A US couple who ran a so-called 'green funeral home' in Colorado were told by a court to pay&nbsp;$950 million to victims' families, nearly a year after some 190 decaying corpses were recovered from their facility. 
 
The decision announced by the victims' lawyer on Monday (Aug 5) came after authorities found that Jon and Carie Hallford, owners of&nbsp;Return to Nature funeral home in Penrose, Colorado, had given fake ashes to grieving relatives after taking their loved ones' bodies for 'green burials'.

In October 2023, after reports of foul smell from their green funeral home, 190 bodies or body parts were recovered by investigators in a case that shocked America.

The couple had claimed that their burial services were environment-friendly,&nbsp;without the use of chemicals such as embalming fluids, and used biodegradable caskets to dispose of&nbsp;the bodies.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/singapore-hangs-man-for-heroin-trafficking-second-hanging-in-two-weeks-amid-calls-to-end-practice-747556">Singapore hangs man for heroin trafficking, second hanging in two weeks, amid calls to end practice</a>

After the bodies were recovered, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) helped in the laborious process of identifying the bodies through DNA testing. Several could not be identified.

Hallford&nbsp;who is in custody and his wife who is out on bail did not attend the court proceedings.

The criminal charges they faced included corpse abuse, theft, money laundering and forgery. State prosecutors had offered them a plea deal on 190 counts of abuse of a corpse but that is yet to come to fruition.

<h2>Will the rotting corpse funeral home owners pay victims' families?</h2>

According to reports, it is highly unlikely that the couple will pay the victims, as they are in financial trouble.

Crystina Page was one of those who used the funeral home's services to cremate her son in 2019 and was keeping fake ashes till his body parts were recovered from its premises.

“I’m never going to get a dime from them, so, I don’t know, it’s a little frustrating,” Page said about the ruling, as quoted by AP news agency.

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The&nbsp;victim families' lawyer Andrew Swan said, "I wanted to put them on the witness stand, have them put under oath and ask them how they came to do this, not once, not twice, but hundreds of times.”

After the macabre episode came to light, strict legislation was introduced in the state of Colorado on storing and disposing of dead bodies.

(With inputs from agencies)

A US couple who ran a so-called 'green funeral home' in Colorado were told by a court to pay $950 million to victims' families, nearly a year after some 190 decaying corpses were recovered from their facility.

A US couple who ran a so-called 'green funeral home' in Colorado were told by a court to pay $950 million to victims' families, nearly a year after some 190 decaying corpses were recovered from their facility. The decision announced by the victims' lawyer on Monday (Aug 5) came after authorities found that Jon and Carie Hallford, owners of Return to Nature funeral home in Penrose, Colorado, had given fake ashes to grieving relatives after taking their loved ones' bodies for 'green burials'. In October 2023, after reports of foul smell from their green funeral home, 190 bodies or body parts were recovered by investigators in a case that shocked America. The couple had claimed that their burial services were environment-friendly, without the use of chemicals such as embalming fluids, and used biodegradable caskets to dispose of the bodies. Also Read | Singapore hangs man for heroin trafficking, second hanging in two weeks, amid calls to end practice After the bodies were recovered, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) helped in the laborious process of identifying the bodies through DNA testing. Several could not be identified. Hallford who is in custody and his wife who is out on bail did not attend the court proceedings. The criminal charges they faced included corpse abuse, theft, money laundering and forgery. State prosecutors had offered them a plea deal on 190 counts of abuse of a corpse but that is yet to come to fruition. Will the rotting corpse funeral home owners pay victims' families? According to reports, it is highly unlikely that the couple will pay the victims, as they are in financial trouble. Crystina Page was one of those who used the funeral home's services to cremate her son in 2019 and was keeping fake ashes till his body parts were recovered from its premises. “I’m never going to get a dime from them, so, I don’t know, it’s a little frustrating,” Page said about the ruling, as quoted by AP news agency. WATCH | Google's monopoly over internet search illegal: US The victim families' lawyer Andrew Swan said, "I wanted to put them on the witness stand, have them put under oath and ask them how they came to do this, not once, not twice, but hundreds of times.” After the macabre episode came to light, strict legislation was introduced in the state of Colorado on storing and disposing of dead bodies. (With inputs from agencies)

US funeral home owners told to pay $950mn after 190 rotting corpses were found

Quiet quitting, lying flat, and so many other workplace trends we have heard of in the past few years. But now, there are advocates for another possible trend: 'slow productivity.'

Cal Newport, who encapsulated the concept in his new book aptly titled&nbsp;Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout, argues that going slow on work is something that helped greats like scientist Marie Curie. The author is famous for his past works like&nbsp;A World Without Email and Deep Work: Rules for Success in a Distracted World.

<h2>So, what is slow productivity?</h2>

Don't get misled by the term 'slow productivity' here. It is not about being lazy, but means staying away from the gadgets and processes that are distracting us from actually pursuing something meaningful over a longer term that could result in seminal works in various fields.

Newport, a computer scientist by profession, describes slow productivity broadly as doing fewer things, working at a natural pace and obsessing over quality over quantity.&nbsp;

He notes that Marie Curie took time away in the French countryside to rest and reflect, before continuing with her decades of research.

In today's world, however, we end up doing a number of things that do not really add up to our productivity,&nbsp;attending meetings in person or over video calls like Teams, Zoom, or Google Hangout; writing or answering emails and instant messages on WhatsApp, and doomscrolling social media sites like Instagram or Facebook, or sharing updates or opinions on X or Twitter.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-cancer-screening-americans-spend-a-whopping-43-billion-every-year-says-study-747635">Cancer screening: Americans spend a whopping $43 billion every year, says study&nbsp;</a>

These essentially prevent deep work, another concept advocated by Newport in his previous book.

This, what Newport calls 'performative busyness', especially affects knowledge workers, people who think and resolve problems, rather than making a product or directly serving others.

Newport quoted a researcher in his book who described productivity as "working all the time," said a write-up on his book in Nature magazine.

<h2>Avoid pseudo-activity or pseudo-productivity</h2>

According to Newport, the work-from-home trend introduced during the Covid pandemic also came with 'pseudo-activity' or pseudo-productivity, which basically involves finishing "lengthy to-do lists rather than focusing on tasks that require deeper thinking and reflection."

The ubiquitous presence of computers, laptops and smartphones led to the "toll of exhaustion&nbsp;and burnout", according to Newport.

Also watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/study-busy-braggers-tend-to-be-less-likeable-among-peers-726711">Study: 'Busy Braggers' tend to be less likeable among peers</a>

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While citing examples from various walks of life such as the poet Maya Angelou&nbsp;and scientist Richard Feynman, Newport advocates that peace of mind is the most important for creative work.&nbsp; 
 
His main tips for slow productivity include limiting daily goals while creating long-term plans for major goals, taking your time, and avoiding meetings on Mondays.

(With inputs from agencies)

Quiet quitting, lying flat, and so many other workplace trends we have heard of in the past few years. But now, there are advocates for another possible trend: 'slow productivity.

Quiet quitting, lying flat, and so many other workplace trends we have heard of in the past few years. But now, there are advocates for another possible trend: 'slow productivity.' Cal Newport, who encapsulated the concept in his new book aptly titled Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout, argues that going slow on work is something that helped greats like scientist Marie Curie. The author is famous for his past works like A World Without Email and Deep Work: Rules for Success in a Distracted World. So, what is slow productivity? Don't get misled by the term 'slow productivity' here. It is not about being lazy, but means staying away from the gadgets and processes that are distracting us from actually pursuing something meaningful over a longer term that could result in seminal works in various fields. Newport, a computer scientist by profession, describes slow productivity broadly as doing fewer things, working at a natural pace and obsessing over quality over quantity. He notes that Marie Curie took time away in the French countryside to rest and reflect, before continuing with her decades of research. In today's world, however, we end up doing a number of things that do not really add up to our productivity, attending meetings in person or over video calls like Teams, Zoom, or Google Hangout; writing or answering emails and instant messages on WhatsApp, and doomscrolling social media sites like Instagram or Facebook, or sharing updates or opinions on X or Twitter. Also read: Cancer screening: Americans spend a whopping $43 billion every year, says study These essentially prevent deep work, another concept advocated by Newport in his previous book. This, what Newport calls 'performative busyness', especially affects knowledge workers, people who think and resolve problems, rather than making a product or directly serving others. Newport quoted a researcher in his book who described productivity as "working all the time," said a write-up on his book in Nature magazine. Avoid pseudo-activity or pseudo-productivity According to Newport, the work-from-home trend introduced during the Covid pandemic also came with 'pseudo-activity' or pseudo-productivity, which basically involves finishing "lengthy to-do lists rather than focusing on tasks that require deeper thinking and reflection." The ubiquitous presence of computers, laptops and smartphones led to the "toll of exhaustion and burnout", according to Newport. Also watch: Study: 'Busy Braggers' tend to be less likeable among peers While citing examples from various walks of life such as the poet Maya Angelou and scientist Richard Feynman, Newport advocates that peace of mind is the most important for creative work. His main tips for slow productivity include limiting daily goals while creating long-term plans for major goals, taking your time, and avoiding meetings on Mondays. (With inputs from agencies)

Slow productivity: Can it become a new workplace trend? This computer scientist makes strong case

Cancer is a leading cause of&nbsp;death&nbsp;in the US, and now a study has estimated that&nbsp; Americans are spending more than $40 billion for screenings.

The modelling study by the American College of Physicians examined the screening data for five common types of cancer - breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, and prostate - for the year 2021 to reach their conclusion.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The details, they hope, would help policy change, including equal access to cancer screenings and treatment, the college said in a release.

<h2>How the study was done</h2>

For the study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the National Institutes of Health researchers used healthcare survey and cost resources data to estimate the annual cost of initial cancer screening. This does not include follow-up costs.

The amount was estimated by multiplying the number of those screened for the five types of cancers and their costs by typical insurance cover per screen in 2021 dollars, the college said.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-new-study-highlights-impact-of-long-covid-747226">New study highlights impact of long COVID</a>

Their estimate of screening costs was $43 billion per year.

Out of this, screening for colorectal cancer stood the highest cost, at 64%.

"About 88.3% of costs were attributable to private insurance, 8.5% to Medicare, and 3.2% to Medicaid and other programmes," said a release from the college.&nbsp;

Cancer screenings can cut mortality rates as well as reduce the overall cost of treatment if detection is done at the early stages.

"Cancer screenings increase detection of earlier stage disease, which may result in decreased treatment costs, decreased financial hardship, and improved quality of life," said the release.

Also watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/study-busy-braggers-tend-to-be-less-likeable-among-peers-726711">Study: 'Busy Braggers' tend to be less likeable among peers</a>

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Even the $43bn estimate may be less than the actual cost, as patients usually go for further testing.&nbsp;Screening of ineligble patients and overdiagnosis, and overtreatment are also not factored in, the college said in an accompanying editorial on the study.&nbsp;

"Data suggests that screening of ineligible patients is particularly common, especially among elderly people," it noted.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Cancer is a leading cause of death in the US, and now a study has estimated that Americans are spending more than $40 billion for screenings. The modelling study by the American College of Physicians examined the screening data for five common types of cancer - breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, and prostate - for the year 2021 to reach their conclusion.

Cancer is a leading cause of death in the US, and now a study has estimated that Americans are spending more than $40 billion for screenings. The modelling study by the American College of Physicians examined the screening data for five common types of cancer - breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, and prostate - for the year 2021 to reach their conclusion. The details, they hope, would help policy change, including equal access to cancer screenings and treatment, the college said in a release. How the study was done For the study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the National Institutes of Health researchers used healthcare survey and cost resources data to estimate the annual cost of initial cancer screening. This does not include follow-up costs. The amount was estimated by multiplying the number of those screened for the five types of cancers and their costs by typical insurance cover per screen in 2021 dollars, the college said. Also read: New study highlights impact of long COVID Their estimate of screening costs was $43 billion per year. Out of this, screening for colorectal cancer stood the highest cost, at 64%. "About 88.3% of costs were attributable to private insurance, 8.5% to Medicare, and 3.2% to Medicaid and other programmes," said a release from the college. Cancer screenings can cut mortality rates as well as reduce the overall cost of treatment if detection is done at the early stages. "Cancer screenings increase detection of earlier stage disease, which may result in decreased treatment costs, decreased financial hardship, and improved quality of life," said the release. Also watch: Study: 'Busy Braggers' tend to be less likeable among peers Even the $43bn estimate may be less than the actual cost, as patients usually go for further testing. Screening of ineligble patients and overdiagnosis, and overtreatment are also not factored in, the college said in an accompanying editorial on the study. "Data suggests that screening of ineligible patients is particularly common, especially among elderly people," it noted. (With inputs from agencies)

Cancer screening: Americans spend a whopping $43 billion every year, says study 

Remains&nbsp;of an Australian man who went missing while fishing with his family have been found inside a crocodile, police said on Tuesday (Aug 6). The 40-year-old man was reportedly taken by the crocodile in front of his family while on vacation after he reportedly fell into the Annan River south of Cooktown in Queensland.&nbsp; 
 
Wildlife rangers&nbsp;killed the crocodile and upon examination, human remains were found inside the 4.9-foot reptile.&nbsp;The crocodile had scars on its snout, similar to what witnesses had described near the place where the man had disappeared, according to officials.&nbsp;

"I believe it was an accident when he fell into the water,"&nbsp; Shane Holmes, a local police official had said on Monday.

<h2>Snatched in front of wife and kids</h2>

According to reports, the man from New South Wales was snatched in front of his wife and kid by the crocodile this past weekend when fishing in north Queensland, a tropical region whose rivers and creeks are home to several of these reptiles. The incident happened at Crocodile Bend, a touristy spot famous for its large crocodiles.&nbsp;

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Earlier, footage had emerged from around the same area, showing people feeding fish to a crocodile. It is illegal to feed crocodiles found in natural habitats in Australia.

<h2>Fatal crocodile attacks on humans in Australia</h2>

This is the second crocodile attack in less than a month, and the third this year. On July 2, a 12-year-old girl went missing while swimming with family in a creek in Northern Territory. Her remains were found inside a 4.2-metre crocodile that the authorities had killed. On April 18, a 16-year old boy was killed by a crocodile in Queensland island. 
 
While crocodiles are considered not harmful to humans, their behaviour can be unpredictable. They usually hide near the banks of rivers and creeks, and pounce on the prey that appear near them on land, or enter the waters.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/youtuber-dupes-restaurant-goers-by-serving-instant-noodles-as-ramen-747617">YouTuber dupes restaurant-goers by serving instant noodles as Ramen</a> 
 
The Queensland area, with its tropical climate, has seen a growth in crocodile population. Part of the reason is tourist interest and the practice of people feeding them fish in large quantities. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Remains of an Australian man who went missing while fishing with his family have been found inside a crocodile, police said on Tuesday (Aug 6). The 40-year-old man was reportedly taken by the crocodile in front of his family while on vacation after he reportedly fell into the Annan River south of Cooktown in Queensland.

Remains of an Australian man who went missing while fishing with his family have been found inside a crocodile, police said on Tuesday (Aug 6). The 40-year-old man was reportedly taken by the crocodile in front of his family while on vacation after he reportedly fell into the Annan River south of Cooktown in Queensland. Wildlife rangers killed the crocodile and upon examination, human remains were found inside the 4.9-foot reptile. The crocodile had scars on its snout, similar to what witnesses had described near the place where the man had disappeared, according to officials. "I believe it was an accident when he fell into the water," Shane Holmes, a local police official had said on Monday. Snatched in front of wife and kids According to reports, the man from New South Wales was snatched in front of his wife and kid by the crocodile this past weekend when fishing in north Queensland, a tropical region whose rivers and creeks are home to several of these reptiles. The incident happened at Crocodile Bend, a touristy spot famous for its large crocodiles. Also read: First animals to ever have sex were not what you would have expected Earlier, footage had emerged from around the same area, showing people feeding fish to a crocodile. It is illegal to feed crocodiles found in natural habitats in Australia. Fatal crocodile attacks on humans in Australia This is the second crocodile attack in less than a month, and the third this year. On July 2, a 12-year-old girl went missing while swimming with family in a creek in Northern Territory. Her remains were found inside a 4.2-metre crocodile that the authorities had killed. On April 18, a 16-year old boy was killed by a crocodile in Queensland island. While crocodiles are considered not harmful to humans, their behaviour can be unpredictable. They usually hide near the banks of rivers and creeks, and pounce on the prey that appear near them on land, or enter the waters. Also read: YouTuber dupes restaurant-goers by serving instant noodles as Ramen The Queensland area, with its tropical climate, has seen a growth in crocodile population. Part of the reason is tourist interest and the practice of people feeding them fish in large quantities. (With inputs from agencies)

Crocodile attack: Human remains found inside reptile after Australian fishing with family went missing

Singapore has executed&nbsp;a man sentenced to death for trafficking heroin, the Asian country's narcotics control bureau has said. The 45-year-old Singaporean was hanged on Friday (Aug 2) for carrying 36 kilogrammes of heroin.

The man, who was sentenced on 15 February 2019, had appealed but it was rejected by the country's&nbsp;Court of Appeal on 25 November 2019. His mercy petition to the president of Singapore was also rejected. His identity has not been revealed, as per the request of his family.

"He was convicted of having in his possession for the purpose of trafficking, four packets of granular substances that were analysed and found to contain not less than 36.93 grammes of diamorphine, or pure heroin," the&nbsp;Central Narcotics Bureau said in a release.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hurricane-debby-blows-25-packets-of-cocaine-onto-florida-beach-747521">Hurricane Debby blows 25 packets of cocaine onto Florida beach</a>

According to Singapore's strict Misuse of Drugs Act, carrying more than 15 grammes of diamorphine can lead to a death sentence. The narcotics bureau said the amount trafficked by the convict could have been used by 440 addicts for a week. 
 
Those trafficking more than 500 grams of cannabis can also face the death penalty.

The unnamed man "was accorded full due process under the law, and was represented by legal counsel throughout the process," the bureau said.

Singapore is known for hanging those engaged in drug trafficking, having re-introduced the punishment in 2022 after a halt during the Covid pandemic.

This is the second hanging in a few weeks in the country, which has been criticised by human rights groups for the practice. &nbsp;

On July 28, it hanged a woman&nbsp;for drug offences. Saridewi Djamani, 45, had been sentenced to death in 2018&nbsp;for carrying 31 grams of heroin&nbsp;This was the first hanging of a woman in 19 years.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/say-no-to-bosses-who-mix-languages-us-based-man-gives-debate-sparking-advice-to-indians-draws-ire-747439">'Say no to bosses who mix languages': US-based man gives debate-sparking advice to Indians, draws ire</a> 
 
International organisations like the United Nations had asked Singapore to stop the death penalty for drug trafficking, as it did not deter the crime from happening again. Several of those hanged were mere couriers of drugs, often forced to work in this dangerous business due to poverty.

(With inputs from agencies)

Singapore has executed a man sentenced to death for trafficking heroin, the Asian country's narcotics control bureau has said. The 45-year-old Singaporean was hanged on Friday (Aug 2) for carrying 36 kilogrammes of heroin.

Singapore has executed a man sentenced to death for trafficking heroin, the Asian country's narcotics control bureau has said. The 45-year-old Singaporean was hanged on Friday (Aug 2) for carrying 36 kilogrammes of heroin. The man, who was sentenced on 15 February 2019, had appealed but it was rejected by the country's Court of Appeal on 25 November 2019. His mercy petition to the president of Singapore was also rejected. His identity has not been revealed, as per the request of his family. "He was convicted of having in his possession for the purpose of trafficking, four packets of granular substances that were analysed and found to contain not less than 36.93 grammes of diamorphine, or pure heroin," the Central Narcotics Bureau said in a release. Also read: Hurricane Debby blows 25 packets of cocaine onto Florida beach According to Singapore's strict Misuse of Drugs Act, carrying more than 15 grammes of diamorphine can lead to a death sentence. The narcotics bureau said the amount trafficked by the convict could have been used by 440 addicts for a week. Those trafficking more than 500 grams of cannabis can also face the death penalty. The unnamed man "was accorded full due process under the law, and was represented by legal counsel throughout the process," the bureau said. Singapore is known for hanging those engaged in drug trafficking, having re-introduced the punishment in 2022 after a halt during the Covid pandemic. This is the second hanging in a few weeks in the country, which has been criticised by human rights groups for the practice. On July 28, it hanged a woman for drug offences. Saridewi Djamani, 45, had been sentenced to death in 2018 for carrying 31 grams of heroin This was the first hanging of a woman in 19 years. Also read: 'Say no to bosses who mix languages': US-based man gives debate-sparking advice to Indians, draws ire International organisations like the United Nations had asked Singapore to stop the death penalty for drug trafficking, as it did not deter the crime from happening again. Several of those hanged were mere couriers of drugs, often forced to work in this dangerous business due to poverty. (With inputs from agencies)

Singapore hangs man for heroin trafficking, second hanging in two weeks, amid calls to end practice

A man in the US has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for forcing his six-year-old son to run on a treadmill, eventually leading to his death. Christopher Gregor of New Jersey had become notorious as the 'treadmill dad' after security camera footage emerged showing him continuously placing his son Corey Micciolo on the running machine, apparently because he thought he was "fat".

The incident happened at the Atlantic Heights Clubhouse in March 2021. Corey fell sick, was hospitalised, and eventually died on 2 April 2021.

On Friday (Aug&nbsp;2),&nbsp;Ocean County judge Guy P Ryan sentenced Gregor to 20 years in jail for aggravated manslaughter and five years&nbsp;for endangering the welfare of a child for Corey's death. The 31-year-old managed to escape the murder charge. The sentences will run concurrently, said the judge.

The jury had seen the CCTV clips from the clubhouse gym, which became crucial evidence. The footage, which had gone viral, showed how Gregor placed his son repeatedly on the treadmill.

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Corey fell down as the machine was too fast. But the unflinching father only increased the treadmill's speed, as shown in the security footage.

Corey's mother Breanna Micciolo cried after hearing the verdict, while Gregory remained straight-faced.&nbsp;

While giving her victim impact statement, Micciolo called Gregor, her former partner,&nbsp;a monster. "Corey was and still is my life, my world and my everything. What this monster did was pathetic, and disgusting, and I wish him nothing but the worst," she told the court in tears.

But Gregor continued to maintain his innocence. Before he was sentenced, Gregor told the court: "I did nothing to cause Corey's passing.&nbsp;I did not hurt my son.''

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-man-electrocuted-on-treadmill-at-delhi-gym-owner-arrested-617807">Also read |&nbsp;India: Man electrocuted on treadmill at Delhi gym, owner arrested</a>

Earlier, the jury had rejected the murder charge, while finding him guilty of manslaughter.

The case had dragged on for three years as Gregor was initially charged only with child endangerment. But the Ocean County Prosecutors Office later&nbsp;charged him with murder in March 2022, changing it to manslaughter, and the case went to trial. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

A man in the US has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for forcing his six-year-old son to run on a treadmill, eventually leading to his death. Christopher Gregor of New Jersey had become notorious as the 'treadmill dad' after security camera footage emerged showing him continuously placing his son Corey Micciolo on the running machine, apparently because he thought he was "fat".

A man in the US has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for forcing his six-year-old son to run on a treadmill, eventually leading to his death. Christopher Gregor of New Jersey had become notorious as the 'treadmill dad' after security camera footage emerged showing him continuously placing his son Corey Micciolo on the running machine, apparently because he thought he was "fat". The incident happened at the Atlantic Heights Clubhouse in March 2021. Corey fell sick, was hospitalised, and eventually died on 2 April 2021. On Friday (Aug 2), Ocean County judge Guy P Ryan sentenced Gregor to 20 years in jail for aggravated manslaughter and five years for endangering the welfare of a child for Corey's death. The 31-year-old managed to escape the murder charge. The sentences will run concurrently, said the judge. The jury had seen the CCTV clips from the clubhouse gym, which became crucial evidence. The footage, which had gone viral, showed how Gregor placed his son repeatedly on the treadmill. Watch | US police rebut reports of gangster Goldy Brar's murder, says he is alive × Corey fell down as the machine was too fast. But the unflinching father only increased the treadmill's speed, as shown in the security footage. Corey's mother Breanna Micciolo cried after hearing the verdict, while Gregory remained straight-faced. While giving her victim impact statement, Micciolo called Gregor, her former partner, a monster. "Corey was and still is my life, my world and my everything. What this monster did was pathetic, and disgusting, and I wish him nothing but the worst," she told the court in tears. But Gregor continued to maintain his innocence. Before he was sentenced, Gregor told the court: "I did nothing to cause Corey's passing. I did not hurt my son.'' Also read | India: Man electrocuted on treadmill at Delhi gym, owner arrested Earlier, the jury had rejected the murder charge, while finding him guilty of manslaughter. The case had dragged on for three years as Gregor was initially charged only with child endangerment. But the Ocean County Prosecutors Office later charged him with murder in March 2022, changing it to manslaughter, and the case went to trial. (With inputs from agencies)

US man who forced son to run on treadmill, causing his death, jailed for 25 years

Bangladesh student protests: Sheikh Hasina resigned as Bangladesh prime minister and left the country on Monday (Aug 5) after weeks of student protests that culminated in a mob of youth storming her official residence. The Army Chief General&nbsp;Waker-Uz-Zaman said in a press conference that an interim government will be formed soon, putting an end to two decades of rule by Hasina.

"Let's work towards a better future.&nbsp;I met the leaders of all political parties. We had a healthy discussion. We would form an interim government. PM has stepped down," Gen Waker said at the press conference. He assured that each of the hundreds of deaths in the three weeks of student protests and rioting would be investigated.

"Every killing will be probed. Please have patience, give us some time."

The Army has played a crucial role in Bangladesh's vengeance-filled&nbsp;politics, including through some bloody coups, dictatorships, and killings.

Will Waker stay on top for long, or give way to an interim government, followed by an orderly and peaceful election? 
 
The army led by Gen Waker, who has had a military career of more than three and half decades, was blamed for the brutal crackdown on student protests that led to at least 100 deaths in the last few days. The students were protesting against a move to give reservation for high-paying government jobs to relatives of those who took part in Bangladesh's war of independence from Pakistan.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-unrest-sheikh-hasina-steps-down-as-pm-leaves-country-747301">Bangladesh unrest: Sheikh Hasina resigns as PM; army chief says interim govt to be formed soon</a>

Here is what you should know about the current Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman.

<h2>Who is Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman?</h2>

General Waker-Uz-Zaman has been put into spotlight soon after he became the military head, having taken charge as Chief of Army Staff&nbsp;only on 23 June this year.

&nbsp;Born on 16 September 1966 in east Pakistan which later became Bangladesh,&nbsp;Waker studied at Bangladesh Military Academy. He first joined the Corps of Infantry on 20 December 1985, according to a profile of&nbsp;him on the Bangladesh Army website.&nbsp;

He went on to command the only Independent Infantry Brigade of the country, as well as an Infantry Division.&nbsp;

Before becoming military chief, Gen Waker served as the Chief of General Staff of Bangladesh Army, as well as Military Secretary and Principal Staff Officer&nbsp;to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.&nbsp;

As the Chief of General Staff of the army, he was responsible for military operations, military intelligence, UN peacekeeping affairs and&nbsp;budget of the army, according to the official profile.

Watch:&nbsp;Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina resigns, flees country as protesters storm palace

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As Principal Staff Officer, he also took the role of chairman of Bangladesh National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention.

Gen Waker was involved with the United Nations Peacekeeping missions, to which Bangladesh Armed Forces is a key contributor of personnel.

As part of UN Peacekeeping forces, Gen Waker did two tours of duty as an observer and staff of the Blue Helments in Angola and Liberia.&nbsp;

He is the recipient of ‘Extraordinary Service Medal’ and ‘Army Medal of Glory’ for contributions in the modernisation of the army.&nbsp;

General Waker holds a master's degree in Defence Studies from National University of Bangladesh and Master of Arts in Defence Studies from King’s College, University of London.

(with inputs from agencies)

Bangladesh student protests: Sheikh Hasina resigned as Bangladesh prime minister and left the country on Monday (Aug 5) after weeks of student protests that culminated in a mob of youth storming her official residence.

Bangladesh student protests: Sheikh Hasina resigned as Bangladesh prime minister and left the country on Monday (Aug 5) after weeks of student protests that culminated in a mob of youth storming her official residence. The Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman said in a press conference that an interim government will be formed soon, putting an end to two decades of rule by Hasina. "Let's work towards a better future. I met the leaders of all political parties. We had a healthy discussion. We would form an interim government. PM has stepped down," Gen Waker said at the press conference. He assured that each of the hundreds of deaths in the three weeks of student protests and rioting would be investigated. "Every killing will be probed. Please have patience, give us some time." The Army has played a crucial role in Bangladesh's vengeance-filled politics, including through some bloody coups, dictatorships, and killings. Will Waker stay on top for long, or give way to an interim government, followed by an orderly and peaceful election? The army led by Gen Waker, who has had a military career of more than three and half decades, was blamed for the brutal crackdown on student protests that led to at least 100 deaths in the last few days. The students were protesting against a move to give reservation for high-paying government jobs to relatives of those who took part in Bangladesh's war of independence from Pakistan. Also Read: Bangladesh unrest: Sheikh Hasina resigns as PM; army chief says interim govt to be formed soon Here is what you should know about the current Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman. Who is Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman? General Waker-Uz-Zaman has been put into spotlight soon after he became the military head, having taken charge as Chief of Army Staff only on 23 June this year. Born on 16 September 1966 in east Pakistan which later became Bangladesh, Waker studied at Bangladesh Military Academy. He first joined the Corps of Infantry on 20 December 1985, according to a profile of him on the Bangladesh Army website. He went on to command the only Independent Infantry Brigade of the country, as well as an Infantry Division. Before becoming military chief, Gen Waker served as the Chief of General Staff of Bangladesh Army, as well as Military Secretary and Principal Staff Officer to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. As the Chief of General Staff of the army, he was responsible for military operations, military intelligence, UN peacekeeping affairs and budget of the army, according to the official profile. Watch: Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina resigns, flees country as protesters storm palace As Principal Staff Officer, he also took the role of chairman of Bangladesh National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention. Gen Waker was involved with the United Nations Peacekeeping missions, to which Bangladesh Armed Forces is a key contributor of personnel. As part of UN Peacekeeping forces, Gen Waker did two tours of duty as an observer and staff of the Blue Helments in Angola and Liberia. He is the recipient of ‘Extraordinary Service Medal’ and ‘Army Medal of Glory’ for contributions in the modernisation of the army. General Waker holds a master's degree in Defence Studies from National University of Bangladesh and Master of Arts in Defence Studies from King’s College, University of London. (with inputs from agencies)

Bangladesh student protests: Who is Gen Waker-Uz-Zaman, army chief in charge as PM Sheikh Hasina quits?

UK Southport stabbing case riots: The United Kingdom's worst rioting in 13 years took place over the past few days after three girls were killed in a stabbing attack on a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport. The rioting in Southport and other northwestern areas of Britain, which UK PM Kier Starmer called "far-right thuggery", was organised by far-right fringe groups on social media and chat apps like Telegram.

These far-right groups and influencers fuelled online rumours that the killer of the children was a Muslim or migrant. That was factually incorrect, but by the time it was verified, the rioters had run amock first in Southport, and later in several parts of UK including London, Hartlepool, Manchester and Aldershot.

The fringe groups and self-proclaimed 'influencers,' with mainly white supremacist, anti-migrant and anti-Muslim ideas, have been resurrected after Starmer became the first Labour PM in nearly two decades after a long and raucous Conservative rule. Many of the far-right groups and influencers had been banned earlier from social media platforms, but found oxygen now after sites like Elon Musk's X revoked the bans.

The rioters and protesters are a ragtag group of far-right factions and their supporters, soccer fans and anti-Muslim campaigners, according to a report by New York Times.

<h2>What happened at Southport? The stabbing incident</h2>

On 29 July, a children’s dance and yoga class themed around Swifties- fans of American musician Taylor Swift- was targetted in a knife attack in Southport.&nbsp;Three girls died. Eight other children and two adults were injured.&nbsp;Two of the girls – Bebe King aged six and Elsie Dot Stancombe aged seven, died on the spot while the third one,&nbsp;Alice Dasilva Aguiar aged nine, died in hospital the next day.

<h2>How the rioting happened in Southport and spread to other cities</h2>

By July 30, hundreds of people descended on Southport via buses or trains from other parts of Britain. They attacked mosques and injured at least 50 cops, looted property and set vehicles on fire.&nbsp;The riots spread in London on July 31. At least&nbsp;100 people were arrested. Violence broke out in other cities and towns such as Manchester, Hartlepool and Aldershot. By the end of the week, similar riots were reported from&nbsp;Sunderland and Northumbria. This past weekend, more violence took place in Hull, Leeds, Nottingham, Stoke-on-Trent,&nbsp; Belfast,&nbsp;and Liverpool. A hotel believed to be housing asylum seekers was also targeted by the rioters who pelted stones. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-riots-linked-to-misinformation-about-southport-stabbing-746900">Watch |&nbsp;UK riots linked to misinformation about Southport stabbing?</a>

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&nbsp;

<h2>Disinformation: Was the Swifties knife attack killer a migrant?</h2>

Ahead of the riots, a false rumour was spread online that Axel Rudakubana, the culprit in the Southport stabbings, was a Muslim. This led to rioters targeting mosques. In fact, Rudakubana was a Cardiff, Wales-born, Rwandan-origin Christian.

<h2>Who are the groups and people behind the riots?</h2>

Those who either called for, organised or appeared at the protests and rioting include members or former members of the English Defence League and Patriotic Alternative. But overall, it is a motley crew of people, not a centrally-led group. “There are large numbers of people engaging in activity online but there’s no membership structure or badge - there are not even formalised leaders, but they are directed by social media influencers. It’s like a school of fish rather than traditional organisation," BBC Verify quoted Joe Mulhall, head of research at anti-racism research group Hope Not Hate as saying, in a report on the riots.

Here is what you should know about these groups and their leaders and influencers associated with them:

<h2>English Defence League&nbsp;</h2>

 
The English Defence League started in 2009 mainly on an anti-Muslim, anti-immigration plank.&nbsp;EDL is pro-white and xenophobic. Now practically defunct, EDL was founded by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon also known as Tommy Robinson. After parting ways with EDL over ideological and leadership differences, he spent most of the recent years spreading his messages on social media. EDL calls Luton its home, and was reportedly founded in reaction to a group of Islamic extremists there. Luton is also the base of&nbsp;&nbsp;Al Muhajiroun, an Islamist group that was linked to the 2005 London bombings.

Robinson was earlier part of the&nbsp;British National Party and involved in football hooliganism.

EDL is notorious for organising anti-Muslim protests in opposition to building of new mosques. Some EDL members allegedly put pig heads at Muslim areas.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pm-starmer-offer-full-support-to-police-as-anti-immigrant-extremist-wreak-havoc-in-uk-cities-746916">Also read |&nbsp;PM Starmer offers 'full support' to police as anti-immigrant 'extremists' wreak havoc in UK cities</a>

Robinson left the UK on Sunday, ostensibly to escape a court hearing that could have led to his detention. He had been rebuilding his social media profile since a ban on his X account was revoked in 2023, with at least&nbsp;800,000 followers now, who liked or shared his posts on Southport stabbing several thousand times.

Other EDL figures like Rikki Doolan, who calls himself a preacher, and Jesse Clarke&nbsp;were at the Southport stabbing protests.&nbsp;Doolan said in a video: “I’m British and proud, otherwise I wouldn’t be here.” Clarke posted videos of the protests from London, saying: “We’re outside Downing Street now.”

An influencer on X associated with Yaxley-Lennon, who posts under the name of “Lord Simon”, was among the first to publicly call for nationwide protests, according to BBC.&nbsp;He was among those spreading the rumour that the Southport attacker was an asylum seeker who arrived in the UK by boat. “We have to hit the streets. We have to make a huge impact all around the country. Every city needs to go up everywhere,” Simon said in a video.

<h2>National Action</h2>

National Action is a neo-Nazi group banned by UK government as a terrorist organisation in 2016. Its leader Matthew Hankinson served six years in jail, and was released in 2023. On an X post, Habnkinson said he was “documenting live” the Southport demonstration with videos. He called the situation a “police oppression of peaceful protesters concerned about the murder of white children”.&nbsp;

<h2>Patriotic Alternative</h2>

Patriotic Alternative is a smaller, neo-Fascist group associated with the Southport riot. 
One of its leaders, David Miles, posted pictures of himself at Southport.&nbsp;“Enough is Enough” is&nbsp;slogan of&nbsp;Patriotic Alternative which was widely used in social media posts ahead of the rioting.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-riots-far-right-mob-sets-fire-to-rotherham-hotel-that-housed-migrants-747111">Also read |&nbsp;'You will regret': PM Starmer issues warning as rioters set fire to Rotherham hotel that housed migrants</a>

<h2>How does the far-right in UK organise riots?</h2>

Always under the watch of UK security agencies, the far-right groups have used social media posters and Telegram groups to organise the protests and rioting. The violence is first instigated by online influencers, BBC Verify said in its report, while noting that&nbsp;there is "no single organising force at work."

Soon after the Southport attack, hundreds of posts flooded social media sites like X, Facebook, and Telegram groups. The initial posts were soon shared further on TikTok, YouTube and other platforms.&nbsp;

Posts were also shared by other far-right groups such as the National Front. Users&nbsp;called for a protest on St Luke’s Street in Southport, where the local mosque is located, on July 30. These calls eventually led to the riots.

Several online posters and illustrations promoting the protest were shared on the Telegram channels. Those posters later multiplied on accounts in TikTok, X and Facebook, where they were shared widely.

One such poster asked protesters to conceal their faces, with a call: "No face, no case". Another poster said "Enough is enough", with the main contention that whites were being attacked by migrants. Yet another poster called for “mass deportations,” based on the conspiracy theory that UK's crimes were perpetrated by migrants. 
 
(With inputs from agencies) 
 
&nbsp;

UK Southport stabbing case riots: The United Kingdom's worst rioting in 13 years took place over the past few days after three girls were killed in a stabbing attack on a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport.

UK Southport stabbing case riots: The United Kingdom's worst rioting in 13 years took place over the past few days after three girls were killed in a stabbing attack on a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport. The rioting in Southport and other northwestern areas of Britain, which UK PM Kier Starmer called "far-right thuggery", was organised by far-right fringe groups on social media and chat apps like Telegram. These far-right groups and influencers fuelled online rumours that the killer of the children was a Muslim or migrant. That was factually incorrect, but by the time it was verified, the rioters had run amock first in Southport, and later in several parts of UK including London, Hartlepool, Manchester and Aldershot. The fringe groups and self-proclaimed 'influencers,' with mainly white supremacist, anti-migrant and anti-Muslim ideas, have been resurrected after Starmer became the first Labour PM in nearly two decades after a long and raucous Conservative rule. Many of the far-right groups and influencers had been banned earlier from social media platforms, but found oxygen now after sites like Elon Musk's X revoked the bans. The rioters and protesters are a ragtag group of far-right factions and their supporters, soccer fans and anti-Muslim campaigners, according to a report by New York Times. What happened at Southport? The stabbing incident On 29 July, a children’s dance and yoga class themed around Swifties- fans of American musician Taylor Swift- was targetted in a knife attack in Southport. Three girls died. Eight other children and two adults were injured. Two of the girls – Bebe King aged six and Elsie Dot Stancombe aged seven, died on the spot while the third one, Alice Dasilva Aguiar aged nine, died in hospital the next day. How the rioting happened in Southport and spread to other cities By July 30, hundreds of people descended on Southport via buses or trains from other parts of Britain. They attacked mosques and injured at least 50 cops, looted property and set vehicles on fire. The riots spread in London on July 31. At least 100 people were arrested. Violence broke out in other cities and towns such as Manchester, Hartlepool and Aldershot. By the end of the week, similar riots were reported from Sunderland and Northumbria. This past weekend, more violence took place in Hull, Leeds, Nottingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Belfast, and Liverpool. A hotel believed to be housing asylum seekers was also targeted by the rioters who pelted stones. Watch | UK riots linked to misinformation about Southport stabbing? × Disinformation: Was the Swifties knife attack killer a migrant? Ahead of the riots, a false rumour was spread online that Axel Rudakubana, the culprit in the Southport stabbings, was a Muslim. This led to rioters targeting mosques. In fact, Rudakubana was a Cardiff, Wales-born, Rwandan-origin Christian. Who are the groups and people behind the riots? Those who either called for, organised or appeared at the protests and rioting include members or former members of the English Defence League and Patriotic Alternative. But overall, it is a motley crew of people, not a centrally-led group. “There are large numbers of people engaging in activity online but there’s no membership structure or badge - there are not even formalised leaders, but they are directed by social media influencers. It’s like a school of fish rather than traditional organisation," BBC Verify quoted Joe Mulhall, head of research at anti-racism research group Hope Not Hate as saying, in a report on the riots. Here is what you should know about these groups and their leaders and influencers associated with them: English Defence League The English Defence League started in 2009 mainly on an anti-Muslim, anti-immigration plank. EDL is pro-white and xenophobic. Now practically defunct, EDL was founded by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon also known as Tommy Robinson. After parting ways with EDL over ideological and leadership differences, he spent most of the recent years spreading his messages on social media. EDL calls Luton its home, and was reportedly founded in reaction to a group of Islamic extremists there. Luton is also the base of Al Muhajiroun, an Islamist group that was linked to the 2005 London bombings. Robinson was earlier part of the British National Party and involved in football hooliganism. EDL is notorious for organising anti-Muslim protests in opposition to building of new mosques. Some EDL members allegedly put pig heads at Muslim areas. Also read | PM Starmer offers 'full support' to police as anti-immigrant 'extremists' wreak havoc in UK cities Robinson left the UK on Sunday, ostensibly to escape a court hearing that could have led to his detention. He had been rebuilding his social media profile since a ban on his X account was revoked in 2023, with at least 800,000 followers now, who liked or shared his posts on Southport stabbing several thousand times. Other EDL figures like Rikki Doolan, who calls himself a preacher, and Jesse Clarke were at the Southport stabbing protests. Doolan said in a video: “I’m British and proud, otherwise I wouldn’t be here.” Clarke posted videos of the protests from London, saying: “We’re outside Downing Street now.” An influencer on X associated with Yaxley-Lennon, who posts under the name of “Lord Simon”, was among the first to publicly call for nationwide protests, according to BBC. He was among those spreading the rumour that the Southport attacker was an asylum seeker who arrived in the UK by boat. “We have to hit the streets. We have to make a huge impact all around the country. Every city needs to go up everywhere,” Simon said in a video. National Action National Action is a neo-Nazi group banned by UK government as a terrorist organisation in 2016. Its leader Matthew Hankinson served six years in jail, and was released in 2023. On an X post, Habnkinson said he was “documenting live” the Southport demonstration with videos. He called the situation a “police oppression of peaceful protesters concerned about the murder of white children”. Patriotic Alternative Patriotic Alternative is a smaller, neo-Fascist group associated with the Southport riot. One of its leaders, David Miles, posted pictures of himself at Southport. “Enough is Enough” is slogan of Patriotic Alternative which was widely used in social media posts ahead of the rioting. Also read | 'You will regret': PM Starmer issues warning as rioters set fire to Rotherham hotel that housed migrants How does the far-right in UK organise riots? Always under the watch of UK security agencies, the far-right groups have used social media posters and Telegram groups to organise the protests and rioting. The violence is first instigated by online influencers, BBC Verify said in its report, while noting that there is "no single organising force at work." Soon after the Southport attack, hundreds of posts flooded social media sites like X, Facebook, and Telegram groups. The initial posts were soon shared further on TikTok, YouTube and other platforms. Posts were also shared by other far-right groups such as the National Front. Users called for a protest on St Luke’s Street in Southport, where the local mosque is located, on July 30. These calls eventually led to the riots. Several online posters and illustrations promoting the protest were shared on the Telegram channels. Those posters later multiplied on accounts in TikTok, X and Facebook, where they were shared widely. One such poster asked protesters to conceal their faces, with a call: "No face, no case". Another poster said "Enough is enough", with the main contention that whites were being attacked by migrants. Yet another poster called for “mass deportations,” based on the conspiracy theory that UK's crimes were perpetrated by migrants. (With inputs from agencies)

UK riots: Who are far-right groups organising over Telegram, Facebook, X, TikTok? What you should know

Falcon 9, the reusable rocket from Elon Musk's SpaceX, successfully launched into orbit 23 Starlink satellites on Sunday (Aug 4), days after its failed launch had led to the destruction of 20 of these internet service satellites.

The launch on Sunday took place at 12.24 am local time, SpaceX said on its website. The company gave real-time updates on the social media platform X, also owned by Musk.

"Falcon 9 launched 23 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California," the company said.

"This was the sixth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched USSF-62 and five Starlink missions for Falcon."

Eight minutes after the successful launch, the Falcon 9's first stage landed back on Earth, neatly entering the SpaceX droneship 'Of Course I Still Love You' on the Pacific Ocean.&nbsp;

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Falcon 9 lands on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, completing this booster’s sixth mission <a href="https://t.co/tPv4dV9fM4">pic.twitter.com/tPv4dV9fM4</a>
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1819999988044423517?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Watch |&nbsp;Elon Musk's SpaceX is building a network of spy satellites for US intelligence: Report

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It was the sixth launch and landing for this particular booster, according to SpaceX.

"The Falcon 9's upper stage did its job as well, deploying the 23 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit as planned," the company said on X. The other successful missions were on July 27, two on July 28 and one on August 2.

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Well done SpaceX 🚀 <a href="https://t.co/RWIp4TpEF6">pic.twitter.com/RWIp4TpEF6</a>
— Tesla Pablo 🔋 (@pablo9948967714) <a href="https://twitter.com/pablo9948967714/status/1820009560242888937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-spacex-completes-test-of-5000-tonne-starship-the-most-powerful-launch-vehicle-729822">Also read |&nbsp;Watch: SpaceX completes test of 5,000-tonne Starship, the most powerful launch vehicle</a>

On July 11, SpaceX lost 20 Starlink satellites after a failed mission by Falcon 9. The satellites were destroyed, falling down and burning upon re-entry to earth,&nbsp;after liquid oxygen leaked from Falcon rocket's upper stage. The leak resulted from a crack in the liquid-oxygen system's pressure sensors. 
 
That was the first in-flight failure of Falcon 9 since 2015.

(With inputs from agencies)

Falcon 9, the reusable rocket from Elon Musk's SpaceX, successfully launched into orbit 23 Starlink satellites on Sunday (Aug 4), days after its failed launch had led to the destruction of 20 of these internet service satellites.

Falcon 9, the reusable rocket from Elon Musk's SpaceX, successfully launched into orbit 23 Starlink satellites on Sunday (Aug 4), days after its failed launch had led to the destruction of 20 of these internet service satellites. The launch on Sunday took place at 12.24 am local time, SpaceX said on its website. The company gave real-time updates on the social media platform X, also owned by Musk. "Falcon 9 launched 23 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California," the company said. "This was the sixth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched USSF-62 and five Starlink missions for Falcon." Eight minutes after the successful launch, the Falcon 9's first stage landed back on Earth, neatly entering the SpaceX droneship 'Of Course I Still Love You' on the Pacific Ocean. Falcon 9 lands on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, completing this booster’s sixth mission pic.twitter.com/tPv4dV9fM4 — SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 4, 2024 × Watch | Elon Musk's SpaceX is building a network of spy satellites for US intelligence: Report × It was the sixth launch and landing for this particular booster, according to SpaceX. "The Falcon 9's upper stage did its job as well, deploying the 23 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit as planned," the company said on X. The other successful missions were on July 27, two on July 28 and one on August 2. Well done SpaceX 🚀 pic.twitter.com/RWIp4TpEF6 — Tesla Pablo 🔋 (@pablo9948967714) August 4, 2024 × Also read | Watch: SpaceX completes test of 5,000-tonne Starship, the most powerful launch vehicle On July 11, SpaceX lost 20 Starlink satellites after a failed mission by Falcon 9. The satellites were destroyed, falling down and burning upon re-entry to earth, after liquid oxygen leaked from Falcon rocket's upper stage. The leak resulted from a crack in the liquid-oxygen system's pressure sensors. That was the first in-flight failure of Falcon 9 since 2015. (With inputs from agencies)

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launches 23 Starlink satellites into orbit - Watch

What does a brain affected by Alzheimer's disease look like? More specifically, how do the proteins present in the brains of Dementia and Alzheimer's disease patients appear? A clear view of the structures of these proteins will enable scientists to find a cure for these diseases affecting millions of people.

Now for the first time, with the help of 3D imaging, scientists at the UK's Leeds University have revealed the molecular structures of the two key proteins present in brains affected by Alzheimer's and dementia.

These proteins are β-amyloid and tau, which form plaques and abnormal filaments in the brain that lead to dementia and Alzheimer's disease, the most common ailments of memory loss and cognitive impairment. While it is not conclusively proven that these proteins are the only cause of the two diseases, they have been present in brains affected by Dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

"In the longer term, it is hoped that observing this interplay of proteins within tissues will accelerate identifying new targets for next-generation mechanism-based therapeutics and diagnostics," Leeds University said in a release on the study, which was published in Nature Journal.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-how-menstrual-cycle-affect-your-mood-and-behaviour-medical-expert-answers-746973">How menstrual cycle affects your mood and behaviour? Medical expert answers</a>

The study is part of efforts to understand the environment in which these proteins exist and find out how they interact with surrounding cells and tissues, specifically those affected by Alzheimer's and Dementia.

To explore deep inside an Alzheimer’s disease brain, scientists created 3D maps using cryo-electron tomography and fluorescence microscopy.&nbsp;

With these 3D maps, they could "observe proteins, the molecular building blocks of life a million times smaller than a grain of rice, within the brain," said the release from Leeds University. "This study revealed the molecular structure of tau in tissue, how amyloids are arranged, and new molecular structures entangled within this pathology in the brain."

Also watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/cancer-rates-among-under-50s-risen-24-since-1995-why-are-so-many-young-adults-getting-the-disease-728246">Cancer rates among under 50s risen 24% since 1995, why are so many young adults getting the disease?</a>

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β-amyloid plaques and tau filaments disrupt cellular communication, causing memory loss and confusion, and eventual death of healthy cells.

"This first glimpse of the structure of molecules inside the human brain offers further clues to what happens to proteins in Alzheimer’s disease but also sets out an experimental approach that can be applied to better understand a broad range of other devastating neurological diseases," said Dr Rene Frank, lead author of the study and Associate Professor, School of Biomedical Sciences at Leeds University.

This study was done in&nbsp;collaboration with Amsterdam UMC, Zeiss Microscopy, and the University of Cambridge.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

What does a brain affected by Alzheimer's disease look like? More specifically, how do the proteins present in the brains of Dementia and Alzheimer's disease patients appear?

What does a brain affected by Alzheimer's disease look like? More specifically, how do the proteins present in the brains of Dementia and Alzheimer's disease patients appear? A clear view of the structures of these proteins will enable scientists to find a cure for these diseases affecting millions of people. Now for the first time, with the help of 3D imaging, scientists at the UK's Leeds University have revealed the molecular structures of the two key proteins present in brains affected by Alzheimer's and dementia. These proteins are β-amyloid and tau, which form plaques and abnormal filaments in the brain that lead to dementia and Alzheimer's disease, the most common ailments of memory loss and cognitive impairment. While it is not conclusively proven that these proteins are the only cause of the two diseases, they have been present in brains affected by Dementia and Alzheimer's disease. "In the longer term, it is hoped that observing this interplay of proteins within tissues will accelerate identifying new targets for next-generation mechanism-based therapeutics and diagnostics," Leeds University said in a release on the study, which was published in Nature Journal. Also read: How menstrual cycle affects your mood and behaviour? Medical expert answers The study is part of efforts to understand the environment in which these proteins exist and find out how they interact with surrounding cells and tissues, specifically those affected by Alzheimer's and Dementia. To explore deep inside an Alzheimer’s disease brain, scientists created 3D maps using cryo-electron tomography and fluorescence microscopy. With these 3D maps, they could "observe proteins, the molecular building blocks of life a million times smaller than a grain of rice, within the brain," said the release from Leeds University. "This study revealed the molecular structure of tau in tissue, how amyloids are arranged, and new molecular structures entangled within this pathology in the brain." Also watch: Cancer rates among under 50s risen 24% since 1995, why are so many young adults getting the disease? β-amyloid plaques and tau filaments disrupt cellular communication, causing memory loss and confusion, and eventual death of healthy cells. "This first glimpse of the structure of molecules inside the human brain offers further clues to what happens to proteins in Alzheimer’s disease but also sets out an experimental approach that can be applied to better understand a broad range of other devastating neurological diseases," said Dr Rene Frank, lead author of the study and Associate Professor, School of Biomedical Sciences at Leeds University. This study was done in collaboration with Amsterdam UMC, Zeiss Microscopy, and the University of Cambridge. (With inputs from agencies)

A deep look inside Alzheimer's brain: Molecule structure of proteins unveiled for first time

Global Times, the Chinese-state-owned tabloid, is one of the most nationalist supporters of President Xi Jinping's regime, but one of its editors has now been 'banned' from social media, according to reports.

There is no official reason given on why Hu Xijin, the former editor-in-chief of Global Times and an online influencer who defends China, suddenly disappeared from social media since last posting on Saturday (Jul 27). But Hu's silence appears to be in the wake of the backlash he faced for an article he had written on the economic reforms of China.

A report by Bloomberg news agency citing a person familiar with the matter said that he has been "banned from posting on social media" after writing controversial comments about the Chinese economy. His account on Weibo has been suspended, as per the source who was not named in the report.&nbsp;

Hu has some 25 million followers on Weibo, the X-like microblogging platform on the Chinese internet. He is also active on WeChat and X, which is banned in China, where he has half a million followers.

After retiring from Global Times in 2021, He wrote a newspaper column, Hu Says, and appeared on television channels and online to offer a strident defence of Chinese policies.

<h2>What did Hu write that angered Chinese state media?</h2>

In an article on Chinese economic reforms, Hu suggested that the private sector in the country may become equal to the public sector. The article has since been deleted.

In the piece posted on his WeChat account on July 22, Hu also wrote about the recent plenum of China’s Communist Party (CCP).

The resolution document of that event, Hu wrote, left out a phrase that had been used to stress the role of the state sector in the country’s economy, according to a report in the South China Morning Post.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjl3fDPptaHAxXXzzgGHS-5FkMQxfQBKAB6BAgSEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-china-agree-to-uphold-peace-and-tranquility-along-line-of-actual-control-746045" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-china-agree-to-uphold-peace-and-tranquility-along-line-of-actual-control-746045&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjl3fDPptaHAxXXzzgGHS-5FkMQxfQBKAB6BAgSEAE">India, China agree to ‘uphold peace and tranquility’ along Line of Actual Control</a>

The phrase in question is related to the Chinese public ownership playing a dominant role in its economy. Hu said it was a “historic change” that showed China hoped to “achieve true equality between the private and the state-owned economy”.

<h2>Backlash for Hu's article</h2>

The article garnered backlash from nationalist writers, bloggers and even state media. They accused him of “blatantly violating the political discipline of the party”, noting that the “dominant role” of public ownership was enshrined in the constitutions of both the ruling party and the country, the SCMP report said.

Watch:&nbsp;Gravitas: India boosting security along China border

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The Chinese Communist Party's official paper, the People’s Daily, wrote a commentary that China’s basic stand on the state and private sectors “hasn’t changed and won’t change in the future”, the report said.

Hu's sudden silence on social media appears to have followed this.

(With inputs from agencies)

Global Times, the Chinese-state-owned tabloid, is one of the most nationalist supporters of President Xi Jinping's regime, but one of its editors has now been 'banned' from social media, according to reports.

Global Times, the Chinese-state-owned tabloid, is one of the most nationalist supporters of President Xi Jinping's regime, but one of its editors has now been 'banned' from social media, according to reports. There is no official reason given on why Hu Xijin, the former editor-in-chief of Global Times and an online influencer who defends China, suddenly disappeared from social media since last posting on Saturday (Jul 27). But Hu's silence appears to be in the wake of the backlash he faced for an article he had written on the economic reforms of China. A report by Bloomberg news agency citing a person familiar with the matter said that he has been "banned from posting on social media" after writing controversial comments about the Chinese economy. His account on Weibo has been suspended, as per the source who was not named in the report. Hu has some 25 million followers on Weibo, the X-like microblogging platform on the Chinese internet. He is also active on WeChat and X, which is banned in China, where he has half a million followers. After retiring from Global Times in 2021, He wrote a newspaper column, Hu Says, and appeared on television channels and online to offer a strident defence of Chinese policies. What did Hu write that angered Chinese state media? In an article on Chinese economic reforms, Hu suggested that the private sector in the country may become equal to the public sector. The article has since been deleted. In the piece posted on his WeChat account on July 22, Hu also wrote about the recent plenum of China’s Communist Party (CCP). The resolution document of that event, Hu wrote, left out a phrase that had been used to stress the role of the state sector in the country’s economy, according to a report in the South China Morning Post. Also read: India, China agree to ‘uphold peace and tranquility’ along Line of Actual Control The phrase in question is related to the Chinese public ownership playing a dominant role in its economy. Hu said it was a “historic change” that showed China hoped to “achieve true equality between the private and the state-owned economy”. Backlash for Hu's article The article garnered backlash from nationalist writers, bloggers and even state media. They accused him of “blatantly violating the political discipline of the party”, noting that the “dominant role” of public ownership was enshrined in the constitutions of both the ruling party and the country, the SCMP report said. Watch: Gravitas: India boosting security along China border × The Chinese Communist Party's official paper, the People’s Daily, wrote a commentary that China’s basic stand on the state and private sectors “hasn’t changed and won’t change in the future”, the report said. Hu's sudden silence on social media appears to have followed this. (With inputs from agencies)

Hu Xijin: China 'bans' ex-editor of nationalist tabloid Global Times from social media, but why?

Taiwanese law enforcement authorities have arrested 449 people after busting its largest illegal pornography ring. Those arrested engaged in making, selling, or possessing child pornography as well as recordings of women in restrooms. Out of those arrested, 178 were buyers of the explicit content.&nbsp;

At a news conference on Thursday (July 31), the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said that all arrested are Taiwanese but the forums were operated from overseas domains.

The arrests were made after a series of raids in June and July that targeted two porn rings, Chuangyi Sifang and SCP, which were operating through the messaging app Telegram.

Most of those detained were paid members of the networks, suspected of viewing and trading in illegal pornography, as well as uploading content.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/revealed-pakistan-armys-secret-programme-to-target-dissenters-on-social-media-746519">Revealed! Pak Army's secret programme to target dissenters on social media</a>

The suspects include some teachers, software professionals and&nbsp;even military personnel, CIB's High-tech Crime Center chief Lin Chien-lung was quoted as saying in Taipei Times.

The suspects were charged under Taiwan's Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act as well as laws against money laundering and organised crime, Lin told a news conference in Taipei.

Members paid in cryptocurrency and network tokens to join the porn ring, Lin said, adding that transactions were done in accounts as well as web domains registered overseas.

Chuangyi Sifang was raided after TV host Mickey Huang's indictment in May for allegedly possessing child pornography. Huang was reportedly a paid member of the network since 2014, reported Taipei Times citing the Taichung Prosecutors’ Office.

Police arrested a man surnamed Chang who was reportedly managing Chuangyi Sifang forum. The owner of the forum is thought to be Lao Ma, a Chinese citizen based in China, according to Taiwanese authorities. Currency worth US$30,454 was confiscated in the raid.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/us-man-gets-high-on-edibles-attempts-sex-with-flight-attendant-opens-door-mid-air-746543">US man gets high on edibles, attempts sex with flight attendant, opens door mid-air</a>

Another raid in July targeted SCP and its affiliate site OAT, where visuals of women in restrooms in public places, hotel restrooms and bars were shared. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Taiwanese law enforcement authorities have arrested 449 people after busting its largest illegal pornography ring. Those arrested engaged in making, selling, or possessing child pornography as well as recordings of women in restrooms.

Taiwanese law enforcement authorities have arrested 449 people after busting its largest illegal pornography ring. Those arrested engaged in making, selling, or possessing child pornography as well as recordings of women in restrooms. Out of those arrested, 178 were buyers of the explicit content. At a news conference on Thursday (July 31), the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said that all arrested are Taiwanese but the forums were operated from overseas domains. The arrests were made after a series of raids in June and July that targeted two porn rings, Chuangyi Sifang and SCP, which were operating through the messaging app Telegram. Most of those detained were paid members of the networks, suspected of viewing and trading in illegal pornography, as well as uploading content. Also read: Revealed! Pak Army's secret programme to target dissenters on social media The suspects include some teachers, software professionals and even military personnel, CIB's High-tech Crime Center chief Lin Chien-lung was quoted as saying in Taipei Times. The suspects were charged under Taiwan's Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act as well as laws against money laundering and organised crime, Lin told a news conference in Taipei. Members paid in cryptocurrency and network tokens to join the porn ring, Lin said, adding that transactions were done in accounts as well as web domains registered overseas. Chuangyi Sifang was raided after TV host Mickey Huang's indictment in May for allegedly possessing child pornography. Huang was reportedly a paid member of the network since 2014, reported Taipei Times citing the Taichung Prosecutors’ Office. Police arrested a man surnamed Chang who was reportedly managing Chuangyi Sifang forum. The owner of the forum is thought to be Lao Ma, a Chinese citizen based in China, according to Taiwanese authorities. Currency worth US$30,454 was confiscated in the raid. Also read: US man gets high on edibles, attempts sex with flight attendant, opens door mid-air Another raid in July targeted SCP and its affiliate site OAT, where visuals of women in restrooms in public places, hotel restrooms and bars were shared. (With inputs from agencies)

Taiwan's largest illegal porn ring busted, 449 arrested for crimes including child pornography

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