The new US position in support of lifting&nbsp;patents&nbsp;on&nbsp;Covid-19&nbsp;vaccines&nbsp;has&nbsp;taken attention away from an equally significant change by Washington, which plans to open up trade in the raw materials used to make them.

After&nbsp;having recently taken heat for blocking such exports, Commerce Secretary Katherine Tai said Wednesday that the US government would "work to increase the raw materials needed to produce those&nbsp;vaccines".

The assertion was hidden at the bottom of the statement unveiling Washington's remarkable reversal of its position&nbsp;on&nbsp;Covid-19&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;patents, which coincides with a shortage of doses in emerging and developing nations as cases surge in some countries.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-backs-india-led-fight-to-waive-covid-vaccines-patents-383092">US backs India-led fight to waive Covid vaccines patents</a>

Long legal and economic policy debates likely lie ahead about waiving&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;patents, particularly at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Meanwhile, the difficulties faced by some laboratories in obtaining components to manufacture&nbsp;vaccines&nbsp;look set to stymie the drive to ramp up production.

Two labs have recently spoken out about their difficulties, laying the blame at Washington's door.

Germany's Curevac said it could&nbsp;not secure supplies of certain materials from the United States.

Several days earlier, India's Serum Institute, the world's largest&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;manufacturer, called&nbsp;on&nbsp;US President Joe Biden to step in.

"Respected @POTUS, if we are to truly unite in beating this virus,&nbsp;on&nbsp;behalf of the&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;industry outside the US, I humbly request you to lift the embargo of raw material exports out of the US so that&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;production can ramp up," the company's president Adar Poonawalla wrote&nbsp;on&nbsp;Twitter.

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Respected <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>, if we are to truly unite in beating this virus, on behalf of the vaccine industry outside the U.S., I humbly request you to lift the embargo of raw material exports out of the U.S. so that vaccine production can ramp up. Your administration has the details. 🙏🙏
— Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) <a href="https://twitter.com/adarpoonawalla/status/1382978713302683653?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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There is no actual embargo&nbsp;on&nbsp;exporting&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;components. Instead, Biden, like his predecessor Donald Trump, invoked the Defense Production Act,&nbsp;which normally concerns wartime,&nbsp;to confront the pandemic.

While it does not explicitly ban exports, it puts the US government first in line to buy certain products made in the country.

US officials have previously played down the possible effect of the law&nbsp;on&nbsp;global&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;production.

"There's just more global manufacturing happening everywhere in the world than suppliers can currently support,"&nbsp;a US official told a White House briefing late last month&nbsp;on&nbsp;condition of anonymity.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/germany-opposes-us-backed-global-waiver-on-protection-for-covid-19-vaccines-383353/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Dry ice and sorbitol

Over the past two months, a number of public and private actors have noted the shrinking supply of components needed to manufacture&nbsp;vaccines.

At least 50 components, perhaps as many as 100, go into the jabs.

They include items like the glass vials to ship them, as well as certain types of plastics needed for containers used in the manufacturing process.

Then there are the ingredients themselves.&nbsp;

Curevac is particularly concerned about nucleotides, a building block for the messenger RNA&nbsp;vaccines&nbsp;like the one it is developing.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-germany-rift-on-covid-vaccine-waiver-endangers-fight-against-deadly-virus-383349">US-Germany rift on Covid vaccine waiver endangers fight against deadly virus</a>

The shortage of raw materials is hardly surprising as the pharmaceutical industry expects to double production to 10 billion doses this year.

Richard Hatchett, who heads the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), which along with the World Health Organization and Gavi co-runs the Covax&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;distribution initiative, spoke already in March of seeing "increasing signs of strain within supply chains".

Companies were "beginning to report spot shortages of critical materials, raw materials, critical consumables, even equipment that is necessary for&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;manufacturing," he said.

He was speaking at a meeting of the principal actors in the sector, including WHO and the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA).

Already the consensus was that the free circulation of&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;components was critical, given that a large number of countries are involved in their production.

OECD data from 2018 show how thoroughly&nbsp;component&nbsp;production is intertwined across the globe.

China dominates production of the glass storage vials, while the United States leads in the manufacturing of syringes.

France is a major producer of certain stabilisers like sorbitol, while Germany is big in the production of&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;preservatives, and Mexico and China both are important manufacturers of additives that enhance the effects of&nbsp;vaccines.

Meanwhile, the Netherlands is a leader in the production of dry ice used to transport&nbsp;vaccines&nbsp;that need to be kept at ultra-low temperatures.

The new US position in support of lifting patents on Covid-19 vaccines has taken attention away from an equally significant change by Washington, which plans to open up trade in the raw materials used to make them.

The new US position in support of lifting patents on Covid-19 vaccines has taken attention away from an equally significant change by Washington, which plans to open up trade in the raw materials used to make them. After having recently taken heat for blocking such exports, Commerce Secretary Katherine Tai said Wednesday that the US government would "work to increase the raw materials needed to produce those vaccines". The assertion was hidden at the bottom of the statement unveiling Washington's remarkable reversal of its position on Covid-19 vaccine patents, which coincides with a shortage of doses in emerging and developing nations as cases surge in some countries. Also read | US backs India-led fight to waive Covid vaccines patents Long legal and economic policy debates likely lie ahead about waiving vaccine patents, particularly at the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Meanwhile, the difficulties faced by some laboratories in obtaining components to manufacture vaccines look set to stymie the drive to ramp up production. Two labs have recently spoken out about their difficulties, laying the blame at Washington's door. Germany's Curevac said it could not secure supplies of certain materials from the United States. Several days earlier, India's Serum Institute, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, called on US President Joe Biden to step in. "Respected @POTUS, if we are to truly unite in beating this virus, on behalf of the vaccine industry outside the US, I humbly request you to lift the embargo of raw material exports out of the US so that vaccine production can ramp up," the company's president Adar Poonawalla wrote on Twitter. Respected @POTUS, if we are to truly unite in beating this virus, on behalf of the vaccine industry outside the U.S., I humbly request you to lift the embargo of raw material exports out of the U.S. so that vaccine production can ramp up. Your administration has the details. 🙏🙏 — Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) April 16, 2021 × There is no actual embargo on exporting vaccine components. Instead, Biden, like his predecessor Donald Trump, invoked the Defense Production Act, which normally concerns wartime, to confront the pandemic. While it does not explicitly ban exports, it puts the US government first in line to buy certain products made in the country. US officials have previously played down the possible effect of the law on global vaccine production. "There's just more global manufacturing happening everywhere in the world than suppliers can currently support," a US official told a White House briefing late last month on condition of anonymity. Dry ice and sorbitol Over the past two months, a number of public and private actors have noted the shrinking supply of components needed to manufacture vaccines. At least 50 components, perhaps as many as 100, go into the jabs. They include items like the glass vials to ship them, as well as certain types of plastics needed for containers used in the manufacturing process. Then there are the ingredients themselves. Curevac is particularly concerned about nucleotides, a building block for the messenger RNA vaccines like the one it is developing. Also read | US-Germany rift on Covid vaccine waiver endangers fight against deadly virus The shortage of raw materials is hardly surprising as the pharmaceutical industry expects to double production to 10 billion doses this year. Richard Hatchett, who heads the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), which along with the World Health Organization and Gavi co-runs the Covax vaccine distribution initiative, spoke already in March of seeing "increasing signs of strain within supply chains". Companies were "beginning to report spot shortages of critical materials, raw materials, critical consumables, even equipment that is necessary for vaccine manufacturing," he said. He was speaking at a meeting of the principal actors in the sector, including WHO and the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA). Already the consensus was that the free circulation of vaccine components was critical, given that a large number of countries are involved in their production. OECD data from 2018 show how thoroughly component production is intertwined across the globe. China dominates production of the glass storage vials, while the United States leads in the manufacturing of syringes. France is a major producer of certain stabilisers like sorbitol, while Germany is big in the production of vaccine preservatives, and Mexico and China both are important manufacturers of additives that enhance the effects of vaccines. Meanwhile, the Netherlands is a leader in the production of dry ice used to transport vaccines that need to be kept at ultra-low temperatures.

After shift on vaccine patents, US backs freer flow of components

Police&nbsp;in&nbsp;Honduras, whose president the United States accuses of being a "co-conspirator" in drug-trafficking, unearthed&nbsp;1.5&nbsp;tonnes&nbsp;of&nbsp;cocaine&nbsp;buried&nbsp;in the ground in a small village in the country's north.

They found some 1,450 packets of drugs in 58 sacks&nbsp;buried&nbsp;in three large holes dug with heavy machinery, a&nbsp;police&nbsp;statement said.

The drugs had apparently been brought to Francia, which is near the coast, by sea.

Also read-&nbsp;<a href="US: Woman arrested after cocaine hidden in sole of shoes found in airport">US: Woman arrested after cocaine hidden in sole of shoes found in airport</a>

The haul was the result of intelligence work and served to "demonstrate the hard work done by the National&nbsp;Police&nbsp;in coordination with other institutions, with the aim of dismantling drug trafficking structures operating in the country," according to the head of the special forces&nbsp;police&nbsp;directorate, Miguel Perez.&nbsp;&nbsp;

So far this year, Honduran&nbsp;police&nbsp;have seized more than eight&nbsp;tons&nbsp;of drugs, said the statement.

President Juan Orlando Hernandez has stepped up the fight against drug cartels even as his brother, Tony, was found guilty in a US court in October 2019 of conspiring to import&nbsp;cocaine&nbsp;into the United States.

In March this year, he was sentenced to live in prison on this and other charges.

During his trial, the US government argued the former Honduran congressman was a large-scale drug trafficker who smuggled more than 185&nbsp;tons&nbsp;of&nbsp;cocaine&nbsp;into the United States.

Judge P Kevin Castel found Tony Hernandez had acted as an intermediary in providing bribes to politicians, including his president brother and the ruling National Party.

US prosecutors said the president had been a "co-conspirator" in Tony Hernandez's crimes, though he has not been charged.

Hernandez, who has styled himself as a champion in the fight against drugs, has repeatedly denied allegations of drug trafficking.

In March this year, a New York jury found Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez, an alleged associate of the president, guilty of drug trafficking.

During his trial, US prosecutors said the Honduran leader had helped Fuentes smuggle&nbsp;tons&nbsp;of&nbsp;cocaine&nbsp;into the United States.

President Hernandez accuses the US justice system of giving credibility to drug lords seeking "revenge" for having been extradited to the United States by his government.

Police in Honduras, whose president the United States accuses of being a "co-conspirator" in drug-trafficking, unearthed 1.5 tonnes of cocaine buried in the ground in a small village in the country's north.

Police in Honduras, whose president the United States accuses of being a "co-conspirator" in drug-trafficking, unearthed 1.5 tonnes of cocaine buried in the ground in a small village in the country's north. They found some 1,450 packets of drugs in 58 sacks buried in three large holes dug with heavy machinery, a police statement said. The drugs had apparently been brought to Francia, which is near the coast, by sea. Also read- US: Woman arrested after cocaine hidden in sole of shoes found in airport The haul was the result of intelligence work and served to "demonstrate the hard work done by the National Police in coordination with other institutions, with the aim of dismantling drug trafficking structures operating in the country," according to the head of the special forces police directorate, Miguel Perez. So far this year, Honduran police have seized more than eight tons of drugs, said the statement. President Juan Orlando Hernandez has stepped up the fight against drug cartels even as his brother, Tony, was found guilty in a US court in October 2019 of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States. In March this year, he was sentenced to live in prison on this and other charges. During his trial, the US government argued the former Honduran congressman was a large-scale drug trafficker who smuggled more than 185 tons of cocaine into the United States. Judge P Kevin Castel found Tony Hernandez had acted as an intermediary in providing bribes to politicians, including his president brother and the ruling National Party. US prosecutors said the president had been a "co-conspirator" in Tony Hernandez's crimes, though he has not been charged. Hernandez, who has styled himself as a champion in the fight against drugs, has repeatedly denied allegations of drug trafficking. In March this year, a New York jury found Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez, an alleged associate of the president, guilty of drug trafficking. During his trial, US prosecutors said the Honduran leader had helped Fuentes smuggle tons of cocaine into the United States. President Hernandez accuses the US justice system of giving credibility to drug lords seeking "revenge" for having been extradited to the United States by his government.

Honduras police unearth 1.5 tonnes of buried cocaine

The second wave of COVID-19 in India is a tragedy, US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy has said, underlining the need for countries to help each other during the crisis.

"If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it's that we need each other to get through this pandemic."

"As a world, we need each other in terms of countries to step up to help make sure that the world has an adequate supply of vaccine, to ensure people have treatments available, supply of PPE because the threat of COVID in any part of the world is ultimately a threat to every country," Indian-American Murthy told a news channel in an interview.

To a question on the current Covid crisis in India and if the US might face a similar situation, Murthy hoped that it never happens.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="India sets yet another record with over 414,000 new COVID-19 cases; death toll stands at 234,083">India sets yet another record with over 414,000 new COVID-19 cases; death toll stands at 234,083</a>

"But it is always a possibility and that we have to be mindful of. And I'm cautiously optimistic that we will do well in this country, especially if we keep up our efforts at the vaccination campaign,&nbsp;he said on Thursday.

"What's happening in India is a tragedy. And India has two challenges or has many challenges, but in terms of their variants, it has to B117 variant, which is the predominant one circulating here, which we know is at least 50 per cent or more contagious than the variant we were dealing with last year in the US,&nbsp;Murthy said.

The 617 variant of the deadly virus may or may not be more transmissible, he said, adding that doctors are still trying to understand it.

"It's just what they do. But they can't mutate, if they're not spreading, if they're not replicating within people. That's why we got to work hard. Just remember, this is not an effort that one person can take care of on their own or one country on its own," said the Indian-American surgeon general.&nbsp;

The second wave of COVID-19 in India is a tragedy, US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy has said, underlining the need for countries to help each other during the crisis.

The second wave of COVID-19 in India is a tragedy, US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy has said, underlining the need for countries to help each other during the crisis. "If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it's that we need each other to get through this pandemic." "As a world, we need each other in terms of countries to step up to help make sure that the world has an adequate supply of vaccine, to ensure people have treatments available, supply of PPE because the threat of COVID in any part of the world is ultimately a threat to every country," Indian-American Murthy told a news channel in an interview. To a question on the current Covid crisis in India and if the US might face a similar situation, Murthy hoped that it never happens. Also read: India sets yet another record with over 414,000 new COVID-19 cases; death toll stands at 234,083 "But it is always a possibility and that we have to be mindful of. And I'm cautiously optimistic that we will do well in this country, especially if we keep up our efforts at the vaccination campaign, he said on Thursday. "What's happening in India is a tragedy. And India has two challenges or has many challenges, but in terms of their variants, it has to B117 variant, which is the predominant one circulating here, which we know is at least 50 per cent or more contagious than the variant we were dealing with last year in the US, Murthy said. The 617 variant of the deadly virus may or may not be more transmissible, he said, adding that doctors are still trying to understand it. "It's just what they do. But they can't mutate, if they're not spreading, if they're not replicating within people. That's why we got to work hard. Just remember, this is not an effort that one person can take care of on their own or one country on its own," said the Indian-American surgeon general.

Covid second wave in India a tragedy, says US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy

Twenty-two&nbsp;Palestinians&nbsp;were wounded in overnight clashes with Israeli police in annexed east Jerusalem, the Red Crescent said Thursday, as tensions flare over a controversial land rights case.

Police confirmed 11 arrests in the latest unrest to rock the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood near Jerusalem's walled Old City, where land disputes between&nbsp;Palestinians&nbsp;and Jewish settlers have fuelled hostility for years.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/clashes-erupt-in-jerusalem-ahead-of-key-court-ruling-on-palestinians-eviction-383032">Clashes erupt in Jerusalem ahead of key court ruling on Palestinians' eviction</a>

Palestinian protests, which began late Wednesday, continued into the early hours.

The legal case centres on the homes of four Palestinian families on land claimed by Jews.&nbsp;

Earlier this year, a Jerusalem district court ruled the homes legally belonged to the Jewish families, citing purchases decades ago.&nbsp;

The Jewish plaintiffs claimed their families lost the land during the war that accompanied Israel's creation in 1948, a conflict that also saw hundreds of thousands of&nbsp;Palestinians&nbsp;displaced from their homes.&nbsp;

The Palestinian families implicated in the case have provided evidence that their homes were acquired from Jordanian authorities who controlled East Jerusalem from 1948 to 1967.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/human-rights-watch-says-israel-committing-crime-of-apartheid-against-palestinians-380678">Human Rights Watch says Israel committing 'crime of apartheid' against Palestinians</a>

Amman has intervened in the case, providing documents to support the Palestinian claims.&nbsp;

Israel seized east Jerusalem in 1967 and later annexed it, in a move not recognised by most of the international community.&nbsp;

The district court ruling infuriated&nbsp;Palestinians&nbsp;in Sheikh Jarrah who viewed it as a further step in what they see as a Jewish settler effort to drive Arabs out of east Jerusalem.&nbsp;

Weeks of clashes that have seen police use skunk water cannons and deploy anti-riot police on horseback have resulted in several arrests.

'We reject this'

Israel's Supreme Court has ordered the sides to seek a compromise.&nbsp;

Sami Irshid, a lawyer for the&nbsp;Palestinians, said the Nahalat Shimon settler movement proposed that one member of each concerned Palestinian family be recognised as a "protected tenant."

That would temporarily delay eviction until the protected tenant died, at which point the home would return to Nahalat Shimon, Irshid said.&nbsp;

"We reject this completely," Mona al-Kurd, one of the Palestinian residents told AFP.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uae-urges-israel-to-stop-jerusalem-violence-in-rare-rebuke-380585">UAE urges Israel to stop Jerusalem violence in rare rebuke</a>

"The settlers want us to recognise their property rights, it is impossible."

Yehonatan Yosef, an activist with Nahalat Shimon, accused the Palestinian families of rejecting "any compromise."

"It's their problem," he said, noting that if the Supreme Court ruled in the settlers' favour, the Jewish families would do what they wished with each plot.&nbsp;

The Supreme Court has indicated that if the sides cannot reach a compromise, it will rule on whether the&nbsp;Palestinians&nbsp;can appeal the district court decision.&nbsp;

An appeal process could take years.&nbsp;

Mohammed Deif, the reclusive leader of the military wing of Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, issued a rare public warning on Tuesday, saying Israel would pay a "high price" over the Sheikh Jarrah dispute.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;Palestinians&nbsp;claim east Jerusalem as their future capital, while Israel regards the entire city as its "undivided capital."

Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki sent a letter to the International Criminal Court urging it "to take a clear and public stand against crimes perpetrated by Israel against the Palestinian people in Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood."&nbsp;

Twenty-two Palestinians were wounded in overnight clashes with Israeli police in annexed east Jerusalem, the Red Crescent said Thursday, as tensions flare over a controversial land rights case.

Twenty-two Palestinians were wounded in overnight clashes with Israeli police in annexed east Jerusalem, the Red Crescent said Thursday, as tensions flare over a controversial land rights case. Police confirmed 11 arrests in the latest unrest to rock the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood near Jerusalem's walled Old City, where land disputes between Palestinians and Jewish settlers have fuelled hostility for years. Also read | Clashes erupt in Jerusalem ahead of key court ruling on Palestinians' eviction Palestinian protests, which began late Wednesday, continued into the early hours. The legal case centres on the homes of four Palestinian families on land claimed by Jews. Earlier this year, a Jerusalem district court ruled the homes legally belonged to the Jewish families, citing purchases decades ago. The Jewish plaintiffs claimed their families lost the land during the war that accompanied Israel's creation in 1948, a conflict that also saw hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced from their homes. The Palestinian families implicated in the case have provided evidence that their homes were acquired from Jordanian authorities who controlled East Jerusalem from 1948 to 1967. Also read | Human Rights Watch says Israel committing 'crime of apartheid' against Palestinians Amman has intervened in the case, providing documents to support the Palestinian claims. Israel seized east Jerusalem in 1967 and later annexed it, in a move not recognised by most of the international community. The district court ruling infuriated Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah who viewed it as a further step in what they see as a Jewish settler effort to drive Arabs out of east Jerusalem. Weeks of clashes that have seen police use skunk water cannons and deploy anti-riot police on horseback have resulted in several arrests. 'We reject this' Israel's Supreme Court has ordered the sides to seek a compromise. Sami Irshid, a lawyer for the Palestinians, said the Nahalat Shimon settler movement proposed that one member of each concerned Palestinian family be recognised as a "protected tenant." That would temporarily delay eviction until the protected tenant died, at which point the home would return to Nahalat Shimon, Irshid said. "We reject this completely," Mona al-Kurd, one of the Palestinian residents told AFP. Also read | UAE urges Israel to stop Jerusalem violence in rare rebuke "The settlers want us to recognise their property rights, it is impossible." Yehonatan Yosef, an activist with Nahalat Shimon, accused the Palestinian families of rejecting "any compromise." "It's their problem," he said, noting that if the Supreme Court ruled in the settlers' favour, the Jewish families would do what they wished with each plot. The Supreme Court has indicated that if the sides cannot reach a compromise, it will rule on whether the Palestinians can appeal the district court decision. An appeal process could take years. Mohammed Deif, the reclusive leader of the military wing of Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, issued a rare public warning on Tuesday, saying Israel would pay a "high price" over the Sheikh Jarrah dispute. The Palestinians claim east Jerusalem as their future capital, while Israel regards the entire city as its "undivided capital." Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki sent a letter to the International Criminal Court urging it "to take a clear and public stand against crimes perpetrated by Israel against the Palestinian people in Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood."

Jerusalem clashes wound 22 Palestinians as land rights tensions mount

China&nbsp;criticised New Zealand Thursday over "groundless" allegations about the ill-treatment of Uyghurs, underlining Wellington's struggle to find a middle ground between its largest trading partner and its traditional Western allies.

Beijing expressed anger after New Zealand's parliament passed a watered-down motion Wednesday expressing "grave concern" at human rights abuses involving the Uyghur Muslim minority in&nbsp;China's Xinjiang province.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's ruling Labour Party insisted any reference to genocide was scrubbed out of the motion, which was submitted by a minor opposition party, but the move failed to appease&nbsp;China's embassy in Wellington.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-chinas-uighur-abuses-new-zealand-shops-short-of-calling-it-a-genocide-383090/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe>

The embassy said in a statement that the New Zealand parliament was meddling in matters that concerned&nbsp;China's sovereignty.

This move grossly interferes in&nbsp;China's internal affairs and runs counter to international law and basic norms governing international relations," it said.&nbsp;

"The Chinese side deplores and firmly opposes such action."

The embassy said the motion would "harm the mutual trust between&nbsp;China&nbsp;and NZ".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-zealand-slams-chinas-treatment-of-uighurs-doesnt-label-it-genocide-382930">New Zealand slams China's treatment of Uighurs, doesn't label it 'genocide'</a>
</div>

At least one million Uyghurs and people from other mostly Muslim minorities have been held in camps in Xinjiang, according to rights groups, who accuse authorities of forcibly sterilising women and imposing forced labour.

Ardern's centre-left government has been noticeably less vocal than its allies in condemning the abuses, leading to accusations it is a weak link in the US-led Five Eyes intelligence alliance that also includes the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.

Ardern this week conceded New Zealand's differences with&nbsp;China&nbsp;on human rights were becoming "harder to reconcile", but said her government would continue to point out areas of concern to Beijing.

However, allies such as Australia have been much blunter in their criticism, spurring punitive levies from Beijing on more than a dozen Australian imports, including wine and barley.

China&nbsp;on Thursday suspended regular bilateral trade talks with Australia, in a move Canberra described as "disappointing".

China criticised New Zealand Thursday over "groundless" allegations about the ill-treatment of Uyghurs, underlining Wellington's struggle to find a middle ground between its largest trading partner and its traditional Western allies.

China criticised New Zealand Thursday over "groundless" allegations about the ill-treatment of Uyghurs, underlining Wellington's struggle to find a middle ground between its largest trading partner and its traditional Western allies. Beijing expressed anger after New Zealand's parliament passed a watered-down motion Wednesday expressing "grave concern" at human rights abuses involving the Uyghur Muslim minority in China's Xinjiang province. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's ruling Labour Party insisted any reference to genocide was scrubbed out of the motion, which was submitted by a minor opposition party, but the move failed to appease China's embassy in Wellington. The embassy said in a statement that the New Zealand parliament was meddling in matters that concerned China's sovereignty. This move grossly interferes in China's internal affairs and runs counter to international law and basic norms governing international relations," it said. "The Chinese side deplores and firmly opposes such action." The embassy said the motion would "harm the mutual trust between China and NZ". Also read | New Zealand slams China's treatment of Uighurs, doesn't label it 'genocide' At least one million Uyghurs and people from other mostly Muslim minorities have been held in camps in Xinjiang, according to rights groups, who accuse authorities of forcibly sterilising women and imposing forced labour. Ardern's centre-left government has been noticeably less vocal than its allies in condemning the abuses, leading to accusations it is a weak link in the US-led Five Eyes intelligence alliance that also includes the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. Ardern this week conceded New Zealand's differences with China on human rights were becoming "harder to reconcile", but said her government would continue to point out areas of concern to Beijing. However, allies such as Australia have been much blunter in their criticism, spurring punitive levies from Beijing on more than a dozen Australian imports, including wine and barley. China on Thursday suspended regular bilateral trade talks with Australia, in a move Canberra described as "disappointing".

China slams New Zealand over parliament motion on Uyghur Muslim abuse

New&nbsp;York&nbsp;Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a major easing of coronavirus restrictions Monday, including the imminent resumption of 24-hour&nbsp;operations&nbsp;on the city&nbsp;subway.

The announcement highlights how far the Big Apple, once the epicentre of the United States's outbreak, has come in getting the virus under control.

From May 19, percentage limits on occupancy will be scrapped for many business and cultural venues in the city,&nbsp;including shops, restaurants, cinemas and museums, Cuomo said.

These limits currently vary between 33 and 75 per cent capacity.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="EU set to let vaccinated US tourists visit this summer">EU set to let vaccinated US tourists visit this summer</a>

Businesses will be allowed to welcome as many people as they want provided six feet of social distancing is maintained, as recommended by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"It's fully open, subject to six feet," Cuomo told reporters. The six-feet rule does not apply if all customers provide proof of vaccination or a negative test.

"All the arrows are pointing in the right direction," he added, pointing to declining Covid-19 positivity rates and hospitalizations, which are at their lowest since November, and rising vaccination levels.

Outdoor gathering limits will double from 250 to 500 people, while 250 people will be able to get together indoors, up from 100.

Larger gatherings will be allowed if everyone in attendance is either vaccinated or recently tested negative.&nbsp;

The announcement paves the way for&nbsp;New&nbsp;York's famous theaters to plan their return.

"We look forward to reopening at full capacity and are working to safely welcome audiences and employees back to Broadway theatres this fall," said the Broadway League trade association.

Large-scale indoor event venues will be able to operate at 30 percent capacity, up from 10 percent currently, while outdoor sports stadia will operate at 33 percent.

Cuomo said underground trains services in the Big Apple will resume around the clock on May 17.

In May 2020, when&nbsp;New&nbsp;York&nbsp;was being ravaged by the disease, services were halted overnight to allow for trains to be disinfected. Services currently stop running between 2:00 am and 4:00 am.

Monday's announcement, made in coordination with the neighboring states of&nbsp;New&nbsp;Jersey and Connecticut, came as 80,000 city government workers returned to offices, according to Mayor Bill de Blasio.

De Blasio has said he hopes&nbsp;New&nbsp;York&nbsp;City can "fully reopen" by July 1.

Many private employers have yet to set a return date though, and the business districts in Midtown and Wall Street remain deserted with many staff still working from home.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a major easing of coronavirus restrictions Monday, including the imminent resumption of 24-hour operations on the city subway.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a major easing of coronavirus restrictions Monday, including the imminent resumption of 24-hour operations on the city subway. The announcement highlights how far the Big Apple, once the epicentre of the United States's outbreak, has come in getting the virus under control. From May 19, percentage limits on occupancy will be scrapped for many business and cultural venues in the city, including shops, restaurants, cinemas and museums, Cuomo said. These limits currently vary between 33 and 75 per cent capacity. Also read: EU set to let vaccinated US tourists visit this summer Businesses will be allowed to welcome as many people as they want provided six feet of social distancing is maintained, as recommended by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "It's fully open, subject to six feet," Cuomo told reporters. The six-feet rule does not apply if all customers provide proof of vaccination or a negative test. "All the arrows are pointing in the right direction," he added, pointing to declining Covid-19 positivity rates and hospitalizations, which are at their lowest since November, and rising vaccination levels. Outdoor gathering limits will double from 250 to 500 people, while 250 people will be able to get together indoors, up from 100. Larger gatherings will be allowed if everyone in attendance is either vaccinated or recently tested negative. The announcement paves the way for New York's famous theaters to plan their return. "We look forward to reopening at full capacity and are working to safely welcome audiences and employees back to Broadway theatres this fall," said the Broadway League trade association. Large-scale indoor event venues will be able to operate at 30 percent capacity, up from 10 percent currently, while outdoor sports stadia will operate at 33 percent. Cuomo said underground trains services in the Big Apple will resume around the clock on May 17. In May 2020, when New York was being ravaged by the disease, services were halted overnight to allow for trains to be disinfected. Services currently stop running between 2:00 am and 4:00 am. Monday's announcement, made in coordination with the neighboring states of New Jersey and Connecticut, came as 80,000 city government workers returned to offices, according to Mayor Bill de Blasio. De Blasio has said he hopes New York City can "fully reopen" by July 1. Many private employers have yet to set a return date though, and the business districts in Midtown and Wall Street remain deserted with many staff still working from home.

New York to lift many COVID-19 restrictions on transit, eateries, museums, theatres

President Joe Biden announced on Monday, after coming under fierce criticism, that he was raising the maximum number of&nbsp;refugees&nbsp;allowed into the United States this year to 62,500 -- up from the 15,000 cap imposed by his predecessor Donald Trump.

The change follows backlash from allies over Biden's earlier decision to keep the Trump-era limits -- a politically costly moment of confusion that stood out in a White House notable for its iron discipline in its first three months.

"This erases the historically low number set by the previous administration of 15,000, which did not reflect America's values as a nation that welcomes and supports&nbsp;refugees," Biden said in a statement.

Also read: <a href="Joe Biden urges everyone to get vaccinated at 'Vax Live' concert event">Joe Biden urges everyone to get vaccinated at 'Vax Live' concert event</a>

"The new&nbsp;admissions&nbsp;cap will also reinforce efforts that are already underway to expand the United States' capacity to admit&nbsp;refugees, so that we can reach the goal of 125,000&nbsp;refugee&nbsp;admissions&nbsp;that I intend to set for the coming fiscal year."

The programme is only for&nbsp;refugees&nbsp;selected by US security and intelligence agencies from United Nations camps around the world.

The course correction was quickly welcomed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which is controlled by Biden's Democratic party.

"I welcome the Biden administration's announcement that it will increase the number of&nbsp;refugees&nbsp;allowed to be resettled in the United States. This is an important step in continuing our proud, bipartisan tradition of providing&nbsp;refugees&nbsp;protection through resettlement," the committee chairman, Senator Bob Menendez, tweeted.

The American Civil Liberties Union, a powerful advocacy group, also voiced approval, saying that the country's "reputation" was at stake.

"We are pleased to see President Biden has abandoned the Trump administration’s abysmal&nbsp;refugee&nbsp;goal and recommitted to prioritizing helping people who are fleeing persecution around the globe," ACLU representative Manar Waheed said.

"We recognise that the goal may not be easy and it requires rebuilding a system that was decimated by the Trump administration, but candidate Biden promised," Waheed said. "He must fulfill that promise, lives are at stake."

Trump clamped down on&nbsp;refugees&nbsp;as part of the hardline border policies at the heart of his nationalist political platform.

Biden campaigned on promises to restore more traditional US attitudes. But he then backtracked after his government ran into difficulties in handling a surge of migrants entering the country illegally or claiming asylum at the Mexican border.

Last month, the White House said it needed more time to "rebuild" the post-Trump&nbsp;refugee&nbsp;program and would therefore keep the cap at 15,000 for the year.

After a top Democrat and&nbsp;refugee&nbsp;aid groups slammed Biden's target as "appallingly low" and "deeply disappointing," the White House issued a statement hours later saying the low number was only provisional.

In another shift from Trump's policies, Biden announced in April that quotas were being expanded for&nbsp;refugees&nbsp;from Central America, the Middle East and Africa, while also opening the doors to three mostly Muslim countries -- Somalia, Syria and Yemen.

With Monday's announcement, the White House will hope to have calmed the political waters among Democrats just when it needs party unity to push forward on huge proposed social and infrastructure spending plans in an almost evenly divided Congress.

"We are amid the largest global&nbsp;refugee&nbsp;crisis in history, and after four years of slashing admittances to the lowest point on record, we need to return to our leadership position," another Democratic senator, Tim Kaine, said.

"I am heartened by today's announcement that moved toward upholding our values of accepting&nbsp;refugees."

Trump set the 15,000 cap nearly a month before the November 2020 presidential election, which he lost.

Under his predecessor, Democrat Barack Obama, with whom Biden served as vice president, an average of 100,000 people were welcomed into the United States each year.

"It is in our DNA as a nation to open our door to those seeking refuge," said US secretary of state Antony Blinken in response to Biden's announcement Monday.

"It remains in our national interest to treat individuals applying for these programs fairly and with dignity and respect."

President Joe Biden announced on Monday, after coming under fierce criticism, that he was raising the maximum number of refugees allowed into the United States this year to 62,500 -- up from the 15,000 cap imposed by his predecessor Donald Trump.

President Joe Biden announced on Monday, after coming under fierce criticism, that he was raising the maximum number of refugees allowed into the United States this year to 62,500 -- up from the 15,000 cap imposed by his predecessor Donald Trump. The change follows backlash from allies over Biden's earlier decision to keep the Trump-era limits -- a politically costly moment of confusion that stood out in a White House notable for its iron discipline in its first three months. "This erases the historically low number set by the previous administration of 15,000, which did not reflect America's values as a nation that welcomes and supports refugees," Biden said in a statement. Also read: Joe Biden urges everyone to get vaccinated at 'Vax Live' concert event "The new admissions cap will also reinforce efforts that are already underway to expand the United States' capacity to admit refugees, so that we can reach the goal of 125,000 refugee admissions that I intend to set for the coming fiscal year." The programme is only for refugees selected by US security and intelligence agencies from United Nations camps around the world. The course correction was quickly welcomed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which is controlled by Biden's Democratic party. "I welcome the Biden administration's announcement that it will increase the number of refugees allowed to be resettled in the United States. This is an important step in continuing our proud, bipartisan tradition of providing refugees protection through resettlement," the committee chairman, Senator Bob Menendez, tweeted. The American Civil Liberties Union, a powerful advocacy group, also voiced approval, saying that the country's "reputation" was at stake. "We are pleased to see President Biden has abandoned the Trump administration’s abysmal refugee goal and recommitted to prioritizing helping people who are fleeing persecution around the globe," ACLU representative Manar Waheed said. "We recognise that the goal may not be easy and it requires rebuilding a system that was decimated by the Trump administration, but candidate Biden promised," Waheed said. "He must fulfill that promise, lives are at stake." Trump clamped down on refugees as part of the hardline border policies at the heart of his nationalist political platform. Biden campaigned on promises to restore more traditional US attitudes. But he then backtracked after his government ran into difficulties in handling a surge of migrants entering the country illegally or claiming asylum at the Mexican border. Last month, the White House said it needed more time to "rebuild" the post-Trump refugee program and would therefore keep the cap at 15,000 for the year. After a top Democrat and refugee aid groups slammed Biden's target as "appallingly low" and "deeply disappointing," the White House issued a statement hours later saying the low number was only provisional. In another shift from Trump's policies, Biden announced in April that quotas were being expanded for refugees from Central America, the Middle East and Africa, while also opening the doors to three mostly Muslim countries -- Somalia, Syria and Yemen. With Monday's announcement, the White House will hope to have calmed the political waters among Democrats just when it needs party unity to push forward on huge proposed social and infrastructure spending plans in an almost evenly divided Congress. "We are amid the largest global refugee crisis in history, and after four years of slashing admittances to the lowest point on record, we need to return to our leadership position," another Democratic senator, Tim Kaine, said. "I am heartened by today's announcement that moved toward upholding our values of accepting refugees." Trump set the 15,000 cap nearly a month before the November 2020 presidential election, which he lost. Under his predecessor, Democrat Barack Obama, with whom Biden served as vice president, an average of 100,000 people were welcomed into the United States each year. "It is in our DNA as a nation to open our door to those seeking refuge," said US secretary of state Antony Blinken in response to Biden's announcement Monday. "It remains in our national interest to treat individuals applying for these programs fairly and with dignity and respect."

Biden to allow up to 62,500 refugees into US after criticism over delay

Malaysia&nbsp;will begin a parallel COVID-19 innoculation programme this week for people who chose to receive the&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;vaccine, after it was removed from an ongoing rollout due to public fears over its safety, a minister said on Monday.

Reports of possible links to very rare blood clots have dented confidence in the shot in&nbsp;Malaysia&nbsp;and elsewhere.

AstraZeneca&nbsp;has pointed to regulator recommendations that the vaccine is safe and effective, though some countries have suspended its use due to rising unease or limited it to certain age groups.

Also read:<a href="Malaysia sets up compensation fund for Covid-19 vaccinations ">&nbsp;Malaysia sets up compensation fund for Covid-19 vaccinations&nbsp;</a>

Malaysia, which received its first 268,000&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;vaccine doses in April, said it would allow people to choose to receive the jab on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The decision was made after around 8,000 people cancelled online vaccination registrations following the government's announcement that the shot would be part of the nationwide rollout, Science Minister Khairy Jamaludin told reporters.

Data also showed increased vaccine hesitancy with some people not showing up to appointments after&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;was included, he said.

"The number of cancellations was rising, and this resulted in (authorities) deciding that we should carve out&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;from the mainstream national immunisation programme," Khairy said.

Slots for 268,000 doses were filled in just three hours after bookings opened on Sunday, he said, adding the programme that starts on Wednesday would be expanded when more doses arrive.

Malaysia&nbsp;is due to receive 12.8 million doses of the&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;vaccine, with the next shipment of 1.1 million doses expected to arrive this month.

Khairy said authorities had also decided to limit the use of the vaccine developed by China's Sinovac Biotech to those aged 60 years or older.

Malaysia&nbsp;is facing a spike in coronavirus cases, with more than 415,000 total infections reported.

Separately, Health Minister Adham Baba noted a marked increase in COVID-19 patients suffering acute symptoms, possibly due to new strains.

Malaysia&nbsp;on Sunday reported its first case of a variant first identified in India, which experts say may have mutations that would make it more transmissible, cause more severe disease or evade vaccine immunity.

The government has also detected 48 cases of the South African variant and eight of the British variant as of May 1, Adham said.

Malaysia will begin a parallel COVID-19 innoculation programme this week for people who chose to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine, after it was removed from an ongoing rollout due to public fears over its safety, a minister said on Monday.

Malaysia will begin a parallel COVID-19 innoculation programme this week for people who chose to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine, after it was removed from an ongoing rollout due to public fears over its safety, a minister said on Monday. Reports of possible links to very rare blood clots have dented confidence in the shot in Malaysia and elsewhere. AstraZeneca has pointed to regulator recommendations that the vaccine is safe and effective, though some countries have suspended its use due to rising unease or limited it to certain age groups. Also read: Malaysia sets up compensation fund for Covid-19 vaccinations Malaysia, which received its first 268,000 AstraZeneca vaccine doses in April, said it would allow people to choose to receive the jab on a first-come, first-serve basis. The decision was made after around 8,000 people cancelled online vaccination registrations following the government's announcement that the shot would be part of the nationwide rollout, Science Minister Khairy Jamaludin told reporters. Data also showed increased vaccine hesitancy with some people not showing up to appointments after AstraZeneca was included, he said. "The number of cancellations was rising, and this resulted in (authorities) deciding that we should carve out AstraZeneca from the mainstream national immunisation programme," Khairy said. Slots for 268,000 doses were filled in just three hours after bookings opened on Sunday, he said, adding the programme that starts on Wednesday would be expanded when more doses arrive. Malaysia is due to receive 12.8 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, with the next shipment of 1.1 million doses expected to arrive this month. Khairy said authorities had also decided to limit the use of the vaccine developed by China's Sinovac Biotech to those aged 60 years or older. Malaysia is facing a spike in coronavirus cases, with more than 415,000 total infections reported. Separately, Health Minister Adham Baba noted a marked increase in COVID-19 patients suffering acute symptoms, possibly due to new strains. Malaysia on Sunday reported its first case of a variant first identified in India, which experts say may have mutations that would make it more transmissible, cause more severe disease or evade vaccine immunity. The government has also detected 48 cases of the South African variant and eight of the British variant as of May 1, Adham said.

Malaysia makes AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine optional amid safety fears

Around 30,000 protesters took to the streets during&nbsp;May&nbsp;Day&nbsp;rallies in Berlin on Saturday, police said, adding nearly 100 officers were injured when some of the demonstrations turned violent.

Police made around 354 arrests during the demonstrations, which they said were for physical assaults and trespassing.

"The violent&nbsp;riots&nbsp;that occurred is something that I very much regret," Berlin's head of police Barbara Slowik told local broadcaster rbb24.

Also read-&nbsp;<a href="May Day: Morris Dancers turn blue over racism concerns">May Day: Morris Dancers turn blue over racism concerns</a>

Some of the injuries occurred after some demonstrators threw fireworks, bottles and rocks during protests over social inequality. About 5,600 police were deployed, and some responded with pepper spray.

The demonstrations were the second&nbsp;May&nbsp;Day&nbsp;protests since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Turnout was much higher than last year, even though social distancing requirements remain in place.

Protests hit other European capitals too, most notably Paris, where police made 46 arrests as garbage bins were set on fire and the windows of a bank branch were smashed.

In Berlin, police used water cannon to extinguish fires as protesters set ablaze waste bins, barricades and cars.

Demonstrations also took place in several other German cities, including Hamburg and Leipzig, despite Europe's largest economy grappling with a third wave of the pandemic.

On Sunday, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 16,290 to 3,416,822.

Around 30,000 protesters took to the streets during May Day rallies in Berlin on Saturday, police said, adding nearly 100 officers were injured when some of the demonstrations turned violent.

Around 30,000 protesters took to the streets during May Day rallies in Berlin on Saturday, police said, adding nearly 100 officers were injured when some of the demonstrations turned violent. Police made around 354 arrests during the demonstrations, which they said were for physical assaults and trespassing. "The violent riots that occurred is something that I very much regret," Berlin's head of police Barbara Slowik told local broadcaster rbb24. Also read- May Day: Morris Dancers turn blue over racism concerns Some of the injuries occurred after some demonstrators threw fireworks, bottles and rocks during protests over social inequality. About 5,600 police were deployed, and some responded with pepper spray. The demonstrations were the second May Day protests since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Turnout was much higher than last year, even though social distancing requirements remain in place. Protests hit other European capitals too, most notably Paris, where police made 46 arrests as garbage bins were set on fire and the windows of a bank branch were smashed. In Berlin, police used water cannon to extinguish fires as protesters set ablaze waste bins, barricades and cars. Demonstrations also took place in several other German cities, including Hamburg and Leipzig, despite Europe's largest economy grappling with a third wave of the pandemic. On Sunday, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 16,290 to 3,416,822.

Police, protesters clash during May Day rallies in Berlin

Pope Francis has sent another message to Vatican-based cardinals and bishops about his intent to hold them accountable for criminal misconduct: He removed the procedural obstacles that had spared them from being prosecuted by the Vatican's criminal tribunal.

A new law published on Friday makes clear that Vatican city-state prosecutors have jurisdiction over cardinals and bishops and need only the pope's consent to proceed with investigations against them.

The law abrogated a regulation, upheld as recently as last year, that said only the tribunal's highest appeals court, which is composed of three cardinal judges, could assess the actions of cardinals and bishops accused of criminal offenses.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="Pope decries weapons spending during pandemic in his Easter message">Pope decries weapons spending during pandemic in his Easter message</a>

The reform is the latest sign that after eight years of preaching about ending corruption and other criminal activity in the Holy See, Francis is taking concrete steps to hold his own cardinals and bishops accountable.

On Thursday, he passed a different law forcing Vatican superiors to declare their finances are clean, and set a 40-euro (USD 48) cap on work-related personal gifts received by any Vatican employee.

The gift cap was seen as a way to cut down on the rampant practice of financial gift-giving to Holy See clerics and the chance that such money could grease favours.

Friday's reform follows Francis' decision last year to strip a senior Vatican official, Cardinal Angelo Becciu, of his rights and privileges as a cardinal in a move seen as laying the groundwork for Becciu to possibly be put on trial.

The allegations against him aren't clear, however, and Becciu hasn't been charged with any crime. 
Becciu has said Francis cited a 100,000-euro donation he made using Holy See funds that he had authority to disburse, to a charity run by his brother.

Becciu has denied wrongdoing, noting that the money was destined for the charity, not his brother, and the money never left the diocesan bank account.

Becciu was also involved initially in a London real estate venture that is now the subject of a Vatican corruption investigation, but the key transactions under scrutiny occurred after he was promoted to the Vatican's saint-making office.

The new procedural law Friday would presumably make unnecessary any move to strip any other cardinal of his privileges before an indictment is even handed down.

In an introduction to the law, Francis said it was necessary to hold everyone equal under the law, as recognized internationally.

The understanding of such values and principles, which have progressively matured in the ecclesial community, today require the Vatican code to more adequately conform&nbsp;to international standards, he wrote.

Within the church's in-house canon law system for church crimes, cardinals and bishops are judged only by the pope. That privilege extended also to the criminal code of the city-state's tribunal in ways that led to some anomalies in recent years.

In one famous case, prosecutors decided to not even investigate the cardinal whose Vatican apartment was renovated using a half-million dollars in donations intended for the pope's children's hospital.

The hospital president who diverted the funds was convicted by the Vatican tribunal, but the cardinal wasn't even called to testify, much less placed under investigation.

Pope Francis has sent another message to Vatican-based cardinals and bishops about his intent to hold them accountable for criminal misconduct: He removed the procedural obstacles that had spared them from being prosecuted by the Vatican's criminal tribunal.

Pope Francis has sent another message to Vatican-based cardinals and bishops about his intent to hold them accountable for criminal misconduct: He removed the procedural obstacles that had spared them from being prosecuted by the Vatican's criminal tribunal. A new law published on Friday makes clear that Vatican city-state prosecutors have jurisdiction over cardinals and bishops and need only the pope's consent to proceed with investigations against them. The law abrogated a regulation, upheld as recently as last year, that said only the tribunal's highest appeals court, which is composed of three cardinal judges, could assess the actions of cardinals and bishops accused of criminal offenses. Also read: Pope decries weapons spending during pandemic in his Easter message The reform is the latest sign that after eight years of preaching about ending corruption and other criminal activity in the Holy See, Francis is taking concrete steps to hold his own cardinals and bishops accountable. On Thursday, he passed a different law forcing Vatican superiors to declare their finances are clean, and set a 40-euro (USD 48) cap on work-related personal gifts received by any Vatican employee. The gift cap was seen as a way to cut down on the rampant practice of financial gift-giving to Holy See clerics and the chance that such money could grease favours. Friday's reform follows Francis' decision last year to strip a senior Vatican official, Cardinal Angelo Becciu, of his rights and privileges as a cardinal in a move seen as laying the groundwork for Becciu to possibly be put on trial. The allegations against him aren't clear, however, and Becciu hasn't been charged with any crime. Becciu has said Francis cited a 100,000-euro donation he made using Holy See funds that he had authority to disburse, to a charity run by his brother. Becciu has denied wrongdoing, noting that the money was destined for the charity, not his brother, and the money never left the diocesan bank account. Becciu was also involved initially in a London real estate venture that is now the subject of a Vatican corruption investigation, but the key transactions under scrutiny occurred after he was promoted to the Vatican's saint-making office. The new procedural law Friday would presumably make unnecessary any move to strip any other cardinal of his privileges before an indictment is even handed down. In an introduction to the law, Francis said it was necessary to hold everyone equal under the law, as recognized internationally. The understanding of such values and principles, which have progressively matured in the ecclesial community, today require the Vatican code to more adequately conform to international standards, he wrote. Within the church's in-house canon law system for church crimes, cardinals and bishops are judged only by the pope. That privilege extended also to the criminal code of the city-state's tribunal in ways that led to some anomalies in recent years. In one famous case, prosecutors decided to not even investigate the cardinal whose Vatican apartment was renovated using a half-million dollars in donations intended for the pope's children's hospital. The hospital president who diverted the funds was convicted by the Vatican tribunal, but the cardinal wasn't even called to testify, much less placed under investigation.

Pope facilitates Vatican prosecutions for cardinals, bishops

Researchers examining an ancient Egyptian mummy discovered that it was that of a woman who had been seven months pregnant. It was a discovery that shocked Wojciech Ejsmond, the lead author of the study.

“I was speechless because we didn’t expect such a discovery,” he said. “The pregnancy was a complete surprise.”

This is the world's first known case of such a well-preserved ancient mummy of a pregnant woman said researchers on Thursday. The scans reveal the woman was 28 weeks into her pregnancy — about seven months — when she died.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="‘That’s a lot of teeth’: Researchers discover 2.5 billion Tyrannosaurus rex">‘That’s a lot of teeth’: Researchers discover 2.5 billion Tyrannosaurus rex</a>

The mummy was donated to Warsaw in 1826 and the inscription on the coffin named a male priest. No previous examination had disproved the belief that it was a male.

Marzena Ozarek-Szilke, an anthropologist and archeologist while examining said, "When we saw the little foot and then the little hand (of the fetus), we were shocked."

When anthropologist Marzena Ozarek-Szilke was observing CT scans and X-rays of the pelvis area, she saw some anomalies and some "weird-looking objects inside." Ozarek-Szilke told the Associated Press, "Our first surprise was that it has no penis, but instead it has breasts and long hair, and then we found out it was a pregnant woman."

Researchers while observing the size of the baby’s skull suggested she was 26 to 28 weeks pregnant. On further investigation, Ozarek found the remains of a fetus that had been left intact in the uterus and mummified together with its mother, who is thought to be in her 20s.

Their findings from the Warsaw Mummy Project of years of tests on this were published this week in the Journal of Archaeological Science.

"We do not know why the foetus was not taken out of the belly of the deceased during mummification," Ejsmond said.

Researchers thought the mummified individual was a man because it was found in a male coffin. That is why scientists believe "mummy is truly unique."

The excellent amount of emballing suggests that the woman was buried with a large amount of jewelry and she belonged to a wealthy family. Her identity is not known as the mummy has not been opened.

However, based on scans scientists rule out the woman had curly hair down to her shoulders.

(With inputs from agencies)

Researchers examining an ancient Egyptian mummy discovered that it was that of a woman who had been seven months pregnant. It was a discovery that shocked Wojciech Ejsmond, the lead author of the study.

Researchers examining an ancient Egyptian mummy discovered that it was that of a woman who had been seven months pregnant. It was a discovery that shocked Wojciech Ejsmond, the lead author of the study. “I was speechless because we didn’t expect such a discovery,” he said. “The pregnancy was a complete surprise.” This is the world's first known case of such a well-preserved ancient mummy of a pregnant woman said researchers on Thursday. The scans reveal the woman was 28 weeks into her pregnancy — about seven months — when she died. Also read: ‘That’s a lot of teeth’: Researchers discover 2.5 billion Tyrannosaurus rex The mummy was donated to Warsaw in 1826 and the inscription on the coffin named a male priest. No previous examination had disproved the belief that it was a male. Marzena Ozarek-Szilke, an anthropologist and archeologist while examining said, "When we saw the little foot and then the little hand (of the fetus), we were shocked." When anthropologist Marzena Ozarek-Szilke was observing CT scans and X-rays of the pelvis area, she saw some anomalies and some "weird-looking objects inside." Ozarek-Szilke told the Associated Press, "Our first surprise was that it has no penis, but instead it has breasts and long hair, and then we found out it was a pregnant woman." Researchers while observing the size of the baby’s skull suggested she was 26 to 28 weeks pregnant. On further investigation, Ozarek found the remains of a fetus that had been left intact in the uterus and mummified together with its mother, who is thought to be in her 20s. Their findings from the Warsaw Mummy Project of years of tests on this were published this week in the Journal of Archaeological Science. "We do not know why the foetus was not taken out of the belly of the deceased during mummification," Ejsmond said. Researchers thought the mummified individual was a man because it was found in a male coffin. That is why scientists believe "mummy is truly unique." The excellent amount of emballing suggests that the woman was buried with a large amount of jewelry and she belonged to a wealthy family. Her identity is not known as the mummy has not been opened. However, based on scans scientists rule out the woman had curly hair down to her shoulders. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists discover Egyptian mummy of a 28-weeks pregnant woman

China's population grew last year, the statistics bureau said on Thursday in an apparent bid to quash reports that it had fallen, but authorities stopped short of saying from which year numbers had grown.

On Tuesday, the Financial Times newspaper said&nbsp;China&nbsp;was set to report that its population fell below 1.4 billion last year from 2019, in the first decrease in five decades, citing people familiar with the matter.

The National Bureau of Statistics has delayed publishing the results of last year's once-in-a-decade census, with no explanation apart from saying more preparatory work was needed. It had been due to announce the results in early April.

"According to our understanding, in 2020, our country's population continued to grow," the bureau said in a one-sentence statement, adding that detailed figures would be disclosed when the census results were published.

Births in&nbsp;China&nbsp;have continued to fall despite a two-child policy that replaced a decades-old one-child limit scrapped in 2016 in hopes of boosting the number of babies.

Last year, births plunged 15 per cent&nbsp;to 10.035 million from 2019, the Ministry of Public Security has said.

The 2010 census showed the mainland population was 1.34 billion. By 2019, this had increased to 1.4005 billion, the statistics bureau said in February last year.

On Thursday, the bureau did not say if the 2020 growth was being measured from 2019 or from 2010, which means the population could have still risen from the last decade but fallen from a year earlier.

"The census is very accurate, but the reason for the delay in publishing it may be that some of the speculation is correct," said Liu Kaiming, a labour expert in the southern city of Shenzhen.

"The number of newborns released by the Ministry of Public Security is close to falling below 10 million. Therefore, the population of 2020 may be less than 1.4 billion."

The population number is very sensitive and will not be released until government departments have reached a consensus on the data and its implications, the Financial Times said.

An unexpected drop in population would pile pressure on Beijing to quickly come up with measures to encourage people to have more children and avoid an irreversible decline.

In recent months, state media have said the population might start to shrink in the next few years. In 2016, Beijing set a target to increase the population to about 1.42 billion by 2020.

The last time the Chinese population fell was from 1959 to 1961, during Mao Zedong's Great Leap Forward campaign.

During the period, the population shrank 13.48 million, data from the statistics bureau shows, amid a famine caused by the disastrous economic policy.

Posts on&nbsp;China's Twitter-like microblog Weibo with the hashtag on the statistics bureau's announcement garnered more than 56 million views, with many expressing disbelief.

"Really? I don't believe it," one netizen said.

Another made fun of the statistics bureau's delay: "Don't rush (them), be more considerate - It takes time to make things up."

China's population grew last year, the statistics bureau said on Thursday in an apparent bid to quash reports that it had fallen, but authorities stopped short of saying from which year numbers had grown.

China's population grew last year, the statistics bureau said on Thursday in an apparent bid to quash reports that it had fallen, but authorities stopped short of saying from which year numbers had grown. On Tuesday, the Financial Times newspaper said China was set to report that its population fell below 1.4 billion last year from 2019, in the first decrease in five decades, citing people familiar with the matter. The National Bureau of Statistics has delayed publishing the results of last year's once-in-a-decade census, with no explanation apart from saying more preparatory work was needed. It had been due to announce the results in early April. "According to our understanding, in 2020, our country's population continued to grow," the bureau said in a one-sentence statement, adding that detailed figures would be disclosed when the census results were published. Births in China have continued to fall despite a two-child policy that replaced a decades-old one-child limit scrapped in 2016 in hopes of boosting the number of babies. Last year, births plunged 15 per cent to 10.035 million from 2019, the Ministry of Public Security has said. The 2010 census showed the mainland population was 1.34 billion. By 2019, this had increased to 1.4005 billion, the statistics bureau said in February last year. On Thursday, the bureau did not say if the 2020 growth was being measured from 2019 or from 2010, which means the population could have still risen from the last decade but fallen from a year earlier. "The census is very accurate, but the reason for the delay in publishing it may be that some of the speculation is correct," said Liu Kaiming, a labour expert in the southern city of Shenzhen. "The number of newborns released by the Ministry of Public Security is close to falling below 10 million. Therefore, the population of 2020 may be less than 1.4 billion." The population number is very sensitive and will not be released until government departments have reached a consensus on the data and its implications, the Financial Times said. An unexpected drop in population would pile pressure on Beijing to quickly come up with measures to encourage people to have more children and avoid an irreversible decline. In recent months, state media have said the population might start to shrink in the next few years. In 2016, Beijing set a target to increase the population to about 1.42 billion by 2020. The last time the Chinese population fell was from 1959 to 1961, during Mao Zedong's Great Leap Forward campaign. During the period, the population shrank 13.48 million, data from the statistics bureau shows, amid a famine caused by the disastrous economic policy. Posts on China's Twitter-like microblog Weibo with the hashtag on the statistics bureau's announcement garnered more than 56 million views, with many expressing disbelief. "Really? I don't believe it," one netizen said. Another made fun of the statistics bureau's delay: "Don't rush (them), be more considerate - It takes time to make things up."

China seeks to douse speculation its population is shrinking

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Vinod Janardhanan

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