Jewish groups and institutions around the world condemned a strike in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, in the area of the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center, where tens of thousands of Jews were killed by the Nazis in a two-day massacre during World War II.

It was not clear to what extent the memorial was damaged by the strike. The memorial is close to Kyiv’s main radio and television tower, which was hit by a projectile. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine said at least five people were killed in the area.

Zelenskyy, who is Jewish, also alluded to the site’s history, saying on Twitter, “What is the point of saying ‘never again’ for 80 years, if the world stays silent when a bomb drops on the same site of Babyn Yar?”

On Facebook, the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center said that Russian forces had struck the site but did not describe whether there was damage.

Natan Sharansky, chair of the memorial’s advisory board and a former Soviet dissident, said in the statement that President Vladimir Putin of Russia had sought “to distort and manipulate the Holocaust to justify an illegal invasion of a sovereign democratic country” and called the move “utterly abhorrent.”

Sharansky added, “It is symbolic that he starts attacking Kyiv by bombing the site of the Babyn Yar, the biggest of Nazi massacre.”

In remarks last week, Putin said the Russian military operation would aim for the “demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine,” and called Ukraine’s leaders “neo-Nazis.”

More than 33,000 Jews were killed at the site over a two-day period, according to historians. In addition, mass shootings, including of Roma, also known as Gypsies, and Soviet prisoners of war took place there throughout the war.

Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial museum in Israel, called for the site to be preserved, saying it had “irreplaceable value for research, education and commemoration of the Holocaust.”

“Rather than being subjected to blatant violence, sacred sites like Babi Yar must be protected,” Yad Vashem said in a statement.

Yair Lapid, Israel’s foreign minister, said on Twitter that the country would help with repairing damage to the memorial.

The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum said it was outraged at “the damage inflicted on the Babyn Yar memorial by Russia’s attack today.” The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, a British charity, said it was “horrified” to learn of the strike.

“I’m beyond devastated,” said Karyn Grossman Gershon, CEO of Project Kesher, a nonprofit that aims to build Jewish community by empowering women leaders.

The massacre at Babyn Yar, also known as Babi Yar, took place in late September 1941. Soon after the German army entered Kyiv, the city’s Jews were told to gather near a train station in order to be resettled. Crowds were forced to undress and gather in a ravine, where they were shot. The Nazis wiped out nearly the entire Jewish population of Kyiv over the course of the war.

Last year, on the 80th anniversary, Zelenskyy unveiled a modern art installation at the site. Peter Hayes, a professor emeritus of Holocaust studies at Northwestern University, said that it only started to become a more formally recognized landmark since Ukrainian independence in 1991.

“The Soviets for a long time did not want to acknowledge that the victims were almost exclusively Jewish, and rather kept referring to it as a place where Soviet citizens had been massacred and so forth,” he said.

Jewish groups and institutions around the world condemned a strike in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, in the area of the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center, where tens of thousands of Jews were killed by the Nazis in a two-day massacre during World War II.

Jewish groups and institutions around the world condemned a strike in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, in the area of the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center, where tens of thousands of Jews were killed by the Nazis in a two-day massacre during World War II. It was not clear to what extent the memorial was damaged by the strike. The memorial is close to Kyiv’s main radio and television tower, which was hit by a projectile. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine said at least five people were killed in the area. Zelenskyy, who is Jewish, also alluded to the site’s history, saying on Twitter, “What is the point of saying ‘never again’ for 80 years, if the world stays silent when a bomb drops on the same site of Babyn Yar?” On Facebook, the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center said that Russian forces had struck the site but did not describe whether there was damage. Natan Sharansky, chair of the memorial’s advisory board and a former Soviet dissident, said in the statement that President Vladimir Putin of Russia had sought “to distort and manipulate the Holocaust to justify an illegal invasion of a sovereign democratic country” and called the move “utterly abhorrent.” Sharansky added, “It is symbolic that he starts attacking Kyiv by bombing the site of the Babyn Yar, the biggest of Nazi massacre.” In remarks last week, Putin said the Russian military operation would aim for the “demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine,” and called Ukraine’s leaders “neo-Nazis.” More than 33,000 Jews were killed at the site over a two-day period, according to historians. In addition, mass shootings, including of Roma, also known as Gypsies, and Soviet prisoners of war took place there throughout the war. Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial museum in Israel, called for the site to be preserved, saying it had “irreplaceable value for research, education and commemoration of the Holocaust.” “Rather than being subjected to blatant violence, sacred sites like Babi Yar must be protected,” Yad Vashem said in a statement. Yair Lapid, Israel’s foreign minister, said on Twitter that the country would help with repairing damage to the memorial. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum said it was outraged at “the damage inflicted on the Babyn Yar memorial by Russia’s attack today.” The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, a British charity, said it was “horrified” to learn of the strike. “I’m beyond devastated,” said Karyn Grossman Gershon, CEO of Project Kesher, a nonprofit that aims to build Jewish community by empowering women leaders. The massacre at Babyn Yar, also known as Babi Yar, took place in late September 1941. Soon after the German army entered Kyiv, the city’s Jews were told to gather near a train station in order to be resettled. Crowds were forced to undress and gather in a ravine, where they were shot. The Nazis wiped out nearly the entire Jewish population of Kyiv over the course of the war. Last year, on the 80th anniversary, Zelenskyy unveiled a modern art installation at the site. Peter Hayes, a professor emeritus of Holocaust studies at Northwestern University, said that it only started to become a more formally recognized landmark since Ukrainian independence in 1991. “The Soviets for a long time did not want to acknowledge that the victims were almost exclusively Jewish, and rather kept referring to it as a place where Soviet citizens had been massacred and so forth,” he said.

Jewish groups condemn strike near Babyn Yar holocaust memorial

The officials in Ukraine released the final words that were believed to be sent by a Russian soldier to his mother before he was killed in combat. Amid the escalating crisis, the Security Service of Ukraine released the messages from the soldier on Monday (February 28).&nbsp;

The messages indicated that the Russian soldiers are "afraid" and they are "hitting everyone", including civilians.&nbsp;

Parts of the heartbreaking messages were read by the Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya at a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.&nbsp;

However, Kyslytsya neither revealed when exactly the messages were sent nor the soldier's identity. He also didn't tell how the soldier died.&nbsp;

WATCH | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/video-ukraine-russia-conflict-man-miraculously-saved-after-military-combat-vehicle-runs-over-his-car-457805">Ukraine-Russia conflict: Man miraculously saved after military combat vehicle runs over his car</a>

As read by the official, the soldier wrote: "I'm scared, we're hitting everyone, even civilians. We had been told that people would welcome us here but they jump under our vehicles, not letting us pass. They call us fascists."&nbsp;

"Mom, it's so hard," the soldier added in the texts that were apparently written in Russian.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-ukraines-foreign-ministry-posts-dramatic-video-of-administration-building-being-blown-up-in-kharkiv-457724">Ukraine's foreign ministry posts dramatic video of administration building being blown up in Kharkiv</a>

He said that they were told that the civilians would "welcome" them, and told his mother that he is no longer in Crimea doing training exercises.&nbsp;

He replied that "the only thing I want now is to hang myself" when his mother asked if she could send him a package.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the office of the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on Monday said it will seek court approval to open an investigation into alleged war crimes in Ukraine.&nbsp;

Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of photos and videos shared on social media.

Watch the video here:

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Ukrainian Amb. to the UN reads texts between Russian soldier and his mom before he was killed: 
 
"I'm afraid. We are bombing all of the cities...even targeting civilians. We were told that they would welcome us. And they are falling under our armored vehicles." <a href="https://t.co/CMuK6zkFCy">pic.twitter.com/CMuK6zkFCy</a>
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) <a href="https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1498367890290061328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
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At the UN General Assembly, Ukrainian Ambassador Kyslytsya read a text message exchange between a Russian soldier and his mother before he was killed. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DemVoice1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DemVoice1</a> 1/2 
<a href="https://t.co/wEpDpBvzDI">https://t.co/wEpDpBvzDI</a>
— ThinkJoMice (@ThinkJoMice) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThinkJoMice/status/1498388209209802753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The officials in Ukraine released the final words that were believed to be sent by a Russian soldier to his mother before he was killed in combat. Amid the escalating crisis, the Security Service of Ukraine released the messages from the soldier on Monday (February 28).

The officials in Ukraine released the final words that were believed to be sent by a Russian soldier to his mother before he was killed in combat. Amid the escalating crisis, the Security Service of Ukraine released the messages from the soldier on Monday (February 28). The messages indicated that the Russian soldiers are "afraid" and they are "hitting everyone", including civilians. Parts of the heartbreaking messages were read by the Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya at a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. However, Kyslytsya neither revealed when exactly the messages were sent nor the soldier's identity. He also didn't tell how the soldier died. WATCH | Ukraine-Russia conflict: Man miraculously saved after military combat vehicle runs over his car As read by the official, the soldier wrote: "I'm scared, we're hitting everyone, even civilians. We had been told that people would welcome us here but they jump under our vehicles, not letting us pass. They call us fascists." "Mom, it's so hard," the soldier added in the texts that were apparently written in Russian. WATCH | Ukraine's foreign ministry posts dramatic video of administration building being blown up in Kharkiv He said that they were told that the civilians would "welcome" them, and told his mother that he is no longer in Crimea doing training exercises. He replied that "the only thing I want now is to hang myself" when his mother asked if she could send him a package. Meanwhile, the office of the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on Monday said it will seek court approval to open an investigation into alleged war crimes in Ukraine. Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of photos and videos shared on social media. Watch the video here: Ukrainian Amb. to the UN reads texts between Russian soldier and his mom before he was killed: "I'm afraid. We are bombing all of the cities...even targeting civilians. We were told that they would welcome us. And they are falling under our armored vehicles." pic.twitter.com/CMuK6zkFCy — Breaking911 (@Breaking911) February 28, 2022 × At the UN General Assembly, Ukrainian Ambassador Kyslytsya read a text message exchange between a Russian soldier and his mother before he was killed. #DemVoice1 1/2 https://t.co/wEpDpBvzDI — ThinkJoMice (@ThinkJoMice) February 28, 2022 ×

'Mom, I am scared. We are hitting everyone': Russian soldier's last words to mother are heart-wrenching

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.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Tuesday (March 1) may have accidentally shared Russia's plans to invade Ukraine during a live televised meet.&nbsp;

During the Security Council meeting in Minsk, the Belarusian leader demonstrated a map that looked like a scheme of military actions in Ukraine.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ukraine-crisis-footballs-first-reported-losses-as-two-ukrainian-players-killed-during-russian-invasion-458012">Football's first reported losses as two Ukrainian players killed during Russian invasion</a>

While talking, he repeated that the Russian Armed Forces conducted missile launches from Belarus into Ukraine on February 23 to prevent what he has claimed was Ukraine's intention to attack Belarus.&nbsp;

In a video shared by news agency Reuters, Lukashenko said, "Thankfully those guys, warned us. We had found it literally six hours before a launch, and the Russians - Iskanders were deployed here, right, in the Mazyr area - they attacked those missiles, those positions."&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mom-i-am-scared-we-are-hitting-everyone-russian-soldiers-last-words-to-mother-are-heart-wrenching-457862">'Mom, I am scared. We are hitting everyone': Russian soldier's last words to mother are heart-wrenching</a>

"And after that, we haven't seen them anymore. During the Russians' advancement, entering Ukraine, we did not see those positions anymore. That is why I am saying, yes, there were launches from Belarusian territory. And I told you openly what point we targeted," he added.&nbsp;

The video was also shared by Belarusian journalist Tadeusz Giczan on Twitter, in which Lukashenko appeared to point to a map of Ukraine. The map showed Ukraine segmented into four parts.&nbsp;

As per the journo, the demonstration "looks like an actual invasion map." Important to note that the Belarusian leader is a longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.&nbsp;

Watch the video here:&nbsp;

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At today's security council meeting, Lukashenko showed what looks like an actual invasion map. It shows Ukraine military facilities destroyed by missiles from Belarus, attacks directions (everything agrees except Odessa-Transnistria). Also, Ukraine is divided into 4 sectors. <a href="https://t.co/ueqBIFUbyM">pic.twitter.com/ueqBIFUbyM</a>
— Tadeusz Giczan 🇺🇦 (@TadeuszGiczan) <a href="https://twitter.com/TadeuszGiczan/status/1498673348183744518?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
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On Tuesday, Lukashenko said that Belarus has no plans to join Russia's military operation in Ukraine.&nbsp;

The US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Monday that Lukashenko has allowed Putin to "make a mockery" of Belarus' sovereignty by allowing Moscow's forces to launch their attack on Ukraine from its territory.

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. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Tuesday (March 1) may have accidentally shared Russia's plans to invade Ukraine during a live televised meet. During the Security Council meeting in Minsk, the Belarusian leader demonstrated a map that looked like a scheme of military actions in Ukraine. ALSO READ | Football's first reported losses as two Ukrainian players killed during Russian invasion While talking, he repeated that the Russian Armed Forces conducted missile launches from Belarus into Ukraine on February 23 to prevent what he has claimed was Ukraine's intention to attack Belarus. In a video shared by news agency Reuters, Lukashenko said, "Thankfully those guys, warned us. We had found it literally six hours before a launch, and the Russians - Iskanders were deployed here, right, in the Mazyr area - they attacked those missiles, those positions." ALSO READ | 'Mom, I am scared. We are hitting everyone': Russian soldier's last words to mother are heart-wrenching "And after that, we haven't seen them anymore. During the Russians' advancement, entering Ukraine, we did not see those positions anymore. That is why I am saying, yes, there were launches from Belarusian territory. And I told you openly what point we targeted," he added. The video was also shared by Belarusian journalist Tadeusz Giczan on Twitter, in which Lukashenko appeared to point to a map of Ukraine. The map showed Ukraine segmented into four parts. As per the journo, the demonstration "looks like an actual invasion map." Important to note that the Belarusian leader is a longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Watch the video here: At today's security council meeting, Lukashenko showed what looks like an actual invasion map. It shows Ukraine military facilities destroyed by missiles from Belarus, attacks directions (everything agrees except Odessa-Transnistria). Also, Ukraine is divided into 4 sectors. pic.twitter.com/ueqBIFUbyM — Tadeusz Giczan 🇺🇦 (@TadeuszGiczan) March 1, 2022 × On Tuesday, Lukashenko said that Belarus has no plans to join Russia's military operation in Ukraine. The US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Monday that Lukashenko has allowed Putin to "make a mockery" of Belarus' sovereignty by allowing Moscow's forces to launch their attack on Ukraine from its territory.

Watch: Did Belarusian President accidentally share Russia's plans to invade Ukraine?

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.&nbsp;

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday (February 27) had ordered his military command to put Russia's deterrence forces - a reference to units that include nuclear arms - on high alert.&nbsp;

Putin cited aggressive statements by NATO leaders and multiple economic sanctions against Moscow and the order created a panic amid escalating crisis and loss of lives.&nbsp;

The recent announcements and decisions by Putin have forced the intelligence agencies to debate urgently the possibility that the Russian leader has lost touch with reality, The New York Times reported on Sunday.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mom-i-am-scared-we-are-hitting-everyone-russian-soldiers-last-words-to-mother-are-heart-wrenching-457862">'Mom, I am scared. We are hitting everyone': Russian soldier's last words to mother are heart-wrenching</a>

Apart from the mention of Russian deterrence forces, Putin's behaviour was noticed when he berated his foreign intelligence chief, Sergey Naryshkin in a televised meet.&nbsp;

There are several other incidents as media reports in this context also mentioned the giant table, that eventually became meme material, when French President Emmanuel Macron visited Russia to meet Putin. But what's behind this?&nbsp;

As per the media report, some experts have said that his isolation during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic might have affected his sense of reality. During the isolation, he was said to be kept under strict measures with limited interactions with the world.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-ukraines-foreign-ministry-posts-dramatic-video-of-administration-building-being-blown-up-in-kharkiv-457724">Ukraine's foreign ministry posts dramatic video of administration building being blown up in Kharkiv</a>

In a Sunday appearance on NBC's "Meet The Press", former US ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul said: "He's out at his compound, doesn't come into town very much, and, under COVID, he's been more isolated."&nbsp;

In a CNN interview, James Clapper, who is the former director of national intelligence, said: "I personally think he's unhinged. I worry about his acuity and balance."&nbsp;

As per The Times report, US intelligence officials might think that Putin's behaviour is an elaborate bluff, which means he is acting the part of the "madman" in order to confuse and disconcert the West.&nbsp;

Such media reports remind&nbsp;'madman theory' that is a political theory commonly associated with US President Richard Nixon's foreign policy.&nbsp;

Nixon and his administration tried to make the leaders of hostile Communist Bloc nations think he was irrational and volatile.&nbsp;

Michael Horowitz, who is an analyst at the security consultancy Le Beck International, tweeted: "There is a 'Madman theory' in international relations, which is basically to intentionally appear irrational. If this is what Putin is doing then he is frighteningly good at it."&nbsp;

Several reports cited Western analysts who assumed that Putin had been bluffing. But the previous speculations proved to be wrong when he announced a "military operation" in Ukraine on February 24.&nbsp;

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BTW there is a "Madman theory" in international relations, which is basically to intentionally appear irrational - not to say, cray cray - so as to force your adversary to be cautious. 
 
If this is what Putin is doing, then he is frighteningly good at it.
— Michael A. Horowitz (@michaelh992) <a href="https://twitter.com/michaelh992/status/1495838494966665221?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov told reporters on Tuesday that Russia will strike at the information warfare and psychological operations centre of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and technological facilities of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) in Kyiv. He called on citizens living nearby to leave their homes.&nbsp;

Konashenkov said, "In order to suppress information attacks against Russia, the technological facilities of the SBU and the 72nd main PSYOPS center in Kiev will be hit with high-precision weapons. We call on Ukrainian citizens attracted by Ukrainian nationalists to carry out provocations against Russia, as well as residents of Kiev living near relay centers, to leave their homes."&nbsp;

He noted that with the start of the special military operation, the number of cyberattacks on various state institutions of Russia had increased many-fold.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;US and Europe sanctions Putin but where are his assets?

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&nbsp;

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday (February 27) had ordered his military command to put Russia's deterrence forces - a reference to units that include nuclear arms - on high alert. Putin cited aggressive statements by NATO leaders and multiple economic sanctions against Moscow and the order created a panic amid escalating crisis and loss of lives. The recent announcements and decisions by Putin have forced the intelligence agencies to debate urgently the possibility that the Russian leader has lost touch with reality, The New York Times reported on Sunday. ALSO READ | 'Mom, I am scared. We are hitting everyone': Russian soldier's last words to mother are heart-wrenching Apart from the mention of Russian deterrence forces, Putin's behaviour was noticed when he berated his foreign intelligence chief, Sergey Naryshkin in a televised meet. There are several other incidents as media reports in this context also mentioned the giant table, that eventually became meme material, when French President Emmanuel Macron visited Russia to meet Putin. But what's behind this? As per the media report, some experts have said that his isolation during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic might have affected his sense of reality. During the isolation, he was said to be kept under strict measures with limited interactions with the world. WATCH | Ukraine's foreign ministry posts dramatic video of administration building being blown up in Kharkiv In a Sunday appearance on NBC's "Meet The Press", former US ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul said: "He's out at his compound, doesn't come into town very much, and, under COVID, he's been more isolated." In a CNN interview, James Clapper, who is the former director of national intelligence, said: "I personally think he's unhinged. I worry about his acuity and balance." As per The Times report, US intelligence officials might think that Putin's behaviour is an elaborate bluff, which means he is acting the part of the "madman" in order to confuse and disconcert the West. Such media reports remind 'madman theory' that is a political theory commonly associated with US President Richard Nixon's foreign policy. Nixon and his administration tried to make the leaders of hostile Communist Bloc nations think he was irrational and volatile. Michael Horowitz, who is an analyst at the security consultancy Le Beck International, tweeted: "There is a 'Madman theory' in international relations, which is basically to intentionally appear irrational. If this is what Putin is doing then he is frighteningly good at it." Several reports cited Western analysts who assumed that Putin had been bluffing. But the previous speculations proved to be wrong when he announced a "military operation" in Ukraine on February 24. BTW there is a "Madman theory" in international relations, which is basically to intentionally appear irrational - not to say, cray cray - so as to force your adversary to be cautious. If this is what Putin is doing, then he is frighteningly good at it. — Michael A. Horowitz (@michaelh992) February 21, 2022 × Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov told reporters on Tuesday that Russia will strike at the information warfare and psychological operations centre of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and technological facilities of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) in Kyiv. He called on citizens living nearby to leave their homes. Konashenkov said, "In order to suppress information attacks against Russia, the technological facilities of the SBU and the 72nd main PSYOPS center in Kiev will be hit with high-precision weapons. We call on Ukrainian citizens attracted by Ukrainian nationalists to carry out provocations against Russia, as well as residents of Kiev living near relay centers, to leave their homes." He noted that with the start of the special military operation, the number of cyberattacks on various state institutions of Russia had increased many-fold. WATCH | US and Europe sanctions Putin but where are his assets? ×

Is Vladimir Putin using 'madman theory'? US intel agencies 'debating' over Russian leader's mental faculties

Kristin Aquilino, a scientist at the University of California, Davis, knows that expectations are just disappointments in disguise. Over the past decade, she has led the school’s white abalone captive-breeding program, which aims to bring the marine mollusk back from the brink of extinction.

In June, she and her colleagues drove snails kept in captivity at Davis down the California coast to Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in Los Angeles. Others were dropped off at labs and aquariums around Southern California; all told, this was the largest spawning attempt of white abalone to date. But when she tried to get them in the mood with what she calls a love potion — a mix of seawater with hydrogen peroxide — the snails languished in their tanks occasionally emitting bubbles, but no eggs or sperm. After four hours, Aquilino called it off. (Simultaneous attempts at the other sites also failed.)

“It sucks,” she said. “There’s a lot of human effort involved, but there’s no way they’ll spawn today.”

After fishermen depleted 99% of white abalone from the wild in the 1970s, the sea snails are hanging on by a slimy thread. Despite the urgency of breeding these and other endangered aquatic snails to reintroduce to the wild, propagating more of them in a lab is still a guessing game, Aquilino says.

Now, a study published Thursday in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science offers an improved tool for determining which abalone will be reproductive. The technique — using noninvasive ultrasound, a decades-old medical technology — could raise the prospects of successful captive-breeding efforts and ultimately help restore endangered abalone in the wild.

“If we can use this method, it could make a really big difference and we might be able to strategically target animals to induce to spawn,” said David Witting, a fisheries biologist at the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration who specializes in abalone recovery and was not involved in the study. “We’ll take any more edge we can get. Getting animals to spawn is really the pinch point for the whole process of recovering them.”

For Aquilino, the method offers a glimmer of hope.

“When I first saw the ultrasound images of my kids, I saw the future of my family,” she said. “When I see the ultrasound images of these abalone, I see the future of an entire species.”

Seven species of abalone — sea snails with colorful, domed shells — have historically called the west coast of North America home. The animals help the ecosystems they live in by maintaining kelp forests, feeding marine mammals and improving the health of reefs.

But over much of the 20th century, divers and fishermen depleted several species of abalone. Aside from the white abalone, black abalone succumbed to a disease called withering syndrome, and pinto abalone in the northern Pacific suffered from overharvesting and habitat degradation. In the wild, abalone are terrible at long-distance relationships: In order to reproduce, they must be within proximity of each other because the snails send their gametes into the water column to get fertilized. By the 1990s, there were so few of the endangered species that scientists realized they needed to intervene.

Reproducing them in captivity, however, is a big challenge. There are no clear cues for when they’re ready to reproduce. Researchers have traditionally inspected the snails visually by prying them off whatever surface they’re suctioned to, then looking for the crevice between their sticky feet and shell to find a bulge, where the animal’s gonad is below the milky skin. Depending on how large the gonad is, the scientists give the animal a score: plump protrusions outrank smaller ones.

“That&nbsp;kind of&nbsp;gives you an idea of whether or not the animal may spawn,” said Josh Bouma, abalone program director of the Restoration Fund in Washington state, who heads the captive-breeding program for the endangered pinto abalone.

But visual exams can be vastly inaccurate. The gonad surrounds their stomachs, so if the snail just had a huge meal, the score can be misleading. Researchers could also take a more accurate tissue sample, but it would kill the snail. And handling abalone in any way — including popping them from their aquarium tanks — is enough to stress them out and may kill their mood.

Ultrasound, on the other hand, is noninvasive.

The idea of using ultrasound on these snails first came about in 2019. Jackson Gross, an aquaculture specialist at the University of California, Davis, had used ultrasound on fin fish, such as sturgeon, to study their reproductive habits. He stumbled across a YouTube video of a veterinarian sliding an ultrasound probe along the bottom of a land snail. If it worked for land snails, wouldn’t it work for sea snails such as abalone, too?

Sara Boles, a postdoctoral researcher working with Gross, discovered a way to perform ultrasounds on the abalone without taking them out of their tanks by holding the device up to their sticky feet. This quickly produced clear images of their swollen or flaccid gonads on a laptop appended to the ultrasound probe.

In the new study, Boles and her colleagues examined more than 200 abalone and scored the thickness of their gonads on a scale of 1 to 5 to determine which are likely to spawn. With the ultrasound images, the gonad comes into focus: The stomach appears as a dark, cone-shaped item, and the slightly lighter gonad surrounds it.

For now, these images can provide an easy way to score animals, but Gross and his colleagues want to verify if gonad thickness also correlates with reproductive success.

Already, Boles has used the ultrasound to help Aquilino in her white abalone breeding efforts. Last spring, after Aquilino had already visually scored the animals, Boles brought the ultrasound to her lab.

Of the eight white abalone that Boles rated highest after the ultrasound exam, five spawned; some snails with slightly lower ratings did, too. The method is already helping researchers revise their methods of assessing which abalone are most ready to reproduce.

“It’s another way to help ensure that we have the best of the best,” Boles said.

Kristin Aquilino, a scientist at the University of California, Davis, knows that expectations are just disappointments in disguise. Over the past decade, she has led the school’s white abalone captive-breeding program, which aims to bring the marine mollusk back from the brink of extinction.

Kristin Aquilino, a scientist at the University of California, Davis, knows that expectations are just disappointments in disguise. Over the past decade, she has led the school’s white abalone captive-breeding program, which aims to bring the marine mollusk back from the brink of extinction. In June, she and her colleagues drove snails kept in captivity at Davis down the California coast to Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in Los Angeles. Others were dropped off at labs and aquariums around Southern California; all told, this was the largest spawning attempt of white abalone to date. But when she tried to get them in the mood with what she calls a love potion — a mix of seawater with hydrogen peroxide — the snails languished in their tanks occasionally emitting bubbles, but no eggs or sperm. After four hours, Aquilino called it off. (Simultaneous attempts at the other sites also failed.) “It sucks,” she said. “There’s a lot of human effort involved, but there’s no way they’ll spawn today.” After fishermen depleted 99% of white abalone from the wild in the 1970s, the sea snails are hanging on by a slimy thread. Despite the urgency of breeding these and other endangered aquatic snails to reintroduce to the wild, propagating more of them in a lab is still a guessing game, Aquilino says. Now, a study published Thursday in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science offers an improved tool for determining which abalone will be reproductive. The technique — using noninvasive ultrasound, a decades-old medical technology — could raise the prospects of successful captive-breeding efforts and ultimately help restore endangered abalone in the wild. “If we can use this method, it could make a really big difference and we might be able to strategically target animals to induce to spawn,” said David Witting, a fisheries biologist at the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration who specializes in abalone recovery and was not involved in the study. “We’ll take any more edge we can get. Getting animals to spawn is really the pinch point for the whole process of recovering them.” For Aquilino, the method offers a glimmer of hope. “When I first saw the ultrasound images of my kids, I saw the future of my family,” she said. “When I see the ultrasound images of these abalone, I see the future of an entire species.” Seven species of abalone — sea snails with colorful, domed shells — have historically called the west coast of North America home. The animals help the ecosystems they live in by maintaining kelp forests, feeding marine mammals and improving the health of reefs. But over much of the 20th century, divers and fishermen depleted several species of abalone. Aside from the white abalone, black abalone succumbed to a disease called withering syndrome, and pinto abalone in the northern Pacific suffered from overharvesting and habitat degradation. In the wild, abalone are terrible at long-distance relationships: In order to reproduce, they must be within proximity of each other because the snails send their gametes into the water column to get fertilized. By the 1990s, there were so few of the endangered species that scientists realized they needed to intervene. Reproducing them in captivity, however, is a big challenge. There are no clear cues for when they’re ready to reproduce. Researchers have traditionally inspected the snails visually by prying them off whatever surface they’re suctioned to, then looking for the crevice between their sticky feet and shell to find a bulge, where the animal’s gonad is below the milky skin. Depending on how large the gonad is, the scientists give the animal a score: plump protrusions outrank smaller ones. “That kind of gives you an idea of whether or not the animal may spawn,” said Josh Bouma, abalone program director of the Restoration Fund in Washington state, who heads the captive-breeding program for the endangered pinto abalone. But visual exams can be vastly inaccurate. The gonad surrounds their stomachs, so if the snail just had a huge meal, the score can be misleading. Researchers could also take a more accurate tissue sample, but it would kill the snail. And handling abalone in any way — including popping them from their aquarium tanks — is enough to stress them out and may kill their mood. Ultrasound, on the other hand, is noninvasive. The idea of using ultrasound on these snails first came about in 2019. Jackson Gross, an aquaculture specialist at the University of California, Davis, had used ultrasound on fin fish, such as sturgeon, to study their reproductive habits. He stumbled across a YouTube video of a veterinarian sliding an ultrasound probe along the bottom of a land snail. If it worked for land snails, wouldn’t it work for sea snails such as abalone, too? Sara Boles, a postdoctoral researcher working with Gross, discovered a way to perform ultrasounds on the abalone without taking them out of their tanks by holding the device up to their sticky feet. This quickly produced clear images of their swollen or flaccid gonads on a laptop appended to the ultrasound probe. In the new study, Boles and her colleagues examined more than 200 abalone and scored the thickness of their gonads on a scale of 1 to 5 to determine which are likely to spawn. With the ultrasound images, the gonad comes into focus: The stomach appears as a dark, cone-shaped item, and the slightly lighter gonad surrounds it. For now, these images can provide an easy way to score animals, but Gross and his colleagues want to verify if gonad thickness also correlates with reproductive success. Already, Boles has used the ultrasound to help Aquilino in her white abalone breeding efforts. Last spring, after Aquilino had already visually scored the animals, Boles brought the ultrasound to her lab. Of the eight white abalone that Boles rated highest after the ultrasound exam, five spawned; some snails with slightly lower ratings did, too. The method is already helping researchers revise their methods of assessing which abalone are most ready to reproduce. “It’s another way to help ensure that we have the best of the best,” Boles said.

Researchers see 'future of an entire species' in ultrasound technique

The US has received enough petitions needed to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa cap for the fiscal year 2022, a federal agency has announced.

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.

The H-1B visa programme is the most sought-after work visa among foreign professionals, including Indians.

As mandated by the US Congress, the US can issue a maximum of 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and another 20,000 H-1B visa US advanced degree exemption categories every year.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/shelling-in-ukraine-kills-indian-student-who-was-out-to-buy-grocery-457786">Indian student dies in Ukraine, caught in shelling while out for grocery</a>

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) which screens all such applications every year on Monday announced that it has received a sufficient number of petitions needed to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and the 20,000 H-1B visa US advanced degree exemption, known as the master's cap, for fiscal year (FY) 2022.&nbsp;

"We have completed sending non-selection notifications to registrants' online accounts. The status for registrations properly submitted for the FY 2022 H-1B numerical allocations, but that were not selected, will now show: Not Selected: Not selected ? not eligible to file an H-1B cap petition based on this registration,"&nbsp;it said.&nbsp;

The USCIS will continue to accept and process petitions that are otherwise exempt from the cap, it said.

"Petitions filed for current H-1B workers who have been counted previously against the cap, and who still retain their cap number, are exempt from the FY 2022 H-1B cap,"&nbsp;said the federal agency.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-to-exit-zero-covid-strategy-top-scientist-says-it-cannot-remain-unchanged-forever-457858">China to exit zero-Covid strategy? Top scientist says it cannot 'remain unchanged forever'</a>

Meanwhile, the USCIS will continue to accept and process petitions filed to extend the amount of time a current H-1B worker may remain in the US; change the terms of employment for current H-1B workers; allow current H-1B workers to change employers, and allow current H-1B workers to work concurrently in additional H-1B positions.

While the Congressional cap is 65,000; not all H-1B nonimmigrant visas (or status grants) are subject to this annual cap.

Notably, up to 6,800 visas are set aside from the 65,000 each fiscal year for the H-1B1 programme under the terms of the legislation implementing the US-Chile and U.S.-Singapore free trade agreements.

Unused visas in this group become available for H-1B use for the next fiscal year's regular H-1B cap.

The US has received enough petitions needed to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa cap for the fiscal year 2022, a federal agency has announced. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.

The US has received enough petitions needed to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa cap for the fiscal year 2022, a federal agency has announced. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China. The H-1B visa programme is the most sought-after work visa among foreign professionals, including Indians. As mandated by the US Congress, the US can issue a maximum of 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and another 20,000 H-1B visa US advanced degree exemption categories every year. ALSO READ | Indian student dies in Ukraine, caught in shelling while out for grocery US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) which screens all such applications every year on Monday announced that it has received a sufficient number of petitions needed to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and the 20,000 H-1B visa US advanced degree exemption, known as the master's cap, for fiscal year (FY) 2022. "We have completed sending non-selection notifications to registrants' online accounts. The status for registrations properly submitted for the FY 2022 H-1B numerical allocations, but that were not selected, will now show: Not Selected: Not selected ? not eligible to file an H-1B cap petition based on this registration," it said. The USCIS will continue to accept and process petitions that are otherwise exempt from the cap, it said. "Petitions filed for current H-1B workers who have been counted previously against the cap, and who still retain their cap number, are exempt from the FY 2022 H-1B cap," said the federal agency. ALSO READ | China to exit zero-Covid strategy? Top scientist says it cannot 'remain unchanged forever' Meanwhile, the USCIS will continue to accept and process petitions filed to extend the amount of time a current H-1B worker may remain in the US; change the terms of employment for current H-1B workers; allow current H-1B workers to change employers, and allow current H-1B workers to work concurrently in additional H-1B positions. While the Congressional cap is 65,000; not all H-1B nonimmigrant visas (or status grants) are subject to this annual cap. Notably, up to 6,800 visas are set aside from the 65,000 each fiscal year for the H-1B1 programme under the terms of the legislation implementing the US-Chile and U.S.-Singapore free trade agreements. Unused visas in this group become available for H-1B use for the next fiscal year's regular H-1B cap.

United States reaches 65,000 H-1B visa cap for 2022: USCIS

The&nbsp;Red&nbsp;Cross&nbsp;appealed on Tuesday for more than $270 million to help people caught up in the Ukraine conflict, fearing that millions are rapidly being plunged into extreme suffering.

The International Committee of the&nbsp;Red&nbsp;Cross&nbsp;(ICRC) and the International Federation of the&nbsp;Red&nbsp;Cross&nbsp;and&nbsp;Red&nbsp;Crescent Societies (IFRC) said the humanitarian situation in Ukraine is rapidly deteriorating.

"To respond to this sudden, massive need, the two organisations together are appealing for 250 million Swiss francs ($273 million, 243 million euros)," the joint movement said.

The ICRC is appealing for 150&nbsp;million Swiss francs&nbsp;for its 2022 operations in Ukraine&nbsp;and neighbouring countries.

"The escalating conflict in Ukraine is taking a devastating toll. Casualty figures keep rising&nbsp;while&nbsp;health facilities struggle&nbsp;to cope," said ICRC director-general Robert Mardini.

Meanwhile, the IFRC appealed for 100 million Swiss francs to support national&nbsp;Red&nbsp;Cross&nbsp;Societies to assist an initial two million people in need.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraines-refugee-crisis-exposes-western-medias-hypocrisy-457831">Ukraine’s refugee crisis exposes Western media's hypocrisy</a>

Red&nbsp;Cross&nbsp;teams on the ground are trying to provide life-saving help including basic aid items, medical supplies and shelter.

"The needs of the people affected by the conflict are increasing by the hour," said IFRC secretary general Jagan&nbsp;Chapagain.

"I call for global solidarity to ramp up the assistance to people suffering because of this conflict."

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Russia's Ukraine invasion: How Ukrainians are fighting back

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&nbsp;

The Red Cross appealed on Tuesday for more than $270 million to help people caught up in the Ukraine conflict, fearing that millions are rapidly being plunged into extreme suffering.

The Red Cross appealed on Tuesday for more than $270 million to help people caught up in the Ukraine conflict, fearing that millions are rapidly being plunged into extreme suffering. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said the humanitarian situation in Ukraine is rapidly deteriorating. "To respond to this sudden, massive need, the two organisations together are appealing for 250 million Swiss francs ($273 million, 243 million euros)," the joint movement said. The ICRC is appealing for 150 million Swiss francs for its 2022 operations in Ukraine and neighbouring countries. "The escalating conflict in Ukraine is taking a devastating toll. Casualty figures keep rising while health facilities struggle to cope," said ICRC director-general Robert Mardini. Meanwhile, the IFRC appealed for 100 million Swiss francs to support national Red Cross Societies to assist an initial two million people in need. Also read | Ukraine’s refugee crisis exposes Western media's hypocrisy Red Cross teams on the ground are trying to provide life-saving help including basic aid items, medical supplies and shelter. "The needs of the people affected by the conflict are increasing by the hour," said IFRC secretary general Jagan Chapagain. "I call for global solidarity to ramp up the assistance to people suffering because of this conflict." Watch | Gravitas: Russia's Ukraine invasion: How Ukrainians are fighting back

Red Cross wants $270 million for Ukraine operations

Hong&nbsp;Kongers stripped shop shelves bare Tuesday as&nbsp;panic&nbsp;buying&nbsp;set in following mixed messaging from the government over whether it plans a China-style hard&nbsp;lockdown&nbsp;this month.

Uncertainty over Covid rules has sent the city's residents flocking to supermarkets, chemists and vegetable stores to stock up, leaving shelves empty across the city.

Photos circulating on social media showed people had trouble finding a variety of items including meat, vegetables, frozen foods, noodles, paracetamol and testing kits.&nbsp;

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-mortuaries-hit-capacity-as-covid-deaths-climb-457455">&nbsp;Hong Kong mortuaries hit capacity as COVID deaths climb</a>

"We are like ants going home, grabbing a bit at one spot at a time," a woman, who gave her surname Wu, told AFP on Tuesday in a supermarket where most vegetables and meat had been snapped up.

The financial hub is in the grips of its worst coronavirus outbreak, registering tens of thousands of new cases each day, overwhelming hospitals and shattering the city's zero-Covid strategy.

Authorities plan to test all 7.4 million residents this month and isolate all infections either at home or in a series of camps that are still being constructed with the help of mainland China.

City leader Carrie Lam had initially ruled out a mainland style&nbsp;lockdown&nbsp;where people are confined to their homes during the testing period.

But on Monday, health chief Sophia Chan confirmed it was still on the table, a day after a senior Chinese health official described it as the best option.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-reports-record-daily-covid-cases-and-83-deaths-457121">Hong Kong reports record daily COVID cases and 83 deaths</a>

On Tuesday multiple&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;media including HK01, Singtao and South China Morning Post also said authorities were planning a variety of&nbsp;lockdown&nbsp;options for the test period, citing sources.

SCMP's said the current favoured option was a nine-day "large-scale&nbsp;lockdown" where most residents would only be allowed out to by food.

One of the most densely populated cities on Earth,&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong's supermarkets have limited backroom storage space and saw waves of&nbsp;panic&nbsp;buying&nbsp;at the start of the pandemic two years ago.

City apartments are also some of the smallest in the world leaving little space to stock up.&nbsp;

Rules change every day

The vast majority of&nbsp;HongKong's food is imported from mainland China and the current supply crunch has been worsened by cross border truckers getting infected by the high transmissible Omicron variant.

More than 190,000 infections have been recorded in the last two months compared to just 12,000 for the rest of the pandemic.

The government released a statement late Monday saying food supplies remained constant and that there was no need for&nbsp;panic&nbsp;buying.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/all-hong-kongers-must-undergo-three-rounds-of-compulsory-coronavirus-tests-carrie-lam-455392">All Hong Kongers must undergo three rounds of compulsory coronavirus tests: Carrie Lam</a>

"You don't need to worry about food and other necessities,&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;has sufficient goods and material reserve," the city's number two official John Lee told reporters as he presided over the opening of a 3,900 bed isolation facility where mild infections will be treated.

But analysts said uncertainty and distrust were fuelling consumer habits.

"We have so many questions but all answers are 'to be confirmed'," Chan Ka-lok, an international politics scholar at Baptist University, wrote on social media.

"Rush to buy and stock up, let the people decide how to live their life."

Tom Grundy, editor of the&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;Free Press news website, described the latest&nbsp;panic&nbsp;buying&nbsp;as "a massive failure of gov't communications".

"Rules changing every few days, u-turns, botched stats, poor data disclosure," he wrote on Twitter.

Faith in government assurances is low in&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong, where authorities have carried out a two-year crackdown on dissent after huge democracy protests and have a history of backpeddling on promises.&nbsp;

The decision to mass test residents was itself a policy U-turn -- Lam had previously ruled out such a step before backing it last month.

It is not yet clear when testing will take place and what the government will do with all the cases it finds.&nbsp;

Some 70,000 isolation units for mild cases are due to come online in the coming weeks, in requisitioned hotels, public housing units and camps being built with Chinese help.

That will cover roughly two days of infections at&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong's current official caseload.&nbsp;

Hong Kongers stripped shop shelves bare Tuesday as panic buying set in following mixed messaging from the government over whether it plans a China-style hard lockdown this month.

Hong Kongers stripped shop shelves bare Tuesday as panic buying set in following mixed messaging from the government over whether it plans a China-style hard lockdown this month. Uncertainty over Covid rules has sent the city's residents flocking to supermarkets, chemists and vegetable stores to stock up, leaving shelves empty across the city. Photos circulating on social media showed people had trouble finding a variety of items including meat, vegetables, frozen foods, noodles, paracetamol and testing kits. Also read | Hong Kong mortuaries hit capacity as COVID deaths climb "We are like ants going home, grabbing a bit at one spot at a time," a woman, who gave her surname Wu, told AFP on Tuesday in a supermarket where most vegetables and meat had been snapped up. The financial hub is in the grips of its worst coronavirus outbreak, registering tens of thousands of new cases each day, overwhelming hospitals and shattering the city's zero-Covid strategy. Authorities plan to test all 7.4 million residents this month and isolate all infections either at home or in a series of camps that are still being constructed with the help of mainland China. City leader Carrie Lam had initially ruled out a mainland style lockdown where people are confined to their homes during the testing period. But on Monday, health chief Sophia Chan confirmed it was still on the table, a day after a senior Chinese health official described it as the best option. Also read | Hong Kong reports record daily COVID cases and 83 deaths On Tuesday multiple Hong Kong media including HK01, Singtao and South China Morning Post also said authorities were planning a variety of lockdown options for the test period, citing sources. SCMP's said the current favoured option was a nine-day "large-scale lockdown" where most residents would only be allowed out to by food. One of the most densely populated cities on Earth, Hong Kong's supermarkets have limited backroom storage space and saw waves of panic buying at the start of the pandemic two years ago. City apartments are also some of the smallest in the world leaving little space to stock up. Rules change every day The vast majority of HongKong's food is imported from mainland China and the current supply crunch has been worsened by cross border truckers getting infected by the high transmissible Omicron variant. More than 190,000 infections have been recorded in the last two months compared to just 12,000 for the rest of the pandemic. The government released a statement late Monday saying food supplies remained constant and that there was no need for panic buying. Also read | All Hong Kongers must undergo three rounds of compulsory coronavirus tests: Carrie Lam "You don't need to worry about food and other necessities, Hong Kong has sufficient goods and material reserve," the city's number two official John Lee told reporters as he presided over the opening of a 3,900 bed isolation facility where mild infections will be treated. But analysts said uncertainty and distrust were fuelling consumer habits. "We have so many questions but all answers are 'to be confirmed'," Chan Ka-lok, an international politics scholar at Baptist University, wrote on social media. "Rush to buy and stock up, let the people decide how to live their life." Tom Grundy, editor of the Hong Kong Free Press news website, described the latest panic buying as "a massive failure of gov't communications". "Rules changing every few days, u-turns, botched stats, poor data disclosure," he wrote on Twitter. Faith in government assurances is low in Hong Kong, where authorities have carried out a two-year crackdown on dissent after huge democracy protests and have a history of backpeddling on promises. The decision to mass test residents was itself a policy U-turn -- Lam had previously ruled out such a step before backing it last month. It is not yet clear when testing will take place and what the government will do with all the cases it finds. Some 70,000 isolation units for mild cases are due to come online in the coming weeks, in requisitioned hotels, public housing units and camps being built with Chinese help. That will cover roughly two days of infections at Hong Kong's current official caseload.

COVID-19: Lockdown fears spark panic buying in Hong Kong

Queen&nbsp;Elizabeth&nbsp;felt&nbsp;well&nbsp;enough&nbsp;to undertake two&nbsp;virtual&nbsp;audiences&nbsp;on Tuesday, just over a week after she tested positive for COVID-19 and following the cancellation of other similar events last week.

The British monarch, 95, has been fully vaccinated against coronavirus and was previously said to have been suffering mild cold-like symptoms. Despite cancelling some events she continued with light duties after testing positive.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-queen-elizabeth-postpones-more-planned-virtual-audiences-buckingham-palace-456064">Covid: Queen Elizabeth postpones more planned virtual audiences - Buckingham Palace</a>

On Tuesday the palace said she spoke with incoming ambassadors from Andorra and Chad. Last week she spoke to Prime Minister Boris Johnson by telephone.

Buckingham Palace has said it would not give a running commentary on the condition of&nbsp;Elizabeth, who last month celebrated her 70th anniversary of becoming&nbsp;queen.

Queen Elizabeth felt well enough to undertake two virtual audiences on Tuesday, just over a week after she tested positive for COVID-19 and following the cancellation of other similar events last week.

Queen Elizabeth felt well enough to undertake two virtual audiences on Tuesday, just over a week after she tested positive for COVID-19 and following the cancellation of other similar events last week. The British monarch, 95, has been fully vaccinated against coronavirus and was previously said to have been suffering mild cold-like symptoms. Despite cancelling some events she continued with light duties after testing positive. Also read | Covid: Queen Elizabeth postpones more planned virtual audiences - Buckingham Palace On Tuesday the palace said she spoke with incoming ambassadors from Andorra and Chad. Last week she spoke to Prime Minister Boris Johnson by telephone. Buckingham Palace has said it would not give a running commentary on the condition of Elizabeth, who last month celebrated her 70th anniversary of becoming queen.

UK's Queen Elizabeth II well enough to carry out virtual audiences

Iran's&nbsp;Supreme Leader Ali&nbsp;Khamenei&nbsp;described&nbsp;homosexuality&nbsp;as part of the "moral deprivation" widespread in Western civilisation, during a televised speech on Tuesday.

"There is severe moral deprivation in the world today such as&nbsp;homosexuality&nbsp;and things that one cannot bring oneself to even talk about. Some have rightly called Western civilisation a new age of ignorance,"&nbsp;Khamenei&nbsp;said.

Western rights groups have often criticised Iran, where homosexual acts among men can be punished by the death penalty.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nuclear-deal-talks-iran-says-west-still-not-making-political-decisions-457494">Nuclear deal talks: Iran says West still not making 'political decisions'</a>&nbsp;

Tehran has dismissed the criticism as baseless and due to a lack of understanding of its Islamic laws.

"The same moral vices of the age of ignorance (in pre-Islamic Arabia) exist today in the so-called civilised Western world in an organised and more widespread way. Life in Western civilisation is based on greed, and money is the basis of all Western values,"&nbsp;Khamenei&nbsp;said.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei described homosexuality as part of the "moral deprivation" widespread in Western civilisation, during a televised speech on Tuesday.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei described homosexuality as part of the "moral deprivation" widespread in Western civilisation, during a televised speech on Tuesday. "There is severe moral deprivation in the world today such as homosexuality and things that one cannot bring oneself to even talk about. Some have rightly called Western civilisation a new age of ignorance," Khamenei said. Western rights groups have often criticised Iran, where homosexual acts among men can be punished by the death penalty. Also read | Nuclear deal talks: Iran says West still not making 'political decisions' Tehran has dismissed the criticism as baseless and due to a lack of understanding of its Islamic laws. "The same moral vices of the age of ignorance (in pre-Islamic Arabia) exist today in the so-called civilised Western world in an organised and more widespread way. Life in Western civilisation is based on greed, and money is the basis of all Western values," Khamenei said.

Iran's Khamenei says homosexuality example of West's immorality

At&nbsp;least&nbsp;136&nbsp;civilians have been killed, including 13 children, and 400 have been injured since Russia invaded&nbsp;Ukraine&nbsp;last week, a United Nations agency said on Tuesday.

"The real toll is likely to be much higher," Liz Throssell, a spokesperson for the&nbsp;U.N. human rights office (OHCHR), told a briefing, adding that 253 of the&nbsp;casualties&nbsp;were in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions in eastern&nbsp;Ukraine.

The&nbsp;U.N. World Food Programme is scaling up activities in&nbsp;Ukraine&nbsp;so that it can support up to 3.1 million people, WFP spokesperson Tomson Phiri said, adding: "Food supplies are running low."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/shelling-in-ukraine-kills-indian-student-who-was-out-to-buy-grocery-457786">Shelling in Ukraine kills Indian student who was out to buy grocery</a>

WATCH |&nbsp;UK: Those helping Russia will be judged by International law

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At least 136 civilians have been killed, including 13 children, and 400 have been injured since Russia invaded Ukraine last week, a United Nations agency said on Tuesday.

At least 136 civilians have been killed, including 13 children, and 400 have been injured since Russia invaded Ukraine last week, a United Nations agency said on Tuesday. "The real toll is likely to be much higher," Liz Throssell, a spokesperson for the U.N. human rights office (OHCHR), told a briefing, adding that 253 of the casualties were in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions in eastern Ukraine. The U.N. World Food Programme is scaling up activities in Ukraine so that it can support up to 3.1 million people, WFP spokesperson Tomson Phiri said, adding: "Food supplies are running low." Also read | Shelling in Ukraine kills Indian student who was out to buy grocery WATCH | UK: Those helping Russia will be judged by International law ×

Ukraine-Russia crisis: UN reports at least 536 civilian casualties in Ukraine

&nbsp;At least 12 people were killed and dozens went missing when a landslide hit a jade mine in Myanmar`s northernmost Kachin state, local police said on Tuesday. 
 
&nbsp;"A landslide occurred late on Monday. Nearly 40 jade scavengers were buried. Twelve bodies have been found this morning and the rescue operation is underway," the police said, Xinhua news agency reported.

The death toll could be higher in the landslide that struck an old jade mining site in Mat Lin Chaung village in Hpakant township of Kachin state at 22.35 p.m. local time on Monday, a local resident said. 
 
Deadly landslides are frequent in Kachin state, especially in Hpakant mining region.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-junta-accuses-foreign-media-of-persistent-bias-457497">Myanmar junta accuses foreign media of 'persistent bias'</a>

Many locals make their living by scavenging jade in the region and most of the landslides are caused by partial collapse of the tailing heaps or dams. 
 
A major fatal landslide occurred at a jade mining site in Hpakant township in July 2020, leaving 174 dead and 54 others injured.

At least 12 people were killed and dozens went missing when a landslide hit a jade mine in Myanmar`s northernmost Kachin state, local police said on Tuesday. "A landslide occurred late on Monday.

At least 12 people were killed and dozens went missing when a landslide hit a jade mine in Myanmar`s northernmost Kachin state, local police said on Tuesday. "A landslide occurred late on Monday. Nearly 40 jade scavengers were buried. Twelve bodies have been found this morning and the rescue operation is underway," the police said, Xinhua news agency reported. The death toll could be higher in the landslide that struck an old jade mining site in Mat Lin Chaung village in Hpakant township of Kachin state at 22.35 p.m. local time on Monday, a local resident said. Deadly landslides are frequent in Kachin state, especially in Hpakant mining region. Also read | Myanmar junta accuses foreign media of 'persistent bias' Many locals make their living by scavenging jade in the region and most of the landslides are caused by partial collapse of the tailing heaps or dams. A major fatal landslide occurred at a jade mining site in Hpakant township in July 2020, leaving 174 dead and 54 others injured.

Jade mine landslide kills 12 in Myanmar

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Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Srishti Sisodia

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