Ravil Maganov, chairman of Russia's second-largest oil producer Lukoil, died on Thursday after falling from a hospital window in Moscow, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters.&nbsp;

Some Russian media also reported the death of Maganov, 67, who was also Lukoil's vice president, citing unnamed sources.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/imf-announces-agreement-for-29bn-sri-lanka-bailout-511949" hreflang="en">Sri Lanka and IMF reach staff-level agreement for $2.9 billion bailout loan</a>

No immediate comment was available from Lukoil.&nbsp;

Maganov had worked in Lukoil since 1993, shortly after the company's inception, and had overseen its refining, production and exploration, becoming chairman in 2020. His brother Nail is the head of mid-sized Russian oil producer Tatneft.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-shoots-down-civilian-drone-for-the-first-time-off-chinese-coast-511996">Taiwan shoots down 'civilian' drone for the first time off Chinese coast</a>

Ravil Maganov was a close associate of one of Lukoil's founders, Vagit Alekperov.

Alekperov, former Soviet deputy oil minister, resigned as president of Lukoil in April, a week after Britain imposed an asset freeze and travel ban on him as part of sanctions over Russia's military actions in Ukraine.

Ravil Maganov, chairman of Russia's second-largest oil producer Lukoil, died on Thursday after falling from a hospital window in Moscow, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters.

Ravil Maganov, chairman of Russia's second-largest oil producer Lukoil, died on Thursday after falling from a hospital window in Moscow, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters. Some Russian media also reported the death of Maganov, 67, who was also Lukoil's vice president, citing unnamed sources. Also read | Sri Lanka and IMF reach staff-level agreement for $2.9 billion bailout loan No immediate comment was available from Lukoil. Maganov had worked in Lukoil since 1993, shortly after the company's inception, and had overseen its refining, production and exploration, becoming chairman in 2020. His brother Nail is the head of mid-sized Russian oil producer Tatneft. Also read | Taiwan shoots down 'civilian' drone for the first time off Chinese coast Ravil Maganov was a close associate of one of Lukoil's founders, Vagit Alekperov. Alekperov, former Soviet deputy oil minister, resigned as president of Lukoil in April, a week after Britain imposed an asset freeze and travel ban on him as part of sanctions over Russia's military actions in Ukraine.

Russian oil firm chief Ravil Maganov dies after falling from hospital window: Report

In pics - Rare elephant tusk dating back around 500,000 years found in Israel

The Taiwanese military shot down an unidentified 'civilian' drone that entered its airspace near the Chinese coast on Thursday after the government decided to take measures against intruding aircraft from China. &nbsp;

Since the visit of United States&nbsp;of Representatives&nbsp;speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, China has been conducting military drills near the Taiwan Strait and a number of aircraft entered Taiwanese airspace in the last couple of weeks. In August alone, 440 Chinese aircraft crossed the Taiwanese border, AFP reported.&nbsp;

The situation did not improve as Taiwan has hosted a number of world leaders since Pelosi’s visit.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/imf-announces-agreement-for-29bn-sri-lanka-bailout-511949" hreflang="en">Sri Lanka and IMF reach staff-level agreement for $2.9 billion bailout loan</a>

A statement released by the defence command for Kinmen, a group of islands under Taiwan’s control, stated that the drone entered restricted air space over Lion Islet just after midday (0400 GMT).&nbsp;

According to Reuters, the statement further added that the action was taken after the military issued multiple warnings and the remains of the drone were not found after it landed in the sea.&nbsp;

Earlier, President Tsai Ing-wen announced that the Taiwanese military will be taking “countermeasures” against Chinese incursions after Beijing continued to conduct military drills in the region.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canadian-spy-accused-of-smuggling-shamima-begum-to-syria-trudeau-vows-proper-oversight-511976">Shamima Begum: Justin Trudeau to ‘follow up’ Canadian spy claim</a>

Tsai instructed the armed forces to not escalate the situation but added that they should respond to any kind of provocation like "drone intrusions and other grey zone tactics" by Beijing.&nbsp;

"She has also ordered the ministry of national defence to take necessary and strong countermeasures in a timely manner to defend national security," the statement from Tsai’s office said, according to AFP.&nbsp;

"Let the military guard the country without fear and with solid confidence," it added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

The Taiwanese military shot down an unidentified 'civilian' drone that entered its airspace near the Chinese coast on Thursday after the government decided to take measures against intruding aircraft from China.

The Taiwanese military shot down an unidentified 'civilian' drone that entered its airspace near the Chinese coast on Thursday after the government decided to take measures against intruding aircraft from China. Since the visit of United States of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, China has been conducting military drills near the Taiwan Strait and a number of aircraft entered Taiwanese airspace in the last couple of weeks. In August alone, 440 Chinese aircraft crossed the Taiwanese border, AFP reported. The situation did not improve as Taiwan has hosted a number of world leaders since Pelosi’s visit. Also read | Sri Lanka and IMF reach staff-level agreement for $2.9 billion bailout loan A statement released by the defence command for Kinmen, a group of islands under Taiwan’s control, stated that the drone entered restricted air space over Lion Islet just after midday (0400 GMT). According to Reuters, the statement further added that the action was taken after the military issued multiple warnings and the remains of the drone were not found after it landed in the sea. Earlier, President Tsai Ing-wen announced that the Taiwanese military will be taking “countermeasures” against Chinese incursions after Beijing continued to conduct military drills in the region. Also read | Shamima Begum: Justin Trudeau to ‘follow up’ Canadian spy claim Tsai instructed the armed forces to not escalate the situation but added that they should respond to any kind of provocation like "drone intrusions and other grey zone tactics" by Beijing. "She has also ordered the ministry of national defence to take necessary and strong countermeasures in a timely manner to defend national security," the statement from Tsai’s office said, according to AFP. "Let the military guard the country without fear and with solid confidence," it added. (With inputs from agencies)

Taiwan shoots down 'civilian' drone for the first time off Chinese coast

The Suez Canal was once again in the news on Wednesday as a 250-metre-long oil tanker called 'Affinity V' got stuck in the narrow southern section. It was around the same place where the container ship 'Ever Given' was stuck in 2021 causing massive problems for the supply chain moving through the region.&nbsp;

Affinity V, a crude oil tanker bound for Saudi Arabia from Portugal, was stuck for around 4-5 hours before it was finally able to move forward. According to the Suez Canal Authority, the vessel was refloated with the help of tugboats and the busy route was back to normal in the next couple of hours.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canadian-spy-accused-of-smuggling-shamima-begum-to-syria-trudeau-vows-proper-oversight-511976">Shamima Begum: Justin Trudeau to ‘follow up’ Canadian spy claim</a>

“Affinity ran aground at around 7.15 pm local time on Wednesday, and was refloated five hours later,”&nbsp;George Safwat, a spokesman for Suez Canal Authority, told&nbsp;Egyptian government-affiliated Extra News.&nbsp;

The Guardian reported that the steering systems in Affinity V started malfunctioning and that was the reason why it ran aground. “She temporarily clogged up traffic and is now facing south again, but moving slowly by tugboat assistance,” ship monitoring service&nbsp; TankerTrackers tweeted.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
At around 17:00 UTC today (2022-08-31), the Aframax tanker AFFINITY V (9645401) seemed to have lost control in the Suez Canal while heading southbound. She temporarily clogged up traffic and is now facing south again, but moving slowly by tugboat assistance. via <a href="https://twitter.com/MarineTraffic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MarineTraffic</a> <a href="https://t.co/ECstNLPtbc">pic.twitter.com/ECstNLPtbc</a>
— TankerTrackers.com, Inc. (@TankerTrackers) <a href="https://twitter.com/TankerTrackers/status/1565111625518030848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The whole incident reminded people about the 'Ever Given; controversy where the shipping company had to pay the Suez Canal Authority around $200 million in compensation after blocking traffic on one of the fast routes connecting Europe and Asia.

However, the size of the Affinity V was not as big as Ever Given which helped in completing the recovery. While Ever Given was 400-metre-long, Affinity V was 252 metres long and 45 metres wide.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Suez Canal was once again in the news on Wednesday as a 250-metre-long oil tanker called 'Affinity V' got stuck in the narrow southern section. It was around the same place where the container ship 'Ever Given' was stuck in 2021 causing massive problems for the supply chain moving through the region.

The Suez Canal was once again in the news on Wednesday as a 250-metre-long oil tanker called 'Affinity V' got stuck in the narrow southern section. It was around the same place where the container ship 'Ever Given' was stuck in 2021 causing massive problems for the supply chain moving through the region. Affinity V, a crude oil tanker bound for Saudi Arabia from Portugal, was stuck for around 4-5 hours before it was finally able to move forward. According to the Suez Canal Authority, the vessel was refloated with the help of tugboats and the busy route was back to normal in the next couple of hours. Also read | Shamima Begum: Justin Trudeau to ‘follow up’ Canadian spy claim “Affinity ran aground at around 7.15 pm local time on Wednesday, and was refloated five hours later,” George Safwat, a spokesman for Suez Canal Authority, told Egyptian government-affiliated Extra News. The Guardian reported that the steering systems in Affinity V started malfunctioning and that was the reason why it ran aground. “She temporarily clogged up traffic and is now facing south again, but moving slowly by tugboat assistance,” ship monitoring service TankerTrackers tweeted. At around 17:00 UTC today (2022-08-31), the Aframax tanker AFFINITY V (9645401) seemed to have lost control in the Suez Canal while heading southbound. She temporarily clogged up traffic and is now facing south again, but moving slowly by tugboat assistance. via @MarineTraffic pic.twitter.com/ECstNLPtbc — TankerTrackers.com, Inc. (@TankerTrackers) August 31, 2022 × The whole incident reminded people about the 'Ever Given; controversy where the shipping company had to pay the Suez Canal Authority around $200 million in compensation after blocking traffic on one of the fast routes connecting Europe and Asia. However, the size of the Affinity V was not as big as Ever Given which helped in completing the recovery. While Ever Given was 400-metre-long, Affinity V was 252 metres long and 45 metres wide. (With inputs from agencies)

Suez Canal blocked again as Saudi Arabia-bound crude oil tanker Affinity V gets stuck, clogs traffic

The first jury trial in the United States involving the popular drug Zantac ended in a settlement worth more than $500,000. The four generic makers of the drug — Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Perrigo Co., Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc. and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Inc — agreed to settle with the plaintiff Joseph Bayer after allegations that Zantac was responsible for causing esophageal cancer.&nbsp;

Bayer sued the generic drug makers alleging that the ranitidine formula of Zantac caused cancer in his system. The drug is currently not available in the market after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recalled it completely in 2020 after finding a contaminant known as N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA).&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/imf-announces-agreement-for-29bn-sri-lanka-bailout-511949" hreflang="en">Sri Lanka and IMF reach staff-level agreement for $2.9 billion bailout loan</a>

This was the first among over 3700 cases filed, both on the federal and state level,&nbsp;against the drug to go to a jury trial. However, the case against the generic makers and the two brand-name Zantac manufacturers — GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer and Boehringer Ingelheim — were completely dropped.

According to Bloomberg, the plaintiffs in most of the lawsuits against Zantac have alleged that the company knew about the NMDA formation. They have alleged that ranitidine degrades due to humid conditions and although&nbsp;makers were aware of the phenomenon, they did not make it public.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-city-chengdu-announces-mass-covid-19-testing-amid-rising-cases-511959">Chinese city Chengdu announces mass COVID-19 testing amid rising cases</a>

The drug was first launched in 1983 as a histamine-2 (H2) blocker prescription drug and in a few years, it became extremely popular in the United States. In 1995, it received permission to become an over-the-counter drug and even after the official recall, it was relaunched as Pepcid and Pepcid AC with famotidine replacing the ranitidine.&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE -

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

The first jury trial in the United States involving the popular drug Zantac ended in a settlement worth more than $500,000. The four generic makers of the drug — Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.

The first jury trial in the United States involving the popular drug Zantac ended in a settlement worth more than $500,000. The four generic makers of the drug — Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Perrigo Co., Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc. and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Inc — agreed to settle with the plaintiff Joseph Bayer after allegations that Zantac was responsible for causing esophageal cancer. Bayer sued the generic drug makers alleging that the ranitidine formula of Zantac caused cancer in his system. The drug is currently not available in the market after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recalled it completely in 2020 after finding a contaminant known as N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). Also read | Sri Lanka and IMF reach staff-level agreement for $2.9 billion bailout loan This was the first among over 3700 cases filed, both on the federal and state level, against the drug to go to a jury trial. However, the case against the generic makers and the two brand-name Zantac manufacturers — GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer and Boehringer Ingelheim — were completely dropped. According to Bloomberg, the plaintiffs in most of the lawsuits against Zantac have alleged that the company knew about the NMDA formation. They have alleged that ranitidine degrades due to humid conditions and although makers were aware of the phenomenon, they did not make it public. Also read | Chinese city Chengdu announces mass COVID-19 testing amid rising cases The drug was first launched in 1983 as a histamine-2 (H2) blocker prescription drug and in a few years, it became extremely popular in the United States. In 1995, it received permission to become an over-the-counter drug and even after the official recall, it was relaunched as Pepcid and Pepcid AC with famotidine replacing the ranitidine. WATCH WION LIVE HERE -

First lawsuit accusing Zantac of causing cancer ends in $500,000 settlement

A senior World Health Organization director has been placed on leave, a spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday, following staff accusations of bullying and other complaints.

"The Regional Director for the Western Pacific Region, Dr Takeshi Kasai, is on leave," a WHO official said in emailed comments, without giving details.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/last-soviet-president-mikhail-gorbachev-who-ended-cold-war-dies-aged-92-511620" hreflang="en">Mikhail Gorbachev, former Soviet president who ended cold war, dies aged 91</a>

Two WHO sources confirmed to Reuters that the decision to place Kasai, a physician from Japan who has worked at the body for more than 15 years, on administrative leave was related to an ongoing investigation into various staff complaints.

Kasai was not immediately available for comment. An e-mail sent to the WHO Western Pacific office in Manila was forwarded to the headquarters in Geneva.

The Associated Press reported in January that the complaints included allegations of racist language and of sharing confidential vaccine data with Japan.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/first-monkeypox-death-reported-in-us-in-severely-immunocompromised-patient-511621">First monkeypox death reported in US in 'severely immunocompromised' patient</a>

Kasai, who became the WHO regional director in February 2019, has previously acknowledged being "hard on staff" but rejected the other charges.

He is temporarily being replaced by the U.N. health agency's number 2, Zsuzsanna Jakab, the WHO official added.

A senior World Health Organization director has been placed on leave, a spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday, following staff accusations of bullying and other complaints.

A senior World Health Organization director has been placed on leave, a spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday, following staff accusations of bullying and other complaints. "The Regional Director for the Western Pacific Region, Dr Takeshi Kasai, is on leave," a WHO official said in emailed comments, without giving details. Also read | Mikhail Gorbachev, former Soviet president who ended cold war, dies aged 91 Two WHO sources confirmed to Reuters that the decision to place Kasai, a physician from Japan who has worked at the body for more than 15 years, on administrative leave was related to an ongoing investigation into various staff complaints. Kasai was not immediately available for comment. An e-mail sent to the WHO Western Pacific office in Manila was forwarded to the headquarters in Geneva. The Associated Press reported in January that the complaints included allegations of racist language and of sharing confidential vaccine data with Japan. Also read | First monkeypox death reported in US in 'severely immunocompromised' patient Kasai, who became the WHO regional director in February 2019, has previously acknowledged being "hard on staff" but rejected the other charges. He is temporarily being replaced by the U.N. health agency's number 2, Zsuzsanna Jakab, the WHO official added.

WHO Asia director placed on leave amid bullying accusations: Report

China has decided to go back to its strict policy on COVID-19 as fresh cases prompted the authorities to put millions of people under lockdown across the country. While the measures varied in severity in different provinces, a number of restrictions remained the same for the whole country.

In the Shenzhen district, the authorities ordered entertainment venues and markets to stay closed and people were asked not to attend any large events in the coming days. On the other hand, a more severe lockdown was implemented for the densely populated northern port city of Dalian.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/last-soviet-president-mikhail-gorbachev-who-ended-cold-war-dies-aged-92-511620" hreflang="en">Mikhail Gorbachev, former Soviet president who ended cold war, dies aged 91</a>

The western metropolis of Chengdu to Shijiazhuang in central Hebei province were also affected.

The cases were going down in the past few months and that resulted in relaxation of most COVID-19 restrictions that China had in place for a considerable amount of period. However, the renewed lockdowns have made life difficult for the citizens and has also impacted the country’s economy.

According to Reuters, the purchasing managers’ index (an indicator of manufacturing activity) has fallen constantly below the 50-point mark in the last three months. As a result, the authorities have confirmed that the economy has been shrinking considerably due to the pandemic and other factors.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unesco-supports-ukraines-bid-to-put-threatened-port-of-odesa-on-world-heritage-list-511607" hreflang="en">UNESCO supports Ukraine's bid to put threatened port of Odesa on World Heritage list</a>

“Markets could once again be hit in the next couple of weeks, likely triggering another round of cuts by economists on the street,” the national bureau of statistics said in their statement.

The other sector that has been severely impacted by the lockdown is the travel industry. China was looking to resume flights and even hand out visas to foreign students and business. However, if cases continue to rise, the authorities will be forced to put a halt to their steps as of now.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE -

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

China has decided to go back to its strict policy on COVID-19 as fresh cases prompted the authorities to put millions of people under lockdown across the country.

China has decided to go back to its strict policy on COVID-19 as fresh cases prompted the authorities to put millions of people under lockdown across the country. While the measures varied in severity in different provinces, a number of restrictions remained the same for the whole country. In the Shenzhen district, the authorities ordered entertainment venues and markets to stay closed and people were asked not to attend any large events in the coming days. On the other hand, a more severe lockdown was implemented for the densely populated northern port city of Dalian. Also read | Mikhail Gorbachev, former Soviet president who ended cold war, dies aged 91 The western metropolis of Chengdu to Shijiazhuang in central Hebei province were also affected. The cases were going down in the past few months and that resulted in relaxation of most COVID-19 restrictions that China had in place for a considerable amount of period. However, the renewed lockdowns have made life difficult for the citizens and has also impacted the country’s economy. According to Reuters, the purchasing managers’ index (an indicator of manufacturing activity) has fallen constantly below the 50-point mark in the last three months. As a result, the authorities have confirmed that the economy has been shrinking considerably due to the pandemic and other factors. Also read | UNESCO supports Ukraine's bid to put threatened port of Odesa on World Heritage list “Markets could once again be hit in the next couple of weeks, likely triggering another round of cuts by economists on the street,” the national bureau of statistics said in their statement. The other sector that has been severely impacted by the lockdown is the travel industry. China was looking to resume flights and even hand out visas to foreign students and business. However, if cases continue to rise, the authorities will be forced to put a halt to their steps as of now. WATCH WION LIVE HERE -

Parts of China placed under COVID-19 lockdown after recent surge in cases

The fall of Soviet Union ushered in an era of economic transition from communism in Russia and a vocal supporter of the change was president Mikhail Gorbachev. The Nobel Peace Prize winner, who died on Tuesday at the age of 91, brought a number of American franchise businesses to Russia at that time and even starred in a 1997 Pizza Hut commercial that is going viral now.

The ad showed a number of Russians discussing politics while sitting at a Pizza Hut. Gorbachev was seated at a corner of the shop and after noticing him, they started discussing his political legacy.

"Because of him, we have economic confusion!" one person said.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Old Pizza Hut ad, that reflects Russia's divided opinion on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MikhailGorbachev?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MikhailGorbachev</a>, goes viral after former Soviet leader's death. 
 
Gorbachev had starred in the ad to raise money for his foundation. 
 
William Taubman, Professor Emeritus, Amherst College, looks back at Gorbachev's life <a href="https://t.co/VnAnHKqgpC">pic.twitter.com/VnAnHKqgpC</a>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1564839145347989504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

"Because of him, we have opportunity!" the other responded.

"Because of him, we have political instability," the first man said.

"Because of him, we have many things ... like Pizza Hut," an elderly lady interjected while all of them said "Hail Gorbachev!" and the narrator spoke about how “pizza brought everyone together”.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/last-soviet-president-mikhail-gorbachev-who-ended-cold-war-dies-aged-92-511620" hreflang="en">Mikhail Gorbachev, former Soviet president who ended cold war, dies aged 91</a>

It was a rare occurrence at that time for a former president to feature in an ad and according to Foreign Policy, Gorbachev actually had a clause in his contract that he will not eat pizza during the shoot. The report also said that the former president received a handsome fee for his appearance.&nbsp;He featured in advertisement campaigns for Western brands to raise money his charity foundation. &nbsp;

While there was criticism regarding his participation in the ad, Gorbachev said that "pizza is for everyone."

"It's not only consumption," the Russian leader said according to Business Insider. "It's also socialising."

WATCH |&nbsp;Last Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev who ended Cold War without bloodshed, passes away at 91

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/last-soviet-leader-mikhail-gorbachev-who-ended-cold-war-without-bloodshed-passes-away-at-91-511635/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The fall of Soviet Union ushered in an era of economic transition from communism in Russia and a vocal supporter of the change was president Mikhail Gorbachev. The Nobel Peace Prize winner, who died on Tuesday at the age of 91, brought a number of American franchise businesses to Russia at that time and even starred in a 1997 Pizza Hut commercial that is going viral now.

The fall of Soviet Union ushered in an era of economic transition from communism in Russia and a vocal supporter of the change was president Mikhail Gorbachev. The Nobel Peace Prize winner, who died on Tuesday at the age of 91, brought a number of American franchise businesses to Russia at that time and even starred in a 1997 Pizza Hut commercial that is going viral now. The ad showed a number of Russians discussing politics while sitting at a Pizza Hut. Gorbachev was seated at a corner of the shop and after noticing him, they started discussing his political legacy. "Because of him, we have economic confusion!" one person said. Old Pizza Hut ad, that reflects Russia's divided opinion on #MikhailGorbachev, goes viral after former Soviet leader's death. Gorbachev had starred in the ad to raise money for his foundation. William Taubman, Professor Emeritus, Amherst College, looks back at Gorbachev's life pic.twitter.com/VnAnHKqgpC — WION (@WIONews) August 31, 2022 × "Because of him, we have opportunity!" the other responded. "Because of him, we have political instability," the first man said. "Because of him, we have many things ... like Pizza Hut," an elderly lady interjected while all of them said "Hail Gorbachev!" and the narrator spoke about how “pizza brought everyone together”. Also read | Mikhail Gorbachev, former Soviet president who ended cold war, dies aged 91 It was a rare occurrence at that time for a former president to feature in an ad and according to Foreign Policy, Gorbachev actually had a clause in his contract that he will not eat pizza during the shoot. The report also said that the former president received a handsome fee for his appearance. He featured in advertisement campaigns for Western brands to raise money his charity foundation. While there was criticism regarding his participation in the ad, Gorbachev said that "pizza is for everyone." "It's not only consumption," the Russian leader said according to Business Insider. "It's also socialising." WATCH | Last Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev who ended Cold War without bloodshed, passes away at 91

Historic Pizza Hut ad featuring Mikhail Gorbachev goes viral after his death - WATCH

Second seed Rafael Nadal overcame an early scare to down 21-year-old Australian wildcard Rinky Hijikata 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3&nbsp;on Tuesday in his first appearance at the U.S. Open after winning in 2019.

Playing in only his second match after pulling out of Wimbledon with an abdominal injury, the Spaniard had speculated whether he was ready for US Open and seemed to confirm those fears as he struggled on the return in the first set.&nbsp;

Hijikata incredibly broke the 22-times major winner with a crisp overhead shot in the seventh game of his Grand Slam debut but it was Goliath who got the momentum over David under the bright lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium, as the fighter Nadal charged through the first three games of the second set.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/defending-champion-emma-raducanu-crashes-out-of-us-open-loses-to-alize-cornet-in-first-round-511630" hreflang="en">Defending champion Emma Raducanu crashes out of US Open, loses to Alize Cornet in first round</a>

Nadal improved in virtually every respect as his opponent's form deteriorated, dropping just one of his first-serve points with few mistakes, as Hijikata racked up a dozen unforced errors and dropped his serve in the final game.

Thriving on familiar territory, the four-time Flushing Meadows winner Nadal never faced a break in the third set and broke Hijikata to love in the fifth game of the final set before recovering from 0-40 in the eighth to hold his own serve.

Hijikata gave the rowdy New York crowd a final thrill as he defended four match points in the ninth before succumbing to Nadal's vicious forehand winner.

"Long wait - for some time I thought that maybe I will not be able to be back," Nadal said in an on-court interview after the match. "The night sessions here in New York are the best without a doubt."

Second seed Rafael Nadal overcame an early scare to down 21-year-old Australian wildcard Rinky Hijikata 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 on Tuesday in his first appearance at the U.

Second seed Rafael Nadal overcame an early scare to down 21-year-old Australian wildcard Rinky Hijikata 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 on Tuesday in his first appearance at the U.S. Open after winning in 2019. Playing in only his second match after pulling out of Wimbledon with an abdominal injury, the Spaniard had speculated whether he was ready for US Open and seemed to confirm those fears as he struggled on the return in the first set. Hijikata incredibly broke the 22-times major winner with a crisp overhead shot in the seventh game of his Grand Slam debut but it was Goliath who got the momentum over David under the bright lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium, as the fighter Nadal charged through the first three games of the second set. Also read | Defending champion Emma Raducanu crashes out of US Open, loses to Alize Cornet in first round Nadal improved in virtually every respect as his opponent's form deteriorated, dropping just one of his first-serve points with few mistakes, as Hijikata racked up a dozen unforced errors and dropped his serve in the final game. Thriving on familiar territory, the four-time Flushing Meadows winner Nadal never faced a break in the third set and broke Hijikata to love in the fifth game of the final set before recovering from 0-40 in the eighth to hold his own serve. Hijikata gave the rowdy New York crowd a final thrill as he defended four match points in the ninth before succumbing to Nadal's vicious forehand winner. "Long wait - for some time I thought that maybe I will not be able to be back," Nadal said in an on-court interview after the match. "The night sessions here in New York are the best without a doubt."

US Open: Rafael Nadal rallies back to beat Rinky Hijikata in first round

United States president Joe Biden reiterated on Tuesday that he is ‘determined’ to ban all assault weapons in the aftermath of a number of mass shootings in the country. During his visit to Pennsylvania ahead of the mid-term elections, he criticised Republicans for blocking gun reforms in the past and also promoted the “Safer America Plan” developed by the Democratic Party.

"I'm determined to ban assault weapons in this country. Determined. I did it once before and I'll do it again," Biden said during his visit to the city of Wilkes-Barre, according to AFP.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/last-soviet-president-mikhail-gorbachev-who-ended-cold-war-dies-aged-92-511620">Last Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev, who ended cold war, dies aged 91</a>

Earlier this year, Biden signed into law a gun bill that was hailed as one of the most comprehensive ones in recent lines. It was intended at stopping “dangerous individuals” from buying guns easily and also focused on the mental health system by increasing the spending significantly in that sector.

According to the new plan, Biden has expressed his intent to deploy 100,000 extra police officials for crime prevention and he also said that in the coming months, the main goal of the government will be to promote "common sense steps on guns to keep dangerous firearms out of dangerous hands."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/first-monkeypox-death-reported-in-us-in-severely-immunocompromised-patient-511621">First monkeypox death reported in US in 'severely immunocompromised' patient</a>

The midterm elections hold special importance for Biden and the Democratic Party as they will be attempting to maintain their control on the Congress. However, the popularity of the government has taken a severe hit for a number of reasons and a defeat can be devastating for them.

Biden criticised the Republican senators of Pennsylvania for not supporting what he called “the most sweeping gun reform in years” and went on to promise more steps like that in the future.

(With inputs from agencies)

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

United States president Joe Biden reiterated on Tuesday that he is ‘determined’ to ban all assault weapons in the aftermath of a number of mass shootings in the country.

United States president Joe Biden reiterated on Tuesday that he is ‘determined’ to ban all assault weapons in the aftermath of a number of mass shootings in the country. During his visit to Pennsylvania ahead of the mid-term elections, he criticised Republicans for blocking gun reforms in the past and also promoted the “Safer America Plan” developed by the Democratic Party. "I'm determined to ban assault weapons in this country. Determined. I did it once before and I'll do it again," Biden said during his visit to the city of Wilkes-Barre, according to AFP. Also read | Last Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev, who ended cold war, dies aged 91 Earlier this year, Biden signed into law a gun bill that was hailed as one of the most comprehensive ones in recent lines. It was intended at stopping “dangerous individuals” from buying guns easily and also focused on the mental health system by increasing the spending significantly in that sector. According to the new plan, Biden has expressed his intent to deploy 100,000 extra police officials for crime prevention and he also said that in the coming months, the main goal of the government will be to promote "common sense steps on guns to keep dangerous firearms out of dangerous hands." Also read | First monkeypox death reported in US in 'severely immunocompromised' patient The midterm elections hold special importance for Biden and the Democratic Party as they will be attempting to maintain their control on the Congress. However, the popularity of the government has taken a severe hit for a number of reasons and a defeat can be devastating for them. Biden criticised the Republican senators of Pennsylvania for not supporting what he called “the most sweeping gun reform in years” and went on to promise more steps like that in the future. (With inputs from agencies)

Joe Biden 'determined' to ban assault weapons in United States after multiple mass shootings

The United States has expressed its concern after India decided to participate in joint military exercises with Russia. The Indian government said that they will be taking part in the “Vostok” exercises which will be held between September 1-7 in a number of locations across Russia.

According to the Russian defence ministry, the exercises will feature around 50,000 troops and over 5000 weapons units which will also include 60 warships and more than 150 aircraft.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/gazprom-to-reduce-gas-deliveries-to-engie-frances-biggest-gas-supplier-511507" hreflang="en">Gazprom to reduce gas deliveries to Engie, France's biggest gas supplier</a>

“The United States has concerns about any country exercising with Russia while Russia wages an unprovoked, brutal war against Ukraine. But, of course, every participating country will make its own decisions. And I’ll leave it at that,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told Reuters.

According to the Russian news agency TASS, the “Vostok” exercises will include a number of ex-Soviet nations, China, India, Laos, Mongolia, Nicaragua and Syria. Chief of Russia’s General Staff — Valery Gerasimov — will be conducting the exercises at training grounds in Eastern Military District.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/last-soviet-president-mikhail-gorbachev-who-ended-cold-war-dies-aged-92-511620">Last Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev, who ended cold war, dies aged 91</a>

While India has agreed to join most of the exercises, the government has made it clear that they will not take part in the maritime training. The reason behind the decision was to not hurt Japan’s sentiments as both the Russian and Chinese warships will conduct the drills in the Sea of Japan.

India has not directly criticised Russia for the ongoing invasion of Ukraine and also abstained from voting on various global forums against its strategic ally. In the recent past, the two countries have signed a number of arms deals, including for the S-400 Triumf air defence missile system.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

The United States has expressed its concern after India decided to participate in joint military exercises with Russia. The Indian government said that they will be taking part in the “Vostok” exercises which will be held between September 1-7 in a number of locations across Russia.

The United States has expressed its concern after India decided to participate in joint military exercises with Russia. The Indian government said that they will be taking part in the “Vostok” exercises which will be held between September 1-7 in a number of locations across Russia. According to the Russian defence ministry, the exercises will feature around 50,000 troops and over 5000 weapons units which will also include 60 warships and more than 150 aircraft. Also read | Gazprom to reduce gas deliveries to Engie, France's biggest gas supplier “The United States has concerns about any country exercising with Russia while Russia wages an unprovoked, brutal war against Ukraine. But, of course, every participating country will make its own decisions. And I’ll leave it at that,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told Reuters. According to the Russian news agency TASS, the “Vostok” exercises will include a number of ex-Soviet nations, China, India, Laos, Mongolia, Nicaragua and Syria. Chief of Russia’s General Staff — Valery Gerasimov — will be conducting the exercises at training grounds in Eastern Military District. Also read | Last Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev, who ended cold war, dies aged 91 While India has agreed to join most of the exercises, the government has made it clear that they will not take part in the maritime training. The reason behind the decision was to not hurt Japan’s sentiments as both the Russian and Chinese warships will conduct the drills in the Sea of Japan. India has not directly criticised Russia for the ongoing invasion of Ukraine and also abstained from voting on various global forums against its strategic ally. In the recent past, the two countries have signed a number of arms deals, including for the S-400 Triumf air defence missile system.

United States expresses concern over India's participation in Russian military exercises

The massive droughts in Europe saw a number of rivers completely drying up in the past few months and in most cases, that resulted in ancient structures coming to sight after almost centuries. A similar phenomenon happened in Spain as a stone circle resurfaced from the bottom of the river.

It happened in the Extremadura region of the country where a stone circle which was dubbed the “Spanish Stonehenge” was exposed as the water level receded. While it was first discovered by researchers back in 1926, the construction of the Valdecanas reservoir flooded the region once again in 1963 and it was submerged until recently.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-counter-attack-taiwan-warns-china-if-it-breaches-airspace-territorial-waters-511724" hreflang="en">'Will counter-attack': Taiwan warns China amid escalating tensions</a>

The site, which researchers thought dated back to around 5000 BC, has quickly turned into a popular tourist destination and has been given the official name of “Dolmen of Guadalperal”.

Another such structure that emerged out of the water in another part of the country was a church supposedly built in the 11th century. In the village of Sant Roma de Sau, the church was flooded in 1960 but the drought made the river go back few miles which allowed it to reappear.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-energy-giant-gazprom-halts-nord-stream-gas-supplies-for-maintenance-511723">Russian energy giant Gazprom halts Nord Stream 1 gas supplies for maintenance</a>

The drought has caused a lot of damage to Spanish water reserves as according to official data, the reservoirs currently are working at less than 40 per cent capacity. It has resulted in a number of small towns and cities facing a major crisis in the last few weeks when it comes to water supply.

According to a study published by Nature Geoscience journal, Spain is currently facing the worst water crisis in around 1000 years.

The massive droughts in Europe saw a number of rivers completely drying up in the past few months and in most cases, that resulted in ancient structures coming to sight after almost centuries.

The massive droughts in Europe saw a number of rivers completely drying up in the past few months and in most cases, that resulted in ancient structures coming to sight after almost centuries. A similar phenomenon happened in Spain as a stone circle resurfaced from the bottom of the river. It happened in the Extremadura region of the country where a stone circle which was dubbed the “Spanish Stonehenge” was exposed as the water level receded. While it was first discovered by researchers back in 1926, the construction of the Valdecanas reservoir flooded the region once again in 1963 and it was submerged until recently. Also read | 'Will counter-attack': Taiwan warns China amid escalating tensions The site, which researchers thought dated back to around 5000 BC, has quickly turned into a popular tourist destination and has been given the official name of “Dolmen of Guadalperal”. Another such structure that emerged out of the water in another part of the country was a church supposedly built in the 11th century. In the village of Sant Roma de Sau, the church was flooded in 1960 but the drought made the river go back few miles which allowed it to reappear. Also read | Russian energy giant Gazprom halts Nord Stream 1 gas supplies for maintenance The drought has caused a lot of damage to Spanish water reserves as according to official data, the reservoirs currently are working at less than 40 per cent capacity. It has resulted in a number of small towns and cities facing a major crisis in the last few weeks when it comes to water supply. According to a study published by Nature Geoscience journal, Spain is currently facing the worst water crisis in around 1000 years.

Severe drought in Spain reveals monuments dating back around 5000 years

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Sayan Ghosh

Home

Live Tv

Latest

World

India

Business

Entertainment

Sports

Opinions

Videos

Photos

Gravitas

Lifestyle

Science

Tech

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