<p>Germany's defence ministry on Saturday announced that they are preparing the country's biggest yet military aid package for Ukraine, which is worth 2.7 billion euros ($2.95 billion) ahead of President Volodymyr Zelensky's trip to Berlin.</p>

<p>"We all hope for a rapid end to this terrible war by Russia against the Ukrainian people, but unfortunately this is not in sight," said Defence Minister Boris Pistorius in a statement.</p>

<p>"This is why Germany will supply all the help that it can, for as long as necessary," he added.</p>

<p>Welcoming the weapons package from Germany, which includes 30 additional Leopard-1 tanks, Marder armoured vehicles, air-defence systems and surveillance drones, Kyiv said that Moscow may now not see a victory in the war.</p>

<p>President Zelensky's adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said the new arms package of Germany indicates that Russia was "bound to lose and sit on the bench of historical shame."</p>

<p>Increasingly powerful weapons have been delivered by the Western allies to Ukraine though they have still not given advanced fighter jets which Zelensky has requested.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-delivers-long-range-storm-shadow-cruise-missiles-to-ukraine-591384">UK delivers long-range ‘Storm Shadow’ cruise missiles to Ukraine</a></p>

<h2><strong>Kyiv says 'moving forward' along Bakhmut front line</strong></h2>

<p>Ukraine's senior military commander on Saturday said that Kyiv's forces are advancing along part of the Bakhmut front line against Russian forces.</p>

<p>"Our soldiers are moving forward in some areas of the front, and the enemy is losing equipment and manpower," said the commander of the Ukrainian ground forces Oleksandr Syrskyi on social media.</p>

<p>Kyiv on Friday stated it had re-captured swathes of the area near Bakhmut, although Moscow insisted that the attack was repelled along a broad stretch of the front line.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | Russia acknowledges retreat north of Bakhmut, Wagner boss calls it a 'rout'</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-acknowledges-retreat-north-of-bakhmut-wagner-boss-calls-it-a-rout-591939/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<h2><strong>Kyiv using UK missiles to hit 'civilian targets', alleges Moscow</strong></h2>

<p>Moscow on Saturday said that British long-range missiles are being used by Kyiv to hit civilian sites in the eastern city of Lugansk where six children have been injured.</p>

<p>On Friday evening, the defence ministry said that two civilian enterprises have been hit by Ukraine's armed forces, adding: "Storm Shadow air-to-air missiles supplied to the Kyiv regime by Great Britain were used for the strike, despite London's declarations that these weapons would not be used against civilian targets.”</p>

<p>This week, the UK government announced that it would send Storm Shadow missiles, which made it the first nation to provide longer-range weapons to Kyiv, in what Russia said is "an extremely hostile step".</p>

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<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Germany's defence ministry on Saturday announced that they are preparing the country's biggest yet military aid package for Ukraine, which is worth 2.7 billion euros ($2.

Germany's defence ministry on Saturday announced that they are preparing the country's biggest yet military aid package for Ukraine, which is worth 2.7 billion euros ($2.95 billion) ahead of President Volodymyr Zelensky's trip to Berlin. "We all hope for a rapid end to this terrible war by Russia against the Ukrainian people, but unfortunately this is not in sight," said Defence Minister Boris Pistorius in a statement. "This is why Germany will supply all the help that it can, for as long as necessary," he added. Welcoming the weapons package from Germany, which includes 30 additional Leopard-1 tanks, Marder armoured vehicles, air-defence systems and surveillance drones, Kyiv said that Moscow may now not see a victory in the war. President Zelensky's adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said the new arms package of Germany indicates that Russia was "bound to lose and sit on the bench of historical shame." Increasingly powerful weapons have been delivered by the Western allies to Ukraine though they have still not given advanced fighter jets which Zelensky has requested. ALSO READ | UK delivers long-range ‘Storm Shadow’ cruise missiles to Ukraine Kyiv says 'moving forward' along Bakhmut front line Ukraine's senior military commander on Saturday said that Kyiv's forces are advancing along part of the Bakhmut front line against Russian forces. "Our soldiers are moving forward in some areas of the front, and the enemy is losing equipment and manpower," said the commander of the Ukrainian ground forces Oleksandr Syrskyi on social media. Kyiv on Friday stated it had re-captured swathes of the area near Bakhmut, although Moscow insisted that the attack was repelled along a broad stretch of the front line. WATCH | Russia acknowledges retreat north of Bakhmut, Wagner boss calls it a 'rout' Kyiv using UK missiles to hit 'civilian targets', alleges Moscow Moscow on Saturday said that British long-range missiles are being used by Kyiv to hit civilian sites in the eastern city of Lugansk where six children have been injured. On Friday evening, the defence ministry said that two civilian enterprises have been hit by Ukraine's armed forces, adding: "Storm Shadow air-to-air missiles supplied to the Kyiv regime by Great Britain were used for the strike, despite London's declarations that these weapons would not be used against civilian targets.” This week, the UK government announced that it would send Storm Shadow missiles, which made it the first nation to provide longer-range weapons to Kyiv, in what Russia said is "an extremely hostile step". (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

'Moscow bound to lose', says Kyiv after Germany announces biggest arms package

<p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held talks at the Vatican with Pope Francis, who had stated in late April that the Holy See is working on a peace mission which aims to end the war with Russia.</p>

<p>During their 40-minute private&nbsp;audience,&nbsp;Zelensky and Pope Francis&nbsp;discussed the need to help "innocent victims" of the conflict, stated the Vatican.</p>

<p>They talked about issues relating to "the humanitarian and political situation in Ukraine caused by the ongoing war", read a Vatican statement.</p>

<p>Zelensky was assured by the 86-year-old pontiff "of his constant prayers, witnessed by his many public appeals and continuous invocation to the Lord for peace since February last year", when Ukraine was invaded by&nbsp;Russia.</p>

<p>"Together they agreed on the need to continue humanitarian efforts to support the population. The pope stressed, in particular, the urgent need for 'human gestures' towards the most fragile people, innocent victims of the conflict," the statement read.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Zelensky appealed to the pope to "join" Kyiv's 10-point peace plan. Talking about the 19,500 children which Kyiv estimates have been taken to&nbsp;Russia or Russian-occupied Crimea from February 2022,&nbsp;Zelensky tweeted, "We must make every effort to return them home." He added that&nbsp;he had discussed the issue&nbsp;with the pope.</p>

<p>Pope Francis has repeatedly called for peace in Ukraine after it was invaded by Russia in February 2022 and has offered to play the role of mediator with Moscow, although it did not yield any public results.</p>

<p>"An important visit for approaching victory of Ukraine!" tweeted Zelensky shortly after he reached Rome, which marks his first visit to EU and NATO member Italy since Ukraine has been invaded by Russia in February 2022.</p>

<p>Security was tightened in Rome for Zelensky's visit which started with a formal welcome by President Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinale Palace as more than 100 people gathered nearby holding Ukrainian flags.</p>

<h2><strong>Italy extends military and financial support to Ukraine</strong></h2>

<p>Italy's leaders on Saturday promised Ukraine's Zelensky complete military and financial backing and reiterated their support for the country's EU membership bid as President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Rome for the first time after the war began.</p>

<p>Zelensky held talks with Italy's President Sergio Mattarella and then Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni before heading to the Vatican for meeting Pope Francis.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zelensky-set-to-meet-pope-as-germany-announces-more-arms-for-ukraine-592061">Zelensky set to meet Pope as Germany announces more arms for Ukraine</a></p>

<p>Both Meloni and Mattarella ensured full support of Italy in terms of military, financial, humanitarian and reconstruction aid to Ukraine in the short and long period.</p>

<p>Meloni held a press conference with Zelensky after her meeting, where she criticised Russia's "brutal and unjust aggression" and pledged support to Ukraine for "as long as is necessary”, further appealing to Russia to immediately withdraw.</p>

<p>"You can't achieve peace through a surrender," she stated, echoing Mattarella's previous comment. "It would be a very grave precedent for all nations of the world,” she added.</p>

<p>She further emphasised Italy's support for Ukraine's membership of the European Union and the "intensification" of a partnership with NATO.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | Russia acknowledges retreat north of Bakhmut, Wagner boss calls it a 'rout'</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-acknowledges-retreat-north-of-bakhmut-wagner-boss-calls-it-a-rout-591939/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>While heading towards the presidential palace, Zelensky's motorcade passed by small groups of people who held Ukrainian flags. A signboard was held by one person condemning Russia.</p>

<p>Zelensky went to Rome onboard an Italian government plane which was escorted by fighter jets over Italian airspace. On Sunday, he will be travelling to Germany.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held talks at the Vatican with Pope Francis, who had stated in late April that the Holy See is working on a peace mission which aims to end the war with Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held talks at the Vatican with Pope Francis, who had stated in late April that the Holy See is working on a peace mission which aims to end the war with Russia. During their 40-minute private audience, Zelensky and Pope Francis discussed the need to help "innocent victims" of the conflict, stated the Vatican. They talked about issues relating to "the humanitarian and political situation in Ukraine caused by the ongoing war", read a Vatican statement. Zelensky was assured by the 86-year-old pontiff "of his constant prayers, witnessed by his many public appeals and continuous invocation to the Lord for peace since February last year", when Ukraine was invaded by Russia. "Together they agreed on the need to continue humanitarian efforts to support the population. The pope stressed, in particular, the urgent need for 'human gestures' towards the most fragile people, innocent victims of the conflict," the statement read. Zelensky appealed to the pope to "join" Kyiv's 10-point peace plan. Talking about the 19,500 children which Kyiv estimates have been taken to Russia or Russian-occupied Crimea from February 2022, Zelensky tweeted, "We must make every effort to return them home." He added that he had discussed the issue with the pope. Pope Francis has repeatedly called for peace in Ukraine after it was invaded by Russia in February 2022 and has offered to play the role of mediator with Moscow, although it did not yield any public results. "An important visit for approaching victory of Ukraine!" tweeted Zelensky shortly after he reached Rome, which marks his first visit to EU and NATO member Italy since Ukraine has been invaded by Russia in February 2022. Security was tightened in Rome for Zelensky's visit which started with a formal welcome by President Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinale Palace as more than 100 people gathered nearby holding Ukrainian flags. Italy extends military and financial support to Ukraine Italy's leaders on Saturday promised Ukraine's Zelensky complete military and financial backing and reiterated their support for the country's EU membership bid as President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Rome for the first time after the war began. Zelensky held talks with Italy's President Sergio Mattarella and then Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni before heading to the Vatican for meeting Pope Francis. ALSO READ | Zelensky set to meet Pope as Germany announces more arms for Ukraine Both Meloni and Mattarella ensured full support of Italy in terms of military, financial, humanitarian and reconstruction aid to Ukraine in the short and long period. Meloni held a press conference with Zelensky after her meeting, where she criticised Russia's "brutal and unjust aggression" and pledged support to Ukraine for "as long as is necessary”, further appealing to Russia to immediately withdraw. "You can't achieve peace through a surrender," she stated, echoing Mattarella's previous comment. "It would be a very grave precedent for all nations of the world,” she added. She further emphasised Italy's support for Ukraine's membership of the European Union and the "intensification" of a partnership with NATO. WATCH | Russia acknowledges retreat north of Bakhmut, Wagner boss calls it a 'rout' While heading towards the presidential palace, Zelensky's motorcade passed by small groups of people who held Ukrainian flags. A signboard was held by one person condemning Russia. Zelensky went to Rome onboard an Italian government plane which was escorted by fighter jets over Italian airspace. On Sunday, he will be travelling to Germany. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Zelensky asks Pope Francis to 'join' Kyiv's peace plan as Italy reiterates its support

<p>Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered the authorities on Saturday to track down and arrest in the next 72 hours all those responsible for arson and vandalism at the Jinnah House and military and civil installations, reported ARY News.</p>

<p>The instructions were given by Shehbaz Sharif while he chaired a meeting held at the Punjab Safe City Authority Headquarters in Lahore. "All the culprits, planners, instigators, and attackers involved in the vandalism should be arrested in the next 72 hours," PM Sharif said.</p>

<p>"This is a critical task that requires swift action to ensure the safety and security of our citizens.”</p>

<p>Pakistan's prime minister expressed regret over the Safe City Project's destruction during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) tenure.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/this-mafia-is-going-all-out-imran-khan-recalls-bangladesh-liberation-osamas-killing-to-slam-army-592097">Imran Khan recalls Bangladesh liberation, Osama's killing to slam army</a></p>

<p>"I am deeply disturbed by this situation, and I would like to request the chief minister to take immediate action,” Sharif said. He added that he clearly told Punjab's caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi that any act of sabotage is unacceptable and the culprits will be arrested and made to appear before the court for justice.</p>

<p>Sharif stated that he was informed around 40 to 60 per cent of CCTV cameras were found to be non-functional in the last five years. He stated that the Safe City System which has been designed to protect people has suffered because of criminal negligence.</p>

<p>He further directed to increase the number of anti-terrorism courts present in the province where they can swiftly begin legal proceedings against all culprits.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | Pakistan: Imran Khan attacks Army Chief, says 'no rule of law in Pakistan' | WION Pulse</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pakistan-imran-khan-attacks-army-chief-says-no-rule-of-law-in-pakistan-wion-pulse-591816/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>"It is time to do or die or now or never. The real culprits who showed this kind of enmity against the motherland should be arrested and produced in anti-terrorism courts under the relevant laws. These elements should be arrested immediately," Shehbaz Sharif was quoted as saying by the ARY News.</p>

<p>Taking to Twitter, PM Sharif tweeted, "I have given law enforcement apparatus a target of 72 hours to arrest all those involved in facilitating, abetting and perpetrating the disgraceful incidents of arson, ransacking, sabotage &amp; damaging public &amp; private properties. All available resources including technological aid &amp; intelligence are being deployed to chase down these elements. Bringing these people to justice is a test case for the government. Their cases will be tried by the anti-terrorism courts."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I have given law enforcement apparatus a target of 72 hours to arrest all those involved in facilitating, abetting and perpetrating the disgraceful incidents of arson, ransacking, sabotage &amp; damaging public &amp; private properties. All available resources including technological aid…</p>
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) <a href="https://twitter.com/CMShehbaz/status/1657332222276571137?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Earlier, Punjab's caretaker CM Mohsin Naqvi and PM Sharif visited the vandalised Lahore Corps Commander House where he expressed solidarity with the military leadership of the country. The prime minister also visited the Services Hospital and met the injured personnel.</p>

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Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered the authorities on Saturday to track down and arrest in the next 72 hours all those responsible for arson and vandalism at the Jinnah House and military and civil installations, reported ARY News.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered the authorities on Saturday to track down and arrest in the next 72 hours all those responsible for arson and vandalism at the Jinnah House and military and civil installations, reported ARY News. The instructions were given by Shehbaz Sharif while he chaired a meeting held at the Punjab Safe City Authority Headquarters in Lahore. "All the culprits, planners, instigators, and attackers involved in the vandalism should be arrested in the next 72 hours," PM Sharif said. "This is a critical task that requires swift action to ensure the safety and security of our citizens.” Pakistan's prime minister expressed regret over the Safe City Project's destruction during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) tenure. ALSO READ | Imran Khan recalls Bangladesh liberation, Osama's killing to slam army "I am deeply disturbed by this situation, and I would like to request the chief minister to take immediate action,” Sharif said. He added that he clearly told Punjab's caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi that any act of sabotage is unacceptable and the culprits will be arrested and made to appear before the court for justice. Sharif stated that he was informed around 40 to 60 per cent of CCTV cameras were found to be non-functional in the last five years. He stated that the Safe City System which has been designed to protect people has suffered because of criminal negligence. He further directed to increase the number of anti-terrorism courts present in the province where they can swiftly begin legal proceedings against all culprits. WATCH | Pakistan: Imran Khan attacks Army Chief, says 'no rule of law in Pakistan' | WION Pulse "It is time to do or die or now or never. The real culprits who showed this kind of enmity against the motherland should be arrested and produced in anti-terrorism courts under the relevant laws. These elements should be arrested immediately," Shehbaz Sharif was quoted as saying by the ARY News. Taking to Twitter, PM Sharif tweeted, "I have given law enforcement apparatus a target of 72 hours to arrest all those involved in facilitating, abetting and perpetrating the disgraceful incidents of arson, ransacking, sabotage & damaging public & private properties. All available resources including technological aid & intelligence are being deployed to chase down these elements. Bringing these people to justice is a test case for the government. Their cases will be tried by the anti-terrorism courts." I have given law enforcement apparatus a target of 72 hours to arrest all those involved in facilitating, abetting and perpetrating the disgraceful incidents of arson, ransacking, sabotage & damaging public & private properties. All available resources including technological aid… — Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) May 13, 2023 × Earlier, Punjab's caretaker CM Mohsin Naqvi and PM Sharif visited the vandalised Lahore Corps Commander House where he expressed solidarity with the military leadership of the country. The prime minister also visited the Services Hospital and met the injured personnel. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Track and arrest people involved in vandalism in 72 hours, orders Pak PM Sharif

<p>According to a report in the New York Post, the House Oversight Committee has been discussing presenting foreign and American prostitutes, who were sexually engaged with United States President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden, before Congress.</p>

<p>“We’re going to track down these women and talk to them and if there is a credible reason that we need to bring them in front of the Oversight Committee then absolutely we will do that. Especially when it involves our national security,” stated Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Gerogia.</p>

<p>“I’ve been talking about it with (committee) Chairman (James) Comer and we’re already working in that direction,” the Republican congresswoman added.</p>

<p>Greene is among the few people who have been authorised to view Suspicious Activity Reports (SARS) of the bank related to Hunter Biden and other family members.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/four-year-long-hunter-biden-probe-nears-decision-what-is-the-controversy-588735">EXPLAINED | Four-year-long Hunter Biden probe nears decision on pressing charges. What is the controversy?</a></p>

<p>Many of the alleged payments, included in SARS and related to Hunter Biden, were made to sex workers who were from Russia and Ukraine.</p>

<p>A number of the summary pages include the terms, “this is a known prostitution ring” and “human sex trafficking,” recalled Greene from the reports she viewed.</p>

<p>“There was an entire stack of papers and it was each transaction, each person, each LLC, Hunter Biden’s law firm, Hunter Biden himself, and multiple Biden family members — then it was all these prostitutes. And you can go through and it gives all the prostitutes’ names, addresses, birthdates, telephone numbers, their passports,” Greene stated.</p>

<p>“We need to talk to them, especially the ones from Russia and Ukraine. … We need to find out where they were with Hunter Biden. Did they go in the White House when (Joe Biden) was Vice President? We just need to know these things. Where they’ve been, what they know, what they’ve seen, what they’ve heard,” she added.</p>

<p>Greene further warned there was “an extreme danger” that a few women Hunter was involved with could have been spies. She claimed there are chances that sensitive information has been compromised, “especially given the fact that our country is funding a proxy war with Russian in Ukraine”.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | US: Probe into Hunter Biden laptop saga</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-probe-into-hunter-biden-laptop-saga-560405/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>The lurid relationships of Hunter Biden with various prostitutes have been well-documented on his infamous laptop. As per media reports, Biden was paying thousands of dollars every night to high-end escorts at lux locations in the country.</p>

<p>The committee issued a statement about the investigation being carried out by Greene, which is focused on sex trafficking.</p>

<p>“Congresswoman Greene is very concerned about the possibility that the women being paid for prostitution by the President’s son who were foreign nationals were human trafficked. She plans to lead a probe to determine if in fact they were human trafficked and if the Biden family has tried to intimidate them or cover the story up,” the statement read.</p>

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According to a report in the New York Post, the House Oversight Committee has been discussing presenting foreign and American prostitutes, who were sexually engaged with United States President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden, before Congress.

According to a report in the New York Post, the House Oversight Committee has been discussing presenting foreign and American prostitutes, who were sexually engaged with United States President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden, before Congress. “We’re going to track down these women and talk to them and if there is a credible reason that we need to bring them in front of the Oversight Committee then absolutely we will do that. Especially when it involves our national security,” stated Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Gerogia. “I’ve been talking about it with (committee) Chairman (James) Comer and we’re already working in that direction,” the Republican congresswoman added. Greene is among the few people who have been authorised to view Suspicious Activity Reports (SARS) of the bank related to Hunter Biden and other family members. ALSO READ | EXPLAINED | Four-year-long Hunter Biden probe nears decision on pressing charges. What is the controversy? Many of the alleged payments, included in SARS and related to Hunter Biden, were made to sex workers who were from Russia and Ukraine. A number of the summary pages include the terms, “this is a known prostitution ring” and “human sex trafficking,” recalled Greene from the reports she viewed. “There was an entire stack of papers and it was each transaction, each person, each LLC, Hunter Biden’s law firm, Hunter Biden himself, and multiple Biden family members — then it was all these prostitutes. And you can go through and it gives all the prostitutes’ names, addresses, birthdates, telephone numbers, their passports,” Greene stated. “We need to talk to them, especially the ones from Russia and Ukraine. … We need to find out where they were with Hunter Biden. Did they go in the White House when (Joe Biden) was Vice President? We just need to know these things. Where they’ve been, what they know, what they’ve seen, what they’ve heard,” she added. Greene further warned there was “an extreme danger” that a few women Hunter was involved with could have been spies. She claimed there are chances that sensitive information has been compromised, “especially given the fact that our country is funding a proxy war with Russian in Ukraine”. WATCH | US: Probe into Hunter Biden laptop saga The lurid relationships of Hunter Biden with various prostitutes have been well-documented on his infamous laptop. As per media reports, Biden was paying thousands of dollars every night to high-end escorts at lux locations in the country. The committee issued a statement about the investigation being carried out by Greene, which is focused on sex trafficking. “Congresswoman Greene is very concerned about the possibility that the women being paid for prostitution by the President’s son who were foreign nationals were human trafficked. She plans to lead a probe to determine if in fact they were human trafficked and if the Biden family has tried to intimidate them or cover the story up,” the statement read. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Sex workers allegedly seen with Hunter Biden may testify before Congress, says Republican leader

<p>A post on Twitter recently started a debate about whether the colour of the sun is white or yellow.</p>

<p>The debate started when writer Jacqui Deevoy tweeted last week that her childhood's round yellow sun had suddenly turned white and looked wonky.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I’m just telling a person in their 20s that the sun used to be yellow when I was a child and he’s laughing. The last time he saw a yellow sun was on Teletubbies. Here’s the sun right now. White and a weird shape. How’s it looking where you are? <a href="https://t.co/C3BJdt7s8I">pic.twitter.com/C3BJdt7s8I</a></p>
— Jacqui Deevoy (@JacquiDeevoy1) <a href="https://twitter.com/JacquiDeevoy1/status/1653703466617847810?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>In some days, the social media post received more than six million views and left the users divided into two camps – those who believed that the sun was always white and those who agreed that the yellow sun now looks white.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/sun-like-star-swallows-entire-planet-gives-glimpse-of-earths-fate-to-astronomers-589358">Sun-like star swallows entire planet, gives glimpse of Earth’s fate to astronomers</a></p>

<p>This debate over the colour of the star of our solar system raised a very curious question – what indeed is the colour of the sun: yellow or white?</p>

<p>As per the scientists, the star has a bit of both, but neither of them is its colour. Sun is actually green.</p>

<p>Project scientist of NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory W Dean Pesnell said, “The sun would appear green if your eye could handle looking at it.”</p>

<p>“Basically, when you look at the sun, it has enough of all the different colours in it and it’s so bright that everybody’s eyes are firing like crazy and saying, ‘It’s too bright for me to tell you what colour it is.’ That’s why the sun looks white to us,” he added.</p>

<p>Pesnell explained that the star, which is 93 million miles away from Earth, usually appears like a white spot in the sky. However, many believe that it is yellow because of the way the light is scattered, he added.</p>

<p>Pesnell said that the molecules present in the air redirect the blue and violet wavelengths of the sunlight which allows more red and yellow wavelengths to hit one's eyes.</p>

<p>“Essentially, it’s a green star that looks white because it’s too bright, and it can also appear yellow, orange or red because of how our atmosphere works,” Pesnell said.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | A Super-Earth will toss us into the Sun or leave us lost in interstellar space?</strong></p>

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<p>“What we perceive as the sun’s hue is really light bouncing off surfaces. When it comes to stars, colour equals temperature,” said Pesnell. He added that the star is hot, it gives off blue light and the cooler ones appear red.</p>

<p>With a temperature that hit 27 million degrees Fahrenheit in the sun's core, the star is “somewhere in the middle, in this weird space where we can’t perceive its colour,” Pesnell added, further stating that the glowing mass of gases is likely to change hues after millions of years.</p>

<p>“The sun is at its midlife, and it still has quite a lot of years before it changes colours. It still hasn’t dimmed out one bit,” Pesnell stated.</p>

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A post on Twitter recently started a debate about whether the colour of the sun is white or yellow. The debate started when writer Jacqui Deevoy tweeted last week that her childhood's round yellow sun had suddenly turned white and looked wonky.

A post on Twitter recently started a debate about whether the colour of the sun is white or yellow. The debate started when writer Jacqui Deevoy tweeted last week that her childhood's round yellow sun had suddenly turned white and looked wonky. I’m just telling a person in their 20s that the sun used to be yellow when I was a child and he’s laughing. The last time he saw a yellow sun was on Teletubbies. Here’s the sun right now. White and a weird shape. How’s it looking where you are? pic.twitter.com/C3BJdt7s8I — Jacqui Deevoy (@JacquiDeevoy1) May 3, 2023 × In some days, the social media post received more than six million views and left the users divided into two camps – those who believed that the sun was always white and those who agreed that the yellow sun now looks white. ALSO READ | Sun-like star swallows entire planet, gives glimpse of Earth’s fate to astronomers This debate over the colour of the star of our solar system raised a very curious question – what indeed is the colour of the sun: yellow or white? As per the scientists, the star has a bit of both, but neither of them is its colour. Sun is actually green. Project scientist of NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory W Dean Pesnell said, “The sun would appear green if your eye could handle looking at it.” “Basically, when you look at the sun, it has enough of all the different colours in it and it’s so bright that everybody’s eyes are firing like crazy and saying, ‘It’s too bright for me to tell you what colour it is.’ That’s why the sun looks white to us,” he added. Pesnell explained that the star, which is 93 million miles away from Earth, usually appears like a white spot in the sky. However, many believe that it is yellow because of the way the light is scattered, he added. Pesnell said that the molecules present in the air redirect the blue and violet wavelengths of the sunlight which allows more red and yellow wavelengths to hit one's eyes. “Essentially, it’s a green star that looks white because it’s too bright, and it can also appear yellow, orange or red because of how our atmosphere works,” Pesnell said. WATCH | A Super-Earth will toss us into the Sun or leave us lost in interstellar space? “What we perceive as the sun’s hue is really light bouncing off surfaces. When it comes to stars, colour equals temperature,” said Pesnell. He added that the star is hot, it gives off blue light and the cooler ones appear red. With a temperature that hit 27 million degrees Fahrenheit in the sun's core, the star is “somewhere in the middle, in this weird space where we can’t perceive its colour,” Pesnell added, further stating that the glowing mass of gases is likely to change hues after millions of years. “The sun is at its midlife, and it still has quite a lot of years before it changes colours. It still hasn’t dimmed out one bit,” Pesnell stated. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Is the colour of sun yellow or white? Twitter gets into debate

<p>Israeli defence forces and Islamic Jihad movement's militants agreed to enter a truce in Gaza which will come into effect at 10 pm local time (1900 GMT), on Saturday, said Palestinian officials.</p>

<p>The truce signalled the end of the deadliest episode of cross-border firing in which at least 33 Palestinians in Gaza and two people in Israel were killed.</p>

<p>This was the worst fighting that took place after a 10-day war that happened in 2021. The ceasefire was brokered by Egypt, which appealed to both sides to adhere to the finalised agreement, reported Egypt's Al-Qahera News television channel.</p>

<p>The agreement was further confirmed by a Palestinian source.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/middle-east/in-first-irans-president-addresses-palestinians-in-gaza-vows-full-support-for-resistance-582706"> </a></strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/middle-east/in-first-irans-president-addresses-palestinians-in-gaza-vows-full-support-for-resistance-582706">In first, Iran's President addresses Palestinians in Gaza, vows full support for resistance</a></p>

<p>"In the light of the agreement of the Palestinian and the Israeli side, Egypt announces a ceasefire between the Palestinian and the Israeli side has been reached," read a text of the agreement, as reported by Reuters.</p>

<p>"The two sides will abide by the ceasefire which will include an end to targeting civilians, house demolition, an end to targeting individuals immediately when the ceasefire goes into effect," it added. Israeli officials did not immediately confirm the Gaza truce, said the Reuters report.</p>

<p>Even though the truce was finalised, both sides kept firing rockets as warning sirens blared across southern Israel and the military of Israel announced that Islamic Jihad's six operational command posts have been hit.</p>

<p>The latest airstrikes were launched by Israel in the early hours of Saturday as it announced that their target was Islamic Jihad commanders who had made plans to carry out attacks in Israel.</p>

<p>Responding to airstrikes, hundreds of rockets were fired by the Iranian-backed group, which forced one and a half million people to go to air raid shelters in Israel.</p>

<p>In the campaign which continued for five days, six senior Islamic Jihad commanders were killed by Israel as they also destroyed various military installations. The airstrikes took the lives of 10 civilians, which included women and children.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Israel hits targets in Gaza, militants fire at Tel Aviv</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-hits-targets-in-gaza-militants-fire-at-tel-aviv-591170/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Meanwhile, many international staff members working for foreign organisations in the Gaza Strip were seen leaving by buses on Saturday after reports suggested that Israel permitted their exit from the territory.</p>

<p>Dozens of employees working in humanitarian and non-governmental organisations were seen checking their names against lists and then boarding buses.</p>

<p>Also, nearly 2,000 protesters marched on Kaplan Street in Tel Aviv with Palestinian flags and signboards reading: "Stop the war," after the protest against Benjamin Netanyahu government's judicial reform was cancelled over security concerns.</p>

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Israeli defence forces and Islamic Jihad movement's militants agreed to enter a truce in Gaza which will come into effect at 10 pm local time (1900 GMT), on Saturday, said Palestinian officials.

Israeli defence forces and Islamic Jihad movement's militants agreed to enter a truce in Gaza which will come into effect at 10 pm local time (1900 GMT), on Saturday, said Palestinian officials. The truce signalled the end of the deadliest episode of cross-border firing in which at least 33 Palestinians in Gaza and two people in Israel were killed. This was the worst fighting that took place after a 10-day war that happened in 2021. The ceasefire was brokered by Egypt, which appealed to both sides to adhere to the finalised agreement, reported Egypt's Al-Qahera News television channel. The agreement was further confirmed by a Palestinian source. ALSO READ | In first, Iran's President addresses Palestinians in Gaza, vows full support for resistance "In the light of the agreement of the Palestinian and the Israeli side, Egypt announces a ceasefire between the Palestinian and the Israeli side has been reached," read a text of the agreement, as reported by Reuters. "The two sides will abide by the ceasefire which will include an end to targeting civilians, house demolition, an end to targeting individuals immediately when the ceasefire goes into effect," it added. Israeli officials did not immediately confirm the Gaza truce, said the Reuters report. Even though the truce was finalised, both sides kept firing rockets as warning sirens blared across southern Israel and the military of Israel announced that Islamic Jihad's six operational command posts have been hit. The latest airstrikes were launched by Israel in the early hours of Saturday as it announced that their target was Islamic Jihad commanders who had made plans to carry out attacks in Israel. Responding to airstrikes, hundreds of rockets were fired by the Iranian-backed group, which forced one and a half million people to go to air raid shelters in Israel. In the campaign which continued for five days, six senior Islamic Jihad commanders were killed by Israel as they also destroyed various military installations. The airstrikes took the lives of 10 civilians, which included women and children. WATCH | Israel hits targets in Gaza, militants fire at Tel Aviv Meanwhile, many international staff members working for foreign organisations in the Gaza Strip were seen leaving by buses on Saturday after reports suggested that Israel permitted their exit from the territory. Dozens of employees working in humanitarian and non-governmental organisations were seen checking their names against lists and then boarding buses. Also, nearly 2,000 protesters marched on Kaplan Street in Tel Aviv with Palestinian flags and signboards reading: "Stop the war," after the protest against Benjamin Netanyahu government's judicial reform was cancelled over security concerns. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Israel forces, Palestinian militants agree on Gaza truce, signalling end to cross-border fire

<p>India's national capital is set to get 250 'pink parks' which will be strictly for women and men's entry will not be allowed. Speaking about this innovative plan, Delhi Deputy Mayor Aaley Mohammad Iqbal said that they have started the work of identifying locations to establish women-only 'pink parks' in every MCD ward.</p>

<p>The idea is to create a "more comfortable space" for women in the city besides ensuring that they get various amenities, he stated</p>

<p>"Recently, in a meeting with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, I cited the example of a 'pink park' in my ward (Chandni Mahal) in old Delhi and suggested that such parks can be set up in all wards,” Iqbal said. "My idea found resonance with the Chief Minister and later, in a meeting of the civic body's Horticulture department, I proposed that each ward should have at least one such park," he added.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-delhi-university-calls-rahul-gandhis-sudden-visit-an-act-of-trespass-591441">India: Delhi University calls Rahul Gandhi's sudden visit an act of 'trespass'</a></p>

<p>250 wards fall under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's (MCD) jurisdiction. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Iqbal said that they have set up a 'pink park' on Mata Sundari Road as a pilot project and in these parks, women can be accompanied by children till the age of 10.</p>

<p>The officials will be replicating the same model in other wards. The 'pink parks' of the capital will have CCTV cameras, toilets, gym facilities and walls decorated with graffiti to offer a comfortable space to the woman.</p>

<p>The deputy mayor of the national capital said that one park will be identified by the councillors in their respective wards for getting converted into 'pink parks'.</p>

<p>"Many councillors have been told to look for locations in their wards already. This initiative is to provide better and safer places for women in public parks and I am hopeful that even councillors from other parties will co-operate in achieving this vision," he said while speaking to news agency Press Trust of India (PTI).</p>

<p>MCD's senior official said that Iqbal tabled the proposal in the Horticulture department's recent meeting but "we will work on it if there is a demand for it from people of the wards".</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | The perks of an extended spring in Delhi</strong></p>

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<p>"A 'pink park' sounds very good but we, as a civic body, cannot just restrict access to a large segment of the male population, which include elderly people too, who may not agree to a public park being restricted to be used by people of just one gender," he stated.</p>

<p>"We will work on it as and when we get a request from an area councillor. If there is a demand from the residents and the councillors who represent them make a proposal for such women-only parks, we will take it forward," the official added.</p>

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India's national capital is set to get 250 'pink parks' which will be strictly for women and men's entry will not be allowed. Speaking about this innovative plan, Delhi Deputy Mayor Aaley Mohammad Iqbal said that they have started the work of identifying locations to establish women-only 'pink parks' in every MCD ward.

India's national capital is set to get 250 'pink parks' which will be strictly for women and men's entry will not be allowed. Speaking about this innovative plan, Delhi Deputy Mayor Aaley Mohammad Iqbal said that they have started the work of identifying locations to establish women-only 'pink parks' in every MCD ward. The idea is to create a "more comfortable space" for women in the city besides ensuring that they get various amenities, he stated "Recently, in a meeting with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, I cited the example of a 'pink park' in my ward (Chandni Mahal) in old Delhi and suggested that such parks can be set up in all wards,” Iqbal said. "My idea found resonance with the Chief Minister and later, in a meeting of the civic body's Horticulture department, I proposed that each ward should have at least one such park," he added. ALSO READ | India: Delhi University calls Rahul Gandhi's sudden visit an act of 'trespass' 250 wards fall under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's (MCD) jurisdiction. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Iqbal said that they have set up a 'pink park' on Mata Sundari Road as a pilot project and in these parks, women can be accompanied by children till the age of 10. The officials will be replicating the same model in other wards. The 'pink parks' of the capital will have CCTV cameras, toilets, gym facilities and walls decorated with graffiti to offer a comfortable space to the woman. The deputy mayor of the national capital said that one park will be identified by the councillors in their respective wards for getting converted into 'pink parks'. "Many councillors have been told to look for locations in their wards already. This initiative is to provide better and safer places for women in public parks and I am hopeful that even councillors from other parties will co-operate in achieving this vision," he said while speaking to news agency Press Trust of India (PTI). MCD's senior official said that Iqbal tabled the proposal in the Horticulture department's recent meeting but "we will work on it if there is a demand for it from people of the wards". WATCH | The perks of an extended spring in Delhi "A 'pink park' sounds very good but we, as a civic body, cannot just restrict access to a large segment of the male population, which include elderly people too, who may not agree to a public park being restricted to be used by people of just one gender," he stated. "We will work on it as and when we get a request from an area councillor. If there is a demand from the residents and the councillors who represent them make a proposal for such women-only parks, we will take it forward," the official added. 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.

Men not allowed: India’s national capital to get 250 women-only ‘pink parks’

<p>Thousands of people fled the west coast of Myanmar and officials in Bangladesh's neighbouring areas raced to evacuate the Rohingyas on Saturday as the region's most powerful cyclone in a decade churned across the Bay of Bengal.</p>

<p>According to India's meteorological office, Cyclone Mocha was packing winds, at a speed of 220 kilometres per hour (136 miles per hour), similar to a category four hurricane.</p>

<p>The cyclone is expected to weaken before it makes landfall between Cox's Bazar and Sittwe, which is on Myanmar's western Rakhine coast on Saturday.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/cyclone-mocha-to-intensify-severe-rain-expected-in-indias-northeastern-states-check-details-591663">Cyclone Mocha to intensify, severe rain expected in India's northeastern states, check details</a></p>

<p>More than a million Rohingya refugees have been living in flimsy shelters in Cox's Bazar after they fled from Myanmar.</p>

<p>On Saturday, the residents of Sittwe piled possessions as well as their pets onto trucks, cars, and tuk-tuks and moved for higher ground, as per AFP reporters.</p>

<p>"We have our grandma in our family and we have to take care of her," Khine Min said to AFP while standing beside a truck filled with his relatives on a road in the state capital.</p>

<p>"There is only one man left in Sittwe to take care of our homes,” Min added.</p>

<p>In the town of around 150,000 people, shops and markets were shuttered and many locals sought shelter in monasteries.</p>

<p>Kyaw Tin, aged 40, said that he was not able to evacuate the area as his son was admitted to the local hospital. "I hope this cyclone won't come to our state. But if this happens we can't ignore it," he stated.</p>

<p>"I'm worried that this cyclone will affect our state just like Nargis did," he further stated, while referring to a 2008 storm in which more than 130,000 people were killed in southern Myanmar.</p>

<p>The junta authorities of Myanmar were supervising people's evacuations from villages along the country's Rakhine coast, reported state media on Friday.</p>

<p>Myanmar Airways International said that they have suspended all flights bound for Rakhine state until Monday.</p>

<p>The officials in neighbouring Bangladesh took steps to evacuate Rohingya refugees from "risky areas" to community centres, as hundreds of citizens fled a top resort island.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | Gravitas: Bangladesh and Myanmar to face cyclone Mocha</strong></p>

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<p>"Cyclone Mocha is the most powerful storm since Cyclone Sidr," Azizur Rahman, the head of Bangladesh's Meteorological Department, said.</p>

<p>In November 2007, Cyclone Sidr had hit the southern coast of Bangladesh, which took the lives of more than 3,000 people and caused damage worth billions of dollars.</p>

<p>The government authorities in Bangladesh have banned the Rohingya from building permanent concrete homes as they fear it may incentivise them to permanently settle in the region and not return to Myanmar.</p>

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<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Thousands of people fled the west coast of Myanmar and officials in Bangladesh's neighbouring areas raced to evacuate the Rohingyas on Saturday as the region's most powerful cyclone in a decade churned across the Bay of Bengal.

Thousands of people fled the west coast of Myanmar and officials in Bangladesh's neighbouring areas raced to evacuate the Rohingyas on Saturday as the region's most powerful cyclone in a decade churned across the Bay of Bengal. According to India's meteorological office, Cyclone Mocha was packing winds, at a speed of 220 kilometres per hour (136 miles per hour), similar to a category four hurricane. The cyclone is expected to weaken before it makes landfall between Cox's Bazar and Sittwe, which is on Myanmar's western Rakhine coast on Saturday. ALSO READ | Cyclone Mocha to intensify, severe rain expected in India's northeastern states, check details More than a million Rohingya refugees have been living in flimsy shelters in Cox's Bazar after they fled from Myanmar. On Saturday, the residents of Sittwe piled possessions as well as their pets onto trucks, cars, and tuk-tuks and moved for higher ground, as per AFP reporters. "We have our grandma in our family and we have to take care of her," Khine Min said to AFP while standing beside a truck filled with his relatives on a road in the state capital. "There is only one man left in Sittwe to take care of our homes,” Min added. In the town of around 150,000 people, shops and markets were shuttered and many locals sought shelter in monasteries. Kyaw Tin, aged 40, said that he was not able to evacuate the area as his son was admitted to the local hospital. "I hope this cyclone won't come to our state. But if this happens we can't ignore it," he stated. "I'm worried that this cyclone will affect our state just like Nargis did," he further stated, while referring to a 2008 storm in which more than 130,000 people were killed in southern Myanmar. The junta authorities of Myanmar were supervising people's evacuations from villages along the country's Rakhine coast, reported state media on Friday. Myanmar Airways International said that they have suspended all flights bound for Rakhine state until Monday. The officials in neighbouring Bangladesh took steps to evacuate Rohingya refugees from "risky areas" to community centres, as hundreds of citizens fled a top resort island. WATCH | Gravitas: Bangladesh and Myanmar to face cyclone Mocha "Cyclone Mocha is the most powerful storm since Cyclone Sidr," Azizur Rahman, the head of Bangladesh's Meteorological Department, said. In November 2007, Cyclone Sidr had hit the southern coast of Bangladesh, which took the lives of more than 3,000 people and caused damage worth billions of dollars. The government authorities in Bangladesh have banned the Rohingya from building permanent concrete homes as they fear it may incentivise them to permanently settle in the region and not return to Myanmar. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Thousands evacuated as Cyclone Mocha approaches Myanmar, Bangladesh

<p>A much-awaited report released by the United Nations (UN)&nbsp;on Friday claimed that at least 500 people were executed by foreign fighters and the Malian army during an anti-militant operation carried out in March 2022.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released the figures which revealed the worst atrocity the Sahel country has gone through since militant insurgency flared up in 2012.</p>

<p>The report is also the most damning document released till now against the armed forces of Mali and their foreign allies.</p>

<p>In the report, the&nbsp;nationality of foreign fighters has not been explicitly identified, although Mali has brought in Russians who are claimed to be Wagner mercenaries.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-9-killed-over-60-injured-after-triple-suicide-bombing-in-mali-585183"><strong> </strong>At least nine killed, over 60 injured after triple suicide bombing in Mali</a></p>

<p>Explaining the events that unfolded in Mali's central town of Moura between March 27 and March 31 last year, the OHCHR said that it had "reasonable grounds to believe that at least 500 people were killed in violation of norms, standards, rules and/or principles of international law."</p>

<p>The victims were "executed by the Malian Armed Forces&nbsp;and foreign military personnel" who were completely controlling the area, it said.</p>

<p>The UN peacekeeping mission's human rights division in Mali, MINUSMA published the report after a lengthy investigation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to the report, around 20 women and seven children were killed, while evidence indicated that 58 women and girls were victims of rape and sexual violence.&nbsp;</p>

<p>People who had been detained were tortured, it stated.</p>

<p>UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk termed the findings "extremely disturbing".</p>

<p>"Summary executions, rape and torture during armed conflict amount to war crimes and could, depending on the circumstances, amount to crimes against humanity," he said in a statement.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | Africa insurgency: Security experts say situation may get worse</strong></p>

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<p>Mali's ruling junta did not react to the report on Friday. A military junta rules Mali after it toppled the elected president of the country in 2020 amid protests over the failure to counter the militants.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After taking over Mali, the junta brought in Russian operatives and warplanes to assist its beleaguered armed forces and broke ties with France, which was the traditional ally of the country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The junta claims that Russians are providing military training and denies the accusations of them being Wagner mercenaries.<br />
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A much-awaited report released by the United Nations (UN) on Friday claimed that at least 500 people were executed by foreign fighters and the Malian army during an anti-militant operation carried out in March 2022.

A much-awaited report released by the United Nations (UN) on Friday claimed that at least 500 people were executed by foreign fighters and the Malian army during an anti-militant operation carried out in March 2022. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released the figures which revealed the worst atrocity the Sahel country has gone through since militant insurgency flared up in 2012. The report is also the most damning document released till now against the armed forces of Mali and their foreign allies. In the report, the nationality of foreign fighters has not been explicitly identified, although Mali has brought in Russians who are claimed to be Wagner mercenaries. ALSO READ | At least nine killed, over 60 injured after triple suicide bombing in Mali Explaining the events that unfolded in Mali's central town of Moura between March 27 and March 31 last year, the OHCHR said that it had "reasonable grounds to believe that at least 500 people were killed in violation of norms, standards, rules and/or principles of international law." The victims were "executed by the Malian Armed Forces and foreign military personnel" who were completely controlling the area, it said. The UN peacekeeping mission's human rights division in Mali, MINUSMA published the report after a lengthy investigation. According to the report, around 20 women and seven children were killed, while evidence indicated that 58 women and girls were victims of rape and sexual violence. People who had been detained were tortured, it stated. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk termed the findings "extremely disturbing". "Summary executions, rape and torture during armed conflict amount to war crimes and could, depending on the circumstances, amount to crimes against humanity," he said in a statement. WATCH | Africa insurgency: Security experts say situation may get worse Mali's ruling junta did not react to the report on Friday. A military junta rules Mali after it toppled the elected president of the country in 2020 amid protests over the failure to counter the militants. After taking over Mali, the junta brought in Russian operatives and warplanes to assist its beleaguered armed forces and broke ties with France, which was the traditional ally of the country. The junta claims that Russians are providing military training and denies the accusations of them being Wagner mercenaries. 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.

500 killed by Mali army, ‘foreign’ fighters in March 2022 anti-militant operation, says UN report

<p>The latest ad campaign of coffee giant Starbucks on transgenders triggered a controversy as many users called it a promotion of the “Woke culture” and the hashtag “Boycott Starbucks” trended on Twitter.<br />
<br />
On Wednesday, a campaign was launched by the American coffeehouse chain with the title ‘it starts with your name’ to give a message of acceptance and inclusivity in society. Under the campaign, a video was shared by Starbucks India which featured a transgender woman who was meeting her parents at one of its outlets.<br />
<br />
In the video, a transgender woman with the name “Arpita” appears to be meeting her parents after a long time. The father of the woman looks upset over some situation, while the mother tries to calm him down.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/starbucks-new-ceo-laxman-narasimhan-says-will-work-as-a-barista-575107">Starbucks' new CEO Laxman Narasimhan says will work as a Barista</a></p>

<p>When Arpita reaches the coffee shop, she introduces herself to her parents as “Arpita and not Arpit”, which was her birth name. Her initially hesitant parents finally accept her actual identity and the ad ends with the three enjoying the Starbucks together after her father reassures her, “You will always be my child. Just a single letter has been added to your name.”<br />
<br />
Starbucks India captioned the viral post, “Your name defines who you are – whether it’s Arpit or Arpita. At Starbucks, we love and accept you for who you are. Because being yourself means everything to us. #ItStartsWithYourName.”</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Your name defines who you are - whether it's Arpit or Arpita. At Starbucks, we love and accept you for who you are. Because being yourself means everything to us. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ItStartsWithYourName?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ItStartsWithYourName</a>. 💚 <a href="https://t.co/DKNGhKZ1Hg">pic.twitter.com/DKNGhKZ1Hg</a></p>
— Starbucks India (@StarbucksIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarbucksIndia/status/1656133960924012545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Instantly, the campaign faced severe backlash on Twitter, as people criticised it for promoting the “Woke culture”.<br />
<br />
“Fail to understand the need for a multinational to get into sensitive topics in a country of hypersensitive people. Huge dent in the brand!!”, wrote a user. Starbucks be like “We are WOKEs! So let’s all be WOKEs together!!”, another user said.<br />
<br />
“Tata is big time woke. They own Starbucks, Tanishq (remember that ad?). They fund The Wire, Harvard, Cornell, etc. But are smart enough to sell their products with nationalism (desh ka namak, desh ke truck, army themed ads). Funds all political parties good as well,” wrote a social media user.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Tata is big time woke. They own Starbucks, Tanishq (remember that ad?). They fund The Wire, Harvard, Cornell, etc. But are smart enough to sell their products with nationalism (desh ka namak, desh ke truck, army themed ads). Funds all political parties good as well.</p>
— THE SKIN DOCTOR (@theskindoctor13) <a href="https://twitter.com/theskindoctor13/status/1656594686331748353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>“Seriously, we will deal with our issues when they come up; the last thing I need is preaching by a Western MNC. You take care of serving coffee,” commented another user.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I’ve never been to Starbucks. Nor am I going to be there ever. These propaganda resonates with only 10% Indian population. Take this down or do business with only 10% of India.</p>
— Chow (@Lokatochupake) <a href="https://twitter.com/Lokatochupake/status/1656538787453997056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-why-are-indians-calling-to-boycott-starbucks-591796/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>However, some netizens even applauded Starbucks for coming up with such a campaign. “Dear Starbucks, These days common sense is very uncommon so some bigots won't understand the emotion. This is an incredible ad so let's hope that the LGBTQ+ community finds more such allies,” wrote a user in support of the campaign.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dear Starbucks,<br />
<br />
These days common sense is very uncommon so some bigots wont understand the emotion.<br />
<br />
This is an incredible ad so let's hope that the LGBTQ+ community finds more such allies .</p>
— Vimal (@VimalINC) <a href="https://twitter.com/VimalINC/status/1656991129357926401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Can't believe people have problem with this ad too? We becoming so rigid to our belief systems that anything that tries to show us the other side will be trolled and abused. A society damaged beyond repair.</p>
— Parikshit Shah (@imparixit) <a href="https://twitter.com/imparixit/status/1657024707974115330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>The campaign has been launched at a time when the issue of legalising same-sex marriage is being debated in the Supreme Court and the decision over the matter is yet to come.</p>

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The latest ad campaign of coffee giant Starbucks on transgenders triggered a controversy as many users called it a promotion of the “Woke culture” and the hashtag “Boycott Starbucks” trended on Twitter.

The latest ad campaign of coffee giant Starbucks on transgenders triggered a controversy as many users called it a promotion of the “Woke culture” and the hashtag “Boycott Starbucks” trended on Twitter. On Wednesday, a campaign was launched by the American coffeehouse chain with the title ‘it starts with your name’ to give a message of acceptance and inclusivity in society. Under the campaign, a video was shared by Starbucks India which featured a transgender woman who was meeting her parents at one of its outlets. In the video, a transgender woman with the name “Arpita” appears to be meeting her parents after a long time. The father of the woman looks upset over some situation, while the mother tries to calm him down. ALSO READ | Starbucks' new CEO Laxman Narasimhan says will work as a Barista When Arpita reaches the coffee shop, she introduces herself to her parents as “Arpita and not Arpit”, which was her birth name. Her initially hesitant parents finally accept her actual identity and the ad ends with the three enjoying the Starbucks together after her father reassures her, “You will always be my child. Just a single letter has been added to your name.” Starbucks India captioned the viral post, “Your name defines who you are – whether it’s Arpit or Arpita. At Starbucks, we love and accept you for who you are. Because being yourself means everything to us. #ItStartsWithYourName.” Your name defines who you are - whether it's Arpit or Arpita. At Starbucks, we love and accept you for who you are. Because being yourself means everything to us. #ItStartsWithYourName. 💚 pic.twitter.com/DKNGhKZ1Hg — Starbucks India (@StarbucksIndia) May 10, 2023 × Instantly, the campaign faced severe backlash on Twitter, as people criticised it for promoting the “Woke culture”. “Fail to understand the need for a multinational to get into sensitive topics in a country of hypersensitive people. Huge dent in the brand!!”, wrote a user. Starbucks be like “We are WOKEs! So let’s all be WOKEs together!!”, another user said. “Tata is big time woke. They own Starbucks, Tanishq (remember that ad?). They fund The Wire, Harvard, Cornell, etc. But are smart enough to sell their products with nationalism (desh ka namak, desh ke truck, army themed ads). Funds all political parties good as well,” wrote a social media user. Tata is big time woke. They own Starbucks, Tanishq (remember that ad?). They fund The Wire, Harvard, Cornell, etc. But are smart enough to sell their products with nationalism (desh ka namak, desh ke truck, army themed ads). Funds all political parties good as well. — THE SKIN DOCTOR (@theskindoctor13) May 11, 2023 × “Seriously, we will deal with our issues when they come up; the last thing I need is preaching by a Western MNC. You take care of serving coffee,” commented another user. I’ve never been to Starbucks. Nor am I going to be there ever. These propaganda resonates with only 10% Indian population. Take this down or do business with only 10% of India. — Chow (@Lokatochupake) May 11, 2023 × ALSO WATCH | However, some netizens even applauded Starbucks for coming up with such a campaign. “Dear Starbucks, These days common sense is very uncommon so some bigots won't understand the emotion. This is an incredible ad so let's hope that the LGBTQ+ community finds more such allies,” wrote a user in support of the campaign. Dear Starbucks, These days common sense is very uncommon so some bigots wont understand the emotion. This is an incredible ad so let's hope that the LGBTQ+ community finds more such allies . — Vimal (@VimalINC) May 12, 2023 × Can't believe people have problem with this ad too? We becoming so rigid to our belief systems that anything that tries to show us the other side will be trolled and abused. A society damaged beyond repair. — Parikshit Shah (@imparixit) May 12, 2023 × The campaign has been launched at a time when the issue of legalising same-sex marriage is being debated in the Supreme Court and the decision over the matter is yet to come. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

'It Starts With Your Name' | 'Boycott Starbucks' trends over coffee giant's viral transgender ad

<p>India has been placed on a watchlist with a negative outlook by a global aviation leasing watchdog, which said it had failed to comply with international aircraft repossession norms after airline Go First was granted bankruptcy protection.</p>

<p>The move by the Aviation Working Group, a UK-based entity that monitors leasing and financing laws, could raise leasing costs for Indian airlines and hurt lessors' confidence just as the world’s third-largest domestic market witness record growth.</p>

<p>Such an outlook will "have a direct and material impact on future financing and leases to Indian airlines", AWG told Go First in a letter copied to India's aviation minister.</p>

<p>Go Airlines (India) Ltd filed for bankruptcy protection last week, blaming "faulty" Pratt &amp; Whitney engines for the grounding of about half its 54 Airbus A320neos. Pratt, part of Raytheon Technologies, says the claims are without evidence and divert attention from the airline's financial woes.</p>

<p>In granting protection, the Indian tribunal ordered a freeze on Go First's assets even though some lessors had already terminated leases and placed requests with the aviation regulator to repossess more than 40 planes.</p>

<p>Failure to process the applications before the freeze was imposed, "results in a negative outlook", AWG said in the notice.</p>

<p>India's aviation ministry and regulator were not immediately available to comment.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/from-crisis-to-cockpit-go-first-employees-flock-to-air-india-for-a-chance-to-rise-again-589191">From crisis to cockpit: Go First employees flock to Air India for a chance to rise again</a></p>

<h2><strong>TREATY TEST</strong></h2>

<p>The dispute comes as Indian air travel is booming and hundreds of new jets have been ordered by local carriers, who depend heavily on foreign lessors to finance plane purchases.</p>

<p>It is also the latest test of a 2001 treaty designed to smooth the growth of aviation by protecting repossession rights, which hit headlines when Russia blocked the repossession of jets in retaliation over Western Ukraine-related sanctions last year.</p>

<p>India has ratified the so-called Cape Town Convention but has yet to pass a law resolving conflicts with the country's insolvency and bankruptcy code, which is backed by parliament.</p>

<p>"Given (this), implementation of the Convention will run into challenges when read with the bankruptcy laws," said Syed Tamjeed Ahmad, co-founder of aviation law firm Spaviatech Law.</p>

<p>Go First's lessors include SMBC Aviation, CDB Aviation's GY Aviation Leasing, Jackson Square Aviation and BOC Aviation.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | Go Air says its planes being repossessed, requests for quick decision on bankruptcy</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/go-air-says-its-planes-being-repossessed-requests-for-quick-decision-on-bankruptcy-590268/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>In its letter to the airline's court-appointed administrator at Go First, AWG said the airline has an "obligation" to preserve the aircraft and maintain their value until the creditors and lessors can take possession.</p>

<p>AWG is a not-for-profit entity co-chaired by Airbus and Boeing. Members include major lessors and financial institutions like Aircastle, BOC Aviation, SMBC Aviation Capital, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley.</p>

<p>The negative outlook by AWG is under what it calls the compliance index, which addresses whether requirements under the Cape Town Convention are met in practice.</p>

<p>India's score has been reduced to 3 from 3.5 earlier.</p>

<p>"If those jets can't get repossessed, everyone in the country pays more. There is a risk premium," said Richard Aboulafia, managing director at Aerodynamic Advisory.</p>

<p>The warning is the second in as many months after AWG in April issued an alert about Vietnam's compliance with international norms in a dispute over repossession of four jets.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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India has been placed on a watchlist with a negative outlook by a global aviation leasing watchdog, which said it had failed to comply with international aircraft repossession norms after airline Go First was granted bankruptcy protection.

India has been placed on a watchlist with a negative outlook by a global aviation leasing watchdog, which said it had failed to comply with international aircraft repossession norms after airline Go First was granted bankruptcy protection. The move by the Aviation Working Group, a UK-based entity that monitors leasing and financing laws, could raise leasing costs for Indian airlines and hurt lessors' confidence just as the world’s third-largest domestic market witness record growth. Such an outlook will "have a direct and material impact on future financing and leases to Indian airlines", AWG told Go First in a letter copied to India's aviation minister. Go Airlines (India) Ltd filed for bankruptcy protection last week, blaming "faulty" Pratt & Whitney engines for the grounding of about half its 54 Airbus A320neos. Pratt, part of Raytheon Technologies, says the claims are without evidence and divert attention from the airline's financial woes. In granting protection, the Indian tribunal ordered a freeze on Go First's assets even though some lessors had already terminated leases and placed requests with the aviation regulator to repossess more than 40 planes. Failure to process the applications before the freeze was imposed, "results in a negative outlook", AWG said in the notice. India's aviation ministry and regulator were not immediately available to comment. ALSO READ | From crisis to cockpit: Go First employees flock to Air India for a chance to rise again TREATY TEST The dispute comes as Indian air travel is booming and hundreds of new jets have been ordered by local carriers, who depend heavily on foreign lessors to finance plane purchases. It is also the latest test of a 2001 treaty designed to smooth the growth of aviation by protecting repossession rights, which hit headlines when Russia blocked the repossession of jets in retaliation over Western Ukraine-related sanctions last year. India has ratified the so-called Cape Town Convention but has yet to pass a law resolving conflicts with the country's insolvency and bankruptcy code, which is backed by parliament. "Given (this), implementation of the Convention will run into challenges when read with the bankruptcy laws," said Syed Tamjeed Ahmad, co-founder of aviation law firm Spaviatech Law. Go First's lessors include SMBC Aviation, CDB Aviation's GY Aviation Leasing, Jackson Square Aviation and BOC Aviation. WATCH | Go Air says its planes being repossessed, requests for quick decision on bankruptcy In its letter to the airline's court-appointed administrator at Go First, AWG said the airline has an "obligation" to preserve the aircraft and maintain their value until the creditors and lessors can take possession. AWG is a not-for-profit entity co-chaired by Airbus and Boeing. Members include major lessors and financial institutions like Aircastle, BOC Aviation, SMBC Aviation Capital, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. The negative outlook by AWG is under what it calls the compliance index, which addresses whether requirements under the Cape Town Convention are met in practice. India's score has been reduced to 3 from 3.5 earlier. "If those jets can't get repossessed, everyone in the country pays more. There is a risk premium," said Richard Aboulafia, managing director at Aerodynamic Advisory. The warning is the second in as many months after AWG in April issued an alert about Vietnam's compliance with international norms in a dispute over repossession of four jets. 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.

Aviation watchdog puts India on watchlist after Go First-Pratt & Whitney tiff over jets

<p>The Indian government on Wednesday stated that it will investigate the charges pressed against Whatsapp of allegedly getting access to the microphones of the devices used by the users without their prior consent.</p>

<p>A few days back, a Twitter engineer had accused WhatsApp of accessing his microphone in the background when he was sleeping.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reacting to the incident, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar tweeted that an investigation into the case will be carried out by the government to find out if WhatsApp was actually accessing the smartphone's microphone while the phone was not in use.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"This is an unacceptable breach n violation of #Privacy We will be examining this immdtly and will act on any violation of privacy even as new Digital Personal Data protection bill #DPDP is being readied. @GoI_MeitY @_DigitalIndia," Chandrasekhar tweeted.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is an unacceptable breach n violation of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Privacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Privacy</a><br />
<br />
We will be examinig this immdtly and will act on any violation of privacy even as new Digital Personal Data protection bill <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DPDP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DPDP</a> is being readied.<a href="https://twitter.com/GoI_MeitY?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GoI_MeitY</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/_DigitalIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@_DigitalIndia</a> <a href="https://t.co/vtFrST4bKP">https://t.co/vtFrST4bKP</a></p>
— Rajeev Chandrasekhar 🇮🇳 (@Rajeev_GoI) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rajeev_GoI/status/1656148548621320202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Chandrasekhar's tweet came after the engineer shared a post which raised questions over the data privacy of Whatsapp users.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/now-you-can-link-your-whatsapp-account-to-4-phones-at-once-heres-how-586528">Now you can link your WhatsApp account to 4 phones at once. Here's how</a></p>

<p>"WhatsApp has been using the microphone in the background, while I was asleep and since I woke up at 6 AM. What's going on?," tweeted Foad Dabiri, who works as an engineering director at Twitter.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">WhatsApp has been using the microphone in the background, while I was asleep and since I woke up at 6AM (and that's just a part of the timeline!) What's going on? <a href="https://t.co/pNIfe4VlHV">pic.twitter.com/pNIfe4VlHV</a></p>
— Foad Dabiri (@foaddabiri) <a href="https://twitter.com/foaddabiri/status/1654856617723301888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Dabiri, in his tweet, shared screenshots of his phone which showed WhatsApp accessing and using the microphone of the device multiple times.&nbsp;The tweet went viral and received more than 71.5 million views.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>WhatsApp's response to allegations &nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Responding to the allegations, WhatsApp said that its&nbsp;officials got in touch with the Twitter engineer.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The company claimed that the problem is likely to have occurred because of a bug in the Android.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We believe this is a bug on Android that misattributes information in their Privacy Dashboard and have asked Google to investigate and remediate," said WhatsApp in a tweet.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Over the last 24 hours we’ve been in touch with a Twitter engineer who posted an issue with his Pixel phone and WhatsApp.<br />
<br />
We believe this is a bug on Android that mis-attributes information in their Privacy Dashboard and have asked Google to investigate and remediate. <a href="https://t.co/MnBi3qE6Gp">https://t.co/MnBi3qE6Gp</a></p>
— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhatsApp/status/1655989766431862785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>The company further claimed that the users have been given full control over their mic settings in the application.</p>

<p>"Once granted permission, WhatsApp only accesses the mic when a user is making a call or recording a voice note or video - and even then, these communications are protected by end-to-end encryption so WhatsApp cannot hear them," it stated.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;WhatsApp takes action against Indian accounts; 2,804 complaints received in February 2023</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/whatsapp-takes-action-against-indian-accounts-2804-complaints-received-in-february-2023-578282/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<h2><strong>Trust nothing, not even nothing: Musk&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Twitter CEO Elon Musk also responded to Dabiri's viral tweet and slammed WhatsApp for a privacy breach.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Trust nothing, not even nothing," tweeted Musk on the screenshot shared by Dabiri.</p>

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— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1655974471101042690?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>"WhatsApp cannot be trusted," he later tweeted.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">WhatsApp cannot be trusted <a href="https://t.co/3gdNxZOLLy">https://t.co/3gdNxZOLLy</a></p>
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<p>"Or that WhatsApp founders left Meta/Facebook in disgust, started #deletefacebook campaign &amp; made major contributions to building Signal. What they learned about Facebook &amp; changes to WhatsApp obviously disturbed them greatly," he further stated.</p>

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The Indian government on Wednesday stated that it will investigate the charges pressed against Whatsapp of allegedly getting access to the microphones of the devices used by the users without their prior consent.

The Indian government on Wednesday stated that it will investigate the charges pressed against Whatsapp of allegedly getting access to the microphones of the devices used by the users without their prior consent. A few days back, a Twitter engineer had accused WhatsApp of accessing his microphone in the background when he was sleeping. Reacting to the incident, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar tweeted that an investigation into the case will be carried out by the government to find out if WhatsApp was actually accessing the smartphone's microphone while the phone was not in use. "This is an unacceptable breach n violation of #Privacy We will be examining this immdtly and will act on any violation of privacy even as new Digital Personal Data protection bill #DPDP is being readied. @GoI_MeitY @_DigitalIndia," Chandrasekhar tweeted. This is an unacceptable breach n violation of #Privacy We will be examinig this immdtly and will act on any violation of privacy even as new Digital Personal Data protection bill #DPDP is being readied.@GoI_MeitY @_DigitalIndia https://t.co/vtFrST4bKP — Rajeev Chandrasekhar 🇮🇳 (@Rajeev_GoI) May 10, 2023 × Chandrasekhar's tweet came after the engineer shared a post which raised questions over the data privacy of Whatsapp users. ALSO READ | Now you can link your WhatsApp account to 4 phones at once. Here's how "WhatsApp has been using the microphone in the background, while I was asleep and since I woke up at 6 AM. What's going on?," tweeted Foad Dabiri, who works as an engineering director at Twitter. WhatsApp has been using the microphone in the background, while I was asleep and since I woke up at 6AM (and that's just a part of the timeline!) What's going on? pic.twitter.com/pNIfe4VlHV — Foad Dabiri (@foaddabiri) May 6, 2023 × Dabiri, in his tweet, shared screenshots of his phone which showed WhatsApp accessing and using the microphone of the device multiple times. The tweet went viral and received more than 71.5 million views. WhatsApp's response to allegations Responding to the allegations, WhatsApp said that its officials got in touch with the Twitter engineer. The company claimed that the problem is likely to have occurred because of a bug in the Android. "We believe this is a bug on Android that misattributes information in their Privacy Dashboard and have asked Google to investigate and remediate," said WhatsApp in a tweet. Over the last 24 hours we’ve been in touch with a Twitter engineer who posted an issue with his Pixel phone and WhatsApp. We believe this is a bug on Android that mis-attributes information in their Privacy Dashboard and have asked Google to investigate and remediate. https://t.co/MnBi3qE6Gp — WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) May 9, 2023 × The company further claimed that the users have been given full control over their mic settings in the application. "Once granted permission, WhatsApp only accesses the mic when a user is making a call or recording a voice note or video - and even then, these communications are protected by end-to-end encryption so WhatsApp cannot hear them," it stated. WATCH | WhatsApp takes action against Indian accounts; 2,804 complaints received in February 2023 Trust nothing, not even nothing: Musk Twitter CEO Elon Musk also responded to Dabiri's viral tweet and slammed WhatsApp for a privacy breach. "Trust nothing, not even nothing," tweeted Musk on the screenshot shared by Dabiri. Trust nothing, not even nothing — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 9, 2023 × "WhatsApp cannot be trusted," he later tweeted. WhatsApp cannot be trusted https://t.co/3gdNxZOLLy — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 9, 2023 × "Or that WhatsApp founders left Meta/Facebook in disgust, started #deletefacebook campaign & made major contributions to building Signal. What they learned about Facebook & changes to WhatsApp obviously disturbed them greatly," he further stated. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

India to probe WhatsApp 'phone snooping', calls it unacceptable violation of privacy

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