<p>The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MoCCAE) issued a clarification about social media claims over Oreo biscuits being a non-halal product.&nbsp;Social media posts sparked debate about whether or not Oreo cookies in the UAE are halal. The ministry has attempted to settle the raging rumours.&nbsp;</p>

<p>MoCCAE said in a statement, "It has been circulated recently that Oreo biscuits are not halal, because they contain pork and alcohol. We inform you … that this is incorrect."&nbsp;</p>

<p>The statement said that the ingredients of the biscuits "do not contain any animal origins ingredients such as grease and fat". The statement also mentioned that laboratory tests have confirmed this.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The ministry added, "The ministry confirms that all imported and traded foods are subject to an integrated system of procedures and programmes that ensure the highest food safety standards and conformity with the approved specifications in the country."&nbsp;</p>

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It has been circulated recently that Oreo biscuits are not halal, because they contain Pork and alcohol. We inform you that what has been circulated is incorrect. <a href="https://t.co/AougeMLeL7">pic.twitter.com/AougeMLeL7</a></p>
— MoCCAE (@MoCCaEUAE) <a href="https://twitter.com/MoCCaEUAE/status/1610997941690302467?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Weighing in on the same, the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority reportedly said that there is "no substantiated evidence" that can prove that the cookies, manufactured by American company Mondelez International, contain non-halal ingredients.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Halal is an Arabic word which means "permissible" in English. Foods which are not considered halal for Muslims to consume include blood and intoxicants like alcohol.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On its website, Mondelez said in a statement that as Oreos are available worldwide, the company outsources its halal certification "through external agencies".&nbsp;</p>

<p>The statement further added, "Mondelez International is committed to meeting the needs and preferences of our consumers, which can vary from market to market. We consider various factors, including religious food requirements such as kosher or halal, when deciding what to offer consumers in a specific market."&nbsp;</p>

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The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MoCCAE) issued a clarification about social media claims over Oreo biscuits being a non-halal product.

The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MoCCAE) issued a clarification about social media claims over Oreo biscuits being a non-halal product. Social media posts sparked debate about whether or not Oreo cookies in the UAE are halal. The ministry has attempted to settle the raging rumours. MoCCAE said in a statement, "It has been circulated recently that Oreo biscuits are not halal, because they contain pork and alcohol. We inform you … that this is incorrect." The statement said that the ingredients of the biscuits "do not contain any animal origins ingredients such as grease and fat". The statement also mentioned that laboratory tests have confirmed this. The ministry added, "The ministry confirms that all imported and traded foods are subject to an integrated system of procedures and programmes that ensure the highest food safety standards and conformity with the approved specifications in the country." Are Oreo biscuits halal? It has been circulated recently that Oreo biscuits are not halal, because they contain Pork and alcohol. We inform you that what has been circulated is incorrect. pic.twitter.com/AougeMLeL7 — MoCCAE (@MoCCaEUAE) January 5, 2023 × Weighing in on the same, the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority reportedly said that there is "no substantiated evidence" that can prove that the cookies, manufactured by American company Mondelez International, contain non-halal ingredients. Halal is an Arabic word which means "permissible" in English. Foods which are not considered halal for Muslims to consume include blood and intoxicants like alcohol. On its website, Mondelez said in a statement that as Oreos are available worldwide, the company outsources its halal certification "through external agencies". The statement further added, "Mondelez International is committed to meeting the needs and preferences of our consumers, which can vary from market to market. We consider various factors, including religious food requirements such as kosher or halal, when deciding what to offer consumers in a specific market." 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.

UAE ministry refutes online claims about Oreo biscuits being non-halal, containing pork, alcohol

<p>Indian tennis legend Sania Mirza announced on Friday (January 6) that she will retire from professional tennis at Dubai Tennis Championships, a WTA 1000 event. The event is scheduled to start on February 19.&nbsp;Former doubles No.1 Mirza stated that initially, she thought of retiring at the end of last season. But because of an elbow injury, she was ruled out of the US Open.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sania told wtatennis.com, "I was going to stop right after the WTA Finals, because we were going to make the WTA Finals, but I tore my tendon in my elbow right before the US Open so I had to pull out of everything."&nbsp;</p>

<p>She added, "And honestly, the person that I am, I like to do things on my own terms. So I don't want to be forced out by injury. So I've been training. The plan is to try and retire in Dubai during the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I'm 36, and honestly my body is beat, that is the main reason for it. And I really don't have the capacity in my mind to emotionally push that much anymore. I turned pro in 2003. Priorities change, and now my priority is not to push my body to the limit every single day," Sania said in a recent interview with "Curly Tales Middle East". &nbsp;</p>

<p>Sania started playing professional tennis in 2003. The Indian tennis star won the 2003 Wimbledon Championships girls' doubles title, partnering with Alisa Kleybanova.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sania said she will hang up her boots at the Dubai meet but before that, the six-time Grand Slam winner in doubles will play her final Major at the Australian Open later this month.&nbsp;</p>

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Indian tennis legend Sania Mirza announced on Friday (January 6) that she will retire from professional tennis at Dubai Tennis Championships, a WTA 1000 event. The event is scheduled to start on February 19.

Indian tennis legend Sania Mirza announced on Friday (January 6) that she will retire from professional tennis at Dubai Tennis Championships, a WTA 1000 event. The event is scheduled to start on February 19. Former doubles No.1 Mirza stated that initially, she thought of retiring at the end of last season. But because of an elbow injury, she was ruled out of the US Open. Sania told wtatennis.com, "I was going to stop right after the WTA Finals, because we were going to make the WTA Finals, but I tore my tendon in my elbow right before the US Open so I had to pull out of everything." She added, "And honestly, the person that I am, I like to do things on my own terms. So I don't want to be forced out by injury. So I've been training. The plan is to try and retire in Dubai during the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships." "I'm 36, and honestly my body is beat, that is the main reason for it. And I really don't have the capacity in my mind to emotionally push that much anymore. I turned pro in 2003. Priorities change, and now my priority is not to push my body to the limit every single day," Sania said in a recent interview with "Curly Tales Middle East". Sania started playing professional tennis in 2003. The Indian tennis star won the 2003 Wimbledon Championships girls' doubles title, partnering with Alisa Kleybanova. Sania said she will hang up her boots at the Dubai meet but before that, the six-time Grand Slam winner in doubles will play her final Major at the Australian Open later this month. 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 tennis legend Sania Mirza to retire at next month's Dubai Tennis Championships

<p>Economic troubles in Pakistan are not new as the nation has been reeling because of the high cost of living for quite some time now. Authorities recently directed markets, shopping malls, restaurants, and wedding halls to close early to conserve energy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>To tackle the situation, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday held talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Kristalina Georgieva. Sharif aimed at breaking the deadlock over the release of the next tranche of assistance for the country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Pakistani prime minister said that he received a call from IMF Managing Director Georgieva. They talked about the issue of disbursement of an already pledged loan, Sharif said while addressing a business gathering on Friday.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch this report for details:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>Sharif said, "I told the IMF that we cannot put more burden on our masses. I also urged that the IMF should send its delegation to Pakistan for talks."&nbsp;</p>

<p>The problems are not appearing to go away for Pakistan as IMF has refused to issue the new instalment of the already agreed loan. The reason behind the rejection was Pakistan not being able to live up to the promises it made when the stalled loan of $6 billion was restored in 2022.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EconWatch?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EconWatch</a>: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pakistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Pakistan</a> is on the brink of a debt default. Its sovereign bonds have lost more than 60% of their value this year. I'm not surprised. PM Sharif's government is failing to save the sinking ship. <a href="https://t.co/ySDno0MAC2">pic.twitter.com/ySDno0MAC2</a></p>
— Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) <a href="https://twitter.com/steve_hanke/status/1580655614266675200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>Several factors have combined to put Pakistan's economy in dire strait, including tumbling GDP growth, global inflation due to the ongoing Russia- Ukraine war, expensive imports due to the fall in the currency, and plunging forex reserves. Unprecedented floods in 2022 made the situation even worse for the nation.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>

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Economic troubles in Pakistan are not new as the nation has been reeling because of the high cost of living for quite some time now. Authorities recently directed markets, shopping malls, restaurants, and wedding halls to close early to conserve energy.

Economic troubles in Pakistan are not new as the nation has been reeling because of the high cost of living for quite some time now. Authorities recently directed markets, shopping malls, restaurants, and wedding halls to close early to conserve energy. To tackle the situation, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday held talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Kristalina Georgieva. Sharif aimed at breaking the deadlock over the release of the next tranche of assistance for the country. The Pakistani prime minister said that he received a call from IMF Managing Director Georgieva. They talked about the issue of disbursement of an already pledged loan, Sharif said while addressing a business gathering on Friday. Watch this report for details: × Sharif said, "I told the IMF that we cannot put more burden on our masses. I also urged that the IMF should send its delegation to Pakistan for talks." The problems are not appearing to go away for Pakistan as IMF has refused to issue the new instalment of the already agreed loan. The reason behind the rejection was Pakistan not being able to live up to the promises it made when the stalled loan of $6 billion was restored in 2022. #EconWatch: #Pakistan is on the brink of a debt default. Its sovereign bonds have lost more than 60% of their value this year. I'm not surprised. PM Sharif's government is failing to save the sinking ship. pic.twitter.com/ySDno0MAC2 — Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) October 13, 2022 × Several factors have combined to put Pakistan's economy in dire strait, including tumbling GDP growth, global inflation due to the ongoing Russia- Ukraine war, expensive imports due to the fall in the currency, and plunging forex reserves. Unprecedented floods in 2022 made the situation even worse for the nation. (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.

Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif holds talks with IMF chief amid economic crisis

<p>The United Kingdom government said on Thursday (January 5) that it will introduce legislation soon to minimise service levels during strike action in essential sectors. The decision comes as the nation has been crippled because of the transport walkouts.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said in a statement that the law would enforce a minimum level of service for fire, ambulance and rail services.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The government invited trade unions in for new talks to discuss public sector pay settlements in 2023-24 amid several strikes troubling the country across multiple sectors, including nurses and ambulance workers. Such strikes have increased fears that during such situations, lives could be put at risk.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: Prince Harry accuses prince William of assault&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>The report mentioned that a bill would be introduced to Parliament in the coming weeks and it would include the health, education, fire and rescue, transport, border security and nuclear sectors.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the written statement, Business Secretary Grant Shapps said that "as well as protecting the freedom to strike, the government must also protect life and livelihoods.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"While we hope that voluntary agreements can continue to be made in most cases, introducing minimum safety levels... will restore the balance between those seeking to strike and protecting the public from disproportionate disruption."&nbsp;</p>

<p>While commenting on that, the Labour leader Keir Starmer said that his party will oppose the bill, and it faces a difficult passage through parliament. Starmer further noted that the law would "make a bad situation worse" and that he would repeal it.&nbsp;</p>

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The United Kingdom government said on Thursday (January 5) that it will introduce legislation soon to minimise service levels during strike action in essential sectors.

The United Kingdom government said on Thursday (January 5) that it will introduce legislation soon to minimise service levels during strike action in essential sectors. The decision comes as the nation has been crippled because of the transport walkouts. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said in a statement that the law would enforce a minimum level of service for fire, ambulance and rail services. The government invited trade unions in for new talks to discuss public sector pay settlements in 2023-24 amid several strikes troubling the country across multiple sectors, including nurses and ambulance workers. Such strikes have increased fears that during such situations, lives could be put at risk. WATCH | Gravitas: Prince Harry accuses prince William of assault × The report mentioned that a bill would be introduced to Parliament in the coming weeks and it would include the health, education, fire and rescue, transport, border security and nuclear sectors. In the written statement, Business Secretary Grant Shapps said that "as well as protecting the freedom to strike, the government must also protect life and livelihoods. "While we hope that voluntary agreements can continue to be made in most cases, introducing minimum safety levels... will restore the balance between those seeking to strike and protecting the public from disproportionate disruption." While commenting on that, the Labour leader Keir Starmer said that his party will oppose the bill, and it faces a difficult passage through parliament. Starmer further noted that the law would "make a bad situation worse" and that he would repeal it. 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.

UK to introduce anti-strike bill amid a wave of strikes grip nation

<p>Officials said on Thursday (January 5) that Pakistan might seek over $16 billion at a UN conference next week for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the flood-hit regions. The catastrophic floods reportedly caused the country a loss of about $30 billion.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A United Nations report published on Wednesday highlighted that in 2022, the Asia-Pacific was the world's most disaster-prone region with floods, drought, typhoons, heatwaves, and earthquakes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The report mentioned that floods were the deadliest, accounting for 74.4 per cent of disaster events in the region and 88.4 per cent of total deaths globally.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When it comes to floods, last year's flood in Pakistan and its impact on the residents is notable. Reports stated that the Pakistan flood affected 33 million people and caused 1,739 deaths.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The World Weather Attribution study, which was released last year on September 15, showed "fingerprints" of climate change on this extreme monsoon rainfall in Pakistan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For the unversed, the "International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan" is being held in Geneva on January 9. It is co-hosted by the Government of Pakistan and the United Nations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to Foreign Office spokeswoman Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the conference aims to seek funding for the flood victims. Baloch further mentioned that the Conference will be co-chaired by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At her weekly media briefing, she said: "The programme will feature a high-level opening segment, where leaders will make supportive statements."&nbsp;</p>

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Officials said on Thursday (January 5) that Pakistan might seek over $16 billion at a UN conference next week for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the flood-hit regions.

Officials said on Thursday (January 5) that Pakistan might seek over $16 billion at a UN conference next week for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the flood-hit regions. The catastrophic floods reportedly caused the country a loss of about $30 billion. A United Nations report published on Wednesday highlighted that in 2022, the Asia-Pacific was the world's most disaster-prone region with floods, drought, typhoons, heatwaves, and earthquakes. The report mentioned that floods were the deadliest, accounting for 74.4 per cent of disaster events in the region and 88.4 per cent of total deaths globally. When it comes to floods, last year's flood in Pakistan and its impact on the residents is notable. Reports stated that the Pakistan flood affected 33 million people and caused 1,739 deaths. The World Weather Attribution study, which was released last year on September 15, showed "fingerprints" of climate change on this extreme monsoon rainfall in Pakistan. For the unversed, the "International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan" is being held in Geneva on January 9. It is co-hosted by the Government of Pakistan and the United Nations. According to Foreign Office spokeswoman Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the conference aims to seek funding for the flood victims. Baloch further mentioned that the Conference will be co-chaired by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. At her weekly media briefing, she said: "The programme will feature a high-level opening segment, where leaders will make supportive statements." 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.

Pakistan to seek over $16 billion at UN conference for rehabilitation after last year's flood

<p>Indian Supreme Court on Thursday stayed a Uttarakhand High Court order for the removal of encroachments from 29 acres of land claimed by the railways in Haldwani, a popular city in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Supreme Court termed it a "human issue" and said that 50,000 people cannot be uprooted overnight. The top court also asked the railways to find a practical solution to the issue.&nbsp;</p>

<p>During the hearing, a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Abhay S Oka said: "There is a human angle to it". The bench further added that there cannot be uprooting of several thousand people in seven days.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The bench said that those people must be living there for many decades and it may not be correct to say that paramilitary forces have to be deployed to remove people.&nbsp;</p>

<p>India's top court also stayed the high court's direction for the eviction of families within a week. The high court's order had also mentioned that their houses be demolished.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The petitioners had claimed that they are poor. They had also argued that they have been lawful residents of Mohalla Nai Basti and Line No 17 &amp; 18, Banbhulpura (Azad Nagar), Haldwani for more than 70 years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The bench said: "There are two aspects of the issue. One, they claim leases. Two, they say people migrated after 1947, and the lands were auctioned."&nbsp;</p>

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Indian Supreme Court on Thursday stayed a Uttarakhand High Court order for the removal of encroachments from 29 acres of land claimed by the railways in Haldwani, a popular city in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.

Indian Supreme Court on Thursday stayed a Uttarakhand High Court order for the removal of encroachments from 29 acres of land claimed by the railways in Haldwani, a popular city in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The Supreme Court termed it a "human issue" and said that 50,000 people cannot be uprooted overnight. The top court also asked the railways to find a practical solution to the issue. During the hearing, a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Abhay S Oka said: "There is a human angle to it". The bench further added that there cannot be uprooting of several thousand people in seven days. The bench said that those people must be living there for many decades and it may not be correct to say that paramilitary forces have to be deployed to remove people. India's top court also stayed the high court's direction for the eviction of families within a week. The high court's order had also mentioned that their houses be demolished. The petitioners had claimed that they are poor. They had also argued that they have been lawful residents of Mohalla Nai Basti and Line No 17 & 18, Banbhulpura (Azad Nagar), Haldwani for more than 70 years. The bench said: "There are two aspects of the issue. One, they claim leases. Two, they say people migrated after 1947, and the lands were auctioned." 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.

Haldwani: SC stays Uttarakhand HC order for removal of encroachments from Railway land

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<p>Prince Harry's comments over his military duty in Afghanistan didn't sit well with the Taliban as they have slammed the British royal for disclosing he killed 25 people.&nbsp;In his memoir, Harry made several bombshell claims regarding his relationship with his brother and father- Prince William and King Charles III.&nbsp;</p>

<p>British media has reported that in his memoir, which is to be released next week, Harry revealed the exact number of people he killed during two tours of duty.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In his book "Spare", the Duke of Sussex allegedly wrote: "My number is 25. It's not a number that fills me with satisfaction, but nor does it embarrass me." He also said that it was like removing "chess pieces" from a board.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While responding to his comments, Anas Haqqani, who is a senior Taliban leader, said, "Mr Harry! The ones you killed were not chess pieces, they were humans."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Further criticising Harry, Haqqani in his tweet accused Harry of committing "war crimes" and stated that those Harry killed were Afghans who had families.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He said: "The truth is what you've said; Our innocent people were chess pieces to your soldiers, military and political leaders. Still, you were defeated in that 'game'."&nbsp;</p>

<p>In his book, Harry also justified his actions of Afghan killings by mentioning the 9/11 attacks in the United States. He noted that he met with the families of the 9/11 victims.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The British royal served 10 years in the British military. He rose to the rank of captain. He carried out two tours of duty against the Taliban. First, he was a forward air controller calling in air strikes in 2007 and 2008, and second, he was flying an attack helicopter in 2012 and 2013.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Harry's comments are 'harmful'&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>British Army veterans said that Harry’s comments on killing Taliban are 'harmful'. Colonel Richard Kemp, a former infantry battalion commander in the British Army who served in Afghanistan, says that Prince Harry's remarks put himself and the United Kingdom in danger.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While comrades may discuss such figures privately, Col. Kemp said that raising this publicly is considered distasteful among army officers.&nbsp;</p>

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Prince Harry's comments over his military duty in Afghanistan didn't sit well with the Taliban as they have slammed the British royal for disclosing he killed 25 people.

Prince Harry's comments over his military duty in Afghanistan didn't sit well with the Taliban as they have slammed the British royal for disclosing he killed 25 people. In his memoir, Harry made several bombshell claims regarding his relationship with his brother and father- Prince William and King Charles III. British media has reported that in his memoir, which is to be released next week, Harry revealed the exact number of people he killed during two tours of duty. In his book "Spare", the Duke of Sussex allegedly wrote: "My number is 25. It's not a number that fills me with satisfaction, but nor does it embarrass me." He also said that it was like removing "chess pieces" from a board. While responding to his comments, Anas Haqqani, who is a senior Taliban leader, said, "Mr Harry! The ones you killed were not chess pieces, they were humans." Further criticising Harry, Haqqani in his tweet accused Harry of committing "war crimes" and stated that those Harry killed were Afghans who had families. He said: "The truth is what you've said; Our innocent people were chess pieces to your soldiers, military and political leaders. Still, you were defeated in that 'game'." In his book, Harry also justified his actions of Afghan killings by mentioning the 9/11 attacks in the United States. He noted that he met with the families of the 9/11 victims. The British royal served 10 years in the British military. He rose to the rank of captain. He carried out two tours of duty against the Taliban. First, he was a forward air controller calling in air strikes in 2007 and 2008, and second, he was flying an attack helicopter in 2012 and 2013. Harry's comments are 'harmful' British Army veterans said that Harry’s comments on killing Taliban are 'harmful'. Colonel Richard Kemp, a former infantry battalion commander in the British Army who served in Afghanistan, says that Prince Harry's remarks put himself and the United Kingdom in danger. While comrades may discuss such figures privately, Col. Kemp said that raising this publicly is considered distasteful among army officers. 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.

'Not chess pieces, they were humans': Taliban slam Prince Harry over Afghan killings claim

<p>A Russian hacking team known as Cold River targeted three nuclear research laboratories in the United States this past summer, according to internet records reviewed by Reuters and five cyber security experts.</p>

<p>Between August and September, as President Vladimir Putin indicated Russia would be willing to use nuclear weapons to defend its territory, Cold River targeted the Brookhaven (BNL), Argonne (ANL) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories (LLNL), according to internet records that showed the hackers creating fake login pages for each institution and emailing nuclear scientists in a bid to make them reveal their passwords.</p>

<p>Reuters was unable to determine why the labs were targeted or if any attempted intrusion was successful. A BNL spokesperson declined to comment. LLNL did not respond to a request for comment. An ANL spokesperson referred questions to the U.S. Department of Energy, which declined to comment.</p>

<p>Cold River has escalated its hacking campaign against Kyiv's allies since the invasion of Ukraine, according to cybersecurity researchers and western government officials. The digital blitz against the U.S. labs occurred as U.N. experts entered Russian-controlled Ukrainian territory to inspect Europe's biggest atomic power plant and assess the risk of what both sides said could be a devastating radiation disaster amid heavy shelling nearby.</p>

<p>Cold River, which first appeared on the radar of intelligence professionals after targeting Britain's foreign office in 2016, has been involved in dozens of other high-profile hacking incidents in recent years, according to interviews with nine cybersecurity firms. Reuters traced email accounts used in its hacking operations between 2015 and 2020 to an IT worker in the Russian city of Syktyvkar.</p>

<p>"This is one of the most important hacking groups you’ve never heard of," said Adam Meyer, senior vice president of intelligence at U.S. cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. "They are involved in directly supporting Kremlin information operations."</p>

<p>Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), the domestic security agency that also conducts espionage campaigns for Moscow, and Russia's embassy in Washington did not respond to emailed requests for comment.</p>

<p>Western officials say the Russian government is a global leader in hacking and uses cyber-espionage to spy on foreign governments and industries to seek a competitive advantage. However, Moscow has consistently denied that it carries out hacking operations.</p>

<p>Reuters showed its findings to five industry experts who confirmed the involvement of Cold River in the attempted nuclear labs hacks, based on shared digital fingerprints that researchers have historically tied to the group.</p>

<p>The U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) declined to comment on Cold River's activities. Britain's Global Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), its NSA equivalent, did not comment. The foreign office declined to comment.</p>

<p><strong>'INTELLIGENCE COLLECTION'</strong></p>

<p>In May, Cold River broke into and leaked emails belonging to the former head of Britain's MI6 spy service. That was just one of several 'hack and leak' operations last year by Russia-linked hackers in which confidential communications were made public in Britain, Poland and Latvia, according to cybersecurity experts and Eastern European security officials.</p>

<p>In another recent espionage operation targeting critics of Moscow, Cold River registered domain names designed to imitate at least three European NGOs investigating war crimes, according to French cybersecurity firm SEKOIA.IO.</p>

<p>The NGO-related hacking attempts occurred just before and after the October 18 launch of a report by a U.N. independent commission of enquiry that found Russian forces were responsible for the "vast majority" of human rights violations in the early weeks of the Ukraine war, which Russia has called a special military operation.</p>

<p>In a blog post, SEKOIA.IO said that, based on its targeting of the NGOs, Cold River was seeking to contribute to "Russian intelligence collection about identiﬁed war crime-related evidence and/or international justice procedures." Reuters was unable independently to confirm why Cold River targeted the NGOs.</p>

<p>The Commission for International Justice and Accountability (CIJA), a nonprofit founded by a veteran war crimes investigator, said it had been repeatedly targeted by Russian-backed hackers in the past eight years without success. The other two NGOs, the International Center of Nonviolent Conflict and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, did not respond to requests for comment.</p>

<p>Russia's embassy in Washington did not return a request seeking comment about the attempted hack against CIJA.</p>

<p>Cold River has employed tactics such as tricking people into entering their usernames and passwords on fake websites to gain access to their computer systems, security researchers told Reuters. To do this, Cold River has used a variety of email accounts to register domain names such as "goo-link[.]online" and "online365-office[.]com" which at a glance look similar to legitimate services operated by firms like Google and Microsoft, the security researchers said.</p>

<p><strong>DEEP TIES TO RUSSIA </strong></p>

<p>Cold River made several missteps in recent years that allowed cybersecurity analysts to pinpoint the exact location and identity of one of its members, providing the clearest indication yet of the group's Russian origin, according to experts from Internet giant Google, British defense contractor BAE, and U.S. intelligence firm Nisos.</p>

<p>Multiple personal email addresses used to set up Cold River missions belong to Andrey Korinets, a 35-year-old IT worker and bodybuilder in Syktyvkar, about 1,600 km (1,000 miles) northeast of Moscow. Usage of these accounts left a trail of digital evidence from different hacks back to Korinets' online life, including social media accounts and personal websites.</p>

<p>Billy Leonard, a Security Engineer on Google's Threat Analysis Group who investigates nation state hacking, said Korinets was involved. "Google has tied this individual to the Russian hacking group Cold River and their early operations," he said.</p>

<p>Vincas Ciziunas, a security researcher at Nisos who also connected Korinets' email addresses to Cold River activity, said the IT worker appeared to be a "central figure" in the Syktyvkar hacking community, historically. Ciziunas discovered a series of Russian language internet forums, including an eZine, where Korinets had discussed hacking, and shared those posts with Reuters.</p>

<p>Korinets confirmed that he owned the relevant email accounts in an interview with Reuters but he denied any knowledge of Cold River. He said his only experience with hacking came years ago when he was fined by a Russian court over a computer crime committed during a business dispute with a former customer.</p>

<p>Reuters was able separately to confirm Korinets' links to Cold River by using data compiled through cybersecurity research platforms Constella Intelligence and DomainTools, which help identify the owners of websites: the data showed that Korinets' email addresses registered numerous websites used in Cold River hacking campaigns between 2015 and 2020.</p>

<p>It is unclear whether Korinets has been involved in hacking operations since 2020. He offered no explanation of why these email addresses were used and did not respond to further phone calls and emailed questions.</p>

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A Russian hacking team known as Cold River targeted three nuclear research laboratories in the United States this past summer, according to internet records reviewed by Reuters and five cyber security experts.

A Russian hacking team known as Cold River targeted three nuclear research laboratories in the United States this past summer, according to internet records reviewed by Reuters and five cyber security experts. Between August and September, as President Vladimir Putin indicated Russia would be willing to use nuclear weapons to defend its territory, Cold River targeted the Brookhaven (BNL), Argonne (ANL) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories (LLNL), according to internet records that showed the hackers creating fake login pages for each institution and emailing nuclear scientists in a bid to make them reveal their passwords. Reuters was unable to determine why the labs were targeted or if any attempted intrusion was successful. A BNL spokesperson declined to comment. LLNL did not respond to a request for comment. An ANL spokesperson referred questions to the U.S. Department of Energy, which declined to comment. Cold River has escalated its hacking campaign against Kyiv's allies since the invasion of Ukraine, according to cybersecurity researchers and western government officials. The digital blitz against the U.S. labs occurred as U.N. experts entered Russian-controlled Ukrainian territory to inspect Europe's biggest atomic power plant and assess the risk of what both sides said could be a devastating radiation disaster amid heavy shelling nearby. Cold River, which first appeared on the radar of intelligence professionals after targeting Britain's foreign office in 2016, has been involved in dozens of other high-profile hacking incidents in recent years, according to interviews with nine cybersecurity firms. Reuters traced email accounts used in its hacking operations between 2015 and 2020 to an IT worker in the Russian city of Syktyvkar. "This is one of the most important hacking groups you’ve never heard of," said Adam Meyer, senior vice president of intelligence at U.S. cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. "They are involved in directly supporting Kremlin information operations." Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), the domestic security agency that also conducts espionage campaigns for Moscow, and Russia's embassy in Washington did not respond to emailed requests for comment. Western officials say the Russian government is a global leader in hacking and uses cyber-espionage to spy on foreign governments and industries to seek a competitive advantage. However, Moscow has consistently denied that it carries out hacking operations. Reuters showed its findings to five industry experts who confirmed the involvement of Cold River in the attempted nuclear labs hacks, based on shared digital fingerprints that researchers have historically tied to the group. The U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) declined to comment on Cold River's activities. Britain's Global Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), its NSA equivalent, did not comment. The foreign office declined to comment. 'INTELLIGENCE COLLECTION' In May, Cold River broke into and leaked emails belonging to the former head of Britain's MI6 spy service. That was just one of several 'hack and leak' operations last year by Russia-linked hackers in which confidential communications were made public in Britain, Poland and Latvia, according to cybersecurity experts and Eastern European security officials. In another recent espionage operation targeting critics of Moscow, Cold River registered domain names designed to imitate at least three European NGOs investigating war crimes, according to French cybersecurity firm SEKOIA.IO. The NGO-related hacking attempts occurred just before and after the October 18 launch of a report by a U.N. independent commission of enquiry that found Russian forces were responsible for the "vast majority" of human rights violations in the early weeks of the Ukraine war, which Russia has called a special military operation. In a blog post, SEKOIA.IO said that, based on its targeting of the NGOs, Cold River was seeking to contribute to "Russian intelligence collection about identiﬁed war crime-related evidence and/or international justice procedures." Reuters was unable independently to confirm why Cold River targeted the NGOs. The Commission for International Justice and Accountability (CIJA), a nonprofit founded by a veteran war crimes investigator, said it had been repeatedly targeted by Russian-backed hackers in the past eight years without success. The other two NGOs, the International Center of Nonviolent Conflict and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, did not respond to requests for comment. Russia's embassy in Washington did not return a request seeking comment about the attempted hack against CIJA. Cold River has employed tactics such as tricking people into entering their usernames and passwords on fake websites to gain access to their computer systems, security researchers told Reuters. To do this, Cold River has used a variety of email accounts to register domain names such as "goo-link[.]online" and "online365-office[.]com" which at a glance look similar to legitimate services operated by firms like Google and Microsoft, the security researchers said. DEEP TIES TO RUSSIA Cold River made several missteps in recent years that allowed cybersecurity analysts to pinpoint the exact location and identity of one of its members, providing the clearest indication yet of the group's Russian origin, according to experts from Internet giant Google, British defense contractor BAE, and U.S. intelligence firm Nisos. Multiple personal email addresses used to set up Cold River missions belong to Andrey Korinets, a 35-year-old IT worker and bodybuilder in Syktyvkar, about 1,600 km (1,000 miles) northeast of Moscow. Usage of these accounts left a trail of digital evidence from different hacks back to Korinets' online life, including social media accounts and personal websites. Billy Leonard, a Security Engineer on Google's Threat Analysis Group who investigates nation state hacking, said Korinets was involved. "Google has tied this individual to the Russian hacking group Cold River and their early operations," he said. Vincas Ciziunas, a security researcher at Nisos who also connected Korinets' email addresses to Cold River activity, said the IT worker appeared to be a "central figure" in the Syktyvkar hacking community, historically. Ciziunas discovered a series of Russian language internet forums, including an eZine, where Korinets had discussed hacking, and shared those posts with Reuters. Korinets confirmed that he owned the relevant email accounts in an interview with Reuters but he denied any knowledge of Cold River. He said his only experience with hacking came years ago when he was fined by a Russian court over a computer crime committed during a business dispute with a former customer. Reuters was able separately to confirm Korinets' links to Cold River by using data compiled through cybersecurity research platforms Constella Intelligence and DomainTools, which help identify the owners of websites: the data showed that Korinets' email addresses registered numerous websites used in Cold River hacking campaigns between 2015 and 2020. It is unclear whether Korinets has been involved in hacking operations since 2020. He offered no explanation of why these email addresses were used and did not respond to further phone calls and emailed questions. 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 hackers targeted US nuclear scientists

<p>Interpol announced on Thursday (January 5) that one of "the world's most wanted" human traffickers—identified as Kidane Zekarias Habtemariam—was arrested in Sudan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The world organisation that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and crime control noted that the Eritrean national was detained after an international manhunt led by the United Arab Emirates.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a release published on Thursday, Interpol said that the notorious migrant smuggler is known for his particularly cruel and violent treatment of migrants.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Two Interpol&nbsp;Red Notices were issued for Habtemariam by Ethiopia and the Netherlands for migrant smuggling, human trafficking and other related crimes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The statement&nbsp;also mentioned that he is wanted for heading a major criminal organisation behind the kidnapping, extortion and murder of East African migrants.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">🚨 MAJOR ARREST: A notorious migrant smuggler, known for his particularly cruel &amp; violent treatment of migrants, has been arrested in Sudan 🇸🇩 thanks to swift action by the United Arab Emirates 🇦🇪.<br />
<br />
Find out how it happened 👇<a href="https://t.co/yYOzxwbKyc">https://t.co/yYOzxwbKyc</a> <a href="https://t.co/o6Nu4WaRkK">pic.twitter.com/o6Nu4WaRkK</a></p>
— INTERPOL (@INTERPOL_HQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/INTERPOL_HQ/status/1611021315674177537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Saeed Abdullah al-Suwaidi, who is the UAE's Federal Anti-Narcotics General Directorate, said in a separate statement cited by Interpol: "Thanks to the professionalism and dedication of our police officers, the world's most wanted human trafficker will no longer be able to commit his despicable actions."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Interpol's Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Migrants unit gathered intelligence in March 2022, which prompted a task force meeting with participants from Ethiopia, Sudan, The Netherlands, UAE, Europol and Regional Operational Centre in support of the Khartoum process and the African Union Horn of Africa Initiative (ROCK).&nbsp;</p>

<p>The release also highlighted how the officers explored analytical gaps, that helped them close in on the fugitive and his associates.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Stephen Kavanagh, the Interpol Executive Director of Police Services said that this is a testament to the Interpol network and what can be achieved when countries work together.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kavanagh said, "In today's world, it is quite simply the only way to stop criminals whose repeated cruelty strips people of their dignity. More than ever, we are committed to identifying all of the members in this smuggling ring, and any others that viciously exploit people seeking a better life."&nbsp;</p>

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Interpol announced on Thursday (January 5) that one of "the world's most wanted" human traffickers—identified as Kidane Zekarias Habtemariam—was arrested in Sudan.

Interpol announced on Thursday (January 5) that one of "the world's most wanted" human traffickers—identified as Kidane Zekarias Habtemariam—was arrested in Sudan. The world organisation that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and crime control noted that the Eritrean national was detained after an international manhunt led by the United Arab Emirates. In a release published on Thursday, Interpol said that the notorious migrant smuggler is known for his particularly cruel and violent treatment of migrants. Two Interpol Red Notices were issued for Habtemariam by Ethiopia and the Netherlands for migrant smuggling, human trafficking and other related crimes. The statement also mentioned that he is wanted for heading a major criminal organisation behind the kidnapping, extortion and murder of East African migrants. 🚨 MAJOR ARREST: A notorious migrant smuggler, known for his particularly cruel & violent treatment of migrants, has been arrested in Sudan 🇸🇩 thanks to swift action by the United Arab Emirates 🇦🇪. Find out how it happened 👇https://t.co/yYOzxwbKyc pic.twitter.com/o6Nu4WaRkK — INTERPOL (@INTERPOL_HQ) January 5, 2023 × Saeed Abdullah al-Suwaidi, who is the UAE's Federal Anti-Narcotics General Directorate, said in a separate statement cited by Interpol: "Thanks to the professionalism and dedication of our police officers, the world's most wanted human trafficker will no longer be able to commit his despicable actions." Interpol's Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Migrants unit gathered intelligence in March 2022, which prompted a task force meeting with participants from Ethiopia, Sudan, The Netherlands, UAE, Europol and Regional Operational Centre in support of the Khartoum process and the African Union Horn of Africa Initiative (ROCK). The release also highlighted how the officers explored analytical gaps, that helped them close in on the fugitive and his associates. Stephen Kavanagh, the Interpol Executive Director of Police Services said that this is a testament to the Interpol network and what can be achieved when countries work together. Kavanagh said, "In today's world, it is quite simply the only way to stop criminals whose repeated cruelty strips people of their dignity. More than ever, we are committed to identifying all of the members in this smuggling ring, and any others that viciously exploit people seeking a better life." 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.

Interpol says it arrested 'world's most wanted human trafficker'

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<p><strong><em>Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.&nbsp;</em></strong></p>

<p>The deputy head of Ukraine's presidential administration said that the city of Kramatorsk, which is in eastern Ukraine, reported fresh Russian strikes on Friday (January 6). The reported strikes came after the supposed start of a unilateral Russian ceasefire.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kyrylo Tymoshenko said on social media that the "occupiers hit the city with rockets twice". Tymoshenko further added that a residential building had been hit but there were no victims.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The news agency AFP also reported that their journalists heard both outgoing and incoming shelling in the frontline city of Bakhmut, which is in eastern Ukraine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per the agency report, the artillery fire was lighter than it has been in recent days. The streets of the impacted region were mostly empty because of the previous bombings. Some military vehicles were said to be present.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the Russian news agency TASS reported that Ukraine shelled Donetsk exactly when the ceasefire came into effect. The Donetsk People's Republic's (DPR) mission to the Joint Control and Coordination Center on issues related to Ukraine's war crimes (JCCC) reported on Friday that the fire came from 155 mm NATO artillery guns.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On its Telegram channel, the mission said, "Six shells of 155 mm caliber were fired."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch this report:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday a temporary ceasefire during Orthodox Christmas. It was supposed to have taken effect in Ukraine at 0900 GMT on Friday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, Ukraine dismissed the ceasefire and told Russia to keep the "hypocrisy to yourself". Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said that Russia "must leave the occupied territories - only then will it have a 'temporary truce'".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier, Ukraine several times dismissed rumours regarding the ceasefire, terming it as a strategy by Russia to gain time to regroup its forces and bolster its defences.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After Putin's recent order, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the unilateral ceasefire "cannot and should not be taken seriously".&nbsp;</p>

<p>United States President Joe Biden was also equally dismissive. He said, "He was ready to bomb hospitals and nurseries and churches" on December 25 and on New Year's Day".&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I think he's trying to find some oxygen," Biden added.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

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Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. The deputy head of Ukraine's presidential administration said that the city of Kramatorsk, which is in eastern Ukraine, reported fresh Russian strikes on Friday (January 6). The reported strikes came after the supposed start of a unilateral Russian ceasefire. Kyrylo Tymoshenko said on social media that the "occupiers hit the city with rockets twice". Tymoshenko further added that a residential building had been hit but there were no victims. The news agency AFP also reported that their journalists heard both outgoing and incoming shelling in the frontline city of Bakhmut, which is in eastern Ukraine. As per the agency report, the artillery fire was lighter than it has been in recent days. The streets of the impacted region were mostly empty because of the previous bombings. Some military vehicles were said to be present. Meanwhile, the Russian news agency TASS reported that Ukraine shelled Donetsk exactly when the ceasefire came into effect. The Donetsk People's Republic's (DPR) mission to the Joint Control and Coordination Center on issues related to Ukraine's war crimes (JCCC) reported on Friday that the fire came from 155 mm NATO artillery guns. On its Telegram channel, the mission said, "Six shells of 155 mm caliber were fired." Watch this report: × Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday a temporary ceasefire during Orthodox Christmas. It was supposed to have taken effect in Ukraine at 0900 GMT on Friday. However, Ukraine dismissed the ceasefire and told Russia to keep the "hypocrisy to yourself". Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said that Russia "must leave the occupied territories - only then will it have a 'temporary truce'". Earlier, Ukraine several times dismissed rumours regarding the ceasefire, terming it as a strategy by Russia to gain time to regroup its forces and bolster its defences. After Putin's recent order, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the unilateral ceasefire "cannot and should not be taken seriously". United States President Joe Biden was also equally dismissive. He said, "He was ready to bomb hospitals and nurseries and churches" on December 25 and on New Year's Day". "I think he's trying to find some oxygen," Biden added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Ukraine reports fresh strikes as Putin's unilateral ceasefire starts

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<p><strong><em>Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.</em></strong></p>

<p>Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a ceasefire in Ukraine on January 6 to 7, the news agency AFP reported citing Kremlin, but Ukraine has called the declaration a "hypocrisy". The report mentioned that the decision comes on the eve of Orthodox Christmas following a request from Russia's spiritual leader Patriarch Kirill.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Notably, Russia's Orthodox Church observes Christmas on January 7. But owing to the ongoing&nbsp;war, many Ukrainians this year celebrated Christmas on December 25—similar to the West—and Ukraine's main Orthodox Church rejected the authority of the Moscow patriarch.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Kremlin said in a statement: "Taking into account the appeal of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, I (Putin) instruct the defence minister of the Russian Federation to introduce from 12:00 (0900 GMT) on January 6, 2023 until 24:00 (2100 GMT) on January 7, 2023 a ceasefire along the entire line of contact between the sides in Ukraine."&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the order, Putin said that "proceeding from the fact that a large number of citizens professing Orthodoxy live in the areas of hostilities, we call on the Ukrainian side to declare a ceasefire and allow them to attend services on Christmas Eve, as well as on Christmas Day."&nbsp;</p>

<p>While responding to the temporary ceasefire, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said that Russia "must leave the occupied territories -- only then will it have a 'temporary truce'. On his official Twitter account, Podolyak said to keep "hypocrisy to yourself."&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">First. Ukraine doesn't attack foreign territory &amp; doesn't kill civilians. As RF does. Ukraine destroys only members of the occupation army on its territory...<br />
Second. RF must leave the occupied territories - only then will it have a "temporary truce". Keep hypocrisy to yourself.</p>
— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) <a href="https://twitter.com/Podolyak_M/status/1611028379771482118?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>WATCH | Why is Russia sending more Arctic oil to India &amp; China?</strong></p>

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<p>Earlier in the day, Putin and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke to Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan in separate phone calls. As the world expects the war to end, both leaders made it clear that there would be no peace talks between them any time soon.&nbsp;</p>

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Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a ceasefire in Ukraine on January 6 to 7, the news agency AFP reported citing Kremlin, but Ukraine has called the declaration a "hypocrisy". The report mentioned that the decision comes on the eve of Orthodox Christmas following a request from Russia's spiritual leader Patriarch Kirill. Notably, Russia's Orthodox Church observes Christmas on January 7. But owing to the ongoing war, many Ukrainians this year celebrated Christmas on December 25—similar to the West—and Ukraine's main Orthodox Church rejected the authority of the Moscow patriarch. The Kremlin said in a statement: "Taking into account the appeal of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, I (Putin) instruct the defence minister of the Russian Federation to introduce from 12:00 (0900 GMT) on January 6, 2023 until 24:00 (2100 GMT) on January 7, 2023 a ceasefire along the entire line of contact between the sides in Ukraine." In the order, Putin said that "proceeding from the fact that a large number of citizens professing Orthodoxy live in the areas of hostilities, we call on the Ukrainian side to declare a ceasefire and allow them to attend services on Christmas Eve, as well as on Christmas Day." While responding to the temporary ceasefire, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said that Russia "must leave the occupied territories -- only then will it have a 'temporary truce'. On his official Twitter account, Podolyak said to keep "hypocrisy to yourself." First. Ukraine doesn't attack foreign territory & doesn't kill civilians. As RF does. Ukraine destroys only members of the occupation army on its territory... Second. RF must leave the occupied territories - only then will it have a "temporary truce". Keep hypocrisy to yourself. — Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) January 5, 2023 × WATCH | Why is Russia sending more Arctic oil to India & China? × Earlier in the day, Putin and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke to Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan in separate phone calls. As the world expects the war to end, both leaders made it clear that there would be no peace talks between them any time soon. 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.

Russia-Ukraine war: Putin offers Orthodox Christmas truce, Ukraine rejects it as 'hypocrisy'

<p>India has blasted Pakistan over Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto's provocative comments on Kashmir. Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of India's Ministry of External Affairs, said on Thursday (January 5), that India has several times reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir is an "inalienable and integral" part of the country. Bagchi was responding to a query on Sharif&nbsp;writing&nbsp;on his official Twitter handle that "peace" and "development" in South Asia are linked to the resolution of the "Kashmir dispute".&nbsp;</p>

<p>From a rise in terrorism to&nbsp;economic challenges, Pakistan is facing multiple crises currently, and instead of focusing on his nation's dire situation, the Pakistani prime minister said that India "must reverse" its actions of August 5, referring to the revocation of the special status of J&amp;K, which took place in 2019 following the removal of Article 370 and Article 35A.&nbsp;</p>

<p>During a press briefing, Bagchi said, "We've reiterated multiple times that J&amp;K is an inalienable and integral part of India. Article 370 is entirely a matter of India as well as our Constitution and it's a sovereign matter. We don't see what their locus is on this and so such interference does not help at all and it does not succeed."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch his address here:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>This is not the first time when Pakistan leadership has tried to wade into Kashmir issue, Shehbaz had also launched an anti-India tirade at the 77th session of UNGA last year when he was urging for help after the unprecedented floods in Pakistan and their disastrous impact on the residents.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But he then switched to Kashmir and said that "sustainable peace and stability in South Asia, however, remains contingent upon a just and lasting solution to Jammu &amp; Kashmir dispute."</p>

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India has blasted Pakistan over Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto's provocative comments on Kashmir. Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of India's Ministry of External Affairs, said on Thursday (January 5), that India has several times reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir is an "inalienable and integral" part of the country.

India has blasted Pakistan over Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto's provocative comments on Kashmir. Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of India's Ministry of External Affairs, said on Thursday (January 5), that India has several times reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir is an "inalienable and integral" part of the country. Bagchi was responding to a query on Sharif writing on his official Twitter handle that "peace" and "development" in South Asia are linked to the resolution of the "Kashmir dispute". From a rise in terrorism to economic challenges, Pakistan is facing multiple crises currently, and instead of focusing on his nation's dire situation, the Pakistani prime minister said that India "must reverse" its actions of August 5, referring to the revocation of the special status of J&K, which took place in 2019 following the removal of Article 370 and Article 35A. During a press briefing, Bagchi said, "We've reiterated multiple times that J&K is an inalienable and integral part of India. Article 370 is entirely a matter of India as well as our Constitution and it's a sovereign matter. We don't see what their locus is on this and so such interference does not help at all and it does not succeed." Watch his address here: × This is not the first time when Pakistan leadership has tried to wade into Kashmir issue, Shehbaz had also launched an anti-India tirade at the 77th session of UNGA last year when he was urging for help after the unprecedented floods in Pakistan and their disastrous impact on the residents. But he then switched to Kashmir and said that "sustainable peace and stability in South Asia, however, remains contingent upon a just and lasting solution to Jammu & Kashmir dispute." 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.

WATCH: India slams Pakistan over PM Shehbaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto's remarks on Kashmir

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