the building, the gunman started to open fire&nbsp;in the classrooms and corridors, as the students and staff used furniture to barricade themselves into rooms.<br />
<br />
In some dramatic videos shared on social media, people were seen dangling from the university building's outside ledge before jumping to another part of the roof, which is several metres below. However, the shooter&nbsp;killed himself after the university shooting.</p>

<h2><strong>Czech prime minister appeals for 'sensitivity'</strong></h2>

<p>Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, in a message to the citizens on Friday morning, appealed to them to show consideration and stop spreading unverified information.<br />
<br />
“Dear friends, please approach the tragedy that happened yesterday at [Charles University Faculty of Arts] with sensitivity and consideration. Many people have lost loved ones and friends, and the depth of their pain and sorrow is hard to imagine. Also out of respect for them, please refrain from quick judgments and do not spread unverified information,” PM Fiala said.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Prague: Mass shooting in University building</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/prague-mass-shooting-in-university-building-672300/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>"An investigation is ongoing at this time and it is in everyone’s interest to clarify and investigate the smallest details of what happened yesterday and what led up to it. Yesterday’s brutal attack affected our entire society, we are going through a painful and sad time, our thoughts are with those who were directly affected by yesterday’s tragedy,” he added.<br />
<br />
Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan later said that the government identified 14 bodies, and they included 13 victims, which included the shooter. He said that there were no foreign nationals among the dead.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


After a student opened fire in a university in central Prague, killing 13 and wounding 25 others, Czech police are now trying to find the motive behind the worst-ever mass shooting witnessed by the country.

After a student opened fire in a university in central Prague, killing 13 and wounding 25 others, Czech police are now trying to find the motive behind the worst-ever mass shooting witnessed by the country. Czech President Petr Pavel has called for unity and said that people should not use such killings for spreading misinformation or launching political attacks. The victims, whose identities have not been disclosed yet, included the father of the gunman. The government declared Saturday as a national day of mourning. Speaking over the incident, Pavel expressed his "great sadness" and "helpless anger at the totally unnecessary" loss of lives. Also read: Prague university shooting: Police say more than 15 killed, shooter 'eliminated' The shootout took place at the Faculty of Arts building of Charles University around 15:00 local time (14:00 GMT) on Thursday (Dec 21). The university is near Jan Palach Square, which is located at the heart of the Czech capital. After entering the building, the gunman started to open fire in the classrooms and corridors, as the students and staff used furniture to barricade themselves into rooms. In some dramatic videos shared on social media, people were seen dangling from the university building's outside ledge before jumping to another part of the roof, which is several metres below. However, the shooter killed himself after the university shooting. Czech prime minister appeals for 'sensitivity' Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, in a message to the citizens on Friday morning, appealed to them to show consideration and stop spreading unverified information. “Dear friends, please approach the tragedy that happened yesterday at [Charles University Faculty of Arts] with sensitivity and consideration. Many people have lost loved ones and friends, and the depth of their pain and sorrow is hard to imagine. Also out of respect for them, please refrain from quick judgments and do not spread unverified information,” PM Fiala said. Watch: Prague: Mass shooting in University building "An investigation is ongoing at this time and it is in everyone’s interest to clarify and investigate the smallest details of what happened yesterday and what led up to it. Yesterday’s brutal attack affected our entire society, we are going through a painful and sad time, our thoughts are with those who were directly affected by yesterday’s tragedy,” he added. Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan later said that the government identified 14 bodies, and they included 13 victims, which included the shooter. He said that there were no foreign nationals among the dead. (With inputs from agencies)

Prague mass shooting: Czech police try to uncover motive behind attack, PM appeals for 'sensitivity'

In the period of the summer solstice, the sun continues to remain above the horizon for a longer duration, and sometimes it does not set for several weeks.


-United Arab Emirates-
Imprisonment/Capital punishment/Monetary compensation

The punishment for rape in the UAE can be imprisonment for a significant time but can get as severe as capital punishment.

Svalbard, which is located in the Arctic Ocean, sees daylight continuously from late April to late August.

Few parts of Iceland, which are especially located in the north, see the midnight sun during the summer months.

Northern parts of Alaska, which are especially above the Arctic Circle, witness the midnight sun's phenomenon in the summer.


Greenland, which is largely located in the Arctic Circle, experiences daylight continuously in the summer.


Few regions in the Nunavut territory of Canada, especially those above the Arctic Circle, see the midnight sun in the summer.

7 Places On Earth Where Sun Never Sets


9 Loved Food Items Which Secretly Contain Insects


According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in most processed food items insects and bug bites are permitted in minimum quantities because they contain healthy fats, proteins, calcium, and iron and have fewer calories.


According to the Food Defect Action Levels Guide of the FDA, a 16-ounce jar of peanut butter can contain 136 insect parts. It is deemed contaminated if the number exceeds the permitted level.


As per the FDA guideline, 125 gms of chocolate may have nearly 60 to 74 bug fragments.


In every single cup of coffee, one may be drinking nearly 120 insect parts.

As per the FDA guideline, one cup of raisins contains nearly 35 fruit fly eggs and 10 whole insects.

As per an FDA-approved report, a 3.5 ounce of mushroom can be filled with nearly 19 maggots and 74 mites.

As per the FDA, broccoli are filled with Aphids which are tiny bugs that can grow nearly 2 to 5 millimetres in size.


A can of tomatoes is likely to contain one maggot or more than 8 fly eggs.

According to the rule of the FDA, every 250-millimetre sample of canned fruit juice is likely to contain pieces of one maggot.


In everybody's favourite pasta, the FDA has allowed up to 225 insect fragments in every 225 grams of the dish.


8 Loved Food Items Which Secretly Contain Insects

<p>Russian Security Council secretary and President Vladimir Putin's right hand Nikolai Patrushev had given orders for Wagner mercenary group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin's assassination, reported the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) while citing Western intelligence as well as former Russian intelligence officer.<br />
<br />
The Wagner Group was the Russian army's crucial wing in the Ukraine war before the escalating rhetoric between the country's defence minister and Yevgeny Prigozhin resulted in the former leading a brief mutiny against the government of Russia in June 2023 which shook the foundation of the Kremlin.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vladimir-putin-says-russia-upgrading-nuclear-arsenal-amid-hybrid-war-with-west-671399">Vladimir Putin says Russia upgrading nuclear arsenal amid ‘hybrid war’ with West</a></p>

<p>The so-called “march of justice” was abruptly ended by Yevgeny Prigozhin as he reached close to Moscow after a deal between him and Putin was brokered by Belarus's Alexander Lukashenko which permitted him and his Wagner forces to seek shelter in his country.</p>

<h2><strong>Nikolai Patrushev saw Prigozhin as a 'threat'</strong></h2>

<p>In August, Yevgeny Prigozhin, along with other top Wagner commanders, was killed after his plane exploded. For a long time, Yevgeny Prigozhin was seen as a threat by Nikolai Patrushev, even before the mutiny took place.<br />
<br />
Patrushev did approve the top Russian military brass' open criticism by Wagner's boss and was concerned that probably he gained a lot of power, as per the report.<br />
<br />
Nikolai Patrushev - who has worked with Vladimir Putin since he became the president and is Russia's second-most powerful man – had taken the decision to punish Prigozhin after the mutiny, claimed the report. The report added that Putin "did not object" to it.<br />
<br />
After Prigozhin's death in the plane explosion, Putin in his statement had said that "he made mistakes." The president also speculated that the explosion was caused by the grenades' poor handling by those present onboard.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Gravitas: Did Putin order the killing of Wagner Chief?</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-did-putin-order-the-killing-of-wagner-chief-672655/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>This claim was denied in a WSJ report which stated that a small bomb was attached under the wing of the plane in which Yevgeny Prigozhin boarded. The bomb was attached when the plane was waiting on the tarmac at a Moscow airport which caused the explosion.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, reacting to the report, the Kremlin accused the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) of publishing "pulp fiction".<br />
<br />
“We have seen this material, but we would not like to comment on it. It is unlikely that such materials can be commented on,” he added.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><em><strong>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.&nbsp;</strong></em></p>


Russian Security Council secretary and President Vladimir Putin's right hand Nikolai Patrushev had given orders for Wagner mercenary group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin's assassination, reported the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) while citing Western intelligence as well as former Russian intelligence officer.

Russian Security Council secretary and President Vladimir Putin's right hand Nikolai Patrushev had given orders for Wagner mercenary group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin's assassination, reported the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) while citing Western intelligence as well as former Russian intelligence officer. The Wagner Group was the Russian army's crucial wing in the Ukraine war before the escalating rhetoric between the country's defence minister and Yevgeny Prigozhin resulted in the former leading a brief mutiny against the government of Russia in June 2023 which shook the foundation of the Kremlin. Also read: Vladimir Putin says Russia upgrading nuclear arsenal amid ‘hybrid war’ with West The so-called “march of justice” was abruptly ended by Yevgeny Prigozhin as he reached close to Moscow after a deal between him and Putin was brokered by Belarus's Alexander Lukashenko which permitted him and his Wagner forces to seek shelter in his country. Nikolai Patrushev saw Prigozhin as a 'threat' In August, Yevgeny Prigozhin, along with other top Wagner commanders, was killed after his plane exploded. For a long time, Yevgeny Prigozhin was seen as a threat by Nikolai Patrushev, even before the mutiny took place. Patrushev did approve the top Russian military brass' open criticism by Wagner's boss and was concerned that probably he gained a lot of power, as per the report. Nikolai Patrushev - who has worked with Vladimir Putin since he became the president and is Russia's second-most powerful man – had taken the decision to punish Prigozhin after the mutiny, claimed the report. The report added that Putin "did not object" to it. After Prigozhin's death in the plane explosion, Putin in his statement had said that "he made mistakes." The president also speculated that the explosion was caused by the grenades' poor handling by those present onboard. Watch: Gravitas: Did Putin order the killing of Wagner Chief? This claim was denied in a WSJ report which stated that a small bomb was attached under the wing of the plane in which Yevgeny Prigozhin boarded. The bomb was attached when the plane was waiting on the tarmac at a Moscow airport which caused the explosion. Meanwhile, reacting to the report, the Kremlin accused the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) of publishing "pulp fiction". “We have seen this material, but we would not like to comment on it. It is unlikely that such materials can be commented on,” he 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.

Russia's Putin gave orders to kill Wagner Chief Prigozhin, claims report

<p>After nearly detonating its first atom bomb 60 years ago, China is now said to be rapidly expanding the lethality of its missile force by making efforts to reactivate its Lop Nur nuclear test facility which is located in the remote Xinjiang Autonomous Region, in the country's northwest, as per a report&nbsp;published by the New York Times.<br />
<br />
According to the purported&nbsp;satellite images&nbsp;which were first published in the New York Times, China is likely to soon conduct full-fledged nuclear tests or maybe subcritical nuclear explosions. In the subcritical experiments, nuclear explosions are stimulated with the use of chemical explosives.<br />
<br />
The reports by the US government and independent experts have for years expressed concerns regarding China's old base Lop Nur. The reports have always emphasised China making preparations for year-round operations and having a “lack of transparency”.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mainland-china-resumes-fish-imports-from-taiwan-weeks-before-polls-672582">Mainland China resumes fish imports from Taiwan weeks before polls</a></p>

<p>However, now multiple satellite images have revealed that new boreholes have been drilled by the Chinese military – which is good for storing firestorms of deadly radiation that gets released from large nuclear blasts. The military has also made hundreds of expansions and upgrades.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>New roads, recent excavation and construction seen in images</strong></h2>

<p>The Lop Nur nuclear test area's main support base, which is sometimes called Malan, is a large complex of buildings and technical sites that’s more than two square miles. More than 30 buildings have been added or renovated here since 2017.<br />
<br />
A road runs southwest for about 75 miles to an old testing area. Satellite images have revealed dozens of miles of freshly graded new dirt roads in the eastern area of Lop Nur.<br />
<br />
Horizontal tunnels bored into the side of the mountains were used for past nuclear weapons testing. Satellite images suggest recent excavation and construction in at least one of the tunnels.<br />
<br />
In the satellite images, several new roads were seen recently added to the existing road network of the base, which extended nearly 30 miles to a new area located in the eastern hills.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Deflation in China impacting global disinflation efforts</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/deflation-in-china-impacting-global-disinflation-efforts-672355/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>In other images, drill rigs were revealed hidden in these hills, which carried the possibility of turning into an underground test area in future. In the newly developed area, deep vertical shafts will support larger atomic tests than the old network of shallow horizontal tunnels had.<br />
<br />
“All the evidence points to China making preparations that would let it resume nuclear tests,” said Tong Zhao,&nbsp;a nuclear expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, while speaking to the New York Times.<br />
<br />
Former director of the Los Alamos weapons laboratory in New Mexico Siegfried S&nbsp;Hecker said that rebuilding Lop Nur is unusual. “The Russians and Americans have continued activity at their test sites, but nothing like this,” he said.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


After nearly detonating its first atom bomb 60 years ago, China is now said to be rapidly expanding the lethality of its missile force by making efforts to reactivate its Lop Nur nuclear test facility which is located in the remote Xinjiang Autonomous Region, in the country's northwest, as per a report published by the New York Times.

After nearly detonating its first atom bomb 60 years ago, China is now said to be rapidly expanding the lethality of its missile force by making efforts to reactivate its Lop Nur nuclear test facility which is located in the remote Xinjiang Autonomous Region, in the country's northwest, as per a report published by the New York Times. According to the purported satellite images which were first published in the New York Times, China is likely to soon conduct full-fledged nuclear tests or maybe subcritical nuclear explosions. In the subcritical experiments, nuclear explosions are stimulated with the use of chemical explosives. The reports by the US government and independent experts have for years expressed concerns regarding China's old base Lop Nur. The reports have always emphasised China making preparations for year-round operations and having a “lack of transparency”. Also read: Mainland China resumes fish imports from Taiwan weeks before polls However, now multiple satellite images have revealed that new boreholes have been drilled by the Chinese military – which is good for storing firestorms of deadly radiation that gets released from large nuclear blasts. The military has also made hundreds of expansions and upgrades. New roads, recent excavation and construction seen in images The Lop Nur nuclear test area's main support base, which is sometimes called Malan, is a large complex of buildings and technical sites that’s more than two square miles. More than 30 buildings have been added or renovated here since 2017. A road runs southwest for about 75 miles to an old testing area. Satellite images have revealed dozens of miles of freshly graded new dirt roads in the eastern area of Lop Nur. Horizontal tunnels bored into the side of the mountains were used for past nuclear weapons testing. Satellite images suggest recent excavation and construction in at least one of the tunnels. In the satellite images, several new roads were seen recently added to the existing road network of the base, which extended nearly 30 miles to a new area located in the eastern hills. Watch: Deflation in China impacting global disinflation efforts In other images, drill rigs were revealed hidden in these hills, which carried the possibility of turning into an underground test area in future. In the newly developed area, deep vertical shafts will support larger atomic tests than the old network of shallow horizontal tunnels had. “All the evidence points to China making preparations that would let it resume nuclear tests,” said Tong Zhao, a nuclear expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, while speaking to the New York Times. Former director of the Los Alamos weapons laboratory in New Mexico Siegfried S Hecker said that rebuilding Lop Nur is unusual. “The Russians and Americans have continued activity at their test sites, but nothing like this,” he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Is China secretly working towards next nuclear test? Satellite images hint at development

<p>A Nicaragua-bound plane, carrying over 303 Indian passengers, has been grounded by France over suspected 'human trafficking', said the authorities on Friday (Dec 22).<br />
<br />
As per the Paris prosecutors, on Thursday (Dec 21) the aircraft was detained after an anonymous tipoff. The local officials, in the eastern Marne region on Friday, said that a judicial investigation has been launched into the trip's conditions and purposes.<br />
<br />
French media, which includes BFM TV and France 3, said that authorities were carrying out an investigation over the suspicion of human trafficking.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/macron-thanks-dear-friend-modi-for-republic-day-invite-says-will-celebrate-with-you-672583">Macron thanks 'dear friend' Modi for Republic Day invite, says will 'celebrate with you'</a></p>

<p>Speaking to AFP, Paris public prosecutor's office said, the aircraft carrying passengers "likely to be victims of human trafficking" was detained after they received a tip-off.</p>

<h2><strong>Plane detained at technical stopover</strong></h2>

<p>The flight, which belonged to a Romanian charter company, had taken off from Dubai, United Arab Emirates and landed at a small Vatry airport, which was a technical stopover when they were intervened by the police, said the Marne prefect's office, in an e-mailed statement.<br />
<br />
"The reception hall at Vatry airport was transformed into a waiting area with individual beds to provide passengers with the best possible reception conditions", it added, stating that a judicial investigation has been started into the incident.</p>

<p><strong>Watch: France's Macron will be India's Chief Guest on Republic Day; Rafale Jets to fly at RD parade&nbsp;</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/frances-macron-will-be-indias-chief-guest-on-republic-day-rafale-jets-to-fly-at-rd-parade-wion-672586/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>The prosecutors said that the investigation has been taken over by the national anti-organised crime unit JUNALCO. The prefecture in the northeastern department of Marne stated that A340, which was being operated by Romanian company Legend Airlines, "remained grounded on the tarmac at Vatry airport following its landing".<br />
<br />
It added that the plane's refuelling was due and there were 303 Indian nationals inside it.<br />
<br />
As per the reports, the travel may have been planned by the Indian passengers to reach Central America from where they can attempt to enter the United States or Canada illegally.</p>

<p>Reacting to the incident, Indian Embassy in France said, "French authorities informed us of a plane w/ 303 people, mostly Indian origin, from Dubai to Nicaragua detained on a technical halt at a French airport. Embassy team has reached &amp; obtained consular access. We are investigating the situation, also ensuring wellbeing of passengers."</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">French authorities informed us of a plane w/ 303 people, mostly Indian origin, from Dubai to Nicaragua detained on a technical halt at a French airport. Embassy team has reached &amp; obtained consular access. We are investigating the situation, also ensuring wellbeing of passengers.</p>
— India in France (@IndiaembFrance) <a href="https://twitter.com/IndiaembFrance/status/1738244097507291492?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>The plane was detained soon after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited French President Emanuel Macron as a guest on India's Republic Day.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


A Nicaragua-bound plane, carrying over 303 Indian passengers, has been grounded by France over suspected 'human trafficking', said the authorities on Friday (Dec 22).

A Nicaragua-bound plane, carrying over 303 Indian passengers, has been grounded by France over suspected 'human trafficking', said the authorities on Friday (Dec 22). As per the Paris prosecutors, on Thursday (Dec 21) the aircraft was detained after an anonymous tipoff. The local officials, in the eastern Marne region on Friday, said that a judicial investigation has been launched into the trip's conditions and purposes. French media, which includes BFM TV and France 3, said that authorities were carrying out an investigation over the suspicion of human trafficking. Also read: Macron thanks 'dear friend' Modi for Republic Day invite, says will 'celebrate with you' Speaking to AFP, Paris public prosecutor's office said, the aircraft carrying passengers "likely to be victims of human trafficking" was detained after they received a tip-off. Plane detained at technical stopover The flight, which belonged to a Romanian charter company, had taken off from Dubai, United Arab Emirates and landed at a small Vatry airport, which was a technical stopover when they were intervened by the police, said the Marne prefect's office, in an e-mailed statement. "The reception hall at Vatry airport was transformed into a waiting area with individual beds to provide passengers with the best possible reception conditions", it added, stating that a judicial investigation has been started into the incident. Watch: France's Macron will be India's Chief Guest on Republic Day; Rafale Jets to fly at RD parade The prosecutors said that the investigation has been taken over by the national anti-organised crime unit JUNALCO. The prefecture in the northeastern department of Marne stated that A340, which was being operated by Romanian company Legend Airlines, "remained grounded on the tarmac at Vatry airport following its landing". It added that the plane's refuelling was due and there were 303 Indian nationals inside it. As per the reports, the travel may have been planned by the Indian passengers to reach Central America from where they can attempt to enter the United States or Canada illegally. Reacting to the incident, Indian Embassy in France said, "French authorities informed us of a plane w/ 303 people, mostly Indian origin, from Dubai to Nicaragua detained on a technical halt at a French airport. Embassy team has reached & obtained consular access. We are investigating the situation, also ensuring wellbeing of passengers." French authorities informed us of a plane w/ 303 people, mostly Indian origin, from Dubai to Nicaragua detained on a technical halt at a French airport. Embassy team has reached & obtained consular access. We are investigating the situation, also ensuring wellbeing of passengers. — India in France (@IndiaembFrance) December 22, 2023 × The plane was detained soon after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited French President Emanuel Macron as a guest on India's Republic Day. (With inputs from agencies)

France grounds plane, filled with 303 Indians, over suspected 'human trafficking'

<p>Just weeks before the Taiwanese elections, Beijing announced that it will permit imports of high-value fish from the island, a problem which was raised specifically by the main opposition party Kuomintang on his visit to mainland China earlier this year.<br />
<br />
Now once again, the General Administration of Customs will allow imports of grouper fish – which is a high-value aquaculture item found in Taiwan – from registered farms on the island from Friday, according to a notice on the customs website.<br />
<br />
The imports were suspended by Beijing in June last year as it said that excessive levels of oxytetracycline and banned chemicals were found in the fish. Oxytetracycline is a type of antibiotic.</p>

<h2><strong>Taiwan rejects China's accusations</strong></h2>

<p>The accusation was rejected by the Taiwanese authorities. The mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian said that the decision was based on “a comprehensive assessment of relevant corrective measures” after information regarding measures taken for addressing the problem was provided by Taiwanese industry representatives to the mainland.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-reports-more-suspected-chinese-weather-balloons-crossing-taiwan-strait-671052">Taiwan reports more suspected Chinese weather balloons crossing Taiwan Strait</a></p>

<p>The representatives expressed&nbsp;“strong hope” that imports can resume, as per the state news agency Xinhua. As per the report, a few Taiwanese grouper farming enterprises have gone ahead and registered with mainland customs authorities and will begin exporting immediately.<br />
<br />
The announcement has been made by Beijing just weeks before the presidential election in Taiwan on January 13. The election&nbsp;is set to shape future cross-strait relations after years of tension during the<br />
presidency of Tsai Ing-wen, who belongs to the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party and came to power in 2016.<br />
<br />
China considers self-ruled Taiwan as its breakaway territory which should be united with the mainland and has never stopped using force to do so.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Taiwan on high alert for Chinese activities, reports suspected Chinese balloons crossing Taiwan</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/taiwan-on-high-alert-for-chinese-activities-reports-suspected-chinese-balloons-crossing-taiwan-670919/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Meanwhile, Taiwan is not recognised as an independent country by many countries, however, countries like the United States oppose a forcible change in the status quo.<br />
<br />
KMT’s vice-chairman Andrew Hsia Li-yan had raised the issues being faced by Taiwanese food importers, which included the grouper ban, in a visit to the mainland in February.<br />
<br />
On his 10-day trip, Hsia held meetings with top Taiwan affairs officials, which included Wang Huning, head of the top political advisory body of China and head of the State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office Song Tao.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


Just weeks before the Taiwanese elections, Beijing announced that it will permit imports of high-value fish from the island, a problem which was raised specifically by the main opposition party Kuomintang on his visit to mainland China earlier this year.

Just weeks before the Taiwanese elections, Beijing announced that it will permit imports of high-value fish from the island, a problem which was raised specifically by the main opposition party Kuomintang on his visit to mainland China earlier this year. Now once again, the General Administration of Customs will allow imports of grouper fish – which is a high-value aquaculture item found in Taiwan – from registered farms on the island from Friday, according to a notice on the customs website. The imports were suspended by Beijing in June last year as it said that excessive levels of oxytetracycline and banned chemicals were found in the fish. Oxytetracycline is a type of antibiotic. Taiwan rejects China's accusations The accusation was rejected by the Taiwanese authorities. The mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian said that the decision was based on “a comprehensive assessment of relevant corrective measures” after information regarding measures taken for addressing the problem was provided by Taiwanese industry representatives to the mainland. Also read: Taiwan reports more suspected Chinese weather balloons crossing Taiwan Strait The representatives expressed “strong hope” that imports can resume, as per the state news agency Xinhua. As per the report, a few Taiwanese grouper farming enterprises have gone ahead and registered with mainland customs authorities and will begin exporting immediately. The announcement has been made by Beijing just weeks before the presidential election in Taiwan on January 13. The election is set to shape future cross-strait relations after years of tension during the presidency of Tsai Ing-wen, who belongs to the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party and came to power in 2016. China considers self-ruled Taiwan as its breakaway territory which should be united with the mainland and has never stopped using force to do so. Watch: Taiwan on high alert for Chinese activities, reports suspected Chinese balloons crossing Taiwan Meanwhile, Taiwan is not recognised as an independent country by many countries, however, countries like the United States oppose a forcible change in the status quo. KMT’s vice-chairman Andrew Hsia Li-yan had raised the issues being faced by Taiwanese food importers, which included the grouper ban, in a visit to the mainland in February. On his 10-day trip, Hsia held meetings with top Taiwan affairs officials, which included Wang Huning, head of the top political advisory body of China and head of the State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office Song Tao. (With inputs from agencies)

Mainland China resumes fish imports from Taiwan weeks before polls

<p>Is your death near or do you have a long life left to live? These kinds of questions time and again occupy our minds and we remain curious about our life span.<br />
<br />
But now, with the advancement of artificial intelligence technology, researchers are also trying to solve all our curiosities. A new AI death calculator has been developed which is said to predict when a person will die with a scary accuracy of 78 per cent.<br />
<br />
“We use the technology behind ChatGPT (something called transformer models) to analyze human lives by representing each person as the sequence of events that happens in their life,” said Sune Lehmann, lead author of the study “Using a sequence of life-events to predict human lives”, which was published in December 2023, reported the New York Post.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/ais-dark-world-apps-misuse-tech-for-undressing-women-in-photos-gain-popularity-667920">Tech’s dark world: Apps, websites misuse AI for undressing women in photos, gain popularity</a></p>

<p>Lehmann, who is a professor of network and complex systems from the Technical University of Denmark along with the co-authors, in the report introduced the world to an algorithm called as “life2vec”, which has been using selective information from the life of an individual – which includes health history, residence, income and profession – to find their life expectancy, which they claim to be 78 per cent accurate.<br />
<br />
“We use the fact that in a certain sense, human lives share a similarity with language,” said Lehmann. “Just like words follow each other in sentences, events follow each other in human lives,” the professor added.</p>

<h2><strong>Model can predict almost anything, claims&nbsp;author</strong></h2>

<p>The newly-built model life2vec is a little different from the famous ChatGPT, which is a bot that is being employed by tech wizards to help them find their dream jobs and even find the perfect outfit. This AI model is capable of computing the outcomes of life by closely examining a person's past.<br />
<br />
“This model can predict almost anything,” said Lehmann, while further emphasising that his research team has used specialised programmes to foretell the personalities of people.<br />
<br />
“We predicted death because it’s something people have worked on for many years (for example, insurance companies), so we had a good sense of what was possible,” he added.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Study: Fights for AI talent intensifying on wall street</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/study-fights-for-ai-talent-intensifying-on-wall-street-664150/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>The troop of Lehmann examined a heterogeneous subject population of around 6 million Danish people, who were of different sex and age, between 2008 and 2020. The life2vec was used by the analysts to discover which of the subjects would likely continue living for at least four years after January 1, 2016.<br />
<br />
“The scale of our dataset allows us to construct sequence-level representations of individual human life trajectories, which detail how each person moves through time,” the report read. “We can observe how individual lives evolve in a space of diverse event types (information about a heart attack is mixed with salary increases or information about moving from an urban to a rural area),” it added.<br />
<br />
The AI-specific information, regarding each study participant, was fed by the researchers using simple language like, “In September 2012, Francisco received 20,000 Danish kroner as a guard at a castle in Elsinore” or “During her third year at secondary boarding school, Hermione followed five elective classes.”</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Is your death near or do you have a long life left to live? These kinds of questions time and again occupy our minds and we remain curious about our life span. But now, with the advancement of artificial intelligence technology, researchers are also trying to solve all our curiosities.

Is your death near or do you have a long life left to live? These kinds of questions time and again occupy our minds and we remain curious about our life span. But now, with the advancement of artificial intelligence technology, researchers are also trying to solve all our curiosities. A new AI death calculator has been developed which is said to predict when a person will die with a scary accuracy of 78 per cent. “We use the technology behind ChatGPT (something called transformer models) to analyze human lives by representing each person as the sequence of events that happens in their life,” said Sune Lehmann, lead author of the study “Using a sequence of life-events to predict human lives”, which was published in December 2023, reported the New York Post. Also read: Tech’s dark world: Apps, websites misuse AI for undressing women in photos, gain popularity Lehmann, who is a professor of network and complex systems from the Technical University of Denmark along with the co-authors, in the report introduced the world to an algorithm called as “life2vec”, which has been using selective information from the life of an individual – which includes health history, residence, income and profession – to find their life expectancy, which they claim to be 78 per cent accurate. “We use the fact that in a certain sense, human lives share a similarity with language,” said Lehmann. “Just like words follow each other in sentences, events follow each other in human lives,” the professor added. Model can predict almost anything, claims author The newly-built model life2vec is a little different from the famous ChatGPT, which is a bot that is being employed by tech wizards to help them find their dream jobs and even find the perfect outfit. This AI model is capable of computing the outcomes of life by closely examining a person's past. “This model can predict almost anything,” said Lehmann, while further emphasising that his research team has used specialised programmes to foretell the personalities of people. “We predicted death because it’s something people have worked on for many years (for example, insurance companies), so we had a good sense of what was possible,” he added. Watch: Study: Fights for AI talent intensifying on wall street The troop of Lehmann examined a heterogeneous subject population of around 6 million Danish people, who were of different sex and age, between 2008 and 2020. The life2vec was used by the analysts to discover which of the subjects would likely continue living for at least four years after January 1, 2016. “The scale of our dataset allows us to construct sequence-level representations of individual human life trajectories, which detail how each person moves through time,” the report read. “We can observe how individual lives evolve in a space of diverse event types (information about a heart attack is mixed with salary increases or information about moving from an urban to a rural area),” it added. The AI-specific information, regarding each study participant, was fed by the researchers using simple language like, “In September 2012, Francisco received 20,000 Danish kroner as a guard at a castle in Elsinore” or “During her third year at secondary boarding school, Hermione followed five elective classes.” (With inputs from agencies)

AI gets creepier, death calculator boasts 'accuracy' in predicting your death date

<p>The US Air Force has been planning to reclaim the Pacific Island airfield – the same place from where they once launched&nbsp;atomic bombs on Japan – and bring it back into commission as it takes steps for broadening its basing options in case of any hostilities with China, said the service’s top officer in the Pacific.<br />
<br />
Speaking in an interview with Nikkei Asia, commander of Pacific Air Forces Gen Kenneth Wilsbach said that North Airfield, which is located on the island of Tinian, will turn into an “extensive” facility after it has been completely reclaimed from a forest which has grown over the base since it was abandoned by the last US Army Air Force units in 1946.<br />
<br />
“If you pay attention in the next few months, you will see significant progress, especially at Tinian North,” said Wilsbach. Facilities are also being added by the Air Force at Tinian International Airport, which is in the centre of the island.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-barred-from-colorado-ballot-for-role-in-january-6-attack-on-us-capitol-671523">Trump barred from Colorado ballot for role in January 6 attack on US Capitol</a></p>

<p>Tinian has been part of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, which is a US territory in the Pacific and has a population of 3,000 people.<br />
<br />
As per the Nikkei report, Wilsbach did not provide a timeline on when they will make the airfield operational.</p>

<h2><strong>Role of&nbsp;</strong>Tinian&nbsp;Island<strong> in World War II</strong></h2>

<p>Tinian, as well as the nearby islands of Guam and Saipan, have played a major role in the US air operations. During World War II, after Japanese occupiers captured all three islands, it was home to US fleets of B-29 Superfortress bombers which caused destruction on the Japanese homeland.<br />
<br />
On March 10, 1945, the deadliest bombing raid in history was carried out on Tokyo in which as many as 100,000 people were killed and a million had suffered injuries. The attack was carried out by B-29s, which were launched from the three islands.<br />
<br />
In 1945, amid relentless bombing on Japan, North Field on Tinian – which had four 8,000-foot runways and 40,000 personnel – became the world's largest and busiest airport.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;US Investors Bullish on India, Washington-Delhi Ties Mature says USISPF Chief Aghi</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-investors-bullish-on-india-washington-delhi-ties-mature-says-usispf-chief-aghi-672315/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>On August 6, 1945, North Field made its place in history when a B-29 bomber named Enola Gay ejected its Runway Able – which was carrying the atomic bomb – and dropped it on Hiroshima, in which 70,000 people were killed in its initial blast and the world suddenly moved into the nuclear age.<br />
<br />
Another B-29, called Bockscar, took off from Tinian three days later and dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki in which 46,000 people were killed in its initial blast.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


The US Air Force has been planning to reclaim the Pacific Island airfield – the same place from where they once launched atomic bombs on Japan – and bring it back into commission as it takes steps for broadening its basing options in case of any hostilities with China, said the service’s top officer in the Pacific.

The US Air Force has been planning to reclaim the Pacific Island airfield – the same place from where they once launched atomic bombs on Japan – and bring it back into commission as it takes steps for broadening its basing options in case of any hostilities with China, said the service’s top officer in the Pacific. Speaking in an interview with Nikkei Asia, commander of Pacific Air Forces Gen Kenneth Wilsbach said that North Airfield, which is located on the island of Tinian, will turn into an “extensive” facility after it has been completely reclaimed from a forest which has grown over the base since it was abandoned by the last US Army Air Force units in 1946. “If you pay attention in the next few months, you will see significant progress, especially at Tinian North,” said Wilsbach. Facilities are also being added by the Air Force at Tinian International Airport, which is in the centre of the island. Also read: Trump barred from Colorado ballot for role in January 6 attack on US Capitol Tinian has been part of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, which is a US territory in the Pacific and has a population of 3,000 people. As per the Nikkei report, Wilsbach did not provide a timeline on when they will make the airfield operational. Role of Tinian Island in World War II Tinian, as well as the nearby islands of Guam and Saipan, have played a major role in the US air operations. During World War II, after Japanese occupiers captured all three islands, it was home to US fleets of B-29 Superfortress bombers which caused destruction on the Japanese homeland. On March 10, 1945, the deadliest bombing raid in history was carried out on Tokyo in which as many as 100,000 people were killed and a million had suffered injuries. The attack was carried out by B-29s, which were launched from the three islands. In 1945, amid relentless bombing on Japan, North Field on Tinian – which had four 8,000-foot runways and 40,000 personnel – became the world's largest and busiest airport. Watch: US Investors Bullish on India, Washington-Delhi Ties Mature says USISPF Chief Aghi On August 6, 1945, North Field made its place in history when a B-29 bomber named Enola Gay ejected its Runway Able – which was carrying the atomic bomb – and dropped it on Hiroshima, in which 70,000 people were killed in its initial blast and the world suddenly moved into the nuclear age. Another B-29, called Bockscar, took off from Tinian three days later and dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki in which 46,000 people were killed in its initial blast. (With inputs from agencies)

US plans to reclaim Pacific airfield from where atom bombings were launched

<p>After the worst-ever mass shootout in Prague, social media platforms were flooded with dramatic videos that showed people leaping from the ledge of a building to escape the shooter during the attack on Thursday (Dec 21).<br />
<br />
The shootout that happened at Charles University is not being&nbsp;considered&nbsp;as a terrorist incident by the local authorities. The violence in the historic centre of the city led to evacuations, while others living near the building were warned to stay indoors by authorities.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/prague-mass-shooting-czech-police-try-to-uncover-motive-behind-attack-pm-appeals-for-sensitivity-672499">Prague mass shooting: Czech police try to uncover motive behind attack, PM appeals for 'sensitivity'</a></p>

<p>In the worst shooting that the Czech Republic has seen in decades, 13 people were killed and 25 others&nbsp;injured.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">BREAKING: Footage show students hiding on a ledge during mass shooting in University in Prague <a href="https://t.co/BvOSqt5pwB">pic.twitter.com/BvOSqt5pwB</a></p>
— Mīkāʾīl (@Grey0973) <a href="https://twitter.com/Grey0973/status/1738000193339953159?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<h2><strong>Chilling video emerges</strong></h2>

<p>In the video, some people were seen cowering on the university's ledge as the gunman started firing bullets at those who were present inside the building.<br />
<br />
The people, to escape the gunman, jumped from the ledges of the building onto the floor below and safely went downstairs from where they were rescued by the police.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">BREAKING: Czech police say possible attack foiled in country overnight just hours after 24-year-old Czech student shot dead his father, then killed 14 people at Charles University in downtown Prague <a href="https://t.co/VLTw3qV7XY">https://t.co/VLTw3qV7XY</a></p>
— I.E.N. (@BreakingIEN) <a href="https://twitter.com/BreakingIEN/status/1738147598777582040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Authorities said that the 24-year-old gunman, who was a student at the Faculty of Arts at Charles University, killed himself after the shootout in Prague. His body was discovered in the philosophy building of the university.<br />
<br />
Earlier, the police informed that the father of the gunman was also found dead. A national day of mourning was declared by the government on December 23, with&nbsp;flags on official buildings&nbsp;flown at half-mast. People were also appealed to observe a minute's silence in remembrance of those killed at the University.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Gunman kills 14 in unprecedented attack at Prague university</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gunman-kills-14-in-unprecedented-attack-at-prague-university-672345/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Speaking to&nbsp;reporters, Police Chief Martin Vondrasek said that the gunman "left for Prague saying he wanted to kill himself". He further said that he had also killed his father.<br />
<br />
Vondrasek further shared the possibility of the gunman getting inspired by a "similar case that happened in Russia".<br />
<br />
Vondrasek said that he is also suspected of killing&nbsp;a man and his two-month-old daughter in the forest on the eastern outskirts of Prague on December 15.<br />
<br />
Czech President Petr Pavel said that he was "shocked" by the violence and expressed "deep regret and sincere condolences to the families and relatives of the victims".</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


After the worst-ever mass shootout in Prague, social media platforms were flooded with dramatic videos that showed people leaping from the ledge of a building to escape the shooter during the attack on Thursday (Dec 21).

After the worst-ever mass shootout in Prague, social media platforms were flooded with dramatic videos that showed people leaping from the ledge of a building to escape the shooter during the attack on Thursday (Dec 21). The shootout that happened at Charles University is not being considered as a terrorist incident by the local authorities. The violence in the historic centre of the city led to evacuations, while others living near the building were warned to stay indoors by authorities. Also read: Prague mass shooting: Czech police try to uncover motive behind attack, PM appeals for 'sensitivity' In the worst shooting that the Czech Republic has seen in decades, 13 people were killed and 25 others injured. BREAKING: Footage show students hiding on a ledge during mass shooting in University in Prague pic.twitter.com/BvOSqt5pwB — Mīkāʾīl (@Grey0973) December 22, 2023 × Chilling video emerges In the video, some people were seen cowering on the university's ledge as the gunman started firing bullets at those who were present inside the building. The people, to escape the gunman, jumped from the ledges of the building onto the floor below and safely went downstairs from where they were rescued by the police. BREAKING: Czech police say possible attack foiled in country overnight just hours after 24-year-old Czech student shot dead his father, then killed 14 people at Charles University in downtown Prague https://t.co/VLTw3qV7XY — I.E.N. (@BreakingIEN) December 22, 2023 × Authorities said that the 24-year-old gunman, who was a student at the Faculty of Arts at Charles University, killed himself after the shootout in Prague. His body was discovered in the philosophy building of the university. Earlier, the police informed that the father of the gunman was also found dead. A national day of mourning was declared by the government on December 23, with flags on official buildings flown at half-mast. People were also appealed to observe a minute's silence in remembrance of those killed at the University. Watch: Gunman kills 14 in unprecedented attack at Prague university Speaking to reporters, Police Chief Martin Vondrasek said that the gunman "left for Prague saying he wanted to kill himself". He further said that he had also killed his father. Vondrasek further shared the possibility of the gunman getting inspired by a "similar case that happened in Russia". Vondrasek said that he is also suspected of killing a man and his two-month-old daughter in the forest on the eastern outskirts of Prague on December 15. Czech President Petr Pavel said that he was "shocked" by the violence and expressed "deep regret and sincere condolences to the families and relatives of the victims". (With inputs from agencies)

Prague university shootout: Video shows people hiding on building ledge to escape gunman

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Prisha

Home

Live Tv

Latest

World

India

Business

Entertainment

Sports

Opinions

Videos

Photos

Gravitas

Lifestyle

Science

Tech

Rajasthan News in Hindi: In-depth coverage of Rajasthan Crime, Political News, Education, Rajasthan Weather Update and Latest Rajasthan News on Zee News Rajasthan.