The&nbsp;comedy&nbsp;satire in which Volodymyr&nbsp;Zelensky&nbsp;unexpectedly becomes Ukraine's president -- his now war-time job in real life -- will be aired again&nbsp;on&nbsp;Netflix, the streaming platform announced Wednesday.

The resurrection of the&nbsp;TV&nbsp;series "Servant of the People" comes amid a global outpouring of praise for the former comedian now leading his outgunned country's fight against the Russian invasion.

"You asked and it's&nbsp;back,"&nbsp;Netflix&nbsp;tweeted.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-condemns-us-president-biden-for-calling-putin-war-criminal-463022">Russia condemns US President Biden for calling Putin 'war criminal'</a>

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You asked and it’s back! 
 
Servant of the People is once again available on Netflix in The US. The 2015 satirical comedy series stars Volodymyr Zelenskyy playing a teacher who unexpectedly becomes President after a video of him complaining about corruption suddenly goes viral. <a href="https://t.co/Pp9f48jutF">pic.twitter.com/Pp9f48jutF</a>
— Netflix (@netflix) <a href="https://twitter.com/netflix/status/1504064948305080327?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2022</a></blockquote>
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On&nbsp;Tuesday&nbsp;Zelensky&nbsp;received a standing ovation as he addressed the US Congress via video link with an impassioned plea for more weaponry and the establishment of a no-fly zone to help Ukraine survive the Russian invasion, which began February 24.

In the 2015 series,&nbsp;Zelensky, who is now 44, plays a teacher who unexpectedly becomes president after a video of him complaining about corruption goes viral.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zelensky-compares-russian-invasion-to-911-and-pearl-harbor-attack-putin-says-invasion-on-course-463021">Zelensky compares Russian invasion to 9/11 and Pearl Harbor attack; Putin says invasion on course</a>

It was a huge hit in Ukraine and&nbsp;launched&nbsp;Zelensky's career in politics. He was elected president in 2019 as the star of a party with the same name as the&nbsp;TV&nbsp;series. He got more than 70 percent of the votes.

The French-German&nbsp;TV&nbsp;channel Arte has been airing "Servant of the People" online since November 19, citing huge interest.

Since the first days of the invasion, channels that have acquired the rights to air the series include Channel 4 in Britain, ANT 1 in Greece and PRO&nbsp;TV&nbsp;in Romania.

The series was first&nbsp;on&nbsp;Netflix&nbsp;from 2017 to 2021.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Ukraine invasion: Is the peace deal possible?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-ukraine-invasion-is-the-peace-deal-possible-462981/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

&nbsp;

The comedy satire in which Volodymyr Zelensky unexpectedly becomes Ukraine's president -- his now war-time job in real life -- will be aired again on Netflix, the streaming platform announced Wednesday.

The comedy satire in which Volodymyr Zelensky unexpectedly becomes Ukraine's president -- his now war-time job in real life -- will be aired again on Netflix, the streaming platform announced Wednesday. The resurrection of the TV series "Servant of the People" comes amid a global outpouring of praise for the former comedian now leading his outgunned country's fight against the Russian invasion. "You asked and it's back," Netflix tweeted. Also read | Russia condemns US President Biden for calling Putin 'war criminal' You asked and it’s back! Servant of the People is once again available on Netflix in The US. The 2015 satirical comedy series stars Volodymyr Zelenskyy playing a teacher who unexpectedly becomes President after a video of him complaining about corruption suddenly goes viral. pic.twitter.com/Pp9f48jutF — Netflix (@netflix) March 16, 2022 × On Tuesday Zelensky received a standing ovation as he addressed the US Congress via video link with an impassioned plea for more weaponry and the establishment of a no-fly zone to help Ukraine survive the Russian invasion, which began February 24. In the 2015 series, Zelensky, who is now 44, plays a teacher who unexpectedly becomes president after a video of him complaining about corruption goes viral. Also read | Zelensky compares Russian invasion to 9/11 and Pearl Harbor attack; Putin says invasion on course It was a huge hit in Ukraine and launched Zelensky's career in politics. He was elected president in 2019 as the star of a party with the same name as the TV series. He got more than 70 percent of the votes. The French-German TV channel Arte has been airing "Servant of the People" online since November 19, citing huge interest. Since the first days of the invasion, channels that have acquired the rights to air the series include Channel 4 in Britain, ANT 1 in Greece and PRO TV in Romania. The series was first on Netflix from 2017 to 2021. Watch | Gravitas: Ukraine invasion: Is the peace deal possible?

TV comedy that launched Volodymyr Zelensky to presidency back on Netflix

Figures showing a&nbsp;global&nbsp;rise&nbsp;in&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;cases&nbsp;could herald a much bigger problem as some countries also report a drop in testing rates, the&nbsp;WHO&nbsp;said on Tuesday, warning nations to remain vigilant against the virus.

After more than a month of decline,&nbsp;COVID&nbsp;cases&nbsp;started to increase around the world last week, the&nbsp;WHO&nbsp;said, with lockdowns in Asia and China's Jilin province battling to contain an outbreak.

A combination of factors was causing the increases, including the highly transmissible Omicron variant and its BA.2 sublineage, and the lifting of public health and social measures, the&nbsp;WHO&nbsp;said.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vietnam-scraps-covid-19-quarantine-for-international-travellers-462920">&nbsp;Vietnam scraps COVID-19 quarantine for international travellers</a>

"These increase are occurring despite reductions in testing in some countries, which means the&nbsp;cases&nbsp;we're seeing are just the tip of the iceberg,"&nbsp;WHO's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters.

Low vaccination rates in some countries, driven partly by a "huge amount of misinformation" also explained the&nbsp;rise,&nbsp;WHO&nbsp;officials said.

New infections jumped by 8 per cent&nbsp;globally compared to the previous week, with 11 million new&nbsp;cases&nbsp;and just over 43,000 new deaths reported from March 7-13. It is the first&nbsp;rise&nbsp;since the end of January.

The biggest jump was in the&nbsp;WHO's Western Pacific region, which includes South Korea and China, where&nbsp;cases&nbsp;rose by 25 per cent&nbsp;and deaths by 27 per cent.

Africa also saw a 12 per cent rise&nbsp;in new&nbsp;cases&nbsp;and 14 per cent&nbsp;rise&nbsp;in deaths, and Europe a 2 per cent&nbsp;rise&nbsp;in&nbsp;cases&nbsp;but no jump in deaths. Other regions reported declining&nbsp;cases, including the eastern Mediterranean region, although this area saw a 38 per cent&nbsp;rise&nbsp;in deaths linked to a previous spike in infections.

A number of experts have raised concerns that Europe faces another coronavirus wave, with case rising since the beginning of March in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.

The&nbsp;WHO's Maria Van Kerkhove said at the briefing that BA.2 appears to be the most transmissible variant so far.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-protests-against-covid-measures-rock-europe-australia-430905">In Pics: Protests against Covid measures rock Europe, Australia</a>

However, there are no signs that it causes more severe disease, and no evidence that any other new variants are driving the&nbsp;rise&nbsp;in&nbsp;cases.

The picture in Europe is also not universal. Denmark, for example, saw a brief peak in&nbsp;cases&nbsp;in the first half of February, driven by BA.2, which quickly subsided.

But experts have begun to warn that the United States could soon see a similar wave to that seen in Europe, potentially driven by BA.2, the lifting of restrictions and potential waning immunity from vaccines given several months ago.

"I agree with the easing of restrictions, because you can't think of it as an emergency after two years," said Antonella Viola, professor of immunology at Italy's University of Padua.

"We just have to avoid thinking that&nbsp;COVID&nbsp;is no longer there. And therefore maintain the strictly necessary measures, which are essentially the continuous monitoring and tracking of&nbsp;cases, and the maintenance of the obligation to wear a mask in closed or very crowded places."

Watch |&nbsp;Report: Combo strain 'Deltacron' detected in Israel

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/report-combo-strain-deltacron-detected-in-israel-463017/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

&nbsp;

Figures showing a global rise in COVID-19 cases could herald a much bigger problem as some countries also report a drop in testing rates, the WHO said on Tuesday, warning nations to remain vigilant against the virus.

Figures showing a global rise in COVID-19 cases could herald a much bigger problem as some countries also report a drop in testing rates, the WHO said on Tuesday, warning nations to remain vigilant against the virus. After more than a month of decline, COVID cases started to increase around the world last week, the WHO said, with lockdowns in Asia and China's Jilin province battling to contain an outbreak. A combination of factors was causing the increases, including the highly transmissible Omicron variant and its BA.2 sublineage, and the lifting of public health and social measures, the WHO said. Also read | Vietnam scraps COVID-19 quarantine for international travellers "These increase are occurring despite reductions in testing in some countries, which means the cases we're seeing are just the tip of the iceberg," WHO's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters. Low vaccination rates in some countries, driven partly by a "huge amount of misinformation" also explained the rise, WHO officials said. New infections jumped by 8 per cent globally compared to the previous week, with 11 million new cases and just over 43,000 new deaths reported from March 7-13. It is the first rise since the end of January. The biggest jump was in the WHO's Western Pacific region, which includes South Korea and China, where cases rose by 25 per cent and deaths by 27 per cent. Africa also saw a 12 per cent rise in new cases and 14 per cent rise in deaths, and Europe a 2 per cent rise in cases but no jump in deaths. Other regions reported declining cases, including the eastern Mediterranean region, although this area saw a 38 per cent rise in deaths linked to a previous spike in infections. A number of experts have raised concerns that Europe faces another coronavirus wave, with case rising since the beginning of March in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. The WHO's Maria Van Kerkhove said at the briefing that BA.2 appears to be the most transmissible variant so far. Also read | In Pics: Protests against Covid measures rock Europe, Australia However, there are no signs that it causes more severe disease, and no evidence that any other new variants are driving the rise in cases. The picture in Europe is also not universal. Denmark, for example, saw a brief peak in cases in the first half of February, driven by BA.2, which quickly subsided. But experts have begun to warn that the United States could soon see a similar wave to that seen in Europe, potentially driven by BA.2, the lifting of restrictions and potential waning immunity from vaccines given several months ago. "I agree with the easing of restrictions, because you can't think of it as an emergency after two years," said Antonella Viola, professor of immunology at Italy's University of Padua. "We just have to avoid thinking that COVID is no longer there. And therefore maintain the strictly necessary measures, which are essentially the continuous monitoring and tracking of cases, and the maintenance of the obligation to wear a mask in closed or very crowded places." Watch | Report: Combo strain 'Deltacron' detected in Israel

WHO says global rise in COVID-19 cases is 'tip of the iceberg'

Here are some of the top stories to start your day: President Joe Biden for the first time referred to Vladimir Putin as a "war criminal." Biden's remarks are described by the Kremlin as "unacceptable and unforgivable rhetoric.

Here are some of the top stories to start your day: President Joe Biden for the first time referred to Vladimir Putin as a "war criminal." Biden's remarks are described by the Kremlin as "unacceptable and unforgivable rhetoric." Meanwhile, the 'kidnapped' mayor of Melitopol is freed. Click on headlines to read the full report: Russia condemns US President Biden for calling Putin 'war criminal' As the US supplies $1 billion in arms to Ukraine, President Joe Biden for the first time referred to Vladimir Putin as a "war criminal." Biden's remarks are described by the Kremlin as "unacceptable and unforgivable rhetoric." Russia attacks Mariupol theatre sheltering 'hundreds' of civilians US and Ukrainian officials have said that Russian forces killed civilians waiting in line for bread and sheltering in a theatre in the besieged port city of Mariupol. Click Here to get live updates on Russia-Ukraine conflict ‘Kidnapped’ mayor of Melitopol is freed after being swapped for nine Russian soldiers On Wednesday, Ukraine handed over nine detained Russian soldiers in order to gain the release of Melitopol's mayor, who was detained last week, according to the Interfax Ukraine news agency. Zelensky compares Russian invasion to 9/11 and Pearl Harbor attack; Putin says invasion on course Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky compared the ongoing invasion by Russia to 9/11 and the Pearl Harbor attack, which forced the United States to get involved in World War II. WATCH | Gravitas: Ukraine war triggers global food crisis Ukraine and Russia make up more than 25% of global wheat exports. They also export 75% of the world's sunflower oil. The war in Ukraine could sever supply lines and trigger a food crisis. Palki Sharma tells you more. ×

Morning news brief: Biden calls Putin 'war criminal'; 'kidnapped' mayor of Melitopol freed, and more

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. Russia continues to intensify the invasion of Ukraine with increased shelling and airstrikes. On Thursday (March 17), US and Ukrainian officials have said that Russian forces killed civilians waiting in line for bread and sheltering in a theatre in the besieged port city of Mariupol. Mariupol city authorities said in a statement on Telegram, "Russia purposefully destroyed the Drama Theatre, where hundreds of people are hiding." The foreign ministry of Ukraine said that Russian forces dropped a powerful bomb on a theatre. The bombing left many civilians trapped and an unknown number of casualties. ALSO READ | US cancels license of China-owned telecom company As per a photo released by officials of the theatre building, the middle part can be seen completely destroyed. A cloud of thick white smoke can be seen rising from the rubble. The bomb was apparently dropped on the building from an airplane. As per the satellite images of the theatre taken on March 14, the word "children" was clearly etched out in the ground in Russian on either side of the building. The satellite images were released by private satellite company Maxar The official statement read: "It is impossible to find words to describe the level of cynicism and cruelty, with which Russian invaders are destroying peaceful residents of a Ukrainian city by the sea." ALSO READ | US Secret Service says 'involuntary celebate' men are a rising threat This Maxar satellite image released on March 16, 2022, shows the Mariupol Drama Theater in Mariupol, Ukraine, on March 14, 2022. BBC reported citing the deputy mayor Sergei Orlov that around 1,000 people had sought refuge in the building, however, the number of casualties could not be confirmed. Local authorities say at least 2,400 people have been killed in Mariupol since the start of the war. Meanwhile, Russia's defence ministry denied that its forces bombed the city on Wednesday and stated the building was destroyed in an explosion set off by Ukraine's nationalist Azov battalion. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba shared before and after images that showed the extent of the destruction. He said, Another horrendous war crime in Mariupol. Massive Russian attack on the Drama Theater where hundreds of innocent civilians were hiding." "The building is now fully ruined. Russians could not have not known this was a civilian shelter. Save Mariupol! Stop Russian war criminals!" he added. Another horrendous war crime in Mariupol. Massive Russian attack on the Drama Theater where hundreds of innocent civilians were hiding. The building is now fully ruined. Russians could not have not known this was a civilian shelter. Save Mariupol! Stop Russian war criminals! pic.twitter.com/bIQLxe7mli — Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) March 16, 2022 × WATCH | Gravitas: Ukraine war triggers global food crisis ×

Ukraine under attack: Russia attacks Mariupol theatre sheltering 'hundreds' of civilians - see satellite image

In the year after he disclosed a federal investigation into his “tax affairs” in late 2020, President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, paid off a significant tax liability, even as a grand jury continued to gather evidence in a wide-ranging examination of his international business dealings, according to people familiar with the case.

Biden’s failure to pay all his taxes has been a focus of the ongoing Justice Department investigation. While wiping out his liability does not preclude criminal charges against him, the payment could make it harder for prosecutors to win a conviction or a long sentence for tax-related offenses, according to tax law experts, since juries and judges tend to be more sympathetic to defendants who have paid their bills.

But Biden’s taxes are just one element of the broader investigation stemming from work he did around the world. Hunter Biden is a Yale-educated lawyer; his professional life has intersected with his father’s public service, including working as a registered lobbyist for domestic interests and, while his father was vice president, pursuing deals and clients in Asia and Europe.

As recently as last month, the federal grand jury heard testimony in Wilmington, Delaware, from two witnesses, one of whom was a former employee of Hunter Biden whose lawyer was later subpoenaed for financial records that reflected money Biden received from a Ukrainian energy company.

The investigation, which began as a tax inquiry under the Obama administration, widened in 2018 to include possible criminal violations of tax laws, as well as foreign lobbying and money laundering rules, according to the people familiar with the inquiry.

But prosecutors face a number of hurdles to bringing criminal charges, the people familiar with the investigation said, including proving that Biden intentionally violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act, or FARA, which requires disclosure to the Justice Department of lobbying or public relations assistance on behalf of foreign clients.

The Justice Department has given no public indication that it has made decisions about any element of the case, and Biden has not been charged with any crime.

When he disclosed the investigation after the 2020 election, Hunter Biden said that “a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately.”

Biden’s lawyer, the Justice Department and the U.S. attorney’s office in Delaware, which is overseeing the investigation, all declined to comment.

It is not clear whether the criminal probe is focused solely on Hunter Biden, or if he is among a group of individuals and companies being scrutinized. Prosecutors have also asked about potential FARA violations by a Washington consulting firm, Blue Star Strategies, that worked for the Ukrainian energy company in an arrangement that Biden helped broker, according to documents and the people familiar with the investigation.

For Joe Biden, the long-running case is both politically and personally fraught. Hunter Biden’s work for Burisma Holdings, the Ukrainian energy company, became a flashpoint in his father’s race in 2020 against President Donald Trump and helped set off the events that led to Trump’s first impeachment.

The elder Biden now oversees the Justice Department that is carrying out the investigation. And Hunter Biden, who in recent years has pursued a career as a painter, has acknowledged serious drug addiction and other problems during the period when he was seeking international business, while dealing with the illness and death of his brother Beau.

The investigation is being overseen by David C. Weiss, the U.S. attorney for Delaware. He worked in the office during the Bush and Obama administrations, and was nominated to run it by Trump. Weiss has been permitted to remain in office until the Biden case is resolved.

Hunter Biden told associates in recent months that he paid the federal taxes that had been the subject of Justice Department scrutiny. He told one associate that the tax liability was more than $1 million, and that he had to take out a loan to pay it off.

Federal tax prosecutors generally fight to keep jurors from knowing whether defendants have paid their back tax bills, arguing that the crime happens when the return is falsely filed or not filed at all, said Jeffrey Neiman, a former Justice Department tax prosecutor and a partner at Marcus, Neiman, Rashbaum &amp; Pineiro. Such knowledge could influence jurors, even if a judge asks them not to consider it.

Neiman said that defense lawyers encourage clients to pay their back taxes if they believe they could be indicted on federal tax crimes, as it often helps with sentencing.

Biden’s extensive work with foreign businesses came under scrutiny from prosecutors looking into whether he should have registered with the Justice Department as a foreign agent.

Investigators have examined Biden’s relationships with interests in Kazakhstan, a Chinese energy conglomerate and Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company, according to people familiar with the investigation.

They said prosecutors had investigated payments and gifts Biden or his associates had received from foreign interests, including a vehicle paid for using funds from a company associated with a Kazakh oligarch and a diamond from a Chinese energy tycoon. Prosecutors also sought documents related to corporate entities through which Biden and his associates conducted business with interests around the world.

But there has been debate within the Justice Department over whether the available evidence proves that Biden intended to violate FARA, which the government must prove in order to secure a criminal conviction. The prosecutors have discussed approaching potential FARA violations as a civil matter, which would require Biden to register retroactively as a foreign agent, but would avoid criminal charges, according to the people familiar with the case.

Such a resolution could complicate a potential money laundering case, since money laundering is typically charged in connection with another crime.

Over the last two years, federal prosecutors in Delaware have issued scores of subpoenas for documents related to Hunter Biden’s foreign work and for bank accounts linked to him and his associates, including two formerly close business partners, Eric Schwerin and Devon Archer, according to people familiar with the investigation.

Last year, prosecutors interviewed Archer and subpoenaed him for documents and grand jury testimony, the people said. Archer, who was sentenced last month in an unrelated securities fraud case in which a decision to set aside his conviction was reversed, had served with Biden on Burisma’s board, starting in 2014.

People familiar with the investigation said prosecutors had examined emails between Biden, Archer and others about Burisma and other foreign business activity. Those emails were obtained by The New York Times from a cache of files that appears to have come from a laptop abandoned by Biden in a Delaware repair shop. The email and others in the cache were authenticated by people familiar with them and with the investigation.

In some of the emails, Biden displayed a familiarity with FARA, and a desire to avoid triggering it.

In one email to Archer in April 2014, Biden outlined his vision for working with Burisma. In the email, Hunter Biden indicated that the forthcoming announcement of a trip to Ukraine by Vice President Biden — who is referred to in the email as “my guy,” but not by name — should “be characterized as part of our advice and thinking — but what he will say and do is out of our hands.”

The announcement “could be a really good thing or it could end up creating too great an expectation. We need to temper expectations regarding that visit,” Hunter Biden wrote.

The vice president traveled to Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, about a week after the email.

In the same April 2014 email, Hunter Biden indicated that Burisma’s officials “need to know in no uncertain terms that we will not and cannot intervene directly with domestic policymakers, and that we need to abide by FARA and any other U.S. laws in the strictest sense across the board.”

He suggested enlisting the law firm where he worked at the time, Boies Schiller Flexner, to help Burisma through “direct discussions at state, energy and NSC,” referring to two Cabinet departments and the National Security Council at the White House.

The firm “can devise a media plan and arrange for legal protections and mitigate U.S. domestic negative press regarding the current leadership if need be,” Hunter Biden wrote in the email.

Biden, Archer, Boies Schiller Flexner and Blue Star Strategies did not register under FARA on behalf of Burisma.

In another set of emails examined by prosecutors, Hunter Biden and Archer discussed inviting foreign business associates, including a Burisma executive, to a dinner in April 2015 at a Washington restaurant where Joe Biden would stop by. It is not clear whether the Burisma executive attended the dinner, although the vice president did make an appearance, according to people familiar with the event.

Prosecutors also subpoenaed records related to a lawsuit brought by the former employee of Hunter Biden’s, Lunden Alexis Roberts, in Arkansas state court, according to her lawyer.

Roberts sued Biden for child support and paternity in 2019, after one of his companies ceased paying her and providing her with health insurance, according to court records.

Biden and Roberts reached a settlement out of court in the paternity case in March 2020.

Last year, prosecutors traveled to Little Rock, Arkansas, and asked Roberts and her lawyer about Biden’s finances, including which corporate entity he used to pay her, and whether that entity had received payments from Burisma, according to a person familiar with the questioning.

And last month, in response to another subpoena, Roberts testified before the grand jury in Delaware, according to her lawyer.

In the year after he disclosed a federal investigation into his “tax affairs” in late 2020, President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, paid off a significant tax liability, even as a grand jury continued to gather evidence in a wide-ranging examination of his international business dealings, according to people familiar with the case.

In the year after he disclosed a federal investigation into his “tax affairs” in late 2020, President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, paid off a significant tax liability, even as a grand jury continued to gather evidence in a wide-ranging examination of his international business dealings, according to people familiar with the case. Biden’s failure to pay all his taxes has been a focus of the ongoing Justice Department investigation. While wiping out his liability does not preclude criminal charges against him, the payment could make it harder for prosecutors to win a conviction or a long sentence for tax-related offenses, according to tax law experts, since juries and judges tend to be more sympathetic to defendants who have paid their bills. But Biden’s taxes are just one element of the broader investigation stemming from work he did around the world. Hunter Biden is a Yale-educated lawyer; his professional life has intersected with his father’s public service, including working as a registered lobbyist for domestic interests and, while his father was vice president, pursuing deals and clients in Asia and Europe. As recently as last month, the federal grand jury heard testimony in Wilmington, Delaware, from two witnesses, one of whom was a former employee of Hunter Biden whose lawyer was later subpoenaed for financial records that reflected money Biden received from a Ukrainian energy company. The investigation, which began as a tax inquiry under the Obama administration, widened in 2018 to include possible criminal violations of tax laws, as well as foreign lobbying and money laundering rules, according to the people familiar with the inquiry. But prosecutors face a number of hurdles to bringing criminal charges, the people familiar with the investigation said, including proving that Biden intentionally violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act, or FARA, which requires disclosure to the Justice Department of lobbying or public relations assistance on behalf of foreign clients. The Justice Department has given no public indication that it has made decisions about any element of the case, and Biden has not been charged with any crime. When he disclosed the investigation after the 2020 election, Hunter Biden said that “a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately.” Biden’s lawyer, the Justice Department and the U.S. attorney’s office in Delaware, which is overseeing the investigation, all declined to comment. It is not clear whether the criminal probe is focused solely on Hunter Biden, or if he is among a group of individuals and companies being scrutinized. Prosecutors have also asked about potential FARA violations by a Washington consulting firm, Blue Star Strategies, that worked for the Ukrainian energy company in an arrangement that Biden helped broker, according to documents and the people familiar with the investigation. For Joe Biden, the long-running case is both politically and personally fraught. Hunter Biden’s work for Burisma Holdings, the Ukrainian energy company, became a flashpoint in his father’s race in 2020 against President Donald Trump and helped set off the events that led to Trump’s first impeachment. The elder Biden now oversees the Justice Department that is carrying out the investigation. And Hunter Biden, who in recent years has pursued a career as a painter, has acknowledged serious drug addiction and other problems during the period when he was seeking international business, while dealing with the illness and death of his brother Beau. The investigation is being overseen by David C. Weiss, the U.S. attorney for Delaware. He worked in the office during the Bush and Obama administrations, and was nominated to run it by Trump. Weiss has been permitted to remain in office until the Biden case is resolved. Hunter Biden told associates in recent months that he paid the federal taxes that had been the subject of Justice Department scrutiny. He told one associate that the tax liability was more than $1 million, and that he had to take out a loan to pay it off. Federal tax prosecutors generally fight to keep jurors from knowing whether defendants have paid their back tax bills, arguing that the crime happens when the return is falsely filed or not filed at all, said Jeffrey Neiman, a former Justice Department tax prosecutor and a partner at Marcus, Neiman, Rashbaum & Pineiro. Such knowledge could influence jurors, even if a judge asks them not to consider it. Neiman said that defense lawyers encourage clients to pay their back taxes if they believe they could be indicted on federal tax crimes, as it often helps with sentencing. Biden’s extensive work with foreign businesses came under scrutiny from prosecutors looking into whether he should have registered with the Justice Department as a foreign agent. Investigators have examined Biden’s relationships with interests in Kazakhstan, a Chinese energy conglomerate and Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company, according to people familiar with the investigation. They said prosecutors had investigated payments and gifts Biden or his associates had received from foreign interests, including a vehicle paid for using funds from a company associated with a Kazakh oligarch and a diamond from a Chinese energy tycoon. Prosecutors also sought documents related to corporate entities through which Biden and his associates conducted business with interests around the world. But there has been debate within the Justice Department over whether the available evidence proves that Biden intended to violate FARA, which the government must prove in order to secure a criminal conviction. The prosecutors have discussed approaching potential FARA violations as a civil matter, which would require Biden to register retroactively as a foreign agent, but would avoid criminal charges, according to the people familiar with the case. Such a resolution could complicate a potential money laundering case, since money laundering is typically charged in connection with another crime. Over the last two years, federal prosecutors in Delaware have issued scores of subpoenas for documents related to Hunter Biden’s foreign work and for bank accounts linked to him and his associates, including two formerly close business partners, Eric Schwerin and Devon Archer, according to people familiar with the investigation. Last year, prosecutors interviewed Archer and subpoenaed him for documents and grand jury testimony, the people said. Archer, who was sentenced last month in an unrelated securities fraud case in which a decision to set aside his conviction was reversed, had served with Biden on Burisma’s board, starting in 2014. People familiar with the investigation said prosecutors had examined emails between Biden, Archer and others about Burisma and other foreign business activity. Those emails were obtained by The New York Times from a cache of files that appears to have come from a laptop abandoned by Biden in a Delaware repair shop. The email and others in the cache were authenticated by people familiar with them and with the investigation. In some of the emails, Biden displayed a familiarity with FARA, and a desire to avoid triggering it. In one email to Archer in April 2014, Biden outlined his vision for working with Burisma. In the email, Hunter Biden indicated that the forthcoming announcement of a trip to Ukraine by Vice President Biden — who is referred to in the email as “my guy,” but not by name — should “be characterized as part of our advice and thinking — but what he will say and do is out of our hands.” The announcement “could be a really good thing or it could end up creating too great an expectation. We need to temper expectations regarding that visit,” Hunter Biden wrote. The vice president traveled to Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, about a week after the email. In the same April 2014 email, Hunter Biden indicated that Burisma’s officials “need to know in no uncertain terms that we will not and cannot intervene directly with domestic policymakers, and that we need to abide by FARA and any other U.S. laws in the strictest sense across the board.” He suggested enlisting the law firm where he worked at the time, Boies Schiller Flexner, to help Burisma through “direct discussions at state, energy and NSC,” referring to two Cabinet departments and the National Security Council at the White House. The firm “can devise a media plan and arrange for legal protections and mitigate U.S. domestic negative press regarding the current leadership if need be,” Hunter Biden wrote in the email. Biden, Archer, Boies Schiller Flexner and Blue Star Strategies did not register under FARA on behalf of Burisma. In another set of emails examined by prosecutors, Hunter Biden and Archer discussed inviting foreign business associates, including a Burisma executive, to a dinner in April 2015 at a Washington restaurant where Joe Biden would stop by. It is not clear whether the Burisma executive attended the dinner, although the vice president did make an appearance, according to people familiar with the event. Prosecutors also subpoenaed records related to a lawsuit brought by the former employee of Hunter Biden’s, Lunden Alexis Roberts, in Arkansas state court, according to her lawyer. Roberts sued Biden for child support and paternity in 2019, after one of his companies ceased paying her and providing her with health insurance, according to court records. Biden and Roberts reached a settlement out of court in the paternity case in March 2020. Last year, prosecutors traveled to Little Rock, Arkansas, and asked Roberts and her lawyer about Biden’s finances, including which corporate entity he used to pay her, and whether that entity had received payments from Burisma, according to a person familiar with the questioning. And last month, in response to another subpoena, Roberts testified before the grand jury in Delaware, according to her lawyer.

Hunter Biden paid tax bill, but broad federal investigation continues

Four people died after powerful earthquake jolts Japan, images show extent of damage

As many as 180 media outlets out of 475 have been closed in Afghanistan in the past seven months following the takeover by the Taliban in August this year, local media reported.

On Tuesday, Afghanistan's National House of Journalists in its latest survey said Afghan media outlets have been affected the most after the Taliban takeover as a result only 290 media outlets are active in the war-torn country, Khaama Press reported.

A recent survey released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) indicates that about 43 percent of Afghan media outlets have shut down their operations, leaving almost 60 percent of journalists unemployed. Head of Afghanistan's National House of Journalists Sayed Yaseen Mateen said that reason behind the mass closure of media was economic woes and migration of professional media workers in the country.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-diplomats-under-pressure-from-taliban-regime-462072">Afghan diplomats under pressure from Taliban regime</a>

Apart from the economic woes and stoppage of foreign support of the media in Afghanistan, the lack of access to information cited by Afghan journalists is said to be another big issue for media in the country, Khaama Press reported.

On the other hand, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has always denied the claim.They said that the closure of media outlets in Afghanistan is owing to the stoppage of their donors. They denied having restricted Afghan journalists and media, Khaama Press reported.

The situation of human rights in Afghanistan has worsened since the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban's return to power in August last year.Although the fighting in the country has ended, serious human rights violations continue unabated.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-extreme-poverty-kabul-residents-complain-of-high-price-of-food-materials-462156">Amid extreme poverty, Kabul residents complain of high price of food materials</a>

The Taliban have committed and continue to commit human rights violations including extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, torture, arbitrary detentions, a massive rollback of the rights of women and girls, censorship of and attacks against the media.

Moreover, people in Afghanistan are also facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis which is being driven by decisions and positions taken by the international community, especially the US, that have blocked Afghanistan from aid funding and access to the global financial system.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: US turning Ukraine into the next Afghanistan?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-us-turning-ukraine-into-the-next-afghanistan-462323/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

As many as 180 media outlets out of 475 have been closed in Afghanistan in the past seven months following the takeover by the Taliban in August this year, local media reported.

As many as 180 media outlets out of 475 have been closed in Afghanistan in the past seven months following the takeover by the Taliban in August this year, local media reported. On Tuesday, Afghanistan's National House of Journalists in its latest survey said Afghan media outlets have been affected the most after the Taliban takeover as a result only 290 media outlets are active in the war-torn country, Khaama Press reported. A recent survey released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) indicates that about 43 percent of Afghan media outlets have shut down their operations, leaving almost 60 percent of journalists unemployed. Head of Afghanistan's National House of Journalists Sayed Yaseen Mateen said that reason behind the mass closure of media was economic woes and migration of professional media workers in the country. Also read | Afghan diplomats under pressure from Taliban regime Apart from the economic woes and stoppage of foreign support of the media in Afghanistan, the lack of access to information cited by Afghan journalists is said to be another big issue for media in the country, Khaama Press reported. On the other hand, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has always denied the claim.They said that the closure of media outlets in Afghanistan is owing to the stoppage of their donors. They denied having restricted Afghan journalists and media, Khaama Press reported. The situation of human rights in Afghanistan has worsened since the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban's return to power in August last year.Although the fighting in the country has ended, serious human rights violations continue unabated. Also read | Amid extreme poverty, Kabul residents complain of high price of food materials The Taliban have committed and continue to commit human rights violations including extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, torture, arbitrary detentions, a massive rollback of the rights of women and girls, censorship of and attacks against the media. Moreover, people in Afghanistan are also facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis which is being driven by decisions and positions taken by the international community, especially the US, that have blocked Afghanistan from aid funding and access to the global financial system. Watch | Gravitas: US turning Ukraine into the next Afghanistan?

180 media outlets closed in past seven months in Afghanistan

Sri Lanka's Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksha is expected to meet his Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman this week to discuss USD 1 billion loan that the Indian government agreed to provide and will also share the road map on the utilisation of funds.

India has already given a loan of USD 500 million for fuel purchase and USD 400 million currency swap under the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) facility, Policy Research Group reported.

Earlier, the Sri Lankan Finance Minister met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday and thanked PM Modi for the support extended by India to the Sri Lankan economy.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-will-always-stand-with-sri-lanka-pm-modi-tells-finance-minister-basil-rajapaksa-462918">'India will always stand with Sri Lanka', PM Modi tells finance minister Basil Rajapaksa</a>

India has stepped up and pledged a whopping USD 2.415 billion to the island nation to help overcome dire financial constraints caused by external debt payments and a lack of US dollars in the country for business.

Sri Lanka is moving away from China while getting close to India over the failure of Colombo to pay back Chinese loans worth USD 4.5 billion, amidst fears of a "debt trap".

Sri Lankan foreign minister has been asking from China and different countries to help them in their financial crisis.

Sri Lanka also offered that whosoever country will help, Sri Lanka will collaborate on supplying essential commodities and avail the economic opportunities to them on their island, think tank reported.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/imf-in-sri-lanka-to-discuss-worsening-economic-crisis-462128">IMF in Sri Lanka to discuss worsening economic crisis</a>

Sri Lanka's credit rating has been downgraded by Fitch Ratings and Moody's Investors Service due to delays in obtaining new funds, which are necessary to satisfy loan commitments. The country is on the verge of defaulting.

Saudi Arabian foreign minister, who recently visited Colombo, was requested to invest in the Port City project and the Hambantota Port project. Likewise, Oman was asked to assist in their fuel prices.

Sri Lanka's financial crisis began with the Easter Sunday attacks in 2019 and the situation deteriorated when the tourism rate fell and the government granted 25 per cent tax breaks to investors.

In January this year, Jaishankar held a virtual meeting with the Finance Minister of Sri Lanka Basil Rajapaksa and conveyed that India has always stood with Sri Lanka, and will continue to support Sri Lanka in all possible ways for overcoming the economic and other challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Watch |&nbsp;Sri Lanka seeks IMF bailout amid rising fuel shortages, public anger

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/sri-lanka-seeks-imf-bailout-amid-rising-fuel-shortages-public-anger-463029/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Sri Lanka's Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksha is expected to meet his Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman this week to discuss USD 1 billion loan that the Indian government agreed to provide and will also share the road map on the utilisation of funds.

Sri Lanka's Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksha is expected to meet his Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman this week to discuss USD 1 billion loan that the Indian government agreed to provide and will also share the road map on the utilisation of funds. India has already given a loan of USD 500 million for fuel purchase and USD 400 million currency swap under the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) facility, Policy Research Group reported. Earlier, the Sri Lankan Finance Minister met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday and thanked PM Modi for the support extended by India to the Sri Lankan economy. Also read | 'India will always stand with Sri Lanka', PM Modi tells finance minister Basil Rajapaksa India has stepped up and pledged a whopping USD 2.415 billion to the island nation to help overcome dire financial constraints caused by external debt payments and a lack of US dollars in the country for business. Sri Lanka is moving away from China while getting close to India over the failure of Colombo to pay back Chinese loans worth USD 4.5 billion, amidst fears of a "debt trap". Sri Lankan foreign minister has been asking from China and different countries to help them in their financial crisis. Sri Lanka also offered that whosoever country will help, Sri Lanka will collaborate on supplying essential commodities and avail the economic opportunities to them on their island, think tank reported. Also read | IMF in Sri Lanka to discuss worsening economic crisis Sri Lanka's credit rating has been downgraded by Fitch Ratings and Moody's Investors Service due to delays in obtaining new funds, which are necessary to satisfy loan commitments. The country is on the verge of defaulting. Saudi Arabian foreign minister, who recently visited Colombo, was requested to invest in the Port City project and the Hambantota Port project. Likewise, Oman was asked to assist in their fuel prices. Sri Lanka's financial crisis began with the Easter Sunday attacks in 2019 and the situation deteriorated when the tourism rate fell and the government granted 25 per cent tax breaks to investors. In January this year, Jaishankar held a virtual meeting with the Finance Minister of Sri Lanka Basil Rajapaksa and conveyed that India has always stood with Sri Lanka, and will continue to support Sri Lanka in all possible ways for overcoming the economic and other challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Watch | Sri Lanka seeks IMF bailout amid rising fuel shortages, public anger

Sri Lankan finance minister to meet his Indian counterpart this week

Russian&nbsp;government&nbsp;websites&nbsp;are&nbsp;facing&nbsp;unprecedented&nbsp;cyber&nbsp;attacks&nbsp;and technical efforts are being made to filter foreign web traffic, the TASS news agency cited the digital ministry as saying on Thursday.

Russian&nbsp;government&nbsp;entities and state-owned companies have been targeted over events in Ukraine, with the websites&nbsp;of the Kremlin, flagship carrier Aeroflot and major lender Sberbank among those to have seen outages or temporary access issues in recent weeks.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-condemns-us-president-biden-for-calling-putin-war-criminal-463022">&nbsp;Russia condemns US President Biden for calling Putin 'war criminal'</a>

The ministry was working to adjust to the new conditions, it said, as&nbsp;cyber&nbsp;attacks&nbsp;ratchet up.

"If previously their power at peak moments reached 500 gigabytes, then now it is at 1 terabyte," the ministry said. "That is two to three times more powerful than the most serious incidents of this kind that have been previously&nbsp;reported."

As Russia becomes increasingly isolated from global financial systems and supply chains, the&nbsp;government&nbsp;has proposed a raft of measures to support the IT sector, among others.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/panama-says-three-ships-hit-by-russian-missiles-in-black-sea-since-start-of-ukraine-invasion-463051">Panama says three ships hit by Russian missiles in Black Sea since start of Ukraine invasion</a>

Technology firms will have access to preferential tax and lending conditions and the digital ministry has previously suggested&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;IT companies discuss a phased transfer of technical support components with foreign firms.

Citing draft&nbsp;government&nbsp;documents, Interfax&nbsp;reported late on Wednesday that the digital ministry had proposed allocating 14 billion roubles ($134.30 million) to support IT companies in the form of grants.

Russian government websites are facing unprecedented cyber attacks and technical efforts are being made to filter foreign web traffic, the TASS news agency cited the digital ministry as saying on Thursday.

Russian government websites are facing unprecedented cyber attacks and technical efforts are being made to filter foreign web traffic, the TASS news agency cited the digital ministry as saying on Thursday. Russian government entities and state-owned companies have been targeted over events in Ukraine, with the websites of the Kremlin, flagship carrier Aeroflot and major lender Sberbank among those to have seen outages or temporary access issues in recent weeks. Also read | Russia condemns US President Biden for calling Putin 'war criminal' The ministry was working to adjust to the new conditions, it said, as cyber attacks ratchet up. "If previously their power at peak moments reached 500 gigabytes, then now it is at 1 terabyte," the ministry said. "That is two to three times more powerful than the most serious incidents of this kind that have been previously reported." As Russia becomes increasingly isolated from global financial systems and supply chains, the government has proposed a raft of measures to support the IT sector, among others. Also read | Panama says three ships hit by Russian missiles in Black Sea since start of Ukraine invasion Technology firms will have access to preferential tax and lending conditions and the digital ministry has previously suggested Russian IT companies discuss a phased transfer of technical support components with foreign firms. Citing draft government documents, Interfax reported late on Wednesday that the digital ministry had proposed allocating 14 billion roubles ($134.30 million) to support IT companies in the form of grants.

Russian government sites facing unprecedented cyber attacks: Report

The Pakistani government has decided to scrap all Covid-19 restrictions amid a continuous decline in the number of new cases, with experts and officials calling for continued surveillance and vaccination process. 
 
Asad Umar, chairman of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), which oversees the country's response to the pandemic, said on Wednesday that Pakistan is removing restrictions as it has come close to eliminating the pandemic in the country, reports Xinhua news agency. 
 
"We have decided that all the restrictions we have imposed related to the coronavirus. We are ending all of them ... We need a transition process towards a normal, ordinary life," he said during a press conference in Islamabad.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/will-pakistan-pm-imran-khan-face-the-axe-his-key-ally-says-100-462962">Will Pakistan PM Imran Khan face the axe? His key ally says '100%'</a> 
 
However, Umar said that all restrictions on citizens not vaccinated against the virus would remain in place until 80-85 per cent of the eligible population was fully jabbed, adding that the government would keep monitoring the disease prevalence on a daily basis to decide for any change in policy in future. 
 
Pakistan witnessed a major decline in the daily Covid-19 case count. 
 
The country reported 493 new infections over the past 24 hours, with the positivity rate falling to 1.42 per cent, the NCOC said. 
 
Since the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, the country has registered 1,520,634 confirmed cases and 30,319 deaths. 
 
Pakistani experts and officials believe that though the restrictions are being lifted in the country, the threat of the pandemic is not over yet, urging the public to continue taking precautions and vaccines to fully defeat the deadly disease.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-says-global-rise-in-covid-cases-is-tip-of-the-iceberg-463031">WHO says global rise in COVID-19 cases is 'tip of the iceberg'</a> 
 
Speaking to Xinhua, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Faisal Sultan said that Pakistan has successfully overcome the challenge of Covid-19 due to prudent policies and measures taken by the government. 
 
Provincial governments, healthcare professionals, media, and scholars played a vital role in controlling the pandemic, he said, adding that vigorous vaccination process helped the country in curbing the virus spread.

At the moment, more than 70 per cent of the eligible population has been fully vaccinated, and over 80 per cent have received at least one dose of a Covid jab, "which is quite encouraging" for the country of over 220 million population, Sultan said.

Watch |&nbsp;Pakistan PM Imran Khan to face a no-confidence vote

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pakistan-pm-imran-khan-to-face-a-no-confidence-vote-462257/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

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The Pakistani government has decided to scrap all Covid-19 restrictions amid a continuous decline in the number of new cases, with experts and officials calling for continued surveillance and vaccination process.

The Pakistani government has decided to scrap all Covid-19 restrictions amid a continuous decline in the number of new cases, with experts and officials calling for continued surveillance and vaccination process. Asad Umar, chairman of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), which oversees the country's response to the pandemic, said on Wednesday that Pakistan is removing restrictions as it has come close to eliminating the pandemic in the country, reports Xinhua news agency. "We have decided that all the restrictions we have imposed related to the coronavirus. We are ending all of them ... We need a transition process towards a normal, ordinary life," he said during a press conference in Islamabad. Also read | Will Pakistan PM Imran Khan face the axe? His key ally says '100%' However, Umar said that all restrictions on citizens not vaccinated against the virus would remain in place until 80-85 per cent of the eligible population was fully jabbed, adding that the government would keep monitoring the disease prevalence on a daily basis to decide for any change in policy in future. Pakistan witnessed a major decline in the daily Covid-19 case count. The country reported 493 new infections over the past 24 hours, with the positivity rate falling to 1.42 per cent, the NCOC said. Since the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, the country has registered 1,520,634 confirmed cases and 30,319 deaths. Pakistani experts and officials believe that though the restrictions are being lifted in the country, the threat of the pandemic is not over yet, urging the public to continue taking precautions and vaccines to fully defeat the deadly disease. Also read | WHO says global rise in COVID-19 cases is 'tip of the iceberg' Speaking to Xinhua, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Faisal Sultan said that Pakistan has successfully overcome the challenge of Covid-19 due to prudent policies and measures taken by the government. Provincial governments, healthcare professionals, media, and scholars played a vital role in controlling the pandemic, he said, adding that vigorous vaccination process helped the country in curbing the virus spread. At the moment, more than 70 per cent of the eligible population has been fully vaccinated, and over 80 per cent have received at least one dose of a Covid jab, "which is quite encouraging" for the country of over 220 million population, Sultan said. Watch | Pakistan PM Imran Khan to face a no-confidence vote

COVID-19: Pakistan decides to end all restrictions

South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;reported a record of more than 600,000 coronavirus cases Thursday, with authorities saying the country was near the peak of an Omicron-fuelled infection wave.

According to WHO data,&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;leads the world in newly reported cases in the last seven days with 2,417,174 infections, followed by Vietnam with 1,776,045.

The 621,328 case tally recorded Thursday is&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea's highest daily figure since the pandemic began.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-says-global-rise-in-covid-cases-is-tip-of-the-iceberg-463031">WHO says global rise in COVID-19 cases is 'tip of the iceberg'</a>

But critical cases and deaths remain comparatively low in the country of around 52 million where the majority of adults are fully vaccinated and have received a booster shot, official data shows.

"We have been preparing for an increase in the number of patients since Omicron became dominant," Lee Sang-won, a senior official at the&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said Thursday.&nbsp;

But even the government's modelling did not anticipate this many, he said.&nbsp;

"The number is much greater than what was expected," he said.

Health authorities believe&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;is nearing the peak of an Omicron-driven wave, but Lee said they were recalculating "the scale of the confirmed cases or how long the 'peak period' is going to last".

Once it has passed, officials believe the country will be able to start getting back to normal.

"I think this crisis will be the last major crisis in the overall response to Covid-19," Sohn Young-rae, a senior health ministry official, said Wednesday.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/suspected-north-korea-missile-fails-after-launch-over-pyongyang-462817">Suspected North Korea missile fails after launch over Pyongyang</a>

Since the pandemic began in 2020, 11,481 people have died of Covid in&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea, according to health authorities.

Its total Covid fatality rate stands at 0.14 percent as of Thursday, compared to 0.05 to 0.1 percent for seasonal flu, according to official statistics.

The&nbsp;Omicron&nbsp;surge and its&nbsp;economic&nbsp;implications&nbsp;will pose an immediate&nbsp;challenge&nbsp;to&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea's new president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, who&nbsp;narrowly&nbsp;won&nbsp;last week.

Seoul abandoned its "trace, test and treat" approach last month as a dramatic surge in Omicron cases threatened to overwhelm its healthcare system.

Instead of mass testing and aggressive contact tracing, patients with mild or moderate symptoms are now asked to look after themselves at home.

Authorities are also prioritising PCR testing for people aged 60 or older.

The country has continued to relax its social distancing rules, under pressure from small businesses owners who say years-long Covid restrictions had pushed them to the brink.

The government is expected to decide whether to keep current distancing guidelines, such as an 11 pm curfew for businesses, this Friday.

Later this month, Seoul will also begin vaccinating children between the ages of 5 and 11.

Watch |&nbsp;South Korea facing worst COVID-19 outbreak as government eases norms

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/south-korea-facing-worst-covid-19-outbreak-as-government-eases-norms-463032/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

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South Korea reported a record of more than 600,000 coronavirus cases Thursday, with authorities saying the country was near the peak of an Omicron-fuelled infection wave.

South Korea reported a record of more than 600,000 coronavirus cases Thursday, with authorities saying the country was near the peak of an Omicron-fuelled infection wave. According to WHO data, South Korea leads the world in newly reported cases in the last seven days with 2,417,174 infections, followed by Vietnam with 1,776,045. The 621,328 case tally recorded Thursday is South Korea's highest daily figure since the pandemic began. Also read | WHO says global rise in COVID-19 cases is 'tip of the iceberg' But critical cases and deaths remain comparatively low in the country of around 52 million where the majority of adults are fully vaccinated and have received a booster shot, official data shows. "We have been preparing for an increase in the number of patients since Omicron became dominant," Lee Sang-won, a senior official at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said Thursday. But even the government's modelling did not anticipate this many, he said. "The number is much greater than what was expected," he said. Health authorities believe South Korea is nearing the peak of an Omicron-driven wave, but Lee said they were recalculating "the scale of the confirmed cases or how long the 'peak period' is going to last". Once it has passed, officials believe the country will be able to start getting back to normal. "I think this crisis will be the last major crisis in the overall response to Covid-19," Sohn Young-rae, a senior health ministry official, said Wednesday. Also read | Suspected North Korea missile fails after launch over Pyongyang Since the pandemic began in 2020, 11,481 people have died of Covid in South Korea, according to health authorities. Its total Covid fatality rate stands at 0.14 percent as of Thursday, compared to 0.05 to 0.1 percent for seasonal flu, according to official statistics. The Omicron surge and its economic implications will pose an immediate challenge to South Korea's new president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, who narrowly won last week. Seoul abandoned its "trace, test and treat" approach last month as a dramatic surge in Omicron cases threatened to overwhelm its healthcare system. Instead of mass testing and aggressive contact tracing, patients with mild or moderate symptoms are now asked to look after themselves at home. Authorities are also prioritising PCR testing for people aged 60 or older. The country has continued to relax its social distancing rules, under pressure from small businesses owners who say years-long Covid restrictions had pushed them to the brink. The government is expected to decide whether to keep current distancing guidelines, such as an 11 pm curfew for businesses, this Friday. Later this month, Seoul will also begin vaccinating children between the ages of 5 and 11. Watch | South Korea facing worst COVID-19 outbreak as government eases norms

South Korea reports more than 600,000 Covid cases amid Omicron surge

As the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to escalate, the United Nations' top court ordered Moscow on Wednesday (March 16) to immediately halt its "military operations" in Ukraine.&nbsp;

The decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) comes as Russia has intensified shelling and airstrikes on Ukrainian cities with its forces in place around major cities including the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"The court is profoundly concerned about the use of force by the Russian Federation which raises very serious issues in international law," pending the final decision in the case, presiding judge Joan Donoghue said at the hearing held at the court's headquarters at the Peace Palace building.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zelensky-compares-russian-invasion-to-911-and-pearl-harbor-attack-putin-says-invasion-on-course-463021">Zelensky compares Russian invasion to 9/11 and Pearl Harbor attack; Putin says invasion on course</a>

The top UN court for disputes between states said that it was "profoundly concerned" by Russia's use of force. "The Russian Federation shall immediately suspend the military operations that it commenced on Feb 24, 2022 on the territory of Ukraine," the ICJ judges said in a 13-2 decision.&nbsp;

Among other judges who voted against Russia, India's judge at the ICJ, Justice Dalveer Bhandari, also voted. The nomination of Justice Bhandari to the ICJ was done on the support of the government and various missions over a period of time.&nbsp;

Justice Bhandari's vote against Russia does not represent India's stance on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. It is an independent move.&nbsp;

At every stage, India vouched for diplomatic dialogues to resolve the issue and abstained from voting on the Ukraine-Russia issue in the UN.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-under-attack-russia-attacks-mariupol-theatre-sheltering-hundreds-of-civilians-see-satellite-image-463012">Russia attacks Mariupol theatre sheltering 'hundreds' of civilians - see satellite image</a>

On the other hand, Kyiv hailed the verdict as a "complete victory" saying it will continue to pursue the case "until Ukrainian people can go back to normal life".&nbsp;

Although it is important to note that the rulings of the ICJ are binding, it has no direct means of enforcing them. There have been cases in the past, that countries have ignored them.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday welcomed the ruling by the ICJ on emergency measures as "a complete victory" in its case against Russia.&nbsp;

"The (ICJ) order is binding under international law. Russia must comply immediately. Ignoring the order will isolate Russia even further," Zelensky said on Twitter.

WATCH |&nbsp;World court orders Russia to immediately halt invasion of Ukraine

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As the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to escalate, the United Nations' top court ordered Moscow on Wednesday (March 16) to immediately halt its "military operations" in Ukraine.

As the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to escalate, the United Nations' top court ordered Moscow on Wednesday (March 16) to immediately halt its "military operations" in Ukraine. The decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) comes as Russia has intensified shelling and airstrikes on Ukrainian cities with its forces in place around major cities including the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. "The court is profoundly concerned about the use of force by the Russian Federation which raises very serious issues in international law," pending the final decision in the case, presiding judge Joan Donoghue said at the hearing held at the court's headquarters at the Peace Palace building. ALSO READ | Zelensky compares Russian invasion to 9/11 and Pearl Harbor attack; Putin says invasion on course The top UN court for disputes between states said that it was "profoundly concerned" by Russia's use of force. "The Russian Federation shall immediately suspend the military operations that it commenced on Feb 24, 2022 on the territory of Ukraine," the ICJ judges said in a 13-2 decision. Among other judges who voted against Russia, India's judge at the ICJ, Justice Dalveer Bhandari, also voted. The nomination of Justice Bhandari to the ICJ was done on the support of the government and various missions over a period of time. Justice Bhandari's vote against Russia does not represent India's stance on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. It is an independent move. At every stage, India vouched for diplomatic dialogues to resolve the issue and abstained from voting on the Ukraine-Russia issue in the UN. ALSO READ | Russia attacks Mariupol theatre sheltering 'hundreds' of civilians - see satellite image On the other hand, Kyiv hailed the verdict as a "complete victory" saying it will continue to pursue the case "until Ukrainian people can go back to normal life". Although it is important to note that the rulings of the ICJ are binding, it has no direct means of enforcing them. There have been cases in the past, that countries have ignored them. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday welcomed the ruling by the ICJ on emergency measures as "a complete victory" in its case against Russia. "The (ICJ) order is binding under international law. Russia must comply immediately. Ignoring the order will isolate Russia even further," Zelensky said on Twitter. WATCH | World court orders Russia to immediately halt invasion of Ukraine ×

Dalveer Bhandari, Indian judge at ICJ, voted against Russia in Ukraine invasion case

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