<p>In a passionate speech,&nbsp;Senator Cory&nbsp;Booker&nbsp;- the only African-American&nbsp;senator on the&nbsp;Senate Judiciary Committee, praised&nbsp;Supreme&nbsp;Court&nbsp;nominee&nbsp;Ketanji Brown&nbsp;Jackson, recalling the historical significance of&nbsp;her&nbsp;nomination and enthusiastically endorsing&nbsp;her&nbsp;candidacy.</p>

<p>As he spoke about&nbsp;her&nbsp;family and listed&nbsp;her&nbsp;career highlights, from Harvard Law School, to editor of the law review, to&nbsp;her&nbsp;legal internships, years as a public proseuctor, federal district judge and federal appellate judge,&nbsp;Booker&nbsp;beamed, saying he was embarrassed by the intense questioning by Republican&nbsp;senators and said he felt intense joy as he thought about&nbsp;her&nbsp;nomination.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-faith-are-you-asks-republican-graham-to-ketanji-brown-jackson-in-senate-hearing-464910">Republican Lindsey Graham draws flak after asking Ketanji Brown Jackson's religion during Senate hearing</a></strong></p>

<p>"I look at you, this is why I get emotional. I'm sorry. You're a person who is so much more than your race and gender," he said, as&nbsp;Jackson&nbsp;wiped away&nbsp;tears. "I see my ancestors and yours. Nobody is going to steal the joy of that woman in the street, or the calls that I'm getting or the texts. Nobody is going to steal that joy. You have earned this spot. You are worthy. You are a great American."</p>

<p>"It's not going to stop. They're going to accuse you of this and that. Heck, in honor of your person who shares your birthday (referring to former New York state&nbsp;senator Constance Baker Motley), you might be called a communist. But don't worry my sister. Don't worry. God has got you. And how do I know that?&nbsp;Because you're&nbsp;here and I know what it's taken for you to sit in that seat," he said.</p>

<p>Booker&nbsp;then compared&nbsp;Jackson&nbsp;to Harriet Tubman, a 19th-century escaped slave who risked&nbsp;her&nbsp;life to lead other&nbsp;slaves to freedom, saying&nbsp;Jackson&nbsp;was his "harbinger of hope."</p>

<p><strong>Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/first-black-woman-eyed-for-us-supreme-court-vows-to-uphold-democracy-be-independent-if-confirmed-464539">&nbsp;First black woman eyed for US supreme court vows to uphold democracy, be independent, if confirmed</a></strong></p>

<p>"I thought about&nbsp;her&nbsp;and how she looked up, she kept looking up. No matter what they did to&nbsp;her, she never stopped looking up. And that star, it was a harbinger of hope. Today, you are my star.&nbsp;You are my harbinger of hope&nbsp;This country is getting better and better and better. And when that final vote happens and you ascend onto the highest&nbsp;court&nbsp;of the land, I'm going to rejoice. And I'm going to tell you right now: the greatest country in the world, the United States of America will be better because of you. Thank you."</p>

<p>Jackson&nbsp;quietly responded, "Thank you," before the hearing took a short recess, before wrapping up&nbsp;her&nbsp;hearing Wednesday (March 23) night.</p>

<p>Outside experts scheduled for Thursday's final day of the hearing.</p>

<p>If confirmed,&nbsp;Jackson&nbsp;would be the 116th justice to serve on the high&nbsp;court, the sixth woman and the third Black person. With&nbsp;Jackson&nbsp;on the bench, the&nbsp;court&nbsp;for the first time would have four women and two Black justices.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;US President Joe Biden arrives in Brussels, tighter sanctions against Russia likely</strong></p>

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In a passionate speech, Senator Cory Booker - the only African-American senator on the Senate Judiciary Committee, praised Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, recalling the historical significance of her nomination and enthusiastically endorsing her candidacy.

In a passionate speech, Senator Cory Booker - the only African-American senator on the Senate Judiciary Committee, praised Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, recalling the historical significance of her nomination and enthusiastically endorsing her candidacy. As he spoke about her family and listed her career highlights, from Harvard Law School, to editor of the law review, to her legal internships, years as a public proseuctor, federal district judge and federal appellate judge, Booker beamed, saying he was embarrassed by the intense questioning by Republican senators and said he felt intense joy as he thought about her nomination. Also read | Republican Lindsey Graham draws flak after asking Ketanji Brown Jackson's religion during Senate hearing "I look at you, this is why I get emotional. I'm sorry. You're a person who is so much more than your race and gender," he said, as Jackson wiped away tears. "I see my ancestors and yours. Nobody is going to steal the joy of that woman in the street, or the calls that I'm getting or the texts. Nobody is going to steal that joy. You have earned this spot. You are worthy. You are a great American." "It's not going to stop. They're going to accuse you of this and that. Heck, in honor of your person who shares your birthday (referring to former New York state senator Constance Baker Motley), you might be called a communist. But don't worry my sister. Don't worry. God has got you. And how do I know that? Because you're here and I know what it's taken for you to sit in that seat," he said. Booker then compared Jackson to Harriet Tubman, a 19th-century escaped slave who risked her life to lead other slaves to freedom, saying Jackson was his "harbinger of hope." Also read | First black woman eyed for US supreme court vows to uphold democracy, be independent, if confirmed "I thought about her and how she looked up, she kept looking up. No matter what they did to her, she never stopped looking up. And that star, it was a harbinger of hope. Today, you are my star. You are my harbinger of hope This country is getting better and better and better. And when that final vote happens and you ascend onto the highest court of the land, I'm going to rejoice. And I'm going to tell you right now: the greatest country in the world, the United States of America will be better because of you. Thank you." Jackson quietly responded, "Thank you," before the hearing took a short recess, before wrapping up her hearing Wednesday (March 23) night. Outside experts scheduled for Thursday's final day of the hearing. If confirmed, Jackson would be the 116th justice to serve on the high court, the sixth woman and the third Black person. With Jackson on the bench, the court for the first time would have four women and two Black justices. Watch | US President Joe Biden arrives in Brussels, tighter sanctions against Russia likely

Supreme Court nominee Jackson moved to tears as Sen. Booker tells her 'You are my harbinger of hope'

<p>The United States urged&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka&nbsp;on Wednesday to&nbsp;end&nbsp;detentions&nbsp;under its draconian anti-terror laws and ensure&nbsp;justice&nbsp;for wartime atrocities.</p>

<p>Sri&nbsp;Lanka's&nbsp;rights&nbsp;record has drawn the ire of the international community with Colombo accused of carrying out war-time atrocities against its Tamil minority during the decades-long civil war that ended in 2009.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Under pressure from the European Union -- which threatened to revoke the country's favourable trade status --&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka's parliament on Tuesday amended its controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) but opposition lawmakers have said the changes will not stop abuses under the law.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lankas-economic-crisis-as-peoples-patience-runs-out-top-leadership-play-blame-game-464945">Sri Lanka’s economic crisis: As people’s patience runs out, top leadership play blame game</a></strong></p>

<p>On Wednesday, US under secretary for political affairs, Victoria Nuland stressed "the importance of the non-governmental sector, journalists and civil society, and ending surveillance, ending detention (under the PTA) and ending harassment," after talks with local leaders in capital Colombo.</p>

<p>Her remarks came a day after Colombo reduced detention without judicial supervision under the PTA from 18 to 12 months.</p>

<p>"We commend the first steps... particularly the amendments passed yesterday to the PTA and the release of soft prisoners," she said.</p>

<p>"There is more to do."</p>

<p>As many as 78 Tamil prisoners are behind bars under the act without being formally charged, some of them for more than three decades.</p>

<p>Rights&nbsp;activists have also said they face increasing pressure from security authorities while many journalists have complained of attacks and intimidation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Nuland arrived in&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka&nbsp;on Tuesday night on a brief overnight visit after travelling to Bangladesh and India.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/amid-economic-crisis-in-the-island-nation-6-sri-lankan-nationals-illegally-enter-india-via-boat-464747">&nbsp;Amid economic crisis in the island nation, 6 Sri Lankan nationals illegally enter India via boat</a></strong></p>

<p>She said improving&nbsp;human rights&nbsp;will ease cooperation around security between Washington and Colombo.</p>

<p>"As you take those steps (to&nbsp;improve&nbsp;rights), it will open even more space for our partnership, particularly in the security arena," she said.</p>

<p>The US called for a credible investigation before the UN&nbsp;Human Rights&nbsp;Council into allegations that&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka's military killed at least 40,000 Tamil civilians in the final stages of the war.</p>

<p>Colombo has denied killing any civilians and resisted calls for an independent probe.</p>

<p>Nuland also said that Washington was willing to provide unspecified help as Colombo seeks an IMF seeking bailout to ease its worst economic crisis since independence from Britain in 1948.</p>

<p>Protests have erupted in the country with people lining up for hours for food, fuel and medicines with Colombo short of dollars to finance critical imports.</p>

<p>"As you roll up your sleeves and do the hard work to strengthen and heal the economy here, the United States will be your partner," she said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Sri Lanka deploys army at fuel stations amid the ongoing Dollar crunch</strong></p>

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The United States urged Sri Lanka on Wednesday to end detentions under its draconian anti-terror laws and ensure justice for wartime atrocities. Sri Lanka's rights record has drawn the ire of the international community with Colombo accused of carrying out war-time atrocities against its Tamil minority during the decades-long civil war that ended in 2009.

The United States urged Sri Lanka on Wednesday to end detentions under its draconian anti-terror laws and ensure justice for wartime atrocities. Sri Lanka's rights record has drawn the ire of the international community with Colombo accused of carrying out war-time atrocities against its Tamil minority during the decades-long civil war that ended in 2009. Under pressure from the European Union -- which threatened to revoke the country's favourable trade status -- Sri Lanka's parliament on Tuesday amended its controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) but opposition lawmakers have said the changes will not stop abuses under the law. Also read | Sri Lanka’s economic crisis: As people’s patience runs out, top leadership play blame game On Wednesday, US under secretary for political affairs, Victoria Nuland stressed "the importance of the non-governmental sector, journalists and civil society, and ending surveillance, ending detention (under the PTA) and ending harassment," after talks with local leaders in capital Colombo. Her remarks came a day after Colombo reduced detention without judicial supervision under the PTA from 18 to 12 months. "We commend the first steps... particularly the amendments passed yesterday to the PTA and the release of soft prisoners," she said. "There is more to do." As many as 78 Tamil prisoners are behind bars under the act without being formally charged, some of them for more than three decades. Rights activists have also said they face increasing pressure from security authorities while many journalists have complained of attacks and intimidation. Nuland arrived in Sri Lanka on Tuesday night on a brief overnight visit after travelling to Bangladesh and India. Also read | Amid economic crisis in the island nation, 6 Sri Lankan nationals illegally enter India via boat She said improving human rights will ease cooperation around security between Washington and Colombo. "As you take those steps (to improve rights), it will open even more space for our partnership, particularly in the security arena," she said. The US called for a credible investigation before the UN Human Rights Council into allegations that Sri Lanka's military killed at least 40,000 Tamil civilians in the final stages of the war. Colombo has denied killing any civilians and resisted calls for an independent probe. Nuland also said that Washington was willing to provide unspecified help as Colombo seeks an IMF seeking bailout to ease its worst economic crisis since independence from Britain in 1948. Protests have erupted in the country with people lining up for hours for food, fuel and medicines with Colombo short of dollars to finance critical imports. "As you roll up your sleeves and do the hard work to strengthen and heal the economy here, the United States will be your partner," she said. Watch | Sri Lanka deploys army at fuel stations amid the ongoing Dollar crunch

US asks Sri Lanka to end detentions, improve rights

<p>The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict has caused mass destruction with civilians feeling Ukrainian cities to save their lives. The situation continues to deteriorate, with bombing and shelling by the Russian military.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the latest development, a Russian journalist named Oksana Baulina was killed during shelling. She was working for the investigative news outlet The Insider and was killed when Russian troops shelled a residential neighbourhood in the Ukrainian capital.</p>

<p>Since the conflict began a month ago on February 24, at least five journalists have died while covering the Russian invasion. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-to-provide-6000-missiles-to-ukraine-germany-says-further-strela-missiles-on-way-to-kyiv-465032">UK to provide 6,000 missiles to Ukraine; Germany says further Strela missiles on way to Kyiv</a></strong></p>

<p>On Wednesday (March 23), the media outlet on its website said, "Insider journalist Oksana Baulina died during a bombardment in Kyiv while carrying out an editorial assignment ... another civilian died with her."&nbsp;</p>

<p>The outlet, whose editorial offices are based in Latvia, in its statement also noted that during the shelling, another civilian was also killed alongside Baulina and two other people were wounded.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Important to note that Baulina previously also worked for Russian opposition leader Navalny's anti-corruption group. She had worked for Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation until it was declared an extremist organisation last year.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-ukraine-invasion-russia-intesifies-crackdown-on-media-464863">Imprisonment of up to 15 years? Amid Ukraine invasion, Russia intensifies crackdown on media</a></strong></p>

<p>Navalny's arrest had prompted her to leave the country and focus on reporting on corruption in Russia for The Insider, the news outlet said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The Insider expresses its deepest condolences to Oksana's family and friends," it said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sergiy Tomilenko, head of the Ukrainian journalists' union, confirmed the death in a statement on Facebook, saying that Baulina was reporting on the aftermath of shelling when she was hit by fresh fire.</p>

<p>As per a report by The Guardian, the 42-year-old Baulina began her career working for lifestyle magazines including Time Out Moscow and In Style.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But after a decade she shifted to more political work and became a producer for Alexander Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | Conflict in Ukraine affect oil supplies, price increases take toll on businesses</strong></p>

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The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict has caused mass destruction with civilians feeling Ukrainian cities to save their lives. The situation continues to deteriorate, with bombing and shelling by the Russian military.

The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict has caused mass destruction with civilians feeling Ukrainian cities to save their lives. The situation continues to deteriorate, with bombing and shelling by the Russian military. In the latest development, a Russian journalist named Oksana Baulina was killed during shelling. She was working for the investigative news outlet The Insider and was killed when Russian troops shelled a residential neighbourhood in the Ukrainian capital. Since the conflict began a month ago on February 24, at least five journalists have died while covering the Russian invasion. ALSO READ | UK to provide 6,000 missiles to Ukraine; Germany says further Strela missiles on way to Kyiv On Wednesday (March 23), the media outlet on its website said, "Insider journalist Oksana Baulina died during a bombardment in Kyiv while carrying out an editorial assignment ... another civilian died with her." The outlet, whose editorial offices are based in Latvia, in its statement also noted that during the shelling, another civilian was also killed alongside Baulina and two other people were wounded. Important to note that Baulina previously also worked for Russian opposition leader Navalny's anti-corruption group. She had worked for Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation until it was declared an extremist organisation last year. ALSO READ | Imprisonment of up to 15 years? Amid Ukraine invasion, Russia intensifies crackdown on media Navalny's arrest had prompted her to leave the country and focus on reporting on corruption in Russia for The Insider, the news outlet said. "The Insider expresses its deepest condolences to Oksana's family and friends," it said. Sergiy Tomilenko, head of the Ukrainian journalists' union, confirmed the death in a statement on Facebook, saying that Baulina was reporting on the aftermath of shelling when she was hit by fresh fire. As per a report by The Guardian, the 42-year-old Baulina began her career working for lifestyle magazines including Time Out Moscow and In Style. But after a decade she shifted to more political work and became a producer for Alexander Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation. WATCH | Conflict in Ukraine affect oil supplies, price increases take toll on businesses ×

Oksana Baulina: Russian journalist killed during bombardment in Kyiv

<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>Marina Ovsyannikova, a Russian journalist who recently grabbed attention by hijacking a state television broadcast to denounce the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, has been accused of being a British spy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In an on-air protest on Russia's Channel One on March 16&nbsp;evening, the 43-year-old Ovsyannikova held up an anti-war sign behind a studio presenter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The sign read: "Stop the war. Don't believe the propaganda. They're lying to you". She also shouted slogans condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The editor has also been charged with unlawful protest after the incident went viral globally.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/western-sanctions-might-impact-69-year-old-vladimir-putins-youthful-looks-heres-how-464508">Western sanctions might impact 69-year-old Vladimir Putin's youthful looks. Here's how</a></strong></p>

<p>In her first television interview with Reuters since her extraordinary protest, Ovsyannikova said that she had no plans to flee Russia and that she hoped she would not face criminal charges.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the latest development, Kirill Kleimyonov, who is the head of Channel One's news division, appeared on the news programme and claimed that she was a British spy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Not long before [the protest], according to our information, Marina Ovsyannikova spoke with the British embassy. Who among you has had a telephone conversation with a foreign embassy?" Kleimyonov claimed as quoted by The Times.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added, "Emotional impulse is one thing. But betrayal is something else." He also said that the on-air protest betrayed her country "and at the same time all of us, people with whom he has worked side by side for almost 20 years".</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/does-this-700-million-superyacht-belongs-to-russian-president-vladimir-putin-464496">Does this $700 million superyacht belong to Russian President Vladimir Putin? &nbsp;</a></strong></p>

<p>"She betrays coldly, prudently, for a firmly agreed [financial] bonus - by the way, so as not to lose her previous one. The woman with the poster timed the action exactly to receive her next salary payment - so betrayal is always one's personal choice," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It is necessary to call things by their proper names. Otherwise, if the famous action for 30 pieces of silver coins were called an impulse of the soul, the history of the world would be different," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Just in case, I wish everyone good health. To all without exception. Even traitors. They have to continue to live with this burden," he further added.&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. Marina Ovsyannikova, a Russian journalist who recently grabbed attention by hijacking a state television broadcast to denounce the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, has been accused of being a British spy. In an on-air protest on Russia's Channel One on March 16 evening, the 43-year-old Ovsyannikova held up an anti-war sign behind a studio presenter. The sign read: "Stop the war. Don't believe the propaganda. They're lying to you". She also shouted slogans condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The editor has also been charged with unlawful protest after the incident went viral globally. ALSO READ | Western sanctions might impact 69-year-old Vladimir Putin's youthful looks. Here's how In her first television interview with Reuters since her extraordinary protest, Ovsyannikova said that she had no plans to flee Russia and that she hoped she would not face criminal charges. In the latest development, Kirill Kleimyonov, who is the head of Channel One's news division, appeared on the news programme and claimed that she was a British spy. "Not long before [the protest], according to our information, Marina Ovsyannikova spoke with the British embassy. Who among you has had a telephone conversation with a foreign embassy?" Kleimyonov claimed as quoted by The Times. He added, "Emotional impulse is one thing. But betrayal is something else." He also said that the on-air protest betrayed her country "and at the same time all of us, people with whom he has worked side by side for almost 20 years". ALSO READ | Does this $700 million superyacht belong to Russian President Vladimir Putin? "She betrays coldly, prudently, for a firmly agreed [financial] bonus - by the way, so as not to lose her previous one. The woman with the poster timed the action exactly to receive her next salary payment - so betrayal is always one's personal choice," he added. "It is necessary to call things by their proper names. Otherwise, if the famous action for 30 pieces of silver coins were called an impulse of the soul, the history of the world would be different," he said. "Just in case, I wish everyone good health. To all without exception. Even traitors. They have to continue to live with this burden," he further added. ×

Marina Ovsyannikova: Russian TV protester accused of being a British spy

<p>The&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;ordered secondary girls schools in Afghanistan to shut Wednesday just hours after they reopened, an official confirmed, sparking confusion over the policy reversal by the hardline Islamist group.</p>

<p>"Yes, it's true,"&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;spokesman Inamullah Samangani told AFP when asked to confirm reports that girls had been ordered home.</p>

<p>An AFP team was filming at Zarghona High School in the capital Kabul when a teacher entered and ordered everyone to go home.</p>

<p>Crestfallen students, back in class for the first time since the&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;seized power in August last year, tearfully packed up their belongings and filed out.</p>

<p>The international community has made the right to education for all a sticking point in negotiations over aid and recognition of the new&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;regime.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPDATE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UPDATE</a> Taliban orders secondary girls schools in Afghanistan to shut just hours after they reopened, an official confirms, sparking confusion.<br />
<br />
An <a href="https://twitter.com/AFP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AFP</a> team was filming at Zarghona High School in Kabul when a teacher entered and ordered everyone to go home <a href="https://t.co/8JeLAYvTkP">pic.twitter.com/8JeLAYvTkP</a></p>
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AFP/status/1506513698684551169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The Taliban ordered secondary girls schools in Afghanistan to shut Wednesday just hours after they reopened, an official confirmed, sparking confusion over the policy reversal by the hardline Islamist group.

The Taliban ordered secondary girls schools in Afghanistan to shut Wednesday just hours after they reopened, an official confirmed, sparking confusion over the policy reversal by the hardline Islamist group. "Yes, it's true," Taliban spokesman Inamullah Samangani told AFP when asked to confirm reports that girls had been ordered home. An AFP team was filming at Zarghona High School in the capital Kabul when a teacher entered and ordered everyone to go home. Crestfallen students, back in class for the first time since the Taliban seized power in August last year, tearfully packed up their belongings and filed out. The international community has made the right to education for all a sticking point in negotiations over aid and recognition of the new Taliban regime. #UPDATE Taliban orders secondary girls schools in Afghanistan to shut just hours after they reopened, an official confirms, sparking confusion. An @AFP team was filming at Zarghona High School in Kabul when a teacher entered and ordered everyone to go home pic.twitter.com/8JeLAYvTkP — AFP News Agency (@AFP) March 23, 2022 ×

Taliban order Afghan girls' schools shut hours after reopening

<p>The&nbsp;driver&nbsp;of a car that killed six people when it ploughed into a crowd of&nbsp;carnival-goers in Belgium has been&nbsp;charged&nbsp;with&nbsp;manslaughter, prosecutors said Tuesday. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The suspect named as Paolo F, 34, was remanded in custody by a judge at an overnight hearing, while his cousin who was the passenger in the car was&nbsp;charged&nbsp;with failing to assist people in danger and released on bail.</p>

<p>The pre-dawn collision on Sunday, which killed six and left 10 seriously wounded, happened as costumed residents gathered for the festivities in the village of Strepy-Bracquegnies.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The tragedy has shocked Belgium, where street parades are common during the season of Lent, a tradition that was making its return after being interrupted due to the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prosecutors said the&nbsp;driver&nbsp;admitted travelling at 90 kilometres (55 miles) an hour in a 50-kilometre zone in his powerful BMW car as he returned with his cousin from a nightclub.</p>

<p>But they said indications were that he had tried to brake to avoid the impact.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The&nbsp;crash&nbsp;was so violent that one victim came through the windscreen and ended up in the car, &nbsp;prosecutors said. The&nbsp;driver, "in a state of shock", only stopped several hundred metres further on.&nbsp;</p>

<p>His lawyer said a judge accepted that the collision was an accident after the&nbsp;driver&nbsp;claimed he had been talking to his cousin just before careening into the "wall of humanity".&nbsp;</p>

<p>"In a few seconds, he was faced with a tragedy, the windscreen exploded, he himself was covered with blood. He could not see anything, heard screams, blows to his vehicle," lawyer Frank Discepoli told broadcaster RTBF.</p>

<p>"He totally recognises his recklessness" but "it was purely accidental".&nbsp;</p>

<p>The&nbsp;driver&nbsp;-- a deliveryman who lives in the local area -- has in the past had his licence revoked for speeding.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prosecutors earlier said that the&nbsp;driver&nbsp;had been found to be slightly over the legal alcohol limit after taking a breathalyser test.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A saliva swab had not shown any traces of drugs, but results of a blood test were pending.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Manslaughter&nbsp;in Belgium is punishable by up to five years in prison. But the public prosecutor's office has not ruled out the possibility that the charge could change during the investigation.</p>


The driver of a car that killed six people when it ploughed into a crowd of carnival-goers in Belgium has been charged with manslaughter, prosecutors said Tuesday.

The driver of a car that killed six people when it ploughed into a crowd of carnival-goers in Belgium has been charged with manslaughter, prosecutors said Tuesday. The suspect named as Paolo F, 34, was remanded in custody by a judge at an overnight hearing, while his cousin who was the passenger in the car was charged with failing to assist people in danger and released on bail. The pre-dawn collision on Sunday, which killed six and left 10 seriously wounded, happened as costumed residents gathered for the festivities in the village of Strepy-Bracquegnies. The tragedy has shocked Belgium, where street parades are common during the season of Lent, a tradition that was making its return after being interrupted due to the coronavirus pandemic. Prosecutors said the driver admitted travelling at 90 kilometres (55 miles) an hour in a 50-kilometre zone in his powerful BMW car as he returned with his cousin from a nightclub. But they said indications were that he had tried to brake to avoid the impact. The crash was so violent that one victim came through the windscreen and ended up in the car, prosecutors said. The driver, "in a state of shock", only stopped several hundred metres further on. His lawyer said a judge accepted that the collision was an accident after the driver claimed he had been talking to his cousin just before careening into the "wall of humanity". "In a few seconds, he was faced with a tragedy, the windscreen exploded, he himself was covered with blood. He could not see anything, heard screams, blows to his vehicle," lawyer Frank Discepoli told broadcaster RTBF. "He totally recognises his recklessness" but "it was purely accidental". The driver -- a deliveryman who lives in the local area -- has in the past had his licence revoked for speeding. Prosecutors earlier said that the driver had been found to be slightly over the legal alcohol limit after taking a breathalyser test. A saliva swab had not shown any traces of drugs, but results of a blood test were pending. Manslaughter in Belgium is punishable by up to five years in prison. But the public prosecutor's office has not ruled out the possibility that the charge could change during the investigation.

Driver in deadly Belgian carnival crash charged with manslaughter

<p>The United States on Tuesday announced an agreement with Britain to end tariffs on steel and aluminum imports imposed by former President Donald Trump.</p>

<p>"By allowing for a flow of duty-free&nbsp;steel&nbsp;and&nbsp;aluminum&nbsp;from the&nbsp;UK, we further ease the gap between supply and demand for these products in the United States," Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in a statement.</p>

<p>"And by removing the&nbsp;UK's retaliatory&nbsp;tariffs, we reopen the British market to beloved American products."</p>

<p>The&nbsp;deal&nbsp;was the latest in a series of efforts by President Joe Biden to settle trade spats with US allies, some of which were long-running and others started under the Trump administration.</p>

<p>British Prime Minister Boris Johnson cheered the announcement of the&nbsp;deal&nbsp;"with our American friends."</p>

<p>"This is fantastic news and a very welcome boost to our&nbsp;steel&nbsp;and&nbsp;aluminum&nbsp;industries," he said on Twitter.</p>

<p>Washington and London in January announced the start of negotiations to&nbsp;end&nbsp;the dispute, which began in 2018 when Trump imposed levies of 25 percent on&nbsp;steel&nbsp;and 10 percent on&nbsp;aluminum&nbsp;imports from Britain and other nations to protect US industry.</p>

<p>US companies for years have struggled to compete with the glut of supply coming out of China, but Trump penalized close trade partners citing national security concerns, which worsened relations with major US allies.</p>

<p>The Biden administration in October reached a&nbsp;deal&nbsp;to&nbsp;end&nbsp;the&nbsp;tariffs&nbsp;on the European Union, and in early February did the same with Japan.</p>

<p><strong>Ending retaliation&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Under the&nbsp;deal&nbsp;announced Tuesday, Britain will lift retaliatory&nbsp;tariffs&nbsp;it imposed on $500 million in American imports, including alcohol and consumer goods, the statement said.</p>

<p>It also stipulates that any British&nbsp;steel&nbsp;company "owned by a Chinese entity must undertake an audit of their financial records to assess influence from the People's Republic of China government," the results of which will be shared with the United States, the Commerce Department said.</p>

<p>Britain's International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan, who met with Raimondo in Washington to finalize the agreement, said the&nbsp;deal&nbsp;was "good news for our&nbsp;steel&nbsp;and&nbsp;aluminum&nbsp;industries who have been unfairly hit by these&nbsp;tariffs, and the 80,000 people employed across the sector."</p>

<p>US industry was more cautious in its praise, noting the benefits the&nbsp;tariffs&nbsp;provided to&nbsp;aluminum&nbsp;and&nbsp;steel&nbsp;manufacturers.</p>

<p>"The Russian invasion of Ukraine should remind us all just how critical the domestic&nbsp;steel&nbsp;industry is to our national and economic security,"&nbsp;said Scott Paul, president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Section 232 quotas and&nbsp;tariffs&nbsp;have permitted the American&nbsp;steel&nbsp;industry to recover, invest, hire, and contribute robustly to our national defense," he said, calling for a pause in more such deals to allow the industry to adjust.</p>

<p>The announcement followed two days of talks between US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Trevelyan in the port city of Baltimore on the broader trade relationship.</p>

<p>In a statement, Tai said the&nbsp;deal&nbsp;to remove the metal&nbsp;tariffs&nbsp;"delivers on President Biden's vision to repair relationships with our allies while also helping to ensure the long-term viability of our&nbsp;steel&nbsp;and&nbsp;aluminum&nbsp;industries."</p>

<p><strong>Free trade&nbsp;deal?</strong></p>

<p>Trevalyan and Tai said they would continue their talks next month in Scotland.</p>

<p>"Hopefully we can now move forward and focus on deepening our thriving trading relationship with the US," the British official said.</p>

<p>However, there was no indication of progress towards a free trade agreement between the two countries -- a priority of Britain following its departure from the European Union.</p>

<p>Marjorie Chorlins, senior vice president for&nbsp;European Affairs&nbsp;at the US Chamber of Commerce, who took part in discussions in Baltimore on Monday, said a trade pact is not likely "at least not anytime soon."</p>

<p>Trump officials seemed ready to make a new bilateral arrangement with London and had even opened negotiations, but the Biden administration has shown little indication of wanting to continue them.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The United States on Tuesday announced an agreement with Britain to end tariffs on steel and aluminum imports imposed by former President Donald Trump. "By allowing for a flow of duty-free steel and aluminum from the UK, we further ease the gap between supply and demand for these products in the United States," Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in a statement.

The United States on Tuesday announced an agreement with Britain to end tariffs on steel and aluminum imports imposed by former President Donald Trump. "By allowing for a flow of duty-free steel and aluminum from the UK, we further ease the gap between supply and demand for these products in the United States," Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in a statement. "And by removing the UK's retaliatory tariffs, we reopen the British market to beloved American products." The deal was the latest in a series of efforts by President Joe Biden to settle trade spats with US allies, some of which were long-running and others started under the Trump administration. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson cheered the announcement of the deal "with our American friends." "This is fantastic news and a very welcome boost to our steel and aluminum industries," he said on Twitter. Washington and London in January announced the start of negotiations to end the dispute, which began in 2018 when Trump imposed levies of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum imports from Britain and other nations to protect US industry. US companies for years have struggled to compete with the glut of supply coming out of China, but Trump penalized close trade partners citing national security concerns, which worsened relations with major US allies. The Biden administration in October reached a deal to end the tariffs on the European Union, and in early February did the same with Japan. Ending retaliation Under the deal announced Tuesday, Britain will lift retaliatory tariffs it imposed on $500 million in American imports, including alcohol and consumer goods, the statement said. It also stipulates that any British steel company "owned by a Chinese entity must undertake an audit of their financial records to assess influence from the People's Republic of China government," the results of which will be shared with the United States, the Commerce Department said. Britain's International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan, who met with Raimondo in Washington to finalize the agreement, said the deal was "good news for our steel and aluminum industries who have been unfairly hit by these tariffs, and the 80,000 people employed across the sector." US industry was more cautious in its praise, noting the benefits the tariffs provided to aluminum and steel manufacturers. "The Russian invasion of Ukraine should remind us all just how critical the domestic steel industry is to our national and economic security," said Scott Paul, president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing. "Section 232 quotas and tariffs have permitted the American steel industry to recover, invest, hire, and contribute robustly to our national defense," he said, calling for a pause in more such deals to allow the industry to adjust. The announcement followed two days of talks between US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Trevelyan in the port city of Baltimore on the broader trade relationship. In a statement, Tai said the deal to remove the metal tariffs "delivers on President Biden's vision to repair relationships with our allies while also helping to ensure the long-term viability of our steel and aluminum industries." Free trade deal? Trevalyan and Tai said they would continue their talks next month in Scotland. "Hopefully we can now move forward and focus on deepening our thriving trading relationship with the US," the British official said. However, there was no indication of progress towards a free trade agreement between the two countries -- a priority of Britain following its departure from the European Union. Marjorie Chorlins, senior vice president for European Affairs at the US Chamber of Commerce, who took part in discussions in Baltimore on Monday, said a trade pact is not likely "at least not anytime soon." Trump officials seemed ready to make a new bilateral arrangement with London and had even opened negotiations, but the Biden administration has shown little indication of wanting to continue them.

US announces deal with UK to end steel, aluminum tariffs

<p>Tens of thousands of girls were due to return to secondary school across Afghanistan Wednesday, more than seven months after the&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;seized power and imposed harsh restrictions on the rights of women to be educated.</p>

<p>All schools were closed because of the Covid-19 pandemic when the&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;took over in August -- but only boys and some younger girls were allowed to resume classes two months later.</p>

<p>The international community has made the right to education for all a sticking point in negotiations over aid and recognition, with several nations and organisations offering to pay teachers.</p>

<p>The education ministry said schools would reopen Wednesday across several provinces -- including the capital Kabul -- but those in the southern region of Kandahar, the&nbsp;Taliban's spiritual heartland, will not open until next month.</p>

<p>No reason was given.</p>

<p>The ministry said reopening the schools was always a government objective and the&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;were not bowing to pressure.</p>

<p>"We are not reopening the schools to make the international community happy, nor are we doing it to gain recognition from the world," said Aziz Ahmad Rayan, a ministry spokesman.</p>

<p>"We are doing it as part of our responsibility to provide education and other facilities to our students," he told AFP.</p>

<p>The&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;had insisted they wanted to ensure schools for girls aged 12 to 19 were segregated and would operate according to Islamic principles.</p>

<p>'We are behind in our studies'</p>

<p>Some pupils said they couldn't wait to get back -- even if it meant covering up according to a strict&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;dress code.</p>

<p>"We are behind in our studies already," said Raihana Azizi, 17, as she prepared to attend class dressed in a black abaya, headscarf and veil over her face.</p>

<p>The&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;have imposed a slew of restrictions on women, effectively banning them from many government jobs, policing what they wear and preventing them from travelling outside of their cities alone.</p>

<p>They have also detained several women's rights activists.</p>

<p>Despite the schools reopening, barriers to girls returning to education remain, with many families suspicious of the&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;and reluctant to allow their daughters outside.</p>

<p>Others see little point in girls learning at all.</p>

<p>"Those girls who have finished their education have ended up sitting at home and their future is uncertain," said Heela Haya, 20, from Kandahar, who has decided to quit school.</p>

<p>"What will be our future?"</p>

<p>It is common for Afghan pupils to miss chunks of the school year as a result of poverty or conflict, and some continue lessons well into their late teens or early twenties.</p>

<p>Human Rights Watch also questioned the motivation for girls to study.</p>

<p>"Why would you and your family make huge sacrifices for you to study if you can never have the career you dreamed of?" asked Sahar Fetrat, an assistant researcher with the group.</p>

<p>The education ministry acknowledged authorities faced a shortage of teachers -- with many among the tens of thousands of people who fled the country as the&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;swept to power.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;South Asia Diary | Lankan President's office stormed</strong></p>

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Tens of thousands of girls were due to return to secondary school across Afghanistan Wednesday, more than seven months after the Taliban seized power and imposed harsh restrictions on the rights of women to be educated.

Tens of thousands of girls were due to return to secondary school across Afghanistan Wednesday, more than seven months after the Taliban seized power and imposed harsh restrictions on the rights of women to be educated. All schools were closed because of the Covid-19 pandemic when the Taliban took over in August -- but only boys and some younger girls were allowed to resume classes two months later. The international community has made the right to education for all a sticking point in negotiations over aid and recognition, with several nations and organisations offering to pay teachers. The education ministry said schools would reopen Wednesday across several provinces -- including the capital Kabul -- but those in the southern region of Kandahar, the Taliban's spiritual heartland, will not open until next month. No reason was given. The ministry said reopening the schools was always a government objective and the Taliban were not bowing to pressure. "We are not reopening the schools to make the international community happy, nor are we doing it to gain recognition from the world," said Aziz Ahmad Rayan, a ministry spokesman. "We are doing it as part of our responsibility to provide education and other facilities to our students," he told AFP. The Taliban had insisted they wanted to ensure schools for girls aged 12 to 19 were segregated and would operate according to Islamic principles. 'We are behind in our studies' Some pupils said they couldn't wait to get back -- even if it meant covering up according to a strict Taliban dress code. "We are behind in our studies already," said Raihana Azizi, 17, as she prepared to attend class dressed in a black abaya, headscarf and veil over her face. The Taliban have imposed a slew of restrictions on women, effectively banning them from many government jobs, policing what they wear and preventing them from travelling outside of their cities alone. They have also detained several women's rights activists. Despite the schools reopening, barriers to girls returning to education remain, with many families suspicious of the Taliban and reluctant to allow their daughters outside. Others see little point in girls learning at all. "Those girls who have finished their education have ended up sitting at home and their future is uncertain," said Heela Haya, 20, from Kandahar, who has decided to quit school. "What will be our future?" It is common for Afghan pupils to miss chunks of the school year as a result of poverty or conflict, and some continue lessons well into their late teens or early twenties. Human Rights Watch also questioned the motivation for girls to study. "Why would you and your family make huge sacrifices for you to study if you can never have the career you dreamed of?" asked Sahar Fetrat, an assistant researcher with the group. The education ministry acknowledged authorities faced a shortage of teachers -- with many among the tens of thousands of people who fled the country as the Taliban swept to power. WATCH | South Asia Diary | Lankan President's office stormed ×

Thousands of Afghan girls return to school as Taliban end ban

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<p><strong>Here are some of the top stories to start your day:&nbsp;</strong>US President Joe Biden is scheduled to go to Europe today to announce additional sanctions against Russia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ashleigh Barty on Wednesday (March 23) announced retirement from professional tennis at the age of 25.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Click on headlines to read the full report:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-would-use-nuclear-weapons-if-moscow-warns-west-over-ukraine-invasion-464737">'Russia would use nuclear weapons if...': Moscow warns West over Ukraine invasion</a></strong><br />
Russia would only use nuclear weapons in the context of the Ukraine conflict if it were facing an "existential threat," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov during an interaction with CNN International on Tuesday (March 22).&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Russia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="eec610a5-23a9-4cd0-96a4-7a53bb02e61e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Russia%27s%20attack%20on%20Ukraine%20%283%29.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-due-to-visit-europe-today-expected-to-announce-new-sanctions-against-russia-464727">US President due to visit Europe today, expected to announce new sanctions against Russia</a></strong><br />
US President Joe Biden is scheduled to go to Europe today to announce additional sanctions against Russia. This week, he will attend talks with NATO and G7 leaders, which will also include UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Biden will make his first stop in Brussels.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Joe Biden" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="602fb697-a8cf-4cc6-8c01-a5bfa3852b43" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Joe%20Biden%20%282%29_2.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-number-one-ashleigh-barty-announces-shock-retirement-from-tennis-aged-25-464745">World number one Ashleigh Barty announces shock retirement from tennis aged 25</a></strong><br />
World number one Ashleigh Barty on Wednesday (March 23) announced retirement from professional tennis at the age of 25, leaving the sporting world shocked. The stunning tennis player has cited the fulfilment of her tennis goals and fatigue with life on the Tour.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Ashleigh Barty" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="80f8996f-5a2b-43b4-8fd7-11388268e0ea" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Ashleigh%20Barty.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wikileaks-julian-assange-to-marry-fiancee-stella-moris-in-jail-today-464739">Wikileaks' Julian Assange to marry fiancee Stella Moris in jail today</a></strong><br />
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and his fiancee Stella Moris get married on Wednesday, at the high-security London prison where he is being held during his extradition case.</p>

<p><img alt="Julian Assange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0d7ae2c5-466d-4e57-80ec-464ec4d63165" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Julian%20Assange_0.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong>WATCH | Gravitas: Zelensky's conditions for Ukraine's neutrality</strong><br />
As Russia's advance slows across Ukraine, experts believe Vladimir Putin is switching to Plan B. Will Putin use his military advantage to force a favourable peace deal? What are Zelensky's conditions for accepting neutrality?&nbsp;</p>

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Here are some of the top stories to start your day: US President Joe Biden is scheduled to go to Europe today to announce additional sanctions against Russia. Ashleigh Barty on Wednesday (March 23) announced retirement from professional tennis at the age of 25.

Here are some of the top stories to start your day: US President Joe Biden is scheduled to go to Europe today to announce additional sanctions against Russia. Ashleigh Barty on Wednesday (March 23) announced retirement from professional tennis at the age of 25. Click on headlines to read the full report: 'Russia would use nuclear weapons if...': Moscow warns West over Ukraine invasion Russia would only use nuclear weapons in the context of the Ukraine conflict if it were facing an "existential threat," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov during an interaction with CNN International on Tuesday (March 22). US President due to visit Europe today, expected to announce new sanctions against Russia US President Joe Biden is scheduled to go to Europe today to announce additional sanctions against Russia. This week, he will attend talks with NATO and G7 leaders, which will also include UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Biden will make his first stop in Brussels. World number one Ashleigh Barty announces shock retirement from tennis aged 25 World number one Ashleigh Barty on Wednesday (March 23) announced retirement from professional tennis at the age of 25, leaving the sporting world shocked. The stunning tennis player has cited the fulfilment of her tennis goals and fatigue with life on the Tour. Wikileaks' Julian Assange to marry fiancee Stella Moris in jail today WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and his fiancee Stella Moris get married on Wednesday, at the high-security London prison where he is being held during his extradition case. WATCH | Gravitas: Zelensky's conditions for Ukraine's neutrality As Russia's advance slows across Ukraine, experts believe Vladimir Putin is switching to Plan B. Will Putin use his military advantage to force a favourable peace deal? What are Zelensky's conditions for accepting neutrality? ×

Morning news brief: Joe Biden's Europe visit, Ashleigh Barty's retirement, and more

<p>A 36-year-old unidentified man, who is fully paralysed and suffering from neurological disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was able to communicate in full sentences with his family after receiving microchip implants in his brain.&nbsp;</p>

<p>ALS, in its final stages, can bring extreme isolation as people lose control of their muscles and in most cases, communication may become impossible.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per a study published in the journal Nature Communications this week, the German man, who is conscious and cognitively able but in a "complete" locked-in state was able to form sentences with the help of an implanted device that reads his brain signals.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/what-do-those-meowing-and-neighing-mean-will-artificial-intelligence-tell-us-how-animals-communicate-464900">What do those meowing and neighing mean? Will artificial intelligence tell us how animals communicate?</a></strong></p>

<p>Mariska Vansteensel, who is a brain-computer interface researcher at the University Medical Center Utrecht, said, "People have really doubted whether this was even feasible." Vansteensel was not involved in the study.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reinhold Scherer, a neural engineer at the University of Essex, weighed in on the development and said that if the new spelling system proves reliable for all people who are completely locked in, it might allow thousands of people to reconnect to their families and care teams.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Part of the study wrote, researchers implanted two 64 microelectrode arrays in the supplementary and primary motor cortex of the man.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The patient modulated neural firing rates based on auditory feedback and he used this strategy to select letters one at a time to form words and phrases to communicate his needs and experiences.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turn-garbage-into-gold-uks-royal-mint-planning-to-extract-precious-metals-from-e-waste-464828">Turn garbage into gold: UK's Royal Mint planning to extract precious metals from e-waste</a></strong></p>

<p>The research says that one day after the implantation, attempts were initiated to establish communication.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The man was asked to use his previously effective communication strategy employing eye movements to respond to questions with known "yes" and "no" answers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It did not result in a classifiable neural signal, no difference in spike rate and multi-unit-activity (MUA).&nbsp;</p>

<p>After several attempts, the communication strategy was changed on the 86th day after implantation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The patient was provided auditory feedback of neural activity by mapping a spike rate metric (SRM) for one or more channels to the frequency of an auditory feedback tone.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The patient was able to modulate the sound tone on his first attempt, later he could modulate the neural firing rate and was able to use the method to select letters and to free spell.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He made dozens of sentences at a painstaking rate of about one character per minute: "Goulash soup and sweet pea soup." "I would like to listen to the album by Tool loud." "I love my cool son."</p>


A 36-year-old unidentified man, who is fully paralysed and suffering from neurological disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was able to communicate in full sentences with his family after receiving microchip implants in his brain.

A 36-year-old unidentified man, who is fully paralysed and suffering from neurological disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was able to communicate in full sentences with his family after receiving microchip implants in his brain. ALS, in its final stages, can bring extreme isolation as people lose control of their muscles and in most cases, communication may become impossible. As per a study published in the journal Nature Communications this week, the German man, who is conscious and cognitively able but in a "complete" locked-in state was able to form sentences with the help of an implanted device that reads his brain signals. ALSO READ | What do those meowing and neighing mean? Will artificial intelligence tell us how animals communicate? Mariska Vansteensel, who is a brain-computer interface researcher at the University Medical Center Utrecht, said, "People have really doubted whether this was even feasible." Vansteensel was not involved in the study. Reinhold Scherer, a neural engineer at the University of Essex, weighed in on the development and said that if the new spelling system proves reliable for all people who are completely locked in, it might allow thousands of people to reconnect to their families and care teams. Part of the study wrote, researchers implanted two 64 microelectrode arrays in the supplementary and primary motor cortex of the man. The patient modulated neural firing rates based on auditory feedback and he used this strategy to select letters one at a time to form words and phrases to communicate his needs and experiences. ALSO READ | Turn garbage into gold: UK's Royal Mint planning to extract precious metals from e-waste The research says that one day after the implantation, attempts were initiated to establish communication. The man was asked to use his previously effective communication strategy employing eye movements to respond to questions with known "yes" and "no" answers. It did not result in a classifiable neural signal, no difference in spike rate and multi-unit-activity (MUA). After several attempts, the communication strategy was changed on the 86th day after implantation. The patient was provided auditory feedback of neural activity by mapping a spike rate metric (SRM) for one or more channels to the frequency of an auditory feedback tone. The patient was able to modulate the sound tone on his first attempt, later he could modulate the neural firing rate and was able to use the method to select letters and to free spell. He made dozens of sentences at a painstaking rate of about one character per minute: "Goulash soup and sweet pea soup." "I would like to listen to the album by Tool loud." "I love my cool son."

'I love my cool son': Brain implant helps fully paralysed man to spell out thoughts

<p>World number one Ashleigh Barty on Wednesday (March 23) announced retirement from professional tennis at the age of 25, leaving the sporting world shocked. The stunning tennis player has cited the fulfilment of her tennis goals and fatigue with life on the Tour.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In an emotional video address posted on her Instagram, Barty said, "Today is difficult and filled with emotion for me as I announce my retirement from tennis."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I'm so happy, and I'm so ready and I just know at the moment in my heart as a person, this is right. I'm so grateful for everything that tennis has given me, it's given me all of my dreams plus more," she said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"But I know the time is now right for me to step away and chase other dreams and put the racquets down," she said in the video address with her close friend and former doubles partner Casey Dellacqua. Barty said she was "thankful for everything this sport has given me".&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rafael-nadal-out-of-action-for-six-weeks-with-stress-fracture-ahead-of-french-open-2022-464648">Rafael Nadal out of action for six weeks with stress fracture ahead of French Open 2022</a></strong></p>

<p>Barty recently became the first home-grown champion of the Australian Open in 44 years, joining tennis royalty's most exclusive club with a Grand Slam crown on three different surfaces.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She retires with 15 titles, less than two months after winning the Australian Open, her third Grand Slam singles triumph following the 2021 Wimbledon and 2019 French Open. She spent a total of 121 weeks as world number one.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It marks Barty's second "retirement" from the sport, having walked away from the game as a teenager in late-2014 after becoming disaffected by the Tour.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She returned in 2016 and rose rapidly up the rankings.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>EXCLUSIVE | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-how-has-veteran-shooter-abhinav-bindra-inspired-neeraj-chopra-javelin-star-answers-464672">How has veteran shooter Abhinav Bindra inspired Neeraj Chopra? Javelin star answers</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>Watch her video address here:</strong></p>

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World number one Ashleigh Barty on Wednesday (March 23) announced retirement from professional tennis at the age of 25, leaving the sporting world shocked. The stunning tennis player has cited the fulfilment of her tennis goals and fatigue with life on the Tour.

World number one Ashleigh Barty on Wednesday (March 23) announced retirement from professional tennis at the age of 25, leaving the sporting world shocked. The stunning tennis player has cited the fulfilment of her tennis goals and fatigue with life on the Tour. In an emotional video address posted on her Instagram, Barty said, "Today is difficult and filled with emotion for me as I announce my retirement from tennis." "I'm so happy, and I'm so ready and I just know at the moment in my heart as a person, this is right. I'm so grateful for everything that tennis has given me, it's given me all of my dreams plus more," she said. "But I know the time is now right for me to step away and chase other dreams and put the racquets down," she said in the video address with her close friend and former doubles partner Casey Dellacqua. Barty said she was "thankful for everything this sport has given me". ALSO READ | Rafael Nadal out of action for six weeks with stress fracture ahead of French Open 2022 Barty recently became the first home-grown champion of the Australian Open in 44 years, joining tennis royalty's most exclusive club with a Grand Slam crown on three different surfaces. She retires with 15 titles, less than two months after winning the Australian Open, her third Grand Slam singles triumph following the 2021 Wimbledon and 2019 French Open. She spent a total of 121 weeks as world number one. It marks Barty's second "retirement" from the sport, having walked away from the game as a teenager in late-2014 after becoming disaffected by the Tour. She returned in 2016 and rose rapidly up the rankings. EXCLUSIVE | How has veteran shooter Abhinav Bindra inspired Neeraj Chopra? Javelin star answers Watch her video address here: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ash Barty (@ashbarty) ×

World number one Ashleigh Barty announces shock retirement from tennis aged 25

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<p>It's been almost a month since Russia started its invasion of Ukraine after President Vladimir Putin ordered so-called special "military operations" in the neighbouring country to "demilitarise" it. But little did he know about the resistance of Ukraine, which defied all expectations and tried to block Russian forces.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Nearly a month after the Russian invasion, its forces have continued heavy bombings and shelling&nbsp;that have caused massive damage to the cities.&nbsp;</p>

<p>One of those cities is Mariupol. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said almost 100,000 people are trapped by Russian bombardment and facing starvation in the ruins of Mariupol.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to Human Rights Watch, tens of thousands of residents have already fled the besieged southern port city, leaving it to be the "freezing hellscape riddled with dead bodies and destroyed buildings".&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-ukraine-invasion-russia-intesifies-crackdown-on-media-464863">Amid Ukraine invasion, Russia intensifies crackdown on media</a></strong></p>

<p>For Ukrainians besieged in Mariupol and other cities, Russian talk of peace rings hollow as they come under indiscriminate shelling that Western countries say amounts to a war crime.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Failing in their war against the Ukrainian people, the enemy is executing the total destruction of critical infrastructure," Ukraine's armed forces command said on Facebook.</p>

<p>Satellite images of Mariupol released by private company Maxar showed a charred landscape, with several buildings ablaze and smoke billowing from the city.&nbsp;</p>

<p>United Nations chief Antonio Guterres said, "Even if Mariupol falls, Ukraine cannot be conquered city by city, street by street, house by house. This war is unwinnable. Sooner or later, it will have to move from the battlefield to the peace table. That is inevitable."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-sending-secretly-acquired-soviet-defence-equipment-to-ukraine-report-464796">US sending secretly acquired Soviet defence equipment to Ukraine: Report</a></strong></p>

<hr />
<p>What makes Mariupol strategically important for Putin?</p>

<p><strong>Land bridge:</strong>&nbsp;Mariupol is a pivotal target in Putin's war - providing a land bridge between Russian forces in Crimea to the southwest and Russian-controlled territory to the north and east.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per a BBC report, General Sir Richard Barrons, who is a former commander of UK Joint Forces Command, said that capturing Mariupol is vital to Russia's war effort.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Barrons said, "When the Russians feel they have successfully concluded that battle, they will have completed a land bridge from Russia to Crimea and they will see this as a major strategic success."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Economy:</strong>&nbsp;Mariupol is an important port on the Sea of Azov, part of the Black Sea. BBC report stated that it is the biggest port in the Azov Sea region, which is home to major iron and steelworks.&nbsp;</p>

<p>If Russia occupies it, it will cause massive harm to Ukraine's economy as it is a key export hub for Ukraine's steel, coal and corn. The port exports to customers in the Middle East and other parts of the world.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Explained: Why Mariupol is important for Russia?</strong></p>

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<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


It's been almost a month since Russia started its invasion of Ukraine after President Vladimir Putin ordered so-called special "military operations" in the neighbouring country to "demilitarise" it.

It's been almost a month since Russia started its invasion of Ukraine after President Vladimir Putin ordered so-called special "military operations" in the neighbouring country to "demilitarise" it. But little did he know about the resistance of Ukraine, which defied all expectations and tried to block Russian forces. Nearly a month after the Russian invasion, its forces have continued heavy bombings and shelling that have caused massive damage to the cities. One of those cities is Mariupol. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said almost 100,000 people are trapped by Russian bombardment and facing starvation in the ruins of Mariupol. According to Human Rights Watch, tens of thousands of residents have already fled the besieged southern port city, leaving it to be the "freezing hellscape riddled with dead bodies and destroyed buildings". ALSO READ | Amid Ukraine invasion, Russia intensifies crackdown on media For Ukrainians besieged in Mariupol and other cities, Russian talk of peace rings hollow as they come under indiscriminate shelling that Western countries say amounts to a war crime. "Failing in their war against the Ukrainian people, the enemy is executing the total destruction of critical infrastructure," Ukraine's armed forces command said on Facebook. Satellite images of Mariupol released by private company Maxar showed a charred landscape, with several buildings ablaze and smoke billowing from the city. United Nations chief Antonio Guterres said, "Even if Mariupol falls, Ukraine cannot be conquered city by city, street by street, house by house. This war is unwinnable. Sooner or later, it will have to move from the battlefield to the peace table. That is inevitable." ALSO READ | US sending secretly acquired Soviet defence equipment to Ukraine: Report What makes Mariupol strategically important for Putin? Land bridge: Mariupol is a pivotal target in Putin's war - providing a land bridge between Russian forces in Crimea to the southwest and Russian-controlled territory to the north and east. As per a BBC report, General Sir Richard Barrons, who is a former commander of UK Joint Forces Command, said that capturing Mariupol is vital to Russia's war effort. Barrons said, "When the Russians feel they have successfully concluded that battle, they will have completed a land bridge from Russia to Crimea and they will see this as a major strategic success." Economy: Mariupol is an important port on the Sea of Azov, part of the Black Sea. BBC report stated that it is the biggest port in the Azov Sea region, which is home to major iron and steelworks. If Russia occupies it, it will cause massive harm to Ukraine's economy as it is a key export hub for Ukraine's steel, coal and corn. The port exports to customers in the Middle East and other parts of the world. WATCH | Explained: Why Mariupol is important for Russia? × (With inputs from agencies)

Mariupol: What makes this port city strategically important to Russia?

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