The amount being spent by the gambling companies and lobbyists on MPs has increased by tenfold in five years, as per an analysis carried out by The Guardian which shows how the industry has developed as one of Westminster's best-connected sectors.

Data from parliamentary records, which are publicly available, shows that dozens of Conservative and Labour MPs have received corporate hospitality worth thousands of pounds in the past few years, which was paid by some of the biggest betting companies in the country.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uks-watchdog-fines-tiktok-1584m-for-misusing-childrens-data-579404">UK's watchdog fines TikTok $15.84mn for misusing children's data</a>

The analysis, which came after reports suggested that Conservative MP Scott Benton had made the offer of lobbying ministers on behalf of the industry in exchange for money, showed that the sector is currently spending tens of thousands of pounds every year, mostly on the sports tickets bought for MPs. There are chances that the figure may be even higher than what has been reported, as anything less than £300 does not have to be declared.

The exorbitant figures have increased concern among some members of the parliament who feel that the gambling industry is now enjoying enormous political power, especially as preparations are being done by the government to publish its gambling white paper.

Labour MP for Swansea East, Carolyn Harris, who has campaigned for more regulation of gambling, said the industry’s fondness and deep pockets for treating MPs have been very obvious inside and around the parliament.

“If you go to the bar, you will probably see somebody from that industry, and they’re buying people drinks. They attract people with offers to go to things that ordinary people would never get access to, like the Brits, or to watch Manchester United in the hospitality section,” she said.

“There are certain times you can have a conversation with someone from an industry, and then you go off and make an independent decision, and that’s how it works. But what happens with this industry is, why do people have to keep on being convinced so many times? Some people take the hospitality time and time again,” Harris added.

WATCH | UK PM Rishi Sunak's popularity rising within the conservative party

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“They do this because they’re terrified of regulation. They have grown beyond even their own expectations, but it’s an industry where 10 per cent of the customers make 60 per cent of the profits. They want to protect what they have,” the Labour MP further stated.

The Times, earlier this week, had revealed that it had captured undercover footage of Blackpool South MP Benton, who was promising to “call in favours” from colleagues and offer “easy access” to ministers in exchange for £4,000 from a fake gambling company.&nbsp; 
 
(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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The amount being spent by the gambling companies and lobbyists on MPs has increased by tenfold in five years, as per an analysis carried out by The Guardian which shows how the industry has developed as one of Westminster's best-connected sectors.

The amount being spent by the gambling companies and lobbyists on MPs has increased by tenfold in five years, as per an analysis carried out by The Guardian which shows how the industry has developed as one of Westminster's best-connected sectors. Data from parliamentary records, which are publicly available, shows that dozens of Conservative and Labour MPs have received corporate hospitality worth thousands of pounds in the past few years, which was paid by some of the biggest betting companies in the country. ALSO READ | UK's watchdog fines TikTok $15.84mn for misusing children's data The analysis, which came after reports suggested that Conservative MP Scott Benton had made the offer of lobbying ministers on behalf of the industry in exchange for money, showed that the sector is currently spending tens of thousands of pounds every year, mostly on the sports tickets bought for MPs. There are chances that the figure may be even higher than what has been reported, as anything less than £300 does not have to be declared. The exorbitant figures have increased concern among some members of the parliament who feel that the gambling industry is now enjoying enormous political power, especially as preparations are being done by the government to publish its gambling white paper. Labour MP for Swansea East, Carolyn Harris, who has campaigned for more regulation of gambling, said the industry’s fondness and deep pockets for treating MPs have been very obvious inside and around the parliament. “If you go to the bar, you will probably see somebody from that industry, and they’re buying people drinks. They attract people with offers to go to things that ordinary people would never get access to, like the Brits, or to watch Manchester United in the hospitality section,” she said. “There are certain times you can have a conversation with someone from an industry, and then you go off and make an independent decision, and that’s how it works. But what happens with this industry is, why do people have to keep on being convinced so many times? Some people take the hospitality time and time again,” Harris added. WATCH | UK PM Rishi Sunak's popularity rising within the conservative party “They do this because they’re terrified of regulation. They have grown beyond even their own expectations, but it’s an industry where 10 per cent of the customers make 60 per cent of the profits. They want to protect what they have,” the Labour MP further stated. The Times, earlier this week, had revealed that it had captured undercover footage of Blackpool South MP Benton, who was promising to “call in favours” from colleagues and offer “easy access” to ministers in exchange for £4,000 from a fake gambling company. (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

Gambling companies increased amount spent on MPs tenfold in five years, shows data

Google, intensifying the race of AI among the tech giants, announced that it will be incorporating a conversational AI chat in its search engine.

In an exclusive interview with The Wall Street Journal, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said that the company's search engine will be supercharged with the recent advances made in conversational AI.

Pichai's comments come at a time when tech giants like Microsoft, Meta and others are scrambling to incorporate AI technologies into their services and products.

“Will people be able to ask questions to Google and engage with large language models (LLMs) in the context of search? Absolutely,” said Pichai, while speaking to the news outlet.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/no-more-free-food-and-laundry-google-ends-employee-perks-in-new-cost-cutting-measures-578214">'No more free food and laundry': Google ends employee perks in new cost-cutting measures</a>

Pichai further dismissed reports that suggested the development of chatbots is threatening the existence of the search giant.

“The opportunity space, if anything, is bigger than before,” said Pichai, who also heads Google's parent company Alphabet Inc.

The Alphabet has been developing large language models (LLMs) which can process and respond to prompts in known language with human-like answers.

The company, however, has till now not been able to integrate the technology into its search which accounts for more than half of the revenue that the company generates.

Vague hints were dropped by Google in March about its plan to integrate AI technology into its search engines, however, no information was specified on its timeline. The announcement was made when Google launched “Bard”&nbsp;— its own version of OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Millions of dollars were pumped into AI powerhouse OpenAI by tech giant&nbsp;Microsoft a few weeks ago, after which ChatGPT was integrated into its Bing search engine. This development gave Microsoft's search engine an edge over Google search which is still following the conventional search approach.

As it continues to face heat from its rival Microsoft after the integration of ChatGPT in Bing, investors have also been pressurising Google to cut costs. Recently, Google announced that it would be laying off 12,000 employees, which comprises 6 per cent of its workforce.

WATCH | Google set to undertake cost-cutting measures for its flight pilot programme in US

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“We are definitely being focused on creating durable savings. We are pleased with the progress, but there is more work left to do,” Pichai said.

Google is battling strong competition as well as grappling with recession and increasing inflation at the same time.

The latest comments made by Pichai will work as a breather for the search giant. However, it will be interesting to see how LLMs are integrated by Google into its search engine to distinguish itself from its competition.&nbsp; 
 
 
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Google, intensifying the race of AI among the tech giants, announced that it will be incorporating a conversational AI chat in its search engine. In an exclusive interview with The Wall Street Journal, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said that the company's search engine will be supercharged with the recent advances made in conversational AI.

Google, intensifying the race of AI among the tech giants, announced that it will be incorporating a conversational AI chat in its search engine. In an exclusive interview with The Wall Street Journal, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said that the company's search engine will be supercharged with the recent advances made in conversational AI. Pichai's comments come at a time when tech giants like Microsoft, Meta and others are scrambling to incorporate AI technologies into their services and products. “Will people be able to ask questions to Google and engage with large language models (LLMs) in the context of search? Absolutely,” said Pichai, while speaking to the news outlet. ALSO READ | 'No more free food and laundry': Google ends employee perks in new cost-cutting measures Pichai further dismissed reports that suggested the development of chatbots is threatening the existence of the search giant. “The opportunity space, if anything, is bigger than before,” said Pichai, who also heads Google's parent company Alphabet Inc. The Alphabet has been developing large language models (LLMs) which can process and respond to prompts in known language with human-like answers. The company, however, has till now not been able to integrate the technology into its search which accounts for more than half of the revenue that the company generates. Vague hints were dropped by Google in March about its plan to integrate AI technology into its search engines, however, no information was specified on its timeline. The announcement was made when Google launched “Bard” — its own version of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Millions of dollars were pumped into AI powerhouse OpenAI by tech giant Microsoft a few weeks ago, after which ChatGPT was integrated into its Bing search engine. This development gave Microsoft's search engine an edge over Google search which is still following the conventional search approach. As it continues to face heat from its rival Microsoft after the integration of ChatGPT in Bing, investors have also been pressurising Google to cut costs. Recently, Google announced that it would be laying off 12,000 employees, which comprises 6 per cent of its workforce. WATCH | Google set to undertake cost-cutting measures for its flight pilot programme in US “We are definitely being focused on creating durable savings. We are pleased with the progress, but there is more work left to do,” Pichai said. Google is battling strong competition as well as grappling with recession and increasing inflation at the same time. The latest comments made by Pichai will work as a breather for the search giant. However, it will be interesting to see how LLMs are integrated by Google into its search engine to distinguish itself from its competition. 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

Google search to soon incorporate AI chat, says Sundar Pichai

OpenAI is planning to suggest measures to Italian government authorities on Thursday to resolve their concerns which led to the banning of its ChatGPT chatbot in the country last week, stated Italy's data protection authorities.

ChatGPT was taken offline by Microsoft Corp-backed OpenAI in Italy after it was temporarily restricted by Garante last week, which began an investigation into a suspected breach of privacy rules.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/heres-how-ai-can-help-modern-day-goldilocks-get-a-good-nights-sleep-578610">Here's how Artificial Intelligence can help modern-day Goldilocks get a good night's sleep</a>

Garante, the Italian agency, accused Microsoft Corp-backed OpenAI of not being able to check the age of people using ChatGPT and the "absence of any legal basis that justifies the massive collection and storage of personal data" to "train" the AI chatbot.

The ChatGPT maker said that it does not intend to pause the development of AI but also emphasised the importance of following and respecting the rules laid out by the authorities to protect the personal data of Italian and European citizens.

During a video conference late on Wednesday, OpenAI pledged that will incorporate more transparency in handling users' data and will verify the age of its users, said the authority. The conference was attended by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, among others.

The company stated that a document about measures to be taken, as per its requests, will be sent to Garante. The data authority stated that the proposals submitted by Open AI will be evaluated.

A blog post was published by OpenAI on Thursday, titled "Our approach to AI safety", which stated that it was working for the development of "nuanced policies against behaviour that represents a genuine risk to people".

"We don’t use data for selling our services, advertising, or building profiles of people. We use data to make our models more helpful for people. ChatGPT, for instance, improves by further training on the conversations people have with it. While some of our training data includes personal information that is available on the public internet, we want our models to learn about the world, not private individuals,” the company said.

WATCH | Gravitas: Is AI going to replace your brain?

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OpenAI added that personal information has been removed from its datasets wherever possible, and models have been fine-tuned to reject user prompts when such information is being asked and to respond to every user's requests to remove their data from its systems.

The ban imposed by Italy has increased the interest of Europe's other privacy regulators who are studying the need to impose harsher measures to rein in chatbots and whether such actions should be co-ordinated.

AI chatbot company Replika was also banned by Garante in February from using Italian users' personal data, citing risks to emotionally fragile people and minors.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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OpenAI is planning to suggest measures to Italian government authorities on Thursday to resolve their concerns which led to the banning of its ChatGPT chatbot in the country last week, stated Italy's data protection authorities.

OpenAI is planning to suggest measures to Italian government authorities on Thursday to resolve their concerns which led to the banning of its ChatGPT chatbot in the country last week, stated Italy's data protection authorities. ChatGPT was taken offline by Microsoft Corp-backed OpenAI in Italy after it was temporarily restricted by Garante last week, which began an investigation into a suspected breach of privacy rules. ALSO READ | Here's how Artificial Intelligence can help modern-day Goldilocks get a good night's sleep Garante, the Italian agency, accused Microsoft Corp-backed OpenAI of not being able to check the age of people using ChatGPT and the "absence of any legal basis that justifies the massive collection and storage of personal data" to "train" the AI chatbot. The ChatGPT maker said that it does not intend to pause the development of AI but also emphasised the importance of following and respecting the rules laid out by the authorities to protect the personal data of Italian and European citizens. During a video conference late on Wednesday, OpenAI pledged that will incorporate more transparency in handling users' data and will verify the age of its users, said the authority. The conference was attended by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, among others. The company stated that a document about measures to be taken, as per its requests, will be sent to Garante. The data authority stated that the proposals submitted by Open AI will be evaluated. A blog post was published by OpenAI on Thursday, titled "Our approach to AI safety", which stated that it was working for the development of "nuanced policies against behaviour that represents a genuine risk to people". "We don’t use data for selling our services, advertising, or building profiles of people. We use data to make our models more helpful for people. ChatGPT, for instance, improves by further training on the conversations people have with it. While some of our training data includes personal information that is available on the public internet, we want our models to learn about the world, not private individuals,” the company said. WATCH | Gravitas: Is AI going to replace your brain? OpenAI added that personal information has been removed from its datasets wherever possible, and models have been fine-tuned to reject user prompts when such information is being asked and to respond to every user's requests to remove their data from its systems. The ban imposed by Italy has increased the interest of Europe's other privacy regulators who are studying the need to impose harsher measures to rein in chatbots and whether such actions should be co-ordinated. AI chatbot company Replika was also banned by Garante in February from using Italian users' personal data, citing risks to emotionally fragile people and minors. (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

Won't stop developing AI, responds OpenAI to Italian ban on ChatGPT

China made another claim to India's Arunachal Pradesh by releasing a list of “standardised geographical names” which included 11 places present in the frontier state that actually turned out to be random names given to nondescript peaks, isolated forest tracts, non-existent rivers and towns superficially bound together as part of Medog, Zayu and Cona counties in Tibet's Nyingchi prefecture.

For instance, China named the two rivers as “Qiburi He” and “Geduo He”, however, it did not provide the co-ordinate of both the rivers, as its civil affairs ministry simply claimed that these were “specific locations”.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-condemns-meeting-between-us-house-speaker-and-taiwan-president-vows-resolute-response-579595">China condemns meeting between US House speaker and Taiwan president, vows 'resolute' response</a>

In the list, they called a “piece of land” as “Bangqin” in the forested mountainous area ahead of Zemithang, which is the last village of India in the Tawang district, close to the McMahon Line which demarcates the border of the two nations.

The exercise was dismissed by the official sources as China's “mere mischief” ahead of the Cope India IAF-US Air Force air combat exercise to be held from April 10 to 21 at Kalaikunda airbase in West Bengal.

The list was released by China’s ministry of civil affairs on April 2, using both Tibetan and Chinese pinyin - which is the system of writing native words and names in the Latin alphabet on the basis of pronunciation.

The list, which was the third of its kind, was described by China as an “addition of publicly used place names in southern Tibet” along with administrative districts, select co-ordinates and categories.

China's list included one entry of a settlement named “Jiangkazong”, whose co-ordinates are of a house mapped to Tawang town, which is west of the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya.

The list includes co-ordinates of another settlement named “Dadong” which refer to a large open space marked as part of Tato town in the West Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh as per Google Maps.

China has renamed another “piece of land” as “Guyutong” which actually is a forest clearing near Lohit River's western bank, north of Kibithoo in eastern Arunachal's Anjaw district.

WATCH | China renames places in India's Arunachal Pradesh state

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The co-ordinates mentioned for “Luosu Ri”, “Diepu Ri”, “Dongzila Feng”, “Nimagang Feng” and “Jiuniuze Gangri” are acutally mountain tops which are spread across the northeastern state's different locations.

While claims made by China have been dismissed by India, the Chinese foreign ministry has been asserting “sovereign right” on the 11 places listed. It continues to claim that they belong to “Zangnan, the southern part of Tibet”.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, in a statement, said that the United States opposed any “unilateral attempts to advance a territory claim by renaming localities”.

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China made another claim to India's Arunachal Pradesh by releasing a list of “standardised geographical names” which included 11 places present in the frontier state that actually turned out to be random names given to nondescript peaks, isolated forest tracts, non-existent rivers and towns superficially bound together as part of Medog, Zayu and Cona counties in Tibet's Nyingchi prefecture.

China made another claim to India's Arunachal Pradesh by releasing a list of “standardised geographical names” which included 11 places present in the frontier state that actually turned out to be random names given to nondescript peaks, isolated forest tracts, non-existent rivers and towns superficially bound together as part of Medog, Zayu and Cona counties in Tibet's Nyingchi prefecture. For instance, China named the two rivers as “Qiburi He” and “Geduo He”, however, it did not provide the co-ordinate of both the rivers, as its civil affairs ministry simply claimed that these were “specific locations”. ALSO READ | China condemns meeting between US House speaker and Taiwan president, vows 'resolute' response In the list, they called a “piece of land” as “Bangqin” in the forested mountainous area ahead of Zemithang, which is the last village of India in the Tawang district, close to the McMahon Line which demarcates the border of the two nations. The exercise was dismissed by the official sources as China's “mere mischief” ahead of the Cope India IAF-US Air Force air combat exercise to be held from April 10 to 21 at Kalaikunda airbase in West Bengal. The list was released by China’s ministry of civil affairs on April 2, using both Tibetan and Chinese pinyin - which is the system of writing native words and names in the Latin alphabet on the basis of pronunciation. The list, which was the third of its kind, was described by China as an “addition of publicly used place names in southern Tibet” along with administrative districts, select co-ordinates and categories. China's list included one entry of a settlement named “Jiangkazong”, whose co-ordinates are of a house mapped to Tawang town, which is west of the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya. The list includes co-ordinates of another settlement named “Dadong” which refer to a large open space marked as part of Tato town in the West Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh as per Google Maps. China has renamed another “piece of land” as “Guyutong” which actually is a forest clearing near Lohit River's western bank, north of Kibithoo in eastern Arunachal's Anjaw district. WATCH | China renames places in India's Arunachal Pradesh state The co-ordinates mentioned for “Luosu Ri”, “Diepu Ri”, “Dongzila Feng”, “Nimagang Feng” and “Jiuniuze Gangri” are acutally mountain tops which are spread across the northeastern state's different locations. While claims made by China have been dismissed by India, the Chinese foreign ministry has been asserting “sovereign right” on the 11 places listed. It continues to claim that they belong to “Zangnan, the southern part of Tibet”. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, in a statement, said that the United States opposed any “unilateral attempts to advance a territory claim by renaming localities”. (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

China renames non-existent ‘piece of land’, rivers in India's Arunachal Pradesh

Astronomers have discovered repeating radio signals from an Earth-like exoplanet as well as from the star that it is orbiting situated at a distance of 12 light-years from Earth, which they believe hints at the existence of life on the exoplanet.

As per the astronomers, the radio signals suggest that the Earth-sized exoplanet may have an atmosphere and a magnetic field.

Along with pointing needles of the compass in the north direction, the magnetic field of the Earth deflects high energy plasma and particles, regularly blasted out of the sun, and helps preserve its atmosphere and sustain life on the Earth.

Hence, the astronomers indicated that the possibility of the existence of a magnetic field on the Earth-like exoplanet, called YZ Ceti b, probably hints at the habitability of life on that planet. &nbsp;&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/aliens-on-distant-exoplanets-scientists-say-terminator-zones-could-harbour-life-573183">Aliens on distant exoplanets? Scientists say ‘terminator zones’ could harbour life</a>

Astronomers Jackie Villadsen and Sebastian Pineda from Bucknell University (US) and University of Colorado (US), respectively, detected a repetitive radio signal emanating from star YZ Ceti with the use of Karl GJansky Very Large Array, which is a radio telescope operated by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory of US National Science Foundation, PTI reported.&nbsp; &nbsp;

The findings of astronomers have been published in the journal Nature Astronomy. "Whether a planet survives with an atmosphere or not can depend on whether the planet has a strong magnetic field or not," Pineda explained.&nbsp;

The radio signal was first isolated by Villadsen while she poured over data at her home on a weekend. "We saw the initial burst and it looked beautiful," Pineda said.&nbsp;

"When we saw it again, it was very indicative that, OK, maybe we really have something here,” he added. The interactions between the planet’s magnetic field and the star it orbits have led to the rise of the stellar radio waves detected by astronomers, they detected.&nbsp;

WATCH | Aliens on distant Exoplanets?; Code used for recommending tweets will be public | Trending on WION

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However, they stated that for detecting such waves over long distances, the waves need to be very strong. The official further stated that they were in search of a method to witness these invisible magnetic fields of such tiny, distant Earth-sized planets.&nbsp;

Previously, astronomers have detected magnetic fields on massive Jupiter-sized exoplanets. "If the planet has a magnetic field and it ploughs through enough star stuff, it will cause the star to emit bright radio waves," the researchers concluded.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Astronomers have discovered repeating radio signals from an Earth-like exoplanet as well as from the star that it is orbiting situated at a distance of 12 light-years from Earth, which they believe hints at the existence of life on the exoplanet.

Astronomers have discovered repeating radio signals from an Earth-like exoplanet as well as from the star that it is orbiting situated at a distance of 12 light-years from Earth, which they believe hints at the existence of life on the exoplanet. As per the astronomers, the radio signals suggest that the Earth-sized exoplanet may have an atmosphere and a magnetic field. Along with pointing needles of the compass in the north direction, the magnetic field of the Earth deflects high energy plasma and particles, regularly blasted out of the sun, and helps preserve its atmosphere and sustain life on the Earth. Hence, the astronomers indicated that the possibility of the existence of a magnetic field on the Earth-like exoplanet, called YZ Ceti b, probably hints at the habitability of life on that planet. ALSO READ | Aliens on distant exoplanets? Scientists say ‘terminator zones’ could harbour life Astronomers Jackie Villadsen and Sebastian Pineda from Bucknell University (US) and University of Colorado (US), respectively, detected a repetitive radio signal emanating from star YZ Ceti with the use of Karl GJansky Very Large Array, which is a radio telescope operated by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory of US National Science Foundation, PTI reported. The findings of astronomers have been published in the journal Nature Astronomy. "Whether a planet survives with an atmosphere or not can depend on whether the planet has a strong magnetic field or not," Pineda explained. The radio signal was first isolated by Villadsen while she poured over data at her home on a weekend. "We saw the initial burst and it looked beautiful," Pineda said. "When we saw it again, it was very indicative that, OK, maybe we really have something here,” he added. The interactions between the planet’s magnetic field and the star it orbits have led to the rise of the stellar radio waves detected by astronomers, they detected. WATCH | Aliens on distant Exoplanets?; Code used for recommending tweets will be public | Trending on WION However, they stated that for detecting such waves over long distances, the waves need to be very strong. The official further stated that they were in search of a method to witness these invisible magnetic fields of such tiny, distant Earth-sized planets. Previously, astronomers have detected magnetic fields on massive Jupiter-sized exoplanets. "If the planet has a magnetic field and it ploughs through enough star stuff, it will cause the star to emit bright radio waves," the researchers concluded. (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

Radio signals from alien planet hint at existence of life, astronomers say

In a live broadcast, a heartwarming moment of a cat jumping on the imam was captured while he was leading a night Ramadan prayer at a mosque in Bordj Bou Arreridj, Algeria.&nbsp;

Imam Walid Mehsas was busy praying Taraweeh, which is a nightly prayer that is held every evening during the holy month of Ramadan.&nbsp;

Suddenly, the cat was seen jumping on the imam and climbing on his shoulders, as the imam held the cat with warmth.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/dmrc-reacts-to-bikini-incident-calls-choice-of-clothing-a-personal-issue-578935">DMRC reacts to bikini incident, calls choice of clothing a 'personal issue'</a>

The imam remained unfazed by the presence of the cat and kept on reciting the Ramadan prayer as well as petting the cat. After the mischief, the feline returned to its original place.&nbsp;

The 28-second-long viral video was shared by a Twitter user named Alateeqi. The video was captioned, “Cat jumps on Imam during qiyam (taraweeh) prayers, and he behaves exactly like any imam Insha’Allah would.”&nbsp;

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Cat jumps on Imam during qiyam (taraweeh) prayers and he behaves exactly like any imam Insha’Allah would.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ramadan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ramadan</a> <a href="https://t.co/QHGXSgiZgK">pic.twitter.com/QHGXSgiZgK</a>
— Alateeqi العتيقي (@BinImad) <a href="https://twitter.com/BinImad/status/1643380758524968962?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The video of the cat jumping on the imam during the prayer recital instantly went viral, drawing numerous reactions. In a few hours, the video garnered more than two million views, and the numbers are only increasing.

Twitter users found the video cute and funny. "Omg so funny and cute at the same time," wrote a user. “So heartwarming,” posted another user.

WATCH | WION Dispatch: TikTok's secret 'heating' button can make anyone go viral

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“I love how the cat jumps down right when the Imam is about to go into Ruku’. Cat’s like ‘Oh, time to go’. And it kisses the imam! Subhanallah…,” read a comment.

“The good thing is that the imam proceeded and didn’t lose his concentration ..and the cat is lovely a heartwarming scene,” wrote another user.

Cats are always loved for their mischievous and playful behaviour and people find the videos, that capture their antics, amusing to watch.

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In a live broadcast, a heartwarming moment of a cat jumping on the imam was captured while he was leading a night Ramadan prayer at a mosque in Bordj Bou Arreridj, Algeria.

In a live broadcast, a heartwarming moment of a cat jumping on the imam was captured while he was leading a night Ramadan prayer at a mosque in Bordj Bou Arreridj, Algeria. Imam Walid Mehsas was busy praying Taraweeh, which is a nightly prayer that is held every evening during the holy month of Ramadan. Suddenly, the cat was seen jumping on the imam and climbing on his shoulders, as the imam held the cat with warmth. ALSO READ | DMRC reacts to bikini incident, calls choice of clothing a 'personal issue' The imam remained unfazed by the presence of the cat and kept on reciting the Ramadan prayer as well as petting the cat. After the mischief, the feline returned to its original place. The 28-second-long viral video was shared by a Twitter user named Alateeqi. The video was captioned, “Cat jumps on Imam during qiyam (taraweeh) prayers, and he behaves exactly like any imam Insha’Allah would.” Cat jumps on Imam during qiyam (taraweeh) prayers and he behaves exactly like any imam Insha’Allah would.#Ramadan pic.twitter.com/QHGXSgiZgK — Alateeqi العتيقي (@BinImad) April 4, 2023 × The video of the cat jumping on the imam during the prayer recital instantly went viral, drawing numerous reactions. In a few hours, the video garnered more than two million views, and the numbers are only increasing. Twitter users found the video cute and funny. "Omg so funny and cute at the same time," wrote a user. “So heartwarming,” posted another user. WATCH | WION Dispatch: TikTok's secret 'heating' button can make anyone go viral “I love how the cat jumps down right when the Imam is about to go into Ruku’. Cat’s like ‘Oh, time to go’. And it kisses the imam! Subhanallah…,” read a comment. “The good thing is that the imam proceeded and didn’t lose his concentration ..and the cat is lovely a heartwarming scene,” wrote another user. Cats are always loved for their mischievous and playful behaviour and people find the videos, that capture their antics, amusing to watch. (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

Watch | Cat jumps on imam as he continues to recite Ramadan prayers

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said that Moscow has no desire to isolate itself and is open to constructive co-operation with all the nations.

"I would like to stress Russia is open to constructive partnership with all countries; we do not intend to isolate ourselves from anyone, we have no preconceived or what's more hostile intentions towards anyone," said Putin.

"We hope that our partners will adhere to the principles of equality and mutual benefit in their relations with us," the Russian president stated.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/you-are-responsible-for-strained-relations-putin-tells-us-and-eu-579481">You are responsible for strained relations, Putin tells US and EU</a>

According to the president, the government's approaches were elaborately explained in the Russian Foreign Policy Concept which was adopted on March 31.

Putin said that the document envisions the national interests of Russia in the context of the dynamic and complex changing world, and includes the government's basic objectives and aims as well as the important areas for Russian diplomacy.

"The most important thing is that Russia, as a sovereign and self-sufficient state, will be actively pursuing a balanced, multi-course foreign policy prioritising our domestic development and with particular awareness to the responsibility to maintain stability and security at the global and regional levels," the Russian president stated.

WATCH | Gravitas: Xi Jinping's China unilaterally appoints Bishop in Shanghai

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The statement comes in the wake of French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to China where he is expected to pressurise Chinese President Xi Jinping to play a more active role in establishing peace between Russia and Ukraine, along with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.

Macron had stated that he wants to "be a voice that unites Europe" over Ukraine, and visiting China along with von der Leyen serves to "underline the consistency of this approach".&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said that Moscow has no desire to isolate itself and is open to constructive co-operation with all the nations. "I would like to stress Russia is open to constructive partnership with all countries; we do not intend to isolate ourselves from anyone, we have no preconceived or what's more hostile intentions towards anyone," said Putin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said that Moscow has no desire to isolate itself and is open to constructive co-operation with all the nations. "I would like to stress Russia is open to constructive partnership with all countries; we do not intend to isolate ourselves from anyone, we have no preconceived or what's more hostile intentions towards anyone," said Putin. "We hope that our partners will adhere to the principles of equality and mutual benefit in their relations with us," the Russian president stated. ALSO READ | You are responsible for strained relations, Putin tells US and EU According to the president, the government's approaches were elaborately explained in the Russian Foreign Policy Concept which was adopted on March 31. Putin said that the document envisions the national interests of Russia in the context of the dynamic and complex changing world, and includes the government's basic objectives and aims as well as the important areas for Russian diplomacy. "The most important thing is that Russia, as a sovereign and self-sufficient state, will be actively pursuing a balanced, multi-course foreign policy prioritising our domestic development and with particular awareness to the responsibility to maintain stability and security at the global and regional levels," the Russian president stated. WATCH | Gravitas: Xi Jinping's China unilaterally appoints Bishop in Shanghai The statement comes in the wake of French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to China where he is expected to pressurise Chinese President Xi Jinping to play a more active role in establishing peace between Russia and Ukraine, along with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen. Macron had stated that he wants to "be a voice that unites Europe" over Ukraine, and visiting China along with von der Leyen serves to "underline the consistency of this approach". (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

Russia doesn't want to isolate itself, is open to global partnership, says Putin

The foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia on Thursday met in Beijing where they pledged to work together for establishing "security and stability" in the turbulent Middle East following a surprise deal, brokered by China.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan held talks after which they released a joint statement in which both countries promised to continue working together for improving their ties.

"The two sides emphasised the importance of following up on the implementation of the Beijing Agreement and its activation in a way that expands mutual trust and the fields of cooperation and helps create security, stability and prosperity in the region," the statement read.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-saudi-arabia-restore-ties-as-china-brokered-deal-outfoxes-west-570766">Iran, Saudi Arabia restore ties as China-brokered deal outfoxes West</a>

The two ministers agreed to reopen their diplomatic missions and proceed with taking the necessary measures to open embassies in Riyadh and Tehran, and their general consulates in Jeddah and Mashhad.&nbsp;The leaders also decided to continue co-ordination between the technical teams on both sides to discuss ways to enhance co-operation&nbsp;by including the resumption of flights, mutual visits by official delegations and private sector, and facilitating the granting of visas to citizens, including Umrah visas. 
 
In March, Tehran and Riyadh had announced an agreement, brokered by Beijing, to restore their relations which had remained severed for seven years, when Saudi diplomatic missions were attacked by protesters in Iran.

In a statement, Iran's foreign ministry said that the two sides “negotiated and exchanged opinions with the emphasis on the official resumption of bilateral relations and the executive steps towards the reopening of the embassies and consulates of the two countries”.

The footage of leaders shaking hands and chatting with smiling faces in front of Saudi and Iranian flags was aired by the Saudi state TV channel Al Ekhbariya.

In state broadcaster CCTV's readout, Beijing hailed "the first official meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries in more than seven years" and "active mediation" of China in the diplomacy.

WATCH | In China, Saudi &amp; Iran foreign ministers discuss reopening embassies and consulates | Details

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Meanwhile, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, in a press briefing, said, "China will work with Middle Eastern countries to implement global security initiatives, global development initiatives and global civilisation initiatives to promote security, stability, development, prosperity, tolerance and harmony.”

As per last month's agreement, the two countries will reopen their missions and embassies within two months and implement economic co-operation and security deals which have signed more than 20 years ago.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia on Thursday met in Beijing where they pledged to work together for establishing "security and stability" in the turbulent Middle East following a surprise deal, brokered by China.

The foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia on Thursday met in Beijing where they pledged to work together for establishing "security and stability" in the turbulent Middle East following a surprise deal, brokered by China. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan held talks after which they released a joint statement in which both countries promised to continue working together for improving their ties. "The two sides emphasised the importance of following up on the implementation of the Beijing Agreement and its activation in a way that expands mutual trust and the fields of cooperation and helps create security, stability and prosperity in the region," the statement read. ALSO READ | Iran, Saudi Arabia restore ties as China-brokered deal outfoxes West The two ministers agreed to reopen their diplomatic missions and proceed with taking the necessary measures to open embassies in Riyadh and Tehran, and their general consulates in Jeddah and Mashhad. The leaders also decided to continue co-ordination between the technical teams on both sides to discuss ways to enhance co-operation by including the resumption of flights, mutual visits by official delegations and private sector, and facilitating the granting of visas to citizens, including Umrah visas. In March, Tehran and Riyadh had announced an agreement, brokered by Beijing, to restore their relations which had remained severed for seven years, when Saudi diplomatic missions were attacked by protesters in Iran. In a statement, Iran's foreign ministry said that the two sides “negotiated and exchanged opinions with the emphasis on the official resumption of bilateral relations and the executive steps towards the reopening of the embassies and consulates of the two countries”. The footage of leaders shaking hands and chatting with smiling faces in front of Saudi and Iranian flags was aired by the Saudi state TV channel Al Ekhbariya. In state broadcaster CCTV's readout, Beijing hailed "the first official meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries in more than seven years" and "active mediation" of China in the diplomacy. WATCH | In China, Saudi & Iran foreign ministers discuss reopening embassies and consulates | Details Meanwhile, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, in a press briefing, said, "China will work with Middle Eastern countries to implement global security initiatives, global development initiatives and global civilisation initiatives to promote security, stability, development, prosperity, tolerance and harmony.” As per last month's agreement, the two countries will reopen their missions and embassies within two months and implement economic co-operation and security deals which have signed more than 20 years ago. (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

Iran, Saudi Arabia agree to resume flights, bilateral visits; work for ‘security, stability’ in Middle East

Former US President Donald Trump appeared at a New York court on April 4, days after he became the first ex-president to be&nbsp;indicted by a&nbsp;jury on charges of making hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels in return for her silence on an alleged brief affair.

Here's what the indictment of Trump means and what will happen next.

What did the grand jury do?

The grand jury in Manhattan, New York on Thursday (March 30) voted for the 76-year-old former Republican president's indictment, after an investigation which was led by Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat.

Shortly thereafter, the indictment was confirmed by Trump's lawyer Joe Tacopina. In the next few days, the sealed felony indictment will be unsealed.

Currently, the specific charges levied against Trump have not been made public. Trump's indictment is related to the hush-money payment which was made on his behalf to adult film actor Stormy Daniels in 2016, just before election day as Trump contested for president.

The grand jury, which has been holding meetings since January, indicted the former president after hearing testimony from various witnesses.

Among those who testified, Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen had admitted to having orchestrated the payment of $130,000 to silence Daniel over her alleged sexual encounter with the former president in 2006. The jury had invited Trump to testify in person but the former president declined.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/grand-jury-indicts-donald-trump-in-historic-vote-first-us-president-to-face-criminal-charges-577479">Grand Jury indicts Donald Trump in 'historic' vote; first US president to face criminal charges</a>

Why was Donald Trump indicted?

Cohen, who has now turned into an outspoken foe of Trump, had testified before the grand jury about making a $130,000 payment to the porn star in October 2016. The payment was reimbursed to Cohen by Trump, who was then the country's president, with monthly $35,000 cheques which were sent from his personal account.

In 2018, Cohen pleaded guilty in front of the jury to campaign finance charges which were related to the hush money payment. Court documents present in the federal case of Cohen said that the payments were falsely described by the Trump Organization as legal expenses in which they cited a legal retainer that did not exist.

In the Manhattan case, it has been effectively maintained by the prosecutors that how they imbursement was handled by Trump had violated state law.&nbsp;

What will happen next?

Trump was&nbsp;arraigned&nbsp;on Tuesday, April 4. The former president will enter a plea and the court will set various dates for case proceedings.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is a potential rival of Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, stated that his state would "not assist in an extradition request".

Legal experts confirmed that any effort to fight extradition would only result in delay and that Trump will have to appear in front of the jury to face the charges.

Since now Trump has been&nbsp;arraigned, a series of preliminary court hearings will be held to decide a date for a trial and finalise the evidence and witnesses. The defendant (Trump)&nbsp;can escape trial by entering into a plea agreement with prosecutors and accepting a lighter sentence. However, considering Trump's proclamations of innocence, it is highly unlikely that he will take this step.

WATCH | Donald Trump's possible indictment put on hold for more than two weeks

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How can Trump still contest the presidential election?

Trump is free to, and undoubtedly will, pursue his 2024 presidential campaign even though he is facing criminal charges.

As per the Constitution, nothing can prevent a person from running for the presidency while they are facing charges, and even a conviction would not stop him from contesting for the highest office in the country.

The charges against Trump have only helped him in fundraising. The campaign stated that in just 24 hours after the announcement of an indictment, they were able to raise over $4 million, smashing its previous record which was made after the FBI searched for Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club.

Trump's team shared emails, filled with supportive comments from many top Republicans, some of whom have been supportive of Trump till the indictment. The prosecution was also slammed by those who are likely to compete with Trump in next year’s GOP primary contests. Former Vice President Mike Pence had termed the indictment “an outrage” and “nothing more than a political prosecution".

Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf said that Trump's diehard supporters wouldn’t particularly care about the allegations.

“With the people that love him most, it means nothing. With the rebels who are against the government on the right, it won’t matter. With his core constituency, it won’t matter at all. They will see this as an attack on their values because Trump represents their values,” Sheinkopf said.

The indictment will play into Trump’s nationalist dog-whistling, that white Americans are victimised. "He will use this … to make the case that these people in Manhattan, whoever ‘these people’ are, are interfering with his ability to ‘make America great again’ and to ‘take the country back’,” Sheinkopf added.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Former US President Donald Trump appeared at a New York court on April 4, days after he became the first ex-president to be indicted by a jury on charges of making hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels in return for her silence on an alleged brief affair.

Former US President Donald Trump appeared at a New York court on April 4, days after he became the first ex-president to be indicted by a jury on charges of making hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels in return for her silence on an alleged brief affair. Here's what the indictment of Trump means and what will happen next. What did the grand jury do? The grand jury in Manhattan, New York on Thursday (March 30) voted for the 76-year-old former Republican president's indictment, after an investigation which was led by Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat. Shortly thereafter, the indictment was confirmed by Trump's lawyer Joe Tacopina. In the next few days, the sealed felony indictment will be unsealed. Currently, the specific charges levied against Trump have not been made public. Trump's indictment is related to the hush-money payment which was made on his behalf to adult film actor Stormy Daniels in 2016, just before election day as Trump contested for president. The grand jury, which has been holding meetings since January, indicted the former president after hearing testimony from various witnesses. Among those who testified, Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen had admitted to having orchestrated the payment of $130,000 to silence Daniel over her alleged sexual encounter with the former president in 2006. The jury had invited Trump to testify in person but the former president declined. ALSO READ | Grand Jury indicts Donald Trump in 'historic' vote; first US president to face criminal charges Why was Donald Trump indicted? Cohen, who has now turned into an outspoken foe of Trump, had testified before the grand jury about making a $130,000 payment to the porn star in October 2016. The payment was reimbursed to Cohen by Trump, who was then the country's president, with monthly $35,000 cheques which were sent from his personal account. In 2018, Cohen pleaded guilty in front of the jury to campaign finance charges which were related to the hush money payment. Court documents present in the federal case of Cohen said that the payments were falsely described by the Trump Organization as legal expenses in which they cited a legal retainer that did not exist. In the Manhattan case, it has been effectively maintained by the prosecutors that how they imbursement was handled by Trump had violated state law. What will happen next? Trump was arraigned on Tuesday, April 4. The former president will enter a plea and the court will set various dates for case proceedings. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is a potential rival of Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, stated that his state would "not assist in an extradition request". Legal experts confirmed that any effort to fight extradition would only result in delay and that Trump will have to appear in front of the jury to face the charges. Since now Trump has been arraigned, a series of preliminary court hearings will be held to decide a date for a trial and finalise the evidence and witnesses. The defendant (Trump) can escape trial by entering into a plea agreement with prosecutors and accepting a lighter sentence. However, considering Trump's proclamations of innocence, it is highly unlikely that he will take this step. WATCH | Donald Trump's possible indictment put on hold for more than two weeks How can Trump still contest the presidential election? Trump is free to, and undoubtedly will, pursue his 2024 presidential campaign even though he is facing criminal charges. As per the Constitution, nothing can prevent a person from running for the presidency while they are facing charges, and even a conviction would not stop him from contesting for the highest office in the country. The charges against Trump have only helped him in fundraising. The campaign stated that in just 24 hours after the announcement of an indictment, they were able to raise over $4 million, smashing its previous record which was made after the FBI searched for Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club. Trump's team shared emails, filled with supportive comments from many top Republicans, some of whom have been supportive of Trump till the indictment. The prosecution was also slammed by those who are likely to compete with Trump in next year’s GOP primary contests. Former Vice President Mike Pence had termed the indictment “an outrage” and “nothing more than a political prosecution". Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf said that Trump's diehard supporters wouldn’t particularly care about the allegations. “With the people that love him most, it means nothing. With the rebels who are against the government on the right, it won’t matter. With his core constituency, it won’t matter at all. They will see this as an attack on their values because Trump represents their values,” Sheinkopf said. The indictment will play into Trump’s nationalist dog-whistling, that white Americans are victimised. "He will use this … to make the case that these people in Manhattan, whoever ‘these people’ are, are interfering with his ability to ‘make America great again’ and to ‘take the country back’,” Sheinkopf added. (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

Explained | Why Trump can still fight election despite Stormy Daniels hush money case indictment

A deadly cobra was found slithering in a plane's cockpit by South African pilot Rudolph Erasmus at 11,000ft in the air.

The scary co-passenger was slithering under the pilot's seat. "To be truly honest, it's as if my brain did not register what was going on. It was a moment of [...] awe," Erasmus said, adding that he initially mistook the cold feeling on his back as his water bottle.

"I felt this cool sensation, sort of, crawling up my shirt," he stated, believing that he did not close the bottle properly and hence, the water is dripping down his back.

"As I turned to the left and looked down I saw the cobra [...] receding its head backwards underneath the seat,” he said.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-hair-raising-video-captures-nine-foot-long-rat-snake-trying-to-bite-zookeeper-570414">WATCH | Hair-raising video captures nine-foot-long rat snake trying to bite zookeeper</a>

The pilot had to make an emergency landing. The flight had departed from Bloemfontein and was destined for Pretoria. The private plane, Beechcraft Baron 58, had four passengers onboard along with the snake.

Erasmus said that Cape cobra's single bite is lethal and can lead to the victim's death in 30 minutes, hence to avoid any panic, he carefully thought before telling passengers calmly about the unwanted co-passenger on board.

Erasmus was also "so scared the snake might have gone to the back and cause mass panic". Thinking thoroughly, he decided to inform the passengers.

"I did inform the passengers: 'Listen the snake is inside the aircraft, it's underneath my seat, so let's try and get down to the ground as soon as we can',” he said to the passengers.

Describing about the scary announcement made to the passengers, Erasmus said that there was an absolute moment of silence: "You could hear a needle drop and I think everyone froze for a moment or two,” he said.

Pilots receive training for dealing with various scenarios, but certainly not for handling snakes in the cockpit, Erasmus said, adding that panicking would have made the situation much worse.

The plane's emergency landing was made in the city of Welkom. The presence of a snake, however, was not a total surprise. Two employees working at Worcester flying club, from where the plane first took off, said that they had seen the reptile enter the aircraft and had tried to "grab" it, but in vain.

Erasmus said that he had also tried finding the snake before boarding the aircraft along with the passengers, but "unfortunately it was not there, so we all then safely assumed that it must have crawled out overnight or earlier that morning, which was on Monday".

WATCH | 67-million-year-old T-Rex skeleton to be auctioned in Europe | Trending on WION

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The snake is again missing, as engineers who then checked the plane failed to find it. South African civil aviation commissioner Poppy Khosa hailed Erasmus as a hero, praising his "great airmanship indeed which saved all lives on board”.&nbsp;

However, the pilot refused to accept that he did anything special. "I think that's a bit blown up if I can be direct. It's also my passengers that remained calm as well,” he said.

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A deadly cobra was found slithering in a plane's cockpit by South African pilot Rudolph Erasmus at 11,000ft in the air. The scary co-passenger was slithering under the pilot's seat.

A deadly cobra was found slithering in a plane's cockpit by South African pilot Rudolph Erasmus at 11,000ft in the air. The scary co-passenger was slithering under the pilot's seat. "To be truly honest, it's as if my brain did not register what was going on. It was a moment of [...] awe," Erasmus said, adding that he initially mistook the cold feeling on his back as his water bottle. "I felt this cool sensation, sort of, crawling up my shirt," he stated, believing that he did not close the bottle properly and hence, the water is dripping down his back. "As I turned to the left and looked down I saw the cobra [...] receding its head backwards underneath the seat,” he said. ALSO READ | WATCH | Hair-raising video captures nine-foot-long rat snake trying to bite zookeeper The pilot had to make an emergency landing. The flight had departed from Bloemfontein and was destined for Pretoria. The private plane, Beechcraft Baron 58, had four passengers onboard along with the snake. Erasmus said that Cape cobra's single bite is lethal and can lead to the victim's death in 30 minutes, hence to avoid any panic, he carefully thought before telling passengers calmly about the unwanted co-passenger on board. Erasmus was also "so scared the snake might have gone to the back and cause mass panic". Thinking thoroughly, he decided to inform the passengers. "I did inform the passengers: 'Listen the snake is inside the aircraft, it's underneath my seat, so let's try and get down to the ground as soon as we can',” he said to the passengers. Describing about the scary announcement made to the passengers, Erasmus said that there was an absolute moment of silence: "You could hear a needle drop and I think everyone froze for a moment or two,” he said. Pilots receive training for dealing with various scenarios, but certainly not for handling snakes in the cockpit, Erasmus said, adding that panicking would have made the situation much worse. The plane's emergency landing was made in the city of Welkom. The presence of a snake, however, was not a total surprise. Two employees working at Worcester flying club, from where the plane first took off, said that they had seen the reptile enter the aircraft and had tried to "grab" it, but in vain. Erasmus said that he had also tried finding the snake before boarding the aircraft along with the passengers, but "unfortunately it was not there, so we all then safely assumed that it must have crawled out overnight or earlier that morning, which was on Monday". WATCH | 67-million-year-old T-Rex skeleton to be auctioned in Europe | Trending on WION The snake is again missing, as engineers who then checked the plane failed to find it. South African civil aviation commissioner Poppy Khosa hailed Erasmus as a hero, praising his "great airmanship indeed which saved all lives on board”. However, the pilot refused to accept that he did anything special. "I think that's a bit blown up if I can be direct. It's also my passengers that remained calm as well,” he said. (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

Snake scare! Pilot finds deadly cobra in cockpit, makes emergency landing

French minister and feminist Marlene Schiappa, who recently posed for Playboy, sparking controversy, said to the magazine she believed that women have the right to pose nude if they want to.

Schiappa, who is currently the country's minister for the social economy and associations, was featured in Playboy's French edition this month which will hit shelves on Thursday, although her photos were already leaked in the French media.

On Wednesday, the minister received fresh criticism from her cabinet colleagues for her stunt. In the photographs which will accompany the 12-page long interview, the minister strikes various poses in revealing outfits of&nbsp;blue, red and white colour of the French tricolour.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-minister-faces-flak-for-appearing-on-playboy-cover-amidst-mass-agitation-578414">French minister faces flak for appearing on Playboy cover amidst mass agitation</a>

“If some (women) want to pose in a men’s magazine and enjoy it, I think that we shouldn’t blame them,” said Schiappa, while speaking to the magazine.

The minister called Pamela Anderson her inspiration after the US glamour model said that shooting for Playboy had been “an act of emancipation”.

“Like the Miss France. If they enjoy winning a beauty contest, I find that great too and we should support them,” Schiappa said.

The interview includes various innuendo-laden questions like “is politics an aphrodisiac?”&nbsp;and talks about the minister's past as an erotic novelist and author who wrote on issues like the female orgasm.

Some colleagues of the minister were left aghast by the interview's timing which came when France is going through a major political crisis and battling multiple strikes and violent protests over the increase in the retirement age.

Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne had called Schiappa to inform her that the unauthorised shoot was “not at all appropriate”, meanwhile, Equalities Minister Isabelle Rome broke the magazine's cover to criticise the initiative.

WATCH | Gravitas: French minister under fire for posing for playboy magazine

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“I wonder to myself: why would you choose Playboy to try to advance the cause of women when this magazine is a concentration of sexist stereotypes? It’s all about the culture of women as objects,” she said while speaking to the Figaro newspaper.

A former magistrate, Rome said that “when you are a minister, you have responsibilities” as recalled how Playboy’s founder Hugh Hefner had faced accusations of sexual assault.

Schiappa has said that she does not repent attracting the limelight in her six-year political career. “It’s an advantage, on the contrary. Because people say that politics has become colourless, that everyone resembles one another … I don’t resemble anyone else,” she said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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French minister and feminist Marlene Schiappa, who recently posed for Playboy, sparking controversy, said to the magazine she believed that women have the right to pose nude if they want to.

French minister and feminist Marlene Schiappa, who recently posed for Playboy, sparking controversy, said to the magazine she believed that women have the right to pose nude if they want to. Schiappa, who is currently the country's minister for the social economy and associations, was featured in Playboy's French edition this month which will hit shelves on Thursday, although her photos were already leaked in the French media. On Wednesday, the minister received fresh criticism from her cabinet colleagues for her stunt. In the photographs which will accompany the 12-page long interview, the minister strikes various poses in revealing outfits of blue, red and white colour of the French tricolour. ALSO READ | French minister faces flak for appearing on Playboy cover amidst mass agitation “If some (women) want to pose in a men’s magazine and enjoy it, I think that we shouldn’t blame them,” said Schiappa, while speaking to the magazine. The minister called Pamela Anderson her inspiration after the US glamour model said that shooting for Playboy had been “an act of emancipation”. “Like the Miss France. If they enjoy winning a beauty contest, I find that great too and we should support them,” Schiappa said. The interview includes various innuendo-laden questions like “is politics an aphrodisiac?” and talks about the minister's past as an erotic novelist and author who wrote on issues like the female orgasm. Some colleagues of the minister were left aghast by the interview's timing which came when France is going through a major political crisis and battling multiple strikes and violent protests over the increase in the retirement age. Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne had called Schiappa to inform her that the unauthorised shoot was “not at all appropriate”, meanwhile, Equalities Minister Isabelle Rome broke the magazine's cover to criticise the initiative. WATCH | Gravitas: French minister under fire for posing for playboy magazine “I wonder to myself: why would you choose Playboy to try to advance the cause of women when this magazine is a concentration of sexist stereotypes? It’s all about the culture of women as objects,” she said while speaking to the Figaro newspaper. A former magistrate, Rome said that “when you are a minister, you have responsibilities” as recalled how Playboy’s founder Hugh Hefner had faced accusations of sexual assault. Schiappa has said that she does not repent attracting the limelight in her six-year political career. “It’s an advantage, on the contrary. Because people say that politics has become colourless, that everyone resembles one another … I don’t resemble anyone else,” she said. (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

Women have right to pose nude, says French minister after Playboy shoot controversy

The European Space Agency (ESA) reached the final stage of launching its much-awaited and ambitious mission to explore Jupiter and its three biggest moons.

The mission called “Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice)” will be launched on April 13 from Europe’s Spaceport located in Kourou, French Guiana.

The spacecraft will travel in space for eight years before reaching its destination in 2031 to study the gas giant along with its three large ocean-bearing moons – Callisto, Ganymede and Europa.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/astronomers-spot-jupiters-12-new-moons-in-latest-discovery-making-it-the-planet-with-highest-number-of-moons-558779">Astronomers spot 12 new moons of Jupiter, taking total to 92, surpassing Saturn in lunar tally</a>

The spacecraft has been transferred by the engineers to its final assembly before the next week's launch and has been mounted on the Ariane 5 rocket which will carry it into space.

"This ambitious mission will characterise these moons with a powerful suite of remote sensing, geophysical, and in situ instruments to discover more about these compelling destinations as potential habitats for past or present life," said the European Space Agency, in a statement.

During its space mission, Juice will study Jupiter's radiation, plasma environment and magnetism in-depth and their interplay with the moons.

The spacecraft will carry mono-methyl hydrazine (MMH) fuel and nitrogen (MON) oxidizer's mixed oxides, which ignite when the two come in contact.

The propellant will be used by Juice to make critical course manoeuvres during its journey into the Jupiter system and to move into orbit around the planet to finally reach its largest moon, Ganymede.

The spacecraft, after reaching Jupiter, will conduct 35 flybys of the moons of the gas giant to explore the mission's principal objectives: Europa, Ganymede and Callisto.

ESA said that the mission will end after an extended study of Ganymede, making the spacecraft the first of its kind which orbited a moon other than Earth's in 2034.

WATCH | Gravitas: A spectacular planetary performance

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The spacecraft will include 10 instruments and will characterise the ocean-bearing icy moons of Jupiter. The mission will also seek answers to questions like whether the existence of life is unique to our planet or whether there is a possibility of life's occurrence in our Solar System or other galaxies.

The agency will launch the spacecraft onboard the Ariane-5 rocket, which is a workhorse for the European Space Agency. Ariane 5 includes a core stage with two side boosters and an upper stage which is powered by a payload fairing and a liquid-propellant engine.

The ogive-shaped fairing present at the top of Ariane 5 is 5.4 m in diameter and over 17 m high.

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(With inputs from agencies)

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The European Space Agency (ESA) reached the final stage of launching its much-awaited and ambitious mission to explore Jupiter and its three biggest moons. The mission called “Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice)” will be launched on April 13 from Europe’s Spaceport located in Kourou, French Guiana.

The European Space Agency (ESA) reached the final stage of launching its much-awaited and ambitious mission to explore Jupiter and its three biggest moons. The mission called “Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice)” will be launched on April 13 from Europe’s Spaceport located in Kourou, French Guiana. The spacecraft will travel in space for eight years before reaching its destination in 2031 to study the gas giant along with its three large ocean-bearing moons – Callisto, Ganymede and Europa. ALSO READ | Astronomers spot 12 new moons of Jupiter, taking total to 92, surpassing Saturn in lunar tally The spacecraft has been transferred by the engineers to its final assembly before the next week's launch and has been mounted on the Ariane 5 rocket which will carry it into space. "This ambitious mission will characterise these moons with a powerful suite of remote sensing, geophysical, and in situ instruments to discover more about these compelling destinations as potential habitats for past or present life," said the European Space Agency, in a statement. During its space mission, Juice will study Jupiter's radiation, plasma environment and magnetism in-depth and their interplay with the moons. The spacecraft will carry mono-methyl hydrazine (MMH) fuel and nitrogen (MON) oxidizer's mixed oxides, which ignite when the two come in contact. The propellant will be used by Juice to make critical course manoeuvres during its journey into the Jupiter system and to move into orbit around the planet to finally reach its largest moon, Ganymede. The spacecraft, after reaching Jupiter, will conduct 35 flybys of the moons of the gas giant to explore the mission's principal objectives: Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. ESA said that the mission will end after an extended study of Ganymede, making the spacecraft the first of its kind which orbited a moon other than Earth's in 2034. WATCH | Gravitas: A spectacular planetary performance The spacecraft will include 10 instruments and will characterise the ocean-bearing icy moons of Jupiter. The mission will also seek answers to questions like whether the existence of life is unique to our planet or whether there is a possibility of life's occurrence in our Solar System or other galaxies. The agency will launch the spacecraft onboard the Ariane-5 rocket, which is a workhorse for the European Space Agency. Ariane 5 includes a core stage with two side boosters and an upper stage which is powered by a payload fairing and a liquid-propellant engine. The ogive-shaped fairing present at the top of Ariane 5 is 5.4 m in diameter and over 17 m high. (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

ESA's mission Juice to embark on exploration of Jupiter and its icy moons on April 13

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