Mexican authorities found 175 migrants crowded in&nbsp;a truck trailer in the southern state of Chiapas, news agency Reuters reported citing the National Migration Institute (INM). The migrants were mostly from Guatemala.&nbsp;

The incident emerges to be the latest mass human smuggling incident to be detected in the country.

In a statement, INM said that immigration agents heard yells and banging coming from inside the vehicle when it was stopped at a checkpoint in Chiapas.&nbsp;

INM said that despite the driver's refusal to open the truck's back door, migrants' faces could be seen via vents in the compartment.&nbsp;

The institution posted images of people standing close together inside the vehicle before descending one by one with the assistance of INM agents.&nbsp;

The report mentioned that most of the migrants were from Guatemala, with others from Ecuador, El Salvador and Honduras. One person was from the Dominican Republic and one was from Pakistan. There were 28 unaccompanied youngsters from Guatemala and two from El Salvador in the group.&nbsp;

<h2>Recent incident of truck-trailer fire in Tamaulipas&nbsp;</h2>

Earlier this month, local authorities said that a tractor-trailer and a van crashed on a highway in the northern Mexican state of Tamaulipas, killing 26 people.&nbsp;

The Tamaulipas' public security ministry said that two vehicles crashed about half an hour outside of the state capital Ciudad Victoria and then caught on fire.&nbsp;

Authorities found the truck carrying the trailer was no longer at the scene when they arrived at the site of the crash.&nbsp;

A source at the Tamaulipas prosecutors' office said investigators were unsure whether the driver of the truck had fled or if he was also killed in the crash.&nbsp;

Reuters cited a source as saying that the passengers of the van, believed to be from a private transportation business, included children. &nbsp;

<h2>Massive migrant issue</h2>

Migrants escaping poverty and violence in Latin America frequently pay smugglers to sneak through Mexico on their way to the United States.&nbsp;

This year, more than 300 people were discovered in a tractor-trailer in the eastern state of Veracruz.&nbsp;

According to US Homeland Security official Blas Nunez-Neto, migrant interactions at the US-Mexico border have decreased by 70 per cent since the expiration of Covid-era border limitations known as Title 42 on May 11. &nbsp;

But despite that, Panamanian data shows the number of US-bound migrants crossing the dangerous jungle between Panama and Colombia has soared this year. It underlines the challenge the US faces as it seeks to curb surging migration.&nbsp;

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Mexican authorities found 175 migrants crowded in a truck trailer in the southern state of Chiapas, news agency Reuters reported citing the National Migration Institute (INM).

Mexican authorities found 175 migrants crowded in a truck trailer in the southern state of Chiapas, news agency Reuters reported citing the National Migration Institute (INM). The migrants were mostly from Guatemala. The incident emerges to be the latest mass human smuggling incident to be detected in the country. In a statement, INM said that immigration agents heard yells and banging coming from inside the vehicle when it was stopped at a checkpoint in Chiapas. INM said that despite the driver's refusal to open the truck's back door, migrants' faces could be seen via vents in the compartment. The institution posted images of people standing close together inside the vehicle before descending one by one with the assistance of INM agents. The report mentioned that most of the migrants were from Guatemala, with others from Ecuador, El Salvador and Honduras. One person was from the Dominican Republic and one was from Pakistan. There were 28 unaccompanied youngsters from Guatemala and two from El Salvador in the group. Recent incident of truck-trailer fire in Tamaulipas Earlier this month, local authorities said that a tractor-trailer and a van crashed on a highway in the northern Mexican state of Tamaulipas, killing 26 people. The Tamaulipas' public security ministry said that two vehicles crashed about half an hour outside of the state capital Ciudad Victoria and then caught on fire. Authorities found the truck carrying the trailer was no longer at the scene when they arrived at the site of the crash. A source at the Tamaulipas prosecutors' office said investigators were unsure whether the driver of the truck had fled or if he was also killed in the crash. Reuters cited a source as saying that the passengers of the van, believed to be from a private transportation business, included children. Massive migrant issue Migrants escaping poverty and violence in Latin America frequently pay smugglers to sneak through Mexico on their way to the United States. This year, more than 300 people were discovered in a tractor-trailer in the eastern state of Veracruz. According to US Homeland Security official Blas Nunez-Neto, migrant interactions at the US-Mexico border have decreased by 70 per cent since the expiration of Covid-era border limitations known as Title 42 on May 11. But despite that, Panamanian data shows the number of US-bound migrants crossing the dangerous jungle between Panama and Colombia has soared this year. It underlines the challenge the US faces as it seeks to curb surging migration. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Mexican officials find 175 migrants crammed in a truck trailer near southern border

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Friday (May 26) that during a telephone call with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, he turned down an invitation to travel to Saint Petersburg.&nbsp;

In a tweet, Lula said that he had to decline the invite as he "can't visit Russia at the moment", but he had thanked Putin for an invitation to attend an economic forum.&nbsp;

Lula cited New Delhi's stance on the Ukraine war, which is a diplomatic solution to end it, saying, "I reiterated Brazil's willingness, along with India, Indonesia and China, to talk to both sides of the conflict in pursuit of peace."&nbsp;

He had also discussed the matter with Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this week.&nbsp;

Notably, Lula has positioned himself as a peace broker to stop the conflict. His proposal, based on Brazil's legacy of non-intervention and neutrality, calls for a group of non-combatant states to hold discussions with both Russia and Ukraine.&nbsp;

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Conversei agora por telefone com o presidente da Rússia, Vladimir Putin. Agradeci a um convite para ir ao Fórum Econômico Internacional de São Petersburgo, e respondi que não posso ir a Rússia nesse momento, mas reiterei a disposição do Brasil, junto com a Índia, Indonésia e…
— Lula (@LulaOficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/LulaOficial/status/1662105504355610629?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2023</a></blockquote>
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He has turned down the request just days after a confrontation between him and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky at the G7 summit in Japan, where a meeting between the two was cancelled.&nbsp;

And after that Lula had said that they "waited and received the information that he [Zelensky] was late".&nbsp;

Lula said that the Ukrainian president "did not show up ... clearly, he had appointments and he couldn't come. He had said that he wasn't disappointed but was upset because he would like to meet him to "discuss the matter". He added that "Zelensky is a grown-up. He knows what he’s doing".&nbsp;

<h2>Russia-Ukraine war&nbsp;</h2>

The Russia-Ukraine war started after Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops to the neighbouring nation in February 2022. While many Western countries have sent weapons to Ukraine to help it defend itself and have hit Moscow with financial sanctions, Lula instead has tried to position himself as a mediator, creating a group of nations seeking to produce a negotiated peace deal.&nbsp;

Commenting on support for Ukraine, a senior Senator said on a visit to Kyiv on Friday (May 26) that if the United States fails to back the war-torn nation enough, that would send a signal to China that it could take Taiwan.&nbsp;

Lindsey Graham, a Republican, said after meeting Zelensky that US President Joe Biden should send more weapons to Ukraine in addition to the more than $35 billion of weaponry and military hardware already provided.&nbsp;

A hard line toward China is one of the few policies with bipartisan support in the deeply divided US Congress.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Friday (May 26) that during a telephone call with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, he turned down an invitation to travel to Saint Petersburg.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Friday (May 26) that during a telephone call with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, he turned down an invitation to travel to Saint Petersburg. In a tweet, Lula said that he had to decline the invite as he "can't visit Russia at the moment", but he had thanked Putin for an invitation to attend an economic forum. Lula cited New Delhi's stance on the Ukraine war, which is a diplomatic solution to end it, saying, "I reiterated Brazil's willingness, along with India, Indonesia and China, to talk to both sides of the conflict in pursuit of peace." He had also discussed the matter with Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this week. Notably, Lula has positioned himself as a peace broker to stop the conflict. His proposal, based on Brazil's legacy of non-intervention and neutrality, calls for a group of non-combatant states to hold discussions with both Russia and Ukraine. Conversei agora por telefone com o presidente da Rússia, Vladimir Putin. Agradeci a um convite para ir ao Fórum Econômico Internacional de São Petersburgo, e respondi que não posso ir a Rússia nesse momento, mas reiterei a disposição do Brasil, junto com a Índia, Indonésia e… — Lula (@LulaOficial) May 26, 2023 × He has turned down the request just days after a confrontation between him and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky at the G7 summit in Japan, where a meeting between the two was cancelled. And after that Lula had said that they "waited and received the information that he [Zelensky] was late". Lula said that the Ukrainian president "did not show up ... clearly, he had appointments and he couldn't come. He had said that he wasn't disappointed but was upset because he would like to meet him to "discuss the matter". He added that "Zelensky is a grown-up. He knows what he’s doing". Russia-Ukraine war The Russia-Ukraine war started after Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops to the neighbouring nation in February 2022. While many Western countries have sent weapons to Ukraine to help it defend itself and have hit Moscow with financial sanctions, Lula instead has tried to position himself as a mediator, creating a group of nations seeking to produce a negotiated peace deal. Commenting on support for Ukraine, a senior Senator said on a visit to Kyiv on Friday (May 26) that if the United States fails to back the war-torn nation enough, that would send a signal to China that it could take Taiwan. Lindsey Graham, a Republican, said after meeting Zelensky that US President Joe Biden should send more weapons to Ukraine in addition to the more than $35 billion of weaponry and military hardware already provided. A hard line toward China is one of the few policies with bipartisan support in the deeply divided US Congress. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Brazil’s President Lula spoke to Vladimir Putin, turned down invitation to visit Russia

Rajesh Vishwas, a food officer in India's Chhattisgarh state has been suspended on Friday after he allegedly asked to drain a reservoir to retrieve his lost phone which was fallen down while taking a selfie. The officer was posted at Pakhanjur town in Kanker district.&nbsp;

Media reports have mentioned that around two million litres (440,000 gallons) of water was pumped out of the reservoir for a phone worth about $1,200.&nbsp;

The water of the Kherkatta Dam was emptied in over two days, which started on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Vishwas' suspension was confirmed by Kanker Collector Priyanka Shukla, who said as mentioned by media reports:&nbsp;"The official had no authority to drain the water. Hence, he has been suspended."&nbsp;

Shukla told The National newspaper, "He has been suspended until an inquiry. Water is an essential resource and it cannot be wasted like this."&nbsp;

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Kanker, Chhattisgarh | Food inspector suspended for wasting 21 lakh litres of water from Kherkatta dam to find his mobile phone 
 
I got information about this matter through sources &amp; media reports that a food inspector of Pakhanjur, Rajesh Vishwas had gone for a picnic near… <a href="https://t.co/Z4K1KE8jjA">pic.twitter.com/Z4K1KE8jjA</a>
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Media reports mentioned that Vishwas had gone to Paralkot reservoir for a picnic with friends on May 21, but he dropped his phone into the 10-foot-deep reservoir.&nbsp;

Reports claimed that Vishwas said his phone slipped out of his hand while taking a selfie, and he had to get it back as the device had official departmental data.&nbsp;

<h2>What did&nbsp;Rajesh Vishwas say?&nbsp;</h2>

Vishwas told The Indian Express, "Since I am a local, some villagers who know swimming dove in to find my phone. They looked for it for two days. When they failed to locate it by Tuesday, they suggested draining the water by a few feet."&nbsp;

"I said the phone would be damaged by now, but the locals, who share a good rapport with me, insisted that they would find it for me," he added.&nbsp;

He further added, "I called up the sub-divisional officer (SDO) of the Water Resources Department (RC Dhivar), who gave oral permission as it was just a few feet of water. On Tuesday night, I hired a diesel pump for Rs 7,500 and drained around three feet of water from the reservoir over a period of two days."&nbsp;

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Rajesh Vishwas, a food officer in India's Chhattisgarh state has been suspended on Friday after he allegedly asked to drain a reservoir to retrieve his lost phone which was fallen down while taking a selfie.

Rajesh Vishwas, a food officer in India's Chhattisgarh state has been suspended on Friday after he allegedly asked to drain a reservoir to retrieve his lost phone which was fallen down while taking a selfie. The officer was posted at Pakhanjur town in Kanker district. Media reports have mentioned that around two million litres (440,000 gallons) of water was pumped out of the reservoir for a phone worth about $1,200. The water of the Kherkatta Dam was emptied in over two days, which started on Tuesday. Vishwas' suspension was confirmed by Kanker Collector Priyanka Shukla, who said as mentioned by media reports: "The official had no authority to drain the water. Hence, he has been suspended." Shukla told The National newspaper, "He has been suspended until an inquiry. Water is an essential resource and it cannot be wasted like this." Kanker, Chhattisgarh | Food inspector suspended for wasting 21 lakh litres of water from Kherkatta dam to find his mobile phone I got information about this matter through sources & media reports that a food inspector of Pakhanjur, Rajesh Vishwas had gone for a picnic near… pic.twitter.com/Z4K1KE8jjA — ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) May 26, 2023 × Media reports mentioned that Vishwas had gone to Paralkot reservoir for a picnic with friends on May 21, but he dropped his phone into the 10-foot-deep reservoir. Reports claimed that Vishwas said his phone slipped out of his hand while taking a selfie, and he had to get it back as the device had official departmental data. What did Rajesh Vishwas say? Vishwas told The Indian Express, "Since I am a local, some villagers who know swimming dove in to find my phone. They looked for it for two days. When they failed to locate it by Tuesday, they suggested draining the water by a few feet." "I said the phone would be damaged by now, but the locals, who share a good rapport with me, insisted that they would find it for me," he added. He further added, "I called up the sub-divisional officer (SDO) of the Water Resources Department (RC Dhivar), who gave oral permission as it was just a few feet of water. On Tuesday night, I hired a diesel pump for Rs 7,500 and drained around three feet of water from the reservoir over a period of two days." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Indian official orders to drain reservoir to recover phone he lost while taking selfie

Stewart Rhodes, who is the founder of far-right militant Oath Keepers, has been sentenced to 18 years by a federal judge in connection to the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.&nbsp;

Rhodes was convicted of seditious conspiracy and the sentence is the longest imposed on a January 6 defendant to date. Before that, the longest sentence was 14 years, which was given to a Pennsylvania man who attacked police during the rampage.&nbsp;

Before handing down the sentence, Judge Amit Mehta said, "You, sir, present an ongoing threat and a peril to this country and to the republic and to the very fabric of this democracy."&nbsp;

Rhodes and Kelly Meggs, another Oath Keepers member who will be sentenced later Thursday afternoon, were convicted of seditious conspiracy in November.&nbsp;

In a message ahead of the US Capitol attack, Rhodes wrote: "They won't fear us until we come with rifles in hand."&nbsp;

In a video after the attack, he stated that his sole regret was that they "should have brought rifles". The video was played in court during his trial.&nbsp;

Rhodes is the Yale-educated former Army paratrooper, who created the far-right Oath Keepers group.&nbsp;

He appeared in federal court on Thursday to be sentenced for seditious conspiracy and other charges related to the attack on the Capitol.&nbsp;

The prosecutors sought 25 years in jail. Federal prosecutor Kathryn Rakoczy said, "Mr. Rhodes led a conspiracy to use force and violence to intimidate and coerce members of our government into stopping the lawful transfer of power following a presidential election. As the court has just found - that is terrorism."&nbsp;

During the hearing, Rhodes insisted that he is a "political prisoner" who, just like former president Donald Trump, is trying to confront people "who are destroying our country".&nbsp;

Besides seditious conspiracy, a felony accusation including intending "to overthrow, put down, or destroy by force the government of the United States", Rhodes was convicted of hindering an official proceeding and tampering with records.&nbsp;

Judge Mehta also said, "Seditious conspiracy is among the most serious crimes an American can commit,"&nbsp;

"You present an ongoing threat and a peril to this country," Mehta told Rhodes, further adding that "you are smart, charismatic and compelling and that is frankly what makes you dangerous".&nbsp;

Notably, Rhodes was acquitted of two further charges.&nbsp;

In the same trial, three other Oath Keepers were convicted of obstructing an official proceeding, as the rioters shut down the Congress and sent lawmakers and vice president Mike Pence fleeing to safety.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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Stewart Rhodes, who is the founder of far-right militant Oath Keepers, has been sentenced to 18 years by a federal judge in connection to the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.

Stewart Rhodes, who is the founder of far-right militant Oath Keepers, has been sentenced to 18 years by a federal judge in connection to the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. Rhodes was convicted of seditious conspiracy and the sentence is the longest imposed on a January 6 defendant to date. Before that, the longest sentence was 14 years, which was given to a Pennsylvania man who attacked police during the rampage. Before handing down the sentence, Judge Amit Mehta said, "You, sir, present an ongoing threat and a peril to this country and to the republic and to the very fabric of this democracy." Rhodes and Kelly Meggs, another Oath Keepers member who will be sentenced later Thursday afternoon, were convicted of seditious conspiracy in November. In a message ahead of the US Capitol attack, Rhodes wrote: "They won't fear us until we come with rifles in hand." In a video after the attack, he stated that his sole regret was that they "should have brought rifles". The video was played in court during his trial. Rhodes is the Yale-educated former Army paratrooper, who created the far-right Oath Keepers group. He appeared in federal court on Thursday to be sentenced for seditious conspiracy and other charges related to the attack on the Capitol. The prosecutors sought 25 years in jail. Federal prosecutor Kathryn Rakoczy said, "Mr. Rhodes led a conspiracy to use force and violence to intimidate and coerce members of our government into stopping the lawful transfer of power following a presidential election. As the court has just found - that is terrorism." During the hearing, Rhodes insisted that he is a "political prisoner" who, just like former president Donald Trump, is trying to confront people "who are destroying our country". Besides seditious conspiracy, a felony accusation including intending "to overthrow, put down, or destroy by force the government of the United States", Rhodes was convicted of hindering an official proceeding and tampering with records. Judge Mehta also said, "Seditious conspiracy is among the most serious crimes an American can commit," "You present an ongoing threat and a peril to this country," Mehta told Rhodes, further adding that "you are smart, charismatic and compelling and that is frankly what makes you dangerous". Notably, Rhodes was acquitted of two further charges. In the same trial, three other Oath Keepers were convicted of obstructing an official proceeding, as the rioters shut down the Congress and sent lawmakers and vice president Mike Pence fleeing to safety. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US Capitol attack: Oath Keepers founder sentenced to 18 years for seditious conspiracy

Researchers have discovered more than 5,000 species in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) of the Pacific Ocean. The study noted that around 88 to 92 per cent of the species had never been seen before.&nbsp;

The CCZ is known for housing critical minerals needed to build batteries, but the same region is also rich in marine life. The vast region spans 5,000 kilometres across the central Pacific Ocean, at depths of ~4,000 - 5,500 metres.&nbsp;

Part of the study mentioned that the region is composed of abyssal seafloor, characterised by muddy sediments overlain by potato-sized polymetallic nodules, which are a potential mineral resource for copper, nickel, cobalt, iron, manganese and other rare earth elements. &nbsp;

According to the study published on Thursday (May 25) in the scientific journal Current Biology, the region has been identified as a future hotspot for deep-sea mining. It is the first time that it has been comprehensively documented.&nbsp;

Muriel Rabone, the paper’s lead author, and a deep-sea ecologist at the Natural History Museum (NHM), said, "We share this planet with all this amazing biodiversity and we have a responsibility to understand it and protect it."&nbsp;

Rabone said that ecologists and biologists, looking to understand what may be at risk once companies started mining, began exploring the CCZ.&nbsp;

The zone receives little sunlight and has low-food availability, but despite the darkness and low food availability, nodule field habitats contain diverse communities of benthic invertebrate fauna.&nbsp;

<h2>'Just remarkable species down there'&nbsp;</h2>

Researchers travelled to the Pacific Ocean on research cruises to collect samples and looked through more than 100,000 records of species found in the CCZ during their travels.&nbsp;

Rabone said in a press release. "There's some just remarkable species down there. Some of the sponges look like classic bath sponges, and some look like vases. They're just beautiful. One of my favorites is the glass sponges. They have these little spines, and under the microscope, they look like tiny chandeliers or little sculptures."&nbsp;

Researchers said they hope there will be more studies of the region's biodiversity. "This is particularly important given that the CCZ remains one of the few remaining areas of the global ocean with high intactness of wilderness," researchers wrote in the study.&nbsp;

"Sound data and understanding are essential to shed light on this unique region and secure its future protection from human impacts," they further&nbsp;added.&nbsp;

"We make these data and interpretations open to all stakeholders to inform the ongoing debate on deep-sea mineral extraction and to grow our knowledge of the largest ecosystem on our planet," the study mentioned.&nbsp;

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Researchers have discovered more than 5,000 species in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) of the Pacific Ocean. The study noted that around 88 to 92 per cent of the species had never been seen before.

Researchers have discovered more than 5,000 species in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) of the Pacific Ocean. The study noted that around 88 to 92 per cent of the species had never been seen before. The CCZ is known for housing critical minerals needed to build batteries, but the same region is also rich in marine life. The vast region spans 5,000 kilometres across the central Pacific Ocean, at depths of ~4,000 - 5,500 metres. Part of the study mentioned that the region is composed of abyssal seafloor, characterised by muddy sediments overlain by potato-sized polymetallic nodules, which are a potential mineral resource for copper, nickel, cobalt, iron, manganese and other rare earth elements. According to the study published on Thursday (May 25) in the scientific journal Current Biology, the region has been identified as a future hotspot for deep-sea mining. It is the first time that it has been comprehensively documented. Muriel Rabone, the paper’s lead author, and a deep-sea ecologist at the Natural History Museum (NHM), said, "We share this planet with all this amazing biodiversity and we have a responsibility to understand it and protect it." Rabone said that ecologists and biologists, looking to understand what may be at risk once companies started mining, began exploring the CCZ. The zone receives little sunlight and has low-food availability, but despite the darkness and low food availability, nodule field habitats contain diverse communities of benthic invertebrate fauna. 'Just remarkable species down there' Researchers travelled to the Pacific Ocean on research cruises to collect samples and looked through more than 100,000 records of species found in the CCZ during their travels. Rabone said in a press release. "There's some just remarkable species down there. Some of the sponges look like classic bath sponges, and some look like vases. They're just beautiful. One of my favorites is the glass sponges. They have these little spines, and under the microscope, they look like tiny chandeliers or little sculptures." Researchers said they hope there will be more studies of the region's biodiversity. "This is particularly important given that the CCZ remains one of the few remaining areas of the global ocean with high intactness of wilderness," researchers wrote in the study. "Sound data and understanding are essential to shed light on this unique region and secure its future protection from human impacts," they further added. "We make these data and interpretations open to all stakeholders to inform the ongoing debate on deep-sea mineral extraction and to grow our knowledge of the largest ecosystem on our planet," the study mentioned. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

More than 5,000 new species discovered on seabed of Pacific Ocean

Manchester&nbsp;United will be back in action in next season's Champions League after they hammered Chelsea 4-1 on Thursday to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League.

Casemiro, Anthony Martial, Bruno Fernandes (penalty) and Marcus Rashford scored for United, who needed a point from their final two league games to officially end Liverpool's fading hopes of securing a spot in Europe's premier club competition.

"It's important, this club belongs in the Champions League," manager Erik ten Hag told Sky Sports. "But it's not easy in the Premier League, it's a tough competition, so it's a massive performance when you get this done."

Three-time European champions United, who failed to qualify for the Champions League last season, are third on 72 points with one game remaining, six points clear of fifth-place Liverpool.

Fourth-placed Newcastle United secured a spot among Europe's elite following a goalless draw against Leicester City on Monday. Chelsea, who have struggled all season, are 12th with 43 points.

United, who cap their Premier League season on Sunday by hosting 10th-placed Fulham, won the Carabao Cup in February and will be aiming to complete a domestic double when they face rivals&nbsp;Manchester&nbsp;City in the FA Cup final on June 3.

"(The season has been) decent, it's not perfect because we want more," Fernandes said.

"But for what we did this season, I think it's great. "Won one trophy, we get to the top four, that was our goal after we saw we couldn't go for the Premier League (title).

"Now it's about finish the league well and go to the FA Cup and win."

Ten Hag's side are unbeaten in Premier League action at Old Trafford for 17 games, going back to the opening weekend of the season.

"They know how important they are for us," Fernandes said of the home supporters. "You could see during the season how important it was in many games, so we just appreciate all the effort."

Casemiro scored in the sixth minute with a close-range header off a long free kick. The Brazilian helped set up Martial's goal just before halftime with a no-look chip into the path of Jadon Sancho. Martial was there to slot the ball into the empty net.

Interim manager Frank Lampard's Chelsea side collapsed in the dying minutes. After Fernandes had made it 3-0 with a penalty in the 73rd minute, Rashford returned from a two-game absence to score his 30th goal of the season, cutting the ball around keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Joao Felix pulled one back for Chelsea in the 89th minute.

The one negative on the night for the home side was the loss of Antony, who was left in agony with an apparent foot injury and had to be carried off on a stretcher. Ten Hag said he did not yet know the extent of the injury.

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Manchester United will be back in action in next season's Champions League after they hammered Chelsea 4-1 on Thursday to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League.

Manchester United will be back in action in next season's Champions League after they hammered Chelsea 4-1 on Thursday to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League. Casemiro, Anthony Martial, Bruno Fernandes (penalty) and Marcus Rashford scored for United, who needed a point from their final two league games to officially end Liverpool's fading hopes of securing a spot in Europe's premier club competition. "It's important, this club belongs in the Champions League," manager Erik ten Hag told Sky Sports. "But it's not easy in the Premier League, it's a tough competition, so it's a massive performance when you get this done." Three-time European champions United, who failed to qualify for the Champions League last season, are third on 72 points with one game remaining, six points clear of fifth-place Liverpool. Fourth-placed Newcastle United secured a spot among Europe's elite following a goalless draw against Leicester City on Monday. Chelsea, who have struggled all season, are 12th with 43 points. United, who cap their Premier League season on Sunday by hosting 10th-placed Fulham, won the Carabao Cup in February and will be aiming to complete a domestic double when they face rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final on June 3. "(The season has been) decent, it's not perfect because we want more," Fernandes said. "But for what we did this season, I think it's great. "Won one trophy, we get to the top four, that was our goal after we saw we couldn't go for the Premier League (title). "Now it's about finish the league well and go to the FA Cup and win." Ten Hag's side are unbeaten in Premier League action at Old Trafford for 17 games, going back to the opening weekend of the season. "They know how important they are for us," Fernandes said of the home supporters. "You could see during the season how important it was in many games, so we just appreciate all the effort." Casemiro scored in the sixth minute with a close-range header off a long free kick. The Brazilian helped set up Martial's goal just before halftime with a no-look chip into the path of Jadon Sancho. Martial was there to slot the ball into the empty net. Interim manager Frank Lampard's Chelsea side collapsed in the dying minutes. After Fernandes had made it 3-0 with a penalty in the 73rd minute, Rashford returned from a two-game absence to score his 30th goal of the season, cutting the ball around keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. Joao Felix pulled one back for Chelsea in the 89th minute. The one negative on the night for the home side was the loss of Antony, who was left in agony with an apparent foot injury and had to be carried off on a stretcher. Ten Hag said he did not yet know the extent of the injury. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Manchester United back in Champions League with 4-1 rout of Chelsea

Mexico's Popocatepetl, affectionately referred to as "El Popo", has recently intensified its fiery activity. It is one of the country's most active volcanoes.&nbsp;

As reported by news agency Reuters, a timelapse video showed ashes and smoke erupting from the volcano on Thursday (May 25).&nbsp;

The National Coordination of Civil Protection said on it Twitter account that the volcano maintains a continuous emission of water steam and gas with low ash content as of Thursday.&nbsp;

Several towns closed schools due to volcanic ash earlier this week and Mexico City's Benito Juarez International Airport had to halt operations for more than five hours on Saturday (May 20).&nbsp;

Low amplitude tremor was reported and smoke and ash reached a height between 400 and 600 m in a south-southeast direction.&nbsp;

The news agency reported that residents of nearby ash-covered towns Santiago Xalitzintla and San Nicolas de los Ranchos, in the state of Puebla, remain alert to volcanic activity.&nbsp;

As quoted, Rene Lopez Xoletl, an inhabitant of San Nicolas de los Ranchos, said, "People are afraid of those situations (release of materials or eruptions) but first of all, as we have been told, we have to be calm and alert."&nbsp;

Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of photos and videos shared on social media.&nbsp;

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Amazing view of Popocatepetl Volcano captured by a passenger from a flight <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Volcano?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Volcano</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mexico?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mexico</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Popocatepetl?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Popocatepetl</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Eruption?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Eruption</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ElPopo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ElPopo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SantiagoXalizintla?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SantiagoXalizintla</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Puebla?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Puebla</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Morelos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Morelos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Atlixco?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Atlixco</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Viral?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Viral</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Climate?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Climate</a> <a href="https://t.co/zU7LKFR2V2">pic.twitter.com/zU7LKFR2V2</a>
— Earth42morrow (@Earth42morrow) <a href="https://twitter.com/Earth42morrow/status/1660990023293091841?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2023</a></blockquote>
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El Popo first thing this morning. Very very ashy and has been the same since dawn 👀…. 
 
🌋Speed X10<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Popocat%C3%A9petl?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Popocatépetl</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mexico?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mexico</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Volcan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Volcan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/volcano?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#volcano</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/eruption?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#eruption</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmarilloFase3?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AmarilloFase3</a> 
 
Source: Webcams de Mexico &amp; CENAPRED <a href="https://t.co/XrMhvWTr8O">pic.twitter.com/XrMhvWTr8O</a>
— Volcaholic 🇰🇪 🇬🇧 🌋 (@volcaholic1) <a href="https://twitter.com/volcaholic1/status/1661778904317669384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h2>What do we know about Popocatepetl?&nbsp;</h2>

The meaning of Popocatepetl is "Smoking Hill" in the native Aztec language Nahuatl, is one of the world's most closely monitored volcanoes. It rises just about 45 miles southeast of Mexico City and is home to approximately nine million people (over 22 million including the metropolitan region).&nbsp;

Juan Manuel Espíndola, a researcher at the Institute of Geophysics of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) states the latest burst of activity is not very different from others seen since it awoke from decades of slumber in 1994.&nbsp;

Espíndola said that similar occurrences occurred in Popocatepetl in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but the present phase could "go in a more dangerous direction".&nbsp;

Experts are constantly monitoring seismic activity around the volcano, as well as the composition of the materials and gasses it spews out, to try to predict a possible major eruption.

"Volcanoes have a somewhat capricious activity," Espindola said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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Mexico's Popocatepetl, affectionately referred to as "El Popo", has recently intensified its fiery activity. It is one of the country's most active volcanoes. As reported by news agency Reuters, a timelapse video showed ashes and smoke erupting from the volcano on Thursday (May 25).

Mexico's Popocatepetl, affectionately referred to as "El Popo", has recently intensified its fiery activity. It is one of the country's most active volcanoes. As reported by news agency Reuters, a timelapse video showed ashes and smoke erupting from the volcano on Thursday (May 25). The National Coordination of Civil Protection said on it Twitter account that the volcano maintains a continuous emission of water steam and gas with low ash content as of Thursday. Several towns closed schools due to volcanic ash earlier this week and Mexico City's Benito Juarez International Airport had to halt operations for more than five hours on Saturday (May 20). Low amplitude tremor was reported and smoke and ash reached a height between 400 and 600 m in a south-southeast direction. The news agency reported that residents of nearby ash-covered towns Santiago Xalitzintla and San Nicolas de los Ranchos, in the state of Puebla, remain alert to volcanic activity. As quoted, Rene Lopez Xoletl, an inhabitant of San Nicolas de los Ranchos, said, "People are afraid of those situations (release of materials or eruptions) but first of all, as we have been told, we have to be calm and alert." Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of photos and videos shared on social media. Amazing view of Popocatepetl Volcano captured by a passenger from a flight #Volcano #Mexico #Popocatepetl #Eruption #ElPopo #SantiagoXalizintla #Puebla #Morelos #Atlixco #Viral #Climate pic.twitter.com/zU7LKFR2V2 — Earth42morrow (@Earth42morrow) May 23, 2023 × El Popo first thing this morning. Very very ashy and has been the same since dawn 👀…. 🌋Speed X10#Popocatépetl #Mexico #Volcan #volcano #eruption #AmarilloFase3 Source: Webcams de Mexico & CENAPRED pic.twitter.com/XrMhvWTr8O — Volcaholic 🇰🇪 🇬🇧 🌋 (@volcaholic1) May 25, 2023 × What do we know about Popocatepetl? The meaning of Popocatepetl is "Smoking Hill" in the native Aztec language Nahuatl, is one of the world's most closely monitored volcanoes. It rises just about 45 miles southeast of Mexico City and is home to approximately nine million people (over 22 million including the metropolitan region). Juan Manuel Espíndola, a researcher at the Institute of Geophysics of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) states the latest burst of activity is not very different from others seen since it awoke from decades of slumber in 1994. Espíndola said that similar occurrences occurred in Popocatepetl in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but the present phase could "go in a more dangerous direction". Experts are constantly monitoring seismic activity around the volcano, as well as the composition of the materials and gasses it spews out, to try to predict a possible major eruption. "Volcanoes have a somewhat capricious activity," Espindola said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Mexico: 'El Popo' volcano spews plumes of smoke high into sky

The United States is facing an unprecedented crisis of debt default, but President Joe Biden believes that debt default will be avoided as crucial time passes on a race to find agreement between the White House and Republican negotiators on raising the debt ceiling.

The United States is facing an unprecedented crisis of debt default, but President Joe Biden believes that debt default will be avoided as crucial time passes on a race to find agreement between the White House and Republican negotiators on raising the debt ceiling. Biden said on Thursday (May 25) that "there will be no default". He added that his negotiations with Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy had been "productive". White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also commented on the current situation. Jean-Pierre said, "The team has had productive discussions. Clearly, that means there continues to be a path forward." Without providing any details about what both parties were working on, Jean-Pierre stated that the most recent round of talks took place on Thursday. She said, "Both sides will have to understand that neither side is going to get everything that they want." The US might default if the government does not agree to raise the borrowing limit from its current 31.4 trillion dollars in order to maintain paying the nation's debts. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen reiterated that her department may run out of cash to pay the nation's bills as soon as June 1, she added that she will update Congress shortly about government finances. WATCH | Treasury Secretary says US won’t be able to pay all bills by June without an increase in the debt ceiling × Despite Biden's affirmation, Democratic minority leader Hakeem Jeffries slammed the Republicans from the House floor, accusing them of having abandoned their jobs in Washington to "risk a dangerous default in a crisis that they've created." He added, "And these Republicans, they're going to say that Joe Biden refused to sit down with them. That's a fake narrative that they've continued to try to put into the public domain." House Republicans are demanding up to $130 billion in cuts, with spending next year set at 2022 levels. They also seek stricter employment requirements for assistance recipients and the recoupment of unspent pandemic aid funds. Meanwhile, Democrats oppose the proposed cuts and want Republicans to agree to a no-strings-attached raise, as they have done dozens of times before. Harm to military 'readiness, morale' Top US officer General Mark Milley said Thursday that a US government default would harm the country's military, hitting readiness and morale. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told journalists at the Pentagon that "there would be a very significant negative impact on the readiness, morale and capabilities of United States military if we defaulted" as well as "reputational damage internationally." "If we defaulted, that would... have significant economic consequences, which would then translate into national security consequences -- paying troops, the morale of troops, weapons systems, contracts, all of that would be impacted," Milley said. "Readiness clearly would be impacted. So our large-scale exercises that we do at various training centers would probably either slow down or come to a halt in many, many cases," he added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US default would harm US military 'readiness and morale', but Biden vows respite

Elon Musk's start-up Neuralink said on Thursday (May 25) that it has gotten approval from US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to test its brain implants in people.&nbsp;

The decision comes after the company's application was rejected in early 2022, despite Musk's multiple predictions that his brain-chip business will soon receive FDA approval for human trials.&nbsp;

The company worked through the agency's concerns over the safety of the experimental implant.&nbsp;

Neuralink said in a tweet: "This is the result of incredible work by the Neuralink team in close collaboration with the FDA and represents an important first step that will one day allow our technology to help many people."&nbsp;

Neuralink said clearance from the US regulators is "an important first step" for its technology, which is intended to let brains interface directly with computers.&nbsp;

The company further noted that recruitment is not yet open for our clinical trial and they will announce more information on this soon.&nbsp;

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We are excited to share that we have received the FDA’s approval to launch our first-in-human clinical study! 
 
This is the result of incredible work by the Neuralink team in close collaboration with the FDA and represents an important first step that will one day allow our…
— Neuralink (@neuralink) <a href="https://twitter.com/neuralink/status/1661857379460468736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The company claims that Neuralink is developing a brain implant it hopes will help paralysed people walk again and cure other neurological ailments.&nbsp;

During a presentation by the start-up in December, Musk said that the aim of Neuralink implants is to enable human brains to communicate directly with computers.&nbsp;

"We've been working hard to be ready for our first human (implant), and obviously we want to be extremely careful and certain that it will work well before putting a device in a human," he said at the time.&nbsp;

Musk once even said that he is comfortable implanting a chip into one of his own children’s brains if it's needed.&nbsp;

The billionaire promised in 2019 that Neuralink would be able to conduct its first human tests in 2020, which couldn't happen. Meanwhile, there were hints regarding how the product will look like as demonstrations showed the prototypes in the size of a coin, implanted in the skulls of monkeys.&nbsp;

During the Neuralink presentation, many monkeys were seen "playing" rudimentary video games or manipulating a cursor on a screen via their Neuralink implant. Musk stated that the company would aim to utilise the implants to restore vision and mobility to people who have lost these abilities.&nbsp;

"We would initially enable someone who has almost no ability to operate their muscles... and enable them to operate their phone faster than someone who has working hands," he said.

"As miraculous as it may sound, we are confident that it is possible to restore full body functionality to someone who has a severed spinal cord," he added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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Elon Musk's start-up Neuralink said on Thursday (May 25) that it has gotten approval from US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to test its brain implants in people.

Elon Musk's start-up Neuralink said on Thursday (May 25) that it has gotten approval from US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to test its brain implants in people. The decision comes after the company's application was rejected in early 2022, despite Musk's multiple predictions that his brain-chip business will soon receive FDA approval for human trials. The company worked through the agency's concerns over the safety of the experimental implant. Neuralink said in a tweet: "This is the result of incredible work by the Neuralink team in close collaboration with the FDA and represents an important first step that will one day allow our technology to help many people." Neuralink said clearance from the US regulators is "an important first step" for its technology, which is intended to let brains interface directly with computers. The company further noted that recruitment is not yet open for our clinical trial and they will announce more information on this soon. We are excited to share that we have received the FDA’s approval to launch our first-in-human clinical study! This is the result of incredible work by the Neuralink team in close collaboration with the FDA and represents an important first step that will one day allow our… — Neuralink (@neuralink) May 25, 2023 × The company claims that Neuralink is developing a brain implant it hopes will help paralysed people walk again and cure other neurological ailments. During a presentation by the start-up in December, Musk said that the aim of Neuralink implants is to enable human brains to communicate directly with computers. "We've been working hard to be ready for our first human (implant), and obviously we want to be extremely careful and certain that it will work well before putting a device in a human," he said at the time. Musk once even said that he is comfortable implanting a chip into one of his own children’s brains if it's needed. The billionaire promised in 2019 that Neuralink would be able to conduct its first human tests in 2020, which couldn't happen. Meanwhile, there were hints regarding how the product will look like as demonstrations showed the prototypes in the size of a coin, implanted in the skulls of monkeys. During the Neuralink presentation, many monkeys were seen "playing" rudimentary video games or manipulating a cursor on a screen via their Neuralink implant. Musk stated that the company would aim to utilise the implants to restore vision and mobility to people who have lost these abilities. "We would initially enable someone who has almost no ability to operate their muscles... and enable them to operate their phone faster than someone who has working hands," he said. "As miraculous as it may sound, we are confident that it is possible to restore full body functionality to someone who has a severed spinal cord," he added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Elon Musk's Neuralink cleared for human test of brain implants

A top US general said on Thursday (May 25) that America has long asked Ukraine not to use US-provided military equipment to carry out attacks inside Russian territory.&nbsp;

This comes after Russia accused pro-Ukrainian militia of using US armoured vehicles.&nbsp;

Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said his office was investigating social media images of vehicles and military hardware used in a cross-border incursion by militia in the Russian region of Belgorod earlier this week.&nbsp;

Milley told a press conference at the Pentagon: "I can't say with definitive accuracy right this minute to you whether that - and I saw the same video - whether that's U.S. supplied equipment or not, what was the nature of the attack, who did what to whom."&nbsp;

He added, "I can't say that with definitiveness right this minute, but I can say that we have asked the Ukrainians not to use US-supplied equipment for direct attacks into Russia."&nbsp;

WATCH | Battleground Bakhmut: Russia vs Ukraine&nbsp;

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The Russian defence ministry provided footage of some destroyed vehicles, including Humvee combat trucks made in America. But the content of the video has not been verified.&nbsp;

Russia said that Kyiv's forces had killed one resident of the Belgorod region and Moscow threatened Kyiv, stating that it would respond "extremely" harshly to all future incursions.&nbsp;

After two days of fighting in the southern region of Belgorod, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told military officials: "We will continue to respond promptly and extremely harshly to such actions by Ukrainian militants."&nbsp;

Notably, in the aftermath of the Russia-Ukraine war, which started after Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops to Ukraine in February 2022, the border region of Belgorod in the country's south has been repeatedly shelled, killing dozens of people.&nbsp;

And authorities have also reported a series of incidents involving members of "sabotage" groups crossing over from Ukraine. Last month, the city of Belgorod was bombed by a Russian fighter jet which dropped ammunition over the city by accident.&nbsp;

<h2>Ukraine denies any involvement&nbsp;</h2>

The Ukrainian government denied any involvement in the Belgorod raid, which was claimed by two anti-Kremlin armed organisations comprising&nbsp;of Russian nationals, some of whom are far-right leaders.&nbsp;

After the apparent attack on Kremlin, Russia blamed Ukraine for it. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denied any involvement and said that "we don't attack Putin, or Moscow, we fight on our territory."&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Ukraine has already stated that it will not employ longer-range weapons pledged by the US to attack Russian territory, instead targeting Russian soldiers on occupied Ukrainian land.&nbsp;

Milley said restrictions on US support to Ukraine following Russia's February 2022 invasion were aimed at ensuring Kyiv's self-defence against Russian forces inside Ukraine.&nbsp;

Milley said, "Why is that? Because we don't want - this is a Ukrainian war. It is not a war between the United States and Russia. It's not a war between NATO and Russia."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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A top US general said on Thursday (May 25) that America has long asked Ukraine not to use US-provided military equipment to carry out attacks inside Russian territory.

A top US general said on Thursday (May 25) that America has long asked Ukraine not to use US-provided military equipment to carry out attacks inside Russian territory. This comes after Russia accused pro-Ukrainian militia of using US armoured vehicles. Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said his office was investigating social media images of vehicles and military hardware used in a cross-border incursion by militia in the Russian region of Belgorod earlier this week. Milley told a press conference at the Pentagon: "I can't say with definitive accuracy right this minute to you whether that - and I saw the same video - whether that's U.S. supplied equipment or not, what was the nature of the attack, who did what to whom." He added, "I can't say that with definitiveness right this minute, but I can say that we have asked the Ukrainians not to use US-supplied equipment for direct attacks into Russia." WATCH | Battleground Bakhmut: Russia vs Ukraine × The Russian defence ministry provided footage of some destroyed vehicles, including Humvee combat trucks made in America. But the content of the video has not been verified. Russia said that Kyiv's forces had killed one resident of the Belgorod region and Moscow threatened Kyiv, stating that it would respond "extremely" harshly to all future incursions. After two days of fighting in the southern region of Belgorod, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told military officials: "We will continue to respond promptly and extremely harshly to such actions by Ukrainian militants." Notably, in the aftermath of the Russia-Ukraine war, which started after Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops to Ukraine in February 2022, the border region of Belgorod in the country's south has been repeatedly shelled, killing dozens of people. And authorities have also reported a series of incidents involving members of "sabotage" groups crossing over from Ukraine. Last month, the city of Belgorod was bombed by a Russian fighter jet which dropped ammunition over the city by accident. Ukraine denies any involvement The Ukrainian government denied any involvement in the Belgorod raid, which was claimed by two anti-Kremlin armed organisations comprising of Russian nationals, some of whom are far-right leaders. After the apparent attack on Kremlin, Russia blamed Ukraine for it. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denied any involvement and said that "we don't attack Putin, or Moscow, we fight on our territory." Meanwhile, Ukraine has already stated that it will not employ longer-range weapons pledged by the US to attack Russian territory, instead targeting Russian soldiers on occupied Ukrainian land. Milley said restrictions on US support to Ukraine following Russia's February 2022 invasion were aimed at ensuring Kyiv's self-defence against Russian forces inside Ukraine. Milley said, "Why is that? Because we don't want - this is a Ukrainian war. It is not a war between the United States and Russia. It's not a war between NATO and Russia." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US general says Ukraine shouldn't use US weaponry inside Russia

Microsoft has issued a warning stating that a state-sponsored Chinese cyberespionage group, Volt Typhoon, has been targeting critical infrastructure organisations across the United States, since at least mid-2021.&nbsp;

"Microsoft has uncovered stealthy and targeted malicious activity focused on post-compromise credential access and network system discovery aimed at critical infrastructure organizations in the United States," Microsoft said in a blog post.&nbsp;

Microsoft noted that it has been tracking the hacking group, which has been spying on multiple critical organisations, from telecommunications to transportation hubs, the Western intelligence agencies and Microsoft said on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Microsoft said in a report that the espionage has also targeted the US island territory of Guam, which is home to strategically important American military bases that would be key to responding to any conflict in the Asia-Pacific region.&nbsp;

In the blog post, it was added that the observed behaviour suggests that the "threat actor intends to perform espionage and maintain access without being detected for as long as possible".&nbsp;

Microsoft added that "mitigating this attack could be challenging".&nbsp;

As reported by news agency Reuters, the US National Security Agency (NSA) said it was working with partners including Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the UK, as well as the US Federal Bureau of Investigation to identify breaches.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, it was not immediately clear how many organisations were affected.&nbsp;

While Chinese hackers are known to spy on Western countries, this is one of the largest known cyber espionage campaigns against American critical infrastructure.

This merges to be one of the most extensive cyber-espionage attacks against American critical infrastructure. Chinese hackers are known for spying on Western countries.&nbsp;

NSA Cybersecurity Director Rob Joyce said in a statement: "A PRC (People's Republic of China) state-sponsored actor is living off the land, using built-in network tools to evade our defences and leaving no trace behind."&nbsp;

He added that such "living off the land" spy techniques are harder to detect as they use "capabilities already built into critical infrastructure environments".&nbsp;

The post added, "Microsoft assesses with moderate confidence that this Volt Typhoon campaign is pursuing development of capabilities that could disrupt critical communications infrastructure between the United States and Asia region during future crises."&nbsp;

Reuters mentioned that Canada's cybersecurity agency separately said it had no reports of Canadian victims of this hacking as yet. "However, western economies are deeply interconnected, Much of our infrastructure is closely integrated and an attack on one can impact the other," it added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
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Microsoft has issued a warning stating that a state-sponsored Chinese cyberespionage group, Volt Typhoon, has been targeting critical infrastructure organisations across the United States, since at least mid-2021.

Microsoft has issued a warning stating that a state-sponsored Chinese cyberespionage group, Volt Typhoon, has been targeting critical infrastructure organisations across the United States, since at least mid-2021. "Microsoft has uncovered stealthy and targeted malicious activity focused on post-compromise credential access and network system discovery aimed at critical infrastructure organizations in the United States," Microsoft said in a blog post. Microsoft noted that it has been tracking the hacking group, which has been spying on multiple critical organisations, from telecommunications to transportation hubs, the Western intelligence agencies and Microsoft said on Wednesday. Microsoft said in a report that the espionage has also targeted the US island territory of Guam, which is home to strategically important American military bases that would be key to responding to any conflict in the Asia-Pacific region. In the blog post, it was added that the observed behaviour suggests that the "threat actor intends to perform espionage and maintain access without being detected for as long as possible". Microsoft added that "mitigating this attack could be challenging". As reported by news agency Reuters, the US National Security Agency (NSA) said it was working with partners including Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the UK, as well as the US Federal Bureau of Investigation to identify breaches. Meanwhile, it was not immediately clear how many organisations were affected. While Chinese hackers are known to spy on Western countries, this is one of the largest known cyber espionage campaigns against American critical infrastructure. This merges to be one of the most extensive cyber-espionage attacks against American critical infrastructure. Chinese hackers are known for spying on Western countries. NSA Cybersecurity Director Rob Joyce said in a statement: "A PRC (People's Republic of China) state-sponsored actor is living off the land, using built-in network tools to evade our defences and leaving no trace behind." He added that such "living off the land" spy techniques are harder to detect as they use "capabilities already built into critical infrastructure environments". The post added, "Microsoft assesses with moderate confidence that this Volt Typhoon campaign is pursuing development of capabilities that could disrupt critical communications infrastructure between the United States and Asia region during future crises." Reuters mentioned that Canada's cybersecurity agency separately said it had no reports of Canadian victims of this hacking as yet. "However, western economies are deeply interconnected, Much of our infrastructure is closely integrated and an attack on one can impact the other," it added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Microsoft says Chinese hacking group Volt Typhoon spying on US critical infrastructure

The director of a top Russian science institute, arrested on suspicion of treason along with two other hypersonic missile technology experts, stands accused of betraying secrets to China, two people familiar with the case told Reuters.

Alexander Shiplyuk, head of Siberia's Khristianovich Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (ITAM), is suspected of handing over classified material at a scientific conference in China in 2017, the sources said.

The 56-year-old maintains his innocence and insists the information in question wasn't classified and was freely available online, according to the people, whom Reuters has chosen not to identify to safeguard their security.

"He is convinced of the fact that the information was not secret, and of his own innocence," one of the people said.

The nature of the allegations against the ITAM director, who was arrested last August, has not been previously reported. The Chinese connection would make Shiplyuk the latest in a string of Russian scientists who have been arrested in recent years for allegedly betraying secrets to Beijing.

Asked about the accusations facing the ITAM experts as well as about previous treason cases linked to China, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said security services were watchful for possible cases related to "betrayal of the motherland".

"This is very important work," he added. "It is going on constantly and it is hardly possible to speak here about any kind of trends."

The FSB security service didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Chinese foreign ministry, when asked about allegations that Beijing had targeted Russian scientists to obtain sensitive research, said Sino-Russian relations were based on "non-alignment, non-confrontation and non-targeting of third parties".

"This is fundamentally different from what some military and intelligence alliances have pieced together based on their Cold War mentality," it added.

President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said that Russia is a world leader in hypersonic missiles, cutting-edge weapons capable of carrying payloads at up to 10 times the speed of sound to punch through air defence systems.

The ITAM cases, as well as previous arrests for treason, suggest Moscow is vigilant about losing any technological edge, including to China, an ally on which it has become increasingly reliant for political and trade support since launching its invasion of Ukraine 15 months ago.

Last year, laser specialist Dmitry Kolker was arrested in Siberia on treason charges but died two days later of cancer. His lawyer Alexander Fedulov told Reuters last week that Kolker was accused of passing secrets to China, an allegation that the scientist's family denied.

Alexander Lukanin, a scientist from the Siberian city of Tomsk, was arrested in 2020 on suspicion of passing tech secrets to Beijing, Russian state news agency TASS reported at the time. Last year, he was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison.

Valery Mitko, a scientist heading the Arctic Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg, was also accused in 2020 of passing secrets to China, where he had travelled regularly to give lectures, TASS said at the time. He died two years later at the age of 81 while under house arrest.

<h2>‘VERY SERIOUS ACCUSATIONS’</h2>

Against the background of the war in Ukraine, Russia's parliament voted last month to increase the maximum penalty for treason to life imprisonment from 20 years. On Tuesday, the head of the security committee of Russia's lower house of parliament backed a draft law tightening access to state secrets, saying 48 Russians had been convicted of treason between 2017 and 2022.

The cases facing Shiplyuk and his two ITAM colleagues — Anatoly Maslov and Valery Zvegintsev — are top secret and will be tried behind closed doors. A hearing in the case of Maslov, the first of the three to be arrested, in June last year, was due to take place in St Petersburg on Wednesday.

Zvegintsev was detained last month. The investigations into the three scientists hit world headlines last week when their colleagues at ITAM signed an open letter in support of them, complaining that it was impossible for scientists to do their jobs if they risked being arrested for writing articles or making presentations at international conferences.

The letter rejected the idea that the three could have betrayed secrets, saying all materials they had published or presented had been rigorously checked to ensure they weren't classified.

Kremlin spokesman Peskov, asked by reporters last week about the open letter, said: "We have indeed seen this appeal, but Russian special services are working on this. They are doing their job. These are very serious accusations."

ITAM, sited at the Academgorodok science campus near the city of Novosibirsk, says on its website that it is registered as a part of Russia's military-industrial complex. The institute has had extensive international links including contacts with companies, universities and research centres across the world, according to a 2020 online document that outlined its work.

Among the institutions listed was the China Aerodynamics Research and Development Centre (CARDC), whose website includes several posts celebrating experimental breakthroughs relating to fighter jets and hypersonic missiles.

The CARDC site names the centre's director as Wang Xunnian. According to two official Chinese local government websites, Wang is a major general in China's People's Liberation Army (PLA).

A Reuters review of publicly available Chinese academic papers shows the centre's researchers have in recent years co-authored dozens of articles with colleagues working in institutes run directly by the PLA.

The CARDC did not respond to emailed questions addressed to the centre and Wang, while Reuters was unable to contact Wang directly.

<h2>'SHOCKED AND HORRIFIED'</h2>

Reuters interviewed two U.S. scientists, one of whom knew Maslov and the other Shiplyuk. They said the Russians were bona fide academics, although their area of study was sensitive because of its military applications.

Stuart Laurence, a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Maryland, said he met Shiplyuk on two occasions, including at a conference in Tours, France in 2012 where the Russian scientist presented a paper with Maslov.

"I was shocked and horrified on his arrest," said Laurence, who last exchanged emails with Shiplyuk in January 2021. "He was very well respected in his field."

George Nacouzi, senior aerospace engineer at RAND Corp, said China "has been playing catch-up" with the US and Russia over the last few years on hypersonic technology.

He stressed that the three arrested Russians were only involved in one element of the work needed to build a hypersonic missile, a process that also includes the integration of sensors, navigational systems, and propulsion.

"It's a long path. Just doing the basic research does not provide you with a missile," Nacouzi said. 
&nbsp;

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The director of a top Russian science institute, arrested on suspicion of treason along with two other hypersonic missile technology experts, stands accused of betraying secrets to China, two people familiar with the case told Reuters.

The director of a top Russian science institute, arrested on suspicion of treason along with two other hypersonic missile technology experts, stands accused of betraying secrets to China, two people familiar with the case told Reuters. Alexander Shiplyuk, head of Siberia's Khristianovich Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (ITAM), is suspected of handing over classified material at a scientific conference in China in 2017, the sources said. The 56-year-old maintains his innocence and insists the information in question wasn't classified and was freely available online, according to the people, whom Reuters has chosen not to identify to safeguard their security. "He is convinced of the fact that the information was not secret, and of his own innocence," one of the people said. The nature of the allegations against the ITAM director, who was arrested last August, has not been previously reported. The Chinese connection would make Shiplyuk the latest in a string of Russian scientists who have been arrested in recent years for allegedly betraying secrets to Beijing. Asked about the accusations facing the ITAM experts as well as about previous treason cases linked to China, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said security services were watchful for possible cases related to "betrayal of the motherland". "This is very important work," he added. "It is going on constantly and it is hardly possible to speak here about any kind of trends." The FSB security service didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. The Chinese foreign ministry, when asked about allegations that Beijing had targeted Russian scientists to obtain sensitive research, said Sino-Russian relations were based on "non-alignment, non-confrontation and non-targeting of third parties". "This is fundamentally different from what some military and intelligence alliances have pieced together based on their Cold War mentality," it added. President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said that Russia is a world leader in hypersonic missiles, cutting-edge weapons capable of carrying payloads at up to 10 times the speed of sound to punch through air defence systems. The ITAM cases, as well as previous arrests for treason, suggest Moscow is vigilant about losing any technological edge, including to China, an ally on which it has become increasingly reliant for political and trade support since launching its invasion of Ukraine 15 months ago. Last year, laser specialist Dmitry Kolker was arrested in Siberia on treason charges but died two days later of cancer. His lawyer Alexander Fedulov told Reuters last week that Kolker was accused of passing secrets to China, an allegation that the scientist's family denied. Alexander Lukanin, a scientist from the Siberian city of Tomsk, was arrested in 2020 on suspicion of passing tech secrets to Beijing, Russian state news agency TASS reported at the time. Last year, he was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison. Valery Mitko, a scientist heading the Arctic Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg, was also accused in 2020 of passing secrets to China, where he had travelled regularly to give lectures, TASS said at the time. He died two years later at the age of 81 while under house arrest. ‘VERY SERIOUS ACCUSATIONS’ Against the background of the war in Ukraine, Russia's parliament voted last month to increase the maximum penalty for treason to life imprisonment from 20 years. On Tuesday, the head of the security committee of Russia's lower house of parliament backed a draft law tightening access to state secrets, saying 48 Russians had been convicted of treason between 2017 and 2022. The cases facing Shiplyuk and his two ITAM colleagues — Anatoly Maslov and Valery Zvegintsev — are top secret and will be tried behind closed doors. A hearing in the case of Maslov, the first of the three to be arrested, in June last year, was due to take place in St Petersburg on Wednesday. Zvegintsev was detained last month. The investigations into the three scientists hit world headlines last week when their colleagues at ITAM signed an open letter in support of them, complaining that it was impossible for scientists to do their jobs if they risked being arrested for writing articles or making presentations at international conferences. The letter rejected the idea that the three could have betrayed secrets, saying all materials they had published or presented had been rigorously checked to ensure they weren't classified. Kremlin spokesman Peskov, asked by reporters last week about the open letter, said: "We have indeed seen this appeal, but Russian special services are working on this. They are doing their job. These are very serious accusations." ITAM, sited at the Academgorodok science campus near the city of Novosibirsk, says on its website that it is registered as a part of Russia's military-industrial complex. The institute has had extensive international links including contacts with companies, universities and research centres across the world, according to a 2020 online document that outlined its work. Among the institutions listed was the China Aerodynamics Research and Development Centre (CARDC), whose website includes several posts celebrating experimental breakthroughs relating to fighter jets and hypersonic missiles. The CARDC site names the centre's director as Wang Xunnian. According to two official Chinese local government websites, Wang is a major general in China's People's Liberation Army (PLA). A Reuters review of publicly available Chinese academic papers shows the centre's researchers have in recent years co-authored dozens of articles with colleagues working in institutes run directly by the PLA. The CARDC did not respond to emailed questions addressed to the centre and Wang, while Reuters was unable to contact Wang directly. 'SHOCKED AND HORRIFIED' Reuters interviewed two U.S. scientists, one of whom knew Maslov and the other Shiplyuk. They said the Russians were bona fide academics, although their area of study was sensitive because of its military applications. Stuart Laurence, a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Maryland, said he met Shiplyuk on two occasions, including at a conference in Tours, France in 2012 where the Russian scientist presented a paper with Maslov. "I was shocked and horrified on his arrest," said Laurence, who last exchanged emails with Shiplyuk in January 2021. "He was very well respected in his field." George Nacouzi, senior aerospace engineer at RAND Corp, said China "has been playing catch-up" with the US and Russia over the last few years on hypersonic technology. He stressed that the three arrested Russians were only involved in one element of the work needed to build a hypersonic missile, a process that also includes the integration of sensors, navigational systems, and propulsion. "It's a long path. Just doing the basic research does not provide you with a missile," Nacouzi said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russian hypersonic scientist accused of betraying secrets to China: Sources

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