The estimated net worth of billionaire and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk crossed $400 billion,&nbsp;as per an estimate by Bloomberg News. By crossing this mark, Musk became the first person in the world to reach the milestone.

In recent months, the value of shares of the Musk-owned Tesla electric car company soared high. It was Musk's privately held stake in SpaceX which has helped push his wealth beyond the threshold of $400 billion.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-attends-notre-dame-reopening-ceremony-in-paris-with-donald-trump-782382">Elon Musk the surprise guest attends Notre Dame reopening in Paris with Donald Trump</a>

Musk has time and again held the position of the wealthiest person and seen a stumble down sometimes as the share price of Tesla remained turbulent. Since May, Musk has continued to hold the No. 1 slot.&nbsp;

<h2>What led to Musk's surge in wealth</h2>

As reported by Bloomberg, Musk's $20 billion jump in wealth has been because of a shoot-up in the valuation of his rocket company SpaceX to roughly $350 billion after the finalisation of a deal.

SpaceX and its investors&nbsp;took the decision to purchase around $1.25 billion of insider shares.

The fortune of Musk increased by 77 per cent since the victory of Donald Trump in the US elections. With the new growth in Trump's net worth, the wealth of the 500 richest people in the world now exceeds $10 trillion.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;US: Elon Musk And Vivek Ramaswamy Bring Trump’s DOGE To Capitol Hill&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-elon-musk-and-vivek-ramaswamy-bring-trumps-doge-to-capitol-hill-race-to-power-782108/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

This year, Musk spent a quarter of a billion dollars on the election campaigns of US President-elect Donald Trump.&nbsp;

Musk is the chief executive of SpaceX and Tesla and is the owner of X. He is the CEO of other ventures like the Boring Company, Neuralink and xAI.&nbsp;

Musk, along with Vivek Ramaswamy, will now head the new “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) in the US government. The new department has been named after a memecoin.

As per Forbes, the net worth of Musk is around $369 billion. In the billionaire index, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos stands at No. 2 and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison holds No. 3 position.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The estimated net worth of billionaire and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk crossed $400 billion, as per an estimate by Bloomberg News. By crossing this mark, Musk became the first person in the world to reach the milestone.

The estimated net worth of billionaire and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk crossed $400 billion, as per an estimate by Bloomberg News. By crossing this mark, Musk became the first person in the world to reach the milestone. In recent months, the value of shares of the Musk-owned Tesla electric car company soared high. It was Musk's privately held stake in SpaceX which has helped push his wealth beyond the threshold of $400 billion. Also Read: Elon Musk the surprise guest attends Notre Dame reopening in Paris with Donald Trump Musk has time and again held the position of the wealthiest person and seen a stumble down sometimes as the share price of Tesla remained turbulent. Since May, Musk has continued to hold the No. 1 slot. What led to Musk's surge in wealth As reported by Bloomberg, Musk's $20 billion jump in wealth has been because of a shoot-up in the valuation of his rocket company SpaceX to roughly $350 billion after the finalisation of a deal. SpaceX and its investors took the decision to purchase around $1.25 billion of insider shares. The fortune of Musk increased by 77 per cent since the victory of Donald Trump in the US elections. With the new growth in Trump's net worth, the wealth of the 500 richest people in the world now exceeds $10 trillion. Watch: US: Elon Musk And Vivek Ramaswamy Bring Trump’s DOGE To Capitol Hill This year, Musk spent a quarter of a billion dollars on the election campaigns of US President-elect Donald Trump. Musk is the chief executive of SpaceX and Tesla and is the owner of X. He is the CEO of other ventures like the Boring Company, Neuralink and xAI. Musk, along with Vivek Ramaswamy, will now head the new “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) in the US government. The new department has been named after a memecoin. As per Forbes, the net worth of Musk is around $369 billion. In the billionaire index, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos stands at No. 2 and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison holds No. 3 position. (With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk becomes world's first person to reach net worth of $400bn

Syrian activist Mazen al-Hamada, who was very vocal about the brutal torture unleashed by the regime of deposed president Bashar al-Assad, was found dead inside the&nbsp;notorious Sednaya prison&nbsp;which is located on the outskirts of Damascus.&nbsp;

Hamada had become the face of those who spoke against the crimes committed by the Assad regime. He had time and again spoken about the horrific treatment he faced in prison.&nbsp;

Hamada faced detention and torture alongside thousands of other prisoners after the 2011 uprising against the rule of Assad.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-pounds-syria-480-times-destroys-80-per-cent-of-military-assets-after-assads-ouster-783104">Israel pounds Syria 480 times, destroys 80 per cent of military assets after Assad's ouster</a>

“Mazen had endured torture so cruel, so unimaginable, that his retellings carried an almost otherworldly weight. When he spoke, it was as if he stared into the face of death itself, pleading with the angel of mortality for just a little more time,”&nbsp;said Hamada’s friend, the photographer and director Sakir Khader, as reported by The Guardian.&nbsp;

He “became one of the most important witnesses against Assad’s regime”, said Khader.&nbsp;

<h2>Behind the prison in Assad's regime&nbsp;</h2>

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR)&nbsp;recorded&nbsp;15,102 deaths because of torture in prisons which were under the control of Assad's regime between March 2011 and July this year.&nbsp;

It stated that more than 100,000 were believed to be detained and missing. However, some of them may have been found now after the prisoners were set free by the rebels.&nbsp;

Head of SNHR Fadel Abdulghany had said on live television that all 100,000 people had probably “died under torture” in prison. SNHR tracks people who have “forcibly disappeared”.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Sanctions &amp; Civil War Leave Syrian Pound in Freefall

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In 2013, Hamada was released and the officials granted him asylum in the&nbsp;Netherlands in 2014. After his release, he started touring Western countries and spoke about the atrocities unleashed on him by the Syrian authorities.

He shot a documentary called "Syria’s Disappeared", in which he said, “The law will hold them to account. I will not rest until I take them to court and get justice.”

Sara Afshar, director of Syria’s Disappeared, shared a picture of Hamada in which he was receiving a standing ovation for his testimony.&nbsp;

“He moved people, and he spoke over and over again. Why did the world not act? Why?” she&nbsp;quizzed.

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq and non-state actors like Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Syrian activist Mazen al-Hamada, who was very vocal about the brutal torture unleashed by the regime of deposed president Bashar al-Assad, was found dead inside the notorious Sednaya prison which is located on the outskirts of Damascus.

Syrian activist Mazen al-Hamada, who was very vocal about the brutal torture unleashed by the regime of deposed president Bashar al-Assad, was found dead inside the notorious Sednaya prison which is located on the outskirts of Damascus. Hamada had become the face of those who spoke against the crimes committed by the Assad regime. He had time and again spoken about the horrific treatment he faced in prison. Hamada faced detention and torture alongside thousands of other prisoners after the 2011 uprising against the rule of Assad. Also Read: Israel pounds Syria 480 times, destroys 80 per cent of military assets after Assad's ouster “Mazen had endured torture so cruel, so unimaginable, that his retellings carried an almost otherworldly weight. When he spoke, it was as if he stared into the face of death itself, pleading with the angel of mortality for just a little more time,” said Hamada’s friend, the photographer and director Sakir Khader, as reported by The Guardian. He “became one of the most important witnesses against Assad’s regime”, said Khader. Behind the prison in Assad's regime The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) recorded 15,102 deaths because of torture in prisons which were under the control of Assad's regime between March 2011 and July this year. It stated that more than 100,000 were believed to be detained and missing. However, some of them may have been found now after the prisoners were set free by the rebels. Head of SNHR Fadel Abdulghany had said on live television that all 100,000 people had probably “died under torture” in prison. SNHR tracks people who have “forcibly disappeared”. Watch: Sanctions & Civil War Leave Syrian Pound in Freefall In 2013, Hamada was released and the officials granted him asylum in the Netherlands in 2014. After his release, he started touring Western countries and spoke about the atrocities unleashed on him by the Syrian authorities. He shot a documentary called "Syria’s Disappeared", in which he said, “The law will hold them to account. I will not rest until I take them to court and get justice.” Sara Afshar, director of Syria’s Disappeared, shared a picture of Hamada in which he was receiving a standing ovation for his testimony. “He moved people, and he spoke over and over again. Why did the world not act? Why?” she quizzed. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq and non-state actors like Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos. (With inputs from agencies)

Syrian activist Mazen al-Hamada, who opposed Assad's regime, found dead in Sednaya prison

After the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime, the rebels appointed Mohammed al-Bashir as the caretaker prime minister of the transitional Syrian government till March 1, 2025.

“The general command has tasked us with running the transitional government until March 1," said Bashir in a statement on the state television’s Telegram account.

Before the 12-day lightning offensive of rebels which led to the fall of Damascus, the rebel-led 'Salvation Government' was being run by Al-Bashir.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/syrian-conflict-rebels-name-mohammed-al-bashir-as-head-of-transitional-govt-782998">Syrian conflict: Rebels name Mohammed al-Bashir as head of transitional govt</a>

As per media reports, Syria’s Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani met outgoing Syrian prime minister Mohammed al-Jalali and discussed the “transfer of power".

<h2>Who is Mohammed al-Bashir?</h2>

Mohammed al-Bashir is a politician and Syrian engineer who started his fifth tenure as the prime minister of the Syrian Salvation Government, which is affiliated with HTS, in January.

Bashir was born in 1986 in Jabal Zawiya region of Idlib, as per his resume which was published by the Salvation Government.

Bashir has multiple qualifications which range from engineering, law, and administrative planning. He received a degree in electrical and electronic engineering and specialised in communications from the University of Aleppo in 2007.

The caretaker prime minister also took courses in English language, administered by the Ministry of Education, in 2010.&nbsp;

He also received a degree in Sharia and law with honours from the University of Idlib in 2021.

In the same year, Bashir also got a certificate in administrative planning and completed a certification in project management from the Syrian International Academy for Training, Languages, and Consulting.

He worked as an engineer in a gas plant affiliated with the Syrian Gas Company.

After the Syrian uprising against Assad in 2011, Bashir resigned from his job at government institutions and joined "the ranks of the revolutionaries in the military field", as per his CV.

Watch:&nbsp;Syria Civil War: Israel Launches Over 300 Airstrikes In Post-Assad Syria

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He held the position of minister of development and humanitarian affairs in the rebel government between 2022 and 2023.

He was elected as the prime minister in January 2024 by the Shura Council of the Salvation Government. E-government and automation of government services were prioritised by his election platform.

After HTS and other Syrian rebel groups launched their offensive in Northwestern Syria in late November and captured Aleppo, Bashir in a press conference announced that the offensive was a response to attacks on the civilians by the Syrian regime, in which "tens of thousands" of people were displaced.&nbsp;

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq and non-state actors like Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)

After the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime, the rebels appointed Mohammed al-Bashir as the caretaker prime minister of the transitional Syrian government till March 1, 2025.

After the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime, the rebels appointed Mohammed al-Bashir as the caretaker prime minister of the transitional Syrian government till March 1, 2025. “The general command has tasked us with running the transitional government until March 1," said Bashir in a statement on the state television’s Telegram account. Before the 12-day lightning offensive of rebels which led to the fall of Damascus, the rebel-led 'Salvation Government' was being run by Al-Bashir. Also Read: Syrian conflict: Rebels name Mohammed al-Bashir as head of transitional govt As per media reports, Syria’s Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani met outgoing Syrian prime minister Mohammed al-Jalali and discussed the “transfer of power". Who is Mohammed al-Bashir? Mohammed al-Bashir is a politician and Syrian engineer who started his fifth tenure as the prime minister of the Syrian Salvation Government, which is affiliated with HTS, in January. Bashir was born in 1986 in Jabal Zawiya region of Idlib, as per his resume which was published by the Salvation Government. Bashir has multiple qualifications which range from engineering, law, and administrative planning. He received a degree in electrical and electronic engineering and specialised in communications from the University of Aleppo in 2007. The caretaker prime minister also took courses in English language, administered by the Ministry of Education, in 2010. He also received a degree in Sharia and law with honours from the University of Idlib in 2021. In the same year, Bashir also got a certificate in administrative planning and completed a certification in project management from the Syrian International Academy for Training, Languages, and Consulting. He worked as an engineer in a gas plant affiliated with the Syrian Gas Company. After the Syrian uprising against Assad in 2011, Bashir resigned from his job at government institutions and joined "the ranks of the revolutionaries in the military field", as per his CV. Watch: Syria Civil War: Israel Launches Over 300 Airstrikes In Post-Assad Syria He held the position of minister of development and humanitarian affairs in the rebel government between 2022 and 2023. He was elected as the prime minister in January 2024 by the Shura Council of the Salvation Government. E-government and automation of government services were prioritised by his election platform. After HTS and other Syrian rebel groups launched their offensive in Northwestern Syria in late November and captured Aleppo, Bashir in a press conference announced that the offensive was a response to attacks on the civilians by the Syrian regime, in which "tens of thousands" of people were displaced. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq and non-state actors like Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos. (With inputs from agencies)

Who is Mohammed al-Bashir, the new caretaker prime minister of Syria?

A major advancement in quantum computing was introduced by Google when it unveiled its next-generation&nbsp;chip known as 'Willow'.&nbsp;

The new chip was developed at the quantum lab of the company in Santa Barbara, California. The power of the chip can be understood by its capability to solve complex mathematical problems in only five minutes which will take years for supercomputers to solve.&nbsp;

“Introducing&nbsp;Willow, our new state-of-the-art quantum computing chip with a breakthrough that can reduce errors exponentially as we scale up using more qubits, cracking a 30-year challenge in the field,” wrote Sundar Pichai, Chief Executive Officer of Alphabet and Google, in a post on X.

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This new quantum chip of Google has sent shockwaves across the tech world and is being seen as the search engine giant's bold step in the world of technology.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/openai-releases-an-ai-video-generation-tool-its-called-sora-782957">OpenAI releases an AI video-generation tool. It's called Sora</a>

The chip will be able to complete the tasks in five minutes which the fastest computers will take 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 or 10 septillion years to complete.

<h2>A breakthrough in the world of technology</h2>

The breakthrough creation of the chip has been called “mindboggling”. It measures only 4 cm squared but has inconceivable speed.

In an interview with news agency Reuters, head of Google Quantum AI Hartmut Neven said, “We are past the break-even point. If we have a good idea, we want someone on the team to get it into the clean room and into one of these cryostats as fast as possible to accelerate learning."

Watch:&nbsp;Google Unveils Revolutionary Quantum Computing Chip

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Hartmut Neven said that for quantum computing the next big step is to perform a "useful, beyond-classical" calculation, the kind that has real-world applications and can be handled by&nbsp;current quantum chips.&nbsp;

&nbsp;“We’re optimistic that the Willow generation of chips can help us achieve this goal. So far, there have been two separate types of experiments. On the one hand, we’ve run the RCS benchmark, which measures performance against classical computers but has no known real-world applications,” he said.&nbsp;

"On the other hand, we’ve done scientifically interesting simulations of quantum systems, which have led to new scientific discoveries but are still within the reach of classical computers. Our goal is to do both at the same time — to step into the realm of algorithms that are beyond the reach of classical computers and that are useful for real-world, commercially relevant problems,” Neven added.

(With inputs from agencies)

A major advancement in quantum computing was introduced by Google when it unveiled its next-generation chip known as 'Willow'. The new chip was developed at the quantum lab of the company in Santa Barbara, California.

A major advancement in quantum computing was introduced by Google when it unveiled its next-generation chip known as 'Willow'. The new chip was developed at the quantum lab of the company in Santa Barbara, California. The power of the chip can be understood by its capability to solve complex mathematical problems in only five minutes which will take years for supercomputers to solve. “Introducing Willow, our new state-of-the-art quantum computing chip with a breakthrough that can reduce errors exponentially as we scale up using more qubits, cracking a 30-year challenge in the field,” wrote Sundar Pichai, Chief Executive Officer of Alphabet and Google, in a post on X. Introducing Willow, our new state-of-the-art quantum computing chip with a breakthrough that can reduce errors exponentially as we scale up using more qubits, cracking a 30-year challenge in the field. In benchmark tests, Willow solved a standard computation in <5 mins that would… — Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) December 9, 2024 × This new quantum chip of Google has sent shockwaves across the tech world and is being seen as the search engine giant's bold step in the world of technology. Also Read: OpenAI releases an AI video-generation tool. It's called Sora The chip will be able to complete the tasks in five minutes which the fastest computers will take 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 or 10 septillion years to complete. A breakthrough in the world of technology The breakthrough creation of the chip has been called “mindboggling”. It measures only 4 cm squared but has inconceivable speed. In an interview with news agency Reuters, head of Google Quantum AI Hartmut Neven said, “We are past the break-even point. If we have a good idea, we want someone on the team to get it into the clean room and into one of these cryostats as fast as possible to accelerate learning." Watch: Google Unveils Revolutionary Quantum Computing Chip Hartmut Neven said that for quantum computing the next big step is to perform a "useful, beyond-classical" calculation, the kind that has real-world applications and can be handled by current quantum chips. “We’re optimistic that the Willow generation of chips can help us achieve this goal. So far, there have been two separate types of experiments. On the one hand, we’ve run the RCS benchmark, which measures performance against classical computers but has no known real-world applications,” he said. "On the other hand, we’ve done scientifically interesting simulations of quantum systems, which have led to new scientific discoveries but are still within the reach of classical computers. Our goal is to do both at the same time — to step into the realm of algorithms that are beyond the reach of classical computers and that are useful for real-world, commercially relevant problems,” Neven added. (With inputs from agencies)

Google introduces 'Willow', a chip which finishes 10 septillion years of work in five minutes

At 6:11 pm (local time) on July 13, 2024, minutes after the then-Republican presidential election nominee and now-President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump ascended the stage during his campaign rally in the US state of Pennsylvania, gunfire erupted and suddenly a stream of blood splattered on the face of the leader.&nbsp;

It was an assassination attempt on Trump, a moment which will soon be etched in history and will be remembered as the poster image of the 2024 US presidential elections that culminated with the same man's thumping victory who was now bleeding on stage.&nbsp;

But Trump appeared unflinching and more powerful as he folded his hands in a victory fist as the cameras clicked on his face with reporters trying to capture what the historic moment meant for the world power that stood at the threshold of the polls.

<h2>The moment when Trump was shot</h2>

Trump was nonchalantly speaking to the crowd gathered when suddenly shots rang out and the Republican leader clutched his right ear and ducked behind the podium.

In seconds, he was covered by three Secret Service agents who yelled "Get down!" as multiple rounds of gunshots continued to be fired.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-kimberly-guilfoyle-trump-juniors-former-date-and-next-us-envoy-to-greece-783166">Who is Kimberly Guilfoyle, Trump junior’s former date and next US envoy to Greece?</a>

As many as eight rounds were fired from an AR-style rifle by the shooter who was hidden on a rooftop close to the venue. The snipers in Trump's Secret Service soon killed the shooter and the Republican leader was escorted from the rally.&nbsp;

As he was taking off stage, Trump mouthed "fight" and pumped his fist. In a statement, Trump's Secret Service later confirmed that the then-Republican presidential candidate "is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility".

<h2>Why did the shooter shoot Trump?</h2>

The FBI on July 14 identified the shooter as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks. He lived in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania and was believed to have acted alone.

The Crooks' father&nbsp;had bought the rifle which was used by him to shoot the Republican leader. He did not have any criminal record.&nbsp;As per the FBI, there was "no indication of any mental health issues" regarding Crooks.

After the incident, the FBI found that a social media account "believed to be associated with the shooter" had around 700 comments from 2019 to 2020.&nbsp;

As per an account of Gab&nbsp;CEO Andrew Torba, the FBI had requested posts from his platform which were "pro-Biden's immigration policy".&nbsp;

Meanwhile, FBI deputy director&nbsp;Paul Abbate, in a public statement, said that the activity of Crooks on social media was&nbsp;antisemitic, and extreme, espousing&nbsp;political violence and anti-immigrant.&nbsp;

However, the police were not able to identify the shooter's motive.&nbsp;

<h2>A security lapse?</h2>

The shooting also shifted the Secret Service into the spotlight as people questioned how they failed to protect Trump and secure access to the roof.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Trump’s Billion-Dollar Investment Pitch

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/trumps-billion-dollar-investment-pitch-wion-climate-change-world-news-783202/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The Secret Service faced criticism for failing to be present on the roof or covering it even though three police snipers were in the building.&nbsp;

In a report, a Secret Service agent had spoken about multiple “foreseeable, preventable” lapses in communication and planning on the day of the incident which further raised questions about the Secret Service.&nbsp;

In the report, it was also mentioned how local law enforcement failed to inform Trump’s security about “the suspicious subject” they were searching moments before the attack.

The reports clearly underlined that the incident could have been prevented with more vigilance and planning.

However, Trump's attempted assassination may have been a failure on the part of the Secret Service but when history looks back at it, what people would remember will be the phoenix who rose from ashes and shone like the brightest star in the presidential polls. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

At 6:11 pm (local time) on July 13, 2024, minutes after the then-Republican presidential election nominee and now-President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump ascended the stage during his campaign rally in the US state of Pennsylvania, gunfire erupted and suddenly a stream of blood splattered on the face of the leader.

At 6:11 pm (local time) on July 13, 2024, minutes after the then-Republican presidential election nominee and now-President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump ascended the stage during his campaign rally in the US state of Pennsylvania, gunfire erupted and suddenly a stream of blood splattered on the face of the leader. It was an assassination attempt on Trump, a moment which will soon be etched in history and will be remembered as the poster image of the 2024 US presidential elections that culminated with the same man's thumping victory who was now bleeding on stage. But Trump appeared unflinching and more powerful as he folded his hands in a victory fist as the cameras clicked on his face with reporters trying to capture what the historic moment meant for the world power that stood at the threshold of the polls. The moment when Trump was shot Trump was nonchalantly speaking to the crowd gathered when suddenly shots rang out and the Republican leader clutched his right ear and ducked behind the podium. In seconds, he was covered by three Secret Service agents who yelled "Get down!" as multiple rounds of gunshots continued to be fired. Also Read: Who is Kimberly Guilfoyle, Trump junior’s former date and next US envoy to Greece? As many as eight rounds were fired from an AR-style rifle by the shooter who was hidden on a rooftop close to the venue. The snipers in Trump's Secret Service soon killed the shooter and the Republican leader was escorted from the rally. As he was taking off stage, Trump mouthed "fight" and pumped his fist. In a statement, Trump's Secret Service later confirmed that the then-Republican presidential candidate "is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility". Why did the shooter shoot Trump? The FBI on July 14 identified the shooter as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks. He lived in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania and was believed to have acted alone. The Crooks' father had bought the rifle which was used by him to shoot the Republican leader. He did not have any criminal record. As per the FBI, there was "no indication of any mental health issues" regarding Crooks. After the incident, the FBI found that a social media account "believed to be associated with the shooter" had around 700 comments from 2019 to 2020. As per an account of Gab CEO Andrew Torba, the FBI had requested posts from his platform which were "pro-Biden's immigration policy". Meanwhile, FBI deputy director Paul Abbate, in a public statement, said that the activity of Crooks on social media was antisemitic, and extreme, espousing political violence and anti-immigrant. However, the police were not able to identify the shooter's motive. A security lapse? The shooting also shifted the Secret Service into the spotlight as people questioned how they failed to protect Trump and secure access to the roof. Watch: Trump’s Billion-Dollar Investment Pitch The Secret Service faced criticism for failing to be present on the roof or covering it even though three police snipers were in the building. In a report, a Secret Service agent had spoken about multiple “foreseeable, preventable” lapses in communication and planning on the day of the incident which further raised questions about the Secret Service. In the report, it was also mentioned how local law enforcement failed to inform Trump’s security about “the suspicious subject” they were searching moments before the attack. The reports clearly underlined that the incident could have been prevented with more vigilance and planning. However, Trump's attempted assassination may have been a failure on the part of the Secret Service but when history looks back at it, what people would remember will be the phoenix who rose from ashes and shone like the brightest star in the presidential polls. (With inputs from agencies)

2024: A year when Donald Trump’s victory almost cost his ear

The Queensland government on Monday (Dec 9) announced that hundreds of vials containing deadly live virus samples have been lost by a laboratory.

Australia’s&nbsp;public health&nbsp;department, Queensland Health, has been instructed by the government to launch an investigation into what has been called a "major historical breach of biosecurity protocols," as per the media statement.

According to the report, 323 vials of various infectious viruses, which included Hendra virus, Lyssavirus and Hantavirus, went missing from Public Health Virology Laboratory in Queensland in August 2023.

Hendra is a kind of zoonotic (animal-to-human) virus which is only found in Australia.&nbsp;

Hantavirus belongs to a family of viruses which can cause serious illness and death, as per the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. While&nbsp;Lyssavirus is a group of viruses that causes rabies.

The lab in which the samples went missing provides "diagnostic services, surveillance and research for viruses and mosquito and&nbsp;tick-borne pathogens&nbsp;of medical importance," stated the release.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wuhan-lab-leak-likely-behind-covid-pandemic-finds-us-investigation-780981">Wuhan lab leak likely behind Covid pandemic, finds US investigation</a>

As per the statement, the officials were not aware if the infectious samples&nbsp;stolen or destroyed and said there is "no evidence of risk to the community."

<h2>Government launches investigation into missing case of viruses&nbsp;</h2>

To&nbsp;look for the missing vials of viruses, the government has launched a "Part 9 investigation."

"With such a serious breach of biosecurity protocols and infectious virus samples potentially missing, Queensland Health must investigate what occurred and how to prevent it from happening again," said Minister Timothy Nicholls in the release.

"The Part 9 investigation will ensure nothing has been overlooked in responding to this incident and examine the current policies and procedures in operation today at the laboratory. This investigation will also consider regulatory compliance and staff conduct," he added.

Nicholls said that "proactive measures" have been taken by Queensland Health which included conducting audits to ensure the correct storage of materials and retraining staff on required regulations.

Watch:&nbsp;HIV In Decline: AIDS Cases On Decline Around The World: UN

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/hiv-in-decline-aids-cases-on-decline-around-the-world-un-779678/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Director of AI and Life Sciences at Northeastern University in Boston and PhD Sam Scarpino said that the situation has arisen because of a "critical biosecurity lapse."&nbsp;

"The pathogens reported missing are all high-consequence and could pose a threat to the public," he said while speaking to Fox News Digital.&nbsp;

As per Scarpino, the three pathogens can lead to very high fatality rates in humans.&nbsp;

"Some hantaviruses have case fatality rates of up to 15%, or over 100 times more lethal&nbsp;than COVID-19, while others are more similar to COVID-19 in terms of severity," he stated.&nbsp;

All three pathogens can also put animals and livestock under high risk, he said. "Given the limited ability for any of these pathogens to transmit from person to person, the risk of an epidemic is very low," said Scarpino.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, in a media statement, Chief Health Officer Dr. John Gerrard said, "It’s important to note that virus samples would degrade very rapidly outside a low-temperature freezer and become non-infectious. It’s very unlikely that samples were discarded in general waste, as this would be completely outside routine laboratory practice."

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The Queensland government on Monday (Dec 9) announced that hundreds of vials containing deadly live virus samples have been lost by a laboratory. Australia’s public health department, Queensland Health, has been instructed by the government to launch an investigation into what has been called a "major historical breach of biosecurity protocols," as per the media statement.

The Queensland government on Monday (Dec 9) announced that hundreds of vials containing deadly live virus samples have been lost by a laboratory. Australia’s public health department, Queensland Health, has been instructed by the government to launch an investigation into what has been called a "major historical breach of biosecurity protocols," as per the media statement. According to the report, 323 vials of various infectious viruses, which included Hendra virus, Lyssavirus and Hantavirus, went missing from Public Health Virology Laboratory in Queensland in August 2023. Hendra is a kind of zoonotic (animal-to-human) virus which is only found in Australia. Hantavirus belongs to a family of viruses which can cause serious illness and death, as per the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. While Lyssavirus is a group of viruses that causes rabies. The lab in which the samples went missing provides "diagnostic services, surveillance and research for viruses and mosquito and tick-borne pathogens of medical importance," stated the release. Also Read: Wuhan lab leak likely behind Covid pandemic, finds US investigation As per the statement, the officials were not aware if the infectious samples stolen or destroyed and said there is "no evidence of risk to the community." Government launches investigation into missing case of viruses To look for the missing vials of viruses, the government has launched a "Part 9 investigation." "With such a serious breach of biosecurity protocols and infectious virus samples potentially missing, Queensland Health must investigate what occurred and how to prevent it from happening again," said Minister Timothy Nicholls in the release. "The Part 9 investigation will ensure nothing has been overlooked in responding to this incident and examine the current policies and procedures in operation today at the laboratory. This investigation will also consider regulatory compliance and staff conduct," he added. Nicholls said that "proactive measures" have been taken by Queensland Health which included conducting audits to ensure the correct storage of materials and retraining staff on required regulations. Watch: HIV In Decline: AIDS Cases On Decline Around The World: UN Director of AI and Life Sciences at Northeastern University in Boston and PhD Sam Scarpino said that the situation has arisen because of a "critical biosecurity lapse." "The pathogens reported missing are all high-consequence and could pose a threat to the public," he said while speaking to Fox News Digital. As per Scarpino, the three pathogens can lead to very high fatality rates in humans. "Some hantaviruses have case fatality rates of up to 15%, or over 100 times more lethal than COVID-19, while others are more similar to COVID-19 in terms of severity," he stated. All three pathogens can also put animals and livestock under high risk, he said. "Given the limited ability for any of these pathogens to transmit from person to person, the risk of an epidemic is very low," said Scarpino. Meanwhile, in a media statement, Chief Health Officer Dr. John Gerrard said, "It’s important to note that virus samples would degrade very rapidly outside a low-temperature freezer and become non-infectious. It’s very unlikely that samples were discarded in general waste, as this would be completely outside routine laboratory practice." (With inputs from agencies)

Hundreds of vials of deadly virus go missing from Australian lab in ‘major biosecurity breach'

Scientists have been left astonished by a humpback whale which made the longest and most unusual migration ever recorded in the world.&nbsp;

The whale was seen in 2017 in the Pacific Ocean off Colombia and then again appeared several years later in 2022 near Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean, which is at a distance of around 13,000 km.

As per experts, this epic journey may have been taken by the whale because of the depletion of food stocks due to climate change.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/worlds-largest-coral-is-16-feet-high-300-years-old-but-has-only-just-been-found-776136">World's largest coral is 16 feet high, 300 years old, but has only just been found</a>

Tanzania Cetaceans Programme researcher&nbsp;Ekaterina Kalashnikova said that the feat was "truly impressive and unusual even for this highly migratory species".

Dr Kalashnikova said that there was a high chance that this was the longest travel of a humpback whale ever recorded.&nbsp;

<h2>Why did the humpback whale migrate?</h2>

Throughout the world, humpback whales live in all oceans. Every year they travel long distances and make one of the longest migrations ever done by any other mammal.

They move from tropical breeding grounds to feeding grounds in cooler waters. However, the journey of this whale was more spectacular because it involved two distant breeding grounds.

As per a theory, the abundance of the tiny shrimplike krill is being altered by climate change and since the humpback whales feed on them, they are now forced to travel more in search of food.

Watch:&nbsp;Cape Town Grapples With Whale Tragedies

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/cape-town-grapples-with-whale-tragedies-776762/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

There is also a possibility that the whales may have been exploring new breeding grounds because population&nbsp;rebound due to global conservation efforts.

"While actual reasons are unknown, amongst the drivers, there might be global changes in the climate, extreme environmental events (that are more frequent nowadays), and evolutionary mechanisms of the species," Dr Kalashnikova said.&nbsp;

The male whale was among the humpbacks whose photographs were taken on the Pacific coast of Colombia in 2013 and was again seen in the same region in 2017.

While in 2022 it was sighted&nbsp;in Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean. The sightings were at 13,046 km great-circle distance.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Scientists have been left astonished by a humpback whale which made the longest and most unusual migration ever recorded in the world. The whale was seen in 2017 in the Pacific Ocean off Colombia and then again appeared several years later in 2022 near Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean, which is at a distance of around 13,000 km.

Scientists have been left astonished by a humpback whale which made the longest and most unusual migration ever recorded in the world. The whale was seen in 2017 in the Pacific Ocean off Colombia and then again appeared several years later in 2022 near Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean, which is at a distance of around 13,000 km. As per experts, this epic journey may have been taken by the whale because of the depletion of food stocks due to climate change. Also Read: World's largest coral is 16 feet high, 300 years old, but has only just been found Tanzania Cetaceans Programme researcher Ekaterina Kalashnikova said that the feat was "truly impressive and unusual even for this highly migratory species". Dr Kalashnikova said that there was a high chance that this was the longest travel of a humpback whale ever recorded. Why did the humpback whale migrate? Throughout the world, humpback whales live in all oceans. Every year they travel long distances and make one of the longest migrations ever done by any other mammal. They move from tropical breeding grounds to feeding grounds in cooler waters. However, the journey of this whale was more spectacular because it involved two distant breeding grounds. As per a theory, the abundance of the tiny shrimplike krill is being altered by climate change and since the humpback whales feed on them, they are now forced to travel more in search of food. Watch: Cape Town Grapples With Whale Tragedies There is also a possibility that the whales may have been exploring new breeding grounds because population rebound due to global conservation efforts. "While actual reasons are unknown, amongst the drivers, there might be global changes in the climate, extreme environmental events (that are more frequent nowadays), and evolutionary mechanisms of the species," Dr Kalashnikova said. The male whale was among the humpbacks whose photographs were taken on the Pacific coast of Colombia in 2013 and was again seen in the same region in 2017. While in 2022 it was sighted in Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean. The sightings were at 13,046 km great-circle distance. (With inputs from agencies)

Humpback whale makes world's longest and most unusual migration

Days after the brief imposition of martial law in South Korea which threw the democracy of the country into chaos, a special investigation unit of police carried out a raid on the presidential office of Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday (Dec 11).

"The Special Investigation Team has conducted a raid in the presidential office, the National Police Agency, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, and the National Assembly Security Service," said the unit in a message, reported news agency AFP.

Yoon has been under an "insurrection" probe and is facing a travel ban.&nbsp;

South Korea's main opposition party will vote for the second time on Saturday (Dec 14)&nbsp;to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol.

The vote is scheduled for "5 pm (0800 GMT) on December 14", said Jo Seung-lae, a lawmaker while speaking to AFP.&nbsp;

<h2>Former defence minister 'attempts suicide' &nbsp;</h2>

Amid reports of the raid in the presidential office, Yonhap news agency on Wednesday (Dec 11) reported that South Korea's former defence minister Kim Yong-Hyun tried to kill himself using his underwear shortly before police formally arrested him over the role he played in martial law operation.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korean-defence-minister-arrested-over-martial-law-attempt-yoon-under-investigation-783076">South Korean defence minister arrested over martial law attempt, Yoon under investigation</a>

The police had formally arrested Minister Kim Yong-Hyun on charges of "engaging in critical duties during an insurrection" and "abuse of authority to obstruct the exercise of rights".

Speaking to news agency AFP, Seoul Central&nbsp;District Court's spokesperson said that the police arrested Kim amid concerns regarding the destruction of the evidence.&nbsp;

Through his lawyers, Kim said that "all responsibility for this situation lies solely with me" and that subordinates were "merely following my orders and fulfilling their assigned duties".

Kim, who faced detention on Sunday (Dec 8), has been facing a travel ban along with the general in charge of the martial law operation.

Watch:&nbsp;South Korea Faces Dual Crisis

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/south-korea-faces-dual-crisis-782774/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Meanwhile, the police also detained the country's two highest police officers for their roles in enforcing the short-lived martial law decree of President Yoon Suk Yeol.

On December 3, President Yoon Sook Yeol declared martial law and dispatched helicopters and soldiers to parliament but was forced to withdraw the decree. Minister Kim had resigned on Thursday (Dec 5).&nbsp;

On Wednesday (Dec 4), North Korean state media for the first time commented on the political scenario in the South.&nbsp;

"The shocking incident of the puppet Yoon Suk Yeol, who is facing impeachment and a governance crisis, suddenly declaring a martial law decree and unhesitatingly wielding the guns and knives of its fascist dictatorship wrought chaos across South Korea," said the state media.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

<a href="https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/11181469">Get help &amp; support for suicide</a>

If you or someone you know wants help for mental well-being, don't hesitate to talk to a professional. You can contact local authorities and also encourage the person to contact a&nbsp;suicide prevention hotline&nbsp;using the information above link.&nbsp;WION is not associated with any of these organisations and does not make any recommendations.&nbsp;

Days after the brief imposition of martial law in South Korea which threw the democracy of the country into chaos, a special investigation unit of police carried out a raid on the presidential office of Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday (Dec 11).

Days after the brief imposition of martial law in South Korea which threw the democracy of the country into chaos, a special investigation unit of police carried out a raid on the presidential office of Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday (Dec 11). "The Special Investigation Team has conducted a raid in the presidential office, the National Police Agency, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, and the National Assembly Security Service," said the unit in a message, reported news agency AFP. Yoon has been under an "insurrection" probe and is facing a travel ban. South Korea's main opposition party will vote for the second time on Saturday (Dec 14) to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol. The vote is scheduled for "5 pm (0800 GMT) on December 14", said Jo Seung-lae, a lawmaker while speaking to AFP. Former defence minister 'attempts suicide' Amid reports of the raid in the presidential office, Yonhap news agency on Wednesday (Dec 11) reported that South Korea's former defence minister Kim Yong-Hyun tried to kill himself using his underwear shortly before police formally arrested him over the role he played in martial law operation. Also Read: South Korean defence minister arrested over martial law attempt, Yoon under investigation The police had formally arrested Minister Kim Yong-Hyun on charges of "engaging in critical duties during an insurrection" and "abuse of authority to obstruct the exercise of rights". Speaking to news agency AFP, Seoul Central District Court's spokesperson said that the police arrested Kim amid concerns regarding the destruction of the evidence. Through his lawyers, Kim said that "all responsibility for this situation lies solely with me" and that subordinates were "merely following my orders and fulfilling their assigned duties". Kim, who faced detention on Sunday (Dec 8), has been facing a travel ban along with the general in charge of the martial law operation. Watch: South Korea Faces Dual Crisis Meanwhile, the police also detained the country's two highest police officers for their roles in enforcing the short-lived martial law decree of President Yoon Suk Yeol. On December 3, President Yoon Sook Yeol declared martial law and dispatched helicopters and soldiers to parliament but was forced to withdraw the decree. Minister Kim had resigned on Thursday (Dec 5). On Wednesday (Dec 4), North Korean state media for the first time commented on the political scenario in the South. "The shocking incident of the puppet Yoon Suk Yeol, who is facing impeachment and a governance crisis, suddenly declaring a martial law decree and unhesitatingly wielding the guns and knives of its fascist dictatorship wrought chaos across South Korea," said the state media. (With inputs from agencies) Get help & support for suicide If you or someone you know wants help for mental well-being, don't hesitate to talk to a professional. You can contact local authorities and also encourage the person to contact a suicide prevention hotline using the information above link. WION is not associated with any of these organisations and does not make any recommendations.

South Korea martial law fiasco: Police raid presidential office, former defence minister 'attempts suicide'

People in the United States can now use an artificial intelligence video generator of OpenAI called Sora, which was made publicly available on Monday (Dec 9).

In February, OpenAI first presented Sora but at that time it was accessible to only select filmmakers, artists and safety testers.&nbsp;

After the announcement of Sora on Monday (Dec 9), the website of OpenAI did not allow new sign-ups because of heavy traffic.

<h2>What is Sora?</h2>

Sora is a text-to-video generator tool which is capable of creating AI video clips on the basis of the written prompts of a user.

For example, the website of OpenAI had the prompt of “a wide, serene shot of a family of woolly mammoths in an open desert”.

The video generated from this prompt showed a group of three extinct creatures who were walking slowly through sand dunes.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/jeff-bezos-openai-back-robot-startup-physical-intelligence-at-24-billion-valuation-773356">Jeff Bezos, OpenAI back robot startup physical intelligence at $2.4 billion valuation</a>

“We hope this early version of Sora will enable people everywhere to explore new forms of creativity, tell their stories, and push the boundaries of what’s possible with video storytelling,” wrote OpenAI in a blog post.

OpenAI is famous for creating the popular chatbot ChatGPT but also has its branches in other forms of generative AI.&nbsp;

The platform works on a voice-cloning tool and has integrated the image generation tool Dall-E into the functions of ChatGPT. The AI market is being led by this Microsoft-backed company and it is now valued at around $160 billion.

Tech reviewer Marques Brownlee was allowed to test the tool by OpenAI ahead of Sora’s release. He stated that the results were “horrifying and inspiring at the same time”.

<h2>Redditers discuss the launch of OpenAI</h2>

In October, Reddit users&nbsp;asked OpenAI executives about the release date of Sora and asked whether the launch was being delayed “due to the amount of compute/time required for inference or due to safety.”&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/openai-takes-on-googles-search-engine-by-adding-new-search-function-to-chatgpt-772505">OpenAI takes on Google's search engine by adding new search function to ChatGPT</a>

OpenAI’s product chief Kevin Weil in his response&nbsp;said, “Need to perfect the model, need to get safety/impersonation/other things right, and need to scale compute!”

“We obviously have a big target on our back as OpenAI,”&nbsp;Rohan Sahai, OpenAI’s Sora product lead, said on the live stream, and added&nbsp;that illegal use of the technology needs to be prevented by the company. “But we also want to balance that with creative expression," he said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

People in the United States can now use an artificial intelligence video generator of OpenAI called Sora, which was made publicly available on Monday (Dec 9). In February, OpenAI first presented Sora but at that time it was accessible to only select filmmakers, artists and safety testers.

People in the United States can now use an artificial intelligence video generator of OpenAI called Sora, which was made publicly available on Monday (Dec 9). In February, OpenAI first presented Sora but at that time it was accessible to only select filmmakers, artists and safety testers. After the announcement of Sora on Monday (Dec 9), the website of OpenAI did not allow new sign-ups because of heavy traffic. What is Sora? Sora is a text-to-video generator tool which is capable of creating AI video clips on the basis of the written prompts of a user. For example, the website of OpenAI had the prompt of “a wide, serene shot of a family of woolly mammoths in an open desert”. The video generated from this prompt showed a group of three extinct creatures who were walking slowly through sand dunes. Also Read: Jeff Bezos, OpenAI back robot startup physical intelligence at $2.4 billion valuation “We hope this early version of Sora will enable people everywhere to explore new forms of creativity, tell their stories, and push the boundaries of what’s possible with video storytelling,” wrote OpenAI in a blog post. OpenAI is famous for creating the popular chatbot ChatGPT but also has its branches in other forms of generative AI. The platform works on a voice-cloning tool and has integrated the image generation tool Dall-E into the functions of ChatGPT. The AI market is being led by this Microsoft-backed company and it is now valued at around $160 billion. Tech reviewer Marques Brownlee was allowed to test the tool by OpenAI ahead of Sora’s release. He stated that the results were “horrifying and inspiring at the same time”. Redditers discuss the launch of OpenAI In October, Reddit users asked OpenAI executives about the release date of Sora and asked whether the launch was being delayed “due to the amount of compute/time required for inference or due to safety.” Also Read: OpenAI takes on Google's search engine by adding new search function to ChatGPT OpenAI’s product chief Kevin Weil in his response said, “Need to perfect the model, need to get safety/impersonation/other things right, and need to scale compute!” “We obviously have a big target on our back as OpenAI,” Rohan Sahai, OpenAI’s Sora product lead, said on the live stream, and added that illegal use of the technology needs to be prevented by the company. “But we also want to balance that with creative expression," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

OpenAI releases its AI video-generation tool Sora to everyone in US

India's national capital Delhi woke up to the coldest morning of the season on Wednesday (Dec 11) as the minimum temperature&nbsp;dropped to 4.9 degrees Celsius.

The Safdarjung observatory (base observatory), recorded a&nbsp;minimum of 4.9 degrees Celsius, while Palam saw the minimum settle at&nbsp;6.2 degrees Celsius, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD).&nbsp;

Parts of the capital city were covered by a thin layer of fog and the morning chill persisted till 9 am local time.&nbsp;

As per the IMD, smog and mist conditions along with surface winds which came at speeds of 8-10 kmph from the northwest led to the drop in temperature.

According to the IMD forecast, there will be mainly clear skies on December 11.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-rain-lashes-delhi-ncr-imd-predicts-cold-wave-and-dense-fog-782516">India: Rain lashes Delhi-NCR; IMD predicts cold wave and dense fog</a>

From the northwest, predominant surface winds will come at speeds under 8 kmph along with smog or mist.&nbsp;

Wind speeds can increase to 12 kmph in the afternoon before&nbsp;slowing down in the evening and night. Mist or smog is expected to persist during the evening and night.

A clear sky is predicted on December 12. In the northwest, the surface winds are expected to remain below 8 kmph in the morning along with mist or smog.&nbsp;

Wind speeds can increase to 10-12 kmph later in the day and again go below 8 kmph in the evening and night.&nbsp;

<h2>Delhi's air quality remains 'poor'&nbsp;</h2>

At 7 am local time on Wednesday (Dec 11), the Air Quality Index (AQI)&nbsp;of Delhi remained at 209 and was categorised as 'poor,' as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Watch:&nbsp;India: Delhi Set To Experience A Sharp Dip In Temp&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-delhi-set-to-experience-a-sharp-dip-in-temp-wion-climate-tracker-782628/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

A few areas of the capital also reported 'poor' air quality as Ashok Vihar stood at 227, Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 218 and IGI Airport observed an AQI of 218.&nbsp;

The AQI levels in some areas remained 'moderate' like Aya Nagar at 148, Burari Crossing at 187, Chandni Chowk at 181, and DTU at 165, as per CPCB data.

The AQI of the city&nbsp;on Tuesday (Dec 10) was also in the 'poor' category at 224.

The&nbsp;India Meteorological Department has forecast&nbsp;drop in minimum temperatures by 2°C across northwest India in the next 24 hours.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

India's national capital Delhi woke up to the coldest morning of the season on Wednesday (Dec 11) as the minimum temperature dropped to 4.9 degrees Celsius. The Safdarjung observatory (base observatory), recorded a minimum of 4.

India's national capital Delhi woke up to the coldest morning of the season on Wednesday (Dec 11) as the minimum temperature dropped to 4.9 degrees Celsius. The Safdarjung observatory (base observatory), recorded a minimum of 4.9 degrees Celsius, while Palam saw the minimum settle at 6.2 degrees Celsius, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD). Parts of the capital city were covered by a thin layer of fog and the morning chill persisted till 9 am local time. As per the IMD, smog and mist conditions along with surface winds which came at speeds of 8-10 kmph from the northwest led to the drop in temperature. According to the IMD forecast, there will be mainly clear skies on December 11. Also Read: India: Rain lashes Delhi-NCR; IMD predicts cold wave and dense fog From the northwest, predominant surface winds will come at speeds under 8 kmph along with smog or mist. Wind speeds can increase to 12 kmph in the afternoon before slowing down in the evening and night. Mist or smog is expected to persist during the evening and night. A clear sky is predicted on December 12. In the northwest, the surface winds are expected to remain below 8 kmph in the morning along with mist or smog. Wind speeds can increase to 10-12 kmph later in the day and again go below 8 kmph in the evening and night. Delhi's air quality remains 'poor' At 7 am local time on Wednesday (Dec 11), the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi remained at 209 and was categorised as 'poor,' as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Watch: India: Delhi Set To Experience A Sharp Dip In Temp A few areas of the capital also reported 'poor' air quality as Ashok Vihar stood at 227, Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 218 and IGI Airport observed an AQI of 218. The AQI levels in some areas remained 'moderate' like Aya Nagar at 148, Burari Crossing at 187, Chandni Chowk at 181, and DTU at 165, as per CPCB data. The AQI of the city on Tuesday (Dec 10) was also in the 'poor' category at 224. The India Meteorological Department has forecast drop in minimum temperatures by 2°C across northwest India in the next 24 hours. (With inputs from agencies)

India's national capital wakes up to coldest morning of season, temperature drops to 4.9 degrees

Days after the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime, Israel launched multiple airstrikes at Syrian military targets and deployed ground troops both inside and beyond the country's demilitarised buffer zone for the first time in 50 years.

On Tuesday (Dec 10), the Israeli military announced that they had launched nearly 480 strikes on Syria in the last two days, and attacked the country's strategic weapon stockpiles.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Israel Katz said that the Syrian fleet was destroyed by the Israeli navy in an operation which they called “a great success.”

Out of the Israeli Air Force's 480 strikes, nearly 350 were manned aircraft strikes which targetted airfields, anti-aircraft batteries, missiles, drones, fighter jets, tanks and weapon production sites in Homs, Tartus, Damascus, Palmyra and Latakia, said the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).&nbsp;

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⭕ In 48 hours, the IDF struck most of the strategic weapons stockpiles in Syria to prevent them from falling into the hands of terrorist elements. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻: 
 
⚓ Naval Operations: Israeli Navy missile ships struck 2 Syrian Navy facilities… <a href="https://t.co/6N1fz7BiMF">pic.twitter.com/6N1fz7BiMF</a>
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) <a href="https://twitter.com/IDF/status/1866559502100861115?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The rest of the strikes were carried out to support ground operations in which weapons depots, military structures, launchers and firing positions were targetted.

The IDF further stated that two Syrian naval facilities were also struck by its ships. There were 15 vessels docked in the naval facilities.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-evacuates-75-nationals-from-syria-as-rebels-topple-assads-regime-783089">India evacuates 75 nationals from Syria as rebels topple Assad's regime</a>

In the strikes, dozens of sea-to-sea missiles were destroyed. According to the military, 70-80 per cent of the strategic military capabilities of the previous regime had been destroyed.&nbsp;

<h2>Israeli PM Netanyahu says 'changing the face of the Middle East'&nbsp;</h2>

A day before the airstrikes, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime “a new and dramatic chapter.”

“The collapse of the Syrian regime is a direct result of the severe blows with which we have struck Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran,” Netanyahu said in a press conference on Monday (Dec 9).&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;UN: Bombardment Of Syria Must Stop

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“The axis has not yet disappeared but as I promised – we are changing the face of the Middle East. We have no intention of interfering in the internal affairs of Syria,” he stated in a video statement, “but we certainly do intend to do what is necessary to ensure our security.”

“We want correct relations with the new regime in Syria. But if this regime allows Iran to reestablish itself in Syria, or allows the transfer of Iranian weapons or any other weapons to Hezbollah, or attacks us, we will respond forcefully and we will exact a heavy price from it. What happened to the previous regime will also happen to this regime,” the prime minister said.

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq and non-state actors like Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)

Days after the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime, Israel launched multiple airstrikes at Syrian military targets and deployed ground troops both inside and beyond the country's demilitarised buffer zone for the first time in 50 years.

Days after the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime, Israel launched multiple airstrikes at Syrian military targets and deployed ground troops both inside and beyond the country's demilitarised buffer zone for the first time in 50 years. On Tuesday (Dec 10), the Israeli military announced that they had launched nearly 480 strikes on Syria in the last two days, and attacked the country's strategic weapon stockpiles. Meanwhile, Defence Minister Israel Katz said that the Syrian fleet was destroyed by the Israeli navy in an operation which they called “a great success.” Out of the Israeli Air Force's 480 strikes, nearly 350 were manned aircraft strikes which targetted airfields, anti-aircraft batteries, missiles, drones, fighter jets, tanks and weapon production sites in Homs, Tartus, Damascus, Palmyra and Latakia, said the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). ⭕ In 48 hours, the IDF struck most of the strategic weapons stockpiles in Syria to prevent them from falling into the hands of terrorist elements. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻: ⚓ Naval Operations: Israeli Navy missile ships struck 2 Syrian Navy facilities… pic.twitter.com/6N1fz7BiMF — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) December 10, 2024 × The rest of the strikes were carried out to support ground operations in which weapons depots, military structures, launchers and firing positions were targetted. The IDF further stated that two Syrian naval facilities were also struck by its ships. There were 15 vessels docked in the naval facilities. Also Read: India evacuates 75 nationals from Syria as rebels topple Assad's regime In the strikes, dozens of sea-to-sea missiles were destroyed. According to the military, 70-80 per cent of the strategic military capabilities of the previous regime had been destroyed. Israeli PM Netanyahu says 'changing the face of the Middle East' A day before the airstrikes, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime “a new and dramatic chapter.” “The collapse of the Syrian regime is a direct result of the severe blows with which we have struck Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran,” Netanyahu said in a press conference on Monday (Dec 9). Watch: UN: Bombardment Of Syria Must Stop “The axis has not yet disappeared but as I promised – we are changing the face of the Middle East. We have no intention of interfering in the internal affairs of Syria,” he stated in a video statement, “but we certainly do intend to do what is necessary to ensure our security.” “We want correct relations with the new regime in Syria. But if this regime allows Iran to reestablish itself in Syria, or allows the transfer of Iranian weapons or any other weapons to Hezbollah, or attacks us, we will respond forcefully and we will exact a heavy price from it. What happened to the previous regime will also happen to this regime,” the prime minister said. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq and non-state actors like Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel pounds Syria 480 times, destroys 80 per cent of military assets after Assad's ouster

The 2024 United States presidential elections dominated the country and also the search results of Merriam-Webster which finally culminated in "polarisation" becoming the word of the year.&nbsp;

“Polarisation means division, but it’s a very specific kind of division,” said Peter Sokolowski, who is editor of Merriam-Webster in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press.&nbsp;

“Polarisation means that we are tending toward the extremes rather than toward the centre," Sokolowski added.

The entry for “polarisation” in the Merriam-Webster reflected on scientific and metaphorical definitions. The word is commonly used to mean “causing strong disagreement between opposing factions or groupings.”&nbsp;

Merriam-Webster, which receives more than 100 million page views every month on its website, chose the word of the year based on the data and tracked the increase of word in search and usage.

Their 2023 word of the year was “authentic.”&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brain-rot-emerges-as-oxford-word-of-the-year-are-you-suffering-from-it-780837">'Brain rot' emerges as Oxford word of the year. Are you suffering from it?</a>

“It’s always been important to me that the dictionary serves as a kind of neutral and objective arbiter of meaning for everybody,” said Sokolowski.

&nbsp;“It’s a kind of backstop for meaning in an era of fake news, alternative facts, whatever you want to say about the value of a word’s meaning in the culture," he added.&nbsp;

The word “polarisation” originated in the early 1800s, Sokolowski said. He said that it is a “pretty young word". “Polarised is a term that brings intensity to another word,” he said.

“The basic job of the dictionary is to tell the truth about words. We’ve had dictionaries of English for 420 years and it’s only been in the last 20 years or so that we’ve actually known which words people look up," explained the Merriam-Webster editor.

“Search volume on Merriam-Webster.com throughout the year reflected the desire of Americans to better understand the complex state of affairs in our country and around the world,” the dictionary added.&nbsp;

<h2>Other words which topped search results on Merriam-Webster</h2>

Along with "polarisation", other popular words related to politics&nbsp;also made it to the word of the year list of the dictionary. This included words like “democracy”, "pander", "weird", "cognitive", and "demure".&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;‘Brat’ is Collins' Word of the Year

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/brat-is-collins-word-of-the-year-772615/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The word “democracy” received bipartisan attention across blue and red states and people searching for it “fully understand what it means—and to challenge, celebrate, and protect it,” as per Merriam-Webster.&nbsp;

“The word democracy never appears in the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution, but it has long been a focus of American and global attention, rarely more so than now,” the dictionary added in its explanation.

(With inputs from agencies)

The 2024 United States presidential elections dominated the country and also the search results of Merriam-Webster which finally culminated in "polarisation" becoming the word of the year.

The 2024 United States presidential elections dominated the country and also the search results of Merriam-Webster which finally culminated in "polarisation" becoming the word of the year. “Polarisation means division, but it’s a very specific kind of division,” said Peter Sokolowski, who is editor of Merriam-Webster in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press. “Polarisation means that we are tending toward the extremes rather than toward the centre," Sokolowski added. The entry for “polarisation” in the Merriam-Webster reflected on scientific and metaphorical definitions. The word is commonly used to mean “causing strong disagreement between opposing factions or groupings.” Merriam-Webster, which receives more than 100 million page views every month on its website, chose the word of the year based on the data and tracked the increase of word in search and usage. Their 2023 word of the year was “authentic.” Also Read: 'Brain rot' emerges as Oxford word of the year. Are you suffering from it? “It’s always been important to me that the dictionary serves as a kind of neutral and objective arbiter of meaning for everybody,” said Sokolowski. “It’s a kind of backstop for meaning in an era of fake news, alternative facts, whatever you want to say about the value of a word’s meaning in the culture," he added. The word “polarisation” originated in the early 1800s, Sokolowski said. He said that it is a “pretty young word". “Polarised is a term that brings intensity to another word,” he said. “The basic job of the dictionary is to tell the truth about words. We’ve had dictionaries of English for 420 years and it’s only been in the last 20 years or so that we’ve actually known which words people look up," explained the Merriam-Webster editor. “Search volume on Merriam-Webster.com throughout the year reflected the desire of Americans to better understand the complex state of affairs in our country and around the world,” the dictionary added. Other words which topped search results on Merriam-Webster Along with "polarisation", other popular words related to politics also made it to the word of the year list of the dictionary. This included words like “democracy”, "pander", "weird", "cognitive", and "demure". Watch: ‘Brat’ is Collins' Word of the Year The word “democracy” received bipartisan attention across blue and red states and people searching for it “fully understand what it means—and to challenge, celebrate, and protect it,” as per Merriam-Webster. “The word democracy never appears in the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution, but it has long been a focus of American and global attention, rarely more so than now,” the dictionary added in its explanation. (With inputs from agencies)

Merriam-Webster’s 2024 word of the year is 'polarisation'

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